The distance between a slave and the emperor was truly vast. Simply put, if the emperor never visited the Prince’s Residence in his lifetime, then as a slave of the Prince’s Residence, she might never lay eyes on him.
And how long could a passing interest from an emperor for a slave possibly last?
Perhaps no action was needed at all—after a night’s sleep, he might forget all about it by the next day.
Most importantly, she had overlooked one thing: she had actually disrupted the male lead’s plan.
The original text clearly stated that the male lead deliberately orchestrated Bai Lian’er’s fall into the water to seduce him, then used the opportunity to present her to the old emperor.
As the most important white lotus female antagonist in the entire book, Bai Lian’er’s beauty went without saying. The moment she entered the palace, she became the most favored in the harem, contributing immensely to the male lead’s ascension to the throne. It was his most brilliant scheme.
Now that she had ruined it, how could the male lead possibly not react at all?
His plan was executed so skillfully that even Bai Lian’er herself detected no traces of it, believing instead that it was her ill-fated destiny that caused her to miss her chance with “Lan Gege.”
To achieve such seamless execution, he must have put in considerable effort behind the scenes. There had to be someone in the palace colluding with him; otherwise, why would the Chongwen Emperor coincidentally visit the Prince’s Residence at this exact time, and why would he travel so lightly and discreetly that even the people in the residence were unaware of it?
Judging by the male lead’s current actions, he clearly had no intention of going with the flow and presenting her to the emperor.
In that case, he would surely instruct his contacts in the palace to dissuade the Chongwen Emperor from this idea.
Ahhh! She knew it—the male lead was nothing but a wretched, unscrupulous scoundrel! Once she became an Imperial Concubine, she would make sure to have him castrated into a eunuch!
…
After tossing and turning all night, she woke the next day with dark circles under her eyes. She splashed her face with cold water, mustered her energy, and set off on her journey.
The capital of Great Qi, Daliang City, was the most prosperous place in the realm. Countless branches of the Grand Canal crisscrossed the city like a net, bustling with merchant ships of all kinds.
A previous emperor had abolished the ward system, allowing shops to open along the streets. As a result, Daliang’s streets were exceptionally lively, lined with storefronts.
Xi Hongrui leaned against the small window of the carriage. As soon as she lifted the curtain, the clamor of the outside world rushed into her ears. Listening to the unfamiliar hustle and bustle, her restless heart finally settled.
Vendors hurried back and forth on the streets, their feet barely touching the ground. A woman, drenched in sweat, trudged unsteadily as she dragged her two children along, hawking sour plum juice by the roadside.
The heavy wooden bucket weighed down her shoulders, forcing her to shuffle forward slowly. A group of wealthy men and women strolled past her with light, carefree steps. The woman, upon seeing them, put on what she thought was an ingratiating and pleasing expression.
The wealthy passersby, annoyed by her sweaty and disheveled appearance, quickly spurred their horses past her. Disappointed, the woman could only continue her unsteady journey forward.
Xi Hongrui stared intently at the woman carrying the burden, suddenly lost in thought. Why was it that in this world, two extremes could exist so close to each other? Could it be that there were truly born sinners in this world, destined from birth to be trampled underfoot?
As the carriage moved further away, the woman, despite her efforts, fell farther and farther behind. Suddenly, Xi Hongrui shouted to the outside, “Stop the carriage! Stop! Stop!”
Outside, Pei San, who had been focused on driving the carriage, immediately reined in the horses upon hearing her command.Lin Wan had only assigned Xi Hongrui to manage the business as an excuse to remove her from her side. She would never truly entrust such an important matter to a young girl who only knew how to dress up.
When Ning Lan learned of her plan to sell scented soap that day, he immediately handed over all the shops under his control for her to manage as she saw fit.
At first, Lin Wan felt uneasy about it, but Ning Lan insisted with a gentle smile, reminding her that as the Crown Princess Consort of the Prince’s Residence, it was only natural for her to oversee the household finances.
In ancient times, it was customary for the principal wife to manage the household affairs. Reassured by this, Lin Wan finally settled into her role.
With Ning Lan’s full support, Lin Wan’s ambition blazed fiercely within her. Reflecting on her earlier small-scale plans, she realized they had been rather petty.
Now, she was determined to achieve something significant in this era, and for coordinating such efforts, Pei San was undoubtedly the best choice.
Thus, both the Prince and the Crown Princess Consort contributed one person each to work together on this endeavor.
When Pei San received this appointment from the Prince, he instantly understood his master’s intentions. His face flushed bright red as he accepted the task.
His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts about the matter throughout the journey. When he heard the person in the carriage speak, he immediately pricked up his ears to listen to what she intended to do.
Ignoring him, Xi Hongrui leaned out of the window on her own and shouted toward the back, “Hey, selling sour plum soup—come over here!”
The woman, likely having poor business with no sales for a while, immediately forgot her weariness upon hearing the call. She hurried over to the carriage as fast as she could, her face beaming with excitement. “Miss, would you like some sour plum soup? Five coins for a bucket—three coins cheaper than anyone else!”
Being addressed as “Miss” made Xi Hongrui break into a wide grin. But before the woman could rejoice, Xi Hongrui’s expression shifted as swiftly as flipping a page. She frowned, eyeing the woman with disdain. “You’re selling food—how can you be so sloppy? Are we supposed to drink your soup or swallow your stinky sweat?”
The woman froze in place. Behind her, two grubby children toddled over, blinking their dull, wide eyes at Xi Hongrui.
Unfazed, Xi Hongrui continued arrogantly, “Do you know why others charge three coins more? Because they chill theirs in ice cellars. The moment it’s served, that refreshing coolness hits your face. Just look at you—worn-out clothes and drenched in sweat. How can you compete with others?”
Flustered, the woman quickly offered, “Then, young lady, I can give you a further discount…”
But Xi Hongrui cut her off, lifting her chin with a haughty snort. “No need! I’m not short on coins!”
She pulled out her purse, poured out ten coins, and flipped her hand to dangle them in front of the woman. “Here, give me two servings.”
The woman had assumed such harsh words meant no sale, so she was overjoyed to sell two servings at once. She grabbed the handful of copper coins, not even daring to count them before stuffing them into her pocket, and urged her children to serve the soup for the customer.
The two little grimy balls of kids set to work—one untied bamboo containers from the carrying pole, while the other ladled soup into them using a dipper and funnel.
Leaning against the window, Xi Hongrui let the red silk ribbon in her hair dangle alongside the coins, swaying back and forth. Propping her chin, she sneered, “Where did you crawl out from, you country bumpkin? All over Daliang City, I’ve never seen anyone run a business as poorly as you.””Take a good look at this street—one-coin solid buns are sold to dockworkers hauling cargo, seven-coin lamb noodle soup feeds shop assistants, twenty-coin stir-fried chicken serves traveling merchants. So who exactly is your five-coin sour plum drink meant for?”
“If passersby want a snack, they won’t care about saving a few coins. If they’re just thirsty, water is available everywhere. How do you expect this half-hearted business to survive?”
The woman stood frozen by her rapid-fire critique, clutching the hem of her clothes and staring at her helplessly.
After her husband’s death, her in-laws had seized her farmland and home, forcing her to bring her two children to Daliang City to scrape by. The temple abbot, pitying their plight, allowed the mother and children to stay for a monthly rent of three hundred coins.
Unable to find work, the woman noticed the temple’s dark plums ripening and recalled her skill at making sour plum drink. She pleaded with the abbot to lend her some plums, promising to repay his kindness if she earned any money.
Yet despite brewing the drink perfectly—even the monks praised its taste—she hadn’t sold a single jar all morning!
Growing desperate, the woman forgot her fear and timidly smiled at Xi Hongrui. “Then, young mistress, what do you suggest I do?”
Resting her chin on her arm, Xi Hongrui took one look at the woman’s timid demeanor and knew she was dealing with a clueless fool. She grew even bolder in her criticism: “The key to business is offering what others don’t. You have nothing others lack, and the only extra thing you possess is a pair of feet.”
“Feet?” The woman glanced down at her worn shoes in confusion.
“Exactly—feet. The street may be crowded, but everyone has their own legs. They can go wherever they want to buy better things and won’t settle for yours.”
“Meanwhile, in the residential lanes beyond this street, homeowners include elderly folks, children, young women, maids, and servants. They have spare coins but no time to go out—essentially, they’re people without ‘feet.’ Do you understand now?”
A thunderclap of realization struck the woman. She showered Xi Hongrui with gratitude and offered her a free jar as thanks.
But Xi Hongrui refused without hesitation: “I’m not interested in your trinkets. When you patrol the lanes later, remember to stop at…”
She trailed off, unable to recall, and ducked back into the carriage, shouting ahead: “Hey, Pei! Where’s your house again?”
Pei San snorted at being addressed so casually but good-naturedly called back: “Willow Leaf Street, Golden Rooster Lane, the house under the third willow tree.”
Xi Hongrui popped her head out again: “Remember that spot? Pass by daily around dusk and save me a jar. I’ll pay full price—got it?”
Thrilled to have a steady customer, the woman eagerly agreed to come punctually every day.
Xi Hongrui grinned, her little canine teeth gleaming in the sunlight, then grabbed a bamboo jar and slipped back into the carriage.
She took a sip—the sweet-and-sour tang instantly refreshed her. Though the woman lacked business sense, her brew was delicious. Xi Hongrui took another hearty gulp.After finishing her drink, she reluctantly kicked the front seat and stretched her hand out through the curtain: “Hey, I can’t finish this. Do you want it?”
When Xi Hongrui had ordered two bamboo tubes earlier, Pei San had already guessed the little girl’s intentions, and his heart instantly felt as if soaked in honey.
But for some reason, he couldn’t resist teasing her: “This tube costs five coppers. How much do you earn each month? And you’re treating me?”
Xi Hongrui flew into a rage upon hearing this: “Suit yourself! If you don’t want it, I’ll pour it into the water!”
But before she could withdraw her hand, Pei San snatched the bamboo tube from her.
Xi Hongrui grew even angrier. She leaned out, pouting furiously: “Didn’t you say you didn’t want it?”
Pei San glanced at her peach-like face, his ears turning red as he averted his gaze: “Who said I didn’t want it? Since you’re giving it to me for free, why wouldn’t I take it?”
“Fine! You’re taking advantage of me!”
“You’re the one who offered it to me.”
“Well, I don’t want to give it to you anymore!”
“Then I’ll return it to you.”
“Then return it now!”
Pei San glanced at her, brought the bamboo tube to his lips, drained it in one go, and looked at her with a smile: “Oops, I can’t return today’s portion. I’ll return it to you tomorrow~”
“I don’t want that! I want this one back!”
Xi Hongrui began acting spoiled, her eyes gradually misting over.
Seeing her pitiful expression, Pei San finally realized he had gone too far. He instinctively reached out to wipe the corner of her eye: “How about I repay you tenfold, a hundredfold in the future?”
Xi Hongrui seemed startled by his gesture, her eyes widening round.
She immediately pulled her head back behind the curtain and stammered: “How are you going to repay me!”
Pei San’s entire face flushed red: “However you say I should repay you.”
“Then I want you to compensate me with a hundred tubes!”
“Alright.”
Xi Hongrui abruptly lifted the curtain again, glaring at him angrily: “Are you even listening to me? I said a hundred tubes!”
Pei San looked at her flushed, angry face and, for the first time, didn’t avoid her gaze. Instead, he looked at her solemnly and mustered his courage: “I heard you. Not just a hundred tubes—I could repay you for a lifetime.”
Xi Hongrui:…
She hurriedly dropped the curtain in panic, flustered: “What nonsense are you saying?”
Pei San had been nervous while speaking, but once the words were out, he suddenly felt at ease.
He glanced back at the curtain, his heart sweet as honey. This little girl still claims she doesn’t like him?
But this girl had quite a temper. If he kept teasing her, she might really run away.
So Pei San coughed and said seriously: “What I meant was, from now on, I’ll cover all your expenses, whatever you eat or use!”
There was immediately complete silence behind him.
Pei San waited for a long time without getting a response, but he wasn’t annoyed. Instead, he grinned from ear to ear.
What was that little girl doing back there? Was her small face smiling, blushing as red as a pomegranate flower?
Inside the carriage, Xi Hongrui was indeed smiling like a flower.
Trading one cup for a hundred in return—who wouldn’t smile like a flower?
Resting her chin on the windowsill, she gazed outside with a radiant smile.
You see, making a dog obedient was actually this simple.
In her previous life, she had actually been trampled by such a creature.
Xi Hongrui slowly twisted her handkerchief.
How could she elevate herself from a position where others could trample her at will to one where she could trample others as she pleased?
Just like now—how could she make that master in the palace, who possessed the entire world, look at her once more?