It was noon, and the sun blazed fiercely overhead.
On the third floor of Huaguang Pavilion, the shopkeeper bowed and scraped as he welcomed Shang Changge’s arrival.
“Your Highness, please, have a seat! Please sit!”
“If you needed anything, you only had to send word! Why trouble yourself by coming here personally?”
Huaguang Pavilion was one of the most prestigious jewelry houses in the capital.
Its location was prime, and its innovative designs made it a favorite destination among noble ladies and official wives.
With Shang Changge, the Eldest Princess, backing it from behind the scenes, Huaguang Pavilion enjoyed considerable influence and confidence among its competitors.
The third floor offered an exceptional view.
One could sip tea while overlooking nearly a quarter of the capital city.
Taking a leisurely drink, Shang Changge narrowed her beautiful eyes and looked meaningfully at the shopkeeper, who had been acting respectful and obsequious from the moment she entered.
“Shopkeeper Luo, you’ve spent quite a lot of time drinking tea from this very seat, haven’t you?”
“Such a wonderful view. Such fine tea.”
“No wonder you’ve grown increasingly arrogant and forgotten what exactly you are.”
For a brief instant, Luo’s expression twisted.
But years of experience quickly smoothed it over beneath a flattering smile.
Feigning ignorance, he laughed awkwardly.
“Your Highness jests! How would I dare?”
“I’m merely managing Huaguang Pavilion on your behalf.”
“To put it nicely, I’m the pavilion’s manager.”
“To put it bluntly, I’m just one of Your Highness’s dogs.”
“I would never forget my place, nor would I dare harbor any improper thoughts.”
“Is that so?” Shang Changge asked.
At her glance, Qing Yao stepped forward.
Having worn a cold expression the entire journey, she suddenly hurled a stack of account books directly at Luo.
The ledgers struck his chest before scattering onto the floor.
“Then explain these accounts!”
“Where did all the missing silver go?!”
Cold sweat instantly broke out across Luo’s forehead.
Trembling, he picked up the ledgers and flipped through them page by page.
The more he read, the uglier his face became.
Every circled discrepancy and every marked irregularity drove his complexion further from pale to ashen.
Inside, he was cursing furiously.
What’s wrong with this woman?
She never cared about these things before, and she certainly couldn’t understand account books.
So how has every falsified entry suddenly been discovered?
Who’s sabotaging me behind the scenes?!
“Y-Your Highness…”
With a loud thud, Luo dropped to his knees.
A grown man, well into middle age, burst into tears on command.
Snot and tears streamed down his face as he clutched his chest dramatically.
“Your Highness, I truly don’t know anything about this!”
“The accounts were handled entirely by the accountant!”
“He must have embezzled the silver behind my back!”
“I—I mean, this humble servant will immediately summon him! I’ll bring him here right now!”
He attempted to flee.
But several sword-bearing guards accompanying Shang Changge blocked his path.
The grief-stricken expression on his face distorted again.
Forced to continue his act, he turned and knelt before Shang Changge once more.
“Your—”
Shang Changge raised a hand, cutting off his theatrical wailing.
“Answer me this.”
“Who supervises the accountant?”
Luo struggled for a long moment.
Under Shang Changge’s increasingly displeased gaze, he finally squeezed out two words.
“…I do.”
“Excellent.”
Her fingers slowly traced the rim of her teacup, still warm from the tea within.
Then she spoke with infuriating calm.
“Since he’s under your authority, then naturally I will hold you responsible.”
“You have half a day to replace every tael of silver missing from these accounts.”
“Otherwise…”
She glanced at the guards she had brought.
“…these men will chop you and every one of your blood relatives living in that house on West Street into pieces and feed you all to the dogs.”
Luo’s ability to maintain his expression finally collapsed.
His face twisted with rage and hatred.
He looked as though he wanted to threaten her.
Rather than becoming angry, Shang Changge smiled.
Leaning lazily against her chair, she appeared almost relaxed.
“I suggest you don’t waste your time resisting.”
“Struggling will accomplish nothing except further irritate me.”
“You should understand that giving you half a day to repay the money is already an act of mercy.”
“I could just as easily lead people to your home and tear it apart.”
Today, Shang Changge wore a lake-blue gown worth a fortune.
Golden sunlight streamed through the open windows of the third floor, bathing her robes in a radiant glow.
The embroidered patterns reserved exclusively for royalty shimmered brilliantly.
She looked like heaven’s favored child—
More dazzling.
More noble.
More untouchable.
Yet the words spoken by this seemingly blessed princess sounded less like those of a royal daughter and more like a female King of Hell climbing up from the eighteenth level of the underworld to claim a life.
“I always keep my word.”
“After all, my infamy is known throughout Qingyan.”
“Known throughout the world.”
“I don’t mind adding your name to the list.”
Her tone remained light and casual.
As though she wasn’t worried in the slightest that Luo might refuse her warning.
In fact, she almost seemed to be looking forward to it.
If he chose to resist, she would have the perfect excuse to smash his household apart—
And then, with equal justification, have every one of them chopped into pieces and fed to the dogs.