C58 Her Teeth Were Sore

Mo Hua was just about to take the ginseng porridge to the small kitchen to heat it when Dugu Jin suddenly burst in.

“Sister! What on earth is going on? Why did the Emperor only make you a Vice Consort? What have you been doing while I was confined at the estate...” The gap between his expectations and reality was too vast, and Dugu Jin's anger flared as he stormed into the hall, shouting at Dugu Rou.

‘Crash—’

The ginseng porridge, still in its porcelain bowl, shattered at Dugu Jin's feet, splattering all over him. A shard of the broken bowl grazed his hand, drawing blood.

The pain snapped Dugu Jin back to his senses, and he instinctively swallowed hard. “I just came to ask...”

“And you have the nerve to ask what I've done? Have you even looked at your own actions? Competing with a hostage and pushing Qin Luoyi into the lake—you're really something!” Dugu Rou hissed, her eyes dark and menacing like a specter.

“Oh, come on, now's not the time for this. Sister, you’re not really going to just sit there and accept being a Vice Consort, are you?” Dugu Jin, knowing he was in the wrong, bent over, trying his best to appease her.

Dugu Rou sneered coldly, “And what else can I do? The Empress has already chosen the Crown Prince Consort. What options do I have?”

"Who? Who did the Queen summon?" Dugu Jin exclaimed in disbelief.

To the side, Mo Hua glanced at Dugu Jin. "It's Feng Tiange, the one who had a falling out with the Commander."

"That ugly duckling? How could she! Don't worry, sister. The Queen might be blind, but the Crown Prince isn't. That kind of eyesore is enough to make you sick for half a year!" Dugu Jin declared confidently.

He had seen Feng Tiange before—she was so unattractive, she had no friends!

Dugu Rou looked up at her brother, feeling a chill in her heart. If only her brother had a bit more ambition, she wouldn't be in such a passive position today.

Seeing her mistress close her eyes in impatience, Mo Hua approached. "The Empress isn't feeling well. Commander, you should leave and come back another day."

Dugu Jin wisely exited the Heaven Obeying Hall, mentally adding another mark against Feng Tiange...

At the Four-sea Merchant Alliance, Rong Qi had changed his attire, and Feng Tiange wore a veil over her face. She could make a splash at the Imperial Academy, but she couldn't let anyone know about her connection to the Merchant Alliance.

In a private room on the second floor, Feng Tiange sat respectfully across from Rong Qi. As she put it, even if Wen Ci hadn't sought her out, she would have wanted to visit the Merchant Alliance today.

"Lyi Xiaotian sent word that a new tin shop called Mei Tin Workshop has opened at the Fish Market," Feng Tiange said with clear, calm eyes.

Rong Qi nodded, aware of the situation. What puzzled him was Feng Tiange's intentions toward Guu Ruochen. Huaiyin Marquis, Guu Yu, was associated with Beiming Yuan, so why was she getting so close to Guu Ruochen? Was she trying to use her charm to win him over?

Charm...

Alright, he admitted, Feng Tiange had indeed transformed remarkably. Though her expression was hidden behind a golden mask, she could sense the calm and composed aura emanating from Rong Qi. He wasn't quick to jump to conclusions or doubts, yet his mind was always at work, a trait befitting someone destined for great deeds.

"According to Lyi Xiaotian, this Meixi Workshop isn't as simple as it seems. Behind it lies a massive tin and iron mine..." Feng Tiange deliberately paused, but the person across from her remained silent.

Rong Qi's thoughts weren't on Meixi Workshop; he mainly felt that Feng Tiange shouldn't rely on her allure. Pretending to be innocent didn't suit her at all.

The next part was tricky to say, and Feng Tiange hesitated for a moment. "Although I can't be sure how 'massive' Lyi Xiaotian meant, iron is always contested. So, I want No-south House to take over Meixi Workshop. What does the leader think?"

"…"

"However, No-south House currently doesn't have the strength to compete with Azure Jade Sect, so I hope to secure some funds in advance from the leader."

“...”

“A rough estimate, thirty million dollars should suffice.”

“...”

By the time Rong Qi snapped out of his daze, he couldn't get a word in edgewise.

“What do you think, Master?” Feng Tiange had never lacked money in her past life, so this was her first time experiencing the difficulty of borrowing money. Whether or not the other party agreed, her pride would take a hit.

Behind the golden mask, Rong Qi was expressionless, or rather, he was petrified, contemplating a serious question: Was it too late to pretend Feng Tiange had never come in and just kick her out?

Why did he call her back?

Could he say no to the loan?

The Master of the Merchant Alliance couldn't even come up with a mere thirty million dollars—what happened to sincerity?

“No problem.”

“Thank you so much!”

Feng Tiange was overjoyed. At that moment, she truly understood the unique advantage of having connections when others only have a shadow to rely on.

Rong Qi felt like crying.

Really, there's no need to thank me, just remember to pay it back...

“One more thing...” Seeing the man across from her sway slightly, Feng Tiange was worried, “Master, are you alright?”

Rong Qi felt a pang of regret, hoping she wouldn't ask for more money.

“I'm fine, go ahead.”

“By openly having No-south House oppose the Azure Jade Sect, will it cause trouble for the Carefree King?” Feng Tiange asked casually; she was determined to go through with it now that the money was secured.

Iron symbolizes the era of cold weapons, where on the battlefield, aside from the warriors, the most crucial element is the weaponry. One day, she will return to the battlefield...

"Forget about the Carefree King, the Fish Market, and everything with the No-south House. You only need to answer to me," Rong Qi said, feeling a twinge of pain but also immense satisfaction at Feng Tiange's courage.

"Tiange will not disappoint you," Feng Tiange replied, standing up and bowing deeply to Rong Qi.

Once she left, Rong Qi removed his mask and raised his arm toward the ceiling beam, "Help me... I'm about to lose thirty million dollars..."

In the northwest of the capital, a house nestled among affluent residences, not particularly luxurious, had its door sound with a knock. Inside the hall, the white jade floor was embedded with gold beads and scattered with vibrant green grape skins.

A bell chimed as a woman gracefully entered, her slender waist bending slightly. Draped over her shoulders was a brightly colored robe, underneath which she wore a green strapless gown. Her clear collarbone led to smooth, fair skin that extended to her proud, full figure.

Her waist was as slender as a willow, and her long hair, like a waterfall, was adorned with strings of pearls, with one strand falling straight from her forehead. Her earlobes were decorated with ornate tin pendants, featuring a deep blue gemstone. Her half-bare arms were adorned with numerous tin and glass bangles, and her ankles were wrapped in silver chains with purple bells.

Holding a plate of vibrant green crystal grapes, Meiniang, the proprietor of Meixi Fang, approached with a gentle, almost mesmerizing voice that could send shivers down anyone's spine. Yet, the person seated remained indifferent.

"The Lord still cares for you, knowing there aren't any fresh crystal grapes here. He specifically sent two large plates over," she said.

"Can we stop bringing more? My teeth are aching," Su Hu complained, dressed in an old cotton jacket. He perched on the intricately carved chair, knees up, shivering slightly as he spat out a grape skin with a soft 'pfft.'

"But the Lord instructed me to ensure you finish the grapes," Meiniang replied, placing the tray in front of Su Hu, her expression so pitiful it could melt anyone's heart.