After a good night’s sleep, the first day also turned out to have fine weather. When he woke up early in the morning, there was even a light breeze—cool and refreshing.

It felt comfortable, but in fact, the weather turning cool in June wasn’t a good sign at all. It only showed that it was yet another cold year, and winter would probably come early again.

The feeling of returning home after being out and about was indeed different—his long-standing tension had finally eased. Xiao Rong didn’t dream at all through the night. Shortly after dawn, he opened his eyes. Though he hadn’t slept much, he didn’t feel tired at all.

The first thing he did after getting up was brushing his teeth with a willow twig. He had to admit, the wisdom of the ancients was truly boundless. It hadn’t been that long since people left behind the days of slavery, yet they had already figured out something like toothpaste.

Except, this toothpaste wasn’t quite what Xiao Rong was familiar with. Its ingredients were all herbal, it didn’t foam, nor did it have any minty freshness. It even tasted a bit bitter. In terms of cleaning power, it was slightly inferior, but when it came to improving oral health, it was absolutely top-tier.

Since using this toothpaste, Xiao Rong hadn’t experienced gum bleeding again.

…

This wasn’t something you could buy just anywhere—it had been gifted to him by Yu Shaoxie. They called it “Fuling Fragrance.” It had been part of the dowry that Yu Shaoxie’s mother brought from her family.

It really showed the status of aristocratic families—they could even make toothpaste recipes part of a dowry.

Xiao Rong had once tried to sound out Yu Shaoxie about whether this toothpaste could be sold. He suggested opening a shop under Yu’s name and splitting the profit fifty-fifty between the Yu family and the government. Yu Shaoxie had been both amused and helpless. He hadn’t felt offended—he just thought Xiao Rong’s relentless drive to make money was… incredibly sincere.

…

But Yu Shaoxie told him they couldn’t sell it. If his mother’s family ever found out the formula had been leaked, it wouldn’t just be his mother who got punished—his grandfather, aunts, and uncles would also suffer consequences. At best, they’d be expelled from the family. At worst, they could be struck from the ancestral record.

And that was only if they hadn’t participated directly. If they had, the family head might even call upon the clan elders to carry out private punishment against the offenders.

Not all aristocratic families were this harsh, but there were always some that ignored the law and operated as closed-off mini-kingdoms.

Yu Shaoxie’s mother had passed away giving birth to Yu Shaocheng. The Yu family had been in decline for over a decade. Even though the two brothers had nearly forgotten what their maternal grandparents looked like, blood ties followed a person for life. That shackle could never truly be removed.

This system seemed extremely inhumane… but there were reasons people had chosen to live in clan groups for thousands of years. In times of natural disasters or turmoil, large families had far better chances of survival than small ones. Only by sticking together could people make it through harsh environments.

…

Now that Xiao Rong no longer lacked money and his emergency funds were secured, he didn’t need to think about monetizing these small things anymore. Still, as he looked at the “Fuling Fragrance” set in a porcelain dish, his gaze turned slightly serious.

In Yu Shaoxie’s maternal family: “Fuling Fragrance” was equivalent to the “Xiao family paper” in the Linchuan Xiao household. Both were proud assets of their respective families and sources of livelihood—absolutely untouchable by outsiders.

Yu’s family might even execute one of their own for it. And the Xiao family was far more powerful. If they ever got serious, with Xiao Rong’s current scale and connections, he might not be able to bear the consequences.

But whether it was building a library or developing the future imperial examination system, they couldn’t do it without paper. The price of paper had to be brought down, and the Northern Army had to be involved in the papermaking industry.

Previously, because he couldn’t think of a good solution, Xiao Rong had shelved the idea. But that morning, a sudden flash of inspiration made him realize that his position wasn’t so passive anymore.

He smiled slightly, lowered his head to rinse his mouth again, and after finishing his morning routine, he stepped out of the house humming a tune.

Next to him, Ah Shu was baffled: “???”

What kind of tune was the lord humming? He had never heard it before.

＊

Because he had gotten up early, Xiao Rong didn’t dive into work right away. He first went to inspect the projects he had given orders for before leaving.

Baibao Street was overseen by Jian Qiao. When Xiao Rong left, it was just a flat foundation. Now it was already taking shape. The street was six hundred zhang long—longer than most commercial streets. But it wasn’t because there were more shops. The Northern Army’s building techniques were limited—no one knew how to construct tall buildings. Most were single-story. Only the central section had two floors, per Xiao Rong’s demand. Any taller would be too much for the soldiers.

…

When the first batch of shops was completed, the noble families came to take a look. Everyone was amazed. The design was all per Xiao Rong’s instructions. Unlike the local norm of buildings with combined doors and windows, he removed the windows entirely and replaced the street-facing walls with doors. One wall could have six doors. When open for business, all six doors would be thrown open—allowing passersby to immediately see what was being sold inside.

Each shop also had a reserved flowerbed space out front. According to the soldiers who built the houses, shopkeepers could choose to plant flowers there or display products. On the river-facing side, there was also a square area left open. They said they’d place stone tables, wooden stools, maybe even a pavilion or swings—for customer rest.

But really..: “resting” was just a pretense. The true purpose was to attract the wealthy. The most idle people in town were rich ladies and retired officials. They had money and time. If Baibao Street was made fun and beautiful, they’d naturally treat it as a place to stroll and digest. And who could resist buying something while out walking?

The nobles understood Xiao Rong’s intention. Seeing all the careful details made them even more satisfied.

Look—there were even designated trash chutes! Just put the waste behind the shop, and Lord Xiao said someone would collect it early in the morning!

Wow, that was something only Capital used to have. And now, even little Chenliu enjoyed such treatment. Plus, the shops didn’t charge rent. Amazing. If only they didn’t charge taxes either.

Xiao Rong: Keep dreaming. Don’t pay taxes and I’ll throw you and your goods out on day one.

…

Once they saw the real thing, the nobles realized Xiao Rong wasn’t bluffing—he truly intended to develop this place. They had lived long enough to know that if the local governor was serious, there was no town that couldn’t be built up.

And so, Baibao Street grew more bustling by the day. The first half of the street was filled with stewards and shopkeepers from noble families delivering and receiving goods. The second half had skilled workers finishing rooftops. General Jian had said, once this street was complete, they could return to the barracks for rest!

Indeed… now that funding was in place, there was no need to treat soldiers as laborers. They could hire refugees from outside the city and help them fill their pockets—encouraging them to settle down here.

After the buildings were done, the only manpower still needed would be for strengthening the city defenses. Xiao Rong had mentioned it to Chancellor Gao just yesterday. Though the man seemed distracted—who knew if he even remembered

Seeing how busy everyone was—and that things were moving faster than expected—Xiao Rong didn’t interrupt them and quietly left.

Next, he went to find Yu Shaoxie, who had just gotten up. As soon as he heard Xiao Rong was there, he knew what it was about.

It had to be about the script.

Earlier, Xiao Rong had asked Yu Shaoxie to find a desperate and shameless scholar to write the kind of story he wanted. Yu found one and checked in daily. Since Xiao Rong was in a rush, he had already reserved a place on Baibao Street called the Theater—it was near the plaza. That was his personal business. The tallest building on the street, two and a half stories. Once the street was finished and the literary collections opened, the theater would launch at the same time.

Yu Shaoxie hadn’t even swallowed his tea before pulling out the first three acts. A good play normally took years to write, but Xiao Rong wanted fast food. So Yu had to go along, though reluctantly.

To be honest, Yu Shaoxie had never seen anything this sloppy. If it were up to him, he would have argued with the actors by the first act.

…

But as Xiao Rong read, his brows kept rising higher. He nodded continuously: “Not bad. Hmm, this one’s talented.”

Yu Shaoxie: “…”

Are you serious?

Xiao Rong was absolutely serious. He smiled: “This man must have gone through a lot. He even captured the voice of the poor. Very good—nothing hollow or fake. And every line rhymes. It’s only been half a month, right? He’s already written this much. That means he’s efficient. I’ll take these three acts first. One act per ten days—that’s a full month. But the performers still need time to rehearse and memorize lines. So from now on, have him deliver one act on the 1st and 15th of every month. Based on ticket sales, I’ll give him a bonus. Motivation needs rewards.”

Yu Shaoxie: “…”

He couldn’t understand: “Xiao, do you really think this script is clever? It’s clearly slapdash—every line reads like a limerick!”

Xiao Rong winked: “But common folks can only understand limericks.”

Yu Shaoxie was stunned, then shook his head: “I understand you’re eager to win over the people. But once the literary competition opens, if the scholars find out you own that theater and these vulgar songs are what’s being performed…”

He stopped himself mid-sentence for the first time. He had a good impression of Xiao Rong and held back his temper in front of him. Every time he bit his tongue, he was swallowing sharp words back down.

Xiao Rong stayed quiet for a while, then asked calmly: “Brother Yu—why did you join the Northern Army in the first place?”

The topic shifted too quickly, and Yu Shaoxie was momentarily stunned before he replied: “The king is brave and valiant. The Northern Army is in its prime. Looking across the Central Plains, the king was the only one who could rival Barbarian.”

Xiao Rong said: “If only the king and the Northern Army had a more noble background, that would be perfect.”

After a few breaths, Yu Shaoxie finally realized that Xiao Rong was speaking in his tone, finishing the words he hadn’t said.

Yu Shaoxie couldn’t help but frown, while Xiao Rong just smiled faintly: “In truth, it was a hard fact that the king and others had poor backgrounds. There was no need to hide it or deceive anyone. If you were to look for someone with an even worse origin than the king, you’d only find bandits and robbers.”

Yu Shaoxie: “……”

Xiao Rong paused, then continued: “But that wasn’t a bad thing. Precisely because the king came from humble beginnings, he could accept people from all walks of life. Look at the Northern Army—it had criminals, refugees, foreigners, fallen nobles, Buddhist monks, and even the eldest sons of aristocratic families. Such a combination would be unheard of anywhere else, yet under the king, it was possible. Because the king had a lowly origin, he had high tolerance. He didn’t mind others’ pasts. So why was it that someone like you, Brother Yu, with such a noble background, couldn’t manage the same?”

Yu Shaoxie stared at him blankly. Xiao Rong smiled again but stood up directly. He waved the opera booklet in his hand at Yu Shaoxie, then turned and left.

…

Xiao Rong appeared calm, but after he left Yu Shaoxie, he felt a bit unsettled.

He had known what kind of person Yu Shaoxie was from the beginning. He was a classic scholar, aligned with the traditional values of the scholar class. Raising one class always meant lowering another. It was no surprise that he considered scholars superior.

Before, Xiao Rong would just brush off such talk. He wouldn’t bother saying anything, because he knew the chance of changing Yu Shaoxie’s mind was slim. More likely, Yu Shaoxie would start to resent him, realizing they weren’t the same kind of person, which would make working together awkward.

In summary, he shouldn’t have said all that. It would’ve been better to gloss over the issue.

…But now, it was too late—he had already said it.

Xiao Rong didn’t even know why. The moment he heard Yu Shaoxie’s remarks, he couldn’t help but speak up. If even a simple, folksy poem that commoners enjoyed was “unbearable” to him, then what kind of image did he have of people like Qu Yunmie, who didn’t even care for that?

On top of that, Yu Shaoxie never argued with him—but he always acted differently in front of Qu Yunmie. Lately, he hadn’t been openly criticizing Qu Yunmie as much, but whenever something bothered him, he still spoke up bluntly.

Qu Yunmie had long since gotten used to it. He usually just ignored it or snapped once to change the subject. Xiao Rong hadn’t thought much of it before, but today, he suddenly realized something.

He used to think Yu Shaoxie criticized Qu Yunmie because he was overly idealistic. But he wasn’t like that with everyone—why? Was it because he thought Qu Yunmie was uneducated? That he didn’t understand anything? That he held a high position without deserving it? Was that why he got so angry every time?

If Yu Shaoxie really thought that way, it wouldn’t have been completely unreasonable. After all, Qu Yunmie truly wasn’t the best at governing. Feeling frustrated made sense. But all of a sudden, Xiao Rong couldn’t accept that attitude anymore.

Qu Yunmie was clearly trying to change.

…But Yu Shaoxie still treated him with the same old mindset. That rubbed Xiao Rong the wrong way.

On one hand, he felt satisfied for speaking his mind. On the other, he regretted it. No matter how Yu Shaoxie thought, he was still a hardworking person in the Northern Army—and he treated Xiao Rong genuinely, as a friend.

Xiao Rong sighed heavily. He leaned against the artificial mountain, absentmindedly tugging at the hanging vines. Just as he was zoning out, he caught sight of a child in the corner of his eye. He glanced over, then looked away.

A second later, he suddenly realized—wasn’t that Danran? What was she doing here at this hour? Wasn’t she supposed to be helping out at Huichuntang clinic?

Xiao Rong was taken aback. He quickly walked over. When she heard her name called, Danran turned around in confusion. Seeing Xiao Rong, she beamed: “Long time no see, Mister Xiao.”

Xiao Rong looked at the basket in her hand: “Why are you here right now, Miss Danran?”

Danran replied: “Mother asked me to bring medicine to Yunmie. He left in a hurry yesterday and forgot to take it.”

Xiao Rong repeated: “Yesterday?”

Danran looked puzzled: “Yes. Last night Yunmie went to visit Mother. They talked for a long time—I was already sleepy, but they were still chatting away. I almost overslept this morning. Mother even teased me, called me a little pig.”

Xiao Rong: “……”

He stared at Danran for a long time, then abruptly turned around and strode off in the direction of Qu Yunmie’s residence.

Danran was stunned. She didn’t know what had happened, but she suddenly had a very bad feeling

Moments later, she heard Yunmie furious voice from that direction: “Danran!!!”

The next second, Danran took off like a shot—of course, running in the opposite direction of Qu Yunmie.

…

In Qu Yunmie’s bedroom.

Xiao Rong stood with one hand on his hip and the other pointing at Qu Yunmie: “Don’t you dare blame Miss Danran!”

Qu Yunmie: “……”

He sat there quietly, not saying a word.

Xiao Rong said: “What did you promise?! That you’d rest and recover at Chenliu! That you wouldn’t go to the training grounds until your wound healed! The Butewu clan lives even farther than the training grounds. You can’t even ride a horse up those mountains!”

Qu Yunmie tried to lie: “Old Woman lives in the clinic…”

Xiao Rong snapped: “Don’t think I don’t know! Chief Agusheja personally escorts Danran to visit her mother every day!”

Qu Yunmie: “…………”

So he really had no secrets left.

That blasted Danran—why did she tell everyone everything?!

Seeing no way out, Qu Yunmie had no choice but to confess sullenly: “Yes, I went outside the city. There was nothing to do at the palace anyway. Besides, this wound—”

Before he could finish, he saw Xiao Rong’s glare—sharp as knives. One more word about how “it wasn’t serious,” and he looked ready to kill.

Qu Yunmie: “…It’s almost healed. As long as I move carefully, it’ll be fine.”

Xiao Rong crossed his arms, rotated his own shoulder a bit, then looked at Qu Yunmie suspiciously: “Really?”

Qu Yunmie nodded repeatedly and even lifted his clothes to show him: “There hasn’t been any bleeding since yesterday.”

Xiao Rong: “……”

No bleeding and “almost healed” were two different things—but… at least it showed the wound had started to heal.

Xiao Rong’s expression finally softened a little. Qu Yunmie watched him carefully and began to relax. But just as he let his guard down, Xiao Rong spoke in a ghostly tone: “Since Your Majesty finds idle time so dull, I’ll assign you a few government tasks.”

The moment he heard the word government, Qu Yunmie’s head began to throb. He wanted to refuse immediately, but Xiao Rong gave him a dark look: “So… the king would rather lie in bed?”

Qu Yunmie: “……”

No. He would not.

He agreed lifelessly, only to discover that the first “government task” Xiao Rong assigned him… was to take Danran out for a day of fun tomorrow—with two conditions: no leaving the city, and no riding horses.

Qu Yunmie: “…………”

What kind of official duty was that??

Did you drink some love potion from that girl? Wake up! That girl wasn’t as sweet and harmless as she looked! Get to know her a little better and you’d realize—she could air your dirty laundry for the whole city to hear. Trust me. Trust me!!

 

Edited by: Antiope

 

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