{"id":6867,"date":"2025-02-11T11:09:25","date_gmt":"2025-02-11T10:09:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/?p=6867"},"modified":"2025-02-11T11:09:25","modified_gmt":"2025-02-11T10:09:25","slug":"your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-41-governament","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/2025\/02\/11\/your-majesty-you-mustnt-chapter-41-governament\/","title":{"rendered":"Your Majesty, you mustn&#8217;t! &#8211; Chapter 41 Governament"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The atmosphere felt a bit off.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong\u2019s face turned red. He didn\u2019t know whether it was from anger or embarrassment. He quickly walked to his seat and sat down without saying a word.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Fortunately, there was Gao Xunzhi, an expert in socializing. He smiled and told everyone to sit down. While ordering the guards to bring tea, he naturally dismissed the unrelated people, including the women who didn\u2019t even dare to lift their heads.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong stared coldly at them. These aristocratic families were very considerate. Each family sent two or three women, with one being a younger girl and another being older. The younger one was likely meant for Xiao Rong, and the older one was for Gao Xunzhi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi exchanged pleasantries with these people, occasionally glancing at Xiao Rong. He had been shocked earlier because of the rumors about Xiao Rong\u2019s preference for beautiful women, but he wasn\u2019t surprised by the women the aristocrats had presented. After all, when you reach a certain level of status, such things happen daily.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No matter the time, marriage alliances were still one of the quickest ways to build relationships. However, offering daughters from their clan rather than from their family couldn\u2019t be considered a true alliance\u2014it was merely flattery.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocratic family heads probably realized they had miscalculated, and after mentally cursing the previous Chenliu governor, they continued to smile politely at Gao Xunzhi.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At first, they exchanged casual words, asking about the journey and how the harvest was at home. Gradually, they moved on to the main topic. Gao Xunzhi explained that the King of North wanted to build a long street on the banks of the Qu Shui River, temporarily named Baibao Street. The idea was that this street would be a place where all kinds of treasures could be found.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As for why they didn\u2019t name it Tianbao Street&#8230; the character &#8220;Tian&#8221; couldn\u2019t be used casually. Even if they did use it, it could easily be changed later by those sensitive to imperial power. It was better to avoid offending the Emperor from the start.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this time, besides the docks and villages, the banks of the Qu Shui River were mostly barren. While the river flowed through the city, the most bustling areas were far from the main river, near smaller streams, because bridges were easier to build there and if someone fell in, they could climb out quickly. People needed water for daily use, like fetching water or washing clothes, but shipping and communication were not priorities for the common folk.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocratic leaders glanced at each other, realizing how desolate the Qu Shui area was.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing that they hadn\u2019t asked any questions, Gao Xunzhi realized they weren\u2019t too interested in the plan, so he hurriedly continued to explain.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This plan should have been Xiao Rong\u2019s to present, but he had been startled by the few unmarried women. He could only sit with a stiff face. Before entering, he and Gao Xunzhi had agreed that one would play the &#8220;bad cop&#8221; and the other the &#8220;good cop,&#8221; but now the roles had reversed. Gao Xunzhi, who had greater authority, played the &#8220;bad cop,&#8221; while the younger, less influential Xiao Rong played the &#8220;good cop.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As Xiao Rong listened to Gao Xunzhi\u2019s words, he observed the reactions of the others.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step in urban planning wasn\u2019t to let people live wherever they wanted, but to establish zones, concentrating similar functions together to reduce traffic costs. The first commercial residential zoning system was the &#8220;fangshi&#8221; system, but Xiao Rong didn\u2019t intend to replicate it because it was too strict and actually suppressed commercial development. He wanted to build a dedicated commercial street and encourage, or even order, most businesses to relocate there. If they refused to move, he wouldn\u2019t force them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Once the commercial street was established, people would naturally flock there, and even those businesses that resisted moving would eventually change their stance. There would always be some businesses that relocated, and the few holdouts wouldn\u2019t have much of an impact.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The key was to actually build the street.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The first step was moving the businesses, then attracting customers, followed by building docks, establishing fleets, and eventually forming a business district with a rapidly expanding influence.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Shui was a somewhat unfamiliar area, but it also had another name, Langtang Qu. It was connected to the Yellow River in the east, Huo Shui in the west, the Juye Marsh in the south, and the Ru and Ying rivers in the north, which also connected to the Han River.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If Chenliu was a central transportation hub, Qu Shui was the center of a vast water system, and if this place wasn\u2019t used to develop commerce, Xiao Rong wouldn\u2019t be able to sleep well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi enthusiastically promoted the future Baibao Street to these people. The Northern Defending Army would build the houses, and there would be special patrols to protect the interests of merchants and the people. As the first commercial street in Chenliu, Baibao Street would also be exempt from the curfew, allowing business to take place at night.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi also mentioned the Wenji, a literary gathering that would be held on Baibao Street. A large square would be built for it, and even after the gathering ended, there would be regular events like singing, dancing, raffles, and competitions. Some would be free to watch, while others would charge for entry, but either way, it would attract many people to the street, benefiting all the merchants.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocratic families were genuinely moved after hearing all this. They were wealthy but lacked power, not comparable to the old noble families. Since the moment these families were born, the Emperor had been suppressing them. First, they were forbidden to marry into the old noble families, then their children were prohibited from entering the court. This left them feeling insecure, always trying to bribe newly appointed officials in hopes of gaining their protection.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If the Northern Defending Army was willing to protect their businesses, it was certainly a good thing.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Moreover, Gao Xunzhi seemed honest at first glance, but it turned out he had many tricks up his sleeve. Raffles and competitions\u2014these were unheard of to them. It seemed Gao Xunzhi really understood business, and perhaps he could make Baibao Street successful.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocrats, proud as they were, didn\u2019t mind opening a couple of stores. They agreed right away, only to hear Gao Xunzhi smilingly inform them that the Northern Defending Army would charge rent.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It wasn\u2019t a fixed rent, it was based on their income. Every time they made money, the Northern Defending Army would take a tenth.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocratic heads: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Don\u2019t think we don\u2019t understand just because you changed the name.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Isn\u2019t this just a business tax?!!!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The previously enthusiastic group fell silent all of a sudden.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was normal. People would smile brightly when you promised to give them money, but once you asked for it, their expressions would turn sour. Furthermore, this was a very special time. The business tax had been abolished for almost thirty years.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">When the Yong Dynasty was first established, the founding Emperor, He Kui, collected heavy business taxes, taking a third of the merchants\u2019 income. This forced many merchants to return to farming, which unexpectedly made the He family wealthier for a while, as they collected taxes from merchants and farmers.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After He Kui\u2019s death, his successors felt it wasn\u2019t enough and continued to raise taxes, creating more and more burdens. Soon, the situation became unbearable, and the whole country descended into chaos.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The court eventually realized this wasn\u2019t sustainable and quickly abolished many of the taxes, reducing the business tax to just one-twentieth.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Business began to prosper again, but the court never fully recovered. The Emperor changed frequently, and during the reign of Emperor Tai Ning, a group of princes even rebelled. Various cities started to protect themselves, and the court barely existed. This led to a new system, the customs tax.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The customs tax meant that every time goods passed through a city, they had to pay a tax. If the journey was long, the goods might already be taxed before they even reached their destination.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was very unfriendly to the merchant fleets, but it was great for the local merchants because they didn\u2019t have to leave and therefore didn\u2019t have to pay taxes. Gradually, customs duties replaced commercial taxes, and commercial taxes ceased to exist.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Ten years ago, when the Yong Dynasty moved south, not only were commercial taxes abolished, but even customs duties disappeared for a while. The local aristocratic families, who already managed the Chenliu area, only had to pay a protection fee to the officials. This protection fee had no fixed amount, it depended entirely on the character of the official. They were content paying this fee, but they strongly resisted when taxes were introduced.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They also thought they could refuse to pay and force the Northern Defending Army to retract their plan. However, this was impossible. Commercial taxes were certain to be levied, and it wouldn\u2019t just apply to Baibao Street. Eventually, merchants across the Central Plains would have to pay taxes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong couldn\u2019t announce the tax so directly, or it would cause trouble in the city. So he planned to introduce the taxes gradually, first letting them enjoy the benefits and then having them lead by example and pay the taxes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong didn\u2019t believe that once they had made a lot of money, they would abandon their stores on Baibao Street. Those who refused to pay taxes would eventually be driven out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, getting started wasn\u2019t easy. Gao Xunzhi tried to liven up the atmosphere several times, but there was no response from them. Gao Xunzhi looked helplessly at Xiao Rong, who pursed his lips slightly, regretting not bringing his big sword along.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Forget it.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong took a deep breath and then smiled as he said, &#8220;Are you all worried that the tax rate might increase? Don\u2019t worry, one-tenth is the highest rate, and it will only decrease in the future. It will never exceed this number. If you don\u2019t believe me, we can sign a contract, and we won\u2019t go back on our word.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocrats across from him chuckled.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hadn\u2019t there been plenty of contract breaches before? Besides, you are the Northern Defending Army, notorious for being ruthless and unreasonable.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing that they still weren\u2019t moved, Xiao Rong fell silent for a moment before continuing, &#8220;The Northern Defending Army will provide the shops. All you need to do is prepare your staff and goods. If you want to open a restaurant or an inn, you don\u2019t even need to provide goods. If you make money, we will charge rent. If you don\u2019t make money, we won\u2019t ask for a single coin.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Upon hearing this, one of the family heads couldn\u2019t help but raise his head. In fact, he thought Xiao Rong had a point. They were all wealthy families, even if they hired a few people for a few months, it wouldn\u2019t matter much. If they made money, it was a good thing, and if they didn\u2019t, it was just a waste of time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Just as he was about to speak, someone next to him shot him a harsh look, causing him to quickly lower his head again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: \u201c&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Very well.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He hated it when people banded together in front of him. Couldn\u2019t he control the aristocratic families? If he couldn\u2019t deal with the old noble families, could he not handle these aristocrats?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong\u2019s face immediately turned cold, and he turned to give an order to the guard, &#8220;Go and bring the King here.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi was stunned, and the aristocratic heads also raised their heads in surprise.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201cBring the King here? You mean Qu Yunmie? The one who beheaded someone just for saying the wrong word about the Governor of Jinning??\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The leader of the aristocratic families forced a smile, almost in tears, and said, &#8220;We are only discussing small matters here. Why does Prefect Xiao need to bring the King? There\u2019s no need to disturb his Highness.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong glanced at him and, with a thin smile, said, &#8220;I\u2019ve already said everything kindly, and Gao Xiang has explained the pros and cons to you. You still refuse to appreciate our efforts. I suppose it\u2019s because Gao Xiang and I aren\u2019t enough of a match. So, I\u2019ll bring the King here. You can explain to him in person why you\u2019re unwilling to pay the rent. Don\u2019t worry, the King is very reasonable. If you can convince him, then this matter will be settled.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The aristocratic family heads: \u201c&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Convince Qu Yunmie? Who would dare!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you want to take our lives, just say it outright!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this moment, Xiao Rong raised his chin, signaling the guard to hurry. The guard, obediently, turned and ran, while the aristocratic heads remained frozen, unable to react in time.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Realizing Xiao Rong was serious, they no longer dared to put on airs. They quickly began to cry and beg, saying they were willing to open stores there, willing to pay rent\u2014one-tenth, it was fine. They would pay whatever amount was required, just please don\u2019t bring the King here!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Are you all really this desperate?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong then changed his cold expression, smiled, and helped them all up, patting their hands and reassuring them not to be afraid. Then he turned his head and instructed another guard to find the previous person and tell him that there was no need to bring the King after all.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, the aristocratic family heads still looked at him nervously, afraid that he might change his attitude again.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing how obedient they were, Xiao Rong hadn&#8217;t planned to bring up the topic of holding a literary gathering today, but he decided to take the opportunity to mention it. The literary gathering required three families to organize: one would provide the ink, paper, and brushes; another would provide tea and snacks; and the third would be responsible for setting up the venue and decorations. These three families could attract customers to the venue, as long as they didn\u2019t make it too obvious.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The family heads looked at him in confusion, not understanding what it meant to &#8220;attract customers.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He had no choice but to explain quietly. For example, they could engrave their family name on the tables, chairs, or plates they provided, and offer a small cup of wine\u2014nothing more. If the customers wanted more, they would be directed to their own shops outside. The same applied to ink, paper, and brushes\u2014just add some creative touches to promote their family brands.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Also, there would surely be attendants from their families at the gathering. He suggested they dress them in uniforms, making them more alert and obedient. When the guests saw their difference, they would naturally be drawn to look for similar services at their shops.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The family heads were amazed. They hadn\u2019t thought of it that way. Most of their customers were common folk, not scholars, so attracting more scholars to spend at their shops was a good thing. Not to mention, if those who ranked highly in the gathering stayed at their inns, their inns would surely be packed!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This was even better than collecting taxes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Since it was a one-time event and they weren\u2019t lacking money, it was just a matter of preparing a few things. It wasn\u2019t much for them at all. Xiao Rong watched them excitedly discussing it, and smiled without saying anything. Finally, someone realized something.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There were four families in total, so why did Xiao Rong say only three were needed?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong raised an eyebrow and then told them the condition. He planned to have everyone in the city with the ability to compete for organizing the literary gathering. As for the competition standard, it would be based on who could pay the most in sponsorship fees.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u201c&#8230;\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In the end, it all came down to money!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Still, this was different from paying taxes. It was all voluntary. If someone didn\u2019t want to participate, they could just opt out. He would never force anyone. Also, anyone who wanted to pay could privately approach Gao Xunzhi, there was no need for them all to gather together.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The family heads&#8217; expressions became increasingly complicated.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If they all participated together, they could at least discuss things, but if they went alone, who knew what the others would think? What if one person came and took all the tasks meant for the three families? Wouldn\u2019t the gathering then become an opportunity for someone else to take all the glory?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Aso, how much should they pay? If they paid too little, it would be wasted, but if they paid too much, they feared losing out.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Not to mention that the competition wasn\u2019t just between these four families. Xiao Rong was planning to let the whole city compete. Although only a few families could organize such an event, and they all knew each other, their relationships weren\u2019t that friendly.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They had come in with trepidation, but now they left in a cold sweat. Xiao Rong watched them leave and then happily turned to Gao Xunzhi with a smile.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;I like them, they\u2019re all such lovely people.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They\u2019re all \u201ceasy to handle\u201d people, right?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He smiled helplessly, about to say something, when they suddenly heard a familiar, gloomy voice at the door.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8220;You like who?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi and Xiao Rong both turned and looked. Xiao Rong was stunned and asked in surprise, &#8220;Why has the King come?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hadn\u2019t he already sent a guard to tell him not to bring the King?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Hearing this, Qu Yunmie suddenly stopped in his tracks, then unexpectedly started laughing, &#8220;What, can\u2019t I come?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">They exchanged confused looks, completely unsure why Qu Yunmie was reacting this way.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Seeing that they were just staring at each other without acknowledging him, Qu Yunmie became even more angry. &#8220;Where are those aristocrats?!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong was still confused and could only answer honestly, &#8220;They\u2019ve left.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie paused for a second and then asked, &#8220;What about the women they brought?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong replied, &#8220;I\u2019m not sure, they must have taken them back\u2013&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi interjected, &#8220;They didn\u2019t take them back. There\u2019s no reason to bring back the women they sent. I\u2019ve had the guards arrange for them to stay where the dancers are. I\u2019ll find time to inquire about their backgrounds. The ones with noble backgrounds will be sent to the gentlemen or generals as concubines, while the others will stay here as servants.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">At this point, Gao Xunzhi suddenly remembered something. &#8220;Rong, aren\u2019t you going to pick a few maids for Old Madam Xiao?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong nodded. &#8220;I was planning to. Ah Shu is a man and doesn\u2019t understand many things.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi smiled, &#8220;Well, how about you go and pick some too?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Before Xiao Rong could speak, Qu Yunmie suddenly interrupted, &#8220;No!&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The two of them turned to look at him, and Qu Yunmie met their confused gazes, holding their stare for a few seconds before speaking. &#8220;We still don\u2019t know whether these aristocrats are friends or foes. The women they brought also need to be observed for a while. For the safety of Old Madam Xiao, you should buy some maids from outside. At least the ones you buy won\u2019t be spies planted by others.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong raised an eyebrow. He hadn\u2019t expected Qu Yunmie to make such a reasonable point.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He then turned to Gao Xunzhi and said, &#8220;The King has a point. Moreover, these women are of noble birth, so I can\u2019t simply treat them as servants. Thank you for the kind suggestion, but I truly don\u2019t want anyone I can\u2019t trust staying in my home.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi waved his hand in understanding and then stood up to arrange the women\u2019s future. Since these women had been sent to be maids, their original fate couldn\u2019t have been much better. At least here, no one would mistreat them.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Gao Xunzhi left, but Qu Yunmie stayed, staring at Xiao Rong with a strange look in his eyes.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">After this incident, he suddenly noticed something he had never paid attention to before: Xiao Rong didn\u2019t have any concubines.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong was handsome, almost as if he had walked out of a painting. How could it be that there wasn\u2019t a single woman around him?<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie didn\u2019t understand, and not understanding, he directly asked.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;\u2026&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">With a blank expression, Xiao Rong answered, &#8220;Because I\u2019ve spent the last eight years traveling to study. My family couldn\u2019t arrange a marriage for me. After I finished my studies, I came to join the King, and I couldn\u2019t marry along the way. My principle is to only marry a wife, not take concubines, so I\u2019ve been alone until now.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie let out an &#8220;oh&#8221; sound. &#8220;I thought it was because your health was too poor for marriage.&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong: &#8220;&#8230;&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">My health may be poor, but everything still works fine!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He angrily retorted: &#8220;Why does the King ask me about this? I\u2019m only nineteen this year, and yet you\u2019re already twenty-four. Compared to me, isn\u2019t it stranger that no one is around you, the King?&#8221;<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie was momentarily speechless.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He wasn\u2019t the type of general who would never settle down, but since he moved to Southern Yong, there had always been people trying to arrange marriages for him, which he always refused.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">First, he didn\u2019t know how long he could live. Maybe tomorrow he would lose his head to someone else\u2019s blade. Second, he really couldn\u2019t stand women\u2019s nagging. Whether it was Jian Qiao or Gongsun Yuan, once they got married, their temperaments changed. Jian Qiao became more home-loving and drank less, because his wife didn\u2019t like him drinking. As for Gongsun Yuan\u2026 he suddenly developed a fondness for taking concubines.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">\u2026.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"><br \/><\/span><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">He thought that sooner or later, he would get married. After all, he was a man, and men always had to start a family.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">However, he couldn\u2019t imagine the figure of his future wife. Even when he tried very hard to picture it, that figure remained blank, without even a general shape. In the end, he had to give up and vaguely told Xiao Rong, &#8220;My fate hasn\u2019t yet arrived.\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Xiao Rong stared at him, speechless. He hadn\u2019t expected that he was quite romantic and cared about fate. Who would be unlucky enough to have a fate with you? It would take blowing up a kindergarten in the previous life to end up bound to you in this one.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As soon as this thought crossed his mind, Xiao Rong stiffened.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Because he suddenly realized that, in a way, he too was bound to Qu Yunmie.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">No, they weren\u2019t bound for life. Once he sent Qu Yunmie to the throne, he would be free.<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Thinking this, Xiao Rong&#8217;s cold sweat quickly receded, and he laughed like he had just survived a disaster. Then he asked Qu Yunmie, &#8220;Would you like to have lunch with me, Your Majesty?\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Qu Yunmie: \u201c\u2026\u201d<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can you eat so many meals every day?!<\/span><\/p>\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n<p>Edited by: Antiope<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<p>Support translation:<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.patreon.com\/bePatron?u=25191841\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"217\" height=\"51\" class=\"wp-image-338 lazyload\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/10\/become_a_patron_button.png?resize=217%2C51\" alt=\"\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 217px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 217\/51;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image is-resized\"><a href=\"https:\/\/ko-fi.com\/lajnaa\"><img data-recalc-dims=\"1\" decoding=\"async\" data-src=\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/09\/kofi3-3.png?resize=185%2C47\" alt=\"This image has an empty alt attribute; its file name is kofi3-3.png\" width=\"185\" height=\"47\" src=\"data:image\/svg+xml;base64,PHN2ZyB3aWR0aD0iMSIgaGVpZ2h0PSIxIiB4bWxucz0iaHR0cDovL3d3dy53My5vcmcvMjAwMC9zdmciPjwvc3ZnPg==\" class=\"lazyload\" style=\"--smush-placeholder-width: 185px; --smush-placeholder-aspect-ratio: 185\/47;\" \/><\/a><\/figure>\r\n\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>\r\n<p><!--EndFragment--><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>The atmosphere felt a bit off. Xiao Rong\u2019s face turned red. He didn\u2019t know whether it was from anger or embarrassment. He quickly walked to his seat and sat down without saying a word. Fortunately, there was Gao Xunzhi, an expert in socializing. He smiled and told everyone to sit down. While ordering the guards [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":6644,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[107],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-6867","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-your-majesty","entry","has-media"],"acf":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/ontimestory.eu\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/09\/20240106180053_200_280-1.jpg?fit=199%2C280&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":true,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":false,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6867","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=6867"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6867\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6868,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6867\/revisions\/6868"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/6644"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=6867"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=6867"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/ontimestory.eu\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=6867"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}