Everyone knows that Gurun Princess Huihe, as the Qing Dynasty's only legitimate-born princess and the youngest sixth princess, has been the center of affection since childhood.
The Empress Dowager dotes on her, the Emperor spoils her, and even Sumalagu, who once served Empress Xiaozhuangwen, personally requested to attend to the princess, overseeing her daily needs to ensure the young mistress suffers not the slightest grievance.
Sumalagu is no ordinary palace servant—having grown up alongside the imperial ancestors, even the Empress Dowager and the Emperor hold her in high esteem. No palace intrigue escapes her sharp eyes, and with her by Wu Linzhu's side, Yunxiu could rest completely at ease.
It wasn't until Sumalagu volunteered to care for Princess Huihe that Nanny Dong finally recalled how the little princess's eyes bore an uncanny resemblance—eighty percent, to be exact—to the late Grand Empress Dowager.
"Your Majesty, Princess Huihe is blessed with great fortune. Not only does she enjoy Your Majesty's and the Emperor's favor, but she also carries the protection of our ancestors. The mere thought of her future marriage pains this old servant's heart," Nanny Dong sighed deeply. "Who knows which fortunate young man will win her hand?"
Kangxi couldn't bear the thought of Wu Linzhu marrying far away and had already hinted as much when paying respects to the Empress Dowager. Thus, it became an unspoken understanding among the imperial family that Princess Huihe would remain in the capital.
Moreover, Wu Linzhu's wealth was beyond measure, rivaling a mountain of gold—a fact well-known among the nobility of the capital. It wasn't hard to imagine the future spectacle of countless suitors vying for her hand, a grand event indeed.
Seeing Nanny Dong's gloomy expression, Yunxiu could only laugh helplessly. "Wu Linzhu is barely six years old. Marriage is still far off—why trouble yourself over it now?"
Unaware of her mother and nanny's discussion, Wu Linzhu had secretly taken two hundred thousand taels from beneath her pillow the previous night. Though the clever and composed little girl remained outwardly calm, a faint thrill lingered in her heart. She rolled up the silver and solemnly handed it to Yintang. "Ninth Brother, I entrust my grand business venture to you."
The Ninth Prince, dark circles heavy under his eyes, trembled as he replied, "This humble servant shall not fail Her Highness's expectations."
Pleased, Wu Linzhu gave him a sweet smile before producing an ink-dipped brush and a blank slip of paper from behind her, sliding them toward him.
Yintang: "......"
Wu Linzhu, applying her lessons with deliberate slowness, said, "Proof."
After a stunned pause, the Ninth Prince could only resign himself to blank acceptance. His precious little sister was even shrewder than he was!
But money talked, and what could he do?
Thus began the illustrious Ninth Prince's arduous career of diligent labor—leaving the palace at dawn and returning late, balancing studies with his secret enterprise, a true master of multitasking.
The imperial tutors noticed something amiss but, despite repeated probing, uncovered nothing. As renowned scholars, their minds brimmed with classical learning, never imagining the Ninth Prince was dabbling in commerce. And so, Yintang smoothly deceived them all, securing shops and laying the groundwork for his next goal: expanding his business empire.
Yet, as a member of the imperial family, he couldn't handle everything personally—being recognized would mean a sound beating upon returning to the palace. After half a month, Yintang ordered his men to recruit more shop managers. Now, a mere glance and test sufficed; no more dawn-to-dusk toil, just remote control from afar.
That day, an underling excitedly reported, "Ninth Lord, this servant has found a promising candidate! Though a bit short, he's around your age, skilled in accounts and abacus—truly a hero among youths!"
The enthusiastic description piqued Yintang's curiosity. In a private room at a teahouse, the Ninth Prince sipped his tea and said with dignified restraint, "Bring him in."
When they ushered the candidate inside, Yintang's eyes bulged like copper bells the next instant, and he spat out his tea in shock.
Short indeed, and fair-skinned too. Dressed in plain attire, the newcomer wore a guarded expression—until he caught sight of his future employer. Stunned, a flicker of admiration flashed in his eyes before he forced an ingratiating smile.
Yintang was undeniably handsome, among the finest in the capital. But before the smile could fully form, the candidate watched in bewilderment as his future employer choked on his tea, his outstretched hand trembling as if confronting an unfaithful wife. "Lady Dong'e?!"
The audacity! Before marrying him, this woman had disguised herself as a man, sneaked out of her house, and now had the gall to apply as a shop manager?!
The thunderous "Lady Dong'e!" left the candidate speechless. "......"
"Ninth Brother, why are you so distracted?" Wu Linzhu propped her chin in her hands, blinking her large eyes as she spoke in her soft, sweet voice.
Yintang shook his head silently.
After a thoughtful pause, Wu Linzhu added, "If you can't find a manager, just use the name of Gurun Princess."
"......" Yintang went blank again. "The title of imperial prince is sufficient."
Weighing his options, he decided he had to vent. If the Tenth Prince found out, he'd slap his thigh laughing. Wu Linzhu, though sharp, was still a considerate sister who'd shielded his business endeavors.
So he leaned in and whispered a few words.
Wu Linzhu's eyes sparkled brighter with each sentence. "Did Sister Dong'e stay in the end?" she asked quietly.
Yintang snorted. With evidence in his grasp, she had no escape—of course she stayed.
"But what about her parents...?"
"Dong'e Qishi was assigned as a provincial commander and hasn't completed his term. Her mother is busy with her younger brother's wedding and pays her no mind," Yintang explained, having thoroughly investigated the Dong'e household. The more he learned, the more impressed he was by this woman's audacity.
Not only did her elders fail to restrain her, even her maids didn't dissuade her, letting their young mistress roam the streets freely—utterly outrageous!
In their past life, she'd fallen far short of virtuous ideals. Had she been suppressing her true nature all along?
Yintang's lips quivered with rage.
Watching him, Wu Linzhu inwardly gasped, her voice softening further. "Does she know you're the Ninth Prince?"
"Of course not," Yintang retorted. Revealing his identity would be disastrous—if she went home and blabbed, her mother might storm the palace the next day, accusing the Ninth Prince of sneaking out to abduct her daughter!
Wu Linzhu fell silent.
She stared intently at Yintang, her eyes shining with sudden seriousness. "Ninth Brother, you mustn't sweet-talk or deceive her, nor covet Sister Dong'e's dowry. Otherwise, I'll tell Father Emperor and Mother Empress!"
Yintang: "......"
The Ninth Prince nearly jumped out of his skin. Who coveted her dowry?! And who said anything about marrying her?!
His face cycled through shades of green and white, mouth opening and closing soundlessly as he struggled to explain.
He shouldn't have told Wu Linzhu.
He regretted it deeply.
With heavy steps, Yintang bid Wu Linzhu farewell. Spotting Sumalagu bringing snacks for the princess, guilt flashed through him. He mumbled a greeting and bolted.
Sumalagu paused, watching him flee before frowning in concern.
She knew Princess Huihe had a little secret—and now, it seemed the Ninth Prince was involved too. A princess's secrets were harmless, but lately, Wu Linzhu had been spacing out and eating less. That was a serious matter.
After much deliberation, Sumalagu finally set off for Qianqing Palace to seek an audience with Kangxi.
Alarm bells rang in Kangxi's mind—could his precious daughter have been deceived by her own elder brother?
With the emperor's intervention, it didn't take long for the Ninth Prince's secret business dealings to come to light.
Caught red-handed, Yintang stared at his imperial father’s furious expression and instinctively shivered.
The scolding from his past life echoed vividly in his ears—the emperor had berated him for neglecting his duties and competing with commoners for profit, marking the beginning of his disappointment. This time, the discovery had been abrupt, leaving no chance for his imperial mother to intervene. Gritting his teeth, Yintang confessed the entire story of the 200,000 taels, growing increasingly aggrieved as he spoke—after all, he was merely Wu Linzhu’s underling.
To his surprise, Kangxi’s anger faded, his gaze softening considerably. "So, earning silver was for your sister’s sake?"
"Very well, as long as it doesn’t interfere with your studies." Meeting Yintang’s stunned expression, Kangxi patted his head and gently admonished, "You needn’t handle everything personally, but ensure Wu Linzhu suffers no losses. Understood?"
Yintang’s face resembled a painter’s palette—three parts joy, three parts shock, two parts fury, and two parts numbness.
With great difficulty, he replied, "This son understands."
Despite the tutors in the imperial study fuming and glaring, once the emperor had given his approval, their indignation was futile.
Gradually, Yintang began leaving the palace more frequently, returning each time with a radiant smile—so conspicuous that even the usually oblivious Tenth Prince grew suspicious.
Lowering his voice, Yin'e asked, "Ninth Brother, what good fortune have you stumbled upon? Take me along next time."
Yintang stiffened, quickly schooling his overly obvious grin and pushing away the large head leaning in. "Go away, this has nothing to do with you."
Yin'e’s eyes gleamed with mischief—his brother was definitely hiding something. But no amount of prying yielded any useful information, so he pretended to drop the matter, only to secretly trail Yintang on his next outing.
Watching as Yintang twisted and turned through narrow alleys, Yin'e grew dizzy and eventually gave up, scowling in frustration.
Little did he know, the alley concealed a bustling new restaurant. Yintang tapped his fan against his palm and drawled, "Landlord, bring out your finest wine."
The landlord set down the abacus, revealing an unexpectedly delicate face, and hissed in anger, "The imperial selection of consorts is imminent! I went through great pains to leave the mansion—you promised to return that thousand taels!"
This proprietor was a scoundrel. Who knew how he’d learned of her identity? Not only did he blackmail her with it, but he also demanded an outrageous five thousand taels to buy her silence—or else he’d expose her to her family.
For years, her dreams had been haunted by one refrain: repay the debt, repay the debt, repay the debt!
If not for his handsome face—ugh!
"One shift deducts a hundred taels. I’m doing you a favor," Yintang said cheerfully. "As for the selection—"
Before he could finish, a foot came down hard on his own.
Pain shot straight to his skull, turning his face purple. "Lady Dong'e!"
"Who’s Lady Dong'e? I’m your grandfather!" Having vented her anger, the landlord felt immensely satisfied. With a cold laugh, she tossed the abacus aside and fled.
He could go ahead and report her—she wasn’t sticking around.
In the final selection of the 37th year of Kangxi’s reign, the chosen maidens gathered in the imperial garden, awaiting their turn to be presented before the emperor and empress.
Hidden behind a rockery, the Ninth Prince and Tenth Prince peeked out, watching intently.
Suddenly, Yin'e’s eyes lit up, and he poked Yintang’s back. "Ninth Sister-in-law! There she is!"
Yintang had already spotted her.
He took a deep breath, grinding his teeth in frustration. How skillfully this woman played the part—gentle, dignified, smiling demurely. Who was she trying to fool?
So she was the designated Ninth Princess Consort? Couldn’t they pick someone else?
A suffocating mix of emotions clogged his chest. Yintang snorted, yet his body betrayed him as he climbed higher, craning his neck and staring unblinkingly into the distance.
Perhaps his gaze was too intense, for Lady Dong'e felt a sudden chill. Her eyes swept her surroundings and inadvertently locked onto Yintang’s from atop the rockery.
A shriek of unparalleled panic shattered the silence: "Proprietor! It’s just nine hundred taels—must you chase me into the palace? Have mercy!"
The imperial garden fell deathly quiet.
Yunxiu frowned. Kangxi’s hawk-like gaze turned toward them. Yintang—
Yintang calmly withdrew his head, ignoring Yin'e’s bewildered stare, and slid down the rockery, staring blankly at the sky.
His reputation was ruined.
