"Is this the Chang family's shop?"
Song Yu laughed in cold fury, grabbing the shopkeeper by the scruff of his neck like a chicken. "Tell Song Xiyan—whose shop is this?"
"Spare me, Your Highness! Spare me!" The shopkeeper kept begging for mercy but stubbornly refused to reveal the truth, making Song Yu appear like a troublemaker.
As the crowd began eyeing Song Yu strangely, Song Shihuan slowly stepped down from the carriage, feigning innocence. "Father, didn’t you say you’d take me to see one of our mansion’s shops?"
The words stunned everyone present.
This was the Qin Prince's Mansion’s shop?
Shen Qingping quickly followed up, "Everyone, this Rouge Pavilion was part of the late Empress Dowager’s dowry. It was given to His Highness when he established his own residence, yet he has never visited it all these years."
Here, Shen Qingping deliberately sighed in sorrow.
"If not for wanting to buy some rouge and powder for Princess Fu'an, we wouldn’t have come here today."
Song Yanzheng and Song Xiyan’s faces immediately darkened, especially Song Yanzheng, who knew the shop’s origins all too well.
"Yet upon arriving, we find it’s become someone else’s property." Shen Qingping pretended to ponder before pointing at the shopkeeper again. "The shopkeeper here seems to be from the Chang family."
Oh—
The crowd suddenly understood.
So the Chang family had secretly seized the Qin Prince's Mansion’s shop, and today, the Qin Prince happened to come to buy something for Princess Fu'an, exposing the scheme.
"Little sister, how could you speak of Father like that? He is still your elder." Song Shihuan sniffled a few times. "It’s my fault too. If I hadn’t insisted on buying rouge today, you and Brother Yanzheng could’ve taken things from this shop without trouble."
"What nonsense! The Eastern Palace doesn’t lack such petty silver!"
Song Xiyan’s temper flared at Song Shihuan’s sarcastic words, her chest heaving with rage.
"Father, I told you my sister wouldn’t deliberately withhold payment or seize our shop. It must be the servants acting on their own." Song Shihuan pouted. "After all, someone as kind-hearted as Madam Chang would never condone such behavior if she knew."
"Shihuan is right. I will investigate this matter thoroughly later," Song Yanzheng said, eager to end the spectacle.
But Song Yu was not appeased.
"I can settle this now." His face was icy. "Liuxi, return to the mansion and check the accounts—see how much Rouge Pavilion has earned over the years. Sanxi, summon the Capital Magistrate."
"Father, we should invite Madam Chang as well," Song Shihuan quietly added fuel to the fire.
The crowd froze in place—this was turning into quite the drama.
Song Yanzheng signaled his aide discreetly, and the man swiftly left the scene.
Song Shihuan smirked inwardly.
......
"Shihuan, with so many people watching, perhaps we should return to the palace to handle this," Song Yanzheng said sternly. "Making a scene benefits no one."
"Father, what does Brother Yanzheng mean?"
Song Shihuan tilted her head in feigned confusion. "I don’t quite understand."
Watching her play dumb, Song Yanzheng nearly blacked out from anger.
"Guards, disperse the crowd!" Left with no choice, he ordered the onlookers driven away.
"Ah, Your Highness, what’s the meaning of this?" Shen Qingping shielded the commoners. "Rouge Pavilion serves countless customers daily. This isn’t just about justice for the Qin Prince's Mansion—it’s about accountability to the people."
"They deserve to know where their silver went, don’t you think, Your Highness?"
The weight of the "people’s justice" made Song Yanzheng’s face darken further.
Song Xiyan stepped up to Song Shihuan, her back to the crowd, her expression twisted with fury.
"Song Shihuan, you planned this from the start."
"Little sister, you jest. If you wanted rouge, naturally I’d want some too." Song Shihuan met her glare unflinchingly. "It’s just that an unexpected incident occurred."
"Tell your uncle and that wastrel Shen to leave, or once you enter the women’s academy, I’ll make sure you beg for death."
Song Shihuan rubbed her arms in mock fear. "Oh, how terrifying."
Instantly, her eyes reddened, as if she’d been grievously wronged.
Seeing this, Song Yu tossed the shopkeeper aside and stepped protectively in front of her.
"Song Xiyan, it seems the Emperor’s gift of 'Admonitions for Women' was wasted on you—daring to bully your own sister in front of me."
Song Xiyan froze.
She never imagined her carefully concealed punishment would be so publicly exposed by Song Yu.
Her reputation...
Hearing the murmurs spreading through the crowd, she trembled with humiliation and rage.
She swore—she would make Song Shihuan die.
And in the most agonizing way possible.
"I don’t want any of this anymore. Brother, let’s go." She tugged at Song Yanzheng, eager to flee. Song Shihuan gave an almost imperceptible nod.
With Song Yanzheng and Song Xiyan gone, the Chang family had no one left to shield them.
When Madam Chang and the Capital Magistrate arrived, they quickly grasped the situation—and realized Song Yanzheng, their sole protector, had already left.
Madam Chang’s eyes rolled back, and she collapsed in a faint.
"Madam Chang seems unwell. Last time she was ill, now she’s fainted again."
Song Shihuan mused aloud, "We should have Imperial Physician Mei examine her sometime."
The "unconscious" Madam Chang stiffened slightly, though Song Shihuan pretended not to notice.
With the key figures gone or incapacitated, matters proceeded smoothly.
Under interrogation, the shopkeeper confessed to seizing the shop.
Liuxi’s return with the account books sealed his fate—the Qin Prince's Mansion had received not a single coin of profit from Rouge Pavilion all these years.
The Capital Magistrate cleared his throat and ordered the shop returned to the Qin Prince's Mansion, with the Chang family compensating all lost earnings.
Clapping her hands in childlike delight, Song Shihuan chirped, "Father, does this mean I can come get rouge whenever I want now?"
"Of course." Song Yu, basking in his restored authority, puffed up proudly.
"Father, is this our only shop?"
In full view of the crowd, Song Yu ruffled her hair. "Our mansion owns many more. I’ll have Liuxi prepare a list for you."
"Wonderful! Tomorrow I’ll visit another one—a different shop every day!"
Her innocent voice struck fear into certain listeners in the crowd.
The Qin Prince was going to investigate all his properties!
They had to report this to their masters immediately.
