The rural doctor bought a husband who was very treacherous

Chapter 242 Meeting with Prince Li

Inside the Yin'an Palace.

Emperor Jing and Consort Xian met Prince Li and his family.

The dignified Concubine Xian smiled and looked at Prince Li's children with love.

"It's been a while since I last saw you. Sister Liu's children have grown up so big now."

"This is a gift for the kids."

The virtuous concubine raised her hand and waved lightly. An old maid standing in the hall immediately came to Prince Li's children with a tray and took out the gifts that the virtuous concubine had prepared for them.

"What is this?" Prince Li's daughter, Princess Mingyue, picked up a string of beads on the tray in front of her and asked curiously.

"Seven-colored glass beads." Concubine Xian said with a smile.

"Is this a glass bead? It's new. It's the first time I've seen one of this quality. Take a look, mother." County Lady Mingyue played with it happily. The beads made crisp sounds as they turned in her hands.

"As long as Mingyue likes it." Princess Li glanced at the beads and then looked away, but the smile on her face did not change.

The gifts that Concubine Xian gave to Prince Li's three sons were rather ordinary, consisting of nothing more than literati's calligraphy and the like.

Princess Li didn't even look at him.

Concubine Xian didn't take Princess Li's behavior to heart. She usually stayed in the palace and seldom saw outsiders. She rarely competed for favor like other concubines in the palace and had a very humble personality.

This time, Emperor Jing personally selected her to go with him to meet Prince Li and his family.

"Why did my royal brother only bring my sister-in-law, Concubine Xian? Where are the Empress and Concubine Li?" There were not many people with the rank of concubine in Emperor Jing's palace. Only three women had been named concubines over the years.

"The Queen has been ill for a long time and hasn't recovered yet. She rarely leaves Fengyi Palace now.

Sister Li Fei was too busy with the summer banquet a few days ago and she is also sick from exhaustion. I haven't seen her for a few days." Xian Fei had a gentle smile on her face.

When Prince Li asked just now, a look of displeasure flashed across Emperor Jing's face, and Concubine Xian caught it when she looked up at Emperor Jing.

However, she always had a gentle smile on her face, and seemed not to notice that there was anything wrong with a prince asking about the emperor's concubine.

Earlier, before Prince Li left the capital, he was closer to Empress Xie and Concubine Li.

After all, Empress Xie and Concubine Li were both related to the Empress Dowager. They often talked to the Empress Dowager, so naturally they met Prince Li who came to visit the Empress Dowager more often.

"Prince Li and Princess Li must be exhausted after the long journey. After you visit the Queen Mother, go back to Prince Li's Mansion and rest.

There are still a few days before the summer banquet, and you can go around Kyoto these days. Kyoto has changed a lot now." Emperor Jing suddenly looked up at Prince Li and said.

"Yes, then I will take them to the Queen Mother first." Prince Li bowed to Emperor Jing, but his back stood straight and he just nodded slightly.

Emperor Jing waved his hand, and Eunuch Fu immediately led Prince Li and others out of Yin'an Palace.

The palace maids followed Eunuch Fu and left the hall.

With a "crack", Emperor Jing crushed the armrest of the seat under him, and looked in the direction where Prince Li left with his eyes as if they were on fire.

Upon seeing this, Concubine Xian stood up and bowed to Emperor Jing, then without waiting for him to say anything, she retreated through the other door on the side of the hall.

Soon, Emperor Jing was the only one left in the silent hall.

Prince Qi's Mansion.

Su Tang looked at the account book in her hand and read through it almost at a glance.

Now all the stores under her name use the accounting method taught by Su Tang to keep accounts.

Although Su Tang did not promote Arabic numerals and teach them to those who kept accounts, she asked them to record the numbers in special grids to facilitate her mental calculations when checking the account books.

This way she can read the account books much faster.

Qi Lingheng glanced at the pile of account books next to Su Tang and said with a smile, "This book contains a month's worth of accounts. You finished reading it in a short while. If the accountant knew about this, he would be furious."

"Then don't tell them."

"Yeah, you."

"By the way, hasn't Prince Li arrived in Beijing yet?" Su Tang stretched her body to stretch her muscles.

"I entered the capital at 9:00 pm today, and should be in the palace now."

“Will father do this to him today…” Su Tang made a knife-like gesture with her hand.

"Not so fast." Qi Lingheng shook his head.

If Emperor Jing wanted to punish Prince Li for rebellion, he had to catch Prince Li red-handed and obtain evidence of his rebellion.

There is no direct evidence of the illegal mining of iron ore and casting of heavy armor in Nanshan, Yangzhou, after all, Prince Li was not caught on the spot.

Even if the governor of Suzhou testified, Prince Li would refuse to admit it.

In this way, Emperor Jing would easily be branded as someone who does not tolerate his brothers.

Although Emperor Jingdi had killed his own brothers before, those who had competed with him for the throne were all killed for reasons.

In the eyes of court officials, Prince Li has always been a law-abiding person. If Emperor Jing directly judged that Prince Li had the intention of rebellion, most court officials would probably not believe it.

"Then let's just wait and see." Su Tang was not worried. Qi Lingheng said that when Prince Li led his troops to the city of Kyoto, Prince Li failed.

In this life, Emperor Jing already knew what Prince Li had done in advance, so Prince Li probably had no hope.

"Yeah." Qi Lingheng nodded in response.

"I'm going to the shop tomorrow to discuss some things with a few shop owners. Do you want to go shopping with me?" Su Tang put all the account books in a small box, closed the box and looked at Qi Lingheng.

"No, the guards that Prince Li brought were stopped outside the city by His Majesty today. I have to go to the camp outside the capital tomorrow."

The next day.

Su Tang and Qi Lingheng were each busy with their own affairs.

Su Tang took an inconspicuous carriage to several shops in Kyoto.

The first place they went to was a dim sum shop. Su Tang had found a few dim sum recipes in the past few days and planned to give them to the chefs in the shop and ask them to make some new foods.

If this dim sum shop only has a few kinds of food, customers will easily get bored, so new products must be introduced every once in a while.

Now the snack shop owned by Su Tang has become the best-selling one in Kyoto.

"You guys try making some first, and when they are ready, send them to Prince Qi's Palace." Su Tang said to the pastry chef in the shop.

"Yes, yes. I will do my best to make the finished product and send it to you as soon as possible."

"Well, you guys get busy first."

Coming out from the back door of the dim sum shop, Su Tang took Chunmei and Xiamei to Linglong Pavilion again.

Linglong Pavilion's business has been very good recently. Su Tang taught the method of firing colored glaze to a master in the shop.

The master tried several times and indeed produced several finished products that satisfied Su Tang.

Colored glaze was a luxury item in ancient times, and its price was no cheaper than pearls and agates.

The store’s daily sales now equal its previous monthly revenue.

So Su Tang would come here to collect money every once in a while.

Of course, when she comes, she will also send a few new design drafts to the shop. After all, new products can be sold at a high price.

There is no shortage of rich people in Kyoto. As long as the things are good enough, it is easy to make money in Kyoto.

When Su Tang passed by the front door of Linglong Pavilion, there were already several carriages parked in front of the gate.

Su Tang specially re-planned several parking spaces in front of Linglong Pavilion's shop and arranged people to guide the carriages there.

So that big customers who come to Linglong Pavilion to buy jewelry can have the most expensive experience.

Of course, customers who want to park in these parking spaces must have spent a certain amount of money at Linglong Pavilion to qualify.

Moreover, this amount is recalculated every month.

At that time, when Qi Lingheng heard Su Tang's novel idea, he couldn't help but praise Su Tang for her business skills.

The carriage that Su Tang was riding in stopped directly at the back door of Linglong Pavilion. As soon as she got off the carriage, Manager Zhao of Linglong Pavilion came out to greet her.

"You're here." Shopkeeper Zhao half-knelt and saluted Su Tang, then quickly stood up and led Su Tang to the backyard.

When they arrived at the backyard, Manager Zhao dared to talk to Su Tang in detail. Su Tang had previously told him to keep a low profile outside, and she would not come in a carriage with the logo of the prince's or princess's mansion.

"The new glass beads have been selling very well these days. Even the ladies in the palace have ordered several from our store."

Shopkeeper Zhao half-bent his body, led the way, and took Su Tang to the accounting office of Linglong Pavilion.

At this time, there were three accountants sitting in the accounting office, clacking away at their abacuses.

The crisp sound of the abacus is the sound of gold and silver that Su Tang has earned.

Seeing Su Tang enter the accounting office, the three accountants stood up and saluted Su Tang, "Boss."

"Well, you guys just need to be busy and don't be distracted." Su Tang said to the three of them with a smile.

Then Su Tang followed Shopkeeper Zhao to the table at the back. Shopkeeper Zhao wiped the chair with his sleeves and then said to Su Tang with a smile, "Boss, please take a seat."

Then Manager Zhao brought out a small wooden box from the darkroom behind him and placed it on the desk. "Boss, please take inventory. Here is the profit for the past seven days."

As he spoke, Shopkeeper Zhao opened the box, inside which was a thick stack of silver bills.

Su Tang was already well aware of Linglong Pavilion's profit in the past seven days. She picked up the banknotes and counted them quickly before closing the lid of the box and letting Chunmei hold it.

"This is the new design drawing. You can show it to a few masters. If they have any questions, I will explain it to them." Su Tang took out a few pieces of paper from her sleeve and handed them to Shopkeeper Zhao.

Shopkeeper Zhao unfolded the paper in his hand, took a look at it, and nodded, "Then please wait here for a while, I will go and tell them right away."

"I'll go take a look at the front. Come find me if you have any questions." Su Tang glanced at the accountants in the room. Since she entered the room, the sounds of the accountants fiddling with the abacus had slowed down.

Su Tang didn't want to sit here and distract them.

"Well, okay, then you go first, I'll come to find you in the front later." Shopkeeper Zhao also noticed Su Tang's gaze and nodded in response.

Su Tang stood up, left the accounting office, and walked towards the sales area in front of the store with Chunmei and the others.

"Ms. Liu, this glass bead necklace is the most popular jewelry in Kyoto nowadays. There are no duplicates. I guarantee that you will never wear the same one as other ladies."

"This is indeed unique. I saw Miss Zhang wearing one on her wrist when I went to her home a few days ago." A delicate female voice sounded.

"Yes, Miss Zhang bought several styles from our Linglong Pavilion at once. Look at the style of this bead necklace. It is not easy to get damaged when worn on the wrist. Many young ladies don't wear bracelets nowadays, and they wear our glass beads instead."

"Then I'll have one first. This one is cool and very comfortable to wear in the summer."

"Well, then, I'll wrap this string for you."

"No need, I'll take it with me."

"Okay, then come with me to settle the bill."

Before Su Tang entered the shop in front, she heard a lot of similar conversations coming from the front.

After a while, Su Tang heard three or four young ladies or ladies choosing glass beads in the front.

Chunmei held the money box and saw Su Tang was about to enter the shop in front. She reminded him, "Master, this."

"Oh, I forgot." Su Tang waved her hand, and Chunmei's hand was replaced with an identical box.

Su Tang had often done this before. Since Chunmei and the others knew the secret of Su Tang's space, Su Tang no longer hid it from them.

Chunmei could feel that the weight of the box in her hand had changed. At this moment, the box in her hand was already an empty box.

Su Tang took Chunmei around to the front shop. A waiter immediately noticed Su Tang, but they did not greet her and just treated her as an ordinary customer.

Su Tang had already explained this.

A waiter who had no customers around came forward and nodded slightly to Su Tang, "Miss, what kind of jewelry do you want to see?"

"That one." Su Tang said, pointing to the counter where the glass beads were placed not far away.

"Okay, please come this way, miss." The waiter extended his hand and led Su Tang to the counter over there.

At this time, three women and young ladies dressed as masters were standing in front of the counter, followed by seven or eight maids and servants.

They just glanced at Su Tang and then looked down at the glass beads in front of them.

"Bring out this longer one and show it to me." A woman said, pointing to a string of 108 beads.

"Ok."

"Hey, there are more people here than in other stores." At this time, a female voice sounded from outside the store.

Soon, a woman in a goose yellow gauze dress came into the shop with four maids.

A guy immediately came over to greet him.

"Please come in, young lady."

"You have no eyesight. This is Princess Mingyue, not those ordinary ladies." A little maid behind the woman scolded the waiter.

"This... Hello, Princess Mingyue." The waiter was smart and immediately changed the topic with a smile.

"Hmph, what are you selling here?" The little maid asked with her chin slightly raised and a snort.

"Our Linglong Pavilion is a famous jewelry store in Beijing. Please take a look and see if there is any jewelry you like. The most popular item among the young ladies in our store right now is the colored glass necklace..."

Before the waiter finished speaking, the lady in the yellow gauze skirt looked at the waiter and asked, "What kind of glass beads are these?"

"The colored skewers are on the counter over there. Please come with me and I'll show them to you."