After the milk ball arrived, the father who had no heirs had a string of good luck.

Gu Ruoxue subtly interjected, "Rui Rui, the best teahouse on East Street is my shop. It would be perfect for turning a theater into a teahouse."

"Me too! Me too!" Consort Zhu immediately raised her hand: "The best restaurant in the center of Kyoto is mine."

"Wasn't that something I auctioned off and gave to you? This is called repaying kindness with enmity!" Consort Li said angrily upon hearing this!

Consort Zhang leaned closer: "Let's keep things separate. You're just making things difficult for Rui Rui!"

"Hey? You, Zhang Sirou, are you trying to make things difficult for Rui Rui? It's clearly you who are making things difficult for me!"

Seeing that the women were about to start arguing again, Situ Che was at his wits' end: "Alright, shut up, all of you!"

"Oh!" The women immediately quieted down, staring at him expectantly, just like Tang Rui's little eyes.

Situ Che: "..."

Is this what it means to learn to be a good person by following good people?

Why does it feel like all the women in my family have been influenced by Tang?

Situ Che didn't want this to damage the harmony among the women, so after discussing it with Tang Rui, they decided that each of them would take charge of one shop.

So, he's treated everyone fairly, right?

OK!

Since Situ Che has spoken, one is fine, it's better than none.

The most frustrated one was Consort Li, who complained to Fu Bao for a long time after returning home.

The promised five stores have become one; anyone would be unhappy about that.

What she didn't know was that Situ Che also knew she had been wronged, and the next day he went to the palace to ask the emperor for a plaque bestowed upon him—Fu Rui Xuan.

It was the name of their old Li family's imperial merchant shop.

Oh my goodness, so many imperial merchants, yet the emperor never bestowed a plaque upon any of them!

This is an immense honor, representing the royal family's recognition of the Li family's porcelain!

Got it!

Now Consort Li felt better and thanked Situ Che profusely, immediately ordering the plaque to be sent back to her family.

That afternoon, she received 300,000 taels of silver notes and a handwritten letter from her father, delivered by someone he had sent.

The gist of it is: Daughter, you've done a great job. Our Li family has gained honor because of you. Take this money and spend it as you please. If it's not enough, your father will give you more. Buy more good things for the prince to nourish his body. Serve the prince well and give birth to a son or daughter soon, and so on.

After reading the letter, Consort Li was frustrated again: "I was supposed to be helping the Prince give birth, but now that he's better, he's acting like he's not. He doesn't even come to our room to spend the night. Who am I supposed to have the baby with?"

Fu Bao kindly offered a suggestion: "How about... you, Concubine, take the initiative?"

"This...how can I take the initiative!" Consort Li blushed, twisting her handkerchief. "If I really take the initiative, the Prince will definitely think I'm too frivolous. I don't want to!"

Fu Bao: "..." Then you can continue to starve!

Once other masters get there first, you'll have your day of reckoning.

Fu Bao had no idea that her words would become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

While every woman in the mansion was hesitating about whether to take the initiative, that evening, Gu Ruoxue brought a bowl of white fungus soup that she had personally prepared to Situ Che's study.

Seeing Situ Che busy at his desk, Gu Ruoxue bit her lip, took off her outer cloak, revealing a transparent pink veil.

"Leave it there! This king..." Situ Che said, but when he looked up, he was speechless.

Gu Ruoxue blushed and mustered her courage to come to his side, placing the white fungus soup in front of him: "Master, please try some!"

"Uh..." Situ Che came back to his senses and subconsciously looked away: "What are you wearing? Aren't you afraid of catching a cold?"

Gu Ruoxue's beautiful eyes flickered, a hint of grievance in her voice: "Master, don't you like it?"

Situ Che: "..." How do I respond to that?

To say I like it is an understatement; I don't really like it that much.

Would it be hurtful to say I don't like it?

After a moment's consideration, Situ Che tactfully said, "I just didn't expect you to be dressed like this..."

After all, in his memory, Gu Ruoxue had always been a person of quiet elegance and without desires.

What's wrong?

Is it possessed by a demon now?

Where is the Crown Prince?

You really don't want it?

Gu Ruoxue came up behind him and gently massaged his shoulders.

Surrounded by the girl's effeminate manner, Situ Che said he felt very uncomfortable.

Just as he was about to say, "If you have nothing to do, go wash up and go to bed," he heard Gu Ruoxue's murmur behind him: "Your Highness must have known about my affair with the Crown Prince long ago, right? Isn't Hehua, the maid who sweeps in my room, a spy that Your Highness planted in my courtyard?"

Upon hearing this, Situ Che's starry eyes narrowed, and he grabbed her hand in return.

Gu Ruoxue had made up her mind when she arrived that, no matter how shameless or unscrupulous she was, she was determined to be the first to "eat the crab".

She probably will never be able to replace Qin Zhiyan's position in her lifetime, but she only wants a little bit of favoritism, a special treatment.

So, taking advantage of the force, Gu Ruoxue sat directly on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck.

Situ Che froze, almost throwing the person out.

"Master~" Gu Ruoxue called out sweetly, raising her eyes to gaze at him. Her eyes held emotions that Situ Che couldn't understand, and she successfully averted being thrown out.

Situ Che said dryly, "Stand up and speak properly!"

"I don't..." Gu Ruoxue pressed her head against his chest, making their position even more intimate. "It was all my fault before, I was deceived. You are a true gentleman, you didn't expose me, you didn't punish me, you gave me chance after chance. You should know better than anyone that I have always truly loved you. I know I am deeply sinful and shouldn't appear before you anymore. But you... I can't control myself. Whenever I see you, I can't help but feel full of love and want to be closer to you, even closer..."

As Gu Ruoxue spoke, she raised her head, her nose almost touching Situ Che's, her dark eyes filled with his reflection: "My lord, I know I am unworthy, but I still wish to beg you, please have pity on me just this once?"

"..." This isn't a question of good or bad, it's just that I freaking don't know how!

Just as Situ Che was thinking about how to express himself tactfully, Gu Ruoxue suddenly lowered her head and kissed him.

Situ Che's eyes widened instantly...

————————Imagine it yourself————————

The next morning, Tang Rui got up early and practiced horse stance under Mingyue's guidance.

When she finished getting ready to leave, Situ Che, who usually took Tang Rui to the Imperial Academy every day, was unusually absent. Instead, Mingyue took her place.

Qin Zhiyan didn't see Situ Che and looked around.

Tang Rui asked directly, "Mingyue, where is Father?"

Mingyue replied honestly, "The Prince and Consort Gu rested in the study last night for three hours, and he called for water four times."

Tang Rui: "Uh..."

Qin Zhiyan's smile instantly froze, her heart sinking: "Oh...I see..."

Tang Rui looked up at Qin Zhiyan's distraught appearance and squeezed her hand: "Mother, are you alright?"

"I...I'm fine..." Qin Zhiyan forced a bitter smile, sighed, and said, "Rui Rui, don't worry about your mother. Consort Gu is your father's rightful consort, so it's only right that he favors her. Not only Consort Gu, but also Consort Zhu, Consort Li, Consort Zhang..."