CHAPTER 63: CHAPTER 63: NO NINE LIVES

Tang Liu was escorted out of the tea house by Qingsheng.

Zhao Minghua looked at Xiao Chunnuan, who hadn’t spoken for a long time, feeling a bit uneasy.

"Um... if you want to cry, just cry. I can step aside for a while."

She finally understood why Qingsheng didn’t come to find her at the Xiao family himself but escorted her to the town instead; it was to inquire about her elder sister’s matters.

So tragic, truly tragic!

A woman abandoned by her husband’s family.

Yet, so brave, directly lodging a complaint to the Emperor. It’s hard to find another woman like her in the world.

"I don’t want to cry; crying can’t solve any problem."

Chun Nuan’s words made Zhao Minghua see her in a new light.

"Then what do you want? Is there any way I can help?"

"I just want to make sure this matter doesn’t reach the ears of my grandmother and aunt."

"It won’t, definitely won’t," Zhao Minghua said. "Didn’t you hear what Tang Liu said? Master Zhou Qi has already instructed that nothing about Miss Xiao filing a complaint in the Capital should be mentioned when back in Changzhou, fearing the Xiao Family might come after him."

"If the Xiao Family finds out about my sister’s matter, they will become even more relentless."

So what?

What should be done now?

"Mr. Zhao, I need money, a lot of money."

Zhao Minghua thought, even if I give you all my savings, it wouldn’t be two thousand taels of silver.

"Hasn’t the Emperor posted an imperial decree?"

Zhao Minghua’s eyes widened.

Impossible?

She wants to gamble big again?

"Seek fortune amidst danger, I can treat the Crown Prince’s illness."

"No, no, no, what is our Zhao family anyway? We don’t even count as one of the four big families in Changzhou; we’re just a small vendor selling herbs and medicines. What you mentioned is too big for us to handle."

Terrifying!

Indeed, he wants to make money, a lot of money, but he knows what can and cannot be done; some money isn’t earned simply because you want to.

"What if I say I can control the Crown Prince’s illness within limits so it doesn’t relapse?"

What?

"You only need to send a doctor to check, and then take my secret pill to control it, one pill every half month..."

"No, you’re just controlling it, not curing it?"

Honestly speaking, Zhao Minghua wouldn’t dare send something meant for the Crown Prince into the Imperial Palace unless it was made by himself, much less let the Crown Prince take it.

What if Xiao Chunnuan, in a fit of rage, directly seeks revenge on the Emperor, and a pill sends the Crown Prince to the grave, their Zhao family wouldn’t have enough people to execute.

"To cure the Crown Prince, only my grandfather can do it." Xiao Chunnuan said, "However, my grandfather was framed by treacherous people; the execution order was personally issued by the Emperor, so the best fortune the Crown Prince can have is to take medicines to control it."

As for a cure... unless the Xiao Family returns to the Capital and finds peace, the Crown Prince will suffer due to his illness!

After all, he is merely ill, whereas my grandfather lost his life.

In any case, the current Emperor only has one son, the Crown Prince; there are four princesses, so when new concubines keep giving birth to princesses instead of princes, would it be an opportunity for the Crown Prince?

By then, a sickly new emperor would ascend, and how long could this kingdom be preserved?

Chun Nuan sneered: Many injustices ultimately lead to self-destruction!

"This..." Zhao Minghua quickly shook his head, "Enough, enough, Miss Xiao, I advise you to keep these words to yourself; don’t say them to anyone, and I’ll pretend I never heard them."

He hadn’t even left Changzhou, now he’s being asked to step into the Capital, into the Imperial Palace; this high-stakes situation is one Zhao Minghua wouldn’t dare to enter even under threat of death.

"Are you afraid?"

I thought he was someone fearless, turns out, fearing death is human nature. Xiao Chunnuan regretted saying it.

"Who isn’t afraid? Your grandfather was renowned and virtuous, yet met such an end; who dares to approach that? It’s not like one has nine lives." Zhao Minghua said, "Remember not to speak out, lest you invite trouble later."

"Sure, you’re eager to help your sister, but consider carefully; you’re also supporting eleven members of the Xiao family, no, now there’s another child, that’s twelve dependents relying on you, you can’t act rashly."

"Yes, I lied to you, I can’t treat anyone; forget what I said."

With no hope from him, Chun Nuan no longer held expectations.

She was foolish; she has always relied only on herself, so why expect anything from others?

"You..." Zhao Minghua was puzzled about which part of her words were true and which weren’t, "Well, making money is easy. You bake more pastries, I open a store to sell them, open it in Changzhou, in Sichuan capital, even in the Capital, make the business bigger and stronger, and money will keep flowing in. How about that?"

"Okay, open more stores."

Chun Nuan remembered something important.

"Are there rouge and powder shops in Changzhou?"

"Of course there are." Zhao Minghua said, "If you want to buy them, I will arrange for Qingsheng to take you. After buying them, have him escort you back to the town; you definitely shouldn’t stay here long."

"I haven’t committed a crime..." Is it necessary?

"Ah, I’m saying this for your own good, don’t overthink it." Zhao Minghua said, "There are many people here, eyes everywhere, a young lady like yourself without guards around, if anything happens it’ll be troublesome."

Understood, he said this fearing for her safety.

"Alright, I know, I’ll check out the rouge and powder shop."

Chun Nuan decided she wants to make money, and naturally wants to try every possible way.

Besides Old Master Zhang’s herbal teas, Zhao Minghua’s pastries, she also wants to open a rouge and powder shop; her skin-care creams would definitely be favored by those ladies and mistresses, and surely earn money in the future.

Since ancient times, women’s money has been the easiest to make; beautiful clothes, stylish jewelry, along with effective rouge and powders... Chun Nuan thought her plan was very good.

Rouge shop, Chun Nuan went in to check it out, really... too underwhelming!

"Miss, what would you like to buy? This is our family’s best rouge, smell it, the fragrance is excellent."

Chun Nuan smelled it and felt like vomiting, where is this excellent?

They haven’t seen anything good.

While thinking, a delicate voice from a woman nearby arrived: "I’ll take the best one."

"Madam, please wait a moment, this young lady is still looking at it."

"Make me wait?" The woman naturally wasn’t willing, "You haven’t looked at who I am, and you let me wait."

Chun Nuan... Arrogant people are everywhere, silently placed the rouge in her hand down.

What she despises, others see as treasure!

"You, stand still."

Chun Nuan frowned, turning her head towards her.

What’s going on now?

"Where are you from, why are you snatching rouge from me? Do you know who I am?"

"I know." Chun Nuan was so amused she was furious.

Originally didn’t want to bother, yet someone insists on coming to her.

"Then who am I?"

"A patient, turn left when you go out, there’s a great doctor from Qianjin Hall there, perfect for treating your eye issue."

"You..." The woman realized Chun Nuan was insulting her, "You..."

"Not just the eyes need examining; your mind needs a good check too."

Chun Nuan observed her attire, likely a concubine or accessory in someone’s household; she wondered who the master was, how come they didn’t keep her door closed, letting her out to show off, still such reckless behavior.