The fool has become a spirit, and she can speak

"If they don't come, how can Master appear here!"

"...Did I...did I hit my little grandfather just now?"

Qiao Rong nodded under the eaves, "Your Highness, this time it's over. Not only did you hit the emperor, you also scolded him and the prince. The emperor is waiting in the house and said he wants to see the list of people who came to buy kites."

"What should I do? My little grandfather and my father are probably waiting to skin me alive."

"Don't be afraid. We still have our master. They can't beat you to death. You will just suffer some physical pain. But you are also short of money. Ask our master for it. Why sell the kite? How much can you get for it?"

"Master, my kites are selling well. People send huge amounts of silver to my Prince's Mansion every day." Cheng Youning was very content. This was one of the more profitable businesses he had ever done. Most of the customers and the silver came to him on their own initiative. It was the first time he felt so happy doing business.

"It's just small change. Don't be so greedy in the future, my disciple. If you need money, tell your master. You are a beggar prince. You must cherish your feathers. Sooner or later, you will ascend the throne."

"Disciple knows!" Cheng Youning felt uneasy, "Qiao Rong, did my grandfather get angry?"

"Your Highness, need I say more? You were so rude just now. You're lucky to be alive. As for me, I'll definitely be dead..." Qiao Rong was choked with sobs and couldn't speak.

"Qiao Rong, are you crying?" Cheng Youning jumped down from the roof with his followers. Qiao Rong was indeed wiping tears. "I did it. If they want to be beaten or scolded, come to me. I won't implicate you. Don't cry."

If Qiao Rong didn't howl a few times now, he would be afraid that he would not have the chance again in the future. However, he was thin-skinned and was usually embarrassed to cry or laugh. Unconsciously, he had developed a serious personality.

He was scared because he had just teamed up with Cheng Youning to beat the emperor and the prince, and he was doomed to die.

The more Qiao Rong thought about it, the more scared he became, and the more scared he became, the more he cried.

Cheng Youning had no choice but to comfort Qiao Rong. In fact, he was also afraid. After all, he was doing a shameful business. Fortunately, his master could speak well of him. "Master, you walk in front, and I will follow behind you. We will act according to the situation."

The attendant smiled and walked in front of the two children. When they got into the house, the attendant said to Wan Lianxing, "We have brought the person back to you. Do you want to torture him or flog him? Dismemberment by five horses is also a good method."

Cheng Youning tugged at his master's clothes and complained in a low voice: "Master, aren't you going to speak up for me? The only thing I can stand is a beating."

After hearing his master's devilish laughter, Cheng Youning very tactfully ran out from behind his followers, knelt down beside his little grandfather's legs, stretched out his little fists and punched his little grandfather's legs gently, and did not forget to flatter him: "Little grandfather, you and my father can come if you want, why are you disguised? But you look really good in disguise, your grandson didn't recognize you, otherwise I wouldn't dare to offend you."

"Your father and I are neither businessmen nor officials, nor the underworld!"

"Hehehe, my grandson is short-sighted and fails to recognize the great man. I am willing to be punished. Grandpa, please beat me." As he said that, Cheng Youning grabbed Wan Lianxing's hand and pretended to hit himself in the face.

Wan Lianxing didn't buy his trick at all. He pulled his hand back and said coldly, "Bring out the list."

Cheng Youning took out the list from his arms and presented it to the emperor. While massaging the emperor's legs, he tilted his head to explain to Wan Lianxing, fearing that Wan Lianxing would not understand. If Cheng Youning was so annoying with him at other times, he would be happy. But today, he felt that this kid deserved a beating, so he said unhappily, "Kneel down!"

Wan Lianxing held the roster in his hand, and his face became gloomier the more he looked at it. The names of ministers who should and shouldn't appear all appeared on the roster. There were also many unknown officials that Wan Lianxing couldn't match up. "Go and ask Yan Qilian from the Ministry of Revenue and the Imperial Master to come."

Qiao Rong quickly stood up and asked someone to do it.

Wan Lianxing asked Cheng Youning: "How much is the most expensive kite in your kite picture book?"

"Ten thousand taels." Cheng Youning even opened the picture book to show Wan Lianxing, "But there aren't many that expensive, most are one thousand taels each!"

Is one thousand taels still cheap? This kid is getting more and more arrogant. Wan Lianxing has no intention of arguing with him because he still has a lot of things to ask Cheng Youning.

"Prince, I have seen your booklet. Most of the buyers bought kites at 10,000 taels each. It seems that one person bought five."

"Oh, this is all thanks to my grandfather's good governance. Now everyone has money in their pockets, and their standards have also become higher. No one is interested in a kite worth one thousand taels. They only like the good ones. True kite lovers don't care about money."

"Oh? This Song Ruhong is a third-rank official in the court. His hair is all white, and he is also a kite enthusiast!"

"Song Ruhong should still have a childlike heart. Grandpa, you may not know this Song Ruhong..."

"I don't know much about this third-rank official. He was recommended to me by Yan Qilian. I think he is very talented and upright. Although he is a little old, I still hired him. He has fallen to the point of spending money to get promoted."

Unexpectedly, his little grandfather knew so much. Cheng Youning talked about this and that, but he didn't get to the point: "Little grandfather, this man is only in his early fifties, he's really not old. If he were sixty, he would have to retire and return home."

"You can't even protect yourself, and yet you're talking about other people's age? Where's the money you took as bribes?"

"Little Grandpa, this is not bribery, this is a business transaction."

"I won't tell you the truth, there will be many ministers who will tell you tomorrow in the court."

"Little Grandfather, do we really need to bring this matter to the court?"

Wan Lianxing slapped the roster in his hand on the table, making a dull 'pa' sound. "More than 70 officials are involved, including some third-rank officials whom I trust. How can such a thing be covered up? As a prince, you bought and sold official positions and accepted bribes. You have brought shame to the royal family."

"My grandson did take the money, but he did not buy an official position. Grandfather should trust my grandson."

"Trust? How can I trust you and those ministers when you and those ministers are doing all these things in private? Humph! I am still laughing at the court in Bianjing. I am the biggest joke."

"Grandpa, I didn't do anything except write a few letters of recommendation. Those letters are still in my study. I didn't do anything else."

"Prince, it is said that a gentleman never jokes. I never thought you would be so untrustworthy. You promised to do something but didn't do it. Why did you agree to it?"