Traveling to an ancient peasant family: I got rich by doing business

We have arrived at the palace.

This palace was built during the reign of the last emperor of the previous dynasty. It is said that the emperor wanted to build it into a royal garden stretching for dozens of miles. However, he was killed for his debauchery and immorality after only part of it was built, and the construction of the palace was put on hold.

It was not until the third year after Emperor Taizu of the Dayu Dynasty ascended the throne that the people's lives were stable and the palace was brought up again.

At that time, some ministers believed that so many palaces had already been built and it would be a waste of resources if they were not used, so it would be better to continue building.

But Emperor Taizu's first wife, Empress Xiaoren, who had accompanied him in conquering the world, was unwilling to do so. She felt that further construction would be a waste of money and manpower, and that the people's lives had finally improved, and they could not be allowed to return to their dire straits.

After several debates, Emperor Taizu finally adopted Empress Xiaoren's opinion and retained the existing specifications of the palace instead of expanding it.

*

Li Yu looked at the buildings in the mountains and replayed the rumors about the palace that he had heard in his mind.

It has to be said that she admired Empress Xiaoren very much. Her vision and bearing were in no way inferior to those ministers standing in the court.

Having said that, even if only a part of it was built, the palace was still large enough. As far as she could see, there were dozens of rooms and twenty or thirty pavilions.

And there were many more in other places and at the foot of the mountain that she couldn't see.

It’s impossible to imagine how big the palace’s original plan was!

Li Yu shook his head and thought it was about time, so he woke up Princess Jianing.

"We have arrived at the palace."

Princess Jianing rubbed her eyes and finally came to her senses after a while, "We're here, let's go down."

*

The palace has more than 800 rooms, including more than 300 bedrooms.

The ladies and girls from various families had been here a few years ago and were very familiar with the place. After getting permission from the Queen, they each took their entourage to find their own rooms.

Li Yu followed Princess Jianing to where she lived every year.

It was a small courtyard with a wooden arch bridge, a rockery made of strange stones, clear flowing water, and green bamboo growing wildly in the corners, making the courtyard look particularly exquisite.

There are three bedrooms in the courtyard, one for Princess Jianing and Li Yu, and another for Qingbi and another maid.

After arranging the accommodation, Princess Jianing took Li Yu outside to see the scenery.

"It's not as big as the imperial palace, but the scenery is beautiful. There is a clear spring where my mother lives, and the spring is full of red carp. You must come and see it."

She ran fast, so Li Yu had to speed up his pace.

*

Princess An lives a little far from where Li Yu and the others live, and one has to pass by the courtyards of many noble ladies in between.

Although those people did not have a good relationship with Princess Jianing, they were very strict about the rules. They bowed when they saw Princess Jianing, and there was nothing wrong with them.

Li Yu looked at them and felt that these noble ladies were not simple.

The two walked side by side. When they were almost there, Li Yu heard a shout: "If I had known I wouldn't have brought you here. Don't you understand what I said? I clearly told you that you can live anywhere, but you insisted on taking that room. Is there something wrong with your ears?"

Then came a soft female voice, "I'm sorry, I just want you to live comfortably, I didn't expect to offend others, sister, blame me, it's all my fault!"

Both voices seemed familiar, Li Yu recalled, and saw their faces after turning a corner.

One of them was seventeen or eighteen years old, the other was fifteen or sixteen years old. One wore purple and the other wore red. One had drooping eyebrows and the other had anger in his eyes.

*

Li Yu suddenly remembered where he had seen them.

That was when they came to the capital last year. They passed through a small town and had found an inn to stay in, but were kicked out again.

At that time, it was these two people who booked the inn.

The woman in purple was also wearing purple clothes that day. She ran up to her and said a few words, then gave them five taels of silver.

She remembered that they were from the Zhenbei Marquis Mansion.

*

Sensing Li Yu's gaze, the two quarreling girls turned their heads. When they saw Princess Jianing, the girl in red glared at the woman in purple, then walked to Princess Jianing and bowed slightly, "Princess."

Princess Jianing hummed with a stern face, then asked, "What are you doing? This palace is not a place for you to quarrel."

As soon as she finished speaking, the purple-clothed woman's eyes were filled with tears. "It's all my fault. I thought my sister had to stay in this room, so I asked the others to leave. I...I was wrong."

The red-dressed woman's complexion had looked a little better, but after hearing this, she became irritated again.

Her elder sister makes mistakes all the time, and then cries after doing so. I don’t know why she has so many tears!

Was she made of tears in her previous life?

"Will you please stop crying?" she said.

The purple-dressed woman looked aggrieved: "I'm sorry, sister."

Princess Jianing looked at this one, then that one, and finally stopped her gaze on the woman in purple. "Do you really know you are wrong?"

Purple-robed woman: “Yes.”

"Then go back to your room and reflect on it. Don't come out until night." Princess Jianing waved her hand. "Crying won't solve the problem."

The purple-clad lady was stunned.

Princess Jianing stopped looking at her and said to the girl in red, "This is a temporary palace. You still have to pay attention to the reputation of the Zhenbei Marquis' Mansion."

The girl in red was very satisfied with what Princess Jianing had just said and agreed readily.

*

Li Yu and Princess Jianing Li Yu walked forward.

Li Yu pondered for a while and said, "Princess, did you see it just now?"

"I can tell at a glance." Princess Jianing said, "There are so many concubines in my uncle's palace, I have seen everything. The pretense of Miss Xiao is too obvious, so it is only Miss Xiao who can't see it. I don't know how the Marquis of Zhenbei and his wife taught Miss Xiao that she can't even detect ordinary calculations."

Li Yu: “…”

It has to be said that Princess Jianing is a person who appears wise but appears foolish. She appears to be innocent on the surface, but in fact, she knows everything.

She is the kind of person who is worldly-wise but not worldly-wise.

As they were talking, they arrived at Princess An's courtyard.

Princess An was not at home, so the two of them looked at the koi for a while and then returned to where they lived.

There was a banquet at the palace until the evening.

*

Due to Li Yu's identity, she had no chance to attend the banquet hosted by the Queen.

But with Princess Jianing here, everything was not a problem. She was arranged to sit where the noble ladies sat, next to Xie Youlan.

Li Yu took the initiative to talk to her, "Thank you, Miss. Long time no see."

Xie Youlan smiled softly, "Shopkeeper Li, aren't you afraid of being implicated by me? Our Changqing Marquis' Mansion has a very bad reputation recently, and everyone is trying to avoid it!"

Li Yu looked at her for a while, and said in a voice that only the two of them could hear: "Miss Xie is actually very happy that the two Mr. Xies were caught cheating in the imperial examination!"

Xie Youlan did not hide anything and said, "Shopkeeper Li, you are not wrong. In return for guessing my thoughts, I will tell you something."

Li Yu said: "I am all ears."

Xie Youlan said: "Something is going to happen in the palace tonight, just wait and see!"

Li Yu raised his eyebrows and was about to ask her what it was when he heard someone calling his name in front of him.