So what if I traveled through time? I'll continue to roll in another place

Zhou Yao and his party set off on time, but Xiao Yueshan was not idle.

She always attached great importance to maintaining personal connections. She arranged for the palace guards and eunuchs to contact Wang Huai'en for Zui Hua Yin's quarterly profit dividends, and delivered them to Shen Xishuang on time. No matter how much or how little, whether Madam Shen liked it or not, it was all her intention.

Now that Zuihuayin was closed, she asked the guards to give the last sum of silver to Wang Huai'en as usual, and at the same time told Madam Shen that Zuihuayin would rest for a while.

She was quite generous, and the servants sent by Deng Tong were sweet-talkers and considerate. The imperial guards and eunuchs on duty who had always been in charge of her had some good feelings towards the people in Zhou's mansion.

Upon learning that Zhou Yao went to Xizhou Mine, Chu Yuanming and Shen Xishuang were both amazed at his inner motivation.

Chu Yuanming learned a little bit about Shen Xishuang's ideas from Wang Huai'en, and also knew a little about what Shen Xishuang wanted to make behind Wangyue Mountain. If Zhou Yao could make it, then Zhou Yao would become more and more useful, and he had to find a way to win him over.

Shen Xishuang was afraid that Zhou Yao would succeed in the experiment first. Although Nie Su and Kong Nanlu started their research earlier, the Ministry of Industry had the power of the whole country. Zhou Yao was Kong Nanlu's senior brother. If he was really as capable as Kong Nanlu said, he might even succeed before her. Wouldn't all her previous investment be wasted?

Although the two of them had their own ideas when they were plotting, they all came to the same conclusion. Chu Yuanming also agreed that Shen should summon Xiao Yueshan to the palace to accompany her for a while and get information from her.

Wang Huai'en took Shen's oral order to Zhou Mansion in Changxing Lane and brought Xiao Yueshan to the palace.

When he arrived, Lu Jiayan and Shou Junwu were also there. Seeing that the people from Shou'an Palace were about to take Xiao Yueshan away again, Lu Jiayan was in a very bad mood.

"What's going on? Madam already knows that we have no special skills, so why do we have to enter the palace? Can Yueshan not go?" She stood in front of Xiao Yueshan and said to Wang Huai'en.

"How would I know what Madam means? If you have any doubts, you can only go with me to pay your respects to Madam." Wang Huai'en looked at Xiao Yueshan behind Lu Jiayan with his peach blossom eyes.

"Brother Zhou is far away in Xizhou on official business now. How can Madam summon the wives of court officials at will? Let's wait until Lord Zhou returns to the capital." Shou Junwu also helped.

"It is precisely because Lord Zhou is worried about state affairs and is not in the capital, and Madam is afraid that Madam Zhou will be lonely, so she invites Madam Zhou to the palace to chat, to show the grace of the royal family." Wang Huai'en still said politely, "Madam also feels that she gets along well with Madam Zhou, Lord Shou should not be too nervous."

Shen was granted the title of Lady Protector of the Country and Assist in Fortune, second rank. Although she called herself a slave in the palace, she was of the same rank as Shou Junchou and Shou Junzhong of the Shou family. Shou Junwu had no way to deal with people in the palace and could only let them go.

Xiao Yueshan asked Shu Tong to pack up briefly and then prepared to enter the palace with Wang Huai'en.

While packing, Xiao Yueshan told Lu Jiayan, "Jiayan, I don't know how long I will stay in the palace. Although we have all the money and food at home, there is no one in charge. Do you want to live in Lord Shou's private residence during this period? It's safer there. I'll pick you up when I come back."

Lu Jiayan was in a very low mood. Shou Junwu had known her for so long and this was the first time he saw her like this. He was very worried. "My sister-in-law is right. My house is nearby and I live alone. No one disturbs me on weekdays. You don't have to worry. You can stay as long as you want."

"Why, are you afraid that I will empty your house because you are not at home?" Lu Jiayan pretended to be angry and the beauty shed tears, "I am not going anywhere, I will wait for you here and look after your house for you."

Xiao Yueshan hugged this sister in distress, thinking that it would be inconvenient for Lu Jiayan to go to Shou's house as they were alone, so she decided to let her do what she wanted. "Okay, you take good care of the house. If there's a leaf missing from the tree or a hair lost by the cat or dog, I'll ask you when I come back," she said jokingly.

After everything was ready, Xiao Yueshan got on the carriage with Wang Huai'en and started her second journey to the palace.

The last time he entered the palace, there was no conversation along the way. This time, Xiao Yueshan didn't want to waste her breath on Wang Huai'en, so she remained silent.

Unexpectedly, Wang Huai'en couldn't help but come to talk to her, "Your husband is quite capable, no wonder you are so concerned about him."

Xiao Yueshan heard the jealousy in his words, smiled and said nothing.

"It's just that he doesn't look that good." He went on to say, and this time the sourness in his words flew out of the car, and it really made Xiao Yueshan laugh.

"Everyone says that Zhou Yao is a cold-faced man. He is cold, but he has his own charm. Now it seems that he is still a little inferior. He can't compare with the beauties in the palace, and none of them can catch Lord Wang's eyes." She said with a smile.

Wang Huai'en chuckled, "That's right, I think Zhou Yao is just so-so, definitely not as good as me."

Xiao Yueshan just smiled and said nothing. Wang Huai'en was indeed handsome, but his temperament was different from Zhou Yao's. There was no comparison between them. She was just a lover who only cared about her husband's appearance.

After a while, the carriage arrived at the palace gate. Xiao Yueshan got off the carriage and followed Wang Huai'en into the palace.

Compared to the panic she felt when she first entered the palace, she was now much calmer. Not only did she know the personality of the Madam Shen she was going to meet, but she also knew clearly why they summoned her to the palace. It was simply about Zhou Yao going to Xizhou to inspect the mine.

Wang Huai'en brought Xiao Yueshan to the main hall of Shou'an Palace and went in to report. Soon, a palace maid came forward to lead her in.

Xiao Yueshan stepped into the hall and saw Shen Xishuang sitting in the main seat. She was still as beautiful as ever, wearing gorgeous clothes, with exquisite makeup and a strong aura.

But unlike the fierce temperament when they met last time, Shen Xishuang's expression and behavior were more charming. Xiao Yueshan couldn't tell what she felt for a moment, he just felt that there were some changes compared to the last time they met.

Shen Xishuang smiled and asked Xiao Yueshan to sit down. Jingzhu served her some new tea and the two started chatting casually.

"You sent someone to bring in a message saying Zui Hua Yin needs to rest for a while. The dividends are increasing every quarter, and the store is doing well, why is it suddenly resting?" Shen Xishuang asked. "Recently, the official affairs have been completed, and the capital is in the middle of socializing, so I was thinking of using you to get some information for me."

"My dear madam, you are aware that the world is tough here. It would be even more difficult to run a restaurant here without an official background. My husband was promoted two levels and is only a fifth-rank official, which is considered a minor official in the capital. It is because the business of Zuihuayin is so good that it cannot withstand the trouble, so it has been closed for a few months to avoid the limelight." Xiao Yueshan gently covered up the fact that Chen Peisheng wanted to coerce Lu Jiayan to please Shou Junwu in the past.

"Forget it, just stop for a few days, but don't close it for too long. Zuihuayin still has some use." Shen Xishuang called Xiao Yueshan over this time, not to discuss this matter.

She picked up the teacup, opened the lid, sniffed the fragrance of the tea, and then said, "I heard that your husband went to Xizhou."

Shen Xishuang mentioned Zhou Yao seemingly casually, but Xiao Yueshan knew in her heart that this was the real purpose of the other party summoning her.

"It's just routine work. Now Zhou Yao has been assigned to the Yuheng Qingli Division of the Ministry of Works, and this is also his job." She responded cleverly.

"Oh? Routine business? That place is far away and remote, and everyone there is serving their sentences as hard labor. What kind of business can there be? The capital is prosperous, and having a beautiful wife like you is not enough. Why do you want to go to the mine?" Shen Xishuang asked.

"It seems that he has just taken over the mining and smelting business. The utilization rate of the mine is low now, so I want to go and see what the reason is." The information she revealed was neither too much nor too little, which not only left Shen Xishuang with a complete disappointment, but also retained a certain sense of mystery.

After the two of them talked for a while, they pushed each other back and forth in Tai Chi. Shen Xishuang had to go to the emperor to serve, so she asked Xiao Yueshan to leave.

Xiao Yueshan breathed a sigh of relief when she left the main hall, knowing that she had successfully passed the first test.