In ancient times, she gave birth to seven daughters and was divorced by her husband's family.

"enough!"

A voice came from the doorway.

The siblings' argument immediately stopped.

Zhao Bingyu was standing there unnoticed, her face so dark it seemed to drip water. Behind her followed Ruyu, who also had an expressionless face.

"Crying and wailing, making a scene, what kind of behavior is this!"

Zhao Bingyu's gaze swept over the mess in the warehouse, then landed on Ru Bao, who was slumped on the ground, and Ru Zhu, who seemed to be going crazy. The disappointment in her eyes was almost overflowing.

She asked carefully about what had happened, and after listening, she closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

Zhao Bingyu walked to a pile of moldy spices, squatted down, and picked up a bit of the rotten powder. She smelled it, then rubbed it between her fingers.

The pungent, sour smell made her frown slightly.

"What a waste of all this nonsense." She opened her eyes, her voice devoid of anger, only a deathly coldness. "You two are truly my good children."

She turned to Ruyu.

"Ruyu, keep an eye on the two of them. They are not allowed to step out of the room without my permission."

Ruyu bowed respectfully.

Zhao Bingyu didn't look at them again and turned to leave. She needed to deal with the rotten spices and find Qian Wanli, the merchant who had sold them the goods.

The brother and sister were each locked up.

Ruyu first went to Rubao's room, looked at her younger sister who was still sobbing, and sighed.

“You’re all so foolish,” he said calmly. “When doing business, how can you always think of doing it all by yourself?”

“You have no connections, no experience, and certainly no skills or vision like your mother.”

Ru Bao looked up at him with teary eyes, puzzled.

"Why not?"

“Let’s get our father involved,” Ruyu said slowly. “Father Aslan has been operating in the Western Regions for many years and has extensive connections. Let him take the lead and pave the way for you.”

“Once the business is up and running smoothly, he will step down and let you take over.”

"Isn't this also considered a business you're running yourselves?"

Ru Bao was stunned. She had never thought of this method before.

Afterwards, Ruyu went to Ruzhu's room.

Zhu's situation was even worse than Bao's. He locked himself in a dimly lit room, staring at the ceiling with bloodshot eyes.

Twenty thousand taels of silver—his entire fortune vanished just like that.

Ruyu pushed open the door and placed a lamp on the table.

"Get up," he commanded.

Ru Zhu didn't move, as if she hadn't heard.

"One failure has turned you into this?" Ru Yu's voice turned colder. "With your current state, you still think you can compete with Bai Lu?"

The words "White Dew" pierced Ru Zhu's ears like needles.

He sat up abruptly, staring intently at Ruyu.

"What do you know! That was all my money! All gone! Ruined by that idiot!"

“Money can be earned back,” Ruyu said, looking at him. “But if you become useless, you’ll lose everything.”

He repeated to Ruzhu what he had said to Rubao.

After hearing this, Ru Zhu remained silent for a long time.

He wasn't as naive as Ru Bao; he thought much more.

“Father…would he be willing?” he asked in a low voice.

“He will,” Ruyu said with certainty. “He is our father.”

"However... this time we need to tell Mother."

Aslan was summoned to Zhao Bingyu the next day.

Zhao Bingyu had already cleaned up the mess; the merchant named Qian Wanli had vanished without a trace. The twenty thousand taels of silver were completely lost...

"I'd like you to help take care of these two good-for-nothings in the house," Zhao Bingyu said bluntly.

Aslan looked at his wife's tired face and nodded.

"What kind of business do you want to do?" Zhao Bingyu asked.

Aslan pondered for a moment and said, "Great Wu's silk is a hard currency in the Western Regions, with extremely high profits."

“We can go to Dawu to buy silk and bring it back to sell.”

“Okay.” Zhao Bingyu nodded. “You take Ruzhu and Rubao with you to do this. Let them learn from you.”

With their father's guidance, Ru Zhu and Ru Bao finally started their first real business deal.

They followed Aslan's caravan and embarked on the long journey to Great Wu.

Only after leaving their comfortable homes did they truly understand the hardships of traveling merchants. By day, there was the scorching sun and endless yellow sand; by night, there was the biting cold wind.

They drank water mixed with grit and ate dry, hard naan bread. Within a few days, their once fair skin had turned dark and rough from the sun.

Ru Bao wanted to cry and give up several times, but when she saw her second brother gritting his teeth and persevering, and thought of Bai Lu, she swallowed her tears back.

On the way, Aslan began to teach them things.

He taught them how to navigate by the stars, how to tell if there was water ahead by the color of the sand, and how to soothe a frightened camel.

They also witnessed another side of their father for the first time.

That night, the caravan encountered a small group of bandits. The guards immediately formed a circle, protecting the wagons in the middle.

Ru Zhu and Ru Bao were so frightened that they hid behind the car, their faces pale.

Aslan remained calm. He didn't draw his sword, but went out alone. He spoke with the bandit leader in fluent local dialect.

They couldn't read their father's expression; they only saw him speak for a while and then hand them several bags. Then, the group of menacing bandits simply turned their horses around and left.

"Father, what...what did you give them?" Ru Zhu asked curiously afterward.

“Some salt, and some tea,” Aslan replied calmly. “They’re not real bandits, just herders who can’t survive. Give them a way to live, and they won’t fight to the death.”

At that moment, as Ruzhu and Rubao looked at their father's back, a sense of unfamiliarity arose in their hearts.

They gradually realized that doing business is not simply about buying and selling. It involves interpersonal relationships and the wisdom of survival.

After more than a month of arduous travel, they finally arrived at Qingzhou Prefecture, a border city of Dawu.

The bustling scene here broadened their horizons.

Ru Bao had actually been here before, but this was the first time she had taken a close look at the place.

Aslan led them not directly to the largest silk shop, but instead wandered through the city's alleyways, eventually entering a seemingly inconspicuous shop.

"Father, what are we doing here?" Ru Bao asked, puzzled.

"Looking for someone," Aslan said, leading them inside.

There was only one shopkeeper in the shop, who was dozing off.

Aslan stepped forward and whispered a few words in the official language. The shopkeeper immediately perked up and respectfully led them into the backyard.

In the backyard, they met one of Qingzhou's biggest silk merchants, a fat man surnamed Wang.

It turns out that my father and this Mr. Wang have been friends for many years.

For the next few days, Ru Zhu and Ru Bao followed their father around, watching him negotiate business with Boss Wang.

They watched as their father calmly sipped his tea and chatted with the other man about everyday things, from the weather to the harvest, but never mentioning silk.

Ru Zhu was extremely anxious.

It wasn't until the third day that Boss Wang took the initiative to speak.

"Brother Aslan, what kind of goods do you want this time?"

Aslan then slowly put down his teacup.

"Same as last year. However, we need an extra batch of Yun brocade this year."

The price he quoted was 20% lower than the market price.

Mr. Wang looked troubled.

The two exchanged heated words back and forth, and finally reached an agreement on a price that was acceptable to both parties.

Ru Zhu and Ru Bao witnessed the entire process. Only then did they understand how business was negotiated.

When selecting the goods, Aslan made them do it themselves.

“Look for yourselves, touch for yourselves.” He pointed to bolts of gorgeous silk, “Tell me, which one is good, and why.”

At first, they couldn't see anything, but under their father's guidance, they gradually learned to distinguish the thickness of the silk threads, the density of the weaving, and the quality of the dyeing.

This trip to Qingzhou taught them things they could never learn at home...

They loaded dozens of carts with silk and were ready to go back.

Zhu is no longer as impetuous as before, but instead takes the initiative to ask his father and the elders in the caravan for advice.

Ru Bao also shed her spoiled nature and became much calmer.

She would help the other staff prepare dinner and would also volunteer to keep watch at night.

Aslan saw their changes and was very pleased.

As expected, the children learned a lot from this business experience.

But... if nothing unexpected happens, something unexpected is about to happen.

The caravan had finished its purchases in Qingzhou Prefecture and everything was loaded onto the carts. They were ready to embark on their return journey early the next morning.

The business went extremely smoothly; the silk they purchased was impeccable in both quality and price. Aslan was in a good mood and decided to treat the caravan's main manager and crew to a nice meal that evening to reward them for their hard work on the journey.

However, Zhu had a different idea.

These past few days, he's been by his father's side, watching him chat and laugh with Boss Wang, easily finalizing a large deal. He feels both admiration and a bit of resentment.

He thought his father had followed the old, safe path, relying on years of established relationships. He, on the other hand, was young and should have his own methods. In Dawu, when businessmen negotiated deals, relationships built over drinks were sometimes more effective than contracts…

So, he secretly approached Boss Wang.

"Uncle Wang." Zhu Zhu followed her father's example, cupping her hands in greeting with a perfectly appropriate smile on her face. "Thanks to your help this time, we were able to purchase such good goods."

"My father is hosting a banquet tonight to express his gratitude."

"However, I have another request."

Mr. Wang looked at the young man with a smile.

“Nephew, please speak freely.”

“My father is a rather old-fashioned man, so he was always a bit reserved at the banquet.” Ru Zhu lowered his voice and winked at Boss Wang. “I’ve heard that the ‘Lan Yue Lou’ in Qingzhou City is a first-class elegant place. I would like to invite Uncle Wang to go there. We young people can have some fun in a different place. It’s just a small token of my appreciation.”

Upon hearing this, a barely perceptible glint flashed in Boss Wang's eyes. He sized up Ru Zhu, then clapped his hands and burst into laughter!

"Hahaha, my dear nephew, you are truly a remarkable person! Very well, I cannot refuse your kind invitation, so I will gladly accompany you, even at the cost of my life!"

Ru Zhu was delighted. By doing this, he could not only appear sensible and capable, but also build a closer personal relationship with Boss Wang—a win-win situation.

He didn't tell his father about it. His father would surely praise him when he found out!

That night, the city lights began to twinkle.

Lanyue Tower.

This was a den of iniquity, exuding extravagance at every turn. Zhu requested the best private room, ordered the most expensive food and wine, and hired the most beautiful girls to accompany him.

Mr. Wang is clearly a regular here, handling things with ease.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

Mr. Wang picked up his wine glass and squinted at Ru Zhu.

“Nephew, your father is a steady man, but he never expected to have such a lively son as you.”

"Uncle Wang, you flatter me." Ru Zhu was a little tipsy from the alcohol and became bolder. "My father has his methods, and I have my reasons."

"In business, it's all about interpersonal relationships and social skills."

"Well said!" Boss Wang slapped his thigh. "Come on, let's drink to our social interactions!"

The two were toasting each other when the door to the private room was suddenly kicked open from the outside.

"boom!"

A loud bang, and wood chips flew everywhere.

A dozen or so officers, wielding fire and water clubs, rushed in menacingly.

"Don't move! This is an official case!" the head constable shouted sternly.

The seductive music inside the room abruptly stopped. The women serving drinks were terrified, their faces pale, and they screamed as they shrank into a corner.

Zhu sobered up instantly. He had never seen anything like this before and stood there stunned, holding his wine glass, at a loss for what to do.

Boss Wang's expression also changed, but he was much calmer than Zhu. He immediately stood up, a smile plastered on his face.

"Sir, what does this mean? Is there some misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" The head constable sneered, his sharp eyes sweeping over everyone in the room. "We are here on the orders of the prefect to investigate and apprehend the abducted women!"

"The Moon-Viewing Pavilion is harboring criminals, and you people are also implicated! Take them all away!"

"Sir, I'm innocent!" Ru Zhu finally realized what was happening and hurriedly protested, "We just came here to drink! We know nothing about trafficking women!"

"Don't know?" The head constable walked up to him and poked him in the chest with his stick. "You'll find out when we get to the main hall of the government office! Take him away!"

Two officers immediately stepped forward, grabbing Ru Zhu's arms on either side and dragging him out.

Zhu struggled desperately, but to no avail.

Zhu's heart sank to the bottom in an instant...

The news quickly reached Aslan.

When he rushed to Lan Yue Lou with Ru Bao, the place had already been sealed off by the government and was in complete disarray...

"Father! Where is Second Brother? Where was Second Brother taken?" Ru Bao was so anxious that she was about to cry, tightly gripping her father's sleeve.

Aslan's face turned ashen. He quickly sought out people to find out what was going on.

Soon, the whole story became clear.

It turned out that the prefect of Qingzhou was a ruthless official who couldn't tolerate any wrongdoing. Recently, a series of disappearances of young women had occurred in Qingzhou, causing great public resentment. The prefect personally oversaw the investigation and, through covert inquiries, discovered that a human trafficking gang was colluding with several brothels in the city to hide abducted women and force them into prostitution!

Lanyue Tower was the largest of these dens.

The prefect was furious and personally deployed personnel from the prefectural government and military command to conduct a surprise raid on all the brothels in the city involved in the case tonight!

Like Zhu and Boss Wang, they just happened to be caught in the crossfire. They were incredibly unlucky. All the clients present, regardless of their status, were treated as suspects... and arrested and thrown into the government jail!