Traveling through time and space to become a child, supporting the family by catching fish and shrim

Sheng Yinping looked at Chen Lang suspiciously. "Although I don't understand the selection criteria for your Yan Kingdom's Imperial Merchants, you're a winemaker, and you're trying to trade in cloth. Even with Li Jun and Zhu Sui'an backing you up, it would be difficult for you to qualify as an Imperial Merchant."

"Business is not intelligence, much less war."

Chen Lang asked, "Didn't you just praise me, saying that I was the best businessman in Dayan? Why do you have no confidence in me now?"

"Doing business and being a royal merchant are two different things."

"The Fanyang Lu family was able to obtain the status of Imperial Merchant because their family has a strong foundation."

"You..."

Having said that, Sheng Yinping looked Chen Lang up and down and said, "As the son of Li Shirong, it would take a long time for him to qualify as an imperial merchant, unless your emperor is crazy."

Chen Lang said: "Our emperor is a money-grubber. As long as he can make money, it doesn't matter who the imperial merchant is."

"Besides, the fact that the aristocratic families control these businesses already displeases the Emperor, just like you dislike the khans of the tribes. Whenever you have the chance, you must try to weaken them."

"Besides, I only want the qualification of an imperial merchant. I don't want to completely cut off the financial resources of the Fanyang Lu family. They won't fight me to death."

Sheng Yinping said, "Since you are so confident, I will believe you this time."

"I will tell the Queen Mother everything about today's conversation."

Chen Lang said: "Don't be impatient, I haven't finished yet."

"I still need to go back and learn more about the Imperial Merchants matter. This will take time."

"I'll give you an answer in three months at the earliest, or half a year at the latest."

Sheng Yinping frowned and said, "It's been so long. Who will make up for the shortfall?"

Chen Lang said: "The agreement I signed with Yelu Xiuge is for beauty to be drunk, not beer."

"Leave the beer to Xiao Qi. The profit from this part is quite a lot."

Sheng Yinping said, "Okay, then it's settled."

Chen Lang bowed and said, "It's settled. I'll take my leave..."

"Who allowed you to leave?" Sheng Yinping said, "I want to hear more stories."

Chen Lang said, "Didn't I just tell you a story about nine sons competing for the throne? You still want to hear more."

"That story is not interesting. Tell me another interesting one, like one about a talented man and a beautiful woman." Sheng Yinping said.

This sentence made Chen Lang realize that Sheng Yinping was just a girl of sixteen or seventeen years old.

Chen Lang sighed, "Okay, then I'll tell you a story about a queen who traveled through time to become an idol in the modern era."

Sheng Yinping's watery eyes widened instantly.

The queen understood what time travel and idols were.

……

When Chen Lang returned to the Honglu Temple, his eyes were numb and his steps were staggering, like a walking corpse.

He Jinling was also shocked when he saw this scene. He hurried over to support Chen Lang and said, "Sir, have you... been drained by Miss Yinping?"

Chen Lang glanced at him sideways and said, "When did your imagination become so big?"

He Jinling said, "Because the lord's condition seems too much like excessive indulgence."

Chen Lang said angrily: "Get lost, she's not even an adult yet, am I such a beast?"

"Underage? What do you mean?" He Jinling asked in confusion, "Miss Yinping is already sixteen years old. In my hometown, at this age, she'd be considered a mother."

Chen Lang slapped his forehead, wondering how he could have forgotten about this.

In ancient times, people could marry at the age of twelve, and become mothers at the age of fourteen...

Li Xiuzhi was only sixteen or seventeen years old when she married Chen Erlang.

"Don't think too much. She just kept pestering me to tell her stories. My voice became hoarse from all the telling. Go, pour me a glass of honey water." Chen Lang said.

After He Jinling helped Chen Lang sit down, he hurried to pour water.

A moment later, the person who brought the water was not He Jinling, but Princess Yongjia, Ying'er.

Chen Lang felt a little embarrassed when he saw Ying Er.

Ever since he used her as a cover last time, the two of them have been avoiding meeting each other.

Although the etiquette and moral code of Dayan were not as perverted as those in the Ming and Qing dynasties, it was an extremely outrageous thing for an unmarried princess to sleep half-naked in the same bed with an adult man.

"Your Highness." Chen Lang stood up and bowed.

Ying Er snorted, "After hugging me, you're telling me the rules?"

Chen Lang said: "That's not what I meant."

"Then why do you call me Her Royal Highness the Princess? Do you want to draw a line between you and me?" Ying'er said.

Chen Lang said: "I'm just worried that you'll be embarrassed."

"Hmph." Ying'er said, "This princess isn't that petty. I understand the principle of taking emergency measures."

"And don't worry, I will never tell this to my father, and I will never beg you to become my consort."

After saying that, he put the kettle heavily on the table and turned to leave.

Chen Lang opened his mouth and wanted to call her, but the words "stay" eventually drowned in his throat.

It is true that women’s hearts are as deep as the sea.

However, after returning to Dayan, the two will probably have little chance to meet again. Time can heal everything.

After a moment, He Jinling tiptoed over and said, "Sir, are you okay?"

Chen Lang said, "Didn't I ask you to pour water? Why is it the princess who brought it?"

"I didn't want to do it either, but the princess insisted on sending me off, and I didn't dare stop her." He Jinling asked, "What did the princess tell you?"

Chen Lang asked, "Since you like gossip so much, why don't you stay and be a spy?"

He Jinling shook his head repeatedly and said, "I know I was wrong. I won't ask any more questions."

"My lord, please take a rest. I will take my leave first."

Chen Lang said: "Wait, I have something to ask you."

He Jinling asked, "What are your instructions, sir?"

Chen Lang asked, "How much do you know about the Imperial Merchant?"

He Jinling was stunned for a moment and said, "Sir, do you want to be an imperial merchant?"

Chen Lang said, "I was chatting with Sheng Yinping today and learned that the Fanyang Lu family is the imperial merchant. They used this identity to trade with Yelu Xiu Ge and wantonly embezzled the national treasury."

"If I were to become a royal merchant, I could also get a piece of the pie."

He Jinling said, "Your Excellency's words make sense, but becoming an imperial merchant is not that easy. One has to go through numerous levels of selection."

"The most important thing is that the products selected must be outstanding."

"The Lu family of Fanyang became the royal supplier of tea and silk because the Fanyang area had excellent tea plantations. There were also many people growing mulberry trees and raising silkworms, so there was no shortage of raw materials for silk. With these two conditions, coupled with the dyeing masters' high skills, the colors they dyed were beautiful and attractive, which is why they became royal merchants."

"But then again, if you're just a lower-level supplier, it shouldn't be a problem."

Chen Lang was stunned for a moment: "Subordinate? Can the Royal Merchants outsource?"

"Outsourcing?"

"It means handing over the work to outsiders and becoming the boss yourself."

"Oh, that's what I mean. Outsourcing does exist. My Lord, you should know that a large family can support dozens of small families. Without the outsourcing of the large family, these small families would not be able to survive."