The prince kneels every day. Has the princess forgiven him today?

Xie Qingyuan's eyes flashed with cunning, and she raised the corners of her lips and said, "I've been reading a lot of books here these past few days, and occasionally going to the private room to listen to some anecdotes. I have a plan in mind."

Song Xiwan raised her eyebrows, genuinely interested, "Third Princess, please speak."

Xie Qingyuan took out a map of the Great Xia Kingdom, which highlighted several important cities.

She placed her slender fingers on it and said slowly, "I want to open a Yueyue Residence in each of these places. What do you think?"

Xie Qingyuan opened the Yaoyueju in the capital on a whim. She never liked staying in the palace, and the princess's mansion was crowded with people, so it would be better to open a teahouse.

Here she can shed her identity as the third princess and blend in with the people. She has no requirements for profits, as long as she doesn't make losses.

Unexpectedly, Yaoyueju’s business has been getting better and better in recent years.

Now it has become a favorite place for the powerful people in the capital.

Xie Qingyuan felt that Yaoyueju could be further developed, and the cities she chose were carefully considered, with more advantages than disadvantages.

Song Xiwan glanced at those places, his eyes full of thought.

This is not a rich place, but it is a fortress between various fiefdoms.

Song Xiwan couldn't help but look up at the Third Princess and asked carefully, "Does the Third Princess want to do business properly? Or do you have other ideas?"

"You are really smart."

Xie Qingyuan praised him, then added, "That's right. Right now, I'm too controlled by others, I have no real power, and I'm a girl. That's why my father wants to send me to marry. So, I have no choice but to increase my bargaining chips."

With her as a princess protecting Yaoyueju, no one dared to cause trouble. She then disciplined the personal guards of the princess's mansion and established a complete communication system, so that she could have a say by buying and selling information.

Song Xiwan was slightly shocked.

Even Song Junling, who had been looking gloomy, was a little stunned.

This is no small matter!

Xie Qingyuan noticed the two people's gazes and asked with confidence, "You don't believe me?"

Song Xiwan shook her head. "It's not that I don't believe it. The Third Princess is very courageous. If you can accomplish it, I'm afraid no one would dare to disrespect you. It's just too difficult."

As far as she knew, many people in the court had this idea, but how could the emperor sit idly by? He nipped any sign of it in the bud.

Xie Qingyuan's expression darkened a bit, and he smiled faintly, "I understand, the difficulty lies with my father, but he no longer has the energy to stop this."

Song Xiwan knew that the third princess was heartbroken by the marriage and no longer had the same admiration for the emperor as before.

But she still had to remind him, "Besides the emperor, there are others who cannot sit idly by."

A person holding so many secrets will only end up being silenced.

Xie Qingyuan's eyes were firm as she continued, "This is why I wanted to see you. If you have Fifth Brother's support, this matter will go much more smoothly."

Song Xiwan was stunned.

Does this involve Xie Chengqian?

Xie Qingyuan seemed to have completely cleared all his thoughts and analyzed in a deep voice, "You should all have guessed that my father is critically ill, and my evasion of the marriage will become an excuse for the Cang Kingdom to attack. A war is inevitable. If intelligence can be transmitted in a timely manner, many misjudgments can be avoided."

Song Xiwan couldn't refute it, as this was what she had always been worried about.

but……

Then, Xie Qingyuan added, "My maternal grandfather and his family will definitely help me, and I am willing to obey Fifth Brother's orders on all matters concerning Yaoyue Residence."

This has become a transaction negotiation.

Song Xiwan certainly knew how important timely intelligence was to the battlefield, so he finally said, "I can only convey this matter for you, I can't make the final decision."

Xie Qingyuan's eyebrows lit up with joy and heaved a sigh of relief.

"It's enough that you're willing to help me."

Song Xiwan couldn't help but laugh, "The Third Princess and the Prince clearly have a good relationship, so why do you have to let me be the first to speak?"

Xie Qingyuan gave him an ambiguous smile, "Because I think Fifth Brother would be more willing to listen to your ideas than to what I say."

Song Xiwan choked and looked a little unnatural.

She shouldn't have asked this!

Song Xiwan glanced at her elder brother with a complicated expression, wondering whether she should say a few words to guide him. She couldn't think about him for so long without saying a word.

"咚咚-"

Unexpectedly, at this moment, there was a knock on the door.

Xie Qingyuan's voice deepened a little, "What's the matter?"

The shopkeeper's slightly excited voice came from outside, "Boss, the palace examination results are out, and Young Master Song has won first place and become the top scholar!"

Everyone in the room was slightly stunned.

Song Xiwan had already expected that it was very likely that her elder brother was the one, but when she heard the exact answer, she couldn't help but stand up, her eyes full of joy.

"Brother! You are the top scorer!"

The regrets of the previous life have finally been made up.

Xie Qingyuan was surprised. "I've heard that Young Master Song is very talented, but I didn't expect him to actually pass. It's also rare that Concubine Shen didn't try to trip you up."

Given the current situation in the court, the more people there are standing on Concubine Shen's side, the more chances she has of winning, not to mention the highly anticipated status of the top scholar.

Song Xiwan chuckled, "I'm afraid it's useless even if I try to trip him up."

She had been raped once before at the imperial examination, so everyone in the court must be afraid of her. Plus, there was also Xie Chengqian watching over her, so even if Concubine Shen wanted to change her, she wouldn't be able to do so.

Xie Qingyuan also figured this out and congratulated Song Junling with a smile, "Then congratulations, Young Master Song. I wish you continued success and a smooth official career in the future."

Song Junling was still confused.

Did he really become the top scorer?

A sense of obscurity grew in his heart. He should have been happy, but he still felt powerless.

Whether it was the prince, his sister or the third princess, they all seemed to have clear things to do and had a long-term vision, but he was the only one who was always trapped by trivial matters.

At this moment, Song Junling realized that the ambitions in his heart were nothing but fantasy, and the emotions he worried about every day were not worth mentioning in front of the third princess.

Song Junling lowered his dark eyes and responded in a deep voice: "Thank you."

Xie Qingyuan didn't notice anything wrong.

Song Xiwan was the opposite. Could it be that his brother took the wrong medicine?

She exchanged a few more pleasantries with the Third Princess before leaving with her eldest brother. When she returned to the mansion, she couldn't help but whisper, "Brother, what's wrong with you?"

Song Junling knew he couldn't hide it from his sister, so he gave a wry smile, "Just now, after listening to you two talking, I suddenly felt so insignificant."

"what?"

Song Xiwan looked puzzled.

How did you come to this realization?

Until the eldest brother said again: "In my life, I have only read books, studied complex and difficult articles, and often competed with talented scholars in poetry and songs, hoping to write a masterpiece that would amaze the world. But when the critical moment comes, none of these seem to be of any use."

Song Xiwan finally understood what her elder brother meant and said with a helpless smile, "How can it be useless? Does that mean Master Du is useless in your eyes, elder brother?"

"of course not!"

Song Junling was so panicked that he quickly denied it.

He is just a talented man and cannot be compared with Master Du.

Song Xiwan said, "Brother, you just haven't figured out where to put your talents to good use yet. Why are you devaluing yourself?"