After her mind was read, the spoiled brat became the darling of the whole group.

Xie Jiaojiao also quietly pricked up her ears.

The system spoilers: [I really want to write in the book that Xie Jiaojiao is being harassed by a pervert, and it's Crown Prince Luo Cheng'an who saves her. From then on, Xie Jiaojiao falls in love with Luo Cheng'an and embarks on a path to compete with Xie Mingzhu for the crown prince position.]

Xie Mingzhu was pampered from a young age, and she was far less cunning than Xie Jiaojiao. Gradually, the Crown Prince's heart shifted towards Xie Jiaojiao.

At a banquet, Xie Jiaojiao drugged the Crown Prince, and the two naturally ended up together. Xie Jiaojiao threatened suicide to force him to become the Crown Princess.

Of course, she didn't hold the position of Crown Princess for long; she and the Crown Prince were both deposed.

Xie Jiaojiao: "..."

Her face was clouded with worry.

This is utter nonsense!

How could you describe her in such a despicable way?

Even if she coveted the position of Crown Princess, she would have chosen it fairly and squarely. How could she have resorted to such despicable means?!

Xie Jiaojiao was filled with anger, but had nowhere to vent it.

After listening, Xie Xing also said with disdain, "What a cliché plot."

But my cousin doesn't seem as foolish as the character in that story you described.

During their brief time together yesterday, Xie Xing could sense that this woman actually had her own thoughts and didn't seem like the type to drug someone.

In ancient times, the rules were strict. If a woman drugged a man, especially with such low-class drugs, it would be tantamount to ruining her reputation. Even if she succeeded in her scheme and became the Crown Princess, wouldn't she eventually be deposed because of it?

Hearing Xie Xing's thoughts, Xie Jiaojiao's anger subsided a little.

Regardless of whether what that strange thing said was true or not, even if she coveted the position of Crown Princess, she would never do such a thing.

Xie Jiaojiao didn't take what that strange thing said to heart.

Whether it's true or false is still unknown.

She quietly kept this matter to herself.

However, Xie Jiaojiao didn't expect that the flag she had just raised in her heart...

It was quiet all the way.

The carriage stopped in front of the rouge shop in the east of the city.

Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao stepped out of the carriage and stood in front of the rouge shop, both of them startled.

They never expected that the rouge shop that Madam Xie entrusted to them would be such a large attic.

At that moment, the two of them looked up at the huge shop name.

Yunyan Pavilion.

It is the most famous rouge shop in Chu. Many young ladies and wives like to buy rouge from Yunyan Pavilion, as the rouge there is of the highest quality.

Its popularity rivals that of modern luxury perfumes.

The two remained silent for a moment.

Xie Jiaojiao reached out and took Xie Xingdu's hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. "Fifth sister, Grandmother really thinks highly of us."

Although Xie Jiaojiao was also a granddaughter of Madam Xie, her father did not hold a high official position, so the wife he married was naturally not as well-rounded as the daughters of noble families.

Xie Jiaojiao had only managed a small shop in her hometown, so she felt a little uneasy about a shop of this size.

Xie Xing patted Xie Jiaojiao reassuringly: "It's alright, cousin. Didn't Grandmother also arrange for Zhijun and Jiajun?"

As he spoke, Xie Xing turned to look at the two maids.

The two maids that Madam Xie gave to them were very well-behaved. They silently followed behind Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao, with their hands folded in front of them, their eyes slightly lowered, and their minds focused on their own thoughts.

Upon hearing Xie Xing's voice, Zhi Jun said softly, "Don't be afraid, Miss. If there's anything you don't understand, Jia Jun and I will teach you."

Xie Xing nodded.

If it's just about looking at the accounts, it shouldn't be too difficult, right?

Xie Xing thought to himself.

Xie Jiaojiao listened to her thoughts and frowned slightly. Could it be that her younger sister had some tricks up her sleeve? Could she really be good at accounting with such a calm and collected demeanor?

Xie Jiaojiao didn't believe Xie Xing could read the accounts, but she also had some mysterious abilities.

Xie Jiaojiao felt a sense of anticipation again.

A short while later, the manager of Yunyan Pavilion came out.

Shopkeeper Tang, dressed in a gray long gown, was fair-skinned and plump. He rushed out in a hurry and said, "Greetings, ladies. Business is good today, and I'm too busy to attend to everyone. Please forgive me for neglecting you."

Xie Jiaojiao smiled gently at Manager Tang: "Manager Tang, there's no need to apologize. We just came to take a look."

Shopkeeper Tang put on a smile and warmly welcomed Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao inside.

The interior of Yunyan Pavilion is elegantly decorated, and it looks like a place for wealthy people to enter.

Xie Xing looked around and felt that this place was like an ancient version of a luxury store; if you didn't have some status, you wouldn't dare to come in.

[The Xie family possessed such a vast fortune, along with power and wealth, so why didn't they rebel? Instead, the emperor confiscated their property.]

Xie Xing was puzzled.

If the rouge shop that Old Madam Xie could casually hand over to her descendants for testing was already so large, one can only imagine how astonishing the other businesses under the Xie family's name must be.

"With the Xie family's sons either dead or crippled, what can they possibly use to rebel?" the system said. "Their only two daughters are also problematic; one is siding with the outsider and has already formed an alliance with the male lead, while the other is both stupid and vicious, constantly plotting trouble."

How could the Xie family not fall?

The system's voice was somewhat indifferent.

But Xie Xing thought about it and felt that there was still something different.

The system has read the plot and is speaking from the perspective of what is written in the book, so it is correct to say that.

Xie Xing truly lives within the storyline, and since she is unaware of the plot, she can be considered one of the fictional characters within it.

After spending time with them, she realized that what drove these people to do the things described in the book wasn't that they were stupid, but rather that the events happening at the moment were the catalysts that led them down this path.

For example, the reason why the Xie family dotes on Xie Mingzhu so much is not only because she is the most talented youngest daughter in the Xie family, but also because she is a noble lady whom the Xie family has nurtured with all their resources.

Therefore, it's not that simple.

"These are all the income from this month's roses in the pavilion."

Manager Tang piled up the account books in layers in front of Xie Xing and Xie Jiaojiao.

Xie Jiaojiao was stunned: "So many?"

Manager Tang smiled and said, "Don't worry, young lady, these accounts have already been checked. The old lady is just letting you practice with them."

As they spoke, Xie Xing had already opened the accounts.

She had the original owner's memories, plus the knowledge she gained in her previous life, so understanding these accounts was a piece of cake.

She flipped through two pages, then picked up a brush, sat down, and began to calculate.

Xie Xing doesn't know how to use an abacus; all her algorithms are modern.

My brain was working at lightning speed, and the calculations for the numbers in the ledger were already laid out.

Shopkeeper Tang leaned closer, somewhat surprised: "What are you writing, young lady?"

Xie Xing looked up at Manager Tang and then said, "I'm checking the accounts."

"Yesterday, Yunyan Pavilion's net profit was two thousand gold?"

Shopkeeper Tang looked at Xie Xing in astonishment: "How did you know, young lady?"

"Could it be that you figured it out at a glance, without even using an abacus?"

Xie Xing smiled.

She picked up the papers on the table, flicked them, and said, "No need, I can calculate it."