The Flourishing Era of Female Merchants

"Oh?" An Mi frowned. The Prefectural Lady? She didn't seem to have any connection with the Prefectural Lady, but she did know that the Prefectural Lady and Madam Liu had some past ties.

The governor's wife invited her? Could it be...? An Mi suddenly realized something.

"The Prefect's wife wouldn't have invited the Liu family's wife, would she?" An Mi took a small sip of tea and asked tentatively.

"I don't know about that, but I've heard that many ladies and young ladies will be attending today, along with many talented young men." Bai Yi said with a smile, but a glint of light flashed in his eyes. "Then may I ask, Miss Yan, would you be willing to accept the invitation from the Lady of the Prefecture?"

An Mi smiled. Just for the sake of the "possibility" that Madam Liu might return, she had to make the trip, didn't she? She really wanted to see Madam Liu as she was now.

Taking the invitation from Bai Yi, she unfolded it and her eyes flashed. "Indeed, I've heard that the governor's villa is beautiful and charming. Moreover, the governor's villa is not something that we common women can see at any time. Since I have the opportunity, I must go and see it."

Tomorrow?

She will keep her appointment on time tomorrow!

Bai Yi smiled and didn't say anything more. After a moment of silence, he asked, "Have you chosen your new embroiderer?"

At the mention of the embroiderers, An Mi's body stiffened, and her face suddenly darkened. The sisters in the widow's village... She took a deep breath, clenched her fists, and tried to appear calm. "Cheng Ying has already made her choice. I believe her judgment is sound. The embroiderers have already started working."

Bai Yi noticed her deliberately suppressed emotions, and a pang of pity rose in his heart. He stretched out his long arm, as if to pull An Mi into his embrace, to let her lean on him, and to let her know that in front of him, she didn't need to suppress her emotions. He could spoil her rotten, but...

Before his large hand could even touch her shoulder, An Mi suddenly stood up. "It's getting late. These days, my father has been very 'valuing' me as his daughter. If he can't find me for a long time, he'll inevitably become suspicious."

After saying that, An Mi turned to look at Bai Yi, only to be met with his embarrassed and flushed face. An Mi couldn't help but frown, "Your Highness, what's wrong?"

Bai Yi's lips twitched, and he quickly lowered his hand, which had been frozen in the air. His palm even felt burning hot. An Mi's probing gaze made him even more embarrassed. "No, it's nothing. If you're going to leave, then leave quickly so you don't get in my way."

Anmi frowned. Had she angered him?

She quickly thought for a moment, but it seemed there hadn't been any! Her brows furrowed even more, and seeing that Bai Yi's expression seemed even more unpleasant, An Mi was startled. She immediately turned her gaze away and strode out of the room, thinking to herself as she walked, "This King of Bohai is indeed very fickle!"

Bai Yi, who remained in the room, slapped his forehead. His handsome face was filled with a mix of emotions: embarrassment, disappointment, and even shock.

What was he thinking just now? He cherished Anmi… wanted to be Anmi's support… and could spoil her rotten…

Bai Yi was startled again. Was his affection for An Mi greater than he had imagined?

He had to admit that tranquility was becoming increasingly attractive to him, but that was all it was—attraction. He hadn't expected...

Spoil? He even thought that having such a smart woman as An Mi by his side wouldn't be a bad thing, but he never thought of spoiling her!

In his dictionary, he only knew how to spoil Liu'er to the point of being unruly, but he never expected that he would have such thoughts about An Mi as well. He also knew clearly that spoiling Liu'er was different from wanting to spoil An Mi!

Have I been spending too much time with An Mi lately? Liu'er often says, in her childlike voice, that her uncle spends much less time with her, and there's also what Uncle Ji said that day…

Bai Yi's mind kept replaying certain images, and his dark eyes became even more profound.

Peace, oh peace...

Bai Yi carefully pondered the name, then suddenly chuckled, his eyes clearing as if he had made up his mind about something.

Anmi, now that you've caught my eye and stirred my heart, don't even think about escaping my grasp!

Meanwhile, An Mi, who was sitting in the carriage on her way back to Anfu and had changed back into her original clothes, suddenly felt a shiver run through her body. She lifted the curtain and looked at the blazing sun in the sky. The weather was fine, but why did she feel a cold wind blowing through her body?

An Mi returned to the An residence. As she passed through the main hall, she heard a commotion coming from inside. An Mi subconsciously stopped and listened carefully to the sounds.

In the hall, Jin Qiaoyu held an invitation in her hand and hesitated before An Yuefeng, "Brother Feng, the Madam of the Prefecture sent an invitation, saying that she invites the ladies and young ladies of our household to a small gathering at the villa. Brother Feng, who do you think we should send?"

When Jin Qiaoyu received the invitation, she was thrilled. In recent days, she had been trying to persuade Brother Feng to agree to make her his official wife, but to no avail. Now that the invitation had arrived, she could finally put some pressure on him.

An Yuefeng frowned, looked at the invitation, and said, "Let An Mi take her place."

An Yuefeng was also thinking that the invitation from the governor's wife was an occasion attended by prominent ladies and young women. It would be perfect to let An Mi show her face and let everyone know that the An family had such a daughter, a daughter with a close relationship with the Prince of Bohai!

Anmi, standing outside the hall, was stunned. Let her go? This was outrageous!

“Father…” An Mi immediately called out and walked into the hall.

Upon seeing An Mi, An Yuefeng immediately stood up and said warmly, "Here is an invitation. The Prefectural Governor's wife personally invited you. You don't need to come to the shop with me tomorrow. Go and keep your appointment properly. Remember, be careful with your words and actions, and bring honor to the An family. Do you understand?"

“Father, it’s not appropriate for me to go... I’ve never appeared in such a big setting before, I’m afraid if I go…” An Mi frowned, looking frightened.

"It's precisely because you've never appeared before that you should make a good appearance at such a grand event and chat with those ladies. By the way, you can also tell everyone how you met the Prince of Bohai," An Yuefeng instructed.

An Mi instantly understood her father's thoughts, but she tugged at the corner of her mouth and said, "This... isn't appropriate."

"No, that's really not appropriate, Brother Feng. What if the Second Miss gets stage fright?" Jin Qiaoyu immediately chimed in. What a joke! Send An Mi? Wouldn't that mean her plan to use the invitation to force the Master to make her his official wife had failed again?

An Mi naturally understood Jin Qiaoyu's thoughts. "Yes, yes, yes, Fifth Aunt is right. It would be bad if our daughter got stage fright and embarrassed the An family."