After returning to the capital to farm, the abandoned concubine made a comeback.

“Qin’er,” Zhu Ling’s voice was deep and magnetic, “we might consider cooperating with the capital’s money exchange.”

Lin Qin's eyes lit up. This was a good idea. The money houses were wealthy and powerful. If they could cooperate with them, the funding problem could be easily solved.

She swiftly began contacting several well-known money shops in the capital, but things did not go as smoothly as she had imagined.

Initially, the money shop owners were very interested when they heard that Lin Qin's business was thriving, but when they heard that she wanted to expand to the capital, they all backed down.

“Mr. Lin, no matter how well your business is doing in the countryside, it’s a completely different world in the capital.” A money shop owner stroked his beard and said slowly, “The capital is full of high-ranking officials and nobles. Your country bumpkin ways probably won’t work.”

Another boss chimed in, "Yes, Mr. Lin, it's not that we don't have faith in you, it's just that the risk is too great, and we dare not invest lightly."

Although Lin Qin felt somewhat displeased upon hearing these words, she maintained a smile on her face.

She knew that these people were the type to only act when they saw a tangible benefit; to get them to spend money, she had to demonstrate some real skill.

As time went by, Lin Qin visited every money exchange in the capital, but still couldn't find a partner willing to cooperate.

As the deadline for the expansion plan drew ever closer, she grew increasingly anxious.

Seeing this, Xie, the strategist, couldn't help but advise, "Your Highness, isn't Mr. Lin's pace of business expansion a bit too fast? Why not slow down, proceed steadily, and make plans when the time is right?"

Zhu Ling pondered for a moment, then said, "Qin'er is a person with her own opinions."

That night, Lin Qin sat alone in her study, holding a business map of the capital city in her hand, her brows furrowed.

Outside the window, the moonlight shone like water on her tired face.

Suddenly, her eyes lit up and a bold idea popped into her mind.

She suddenly stood up, walked to her desk, picked up a pen, and wrote a few words on the paper: Royal Merchant Cooperation!

The next morning, Lin Qin, carrying her business plan, knocked on the door of the Liu family, the royal merchants.

The butler looked her over with disdain and said, "Our master is very busy and can't just meet with anyone."

Lin Qin smiled slightly, took out a letter from her sleeve, and handed it to the butler. "Please give this letter to Master Liu. I believe he will see me after reading it."

The steward took the letter with some skepticism and turned to enter the mansion.

A short while later, the butler hurried out again, his face full of smiles. "Mr. Lin, our master invites you in."

Lin Qin followed the butler into the Liu residence, through a winding corridor, and arrived at an elegant study.

Mr. Liu was sitting at his desk, holding the letter in his hand, a hint of surprise on his face.

"Mr. Lin, you actually know him..."

“Mr. Liu,” Lin Qin interrupted before he could finish, “I believe that our cooperation will definitely be mutually beneficial.”

Lin Qin confidently recounted her business plan, her vision for the future unfolding like a slowly unfurling scroll, brimming with boundless vitality and energy.

Master Liu listened intently, nodding in approval from time to time.

Ultimately, he was impressed by Lin Qin's ambition and ingenious plan, and immediately decided to cooperate with her.

The news sent shockwaves through the entire business community of Beijing.

Those money shop owners who had previously mocked Lin Qin and refused to cooperate were now filled with regret.

They never expected that this seemingly weak woman would have such great power to cooperate with the imperial merchants. This was simply a meteoric rise to the top!

Lin Qin pressed her advantage, leveraging the substantial financial resources of the Imperial Merchants Group and her own exceptional business acumen to quickly open three branches in the new commercial sector.

On the opening day, the air was filled with the sounds of gongs and drums, and firecrackers crackled, creating a lively and festive atmosphere.

Customers flocked to the store, creating an extremely grand scene. Anyone who didn't know better would think it was a shop opened by royalty!

Lin Qin's business empire expanded rapidly, and her business grew bigger and bigger, making her a true winner in life!

Seeing Lin Qin so busy, Zhu Ling felt a mix of emotions.

Although he was happy for Lin Qin's success, he was also worried that she would neglect him because of it.

"Qin'er, have you been too busy lately? You haven't had time to spend with me at all?" Zhu Ling's tone carried a hint of resentment.

Lin Qin's heart tightened upon hearing this.

She knew that she had indeed neglected Zhu Ling recently.

She walked up to Zhu Ling, gently hugged him, and said softly, "I'm sorry, Ling, I've been too busy lately and neglected your feelings. But I promise you, I will make more time for you in the future."

Touched by Lin Qin's sincerity, Zhu Ling hugged her tightly and whispered in her ear, "Qin'er, do you know, I really love you."

The air around them instantly became intimate and passionate. The two gazed deeply into each other's eyes, when suddenly, a rapid knocking on the door shattered the beautiful atmosphere...

"Your Highness, Your Highness, something has happened!"

The butler rushed in, breathless, and said, "Your Highness, Your Highness, something terrible has happened! The branch store in the west of the city... is on fire!"

Upon hearing this, Lin Qin and Zhu Ling's expressions changed drastically.

Before they could react, Strategist Xie rushed over with even worse news: "Your Highness, Your Highness, according to our scouts, the other two branches have also caught fire at the same time!"

Lin Qin felt a sudden darkness before her eyes and almost fainted.

Is her hard-earned business empire about to be destroyed?

"Qin'er, don't be afraid, I'm here." Zhu Ling held Lin Qin's hand tightly, giving her strength.

Lin Qin took a deep breath and forced herself to calm down.

Now that things have come to this, panicking will not help. The most urgent task is to find out the cause of the fire and bring it under control as soon as possible.

"Strategist Xie, immediately send people to investigate the cause of the fire, and make sure to get to the bottom of it!" Lin Qin's tone was firm, and her eyes were piercing.

"Yes, Your Highness!" Strategist Xie accepted the order and left.

Lin Qin and Zhu Ling also rushed to the branch in the west of the city.

Along the way, Lin Qin recalled the hardships of the business expansion process and couldn't help but shed tears.

Zhu Ling tenderly wiped away her tears. Their relationship had grown stronger through hardship, and a warm atmosphere of warmth permeated the air around them after overcoming adversity.

When they arrived at the Chengxi branch, the fire was under control, but the scene was still a mess.

Lin Qin felt her heart breaking as she looked at the burned-down shop.

"Qin'er, don't be sad, we can start over," Zhu Ling comforted her.

Lin Qin nodded, suppressing her grief, and began directing everyone to clean up the scene and assess the damage.

Just then, an unexpected person appeared—Master Liu.

"Mr. Lin, I heard that your branch caught fire, so I came here specifically to see what's going on," said Mr. Liu with concern.

Lin Qin looked at him gratefully and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Liu."

After a moment of contemplation, Mr. Liu said, "Mr. Lin, I have a suggestion that might help you get through this difficult time."

A glimmer of hope ignited in Lin Qin's heart, and she quickly asked, "Please speak, Master Liu."

"We can jointly rebuild your branch and expand its scale to create an even more powerful business empire!" Mr. Liu said firmly, his eyes shining.

Lin Qin was overjoyed upon hearing this.

She never expected that Mr. Liu would lend a helping hand at such a critical moment; it was like sending charcoal in snowy weather!

"Master Liu, I..." Lin Qin was too excited to speak.

"Stop talking," Master Liu interrupted.

Lin Qin held Mr. Liu's hand tightly.

With Mr. Liu's help, Lin Qin quickly rebuilt three branches, which were larger, more luxuriously decorated, and offered a wider variety of goods than before.

On opening day, the place was packed with people and bustling with activity. Business was even more booming than before, and profits far exceeded expectations.

Her peers were filled with envy and jealousy, and the business world was filled with admiration and congratulations for her.

"Qin'er, you are truly amazing!" Zhu Ling exclaimed sincerely.

Lin Qin smiled slightly and said, "This is all thanks to Master Liu's help."

"No, it mainly depends on your own efforts and wisdom," said Master Liu.

Lin Qin smiled modestly and said, "If we work together, we can definitely create even greater glory!"

Just then, a guard rushed over and whispered a few words in Zhu Ling's ear.

Zhu Ling's expression changed, and he said, "Qin'er, I have something to take care of, you go first..."

With the deafening sound of gongs and drums, the crackling of firecrackers, and the fluttering of colorful flags, one might mistake it for the opening of a new shop by royalty!

Standing in front of the three newly renovated branches, Lin Qin received congratulations from all directions, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

These three branches are more impressive, more luxurious, and more profitable than before!

A truly clear-headed individual, a business genius!

"Mr. Lin, congratulations! Your business is booming and you're making a fortune every day!"

"Ms. Lin is truly a woman who is just as capable as any man; we admire her greatly!"

"Mr. Lin, I hope you'll take good care of me in the future!"

Hearing these flattering words, Lin Qin felt secretly pleased. Back then, these old guys ignored her, but now they're all eager to curry favor with her.

What goes around comes around, and today it's my turn!

With her business empire taking shape, Lin Qin's career reached a new height, and her success was recognized by the entire business community.

Bathed in glory, she seemed to be surrounded by a golden halo, enjoying the honor befitting a queen.

However, behind the hustle and bustle, Lin Qin felt a sense of unease.

She knew that this was only the first step in a long journey, and that the road ahead was long and fraught with challenges.

The business world is like a battlefield; a slight misstep can lead to total defeat.

More importantly, her relationship with Zhu Ling also needs more nurturing.

She's been busy with her career lately and has indeed neglected Zhu Ling a bit.

She needs to think carefully about how to make amends.

After all, no matter how successful one is in their career, it is incomplete without the nourishment of love.

Just then, Mr. Liu walked over with a meaningful smile on his face: "Mr. Lin, congratulations, your business empire is beginning to take shape."

Lin Qin smiled modestly: "This is all thanks to Mr. Liu's help."

Mr. Liu waved his hand: "No, it mainly depends on your own efforts and wisdom. However, Mr. Lin, I want to remind you that the business world is like a battlefield, so never let your guard down."

Lin Qin nodded; she understood what Master Liu meant.

She had already witnessed the cutthroat competition in the business world.

Mr. Liu paused for a moment, then said, "Mr. Lin, you don't look too well lately. Are you working too hard? You should take a break."

Lin Qin smiled and said, "Thank you for your concern, Mr. Liu. I will be careful."

Mr. Liu gave her a meaningful look, then turned and left.

Lin Qin gazed at Master Liu's retreating figure, lost in thought.

For some reason, she always felt that there was something more to what Master Liu said, as if he was hinting at something.

She looked up at the sky; it was cloudless and sunny.

However, she felt a vague unease in her heart, like the calm before the storm.

Lin Qin took a deep breath, turned around, and walked into the shop.

She knew that the road ahead was long, and she had to work even harder to protect the business empire she had worked so hard to build, as well as her love with Zhu Ling.

Just as she was preparing to plan for the further development of the new business, a guard rushed over, pale-faced and trembling: "Your Highness... something has happened..."