A crown princess who doesn't do infrastructure construction isn't a good doctor.

"Masakazu, several of the flowers look like they're about to bloom."

After getting up in the morning, Qin Suiyou was having breakfast when Luo Xian came to report this good news.

"Okay, I'll go take a look later."

After Luo Xian left the dining hall, Qin Suiyou glanced at Lu Xi, who was already restless, and asked, "Do you want to go out and play?"

Lu Xi straightened up and retorted with feigned dissatisfaction, "I didn't want to go out to play. I have important business to attend to."

"Then we still have to run away."

Lu Xi pouted, "You can't just lock me up in this mansion if you don't want to leave."

Qin Suiyou calmly ate the breakfast that Beitang Yan had prepared for him, and said, "I didn't say you couldn't go out. Slander is a crime, so you can't frame me."

"I admit I was wrong, okay?"

After filling his stomach in a few bites, Lu Xi wiped his mouth and stood up.

"I'm going shopping today, is there anything you need me to bring back?"

Except for Du Ruo, who had run out of cosmetics and wanted to make some more herself, and gave Lu Xi her money pouch to help her bring back some of the missing raw materials, everyone else shook their heads. Du Heng even joked, "You have to take good care of your money pouch. It's okay if you lose your own, but you can't lose Du Ruo's. Hers is made of good materials and is very valuable."

Lu Xi immediately became angry, "I would never lose my purse, mine is worth a lot of money too!"

After saying that, Lu Xi turned and walked out with a flourish.

Du Ruo gave her brother a look and said helplessly, "Why do you always provoke him?"

Du Heng shrugged. "He's adorable, especially when he gets all flustered from being teased."

"After all these years, you always have something new to offer."

Du Heng had almost finished eating. After swallowing the last bite, he said, "Du Ruo, you're only a young woman in your early twenties. Don't speak so maturely, or that person will find you unpleasant."

"She's not as shallow as you."

"Hey, why are you resorting to personal attacks?"

At this moment, Qin Suiyou and Beitang Yan stopped eating almost at the same time, and Du Ruo, having finished eating, stood up.

"I'm just stating the facts."

Afterwards, Du Ruo tidied up the table, ignoring Du Heng's expression.

After all, he had been by her side for many years, and Qin Suiyou was already very used to these petty squabbles. There were very few pairs of siblings who didn't bicker.

After having breakfast, Qin Suiyou gazed for a while at the beautiful sight of buds about to bloom in the flowerbed.

Qin Suiyou was discussing the follow-up care with Luo Xian when Princess An sent someone to summon him to Shi'an Courtyard. Beitang Yan was engrossed in studying the book in his hand, so Qin Suiyou gave him a good talk and then let him stay in the study.

When they arrived at the small hall of Shian Courtyard, Princess An was talking to Steward Gao, her face full of smiles, looking very happy.

"Mother concubine."

"Suiyou is here, hurry up and do it."

Having given the necessary instructions, the head steward nodded to Princess Tong'an and Qin Suiyou before leaving. "Mother, you look radiant; is something good happening?"

Princess An's gentle smile remained unchanged. "Your maternal grandfather arrived outside Yejing City today and will enter the city tomorrow."

Qin Suiyou nodded. "That is indeed a joyous occasion. What preparations should we make?"

"Need not."

Princess An shook her head. "Master Gao has experience in all matters and has already arranged everything. You just need to come with us to the city gate tomorrow to welcome them. There will be a welcoming banquet afterwards, and we will return to the manor later. We will need you to make arrangements for Yan'er then."

"understood."

After saying this, Princess An dismissed the extra servants.

After everyone had left, Princess An said, "Suiyou, if it were just about tomorrow's matter, I wouldn't have bothered you to make this trip, but I do have something to discuss with you."

Qin Suiyou slightly raised his hand and returned a smile.

"Mother, please speak freely."

Seeing that Qin Suiyou was so straightforward, Princess An did not keep her in suspense any longer.

"Just a few days ago, I went to Ciguang Temple outside the city with a few close female friends to offer incense and pray for blessings. I was wearing this outfit that day, and it was a new design that I got from the candy wrapper you gave Yan'er. My close female friends liked it very much when they saw it, and asked me where I got the design drawn. I thought about it and decided to keep it a secret from them for now."

Qin Suiyou: "Is Mother afraid that I won't agree to give you the blueprints?"

Princess An shook her head. "Of course not. Not only do I know you're not a stingy person, but this is a pattern on my outer garment. If they wanted it, they could easily replicate it with just one look. It would be pointless for me to keep it from them."

"Then Mother Consort intends to..."

Princess An covered her face and smiled, not in a hurry to answer, but asked first, "Do you own a cloth shop or a clothing store?"

Qin Suiyou shook his head after recalling the shop his aunt had given him as part of her dowry.

"No."

“That’s fine. I’ve been thinking about it. You not only have patterns for all kinds of candy wrappers, but you also have such a capable girl like Du Ruo. I’ve noticed that your everyday clothes are quite novel, and I’ve never seen the styles before. So I was thinking of having you help me manage the clothing shop.”

After thinking for a moment, Qin Suiyou said, "Does Mother Consort want to sell the new patterns and novel clothing styles I have?"

Princess An nodded. "That's right. I think it'll definitely be a good business opportunity. How about I give you 50% of the profits?"

"Do you trust me that much?"

Although the clothing shop might not be much in his hands, giving others a 50% cut is still too generous.

Princess An smiled and said, "I know about your Southwest Bookstore. It's doing very well now, taking away a lot of business from other bookstores. Just consider it helping your mother out. Actually, I don't confide in all my close friends anymore. I don't want anyone to benefit from me for nothing. And basically no one knows who owns the shops I run. When they sell in the shops, I'll let them buy them at the original price."

Unexpectedly, Princess An had this in mind. She really has the confidence to do whatever she wants. She's not willing to let people take benefits for free, so she directly wants to renovate the shop. The various costs involved are hard to estimate.

However, Qin Suiyou did not reject the suggestion and nodded after considering it for a while.

"Du Ruo is good at managing the store and has her own insights into patterns and styles. I'll let her take over, but what should we do with the existing manager?"

Princess An waved her hand, "You don't need to worry about that. I just dealt with an old shopkeeper who cheated his superiors and embezzled money, and now I'm short-staffed."

It's unusual for a shop that's been in business for a long time to have only one person managing it, especially one backed by the Prince An's mansion. But since the Princess An has said so, it seems that the timing is perfect and the location is ideal; they've been waiting for this moment.

"Alright, I'll have Du Ruo come and discuss this with you when I get back. I'll also need to trouble Mother Consort to give her some guidance."

"No trouble at all, it's all thanks to the many capable people under your command. It's really strange that your family could suffer such a misfortune. You've really had a hard time."

When asked about the lie he was forced to tell, Qin Suiyou didn't deny it, but still told Princess Tong'an, "Once the shop is profitable, 50% is no longer necessary; 30% will be enough."

Princess An frowned, "You even sent people, so 30% is a bit low."

"But it can only work if you provide the platform. You don't need to refuse. Thirty percent is really enough."

The two exchanged further explanations, and in the end, Princess An compromised when Qin Suiyou wanted to lower the price further.

"Fine, fine, I can't argue with you."

"Thank you for your kindness, Mother."