Traveling back to ancient times to get rich

On this day, Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen finally returned to the capital after a series of twists and turns. However, the palace was in complete chaos, but they didn't care at all.

He had barely stepped into his home when someone from the Empress's side came to inquire whether Gu Mochen had taken the poison used to feign illness. Gu Mochen replied without changing his expression, "Your Majesty, I have already taken it."

Before the words had even finished, His Highness the Crown Prince rushed over again, solemnly warning Gu Mochen that it would be best for him to stay put in the Prince's residence rather than wander around. Faced with the Crown Prince's threatening words, Gu Mochen respectfully nodded in agreement.

The most ridiculous person among them was undoubtedly Ye Zhao. After seeing Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen return from the Emperor's court, he shamelessly went to the gate of Prince Chen's residence and loudly demanded that Ye Qingchen come to pay her respects.

Hearing the commotion outside, Ye Qingchen calmly instructed her servants to relay a message, saying that she needed to take care of the ailing Prince Chen and had no time to go out. In this way, she easily sent Ye Zhao away.

OK, here is the expanded version:

The crowd finally receded like the tide, no longer disturbing the two of them. Only then could Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen calm down and carefully examine the Prince Chen's Mansion, which was personally supervised and built by the current emperor.

Stepping through the gate, one is immediately struck by an exceptionally spacious courtyard. Built alongside the moat bordering the imperial city, the courtyard cleverly incorporates the moat's waters, their gentle flow creating a picturesque scene. To craft this unique landscape, artisans meticulously combined soil from the excavated trenches with carefully selected artificial rocks, creating a charming little hill. Numerous rare flowers, shrubs, and trees flourish on the hill, their vibrant colors and fragrant aromas a delight to the senses. Undoubtedly, this is an ideal place for relaxation and rejuvenation.

Strolling through the courtyard, one can see about a dozen well-arranged courtyards. At the very center stands the Moxuan Pavilion, built specifically for Prince Chen. Its magnificent scale, with its carved beams and painted rafters, reflects the extraordinary status and nobility of its owner. To its left and right are two equally sized courtyards, named Feiyi Pavilion and Lingxi Pavilion respectively. As for the remaining courtyards, though unnamed, each is exquisitely beautiful and unique. Judging from the size of the courtyard alone, it could easily accommodate three to five hundred people. However, the aloof Gu Mochen disliked large crowds and noise, leaving only the one hundred elite soldiers bestowed by the Emperor. He also dismissed two junior generals, sending them back to their own residences. Now, apart from a few loyal individuals like Uncle Gu, the vast Prince Chen's mansion is exceptionally quiet and serene.

Old Master Lu and his entourage were properly accommodated in a courtyard not far from Prince Chen's residence. This courtyard was owned by Prince Chen personally. From an outsider's perspective, this courtyard seemed quite far from the gate of Prince Chen's residence, and the two were not even on the same street. However, in reality, Prince Chen had foreseen this and had secretly ordered a tunnel to be dug between the two locations. This tunnel was ingeniously designed, with a wide and straight passageway. By following the tunnel, one could reach Prince Chen's residence in no time. In this way, even though the two courtyards appeared to be far apart, they were actually closely connected through this hidden tunnel, making travel between them exceptionally convenient and quick.

Arriving at the new residence, it was the perfect time for a celebration. Prince Chen divided his 100 personal guards into four luxurious houses, each with 25 guards in its own unit, each responsible for guarding the courtyard. The chefs they hired prepared meals for everyone. Whether it was the chefs serving Gu Mochen and Ye Qingchen or the soldiers' cooks, they were all top-notch chefs selected by Ye Qingchen from places like hot pot restaurants and brothels. Each of them could prepare a sumptuous meal, and since they were all martial arts masters, there was no need to worry about anyone drugging them.

Grandpa Lu came over today, and they all gathered together to enjoy hot pot with beef and mutton. The broth was made by Ye Qingchen herself—a pork rib hot pot. The aroma was amazing; thankfully the courtyard was big, otherwise it would have wafted outside! Grandpa Lu said to Ye Qingchen, "Qingchen, I'll give you this 'Dog-Beating Stick.' You can lead all the beggars outside. This old man doesn't want to go out and struggle anymore; it's great here with you. The food is so delicious every day." Ye Qingchen said, "Great! Then I'll take in all the poor people you've taken in, ensuring they have enough to eat and wear." Grandpa Lu said, "I originally intended for them to work for you, but you, girl, have a much broader vision!"

Liu Yufeng said, "Recently, I have been planning to marry Miss Dong. As you know, I am a Robin Hood-like figure who robs the rich to help the poor. After this, I'm afraid Miss Dong won't have a stable place to live, so I hope to open a shop for her here and pretend to be a boss. I can at least give her some stability. She doesn't want to come to the mountain villa with me, nor does she want to go to Yinzhuang. She wants to look after Nanxi, which I understand."

Just then, Ye Qingchen's bright, star-like eyes looked directly at Liu Yufeng, and she parted her lips slightly, saying, "Young Master Liu, there's something that's been lingering in my heart, something I feel compelled to say, but I'm unsure whether I should." She paused slightly, as if considering her words.

Then she continued, “In the current situation, everyone knows that Prince Chen is kind-hearted and has the world at heart; while the Crown Prince is muddle-headed and incompetent. We, the virtuous and ambitious, are all willing to do our utmost to assist Prince Chen in ascending to the supreme throne. I wonder what you think, Young Master Liu? If you also share this sentiment, you can fight alongside Prince Chen through thick and thin, galloping across the battlefield. When you achieve success, you will naturally be promoted and ennobled. Not only that, but you can also find a stable place for Aunt Dong to live a peaceful life.”

At this point, Ye Qingchen paused slightly, looked sincerely at Liu Yufeng, and said slowly, "To be honest, Prince Chen and I once used your name to perform chivalrous deeds, so we can be considered like-minded people!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Yufeng was slightly taken aback, then burst into hearty laughter: "Haha, since you've been so frank, what am I supposed to hesitate about? Instead of just robbing the rich to help the poor as usual, why not just create a huge hole in the sky, forcing it to break free from its old rules and embrace talent, so that we can achieve great things!"