Chapter Thirty-Four: The God of Wealth

  Since returning to the Lingbo Temple, I have been thinking about Chen Taifu, who rushed through the snow. He is a good person, handsome, gentle and kind, with excellent medical skills, and has a lot of charm, such a man is probably extinct in modern times.

  Although I clearly know that Dr. Chen's kindness is just an illusion, I still can't help but think about it.

  The attic returned, Mu Yan imposed a comprehensive blockade on me. The windows were all nailed from the outside, and Xiao Fuzi and Yue'er took turns to pay attention to my movements day and night, not allowing me to step out of the room. And then spread the word that before I recovered from my illness, whoever dared to let me escape privately would be beaten with a board.

  I think of my wonderful youth, and it's about to be confined within empty rooms, how sorrowful!

  For ten whole days, I was locked in the room, except for Mu Yan bringing me soup and medicine every day, and Yue Er living with me in the same room. Not a single ghostly figure was seen. Howl, don't torture people like this, return my human rights!

  On the eleventh day, Dr. Chen appeared before me like an angel, bringing me hope of rebirth. After taking my pulse, he confirmed that I had recovered from my illness and lifted the quarantine, so I was finally free again.

  I was overjoyed and thanked the heavenly doctor sent by heaven, diligently serving him tea and water. When he wanted to leave, I snatched the medicine box from his hand, put it on my back, and followed him out of the Lingbo Hall in a servant-like manner, bowing my head and walking behind him until we parted ways outside the hall.

  "Hush...hush..." I don't know where the sound came from. There shouldn't be cicadas in winter, I looked around but didn't find any trace, "Strange!"

  It must be because I've been sick for too long and my brain has gotten a bit fried from the fever, now I'm hearing things... next thing you know, I'll be seeing things too...

  Just as I was daydreaming, a flying object came rushing towards my head. When I thought of dodging it, it was too late. The thing had a heavy and intimate contact with my forehead.

  What bad luck, I finally got out of the room and encountered a flying object from nowhere. "Which bastard has no conscience, throwing things around, daring to secretly calculate me," I was so angry that I searched everywhere for that vicious thing.

  "What's going on? Is someone so rich that they can't spend their money and are throwing gold coins around for fun?"

  Under my feet, I unexpectedly found something that matches the shape, texture, weight and other elements of the sinister object I just saw - a gold ingot!

  I don't have the noble virtue of picking up gold and returning it to its owner, when there's no one around and the gold doesn't have an ID number on it, what I pick up is mine.

  I carefully picked up the piece of gold that had fallen from the sky, placed it in my palm, and felt its weight. I secretly hid it in my sleeve, just as I was about to lift my foot, when suddenly a "whooshing" sound came from behind, followed by another injury to the back of my head.

  I touched the sore spot and turned around to see another gold ingot.

  Good heavens! Is it going to be a Golden Rain tonight? Then let it come more fiercely.

  This time I didn't plan on going back, so I simply sat down where I was and waited for the rain to come.

  I gaze up at the sky, with no clouds in sight for thousands of miles, not a hint of rain. In my heart, I silently implore, "Rain God, come quickly, bring your golden treasures with you!"

  "Ouch!" I clutched at my jaw in pain and rubbed the sore spot, only to find that the culprit was another gold ingot.

  Rain god, you come and go as you please, why do you have to slap me in the face? Luckily this chin is genuine, otherwise with such a heavy hand, my face would have been crooked long ago.

  "Zhou Murang was right, you're really a money-grubber!"

  The Rain God descended to the mortal world, walking towards me with a leisurely pace, and it was none other than Chen Songzhuo, the imperial guard.

  I lowered my head and picked up the gold on the ground one by one, holding it in my hand, and replied without lifting my head, "I don't dare!"

  Chen Songzhuo squatted down and pulled out a bag full of gold from his bosom.

  "Give it back to Zhou Mulang!"

  I reached out to take the wallet, damn, it's so heavy, what a fortune.

  In the past, I would walk by a gold shop and not even dare to breathe heavily, afraid that I might accidentally break the gold jewelry in the display window. Now if I had the chance, I would definitely walk up to the salesgirl with my head held high like in the movies, casually point out a few pieces that were too small or too thin, then flash my black card and say with a smirk, "Don't want the ones I just pointed at, wrap up all the rest for me!"

  Haha, something like this, in modern times I can only think about it in my dreams. But now, this heavy bag of gold is right in my hands. Haha, another day I can find a store and realize my little dream. Haha, just thinking about it makes me burst out laughing.

  "Wow, I've never seen so much gold in my life, have I gone crazy?" Chen Songzhuo's hand waved wildly in front of me, and when he saw that I wasn't paying attention, he heavily patted my shoulder, interrupting my beautiful dream.

  "What are you patting?" I asked gruffly after coming to, using my hand to brush off the place he patted while questioning him.

  "Alas!"

  "Alas, what's wrong with you? Don't I have a name for you to call?"

  "Alright, alright, don't get excited, your place is really nice!" Chen Songzhuo's face inexplicably flushed with a hint of ambiguity.

  Seeing him like this, my gossip radar quickly turned on, putting aside my impatience and getting close to him.

  "How's that, not bad, right?" I nudged Chen Songzhuo with my elbow and raised an inquiring eyebrow.

  "Yes, but you're only open on the first and fifteenth of every month. Don't you think you're losing a lot of money? Nowadays, all the masters in the capital are eager to go to Luoyuetou, but unfortunately, you guys don't open doors, which is disappointing."

  Chen Songyan's facial expression was extremely exaggerated when he said that, as if this business had anything to do with him. The look of anguish and frustration on his face because he couldn't make any money was just too over-the-top.

  "You know what, men are all like that, they think what they can't get is the best, and what comes easily to them is worthless."

  Chen Songzhuo pursed his lips, showing great disapproval.

  I don't care if he agrees or not. Since he asked, I'll condescend to be a free financial analyst for once.

  This business concept, I have conveyed and explained it to Zhou Mulang many times before, and it is also one of my small requirements as the head madam.

  As for business, I'm not good at it, and opening the Luoyue Building is just a preparation for the future.

  I'd rather die than do such a shameful thing.

  We are Lou Yue Lou, said to be a place of fireworks, in fact you can understand it as an interactive platform for star fans.

  All the girls are voluntary participants, after layers of selection, those who stay have skills in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, singing, dancing, sword fighting, etc. They don't need to be proficient in everything, just choose what they like and excel in one skill. Their relationship with Louyuelou is only cooperative, not a contract of selling themselves.

  They usually follow their masters to practice and learn during ordinary days, but at the beginning and middle of each month, they would perform in front of guests to show off what they have learned, attracting guests to give them tips and rewards, from which they could get a share without having to accompany guests privately.

  Of course, if a girl herself has feelings for a certain guest, and they are willing to be together, their subsequent development is also something we cannot stop.

  Yearning but unable to attain, wanting to meet yet cannot easily meet, sometimes near and sometimes far, the taste is probably not pleasant, however it's precisely because of this that many guests will come.

  As for making money from guests, I'm afraid I've been a bit immoral in this regard. When people come out to have fun, they're supposed to spend money. If they don't want to spend money, they should stay home and play with mud. Since I've made up my mind that they're wealthy, I naturally won't go easy on them.

  The most common wine sold outside is not sold in my Louyuetou. The slightly better wine, generally speaking, is priced at least twice as much here, and what's more, a jug of it will be mixed with water to make four jugs.

  Don't ask me why I'm so ruthless. If the guests can't hold their liquor and get drunk one by one, who will I find to foot this wine bill? So, I won't let them get drunk easily.

  The finest vintage wines are also stored, with prices starting at ten times the normal rate. Such good things would be wasted if given to ordinary people to drink. As for those who are not ordinary, there are only two kinds: one is willing to pay, and the other is overflowing with talent. If either condition is met, they can enjoy it.

  I was talking enthusiastically about my business experience, sharing valuable entrepreneurial insights, but Chen Songzhuo seemed to have no interest at all, his fingers scratching the mud on the ground, responding perfunctorily to me, this attitude made people a little angry.

  Before I could even scold him, a eunuch I had never seen before walked towards the Lingbo Palace. I was afraid that Chen Songzhuo would be discovered by him, after all, it's not a good thing for guards and palace maids to meet in private like this.

  I gave Chen Songzhuo a hard push, he wanted to ask questions, met my eyes, understood the meaning, and quietly disappeared from one side.

  "Miss Manya, Princess Chenfei has something to ask of you, would you mind going over?" the eunuch said in a sharp and soft voice.

  "Does the Empress want to see me?" This is truly a miracle, alas, who made her the master? I plan to go back to the house and inform Mu Yan, so as not to worry her, but unexpectedly was stopped by the eunuch.

  "Let's go, Princess Chenfei won't wait for anyone!"

  "Oh, okay, let's go."

  I followed the eunuch to the Cining Palace, who knows what would be waiting for me there?