What's wrong with me, a powerful minister, supporting a few female officials?

Chapter 297 Su Mo's Strongest Support!
Su Mo waited outside the shop for a long time, but still couldn't see Ye Wenshan and Zhong Yin.

Wen Yannian, the commander of the Left Guard, approached with a grin: "County Magistrate Su, it's almost time, and there are many onlookers. When will the shop open?"

He paused, his expression turning extremely grave, and couldn't help but lower his voice to ask, "You came with Princess Baicheng and Lord Nangong just now, but..."

Su Mo secretly pointed to the sky: "Ahem, she is Lord Leng of the Phoenix Cry Division!"

Wen Yannian gasped inwardly!
Fortunately, I stood firm on my position!

Su Mo's business had just opened, yet he was able to invite the Empress?
Isn't this going a bit too far in bullying the Wang family?

I go!

Wen Yannian suddenly remembered that when Baiyujing opened, there was also an official from the Fengming Division named Lord Leng who went to cut the ribbon!

Wen Yannian instantly felt a chill run down his back; his undershirt was soaked with sweat!

Su Mo didn't pay attention to Wen Yannian's expression. She thought to herself that Ye Wenshan and Zhong Yin probably wouldn't come. She was about to go back to the shop to call the Empress and others to come out for the ribbon-cutting ceremony.

Suddenly, another uproar erupted from the crowd!
Suddenly, a large group of scholars and gentlemen surrounded a simply dressed, thin-faced, and refined old man, heading towards the Wang family's new shop across the street!

The onlookers, filled with surprise and doubt, began to whisper among themselves.

Then, they didn't even bother to look at the female guards who stood like fairies on Su Mo's mat as greeters, and all rushed towards the opposite shop.

Su Mo was taken aback.

Wen Yannian exclaimed in shock, "Gai Zong? He actually came too?"

Su Mo frowned slightly and squinted at Wen Yannian: "May I ask, Commander Wen, what is this man's background?"

Wen Yannian lowered his voice, a hint of apprehension showing on his face: "The Painting Scholar, one of the Seven Great Confucian Scholars of Shenjing! Gai Zong!"

"Although this person is a commoner, he is a master of the Golden Core stage, his painting skills are said to be unparalleled in the world, his understanding of scriptures is profound, he has many disciples, and he enjoys a great reputation throughout the world!"

He paused, then took a slight breath: "Two of my personally taught disciples have passed the imperial examinations, and seven have passed the provincial examinations!"

As he spoke, Wen Yannian swallowed hard: "It is said that this person has a magical artifact called the Mountain and River Brush, which can be used to draw talismans and summon the objects in the paintings. Its supernatural powers are extremely remarkable!"

Su Mo was also taken aback upon hearing this!
Although he did not know the origin of this Gaizong.

But this Golden Elixir Master was known as one of the Seven Great Confucian Scholars of the Capital, and was renowned throughout the world, which shows that he was an extremely capable person!

In an attempt to suppress him, the Wang family actually invited such a powerful figure?

This is the foundation of a powerful aristocratic family.
Bookstores are a refined business, and compared to them, even though he invited Princess Baicheng and Nangong Sheyue, he was clearly inferior to the Wang family in the eyes of the literati and scholars.

As for what ordinary people think?
Can ordinary people afford paper?

Wen Yannian's face showed worry, and he said in a low voice, "The Wang family has invited Gai Zong here, and the bookstore is bound to become very popular. It may even spread throughout the capital. Su County Magistrate, you must be careful in dealing with this!"

Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, Gai Zong and his group arrived at the bookstore across the street.

Wang Wensheng, the Wang family's steward, greeted Gai Zong with great enthusiasm. After bowing and exchanging greetings, he glanced at Su Mo intentionally or unintentionally, then clasped his hands in greeting to the crowd and said loudly, "Dear neighbors!"

"Today, as the Wang Family Bookstore opens, we are fortunate to have invited the venerable scholar Gai to give lectures on the classics outside the bookstore for three consecutive days, imparting knowledge and enlightening the people..."

These words immediately caused an uproar among the onlookers!

"What? He is the old master, the painter Gai?"

"Is Mr. Gai really going to give lectures at the bookstore for three consecutive days?"

"Not only is Mr. Gai's painting skill unparalleled, but his knowledge of classical texts is also extremely profound. It is said that he taught several students who passed the imperial examinations and more than a dozen who passed the provincial examinations!"

"I must go back immediately and tell my husband this news! I want him to come and listen to the lecture! Brother, remember to help me save a good seat!"

……

Su Mo's face darkened instantly, and she finally snorted, "Show-off!"

"When it comes to doing business, the quality of the goods is still the most important factor!"

No sooner had the words fallen than a cold voice suddenly came from the side: "If that's the case, why did you send this old man here to embarrass himself!"

Su Mo turned his head and his eyes lit up immediately. Then he chuckled and said, "Hey!"

"I thought Master Ye wasn't coming!"

Ye Wenshan snorted irritably: "If I hadn't come, would you, brat, still be teaching... still be discussing astrology with me?"

Su Mo smiled and said, "Master Ye is the chief editor of the astronomy and geography section. I still need Master Ye to support the weekly newspaper, so I will speak freely and without reservation!"

Ye Wenshan snorted, glanced at Gai Zong opposite him, and then snorted again: "Nonsense!"

Wen Yannian, standing nearby, was completely dumbfounded when he saw Ye Wenshan appear, his voice trembling slightly: "Lord Ye...?"

Ye Wenshan only glanced at Wen Yannian, completely ignoring this henchman of the imperial court!
Although he is now a commoner, he doesn't really take a mere commander of the Imperial Guard seriously.

It's estimated that only if Lu Su, the commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, comes in person will he be qualified to speak with him!
Wen Yannian naturally dared not say anything more, and could only look at Su Mo with surprise and uncertainty.

Unexpectedly, Su Mo actually brought out this great figure!
Wen Yannian was at a loss for words.

Are these two bookstores opening for business?
Is this a battle of wits between the seven great Confucian scholars of Shenjing?

Seeing that Ye Wenshan seemed quite displeased with Gai Zong, Su Mo had an idea and asked with a smile, "Does Master Ye know about this Gai Zong?"

Ye Wenshan said calmly, "He's nothing but a fame-seeker!"

Then, somewhat impatiently, he said, "When will your shop open, kid? Get it over with quickly, this old man still needs to go back and study!"

Just as Su Mo was about to speak, another surprised and doubtful voice entered his ears: "Lord Ye?"

Su Mo turned her head to look.

The person who arrived was none other than Zhong Yin, the Minister of War, dressed in casual clothes with a slightly surprised expression!
Ye Wenshan was slightly taken aback when he saw Zhong Yin: "Lord Zhong?"

He then said self-deprecatingly, "I am now a commoner, unworthy of the title of 'Master'!"

Zhong Yin quickly replied, "Lord Ye, you're too kind!"

"The fact that Lord Ye has left the Dali Temple shows that His Majesty places great hopes on him. It's only a matter of time before Lord Ye returns to the court!"

As she spoke, she couldn't help but glance at Su Mo.

He wondered if Ye Wenshan's release from Dali Temple prison was related to this kid.

Considering Su Mo's relationship with His Majesty, Zhong Yin gasped again!
My wife sees things clearly!

He was unaware of Ip Man Shan's confession, but Ip Man Shan's release from prison had already caused a great stir in the court in just two days, and countless people were secretly trying to find out the reason behind it!
Now Zhong Yincai vaguely guessed that this matter was probably related to Su Mo!

This shows how important this person is to the Empress, and how much influence this person's words have on the Empress!

Ye Wenshan has committed a grave offense, implying that the Empress's ascension to the throne was illegitimate. Execution of his entire family would be the least of his worries!
Despite his status as a veteran of three dynasties and his outstanding achievements, he was spared from death.

But few people thought that Ip Man Shan would be able to get out of Dali Temple Prison, and that he would most likely die of old age in prison!

It is conceivable that Ye Wenshan's sudden release caused a great shock to the officials, especially to high-ranking officials like Zhong Yin. Countless people secretly speculated about the Empress's intentions!

Ye Wenshan glanced at Su Mo, then frowned and asked Zhong Yin, "Lord Zhong, you weren't invited by this kid this time, were you?"

Zhong Yin's expression instantly turned strange, and he could only cough twice: "Cough cough!"

"Could it be that Lord Ye was also invited by Magistrate Su?"

Ip Man Shan also started coughing!

Upon seeing Zhong Yin appear, Wen Yannian was completely dumbfounded, and only now did he react: "This humble official greets Your Excellency, Minister!"

Unlike the disgraced Ye Wenshan, Zhong Yin was a legitimate high-ranking official in the imperial court, holding a truly high position and wielding considerable power!
Wen Yannian would never have imagined that Su Mo could invite all six ministers!
Zhong Yin was not as aloof as Ye Wenshan. Chao Wenyan nodded slightly as a greeting.

A powerful figure like him in the imperial court was certainly not afraid of a mere commander of the Sixth Bureau, but he still needed to keep his distance from the high-ranking members of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.

In the Jinyiwei system, the rank of the commander of the Left Guard was neither high nor low.

However, it's always best to have less contact.

Su Mo was surprised that Zhong Yin actually came. That seemingly mysterious word "micro" was indeed surprisingly effective against such an old fox! The higher one's rank, the more suspicious one becomes!
If it were me, such superstitious tricks would have no effect at all; I would probably have torn the letter up on the spot!
He quickly smiled and said, "The time is almost up."

"With utmost humbness, I would like to ask Your Excellency and Master Ye to wait a moment while I go and fetch Lord Leng and the others..."

Ye Wenshan was taken aback upon hearing this.

Zhong Yin frowned and asked, "Princess Leng?"

Su Mo coughed twice: "It's Lord Leng, the Commander of the Phoenix Cry Division."

"However, Princess Leng also came, along with Lord Nangong of the Fengming Division."

Zhong Yin...

Of course he knew who Leng Baihu was, as Su Mo had mentioned!

Last time, he went to the artisan camp on Lone Peak Mountain with Commander Leng!

Ye Wenshan looked completely bewildered, wondering what Su Mo was up to!
The Lord Leng that Su Mo mentioned is actually ranked ahead of Princess Leng Li?
Seeing Su Mo hurrying towards the shop, and Zhong Yin with a strange expression, Ye Wenshan couldn't help but frown: "Lord Zhong, do you know the Hundred-Household Commander of Fengming Division?"

Zhong Yin's face was bitter, and he pointed his finger slightly upwards.

Ye Wenshan froze on the spot!
Su Mo quickly found the Empress and the others in the women's clothing department, only to find that everyone was looking at him with strange expressions.

Su Mo was instantly confused, but still smiled and said, "Lord Leng, Princess Leng, Lord Nangong, Ye Wenshan and Minister Zhong are already waiting outside the shop!"

"Lord Leng, would you like to personally go out and cut the ribbon for the shop?"

Upon hearing this, Leng Liuxi immediately shifted her attention from the small items and asked with slight surprise, "Ye Wenshan and Zhong Yin really came?"

Princess Baicheng also looked at Su Mo in surprise!

Su Mo actually has such abilities?
No!

We must bring him under our control!

A powerful thought suddenly arose in Princess Baicheng's mind!
Su Mo nodded and smiled, "Master Ye and Minister Zhong seem to be quite considerate of this humble servant!"

"But that Wang family bookstore is quite impressive; they actually managed to invite Gai Zong, one of the seven great Confucian scholars of the capital, to come here."

"It's said that I'll be giving sermons outside the shop for three consecutive days. It seems I'll definitely be outdone by my humble bookstore!"

Upon hearing this, Leng Liuxi's expression immediately turned strange, then she chuckled lightly: "My lord, didn't you also call Ye Wenshan here?"

Su Mo was taken aback: "What do you mean by that, sir?"

Leng Liuxi chuckled as she looked at Su Mo: "My lord, you must know that Ye Wenshan is one of the Seven Great Confucian Scholars, the Scholar of Books?"

She paused, then couldn't help but laugh again, "This is going to be interesting."

"Calligraphy and painting are inseparable. Ip Man-shan has never been convinced of Gai Chung's painting skills, and Gai Chung has never been convinced of Ip Man-shan's calligraphy skills!"

"I never imagined that because of you, my lord, these two great scholars of calligraphy and painting would end up competing against each other!"

Upon hearing this, Su Mo was dumbfounded: "Master Ye is a scholar?"

"His handwriting is so illegible, how can he be a scholar?"

Leng Liuxi's forehead creased with annoyance, and she glared at him, saying, "That's because...that's because your calligraphy is too bad, you haven't even scratched the surface!"

"Hmph! If you're not good enough, then practice more, so you won't embarrass me in the future."

For a moment, she didn't know how to describe Su Mo!

We can't say that Su Mo is ignorant and incompetent!

After all, Su Mo really did have something in her belly!

Su Mo chuckled: "As long as the characters are legible, that's fine. I don't have time to practice that. Anyway, I can't be a court official now."

Leng Liuxi was furious!

Especially considering the memorial recently submitted by the six cabinet ministers, demanding the removal of Su Mo's identities as a member of the Embroidered Uniform Guard and the Phoenix Cry Division, he couldn't be bothered to talk to Su Mo!
He gave a final hum and walked out of the store.

Princess Baicheng and Nangong Sheyue gave Su Mo a deep look before following the Empress away.

Liu Siyun and the others were dumbfounded.

Even after knowing Leng Xixi's true identity, her own man still dared to speak to the Empress like that!
Lin Moyin was somewhat taken aback.

So this is how my husband usually communicates with the Empress!

To this day, my husband's head is still intact on his neck, which is truly a miracle!
In Lin Moyin's eyes, the Empress was supreme and ruthless, completely devoid of the seven emotions and six desires of a normal person!
If it weren't for Su Mo, she, the Right Commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard, wouldn't even have had the chance to see the Emperor in person!
Outside the shop, Ye Wenshan watched the Empress gracefully walk towards him, then glanced at Su Mo, who was following closely behind, his expression becoming increasingly complicated.

They exchanged a glance and went to meet each other.

"This official greets Lord Leng! Princess Leng! Lord Nangong!"

Zhong Yin bowed respectfully to the Empress with a solemn expression.

Ye Wenshan, having received Zhong Yin's reminder, then said, "This humble subject greets Lord Leng!"

Leng Liuxi chuckled lightly: "No need for such formalities, you two!"

Looking at the Wang family bookstore across the street, which was surrounded by a crowd, Empress Liu Mei frowned slightly and said calmly, "The Wang family truly lives up to its reputation as a powerful and prestigious family. Even the erudite scholar, Mr. Gai, gives the Wang family some face!"

Zhong Yin quickly said, "Gai Zong and Wang Cifu became friends through painting and have a very close relationship. He probably came to the bookstore to give lectures because of Wang Cifu's influence."

The Empress didn't delve further into the matter, and chuckled lightly: "I heard that the name of Su County's bookstore was personally inscribed by Mr. Ye..."

Ip Man Shan's expression was even more bizarre!
The Empress then said, "In my opinion, Mr. Ye should be in charge of the bookstore's ribbon-cutting ceremony."

"Hmm... a ribbon-cutting ceremony for a clothing store..."

She turned her gaze to Princess Baicheng: "What does General Leng think?"

Princess Baicheng was speechless, but could only nod and say, "Then let this general cut the ribbon."

Su Mo produced a bronze gong from who-knows-where, proudly waved it in front of everyone, and gave a smug grin: "This subordinate is in charge of striking the gong!"

"We can't let that guy surnamed Wang steal the spotlight!"

The Empress's forehead is covered in black lines!
Ye Wenshan's face turned dark.

Zhong Yin breathed a sigh of relief; thankfully, he wasn't the one who lost face!
As Su Mo struck the gong with great force, like a thunderclap in winter, the attention of the onlookers was instantly drawn.

Even Gai Zong, a painter who was sitting behind a desk with his eyes closed, outside Wangjiapu, couldn't help but open his eyes.

Then his gaze sharpened, landing on Ye Wenshan, whose face was dark and gloomy!
Princess Baicheng and Nangong Sheyue are both tall and stunningly beautiful women, and Lin Moyin is no less so.

A group of beauties, including Liu Siyun, also made an appearance.

For a time, it even stole the limelight from Gai Zong, attracting the attention of a large crowd of onlookers.

Ye Wenshan's expression turned even more unpleasant. Too lazy to waste any more words, he raised two fingers and drew a line across the red silk on the plaque. Instantly, the red silk was silently cut in the middle and slid down.

Su Mo...

I haven't even had a chance to start my remarks yet!
The red silk fell down, revealing the four large characters "Su's Department Store" on the signboard.

Especially when Gai Ru looked on with a dumbfounded expression, Ye Wenshan's face turned as black as if it were about to drip water.

Finally, he snorted and flicked his hand, sending a cloud of golden dust covering the plaque.

In an instant, the four large characters on the plaque shone with golden light, dazzling even in the bright daylight!

Su Mo blinked, staring blankly at the large characters radiating golden light.

A fantasy-themed LED sign?

Ip Man Shan actually had such methods?

What a pleasant surprise!

I absolutely have to get a shop sign with the same design!
Do not!
From now on, one will be sent to each of all the shops!
We cannot waste Master Ye's incredibly powerful divine abilities!
Su Mo made a decision instantly: he absolutely had to cultivate a good relationship with Master Ye! Such supernatural power was extremely rare, and it was definitely the strongest auxiliary means to make big money in business!
(End of this chapter)