In the beginning, he was ranked alongside An Shigeng as a spoiled brat.

The second and third floors were converted into regular private rooms, maintaining the atmosphere of music and dance, but the quality was completely different.

Previously, there were twelve top courtesans and twenty-four famous beauties, all of whom were exceptionally beautiful, chosen from among thousands.

"Young master, the Silla maids and Bodhisattva maids we trained are ready to start work. Do you think we should open for business soon?"

"Let's choose an auspicious day and open for business!"

Zhang Xiaoshan was only inspecting the layout and decoration of the Hong Mansion this time.

After a thorough inspection, no problems were found, so the reopening was not delayed any longer.

As for Manager Feng and the Twelve Music Ensemble?

Because he had children to take care of, Zhang Xiaoshan did not ask Manager Feng to come over.

Moreover, the situation is unstable at this time. Jiangnan may seem prosperous, but it is actually just a light in the darkness, watched by many.

Once chaos descends, Jiangnan will inevitably become the first place to descend into turmoil.

The Ming Dynasty at least had military preparedness, nine passes, and a navy... The Song Dynasty, however, had civil officials in charge of the army, and with the chaos left by Emperor Huizong, the new emperor Qinzong wanted to reform, but the timing was wrong.

Time waits not for us!

As for the head manager of the new Red Mansion? She is also a stunningly beautiful woman with captivating charm.

She was also the first celebrity Zhang Xiaoshan invited from Suzhou—Jiangnan Yue!

At first, when Zhang Xiaoshan was looking for the head manager, he thought he was seeing things. But when he actually saw the charming and beautiful Jiangnan Yue, Zhang Xiaoshan realized that this was definitely that old guy.

Jiangnan Yue seemed to be hiding her true identity very well, but Zhang Xiaoshan saw through her many flaws the moment he saw her, who was famous throughout Jiangnan.

To Zhang Xiaoshan, the skin that others saw as flawless and beautiful was nothing more than a layer of dead skin.

Jade is alive, consistent inside and out, shimmering with a gentle light!

The beauty maintained by Mingyu Gong is achieved through both internal and external cultivation, resulting in jade-like skin and eternal youth.

But Jiangnan Yue only maintained a thin layer of dead skin with her profound skills.

Her skin appears fair and radiant, but it has actually weathered many storms.

Zhang Xiaoshan, now a seasoned expert in matters of the heart, saw through Jiang Nanyue's true nature at a glance. No matter how alluring and captivating she appeared on the surface, he lost all interest in her.

Jiangnan Yue agreed to the request from the head manager of the Hong Mansion because of the resources of the Zhang Mansion.

In particular, the Zhang family's beauty resources are not only Li Guishou's formula, but also some of the Zhang family's unique beauty and skin care creams.

These are all theories of Li Guishou, and the Zhang family's practical application of these miraculous beauty remedies.

For example, deep-sea pearls, herbal essential oils, and herbs unique to tropical rainforests... only the Zhang family can purchase these in large quantities.

Knowing all this, Jiangnan Yue even declined the invitation from the Prince of Lianyun's mansion.

After all, at her age, the allure of the beauty elixirs in the Zhang family's shop was undoubtedly greater than the enjoyment that power brought!

As the head manager of the Hong Mansion, overseeing the Zhang family's business throughout Lin'an Prefecture, all of this was under her control.

As for Ghost Street?

Jiang Nanyue knew the difference between the top management and the core leadership.

Moreover, Ghost Yama, who wields the Dragon-Slaying Saber, possesses a Dragon-Slaying Saber technique that even Jiang Nanyue has no confidence in.

"The Red Mansion has opened, but it's a pity the Twelve Beauties are gone; it's lost much of its luster!"

"Hey, you didn't know that, did you?"

The Zhang family opened an even larger restaurant in Wu Tang. I heard it's entirely made of glazed tiles, standing thirty zhang tall—ten times the size of the Hong Mansion!

"Really? How could there be so many large pieces of glass?"

"The news is true. I heard that the luxury of that restaurant is even greater than that of the imperial palace."

Moreover, the head manager of that grand restaurant was the Zhang family patriarch, not the previous Manager Feng. This shows that the Zhang family used it as their base of operations, naturally rendering the Red Mansion worthless.

···

Amidst the gossip of the common people, it was known that the high-ranking officials and dignitaries were already in the Red Mansion, their guests filling the room in a grand gathering.

Familiar Hongfu cuisine, top-notch (and excellent) wines, a bright and airy ambiance...

Although the private rooms are gone, each round table in the Zhang family's house is now separated by railings and screens.

After all, those who can afford to dine here are either rich or noble!

Therefore, even though it lacks the high-end features of the past, it doesn't have much impact on most people.

In addition, Jiangnan Yue was a famous courtesan in Jiangnan, making her even more charming.

The main problem is that not only can you look at the shopkeeper but you can't eat her, but after ten years, you've long been tired of seeing her.

Men are naturally inclined to seek novelty and tire of the old; this is their inherently philandering nature.

For the first few days after its opening, Hongfu was packed to capacity, making a fortune every day.

"I'd heard before that the Red Mansion was a lucrative business, and seeing it for myself today, I can confirm it truly lives up to its reputation!"

Jiang Nanyue looked at the account book in her hand. In the past few days, the turnover of the Hong family had exceeded 100,000 gold coins.

Despite inflation and rampant consumerism, the Red Mansion's ability to amass wealth is evident; a million taels of gold a year is not a problem.

With just one mansion, the Zhang family possesses wealth comparable to that of a nation!

However, Jiangnan Yue also knew the irreplaceable specialness of Hongfu: Hongfu cuisine, Hongfu culture, luxurious decor... Otherwise, after Hongfu went bankrupt, a second Hongfu would have emerged long ago.

But after two years, no second Hongfu restaurant appeared, and not even a large restaurant could replace it.

"The Zhang family is getting more and more interesting." (Shuai)

Chapter 408 Initial Probe

"Young Master, these are the account books from the Hong residence for the past three days!"

Jiangnan Yue arrived at Zhang Xiaoshan's fishing boat for the first time, her captivating eyes taking in the surroundings.

The simple and elegant decor, while lacking the extravagance of the Red Mansion, is still very pleasing to the eye.

After all, this is a private space, so it doesn't need the opulence of the Red Mansion. Instead, the minimalist style and spacious layout make people feel more comfortable.

Especially compared to the Red Mansion, the layout here is in no way inferior.

The room is surrounded by deep blue stained-glass floor-to-ceiling windows, and inside, a bar counter made of golden nanmu wood, a stained-glass coffee table, plush sofas, and top-quality carpets...

Even though Jiang Nanyue was already amazed by the Hong family's ability to amass wealth, she was still shocked by the Zhang family's advanced technology and luxury.

This Zhang family was far more luxurious than any of the royal family members she had ever met before.

"110,000 gold?"

Zhang Xiaoshan carefully reviewed every page of the ledger. Without discounts, the revenue over these three days would have been at least 150,000 gold.

How long have these people been holding back? They've become so ruthless. The accounts show that every table spent no less than ten taels of silver, and some even spent hundreds or thousands.

"It seems that Miss Yue from Jiangnan has great charm, as she has attracted so many guests."

"Hehe, young master, you really know how to tease me. Jiangnan Yue is just a mere woman, how could she have such great charm?"

The Hongfu restaurant had a strong appeal, attracting even salt merchants from Yangzhou, who specifically ordered several of its signature dishes.

After all, the Red Mansion hadn't opened for two years. To those gluttons, it was like craving a peerless beauty for two years—today they could finally see her stunning face again!

Watching the two of them flatter each other made Huang Rong and the others feel like vomiting.

If Zhang Xiaoshan hadn't told him about Jiang Nanyue's background beforehand, he probably would have been extremely jealous seeing Jiang Nanyue's flirtatious behavior.

This old hag is over a hundred years old and still so shameless. Even the Heavenly Child Granny is more charming than Jiangnan 213 Yue.

After all, the old woman's body had just recovered, and she still had at least ten more years of adolescence ahead of her, with her vital energy slowly depleting.

Moreover, the Eight Desolations and Six Directions Supreme Technique he cultivates, also known as the Eternal Spring Technique of Heaven and Earth, can keep one young forever, which is qualitatively different from Jiangnan Yue's age-preserving technique.

"Miss Jiangnan Yue, I know you have an extraordinary background and your martial arts skills are also exceptionally high."

But I don't care where you come from or what forces you're a spy for. From now on, you are the manager of the Hong Mansion, so you must take on the responsibilities of the manager.

Our relationship is one of employment. You will serve as the head manager of the Hong Mansion, and the Zhang family will not seek any of the rights, remuneration, or benefits from you.

If you bring other grudges into the Dream of the Red Chamber, then no matter who you are or what power you have behind you, the Zhang family will settle accounts with you to the bitter end, until death do them part!

Zhang Xiaoshan put down the ledger and suddenly became serious, even Jiang Nanyue's expression changed drastically.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Xiaoshan suddenly brought up his background.

"What did you say, young master? Jiangnan Yue is just a weak woman from Jiangnan. What kind of organization is she a spy for?"

"Is it?"

As soon as Zhang Xiaoshan finished speaking, Huang Rong, who had long been displeased with Jiang Nanyue, immediately struck out with her jade palm.

The anger hidden in this palm strike, seemingly without any surge of energy and appearing weak and powerless, was actually as fast as lightning, and contained the force of a thousand pounds, the power to split a tiger.

Even though Jiangnan Yue sensed Huang Rong's killing intent, she still casually struck out with her palm.

Jiangnan Yue knew that Huang Rong wasn't testing her; having lived for over a hundred years, she could naturally tell that Huang Rong had long disliked her.

What appeared to be a probing strike was actually a deadly blow, leaving no room for retreat.

Snapped!

The clap of two slender, delicate hands, seemingly a graceful gesture, instantly produced a deafening symphony that exploded in everyone's ears.

For a moment, Huang Rong and Jiang Nanyue retreated simultaneously.

However, Jiang Nanyue arrived in three steps, but Huang Rong had to take a full step back before she could stop.

The two looked at each other in shock. Jiang Nanyue was astonished by Huang Rong's palm strike. Although her skill was still above Huang Rong's, the extremely cold and sinister true qi that had invaded her body was making her feel terrible.

Huang Rong was shocked by Jiang Nanyue's skill. Even though they were both at the peerless level, Jiang Nanyue had forcefully repelled her with a single palm strike, indicating a significant difference in their abilities.

Moreover, Jiang Nanyue looked around and found that none of the women showed any surprise.

Even the aftershocks of their palm strike didn't cause much trouble; only a few delicate footprints were left on the hard mahogany floor.

Clearly, everyone present was a master.

"Miss Jiangnan Yue, please forgive me. My wife is spoiled and a bit willful. Please forgive her if she offends anyone."

"Young master, you are too kind. Madam Zhang is indeed a favored daughter of heaven, having reached an unparalleled level at such a young age."

Jiang Nanyue looked at Zhang Xiaoshan, and although she was apologizing, she showed no remorse whatsoever.

After all, it was originally a test to see if she was truly capable or not.

Moreover, Huang Rong alone is so troublesome, let alone the other people around Zhang Xiaoshan.

It is said that the female warriors beside Zhang Xiaoshan were the strongest among all the women, and Huang Rong's strongest skill was not her palm technique, but the "Blue Sea Tide Song".

Moreover, these are merely female relatives; Zhang Xiaoshan is a Grandmaster, and one who can even overpower the Martial Emperor.

“You flatter me, young lady. My wife doesn’t like cultivation. In order to give her some means of self-defense, I, Zhang, have tried every possible method to help her achieve some success.”

"Is it?"

Can someone become a peerless master even if they don't like cultivation?

Jiang Nanyue didn't believe a word Zhang Xiaoshan said, instead taking it as a boast, a man's vanity!

This is the kind of change she wanted most.

After all, what women like most is strong men fighting for them.

vice versa!

Huang Rong stuck out her little tongue, looking somewhat mischievous, but in reality, she was deeply moved.

If it weren't for Zhang Xiaoshan's dedication and doting love over the years, how could she have endured all that jealousy and stayed by his side all this time?

Jiang Nanyue left, and Zhang Xiaoshan's warning made her realize that she had been exposed.

After all, it's normal for her to be unable to conceal her martial arts skills in front of a grandmaster.

Especially after spending a long time together, their flaws will eventually be revealed.

However, Jiangnan Yue was confident in her beauty, which even Zhang Xiaoshan could hardly resist.

Even if the Zhang family investigated the entire Nine Provinces thoroughly, they would not be able to find a single clue about her identity.