The tyrannical father was so intimidated when his own daughter was found during the raid.

Inside Zhaoyang Palace, sunlight streamed through the carved window frames, illuminating the golden nanmu wood desk.

Su Yaoyao lay on the table, holding a charred willow twig as a charcoal pencil.

She scribbled and drew on the finest Xuan paper, creating complex drawings that the ancients couldn't understand.

"The revolving mechanism of the Gatling gun needs further optimization."

"The smelting technology of the Great Abyss Kingdom is too backward. To achieve the high strength and heat resistance requirements of the gun barrel, we must add Xuanbing Stone."

"The gunpowder purification ratio also needs to be readjusted, otherwise it is easy for the barrel to explode."

Su Yaoyao bit the pen handle and quickly calculated various data on the paper.

As she calculated, her delicate, pretty face fell.

No money!

Although she had just received a share of the 75,000 taels of silver that had been confiscated from the Left Censor-in-Chief's household from her tyrannical father.

With the addition of a batch of basic materials obtained from the zero-yuan purchase at Black Wind Village, the immediate crisis was resolved.

But this is for building heavy firepower thermal weapons!

Seventy-five thousand taels sounds like a lot, but if you were to build an assembly line, it wouldn't even be enough to fill a tooth gap!

Putting everything else aside, just offering bounties on the black market for those rare ores and components would require pouring in mountains of gold and silver.

No, I need to find a way to get more funding.

Su Yaoyao stroked her chubby little chin, her mind racing with calculations.

Just as she was racking her brains, trying to figure out which corrupt official in the capital she could visit at home.

"Your Highness! Your Highness!"

Cui'er, the personal maid, ran into the hall, her expression indignant.

"What's wrong? Did someone else come to give me money again?"

Su Yaoyao's eyes lit up, and she threw down the charcoal pencil in her hand.

"Your Highness, how can you still be thinking about money!"

Cui'er stamped her feet anxiously, "People from the General's mansion have entered the palace!"

General Lin Zhenxiong?

Su Yaoyao raised an eyebrow.

Last night, she and her brother-in-law emptied out the armory on the outer edge of the building.

Today, this old fellow managed to get someone into the palace.

That's quick!

"The one who entered the palace is the general's distant cousin, named Lin Wan'er."

Cui'er quickly reported to the guide, "I heard that this Miss Lin is known as the most talented woman in the capital, proficient in all the arts, including music, chess, calligraphy, and painting."

"The General specially sent her to the palace to accompany you in your studies, just to give you a hard time!"

Upon hearing this, Su Yaoyao didn't get angry but instead smiled, a playful smile curving her lips.

"Oh? The most talented woman in the capital?"

Where is she now?

"It's in the Imperial Garden!" Cui'er bit her lip, looking indignant.

"Miss Lin held a chrysanthemum appreciation fundraising banquet in the Imperial Garden, inviting all the ladies and noblewomen of the harem."

"They say it's to collect winter clothes for the soldiers on the frontier, but isn't that just a way of subtly insulting you!"

Upon hearing the word "fundraising," Su Yaoyao's radar went off.

[A fundraising banquet? Isn't that just an ancient version of a charity banquet?]

Socialites and wealthy women gathered together, flaunting their wealth and throwing money around.

[Large-scale fresh leek harvesting operation begins!]

Su Yaoyao perked up; she had just been worried about not having enough funding for military research and development.

Now, the general not only sent her gunpowder, but also sent relatives to deliver research and development funds to her door!

What a wonderful person!

"Come on, Cui'er, let's take a stroll in the Imperial Garden."

Su Yaoyao jumped off the chair and patted the charcoal ash off her hands.

"If you're late, the biggest sheep will have been fleeced!"

The Imperial Garden is filled with blooming flowers and a subtle fragrance.

Inside the pavilion, the imperial concubines and noble ladies from the capital sat together, chatting and laughing.

Sitting in the very center of the group was Lin Wan'er, who was known as the most talented woman in the capital.

Lin Wan'er wore a simple and elegant moon-white silk dress, with only a plain silver hairpin in her hair.

She looks elegant and refined, delicate and graceful, as if a gust of wind could knock her over.

This attire made her stand out as exceptionally pitiful and unique among the many beautifully dressed women of the imperial harem.

"Miss Lin's poem about chrysanthemums is truly elegant and refined, absolutely stunning!"

A concubine who usually relied on the power of the general held an embroidered handkerchief and praised him to the skies.

"Yes, yes, she truly deserves to be called the most talented woman in the capital."

"Compared to some of those crude people just brought back from the black market, they're worlds apart."

"If you ask me, only a well-educated and virtuous young lady like Miss Lin is worthy of the dignity of the palace."

The women chatted amongst themselves, their words all aimed at putting down Su Yaoyao.

As Lin Wan'er listened to these compliments, a smug look flashed in her eyes.

On the surface, however, she pretended to be frightened and helpless.

"Your Highnesses, please don't say that. Although Her Highness the Crown Princess has lived among the common people and has never read any books of sages and worthies."

"But she is, after all, His Majesty's bloodline, and we should be more tolerant of her."

Lin Wan'er gently touched the corner of her eye with a silk handkerchief and sighed.

"Wan'er is hosting this banquet today not to test our talents, but because the autumn winds are rising and the soldiers on the border are still suffering from the cold."

"The general often said, 'The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen.'"

"Although Wan'er is a woman, she wants to do her part, so she has taken the liberty of asking all the sisters to come together to raise some money to buy winter clothes for the soldiers."

These words were spoken with such righteous indignation and compassion for humanity.

This immediately drew praise from the women around, who generously donated money.

"I'll donate fifty taels!"

"I'm offering a pair of Hetian jade bracelets!"

Lin Wan'er smiled and told the maid to write it down, then sighed casually.

"It's a pity that I've heard that Her Highness the Crown Princess has amassed a fortune on the black market, but she's also incredibly stingy."

"If Her Highness were willing to part with even a fraction of those ill-gotten gains, the soldiers on the border would have no worries about surviving the winter."

"Alas, I fear that Her Highness the Crown Princess is only concerned with material possessions and does not understand the meaning of national righteousness."

These words intensified the crowd's contempt for Su Yaoyao.

Just as everyone was preparing to continue their scathing attack on the Crown Princess as a miser...

A crisp, playful voice came from outside the pavilion.

"Wow, it's quite lively here!"

"I could smell a strong aroma of green tea from afar. Oh, it's my cousin brewing tea here!"

Everyone turned to look at it.

Su Yaoyao, dressed in a bright red brocade vest, walked over with her hands behind her back.

His large, dark eyes, like black grapes, were full of mocking amusement.

[Tsk tsk tsk, I've finally met a real-life, top-tier green tea bitch today.]

[The level of witty banter is only good enough to fool these resentful women trapped in the inner palace.]

[On the surface, it's about raising funds for winter clothing, but isn't it really just about helping the general launder money and, incidentally, creating a persona to put me down?]

[Trying to climb over my head to get to the top? Fine, this young lady will teach you what a lawnmower really is today!]

Lin Wan'er was taken aback when she saw Su Yaoyao appear.

Soon, a look of panic and grievance appeared on her delicate face.

Like a startled little rabbit, she quickly stood up from the stone bench.

"Wan'er... Wan'er greets Her Highness the Crown Princess."

Lin Wan'er bowed gracefully, her body delicate and frail.

"Just now, Wan'er was merely chatting with the ladies and had absolutely no intention of speaking ill of His Highness behind his back."

"If Your Highness heard anything unpleasant, Wan'er apologizes and begs Your Highness not to be angry."

She looked pitiful even before she had been bullied.

This aroused the protective instincts of the women around them.

Several of the bolder concubines shielded Lin Wan'er behind them.

"Your Highness, Miss Lin kindly raised funds for everyone, and instead of helping, you come here to show off your power?"

"You're used to running rampant in the black market; do you intend to cause trouble in this imperial garden?"

Looking at the group of indignant women, Su Yaoyao didn't bother to roll her eyes. She walked straight to the stone table, grabbed a delicate osmanthus cake, and stuffed it into her mouth.

"Don't be nervous, I'm not here to eat people."

Su Yaoyao chewed on a pastry and mumbled something indistinctly.

"I heard from Cui'er that my cousin is holding a fundraising banquet here, so I came here specifically to see what's fun."

Seeing that Su Yaoyao was not playing by the rules, Lin Wan'er did not get angry and argue with them.

He couldn't help but sneer inwardly.

She really is a brainless idiot; she can't even understand when others are cursing her.

Since you've come here of your own accord, don't blame me for being impolite and making you lose face in front of everyone!

Lin Wan'er took a deep breath, and a pure and aggrieved smile returned to her face.

"Your Highness's presence is truly an honor for Wan'er."

"Since Your Highness has also come for the soldiers on the frontier, you must have brought generous donations, right?"

Lin Wan'er deliberately raised her voice so that everyone could hear her clearly.

"Wan'er knows that His Highness has been operating in the black market for many years and has a wealth of money that is far beyond what weak women like us can compare to."

"However, things that are only yellow and white ultimately seem vulgar."

She changed the subject, a hint of arrogance in her eyes.

"For this fundraising, Wan'er specially asked my father to purchase a rare and unparalleled mechanical treasure from a neighboring country at a high price."

"Wan'er plans to display this item in public and auction it off to raise funds."

"If Your Highness could also produce a decent, elegant item, wouldn't it be a beautiful story for the two of us sisters to pray for the soldiers together?"

Upon hearing this, the women around immediately began to whisper among themselves.

"Is Miss Lin going to test her inner strength against the Crown Princess?"

"What does a country girl know about mechanisms, jewels, or elegant things other than gold and silver?"

"The Crown Princess is going to lose face big time this time!"

Listening to the discussions around her, Su Yaoyao's inner flame not only didn't go out, but burned even brighter.

"Oh my, trying to outdo me in mechanical systems? Trying to outdo me in high technology?"

[I'm the top mechanic in the interstellar space! The parts I can assemble with my eyes closed are better than your national treasures!]

"Fine, I'd like to see what kind of junk your General's Mansion can pull out."

Su Yaoyao patted the pastry crumbs off her hands and raised an eyebrow with interest.

"Sure, show it to me and let me see it."

Lin Wan'er was overjoyed to see that the fish had taken the bait.

She turned around gracefully and nodded to her personal maid behind her.

The maidservant respectfully presented a fine sandalwood brocade box.

"This item was crafted by skilled artisans from a neighboring country over ten years and is called the Ruyi Music Box."

Lin Wan'er's voice was filled with undisguised pride.

She reached out and, under the expectant gazes of all the women in the room, slowly opened the sandalwood brocade box.

"Wow!"

As soon as the brocade box was opened, the surrounding concubines and noble ladies all gasped in surprise.

They all craned their necks, their eyes filled with amazement and admiration.

"It's so exquisite! It's simply a masterpiece of nature!"

"Such rare treasures are truly unheard of and unseen by us!"

Amidst the exaggerated praise, Su Yaoyao also curiously stood on tiptoe and craned her neck to take a look.

However, when they saw the rare treasures inside the brocade box...

Su Yaoyao's curiosity froze.

She stared wide-eyed at the object in the box.

A strong urge to burst out laughing rushed to my head.

She clenched her teeth so hard that she barely managed to stop herself from bursting into laughter.

You dare to show this thing off?