The saintess is pregnant, what does that have to do with me, a spoiled brat?

After Xu Nuo sent Li Wanning away, he did not rush back to his residence, but instead turned into a dead end.

He stopped walking, but didn't turn around.

"Have you seen enough?"

In the shadows deep within the alley, the air seemed to distort slightly. Shen Qingyi walked out slowly, her blue skirt fluttering in the night breeze.

She watched Xu Nuo's retreating figure, her cool eyes filled with undisguised scrutiny.

"You noticed me a long time ago."

"I've already crippled a fourth-grade peak-level trash like you, and you, a fifth-grade, really think you're hiding your true colors?" Xu Nuo turned around, his tone revealing undisguised mockery.

Shen Qingyi frowned slightly. She was used to being high and mighty, used to others treating her with utmost respect. Xu Nuo's disdainful look made her very uncomfortable.

"You've been hiding your true colors very well," Shen Qingyi said coldly. "The heir of the Duke of Zhenguo, the number one playboy in the capital, turns out to be a fifth-rank martial artist. You even fooled the Holy Land's intelligence network."

"None of your business." Xu Nuo was too lazy to argue and walked away.

Shen Qingyi was momentarily speechless, then quickly stepped in front of him to block his path.

"Xing Jue is the head of the Enforcement Hall. If you depose him, the Holy Land will not let it go. Once the Holy Lord is enraged, even the Duke of Zhenguo's mansion cannot protect you."

"So? You want to avenge him?" Xu Nuo stopped and looked down at her.

Shen Qingyi looked into Xu Nuo's deep black eyes. She had infiltrated the Shen family to seize control of the Great Li imperial power, and Xu Nuo's demonstrated strength and background provided a perfect entry point. If she could win Xu Nuo over, she would have accomplished more than half of her mission.

"I can help you suppress this matter," Shen Qingyi offered as bait. "I can even use the resources of the Holy Land to help you clear away the obstacles in the capital."

"condition?"

"Work for me." Shen Qingyi slightly raised her chin, regaining her saintly arrogance.

Xu Nuo smiled.

The laughter was particularly jarring in the deathly quiet alley.

He suddenly took a step forward.

Shen Qingyi felt a blur before her eyes, and Xu Nuo's tall body was already pressed against her. An extremely oppressive aura instantly enveloped her.

"What are you doing!" Shen Qingyi instinctively tried to back away, but found that the surrounding air seemed to freeze, and Xu Nuo's aura locked her tightly.

"Work for you? Who do you think you are?" Xu Nuo looked down at her, her eyes as cold as ice. "A saintess from the Primordial Holy Land, coming to the capital to play tricks. Do you really think I don't know your background?"

Shen Qingyi's pupils suddenly contracted.

How did he know?

"Don't try to intimidate me with the Holy Land. If you piss me off, I'll cripple you too." Xu Nuo raised his hand and patted her fair cheek with the back of his hand.

The movements were frivolous, yet carried a deadly threat.

Shen Qingyi froze, and only when Xu Nuo's figure disappeared at the alley entrance did she suddenly come to her senses and bite her lip tightly.

This man is too dangerous.

But it's so valuable.

three days later.

Zuixianlou has reopened.

The lobby was bustling with noise, and diners almost got into a fight over a seat.

Li Wanning stood behind the counter, watching the silver coins flow into his account like water, his eyes crinkling into crescent moons with a smile.

"Xu Nuo, your chicken bouillon is simply divine! Just a little bit makes even the bland cabbage broth incredibly delicious! The head chefs in the kitchen are practically worshipping you like a patriarch!"

Xu Nuo sat in a private room on the second floor, leisurely sipping her tea.

"What's the price?"

"One tael of silver for a small jar!" Li Wanning said smugly. "At this price, ordinary families can afford it if they grit their teeth. We'll take the path of small profits but quick turnover!"

"It's too cheap." Xu Nuo put down her teacup.

"what?"

"Ten taels of silver per jar. Only one hundred jars are sold each day."

Li Wanning stared wide-eyed at him as if he were a madman. "Ten taels?! You're robbing me! Even Chen Wanjin isn't as greedy as you!"

"This is called scarcity marketing." Xu Nuo tapped the table. "The capital city has no shortage of rich people. If you sell it for one tael, they'll think it's beneath them, that it's something commoners eat. If you sell it for ten taels, they'll scramble to buy it, buying it for the prestige. Remember, our target customers are the high-ranking officials and nobles, not ordinary people."

Li Wanning nodded as if he understood but not quite.

"Alright, I'll do as you say. Anyway, now that the Chen family is gone, we have a monopoly on the restaurant business in the capital."

"The Chen family isn't completely dead yet." Xu Nuo looked out the window, her eyes deep.

Chen Wanjin was backed by the Minister of Revenue. The Minister was furious that 200,000 taels of silver had been stolen.

The Ministry of Revenue's Office.

The study was filled with a strong smell of medicine.

Minister Zhang Tingyu sat in his armchair, looking at Chen Wanjin lying on a stretcher with both legs broken. His face was so gloomy it could drip water.

"My lord, you must do justice for me!" Chen Wanjin cried, tears streaming down his face. "That Xu Nuo not only crippled my legs, but also robbed my Chen family of 200,000 taels of silver and countless treasures! He's rebelling!"

Zhang Tingyu snorted coldly.

"The Duke of Zhenguo's mansion is becoming increasingly outrageous. Xu Zhentian commands a large army in the northern border, and his grandson acts lawlessly in the capital. Do they really think the laws of Dali are just for show?"

"My lord, Xu Nuo has powerful men around him; even assassins from the Shadow Pavilion have been caught in the crossfire," Chen Wanjin warned, his eyes filled with fear.

"No matter how strong a warrior is, he can't defy the rules of the court." Zhang Tingyu picked up his teacup and skimmed off the foam. "The Empress Dowager's birthday is in a few days. All the vassal kings and envoys will come to the capital. I want to see if he dares to cause trouble on the Empress Dowager's birthday."

"What does Your Excellency mean?"

"Didn't he set up some kind of Drunken Immortal Pavilion? The Ministry of Revenue has always been in charge of hosting the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet. I'm handing this task over to him." A sinister glint flashed in Zhang Tingyu's eyes. "If he messes it up, it'll be a crime of deceiving the Emperor. At that point, even Xu Zhentian won't be able to protect him!"

Chen Wanjin's eyes lit up.

Praise to death!

The Empress Dowager was extremely picky about food, and the imperial chefs in the imperial kitchen lived in constant fear. How could someone who owned a restaurant possibly serve her?

If anything goes wrong at the birthday banquet, Xu Nuo will be guilty of a capital offense!

The Duke of Zhenguo's Mansion.

Xu Nuo is practicing boxing in the yard.

The physical body of a fifth-rank martial artist produced a muffled sonic boom with every punch. The air was compressed and exploded, and the fallen leaves in the courtyard were swept up by the force of the punches and pulverized into powder.

Lin Hu strode in, looking anxious.

"Your Highness, someone from the Ministry of Revenue has arrived."

"Ministry of Revenue?" Xu Nuo clenched his fist and wiped his sweat with a towel.

"Yes. The Vice Minister of Revenue came in person, saying that the Empress Dowager's birthday is approaching, and the Minister recommended Zuixianlou Restaurant to host the birthday banquet."

Xu Nuo paused for a moment, then smiled.

"That old fox Zhang Tingyu, is he trying to flatter me to my death?"

The Empress Dowager's birthday banquet was of an extremely high standard. The slightest mistake could mean losing one's head. Chen Wanjingang was deposed, and Zhang Tingyu sent such a lavish "gift"—clearly a trap.

"Your Highness, you can't accept this assignment!" Lin Hu exclaimed anxiously. "Although our Drunken Immortal Pavilion is popular, it's a commoner's restaurant. The dishes for the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet have always been prepared by the Imperial Kitchen. If we accept it, they'll definitely cause trouble. If something goes wrong, we'll lose our heads!"

"Catch it. Why aren't you catching it?" Xu Nuo tossed the towel to Lin Hu.

"Your Highness!"

"When someone offers money to your door, there's no reason to turn them down." Xu Nuo walked to the stone table and sat down. "Go tell the people at the Ministry of Revenue that I've taken this job. However, the money for hosting the birthday banquet must be settled first. Less than 500,000 taels is out of the question."

Lin Hu swallowed hard.

Five hundred thousand taels?

The Crown Prince is really bold! Do you think those tightwads in the Ministry of Revenue would actually part with that?

"Go and do it." The promise was not to be questioned.

"Yes." Lin Hu reluctantly stepped back.

Zuixianlou (Drunken Immortal Pavilion)

Upon hearing Xu Nuo's words, Li Wanning jumped up.

"Are you insane! You dare accept the invitation to the Empress Dowager's birthday banquet!"

"What, are you scared?" Xu Nuo looked at her.