The clingy concubine ran away, and the sickly prince lost control.

Cui Rou suddenly stood up, then slumped back into the round chair. She was genuinely dizzy, and this time she wasn't faking it. That damned Luo Qingyan had stolen her Yuan-gege, and from then on, she was her number one enemy.

Luo Qingyan, who was sleeping soundly, was woken up by Pei Shiyuan. The two got into a carriage and sped away toward Kangning Pavilion. A small, inconspicuous black-canopied carriage followed closely behind.

"Our shop will be opening in a couple of days. Everyone is welcome to come and support us."

Inside the carriage, Luo Qingyan recognized Qian Fanghai's voice. She lifted the curtain and saw a group of people surrounding Qian Fanghai, offering their congratulations.

"Deyue Restaurant?"

Qian Fanghai opened a restaurant across the street from her.

Luo Qingyan stood in front of the counter and just opened the account book.

"Oh, so the shopkeeper is a young lady." Qian Fanghai said with a smirk as he snapped his folding fan shut.

Qian Fanghai no longer had the fear he had shown when he robbed the shop.

His sister had already told him that Pei Shiyuan was dying and that the Duke's mansion would have to rely on the second branch of the family in the future, so there was no need to be afraid of them.

At that time, Pei Shiyuan will have to beg his sister to adopt a grandson for him.

From now on, the Qian family will be in charge of the Duke of Xun's mansion.

"What's wrong, young lady? What brings you here today, young master Qian?" Luo Qingyan asked, flipping through the account book without looking up.

"I have a shop across the street, and I'd like to ask for your advice." Qian Fanghai's eyes were sallow, and he stared at Luo Qingyan with a lecherous look.

"I wouldn't dare, Young Master Qian. Our shop isn't open yet. Please come another day," Luo Qingyan said calmly.

Qian Fanghai's arrogance today is unlike his hasty retreat the other day, and he even opened a shop across the street from her. He must have been instigated by the Qian family.

"Tsk tsk, I'm not saying this to be mean, but your decor is not even half as good as mine. You couldn't even get a decent tablecloth."

Qian Fanghai wandered around, lifting a corner of the tablecloth with his fan, and then looked at the menu in front of Luo Qingyan: "You only have a few dishes, is that enough for anyone? I have several cookbooks."

"Miss Luo, why don't you come and sit in my little shop?" Qian Fanghai's eyes swept over Luo Qingyan's chest.

"My business is small and can't compare to Young Master Qian's generosity. If you don't like it, please leave as soon as possible." Luo Qingyan rolled her eyes.

Qian Fanghai didn't leave. Instead, he found a chair, sat down, and crossed his legs: "Miss Luo is the Duke's wife who's meant to father children. If she comes out in public and gets pregnant, whose child is it? It's hard to say! I think you should close the shop and go back to being a good wife who's meant to father children for the Duke's family."

"If I were to conceive immediately, wouldn't your sister Qian's plan to seize the eldest son's family business be thwarted long ago?"

Luo Qingyan smiled dismissively.

"What nonsense are you talking about? My sister always considers the Duke's mansion in everything she does."

Qian Fanghai stood up abruptly, and only felt slightly relieved after checking that no one was around. This little girl dared to say anything.

Is it even possible to say something like that?

"Then tell your sister not to think about adoption for the time being."

Qian's thoughts were written all over her face, yet she wouldn't let anyone say them.

"You!" Qian Fanghai was so angry that he was panting, but then he laughed again: "Miss Luo, no matter what, with your looks, there's nothing to worry about. If anything happens to the young master, and you come back to my tent, I will definitely take you."

As she spoke, she was about to place the folding fan on Luo Qingyan's chin.

"Bang!"

Suddenly, Qian Fanghai flew several feet away.

"Ouch."

Qian Fanghai clutched his ribs and screamed in agony on the ground.

Yuan Qing stepped on Qian Fanghai's chest with one foot: "You, you servant."

"Slap him in the face."

"Yes, sir."

Yuan Qing raised his hand to slap him.

"Snapped!"

Blood flew from Qian Fanghai's teeth.

"Spare me, Your Highness, spare me!"

"Get out." The servant helped Qian Fanghai up, and they scrambled to their feet.

Behind the counter, Luo Qingyan whispered to Granny Liu, "Granny, are you still in contact with Granny An?"

"Miss, of course I do. No matter how difficult it is, I will make time to visit her. She is in poor health and rarely goes out. She always hopes that I will come and talk to her."

When they were young, Granny An and Granny Liu worked in the same mansion. Later, Granny An entered the palace as a maid and served the ladies in the palace. When she reached old age, she left the palace and bought a house to live out her retirement.

"Place someone in Qian Fanghai's restaurant..." Luo Qingyan whispered.

"No problem, I'll go talk to Old An. It's just a word from her, and she'll find you a reliable one." As she spoke, Granny Liu got up to go find Granny An.

"Granny, take these freshly made Poria cocos cakes with you." Luo Qingyan took a food box and packed them in.

"What are you muttering about?" Pei Shiyuan rolled over in his wheelchair.

Luo Qingyan dusted off her clothes, stepped out from behind the counter, and gave Pei Shiyuan a solemn curtsy: "Your Highness, it was my oversight that caused you and the Duke's Mansion to suffer by coming out to do business and showing my face in public."

Recalling Qian Fanghai's foul language, with his ambiguous claims about leaving offspring, Luo Qingyan felt somewhat guilty.

"Don't worry about it. Just focus on making good medicinal cuisine and getting the shop up and running."

Why should he worry about his reputation? He's not going to have children anyway.

Luo Qingyan was able to build a successful business, so even though he was gone, she could rest in peace.

Originally, I planned to arrange a place for Luo Qingyan after he died, but no matter which place she went to, we would have to start from scratch. It would be better to make a living now.

"Thank you, Your Highness, I'll go get the medicine." Pei Shiyuan then took his medicine there.

Outside, Cui Rou and Ginkgo Cat were at the street corner.

"Pah, Luo Qingyan, you just wait." Qian Fanghai went out and spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm on the ground.

"Miss, perhaps we can ask him about what's going on inside." Ginkgo's eyes darted around.

"No, my aunt will be angry if she finds out I have ties with the second wife's family."

Cui Rou looked across the street and saw someone suddenly open a window on the second floor. Startled, she immediately ducked and turned away.

"Miss, it's Aunt Luo," Ginkgo said. "Kangning Pavilion? I've never heard of it before."

"Ask someone passing by, but don't let them recognize you," Cui Rou said, covering her face with a handkerchief.

"Yes, Miss." Yinxing asked a few passersby and only knew that Kangning Pavilion had just opened; she knew nothing else.

Having no other choice, he asked the sweeper in front of "Deyue Restaurant": "You don't know, do you? It's run by the heir of the Duke of Xun's mansion, and he's also a relative of our owner."

The cleaning staff looked smug, knowing they would have someone to look after their shop from now on.

"Why is Brother Yuan opening a shop?" Cui Rou asked, puzzled.

"Miss, what else could she be doing? It must be Aunt Luo's doing. The young master is so sick, yet she still won't stop." Yinxing bowed, her eyes filled with venom, her thin lips moving.

"That vile woman, Aunt Luo, instead of letting Brother Yuan rest and recover properly at home, she's running this shop here, enduring all that travel. Does she not want Brother Yuan to live a few more days? The shop must be registered in her name, right?" Cui Rou cursed.

"Definitely. Aunt Luo must want to take advantage of the young master's life to get more things. Even if she can't have children, she'll still have a livelihood. Not only will she not lose, she can even make a profit." Yinxing was indignant for Cui Rou. Although the young lady did not marry the young master, she had been accompanying him in the Duke's mansion, but she did not receive a single word of affection from him.

"I'll go ask Aunt Luo if she has any conscience. Is she trying to kill the young master?" Cui Rou lifted her skirt and was about to leave when Yin Xing grabbed her arm.

"Miss, it's no use for you to go there. The young master is obsessed with Consort Luo, how could he listen to your words? It would be better to go back and inform the old lady first."

Cui Rou stomped her foot in anger, but that was all she could do. She turned around and got into the carriage.

Upstairs, Luo Qingyan watched the two leave, smiled slightly, and then turned to see Luo Haitang carrying two large boxes off the carriage.

Four people carried a box, moving slowly.

The wealthy man has arrived.