I only wished to take up my fiefdom, but my elder brother forced me to rebel.

Madam Sun's lips moved a few times, but she could no longer utter a sound.

Sun Wanjin hung his head, his messy hair covering half of his face.

He dared not mention a single word of those threats he had made to the Ministry of Justice.

Three days later, the original warehouse of the Hung Hing was divided into several parts.

The grains were weighed first, the medicinal herbs were inspected box by box, and the cloth was also re-registered.

The goods, which were found to belong to another business, were quickly returned.

The rest were all things hoarded by the Sun family.

The Ministry of Revenue sent people to take over at the warehouse gate. Grain and medicine were loaded onto trucks and sent to the disaster area first, while cloth was kept to make winter clothes for the disaster victims.

The Ministry of Works was also busy.

With the blueprints given to him by Lu Yuan, Du Changhe brought in craftsmen to expand the salt fields and wineries, and also cleared out a piece of land in the eastern suburbs of the capital to build a cement kiln.

The first workshop had barely been built when the area outside was already crowded with people looking for work.

The moment the recruitment sign was put up, the people in front of it had already seen the wages.

"The daily wage for bricklaying is thirty coins?"

"Twenty-five coins a day for moving stones, including lunch?"

"The wages for firing the kiln are higher, plus the cost of winter clothes and medicine?"

After the news spread, more and more people lined up, stretching from the workshop entrance all the way to the riverbank.

Some people brought their tools, while others called their brothers along, fearing that all the spots would be taken.

A man carrying a load squeezed to the front of the table and put down the carrying pole on his shoulder.

"I know how to build walls and I've also repaired river embankments. Could I register first?"

The clerk opened the register and looked at his calloused hands.

"Those who know how to make bricks, go to the left; those who have experience in carpentry, go to the back."

Someone in the crowd shouted again.

"We have three strong able-bodied men in our family; they can all come!"

As the clerk wrote down the names, he didn't stop talking.

"This is a workshop run by the imperial court. Wages are settled every ten days. Anyone who steals materials or bullies their colleagues will be fired immediately!"

Despite the many rules, not a single person in the queue left.

What ordinary people fear most is not hard work, but not getting a penny after working hard.

The current imperial court writes wages and settlement dates on wooden plaques, and officials are present to register them, so naturally some people are willing to come.

Lu Yuan stood on the riverbank and watched for a while.

Workers were already moving timber in the workshop, and several craftsmen squatted down to look at the blueprints.

The cement kiln can be ignited a few days later.

So he returned to the Eastern Palace.

The silver went into the national treasury, and the workshops hired people. The rest was handed over to the Ministry of Revenue and the Ministry of Works.

Lu Yuan had originally planned to relax a bit these next few days.

As soon as I entered the backyard, the aroma of ginger soup wafted over from the porch.

Su Yuling walked towards him carrying a basin of hot water, and stopped when she saw Lu Yuan.

"Your Highness, it is inconvenient for me to accompany you today."

Lu Yuan also stopped.

"Where is it inconvenient?"

Su Yuling glanced at him.

"I've started my period."

After speaking, she handed the hot water to the maid beside her and turned to go into the room.

Before Lu Yuan could even sit down, Shen Hanqiu walked over from the corridor again.

"Your Highness, it's not convenient for me either."

"you also?"

Shen Hanqiu nodded.

"Don't come to my room these next few days, the bed has been changed."

After she finished speaking, she returned to her own courtyard.

Liu Ruyan was sitting by the window looking at the account books when Lu Yuan turned to look at her.

"Ruyan, you wouldn't..."

Liu Ruyan put down the account book and casually straightened her sleeves.

"I didn't come the past two days, but I came today."

Lu Yuan raised his hand and pressed it against his forehead.

"Did you two plan this?"

Liu Ruyan picked up her teacup and took a sip.

"Menstruation isn't a military order; who can set a date?"

The door next to them opened a crack, and Su Yuling peeked out with half her face.

"If Your Highness finds the Eastern Palace too quiet, you can go and visit Sister Zhao."

Shen Hanqiu hadn't gone far when he heard this and turned back to add another sentence.

"Sister Zhao also entered the palace today."

Lu Yuan turned and left.

"I will go and fetch her."

Zhao Mingzhu had delivered some things to the palace early in the morning, and returned to Fuyuan Escort Agency not long after.

After finding out where she had gone, Lu Yuan had four guards carry a soft couch to her location.

The sound of weapons clashing came from inside the security company's courtyard.

Zhao Mingzhu, dressed in a tight-fitting outfit, was teaching several bodyguards how to use a short knife.

Hearing that the Crown Prince had arrived, she sheathed her dagger and went to the front yard.

"What are you planning to do now?"

Lu Yuan leaned back on the soft couch, too lazy to beat around the bush.

"The Crown Prince's Palace is short of personnel."

"Who's missing?"

"I lack someone who can talk to me."

Zhao Mingzhu first looked at the soft couch, then at Lu Yuan.

"Is it inconvenient for Su Yuling and the others?"

Lu Yuan did not answer.

Zhao Mingzhu took two steps closer and raised her hand to press on his shoulder.

"It's not convenient for me either."

Lu Yuan sat up straighter.

"You're here too?"

"Today has just begun."

Zhao Mingzhu withdrew her hand and turned to give instructions to the bodyguards.

"Send the couch back; don't let His Highness fall on the way."

The bodyguards suppressed their laughter, lifted the soft couch, and walked out.

Lu Yuan looked down and fiddled with the folding fan in his hand, but the fan ribs got stuck and he couldn't close it.

Su Bo'an, carrying account books, passed by the outer courtyard and stopped when he saw him sitting on the soft couch.

"Your Highness, would you like me to arrange a few palace maids for you?"

Lu Yuan glared at him and ordered his guards to change course and go to the red-light district.

"I'm going to take care of some important business."

Su Bo'an glanced at the direction the soft couch was heading.

"Is running a brothel considered a respectable business?"

"That's where the information is most readily available."

Su Bo'an bowed his head in greeting.

"Your subject understands."

After leaving the escort agency, Lu Yuan changed to an inconspicuous carriage and took only two personal guards to the red-light district.

Before it even got dark, lanterns were already hanging in front of the brothels.

Someone on the street was calling out to customers; the aroma of wine mixed with the scent of perfume could be smelled from half a street away.

As soon as Lu Yuan stepped into the Poetry Pavilion, the madam swayed her hips to greet him, bowing much lower than before.

"Your Highness, you've finally arrived."

"Miss Shishi has been saying these days that you haven't sent her any new songs in a long time."

Lu Yuan put the folding fan away.

"The usual spot."

The madam's mouth dropped open, and she immediately forced a smile.

"How about I arrange a private room for you?"

"Your old seat is in the lobby; nobody recognizes the spot where you used to sit."

"But you are now the Crown Prince. It would be inappropriate for outsiders to see this."

Lu Yuan glanced at her.

This madam is very thoughtful.

However, he didn't really care about these things.

Before the madam could even ask the girls to lead the way, the hall erupted into chaos as she made way for the guests.

A young girl in a light blue robe ran out from the crowd.

The girl had a slender waist, her hair ornament was crooked, and she was followed by several people from out of town.

She was running very fast when she accidentally stepped on a hairpin on the ground and fell forward.

Lu Yuan reached out and caught the person.

The girl bumped into his arms, her blue clothes came undone, and the feel of her against his chest was not quite right.

Lu Yuan looked down and stopped what he was doing.

Holy crap, that's huge!