Yangxin Hall.

"My dear minister, today’s pulse diagnosis seems a bit different?" Emperor Zhao Rui asked Fu Qingzhu.

"Your Majesty, this is a new method that I have learned."

"Oh, you are already a master physician, yet you learn others’ pulse diagnosis methods. This method must have exceptional merits?" Zhao Rui exclaimed in surprise.

"Indeed, it is quite remarkable. In all my years of practicing medicine, it’s the first time I’ve seen it, but it’s extremely effective and accurate. However, what I have learned is just superficial."

"You dare to experiment on me with only superficial knowledge?"

"Your Majesty, I’m all too familiar with your health. Using this pulse diagnosis method is just to verify its accuracy."

"And what did you find?"

"According to the pulse diagnosis, it appears that Your Majesty’s vitality is nearly exhausted, yet there seems to be a way to recover," Fu Qingzhu said.

"There’s hope for me?" Zhao Rui exclaimed in astonishment, aware of his declining health and unsure of how long he could hold on.

Currently, it’s just sheer willpower keeping him going.

"Yes, but as I always say, Your Majesty needs moderation."

"Alright, I will trust you this time. How long should I abstain?" Zhao Rui asked.

"At least three months."

"Hmm, with the weather getting hot, I’m planning to move to the Ganlu Temple for a while to escape the heat. What do you think?" Zhao Rui asked, "Mr. Fu, you should accompany me."

"I will follow Your Majesty’s command," Fu Qingzhu agreed, knowing that despite being a master physician, he must obey the Emperor’s orders. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

"Should I continue with the original prescription?"

"There is another prescription I have never used on Your Majesty, but I have tested it on others. Would Your Majesty like to try it?"

"Alright, as you suggest." Zhao Rui trusts Fu Qingzhu entirely.

...

Lianxin and Liansuo are women from the Yue Country. Although now dressed like women of Da Li, their inherent demeanor still reflects that of the Yue Country’s women.

When they learned that Lin Miao agreed to take them as concubines, the two sisters became even more docile and respectful in front of Lin Miao.

Women of the Yue Country have always regarded their men as their heavens.

This matter, Lin Miao did not hide from Sun Youwei, understanding that concealment would only lead to greater misunderstandings, while disclosure might dispel any misconceptions at their inception.

Sun Youwei seemed aware that the Snow Mountain Sect sent Lianxin and Liansuo to be with Lin Miao for a reason. Her junior brother was so outstanding that it was impossible for her to have him all to herself, not to mention there was already a Si Miaoxue (she was unaware of Yue Mei’Er).

This pair of twin sisters staying at home was just a matter of time.

Then there were Shi Yin and Liuli. As a woman, she wasn’t blind to their obvious affection and intentions towards her junior brother.

She couldn’t stop them, and even for herself, she probably couldn’t bear to leave her junior brother now.

Her new life and current circumstances were all thanks to her junior brother. She was smart enough to know that as long as she wasn’t envious, the position of the household’s leading lady would always be hers.

Her relationship with her junior brother was different from that with other women.

Lianxin and Liansuo were granted permission to enter Lin Miao’s bedroom freely, a change in status understood by everyone in the Lin Residence.

Previously, only Sun Youwei had such privilege because she was Lin Miao’s fiancée and his future wife, allowing her access to his room at any time.

Now that Lianxin and Liansuo also had this privilege, it indicated that the twin sisters from the Snow Mountain Sect quietly acquired such status.

However, it had not been officially announced yet.

Lin Miao had no maidservants to attend to him, as he was not accustomed to being served, and whoever served him would eventually become an intimate companion.

He couldn’t let his senior sister serve him, could he?

But now, finally, there were attendants.

...

Su Chen returned from his journey, keeping a low profile. After all, he had made a fortune in the Great Yue Country, attracting significant envy.

If it weren’t for the Snow Mountain Sect experts escorting him, there’s no telling how many people in the martial world would have been targeting him.

The goods bought from the Great Yue Country weren’t transported back all at once; three batches had already been shipped back, managed by the Su Family Trading Company.

To maximize profits, the release of these goods needed to be controlled, leaving expert matters to expert hands.

Su Qi, wanting his son to gain experience, naturally equipped him with a luxurious team to assist with these tasks.

Then he brought Lin Miao gifts from the Great Yue Country, filling an entire ship.

These items, upon reaching the shore, were loaded onto carts, requiring about twenty or so carts.

Due to taxation for entering the city, a large portion of these gifts was first taken to Si Miaoxue’s estate warehouse outside the city.

Two carts were selected and personally escorted to the Lin Residence.

Just the city entry tax for the two carts cost several hundred taels of silver. If all items were transported into the city, it would have cost several thousand taels.

"Brother!"

"Mr. Su."

A warm, great hug.

It’s been at least four months since they left, and both Su Chen and Lin Miao have undergone significant changes.

Su Chen appears more steady and reserved, with a hint of wisdom in his eyes, while Lin Miao has matured and become more composed.

"Brother, this time I went to Jiangnan, it was truly an eye-opener. Let me tell you, the Ten-Mile Qinhuai Riverfront was a riot of colors, teeming with tourists..."

Does this world also have a Qinhuai River?

Listening to this, Lin Miao couldn’t help but feel a trace of longing. In his previous life, he also lived in the culturally rich Jiangnan, so he knew well the cultural flourishing of Jiangnan.

In terms of culture, the Da Li Dynasty actually lags behind the Great Yue Country, so many of the world’s splendid poems and verses are written by people from the south.

Lin Miao had no intention of becoming a literary rogue, so he didn’t want to cause havoc in the literary world—it wasn’t necessary.

"Let me tell you, the way the pleasure houses in Jiangnan operate is different from ours. Their play is truly exciting. Over there, the most beautiful songstresses admire talented scholars the most. Even without money, as long as they have talent, people will fawn over them. Brother, I can’t write poetry and made quite a few jokes..."

"Su Chen, you’ve returned to Dongshan, and instead of visiting the Star-Picking Tower to see your father first, you’ve come here to Little Lin’s place?" Su Chen’s mother, Bai Feng, snorted coldly, appearing in front of him.

"Mother, when did you arrive?"

"Do I need to inform you when I arrive?" Bai Feng glared fiercely at her son, "I’m warning you, don’t teach Little Lin any of those things you learned in Biandu, he’s not like you."

"Mother, I’m just telling Brother Sanshui about the customs and culture of Biandu, is that not allowed?"

"Your father asked me to bring you back, don’t think about escaping. Now that I’m here, you can’t run away!"

"Mother, I just came back, where could I run to?"

"It better be like this." Bai Feng snorted coldly, "Let me see what you brought back for Little Lin from Jiangnan?"

"Mother, rest assured, I picked only the best things for my brothers, nothing subpar," Su Chen said.

A hundred bolts of various silk, all high-quality lake silk, and exquisite porcelain from the southern kiln, especially that set of sky-blue porcelain masterpieces.

After traveling thousands of miles, they surprisingly arrived in Dongshan undamaged.

There were also the Four Treasures of the Study, not just one set, but twelve sets, including top-grade lake brushes, wolf hair brushes, inkstones, Huizhou ink...

Lin Miao saw a type of nearly white paper, very much like the legendary Xuan paper. He took a piece and felt it. Sure enough, it felt similar.

"This is Xuan hemp paper popular among Yue literati. Just one sheet costs ten coins, ten times the price of the best mulberry paper on our market. There’s a purchase limit, with each person allowed to buy at most a hundred sheets a day. I had people buy it continuously for ten days, and I brought a thousand sheets for you!" Su Chen explained proudly, "This paper is the best for transcribing and painting."

"Not bad, not bad," Lin Miao nodded. He actually wanted to produce better and cheaper paper, but for now, he’d already spread himself thin and couldn’t focus on it.

It’s amazing that someone already managed to make Xuan paper in this world, indicating there are indeed smart people around.

"Here’s a set of Huayue Hall cosmetics. The aristocratic ladies in Biandu love their products; they’re unavailable here. I specifically bought three sets. Next time, I’ll buy more. Once you get them, you can give them to whichever lady you like, Brother."

"Here are the design illustrations of popular Jiangnan women’s fashion. I brought them all back for you. Your sister-in-law is skillful, and she can make any style she likes based on these illustrations. I already prepared all the necessary fabrics for her."

"These are embroidered round fans, featuring maidens, peonies, peonies, and more. There are ten of them; decide how to distribute them..."

"This is tea, one pound each of Jiangnan’s top ten teas, all new from this year. I was afraid you’d have too much if I brought more, so I’ll supply you every year. Consider your tea covered by me!"

"This is a box of jewelry. You know, as a man, I don’t have much skill in buying this, so I picked some at random. Keep it if you like, or give it away."

"Thank you."

"As for the items you asked me to collect, I didn’t bring them in. They’re all stored in Miss Si’s estate warehouse outside the city. You can check them yourself later," Su Chen concluded after introducing the gifts he brought back.

"Thank you, Mr. Su. Consider these items as part of my profit share this time."

"These things aren’t worth much, they don’t count," Su Chen waved his hand, directly refusing.

"Dong Fei, carry these things to the back courtyard for the head lady to handle. Follow her instructions on how to distribute them," Lin Miao directly ordered.

"Yes, master!"

"Mr. Su, come to my study. I have something to discuss with you," Lin Miao led Su Chen into his study.

"Mr. Su, I have another business proposition I want to collaborate with you on," Lin Miao got straight to the point, making his intention clear.

"What business?"

"Crystal sugar."

"Crystal sugar. Could it be, Brother, you want me to import crystal sugar from Great Yue?"

"No, I have a way to refine mixed sugar into crystal sugar, but I don’t have the raw materials for producing crystal sugar, so I’ll need your help to solve this problem," Lin Miao said.

"Ah, Brother actually has a way to purify crystal sugar!" Su Chen was shocked. Knowing the business they did this time, crystal sugar transported from Great Yue to Da Li yields at least twice as much profit. In a remote place like Dongshan City, the profit multiplies.

Even mixed sugar brings profit. Selling sugar is a business that never loses money. However, those who can engage in this trade aren’t average people. Ordinary merchants don’t have the qualification and at most work as secondary or even tertiary distributors.

"Mr. Su, does the Su Family have business in Great Yue?"

"Our Su Family is a Da Li Royal Merchant. The Su Family Trading Company has branches in Great Yue, but most of our business is within Da Li territory. This time, we’ve expanded our trade in the Great Yue Country through the opportunity of ’Colorless Glaze,’ and now my father has entrusted Great Yue Country’s trade to me," Su Chen said, "In the future, I might spend half my time in Great Yue and half in Da Li."

"I want to acquire a stable source of mixed sugar. Ideally, we could purchase a workshop in Great Yue that produces mixed sugar, dedicated to supplying us with raw materials."

"The production and sale of sugar are strictly controlled in Great Yue, and outsiders may find it very challenging to gain control," Su Chen furrowed his brow slightly.

"Then, as a second option, we could find a trustworthy agent to purchase or build a sugar workshop in his name, with us as the exclusive supplier."

"Why not produce crystal sugar in Great Yue?"

"Although purifying mixed sugar to crystal sugar after transporting it back to Da Li seems a bit cumbersome, exporting crystal sugar incurs heavier taxes. Comparatively, producing crystal sugar primarily for Da Li brings more profit than purifying it directly at the production site. Moreover, technology must be kept under personal control. If it’s far away in Yue Country, should anything happen, we would be powerless," Lin Miao explained.

"I’ll give it a try. If direct purchase doesn’t work, I’ll do as you suggested, finding a Yue national agent, with us operating from behind the scenes," Su Chen nodded.