Chapter 178: Chapter 178: The Lucky Farmer is at Ease, While the Husband with No Heirs is Busy Pursuing His Wife 38

Su Zhiruan stepped outside and immediately saw a large troupe of people; the man leading them caught her eye and immediately understood who she was. As Su Zhiruan approached, he stepped forward and said, “Miss Su, the Crown Prince requests your presence for a conversation.”

“Why has the Crown Prince suddenly sought me out?” Su Zhiruan wondered. She did not know why Fu Huaichu had suddenly summoned her to his residence. Subconsciously, her mind drifted back to the heavy snow half a month ago when Fu Huaichu had trapped her in the carriage and had done those embarrassing things to her. If the situation had been different, they might have gone all the way that day.

“Oh, His Highness said he wishes to discuss important matters with Miss Su. You can directly get into the carriage; His Highness is waiting for you in the residence,” the man said, then gestured invitingly, indicating that Su Zhiruan could get into the carriage behind him.

Behind her, Zhezhi and Zheye poked their heads out curiously, clinging to either side of the doorframe.

“Sir, since I am to meet His Highness, please allow me to change my clothes,” Su Zhiruan said, bowing slightly before looking down at her casual attire, her gaze then settling on the leading man.

Her statement was also a test. If Fu Huaichu truly intended to discuss serious matters, he would certainly not coerce her and would definitely grant her time to change. If he insisted on taking her away immediately, it might just be a pretense.

“Of course, please go ahead,” the man bowed. As he lifted his head, he noticed the two children clinging to the doorframe. The boy on the left, no more than three or four years old, had a clear and intelligent gaze. He met the man’s eyes without shrinking away, even nodding politely.

What shocked the man the most was not the boy’s polite demeanor but his resemblance and aura, which were strikingly similar to an older version of the Crown Prince!

Moreover, his calm, undisturbed demeanor hinted at his extraordinary origins.

On the other side, the little girl looked almost exactly like Miss Su who had gone back to change her clothes, and she too turned to follow her mother back inside.

Mounting his horse again, the man’s thoughts churned incessantly with shock. A boy who looked exactly like the Crown Prince, and a girl who resembled Miss Su; these children were clearly from the same mother. This meant that the Crown Prince’s summon might not be about discussing matters but rather an opportunity to foster closer relations with Miss Su.

On the surface, Su Zhiruan was just a common woman who had earned some money, but if these children were indeed hers with the Crown Prince, then she was the future Noble Consort, Imperial Concubine, or even Empress!

Presently, there were no heirs in the Imperial Family, and the only two princes were yet unmarried. If these children were indeed the Crown Prince’s, then once he ascended the throne, they would be the Crown Prince and Princess!

The more the man thought, the more outrageous his thoughts became. He stood in the wind, nearly disheveled. The Protector at the doorway watched his expressions shift from shock to stupor to foolishness. Silently they took a step back, considering it better to keep their distance from someone who did not seem to be in his right mind.

After returning to the inner court, Su Zhiruan asked a maid to touch up her makeup briefly and summoned the butler to stand by. She instructed, “Uncle Wang, after I leave, don’t let the two children run around everywhere. Lock all the doors in the mansion, and have the small kitchen prepare dinner for Zhezhi and Zheye and send it over. Let them have dinner and go to bed early.”

“Miss, won’t you be coming back tonight?” Uncle Wang nodded as he listened and only realized Su Zhiruan’s implication later; it seemed she might not return.

Su Zhiruan shook her head, “I might return, but I fear the official business negotiation might go late into the night.”

“It’s the Imperial Merchant you mentioned last time, isn’t it?” A while back, when Su Zhiruan had returned, she casually mentioned that the court intended to appoint an Imperial Merchant. Uncle Wang was not just the mansion’s steward; dispatched by Su Zhiruan, he also managed many shops in the Capital City and knew somewhat of the court’s intentions to choose an Imperial Merchant.

“Yes, that should be it—no need for too many accessories, this one will do.” Su Zhiruan nodded to Uncle Wang through the copper mirror, then stopped the little maid struggling to fix an entire set of jade headpiece on her, and took a plain Yulan Flower Hairpin, handing it to the maid. She then continued to Uncle Wang, “The Internal Affairs Office and the Ministry of Rites, one managing external and the other internal affairs of the Imperial Family, still cannot realistically interact with the common folk. One stays in the Capital City handling official duties, the other managing trivial matters in the harem, hence their contact with goods and sales channels is limited. Now that I have returned to the Capital City, I am very likely the person they will choose.”

Whenever new terms like “sales” and “channels” occasionally popped up in Su Zhiruan’s language, many subordinates did not understand what they meant at first listen. However, after Su Zhiruan explained them briefly, everyone quickly grasped the meanings and now used them adeptly.

Uncle Wang nodded. All in all, the court wanted a liaison who could communicate effectively between different levels. Su Zhiruan had grown her business substantially within just a few years, expanding throughout the vast regions of Jiangnan, and many people knew her. Leveraging various grand openings or major sales, she annually crushed the profit margins of other merchants. Yet she did not monopolize the market. Instead, she would promote growth within both the lower-tier and old-brand shops. In this era, with her strategies, although she was a woman, even the male business owners did not belittle her, for they too wanted to expand their businesses through her influence.

The little maid was skilled in hairstyling and styled her hair into a high bun that resembled clouds nearing fragrance, securing all her dark, long hair with a jade hairpin.

Su Zhiruan saw her current self in the copper mirror, her makeup subtle and elegant, which she found satisfactory. She stood up and took the clothes she wanted from another maid, a jade-colored long dress with an embroidery of flowing clouds, along with a matching large cloak.

After changing into this outfit, she saw Zhezhi and Zheye sitting obediently on the soft couch, quietly mumbling to each other. Upon seeing her, they both smiled instantly and exclaimed in unison, “Mommy!”

“Mommy looks really beautiful today,” Zhezhi rubbed his eyes, his bright eyes sparkling as he looked at Su Zhiruan, “Are you going to see Daddy?”

“I am going to see your father, but not for a casual chat. It’s for an important discussion,” replied Su Zhiruan as she took Zhezhi’s proffered hand into her own palm. She thought about the discussions she was about to have with Fu Huaichu, and the events that had transpired in the carriage half a month earlier always made her embarrassed in front of Fu Huaichu, who hadn’t appeared before her since. However, every few days, he would send over some prized food items and rare fabrics for her and the children. She then stretched out her left hand, took Zheye’s hand as well, and placed it in her palm, “Both of you study well, have your dinner early, and then sleep.”

“Okay,” Zhezhi and Zheye nodded.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated on Novlove.com