Puyang Yi vaguely sensed something was amiss with her mother in the last two days, her thoughts were restless, her responses off-point, her eyes filled with worry, and yet when asked, she would say nothing...

Soon, she learned from others that her mother had summoned the royal relatives and various officials temporarily staying in Andu to greet and welcome the imperial procession from a hundred miles away.

This must have infuriated Feng Yun.

For some reason, Puyang Yi actually felt somewhat pleased.

Even though such thoughts were somewhat unfilial...

The Princess had never suffered such a setback in her life. Since she was the prettiest among her siblings and the most favored by the Great Emperor, she had always had whatever she wanted. Now, to be played by Feng Yun, anyone would be displeased...

Puyang Yi’s happiness stemmed from the fact that her mother had finally met her match and faced punishment at Feng Yun’s hands. As long as no other issues arose, and she no longer insisted on securing justice for her second brother, then the grievances between the Princess Residence and Feng Yun would probably fade away.

There was nothing better than living in peace and safety.

She was currently very happy and did not wish to quarrel over anything, as long as her family was safe and well...

When she arose in the morning, dressed like a fluttering butterfly, she paid many compliments in front of the Princess, nearly all of them about Feng Yun’s Changmen Estate.

She wanted to invite the Princess to visit with her.

This season, the flowers should be blooming abundantly. Ah Mu would surely fall in love with it once she went there.

After all, it was at that estate where Feng Yun had won her over...

However, the Princess still refused.

She couldn’t let go completely.

Puyang Yi kept this in mind, coaxing her mother into eating an extra bowl of rice, then cheerfully returning to her room for an afternoon nap. She then had the servants prepare the carriage to head for Huaxi Village.

Feng Yun was in the garden, admiring the newly budding roses...

This particular rose bush was an old one originally on the estate. Neglected by previous caretakers, Feng Yun had personally pruned it in winter, fertilized it and set up trellises. This year, it had sprouted many new shoots and branches, and even more buds, some of which were already showing color. Given the weather, they would probably bloom one after another within three to five days...

A whole wall of roses, just the thought was beautiful.

"So beautiful!" Puyang Yi was still in the carriage when she was attracted to the lush green leaves.

"Stop." She leapt down from the carriage and walked briskly towards Feng Yun, her face beaming with a smile...

Feng Yun turned around, squinting her eyes.

This Lord of Pingyuan County.

When they first met, she had put on some airs.

Now that Feng Yun had become the Princess of Yonghuai, her airs were gone, her entire demeanor seemed to relax. Every time she saw Feng Yun, she had a coy smile, making Feng Yun question when exactly they had become friends...

It didn’t really count, did it?

Puyang Yi, as if oblivious to Feng Yun’s polite expression, approached and casually put her arm around her.

"I said I’d come to visit you, and here I am."

Feng Yun appreciating flowers at the wall didn’t mean she was in the mood to play.

She stood up slightly and brushed her sleeves, saying to Puyang Yi:

"I have been busy lately and cannot entertain the Lord of Pingyuan County properly. If there’s nothing else, please take your leave."

Puyang Yi smiled sidelong.

"Just arrived and already being sent away, you’re not very hospitable."

Feng Yun: ...

Such overly familiar demeanor really was worrisome.

Puyang Yi quickly noticed the small courtyard being repaired to the south, just beyond the flower wall. The courtyard wall had been heightened, but it was obvious that new green plants and flowering trees had also been planted.

She looked on with envy.

"Can I move in and live here?"

Feng Yun replied, "When you become the Emperor."

Puyang Yi slowly turned to look at her and chuckled out loud.

"You really have a way with words."

She looked at the small courtyard, "Is this being prepared for His Majesty?"

Feng Yun uttered an affirmative sound, tacitly agreeing.

Puyang Yi took a deep breath, struck by a sudden whimsy or perhaps a flight of fancy, her eyes suddenly sparkling as she asked Feng Yun, "Is there still land available in your village? I want to buy some close to your estate and build a separate residence. I could stay there occasionally and chat with you about everyday matters..."

Feng Yun: "Yes, there is."

Puyang Yi’s eyes widened, "Really?"

"Yes."

The wasteland and rough terrain of the village that were unsuitable for cultivation had all been bought by Feng Yun, and what remained was considered communal land. As the Village Chief, she had the authority to decide on it...

But...

Feng Yun said, "It’s communal land, not suitable for buying or selling. If the Lady wishes, it can only be leased."

"Lease?" Puyang Yi was slightly dissatisfied.

The saying goes "The rich have fields stretching far and wide, while the poor have no place to put down a needle." The Princess Residence possessed countless fertile lands and estates, and Puyang Yi herself might not even know how much land and manors her family owned. The concept of "renting" had never crossed her mind.

"Renting the land, wouldn’t that make me a tenant?"

She couldn’t afford to lose face like that.

"Not exactly." Feng Yun smiled and said, "Tenants rent land for farming and then pay the rent to the landlord. If you rent the land, you can dispose of it as you wish, pay for it in one lump sum for a number of years, and have high autonomy with no usage constraints. Of course, if you want, I can sell you a piece of my own land, but it’ll be more expensive."

Puyang Yi narrowed her eyes.

"How much?"

Feng Yun was calm and composed, "One mu of land, five hundred thousand coins."

"How much did you pay for it initially?"

"Five thousand."

Puyang Yi took a sharp breath upon hearing this.

She had never seen such a ruthless merchant.

She scolded, "You really ask for the moon, don’t you?"

Feng Yun just smiled, "I’ve been short on cash recently."

"I’ve never seen anyone do business like this," Puyang Yi was almost enraged to death, gritting her teeth, "Alright then. One hundred thousand coins per mu of land, and we have a deal."

"That won’t do," Feng Yun said, "Once the Emperor enters the village, the land price in Huaxi will surely soar. By then, the County Lord may not be able to buy it at this price..."

She smiled faintly again.

"If it weren’t for our relationship, I would hold onto it, waiting for the price to rise sharply, and I wouldn’t sell it to you. You should know, at the peak of Central Capital’s housing prices, they reached a million coins, and still, good houses were hard to find. What’s this in comparison?"

"Building a house isn’t that expensive."

"The value is in the land."

Feng Yun let out a low laugh, pointing towards the direction of Jieqiu Mountain, "That barren land at the foot of the mountain can be bought for five thousand coins easily. Does the County Lord want it?"

Puyang Yi pursed her lips.

She thought of the Princess Residence in Central Capital, which had been burned down for the most part. It was an imperial gift to her mother, located in the best district, and it was said to be worth more than ten million coins...

"Let me ask around and discuss it with mother."

She was usually extravagant and given to pleasure, having not much in the way of private funds. To undertake such a big deal, she still needed the Princess’s agreement.

When Puyang Yi returned to Taiping Garden, she was very apprehensive, struggling several times to broach the subject, using flattery and apologizing, and eventually massaging and kneading the Princess’s legs and shoulders as a small gesture of kindness...

The Princess couldn’t stand it anymore.

"Out with it, what trouble have you gotten into now?"

Puyang Yi chuckled, "Mother, you’ve got me wrong this time. I’m not like my older and second brothers; how could I possibly cause trouble?"

The Princess snorted coldly, not responding.

Puyang Yi spread out her fingers, showing a palm.

"I was just thinking, tentatively, about buying a piece of land in Huaxi Village to build a villa. It would cost this much..."

She was about to explain to the Princess the reasons for future appreciation that Feng Yun had mentioned, but unexpectedly, before she could even speak, the Princess agreed.

"The idea is feasible, and if the situation remains unchanged, Huaxi will have much potential in the future."

Then she looked at Puyang Yi with a reassuring glance.

"You’ve finally started using your head."

Puyang Yi felt stupefied for a moment, then her heart swelled with pride, and she felt herself floating on air. It wasn’t often that her mother praised her this way—especially for being capable and having brains.

It seemed that following Feng Yun’s train of thought held great promise.

Puyang Yi was ecstatic, bowing deeply to the Princess.

"Mother, leave this matter to me, and I assure you it will be handled perfectly."

-

Compared to Chunyu Yan, Feng Yun was not really a ruthless merchant. When Puyang Yi came with food, cloth, and five-bath coins to buy land, not only did Feng Yun personally take her to measure it, but she even drew a design draft for her on the spot.

"The County Lord can consider it."

Puyang Yi looked at the draft, envisioning the villa taking shape, her face animated with excitement.

"Good, let’s do as you say."

She pushed the draft back, tapping on a blank space.

"And while you’re at it, help me come up with a name as well."

Feng Yun: ...

She was expressionless, "Such a significant matter should be left to the Princess."

Puyang Yi thought it over and agreed, as her mother was so competitive, it might trouble her.

"Alright," she said brightly, taking the draft and looking around, "Isn’t General Wen at the estate?"

Feng Yun smiled slightly, "I’ve reserved a plot of land for my eldest brother as well. When he has time after the New Year, I will also help him with the arrangements."

Puyang Yi was almost blown away, she hugged Feng Yun in an instant.

"You should have said so earlier; then I want the plot of land next to General Wen’s..."

Feng Yun thought for a moment, then nodded, "You will have to pay more."

-

Wen Xingsu had no idea he had been sold at such a high price until he arrived in Huaxi Village at dusk the next day.

Being part of the entourage welcoming the Emperor, he also had to arrange security along the way.

Feng Yun had just bathed and changed her clothes, sitting by the window drinking tea and admiring the flowers.

When Wen Xingsu entered and mentioned the matter, she said, "When it’s time to escort the Emperor, I’ll go with my eldest brother."

In Andu, actually, the ladies of the court would usually just wait in the city. Wen Xingsu didn’t want her to suffer the hardship, but Feng Yun shook her head slightly and said composedly,

"That’s how it should be."

She wanted the Young Emperor to see her first.

To offer him such a sense of security.