LOT – Chapter 224 The Southern Duke’s Selling Price

The next day, during court, Lin Mo was still asleep in the carriage. The grimace on her face made both her father and grandfather wince as if their own teeth hurt.

“What on earth is she dreaming about to look so fierce?”

Minister Lin lightly pinched Lin Mo’s cheek, and even the muscles in her face were tense.

Bai Xiao thought to himself with frustration: She’s dreaming about her sister being taken away. I need to find a way to distract her attention—let her sister handle her own matters. That guy Ji Qianhua may be tricky, but he really is quite good to her sister.

When Lin Mo was a child, she was wild and mischievous, yet still an innocent little “meatball.” Ji Qianhua had spared no effort in trying to please this little meatball.

Lin Mo had even become the reason he got to see Lin Ran, so she had been taken advantage of plenty as a child.

The key was that this guy had a terrible memory for discipline. Whenever he got angry, a little tasty treat would immediately make him forget his anger. You could say that all the flesh on him had been genuinely earned from being bribed with food.

During court, Lin Mo was surrounded by a black aura. Everyone could clearly see that she was in a very bad mood.

Bai Xiao sighed: “Don’t be angry, don’t be angry. Let me tell you a juicy gossip.”

Lin Mo snorted. She couldn’t possibly not be angry, but gossip was still something she had to hear. “Go on, tell me. If this gossip isn’t good enough, I will stay angry.”

Even the Southern Duke (Zhen Nan Wang) had never witnessed such a scene. Having spent so many years fighting in the field, he had no idea that Lin Mo had gotten herself into this situation.

Prince Xin, seeing Zhen Nan Wang’s shocked expression, whispered: “Brother, there’s no need to be surprised. Lin Mo is quite popular now, and going to court is new and exciting for her every day.”

Zhen Nan Wang nodded, half believing it. Exciting? He didn’t feel that yet.

Bai Xiao explained: A few days ago, a storybook started circulating in the capital. It features Prince Xin and Zhen Nan Wang—both generals, both famous as war gods. So the author paired them together.

Prince Xin, who had just comforted Zhen Nan Wang, immediately lost his smile.

Zhen Nan Wang looked at Prince Xin in disbelief: “So this is what you call fun?”

Prince Xin wanted to cry but couldn’t. He never expected this gossip to target him personally. Eating someone else’s gossip is fun, but only if it doesn’t affect you.

“Do these people in the capital have nothing better to do?” he thought. He and Zhen Nan Wang governed different regions—one in the south, one in the north.

Lin Mo immediately became excited upon hearing this. Prince Xin was gentle and refined, Zhen Nan Wang heroic and vigorous—tsk tsk tsk, indeed a perfect pair for the story.

“Hehehe, which sister wrote this? Such good taste!”

Bai Xiao: Hehehe, it was Prince Xin’s wife who had it written.

Prince Xin: !!! “My wife, you’re at it again!”

Zhen Nan Wang looked at Prince Xin with a murderous glare.

Prince Xin gave a dry, apologetic smile. Recently, his wife’s earnings had been increasing, so the family’s situation had improved considerably.

He genuinely had no idea about the storybook. Had he known, he would never have allowed it to be written.

Now, everyone’s gaze on these two princes had subtly shifted, and the more they looked, the more they thought the pair suited each other.

The Xuande Emperor smiled faintly.

Zhen Nan Wang’s hair stood on end as he saw the way everyone looked at him. This wasn’t the first time he had encountered something like this—many storybooks had been written based on him.

Lin Mo’s mind itched with excitement. She had long forgotten about her troublesome brother-in-law. Now she only thought about getting off court quickly to buy this storybook.

These past few days had been too busy; otherwise, how could she not have known about a newly released storybook?

Bai Xiao felt truly relieved, sensing her mood. Distract her attention, that’s all that matters; everything else isn’t important.

(Prince Xin, Zhen Nan Wang: …Are our matters really not important at all?!)

At this moment, the steward of Zhen Nan Wang’s mansion was stunned upon seeing a huge sum of money being delivered.

“Please accept this on behalf of the household. It was sent by Her Highness, the Prince’s wife.”

Prince Xin’s personal maid wore a beaming smile. Recently, the storybook business had been incredibly lucrative—men and women alike enjoyed reading it.

The steward hesitated, unsure whether to accept it. Finally, he had no choice but to call Ji Qianhua over.

“Young Master, these were sent by Prince Xin’s household. Should we accept them?”

Ji Qianhua held a copy of his father’s storybook. Glancing at the chest full of silver, he waved: “Accept it. Accept it. This is all Father’s selling price. Father is indeed quite valuable.”

Steward: ??? Selling price?! The prince actually went to sell himself?

His hands shook. While Zhen Nan Wang’s mansion wasn’t particularly wealthy, it wasn’t impoverished enough to make the prince sell himself!

He didn’t want to accept the money, but Ji Qianhua said it was the prince’s selling price. If they didn’t accept it, wouldn’t all his efforts be wasted?

In the end, the steward tremblingly accepted it, saying in pain: “Rest assured, Young Master, I will use this money wisely. Not a single coin will be wasted, and I will not disappoint the prince.”

Ji Qianhua nodded, somewhat confused by the steward’s anguished expression. Money coming in isn’t a good thing?

He really didn’t understand the old steward’s mindset, but let him think whatever he wanted.

Prince Xin returned to find his wife calmly drinking tea.

“What’s the big deal? It’s just a storybook. Zhen Nan Wang is probably used to it—after all, dozens if not hundreds of storybooks have been written based on him over the years. And I didn’t write it for free; the money has already been sent. I even sent a big sum for him.”

Prince Xin: “It’s not about the money! Zhen Nan Wang has spent so many years fighting on the battlefield—how could a sum of money ever compare to his dignity?”

At Zhen Nan Wang’s mansion, seeing the chest full of silver, his anger instantly vanished.

“Not bad, not bad. It seems my sister-in-law is an honest person after all.”

Dignity? Compared to silver, that’s meaningless. Besides, this wasn’t a matter of life and death. The mansion needed money now, and their son still had to marry. A storybook based on him? They’d been written about before.

And those previous authors never sent silver. His sister-in-law had good character; Prince Xin truly had luck.

The old steward wiped tears, still in pain: “Though our mansion isn’t wealthy, it isn’t so poor as to have the prince sell himself!”

Zhen Nan Wang: ??? What is he talking about?

Ji Qianhua silently looked up at the sky. The steward misunderstood, but it wasn’t his fault. This “selling price” wasn’t the same kind—he didn’t lie, it was just the steward’s misunderstanding.