Chapter 57: The Path to Wealth

Zhu Yunxeng invited Lady Lan to enter and take a seat in the main hall.

A maid in the estate—who were originally palace maids—hurriedly brought in tea to serve them.

Having transmigrated into this world, this was the first time Zhu Yunxeng had met Lady Lan.

He had seen her before in his inherited memories, but he had never been favored much. Especially after the death of his elder brother, Xiongying, the encounters became even fewer. Now, he could barely recognize her, feeling a sense of unfamiliarity.

"Lan Yu is several decades old yet remains so devoid of sense; I have already given him a severe scolding,"

Lady Lan said, "He has caused trouble for Your Highness."

Zhu Yunxeng replied, "Grandmother, please do not say that. We are family."

"Being family is wonderful!"

Seeing that her grandson still acknowledged the Lan family, Lady Lan smiled faintly and said, "Yesterday Changsheng returned and told me that Your Highness is lacking someone reliable to follow by your side for protection, is that right?"

So she had come to send someone over.

"How could I dare to trouble Grandmother?"

Zhu Yunxeng wanted to find out who the person was, but a certain degree of modesty was still necessary.

"It is no trouble at all!"

Lady Lan smiled and said, "Changsheng is clumsy and heavy-handed; how would he know how to find someone suitable for Your Highness? Dahui, come over here."

Walking close beside her all along was a petite and delicate-looking young woman. Zhu Yunxeng had initially assumed she was just a little maid attending to Lady Lan.

Hearing this, the young woman called Dahui stepped forward.

She appeared to be three or four years older than Zhu Yunxeng, remarkably delicate and pretty. Though tall, she possessed a dainty frame. At that moment, she stole a glance at Zhu Yunxeng, flushed slightly, and stood quietly in place.

"Yang Dahui,"

Lady Lan introduced her, "She is the granddaughter of an old subordinate of your grandfather. Both her parents have passed away, so I kept her by my side. She was born with unusual physical resilience and has practiced martial arts since childhood. Several ordinary martial artists cannot even get close to her. Your Highness, do not let her petite appearance fool you—even Changsheng cannot defeat her. She can be quite fierce!"

"Really?"

Zhu Yunxeng looked at Yang Dahui with a skeptical expression, filled with doubt.

"Dahui, show him what you can do."

With that, Lady Lan asked, "Your Highness, is here acceptable?"

"Yes, go ahead and try."

Zhu Yunxeng was brimming with curiosity.

He genuinely doubted Yang Dahui's strength, yet considering that extraordinary individuals existed, he figured it might actually be normal.

People with special skills often tended to have a striking contrast in their appearance and abilities.

"Very well!"

Yang Dahui declared, bringing her palm down sharply onto the table beside them.

Bang...

With a loud crash, the table shattered into pieces, scattering debris all across the floor.

What formidable strength!

Seeing this, Zhu Yunxeng stood up in astonishment.

This Miss Dahui truly was an extraordinary person!

Noticing Zhu Yunxeng looking at her with such a surprised expression, Yang Dahui looked immensely proud. The girl lacked any scheming nature; whatever was on her mind was directly reflected in her expression.

"Your Highness, is everything alright?"

Lady Lan asked.

"Fine, wonderfully fine!"

Recovering his wits, Zhu Yunxeng praised, "Dahui is truly formidable! She was meant to protect Grandmother, wouldn't it be inappropriate for her to follow me now?"

Lady Lan replied, "If Your Highness does not disdain her, what could possibly be inappropriate?"

With that, she turned to Yang Dahui and added, "From now on, you belong to His Highness. Rest assured and follow closely by His Highness's side; you will not be mistreated."

"Understood!"

Yang Dahui's expression turned solemn as she stepped in front of Zhu Yunxeng and bowed deeply. "From now on, this servant will protect Your Highness's safety."

Zhu Yunxeng corrected her, "You are no servant; you are my personal guard. Since you are willing, you may stay. Thank you, Grandmother, for paying such close attention to my affairs."

Lady Lan answered, "Your Highness's affairs are our family's affairs!"

As long as Zhu Yunxeng could successfully ascend the throne, it would benefit the entire Huaixi nobility.

"I should be heading back as well."

Lady Lan added.

"I shall see Grandmother out."

Zhu Yunxeng rose to his feet.

Escorting her all the way outside, Zhu Yunxeng saw Yang Dahui gazing with lingering reluctance as the Lan family's carriage drifted away. He said, "If you miss Grandmother in the future, you may return to visit her."

Yang Dahui lowered her head and replied, "No, my duty is to protect Your Highness!"

She spoke those words with utmost earnestness.

Having chosen Zhu Yunxeng, she was now a person of his household and would never look back.

Now that his personal guard was secured, Zhu Yunxeng needed to consider how to resolve the issue of his estate's expenses. Without money, with so many people living in the mansion, sooner or later they wouldn't even be able to afford meals.

Asking old Zhu for money was certainly an option.

However, doing so would drastically lower his impression scores and hinder his ability to prove his own competence.

If he could not even manage this small household, how could he govern the entire nation of Great Ming in the future?

"Let's go out for a walk."

Zhu Yunxeng said.

Yang Dahui hurried to follow closely by his side, never leaving him even for a step.

By this season, the weather was turning increasingly chilly.

This was the first time Zhu Yunxeng could stroll freely outside the imperial palace. The last time he went out, he was flanked by a crowd of embroidered uniform guards, making movement quite inconvenient.

This time, he was truly free.

Even though he could guess that Zhu Yuanzhu would certainly arrange for people to keep an eye on him in secret, it mattered not—let them watch all they wanted.

"Dahui, what kind of business do you think I should start?" Zhu Yunxeng asked.

"Does His Majesty not give Your Highness money to spend?"

Yang Dahui asked, not quite understanding.

Zhu Yunxeng sighed, "Imperial Grandfather is miserly and won't give me money; I have to earn it myself."

Yang Dahui pondered for a moment before saying, "But I have heard that imperial relatives, nobles, and court ministers are all forbidden from engaging in commerce outside."

Hearing this, Zhu Yunxeng shook his head and smiled.

Such a regulation existed, but it was merely a rule, and Zhu Yuanzhu did not enforce it too strictly.

Which of those nobles, officials, or even feudal princes did not own some kind of property in Jinling?

One had to know that official salaries were pitifully low. Without engaging in business and lacking properties under their names, how else could they support their families?

Not to mention Zhu Yunxeng's imperial uncles.

The properties they owned in Jinling were undoubtedly even more vast. Sometimes, even if they did not want them, subordinates would eagerly present properties to them, begging for the protection of an imperial prince. Claiming to have no money was merely pretending to be poor.

"I am different."

Zhu Yunxeng said.

Yang Dahui did not understand why he was different, nor were these matters for her to consider.

However, while strolling leisurely, Zhu Yunxeng unexpectedly caught sight of Zhu Gui, Zhu You, and Zhu Zhi returning from outside the city gates.

"Thirteenth Uncle, Fourteenth Uncle, Fifteenth Uncle."

Zhu Yunxeng waved his hand and walked up to greet them.

"Yunxeng!"

They were equally surprised.

"What are you doing here?"

Zhu You asked.

Zhu Yunxeng replied, "Just out for a walk. Why are you all returning from outside the city?"

Zhu Zhi explained, "Second Uncle and the others are returning to their fiefs; we just went to see them off."

Zhu Yuanzhang had ordered them to return long ago, but they had dragged their feet until now.

Today was the final deadline for their departure.

Terrified of old Zhu and not daring to disobey, they had departed together today, while Zhu Gui and the other princes still remaining in the capital had gone out to bid them farewell.

"So Second Uncle and the others are heading back."

Zhu Yunxeng suddenly understood. Why hadn't anyone notified him so that he could also go see them off and build some connections? He then asked, "Right, do you know what kind of businesses Second Uncle and the others have in the capital?"

He wanted to see what his imperial uncles had been up to as a reference.