Chapter 10: 10.第10章 给皇帝当小老婆？

“Heh,” Tianqing Zhi chuckled and waved his hand toward Old Thirteen. “Thirteenth Brother, one must not judge things solely by appearances. Otherwise, it is very easy to be deceived.”

“According to the information I previously ordered my men to investigate, this Miss Luo is more than just a martial arts prodigy. She has many more titles to her name—things like the number one beauty, a talented woman, and a female Bodhisattva. Of course, most importantly, she is the true master of the Luo Family Chamber of Commerce. It can be said that all of the Luo family's business is decided by her, and her every decision can affect the business world of the South, or even the entire country.”

Old Thirteen, Tianqing Zheng, was secretly alarmed by what he heard and blurted out, “Fourth Brother, then this woman is far too important.”

“Sigh!” Tianqing Zhi sighed. “She is indeed very important. Unfortunately, she belongs to your Ninth Brother.”

“What?” Hearing this, Old Thirteen could not help but stand up. “A woman like that would willingly become Ninth Brother's concubine?”

The Fourth Prince shook his head. “Logically, she shouldn't. However, according to my subordinates, she has indeed had private contact with your Ninth Brother.”

“I heard about that as well. After Ninth Brother returned to the capital, his followers were boasting everywhere, saying that the Miss of the Luo Family Fort in Yangcheng admires Ninth Brother and is willing to offer herself along with her family's wealth. But looking at Miss Luo today, she doesn't seem like that kind of person,” the Thirteenth Prince said.

“That may be so, but at the very least, she is on the same boat as your Ninth Brother in terms of business. Furthermore, given Ninth Brother's ability to handle women, I fear it is only a matter of time before she becomes his prize in the bag,” Fourth Prince Tianqing Zhi sighed slightly.

“It seems Eighth Brother's strength will only grow stronger from now on.”

“Eighth Brother's reach is truly getting longer and longer.”

“Alright, let's not mention this anymore.” After saying this, Fourth Prince Tianqing Zhi instructed Yin Lang, “Pass down the order: tomorrow, take the silver and head to the banks of the Yellow River to provide disaster relief.”

“Yes!”

……

Luo Bingluan sat in her carriage, rushing all the way back to the Luo Family Fort.

When she arrived home, Old Butler Qian came to meet her. “Miss, you've finally returned. The Master and Madam have been waiting for you for quite some time.”

“Are my parents back?” Luo Bingluan asked hurriedly.

“Yes, Miss. They are waiting for you in the drawing room,” Old Butler Qian replied.

Without time to say anything else, Luo Bingluan hurried toward the drawing room.

When she arrived, she saw her father and mother with expressions of worry on their faces.

“Father, Mother, Luan'er is back.”

Seeing his daughter had returned, Master Luo asked, “I heard from Butler Qian that you went to a banquet at the Commercial Bureau?”

“Yes, but nothing happened. It was just two princes from the Imperial Capital who came wanting us to donate some money to aid the disaster victims. I didn't want to offend those two princes, so I agreed.”

Hearing this, Master Luo could not help but sigh. “Were they the Fourth Prince and the Thirteenth Prince?”

“Yes, it was those two.”

“Sigh, I suppose in their eyes, our Luo family already belongs to the Ninth Prince, and as for you, Luan'er...” Master Luo hesitated, unable to finish his sentence.

“What about me?” Luo Bingluan asked in confusion.

“Early this morning, your mother and I went to see an old acquaintance from the Imperial Capital. He said that after the Ninth Prince returned to the capital, rumors spread that you admire him and wish to offer yourself along with the entire wealth of the Luo family.”

After hearing this, Luo Bingluan's teeth itched with rage. *You bastard, Tianqing Xiao, just wait and see how I deal with you later.* Outwardly, she said, “Father, Mother, there is no need to care about such things. He likely intends to cut off our retreat so that we will be forced to serve him wholeheartedly.”

Master Luo nodded and said, “Indeed.”

“Alright, let's not talk about that. There is something your mother and I intend to tell you,” her father said with a serious expression.

“Ah? What is it?” Luo Bingluan sat up straight; the main topic had arrived.

Master Luo said solemnly, “Back in the day, when your mother and I were still in the Imperial Capital, we once accidentally saved a person. Furthermore, the reason our family's business could extend to the Imperial Capital was thanks to a single word from that person.”

“And that person is the current Emperor.”

“Moreover, that Mr. Huang you met in Hangzhou was none other than the current Emperor, Tianqing Xuan.”

Luo Bingluan was stunned. Although she had thought that person was not simple, she hadn't expected such a massive background. *'Huang Shan?' 'The Emperor!'* So he had revealed his identity long ago; she just hadn't realized it.

But so what? Why did her parents look so worried?

“This year, the Emperor is selecting concubines to enter the palace. Originally, your father had found a way to exempt you from the selection, but the Emperor is very interested in you. This morning, he invited your father to see him and insisted that you participate in the selection this year...”

“What? Selecting concubines?” Luo Bingluan was speechless. *You old Xuan, you actually want me to be your little wife?*

What should she do? She was still young; she didn't like old men!

Although Luo Bingluan had indeed thought about using this Great Emperor Tianqing to promote technological innovation and carry out reforms, being sent into the palace to be Old Xuan's little wife was out of the question.

Setting aside the issue that women in the inner palace were not allowed to interfere in politics, if she entered the palace, she would likely be driven to death by the struggles of the harem before she could even start her reforms.

Luo Bingluan felt a surge of regret and cursed herself inwardly: *“I told you not to show off in front of people. Now you've caused trouble.”*

Seeing her distressed state, Luo Bingluan's mother said compassionately, “Luan'er, your mother knows you are unwilling. However, things have come to this, and the Imperial Decree cannot be disobeyed. Your father and I are also loath to see you go.”

“Sigh!” Master Luo sighed deeply and comforted her, “The current Emperor is a sage and a wise ruler. Since he cares for you so much, he will surely treat you well.”

Luo Bingluan felt incredibly stifled. Thinking back to how she had worked so hard over the years to achieve what she had today, in the end, because of one word from Old Xuan, she would have to obediently become a lonely woman in a deep palace?

……

When Luo Bingluan finally returned to her room in a daze, she sat before her dressing table and looked at herself in the mirror. She couldn't help but sigh, “If only I were uglier, then the Emperor probably wouldn't want me, right?”

“Disfigure myself? I can't bring myself to do it. Disguise myself? What if he blames my parents?” Luo Bingluan sighed inwardly. “What on earth should I do?”

Should she just cast everything aside and live as this Great Emperor Tianqing's little wife, never asking about the affairs of the world again?

“No, absolutely not. I must find a way to make him abandon this idea,” Luo Bingluan determined silently.

“Miss, someone from the teahouse has sent a letter for you,” the old butler's voice came from outside the door.

She had her maid, Zhuque, bring the letter. Upon opening it, she read

“Tomorrow at noon, I invite Miss Luo to a discussion at the teahouse. —Huang Shan.”

*Damn, this Old Xuan really is an old ox planning to eat my tender grass!*

……

The next day, after breakfast,

Luo Bingluan calculated the time. It was about time. She turned to Zhuque and said, “Prepare everything. I need to bathe and change.”

As soon as noon arrived, Luo Bingluan arrived at the previous teahouse, accompanied by Qinglong, Baihu, Zhuque, and Xuanwu.