Chapter 364: Better Be Honest

The Song Family members' faces turned pale, realizing that the other side had no intention of acknowledging them and had deliberately found such an excuse, so they had to reluctantly leave.

After sending the Song Family away, Qiao Mai went to the Imperial Palace herself.

Their family was essentially free to come and go in the Imperial Palace, and no one dared to trouble them.

When word spread that Qiao Mai entered the palace, the Emperor set aside his work and went straight to the Empress's chambers; Eleven also found it unusual, as his mother-in-law had never taken the initiative before, so there must be something.

Father Emperor and his son thought alike; although Qiao Mai's complexion was normal, a hint of displeasure could still be seen.

She was discussing the matter with the Empress; when she saw them enter, she ignored them, so the Emperor and the Crown Prince had to sit aside and listen.

"This Crown Princess has entered the palace; there is something I want to tell you."

"Mother-in-law, you're too polite; if you have something, just say it."

"Xian'er's maternal family came to my house today; they said they wouldn't see Eleven for a long time, so they asked me to pass a message, or bring them into the palace."

The Emperor, upon hearing this, was somewhat irritated: "I said I wouldn't let him receive the Song Family, yet he insisted, and now look at this,"

He didn't want to do anything he would regret; given his position, if they refused, no one could force him.

Outside the Keting, several Song Family girls of marriageable age stared in through the window, and from the moment they first saw the Crown Prince, they fell for him in their hearts.

"This Crown Prince is helping? Then when you weren't in Jingcheng, were you starving at home?"

Having been in Jingcheng for so long, they had heard that the Crown Princess's family was hard to deal with, so they thought that even if they couldn't become Crown Princess, being a concubine would be fine; when the Crown Prince ascended, they would become a dazzling consort in the harem.

The Crown Prince frowned, "Then what do you propose?"

"Send someone to keep an eye on them, and don't cause trouble in Jingcheng."

A few Song Family girls went together to the Qiao Ji Snack Puzi; they originally intended to eat for free at the Qiao Family, but the Crown Prince's warning made them restrain themselves a bit.

"Xian'er, don't be angry; we were wrong, wrong, and we won't dare it again,"

"Better be honest, or if your head falls off you won't even know what happened?"

"The silver notes this Crown Prince gave you can't be used to set up a few shops in Jingcheng for business?"

"This Crown Prince warns you, don't set your sights on my mother-in-law's house, nor on this Crown Princess; otherwise, don't blame this Crown Prince for being impolite."

"If your Yue family can't, many shops in Jingcheng are thriving; they say all under heaven belongs to the king. If you speak up, they'll definitely save face for you and let us have a share."

"What you're doing is extortion; you haven't lifted a finger yet want to reap without labor—how is that different from robbery? This Crown Prince, out of respect for the mother consort, took you back, but if you act like before, go back to where you came from."

The Emperor waved his hand at him, "Hurry up. The Song Family really—just taken back to Jingcheng and already this conduct. If you ever inherit my position, they still don't know how to stride through Jingcheng."

"Xian'er, we can't just sit and eat the mountain empty, nor can we keep asking you for help."

Shopkeeper Niu, hearing this inside, came out with two assistants.

The Crown Prince sneered, "A dog can't stop eating feces; why did the Father Emperor drive you out of Jingcheng back then?"

"Eleven looks good, but his temperament still lacks something,"

"Go line up at the back; otherwise even when it's your turn, we won't sell to you,"

The Song Family girls pretended not to hear, and someone shouted loudly, "Is anyone in charge? These people aren't queuing, they're cutting in, Qiao Ji's, is anyone in charge?"

Then they rolled their eyes, forced themselves into the line; many who saw them cut in were furious and cursed.

"Shameless, go line up at the back?"

Qiao Mai snorted, "I heard that during their stay in Jingcheng they've been running up debts in the Crown Prince's name; Eleven, you'd better investigate, I truly don't know what they're thinking."

Shopkeeper Niu, following the direction of people's pointing fingers, saw several girls dressed flamboyantly and thought they were girls from the building.

The Crown Prince was a bit embarrassed, "I thought after all these years the Song Family would have changed, but who expected they're still the same."

"Mother-in-law, rest assured, I'll go right away."

The Crown Prince left, but the Song Family didn't behave honestly.

The Crown Prince blushed and stepped back, and Qiao Mai glanced at the Emperor.

"That's not the case; we're just getting by. Now that we're in Jingcheng, the prices are too high, and we're your maternal family; we can't embarrass you, can we?"

"How about this: we buy two shops, you talk to your mother-in-law and have her sell us goods at a lower price; we'll open similar shops. In such a huge Jingcheng, one shop isn't enough; many people are queuing."

"That won't work, that won't work, so shall we just sit in the Zhai?"

The Song Family sat in the Keting, and upon hearing the Crown Prince's words, their faces turned white.

"What happened, why the shouting?"

During this visit to the Song Residence, he didn't even sip a cup of tea, let alone stay to eat.

The Song Family's greedy faces showed themselves at this moment.

"Who told you to go to Jixiang Yuan looking for Ling'er?"

He kept a composed expression and approached the Song Family girls.

"Hehe, it's just that we couldn't think of a suitable business at the moment, but today we went to your Yue family; the stalls at both sides of their doorway are really profitable. Talk to your mother-in-law and see if we can get a share."

At this moment the Crown Prince arrived with his men at the Song Family, and his enthusiasm from their first meeting had vanished.

Not only did they think so, the Song Family all thought the same; they came with this purpose.

He said what needed to be said; if the Song Family still doesn't know better, he'll stop caring.

Now the Song Family has no power, no status, and no money; it's not yet a time to be flamboyant, but it's almost there.

A few girls watched the crowd lining up at a hundred shops, wondering how long they'd have to wait to get a bite of this shop's snacks.

"What? Not selling to us? Do you know who we are?"

"They don't queue, they cut in line."

Sitting in the Keting, the Crown Prince kept a composed face.

"The Song Family's underhanded tactics are best not used on my lady, otherwise don't blame this Crown Princess for being impolite."

The Crown Prince was extremely annoyed; in a moment of heat he pleaded with the Father Emperor on their behalf, bringing them back—wasn't that just adding to his own trouble?

It really made him furious; had he known they'd be like this, he wouldn't have wasted the effort.

"Hmph"

You haven't been here for a long time; first, we miss you, and second, staying at home all day isn't a big deal.

The Crown Prince grew up in the palace, having witnessed many of its secretive schemes; when he saw the Song family girl's gaze on him, he began to keep guarding against the Song Family.

Don't even think about it; this Crown Prince can't even entertain it.

I will teach him; after all, he has lived in the palace for so many years, his temperament is solitary, yet in his heart he also yearns for familial affection.

Who are you, anyway? Even a Prince must queue; that's the rule—who in Jingcheng doesn't know it?

Summoning a deity is easy, but seeing them off is hard; once I settle the marriage matters between me and Ling'er, I'll dispatch them back to their native place.

If they dare, I will be the first who cannot spare them.

Upon arriving in Jingcheng, the Song Family, with the Crown Prince's silver vouchers, bought clothes and ornaments for their own daughters; unfortunately, the Crown Prince never gave them more than a passing glance whenever he came back.

From now on I will only acknowledge my birth mother, the Empress as my titular mother, and the Empress's external family.

Hey, who are you, speaking so boldly?

I am the shopkeeper of Qiao Ji Snack Puzi.

Ugh, a pathetic shopkeeper! We are the Crown Prince Highness's cousins, and this shop belongs to the Crown Prince's fiancée's family. I'm telling you, hurry and fill your shop with tasty food and drink, or else I'll have my cousin lay off the Princess of Tianshui.

Shopkeeper Niu, clasping his fists, said to those nearby, "You all heard, didn't you? This Song family girl is invoking the Crown Prince's banner to come eat for free, and they even dare to represent the Crown Prince in demanding the dismissal of my family's princess."

We all heard it; this Song family girl truly lacks proper upbringing—she comes to Jingcheng and spews reckless words, and as an external family she becomes this brazen.