Chapter 112: The Cabbage Voluntarily Sticks Its Head Into a Pig

"Haha, Your Majesty, it's been two days since we last met; I have missed you greatly."

"I wonder, how have you been lately, Your Majesty?"

Chen Yan, brought by Li Junxian, opened his mouth with a grin.

Li Shimin had initially been looking forward to his arrival, but when he actually came, he felt inexplicably angry for some reason.

"Stop being so jovial with me. I ask you: in the past, whenever you saw me, you always bowed respectfully; why this time you didn't bow?"

Chen Yan pretended to feel aggrieved and said, "Isn't it because Your Majesty always stops me, leading me to think that You dislike such empty courtesies when You're out, and to accommodate Your preference, I therefore did not pay my respects immediately."

"I acknowledge my mistake; I will certainly correct it next time."

Li Shimin: "......"

What a good fellow, his speed of admitting fault is truly swift.

Weren't you rather tough before?

Li Chunfeng and Du Ruhui each turned—one glanced toward the window, the other bowed his head to look at the bed, their mouths twitching involuntarily.

Li Shimin, his head full of dark thoughts, too lazy to argue with Chen Yan over this, immediately said, "I heard Cai Duke say that you have been spreading rumors abroad, claiming that after spring, floods will occur along both banks of the Yangtze River, causing widespread panic among the people."

"I ask you, is there any truth to this?"

"...... Ha?" This time, Chen Yan was stunned, staring blankly at Du Ruhui, noticing that the other's expression mirrored his, and instantly realized that Li Shimin was trying to set him up.

After all, he had already told Du Ruhui about this, and only yesterday.

Du Ruhui is not the type to blab, so how could he have gone out spreading nonsense?

And cause the populace to panic.

Your brother's fart!

Chen Yan fell silent for a moment, then clasped his hands and said, "I acknowledge my mistake; I will certainly correct it next time."

Li Shimin's expression stiffened, choked and unable to speak.

Everyone understood why he said that; he merely wanted to tease Chen Yan.

But unexpectedly, Chen Yan didn't follow the usual script; he didn't deny anything, instead he directly admitted it, adopting a contrite demeanor.

He felt as if his punch had struck a pillow, the damage negligible, and he himself had overexerted, nearly spraining his waist.

Li Shimin was fuming, just about to lose his temper, when Chen Yan hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, I happen to have something to report to you."

"Recently, our restaurant has opened branches in two other prime locations in Chang'an; the winery and tea shop have also launched, and we have begun generating substantial profits."

"However, with so many establishments, I think we can settle accounts at the end of each month and distribute the appropriate profits to each partner."

Month‑end?

Li Shimin blinked and instinctively asked, "Isn't that just a few days away?"

"Yes, Your Majesty," Chen Yan replied, "I plan to start settling accounts three days from now, and at the latest on the fourth day we can receive the money."

"Oh, I see." Li Shimin instantly showed a gentle smile, patted Chen Yan's shoulder, and praised, "Zi An, you have done this well."

"To be frank, I've known you were capable since childhood; it wasn't in vain that I married Gao Yang to you!"

Li Chunfeng and Du Ruhui couldn't help but mutter in their guts: "Weren't you just calling him a stinky brat before?"

Now that he hears about money, he instantly becomes Zi An.

What a fickle man.

Li Shimin seemed to notice their odd expressions and cleared his throat, "Zi An, regarding the flood you mentioned to Cai Duke, I already…"

"Cai Duke has perused many historical records and confirmed what you said; I want to know whether you have a countermeasure?"

As his words fell, the three of them turned their gazes toward Chen Yan, awaiting his reply.

"Your Majesty, in truth floods are natural disasters beyond our control; the only thing we can do is prepare in advance."

"If you ask whether I have a countermeasure, I can only tell you this."

Li Shimin frowned, "But the Court lacks money and grain; how can we prepare in advance?"

Everyone understands the logic, but as the saying goes, a clever housewife cannot cook without rice; what's the use?

If he had money and grain, with a full treasury, would he still need to ask?

Chen Yan raised an eyebrow, "We have no money, but the aristocratic families do; we could simply earn it from them."

"... Hmm?" Li Shimin and Du Ruhui were taken aback, not quite grasping Chen Yan's meaning.

According to his statement, the flood is expected within a month or two, and constructing flood defenses would require a substantial sum.

In such a short time, how could we earn that much from the aristocratic families?

It was Li Chunfeng who seemed to have an idea, his face lit up with sudden realization.

Chen Yan didn't hold back, saying, "Your Majesty, have you perhaps forgotten the Glass Phoenix?"

Li Shimin, upon hearing this, grew urgent, "Do you intend to take that Glass Phoenix back and sell it to the aristocratic families?"

"No, no, that's absolutely impossible!"

But that's a Glass Phoenix, with an inscription praising Empress Changsun beneath it; how could he allow such a thing to fall into the outside world?

Chen Yan helplessly said, "I never said I would sell that Glass Phoenix."

"I merely meant that, since I crafted that Glass Phoenix, I could produce a second, third, even the hundredth."

"Whether it's a phoenix, true dragon, qilin, or white tiger, as long as we find a skilled sculptor, it's no problem."

"Is that for real?" Li Shimin's eyes lit up, his excitement just bubbling, then he suddenly recalled something, and his smile faded slowly.

"So that Glass Phoenix was truly your gift, intended for the Crown Prince to help you broker connections in Changle?"

"... Huh?" Chen Yan's mouth opened involuntarily, his mind flooded with question marks, unable to respond: "No, where did you hear that?"

"Me?"

"Give the Glass Phoenix to the Crown Prince, letting him set up a connection for me?"

"Then what else?" Li Shimin, irritated by this thought, thought that one or two such things were opposing him.

And Li Chengqian's ungrateful son was actually bribed over a single glazed phoenix.

Truly despicable!

Chen Yan fell silent for a moment, then softly said: "Your Majesty, do you think it's possible that I simply want to help the Crown Prince? And at the same time make Her Majesty a little happier?"

What's more, I have never had any improper thoughts about Princess Changle—why would I need the Crown Prince to play matchmaker?

"You never had any improper thoughts about Changle before?" Li Shimin glared, eyes wide, and snapped: "What the hell gives you the right to have no improper thoughts about her?"

"What's lacking in my Changle?"

Chen Yan: "......"

For a moment, he actually found himself at a loss for words.

He couldn't figure out what Li Shimin was thinking.

Isn't it a good thing that I never had any improper thoughts about Changle before?

How come you're still not happy about it?

It's not that I like it, nor that I dislike it.

This is just too damn hard, isn't it?

What Chen Yan didn't know was that Li Shimin had already figured some things out at this point.

He could tell that Chen Yan was probably not lying, so earlier he had misunderstood Chen Yan.

But after figuring this out, Li Shimin became even angrier.

Damn it, the cabbage is crawling into the pig's mouth on its own—who can stand that?

"......"