[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world":3,"chapter-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-54":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","The Phoenix Returns to Rule the World",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2353178,4602,"Chapter 54: Linglong Pavilion","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-54",54,"\u003Cp>That night, Jun Zijin went to bed early. She dreamed of her daughter from her past life, whose life remained unchanged, and dreamed that the original owner had become a mother to her daughter, and that her daughter was living very well. When Jun Zijin woke up with a start, her pillow was soaked with tears.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thinking of her daughter, she truly could not sleep, so she prepared to get up and sit in the courtyard. But just as she rose, she heard a rustling sound coming from the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin was startled. Could there be a thief? Jun Zijin grabbed a dagger used for self-defense and slipped behind the bed. The rustling sound continued, as if someone were prying at the window.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a while, there was a soft click, the window was pushed open from the outside, and a figure leaped inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The sound of the landing was a bit loud, and the person nearly stumbled.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was a good-for-nothing, Jun Zijin thought, rolling her eyes in disdain.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person steadied their stance, adjusted the face mask, shook off the hair that had fallen over their forehead, and then began to grope their way into the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So it was him! Jun Zijin had excellent night vision. Almost the moment the person landed, she recognized who it was by their build and the pair of peach-blossom eyes visible beneath the mask. She remained calm, wanting to see what this person was actually up to.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>She saw the person head straight for a box on the cabinet. So he was an old hand at this; his mother and sister had probably been robbed by him countless times. Jun Zijin pursed her lips, let out a cold snort in her heart, and flashed behind the person. She originally intended to grab the back of his neck with one hand, but due to the height difference, she grabbed it with one hand and, as he turned his head, smashed a fist into his nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ouch!\" the person let out a miserable cry, stumbled back two steps, and fell heavily to the ground with a thud. He wailed inwardly, followed by shock: this girl had been at the estate for six years, and now that she was back, she actually knew martial arts?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jun Chengcai, speak, what exactly are you trying to do sneaking into my room?\" Jun Zijin stifled a laugh and made a move to hit him, threatening him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The person pulled down the mask on his face, clutched his crooked nose, and shouted muddledly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't hit me, don't hit me, ouch... my nose! Great-aunt, you knew it was me and you still hit my nose? My nose just finished healing and you broke it again, you did that on purpose, didn't you?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Miaozhu, who was on night watch, heard the commotion and entered the room holding a lamp. Seeing Jun Chengcai sitting on the floor clutching his nose, she was so startled that the lamp in her hand nearly dropped. She asked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Young Lady, what is going on?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin pointed at Jun Chengcai, who was still sitting on the floor, showing a rare playful side:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's nothing, a mouse got into the room.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Jun Zijin, how can you talk like that? I am your older brother!\" Jun Chengcai shouted indignantly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin sneered:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Older brother? Is there an older brother who pries open his younger sister's window in the middle of the night and sneaks around rummaging through cabinets?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Chengcai was speechless for a moment, his eyes darting away. He had only wanted to borrow some silver. Who would have thought that not only would he fail to steal the silver, but he would also get beaten up again? Was he not wronged? Jun Chengcai pouted, feeling like he could cry.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin stopped smiling, walked over to Jun Chengcai, and squatted down: \"Jun Chengcai, you snuck into my boudoir in the middle of the night to steal. Tell me, should I tie you up and send you to the authorities, or hand you over to Father to deal with?\" Jun Zijin threatened him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Oh my, no, no, no, I was wrong, okay? I beg you, be the bigger person and spare me! You just received so many rewards, didn't you? I was just momentarily blinded by greed and thought I'd borrow some silver from you to spend...\" Jun Chengcai pleaded with a fawning face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Borrow? You're asking for a beating, aren't you?\" Jun Zijin let out a cold snort and made a move to hit him again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No, no, no, it's stealing, it's stealing! But, but I didn't succeed, did I? And you hit way too hard just now, my nose that just healed was broken by you again! Let's just call it even, okay...\" Jun Chengcai muttered in his own defense while clutching his injured nose.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Miaozhu, tie him up and send him to the authorities!\" Jun Zijin couldn't be bothered to waste words with him and turned to order Miaozhu beside her.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Chengcai panicked:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Don't, don't, my great-aunt, I'll tell you a piece of news, just spare me this once, I won't dare do it again, okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Speak quickly!\" Jun Zijin snorted coldly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your mother's dowry shop seems to be in the hands of my damned uncle.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing this, Jun Zijin narrowed her eyes slightly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Are you telling the truth?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Chengcai nodded repeatedly:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Absolutely true, I heard my mother and uncle discussing it with my own ears. I, Jun Chengcai, am a scoundrel, but I still look down on my mother and uncle for seizing a stepdaughter's property.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jun Zijin stood up and swept a look at Jun Chengcai with an unreadable expression. Sure enough, this battle was not over yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this, Jun Chengcai perked up and said with a grin:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard that Second Sister's medical skills are quite remarkable, why not treat my nose...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Get out!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yesterday, as soon as the Old Madam returned to Jingzhu Courtyard, she ordered the household to stop all financial dealings with the Wu family. This morning, she sent a maid to invite Jun Zijin over to check the account books together and calculate exactly how much the Wu woman had embezzled. When the maid arrived and learned that Jun Zijin had left the estate early, the Old Madam had to start checking them carefully herself. It didn't matter until she looked, but the more she looked, the more alarmed she became.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Early in the morning, Jun Zijin found the copy of Fang Mengru's dowry list and went out with Xiao He and Hanxiao, smiling. First, she went to the Jingzhao Prefecture to request the stubs of the shops Fang Mengru had brought as a dowry back then and made a copy. Holding the list, Jun Zijin ordered Hanxiao to lead the way. Hanxiao had grown up in Jingcheng and was familiar with the city's roads, so she led Jun Zijin directly to the jewelry shop Fang Mengru owned in Chengdong.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fang Mengru's jewelry shop was named Linglong Pavilion. The three of them stopped when they reached the opposite side of Linglong Pavilion and looked across at it together.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Linglong Pavilion was a uniquely designed, elegant, and imposing pavilion building, three stories high in total. It was said that each floor of this pavilion had a unique function and atmosphere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first-floor lobby was filled with a dazzling array of goods, all of which were daily items that women from ordinary households could afford. From exquisite hairpins to small earrings, from simple handkerchiefs to practical pouches, everything was available.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The second floor, compared to the first, was decorated more exquisitely and elegantly, and the items appeared more luxurious and precious. This floor featured various famous jewelry, gorgeous silks and satins, and ingenious embroidery crafts. This floor was dedicated to receiving young ladies from noble families and noble ladies.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The top floor, the third, was only open to the families of high-ranking officials and members of the imperial family. The entire floor was filled with a noble and mysterious atmosphere, and everything displayed was a rare treasure of the world. Priceless jade ornaments and rare antique calligraphy and paintings were all carefully displayed here.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Xiao He, standing beside Jun Zijin, watched for a while and suddenly muttered to herself:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The guests at Linglong Pavilion are truly endless. In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, sixteen people entered the first floor, and twelve of them made a purchase; five young ladies and three noble ladies went up to the second floor and all left with smiles on their faces, looking like they didn't return empty-handed. Two noble ladies went up to the third floor and haven't come down yet; I imagine they won't be disappointed either. In a single day, the first floor making thirty or fifty taels of silver is no problem. The second and third floors are for high-ranking officials and nobles, so the daily income should be around fifteen hundred taels. If they encounter big spenders, three or five thousand taels is not impossible. After deducting fifty percent for costs, there should be at least eight hundred taels of profit every day.\"\u003C\u002Fp>",1536,"2026-06-21T03:35:39.629Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","c09a0715231d1279a7b06addb55bcc31a932d2dfa6671520158ce5f553f082b3","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-55","the-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-chapter-53",224,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fthe-phoenix-returns-to-rule-the-world-cover.jpg"]