Chapter 4: The Late Arrival at the Ministry of Revenue

Fu Minglang initially thought that Princess Ning’an wouldn’t engage in a bidding war. He even considered the possibility that she might purchase the girl and gift her to him. But to his surprise, she offered three hundred taels.

At this moment, Fu Minglang had no idea why Princess Ning’an was at the Punishment Slave Department. His only focus was on securing the person for his plans.

The Nie family had excellent culinary skills, which would be advantageous to his next steps.

Reluctantly, Fu Minglang raised the bid, “Three hundred fifty taels.”

Li Ning’an immediately countered, “One thousand taels.”

The steward, sensing an opportunity, invited Princess Ning’an to sit in his place and ordered his subordinates to bring out the finest tea and snacks to serve her. Although the final sum would be added to the imperial treasury, the steward would get a tenth of it. The higher the price for Nie Rou, the better for him.

Fu Minglang cast a puzzled glance between Princess Ning’an and Nie Rou, and then it dawned on him.

It seemed his whereabouts had been exposed, drawing Princess Ning’an here.

When she saw Nie Rou, she likely assumed he was buying her to be a concubine or mistress, and out of jealousy, started competing with him.

Fu Minglang paid no attention to Princess Ning’an’s earlier dramatic threat to marry Yan Ziqi at the banquet. He saw it merely as a ploy to catch his attention.

Getting closer to her, Fu Minglang softly explained:

“Your Highness, I’m purchasing Nie Rou for her culinary skills. I know you’ve been tiring yourself by going back and forth between the palace and the Ministry of Revenue. The Nie family were once imperial chefs, far superior to the cooks in the Fu household.”

He thought Princess Ning’an would stop bidding once she realized he was doing it for her sake.

Fu Minglang then bid one thousand and fifty taels.

Li Ning’an didn’t even spare him a glance, countering, “Two thousand taels.”

Instead, she focused her gaze on Nie Rou.

The young girl had a delicate and clean appearance, standing beside her grandfather, the former imperial chef. Though she seemed a bit frightened, she remained composed and unafraid.

Dressed in the plain clothes of the Punishment Slave Department, she was at an age where young girls often admired heroes and felt the stirrings of infatuation.

The Punishment Slave Department didn’t care who bought their slaves, as long as the money was paid.

Fu Minglang’s actions were, in a way, pulling Nie Rou from the depths of despair.

She would become even more loyal to him than Li Ning’an had ever been.

Growing impatient, Li Ning’an turned to the steward.

“Ten thousand taels, and I want the entire Nie family.”

Hearing this, Nie Rou immediately looked over at Princess Ning’an.

The Punishment Slave Department was shaped like a courtyard. Upon entering through the main gate, there was a large open yard with buildings on three sides. At the inner end were the quarters for the steward and storage rooms, while the outer edge held the slave quarters. Patrols walked the corridors, and the Nie family was kept together under guard.

There are times when someone wealthy and kind-hearted might purchase an entire family.

But the gentleman just now clearly didn’t have the means to take her whole family with him.

However, Nie Rou’s grandfather had offended a noble in the palace, and if Princess Ning’an intended to bring them into the palace, it could easily provoke that person’s displeasure.

Nie Rou glanced at her grandfather, who gave her an encouraging look. She stepped forward and reminded, “Your Highness, my grandfather offended a noble in the palace. If you bring us into the palace, it might implicate you.”

Nie Rou was confident that this gentleman could not outbid Princess Ning’an.

Li Ning’an truly didn’t know who Nie, the imperial chef, had offended.

She had been learning from the palace pastry chefs, focused on trying to catch Fu Minglang’s attention, and wasn’t concerned about the affairs of the imperial kitchen.

“Who did you offend?” Li Ning’an asked the imperial chef.

The chef finally replied, “It was Consort Tong Xian and the Fourth Princess.”

He used to prepare meals for Consort Tong Xian, but on one occasion, the Fourth Princess happened to visit, found the food a bit salty, and felt that the imperial chef had been careless that day. As a result, his entire family was sent to the Punishment Slave Department.

Li Ning’an nonchalantly nodded, “Bring me the deed.”

Without this chef, both Consort Tong Xian and the Fourth Princess would continue to dislike her.

The steward noticed that Fu Minglang seemed to have lost favor but still thought that perhaps the princess would buy the people at a high price only to gift them to him later.

With a smile, he handed over the deed to Princess Ning’an.

Fu Minglang didn’t raise the bid again.

Although he was a rising star in the court and favored by the emperor, he couldn’t compete with Princess Ning’an’s wealth. His estate was only able to maintain its appearance of grandeur thanks to the shops, manors, and farmland given by the princess.

In the past, his mother wouldn’t even dare to buy a set of headwear worth three hundred taels. If he bought someone back at a price higher than Princess Ning’an’s, his mother would be furious.

This bidding war was far beyond what Fu Minglang could afford.

But he didn’t feel discouraged.

For three years, Princess Ning’an had tried countless ways to get his attention and affection. This time, it was likely the same.

After all, hadn’t they just stood closer together earlier?

Li Ning’an, after receiving the deeds for a few people, instructed the steward to have them sent to her villa. Suddenly, she remembered the deeds she had given to the Fu household.

Three shops, two manors, and a hundred acres of fertile land.

Li Ning’an barely spared Fu Minglang a glance, “Make sure to return the deeds that this princess gave you. I expect to see them tomorrow.”

Fu Minglang bowed and was about to escort the princess out when her words startled him, leaving him momentarily speechless.

Li Ning’an didn’t care if he heard or if he was willing to return the deeds.

These properties had brought the Fu household significant profits, so why should he get them for free? As for the embarrassment of asking for something she had given back, her pride had already been thrown away in her pursuit of Fu Minglang, so this was nothing.

The next day, Fu Minglang had his usual breakfast at home and, on his way to the Ministry of Revenue, ran into a few colleagues.

The group casually discussed some issues the Ministry of Revenue needed to address, and one colleague remarked, “The princess must have come up with some new trick again. Brother Fu, you’re truly fortunate. I could never be so lucky as to catch the princess’s eye.”

Translation:

Princess Ning’an would personally make pastries every day and deliver them to the Ministry, but Fu Minglang would distribute them to his colleagues. The craftsmanship of the pastries had noticeably improved over time.

These colleagues secretly envied him.

They hated that they lacked the skill to win Princess Ning’an’s affection.

Despite this, Fu Minglang, always maintaining the appearance of a righteous gentleman, repeatedly rejected the princess’s advances, while she persistently continued her pursuit.

“But don’t let private matters affect official duties,” one colleague remarked sarcastically.

Fu Minglang, maintaining his calm demeanor, replied warmly, “The princess is still young, just a child playing around, simply looking for something new and exciting.” Seeing that they were approaching the Ministry of Revenue, Fu Minglang added, “Perhaps she won’t come today.”

The colleague chuckled twice and didn’t respond.

Fu Minglang had said this before, but whether it rained or shined, as long as Fu Minglang was on duty, Princess Ning’an would definitely come.

Despite Princess Ning’an declaring the previous day that she intended to marry the heir of the Yan family, they all believed it was just to get Fu Minglang’s attention, thinking he had rejected her too harshly.

In the end, the emperor hadn’t agreed.

He even suggested that the Yan heir should formally request an imperial decree.

Everyone knew that the heir loved the company of beautiful women and indulged in luxury.

But he wasn’t someone who wanted to be tied down by a single person.

It was clear that this marriage wouldn’t happen, so why had Princess Ning’an chosen him?

It was obviously to make Fu Minglang jealous.

As they reached the entrance of the Ministry of Revenue, they were surprised to find that Princess Ning’an’s carriage was nowhere to be seen. Someone quickly tried to make an excuse for her absence.

“Could she be running late today?”

“How is that possible? When has Princess Ning’an ever arrived later than us?”

The group exchanged meaningful glances at Fu Minglang.

Suppressing the doubts rising in his heart, Fu Minglang continued walking inside.

“Perhaps the princess has found some new amusement.”

The Minister of Revenue was still waiting for Fu Minglang’s flood prevention proposal, so there was no need to dwell on these matters. The colleagues could only follow him inside.

It was probably for the best that she wasn’t coming today.

Thanks to Princess Ning’an not being an official in the Ministry, they weren’t constantly compared to her. Every day she arrived earlier than they did, and even the Minister of Revenue would bring her up.

“Look at Princess Ning’an’s determination!”

“Can you really afford to be late?”

“Shouldn’t you arrive earlier too?”

“Shouldn’t you be taking on more responsibilities?”

Because of Princess Ning’an, the efficiency of the Ministry of Revenue had improved quite a bit.

But today, Li Ning’an didn’t go to the Ministry of Revenue, and she hadn’t even made any pastries.

At that moment, she was still asleep, dreaming.

Back then, who was the fool waking up at the crack of dawn just to make pastries for someone? Even when she was studying at the Imperial Academy, she had never been this diligent.