FDPBCT 08

Chapter 08

Father Begs You, Please Don’t Be So Ambitious (Page 1/2)**

“Aunt, there’s one more thing. I’ve heard that the Crown Princess’s accompanying maidservant has an elder sister who was her only family, but they were separated at some point. The maidservant has been searching for her all along. Your niece had people look into it before, and I heard that her sister is now at the Spring Breeze Pavilion.”

“Perhaps we could start with this maidservant’s long-lost sister.”

In her previous life, she had vaguely heard that this maidservant’s sister was at the Spring Breeze Pavilion—a place of pleasure and entertainment. Her sister later lost her life there, and to avenge her, the maidservant personally killed the scholar who had deceived her sister. The Crown Princess had suffered considerable fallout as a result.

But in her previous life, she had been struggling to survive herself and hadn’t had the mind to care who her sister was—all she knew was that the woman was at the Spring Breeze Pavilion.

If they could find the maidservant’s sister ahead of time…

Consort De’s brows lifted high upon hearing this. “Oh? Such a thing exists?”

“Relying on each other through life and never ceasing to search—she must be someone who values deep bonds. And those who value bonds… are the easiest to control.”

She slowly raised her eyes to look at Gu Qingyu, her gaze filled with approval. “I’ll have someone investigate the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Whether that maidservant’s sister is alive or dead, whatever her identity—we will find her first.”

—

On the other side, after leaving the palace, Ye Qiong looked at her suddenly increased lifespan of five days and was momentarily dumbfounded.

“Did the task update?”

The System quickly checked the task panel.

[No, it didn’t.]

Ye Qiong carefully thought back over everything she had just done.

“Should I go beat up that Third Young Master Gu again?”

This was too good a deal—if she could gain lifespan just by beating people up.

The System, for once displaying a rare moment of conscience, advised.

[Probably not a good idea. How about waiting a couple of days until his injuries have healed a bit before beating him again?]

After all, if she killed him, there’d be no more wool to shear.

“Good point!”

Ye Qiong, pleased with her newly acquired five days of lifespan, happily returned to her manor.

But just as she stepped through the gates, she saw her father standing in the courtyard with a dark expression.

Ye the Filial immediately went over to show concern. “Father, what’s wrong? Who upset you? Don’t be afraid—tell me, and I’ll dig up their ancestral graves!”

Prince Duan pointed a trembling finger at Ye Qiong, his whole body shaking with rage. “You have the nerve to ask me what’s wrong?! Tell me—did you start those rumors going around outside?!”

Other than this little wretch, he truly couldn’t think of anyone else who would be so wicked.

Ye Qiong scratched her head, looking utterly bewildered. “Father, what rumors?”

Her mind was currently consumed with how to increase her lifespan—she genuinely hadn’t paid attention to any recent news in the capital.

Seeing her innocent expression, Prince Duan was so angry he jumped up.

“I took a nap and woke up to find that everyone outside is saying I’m already dead! Some are even saying I’ve been buried in the imperial mausoleum!”

Ye Qiong’s eyes widened. “Are the commoners really that ridiculous?”

“Tell me—what outrageous thing did you do behind my back this time?!”

Ye Qiong guiltily rubbed her nose. “Father, let me explain.”

“Lately, there have been rumors going around that you’ve been abducting men. I was worried about your reputation, so I…”

Prince Duan cut her off. “Wait a moment—who was it that ruined my reputation in the first place?”

“It was me, I admit it! But Father, even though I used your name to do the abducting, can you honestly say you bear no responsibility for this?”

“What responsibility do I have?”

“Why do the commoners spread rumors about *you* abducting men and not someone else? Father, you need to reflect on yourself. Is it perhaps because your reputation was already so poor that such rumors could take root? So when it comes to public image, Father, you really should learn from your daughter here.”

“Ungrateful wretch! You’re blaming me now?!”

“What else am I supposed to do?!” Ye Qiong said, her tone firm despite her lack of justification.

—

*(This chapter is not finished; please click the next page to continue reading.)*

**Chapter 8: Father Begs You, Please Don’t Be So Ambitious (Page 2/2)**

Just as the two were about to go at each other again, Steward Wang immediately stepped in to mediate.

“Your Highness, Princess—it’s time for the evening meal. Perhaps the two of you could continue this conversation after dinner?”

Father and daughter both touched their growling stomachs, suddenly aware of their hunger. They immediately called a truce and headed toward the dining hall.

Nothing was more important than a good meal.

But the harmonious atmosphere lasted less than a quarter of an hour before the manor’s accountant came rushing in, clutching a thick stack of bills.

“Your Highness, here are the bills for Her Highness the Princess’s renovation of the Spring Breeze Pavilion. Please review them.”

Having just finished eating and drinking, Prince Duan took the bills. At first, he leisurely stroked his beard. But as he read further down, his frown grew deeper and deeper, and he nearly pulled his beard right off.

When he saw that astronomical figure, he slapped the bills onto the table with a loud crack and pointed at Ye Qiong, who had already crept to the door and was trying to sneak away. He glared with wide, furious eyes.

“Ungrateful wretch! Stop right there!”

“I haven’t even settled accounts with you for spending a fortune on a run-down brothel—and now you dare to be this extravagant?!”

“What kind of renovation costs this much?!”

“You spendthrift! At this rate, our family will be eating the northwest wind before long!”

Unable to escape, Ye Qiong turned back with an awkward smile. “Father, calm down! These are all investments—they’ll earn it all back later! Once business is booming, I guarantee I’ll repay you with principal and interest. When I start making money, I’ll cover all your fine wine, Father.”

“Investments?” Prince Duan fumed, looking around for something to hit her with. “There are so many brothels in the capital—why did you have to buy the one with the worst business and in the worst location? By the time your business is booming, your father’s entire manor will have been squandered away!”

Ye Qiong ran circles around the table, dodging the shoes her father kept throwing at her.

“Father, I’m doing this for the good of our manor!”

“Imperial Uncle said that all we know how to do is eat, drink, and have fun—that we never do anything productive.”

“So I thought I’d buy a brothel and run it properly, so Imperial Uncle could see that I’m ambitious!”

Upon hearing this, Prince Duan nearly dropped to his knees in front of his daughter. “I beg you, don’t be so ambitious! If you keep this up, we won’t even be able to afford the northwest wind!”

Originally, the Prince Duan manor’s wealth was enough for the two of them to live comfortably for the rest of their lives.

But now that his daughter had gotten ambitious, the manor’s money was flowing out like water.

At this rate, they wouldn’t even have enough to live comfortably through next month—let alone for the rest of their lives.

Ye Qiong was displeased by his words.

“Father, are you looking down on me?”

“I’m not looking down on you. I just don’t understand—putting aside the fact that you spent a fortune buying a brothel that’s been losing money for years—why are you now spending a huge sum to renovate it?”

Prince Duan felt a headache coming on. There were so many brothels in the capital, and she had to play the fool and buy the Spring Breeze Pavilion—the one that had been on the market for years with no takers.

Ye Qiong looked supremely confident.

“Father, trust me. I’ve been reading a lot of books on business lately, and I’ve discovered that I have the potential to become the richest person in the capital.”

Prince Duan’s vision went dark. “Absolutely impossible!”

“Daughter, let’s just be content being idle wastrels. Why must you be so ambitious?”

If his daughter kept this up, his twilight years would be absolutely miserable.

Ye Qiong patted her father on the shoulder and began painting a rosy picture.

“Father, don’t worry. Once the Spring Breeze Pavilion is renovated, business will be booming. Your daughter will be the richest person in the capital. Once I’m making money, I’ll buy you any fine wine you want.”

Prince Duan clutched his chest, unable to listen any longer.

“Get out of my sight! From now on, you… you won’t be able to touch a single coin from this manor!”

“If you want to spend money, earn it yourself!”