Chapter 7: His Highness also judges by appearance

Seeing her appetite, she appears quite carefree, indulged yet not spoiled

How could Young Master Qin, with such great ambitions, be willing to remain beneath his legitimate elder brother? It is truly a pity that he has not yet entered the officialdom. "Xiao Lingyao unfolded her fan, as if she had made up her mind: "Feel free to ask whatever you wish."

May I ask, Your Highness, why have you chosen me

The conditions are indeed enticing, but unfortunately, there is no guarantee for the common people. If one cannot truly become a member of the same ship, the alliance will eventually collapse. Your Highness, with your noble status, you have your own means of extricating yourself, but for the common people, it will be difficult.

In this world, every cause has its effect. If there were nothing to gain from him, why would the esteemed princess take such a nameless consort? Qin Feng smiled faintly, raised his cup, sipped his tea, and remained silent

Salted fish? What does this have to do with turning over? Xiao Lingyao felt a throbbing pain in her head; this person speaks in such a strange manner

Young Master Qin Er believes that my requirements are too stringent

Oh, then what do you consider to be sincerity

A self-deprecating smile appeared at the corner of Qin Feng's mouth: "Why bother starting such a collaboration? A commoner would rather be a salted fish... slowly turning over."

Xiao Lingyao spoke in one breath, and Qin Feng raised an eyebrow; this prince is indeed a skilled negotiator and a master of literature

Xiao Lingyao finally stopped after having her fill, picking up a silk handkerchief to wipe her hands. She only brought along the two people outside, without even a single palace maid accompanying her. Qin Feng raised an eyebrow; this princess, who was rumored to be excessively favored, was quite different from what he had imagined, showing no signs of being delicate or spoiled.

I have only heard indirectly that this prince is also a target for the other princes to win over, but I have never heard of her taking sides; rather, she has kept herself completely detached. However, today she has come to seek him out and has pushed him towards the position of a candidate for the prince consort. What is this prince scheming?

Even though she was disguised while leaving the palace, Xiao Lingyao's words were no different from those of an ordinary person. She chuckled softly and said: "It is merely a matter of mutual benefit, Doctor Qin. What you desire is nothing more than to gain independence, to break free from the Taifu residence, and from now on, to have the freedom to manage your business as you wish. This is one aspect of it."

Secondly, you can now be considered a hidden wealthy individual in Sui City. Unfortunately, there is a sword hanging over your head—the Supervisory Office. The officials suppress the merchants, and once your true identity is exposed, there will be many envious individuals. Do you think there will be anyone who would act against you?

The commoners are inherently deficient, with weak constitutions and insufficient digestive strength. Moreover, it is best to eat until one is only seventy percent full," Qin Feng said in a composed manner, "Please take your time, Your Highness.

Qin Feng and - the picture - upon seeing Xiao Lingya begin to taste tea, finally stood up, took a few steps back, and bowed: "I, a mere commoner, am just a lowly doctor. Although I secretly manage a business, I have not entered officialdom. I dare to ask why Your Highness has recommended me as a candidate for the position of prince consort. Please enlighten me, Your Highness"

Xiao Lingyao's last remark nearly made Qin Feng spit out the tea in his mouth; even a dignified princess is someone who judges by appearances

There is, to some extent, a certain degree of sordidness among the princes, which he gathered from listening to the conversations of his father and brothers at the table

"May I ask, Your Highness, what led you to designate me as a target one year ago?"

Xiao Lingyao's curiosity faded. Every few months, artisans are summoned to the palace to perform puppet shows. Does he mean that he is merely her puppet? Unwilling to be a puppet, is she trying to negotiate terms with him?

Xiao Lingyao paused, her anger turning into a smile; this fellow is truly bold. He, a grown man, only eats until he is seventy percent full, yet she, a delicate princess, is supposed to eat until she is completely full and lose face

Xiao Lingyao's eyes slightly changed; this Qin Feng is quite bold! Yet the corners of her mouth lifted, finding it interesting

This was the first time Xiao Lingyao had heard the term "tool person". She slightly frowned and asked, "What does 'tool person' mean?"

Your Highness is aware of my background; over the course of more than a year, m.hetushu.com has gathered detailed information, and my vulnerabilities are entirely in Your Highness's grasp. However, I possess no information about Your Highness. In other words, in this long-term collaboration, I am completely at the mercy of Your Highness, no different from a mere tool.

You possess a spirit of independence, which is the first reason; you have vulnerabilities, which is the second reason; you can spend lavishly, which is the third reason; your business under your name serves many purposes, which is the fourth reason; you are skilled in disguise, which is the fifth reason; you have an impressive appearance, which is the sixth reason. I wonder if the above reasons are satisfactory

My spouse and I each pursue our own affairs, without interfering with one another, and will henceforth be allies. As for the Supervisory Office, Lord Ding has accepted numerous bribes from the merchants over the years. With the evidence being irrefutable, how can he possibly retain his position? At that time, I will have my people take his place, ensuring your safety.

Qin Feng's eyelids twitched uncontrollably; the marriage of his legitimate elder brother had long been on the agenda, yet his legitimate mother said nothing about it, keeping it tightly under wraps, as if afraid that someone would disturb the good news. Unexpectedly, it turned out to be the daughter of Lord Ding from the Supervisory Office. Truly, it seems heaven intends to ruin him

Feng Bao leaned against the door, yawning intermittently. The displeasure in the old man's eyes deepened. When the upper beam is not straight, the lower beam will be crooked; this young fellow is so unruly, one can only imagine what kind of character Qin Feng possesses. How could His Highness possibly take a liking to someone like this, simply because he is wealthy

However, his calculations were mistaken; having finally left the palace, she had no intention of giving up easily, and the dishes at Yuchun Tower were quite good

For a moment, Xiao Lingyao was engrossed in tasting the dishes, while Qin Feng sat across from her, secretly pondering how this young nobleman had no airs about him. A person of golden branches and jade leaves, usually attended by numerous servants during meals, was now dining perfectly well without a single attendant.

Qin Feng secretly complained to himself that after being in this dynasty for so long, it was still difficult to rid himself of modern colloquialisms. He spat in his heart and his brows moved slightly: "Puppet"

At this moment, Qin Feng set down his teacup and slowly said, "If Your Highness wishes to conspire with a commoner, that previous statement lacks sincerity."

The current daughter of the Supervisory Department's Minister is the intended bride of your elder brother, Qin Yunzheng. You and your elder brother have always had a strained relationship. If the two families were to unite through marriage, how would you position yourself in the future? Do you really think you can keep this a secret for a lifetime?

Eating so little, no wonder you can't become a military general. However, it's truly surprising that you didn't even participate in the civil examination

Xiao Lingyao scrutinized his expression, tapping the fan in her palm rhythmically. The three people outside could not hear the commotion inside and felt that the two had been in there for quite some time. The previously indifferent eunuch furrowed his brows, almost ready to barge in.

The meaning of this statement is that I am already full, so please take your time eating

However, the meaning behind his words is quite clear and resonates with her greatly

In the Guailai Pavilion, Qin Feng was unaware that someone had dragged out the old matter of him spitting blood, and was subtly insinuating that he was somewhat weak. He had not missed a single bite of his meal, and when he felt seven-tenths full, he set down his chopsticks and respectfully said to Xiao Lingyao: "The commoner is well."

The public is quite aware of this sole princess, for instance, she is the only daughter of the Emperor and the current Empress, the only girl among four sons and one daughter, with the title of Jinhua. Her elder brother and younger brothers also dote on her.

In the conversation, all his difficulties were discussed, and a grand vision was painted for him, which sounded entirely beneficial to him

With her current attire, she resembles a young man with a feminine appearance

You have concealed all businesses except for the medical clinic from your family. If something were to happen, would your family protect you? Years of hard work could be lost in an instant. If you could become a prince consort, when we marry, the Emperor would grant you a residence. I would leave the palace, and you would leave your residence, and we could find a way to establish our own household.

Qin Feng could not recall any unusual events that occurred that year