Let's Squander A Billion First!-Chapter 1656: Lord Qiansui (8)

The items on the tray aren’t some rare treasures; they’re just a pile of gold leaves.

The gleaming gold could blind the eye.

Yin Shen: "..."

Yin Shen gestured for the man to put the tray down: "Did she see them?"

"Yes, she did."

Yin Shen raised his hand to support his chin, his fingertips fiddling with the pile of gold: "Then why send these things over?"

He had already said that they were a token of thanks for her saving Princess Changhuan.

"I don’t know..."

Yin Shen flicked his fingertips, covering the gleaming gold leaves with the brocade.

"Have you found out what I asked you to investigate?"

The palace attendant immediately replied: "This lady entered the Capital City a few days ago, initially stayed at an inn, and within days bought the vacant house at the end of Haitang Street. Then she went to Qingquan Temple to gild the Buddha statue... No other information has been found yet."

Perhaps afraid of Yin Shen’s blame, the palace attendant lowered his head deeply.

"Is it her who wants to gild the Buddha statue at Qingquan Temple?"

Recently, the temple has been bustling with numerous workers coming and going.

It’s because someone wants to gild the Buddha statue.

Note, it’s gilding the statue, not merely plating it.

The entire statue is crafted out of gold.

Yin Shen: "She lives on Haitang Street?"

"Yes."

Yin Shen smiled and waved the palace attendant away.

The palace attendant hurriedly got up and left, exhaling heavily as he exited the room, feeling lucky for Yin Shen seemed to be in a good mood today.

-

Chuzheng looked at the unearthed box, holding her face, gazing expressionlessly.

It’s not that she wanted to be embarrassed, but the King’s Account seemed enthusiastic about it.

Perhaps because she hadn’t interacted with Yin Shen up close this time, always at a distance, so no intense intuition arose.

Chuzheng asked Jin Zhi to gather information about this Grand Steward.

The affairs related to this person are not difficult to find out, and Jin Zhi soon reported back to Chuzheng.

Yin Shen, due to his family’s poverty, was sold into the palace by his family.

Initially, Yin Shen was placed in a concubine’s palace because of his good looks.

However, the concubine was quickly punished and thrown into the Cold Palace for her offenses.

The eunuchs and palace maids in the concubine’s palace naturally got implicated, and Yin Shen was relegated to the group doing dirty and strenuous work.

Already living at the bottom, but the competition at the bottom was also fierce.

Being the youngest and good-looking, people made him do all sorts of jobs.

During meals, they wouldn’t save any food for him; during sleep, he’d find his quilt missing, locked outside the door in the cold winter, getting punished when discovered.

Initially, Yin Shen endured all silently.

But as people got worse, if he didn’t fight back, he’d eventually die at their hands.

Do you think anyone in the palace would seek justice for a eunuch?

No, they wouldn’t.

If someone like him died, they just died; no one would remember them.

Therefore, he couldn’t just die like that.

In such an environment, for Yin Shen to survive, he had to resort to certain means, as one could imagine.

Yin Shen seized every exploitable opportunity and eventually left that place, starting anew in the palace.

From a little eunuch to the head eunuch of a palace.

Then he joined an important department in the palace, climbing step by step, eventually serving by the Emperor’s side.

Yin Shen was favored by the Emperor, even though he wasn’t as sycophantic as other eunuchs, the Emperor liked his work because he was thorough. Even things others couldn’t handle, he managed.

The Grand Steward near the Emperor felt threatened by Yin Shen’s position and started targeting him.

The struggle between these two went on for a long time, with Yin Shen bearing many hardships during.

But in the end, Yin Shen won.

He replaced the Grand Steward, becoming the favored one by the Emperor’s side.

Perhaps due to past experiences, Yin Shen became more moody after gaining power, hard to predict.

In short, this Yin Shen is a blackened Yin Shen.

A Yin Shen who had blackened yet matured over time.

Chuzheng: "..." 𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

So difficult.

Should I imprison or break your legs and then imprison?!

While Chuzheng pondered how to get the Good Person Card, on the other side, Princess Changhuan was on the verge of madness.

She was unwell, and yet she wasn’t allowed to rest.

They made her pray every day, constantly praying!

Princess Changhuan was always being watched by Yin Shen during prayers, but unlike others who feared him, Princess Changhuan seemed less restrained, often pointing at Yin Shen and cursing him.

Even when angered, Yin Shen rarely lost his temper with Princess Changhuan, resorting to mockery rather than severe punishment.

After another bout of insults from Princess Changhuan, Yin Shen’s face looked displeased.

"Princess, it seems you haven’t learned palace etiquette well. When you return, I’ll request Your Majesty to order you to sincerely learn them."

Princess Changhuan glared, shouting: "Yin Shen, you’re perverse!!"

Yin Shen smiled: "Then it’s best not to provoke me."

Princess Changhuan: "..."

"Keep the Princess in check."

Yin Shen tossed the words, striding away briskly.

Princess Changhuan wanted to leave, but palace attendants stepped forward to block her.

"You all..."

Princess Changhuan glared at them, her face flushed with anger.

Finally, she stormed inside.

Closing the door behind, Princess Changhuan first sat on the mat for a while, but unable to bear it anymore, she rose, heading to check the windows.

Though they could be pushed open, they were somewhat high.

Determined to leave, Princess Changhuan hoisted her skirt and climbed up despite the height.

-

After lunch, Chuzheng headed back, spotting someone squatting at her door from afar. The closer she got, the more it resembled Princess Changhuan... not resembling, it was!

A grand princess, squatting at the door like this, how improper!

Chuzheng hesitated whether to turn and leave, but Princess Changhuan had already seen her.

"Sister, you’re back!!" Princess Changhuan lifted her skirt and ran over: "I’ve been waiting for you for so long."

Chuzheng: "..."

Why are you waiting for me! We aren’t suitable, it’ll never work out!

"What are you waiting for me for?"

"To chat with you."

Zhu Dongfeng was punished, replaced by a moody dead eunuch watching over her daily. Princess Changhuan feared she’d go mad without someone to talk to.

Chuzheng was the only one who disregarded her princess status, treating her utterly ordinary.

Upon hearing she was a princess, Chuzheng showed no significant reaction, treating her entirely as an ordinary person.

Princess Changhuan didn’t like being surrounded by many people, especially during meals, sleep, or even bathroom breaks... never mind.

"Sister, how long are you staying?"

"I don’t know."

"Are you from the Capital City?"

"No." Well, maybe... never mind, since I’ve spoken.

"... Will you stay in the Capital City? Where do you live? Can I come visit you?"

Chuzheng poured cold water: "You can leave the palace freely?"

"..." Apparently not.

Princess Changhuan initially discussed trivial topics, but somehow the conversation turned to Yin Shen.

"That dead eunuch is a pervert, I’m a princess yet he dares treat me this way!" Princess Changhuan seethed: "And who knows what Bewitching Soup his father drank, driving me mad."

Chuzheng glanced at Princess Changhuan, her gaze cool, but in the end, she said nothing, sipping her tea.