On Li Ying's side, for several consecutive days, she only focused on taking care of the little princess's three meals a day and daily life. As for other matters, there was not the slightest movement.
Qing Liu endured it for several days, but finally couldn't hold back.
"Boss Li, Qing Liu knows that all I need to do is be your right - hand assistant and assist Lord Lin together. But... Qing Liu really doesn't understand. You've received the silver allocated by the lord, but I don't know where it's been used. Is there anything Qing Liu can help with?"
Although the words were euphemistic, there was a faint undertone of accusation.
Li Ying was unhurried and instead burst into a smile.
"Miss Qing Liu, it's quite a coincidence that you're here today. I was just about to look for you!"
"I wonder if you could convey a message for me. Regarding the matter of cultivating dragon pearls... it may be necessary for the lord to add more silver..."
Before Qing Liu could ask further, she lowered her voice, put on an extremely eager look, and said with certainty, "Do you know who the person staying in the oyster - shell house these days is?"
"She is the princess who was supposed to be married off to a foreign country and escaped from the capital secretly after traveling a long way from the South Seas. Knowing that Lord Lin is second only to the emperor, she intends to pledge her allegiance and show her goodwill!"
"The most difficult part of cultivating dragon pearls is the large number of coconut snails required. The young snails in the pearl farm now need to be carefully nurtured for many years before they can be nucleated to produce pearls."
"In the past few days, I've found out clearly that the South Seas is the main producing area of coconut snails. This little princess is willing to sell all the coconut snails produced in the South Seas to the fishing village at a low price, only hoping that the lord can say some good words for her in front of the emperor!"
Qing Liu frowned - she also understood the meaning behind Li Ying's words.
This little princess clearly didn't want to waste her good youth in the gloomy and secluded palace. But it was no easy task to persuade the emperor to take a concubine. If things went wrong, one might even lose their head!
Seeing her hesitant look, Li Ying quickly took out a handful of black pearls and added eagerly, "The king of the South Seas has sent a state letter and is willing to offer a thousand hu of unparalleled black pearls as tribute. The emperor will surely approve. As long as the lord seizes the opportunity and says a few words, he can accomplish this good thing that benefits both sides! Miss Qing Liu, please send the message quickly!"
Qing Liu had never seen such rare things before. After a moment of silent calculation in her heart, she felt that the matter was of great importance and really couldn't be taken lightly. After a brief hesitation, she finally nodded and agreed.
Sure enough, Lord Lin's reply came very quickly. The words in the letter even showed a bit of over - excited eagerness.
He only urged Li Ying to quickly buy all the coconut snails sent from the South Seas. He also specifically instructed that the matter of the king of the South Seas intending to send a thousand hu of pearls should not be mentioned to outsiders for the time being.
Qing Liu took the reply, beaming with joy. She grabbed Li Ying's hand excitedly.
"Miss Li, you're really amazing! You've only been under the lord's command for three or five days, and you've already made such great contributions! As long as you're loyal, you'll surely be highly regarded by the lord in the future!"
Li Ying smiled without saying a word.
It was no wonder that Lord Lin was so eager.
Before the New Year, Lu Xunguang had already made elaborate arrangements in the capital, strongly emphasizing the rarity of these round and lustrous pearls.
The jewelry shops had successively made many novel hairpins and rings. Most of the fabrics ordered by the silk shops were of fresh and elegant colors, most suitable to be paired with pearls.
Even the fortune - tellers outside the city would narrow their eyes, calculate with their fingers, and swear that as long as one wore pearl jewelry, everything would go smoothly and be perfect.
After such elaborate preparations, the women in the capital now regarded pearls as a symbol of beauty and were vying to buy a set of pearl jewelry to show their status.
With such a high demand and short supply, it was no wonder that when Lord Lin suddenly learned that the South Seas intended to offer a thousand hu of pearls, he became eager and lost his composure.
Li Ying sneered inwardly - as expected, just like the saying goes, "A man will risk his life for wealth, just as a bird will risk its life for food." No matter how calculating Lord Lin usually was, he couldn't resist the temptation of such a huge windfall and easily fell into the trap.
But there was no change in her expression on the surface. She just smiled modestly and said softly to Qing Liu, "I should thank the lord for not holding my past mistakes against me and being willing to reuse me."
The little princess from the South Seas stayed in the fishing village for several days and also knew very well that in the current situation, she couldn't just keep hiding.
As the day for the envoy to enter the palace for an audience with the emperor was approaching, although she was extremely reluctant, she still obediently set off secretly with her attendants.
Li Ying saw her off at the village entrance. She gently squeezed the little princess's hand and promised with silent lip - movements, "Don't worry. Everything is under my control."
A few days later, the South Seas fleet arrived in a hurry, traveling day and night.
The route they took passed by the fishing village.
Li Ying had received Lord Lin's order early on, instructing her to keep all the villagers and tourists in the village under strict supervision and never let them get close to the beach.
The thousands of hu of black pearls carried on the South Seas pearl - transporting ships were extremely valuable. If anything went wrong, no one could bear the responsibility.
Li Ying nodded obediently and agreed, but a faint sneer slowly appeared in her heart.
This bold and audacious Lord Lin was indeed blinded by greed and was about to make his move.
Li Ying waved her hand and called over the idle eagle that guarded the Yan Island. She tied a small brocade bag firmly to its leg and personally fed it two pieces of dried meat.
The eagle seemed to understand. It let out a long whistle, then spread its wings and flew high into the sky, heading straight for the capital.
On the first day of the second lunar month, although the New Year had long passed, because of the envoy's arrival in the capital, the capital was still decorated with lanterns and streamers, presenting a scene of peace and prosperity.
The little princess from the South Seas changed into her court clothes and respectfully entered the palace for an audience with the emperor. She was no longer as lively as before and walked with humility and deference.
The emperor sat high on the Golden Throne, looking majestic.
She bent down, shouted "Long live the emperor" according to the learned rules, and bowed gracefully.
The emperor quite admired her docile appearance and said in a deep voice, "Princess, rise."
After the little princess from the South Seas paid her respects, she stood on one side with her head down. After the ceremony official presented all the various tributes, she softly said, "Your subject has a dance to offer to Your Majesty."
The emperor was naturally very interested. He waved his hand, indicating that she could do as she pleased. Then the little princess was no longer restrained. As the music started, she danced gracefully and charmingly.
She was naturally good - looking and at the prime of her youth, so she was really pleasing to the eye.
However, one of her ear ornaments unexpectedly fell off during her light dance.
The little princess was extremely panicked and quickly knelt on the ground.
"Your Majesty, please calm your anger. Your subject didn't mean to behave improperly in front of the palace!"
The beauty was shedding tears, looking as delicate as a pear blossom in the rain, which was really pitiful. The emperor naturally didn't mind and waved his hand.
"It doesn't matter! Princess, please rise! The king of the South Seas has such a precious daughter. It's just that this ear ornament is not even one - ten - thousandth as beautiful as you. It probably felt ashamed of itself and fell off."
The little princess bowed her head modestly. Hearing this, she finally carefully raised her eyes and softly said, "Thank you for Your Majesty's kindness..."
The emperor let out a hearty laugh. After a moment of thought, he casually ordered the eunuch serving beside him to fetch the dragon - pearl earrings that Lord Lin had presented the other day as a reward.