Zhu Gao煦 was deep in thought alone in the small pavilion. Everything that needed to be arranged had been arranged, and he was now considering if there were any oversights.
After thinking for a while, Zhu Gao煦 couldn't find any other oversights. What needed to be done next would have to wait until Wang Yu and others had organized everything.
Having thought this through, Zhu Gao煦 immediately called for the Han Prince's Residence guards to start moving some items out of the house and loading them all onto carriages.
Wei Qingwan watched this scene, her heart full of questions.
"Han Prince, what are you doing? Are you leaving now?"
Wei Qingwan looked at the busy guards and servants, utterly puzzled. She remembered Zhu Gao煦 telling her last night that he needed to prepare first, and she had just finished getting ready to visit her family when she encountered this.
Zhu Gao煦 stopped giving orders, pulled Wei Qingwan aside, and dismissed everyone.
"I'm going to take these items to the street to sell them. The street is so lively, and as long as I spread the word that these items are from the Han Prince's Residence, there will definitely be a lot of people buying them, and I can sell them for more money then."
Zhu Gao煦 had a smile on his face. He got the idea for this method from Zhu Gaochi. Although Zhu Gaochi hadn't reached the point of selling items from the Crown Prince's Residence, he could use it first.
The items from the Han Prince's Residence were no worse than those from the Crown Prince's Residence; some were even bestowed by Zhu Di, the Son of Heaven of Ming! Items used by the Han Prince of Ming! Buying them to take home as family heirlooms wouldn't be excessive, would it? Selling them for more money wouldn't be excessive, would it?
However, Wei Qingwan listened with a helpless heart, pulling Zhu Gao煦 to bring him back to his senses.
"My Han Prince, can't you invite those wealthy merchants in the capital to the Residence instead? That way, you won't have to bother yourself.
Moreover, if you go to the street to sell, what will happen if this matter reaches the Emperor?"
Wei Qingwan was almost dying of anxiety. How to sell wasn't the main point; the main point was the impact, and Zhu Di's opinion.
The Han Prince of Ming going out to sell items from the Han Prince's Residence to survive—if this news spread, it would be a huge loss of face. Did the imperial family still care about its dignity? Did Zhu Di still care about his face?
Hearing this, Zhu Gao煦 took Wei Qingwan's hand and gently patted it.
"My dear, don't worry about these things; I know. You don't need to worry about the old man; this matter is settled.
I will go find the wealthy merchants in the capital, but I have to take some out to sell first to see what the price is, so I don't sell them cheaply and suffer a loss.
Let's do this for now; everything is ready, I'm going out first."
Wei Qingwan watched Zhu Gao煦 turn and leave, sighing deeply, feeling even more worried.
Now that Zhu Gao煦 was doing this, she could already imagine how short on money he was; this was completely different from before.
Although she didn't know why Zhu Gao煦's change was so great or why he had to do this, as Zhu Gao煦's woman and the Han Prince Consort of the Han Prince's Residence, she also had to step up.
After all, she was also the mistress of the Han Prince's Residence.
Wei Qingwan returned to her room, took out all her dowry, and placed the jewelry from her dressing table into boxes. Even some small trinkets that she cherished, she couldn't care about at this moment.
Wei Qingwan even removed several items from her hair and put them all in the box.
Immediately, Wei Qingwan instructed her maid to send invitations to all the wives of wealthy families in the capital.
Yes, Wei Qingwan no longer cared about power or status; she only cared about money. As long as they were rich, she had people invite them all.
She truly didn't know why Zhu Gao煦 was doing this, but since her husband was doing it, she had to follow suit. Wasn't it just causing a big stir? Wasn't it just being crazy for once? Then let's be crazy for once. They would face difficulties together and die together if necessary.
After preparing, Wei Qingwan hurried to her family's home. This time, she was determined to bring back something useful from her family.
Because Zhu Gao煦 was the Han Prince, her family had benefited greatly and prospered quite a bit over the years. Now, it was time for her family to contribute.
Although her family was still family, now that she was the Han Prince Consort, Zhu Gao煦's place was her true home.
On a bustling street in the capital, Zhu Gao煦 specifically chose a spot with a particularly large crowd and immediately had people take out all the items.
By this time, many people had already gathered around. From Zhu Gao煦's attire and the presence of so many guards, it was clear that he belonged to a noble family.
And on this street, except for shops, street vendors were not allowed.
This led to some people coming to watch the excitement, while others were curious about what a noble family like Zhu Gao煦's intended to do.
After all, such close contact with people from noble families was a very rare opportunity for ordinary commoners.
Normally, most nobles rode in sedan chairs or carriages, a few rode horses, and they all passed by quickly. There was no such opportunity as now.
Zhu Gao煦 watched as more and more people gathered, took out a sign, and then had a loud-voiced person start shouting.
"Han Prince's Residence clearance sale! All items are from the Han Prince's Residence, and some are even imperial gifts from the current Emperor!
Come and see, come and look! Don't miss it!"
After the guard finished shouting, even though he had followed Zhu Gao煦 through life and death on the battlefield and fought many battles, he felt his face flush with embarrassment, wanting to find a hole to crawl into.
He truly admired his Han Prince for coming up with such humiliating words, especially seeing Zhu Gao煦's smiling face, he suddenly felt it wasn't so bad?
As the guard's words fell, a noisy clamor immediately arose from the crowd. Everyone was discussing, and three words were written on each person's face: "I don't believe it."
Zhu Gao煦 found a chair and sat behind the stall, while above the stall, two people held a banner: "Han Prince's Residence Items, Clearance Sale."
Soon, the patrolling city guards arrived and pushed all the commoners away. The leader was about to reprimand them when he saw Zhu Gao煦 sitting leisurely on the chair, and his whole body instantly went limp.
He felt as if he was dreaming at this moment. The dignified Han Prince of Ming was actually setting up a stall to sell items from the Residence. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would have argued with anyone who told him about it.
But when he reacted, his entire body went numb. This street happened to be under his jurisdiction. Should he manage it or not now?
Trembling, he approached Zhu Gao煦 and directly knelt down with a thud.
"This humble one greets the Han Prince."
The team of people following this man all knelt on one knee to salute.
This scene instantly made the surrounding people widen their eyes and gasp. Their throats felt dry and constricted. They truly hadn't expected that one day, walking on the street, they would encounter the Han Prince of Ming selling items from the Residence on the street.
This scene was too surreal, which was why no one had believed it before.
Now that it was confirmed, this person was indeed the current Han Prince. After their initial shock, these people began to feel afraid again.
They had seen the Han Prince in this state and had just discussed it in front of him. Would they die? Would their families be exterminated?
A series of thuds sounded as everyone knelt down.
"Greetings, Han Prince."
"Han Prince, spare our lives! We commoners truly did not know the Han Prince was present. Please, Han Prince, spare our lives!"
Not only this large group of people in front of him, but when the sound of "Han Prince" spread, everyone within sight, no matter what they were doing, immediately knelt towards Zhu Gao煦's direction.
Zhu Gao煦 looked at this scene. He had no intention of marveling at the charm of power, nor did he pay attention to the small team leader kneeling beside him. Instead, he hurried to the commoners and began to help them up.
"Quickly, get up. Although I am the Han Prince, I am also a human. Why do you need to be like this? I won't do anything to you. I'm just here to sell items from the Residence.
Those with money can support with money, those without can support with their presence. You can even just watch from the side, but please don't kneel anymore. Get up quickly."
Zhu Gao煦 helped several people up in succession, and without his command, the guards also began to help people up.
As for the patrolling team, they also stood up and began to help the kneeling commoners.
Everyone slowly stood up. The more timid ones began to leave, but many more remained, stopping to watch.
This was the Han Prince of Ming, and he was even selling items from the Residence. They had all seen Zhu Gao煦's gentle attitude just now. Since there was no danger, what were they afraid of?
Zhu Gao煦 wiped the fine sweat that barely appeared on his forehead and let out a long sigh.
That scene just now truly shocked him. Everyone within sight, all kneeling towards him—he was truly experiencing it for the first time.
But then he felt a bit bitter. He truly didn't seem to be accustomed to this, especially commoners kneeling to him like this.
Watching these people return to normal, Zhu Gao煦 gradually began to smile.
After this incident, he believed that everyone in the capital would know, and those wealthy individuals were definitely on their way. This time, he had to make a big profit.
He then looked at the patrolling team.
"You take your men to maintain order. You must not let the commoners get hurt, and there must be no stampedes. If there aren't enough people, send someone back immediately to dispatch more manpower.
Today, among the commoners who came to watch and stop here, this Prince does not wish to see a single person injured!
If there are, watch your heads!"
Hearing Zhu Gao煦's murderous words, the man immediately agreed.
And the surrounding commoners all began to cheer.
"We commoners thank the Han Prince."
"Thank you, Han Prince."
Zhu Gao煦 saw that these people were about to kneel again and quickly stopped them, finally returning to his chair to sit down.
And the news that the Han Prince of Ming was selling items from the Residence on the street quickly began to sweep across the entire capital.
