Everyone was dumbfounded listening to Shen Jing's words.
He could... talk like that?
Ye Li was almost amused to the point of laughter.
Shameless indeed!
She thought this scoundrel was so unyielding!
Unexpectedly, the first words out of his mouth were flattery!
"Don't think that just because you flatter me, I will let you off!"
Ye Li clenched her small fists, her eyes blazing as she stared at Shen Jing.
But no matter how Shen Jing looked at her, he felt she was like a cute, feisty child.
"How can this be called flattery? I am simply stating facts!"
Shen Jing refuted with a serious expression, "The Princess's beauty is simply beyond words to describe. She is truly a fairy descended from the heavens! Just one look at her has left me utterly dazed and I completely don't know what I should be doing right now..."
Sigh!
Flattering such a young girl, he was really a bit unaccustomed to it.
"The flattery is good, keep going!"
Ye Li looked at Shen Jing with an unfriendly expression, "Didn't you amaze the literary world of Luochuan Prefecture with half of the 'ode to the goddess of the luo river'? Come on, what other flowery words of flattery do you have? Tell them all to me!"
She had seen many shameless people!
But someone so utterly shameless, this was truly the first time!
The phrase 'able to bend and stretch' he certainly understood thoroughly.
"The Princess's beauty, what need is there for flowery words?"
Shen Jing looked at Ye Li with a guilty conscience, "Beauty to the extreme is simplicity to the extreme! The so-called 'greatest truth is the simplest' is precisely this!"
"Indeed!"
Ye Li nodded in deep agreement, "Shamelessness to the extreme is fresh and unconventional! Are you trying to say that you were so stunned by my beauty that you committed such shameless acts?"
Shen Jing nodded repeatedly, saying with admiration, "As expected of the Princess, truly intelligent and perceptive!"
Ye Li raised an eyebrow, "I was played for a fool by you, and that's called intelligent? Are you mocking me?"
"The Princess is joking."
Shen Jing chuckled, "You see how terrified I've been these past few days, not even daring to leave my room, yet I was still exposed by the Princess? Doesn't this prove that the Princess possesses both beauty and wisdom, as well as talent and temperament?"
Listening to Shen Jing's flattery, even Lin Qi and the others couldn't help but secretly give him a thumbs up.
His skill in flattery was simply unmatched!
Ye Li slowly stepped forward, sizing up Shen Jing, "Since you're so good at flattery, then enter the palace and become a eunuch!"
"..."
Shen Jing's face suddenly stiffened.
Damn it!
This joke is not funny!
I swear to live and die with my brothers!
"Not continuing the flattery?"
Ye Li looked at Shen Jing with an unfriendly expression, "Hurry up and flatter! If you can flatter me to the heavens, I might even ask my Imperial Father to appoint you as the Chief Eunuch!"
Alright!
It seems this girl is determined not to let him off!
"Alright! Since I've fallen into the Princess's hands, I admit defeat!"
Shen Jing smiled helplessly, "How does the Princess wish to punish me?"
"Don't you like to scream? Today I will let you scream to your heart's content!"
A cold glint flashed in Ye Li's eyes as she sternly ordered, "Guards! Hang this shameless scoundrel up for me! Lin Qi, go get your horsewhip and soak it in saltwater!"
Shen Jing's eyelids suddenly twitched.
Holy crap!
Playing like this is not right!
"No, no!"
Shen Jing looked at Ye Li with a pained expression, "Princess, I have a weak constitution and a frail body. I can't carry anything on my shoulders or lift anything with my hands. One hit will injure me, one touch will kill me. Even a scratch would put me in bed for half a year..."
Ye Li's pretty face twitched slightly, then she gritted her teeth and growled, "Don't worry, I won't let you die! I still want to torture you slowly!"
"Don't!"
Shen Jing was truly scared this time, "Princess, what if I die? Won't people say again that I was killed by You Rong's bad luck?"
This...
Ye Li instantly fell silent.
Su Yourong's fate was quite mysterious.
The Su Family finally had a son-in-law. If this scoundrel really died because of her severe punishment, even her Imperial Father probably wouldn't let her off!
And she herself wouldn't be able to face the Su Family.
Seeing Ye Li's expression, Shen Jing immediately rejoiced inwardly.
There's a chance!
As long as she hesitated, the rest would be easy!
With this thought, Shen Jing immediately said "sincerely," "Princess, the previous events were actually all misunderstandings. I have a plan to apologize to the Princess. Perhaps the Princess can listen first, and then decide how to punish me."
"Alright! Speak!" Ye Li snorted lightly, "I want to see what tricks you can come up with!"
"Princess, a word in private."
Shen Jing raised a hand in invitation and walked off to the side.
Ye Li snorted, stopped Lin Qi who was about to follow, and walked over.
She didn't believe that with so many guards here, Shen Jing would dare to do anything to her.
Soon, Ye Li and Shen Jing walked to the side.
"Speak!"
Ye Li stared at Shen Jing with a half-smile, "How do you plan to apologize to me?"
"I've been tinkering with a big business recently."
Shen Jing lowered his voice, "I can turn four catties of brown sugar into one catty of white sugar?"
"What?"
Ye Li was startled, "Are you sure you're not talking nonsense?"
Four catties of brown sugar for one catty of white sugar?
What a joke!
White sugar, that was truly a precious commodity.
The process of making white sugar was extremely complex, requiring a great deal of manpower and resources.
It was precisely because of this that only royalty and nobles could enjoy white sugar.
"Of course not!"
Shen Jing said seriously, "I can offer two-tenths of the dry shares to apologize to the Princess! I roughly estimate that these two-tenths of the dry shares can yield at least one hundred thousand taels of silver per year..."
As he spoke, Shen Jing began to count on his fingers, explaining the detailed accounts to Ye Li.
At first, white sugar would definitely be very expensive.
But as white sugar became more abundant, the price would certainly drop.
One hundred thousand taels of silver was a conservative estimate.
For the first two years, it would definitely be more than one hundred thousand taels.
Ye Li's heart was secretly moved, but she showed disdain on her face, proudly lifting her chin, "Do you think I am someone who lacks this bit of silver? Besides, how do I know if you are lying?"
She was moved!
Hmm, this makes things much easier now!
Shen Jing chuckled inwardly, then said, "If the Princess doesn't believe I can produce white sugar at an extremely low cost, we can sign a contract. Regardless of profit or loss, I will give the Princess one hundred thousand taels of silver every year! The Princess certainly doesn't lack this bit of silver, but isn't it true that many a little makes a mickle?"
If this Princess was brought into this business, it would actually be quite good!
If anyone got jealous, she could also serve as a backer.
As for the silver, if it's given, it's given!
With a basis for cooperation, she could also help him get salt permits!
Refined salt, that was truly something that yielded enormous profits!
Listening to Shen Jing's words, Ye Li couldn't help but ponder.
Of course she lacked silver!
Even her Imperial Father lacked silver, let alone her!
This scoundrel even dared to sign a contract to give her one hundred thousand taels of silver every year, he shouldn't be lying to her, right?
Seeing her start to think, Shen Jing called Chi Chi over again and told her to go to his room to get some white sugar.
Soon, Ye Li saw the white sugar made by Shen Jing.
Looking at the crystal-clear white sugar, Ye Li couldn't help but be secretly amazed.
This was even better than the white sugar the court produced with great effort!
Ye Li tasted the white sugar, but her face still showed anger, "I am very angry right now. If I don't teach you a good lesson, I really can't get rid of this anger in my heart! Tell me, how should I get rid of this anger?"
"That's simple!"
Shen Jing said with a playful smile, "I'll make a paper doll for the Princess, write my name and birth date on it, and the Princess can just fiercely stab it!"
"..."
Ye Li's pretty cheeks twitched slightly.
This scoundrel, to avoid physical pain, truly could think of any method.
Ye Li pondered for a moment, then said with a dark face, "Turn around!"
"Huh?"
Shen Jing was puzzled.
"Hurry!"
Ye Li was impatient, "Don't force me to order someone to seize you!"
Shen Jing was speechless and could only obediently turn around.
Ye Li took a deep breath and fiercely kicked Shen Jing's backside...