My Daughter is the Empire’s Lucky Charm

Naturally, the Emperor's personal treasury was not lacking in treasures.

It was the accumulation and legacy of emperors across generations, a collection refined over a hundred years. Exquisite beyond compare.

Even the most untrained eyes would recognize that everything in this chamber was worth a fortune.

After all, even a life-sized golden Buddha statue had merely been placed quietly against a corner wall.

However...

"Why were there so few gold and silver ingots here?"

The imperial treasures couldn't be casually sold anyway, and Yun Shu, ever practical, snapped out of her daze amid all the dazzling artifacts and began looking around, curious to see just how much wealth her royal father had stockpiled. Perhaps there were already mountains of gold and silver piled up somewhere?

After a full sweep of the room, all she found was a chest near the entrance holding a bit over five thousand taels of gold and perhaps a hundred thousand taels of silver.

That was it?

All of a sudden, Yun Shu recalled the pitiful expression Yun Chuhuan had worn the day before, and the incident where one poor soul had been fined one hundred taels of gold just for stepping with the wrong foot first. Then there was that generous ten thousand taels of silver she herself had received...

"Wait, no way. That couldn't be.

It had to be that Father Emperor found things like gold and silver too vulgar to display here in the private treasury. That must be it.

Yes, absolutely!"

Refusing to think any further on the matter, Yun Shu quickly picked out a scroll painting that looked tasteful and refined, something she felt matched her maternal grandfather's scholarly demeanor well.

Then, decisively, she turned and left the treasury.

"Would Your Highness not like to choose one or two more items?" Eunuch Li, hoping to do her a favor, stepped forward with a gentle smile. "Since His Majesty wishes to grant you face, he would not mind if you took a few more."

"No need. This painting is enough."

Yun Shu was indeed tempted, but she still declined politely.

"Thank you, Eunuch Li."

Returning to Fengyang Palace with the scroll in hand, Yun Shu had expected that Yun Chuhuan and the others would already have left.

To her surprise, not a single one of them had.

As soon as she stepped inside, Yun Chuhuan sprang to his feet.

"Fifth Sister, did you just now go talk to Father Emperor about going outside the palace?"

"How did you know?" Yun Shu asked, genuinely surprised.

"You just asked me about leaving the palace earlier. Then you turned right around and went to see Father Emperor. What else could it be for?"

With the grand temptation of going out for fun ahead of him, Yun Chuhuan had completely forgotten yesterday's frustration. He patted his chest, utterly confident in his persuasion.

"Fifth Sister, can I come with you tomorrow when you go out of the palace? I have plenty of money. As long as you're willing to bring me along, I'll cover all your expenses tomorrow!"

Yun Shu paused.

"...Alright."

Let's just say she agreed for the sake of him being punished yesterday, which might have had something to do with her.

Yes... that was absolutely the reason.

It definitely wasn't because he said he'd pay for everything.

O(////▽////)q

The next morning, just before the hour of eight, a luxurious and ostentatious carriage rolled out of the palace, carrying Yun Shu and Yun Chuhuan together.

The kind of extravagant scene described in novels—like hanging a luminous pearl atop the carriage for lighting—had now become reality.

Yun Shu stared at the pure gold box beside Yun Chuhuan like a startled country bumpkin, her tone a bit uncertain as she repeated what she'd just heard.

"You're saying... that this golden box is the gift you prepared for my maternal grandfather?"

"What golden box? Giving something so vulgar and gaudy would be an insult!" Yun Chuhuan looked disdainful as he curled his lip, then opened the box to reveal what was inside.

"This is the newest batch of top-tier Xuan paper from Zhuxuan Hall! They say only a few hundred to a thousand sheets are produced each year. Ordinary people couldn't buy this even if they wanted to!"

Yun Shu fell silent.

Alright, it was pretty nice. Almost on par with those sleek packs of modern industrial paper you could get online for nineteen yuan a bundle. Very evenly white... sure.

She tried her best to find the upsides to this stack of paper, but quickly ran out of words.

Meanwhile, Yun Chuhuan was still trying to show off.

"If it weren't for you, Fifth Sister, I wouldn't have gone through all that trouble preparing this gift. I might've really just sent over some silly gold box and called it a day."

Yun Shu: "...?"

Would you shut up already?

With how casually he talked about "silly gold boxes" and "vulgar gifts," no wonder Father Emperor was always wringing money out of him.

That kind of outrageous talk—who wouldn't want to give him a smack or two?

Fortunately, the Tang family residence wasn't far from the palace. Yun Chuhuan's carved golden-nanmu carriage soon stopped in front of the Tang residence gates.

Since today was just a casual visit, Yun Shu hadn't sent word ahead. She didn't want to trouble her grandfather too much.

At that very moment, Tang Yuanlin had just returned from morning court. He hadn't even had time to change out of his official robes.

When he heard from the servants that the Fifth Princess and Sixth Prince were at the gates, he hurriedly retied the sash he'd just loosened and strode toward the front courtyard, calling out as he went.

"Go call Muzhi to the front as well!"

"Right away!"

The servant bowed and ran off toward the other courtyard.

Tang Yuanlin was the first to arrive.

"This old minister greets—"

"No need for formalities, Grandfather!" Before he could finish his bow, Yun Shu stepped forward and gently handed him the painting she had chosen the day before.

"This is my first time leaving the palace for leisure. Father Emperor specifically told me to choose something from his personal treasury for you. I hope you'll like it."

"To receive something chosen by His Majesty and the Princess herself—how could it not be a treasure? Of course I like it!" Hearing her words, Tang Yuanlin immediately realized just how much Emperor Xuanwu now valued Yun Shu. His smile grew even warmer.

"Have the two of you eaten yet? Shall I have something prepared?"

"We've already eaten. No need to trouble anyone."

Yun Shu waved her hand lightly.

"We just came to see you. We have other plans later."

"Since you've come out of the palace, you should enjoy yourselves and explore a bit."

Tang Yuanlin nodded in understanding.

Just then, Tang Muzhi arrived and respectfully offered greetings. Tang Yuanlin took the opportunity to introduce him.

"This is Muzhi, your uncle's son. Your uncle serves at the Hanlin Academy and isn't home during the day. I must return to the Ministry of Works shortly myself, so today Muzhi will take you around the capital."

The Tang family had always maintained upright traditions. Even though Tang Muzhi was only sixteen—the perfect age for youthful arrogance—he already carried himself with remarkable gentleness, like a bamboo that had stood through wind and rain.

His features were elegant and open, and though he wore only a simple robe of light blue, just standing there quietly made one instinctively feel at ease.

Yun Shu's eyes curved into a smile.

"Then we'll trouble you, Cousin!"