The Little Consort's
Eps. 21: Rich Brother

The two brothers came out of Lanxin Pavilion with full stomachs. The food inside this building turned out to be more delicious and delicious than the food he ate every day at Xingyue Palace. The vegetables taste more savory and the seasonings are many. The side dishes are also warm and delicious. Unlike the food in Xingyue Palace which was mostly bland and too healthy.

Just this time, Li Anlan felt the real definition of “makan” since his arrival to this world. Li Anlan's tongue seemed to come back to life, his nerves felt rejuvenated. Indeed, the most pleasant thing in this world is to eat delicious food. By eating, a bad mood condition can improve.

“Sister, do you know them?” li Anlan asked as he glanced at the two guards of Lanxin Pavilion.

“What's the reason?”

“Their gaze is not as sharp as it was on those people when we both entered.”

Li Afan frowned at the confused sign. It seemed, this mere puppet sister had forgotten something.

“You forgot? This Lanxin Pavilion is one of the businesses belonging to our Li family.”

Li Anlan was a little surprised. This large and bustling pavilion this person visited was a family-owned business? In the middle of a city like this? Well, Li Anlan thought the selling price and profits must be huge. Moreover, if you look closely, this Lanxin Pavilion is among the most luxurious compared to similar buildings on the right and left sides. The people who entered the building were definitely not ordinary poor people. They must have a lot of money.

It was only fitting that the two guards bowed to him and to Li Afan. As it turned out, they recognized the owner of the Lanxin Pavilion where they worked. It was also fitting that Li Afan had access to and out of the building, especially to tell him to change clothes and eat delicious luxury food without pay.

“One of them? Then there are others?”

Li Afan nodded. While walking, Li Afan slowly began to explain,

“Daddy has four buildings such as Lanxin Pavilion and two jewelry stores, as well as one stationery store.”

Four luxurious buildings like Lanxin Pavilion, two jewelry shops, and one stationery shop, were truly unbelievable! Li Anlan's eyes lit up brightly. The shadow of money floated before his eyes. At this time, he was still born as a rich boy! It was only fitting that Li Afan gave him a bag of gold money back then. Apparently, the source came from a family relic!

“Two buildings are out of town. Everything is managed by a confidant, so we just need to sit still and receive the results.”

“Aren't you taking care of it?”

Li Afan shook his head.

“I'm just watching.”

“Why?”

“Dad was afraid I was tricked by people. After Dad's gone, a lot of people are after our business. So, before that, dad changed the ownership name to a pseudonym. That secret, only me, you, those people, and some of my trustees know. People here do not know that the owner is the Li.” family

Apparently, his brother plays like a foreman in a tea plantation. A family business that is so advanced and large only needs to be supervised without having to work hard to run it. If translated to modern terms, Li Afan is as much a role as a president director, who only needs to oversee the management reports and profits of the business he holds. If there is a serious problem, then he will intervene. If not, there is nothing to do but watch.

“Why do people say the Li Nobles family only live me a?”

“You forgot?”

“Silver, my head sinks, my memory is lost in water.”

“I never settled. People don't know if you have a son.”

Li Anlan was still born with a silver spoon. He remains the son of the conglomerate. Only, his fate was almost the same as his in the modern world. Both here and in the modern world, Li Anlan had no parents. Family businesses are also run by others. Just like the textile and silk factory business to his gold shop managed by his aunt. There, Li Anlan also just had to sit still and receive profits into his account until fat.

“But, why did dad send me to the King's palace?”

The question from earlier finally shot out of Li Anlan's mouth. The woman was very curious why she was sent to the palace, but her parents were wealthy and did not have to worry about anything. Despite having already told Xie Roulan, Li Anlan still wanted to hear a reason that he thought was reasonable.

“Although we are rich, the people of this city are not stupid. Where they might have the heart to let their son marry an untalented girl and know nothing like you.”

Li Anlan's face turned crumpled. That reason was still the same as the reason that Xie Roulan had thrown out. Even her own brother said it as if it was a joke. In that case, why wasn't he sent to the forest just so as not to trouble people? Is it true that he in this world is really stupid and stupid?

The mockery was actually imprinted in Li Anlan's heart. He never likes to be called stupid, stupid, stupid, or any word that means the same thing. In the future, Li Anlan is the smartest and smartest woman, although sometimes her brain is a bit shifted when often ditching and protesting or when not doing the task. If anyone were to tie it, he would instantly beat the person up by grabbing his hair if the person was a woman, and kick his crotch if that person was a man. That was how Li Anlan had survived in that harsh world.

“Do I also have a part?”

“The woman should stay at home only.”

“What's wrong with a working woman?”

“Malays destiny.”

“Destiny? What kind of destiny?”

“Destiny is like following and keeping a good name husband by being a obedient wife and well take care of the household.”

Based on Li Afan's words, Li Anlan already understood the situation that was happening in this time. The patriarchal ideology is still very thick and pure. Women can only be good at taking care of their husbands, children, homes, and families. In modern times, any woman is free to choose, whether she wants to be a home woman or a career woman, because emancipation makes women equal to men. Here, women's rights must be exploited and restricted, so that they are not allowed to have views, opinions, and cannot make their own life choices.

But, Li Anlan was also unable to do anything. Changing the culture that is ingrained is not an easy matter, even considered very difficult. It took hundreds of years for the understanding of society to become open, not fixated on the old culture.

“What's wrong with career women?”

“Women who can freely work according to their choices and principles of life. Ah, career woman is a woman who works according to her abilities and talents.”

“You're a career woman?”

Li Anlan nodded.

“Then what is your talent?”

“You set me up!”

Seeing his sister sulking, Li Afan laughed instead. Li Anlan's round face was very cute and adorable when angry. For a long time she had not seen Li Anlan's sulking face.

“Sorry-sorry.”

“I don't want to talk to you anymore!”

“I'm just kidding.”

“I don't care.”

Seeing his sister getting sulky, Li Afan issued his ultimate style. From behind his sleeve, he took out a pouch of light blue cloth with a cute plum blossom pattern. The bag contained three hundred taels of silver. Li Afan thrust the bag at Li Anlan, then shook it in front of his face. He said while teasing,

“You sure you don't care about this?”

Li Anlan smelled money from the bag. His hand reflexively stretched out about to grab the pouch, but Li Afan instead kept it away and pulled it behind his body.

“My money!”

“Did His Majesty the King not give you a living? I see you like a fidelity every time I see money.”

“Do not discuss it. I hate that arrogant king!”

“You've met him?”

“Inadvertently.”

Li Afan clapped his hands.

“What are you soraki?”

“Excellent achievement! I thought you'd never meet your husband forever.”

“I did hope so.”

Hearing the word ‘raj’, Li Anlan was always reminded of Long Ji Man's arrogant and arrogant annoying attitude. That ice stone face not only made it difficult for him, but it also left him tormented to the point of being locked up in Xingyue Palace. Though, Li Anlan thought, the reason he pranked Long Ji Man was because of the man's own fault.

If Long Ji Man had not told him to help Xu Lingshu until he was exposed to poison and fever, Li Anlan would not have commented anything. If only Long Ji Man had not come to his palace and retrieved his phone, Li Anlan would have remained silent. But the man kept him locked up for days. It has crossed the line and it counts. Li Anlan would definitely repay him one day.

“Why?”

“She locked me. I hate being restricted!”

Li Afan nodded in understanding. It seemed, there was a slight change in his sister's psyche. In the past, Li Anlan had always been comfortable inside the house and it did not matter when the space was narrowed. Now, this mere sister of his puppet seemed to have turned into a free woman, just like a bird that flew away after a long time confined in a cage.

“Tell you, mei-may. You can't be the King's darling!”

“Of course you can't! If that happens, I'll die.”

“But, it doesn't seem bad to also be a darling, you can earn a lot of money.”

“You're supporting me or knocking me down?”

Looking at his younger brother, Li Afan regretted his father's decision two years ago. Li Afan should have begged the Noble Li Han to have Li Anlan stay at the residence. It's okay if no one proposes to her and she's not married. Li Afan would definitely take care of her and protect her. Li Afan would make sure Li Anlan's life went very well despite not having a husband. Li Afan would definitely keep Li Anlan happy, because he knew that his sister still had an older brother like him who could be used as a backrest and shelter.

“Anlan, promise me you'll live well!”

“Of course!”

The two brothers walked through the capital. Li Anlan's hand was busy throwing his money bag over, then catching him back. However, unexpectedly, someone took the money bag away as Li Anlan was slightly off guard. When he realized his money bag was missing, he saw the man running away.

“Stolen!”

Without caring for his brother, Li Anlan immediately ran as fast as possible to chase after the person who snatched his pocket of money. The streets of the capital became more crowded. Li Anlan kept running, trying to shorten her distance with the thief so she could grab him and beat him up. The people who did not step aside several times fell down hit by Li Anlan. Behind him, Li Afan also ran over, trying to catch up with him.

“Mei-may, wait!”