“For now, tell Count Grandel that we’ll give him everything he wants and ask for the money first.”
“Will he willingly give us the money?”
“Since the promised goods are so substantial, tell him we won’t be able to receive the items from the middleman without advance payment. As long as we’ve never broken a promise, if we say we can’t receive the items without prepayment due to the size of the agreed goods, Count Grandel will hand them over without any suspicion.”
“If we set the price at about 50% of the value of the goods, it should be appropriate. How much did the cost of firearms increase now?”
“They say it’s unimaginable. Since we couldn’t obtain guns in the first place, calling them costly is an understatement.”
The value of the most essential weapons and military supplies for the civil war has skyrocketed. So, the Empress continued to print money. And that money was neatly stacked in Ines’s bank.
Unless one is a fool, they wouldn’t be unaware of how dangerous that is. But if we can’t buy weapons now, we’ll lose in the war.
The Empress wouldn’t just let the Crown Prince position be taken away so easily.
The Empress, who had lost her mind facing countless enemies, couldn’t stop her steps even though she knew she was crossing a river she couldn’t return from.
“Father, it’s time to move.”
When Ines stood up and touched her chin, Andrew unwittingly straightened his posture.
“Initiate the bankruptcy procedure for the Mondray Bank.”
“Bankruptcy?”
“Yes, don’t do it too blatantly. But spread rumors enough to let them know if they dig deeper, they’ll find out. Just handle the situation by making the information available.”
“Does that mean…”
“What Father is thinking is correct. We received the payment, but we won’t be able to deliver the goods. Count Grandel will try to find out who Mondray is, but in the end, he won’t even see his shadow.”
“And then…?”
Ines smiled mischievously. It seemed she couldn’t reveal the exact purpose at the moment.
Although he followed his daughter’s instructions, Andrew had to make sure he wasn’t making any mistakes. But at this moment, he felt that following Ines’s words so far might not have been a big mistake.
“Sweetheart…”
“…”
“Are you okay?”
Ines quietly took her seat opposite him. She knew very well what Andrew was anxious about.
“This father is worried, perhaps about the possibility of a major war…”
“Don’t worry about that. Since His Majesty has nominated Prince Carson as the Crown Prince, there won’t be… a war.”
“But it seems like the nobles in the capital don’t think the same way.”
Ines nodded thoughtfully. Her slightly shy and blushing cheeks were familiar to Andrew. But the gaze that followed immediately had a completely different light.
“If he has to rise to the highest position, he shouldn’t climb up with blood on his hands. So, I will prevent a war from happening.”
Andrew chose to close his eyes instead.
Facing Ines, he realized that he couldn’t stop her with his own strength anymore. If that’s the case, as a father who loves his daughter, there was only one thing to do.
Carson von Raymond had to become the Emperor. If he couldn’t climb up with blood on his hands, then even if it meant stepping on Sweden, he had to help him reach the highest place.
Once Ines’s blind belief achieves its goal, the family’s life might return to what it used to be.
Carson was once again heading towards Harleben, the furthest of his townhouses from the palace, today. Rumors had spread secretly that the Empress was acquiring an enormous amount of weapons. He didn’t desire war, but he couldn’t afford to be unprepared either.
“Any communication from Landhill?”
Noah was in a state of high tension. There had already been three assassination attempts on Carson. Nevertheless, he insisted on residing in the most poorly guarded Harleben.
Noah responded while constantly looking around even atop his horse, “There’s no new information.”
It had been nearly two months since the news that Ines had already arrived in Landhill.
During her time in Monstera, she had increased the war funds in both the kingdom and Landhill, along with expanding the number of soldiers. Moreover, the weapons were adequately filled.
“If there were any major events, we would have heard about it by now.”
“Since there’s no disturbance, it should be quiet.”
The Empress didn’t move hastily.
She must have known that if it didn’t end at once, a counterattack would follow. The public opinion within the kingdom was already leaning towards Carson. So, unless perfectly prepared, there wouldn’t be any large-scale battles for the time being.
The Empress just watched from a distance outside their camp. Even within the palace, she couldn’t show her face.
“What about the spy I placed near the Empress?”
“There’s no movement.”
Carson also had no intention of attacking first. However, his Crown Prince enthronement ceremony was scheduled for next month. It was a period of just under two months. Surely, before that, the Empress would make a move.
Male lead Asks for a Divorce Every Day
It’s not often you come across a plot like this in the female-dominant genre — make sure to check it out!
This is a novel I’m planning to reread as well.
The male lead is strong, skilled in martial arts, and not the usual fragile type you often see in matriarchal novels.
Meanwhile, the female lead is a scientist—rational and logical. Even when she falls for the male lead, she doesn’t let her emotions cloud her decisions.
If you push through the first few chapters, you’ll gradually find the story really intriguing.
It has a mix of mystery, detective elements, and romance.
The author’s writing style is like crafting a puzzle—except they deliberately leave out a few pieces, making it hard to predict what happens next, yet keeping you hooked.
In the end, everything will come together and be explained.
One-sentence summary: Wife, stop playing with beakers and look at me!
In a laboratory accident, research scientist Zhu Wansheng accidentally travels to a matriarchal world. The original owner of the body is an eighteen-year-old only daughter of a wealthy rouge merchant, already married with a handsome young man.
Zhu Wansheng grins: Nice! She always said she was heaven’s favorite granddaughter. After a life of toil in her previous life, she can enjoy blessings in this one.
However, her joy lasts no more than three seconds as bad news arrives: the original owner’s family is about to go bankrupt, and her husband wants a divorce.
Even worse, she’s stuck with a research system full of restrictions.
Zhu Wansheng: ? Is this the destiny of a research dog?
——
Faced with this mess, Zhu Wansheng pours herself a bowl of wine to drown her sorrows. In her drunken haze, her husband arrives.
His figure is imposing, holding a long sword, with a dignified air that captivates Zhu Wansheng.
Gu Yingqing, however, looks at the alcohol-reeking Zhu Wansheng with undisguised disgust and coldly asks, “Divorce or not?” The intoxicated Zhu Wansheng mumbles vaguely, “I think… it’s not… it’s not… impossible!”
——
The next day, after sobering up, Zhu Wansheng is full of energy, rolling up her sleeves ready to make a big move. As for yesterday? She has no memory of it.
Zhu Wansheng is ambitious; a research dog fears nothing!
Upgrading rouge, extracting fragrances, producing perfumes, researching lipsticks… all shall bow to the power of modern technology!
The original owner’s dying rouge shop is revitalized. Her mother is pleased and with a wave of her hand, passes on the family business to her. As she takes control and her experimental results gain popularity, it’s the pinnacle of her life…
——
But there are always those who can’t stand to see her doing well. Jealousy, scheming, assassination attempts – they want nothing less than her life.
The person who has always kept his distance from her suddenly holds her tightly in his arms, eyes full of concern.
She is unharmed, but he falls into a pool of blood…
Zhu Wansheng feels guilty, “I can grant you one wish.”
Gu Yingqing tentatively circles his arms around her, carefully resting his head in the crook of her neck, pleading softly, “I regret it. Can we not divorce?”
Zhu Wansheng: ? When did I agree to a divorce?
[Small Theater]
The newly developed rouge is beautifully packaged, and Zhu Wansheng is eager to try it.
Gu Yingqing suddenly appears: “My lady, may I apply it for you?”
Cool fingertips lightly brush her lips. His Adam’s apple bobs as he leans in for a light bite.
Zhu Wansheng: ?
Gu Yingqing: It smells so good, I wanted to taste it…
On a warm spring day, Zhu Wansheng tries a new perfume: “Spring Night.” Gu Yingqing corners her against a wall.
Warm breath lingers on her neck.
“My lady, from now on, may I test the fragrances for you?”
[Humorous female scientist vs scheming live-in son-in-law male lead]
[Touch the gear icon in the bottom right corner of the screen to move to the next chapter if you want.]
