"Interest?" Shi Huagu shuddered upon hearing this word.

It was hard to imagine an Integration Stage Expert losing control over his own body.

"Yes, of course there's interest on a loan. Otherwise, why would we lend you money?" Meng Potian said as a matter of course, unable to understand why Shi Huagu had such a strong reaction.

The Meng Family was not running a charity. Anyone could borrow money as long as they repaid it. If that weren't the case, the Meng Family would have gone bankrupt a long time ago.

Shi Huagu's face, while smiling, looked even uglier than if he were crying.

Dammit, how could I have constantly overlooked the existence of interest?

Next to him, Mu Baiyi, who was responsible for appeasing his subordinates, also changed his expression and lost his composure.

He too had forgotten about the interest.

Not only did Shi Huagu owe money, but he also did.

The difference was that he had disguised himself as a member of the Yaoyang Sect when borrowing money from the Land Money Trade Association.

He had been thinking that the profits from the barbecue restaurant were decent enough, and he should pay off his debts quickly to avoid any troubles.

If this got out, even being at the Half Step Pass Tribulation Stage wouldn't save his life.

"How much... how much is the interest?" Shi Huagu stammered in fear, wishing he could dig up Qin Haoran's corpse and whip it.

Meng Potian was quite enthusiastic toward a big client like Shi Huagu and was impressed that Shi Huagu was willing to take on such a debt, being a man of integrity and emotion.

However, as much as he admired Shi Huagu, the account needed to be settled clearly.

"You see, it was made very clear when you took out the loan. It was a 'Safe Tribulation Passing Insurance.' If you successfully advanced to the Transcendance Tribulation Stage, the interest would no longer be calculated. You'd only have to repay the principal. If the tribulation was failed, then a twelve percent annual interest rate would be applied."

Meng Potian wrote and calculated the process in the air to help Shi Huagu understand.

"It has been forty years since the loan was taken out. It was agreed to use 'equal principal and interest' for repayment. With a loan of one billion, that averages out to a repayment of one thousand one hundred million every month... After subtracting the ten billion you've repaid, there's still forty-five billion left."

The air was filled with dense calculations, which terrified Shi Huagu.

As an Integration Stage Expert, he certainly had the ability to do these simple calculations; he simply didn't dare accept this reality.

Off to the side, Mu Baiyi's eyelids twitched. If he had that many Spirit Stones, Fengdu would have been built long ago.

And that was just the Spirit Stones Shi Huagu owed. His own debt was even larger.

He had thought that the sooner he repaid it, the sooner he'd be free, and he could speed up the construction of Fengdu. Now, it seemed better to put it off; there was no rush to build Fengdu.

Recently, the Jiuyou Sect and Yaoyang Sect were prospering under the leadership of the Heavenly Court Sect. Guided by Young Sect Master Lu, the Yaoyang Sect soon changed its research direction, and solar-powered candles and such were about to be launched. Surely, they would make Spirit Stones faster than running a barbecue restaurant.

Mu Baiyi tried to look on the bright side.

In the Spiritual Space, Lu Yangxin thought, no wonder the Meng Family follows the law so strictly. Earning money legally seems faster than breaking the law.

You couldn't rob as much money as they were making.

Fairy Eternity felt a deep regret: "What a shame. I've made a huge loss. I should have deposited some Spirit Stones in a bank. Thirty thousand... no, forty thousand years have passed. How many Spirit Stones could I have earned!"

"...Uhm, may I ask, Your Highness, are you sure there's any bank that's been open from ancient times to now?"

Fairy Eternity thought about it, realizing Xiao Yang had a point.

So Fairy Eternity returned to her usual cheerful self.

Shi Huagu and Mu Baiyi left the Meng Residence, both looking dejected.

"Master, what's the plan, return to headquarters?"

Mu Baiyi shook his head, "Have you noticed that the living standards of the people in the Imperial City are higher than those in other cities? This means they are more accepting of new things. Previously, when we started our barbecue restaurant, we began in smaller places and gradually spread to the surrounding cities."

"Barbecue restaurants are quite common, our advantage is the taste is good, anyone can accept it, it isn't a new thing."

"But not everything invented by the Yaoyang Sect can be accepted by everyone at first glance. I believe that if we want to break into the sun energy market, we need to start in the Imperial City."

"Then you go and contact the people of the Yaoyang Sect, let's all come to the Imperial City to do some research."

Shi Huagu thought it was no wonder that the other was a Master, this ability to observe and think was indeed stronger than his own.

...

"Father Emperor, your son has returned."

Inside the Imperial Palace, the majestic Crown Prince kowtowed before Emperor Xia.

Three months ago, someone accused officials in Ji State of corruption and deception. To investigate corrupt officials and their dishonest practices, Jiang Qun went to Ji State in disguise, interacted with the common people to find clues, confronted obstructing officials by revealing his identity, intimidated everyone, made the acquaintance of a beauty, and gained a romantic encounter.

And now, he had just returned to the Imperial City.

Unimaginably, he hadn't seen his Father Emperor for three months, and now he was aged to such an extent.

The once vigorous Emperor Xia was no longer to be seen; the current Emperor Xia was like an old man approaching the end of his life, face full of wrinkles, with drooping eyelids that covered his eyes.

It had been agreed that he still had ten years of lifespan left, and yet not even half of that time had passed and he was already near his end!

Emperor Xia was most fond of his eldest son. Seeing Jiang Qun return, he showed a smile, put down the memorial he was holding, and gestured for him to come closer.

"Father Emperor, your health..."

Jiang Qun felt a surge of sorrow in his heart.

He kneeled in front of the throne, letting his Father Emperor stroke his head, as if returning to his childhood when he would sit on his Father Emperor's lap while he sat on the throne.

"Cough cough, it doesn't matter, I know my own body, and I can still live for a while longer," Emperor Xia's eyes were cloudy, his vision severely reduced, and his speech had a spray of saliva, not very articulate.

"Heaven still lacks the strength to take my life."

"I know you desire the freedom and have no intention to inherit the throne, as a parent, I will not force you," he continued.

"However, if the heir to the throne isn't appointed early, and if one day I can't hold on and depart this world, the Power of National Fate that clings to me will have no master, and it might cause turmoil. At that time, it will be unavoidable, requiring the ancestors to step in and suppress it."

"This State Destiny is the foundation of our Great Xia, we cannot afford any mishaps."

"Old Two is too scheming, often outsmarting himself, and Old Three knows he lacks the talent to govern, devoting himself to literature... All eight of your younger brothers have various flaws, unfit for great responsibilities. I can't rest easy entrusting the country to them, and you are also well aware of your seven sisters..."

"Father Emperor, please stop talking, I will take the throne!" Jiang Qun was heartbroken, his voice choked with tears, and he nodded in agreement.

He knew his Father Emperor had always thought highly of him, otherwise, he would not have entrusted him with dealing with the officials of Ji State, which was a way to establish prestige.

"Ah, that's what you said, you can't go back on your word!" Emperor Xia suddenly sat upright, his eyes became clear and sharp, staring at Jiang Qun with an intensity that showed no sign of his impending end.

Jiang Qun: "..."

Dad, if you're fine, please stop the acting.

Second brother said there is no truth in the royal family, it's all about intrigue and plotting, and he was utterly right.