Stealing Lily Evans's Spotlight

The carriage convoy from Eight Flavors Pavilion swaggered away, radiating arrogance.

Princess Luna trembled with rage, staring at the silver notes in her box. Compared to the gold coins in Lily Evans' five carriages just now, hers looked downright shabby!

"How humiliating! How could I possibly lose face in front of that wretch Lily Evans!" Princess Luna clenched her fists and shouted at Lila, "Lila, are you dead? Hurry inside and bring out all my private stash of money!"

Lila shivered, on the verge of tears. "Princess, your private money is... all here..."

"What! How could my private stash be down to so little!" Princess Luna's eyes widened in disbelief.

Lila inwardly wailed. The princess really has no idea about the cost of running a household! Suxin Pavilion cost a fortune, and no matter how noble Princess Luna is, all her money comes from the Emperor and Empress of Chu, plus her own allowance.

But Lily Evans runs a business, and a huge one at that—she earns a fortune every day! How could that even compare?

Although that was the truth, Lila didn't dare say it out loud. She wasn't tired of living yet.

Fortunately, Princess Luna quickly came to her senses. That country bumpkin Lily Evans, selling mushrooms and off-season vegetables, was making a killing! Eight Flavors Pavilion was always packed with business, so she must've raked in a fortune—and Alexander Hayes himself was loaded.

In short, the Prince of Qin's Manor was never short on money.

Princess Luna suddenly felt utterly embarrassed. Just like Lily Evans said—she'd lost in the man-snatching contest, and now, was she going to lose in the spice-buying contest too!?

Princess Luna refused to back down: "No! I must win this auction! I have to buy those spices, or else Lily Evans will look down on me. Where would I even put my pride?"

Just as Princess Luna was fretting over her lack of funds, the head chef of Suxin Pavilion suddenly spoke up: "Your Highness, didn't you just receive a huge gift a few days ago? I saw several big rooms in your backyard filled with top-quality treasures."

Lila scolded the chef, "What do you know! That gift was the betrothal present from Prince Ling, and those treasures in the backyard are part of Her Highness's dowry. How could you just touch them?"

Princess Luna glared at Lila, her tone icy. "What are you babbling about? If I don't win this auction, what's the point of all those treasures? Go fetch them!"

Lila was so frightened she almost dropped the box in her hands. "Princess, if you use your dowry and betrothal gifts, the Empress and Prince Ling will surely find out!"

Princess Luna was so furious she nearly stomped her feet. "So what if they find out? If I lose to Lily Evans, I'll never hear the end of it!"

Lila was about to cry. She knew that once Princess Luna set her mind on something, nothing could stop her.

The chef quietly retreated, not daring to say another word.

Princess Luna took a deep breath, gritted her teeth, and declared, "Lila, get the treasures! Today, I will outshine Lily Evans!"