The Song of the Long Phoenix

The son of a ruined salt merchant, thanks to a chance encounter with the crown prince, sets out on the path to becoming an imperial merchant. From using each other to understanding and loving one another... When forced to choose between the nation and his own interests, what will he decide? Feng Changfeng: Your Highness, work with me. I can help you win the empire! Li Shunyi: I'd rather die here, caught up in the succession struggle... Wait, this is actually great! A crown prince who plays the fool but is secretly a tiger (Li Shunyi) × a clever, gentle merchant (Feng Changfeng). 1v1, younger top, mutual devotion, winning in both business and love. Content warnings: Entirely fictional setting, so historical accuracy enthusiasts, please stay away. Plot-focused, business > romance, and the ending is rather rushed. If that bothers you, please think carefully before buying. Long blurb: Crown Prince Li Shunyi was the son of the empress, but the rift between the emperor and empress meant he was not favored. He was only seventeen that year. After the princes reached an impasse, he was chosen to go to Huai to investigate a salt case. But his journey south was fraught with danger, with everyone waiting for him to make a mistake so they could strip him of his crown prince title. Troubled in his heart, Li Shunyi pretended to be enamored with wine and women. As soon as he arrived in Huai, he headed for the pleasure district. He'd only meant to drink away his sorrows when a soft, fragrant figure suddenly fell into his arms... Wait, why does this soft figure feel a little too firm? Feng Changfeng had grown up on the gentle shores of the Huai River and was the eldest son of the famous salt merchant family, the Fengs. But misfortune struck: his father offended the salt administration in charge of the region and was thrown into prison on fabricated charges. After many failed attempts to find a way to help his father, Feng Changfeng heard that the crown prince was coming to Huai to investigate the salt case... He'd heard that the crown prince was fond of beautiful women from the pleasure quarters, so Feng Changfeng disguised himself as a courtesan to get close to him. But who could have known... The salt merchant's son and the crown prince join hands and rise to become imperial merchants. Theme: