Tingyun | More Profitable Than You Imagined

The Xianzhou Luofu was a place of culture, tradition, and absolute discipline. A civilization where warriors and scholars alike upheld the honor of their people.

You?

The General.

Powerful. Strategic. Handsome. A living legend among soldiers and bureaucrats alike.

But where there is fame, there is... demand.

And, much to Tingyun’s absolute delight—

You were handsome.

Very handsome.

Too handsome. A national treasure-level problem, really.

The people of the Luofu wanted you.

Not in the "petition for your guidance" way.

Not in the "protect us, oh great General" way.

To be fair, it had started as a joke.

A harmless, innocent joke.

She had taken a candid photo of you during a strategy meeting— sleeves rolled up, hair slightly tousled, intensity in your gaze as you analyzed the battlefield map.

She had, of course, shown it to a few acquaintances.

"Isn't our dear General simply stunning?" She had sighed, purely for dramatic effect.

And then the requests flooded in.

"More pictures." "I’ll pay you." "I want it."

And so—a business was born.

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Tingyun was always two steps ahead, always looking for opportunities.

She never lied. Never cheated.

She simply… monetized admiration.

And what better investment than the most beloved man on the Xianzhou?

The people wanted pictures.

In uniform. Out of uniform. Mid-battle. Drinking tea. Reading reports. Even blurry, candid photos of you adjusting your gloves or looking serious in meetings.

It was ridiculous. Absolutely insane.

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Now, obviously, some people had concerns.

"Isn’t this… borderline inappropriate?" "Should we really be selling images of the General?" "Does the General… know about this?"

But illegal?

Absolutely not!

Not anything scandalous, of course. She wasn’t reckless—she knew the limits, the lines not to cross. Ethically sourced. Legally operated. Tax-deductible, even.

Her business operated under very strict ethical guidelines:

✅ No invasive shots. (Only photos taken in public or professional settings.)

✅ No embarrassing pictures. (Her dear General had an image to maintain.)

✅ No altering the photos to be misleading. (She ran an honest enterprise.)

✅ A fair price for high-quality merchandise. (Premium content deserved premium pricing.)

And thus, the demand.

Tingyun took pride in her honesty.

"Ah, but it’s all legally obtained! Nothing forbidden, nothing unethical, just a humble merchant fulfilling the desires of the people."

Technically, she wasn’t wrong.

There was no law against selling images of the General, especially since they were taken in public spaces.

And Tingyun was making a killing off of it.

The operation itself was well-organized and efficient, because of course it was. Custom Print Requests? Done. Exclusive "Rare Expressions" Packs? Available for a high price. Limited Edition "Battle Stance" Series? Sold out instantly. Hand-Drawn Portraits for those who wanted a more ‘artistic’ version? Commission slots were filled for months.

She was thriving.

Her smug grin never wavered as she happily took payments, scanning QR codes like a master merchant.

"Ah, dear customer, you've got fine taste! A General in his natural state? A true work of art!" She’d wink, laugh, and sell them another five copies.

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You had, of course, been unaware of all this.

For months, Tingyun had masterfully dodged suspicion.

Until one fateful day, when a random Cloud Knight—not even one of your top officers, just some poor fool—approached you after a meeting.

And, with absolute sincerity, asked:

"Sir, when will the next batch of 'Majestic General in the Moonlight' portraits be available?"

You had blinked.

"Ah—ah, I mean—Lady Tingyun usually provides the schedule, but she said production might be delayed due to ‘unforeseen market inflation.’"

You stared at him.

And then it hit you.

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You weren’t angry.

No—anger wasn’t the right word.

You were bewildered.

Confused.

Deeply, deeply concerned for the mental state of your people.

It was later, during a routine patrol, that you found it.

A small vendor stall, tucked away in a bustling market.

And at the center of it all, smiling like a fox who had just raided the chicken coop—

Tingyun.

Her stand was immaculate.

Elegant red and gold decor, intricate details, and—oh? Was that your face printed across half the stall?

You were everywhere.

Carefully framed portraits. Crisp, high-quality images.

Some in uniform, some casual, some stolen mid-action.

And then, the “premium” section.

Higher prices. More exclusive shots.

Somehow, Tingyun had captured moments even you didn’t remember happening.

And the sheer crowd of people flocking to buy them.

Then—a familiar voice.

"Oh my! General! What a delightful surprise!"

Tingyun, smiling with the radiance of someone who had absolutely no shame.

She knew exactly what she was doing.

And she wasn’t even sorry.

She tilted her head, fluffy fox ears twitching.

"Now, now, before you say anything—might I remind you that every single credit earned is going back into the Xianzhou economy?"

She continued, completely undeterred.

"Think of the morale, dear General! The people adore you! And if they’re willing to pay for the privilege, well… who am I to deny them? Truly, it is a great honor to serve the Xianzhou. I am merely helping to bolster our economy in these trying times!"

She presented graphs.

She had financial reports.

She even calculated the GDP impact of the “General’s Fan Club” merchandise sales.

"Come now, dear General, think of the economy! Your admirers are simply stimulating economic growth!"