"The oil cake was bought wrong again!"
Feng Niannian stood at the gate of the Meng Mansion, watching Bi'er run anxiously from the street, holding a packet of warm oil cakes. She sniffed the smell and looked helpless.
Zhong Li stood beside Feng Niannian, looking at the careless Bi'er opposite them.
She and Feng Niannian had come out of the courtyard intending to stroll. Coincidentally, a fragrant oil cake smell wafted over. Feng Niannian craved a chestnut-flavored one, but Bi'er misremembered and bought sweet potato-flavored ones.
"It's perfect, I love sweet potato. Give it to me," Zhong Li shook her head, casually taking out two copper coins and placing them in Bi'er's hand to ease the atmosphere.
Feng Niannian wanted to stop her, but Bi'er, whether her mind was racing or not, turned and ran back to the oil cake stall before Feng Niannian could speak, preparing to buy more.
"How can this silly girl take money from the temple official!" Feng Niannian couldn't help but scold.
Zhong Li patted her arm and said, "It's alright. I was going to take it anyway. I troubled your maid to run this errand. This maid seems a bit careless, but she is diligent and honest."
Feng Niannian sighed and gave Zhong Li an apologetic smile.
Just then, Meng Yuan came out with Lu Wuxie.
Seeing that it was getting late, Zhong Li said a few polite words to Feng Niannian and left quickly with Lu Wuxie in Lin Jin's carriage.
Feng Niannian stood in place, watching the carriage disappear at the street corner, then slowly turned around.
"What, you're reluctant?" Meng Yuan walked up to her, lowering his gaze to Feng Niannian's delicate face.
Feng Niannian glanced at Meng Yuan's cheek, saw his gentle smile, and sighed, "It's rare to meet a friend I like, so I am a bit reluctant."
Meng Yuan tenderly pulled her into his arms and said as they walked back into the mansion, "I'm sorry, Niannian, for making you suffer."
Feng Niannian shook her head. "Meng Lang, as long as Meng Lang still favors me, this is worth it."
"Don't worry, Niannian. I will always love you, and only you!" Meng Yuan tightened his embrace around her waist.
"Oh, right!" Feng Niannian suddenly remembered something after a few steps. "Did you give that letter to the Crown Prince?"
"Yes! That letter is not important to you and me. It's just a bridge for us to attach ourselves to the powerful families of Jincheng. We just need to provide it if someone needs it," Meng Yuan explained.
"It was really difficult for Meng Lang to get that thing, and it even got blood on your hands. I don't know if it will be useful?" Feng Niannian frowned with worry.
"Don't worry!" Meng Yuan pinched Feng Niannian's nose and said, "Now we have taken over most of the Yue family's businesses. Only the supply route to the palace is not open. This time it's open, which proves that the letter was not wasted, right?"
Feng Niannian nodded, a little worried. "Is the Crown Prince really that easy to talk to?"
"Otherwise?" Meng Yuan asked with a smile.
"I hope Meng Lang can lead the Meng family, Father, and the Feng family to become the second imperial merchant in Yongcheng!"
"You say Meng Yuan wants to be an imperial merchant?"
Zhong Li sat in the carriage, listening to Lu Wuxie tell her about the events at the Meng Mansion earlier.
"Yes!" Lu Wuxie nodded and stuffed the oil cake Zhong Li bought into his mouth.
"The Meng family has swallowed the Yue family and is already the richest in Yongcheng. If they continue to develop, they will inevitably have connections with the imperial court to ensure the solid foundation of the Meng family. However, Meng Yuan is just a poor scholar, and his father-in-law, Master Feng, has passed away, and his connections in life have long been severed.
So, approaching me is his first stepping stone to becoming an imperial merchant. However, I am only responsible for the introduction. As for other things, the standards and rules will not change. The Meng family wants to use tea as a vanguard, and it depends on Meng Yuan's own goods."
Zhong Li nodded, remembering the saying that even gift-giving or flattery needs a path and a door. Now that Meng Yuan met Lu Wuxie, who had come to Yongcheng, he would certainly try to ingratiate himself without letting go.
"The Crown Prince is not someone who can be easily taken advantage of, so what did Meng Yuan promise the Crown Prince?" she asked.
Lu Wuxie sighed with a smile. He knew that as smart as she was, nothing could be hidden from her.
He casually took a letter from his sleeve and handed it to her.
After Zhong Li opened and read the letter, she said, "When does the Crown Prince plan to completely eradicate the forces of the Beichuan Gang in Yongcheng and Jinzhou?"
"Wait for Lan Heng," Lu Wuxie said after some deliberation.
"Admiral Guo of the Navy is now part of the Beichuan Gang. Although the Emperor has long wanted to deal with him but could not do so due to a lack of evidence, now is a good time. I will order Lin Jin to take a secret route to deliver this letter to Jincheng to Lan Heng. The Emperor will definitely send troops with Lan Heng after reading this."
"Fortunately, Admiral Guo's forces are concentrated in Jinzhou, so Yongcheng is temporarily safe. However, there are no secrets that can be kept forever. When the Crown Prince went to find Governor Dong at the Governor's Mansion, the Beichuan Gang's spies must have noticed. Although Governor Dong has set up checkpoints for Yongcheng's imports and exports, there are still bound to be some who slip through. We must be careful on one hand, and more importantly, we must race against time with these spies," Zhong Li analyzed.
"Yes." Lu Wuxie sighed, his worried gaze falling on the woman opposite him. "I no longer care about life and death, but Li'er..."
He tightened his thin lips and, after careful consideration, said, "If anything unexpected happens, this time... Li'er, don't bother with me anymore."
Zhong Li did not expect him to say such a thing. She frowned slightly, her red lips parted for a moment, and just as she was about to say something, the carriage suddenly stopped, startling both of them inside to look at the carriage door vigilantly.
"Crown Prince!" Lin Jin's voice sounded outside the carriage.
Lu Wuxie heard that it was one of his own, and his expression softened slightly. "What happened?"
Lin Jin quickly walked to the carriage window and replied, "Just after the Crown Prince left, there was a message from Xiangsi Yuan. Xiao Chu has been captured by my subordinates and is waiting for the Crown Prince's judgment."
Hearing the name Xiao Chu, Zhong Li looked at Lu Wuxie in surprise. Even if he was reborn, not all things would follow the trajectory of his previous life, after all, the butterfly effect would often occur.
And this man was truly amazing. He could anticipate every step in advance. Just as she suspected Xiao Chu, he had already set up a net and was waiting for the trap to spring.
"Go to Xiangsi Yuan!" Lu Wuxie lazily instructed the coachman.
As the carriage turned, the two of them sped towards Xiangsi Yuan.
"How did the Crown Prince realize Xiao Chu would go to Xiangsi Yuan?" Zhong Li asked.
Lu Wuxie glanced at her. Normally, he would explain without hesitation, but now...
He remembered that Zhong Li was still sulking with him over Liu Xiang'er yesterday, and he really couldn't say it.
Zhong Li did not understand the man's little thoughts and stared at him like that, waiting for his next words.
Lu Wuxie coughed lightly, then turned his head towards the window and muttered,
"Liu Xiang'er said she sells her skills but not her body. Generally, women who like to be aloof like her would prefer poor scholars like Xiao Chu. Moreover, Xiao Chu, who has been traveling around for a long time, must not have much money on him, so he will inevitably yield. I have ordered people to keep an eye on Liu Xiang'er, waiting for him to appear and capture him at an opportune moment."
"So, only the Crown Prince, who understands the preferences of women in pleasure houses..."
"Li'er!" Before Zhong Li could finish her sentence, Lu Wuxie quickly turned to look at her and said, "I really only had a cup of clear tea at Liu Xiang'er's place."