“Is this it?” Feng Niannian walked out from behind the bead curtain, a letter in her hand.
Meng Yuan took the letter, read it, nodded, and said, "Yes, thank you, Madam, for keeping it so carefully."
After speaking, Meng Yuan bowed apologetically to Zhong Li and turned to leave the room.
Feng Niannian watched him leave the courtyard, then picked up the candied fruits that had been served. "Miss Zhong, I'm truly sorry. My Meng Lang didn't frighten you, did he?"
Zhong Li shook her head. "No, sometimes people mistake one person for another."
"I'm glad you don't mind," Feng Niannian said, picking up a candied fruit adorned with plum blossom petals from the plate. "This one was made by me personally. Try it and see if you like it."
Zhong Li didn't particularly like sweets, but she couldn't refuse Feng Niannian's earnestness. She took one and tasted it.
Watching her eat, Feng Niannian took a sip of the clear tea in her hand and said, "Meng Lang and I met because of candied fruits too."
"Oh? How so?" Zhong Li asked.
"Miss Zhong is not from Yongcheng, so you might not know the old stories of Yongcheng. I, Feng Niannian, don't have many hobbies. I'm not very skilled at needlework, chess, or Go. My only passion is making snacks like candied fruits. Back when the Meng Manor didn't exist, the Feng Manor was comparable to the Yue family." Feng Niannian said.
The Feng Manor?
Zhong Li's mind quickly searched. She didn't recall a Feng Manor in Yongcheng. Could it be...
"Meng Lang married into my family," Feng Niannian's words resolved Zhong Li's doubt. "My father, Feng Shuo, only had me, his daughter. But I'm not only unskilled, I only know how to spend the family's money. My father was seriously ill back then, and the Feng family was repeatedly on the verge of becoming the Yue family's possession, especially Yue Tiannan of the Yue family, who had long harbored improper intentions towards me.
One day, when my father was in a coma in bed, I took the candied fruits I had made to a temple on the mountain to pray for peace. There, I met Meng Lang, who was also there to burn incense. Back then, he was just a poor scholar. Seeing his plight, I shared the candied fruits that had not yet been offered. I thought it was just a moment of kindness, and we would have no further interaction. Until three years ago, when the Yue family took advantage of my father's illness and coma to try and seize the Feng family's assets and even occupy me. In utter despair, I met Meng Lang.
To be honest, despite being a poor scholar, Meng Lang had his own unique insights into business. With his support, the Feng family not only avoided being controlled by the Yue family but even opened several new shops. My father, seeing Meng Lang as a talented person, agreed to our marriage on his deathbed."
Hearing this, Zhong Li's lips curved upwards. "Madam Feng is kind-hearted. Heaven always leaves a way out."
"Who says otherwise?" Feng Niannian's lips curled as if recalling events with Meng Yuan. Soon, however, as if remembering something else, her smile froze on her face, and she sighed. "It's a pity that not long after I got married, my father passed away."
"Madam Feng, please accept my condolences," Zhong Li said.
Feng Niannian shook her head. "Afterward, the Feng Manor relocated to its current location. With my permission, Meng Lang also changed the Feng Manor to Meng Manor. To be honest, I feel a bit conflicted, but without Meng Lang, the Feng family would be finished. I have nothing more to say."
"Since Madam Feng has decided, don't dwell on it. Happiness now is what matters," Zhong Li comforted.
"Happiness..." Feng Niannian murmured, her lips parting as if about to say more, when the young maidservant who had just broken the vase entered. "Madam."
She said, and then, with a thud, knelt on the ground.
"Bie'er. What is this..." Feng Niannian was stunned, not understanding what her servant was doing.
Bie'er bit her lip, as if having made a very important decision. "Your servant... your servant..."
"It was me!" Zhong Li, seeing the timid and fearful young maidservant opposite her, quickly took over. "It's like this, Madam Feng."
Zhong Li glanced at the shelf where the vase was missing. "When you went out to get the candied fruits just now, I casually called out to your maidservant. Perhaps the young girl was startled and accidentally broke the vase."
Feng Niannian followed Zhong Li's gaze, smiled, and shook her head. "It's just a vase, it's not worth much, and the Meng family isn't short of money. You may go."
Bie'er nodded, got up, and prepared to leave.
"Oh, right," Feng Niannian called out, stopping Bie'er. "Go to the accounts office and get some money in my name to buy a similar one. As for the master of the house, don't let him know."
"Yes, yes!" Bie'er nodded repeatedly and hurried out of the room.
Zhong Li watched the maidservant's retreating back and said to Feng Niannian, "Is Bie'er new?"
Surprise flickered in Feng Niannian's eyes, as if wondering why Zhong Li's observation was so keen.
"Yes, she's only been here for less than half a year."
"I see Madam Feng handling many things personally. Since she is not adept, where did the previous maidservants go?" Zhong Li asked.
Feng Niannian pursed her lips, pondering something.
Zhong Li continued, "Madam Feng is from a prominent family, so you must have had a wet nurse or a maidservant who followed you since childhood, right?"
"Yes!" Feng Niannian nodded and sighed. "Yu Zhen was my head maidservant before. But... last year, she reached marriageable age, and her family urged her. My soft heart led me to give her the deed of sale and send her back to her hometown to prepare for marriage."
"I see," Zhong Li sighed, looking at Feng Niannian.
One had to admit, Feng Niannian was the delicate and charming beauty men most longed for. Such a treasure would surely be cherished.
"Enough said!" Feng Niannian stood up, pulled Zhong Li's arm, and said, "I've asked the steward to plant many early spring plants in the courtyard. Would Miss Zhong be willing to take a look?"
Zhong Li pursed her lips and followed her to the garden.
Meanwhile, Meng Yuan, holding the letter, returned to the reception hall.
Lu Wuxie had already drunk half a pot of wine.
"Young Master, please take a look," Meng Yuan handed the letter to Lu Wuxie.
Lu Wuxie took it, opened the letter, and read its contents. His eyes narrowed. "Brother Meng, where did you obtain this letter?"
Meng Yuan smiled. "I told the Young Master before that the Meng family is involved in maritime trade."
Lu Wuxie nodded.
"Not long ago, some people from the Meng family rescued a sailor who was stranded at sea. This letter fell from that sailor," Meng Yuan said.
Lu Wuxie looked at the signature on the letter in his hand. The letter was from Kang Ji to Xie Yunkun, detailing the court's recent movements and Kang Ji's new contact in Yongcheng. Due to Lu Wuxie's thorough investigation of the port, to prevent secrets from being exposed, the Beichuan Gang had changed their contact person.
"What reward do you want?" Lu Wuxie asked, tucking the letter into his sleeve.
Meng Yuan's smile widened.
He knew that Lu Wuxie was not as unruly as rumored, and in fact, saw things more clearly than others. Without him saying much, this man already knew his intentions.
"Is it true that the Yue family had a Hongyun Teahouse in Jincheng?" Meng Yuan asked.
Lu Wuxie gave a sarcastic smile. "Young Master Meng, I understand what you mean. After the Beichuan Gang issue is resolved, the Hongyun Teahouse will return to the Yue family's ownership. As for how to operate it further, that will depend on Brother Meng yourself!"
"Certainly!" Meng Yuan said, picking up the wine pot and pouring wine into Lu Wuxie's cup.