Chapter 247 Value

Shen Yuanzhu said, "In that case, let's pretend we don't know each other for the time being."

Xie Qi raised his eyes: "Don't you know me? But even if I don't say anything, Shen Yanhuai will have to, right?"

Shen Yuanzhu glanced at him and pushed him out of the house.

Based on her understanding of Shen Yanhuai, she knew he wouldn't say much.

Ye Yunyi and Shen Yuanqiong, however, were ignorant of industry matters; all they could think about was preventing her from stealing the limelight.

She's unlikely to talk about it, and even if she does, she's not afraid.

For her, Zuo You had already prepared herself for the possibility of failing the first year's election for the Royal Merchants Association.

This year is a year of accumulating experience.

Xie Qi must have thought the same thing, otherwise he wouldn't have shown no sign of worry.

I say this simply because...

Shen Yuanzhu glanced at Xie Qi, who was reluctant to leave the room, and snorted inwardly.

Who told him to hurt himself so badly, making her worried and angry?

“Yuanzhu…”

A smile appeared in Shen Yuanzhu's eyes: "Come find me when your hand injury has healed, so that I won't have to see you."

"I……"

With a bang, Shen Yuanzhu slammed the door shut, leaving behind the words, "He deserves to be punished."

Xie Qi knocked on the door a few times, but seeing that Yuan Zhu ignored him, he had no choice but to leave dejectedly.

Around noon, a gong sounded in the courtyard, and Yun Zheng knocked on the door to call Xie Qi.

"Master, come downstairs for dinner."

Xie Qi said, "If you don't say it, then don't bring it up to others that I am the owner of Jixia Manor."

Yun Zheng nodded, without asking why.

The dining area downstairs was divided into two sections: one for the owners and their families, and the other for the servants.

As soon as Xie Qi entered the dining room, he began searching for Shen Yuanzhu.

Shen Yuanzhu sat alone by the window, with a hard sticker on the table and a small seal attached to it.

Several dishes are listed on the label; if you like any of them, you can stamp them with your seal.

She glanced at the menu, selected a dish and a soup, and handed them to the waiter upstairs.

Xie Qi was about to step forward, but as soon as he took a step, he saw the round-faced man walk over and sit down next to Shen Yuanzhu.

Liang Sheng sat down with a smile on his face: "Is this all you want to eat, Madam Chen? Is there nothing to your liking? If there's nothing here that you like, I'll have someone go to an old shop in the capital and order you something with a good reputation."

"That way, I can also take you to try some of the delicacies of the capital..."

Before he could finish speaking, Xie Qi sat down as well.

"And this is...?"

Liang Sheng looked up at Xie Qi and saw that the man before him was tall and handsome, with striking features.

He was now staring at him with a fierce look in his eyes.

Shen Yuanzhu glanced at him but didn't say anything.

Xie Qi replied, "My surname is Xie, and I come from Suzhou Prefecture."

"Oh, then you and Madam Shen are old acquaintances?"

Xie Qi looked at Shen Yuanzhu with a sorrowful expression.

Shen Yuanzhu said, "Thank you, Young Master Liang, but there's no need for the delicacies from the capital; I'm not used to them."

After saying that, she stood up, took the small note in her hand, and sat down next to the female owner of Tonghechang.

Xie Qi looked at Liang Sheng and said quietly, "Young Master Liang, do you like to call young ladies 'wife' in the capital?"

"What?"

Liang Sheng was taken aback, and Xie Qi continued, "What old shops are there in the capital? I love the delicacies of the capital and I'm used to them. Master Shen may not appreciate it, but I do."

"I live on the second floor in the southeast corner. Once Young Master Liang has bought some delicacies, please send them to my room."

"Um?"

Liang Sheng looked surprised.

After a long pause, he sneered, "Young master, could it be that you... have also set your sights on Lady Shen?"

What do you mean by "also having designs on Yuanzhu"?

Xie Qi narrowed his eyes, his gaze unfriendly.

Liang Sheng said nonchalantly, "It doesn't matter. I'm in the capital and you're in Suzhou. Neither of us will hold the other back."

"As for who can catch Madam Shen's eye, that depends on their own abilities."

"Master Shen".

"What?"

Xie Qi said, "It is Master Shen, not Madam Shen."

"snort."

Liang Sheng chuckled, but didn't take Xie Qi's words seriously.

He turned to look at Shen Yuanzhu, his expression mischievous.

"You're also in Suzhou Prefecture, so tell me, what kind of person is this Lady Shen's husband?"

Why are you asking this?

Liang Sheng looked at Xie Qi with a hint of mockery in his eyes.

"Who are you? I've met all three of the owners from Suzhou Prefecture. Who are you?"

Xie Qi's lips curled into a cold smile: "I serve Eunuch Yuan."

"No wonder he's a lackey of the eunuchs."

Liang Sheng sat up slightly, his brows furrowed with pride: "My family owns a local shop in the capital, and my aunt is a concubine in the palace. I visited this place last year, so this year is just a formality."

"The Liang family will definitely be on the list of imperial merchants this year."

"So what?"

Liang Sheng shook his head: "It's nothing, I'm just telling you that those who participate in the first year are unlikely to be selected. But it's different for Lady Shen's Xiecui Workshop."

Xie Qi frowned: "What's the difference?"

"The scale-patterned dye in her hand caught the eye of Eunuch Li of the Imperial Wardrobe. Do you know what that means?"

Xie Qi was somewhat surprised upon hearing this.

Unexpectedly, Yuanzhu and her group arrived in the capital only one day earlier than him, but Liang Sheng already knew that Lin Wenran had been favored by Eunuch Li.

Given Yuanzhu's personality, she would never boast about this, which means that this man surnamed Liang does indeed have some connections.

Xie Qi said, "Oh, what does that mean?"

"The fact that an obscure little shop could dye fabric that even Eunuch Li was pleased with shows..."

Liang Sheng licked his lips: "That means this young lady has something up her sleeve."

He didn't see Xie Qi's darkening face and continued, "If a woman can be forced to show her face in public, her husband must not be a tough guy."

"Did you see that...?"

Liang Sheng moved closer to Xie Qi and gestured around the bustling room.

"See those old men surrounded by all those women? They claim to be sisters, cousins, or other relatives, but their true identities are hard to say."

"What's the meaning?"

Seeing Xie Qi's puzzled expression, Liang Sheng curled his lip and cursed inwardly as a gluttonous fool.

He clicked his tongue: "That's ancient history."

Liang Sheng said, "This kind of practice is all old-fashioned. We are all in the weaving and dyeing business, and it is common for us to exchange recipes with each other."

"If the families are of equal social standing, then marriage is arranged. If they are not, then sending a 'daughter' or a 'younger sister' to your family in exchange for some small favors is also very common."

"There is another type, like me and Madam Shen, where she is in Suzhou Prefecture and I am in the capital."

"Everyone has a husband or wife, but if they take a liking to each other, they might chat about romance in their spare time, have a brief affair, and exchange some things..."

Liang Sheng glanced at Xie Qi ambiguously: "I have connections in the capital; I can help her secure a place in the capital. And she..."

Looking at the young and beautiful Shen Yuanzhu, Liang Sheng felt a surge of warmth in his heart.

Isn't such a young female boss more valuable than those prostitutes and skinny girls who come from who-knows-where?