Chapter 106: Hugging the thigh

Ying Zhilin returned to the academy to study. After class, he went to see Principal Ji to talk about disaster relief.

When President Ji heard that Wen Yan was helping to raise funds for disaster relief, he looked at her with a higher regard.

Ying Zhilin mentioned the little leader beside Meng Xiyan: "I saw him today following General Meng to Jinyang Prefecture to provide disaster relief."

"Oh. It was probably arranged by his family. He is not young anymore, and he doesn't want to take the imperial examination to become an official, so they arranged for him to go out and gain some experience." Principal Ji looked indifferent, and didn't mean to say more.

Ying Zhilin also understood the situation and didn't ask any more questions.

He changed the subject, smiling, and said, "Jinyang Prefecture has suffered such a devastating natural and man-made disaster. Shouldn't our academy also express its gratitude?"

"I knew it. You came to me on your own initiative. You must have been holding back something." Ji Shanchang's white beard twitched.

**

Two days later.

Capital city.

Idle beggars were holding thick stacks of paper and shouting along the street: "A new shop called 'Yidianmo' on Zhuangyuan Street is about to open. We have all kinds of study tools, calligraphy and paintings.

Anyone with money ranging from ninety-nine to one penny can come to the store to spend.

Master Wu Yunzi's transformational work and the Liuyun Kai Buddhist Scripture that has disappeared for five years will both be exhibited in the store..."

They shouted and when they saw someone dressed like a scholar or well-dressed, they stuffed a flyer into their arms.

**

Washi House.

night market.

A juggling troupe is performing with all their might.

The left one is breathing fire, the right one is swallowing a knife.

The front is to hold up the tank, and the back is to break the stone on the chest.

Then they switched to ventriloquism, knife juggling, and bowl spinning...

The last program is iron flower making.

The molten iron cast a dazzling light and shadow in the air, and the spectators screamed and retreated.

At the same time, he cheered excitedly.

The performance is over.

The audience paid money to tip the performance.

The class owner quickly stepped forward to stop it.

He cupped his fists and said to everyone, "Today's performance is for the owner of the new shop 'A Little Ink' on Zhuangyuan Street. I'm inviting everyone to watch..."

**

Qujiang Pond.

The pavilion is built beside the water and is brightly lit.

The sound of the pipa pours down melodiously.

A gorgeous pleasure boat slowly emerged from the shadows on the river.

The blue waves are rippling and the silk yarns are flying.

In the pleasure boat, the figure of a slim woman was vague.

Someone shouted, "Liu Qiqi! It's the capital's number one musician, Liu Qiqi!"

"Liu Qiqi is very aloof and proud. Last time, at the Earl's Mansion garden party, she was invited to perform, but she turned her down.

What's wrong with her that she's performing in the pleasure boat today?"

"Maybe he's too arrogant and has lost all his business, so he's out to attract customers!"

Amid the discussions of the crowd, Liu Qiqi finished playing the song.

She came to the deck holding the pipa.

He bowed to the spectators on the shore and said, "In six days, I will perform five poems at Yidianmo on Zhuangyuan Street. I hope you will all come."

After saying this, without waiting for anyone's reaction, she retreated back into the pleasure boat.

The pleasure boat slowly sailed away from the river.

In addition, there are also teahouses, theaters and other crowded places, and Wen Yan wanted to promote them.

After spending a lot of money, the effect is very obvious.

From the next day on, people on the street started discussing "A Little Ink".

Wen Yan took advantage of the momentum and increased publicity efforts.

The antiques that the Meng family has collected for many years, the paintings of Master Wu Yunzi, and the Buddhist scriptures in Liuyun Kai are all gimmicks.

In just three days, everyone's expectations for "A Little Ink" have reached their maximum.

Wen Yan and Meng Chifei were so busy that they had to keep an eye on the shop and deliver invitations.

In the capital, all the prominent and wealthy families received invitations from Meng Chifei.

For a time, all the prominent families in the capital were saying: The Meng family has thrown away their dignity in order to make money!

Wen Ruyue sat in the teahouse, listening to the discussions, and couldn't help laughing.

Seeing that he had made money by opening a calligraphy and painting shop, Wen Yan urged Meng Chifei to open one as well.

He also came up with so many tricks that everyone in the city knew about it.

The result was counterproductive.

The shop hadn't even opened yet and hadn't made a penny, but Wen Yan had almost ruined the Meng family's reputation.

When the grain she purchased is transported to Jinyang Prefecture for sale and she earns cartloads of silver, won’t Wen Yan be jealous to death!

She felt proud and drank tea leisurely.

Just then.

A woman came out of the government office opposite the teahouse.

He was furious, obviously enduring great anger.

Four maids followed behind her.

Wen Ruyue's face lit up with joy and she stood up suddenly.

The person she was waiting for finally showed up!

She immediately put down her teacup, picked up her skirt and quickly went downstairs.

Just as the woman was about to get into the sedan chair, Wen Ruyue bumped into her.

"Ouch." The two of them bumped into each other.

He couldn't stand still and fell backwards.

Fortunately, the maids on both sides supported them in time so that they did not make a fool of themselves in public.

The other party was furious: "Who is so blind as to dare to offend this lady?"

Wen Ruyue quickly apologized, "I'm sorry, Madam. I was in a hurry to go to the government office to do some work, and I bumped into you in a hurry."

The woman was furious and raised her hand to hit her.

Wen Ruyue grabbed her hand and looked at her in surprise: "Second Madam Lan!"

The woman's hand was held: "Do you know me?"

"You are Madam Xie from the second branch of the Lan family. How could I not recognize you?" Wen Ruyue looked at her with admiration. "My husband is Huo Yaoxing, the eldest son of the Marquis of Jinping."

"Are you Wen Ruyue, the daughter that the Wen family lost?" The woman looked at her in surprise.

Wen Ruyue smiled and said, "It's the junior. I didn't expect to have the honor of meeting Madam today. Madam is even more dignified and elegant than I imagined, worthy of being the daughter of the Xie family of Chen County."

After hearing Ruyue's flattery, Mrs. Xie's expression really looked much better.

Wen Ruyue took the opportunity to invite her for tea.

Mrs. Xie came from a branch of the Xie family and originally looked down on Wen Ruyue.

However, she was very pleased with Wen Ruyue's admiring look, so she did not refuse.

Wen Ruyue took her to the teahouse and asked for the best private room and the best tea.

After sitting down, she handed a sign to the maid: "Go to the government office and get the tea paste."

The maidservant took the sign and left.

Mrs. Xie's eyes flashed, and she had a plan in mind.

Wen Ruyue tried hard to find a topic, and the two chatted for a while.

Wen Ruyue asked what she was angry about just now, but someone bumped into her.

Madam Xie's face immediately revealed a look of shame and indignation: "It's all because of those peasants in the government office. Just because my nephew made some mistakes in his post, they flattered the powerful and bullied the weak, and even cut off our tea paste.

It doesn’t matter whether we use tea paste or not, but my ancestor is old and has a bad stomach, so he has to drink a cup of tea made with tea paste after meals every day to help digestion.

Now that we don’t have tea paste, what will our elderly ancestors do?”

Wen Ruyue looked anxious, but she laughed in her heart.

Tea paste was originally supplied exclusively to the royal family.

Later, the emperor issued an order that noble families could purchase a certain amount of tea paste according to their quota every month.

The reason why the Lan family can use tea paste is that

Because Concubine Lan was favored in the palace and Old Ancestor Lan was a centenarian, the Lan family was given special treatment.

Now that Lan Hong has committed a serious crime, the emperor has deprived the Lan family of their privileges.

Of course, there is no tea paste to be obtained.

Mrs. Xie was worried, as if she was concerned about her elders.

Wen Ruyue also looked worried.

Right at this moment.

Wen Ruyue heard that the maid she sent to get the tea paste had returned.

Wen Ruyue's eyes lit up.

He took the tea paste and handed it to Mrs. Xie: "My family's share is not much, Mrs. Xie, please take it back and make do with it."

"How can that be!" Mrs. Xie pretended to refuse, but finally, under Wen Ruyue's strong offer, she reluctantly accepted it.

After getting the tea paste, Mrs. Xie felt much closer to Wen Ruyue.

After chatting for a while, Mrs. Xie told me to leave.

Mrs. Xie walked downstairs with a disdainful curl of her lips.

A country girl who grew up in the countryside wants to make friends with me.

If it weren't for her admiring look on her face and the tea paste, she wouldn't have bothered to pay attention to her.

Mrs. Xie looked down on Wen Ruyue.

Isn’t it the same for Wen Ruyue?

Mrs. Xie was just a stepping stone for her to get close to the Lan family.

Although the Lan family was implicated in the Jinyang Prefecture case at this time and lost the emperor's favor.

But the Lan family will never fall.

Once the case is solved, Lan Fu will be reinstated.

Concubine Lan will also regain favor.

As long as they can get over the small hurdle ahead, the Lan family will be a hundred times more prosperous than before the accident!

It's easy to add icing on the cake.

It is difficult to provide timely help.

Wen Ruyue wanted to take advantage of the Lan family's downfall and cling to this strong thigh.

Only when the Lan family prospers can they become your help.

It’s not enough to just make friends with Madam Xie. I still need to get in touch with Concubine Lan.

It seems that she has to think of a way to trick her stupid mother-in-law, Jia, into taking her into the palace and find an opportunity to contact Concubine Lan.

However, she has more interesting things to do right now.

She got up and left the teahouse, heading towards the jewelry shop.

As soon as she walked in.

Miss Jiang San came out to greet her, complaining in her tone: "Cousin, why did you come just now? Sister Zhu and I have been waiting for you for a long time."

Zhu Lele stood in the distance, head held high, and snorted disdainfully at Wen Ruyue.

A gleam flashed in Wen Ruyue's eyes.

Meng Chifei's pen and ink shop will open tomorrow, so of course she has to send him a big gift!