Chapter 822 She's got brains.

Shen Wantang was somewhat surprised to hear that the military tally was in Pei Yingzhu's hands. It turned out that Pei Yingzhu's favor with the emperor was even greater than everyone had imagined!

In that case, it's not a big deal that she brought a purple-leaf tea tree to the capital.

"So, she came to you with the military tally to ask for your cooperation?"

"yes."

What conditions did she propose?

“She wants a fiefdom and the title of princess, and... she wants my elder brother to be her husband.”

Shen Wantang was stunned: "She is, in fact, a little different from what I thought."

Whether she is the daughter of a prince or married to Gu Qianling as a wife or concubine, it is far better than being a princess herself, taking control of her own destiny, and being dependent on a man.

"She even volunteered to go into the palace to ambush and kill the emperor or the crown prince."

Shen Wantang finally realized: "No wonder A Ning told me that Pei Yingzhu intended to get close to the Crown Prince. So she planned to kill him? I didn't realize she was so brave and ambitious. Did you agree to it?"

"Not yet. I will get the military seal, but I don't trust Pei Yingzhu. She looks like a well-bred lady, but she's actually quite wicked. She's capable of anything for enough profit. So, I need to observe and test her further to make sure she won't betray me at the crucial moment and ruin my plans."

Just then, the sound of a cuckoo could be heard outside.

"Young Madam, Miss Pei has sent someone."

Shen Wantang and Gu Qianhan exchanged a glance, then separated and sat down on chairs.

"Let them in!"

As soon as she finished speaking, the door opened, and a pretty maid walked in.

She bowed respectfully to Shen Wantang: "This servant, Jinse, greets the Second Young Mistress and the Second Young Master."

The order in which she greeted people was quite interesting. Unlike the others in the Duke's mansion, she didn't greet Gu Qianhan first, but instead greeted Shen Wantang first.

Even the slightest difference allowed Shen Wantang to perceive Pei Yingzhu's delicate and perceptive mind.

This was, of course, something Pei Yingzhu had specifically instructed her to do; otherwise, the maid wouldn't have bypassed Gu Qianhan, the legitimate son of the Duke's mansion, and bowed to her first.

No wonder she could charm the Prince so much that he even gave her the military tally; she really does have some skills.

After exchanging greetings, Jinse opened an exquisite and ornate food box and presented it to Shen Wantang: "Young Madam, our young lady specially invited you to taste the pastries and snacks from Hengzhou. Although they cannot compare to those in the capital, they have their own unique flavor."

Shen Wantang waved for Du Juan to accept the cake, and in front of Jinse, she picked up a small round cake and tasted it: "It does have a unique flavor. Please thank your young lady for me. I will invite her over for tea another day."

Seeing that she was being so kind, Jinse smiled broadly and said, "It is our young lady's greatest honor if the young mistress likes it."

As she spoke, she presented a blue and white porcelain jar: "Young Madam, our young lady noticed that you liked the purple leaf tea last time, so she specially ordered me to pick all the tea leaves from that tea tree, stir-fry them, and bring them to you."

Shen Wantang looked at the porcelain jar and said, "This is a bit too valuable. You should keep it for your daughter to drink. I won't take what she loves."

Jinse shoved the porcelain jar directly into Dujuan's hands: "Young Madam, this servant dares not take it back. Our young lady said that these things are not worth much money. At most, they are just for drinking something novel. Apart from these, she has nothing else to offer."

Shen Wantang did not refuse again. She thanked her and then asked Du Juan to give her the reward money.

Jinse held the heavy silver coins, smiling brightly: "Thank you for the reward, young mistress! Then this servant will go back to report now."

Shen Wantang nodded, watched her leave, and then dismissed Du Juan and the others before saying to Gu Qianhan, "Thanks to you, she's become good friends with me. No wonder she gave me a superb piece of icy jadeite seal material yesterday; it was all because of you!"

Gu Qianhan carefully inspected the pastries and tea leaves to make sure there were no problems before saying, "She's still hoping I'll give her a princess title and fiefdom, so naturally she has to be on good terms with you. She's smart enough."

If Gu Qianhan could even say that he has brains, then it proves that he truly does have brains.

Shen Wantang smiled and said, "I think you don't need to observe and test anymore. Pei Yingzhu shouldn't betray you. She must have been sure you would win before she came to the capital. She came here to gain merit by supporting the emperor and to secure a better future that no one else can offer her."

Gu Qianhan nodded: "I'm really confident this time. If we can't win this, then we—"

As he spoke, he pulled Shen Wantang's hand and held it tightly in his palm: "We don't need to be reborn anymore."

Shen Wantang said softly, "You will succeed. Buddha has given you so many chances, he must also hope that you will succeed."

Gu Qianhan gave a bitter smile. He had never believed in ghosts and gods before, but now he had no choice but to believe.

——

The eldest son's family, Yulu Courtyard.

Meng Yunlan sat blankly in the chair, listening to the sobbing voices of the nanny and maid from the Meng family below. She didn't move for a long time.

Granny Chun's voice was hoarse, and she sobbed uncontrollably: "...Master and Madam have been tortured in prison and are already half dead! If we don't quickly give the jailers some money to call a doctor, I'm afraid...I'm afraid they won't last three days!"

The maid Lianpeng cried until her eyes were swollen like peaches: "But the entire Meng mansion has been sealed off. There are government officials guarding both the front and back gates. Forget about taking out silver, not even a fly can get out! Miss, please think of something! Just bribing them with silver might not be enough. We still need to ask the young master to do some favors. Only then can we save the lives of the master and mistress!"

Son-in-law?

Meng Yunlan's eyes finally moved: "Your good son-in-law probably doesn't care about the life or death of his parents-in-law. Everyone praises him as a gentleman, but now I understand that he is the most cold and ruthless."

Just then, a young maidservant ran in tremblingly: "Young Madam, the young master... he..."

"What's wrong with him? Tell me!"

"He was having a secret rendezvous with Miss Pei in the garden!"

"What?!"

Meng Yunlan suddenly stood up: "Gu Qianling actually dared to openly slap me in the face at this time? My Meng family is on the verge of collapse, my parents are on the verge of death, and he is there indulging in pleasure, having a secret rendezvous with his old lover?! A pair of adulterers, I will kill them!"

After she finished speaking, she turned and walked out.

The crying of Granny Chun and Lianpeng stopped abruptly, and the two looked at each other in bewilderment.

Lianpeng said blankly, "Shouldn't the young lady give us money first so that we can hire a doctor to treat the master and madam's injuries?"

Granny Chun was dumbfounded: "Is this the time to catch someone in the act of adultery? What good will it do if the master and mistress are dead?"

Outside the door, Qiao Zhiyu, who had been eavesdropping from the shadows, secretly rolled her eyes.

She now realized how unreliable Meng Yunlan was; Pei Yingzhu was far more sophisticated than her!

This can't go on. She needs to find a powerful backer quickly, or she might be kicked out of the Duke's mansion tomorrow.