Chapter 131 Is the dog desperate enough to do something rash?

When the runaway slave arrived in Jiangning, he even met a young master.

This means that the person has been safely delivered to Jiangnan and has even met the people they wanted to see.

As for the story of Vice Minister Mei's third daughter jumping into the river, it's probably just a cover-up.

What about the missing young master? He must have been someone like this third young lady's childhood sweetheart.

Most importantly, the textile manufacturing bureau in Jiangnan and the Ping'an Earl's Mansion in the capital were in a panic, searching for people everywhere.

This shows that the disappearance of the young master was not simply a matter of disappearing.

Maybe they've come to Beijing to file a complaint!

The fact that the Ping'an Earl's family couldn't even afford to see a doctor, yet still wanted to find this person, shows how important he was.

Or rather, they know a lot of things.

Another thing is what Hua Wanli said: that there are many new customers at the teahouse recently, so she won't be coming anymore.

Does this mean the teahouse has recently attracted attention?

The third young lady of Minister Mei's family disappeared near the teahouse.

It seems only natural that they would be targeted...

Shangguan Jin thought about it a lot.

"Miss Wanli said she'll come to our residence when she has time?" Shangguan Jin asked, looking at Aunt Xin.

Aunt Xin nodded firmly.

Actually, Miss Wanli wanted to come and see you a couple of days ago when she heard that Madam was not feeling well.

But Dongmai said that she was afraid of catching the disease, so she wouldn't see anyone...

Shangguan Jin smiled. This little girl was relaying a message!

She was busy with the teahouse business and couldn't get away, while she herself didn't have to be busy.

At worst, I can just go there myself.

"Okay, thank you for your hard work! It's so cold outside, go and have a bowl of ginger tea to warm yourself up." Shangguan Jin said to Aunt Xin with a smile.

Aunt Xin smiled, gave Shangguan Jin a curtsy, then smiled at Dongmai before turning and leaving.

......

That afternoon, Shangguan Jin invited Old Madam Shen, along with Shen Qingyue and Dongmai, to a teahouse for tea.

The same private room, with its warm, pleasant aroma, made everyone feel relaxed and comfortable as soon as they entered.

Hua Wanli was also waiting here early on.

"Greetings, Madam! Greetings, Madam Shen!" Hua Wanli smiled and gave Shangguan Jin and the others a curtsy.

Madam Shen was delighted to see Hua Wanli.

"It's been a few days since I last saw you, and you've become distant with me!"

"No way! I've been so busy lately, I haven't had time to come and pay my respects to you."

Thankfully, the old lady came today.

Please don't order any other tea ladies, I'll brew tea for you myself!

As Hua Wanli spoke, she gave instructions to the tea boy.

"Bring me a jar of last year's snow water from Jiangnan. I'll brew the old lady our special Jiangnan snow plum tea!"

After saying that, he invited everyone to sit down.

Shangguan Jin kept smiling as she looked at Hua Wanli.

Watching Hua Wanli brew a pot of tea with such effortless skill, one couldn't help but admire this little girl.

Being the future owner of Wan Hua Lou won't be easy!

I've heard that not only must one be proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but one must also be able to brew tea well!

What's more, this little girl has now taken up the hobby of being a nighttime assassin...

After everyone had been served a cup of fragrant tea, Hua Wanli finally looked at Shangguan Jin.

"The water used to brew the tea was snow water that my mother collected from plum blossoms last year."

Last year, Jiangning was hit by heavy snow, and my mother and others collected quite a lot of it.

Last month, someone delivered five jars, which were buried under the trees in the backyard.

"Madam, does it taste good?"

Shangguan Jin took a sip; it seemed to have a faint plum blossom fragrance.

But then I remembered that this was last year's snowmelt...

Shangguan Jin suddenly felt that it didn't smell so good anymore.

I really don't understand why the ancients liked to use accumulated rainwater and snow water to brew tea. Weren't they afraid of getting diarrhea?

“Very good!” Shangguan Jin said calmly.

Hua Wanli's eyes crinkled with laughter.

"Madam Shen, my mother also sent me some of the latest floral patterns from Jiangnan. They would look beautiful on clothes. Would you like to take a look?"

“Great! The flower patterns in Jiangnan are prettier than those in the capital. I need to make big winter sweaters for Sister Yue and the others soon.”

"Mother, would you like to go and take a look?" Shangguan Jin asked Madam Shen, who was holding a teacup.

Madam Shen was already curious as to why she suddenly decided to come out for tea today.

I listened carefully just now, is there anything else I don't understand?

"I won't go. You go and take a look. If you find anything nice, just bring it over for me to see."

"I just took off Da Mao's clothes and don't want to change. You can take Yue'er with you. I have a little tea boy and Aunt Qiu to take care of things here," Madam Shen said with a smile.

Shangguan Jin then led Shen Qingyue to a room on the second floor with Hua Wanli.

Upon entering the room, Hua Wanli immediately spread out a table full of patterns on the table.

“Someone from the south is coming; it’s that missing young master.”

The fifth son of a concubine, who was the Imperial Textile Commissioner of Jiangning, had known the three young ladies of the Mei family since childhood.

That young master was not favored at home and suffered abuse from his wife and several other young masters for a long time.

"I heard she suddenly ran away this time because she wanted to go to the capital to file a complaint and avenge the Mei family's young lady." Hua Wanli said softly while arranging the patterns.

"What about the third young lady of the Mei family? Did she really drown herself?" Shangguan Jin asked.

"She threw herself into the river in front of him, otherwise how could she have driven that Fifth Young Master crazy!"

"However, the person was rescued by the people of Wanhualou and is now being hidden in a manor," Hua Wanli said.

"That fifth young master..."

"He was escorted to Beijing, so he should be safe."

Don't worry, I'm not from Wan Hua Lou, nor am I from Chun Bu Wan.

"It has nothing to do with us," Hua Wanli said with a smile.

"Then..." Shangguan Jin was about to ask, "Will this person be able to enter the capital smoothly?"

A commotion came from outside the window.

Hua Wanli looked out the window.

The soldiers of the Five Cities Garrison were passing by the gate of Chunbuwan.

"Judging from this commotion, it won't be easy for that young master to get in!"

Even if he gets in, with this kind of situation, does he think he can file a complaint? All by himself? Shangguan Jin looked at the people on the street outside the window and sighed.

Hua Wanli frowned as she looked at these people.

"It's strange, but it seems like that person had someone secretly helping him."

My mother had sent people to protect him, and several times when the people from the Jiangning Textile Bureau were about to capture that fifth young master, someone always came out to save him.

After the rescue, the person left.

I reckon getting to the capital won't be a problem.

"The biggest problem is, now that he's in the capital, who should he go to?" Hua Wanli continued.

Shangguan Jin thought for a moment.

Who should I look for in the capital?

They should definitely target the Crown Prince, who is Qin's adversary!

But how could the Crown Prince be so easily seen!

Don't lose your life before you even see the Crown Prince!

"Is there any important evidence on that person?" Shangguan Jin asked.

Hua Wanli thought for a moment and then shook her head.

"Probably not! But the tension between the Jiangning Textile Bureau and the Ping'an Earl's Mansion must mean that this young master knows something."

Otherwise, Jiang Nianzhi wouldn't have said she would go so far as to kill them.

My mother's people said that they had absolutely no regard for the young master's status; every time, they were aiming to kill him.