Chapter 178 But he called me Sixth Brother, and even made tea for me.

After Pei Yuan finished interrogating Lei Ying, he saw Shen Chu pacing back and forth in the flower hall.

He raised an eyebrow and scoffed, "Didn't you say you were exhausted? You still have the energy to spin around here?"

Shen Chu greeted her with a smile.

"Your Highness is back?"

Pei Yuan's gaze swept over him.

Heh, once you change back into Lord Shen's clothes, you won't call me Sixth Brother anymore; you'll call me Your Highness again.

"Did you need something?"

"No, I just wanted to ask if Lei Ying has confessed yet?"

“He confessed. He admitted to his crimes of colluding with Jiang Hongzhi. I will send people down the mountain to arrest Jiang Hongzhi in a moment.”

Chen Chu paused for a moment, then took out a tea set with a grin.

"I never expected to find such exquisite tea sets in this bandit's den. Shall I brew some tea for Your Highness?"

Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow and looked him up and down.

"Those who offer unsolicited favors are either up to no good or are thieves. Just say what you need."

Shen Chu chuckled, "I do have something I'd like to discuss with Your Highness."

As he spoke, he put the tea leaves into the tea caddy, picked up the tea spoon, and then scooped the tea leaves from the tea caddy into the teapot.

Then, the kettle was lifted, and water was poured from a high point, causing the tea leaves to swirl and tumble inside.

His movements were fluid and graceful, like flowing water, which made Pei Yuan glance at him a few more times.

Tell me about it.

Shen Chu covered the teacup with the lid and said, "I would like to borrow a small squad of Flying Eagle Guards from Your Highness."

"Borrow the Flying Eagle Guards?" Pei Yuan raised an eyebrow. "What for?"

"Your Highness, please don't ask what we're going to do yet. Tomorrow, I'll invite you to watch a good show, and after that, we'll arrest Jiang Hongzhi. How about that?"

Pei Yuan snorted coldly, "I could guess even if you didn't say it. It's nothing more than wanting to vent your anger for that mother and daughter."

Shen Chu, you've got a good plan. You're using my Flying Eagle Guards to help you win over the girl?

"Am I spoiling you too much?"

Shen Chu looked completely innocent. "I'm not trying to please the young lady. Think about the miserable conditions of those salt workers, and then think about what happened to Madam Zhang and Miss Zhang."

Jiang Hongzhi, that heartless scoundrel, is it too lenient to just throw him in jail and behead him? It's hardly enough to quell the hatred in people's hearts.”

Pei Yuan scoffed, "What does this have to do with me? Capturing him is my duty, but why should I use the Flying Eagle Guard to handle personal grudges?"

Shen Chu muttered under her breath, "Anyway, the Flying Eagle Guards are going to be dispatched to arrest people. They can do two things on one official mission. That's making the best use of their talents."

"What did you say?"

Shen Chu smiled brightly, poured the tea from the teacup into a tea bowl, and handed it over with both hands.

"Your Highness, please try the tea I brewed."

His hands were as white as jade, and against the backdrop of the sky-blue teacup, they were exceptionally pleasing to the eye.

Pei Yuan couldn't take his eyes off him for a moment.

"Your Highness?"

He snapped out of his daze and reached out to take the teacup.

Shen Chu exclaimed in surprise, "Be careful, it's hot..."

It's too late.

Pei Yuan's tongue was burning and numb, and he almost jumped up on the spot.

"Sixth Brother, are you alright? Are you burned?" Shen Chuyi called out to Sixth Brother again in a hurry.

Pei Yuan kept a blank face, trying to save face and stubbornly refusing to admit that something was wrong.

"It's okay, it's not hot."

Chen Chu breathed a sigh of relief and looked at Pei Yuan with a smile.

"Sixth Brother~ Look, you've had your tea. As for the matter of borrowing someone..."

Pei Yuan pursed his tongue, which was so numb he could barely feel it, and remained silent.

I am impartial and incorruptible, but... Shen Chu calls me Sixth Brother, and personally brewed tea for me.

-------

The next day, in the house next to the Zhang family's house.

Early in the morning, the canopy bed started creaking and swaying for a long time.

Jiang Hongzhi rolled off the woman and let out a comfortable sigh.

The woman, Chen, Jiang Hongzhi's mistress, leaned closer, her body soft and boneless, and said with a coquettish expression:

"Isn't today your wretched wife's 49th day memorial service? Instead of going home this morning, you're dragging her around causing trouble."

Jiang Hongzhi playfully pinched her.

"You're just saying one thing and meaning another. You just like it when I tease you."

Chen blushed, snuggled into his arms coquettishly, and said softly:

"Jiang Lang, that dead woman has been dead for over a month. When are you going to marry me?"

"Let me be Mrs. Jiang, a proper wife? I'm all nameless and without status, I can't even go out and talk about it, everyone thinks I'm a widow."

Jiang Hongzhi frowned and removed the woman's hand from her chest where she was drawing circles.

"I told you to be patient and wait a while. I haven't fully taken control of the Zhang family's businesses yet."

This matter needs to be considered carefully. After all, Lady Zhang has only been dead for a little over a month. If I were to rush into marrying you, it would be too late.

Wouldn't all my planning over the past month have been for nothing? What will people think of me after this?

Ms. Chen was somewhat disappointed. She twisted her waist, lowered her head, and wiped away her tears.

"Do you think I'm doing this for myself? I'm doing it for our two children."

Our son is smart and studious, and our daughter is well-educated and reasonable, but we are always in this situation where our relationship is not legitimate.

People outside might not say it, but behind their backs they all call them bastards.

When his son and daughter were mentioned, Jiang Hongzhi's expression softened slightly, and he gently coaxed Chen.

“I know you and your son have suffered all these years. Please be patient and wait a few more days.”

"Once I've consolidated all of the Zhang family's assets into our Jiang family's, I'll definitely marry you in a grand and glorious ceremony."

Chen's face immediately lit up with joy. She looked up and kissed Jiang Hongzhi, then scolded him:

"If it weren't for that bitch Zhang keeping an eye on you, only urging you to study all these years and not letting you get involved in business matters."

"You already had your hands on the Zhang family's assets long ago, why would you have waited so many years?"

Jiang Hongzhi patted her and said, "Alright, since the person is dead anyway, everything will be ours from now on."

"At that time, we will be the biggest salt merchants in Anhua, and even Changsha Prefecture."

“Then I will be the wife of the biggest salt merchant in Changsha Prefecture.” Madam Chen laughed heartily.

After lingering together for a while, Jiang Hongzhi got up, dressed, and washed up before entering the secret passage.

The other end of the secret passage led to his study in the Zhang family home.

When he opened the study door, his face was filled with endless sorrow.

The Zhang family steward came over to report, "Young master, everything is ready. We can set off for Lingyun Temple now."

Jiang Hongzhi looked sorrowful. "I dreamt of Madam and Lan'er again last night. They were crying and saying it was so cold over there and there was no food."

"Today when we go to Lingyun Temple, we must light many eternal lamps, and then we'll burn more clothes for them at their graves."

The Zhang family steward was deeply moved. "If the young master were alive, his wife and daughter would be moved by his thoughtfulness."

"But the dead cannot be brought back to life. Please accept my condolences, son-in-law. The affairs of the household still require your attention."

Jiang Hongzhi patted the housekeeper and sighed, "I know, today is the forty-ninth day since their passing, so please allow me to mourn them one more time."

It's getting late, let's set off. I'm eager to see Madam and Lan'er as soon as possible."

The Zhang family steward left, wiping away his tears.

Master Jiang will walk to Lingyun Temple to light eternal lamps for Madam Zhang and Miss Zhang, and will also distribute grain and oil along the way to pray for Madam Zhang and her daughter.

The news had been spread a day earlier.

The long line of people walked out of the Zhang family's gate and immediately attracted a crowd of people on the street.

As soon as Shen Chu arrived, he saw the bustling crowd and immediately perked up.

"Sixth Brother, let's quickly find a good position."

She grabbed Pei Yuan's hand and struggled to push herself inside.

Pei Yuan gazed at their clasped hands, a silent smile playing on his lips.

Fine, why not keep him entertained for a good show?