Chapter 71 Chapter 71 She was jealous indeed.
Zhao Qingyi's chest heaved, and she barely suppressed her anger and snatched the bag from his hand.
Everyone in the county office looked at each other in bewilderment. The chief clerk's gaze wandered over the two men's faces. He had seen countless people and had a hunch that these two were definitely not ordinary siblings.
His probing gaze was too obvious. Chu Yuanhe glanced at him, and the chief clerk chuckled again, "The official residence has been cleaned. My Lord and Miss Yuan should rest early."
Chu Yuanhe used the pseudonym Yuan when he went on this incognito tour. Zhao Qingyi was his sister, so naturally she also had the surname Yuan.
The two men walked into the official residence one after the other. When their figures disappeared, the smile on the chief clerk's face faded, and he stroked his mustache, looking thoughtful.
The yamen runners were busy arranging the arrangements. At first they thought it was the county magistrate and his wife who were coming, so they only cleaned up one room. However, they didn't expect that it was brother and sister who were coming, so they had to hastily vacate the west wing next to the main house. They didn't have time to buy many things.
Chu Yuanhe knew that Zhao Qingyi was particular and pampered in her daily life, so he gave the main house to her.
But Zhao Qingyi didn't appreciate it. "No need. The room next door is fine."
After the bailiff left, she carried her bag into the house and locked the door.
Chu Yuanhe wanted to say something but stopped himself. Thinking about what happened last night, he didn't chase after her and turned back to his room.
After Zhao Qingyi locked the door, she wanted to wait for him to come over and say a few words to comfort her, but she only heard the sound of the door opening and closing in the next room. She immediately felt angry again and simply got into bed and fell asleep.
After packing up his things, it was still early, so Chu Yuanhe planned to take her to buy new clothes and jewelry. He knocked on the door several times, but there was no response from inside. In desperation, he had to avoid the eyes and ears of the county government and wait for an opportunity to jump in through the window.
As soon as he entered the room, Zhao Qingyi got up from the couch and walked straight to the door to avoid him.
Chu Yuanhe quickly caught up and held her slender wrist, "Banban..."
"Brother, I'm afraid this is not polite." Zhao Qingyi brushed him off, straightened her sleeves, and opened the door as wide as possible before turning back and saying calmly, "Brother, if you have any instructions, just tell me."
Chu Yuanhe glanced at the figure swaying in the corridor in the distance and asked, "Are you trying to avoid suspicion with me?" Otherwise, there would be no need to open the door to talk.
Zhao Qingyi raised his eyebrows slightly, "Brother is a county magistrate, his reputation cannot be blemish."
Chu Yuanhe vaguely felt that he had shot himself in the foot again.
"...Well, I'll do as you say." He took out another bag of silver and weighed it in his hand. "I'll go buy you something. Shall we go?"
Zhao Qingyi didn't really want to go with him, but considering that she was unfamiliar with the place, she reluctantly said "hmm".
The brother and sister walked out of the official residence one after another. After walking a distance, Chu Yuanhe took the opportunity to turn around and talk to Zhao Qingyi. He glanced at the gate of the county government office and found a head looking in timidly.
The waters of Qiantang County are indeed very deep. There are many monsters hidden in the small county government office.
Chu Yuanhe raised the corner of his lips in a mocking tone.
Zhao Qingyi didn't notice that she came out in a hurry and was missing a lot of things. She didn't know how long she would stay here, so she was just busy shopping, stuffing bags of all sizes into Chu Yuanhe's arms. The other party could only follow behind and pay the bill.
Zhao Qingyi entered another garment shop. She also managed many shops under her name. Out of habit, she would look at the goods on display every time she entered a shop.
The material in this clothing store looked familiar to her, as if it was made of silk from the Meng family.
"Is the owner of your shop surnamed Meng?"
The shopkeeper smiled and shook his head, "Our boss's surname is Jiang."
"Jiang?" Zhao Qingyi was puzzled and looked at the fabric in her hand again. It was indeed produced by the Meng family, so how could the surname be Jiang?
"I wonder where this Jiang family comes from?"
The shopkeeper knew she was from outside the city as soon as he heard her name, and he started talking about the Jiang family non-stop. Originally, the Jiang family did depend on the Meng family for survival, but in recent days, the Jiang family had won the favor of King Qi, and they set up their own business and formed a chamber of commerce with many supporters.
In just a few months, with the support of King Qi, the Jiang family became the leading chamber of commerce in Qiantang and even in the whole of Hangzhou. In Qiantang, everyone knew about the Jiang Chamber of Commerce.
As the saying goes, a strong dragon cannot defeat a local snake. Even the royal merchant Meng family has to avoid the Jiang family's edge in the local area, and many allies have switched to the Jiang family.
When Zhao Qingyi heard the word "King Qi", his heart sank. King Qi was ambitious and this trip might not end well.
Chu Yuanhe's expression also became solemn.
At this moment, several well-dressed gentry rushed into the store. The leader was all smiles and bowed repeatedly to Chu Yuanhe, "I didn't know that Master Yuan was so honored to visit. I'm sorry for not coming to greet you!"
When the shopkeeper saw him, he hurriedly called out "Boss".
Chu Yuanhe understood, "Are you Mr. Jiang?"
Jiang Yuanwai showed surprise, "Your Excellency actually recognizes me?"
After that, there was some polite greetings, and more than a dozen people surrounded Chu Yuanhe and greeted him.
Zhao Qingyi was nearly squeezed out of the crowd, but fortunately Chu Yuanhe was quick to support her from behind the waist. Only then did everyone notice her and took a step back.
Mr. Jiang smiled repeatedly and said, "I have prepared some wine at the manor tonight to welcome you, sir. I hope you will come and enjoy it."
"Mr. Jiang has invited me so kindly, how can I refuse?" Chu Yuanhe smiled warmly, looking harmless and amiable.
Unexpectedly, the newly appointed county magistrate was so "wise". All the merchants who came with him were delighted. In order to please Chu Yuanhe, they asked the shopkeeper to pick out the latest clothes according to Zhao Qingyi's size and send them to the county government office.
After repeated confirmation that Chu Yuanhe would attend the banquet, Jiang Yuanwai and other talents retreated like the tide.
After leaving the clothing store, Zhao Qingyi asked in surprise, "Is this the Hongmen Banquet?"
Since King Qi was mentioned, Mr. Jiang's move was nothing more than an attempt to win them over. If he failed, they would probably die quietly like the previous county magistrates.
Chu Yuanhe raised his eyebrows slightly and did not comment.
When he returned to his official residence, he changed into a navy blue robe, tied a silver spider-patterned belt of the same color around his waist, tied up his black hair, and secured it with a simple wooden hairpin. He had restrained his previous cynicism, and his whole demeanor became more noble and dignified, with a bit of the gentlemanly demeanor of jade.
Zhao Qingyi didn't want to attend the banquet at first, but Chu Yuanhe was worried about her staying alone in the county government office, so she had to go.
Before leaving, Chu Yuanhe subconsciously wanted to hold her hand.
Zhao Qingyi coughed lightly.
He suddenly remembered that they were brother and sister now, "..."
Taking their relationship into consideration, the Jiang family specially arranged two carriages to pick them up. Zhao Qingyi felt that she should get on the back one, but was dragged to the front by Chu Yuanhe.
The servant who came to pick him up was surprised for a moment. This...
Chu Yuanhe remained calm, "My sister is shy and doesn't like to be alone."
The servants wanted to say something, but Chu Yuanhe had already dragged Zhao Qingyi into the same carriage. They couldn't step forward to stop him, so they had to give up.
Inside the carriage, Zhao Qingyi shook off his hand. "You have to act like a brother. If you pull someone in public, who knows what others will think..."
"Who cares what they think?" Chu Yuanhe was inexplicably irritated. "The Jiang family is here with ill intentions. You can't leave my sight for even a moment."
The Jiang family's arrangements seemed to be well-thought-out, but who knew what the other party was up to? If the carriage separated halfway, the consequences would be disastrous.
"...I understand." Zhao Qingyi turned away awkwardly.
The wheels of the cart slowly rolled and merged into the bustling market. After about a quarter of an hour, the surroundings became quiet again.
When Chu Yuanhe opened the curtain, the carriage happened to stop in front of a farm.
The servants in the manor were already waiting, "Master Yuan, please come in."
After getting off the carriage, I realized that this seemingly remote farm is a different world. As soon as I entered the red gate, the atmosphere of luxury and extravagance hit me in the face, with carved beams and painted rafters, golden bricks and green tiles. Even Zhao Qingyi, who had been to the imperial palace, couldn't help but marvel at the extravagance of the Jiang family. This was just one of the farms under their name.
The two young and beautiful maids came to greet the guests. They were both dressed in cool clothes and their eyes were moving. The look they gave Chu Yuanhe was particularly warm.
Zhao Qingyi felt a little uncomfortable and followed Chu Yuanhe into the banquet hall.
Chu Yuanhe noticed that there were no less than a hundred guards guarding the manor. If the negotiations failed, it would be difficult to escape.
There was singing and dancing in the banquet hall, and the sound of music was hoarse. As soon as he stepped in, an exotic dancer came barefoot on the ground covered with pearls and jade, her sleeves flying, and the sweet fragrance of cosmetics rolled towards Chu Yuanhe's face.
Chu Yuanhe subconsciously dodged sideways, and the dancer missed her attack and danced towards him again to the beat of the drums.
Everyone at the banquet stopped what they were doing and stared at his every move with burning eyes.
Chu Yuanhe couldn't attack again, so he staggered and hid behind Zhao Qingyi in fear. The dancer's long sleeves fluttered into Zhao Qingyi's arms.
The dancer failed twice and angrily pulled back her sleeves and turned to the main target, Mr. Jiang, her laughter sounding like silver bells.
Jiang Yuanwai, however, scolded him coldly, "What kind of dance is that? You almost scared Lord Yuan!"
The dancer who was so charming the moment before was escorted by the guards to her knees and begged for mercy in panic the next moment.
Mr. Jiang also put on a flattering smile and came forward, "Thank you for your presence, Lord Yuan. Please take a seat."
"Mr. Jiang, you're too polite." Chu Yuanhe smoothed the wrinkles on his robe, smiled and greeted him, took two steps, turned back and shouted to the stunned Zhao Qingyi, "Sister, why don't you catch up?"
Mr. Jiang quickly agreed, "Yes, yes, quickly add a set of bowls and chopsticks for Master Yuan."
After they sat down, singing and dancing began again, and Mr. Jiang personally poured wine into Chu Yuanhe's glass cup.
"My Lord, try this! This is a wine that's only found in the Western Regions. It's the color of blood and has a rich aroma. It's truly a rare and fine wine." He lowered his voice mysteriously and said, "I heard... this is a tribute. You can't taste it anywhere else."
Chu Yuanhe held up the glass cup and knew immediately what Mr. Jiang said was true.
The Jiang family is not simple. They can even get the imperial wine that is tribute to the emperor.
After a few casual words, Mr. Jiang took the opportunity to test Chu Yuanhe's position. Delicacies, valuable calligraphy and paintings, gold, silver and jade were brought to him like a stream of water.
Chu Yuanhe accepted them all with a smile. Finally, Mr. Jiang gestured for him to look at the dancer who was kneeling on the ground and trembling.
Chu Yuanhe knew very well that Mr. Jiang was just bribing him with wine and money. He could just accept the unimportant things, but this dancer... was probably a spy planted by the Jiang family around him.
He subconsciously looked at Zhao Qingyi beside him.
The other person lowered her eyelashes and sipped the wine in the glass slowly, making it impossible to discern the expression on her face.
Jiang Yuanwai noticed the subtle atmosphere between the two of them and laughed out loud, "So, my Lord is concerned about my sister. The official residence you are staying in is a bit cramped and not very convenient. I do have a quiet and spacious courtyard..."
Anyway, this beauty must be given away.
It would not be enough for him to just accept the gold, silver and treasures. How could Mr. Jiang feel at ease if there was no one to monitor him?
Chu Yuanhe knew it very well. What beauty was more like a spy. He had seen many such tactics in the military camp in the past.
"Then... I'd be sorry to refuse. But there's no need for the other courtyard." Chu Yuanhe raised his glass and agreed with a smile.
Zhao Qingyi had been secretly following what was happening over there. Upon hearing what he said, he stared at him in disbelief. The other party pretended not to see it and just drank and chatted happily with Mr. Jiang.
Although Zhao Qingyi guessed that Chu Yuanhe had ulterior motives in doing this, she still felt uncomfortable when she saw the dancer. She felt as if a ball of cotton was blocking her heart and she was extremely irritated.
He actually agreed to it just like that?
Shouldn’t the dancer be taken back to the official residence?
The official residence is so small, where does the dancer stay? Does she stay in the same room with him?
The more Zhao Qingyi thought about it, the more confused she became, and cup after cup of fine liquor slid into her stomach.
Another person was also fidgeting. County Magistrate Zhou Xun suddenly stood up and said, "I'm not feeling well. I'll take my leave!"
He was of low rank and his words were not taken seriously. He could neither resist the powerful King Qi nor offend Jiang Yuanwai who served King Qi. Whenever he encountered such a situation, he was forced to come. He had had enough of such a life. He had thought that the new county magistrate sent by the court would be an upright and honest official, but he did not expect... to be...
Zhou Xun felt more desperate than ever before.
If the new county magistrate is like this, who else can stand with him and maintain the integrity of this officialdom?
A strong feeling of powerlessness swept over him, and Zhou Xun simply gave up even the superficial effort and wanted to leave, but the guards at the door immediately stopped him.
Chu Yuanhe said calmly, "Let him go."
Mr. Jiang thought for a moment and signaled the guards to release the man. After all, he had already won over the new county magistrate, and this tactless County Magistrate Zhou... would be dealt with in his own time.
As for the dancer, upon hearing that Chu Yuanhe was willing to accept her, her worry turned into joy, her eyes were seductive, and she danced even harder as she moved closer to him.
The more Zhao Qingyi looked at him, the more irritated she became. Perhaps it was because she was drunk and it made her bolder, she suddenly stood up as if possessed by a ghost and pushed Chu Yuanhe away.
By the time she reacted, the dancer's graceful figure had turned half a circle and collapsed into her arms.
Even though the beauty threw herself into his arms, Chu Yuanhe was destined to have no chance to enjoy the beauty's embrace.
The dancer realized that she had pounced on the wrong person, the charming smile on her face froze for a moment, and she hurriedly tried to bounce away from Zhao Qingyi.
Zhao Qingyi was still unaware of it. His cheeks were flushed from drunkenness, and his almond-shaped eyes were wide open, revealing a rare naiveté. However, his grip was quite strong, and he held the dancer tightly, refusing to let go.
Mr. Jiang was shocked, "This..."
Chu Yuanhe realized that someone was jealous, and a smile immediately appeared in his eyes. He quickly grabbed Jiang Yuanwai and started to distract him, not wanting too many people to pay attention to Zhao Qingyi.
However, a short-sighted squire at the banquet took the opportunity to tease him, "I heard that Mr. Yuan's sister is a new widow. I wonder if she has any intention of remarrying?"
Mr. Jiang was settled in Qiantang, and his friends were from all walks of life. It was natural that there were such ignorant and rude people at his banquet.
Another person was even more outspoken, "Our Prince Qi has always loved beauties. Although your sister is a widow, she has a unique charm..."
If they wanted to seek King Qi's protection, they had to first submit a pledge of allegiance, or pay a large portion of the Jiang family's wealth, or be held hostage to something they could use against them...
In short, only when we are tied together can we trust each other.
At present, it seems that Chu Yuanhe only has a younger sister to show off. If he is willing to give up his younger sister in exchange for his future, they will be fellow travelers in the future.
However, before the man could finish his words, a jade chopstick shot out of the air and smashed the wine jug in his hand with a "bang". The wine and the fragments splashed everywhere, and he was so scared that he fell to the ground. If he had not been holding the wine jug, the jade chopstick would have pierced his eyes.
The hypocritical smile on Chu Yuanhe's face completely disappeared, and his knuckles turned slightly white as he pinched the glass cup. "Prince Qi loves beautiful women, so what does it have to do with my sister?"
Mr. Jiang always thought that he was just a weak civil servant, but he never thought he had such skills. His face changed again and again, and he felt a little afraid.
Chu Yuanhe's eyes were like knives. "If Mr. Jiang's men continue to speak rudely to my sister, this matter will end here."
"Yes, yes, yes!" Mr. Jiang nodded and bowed hurriedly to smooth things over, and the matter was barely put to rest.
Chu Yuanhe had no intention of staying. He had already seen through the intention behind this banquet. Since they wanted to win him over, they would not fall out with him for a while.
Chu Yuanhe pulled Zhao Qingyi's arm and said, "It's getting late. I'll take my leave now."
Mr. Jiang remembered the tasks assigned by King Qi and Lord Li and did not dare to neglect them. He hurriedly ordered his beautiful maid to see him off and even stuffed the dancer into the carriage.
The carriage was not spacious, and the three of them squeezed together and it seemed crowded.
The dancer remembered her mission, called out "Sir" in a delicate voice, and wanted to sit down next to Chu Yuanhe.
Zhao Qingyi, taking advantage of his drunkenness, didn't care about anything and directly grabbed the middle seat next to Chu Yuanhe.
This is her concubine. Even if she followed her in an illicit way, she is still hers. How can she allow someone else to snore beside her bed?
The dancer hit a snag, groaned, and sat down on the other side of Chu Yuanhe.
“…”
Zhao Qingyi secretly clenched her hands, the dancer still refused to leave.
Seeing that the anger in her eyes was getting stronger, Chu Yuanhe was afraid that she would have a fit, so he made a quick decision and quickly tapped the back of the dancer's neck with two fingers together.
The dancer originally wanted to get close to him, but she whimpered at this and her body collapsed limply.
Chu Yuanhe pushed the person into the corner, then dared to approach Zhao Qingyi cautiously and hook her little hand, "Okay, it's all my fault..."
"Don't move!" Zhao Qingyi slapped his restless hand, his expression serious. "Is there any brother like you?"
Chu Yuanhe was stunned. "It's already over, and you're still so immersed in the play?"
it's over?
Zhao Qingyi rubbed his sore and dizzy forehead vigorously, and the anger on his face eased a little, but there was still a hint of drunkenness in his eyes, and he seemed to be slow to realize the situation in front of him.
Chu Yuanhe vaguely remembered the first time he drank with Zhao Qingyi.
The quality of the wine... is really not commendable.
He quickly supported her slightly shaking shoulders, held her on his lap, held her in his arms and comforted her gently, while explaining why he was catering to Mr. Jiang.
Zhao Qingyi's mind was sometimes clear and sometimes confused. She didn't hear clearly what he said. She only felt that in her blurry vision, his lips were opening and closing, which aroused her imagination.
Perhaps due to the alcohol, his lips were stained with rouge, moist and bright red. His handsome attire could no longer suppress his evil spirit.
Zhao Qingyi's heart was beating incredibly fast, and her eyes were becoming increasingly blurry...
"Husband?"
She called out softly, her voice soft and gentle from drinking.
Chu Yuanhe's body stiffened slightly, and the rest of his words came to an abrupt end.
"...What did you say?" He leaned forward, wanting to hear more clearly.
Zhao Qingyi blinked, raised her hand, and gently stroked his lips with her fingertips. A faint fragrance emanated from the skin at her fingertips.
Chu Yuanhe's heart trembled, and he lowered his eyes, taking in her flushed cheeks and sparkling eyes as she looked drunk.
"Husband..."
Zhao Qingyi shouted again, drunkenly, "I... I don't like that dancer..."
It turns out to be jealous.
Chu Yuanhe's eyes were filled with smiles. "Why don't you like her? Did she... offend you today?"
Why...
Zhao Qingyi thought about it and his head began to ache again.
Why else... She just doesn't like it, no matter who comes.
Why is he asking so many questions?
"You, you're so annoying...you talk too much..."
With a short gasp, the hand that had stroked his thin lips suddenly hooked his collar. Zhao Qingyi raised her face and kissed him with an undeniable possession.
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