Looking at Liu Qing, who was deep in thought, Liu Hong was also undecided for a moment. Although Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei had invested in the Huibinlou restaurant, it was Liu Qing who came up with all the innovative ideas.
Moreover, Liu Qing is more composed, while Liu Hong sometimes doesn't consider issues as comprehensively.
Finally, Liu Qing looked at the private room upstairs and made a decision, saying, "Let's take another look. If we still don't hear from them in two months, we'll gradually transfer the assets here."
Liu Qing felt indignant, thinking that Xiao Yanzi shouldn't blame them for being disloyal, but rather that they carried too heavy a burden. Unlike Xiao Yanzi, who was carefree and without any responsibilities. Moreover, she was an adult and should be able to take responsibility for her mistakes.
Downstairs, Liu Qing and Liu Hong were not at peace, and inside the private room, Xiao Jian and Meng Dan were even more unsettled.
A few days ago, things weren't peaceful within the White Lotus Sect either. Several highly respected members disapproved of their continued lurking in Beijing without any assassination attempt on the emperor. They suggested they return to their old hideout, but Xiao Jian strongly objected, saying that Beijing was closer to this damned emperor, making the assassination easier.
Several highly respected figures naturally disagreed, but Xiao Jian possessed genuine skills, and moreover, he had once saved their White Lotus Sect from dire straits. After his words, most of the White Lotus Sect members had come to accept his decision.
Xiao Jian had been somewhat absent-minded these past few days; it had been quite a while since he'd seen Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei. Could it be that the damned emperor had confined Xiao Yanzi to the palace again?
Thinking of this, Xiao Jian clenched his fists tightly, his knuckles cracking. His face was ashen; anyone could tell that Xiao Jian was in a bad mood.
Meanwhile, Meng Dan was still inside the room, throwing things around. Liu Hong had mentioned it once before, but since she was no match for him in terms of martial arts, she had let it go. After all, she had to save face for Xiao Yanzi; Huibinlou was built thanks to Xiao Yanzi and her friends. Out of sight, out of mind.
It was tough on Xiao Jian, who lived next door and shared the place with him. Every day, he had to listen to the sounds of Xiao Jian smashing things and his incompetent roars.
Hearing the noise of him throwing things around today, Xiao Jian finally decided to take advantage of him.
Although he doesn't have a single helper around him right now, isn't it easier to work with someone who doesn't have helper? So he can do things without any scruples.
Since waking up and learning that his friends were either dead, wounded, or had fled, Mondan's anger had only intensified. He was especially resentful of those who had fled.
He resented these people who abandoned him when he needed help most. Yet he never considered that these people had followed him all the way from the Hui region to the Qing Dynasty because of a single word from him; they simply owed him a favor. Now that he had repaid that favor, was he really going to risk his life here? He had no parents or children to care for, but that didn't mean they didn't.
They didn't want to live a life of constant wandering and drifting. Besides, now that they knew for sure the princess couldn't return to her Hui homeland, why should they stay in the Qing Dynasty?
They also wanted the princess to stay in the Qing Dynasty, because only if the princess stayed could their Hui people continue to receive aid from the Qing. If it weren't for the favor they owed Meng Dan, they would have truly agreed with Ali Khoja's suggestion.
Besides, Ali Khoja was sending his own daughter. He couldn't say anything to these people, let alone explain anything. When the Qing Dynasty comes to aid the Hui people, these blessings will ultimately be enjoyed by these people.
Although they outwardly claimed to be helping Mengdan, they actually wanted the princess to stay in the Qing Dynasty.
Now that the debt has been repaid, when else would they leave? They are not Meng Dan's slaves, nor do they have any indentures in his hands. There is no question of betrayal.
Xiao Jian went from his room to Meng Dan's room. As soon as he entered, he saw the mess on the floor, with hardly any room to step. The room was also filled with the smell of alcohol.
Xiao Jian frowned and carefully examined Meng Dan. He knew that Meng Dan was only slightly drunk but still relatively sober, which was why he was willing to come in and discuss the next steps with him. If Meng Dan were just a drunkard, Xiao Jian would have turned around and left immediately.
Meng Dan had noticed the newcomer long ago, but he didn't even want to greet him now. Why bother saving him? He hadn't even managed to get Hanxiang back, so why save him? Wouldn't it have been better to let him fend for himself?
"How can you win Hanxiang back like this? What will she think of you if she sees you like this?" Xiao Jian tried to provoke Meng Dan's will.
But a piece of trash is a piece of trash, and can't be helped to a wall. Meng Dan grabbed the wine bottle lying beside him and took a few more sips. He wiped his mouth hastily with his sleeve. "Take it back? You make it sound so easy. How could I possibly break into the palace? Even my friends who followed me betrayed me like that. By now, I guess Hanxiang has already submitted to that emperor."
"Then you should cheer up. Is this disheveled Meng Dan still the Meng Dan in Han Xiang's heart?" Xiao Jian looked at Meng Dan, who was slumped on the ground without any willpower, and rubbed his forehead, feeling that coming to find him was a mistake.
"Cheer up first. I have a detailed plan to discuss with you. Then we can bring Hanxiang out of the palace and elope. Wouldn't that be better? It would be best if you didn't even go back to the Hui tribe, so that Ali Khoja wouldn't send Hanxiang back again." Xiao Jian still didn't want to give up on this easy-going brute.
Upon hearing that there was still hope, Meng Dan immediately sprang to his feet, dusted himself off, ran to the basin to wash his face quickly, and then sat down at the table to discuss countermeasures with Xiao Jian.
Without a doubt that they were complete strangers, why would Xiao Jian help him and Hanxiang? It can only be said that Xiao Jian has a truly sharp eye; this guy really is a reckless fool.
"So we have to wait until Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei come out?" Meng Dan asked, frowning, after hearing Xiao Jian's detailed plan. The reason was simple: although he had been confining himself upstairs these past few days, he wasn't completely cut off from news from downstairs.
He already knew that Xiao Yanzi and the others hadn't come for several days. If Xiao Yanzi came, he could ask her to pass on a message to Hanxiang. He could also find out about Hanxiang's recent situation from them.
Mondan still couldn't believe that his childhood sweetheart could change her mind so easily in such a short time.
They couldn't even believe that Hanxiang had repeatedly refused to elope with him, just for the Hui man who had abandoned them.
"We couldn't have accomplished this without Xiao Yanzi and Ziwei. First, we don't know the layout of the palace; second, we don't know where Hanxiang lives, let alone when we'll run into the patrolling guards." Xiao Jian felt a headache just thinking about these problems.
Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle. If he doesn't even understand these issues, how dare he make a move so easily? He won't even have time to escape by then.
“But they haven’t come to Huibinlou for a long time. Who knows when they’ll come again? Isn’t it almost Chinese New Year here?” Meng Dan felt like an ant on a hot pan. He didn’t want to wait a moment longer and even wished he could rush into the palace right now and bring Hanxiang out.
"Impulsiveness won't solve anything. You might be able to take on ten men, but can you take on a hundred? There are so many guards in the palace, and countless experts. How can you and I possibly get Hanxiang out of so many guards safely?" Xiao Jian couldn't help but facepalm. He was such a terrible teammate, completely brainless.
"Then can we take the initiative to contact them? The longer this drags on, the more dangerous it will be for Hanxiang in the palace," Meng Dan shouted impatiently.
Although Meng Dan was a reckless man, he still provided Xiao Jian with another idea. Yes, these days they had been waiting idly at Huibinlou but had never thought of taking the initiative to contact them.
Although he couldn't be sent into the palace to deliver messages to Xiao Yanzi and the others, Fu Erkang, being in the Imperial Academy, could still freely enter and leave the palace, right?
Thinking of this, Xiao Jian's eyes lit up and he rushed out of the building to the scholar's residence.
Even though Fu Lun's carriage had returned, Fu Erkang was still nowhere to be seen. Xiao Jian waited until it was almost dark, but still no sign of him. Helpless, he had no choice but to return the way he came.
Dejected, Mondan returned to his room and waited silently for news. Upon hearing the commotion next door, he rushed into the room with lightning speed.
"How is it? How is it? Did you get the information? When will they come to Huibinlou?" Meng Dan asked impatiently, completely ignoring Xiao Jian's ashen face.
"No, I waited at the gate of the Academy all day but Fu Erkang didn't come back. I don't know what happened. I'll go and find out more tomorrow." Xiao Jian still refused to give up, feeling that if this path was cut off, he probably wouldn't see Xiao Yanzi and the others for a long time, let alone their plans.
For this plan to be feasible, we must contact them as soon as possible.
The next day, Xiao Jian left home very early, thinking that since he hadn't waited for Fu Erkang the night before, he would surely be able to see him this morning.
So they sat down at a small stall in front of the scholar's residence and waited until the sun was high in the sky, but still didn't see it.
Xiao Jian then realized something was wrong and hurriedly asked the stall owner, since the stall had always been located near the Academy.
The stall owner initially refused to say, after all, who knew who this person was, and why was he deliberately inquiring about their official connections? But he couldn't resist the temptation of the silver, and Xiao Jian placed a silver ingot directly in front of the stall owner.
"Oh, so you're asking about Fu Erkang, the eldest son of the Fu family." The stall owner had never seen such a large sum of money before. He took it and bit it first. After realizing it was real, he quickly dropped his aloof expression and put on a fawning one. He then hurriedly put the silver into his pocket.
Xiao Jian nodded calmly, not saying anything more. He didn't want to get involved in any trouble, as saying more would only make things worse. He didn't want this person to notice and expose him.
"Speaking of the eldest son of the Fu family, he used to be the pride of the Fu family, but now...tsk tsk tsk." Although the stall owner was not in officialdom, he had been setting up his stall in front of the Fu family for many years, so he naturally knew the general situation.
Xiao Jian's heart tightened, and he silently prayed that nothing else would happen. But the more he prayed, the more likely it was to happen.
"The eldest son of the Fu family angered the Emperor and was demoted again and again, eventually ending up as a cook in the Imperial Kitchen. Now he doesn't even have much freedom to leave the palace anymore." The stall owner shook his head and sighed. If this were his own son, wouldn't he give him a good talking-to?
Xiao Jian also knew about this news, but he didn't know that Fu Erkang could no longer freely enter and exit the palace gates. Suddenly, he felt a darkness before his eyes. Now that this road was also blocked, what should he do?
"However, I heard that the Emperor's daughter is determined to marry this cook. I wonder what she sees in Fu Erkang, is it his looks or his family background?" The stall owner looked around, and after making sure no one was watching, he quietly approached Xiao Jian and shared this big piece of gossip he had gotten yesterday.
The main problem is that sometimes he hears so much, but there's no one he can share it with. If he shares it with his wife, he's afraid she'll worry about him; if he shares it with his son, he can't share it with his son either.
Sometimes, after hearing so much, you just want to confide in someone and talk about these things, but there's no one to listen. And then this rich, naive guy happens to come along, so I might as well tell him.
"Oh, the Emperor's daughter is begging to marry Fu Erkang?" Xiao Jian subconsciously thought it was that Ziwei girl. After all, the Emperor's other daughters were all very proud and arrogant. How could they possibly be interested in such a lowly servant? And now he's a cook in the Imperial Kitchen.
"Yes, it's unbelievable, isn't it? I was shocked when I heard the news. Even Fu Erkang was rejected by his father, so why is he still so eager to get back together?" The stall owner was also surprised, but these things were none of his business, and he was just having a good laugh.
Just as he finished speaking, a few more people came to the stall wanting to drink tea, so the stall owner quickly went to get busy.
As for Xiao Jian, he had already found out the information he wanted to know, so naturally he wouldn't stay there any longer. After putting down the money for his tea, he left immediately.
I never expected to gain so much from this trip. Thinking about Fu Erkang's arrogance, I realized that I had been following him around and flattering him all this time, all for the purpose of sowing discord between him and that dog emperor.
Now, having been demoted time and again, he still relies on Ziwei to beg for her and Fu Erkang's command. Fu Erkang must be extremely resentful. It's good that people are resentful; that's how he can be used, how he can willingly pave the way for him, and how he can agree to join his plans.
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