Han Mei immediately knelt on the ground.
Han Mingyue, who was standing to the side, wanted to step forward to stop them, but Han Mei shook her head and stopped her.
Even if Song Mengyun and the Duke of Song's mansion are merely nominal, they are still not people that ordinary merchants like them can afford to offend.
This is why Han Mei wanted Han Mingyue to study and pass the imperial examinations.
If Han Mingyue had official rank, Han Mei could stand tall in front of these wives and daughters of officials, and her business would be more successful.
"You old hag! You made me suffer such a great injustice here!"
Song Mengyun vented all her pent-up anger on Han Mei.
Before she came, Han Mei told her to use her status as a princess to suppress Gu Lili.
They were persuaded to sell the soap to them at a low price.
Unexpectedly, his attempt to steal a chicken backfired and he lost the rice instead.
She suffered such humiliation, being beaten like a pig's head by Gu Lili.
Although Han Mei was angry, she could only endure it.
Seeing his mother being beaten, Han Mingyue felt his eyes widen in fury. If Han Mei hadn't been holding his hand tightly, signaling him to calm down, he probably would have followed Gu Lili's example.
“Princess, please don’t be angry. I didn’t expect Gu Lili to be so difficult to handle, and I also didn’t expect that Eunuch Zhang would come to deliver the imperial decree by such a coincidence. Right now, the important thing is your face. Shall I apply some medicine for you first? It would be terrible if your appearance were ruined.”
As Han Mei spoke, she quickly gestured to her maid to go find the best medicated gunpowder.
Upon hearing this, Song Mengyun hurriedly ordered her maid to find a mirror so she could see her own face.
Han Mei also stood up to treat Song Mengyun's injuries, and gestured for Han Mingyue to step back.
Han Mingyue looked at her mother and felt only a sense of unfamiliarity and a chill running through her body.
But she obediently did as she was told and left.
Han Mingyue never expected that her mother, whom she had always regarded as upright and honest, would scheme against Gu Lili.
This was somewhat contrary to his understanding and he couldn't accept it for a while.
This was completely contrary to the usual earnest teachings of his mother and Master Yuan.
Han Mingyue returned to her room and closed the door.
......
After Gu Lili, Magistrate Yang, and Eunuch Zhang sat down, they began to reminisce.
"Magistrate Yang, did you also just return to Donghai Town today?" Gu Lili asked with a smile.
Not wanting to directly ask Eunuch Zhang about Yin Jiuchen's whereabouts, Gu Lili could only place her hopes on Magistrate Yang.
Eunuch Zhang covered his mouth with his delicate fingers and chuckled, "Oh dear, Princess, you can't call me Magistrate Yang anymore, you should call me Prefect Yang!"
Upon hearing this, Gu Lili's eyes lit up with a smile.
She thought that her kindness in asking Magistrate Yang to personally escort her work to the capital had backfired, turning it all into her dowry.
It seems that the Emperor has also bestowed honors upon Magistrate Yang.
Magistrate Yang explained with a smile, "Eunuch Zhang is joking. It's just because of the princess."
As Gu Lili had suspected, Magistrate Yang did not take all the credit for overseeing the students' writing assignments.
Instead, they reported everything to the Emperor, including the matter of managing the golden apple snail.
The Emperor observed that Magistrate Yang was neither servile nor arrogant, and that Donghai Town had indeed been governed very well by him in recent years.
In addition, the prefect of Jiangbei Prefecture was inactive. Magistrate Yang had sent people to inform him about the golden apple snails in the fields and had even told him how to deal with them, but he did nothing.
In a fit of anger, the emperor demoted him and promoted Magistrate Yang to the position.
"It's not because of me that you benefited; it's because Prefect Yang, you've worked diligently, which is why His Majesty appreciates you," Gu Lili said with a smile.
She was genuinely happy for Prefect Yang. When Prefect Yang was serving as county magistrate, he was very diligent and conscientious, especially during the outbreak of the plague, when he went door-to-door to notify the village heads of each village.
He then traveled between various towns, informing the county magistrates of the methods for treating the plague.
He promptly submitted a memorial to the Emperor, and most commendably, he did not mention any credit to the Emperor afterward, giving all the credit to Gu Lili.
This is what led to Gu Lili being granted the title of village head.
If Prefect Yang had taken all the credit for himself back then, to be honest, Gu Lili would have had no way of knowing.
Even if she knew, Gu Lili couldn't do anything to Prefect Yang.
Therefore, when she caught the spy, Gu Lili returned to Donghai Town without hesitation and handed the spy over to Prefect Yang.
Fortunately, the Emperor recognized his talent, and even though Prefect Yang did not explicitly state his merits, he was still rewarded.
Prefect Yang cupped his hands in a respectful but not arrogant manner, and said, "What I have done is nothing more than loyalty to the emperor. Everything is within my duties. It cannot be called being diligent and conscientious; it is all what I should do."
Eunuch Zhang looked at Prefect Yang and nodded repeatedly in approval.
The Emperor was right about you!
Gu Lili glanced at Eunuch Zhang and then at Prefect Yang, and finally couldn't help but ask the question that had been on her mind.
"May I ask, Prefect Yang, has he returned to the capital?"
Gu Lili did not reveal Yin Jiuchen's identity because she was unsure whether he had truly returned to the capital.
Upon hearing Gu Lili's question, before Prefect Yang could even answer, Eunuch Zhang slapped his forehead.
"Oh dear, I've been so careless! I was so caught up in reminiscing that I forgot to give the princess His Highness the Crown Prince's letter," Eunuch Zhang said with a regretful laugh.
He quickly took the letter out of his pocket.
Of course he knew who Gu Lili was referring to, because Yin Jiuchen had already returned to the capital.
Before he arrived in Donghai Town, Yin Jiuchen specifically instructed him to give the souvenir to Gu Lili.
Eunuch Zhang took out not only the letter, but also a brocade box from his bosom.
"Princess, this is from His Highness the Crown Prince, who asked me to give it to you," Eunuch Zhang said with a smile.
In fact, the fact that Eunuch Zhang is on Gu Lili's side today is not only due to the Emperor's wishes, but also to Yin Jiuchen's.
When Yin Jiuchen gave him the item, Eunuch Zhang was quite startled.
Later, he learned that Gu Lili was Yin Jiuchen's savior. Seeing how much Yin Jiuchen cared for her, it was highly likely that Gu Lili would become the Crown Prince in the future.
Although she can't become the Crown Princess, she can definitely become a concubine.
Looking at the things in Eunuch Zhang's hands, Gu Lili felt relieved; it was good that Yin Jiuchen had returned to the capital safely.
As for the rest, Gu Lili still holds onto her original thoughts.
She would never share a husband with so many women, nor would she confine herself to a high-walled mansion.
Gu Lili took the things from Zhang Gonggong's hands and then turned around to hand them to Gu Chenxi behind her.
Gu Lili did not intend to open the letter and read its contents at that moment.
With a smile, Eunuch Zhang said, "Princess, His Highness the Crown Prince has another message for me to convey to you."
Zhang Gonggong's eyes seemed to have two light bulbs, blinking and full of gossip.
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