"Yes, all the rice shops in the city belong to the Zhang family." Zhang Qingyun said smugly. "If you want to buy rice, sir, can I give you a discount because of Zhang Duwei?"
"Okay, then I'll trouble you, Mr. Zhang."
"You're too kind, it's just a little rice."
The two of them were feigning politeness, both wearing smiles, and no one could tell what they were really doing.
Mingyue asked casually, "How long has Mr. Zhang been doing business in Huaizhou?"
Zhang Qingyun put down his glass of wine and pondered, "It must have been more than four years."
Mingyue's eyebrows curved, and her dark pupils sparkled. "It's really good timing. The drought hit right after the first year of business. Which family in the city doesn't buy Mr. Zhang's rice?"
Zhang Wen's eyelids twitched, and he kicked Zhang Qingyun's leg, who was a little tipsy, under the table.
Zhang Qingyun jolted, his body trembling slightly. He instinctively looked at Zhang Wen, and seeing that Zhang Wen's face was as black as ink, Zhang Qingyun regained some of his senses and forced himself to explain.
"Your Excellency is joking. This humble subject cannot predict droughts."
Mingyue pretended not to see the undercurrents between the two and cheerfully picked up her glass, "That's right, Mr. Zhang, I'll apologize with this glass."
Despite the strong liquor, Mingyue's expression remained unchanged. With great interest, she continued to ask, "Since Boss Zhang only opened his rice shop four years ago, were there no rice shops in the city before that?"
Zhang Qingyun's lips twitched. He hadn't expected Mingyue to be waiting for him here. He wished he could go back to before dinner and slap himself for saying that the rice shop belonged to his family.
Zhang Wen's eyes swept over Zhang Qingyun like knives, but when he met Mingyue's gaze, he immediately put on a smiling face. "Grand Preceptor, Brother Zhang's ancestors loved to hoard grain. When the drought struck, the other rice shops in the city sold out and had no stock, so naturally they had to close down. Therefore, Brother Zhang's family is the only one in the city that sells rice."
Zhang Qingyun breathed a sigh of relief and chimed in, "Yes, yes, my family experienced famine, so we stockpiled grain early to prepare for the future."
"I see. This meal was good. I have other things to attend to, but I'll personally treat Mr. Zhang to dinner next time."
Mingyue's departure surprised the two of them slightly, but Zhang Wen reacted quickly and asked, "Does the Imperial Preceptor wish me to accompany him?"
"It's alright, just a small matter to handle."
Mingyue nodded slightly, put one hand behind her back, and left with the grace of the wind.
Zhang Wen's fawning smile immediately turned cold. He grabbed the wine glass on the table and smashed it on the ground, shattering it into pieces. "What did I tell you yesterday? Today, the moment the master arrives, you try to intimidate her. How dare you!"
"Do you know who she is? The only Imperial Advisor of the Great Rong Dynasty! A favorite of the Emperor! Her status is incomparable to that of a small rice shop like yours?"
Zhang Qingyun stammered, shrinking his neck, "I was just thinking that the emperor is far away..."
"Shut up!"
Zhang Wen slapped him across the face, his sharp eyes reflecting a sinister look, and coldly rebuked, "Are you out of your mind to say such things?"
Zhang Qingyun covered his face, not daring to say another word.
Seeing Zhang Qingyun's cowardly appearance, Zhang Wen snorted coldly and narrowed his eyes dangerously, "The Imperial Advisor is testing you like this today, he probably already has suspicions."
"What should we do? What if she finds out that the food in the store was actually donated for disaster relief..."
Zhang Wen's fierce gaze successfully silenced Zhang Qingyun, and after a moment of silence, he said, "You'd better keep a low profile lately. Have you dealt with anyone who knows about these things?"
"It's been completely dealt with; not a single one was left!"
He dared not be careless when it came to matters of life and death.
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