Chapter 76 Transactions
"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Ye Wanning quickly stepped forward to support Cui'er, who was panting heavily.
"I just went to the gate of the mansion..." Before she could say anything more, Cui'er suddenly noticed Su Wenzhen standing next to her and immediately fell silent. What would happen if the prince found out about this!
Ye Wanning was taken aback, looking at Cui'er with some confusion, "Continue talking, why did you stop?"
"Cough cough." Cui'er coughed lightly twice, her face flushed red. "I...I..." As she spoke, her eyes kept drifting towards Su Wenzhen beside her.
Ye Wanning was startled, and after a while she came to her senses. When she saw Cui'er's eyes, she immediately understood what was going on. Her eyes darted around, and after a moment, she said to Cui'er, "Has something happened at the cloth shop?" As she spoke, she gave Cui'er a meaningful look.
Cui'er nodded and replied, "Yes."
Hearing the commotion, Su Wenzhen stepped forward and looked at the two of them with a puzzled expression. "What's wrong? What happened?"
"It's nothing." Ye Wanning grinned. "Didn't I manage the business at the cloth shop a few days ago? It seems something happened there, and they sent someone to report it." As she spoke, she pulled Cui'er along. "Cui'er and I will go deal with it first."
Su Wenzhen nodded, squinted, and said, "Then you guys go ahead, I also have some things to take care of."
Upon hearing this, Ye Wanning nodded and immediately pulled Cui'er away.
Seeing Ye Wanning's hurried departure, Su Wenzhen couldn't help but raise an eyebrow. Was it the cloth shop?
The two walked a distance away, and seeing that no one was following, Ye Wanning stopped. She cautiously looked around, and seeing nothing amiss, turned to Cui'er, "What's wrong? What happened?"
Cui'er took a deep breath and handed the envelope to Ye Wanning. "Here, sister, take a look." Cui'er frowned. "Just now, when I saw Prime Minister Ye off, a little beggar rushed up and handed me this envelope. He said something..." Cui'er thought for a moment and then said, "He said something, but you'll know as soon as you take a look, sister."
A little beggar? She could tell at a glance? Ye Wanning was completely confused; she didn't remember knowing anyone here! Ye Wanning pursed her lips, "Never mind, I'll just open it and see." With that thought, Ye Wanning opened the envelope and took out a piece of paper.
Cui'er curiously leaned closer, "What is this?"
Ye Wanning crumpled the paper in her hand into a ball, smiled knowingly, and handed the ball to Cui'er, "Burn this."
Cui'er nodded, then looked at her with some doubt. She had seen something in that glimpse earlier—Liu Xuan actually invited her young lady to discuss business? But… unable to suppress her curiosity, Cui'er hesitated for a long time before finally asking, "Sister… this… didn't he disagree that day? Now he's taking the initiative to invite you over. Could there be some kind of conspiracy involved?"
“Yes.” Ye Wanning squinted, looking thoughtful. Cui’er was right. Back then, Liu Xuan had refused her outright under the pretext of not wanting to interfere in the royal family, but now he was suddenly extending an olive branch to her. There was indeed something strange about this. After thinking for a moment, Ye Wanning said in a deep voice, “It’s okay, let’s go and see what tricks he’s up to.”
“But…” Cui’er gritted her teeth, looking at Ye Wanning with some difficulty, “If the Prince finds out that you’re always running to Yichun Courtyard… what will we do…”
Ye Wanning was taken aback, then looked at Cui'er and couldn't help but laugh. Her lips were full of smiles. "So that's why you didn't dare to say it just now?"
"Yes." Cui'er scratched her head sheepishly, then said with a mournful expression, "Other people's young ladies are all gentle and virtuous, never leaving their homes, but sister, it's one thing for you to go out, but don't always go to those brothels... What if you pick up some bad habits!"
"You brat!" Ye Wanning flicked Cui'er's forehead. "You're getting bolder and bolder, daring to lecture me now! Don't you know what I'm going to do!"
"But……"
"Stop talking nonsense." Ye Wanning rolled her eyes at Cui'er. "Go change your clothes. If you really don't want to come with me, then you can stay in the manor and keep an eye on the Prince!"
"No, no, no!" Upon hearing this, Cui'er was shocked and quickly waved her hand, saying, "Sister, I'll go with you!" If she stayed behind, how would she answer when the prince asked her where Ye Wanning was?
"You chose this yourself." Ye Wanning raised an eyebrow, her face sly. "Don't blame me later, saying that I insisted on dragging you there."
Cui'er nodded helplessly, "Okay!"
After changing into men's clothing, the two sneaked out of the mansion through the back door. When they arrived at the entrance of Yichun Courtyard, they saw the madam standing anxiously at the door, searching for something.
Ye Wanning walked over with an unusually flirtatious air, fanning herself with a fan. She raised an eyebrow and looked at the madam, "Madam, who are you waiting for?"
Upon seeing Ye Wanning arrive, the madam was overjoyed and said with beaming eyes, "We've been waiting for you two brothers!"
"What do you mean by that, Mother?" Cui'er, standing to the side, smiled and said, "Did you know we were coming? So the mothers at Yichun Courtyard can tell fortunes too!"
"Hehe." The madam chuckled twice, but didn't reply. She waved the handkerchief in her hand. "Young Master Ye, please don't tease me. Our master has been waiting for a long time. He's waiting in Peony's room! You gentlemen should go over there quickly!" With that, the madam led the two men inside.
Upon arriving at the entrance of the peony shop, Ye Wanning discovered that the door was open. She paused for a moment, then turned to the madam and said, "You may leave now." She then led Cui'er inside.
Upon entering the house, she found no trace of the peony. The window was half-closed, and it was not as deserted as the last time she came. A pleasant incense was burning inside, but Ye Wanning couldn't guess what it smelled like after smelling it for a long time. It just felt very familiar.
After a pause, Ye Wanning sniffed and saw the figure watering the flowers in the inner room. "Young Master Liu."
"Why are you being so distant, Aning?" Hearing someone call him, Liu Xuan turned around, looked at Ye Wanning with a smile, and then pretended to be angry, "If you treat me like this, then I think there's no need for us to talk anymore."
Ye Wanning was taken aback, and quickly changed her words, saying, "Ah Xuan, Ah Xuan, good Ah Xuan, it's all my fault, please don't be angry."
Seeing Ye Wanning admit her mistake so readily, Liu Xuan smiled faintly and looked at Ye Wanning with a hint of amusement, "When you call me that, it makes me feel like you're a woman."
"Nonsense!" Upon hearing this, Cui'er was startled and immediately shouted, "How can you say my cousin is a woman!"
"Shut up." Ye Wanning turned her head, glanced at Cui'er indifferently, and frowned. "How dare you speak to Young Master Liu like that? It was just a joke."
Liu Xuan curled her lips, "A Ning is right, it was just a joke. Why are you in such a hurry, young master? It's a bit like you're trying to hide something."
Hearing Liu Xuan say this, Ye Wanning felt that something was amiss. She squinted at Liu Xuan, "Young Master Liu wants me to get closer to you, but it doesn't seem like you want to talk business with me..." She changed the subject, her expression turning stern, "It's more like you're here to tease me?"
“Ah Ning has really misunderstood me.” Liu Xuan pursed his lips and smiled as he looked at Ye Wanning, saying, “Today, I am indeed here to discuss business with Ah Ning.”
"Oh?" Ye Wanning raised an eyebrow and sat down on a bench. Her voice was unusually languid. "Tell me, Brother Liu, after all this build-up, what kind of business do you want to do with me?"
"It seems Aning is angry." Liu Xuan picked up the tea beside him, took a sip, looked up at Ye Wanning, and said with a smile, "In that case, consider it my apology. I will..." As he spoke, Liu Xuan stood up, slowly turned around, spread his hands, and looked at Ye Wanning, "How about I give you this Yichun Courtyard?"
"What!" Ye Wanning was shocked, looking at Liu Xuan somewhat at a loss, "You...you...you mean..."
“From now on, this Yichun Courtyard is yours, but…” Liu Xuan suddenly stepped forward, gently lifted Ye Wanning’s chin, brought his face close to hers, and said in an unusually ambiguous tone, “Promise me one thing, okay?”
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