Chapter 25
It was a beautiful, sunny morning. Yuan Liu Niang specially changed into a respectable men's long gown, prepared generous gifts and tribute money, and planned to meet the so-called Prince Cheng.
"Sixth Sister, Prince Cheng is known for his eccentric personality. Your trip is only to find out the truth first, so don't clash with him."
"Alright, don't you trust me to handle things?"
After Yuan Liu Niang finished speaking, she waved to Lao Si and got into the sedan chair.
The journey was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of people. Yuan Liu Niang lifted the curtain and looked around the markets of Yandu with great interest. Suddenly, a man's gentle, refined voice caught her attention.
"Shopkeeper, how much is this folding fan?"
Amidst the cacophony of voices, the man's deep, magnetic voice was like a breath of fresh air, rushing straight into her ears. Yuan Liu Niang couldn't help but call out, "Stop the sedan chair!"
"yes."
The plain-colored sedan chair stopped by the roadside. The moment Yuan Liuniang bent down to get out of the chair, the man happened to turn his head. Their eyes met, as if it were a fateful encounter. Yuan Liuniang's mind went blank for a moment. It was as if something was guiding her, making her uncontrollably walk forward.
"This folding fan in your hand, sir, is quite exquisite. I took a liking to it at first sight. I wonder if you would be willing to part with it?"
Her words jolted Zhao Shixian out of his daze. Looking into her beautiful peach blossom eyes, his heart suddenly raced; he had never felt such a flutter in his heart before.
"Since you like it, I will give it to you as a gift."
Yes, she was a woman, Zhao Shixian was inexplicably certain of this.
Turning around, Zhao Shixian handed the silver to the shopkeeper, then smiled and politely presented him with a folding fan.
Yuan Liu Niang's cheeks flushed slightly. She extended her fair and slender hand, took the folding fan, and returned his greeting: "Thank you, young master."
After saying that, she turned and left, leaving Zhao Shixian staring blankly at her retreating figure.
Back in the sedan chair, it took her a while to clear her head. Blushing, she began tapping her head with her folding fan.
"Aaaaaah! What did I just do?! I inexplicably went to ask someone for a fan! Did a zombie eat my brain?!!"
After knocking on herself, she stared at the fan for a while, and Zhao Shixian's image unconsciously surfaced in her mind again.
Ah! That man is so handsome! His voice is so pleasant! He speaks so gently! And he's so polite! He's totally her type!
After spending so much time with those rough, uncouth bandits in the mountains, I really need a scholarly man like this to cleanse my eyes.
After lost in thought for a while, a servant reported that they had arrived at Prince Cheng's residence.
She calmed herself down, straightened her clothes, and stepped out of the sedan chair. When she looked up, she saw the magnificent gate of the Prince Cheng's mansion.
I've heard that Yuwen Zhe is the current emperor's most favored younger brother; this mansion is indeed extraordinary.
She lifted her robe and stepped forward, respectfully saying to the guards at the gate of the Prince's mansion, "Please trouble you to inform them that the manager of Fengyun Money Shop requests an audience."
The guard looked her up and down, his tone arrogant: "Wait here."
Yuan Liu Niang wasn't annoyed. She smiled and waited outside the door, occasionally playing with the folding fan in her hand.
They waited from morning until noon, with waves of people coming and going in the mansion, before a manager-like figure finally came out and asked, "Where are the people from Fengyun Money House?"
“Here I am!” Yuan Liuniang smiled in the typical manner of a merchant: “I am from Fengyun Money Shop, and I have come here specifically to pay my respects to Your Highness.”
"Come in."
She waved to the servants behind her and entered the palace with the gifts.
After passing through numerous pavilions and long corridors, they arrived at a garden. The steward led the servants carrying the gifts elsewhere, and Yuan Liu Niang walked through the archway alone. In the distance, she saw a noble-looking man sitting in a pavilion, playing chess with himself.
"Your Highness, the people from Fengyun Money House have arrived," Jia Er said.
"Um."
Yuwen Zhe coldly raised his head, but the moment he saw the figure, his pupils suddenly contracted, and he jumped up from his wheelchair.
"Wenluo!"
"???"
Yuan Liu Niang was first stunned by the man's exquisite and perfect features, and then she stared blankly as the man rushed towards her like a madman. Before she could dodge, he hugged her.
Holy crap?! Who is this guy?! Is he crazy?!
Yuan Liuniang instantly stepped back, moved her elbow forward, grabbed the arm that was holding her, and was about to give him an over-the-shoulder throw!
So what if you're good-looking?!
Does being good-looking give you the right to sexually harass people?!
Fortunately, Yuwen Zhe reacted quickly enough, regaining his balance the moment he was thrown, and turned around to stare at her in a daze.
Yuan Liu Niang looked on warily: "Who are you?! How dare you act so presumptuously in the Prince Cheng's residence?!"
Afterwards, Jia Er and Jia San, having regained their senses, immediately stepped forward to capture Yuan Liu Niang, but were stopped by Prince Cheng.
"Get out!"
"yes."
After losing control, he realized that Wenluo didn't recognize him yet. Suppressing his excitement, he explained, "I am Yuwen Zhe."
"???"
Don't lie to me, the whole world knows that Prince Cheng has a leg ailment.
Judging from how fast this guy charged over just now, was it fast? More like a gust of wind!
"Ahem, well, Your Highness, this humble subject knows nothing, this humble subject saw nothing, this humble subject has other matters to attend to, farewell!"
Discovering the secret of the current prince is a huge disaster! At this point, forget everything else and make your escape!
Yuwen Zhe noticed that her gaze kept lingering on his legs, and he knew that he had been too excited and had inadvertently given himself away... But it didn't matter, Wenluo was a smart woman, and naturally knew what she could and couldn't say.
Yuwen Zhe grabbed her: "You came to see me today with nothing to say?"
"..." Is it too late to pretend to be blind now?
She forced a smile: "This humble subject has come to pay respects to Your Highness, indeed there is something I need. However, it is already noon today, and Your Highness should be having lunch. This humble subject dares not disturb you, and will come to pay my respects another day, another day, another day."
Yuwen Zhe looked up at the sun; it was indeed noon. "Guests are guests, how could I possibly turn them away? Today, I will host a banquet to entertain our distinguished guest. May I ask how you are addressed, young lady?"
She even changed into men's clothes before going out, yet everyone still knew she was a woman? How could they have such sharp eyesight?
"My surname is Yuan, and my given name is Luo. Since I am the sixth child in my family, Your Highness may call me Yuan Liu."
Why does Luo have the surname Yuan? No wonder he couldn't find her no matter how hard he looked before; it seems she kept many things from him in their past life...
Just then, he saw the folding fan in her hand, and his face immediately turned ashen.
Where did this fan come from?
Yuan Liu Niang didn't know why he suddenly turned hostile. She casually put the folding fan into her sleeve and laughed it off, saying, "It was a gift from a friend."
"friend?"
It must be that Zhao Shixian again! Damn it! Why did he beat me to it again?
Thinking of all the conflicts the two had in their previous life because of this folding fan, Yuwen Zhe chose to endure it. He couldn't leave a bad impression on Wenluo as soon as they met.
"Let's go have a meal."
"This humble subject obeys."
He walked ahead with a dark face, while Yuan Liuniang followed behind with a bewildered expression.
She thought that the prince's legs were fine, but his brain was the problem!
She ate the meal with trepidation, barely able to swallow. When Yuwen Zhe finally released her, she was practically ready to gallop away on horseback.
Back at the money exchange in a flash, Yuan Liu Niang patted her chest, relieved to have escaped with her life.
"What's wrong with you? Have you seen a ghost?" The fourth brother put down his abacus. "What did Prince Cheng say about the restaurant incident?"
"Don't even mention the restaurant! I'm lucky to be alive!"
After learning the prince's secret, she almost thought she would never come back! In this day and age, it's a matter of minutes for a nobleman to kill a commoner.
Why do you say that? Have you offended someone?
"More or less!"
She nodded haphazardly, not daring to say what she had seen.
Seeing her like this, the fourth brother knew there was something going on and didn't ask any more questions. He began to think if there were any other solutions.
As a result, that very evening, people from Prince Cheng's Mansion delivered land deeds and house deeds for more than a dozen restaurants for them to choose from.
The saying goes, "No reward without merit." They wouldn't dare to act rashly against something that clearly had no purpose.
After politely declining Prince Cheng's offer, Yuan Liuniang found another address. This time, Yuwen Zhe didn't cause any trouble, but he would occasionally visit Fengyun Money House, making his intentions unclear.
About half a month later, the renovation of Fengyun Restaurant was completed. Early that morning, Yuan Liu Niang excitedly brought the letter to Lao Si's courtyard.
"Little Tiger! Wake up! Get up! The Boss is almost at the capital!!!"
Author's Note: In the original setting:
In her previous life, Hua Wenluo truly loved the scumbag Zhao Shixian. Later, after becoming a courtesan, they met again, and under the influence of his sweet words, Hua Wenluo even considered forgiving him.
Even after she married Prince Cheng, she kept the folding fan that Zhao Shixian had given her. She only burned the fan after Zhao Shixian died.
**
Thank you to all the little angels who voted for me or watered my plants with nutrient solution!
Thank you to the little angel who watered the [nutrient solution]:
Even the top bunkmate who's terrible at naming things gets a name from one bottle;
Thank you so much for your support! I will continue to work hard!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com