It took a long while for Li Wanming and Liu Yiyi to come to their senses after the two women left.
"I didn't expect the things that happened at your place that day to be so exciting. I suspect I attended a fake birthday banquet," Liu Yiyi said.
Li Wanming replied, "Not only you. I also doubt if I was even there."
After being in a daze for a while, Li Wanming finally remembered what she had come for. "Let's not talk about that! My fermented rice is ready. I've brought some for you all to taste."
She told Chuntao to unload the wine from the carriage. After pouring it, she served it to the shop assistants.
Liu Yiyi took a sip first.
"How is it?" Li Wanming asked eagerly.
Liu Yiyi gave her a thumbs - up. "It's just as wonderful as the one you brewed in Fujian!"
However, the other assistants were not as enthusiastic. Their feedback was just polite remarks like "sweet", "delicious", and "a bit strong".
It seemed that her wine really didn't suit the taste of the people in the capital.
Li Wanming felt a bit discouraged and told Liu Yiyi what her father - in - law had said.
Liu Yiyi didn't mind. "It took you several months to develop that recipe in Fujian back then! Now you have to use dried lychees and also consider the taste of the people in the capital. It can't be that easy! Try a few more times, and you'll surely succeed!"
Li Wanming asked, "The dried lychees are almost used up. When will the next batch arrive?"
"My family's caravan has already reached Dingzhou. They'll be in the capital in a few days. Don't worry. I've already told them to load several large boxes of dried lychees for you this time!"
...
The carriage jolted rhythmically.
Guo Xinyue sat in the middle of the carriage, tightly clutching her fingers.
That little rascal Liu Yiyi seemed carefree and simple - minded, but unexpectedly, she had a tight mouth!
This morning, Guo Xinyue had deliberately softened her attitude and gone there humbly, but she hadn't found out anything.
No matter what she asked, Liu Yiyi pretended to be stupid and kept promoting the silk and ready - made clothes in the shop. As a result, Guo Xinyue didn't get any information but bought a set of clothes for each of her three maids!
She was so angry!
However, she couldn't fall out with Liu Yiyi for the time being.
In the past two days, she had found out that Liu Yiyi and Li Wanming had been best friends since childhood, and Liu's father and Li's father were also very close, like brothers.
With the situation still unclear, she didn't want to offend the Li family.
Especially after hearing that Li Wanming's father - in - law was the doorman of the Ning Princess's natal family...
Although this rumor might not be true, it couldn't be ignored.
Li Wanming's husband was from Langya, and the Ning Princess was also from Langya. Moreover, they both had the surname Cheng...
Guo Xinyue thought it over and over again and felt that the rumor was very likely to be true.
Although he was just a doorman, even the doorman of a prime minister was considered to have a certain status, not to mention the Cheng family of Langya, which was the top of the five surnames and seven prominent families.
She lifted the curtain of the carriage and ordered, "Leave the city and go to the Sun family in the suburbs."
Although Sun Miaoqing had been beaten by the Princess Chengping, blood relations were unbreakable. After all, she was the cousin - niece of Li Rusong, and the Li family couldn't just abandon her.
If she could take this opportunity to get in touch with the Ning Prince's Mansion and the Cheng family of Langya, it would be of great benefit to her father's official career!
In the suburbs, at the Sun family's.
Sun Miaoqing was lying on the bed, scolding non - stop. "Li Wanming, you dared to team up with your husband to play me! When I get better, I will never forgive you! Ouch..."
She accidentally touched her wound and gasped in pain.
Since she was carried back that day, Mrs. He hadn't even invited a doctor for her.
She just told a little maid to apply some medicine on her and then left her in the room, not even pouring her a glass of water.
Sun Miaoqing knew that she had been deceived, which had ruined Mrs. He's plan. She hated herself so much that her teeth itched. So she didn't dare to say much, but she hated Li Wanming even more.
After a while, Mrs. He's surprised voice sounded outside. "Miss Guo, why have you come? Please come in, please come in!"
Sun Miaoqing propped herself up halfway in confusion.
Miss Guo...
Guo Xinyue?
Why was she here? Was she... here to see her?
Sun Miaoqing was overjoyed and tried to get up with difficulty.
Guo Xinyue gently held her down with her hand. "I heard that Miss Sun was injured, so I came to visit you specially."
She told her maid to put the medicine she had brought on the table and covered her nose with a handkerchief, trying to hold back her disgust.
"Please sit down..." Sun Miaoqing said, flattered.
"I won't sit. I just heard an interesting rumor these days. I wonder if Miss Sun knows about it?"
"What rumor?"
Guo Xinyue pretended to be mysterious. "These days, it's been spreading in the capital that Li Wanming's father - in - law is the doorman of the Ning Princess's natal family."
Mrs. He was stunned. "Really?"
"Yes. I just found out today."
Guo Xinyue deliberately sighed. "If I had known earlier, I shouldn't have had a conflict with Miss Li San that day. In the eyes of the princess, she might think I was disrespectful to the prince's mansion..."
"That's right! It must be like this! Oh, even the doorman of a prime minister has a certain status. How could I not have thought of it!"
Mrs. He beat her chest and stamped her feet, full of remorse. "No wonder Princess Chengping went there that day and specifically asked that son - in - law to accompany her... I'm such a fool. I didn't even see this! I really deserve a scolding, a scolding!"
She was heart - broken, regretting that she hadn't treated Li Wanming and her husband well before.
Sun Miaoqing was also in a daze, seemingly shocked by this news.
Seeing their reactions, the corners of Guo Xinyue's mouth curled up slightly.
"I came to bring medicine for Miss Sun. Since the medicine has been delivered, I'll go back now."
She just needed to bring this information. It was up to the people of the Sun family to figure out how to re - establish a relationship with the Li family. She didn't need to worry about it.
Before going out, Guo Xinyue rolled her eyes slightly and left a sentence. "My brother heard that Miss Sun was ill and specifically asked me to convey his greetings. He hopes Miss Sun will recover soon."
If you want a donkey to run fast, you have to hang a bright carrot in front of it. She knew this well.
After Guo Xinyue left, Mrs. He suddenly realized that there was still hope for Sun Miaoqing to marry into the Guo family!
Her attitude towards Sun Miaoqing immediately changed. "My dear, are you cold? Are you hungry? Do you want some water? What are you standing there for? Hurry up and apply medicine to the young lady!"
...
When the carriage returned to Changming Street, it was almost noon.
Just as Guo Xinyue was wondering whether to go to Hongbin Building for lunch, she suddenly saw a fortune - telling stall in a corner of the alley.
The stall owner was extremely handsome, with a jade - like figure, making people forget the vulgar world at first sight.
It was none other than Li Wanming's husband, Xiao Jingnan.
Was he... fortune - telling here?
Guo Xinyue opened her eyes in surprise.
The business of the stall was extremely good. It was almost surrounded tightly.
Young girls and married women were all around, vying for him to tell their fortunes.
Xiao Jingnan was shaking the fortune - telling sticks while maintaining order with a smiling face. "Anyone who got a number yesterday will definitely get their fortune told today. Don't push. Line up! Remember what I said before? We're all graceful beauties!"
Most of the people in front of his stall were women.
Each of them had a rosy complexion, looking shy. They didn't seem to be here for fortune - telling but rather to see the man.
Among the queue, a man in a dark blue long gown stood out.
Guo Xinyue was suddenly stunned. Wasn't that the chief steward of Han He, the Minister of War?
Was he also here to ask this husband to tell his fortune?
No... it couldn't be.
He was probably like her, here to try to get in touch with the Ning Prince's Mansion through him!
It seemed that her bet was right. The connection with the Li family really couldn't be let go!