After returning to the mansion, Jiang Fuying locked herself in the bedroom and said nothing.
The atmosphere in Bibo Courtyard was extremely oppressive, and the whole courtyard was in complete silence.
As soon as Lu Huaizhou stepped into the courtyard, he sensed something was wrong.
Looking at Caipu and Caizhi, who were dejectedly guarding the bedroom door, he immediately understood the reason: Her cooperation talks with the shopkeepers today had not gone smoothly.
He calmly waved to Caipu and Caizhi, motioning them to come closer.
"Your Highness, did you call us?" Caipu and Caizhi looked at him in confusion.
While keeping an eye on the movement in the bedroom, Lu Huaizhou lowered his voice and said, "What exactly happened during the cooperation talks in Bailu Alley today? Tell me everything in detail."
He was really worried about her state.
Caipu and Caizhi exchanged a look and saw the determination in each other's eyes.
The prince must be planning to help the young lady!
So they didn't hide anything and recounted all that had happened today in one breath.
When they mentioned the shopkeeper Meng from the rouge shop who had belittled and slandered the woman, a hint of coldness flashed across Lu Huaizhou's eyes.
Shopkeeper Meng, right?
He remembered!
At the end, the two maids couldn't help but say, "Your Highness, the young lady has been rejected repeatedly today. We're afraid she's in a bad mood. Could you..."
"Don't worry. I'll comfort her." Lu Huaizhou waved his hand and then instructed, "Please do me a favor and tell my mother that we won't go to the dining hall for dinner today."
"Yes."
The two maids retreated in perfect unison.
Lu Huaizhou walked towards the bedroom. After hesitating for a moment, he finally pushed the door open directly.
"Creak."
The sound of the door pulled Jiang Fuying back from disappointment and frustration to reality.
For some reason, as she watched him getting closer, a dense feeling of sourness welled up in her heart, and she inexplicably felt a bit more aggrieved.
She said hoarsely, "Your Highness, you're back."
"Yes." Lu Huaizhou strode to the table, poured a cup of tea himself, and handed it to her. "Moisten your throat first."
Jiang Fuying took it gently. She thought he would ask about the result of today's cooperation talks, but unexpectedly, he sat down beside her and just said calmly,
"I'm tired today, so I've sent someone to tell my mother that we won't go to the dining hall for dinner."
A look of understanding flashed across her autumn - water eyes.
Seeing that he didn't look the least bit tired, she knew he had just made up an excuse.
But why did he make up such an excuse?
Thinking of this, Jiang Fuying suddenly froze and realized something was wrong.
And it seemed that he had made this excuse... for her?
"Your Highness, then for dinner..."
Lu Huaizhou yawned lazily. "I think the dishes from that restaurant last time were good, and you liked them too. Let's have the restaurant send some ready - made dishes."
A warm current quietly flowed through Jiang Fuying's heart.
Even now, Prince Lu still remembered that she liked the dishes from that restaurant.
Whether it was because of his influence or something else, Jiang Fuying's sense of frustration and disappointment miraculously faded a lot.
After dinner, they went to bed early with the lights out.
It was a good night's sleep.
Just when Jiang Fuying thought he wouldn't ask about the result of her cooperation talks, he suddenly appeared in front of her, neatly dressed.
"Ahem." He didn't say a word but just cleared his throat.
Jiang Fuying looked him up and down suspiciously, feeling that he was extremely abnormal today.
He usually dressed very simply, but today, he was wearing a red - cloud brocade robe, his hair was tied up with a white jade crown, and he was holding an ivory folding fan in his hand. He looked exactly like a wealthy and dissolute prince.
Noticing her gaze, he even spread out his arms and showed off to her, asking, "Miss Jiang, what do you think of this outfit?"
Jiang Fuying's lips twitched imperceptibly.
She couldn't really comment on the outfit, but from any angle, he looked just like a gaudy... peacock.
Of course, she didn't voice her inner thoughts but just said, "It's okay."
Hearing her answer, Lu Huaizhou curved his lips. "That's good. I'll go with you to Bailu Alley today."
Go with them?
"Does Your Highness have something to do in Bailu Alley?"
Lu Huaizhou looked at her with a complicated expression. After a while, he said helplessly, "I'm going to stand up for you."
Jiang Fuying didn't catch his implication and just thought he was comforting her.
"Your Highness, there's no need to comfort me like this." She gave a self - deprecating smile and explained, "I figured it out last night. If I get rejected once or twice, I don't believe those shopkeepers will keep avoiding me if I try enough times."
"They say there's nothing difficult in the world if you put your mind to it. As long as they're willing to see me, I can convince them."
Lu Huaizhou was silent for a moment.
What she said made sense, but the situation of those shopkeepers in Bailu Alley was far more complicated than she thought. He...
"Of course I believe Miss Jiang."
Raising his sword - shaped eyebrows slightly, he urged, "It's getting late. It's time to set off."
In Bailu Alley.
The carriage of the Zhennan Duke's Mansion stopped at the alley entrance. The coachman asked, "Madam, which shop do you plan to visit first today?"
Just as Jiang Fuying was hesitating, a voice beside her answered first.
"Let's go to the rouge shop first."
She suddenly realized and looked at him in surprise. "So Your Highness wasn't joking. You really are going to stand up for me?"
"Of course."
The carriage stopped, and Lu Huaizhou naturally helped her get off.
As soon as they stepped into the rouge shop and didn't see shopkeeper Meng, he directly called over a young servant. "I want to see your shopkeeper Meng."
The young servant, having received instructions from shopkeeper Meng, just said, "The shopkeeper has gone out on business. He's not in the shop right now."
Not in the shop?
Lu Huaizhou sneered coldly. He had just seen a head peeping out from behind the counter.
"Do you know who I am?" he suddenly asked.
The young servant first shook his head, then looked at Jiang Fuying beside Lu Huaizhou and nodded slightly.
The shopkeeper had told him to turn away anyone who came with the wife of the Zhennan Duke's heir.
"That's quite unfortunate."
Lu Huaizhou simply sat down in a seat, crossed his legs, and a cynical smile curled on his lips as he fully displayed the air of a dissolute playboy.
Even Jiang Fuying was a bit shocked by his appearance.
What was he up to?
"I've been roaming the capital for over a decade, and I've never met someone who doesn't know me. You and your shopkeeper are the first!" Lu Huaizhou said in a bad - tempered tone and casually played with the jade plaque on his waist.
After seeing the five characters "Heir of the Zhennan Duke" on the jade plaque, the young servant's face immediately changed.
This was the legendary dissolute prince, and he had come in person to stand up for his wife!
They might have the courage to offend the prince's wife to some extent, but the reputation of this dissolute prince was too well - known. There were few people in the entire capital who dared to provoke him.
After realizing his identity, the young servant was extremely respectful. "Your Highness, please wait a moment. I'll go and invite the shopkeeper right away!"