"Brother, is there something wrong?" Mei Qingxue was also a bit worried that something might have happened in the Prime Minister's Mansion.
"Nothing. It's just that the emperor has summoned me to the palace. I don't know what it's about. Xue'er, don't worry." Mei Haoxuan didn't want Mei Qingxue to worry. The little frown on his brow gradually smoothed out.
"The emperor has summoned you, brother. You'd better go quickly. I can go back to the mansion by myself." Hearing Mei Haoxuan's words, Mei Qingxue secretly thought that she was really lucky! The emperor's timing to summon her brother was just perfect! This way, she could go to the place she had always wanted to visit in the following time! But judging from her brother's expression, it seemed that such things didn't happen often. Could it be that there was something important for her brother to do?
"But how can I leave you alone here? It's not too late for me to send you back to the mansion first and then go to the palace." He was still quite worried about leaving Mei Qingxue to go back alone.
"How can that be?" Mei Qingxue instantly jumped up to object, but then sat back down quickly when she realized her reaction might have been a bit too intense.
"Brother, the emperor is the supreme ruler. Since he has given an order, as his subject, one should obey. Brother, you've been on duty for so long and should know the importance of this. We brought quite a few guards with us when we came out today. I won't run around and nothing will happen. Brother, don't worry."
Mei Qingxue was right. No matter how powerful their Prime Minister's family was, in the end, they were still under the emperor's command. It wasn't always a good thing that her father had too much power. Although the emperor seemed calm on the surface, he must have had some suspicions and concerns in his heart. So they must act extremely carefully.
After much hesitation, Mei Haoxuan finally decided to follow Mei Qingxue's advice and go to the palace to report first. "Xue'er, you must not run around. Go back in an hour. Do you understand?" Before leaving, Mei Haoxuan couldn't help but tell Mei Qingxue again and again not to wander around.
Mei Qingxue obediently agreed to everything, looking like she would never disobey. But in her heart, she already had another plan.
"Miss, where are you going to go in the next hour?" In Yue Ru's opinion, Mei Qingxue would probably just stroll around the rouge shops or cloth stores. She heard that Yanshuikou had just received a new batch of high - quality rouge recently. She wondered if she could go with the miss to take a look later.
"Yue Ru, do you have any silver on you?"
"Silver? Do you want to buy something, miss?"
"You'll know later. Do you have it or not?"
"Yes. Miss, you haven't left the mansion for so many years. I've carefully saved your monthly allowance for you."
"Good. Let's go." After burping, Mei Qingxue got up and walked towards the door.
"Yes, miss."
"Yes, miss?" Mei Qingxue stopped walking, raised her eyebrows and looked at Yue Ru.
Yue Ru understood and quickly said, "Yes, young master."
"Young master, it seems that someone has already paid our bill." As soon as Mei Qingxue reached downstairs, the guard left to protect her stepped forward and said.
Mei Qingxue was secretly curious. Who had paid their bill? "Was it the eldest young master who paid the bill?"
"I've already asked, young master. It wasn't the eldest young master."
This was strange. It was her first time on the street today, so there was no way she could know anyone. Could it be an old acquaintance of the original owner of this body? It was impossible. She hadn't left the Prime Minister's Mansion for a long time. So, who could it be?
"Is this young master satisfied with the dishes in our shop?" While Mei Qingxue was still puzzled, a chubby middle - aged man about 165 centimeters tall with a beaming face walked towards her. Mei Qingxue knew that he must be the owner of this shop.
"The dishes in your shop are delicious and look great. I'm quite satisfied."
"That's good, that's good. Welcome, young master, to come again next time."
Looking at the shopkeeper who was smiling so widely that only his nose was visible, Mei Qingxue asked, "I wonder who paid our meal bill? I, Luo Fan, never accept benefits without doing anything. I wonder if the shopkeeper could tell me who that person is?"
"Does Young Master Luo really not know who paid the bill for you?" Hearing Mei Qingxue's words, the shopkeeper was quite surprised, as if Mei Qingxue was joking with him.
Mei Qingxue was curious. Could it be some great person? And why would this person do this? "I'm afraid I'm really ignorant. I really don't know."
"That's really strange. Maybe the Pretty - faced Gentleman wants to make your acquaintance, Young Master Luo." Seeing that Mei Qingxue really seemed to know nothing, the shopkeeper was also a bit puzzled. But since it was the customer's business, he didn't ask too much and didn't dig deeper.
"Pretty - faced Gentleman? May I ask the shopkeeper who this Pretty - faced Gentleman is?"
"Hehe, is the young master from out of town? The Pretty - faced Gentleman is well - known to everyone in our capital. His paintings are extremely hard to come by even for a thousand gold!"
"Yes, I'm here in the capital to do business, so I don't know. I see. Then does the shopkeeper know where the Pretty - faced Gentleman is now? I'd like to thank him in person." Although she loved money, she didn't like to take advantage of others. She had no relation with this Pretty - faced Gentleman and didn't want to accept his inexplicable favor.
"The Pretty - faced Gentleman has already left the shop. But I heard that the Pretty - faced Gentleman will appear at the annual painting exhibition. Coincidentally, today is that annual painting exhibition."
"Painting exhibition?" It seemed that the ancient people also had quite a few ways to entertain themselves. Although she wasn't good at Chinese ink painting, she was very willing to go and appreciate it.
"Yes. If Young Master Luo is interested, you can go and have a look. It's on Taixu Mountain a few miles away."
"Thank you, shopkeeper. I'll take my leave now."
After walking out of the restaurant, Mei Qingxue decided to change her itinerary.
"Young master, where are we going? Don't tell me we're going to that painting exhibition?"
"So what if we are? Is there anything wrong with that?" Mei Qingxue hooked her lips into a smile. It seemed that the place she wanted to go would have to wait until the next time she went out.
"But, but young master, if we go to that painting exhibition, we won't be able to get back to the Prime Minister's Mansion in two hours. Then the eldest young master..."
Looking at Yue Ru's frowning brows, Mei Qingxue couldn't help but find it funny. She stepped forward and pinched her nose and said, "Come on, don't think I don't know what you're thinking. If you didn't want to go, you would have sent someone back to tell my parents already. You're such an untruthful child!" Yue Ru was about the same age as her. At this age, she still loved to play. Besides, Yue Ru had been staying in the mansion with her for so many years. Of course, she would want to go out and have a look.
"Young master, don't make fun of Yue Ru. Yue Ru doesn't really want to go..." Yue Ru, whose thoughts had been exposed, buried her head almost into her chest.
"Fine. Then you go back to the Prime Minister's Mansion first. I'll go back later." Letting go of Yue Ru, Mei Qingxue leaned gently on the carriage and said softly.
"How can this be! Miss, young master, Yue Ru can't leave you." Yue Ru even forgot to be shy and quickly said anxiously. But when she saw Mei Qingxue's beaming face, she felt that she had been tricked by her own miss again.
"Okay, I won't tease you anymore. Don't worry. I'm just going there to take a look. Nothing will happen."
After giving a few instructions to the coachman, the carriage slowly drove in the direction of Taixu Mountain.