Unexpectedly, Zheng Yuanqing was the first to speak. He turned to Song Huaizhi and said, "I'd like to thank Young Master Song for your help yesterday." Seeing him rise and bow, Song Huaizhi merely returned a polite nod and replied indifferently, "You're welcome."
Jingzhe stood silently behind Meng Ruyi, her eyes cold. When Zheng Yuanqing entered, she only quickly glanced up at him warily and then lowered her head again, quietly guarding the young girl in front of her.
Zheng Yuanqing couldn't quite put his finger on his current feelings. If he didn't know Song Huaizhi well, he would probably think that Jingzhe was sent by him.
But Jingzhe was from the Sword Pavilion. When Song Huaizhi mentioned her yesterday, there was only disgust on his face. And Jingzhe perfectly fit the image of a Sword Pavilion assassin in the rumors.
Zheng Yuanqing could only rely on his intuition and tell himself that this matter surely wasn't done by Song Huaizhi. If Song really wanted to kill him, he could surely do it without anyone noticing.
If he really wanted to intimidate him, he surely wouldn't have shown such a big flaw.
So how did he subdue Jingzhe?
Zheng Yuanqing was full of doubts, but he had to hide them in his heart. Due to what happened yesterday, he still didn't dare to look Jingzhe in the eye.
"Young Master Song," he pondered for a long time and finally spoke under Song Huaizhi's gaze. "I plan to go to the military camp tomorrow. I wonder if Young Master Song has any advice?"
It seemed that he was going to ask for help?
Song Huaizhi took a sip of the warm tea and looked at Zheng Yuanqing. "Your Highness the Third Prince can just do as you please. Don't worry about other things."
"Thank you, Young Master Song," Zheng Yuanqing nodded, looking more relaxed.
It seemed that things were going smoothly for him this time. Song Huaizhi didn't even raise any other requirements.
But before he could completely relax, he heard Song Huaizhi say coldly, "I still have things to attend to here, so I won't keep Your Highness the Third Prince. Jingzhe, see the guest out."
"Yes," Jingzhe came back to her senses and subconsciously reached for the sword at her waist. But finding it gone, she walked forward somewhat unaccustomed to stand in front of Zheng Yuanqing and looked at him coldly.
It must be on purpose! Song Huaizhi must be doing this on purpose! He knew he wasn't a good person!
Zheng Yuanqing screamed in his heart. With a forced smile on his face, he said to Jingzhe, "I won't disturb you, my lord."
Jingzhe only obeyed Song Huaizhi and Meng Ruyi's orders. Hearing this, she just continued to look at him silently, making Zheng Yuanqing's hair stand on end and his neck feel cold.
"Alright... then I'll trouble you, my lord." Seeing that Jingzhe remained unmoved, Zheng Yuanqing had no choice but to grit his teeth. After bidding farewell to Song Huaizhi and Meng Ruyi, he left stiffly.
Meng Ruyi watched Zheng Yuanqing leave nervously, step by step. She almost burst out laughing, the corners of her mouth curving up. "Brother Song did that on purpose, didn't you?"
"Yes," Song Huaizhi replied and looked at Meng Ruyi. "Let's continue our discussion."
Meng Ruyi had no choice but to withdraw her smiling gaze and nodded at Song Huaizhi. Her heart was filled with sympathy for Zheng Yuanqing.
...
Zheng Yuanqing walked on eggshells, worried that the person behind him would draw the sword and slit his throat at any moment.
Although he knew that Jingzhe wouldn't kill him in public, the feeling of a knife hanging over his head was really uncomfortable. As he walked, cold sweat broke out on his back.
Wait!
Zheng Yuanqing suddenly remembered Jingzhe's hand that subconsciously reached for her waist just now. He realized that she didn't seem to be carrying a sword now. And when she was subdued by Song Huaizhi yesterday, she was even injured.
A toothless tiger was nothing to be afraid of.
Suddenly, Zheng Yuanqing regained his courage. He turned to look at Jingzhe and asked, "Why do you work for Young Master Song, my lord?"
Jingzhe was wearing a green maid's dress. Her expression was cold, and there was a hint of tiredness on her face. Hearing this, she just glanced at him and didn't answer.
Zheng Yuanqing couldn't figure it out. Jingzhe was a man, yet he was willing to wear women's clothes for so long. After thinking for a long time, he only came up with the idea that he might have fallen into some fatal trap of Song Huaizhi's hands and was thus forced to become a maid.
"My lord," seeing that they were getting close to the door, Zheng Yuanqing couldn't hold it in anymore and asked, "May I ask if you know who wanted to kill me?"
Although he knew that it was unlikely that Jingzhe would tell him, Zheng Yuanqing noticed Jingzhe's dullness and decided to give it a try.
"Yes, I don't know," Jingzhe replied without turning to look at him. Her side face was sharp. "But before I left, I heard that the employer was a noble. She was well - dressed and should be a woman."
A woman?!
Zheng Yuanqing was shocked. His steps faltered for a moment. He gritted his teeth and thought deeply.
He originally thought that it was the Crown Prince who wanted to kill him, but according to what Jingzhe said now, it didn't seem to be the Crown Prince?
A noblewoman.
Zheng Yuanqing couldn't figure out who it was. So he could only sigh and said to Jingzhe, "Thank you, my lord. You can stop here. I can walk the rest of the way by myself."
There were only a few steps left to the door. Zheng Yuanqing thought he should be polite to Jingzhe. Otherwise, it would be embarrassing for them to meet in the future. But he didn't expect that the person in front of him seemed not to hear him and just walked forward until she reached the door, pushed it open, and then turned to look at him steadily.
She was really strange.
Zheng Yuanqing felt a bit embarrassed, but thinking of Jingzhe's unusual coldness and dullness, he didn't pursue it further. He bowed to her and was about to leave.
"Wait," just before turning around, Zheng Yuanqing called out to Jingzhe who had already turned around. "Thank you for showing mercy, my lord."
Then he handed over his token and said to Jingzhe, "This is a hundred taels of silver. You can exchange it for silver notes at major commercial firms. Please don't decline."
Jingzhe paused for a moment, took the token, and watched Zheng Yuanqing walk away. She felt a bit curious in her heart.
This man probably hated her to death, yet he still gave her something. Why?
She rubbed the slightly cold white jade token in her hand, her eyes looking a bit dim.
After Zheng Yuanqing walked out of the Meng family's mansion, he took a deep breath and swallowed his swear words.
This Song Huaizhi! This Jingzhe! They were really not good people!
...
After Meng Ruyi finished talking with Song Huaizhi, she heard Lianqiao say that Zhang Yunyun was waiting for her in her room.
She rushed back in a hurry, wondering what urgent matter it was. She was a bit anxious.
When she pushed open the door, Meng Ruyi saw Zhang Yunyun sitting at the table. When Zhang saw her, a smile appeared on her face. She didn't seem to be in trouble.
Meng Ruyi silently let out a sigh of relief. She walked over and sat down. "What's up? Why are you suddenly free today?"
Zhang Yunyun smiled at her. "I'm here to give you some good news."
"Did it succeed?" Meng Ruyi didn't expect things to go so smoothly. A hint of joy appeared on her face.
"Not yet. How could it be that fast!"
As Zhang Yunyun said this, a hint of shyness appeared in her eyes. She shyly avoided Meng Ruyi's gaze, and her ears turned slightly red.
"But my father is a bit more lenient."
"Congratulations!" Meng Ruyi's smile grew wider. "It seems that I can attend an engagement banquet before I leave."
Zhang Yunyun was about to refute when her face turned so red that it seemed to be on fire. When she looked up, she saw the maid behind Meng Ruyi. She was instantly startled by her cold gaze.