It's so strange.
Zheng Yuanqing felt that he had always been at a loss for words recently. Not knowing how to pick up the conversation, he could only clench his teeth in annoyance.
"If you had a lot of money, what would you like to do, Lady Jingzhe?"
Jingzhe looked back at him in surprise after hearing this. "With Song Huaizhi around, where else could I go?"
Zheng Yuanqing was about to retort, but then he thought of his current situation, which was so similar to Jingzhe's. They both had a deep psychological shadow about Song Huaizhi. Immediately, he couldn't say a word.
"What if you could be free?"
Zheng Yuanqing pressed on.
"Free?" Jingzhe had never thought about this question before. So when Zheng Yuanqing brought it up, she couldn't help but be stunned for a moment. Then she continued, "I'd like to travel around and see the world."
"Taste the local delicacies and enjoy the scenery everywhere. That would be great."
After Jingzhe finished speaking, she stroked the scabbard of her sword and lowered her head in silence.
Zheng Yuanqing looked at her, and the words he wanted to say got stuck in his throat.
He had wanted to win Jingzhe over on this occasion, but he didn't expect that the future she was looking forward to had nothing to do with what he was planning.
Well, traveling around was also a good way to live life to the fullest.
Zheng Yuanqing stopped asking questions and just started to figure out how to attend the banquet in his mind.
Song Huaizhi didn't show any mercy when using him. Although this matter wasn't difficult, it was really troublesome.
He just didn't know how he should show up at the banquet.
Zheng Yuanqing's eyes scanned the surroundings aimlessly. As he was looking, his eyes fell on an object.
...
At the Meng Family.
"Master, Miss Meng." Li Ergou rushed in in a hurry, with some wrinkles on his clothes. "His Highness the Third Prince... His Highness the Third Prince asked if the master could make up the gift for him to take to the banquet?"
Meng Ruyi: "..." She hadn't met anyone as stingy as Zheng Yuanqing for a long time.
She raised her voice in disbelief and asked again, "What?"
Li Ergou repeated it with a stiff neck.
After Meng Ruyi heard it, she was silent for a moment. Frowning, she turned to Song Huaizhi and asked, "Is he short of money?"
Song Huaizhi also didn't expect that Zheng Yuanqing would be so straightforward to lose face and not want to suffer any losses. So he explained to Meng Ruyi helplessly.
"He's not short of money." Song Huaizhi said, with a hint of helplessness in his eyes. He was really speechless about Zheng Yuanqing's behavior. "No matter how poor he is, he's still a prince."
"Recently, he seems to be living an ordinary life because he doesn't dare to be too ostentatious and let those in the capital know."
"Any reward in a prince's hand is enough for a family to live on for decades."
Got it. He's just purely stingy.
【LMAO, Zheng Yuanqing is just like me who wants to get everything reimbursed by the boss】
【No, we're getting reasonable reimbursements. Zheng Yuanqing is just trying to get money forcibly (forced smile)】
【I don't think Zheng Yuanqing is that stupid or timid. He even dares to bargain with Little Song】
Meng Ruyi's thoughts strangely coincided with the bullet comments.
No way! She couldn't let him take advantage of this! Now Jingzhe, who was by her side, was working for him for free.
Jingzhe was a top-notch expert. If the news got out that she was willing to work for someone, the remuneration would be many times more than the value of his gift!
Since she grew up, Meng Ruyi had been trying to suppress her greedy thoughts. On weekdays, she also learned not to care too much and was always very generous to those around her.
If it weren't for her rich expressions when looking at the account books, others might have forgotten what a money - grubber she was when she was a child.
But Zheng Yuanqing was really too much!
Thinking that she was taken advantage of by someone she wasn't very familiar with, Meng Ruyi felt as if a cat was scratching her heart. With a half - smile, she said to Li Ergou, "Tell him that the gift won't be made up. Consider it as the reward for Little Song saving him last time."
"But remember to ask him to make up Jingzhe's remuneration."
Song Huaizhi hadn't seen Meng Ruyi's money - grubbing look for a long time. Now that he saw it, he almost laughed out loud.
The corners of his mouth curved into a faint arc. He nodded at Li Ergou standing there, signaling him to do as told.
Li Ergou left after answering. The study was left with just the two of them looking at each other.
As soon as Li Ergou left, the study fell silent instantly.
Meng Ruyi had been reading a book just now. Disturbed by the news Li Ergou brought, she just felt a bit amused. Looking at the bullet comments full of laughter, she couldn't calm down.
Song Huaizhi looked at the book in his hand, but his eyes couldn't help but glance at Meng Ruyi. Then he withdrew his gaze and focused on the book in his hand.
However, the page of the book in his hand hadn't been turned for a long time.
Meng Ruyi didn't notice Song Huaizhi's actions. She was thinking about the banquet in a few days.
The results of the autumn imperial examination would be out in about ten days. So this banquet was a small gathering held by some powerful and wealthy people to win over the scholars in advance.
Song Huaizhi was a disciple of Mr. Lin and quite well - known among the scholars in this area. So he also had an invitation.
Li Yun's results were also about to come out. So he would probably attend this banquet too.
What was thought - provoking was that, as far as Meng Ruyi knew, some of the scholars who took the exam and most of the local officials had already received invitations.
But Magistrate Zhang didn't.
Was this just an oversight, or was it a tacit agreement among everyone to squeeze Magistrate Zhang out of this circle?
Meng Ruyi wasn't sure for the time being, but this was both a good thing and a bad thing.
But as long as Magistrate Zhang could be kept under control, everything would be much simpler. Now the Liu Family had also been dealt with.
Zhang Yunyun's uncle had intervened, and Song Huaizhi had also secretly taken action. So all the people in the Liu Family related to that matter had been thrown into prison.
The head of the Liu Family was even waiting for execution after the autumn for robbing a civilian girl and killing to cover up his crime.
As Meng Ruyi was thinking, she subconsciously picked up the tea on the side and took a sip. The warm tea in her mouth made her couldn't help but be stunned.
Someone had refilled her tea.
Looking up, Meng Ruyi met Song Huaizhi's eyes. Looking at his handsome face, her train of thought suddenly got stuck.
"Little Song Gege." Realizing that she had been staring at Song Huaizhi absent - mindedly, Meng Ruyi quickly changed the topic. "Is Magistrate Zhang being excluded recently?"
"Yes." Song Huaizhi nodded and explained, "All the local officials here are about to be promoted. The thing he's doing now isn't very secret. So most people are optimistic about others."
"He still doesn't know how arrogant he is. He thinks everything is under his control and he has done everything flawlessly."
When Song Huaizhi said this, he smiled lightly, with a cold and slightly mocking tone. "He's just been on a smooth path for too long and has forgotten what the officialdom is all about."
Meng Ruyi nodded to show that she agreed with Song Huaizhi's opinion. Then, after a moment's thought, she asked, "Will this affect Yunyun's marriage?"
"No." Song Huaizhi said, "The specific matters won't be finalized for at least half a year. And Zhang Yunyun's betrothal is coming up soon. It won't have any impact."
That's good.
Meng Ruyi let out a sigh of relief, but then she thought of a new question.