Edited by Tnyhy
Chapter 128: Guess It Out (Part 2)Ji Yu Shu smiled and his eyes showed an unspeakable pride, “Young Lady Shen must not underestimate the Feng Xian Pawnshop. Although this one was not in the Ding capital for these two years and the Feng Xian Pawnshop was also closed, but business still needed to be done. Else how would one have money to support one’s family? The Xiao Bai Sheng is still working. After all one cannot just throw away two years of harvest. Yong Lady Shen do speak, what information you want to inquire? I, the manager of the Feng Xian Pawnshop will naturally serve Young Lady all the way.”
Shen Miao chuckled, “Since Manager Ji spoke as such, then I am rest assured. Today one come here to make three business dealings, and they are all purchasing of information. The first one… Does Manager Ji know the news about the death in battle of the Little Marquis Xie of the residence of the Marquis of Lin An?”
Ji Yu Shu was surprised for a moment before looking at Shen Miao, “Why does Young Lady Shen want to inquire about this?”
“The Xie family and my Shen family are all Ming Qi’s military lineage families. Even though the Marquis of Lin An is in a politically disagreement with my father, but at the end military people appreciate one another. As the proverbs goes, the fox grieves when the rabbit dies, for the Little Marquis Xie, a talent of the generation who died in battle, one felt that it is a great pity, thus one want Manager Ji to do me a favour and find out about the details of the Little Marquis Xie’s death, including the disappearance.”
Ji Yu Shu drank a sip of tea and smiled, “This is easy to handle. It is just that Xie Jing Xing’s death is very well-known thus to find out something different, it would not be easy. This one cannot promise to be able to get the information, after all light extinguishes when a person die and this happened a long time ago.”
“Manager Ji just need to do things wholeheartedly, if one is truly unable to find, it is alright for me.” Shen Miao then picked up the teapot and poured herself a cup of tea, before speaking breezily like a gentle wind, “The second business dealing. Does Manager Ji know that there is an Imperial Physician in the Ming Qi’s Palace called Gao Yang?”
With a ‘Pu’ sound, Ji Yu Shu sprayed a mouthful of tea out. Shen Miao gave Jing Zhe a glance, and Jing Zhe quickly handed a handkerchief over.
Ji Yu Shu took the handkerchief and scrambled to wipe off the water stains on himself, then and heard Shen Miao speaking, “Manager Ji seemed to be very surprised?”
“Ke (coughing sound).” Ji Yu Shu said, “Indeed somewhat surprised, how did Young Lady Shen thought about finding about this Imperial Physician of the Palace?”
“Was just requested by others.” Shen Miao looked at him, “Manager Ji had not heard of this name before?”
Ji Yu Shu shook his head, “First time hearing it. It seem that his medical skills are not that high else he would be famous.” He looked at Shen Miao and said complicatedly, “To tell you without hiding, how is Young Lady involved with the Palace? Even though the Bai Xiao Shen does business, but the forces involved in the Palace are just too great, that it is too risky for our business.”
Shen Miao just looked at him without speaking, and those calm eyes made Ji Yu Shu himself feel somewhat uneasy. Ji Yu Shu softly coughed twice and his voice inexplicably lowered, “It is not that it cannot be done, just that more money…”
“Manager Ji do not need to worry about money.” Shen Miao smiled lightly, “One would not short change Manager Ji.”
Ji Yu Shu was already short of breath, and guilty with the two business dealings that Shen Miao had mentioned. He laughed dryly twice before speaking, “One does know what is the third information that Young Lady want to buy?”
“The third one is a bit difficult.” Shen Miao looked at him, “But I believe with Manager Ji’s ability, it is a sooner or later thing.”
When Ji Yu Shu heard this, he barely smiled, “Many thanks to Young Lady Shen’s trust but… What kind of thing it is to make Young Lady Shen feel in this way?”
“I want to inquire about someone.” Shen Miao placed the teacup down, “His Highness Prince Rui of the Great Liang.”
The teacup in Ji Yu Shu’s hand slightly shook, but on surface he still had the look of being unfathomable, “Oh? How did Young Lady Shen thought inquiring about His Highness Prince Rui? To this one’s knowledge, this Highness Prince Rui only came to the Ding capital recently. If one really have some friendship, it would be when Young Lady Shen saw him during the tribute banquet. Could it be that Young Lady Shen is like those noble females, and fell for Prince Rui’s good looks and thus come to enquire?” When Ji Yu Shu spoke till the last part, one did not know why he became happy, and his voice became somewhat excited as compared to the previous downcast one.
Jing Zhe and Gu Yu who were standing behind almost blew up. For Ji Yu Shu to speak such nonsense, if people outside heard of it, how would they think of Shen Miao. But servants could not intervene when masters were speaking, so both of them could only endure and look at Ji Yu Shu with contempt and anger.
Shen Miao looked at the excited Ji Yu Shu as he scratched his ears and suddenly laughed, “Yes. I also admire his peerless beauty.”
Ji Yu Shu was startled. He suddenly opened his mouth and pointed at Shen Miao unbelievingly, stuttering, “This… This remark is true?”
Shen Miao nodded her head and said seriously, “Really.”
It was like Ji Yu Shu had found a major secret as he had an unrestrainable look on. He laughed twice before saying, “In that case then this one will definitely inquire about Prince Rui’s situation for Young Lady… See if there are any other females at his side.”
Shen Miao got up and nodded her head at Ji Yu Shu, “Then many thanks to Manager Ji. If anything is discovered, do send someone over to the residence, and I will naturally come over to the Feng Xian Pawnshop to meet up with Manager Ji.” She took out a silver tael and placed in front of Ji Yu Shu, “This is the deposit.”
Ji Yu Shu said with all smiles, “Young Lady Shen is too kind. Between us, there is no need for a deposit.” He said that as he put that tael into his sleeves. That provoked Jing Zhe and Gu Yu to roll their eyes a couple of times at him.
Shen Miao smiled, “It is Heaven’s law and earth’s principle to receive money when doing tasks. It is just that Manager Ji must remember one point.” Her brows were warm but the words that were spoken were a bit sharp, “The Bai Xiao Sheng’s business rule is that good are genuine and at fair prices. Otherwise if money is spent but the information is useless…” Shen Miao lowered her head and laughed, “It would only destroy Manager Ji’s reputation, and one can no longer do business. This would be bad.”
Ji Yu Shu was stunned as Shen Miao called Jing Zhi and Gu Yu and then they left the room. He was momentarily stunned before hearing Hong Ling send Shen Miao off with smiles, and he looked at the tea cup in front of him and suddenly sneezed.
He rubbed his nose and stood up, before walking to a landscape painting opposite and pulling it open. There was a door hidden and Ji Yu Shu opened it. When he went in, he was kicked and almost fell down. He closed the door and shouted angrily and the initiator, “Gao Yang!”
The white clad person sitting behind the door had a sage-like appearance, waving a fan gently and elegantly, but the words he said were not very polite, “Ji Yu Shu, is there something wrong with your brains? If this goes on, you would not even know if someone sell you off.”
Ji Yu Shu said angrily, “You are clever. You are clever but someone still discovered some inkling. Someone actually said to look for Imperial! Physician! Gao!”
“Shut up.” The person at the corner finally could not help but speak. It was a purple clad person who was none other than Xie Jing Xing. He swept a glance at Ji Yu Shu, “Noisy.”
Ji Yu Shu felt wronged and said, “Third Older Brother, I do not know anything. I left the capital with you and just upon my return, someone discover something is wrong. This is obviously Gao Yang’s mistake.” Ji Yu Shu looked fiercely at Gao Yang, “Speak! Is it that something went wrong with you that was discovered by Young Lady Shen?”
This elegant room was adjacent to the room beside, so one was able to hear the dialogue Ji Yu Shu had with Shen Miao clearly. The conversation between the two of them was all heard by Xie Jing Xing and Gao Yang. When one think about it, the three person that Shen Miao wanted to inquire were all here, it was indeed strange.
“Ji Yu Shu, are you stupid?” Gao Yang said, “Shen Miao also came back to the Ding capital a few days ago. Unless she is clairvoyant, how could she know about what I do in the Palace? I also suspect that it is you who have a problem.”
“What problem can I have? Young Lady Shen did not inquire about me, but inquired about you without any rhyme or reason for that? Could it be that she is pleased with you? But Young Lady Shen admired Third Older Bother’s beauty?” Ji Yu Shu thought about something and mischievously smiled, “Hehehe. Young Lady Shen is also bewitched by Third Older Brother.”
“Only such a fool like you will believe this kind of nonsense.” Gao Yang looked at him coldly, “Do you think that everyone is dazzled by beauty like you?
Ji Yu Shu patted his chest, “I cannot beat you with words so I will not talk more with you. Third Older Brother, what needs to be done now? Need to inquire for her? Or just casually weave some information to bluff her?”
“Since Shen Miao inquired these three informations, it is presumed that she have some understanding to them. Thus those lies would be discovered. What intention Shen Miao have? Even one could not clearly see the Shen family’s stand. Pei Lang who had some secret friendship with Shen Miao is now Fu Xiu Yi’s confidant. How could a Young Lady be this complicated?” Gao Yang mumbled and discovered that Xie Jing Xing did not listen to him at all, and only looked at the teacup in front of him. One did not know what he was thinking about so he reminded, “Xie… Your Highness, how to deal with this matter this time?”
Xie Jing Xing recovered to his senses and thought for a moment, “No need to deal with it.”
“Why?” Not waiting for Gao Yang to speak, Ji Yu Shu spoke first, “Not earning money? Moreover Young Lady Shen is exceptionally intelligent and is one were to really reject her, she would discover something is not right. What if she discover something is wrong with our Feng Xian Pawnshop?”
Xie Jing Xing smiled faintly, “Because she is clever thus she need not be dealt with.”
“Your meaning is…” Gao Yang frowned.
“She discovered that something was wrong and came over to probe.” Xie Jing Xing narrowed his eyes and his lips hooked up, “Those words were not said for you to hear, but for me to hear them.”
“The words of peerless beauty?” Ji Yu Shu focus was forever different from others.
Xie Jing Xing gave him a cold glance, “That was also said for me to hear.”
In the horse carriage outside, Jing Zhe and Gu Yu carefully looked at Shen Miao’s expression. Gu Yu softly said, “Young Lady, it is that Manager Ji had said something wrong?… Young Lady look a little angry.”
Indeed very angry. Even though Shen Miao looked calm and quiet on the surface, the cold air around her was felt by the two maids. She seemed to be sulking but also to be in anger, it was just that she was enduring the anger. Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were very puzzled, as they heard the entire conversation between Shen Miao and Ji Yu Shu. Even though Ji Yu Shu’s words were not pleasant to hear, Shen Miao was still alright till now. Moreover Shen Miao was not one who would get angry because of someone’s words.
Jing Zhe and Gu Yu did not understand. Shen Miao replied lightly, “It is nothing.” But her tone was cold.
The sleeves that she was holding on to were slightly clenched, and an uncontrollable oppression appeared in her heart. The Feng Xian Pawnshop closed shortly after she left, and now reopened shortly before she returned to the capital. How would there be such coincidence in this world? All the coincidences in the world were writings on the wall, thus Shen Miao carefully thought about it. When the Feng Xian Pawnshop closed, other than Shen Xin going to Xiao Chun City, there was another major event, which was Xie Jing Xing requesting commandership for battle. As for the Feng Xian Pawnshop reopening… Other than her returning to the capital, it was just nice that the tribute of Ming Qi was happening, and at this time the Crown Prince of the Qin and Prince Rui of the Great Liang came to the Ding capital?
The Shen family and the Feng Xian Pawnshop did not have the slightest relationship, so naturally it would not be related to the Shen family. HuangFu Hao did not come to the Ding capital two years ago thus no matter how one thought, the closing and reopening was indelibly related to Xie Jing Xing. She went to the Feng Xian Pawnshop today just to probe.
The result of her probing was indeed what she had expected. One fear that Ji Yu Shu was formerly acquainted with Xie Jing Xing and Gao Yang likewise. With all the relations, one fear that Ji Yu Shu and Gao Yang were all Great Liang people, but hid their identities in Ding capital. The most vile thing was that during the business with Ji Yu Shu, about the selling of Prince Yu residence, one fear that Xie Jing Xing long knew of the matter clearly. She thought that she took the opportunity and firmly eaten Ji Yu Shu, but at the end Xie Jing Xing was the golden oriole behind (Proverb: the golden oriole waits upon the cicada). Thinking of how Xie Jing Xing made a fool out of her, Shen Miao could not wait to tear Xie Jing Xing apart.
Her heart felt oppressed but when Jing Zhe saw this, she thought that she was too warm and opened the curtain for air to enter but quickly let it down. Shen Miao casually took a glance and saw a familiar face in the crowded streets.
Jing Zhe let the curtain down but was stopped by Shen Miao and the carriage was stopped. She pulled the curtain open, and looked towards that direction but the face was no longer in the crowd.
“Young Lady?” Jing Zhe and Gu Yu were shocked by Shen Miao’s actions today. But after Shen Miao carefully looked outside the carriage for a while, she put the curtains down and said, “Nothing. Carry on.”
It was just that her brows were locked tightly and her expression were much more solemn than before.