560 Meeting
Rooster felt that Young Madam was thinking too much. He stammered, “If it’s a brothel, why can’t I hear any movement around?”
“A place of fireworks is nothing more than songs and dances. These sounds can’t be…”
Halfway through his sentence, Rooster was stunned. He almost forgot where he came from.
Seeing that he had thought it through, Shen Yijia turned to look at Song Jingchen, who had been silent. “Hubby, if we confirm that there’s something going on in the Fragrant Teahouse, will it be useful to report this matter to the higher-ups?”
Song Jingchen shook his head and said seriously, “It’s not illegal to open a brothel.”
Moreover, Great Xia did not explicitly state that officials were not allowed to go to the brothel. At most, it would embarrass them.
Most importantly, the old prince did not know anything about politics at all. Apart from his title as a prince, he did not have any real power in his hands. No one would think that he was forming a party for personal gain.
If something happened, he would cry to the emperor. Even if it was for the sake of the royal family’s reputation, the emperor would not make a fuss. At most, he would ask him to close the Fragrant Teahouse. This way, the clues would be cut off again.
Song Jingchen even suspected that the other party wasn’t worried about this being exposed at all.
Taking ten thousand steps back, if it was confirmed that the women in the Fragrant Teahouse had been kidnapped, the final outcome would only be that the old prince would be dealt with as the mastermind, but…
“It’s impossible for those things to be planned by the old king.”
It wasn’t that Song Jingchen looked down on him, but in fact, he didn’t have the brains to do so.
Because his brother had become the emperor, he had jumped from a bumpkin who could not even eat his fill to a relative of the emperor.
His knowledge was not enough for him to do this.
Either he had been used and he knew nothing about it, or the other party had promised him something and he participated as an accomplice.
Song Jingchen was more inclined to the latter.
“The most important thing now is to confirm if it’s as we guessed.” Shen Yijia was a little discouraged. “But we can’t enter at all. We can’t investigate openly. It’s easy to alert the enemy. As for a secret visit…”
Even someone like You Yi couldn’t sneak in. If they went, wouldn’t they alert the enemy?
Shen Yijia tapped the table with her nails in boredom. She thought of something and slapped the table. “Can I steal an invitation and sneak in?”
“Do you think they don’t know who has the invitations?” Song Jingchen rejected her suggestion.
“This won’t do, and that won’t do either. We can’t expect them to personally send us an invitation, right?” Shen Yijia puffed up her cheeks.
They were definitely guarding against Song Jingchen now. They might as well hope that the sun would rise from the west tomorrow.
Song Jingchen said in amusement, “We can’t get the invitation, but one person can.”
“Who is it?” Shen Yijia looked at him. A figure flashed across her mind. She asked in disbelief, “A beautiful uncle?”
Song Jingchen nodded.
No one would associate him with Xuanyuan Ce, but there shouldn’t be anyone who didn’t want to rope him in, right?
Shen Yijia felt that this was a good idea. She originally wanted to look for Xuanyuan Ce personally, but thinking that she should interact less with him, she could only ask You Yi to make a trip.
Therefore, as soon as Xuanyuan Ce returned to his temporary residence, he saw You Yi waiting there.
You Yi explained his intentions.
Xuanyuan Ce was speechless.
That couple was really rude.
Forget it, forget it. Anyway, he owed that girl.
After receiving Xuanyuan Ce’s reply, Shen Yijia nestled in Song Jingchen’s arms and fell asleep.
General Xiao’s residence.
Feng Manman waited for Xiao Qirui for the entire night, but she did not see him. Instead, she received a reminder to rest early.
She knew that Xiao Qirui was a person who valued rules. He wouldn’t abandon his first wife and go to a concubine’s room on their wedding night.
However, understanding was one thing, but the discomfort in her heart was not reduced at all. After all, no one didn’t want to be favored.
She tossed and turned until midnight before falling asleep. When she woke up, the sky was already bright.
She quickly asked the maidservant to come in and help her wash up before hurriedly bringing her to the Splendid Courtyard.
Yuan Yuwan had just returned from outside when the two of them bumped into each other at the entrance of the courtyard.
Seeing her, Yuan Yuwan was stunned for a moment before she quickly reacted. “Are you here to look for the Young General? Father called him to the front courtyard.”
Xiao Qirui accompanied her to the main courtyard to offer tea to the two elders before being called away by General Xiao.
She stayed with Madam Xiao and chatted with her for a while.
Feng Manman found it strange how she addressed her. She sized up Yuan Yuwan imperceptibly and saw something. The corners of her lips curled up slightly under the veil.
“They didn’t consummate their marriage?” she thought.
Seeing that she was in a daze, the maidservant tugged at her sleeve to remind her.
Feng Manman came back to her senses and quickly shook her head to explain, “I’m here to serve tea to Young Madam.”
When a concubine entered the house, she had to kneel and serve tea to her first wife before her identity was truly recognized.
Yuan Yuwan didn’t seem to notice that she had lost her composure. She nodded nonchalantly. “Come in then.”
You Bai was still holding the gift in her hand. When she passed by Feng Manman, she rolled her eyes.
Why was she here to annoy them so early in the morning?
After drinking the tea served by Feng Manman, Yuan Yuwan asked You Bai to pick a set of clothes for her from her dowry.
She did not let the Yuan family touch the betrothal gifts given by the Xiao family. Instead, she brought them all back to the Xiao family. Coupled with the dowry that Pavilion Elder Yuan had prepared for her when she was still alive, Yuan Yuwan’s dowry was quite generous.
However, she did not intend to touch the betrothal gifts given by the Xiao family.
Looking at the helpless person kneeling on the ground, Yuan Yuwan sighed and walked over to help him up. “You don’t have to specially come over to pay your respects to me in the future. If you need anything, just let the maidservant make a trip.”
Feng Manman lowered her eyes and tears fell on the back of Yuan Yuwan’s hand. She choked and said, “Young Madam, do you not like me? I know that if not for me, Brother Xiao wouldn’t have…”
You Bai couldn’t stand it anymore and reprimanded, “What about you? Concubine Feng, don’t forget your current status. When you see my Miss, you should call yourself a servant.”
Also, who gave her the confidence to think that she could affect her young lady and young master?
Feng Manman was stunned and was about to kneel down in fear when Yuan Yuwan stopped her and frowned at You Bai. “Go and pack up the things in the storeroom.”
You Bai could only go aggrievedly.
Yuan Yuwan shook her head helplessly. She let go of Feng Manman’s hand and sat back in her chair. “You can leave first.”
She was referring to the maidservant who had followed Feng Manman in.
After everyone left, Yuan Yuwan looked at Feng Manman.
There was no additional expression on her face, but her eyes seemed to be able to see through everything. Feng Manman’s heart tightened.
“You don’t have to come here to test me. I didn’t consummate our marriage, and I won’t snatch it from you,” Yuan Yuwan said indifferently as she picked up the teacup on the table and took a sip.
Last night, she wasn’t sure if Xiao Qirui would return to his new room, but regardless of whether he returned or not, she had no intention of sleeping on the bed.
When Xiao Qirui returned, she had already made a bed on the floor.
She thought that Xiao Qirui would turn around and leave, but she did not expect him to suggest sleeping on the floor as well.
It would be good for her if her husband stayed in the room on their wedding night, so she did not refuse. The two of them spent the night in the same room safely.
And today, Xiao Qirui was the one who took the initiative to cut his hand.
“Wh-what?” Feng Manman avoided her gaze in a panic.
“It’s fine if you don’t understand.” Yuan Yuwan put down the teacup and pressed the corners of her lips with a handkerchief. “You just have to serve Young General in peace in the future. When you give birth, I’ll persuade Mother to put the child under my name.”
“Of course, if you’re unwilling, I won’t interfere in the children’s matters. You’ll still raise them by your side.”
“I only have one request. Don’t get any ideas about me.”
Yuan Yuwan’s expression suddenly became serious.
It wasn’t easy for her to leave the Yuan family. She really didn’t want to live like that again.
Thinking of something, Yuan Yuwan said, “Oh, right. Only you and I know about this, as well as the Young General.”
Neither Xiao Qirui nor she would tell her. If the news that the two of them didn’t consummate their marriage got leaked, it could only be through Feng Manman.
Feng Manman suddenly looked up and felt that this woman was too terrifying.
“Young Madam, Nanny Wang from the main courtyard is here.” A maidservant reported from outside the door.
“Let Nanny in.” After saying that, Yuan Yuwan looked at Feng Manman. “Concubine Feng, is there anything else?”
“No, that’s all.” Feng Manman didn’t know how she walked out, but she vaguely heard the nanny behind her say that Mrs. Xiao wanted her to deliver the keys and accounts.
Feng Manman frowned. If possible, she didn’t want to go against such a person.