Chapter 198: Appearance Control’s Help
Zhou Chang wasn’t interested in tea, but looking at the table full of tea and snacks, she was hungry again. She didn’t wait for Yuan Qi to be polite anymore. After all, the other party had already seen her eating, so she directly picked up a plate and handed it to the Skinny Monkey, who was attendant next to her. She also picked up a petal-like cake and put it in her mouth.
Yuan Qi didn’t have any unusual expression. She poured herself another cup of tea and savored it carefully.
After eating two pieces of cake, Zhou Chang’s mood finally improved a bit, and she also found a topic: “That day at the West City Restaurant, you gave out red lucky charms to bless victory. I saw it too.”
“Longyun Tower, is Your Highness also there?” Yuan Qi was truly surprised this time.
Zhou Chang asked with a smile: “That’s a great idea. I wonder who came up with it.”
Yuan Qi smiled faintly, glancing at He Xi beside her: “This is still Uncle He’s idea.”
He Xi bowed, expressing modesty: “Not at all, not at all. It’s the Young Master who worries every day. This old servant just calculated with his fingers. Red is favorable to Da Lin, but there is still a lack of heat in terms of fortune. If we can get everyone’s support, we can turn misfortune into good fortune. Therefore, the Young Master did not hesitate to use his capital to take the lead in organizing the auction.”
Zhou Chang admired He Xi’s calculation with fingers from the bottom of her heart, which was useless, but seemed to have done a lot of things: “Manager He’s calculation with fingers is really…”
Unable to find the right words, she had to change the topic and ask Yuan Qi: “Miss Yuan, I know the news that Prince Xian was defeated and retreated to Mai City. I think Yuan Clan’s news has always been much more well-informed and faster than mine. So, in terms of the Mirage Country, have you gained any progress?”
“The battle situation is unfavorable, and the result is not optimistic.” Yuan Qi shook her head and no longer concealed her worries, “The information about the Mirage Country is limited, but it is probably not optimistic.”
“Previously in the Heavenly Prison, I heard Old Master Yuan mention that he should have done something in the Mirage Country. Isn’t there even a little progress?” Zhou Chang was now in a hurry and looking for a cure.
Yuan Qi still shook her head and sighed: “Sigh, Father’s instructions, Uncle He has been handling it, but…”
He Xi then took over the topic: “It’s difficult, it’s difficult. It’s really difficult to get news from that side. Calculating with fingers, the Shen Kingdom Ruler’s lifespan is not over. If it is delayed until after the New Year, there may be a turning point.”
Zhou Chang said that she did not believe in He Xi’s “calculation with fingers,” but after hearing these words, her heart still couldn’t help but sink, and she even put down the hand holding the dim sum.
After a long while, she couldn’t say anything else and dryly asked: “Are you going to see your father again?”
Perhaps she could hear some affirmative news directly from Yuan Yu, but then she thought it was even more impossible. People in the Heavenly Prison couldn’t be well-informed.
Disappointment and anxiety flashed through Yuan Qi’s eyes. She still shook her head: “After going there last time, Father also instructed me not to go see him unless absolutely necessary, so as not to cause trouble for Your Highness.”
No wonder Yuan Qi didn’t mention it again after that.
Zhou Chang nodded and didn’t persuade her anymore. Thinking of Prince Yi’s attitude and the carriage that won against Pei Li, it might be even better not to meet. She comforted Yuan Qi: “That’s right, you’ll see him sooner or later. It doesn’t matter if it’s a day or two.”
Yuan Qi seemed to be in a state of myriad thoughts and absentmindedness, but she suddenly blurted out: “Your Highness, please rest assured, Yuan Clan is making preparations.”
“What preparations?” Zhou Chang couldn’t understand.
She felt that Yuan Qi was somewhat unusual today. At first, she only thought it was because they hadn’t seen each other for a long time, but now, after a closer look, she was a bit baffled.
“Although my father is now imprisoned, the result is still unknown…” Yuan Qi stood up, seemingly intentionally or unintentionally avoiding Zhou Chang’s gaze, and pushed open a fan facing the street, “But Yuan Clan’s business is fortunately not greatly affected. If one day my father is no longer…”
Zhou Chang didn’t know what Yuan Qi wanted to say.
Yuan Qi’s gaze seemed to be looking out the window, but in reality, it was hollow: “Last time I went to the Heavenly Prison to visit Father, Father also told me later. Your Highness is so righteous, helping Yuan Clan without considering the cost. If Your Highness is really involved because of Yuan Clan’s matter this time, Yuan Clan will definitely repay Your Highness. Regarding this point, Your Highness need not worry, Yuan Clan still has this ability.”
Zhou Chang hadn’t done anything yet, but her hand couldn’t help but clench the teacup tightly, and a surge of nameless anger surged to her head.
Why would Prince Fengming be angry?
If she lost, Zhou Chang couldn’t afford it, and Yuan Clan could only give money to Fengming.
Zhou Chang felt more self-blame.
Now, the situation of the war between Lin Country and Mirage Country is becoming more and more unclear, and everyone’s future is uncertain, and all of this is only because of her whimsical idea at the beginning.
Yuan Qi turned around and found that Zhou Chang’s complexion was not right, but she didn’t know where the problem lay: “Prince Yi?”
“If this war can be won, then all problems will be resolved.” Zhou Chang murmured, and after realizing it, she felt another pang of heartache, “The current situation, nothing is better than the news of victory in war.”
The topic had been talked to death, and the air in the Private Room solidified.
“Haha…”
Suddenly, Qiu Yin’s loud laughter came from a Private Room on the second floor.
It even echoed in the empty Tea House.
Truly, some are happy and some are sad.
Zhou Chang felt that laughter was even more piercing.
It was He Xi who stood up to ease the embarrassment: “Calculating with fingers, everything is soaring now. Fortunately, we have cut off the way out for medicinal materials. Now, in terms of the Mirage Country, the prices of grain and medicinal materials will surely rise even more.”
Yuan Qi also poured out the tea again and gave Zhou Chang another cup, following the topic: “Warhorses should also be in short supply, as well as pigs, cattle, and sheep…, these are all considered good news.”
“This is good, very good.” Zhou Chang knew this was to encourage each other, took the teacup Yuan Qi handed over, and echoed.
Yuan Qi sat back down, but she no longer drank tea herself, and still seemed to be deep in thought and absentminded.
“Dong dong dong…” At this moment, the door of the Private Room was knocked, and Shopkeeper Lu personally brought hot water to change.
As soon as the door opened, the sound of speaking from downstairs faintly came.
The sounds of “Metropolitan Exam”, “Release of the List”, and “Ranking” faintly came.
Zhou Chang was reminded that although she had temporarily made an appointment with Yuan Qi today, besides asking about the situation in the Mirage Country, she also needed to understand Wen Qingyan.
After Shopkeeper Lu had withdrawn and closed the door, she first asked: “By the way, Miss Yuan, how did Young Master Wen’s Metropolitan Exam go? The list should have been released already.”
Yuan Qi smiled bitterly, as expected: “He was imprisoned in the Court of Judicature and Revision.”
Although Zhou Chang had guessed it, she still made a surprised expression: “How come? Why?”
“Prince Yi should have also heard about the incident where the examinees protested some time ago, right?” Yuan Qi hid her expression behind her thick eyelashes, as if she didn’t want to mention this topic.
“It seems there was such a thing.” Zhou Chang seemed casual.
Yuan Qi sighed softly: “Alas, Qingyan, no, Young Master Wen, found that someone was selling exam questions when he participated in the exam, and the ranking had already been predetermined before he left the exam hall. Therefore, he joined forces with that group of studying friends and went to protest in front of the Ministry of Rites, and then went to the Court of Judicature and Revision to Report to the Authorities. As a result, he was arrested by the Court of Judicature and Revision on the charge of disrupting public order.”
“What happened?” Zhou Chang asked knowingly, but it was also considered that she switched the topic without being abrupt.
“It’s been half a month.” Yuan Qi’s tone was strange, as if there was a hint of other emotions mixed with her worry.
During the half month that Zhou Chang was recuperating in the Mansion, she looked at the Golden Pixiu and repeatedly struggled with it, and finally, the “Appearance Control” attribute prevailed.
Wen Qingyan’s extraordinary face shouldn’t be locked up in a jail and not see the light of day, right? ใ It’s not naivety that defeated me, it’s naive heat;
What is written down is not characters, but mosquitoes. ใ
