Chapter 164: Meng Qinghe's Schemes

Ever since Number One Manor in the World launched its delivery service, although there were still queues each day, the number of people had visibly decreased.

A servant from Weimei Zhai across the way reported this matter to Meng Qinghe.

Meng Qinghe heard this and could not help but scoff with a laugh: "I knew it. It's just an ordinary restaurant—how could it possibly win over all the common folk of the entire Jingcheng? What about our Weimei Zhai? Has business recovered?"

Caipin shook her head: "Miss, for several days in a row now, our Weimei Zhai has not had a single customer."

"What? How is that possible?" Meng Qinghe's heart sank. Her mother had once said that their household now relied on this shop to stay afloat. If this shop collapsed, the Meng Family's income would not cover its expenses, and her father would surely blame every fault on her head.

"Ever since that snowstorm incident, the customers in our shop decreased significantly, but it never reached the point of having no one at all. But ever since Number One Manor in the World opened, we truly haven't had a single person. For several days running, we've had to dispose of the dishes we prepared."

Meng Qinghe always had a bad premonition in her heart.

"What about Ruxin? Has she returned?"

"No."

Not having returned for so long, she must have met with trouble.

Could it be Chi Nan Yi's doing?

No, impossible. How could that bitch have such ability? There must have been some accident along the way. It must be so.

"What about the Jiang Family? Has anyone from the Jiang Family come?"

"The Marquis's anger has not yet subsided. He has ordered that members of the Jiang Family are not permitted to set foot in our doors."

Just then, a maid walked in and said softly: "Miss, the young lady of the Jiang Family has sent someone with a message, asking you to meet at Jiangyuan Pavilion."

Jiangyuan Pavilion was a very famous teahouse in Jingcheng. There, one could not only taste tea but also compose poetry and recite odes. Poetry gatherings were often held there, and today there was a poetry assembly. Many men of letters and scholars in Jingcheng flocked to attend.

When Meng Qinghe heard it was Jiangyuan Pavilion, something flashed through her mind, but she failed to grasp it.

She dressed up and arrived at a private room in Jiangyuan Pavilion. At this time, Jiang Wanyue wore white garments, with several jade hairpins in her hair, and a faint air of scholarly refinement surrounded her. By contrast, Meng Qinghe wore a bright red front-buttoned robe, and even her cloak was made of colorful brocade. Her head was bedecked with pearls and jewels, making her look exactly like a nouveau riche.

In comparison, Jiang Wanyue looked more like the legitimate daughter of the Meng Family, while Meng Qinghe looked more like a merchant's daughter.

Jiang Wanyue looked at her outfit, a trace of disdain and mockery hidden in her eyes.

Something that couldn't be brought out in public. She was afraid others wouldn't know her status, so she wore every piece of jewelry from her box on her head. Truly a country bumpkin from the countryside who had never seen the world. Compared to the former Meng Nanyi, the difference was not just a little.

"Sister Jiang." Meng Qinghe took off her cloak, revealing the bright red dress beneath, a haughty smile on her face: "How does Sister Jiang have the elegant mood to taste tea here today?"

Jiang Wanyue tucked away the contempt in her eyes and raised a warm smile on her face: "I thought that since you had only recently returned to the capital, you probably hadn't been to Jiangyuan Pavilion before. Today is a poetry assembly, and I had nothing to do at home, so I thought I'd invite you out to take a look."

She didn't say it outright, but Meng Qinghe was no fool. She naturally understood that Jiang Wanyue's words, both explicit and implicit, were digs and mockery aimed at her for having grown up in the countryside.

Meng Qinghe's expression turned somewhat ugly, but she said nothing. After all, she still had use for Jiang Wanyue later.

Once she lost her usefulness, she would definitely dispose of her cleanly.

"Little sister Qinghe hasn't been here before, so allow me to introduce it to you. Jiangyuan Pavilion has four floors in total. As you can see, the first floor is for walk-in guests, and the other floors are all private rooms. The higher your status, the higher the floor you may go to." Just then, one of the private rooms on the fourth floor lit up.

Jiang Wanyue was slightly startled in her heart. What important person had come today?

Meng Qinghe did not see it. She only listened to Jiang Wanyue's words, feeling indignant in her heart.

Although she didn't like those literati who pretended to be cultured all day, she was after all the legitimate daughter of the Minister's Residence. How could she lower herself to the second floor, the same as those merchant daughters? If word got out, wouldn't that be diminishing her own status?

"Sister Jiang, given the Jiang Family's current status, how could you be on such a low floor? We should go upstairs."

"Little sister, there's something you don't know. How could just anyone go upstairs? Leaving aside that the Jiang Family is merely a merchant household, even a legitimate daughter of the Minister's Residence like you cannot go! Those on the third floor are mostly from marquis and noble houses, dukes and lords. The fourth floor is reserved only for..."

The imperial family.

Jiang Wanyue didn't say it aloud, but Meng Qinghe understood.

Her gaze subconsciously went to the fourth floor, and she discovered that two lanterns had lit up there at some unknown time.

Meng Qinghe's eyes brightened. Could it be the Crown Prince?

Jiangyuan Pavilion... Jiangyuan Pavilion!

Meng Qinghe suddenly recalled where she had heard this name before.

One of the Crown Prince's strategists had stood out at a poetry gathering at Jiangyuan Pavilion and was then discovered by the Crown Prince.

By calculation, it should be today.

That strategist's name seemed to be Ji Wen Yu, and he was highly valued by the Crown Prince. If she befriended him first and then introduced him to the Crown Prince, wouldn't the Crown Prince regard her with even greater esteem?

Thinking of this, her gaze kept searching through the first-floor hall.

Alas, in her past life she had only heard of the man but never seen his face, so she had no idea what this Ji Wen Yu looked like.

Just then, a man dressed in a sapphire-blue robe stopped by the window of the private room, blocking her searching line of sight.

Meng Qinghe frowned fiercely. How could this person have no sense at all?

"Young master, you're blocking me." Meng Qinghe's voice was slightly cold. The man in front heard this and quickly stepped to one side, saying warmly: "I was just standing here looking for someone and didn't intend to block the young lady's view. I truly apologize."

Seeing that his attitude was acceptable, Meng Qinghe didn't pursue it further. Seeing his plain appearance, she withdrew her gaze.

"Brother Ji!" A voice drew near from afar: "Sorry, I'm late."

Meng Qinghe heard the words "Brother Ji" clearly from the window and couldn't help but freeze in shock.

Brother Ji? Which Ji?

It couldn't be the Ji of Ji Wen Yu, could it!

Meng Qinghe hesitated, and just as she was about to ask further, she heard that man continue: "It's rare for Brother Wen Yu to treat today. I'm going to have to fleece you properly."

Ji... Wen Yu?

He was... he was Ji Wen Yu?

She had originally wanted to win him over, but instead she had offended him the moment they met.

No good, she had to think of a way.

At this time, on the fourth floor, Chi Nan Yi sat in a private room, watching everything that unfolded on the second floor, the corners of her lips curling upward.

Meng Qinghe's appearance here was presumably to win over Ji Wen Yu.

That man who, in everyone's eyes in the previous life, was brilliantly literary, upright in character, harboring great ambitions, and devoted to the country and the people, who had once been the dream lover of many young ladies, was chosen by the Crown Prince to serve the court.

Everyone thought this was the true Ji Wen Yu, but in reality, he was nothing more than a sanctimonious, frivolous hypocrite.