Chapter 215: Visiting in Person

The young servant went back and recounted the response from the World's First Village.

Madam Jiang shouted angrily, "Not there? How could that be?"

The young servant remained silent, Meng Hui knit his brows, gave the table a heavy slap, and shouted, "Nonsense!" He paced back and forth on the ground, his aura seething, clearly at the peak of his fury.

"Clearly it's just an excuse to avoid seeing the patient; how could that be! Truly, how could that be!"

His own children have a feud with the Chi Family, which already infuriates him; now even a mere merchant dares to give him the cold shoulder—utterly absurd!

Madam Jiang paced anxiously beside him; the palace doctor had said that the sooner their injuries are treated, the greater the chance of recovery, and if delayed, healing would be virtually impossible.

Madam Jiang fully understood how important these two children were to her.

At her age, bearing another child is utterly impossible; if either of these two children errs even slightly, even her title as the Minister's Lady would be of no help.

The vast Minister's Residence would become the spoils of those few illegitimate sons and daughters.

All the years she has schemed would be for naught.

"Sir, what shall we do? Our children…" Madam Jiang clenched both hands tightly and whispered, "I will beg her, I will beg her! By any means, I must persuade her to come and treat Jue'er and Qinghe."

Meng Hui's face turned ashen, but he did not refuse.

At that moment, a young servant hurried in, "Sir, someone from the Crown Prince's Residence has arrived."

Crown Prince's Residence?

Meng Hui's heart sank; could it be that the Crown Prince, having heard of this, no longer wishes to marry Qinghe?

"Please receive them! Please receive them!"

Soon after, Gao Feng entered with the young servant, holding a porcelain bottle in his hand.

"Greetings, Minister."

"Senior Guard, does His Highness have any orders?"

"His Highness heard that the young master and miss of your residence were injured, and specially ordered us to bring a medicinal ointment. This ointment is a secret palace formula, extremely effective."

Meng Hui, trembling with fear, took it and said, "Please convey my gratitude, Senior Guard."

After Gao Feng left, Meng Hui stared at the porcelain bottle, lost in thought.

Receiving medicine sent by the Crown Prince's personal guard suggests he hasn't truly abandoned Qinghe; if her face is healed, she could still enter the Crown Prince's Residence.

Madam Jiang also thought of this; seeing him pondering, she hurried to seize the moment.

"Sir, whatever happens, we must invite the Southern First Young Master. Only then can we heal He'er's face. I see the Crown Prince harbors some affection for Qinghe; if she marries into the Crown Prince's Residence, her beauty will surely win his favor. Later, even as a concubine rather than a primary wife, if she bears a son and a daughter, when the Crown Prince ascends, he will not neglect her, and our Minister's Residence will share in the glory!"

"Hmph, as long as that foolish talent doesn't cause us trouble, it's fine." Though he said that, he said nothing of refusing.

"I will go personally to beg her. As the Divine Doctor, she has her temper; perhaps she feels we aren't sincere. My going herself will give her face. Sir, does that sound good?"

Meng Hui nodded, "Very well! I'll leave this to you. I've been swamped with official duties these past days; the newly appointed Treasury Inspector has achieved great merit, quelling the epidemic. A few days ago the Emperor fell ill, but now he's improving, and the palace rewards should arrive soon. I can't neglect this rising court official either."

"Yes, Sir, rest assured; I'll handle this myself."

Having received Meng Hui's instruction, Madam Jiang left the residence at once.

At that moment, Chi Nan Yi had already changed clothes and was waiting in the shop.

"Miss, the Meng family's carriage is heading this way; the visitor is the Minister's Lady Jiang."

Chi Nan Yi set down the ledger, a slight curl at her lips, "It's truly been a long time since I've seen my foster mother."

In fact, over the past ten years, Madam Jiang hadn't been unkind to the original owner.

She never deprived her of food, clothing, or shelter, but after Meng Qinghe was retrieved, Madam Jiang grew suddenly cold toward her, even intending to use the original owner's life to pave a path for Meng Qinghe.

Regarding Madam Jiang's actions, Chi Nan Yi maintained a tolerant attitude.

After all, the original owner wasn't her biological child, yet she had enjoyed the affluent life meant for her own daughter for over a decade.

But the cause of all this wasn't the original owner, but herself; yet Madam Jiang refused to admit it, venting all resentment and anger onto the original owner.

In the end, it led to her and the Chi family's tragic deaths.

This account must be settled properly.

At this time, the Meng family's carriage had already stopped at the shop's entrance.

Madam Jiang stepped down from the carriage, looked up at the gilded, resplendent plaque, and a hint of complexity flashed in her eyes.

World's First Village.

Such a boon unexpectedly gave her the upper hand; had the Meng family handled the disaster relief then, many things might have turned out differently.

The young servant at the door warmly ushered her inside.

Madam Jiang entered the elegant room, gave Jiang Mama a signal, and Jiang Mama handed a money pouch to the young servant.

"Madam, what is this…"

"I will ask you one question; if you answer sincerely, the silver will be yours."

The pouch contained a full twenty taels; the young servant's face beamed with smiles, quickly stuffing the pouch into his pocket, "Ask, madam."

"Is the owner of your shop, the Southern First Young Master, here?"

"Yes!"

The young servant nodded without hesitation, "The owner just returned; he should be in the elegant room on the third floor now."

Having obtained the answer she wanted, Madam Jiang's eyes lit up, "Could you tell your owner that the Meng family's madam seeks an audience?"

"Alright, please wait."

The young servant closed the elegant room's door, the flattering smile vanished, he weighed the pouch in his hand, pursed his lips and said, "Since you're here to buy information, this silver is too stingy, but even a mosquito needs meat; better save enough silver to return that girl her freedom—that's the real matter."

The person was none other than Qing Shan.

He hurried to Chi Nan Yi's room, "Just as you suspected, that old woman wants to see you."

Old woman…

Madam Jiang's greatest concern was her age; if she learned that Qing Shan addressed her that way, she feared she'd be outraged to death.

Chi Nan Yi stopped as she reached his side and hooked a finger toward him.

Qing Shan, seeing this, couldn't help but be taken aback.

"You… what are you doing?"

Seeing his face redden quickly, Chi Nan Yi's lips curled faintly; that expression made Qing Shan's eyebrows knit sharply, and his heart felt prickly.

He hurriedly stepped back a pace, hands clasped before him, and shouted, "I tell you! I'm not that kind of person; even if you're beautiful, I won't be seduced by you."

Seduce…

Goddamn, he's seducing him.

Chi Nan Yi stretched out a hand and tapped his chest, each tap landing on the money pouch in his bosom.

"Hand it over."

Qing Shan's complexion changed, and he let out a low cough a few times.

So it was just me overthinking again.