Chapter 378

Miss Zhao spoke at great length.

Gu Xixi fired back on the spot, even dragging in the absent Zhao Yushi—four taels moving a thousand catties.

If Miss Zhao were clever, she could restrain herself a little now.

She wouldn't go so far as to damage her own reputation.

Unfortunately, she insists on being unyielding.

An Qinghe is Gu Xixi's good friend; speaking up for justice is what friends do.

Jiang Mingyuan is Gu Xixi's cousin; protecting one's own family is perfectly understandable.

And He Jinglan, as the banquet host, would naturally not stand by and do nothing.

"Boss Gu is not only my He Jinglan's close friend, but also an honored guest of the He family."

"If anyone here still disagrees, please leave with Miss Zhao—no need to see you out."

The last sentence was delivered in a stern tone, imposing without anger.

A moment of silence passed, and no one rose.

Miss Zhao glanced around, then let out a cold laugh: "Why isn't anyone speaking?"

"Don't you also think a mere commoner like me has no right to sit as your equal?!"

He Jinglan's eyes darkened slightly: "Disturb the banquet—get out at once!"

In the He household, He Jinglan's words are tantamount to direct orders.

Green Wax and Light Pearl led several maids forward to surround Miss Zhao.

"Please, Miss Zhao, leave first."

Their attitude was polite, beyond reproach, yet carried an unquestionable tone.

Miss Zhao's personal maid could only timidly warn: "Miss, this is someone else's home—don't suffer a loss for nothing…"

The He family is a deeply rooted aristocratic house, far beyond what the Zhao family can compare.

And He Jinghui, at a young age, already holds the position of Minister of Works, and recently earned new merit for his locust eradication.

Miss Zhao loves to compare herself to such power and status; even if she were foolish, she knows whom she cannot afford to offend.

If she continues to cause a scene, He Jinglan really dares to have these maids forcibly drag her out.

By then she would only lose more face and invite ridicule.

Miss Zhao took a deep breath: "Fine, I'm leaving—isn't this just the He family throwing their weight around?"

She had taken a few steps when she suddenly turned to look at Gu Xixi and sneered: "You say I'm good-for-nothing—what talent do you have yourself?"

"You only got to sit here by cozying up to Miss He—relying on others' power!"

He Jinglan almost laughed in anger: "You're asking about her abilities?"

"I doubt you'd understand even if she told you what she knows."

Dou Rongshan was chewing on the Eight Treasures pastry, saying: "No doubt, no doubt—who would believe she poisoned several bandits?"

The Eight Treasures pastry was a bit dry and choky; as she swallowed, she felt a lump in her throat and hastily grabbed the crystal lidded bowl in the middle.

Dou Rongshan gulped down two mouthfuls, and as she breathed a sigh of relief, her eyes lit up.

She looked at the orange liquid in the lidded bowl and wondered: "What is this?"

"It's delicious to drink!"

It's balanced in sweet and sour, with a strange fragrance mixed into the tea aroma.

Miss Zhao still seemed unconvinced: "If she's so capable, what's she afraid of saying it out loud for everyone to hear?"

"Could it be just digging soil and planting?!"

Seeing Gu Xixi remain silent, Miss Zhao covered her mouth and chuckled a few times, smugly saying: "Don't make people laugh."

"Anyone lowly can naturally do digging and planting—what skill is that?!"

The male guests' side were all quietly watching.

After all, it was a dispute among women; others were neither relatives nor acquaintances, nor the hosts of today, so it really wasn't appropriate to get involved.

Even He Jinghui merely watched silently.

It had been agreed that the female guests' side would be entirely under my sister's charge; as her brother, I must respect that.

But if Jing Lan were angered to the point of illness by that girl...

Just like when she was bullied as a child, her eyes full of hurt, looking to her brother for protection…

He Jinghui sighed worriedly.

Then let's just have someone throw the Zhao out directly.

Or, even farther, tossing her outside the Zhao manor's gate could be considered.

That old Zhao Yushi still opposes the locust eradication—giving his old face a good embarrassment would be just right.

He Jinghui was lost in his own thoughts.

In the quiet male guests' section, the Regent Prince's clear, cold voice sounded.

"Her abilities?"

"She was the first to discover that the capital region would face a locust plague; to preserve the grain supply and give the people a livelihood, she submitted proposals to the emperor."

A slight stir rippled through the banquet hall.

As it turned out, the mysterious person who proposed the locust eradication plan was actually a woman of humble origins!

Miss Zhao stared, speechless, as the color slowly drained from her face.

She couldn't care less about any locust eradication plan.

But she never imagined that Gu Xixi had actually already seen the emperor.

What shocked her even more was that the usually aloof Regent Prince would actually speak up for Gu Xixi.

Miss Zhao was still in a daze when she heard the Regent Prince's indifferent voice continue speaking:

"Her exclusively formulated anti-locust medicine can kill more than half of the insect eggs, and she also proposed an excellent plan for subsequent eradication."

"To foresee and prevent locust disasters in advance—something never recorded in history—is truly unprecedented."

"Moreover, regarding farming, she can cultivate tea trees herself and graft fruit trees into forms never seen before."

"Ordinary people using her method can increase grain yield per mu by about thirty percent."

Miss Zhao is clueless and doesn't understand any of this.

But there are plenty of knowledgeable people present.

A noble lady said, "The annual tribute from my family's estate shows that the grain quota basically stays the same."

"If each mu increases yield by thirty percent, the total adds up to a significant amount."

Some of the male guests also nodded.

The Regent Prince's words are truly exhilarating.

Everyone also didn't bother to wait to see if the Prince's words were finished, and immediately began to discuss.

"If this could be promoted nationwide, within a few years our great enterprise will surely have abundant grain and strong troops—what fear would we have of foreign enemies?"

"After all, agriculture is the foundation of the state; only when grain is sufficient can we talk about other matters."

"Since ascending the throne, His Majesty has placed great importance on people's livelihood, which is why he issued a series of orders for rest and recuperation."

"It seems His Majesty holds this young lady in high regard..."

Gu Xixi sat back down weakly.

I originally wanted to keep a low profile, but ended up unable to do so at all.

He Jinglan sat close beside her, smiling, "Although based on what you've done, even if he doesn't say it now, I believe that someday you will surely make a name for yourself through your own abilities, letting everyone see."

"But... someone is also acting out of deep affection and protectiveness, so you shouldn't hold it against him, okay?"

Gu Xixi chuckled, "Forget it; it wasn't a secret to begin with—let him say whatever he wants."

Miss Zhao walked steps as if in a dream, and was already near the gate.

At that moment, everyone heard Mu Nan Zhao ask lightly, "Boss Gu, what you've done so far is still not all that you are capable of."

"As I see it, Miss Zhao... I won't say more; let's talk about your father, the Censor Zhao."

"What abilities does he have that could compare with hers?"

Miss Zhao's face turned deathly pale.

An Qinghe burst out laughing, "What I mean is, compared to you, there's nothing comparable."

"And compared to your father, he still falls short."

He turned his head to look at Mu Nan Zhao, "Is that what you mean?"

Mu Nan Zhao neither affirmed nor denied.

The guests either lowered their heads to stifle laughter, or openly mocked with their eyes.

The Zhao family was first looked down upon by the Top Scholar, and then despised by the Regent Prince.

Censor Zhao, sitting at home, has already been labeled as neglecting the people's livelihood, opposing the emperor, mismanaging his household, and being incapable.

Naturally, all of this is thanks to his precious daughter.