Chapter 77
Chapter 77
Qinghe entered carrying an exquisite redwood food box. His gaze swept over Sheng Yiren’s attire, and recalling what she had just said, he could not help asking, “Are you dressed this way because you mean to confess the matter to Brother Shen?”
“No.” Sheng Yiren shook her head.
Unlike Su Qinghe, whose faith in Shen Yuan had never changed, Sheng Yiren had not seen Shen Yuan in years. She still trusted him, but no longer dared to reveal everything to him as she once had. A woman entering the world of commerce was already vulnerable to exclusion and condemnation; as the daughter of an official family, she had even greater reason not to disclose her identity lightly.
She trusted Su Qinghe because he, too, was willing to take risks to support her. More importantly, the two of them had truly grown up together, sharing a deep bond and knowing each other inside and out. To put it indecently, she even knew what color underdrawers Su Qinghe was wearing today.
Su Qinghe gently set the redwood box on the tea table and lifted its lid. At the same time, he asked, “If it is not Brother Shen, whom have you arranged to meet? And why did you specifically ask me to come?”
“Do you remember when I said I wanted to open a trade route between north and south?” Sheng Yiren smoothed her robe, took her seat again, and spoke in a low, measured voice. “Six months ago, a court official wrote to me. He said he was close to Prefect Liang of Yizhou and had received a letter from the prefect expressing his intention to purchase grain from the north to relieve Yizhou’s crisis. Knowing I had contacts with merchant guilds across the country, the official asked whether I wished to open a north-south trade route and reap a handsome profit.”
“His thinking matched mine perfectly. He said he would spread word of Yizhou’s grain shortage for me. As for whether I could persuade the merchant guilds to travel to Yizhou and establish the trade route, that would be up to me.”
Su Qinghe nodded. “You did mention it. But since you never brought it up again, I did not inquire further.”
“Yes. That was because events went remarkably smoothly. Not only did we bring the plan to fruition, but I also persuaded Prefect Liang to lower taxes for northern merchants. Quite a few merchants have now established themselves in Yizhou, laying the foundation for unobstructed trade between north and south,” Sheng Yiren said with a smile.
“Then the person you are meeting today…” Su Qinghe had already guessed the answer.
Sheng Yiren nodded. “Yes. That official.”
“I see.” Su Qinghe slowly rubbed the rim of his teacup. “Then why did you ask me to come?”
Sheng Yiren looked at him apologetically. “Qinghe, I know your position makes it inconvenient for you to meet a court official. But he specifically asked for you to be present…”
Specifically asked for him?
Su Qinghe froze. In the eyes of merchants, he was an indulged concubine-born son of the Su family with no official post. He was far more approachable than the family’s genuinely talented sons and therefore better suited for business partnerships. It was precisely because he could lend the venture the Su family name that Sheng Yiren’s first steps into commerce had not been too difficult.
Yet to court officials, he was nothing more than a piece on the marriage board, of little value beyond that. Why would one suddenly demand his presence?
Or was this another vicious prank by some pampered young lord?
“Do you know who this official is?” Su Qinghe asked uneasily. From the look of things, the person was plainly coming for him.
“I do not know either. But do not worry. He said he only wants to meet you. If you see him and do not wish to stay, you may leave at any time.” After speaking, Sheng Yiren stole a glance at Su Qinghe.
Su Qinghe lowered his eyes. He could not say why, but something felt wrong, and the urge to leave quickly rose within him. Yet when he met Sheng Yiren’s pleading gaze, he could only sigh softly. “Very well.”
Sheng Yiren immediately beamed. “Do not worry. Remember, I am a merchant – my instincts are always accurate. This official must be a very good man!”
The moment the words left her mouth, someone knocked on the private room’s door.
“The very good man is here!” Sheng Yiren quickly rose, cleared her throat, and straightened her robe once more. Then, adopting a man’s heavy stride, she walked toward the door.
She drew a deep breath. Her eyes abruptly sharpened, filling with an eager, ingratiating smile as she opened the door.
The next instant, her smile froze on her face.
She stared at the person before her, almost believing her eyes had deceived her. Then, with a loud bang, she slammed the door shut.
Hearing the commotion, Su Qinghe turned and asked in concern, “What is wrong?”
Sheng Yiren’s mouth hung open, despair written all over her face: *I! Am! Blind!*
Su Qinghe: ?
The door received several more light knocks. Sheng Yiren shuddered, forced herself to open it, then dropped to her knees and cried out with tragic solemnity, “This commoner greets Your Highness! May Your Highness live a thousand, thousand, thousand years!”
Crash –
The teacup in Su Qinghe’s hand fell to the floor and shattered into three pieces.
He raised his eyes in terror and met a pair of exquisitely beautiful, upturned eyes and an incomparable face wearing a wickedly impudent smile.
He was finished!
Su Qinghe’s mind exploded.
How could it be the Second Prince?
Only that morning, he had feigned illness to decline Chenghuan Hall’s invitation. Now he had appeared at a teahouse to meet Sheng Yiren. Was that not practically the crime of deceiving the throne?
Su Qinghe shot to his feet, then dropped to his knees before the doorway, his voice trembling. “This commoner… greets Your Highness! May Your Highness live a thousand, thousand, thousand years!”
His slender body prostrated on the floor, trembling like a newborn, hairless animal. Su Qinghe squeezed his eyes shut, lost in terror and uncertainty, not knowing whether he would live to see the next morning’s sun.
Sheng Yiren also squeezed her lowered eyes tightly shut, shock roaring through her mind. How could the Second Prince be here?
The teahouse was neither full nor privately reserved, and this room was an entirely ordinary one of middling quality. The Second Prince could not have come here specifically to claim the room for either of those reasons.
Then why had he come?
Once every possible answer had been eliminated, the most impossible one became the truth.
His Highness the Second Prince was the official who had been exchanging letters with her!
No wonder he could spread news throughout the country, make Prefect Liang obey his every word, and even offer a prefectural seal authorizing ten years of reduced commercial taxes. Only the Second Prince, who had traveled to Yizhou with Shen Yuan, could wield such authority!
Recalling what the northern merchants had told her upon their return, Sheng Yiren could hardly believe that the man who had resolved the crisis of thirty thousand refugees gathering in unrest – and even proposed the astonishing principle that when one place suffered, aid should come from all sides – was the very Second Prince rumored to be mediocre and overbearing!
He had even begun corresponding with her before leaving for Yizhou, planning the transport of northern grain to the south. Such foresight, such intelligence… Sheng Yiren began to tremble, feeling as though she had unwittingly learned something extraordinary.
Was the Second Prince… hiding his true abilities?
Why?
“You may both rise.”
Outside the doorway, Xie Chengze lifted a hand in dismissal, then entered the private room and quite unceremoniously took the seat of honor at the tea table.
His calm gaze settled on Su Qinghe, who was still kneeling on the floor. One eyebrow lifted as he drawled playfully, “Young Master Su, you are rather difficult to invite, aren’t you?”