Chapter 444 - 266: A Calculated Trap
A new Huanyan Pavilion has appeared in the Capital, selling products similar to Qingyan Pavilion, but without needing reservations.
Moreover, the owner of this pavilion is clear, a newly-appointed Imperial Merchant from Changzhou, Mr. Zhao.
Some people who have seen Zhao Minghua believe him to be a young talent, and have thoughts of forming ties or marriage.
But he said he was already married, politely declining all the goodwill.
Such a fine young man marrying early, dashed many people’s calculations.
During these interactions, some tried sending Beauties as gifts, but all were graciously declined by Zhao Minghua.
However, on this day, when drinking with a merchant surnamed Hu, Zhao Minghua distinctly felt something was amiss!
Truly, one can be cautious in every way, yet still fall into a trap!
Feeling hot all over, dry-mouthed and dizzy, the married and parental Zhao Minghua understood what was clamoring within his heart.
"Mr. Zhao seems a bit drunk, perhaps you should rest upstairs in the inn."
Mr. Hu portrayed himself as a good man: "This inn is my establishment, the top-tier private room is quite peaceful, you will certainly not be disturbed during your rest, Mr. Zhao."
With that said, he clapped his hands and summoned people.
Two young attendants quickly appeared.
"Come, help Mr. Zhao up to the top-tier room."
"Yes, sir."
Qingsheng was also drinking and dining with Mr. Hu’s attendants nearby, and upon one glance saw that his young master was being helped outside.
"Master, are you okay?"
Is he drunk?
Young master seldom drinks outside, he says that getting drunk can lead to trouble.
Unexpectedly, there can be a time he couldn’t resist?
Or perhaps Mr. Hu’s capacity is enormous, directly drinking his young master under the table.
That’s right, he has the antidote pills prepared by the young mistress.
He immediately searched for the antidote pills to feed them to the young master.
"Hey, boy, Mr. Zhao is just slightly drunk, it’s nothing serious, we’ll just send him up to the top-tier room for a rest."
Qingsheng thought that resting after drinking is fine.
"Then let me help my young master."
"No need, we’re all brothers; we’ll help him."
Supporting Zhao Minghua left and right, they headed upstairs.
Qingsheng followed behind.
Seeing young master’s legs seemingly powerless, Qingsheng complained: young master didn’t even drink half a catty, it was at least eight taels!
Really, young master, doesn’t even know his own drinking limit?
Zhao Minghua was put into the top-tier room, while the two attendants persuaded Qingsheng to leave together.
"Let Mr. Zhao rest. Let’s continue drinking."
"No, my young master’s drunk, I can’t drink anymore."
Both master and servant drunk, what does that look like?
Qingsheng always remembered the saying that getting drunk leads to trouble.
"It’s not a big deal, man, in doing business outside, occasional drunkenness is a normalcy." The attendant persuaded: "Our master often gets drunk too, nothing happens once he wakes up, come on, let’s drink again."
"I’m not going, I said I’m not going, and that’s final."
Your master is your master, and my young master is my young master.
Qingsheng got annoyed being tugged away by two attendants and directly lost his temper.
"If anything happens to my young master, who will I find to reason with?" Qingsheng said: "Taking care of my young master is my duty, I’ve said I’m not going and that’s it."
With a wave of his hand, Qingsheng knocked over a candlestick on the table to the floor.
Suddenly, he saw the fragrance burning in the candlestick and remembered what the young mistress had said, his pupils instantly dilated: well, so this is how it is!
"Brother, we became acquainted through a misunderstanding, let’s have a drink as friends."
"I’m not going, my young master is calling me."
Qingsheng broke free and rushed straight to the bedside.
"Master, master..."
"Qingsheng, take me home."
Zhao Minghua’s mind was already foggy, but he heard Qingsheng’s voice clearly: "Immediately, take me home right away."
"Yes, master, I’ll take you home now."
This is exactly it!
Qingsheng was absolutely furious!
Hurriedly bent over and carried Zhao Minghua.
The two attendants tried to step forward to stop him.
"You two surely know the relationship between our young master and General Xia, right?" Despite struggling to carry the master, Qingsheng couldn’t afford to back down: "Your master doesn’t consider the consequences at all?"
"Our master was discussing cooperation with Mr. Zhao, and advised him to rest after drinking, what do you mean by not considering consequences?"
"If you don’t want people to know, you’d better not do it."
If they’ve dared to do it, why shouldn’t I dare to speak up, break it off, so be it, not cooperating with such people is no loss!
Too disgusting, daring to plot against our young master!
No wonder he smelled a peculiar scent immediately upon entering the room.
"Brother, what do you mean by that? Old me doesn’t understand."
Disturbed, Mr. Hu came upstairs, happened to hear those words, and asked Qingsheng.
"Mr. Hu, perhaps you didn’t know, our young mistress hails from the apricot forest family, she taught me what’s good and what’s bad. Dare you say your fragrance has no issues?"
Qingsheng said coldly: "Shall we invite a physician for verification?"
"What?" Mr. Hu, for all his plots, hadn’t counted on Qingsheng noticing the fragrance issue, immediately shouted: "What’s going on? Who’s in charge of the top-tier room? Check this thoroughly, find out who’s responsible, no one shall be spared."
Haha, just acting, who wouldn’t?
Yet right now, Qingsheng had no time to bother with him.
He had to hurry and take the master home for a doctor’s examination.
"Is Mr. Zhao fine, should we call a doctor?"
"No, we have a doctor at our residence, please let us leave Mr. Hu."
"Someone, arrange a carriage for Mr. Zhao." Mr. Hu promptly shouted: "Brother, please convey to Mr. Zhao that once the reason is found, I will personally visit to apologize."
Qingsheng couldn’t be bothered with him, left the inn swiftly carrying the master.
Didn’t take the arranged carriages, instead found a street coachman to take them back to the residence.
"Master, we’re home."
Qingsheng carried him back to his room: "Master, wait for me, I’ll go get the antidote."
The young mistress had prepared antidote.
Qingsheng rummaged through piles of bottles and jars messily for a while, finally grabbed a small red bottle.
"This must be it."
Hurriedly fed the antidote pills to the master.
"Master, how do you feel, you must hold on, I’ve already sent for the physician."
"Help me soak in cold water."
"Master, no need, the young mistress’s pills will be effective."
"Soak me in cold water." Zhao Minghua insisted: "Quick..."
Qingsheng rushed to help the master into cold water, cursing that Mr. Hu inwardly: That wretched thing, how much did it feed the master?
Zhao Minghua was cursing too, but not Mr. Hu, he cursed himself: How could I be so foolish? Easily fell for a trick, wasted all those past years.
He wasn’t unaware of the treacheries in Jianghu, the issue was even after knowing it’s treacherous and having some vigilance, still falling into a trap, angry at his own incompetence, that his training was lacking!
"Qingsheng, the physician is here." "Invite him in." Still soaking in the cold water, the pulse was taken directly from within.
"Did you take some antidote?" The physician said: "Old me sees the pulse is much more stable, it’s just a process, it’ll get better gradually." Does he not need to prescribe?
"The best prescription is a young lady." The physician was curious, how could the household’s young master choose the cold water method? Could it be that not a single maid could be found in the entire residence?