Chapter 290 - 289: Ruyi Residence
Until the carriage drove far away, not even a shadow visible, Princess An He finally prepared to return to the mansion.
She hadn’t yet boarded her carriage when she met Mrs. Wei.
Judging by the trajectory of the carriage, the other party was returning from outside the city.
Mrs. Wei got off the carriage and smiled at Princess An He, saying: "A few days ago, I was in the temple for meditation, and I intended to visit Your Highness upon returning to the city. I didn’t expect to meet you here today. Your Highness, would I have the honor of inviting you for a cup of tea at a teahouse?"
The Xie and Wei families did not have a deep connection.
But being in the same circle inevitably involves countless ties.
Princess An He did not refuse.
With her chin slightly raised, looking proud, she said, "Mrs. Wei, lead the way."
Mrs. Wei was not particularly ostentatious, but when outside, people always flattered her.
Being treated like this by Princess An He made her feel somewhat uncomfortable.
But the other was a commandery princess, a royal family member, with blood more noble than her as an outsider. She couldn’t say much.
She smiled and said, "Your Highness, please follow me."
Mrs. Wei gave the coachman a couple of instructions and then got on the carriage.
The Duke Mansion’s carriage followed closely behind.
Whether by intention or coincidence, Mrs. Wei took Princess An He to Ruyi Residence.
Liu Xu had a private room at Ruyi Residence, mainly used for handling business matters.
After the New Year, there were many affairs, and Liu Xu worked day and night, spending half of the day in this private room.
She had to keep accounts.
Meet with managers, and manage personnel at various stores.
She was also busy opening new stores and partnering in other business ventures.
Liu Xu was so busy that she wished she could clone herself.
Upon hearing the report from the shopkeeper that Mrs. Wei invited Princess An He to Ruyi Residence for tea,
Liu Xu said, "Send a pot of fine tea to Princess An He along with some specialty snacks."
The shopkeeper agreed.
Liu Xu added, "Make sure people are sharp, serve the esteemed guests well, and try to meet any requests they have."
The service at Ruyi Residence was impeccable, otherwise, the business wouldn’t be this good.
The shopkeeper bowed and left the room.
Liu Xu had previously been threatened by Lieutenant General Wei, and her narrow heart left her with a bad impression of the Wei family altogether.
Now that the marriage between Lan Ci and Xie Yunling was just a step away, if the Wei family played dirty tricks, who knows if the marriage could even happen?
Her slender fingers tapped the table, and Liu Xu pondered.
Naturally, her thoughts turned to the fiancée of Lieutenant General Wei.
Zhao Yuqing.
This was a marriage bestowed by the Emperor, leaving no room for the Wei family to refuse.
But now that Mrs. Zhao had passed, Zhao Yuqing needed to observe mourning for three years. Within such a long time, who knew what other changes might occur?
If Lieutenant General Wei was truly interested in Xie Yunling, he would seize the opportunity to turn the situation around.
And Lan Ci and Zhao Yuqing would undoubtedly be obstacles he needed to eliminate.
Liu Xu wasn’t certain if her guess was accurate, but she had a habit of planning ahead.
Compared to remedial measures after the fact, some issues are better nipped in the bud early.
She wrote a letter, handed it to a running boy, and instructed, "Make sure it gets to Miss Zhao’s hands."
Currently, the marriage between Zhao Yuqing and the Wei family had not been annulled. No matter what plans the Wei family had, she might be able to tackle potential issues head-on by starting with Zhao Yuqing.
Liu Xu’s actions were partly to express her own grievances and let Lieutenant General Wei know that one shouldn’t be too arrogant, lest they stumble.
And partly because she was worried Lieutenant General Wei would sabotage Lan Ci’s imperial examination.
This was a major event and absolutely could not have any mishaps!
Not to mention that the results of the examination were related to the choices for the Xie family. If he failed this time, Lan Ci would have to wait another three years.
In one’s lifetime, how many sets of three years can one have?
Lan Ci could fail due to a lack of ability but he must not miss the opportunity to distinguish himself because of someone’s scheming!
Thinking about it, Liu Xu sighed.
The Wei family was of high status and power, and dealing with such troubles was quite vexing.
Who knows if she could get hold of any dirt on the Wei family to use just in case?
In the top-floor private room,
Princess An He and Mrs. Wei hadn’t been seated long before the shopkeeper personally brought the best tea and snacks.
He fawned, "Princess An He’s presence graces Ruyi Residence, bringing light to our humble shop. This is a small token of the owner’s regard. We hope Your Highness finds it satisfying."
Princess An He had seen Liu Xu before, a person with great dexterity, nearly bringing business to the Duke Mansion last time.
Thinking of this, Princess An He felt completely unsettled.
She had never thought of coming to Ruyi Residence before. Now, she inexplicably found herself there, becoming a living advertisement for Liu Xu.
That Liu Xu, probably would die of laughter!
Upon seeing Princess An He’s expression change, Mrs. Wei hurriedly asked, "Your Highness, are the tea and snacks not to your liking?"
Princess An He let out a breath, "Forget it, at least it’s Manager Liu’s gesture of goodwill. If I don’t accept, it’d seem like I’m being discourteous. She previously came to the mansion and taught a few maidservants to make snacks. We do have some acquaintance."
After saying so, her gaze fell on the food.
The snacks were delicately made, freshly baked, filling the air with a rich aroma.
At first glance, they were quite alluring.
Thinking that Liu Xu indeed had some ability, she could earn silver not just by flattering.
She raised her hand and told the shopkeeper, "You may go down now, and convey to Manager Liu that her intentions are received by this princess."
The shopkeeper bowed and left the room.
Two older women guarded the door to the private room, preventing others from coming close.
Inside, they could safely discuss matters.
Mrs. Wei had interacted with Princess An He a few times and knew her temper.
This time, with Princess An He being so agreeable, Mrs. Wei felt anxious.
If even this figure accepted Liu Xu and Lan Ci, then at Mrs. Guan’s side, it’s probably certain that the marriage is approved.
Mrs. Wei suddenly found herself with a headache.
The noble ladies in the capital were numerous, yet her son took a fancy to Xie Yunling.
What else could she, as a mother, do if not indulge him?
After preparing her words, Mrs. Wei asked, "Recently, Lord held a banquet for many young talents, is it true that it was to find a suitable groom for Miss Xie? Any matches caught your eye?"
Mrs. Wei appeared curious, with a slightly concerned tone, as if making small talk.
Princess An He wasn’t foolish.
That day in the Great Hall, Lieutenant General Wei expressed his desire to marry Yun Ling in front of civil and military officials, only to be rebuffed.
Later, he was given a daughter of a minor official.
He would only naturally be angry!
The fact that Mrs. Wei was so concerned about Yun Ling suggested her son still had thoughts about that girl.
If it were some other gentleman wanting to marry Yun Ling, Princess An He might consider the possibility.
But the Wei family, no chance.
Ah Zhen and Ming Zhu disliked the Wei family so much; it was likely due to some unpleasant incident on the battlefield.
They were unwilling to marry Yun Ling into the Wei family, and if she sided with them secretly, Ah Zhen would undoubtedly be upset knowing this.
When that happens, their mother-son relationship would deteriorate again!
Princess An He valued interests, but compared to her own son, it meant nothing.
Otherwise, she wouldn’t have accepted Ji Mingzhu.
She bluntly stated, "We already have someone chosen for Yun Ling’s marriage. The Young General is not young; Mrs. Wei should worry more about him."
These words left no face, causing Mrs. Wei’s face to become flushed.
No wonder no noble lady in the capital wanted to befriend Princess An He deeply.
She truly was difficult to interact with!