Chapter 54: Trip to the State City (4) Taking advantage of the situation
That night, Xianle Tower, Zhouchengfang City.
This building is four stories high, with semi-open private rooms on the second to fourth floors, and a patio-like lobby on the first floor. There is a stage right in front of the lobby, and diners upstairs can watch the performances of the female nuns on the stage from different angles. However, performances do not take place every night. For example, tonight the stage was empty, so there were many fewer diners in the restaurant. There were only a few tables occupied in the lobby on the first floor.
Wang Shaohe, wearing a robe representing his family status, occupied a table by himself and ordered a glass of spiritual wine to slowly taste it.
Yang Zhen and Chen Fuzhen stood outside the restaurant. All three of them were wearing brand-new clothes, looking towards the end of the street from time to time.
With a neighing sound, a carriage stopped at the door of the restaurant. Director Gong jumped out of the carriage as quickly as a young man, then turned around and respectfully waited for the other person in the carriage to get off.
The car curtain opened, and a thin old man who looked to be in his sixties appeared in front of several people. He glanced around and saw the three people waiting for Chen Fuzhen, nodded slightly, and then moved off.
This person is the protagonist invited to tonight’s dinner, Manager Cui of Prince Ju’s Mansion.
In order to invite this person out, Yang Zhen used a famous card that she had kept for a long time.
It was a blue badge printed with the Zhao family's Zifu family, which meant that the holder came from the Zhao family. Yang Zhen only had three in total, and she specially applied to Caiyan when the trading company was established.
This time he had to use one of them. On this blank name card, he marked the identity of "Dexingtang, shopkeeper, Fu Yuxiu" and other identities. This card was forwarded through Manager Gong in order to ask him to say a few words of kindness.
, and also made some promises.
Things went smoothly, Manager Cui agreed to attend the banquet tonight.
……
Several people gathered around Manager Cui and came to a private room on the second floor. The private rooms in Xianle Building are all soundproofed. The sound inside cannot be transmitted out, but it does not affect the sound coming in from outside. This is exactly what Yang Zhen chose for this restaurant.
The reason.
Tonight he needed to use Wang Shaohe's identity without letting him hear the content of the conversation, and it took a lot of effort.
Manager Cui looked approachable and approachable, without the airs of the palace manager. He soon figured out that the real owner tonight was the teenage boy in front of him, who was called the Young Master by Shopkeeper Fu.
He didn't feel dissatisfied, but instead chatted with her like a spring breeze. After a while, Yang Zhen's eloquent talk, coupled with some anecdotes and even short stories he heard in his previous life, made this well-informed old man
Very surprised.
The two quickly became friendly, as if they had been friends for many years.
"What's the relationship between my brother and the Zhao family in Shuyang?" The old man asked after having enough wine and a sip of tea.
"Young Madam Zhao is my adoptive mother." Yang Zhen told the truth.
"Young Madam, which Young Madam?" the old man asked curiously. There are so many high-status women in the Zhao family, who knows which one is the Young Madam.
But there was a murmur in my heart, foster mother? Is this child just a servant? If so, this meal tonight is simply humiliating me!
But could a servant have such insight? He was doubtful.
Yang Zhen explained Qin’s identity. Seeing that Manager Cui’s expression was a little bad, he knew that the word “adopted mother” made him suspicious.
He pretended not to know and just laughed: "I have two more gifts for the two elders. Please wait a moment."
After saying that, he turned around and went downstairs.
He came behind Wang Shaohe on the first floor and shouted "Uncle Sixteen!" as if to scare him deliberately.
This sound can be heard almost throughout the building, and several people in the private rooms on the second floor can hear it clearly.
Wang Shaohe had been drinking downstairs at his request. When he saw him coming, he took out the calligraphy and painting and teapot from the storage bag as agreed by the two of them.
Yang Zhen took the gift, thanked her, and ran upstairs again.
He respectfully presented the calligraphy and painting to Manager Cui: "A small gift cannot be considered as respect."
The teapot was given to Chief Gong.
The calligraphy and painting were not sealed, half of it was exposed. Manager Cui reached out to take it and unfolded the painting directly.
"Dong Chang? "Travel to Xishan"!" The old man was startled, his eyes flashed with light: "Qing'an Wang family! Who are you from the Wang family!"
As the general manager in charge of purchasing in the Ju Palace, he would not fail to recognize that he obtained this painting from the Dong Chang family and gave it as a gift to the fourth elder of the Wang family.
Yang Zhen smiled and didn't answer, but she leaned close to the old man and whispered: "Can you take up a little time later? I have something I want to talk to the manager alone."
Although his voice was low, the box was relatively quiet, so everyone could hear him clearly.
Aunt Fu had received his instructions before and stood up when she saw this:
"Why don't we wait later? We are already full. Why don't the manager and the young master discuss it here. Let's take a walk around the city."
Yang Zhen helped them get some vouchers from the restaurant, allowing them to stay in Fangshi until Haishi.
Chen Fuzhen stood up after him. He didn't speak much all night. He just immersed himself in eating and was eager to leave.
Chief Gong didn't want to leave, but the two of them were leaving, so he was reluctant to follow them.
Manager Cui didn't stop him. He was now full of curiosity about Yang Zhen's identity.
What is the relationship between the Zhao family and the Wang family, the two established Zifu families, and this child?
He glanced downstairs and saw that the monk was still sitting there drinking, obviously waiting for the child.
Can a monk, judging by his attire, be a monk from the Wang family, as a follower, what is the identity of this child?
The room became quiet again, and Yang Zhen poured a cup of tea with her own hands and handed it to Manager Cui.
The old man sipped his tea and said nothing. He wanted to see what this kid wanted to do.
Yang Zhen got straight to the point: "I have a batch of Xuanyang wood. I wonder if the manager would like to eat it?"
He has just finished building momentum, now it’s time to get down to business.
The old man did not answer, but continued the question just now: "What is the relationship between the Wang family, and the Zhao family, and you?"
Yang Zhen put down the teacup, sighed like an adult, and told a story:
"After the fourth elder retired from the sect more than ten years ago, he traveled to Yunzhou and visited many places, including Shuyang County..."
"In Shuyang, he received warm hospitality from the Zhao family, big and small banquets, fine wines, beautiful women..."
"Not long after my mother died, the young lady of the Zhao family took pity on my loneliness and adopted me as her adopted son..."
……
"Stop, stop." Manager Cui pointed at Yang Zhen in surprise: "You mean, you, you are the illegitimate son of the fourth elder of the Wang family?"
"I didn't say, I don't know anything," Yang Zhen smiled miserably: "There is no evidence, and no one will admit it, but..."
"The fourth elder told the Zhao family that they could help me find a way to ensure that I would have no worries about food and clothing for the rest of my life. This way is Xuanyang Wood..."
"It is impossible for the Wang family and the Zhao family to do business with you directly. I am different. I am trying to make a living for myself and have nothing to do with them. So, you don't have to worry about avoiding suspicion..."