While talking, another guest came to the verandah leading to the Octagonal Pavilion.
Wei Yuan didn't recognize the person coming, but Chai Yan recognized him at a glance. Not only did he know him, but he was also very familiar with him. He was Zhao Cong, the eldest brother of the Crown Princess.
Chai Yan introduced Zhao Cong to Yu Yuan and walked with her to the pavilion.
As soon as Zhao Cong arrived outside the Bajiao Pavilion, he held up his hands and apologized: "Your Highness, Crown Princess, Zhao Cong was delayed because of something, I'm really sorry!"
Liu Lang smiled and said: "My uncle came at the right time... Pei Yang, tell me to go down and have a banquet!"
"Yes, Your Highness." Pei Yang accepted the order and immediately left the garden to go.
Only then did Zhao Cong greet Princess Funing who was beside Liu Lang: "It turns out that Princess Funing is also here. Zhao Cong has met Her Royal Highness."
Princess Funing nodded slightly, then pretended to be displeased and said: "Brother Cong, it's rare for Funing to see you. It's really inappropriate for you to be so late..."
Zhao Cong is Funing's brother-in-law, so Funing always calls him Brother Cong when they meet.
"Princess Funing forgives me. It is true that I was temporarily entangled in secular affairs. Zhao Cong knew that he was wrong and allowed Princess Funing to punish her." Zhao Cong apologized.
Princess Funing immediately confirmed: "Is it true?"
Zhao Cong was stunned for a moment, but after thinking about it, he nodded. He said it himself. He couldn't lie to a little girl. Besides, she was the most beloved little princess of the emperor and empress.
"Well, Funing will punish you by learning how to bray three times!" Funing's tone and expression looked strange.
"Ah? Learn... learn how to bray like a cow?" Zhao Cong thought he heard wrongly.
Liu Lang and Zhao Li were also stunned. Zhao Cong just said polite words, why did Funing take it seriously?
"Fu Ning, don't be rude!" Liu Lang immediately became serious.
Funing said plausibly: "Brother Prince, you adults always say that you must keep your word when doing things. You heard it just now. It was Brother Chong himself who said that Funing should be punished. How come he really wanted to punish but didn't allow it? Could it be?
In the eyes of you adults, are children just there to fool you?"
"Uh..." Liu Lang didn't know what to say to retort to this sharp-tongued imperial sister.
"Pfft... Hahaha..." Zhao Li suddenly laughed, and then echoed: "Princess Funing is right, he should be punished. Who asked him to come before dinner?
."
Zhao Li's words immediately made Liu Lang wink at her.
Funing continued: "I asked Brother Cong to learn howling like a cow because he is busy, because he is slow and late. It is reasonable and reasonable..."
Zhao Cong thought nothing of it. Anyway, it was not about imitating a dog or a pig, but it was nothing to imitate a cow. It was just to make the princess happy.
"Okay, I'll just call..."
After saying that, Zhao Cong wanted to imitate the cow's braying.
Unexpectedly, Funing said: "No need to call, brother Cong! Funing is just teasing you..."
The three of them were stunned when they heard Funing raise his lips and say: "You adults are allowed to tease children, but children are not allowed to tease adults?"
Liu Lang and Zhao Cong were speechless for a moment, but Zhao Li smiled even happier.
"Brother, long time no see. How are you?"
It was at this time that Zhao Cong heard Chai Yan's voice.
Zhao Cong turned to look, his face immediately became happy, and he said happily: "Brother, it turns out you are here too! I heard that you have been awarded the title of Baron of Anping County, congratulations, brother..."
When the two met, a lively conversation was indispensable.
After everyone exchanged greetings, Pei Yang happened to come back. He came to inform that the banquet was ready.
So, everyone moved indoors.
The banquet was held in a hall next to the garden, where there was plenty of light, so you could enjoy the beautiful scenery of the garden even while eating.
After the banquet started, the atmosphere was not bad, but Liu Lang found that Zhao Cong always had a worried look on his eyebrows, and he would suddenly become distracted while eating.
Liu Lang then asked Zhao Cong: "Brother, why don't you tell me what's bothering you? There are no outsiders here..."
Zhao Cong did not speak immediately, but glanced at Zhao Li first.
Seeing Zhao Li nodding, Zhao Cong smiled helplessly and said: "Your Highness, it's the same thing as last time..."
"That incident last time..." Liu Lang recalled it for a moment and then remembered: "Did there appear to be counterfeit bills again?"
Zhao Cong sighed silently, nodded and said: "Your Highness, this is already the second time! Last time it was just a twenty-tael counterfeit note, but this time there were as many as ten, and they were all two.
Twelve taels!"
"Is there such a thing?" Liu Lang was surprised and couldn't help but put down his chopsticks.
Zhao Cong immediately took out a "fake note" from his sleeve and handed it to Liu Lang for review.
"Your Highness, please see, this is the fake note that appeared the first time, and the one that appeared the second time is exactly the same as this one!"
Liu Lang took it and looked at it carefully.
Later, during the conversation between Liu Lang and Zhao Cong, Chai Yan also understood many things.
It turns out that the most powerful "Tongbao Bank" in the capital is the property of the Zhao family, and Zhao Cong is the big owner of Tongbao Bank. In fact, Tongbao Bank is not only the largest bank in the capital, but can also be regarded as one of the most powerful banks in the Sheng Dynasty.
one.
And Tongbao Bank is the economic lifeline of the prince!
After thinking for a moment, Chai Yan understood why someone wanted to bewitch Zhao Cong, because controlling Zhao Cong would be equivalent to controlling the prince's financial lifeline!
The "fake banknotes" the two mentioned were the fake banknotes that suddenly appeared recently and looked like real ones!
The first time there were only ten taels of fake banknotes, but this time, as many as ten suddenly appeared, and they were only discovered temporarily!
Liu Lang paid most attention to Tongbao Bank, so he asked Zhao Cong: "Didn't you send someone to trace the source of the counterfeit bills? How about it? What did you find?"
Zhao Cong shook his head regretfully and said in disappointment: "Your Highness, I am late because I went to see them, but it is a pity that they got nothing from this trip!"
Liu Lang said extremely seriously: "I order you to investigate the counterfeit bills!"
Suddenly, Princess Funing spoke: "Brother Prince, can Funing take a look at this fake banknote?"
Liu Lang thought it was nothing to look at, so he gave the fake banknote to Funing.
So Funing ran to the light, lifted it up and looked at it carefully.
Zhao Li was amused by her appearance and asked, "Fu Ning, can you tell the truth from the lies?"
Funing lived in the palace, so she didn't know how to distinguish between real and fake bank notes. She shook her head, but the next moment she ran to Chai Yan.
"Chai Yan, can you tell where it is fake?" Princess Funing said as she handed the fake banknote to Chai Yan.
Chai Yan hesitated for a moment, but finally took it and said: "Your Highness, the paper of the real bank note is filled with silk. Just check to see if there is silk..."
After saying that, Chai Yan raised the banknote to check it, and suddenly said in surprise: "Hey, why is it there?"