Сокровищница Цзянху

Глава 32

Xu Wei stared at her intently, smiled slightly, stroked her face, and said softly, "I have resigned from my official post."

"What?" You Tong sat up abruptly from his arms, cursing angrily, "That young marquis is shameless, actually forcing you to resign? Has he now taken the position of Left Guard General?"

Xu Wei laughed, "It's not that easy. The Grand Princess isn't someone to be trifled with. Even if she allows me to resign, she would never agree to let him accept it. Besides—" A strange look flashed across his face as he looked at You Tong with some doubt, and said, "That young marquis suddenly fell ill and has been lying in his residence for quite some time now, without ever leaving the house. I've also secretly sent people to inquire about him, but I haven't found out anything. I don't know why he was perfectly fine all of a sudden."

Upon hearing this, You Tong's face showed a strange expression. She blinked, covered her mouth, and laughed. Then, she embellished her story of how she escaped from Green Willow Manor that day and told Xu Wei her tale. When she got to the part about how she left the bound young marquis in the woods, You Tong laughed so hard she could hardly breathe, saying intermittently, "What kind of illness could he possibly have? Maybe he got bitten a few times by the jackals and tigers in the mountains. Perhaps he was bitten on the face and is too ashamed to show his face."

Xu Wei smiled upon hearing this, gently ruffled You Tong's hair, and couldn't help but laugh along for a while. He shook his head and said, "This can be considered retribution. Let him go for now, and I'll settle the score with him after he recovers from his injuries."

The two chatted intimately for a while until they heard Xu Wei's stomach rumble. You Tong then realized he probably hadn't eaten lunch. She quickly let go of his hand and called Du Juan to fetch some food. Although You Tong had just eaten, she couldn't resist eating some more with Xu Wei. After lunch, Xu Wei instructed Du Juan to rent a carriage to take You Tong back to the capital.

Even Master Yu, who was living next door, couldn't resist any longer and came over to see Xu Wei in person.

Xu Wei was a kind and honest man, always polite to others. However, knowing that Master Yu had slapped You Tong, he was somewhat annoyed and not very warm towards Master Yu. Master Yu, on the other hand, didn't seem to mind. He simply told Xu Wei to take good care of You Tong before getting up to leave. Before leaving, he insisted on giving Xu Wei an envelope. As soon as he left, Xu Wei opened the envelope and found several large-denomination silver notes inside.

"Throw it out—" You Tong said without blinking. Xu Wei listened to her and was about to throw the silver note out the window with a smile when You Tong stopped him and angrily scolded, "Are you stupid? You actually threw it just because I told you to. Since he gave it to us, we'll keep it so that it won't benefit that little hussy Yu Wan later."

Xu Wei wasn't angry at her scolding. He just smiled and said, "I'm just following my wife's orders. Whatever you say goes." After saying that, he hugged her and pecked her hard on the lips. Then he held her in his arms, carefully avoiding touching her wound. He nuzzled his head against her neck and whispered, "You Tong, we have to be good to each other from now on, okay?" His voice carried a hint of cautious pleading, which made You Tong's heart ache instantly.

Dujuan returned shortly after, saying that she had already rented a carriage, which was now parked downstairs at the inn. Youtong remembered that she still owed her money, so she quickly told Xu Wei. Xu Wei was generous and reached out to give her a silver note, which startled Dujuan so much that her face turned pale. She shook her head repeatedly and said, "This servant dares not accept it, young master, please keep it."

You Tong knew that Du Juan was an honest person and was probably stunned by the face value of the silver note. She glared at Xu Wei, took out a purse from his pocket, picked out a two-hundred-tael silver note, and stuffed it into Du Juan's hand, saying, "I'm thanking you for taking care of me these past few days. You'll need to get married and make a living after you leave the Yu family. You can't do without some money. Don't refuse anymore." After saying that, her face turned stern.

Seeing that she was about to get angry, Dujuan nervously accepted the silver note, then solemnly thanked Youtong and Xu Wei, and asked, "Miss, when will you return to Qiantang?"

You Tong turned to look at Xu Wei, who thought for a moment and said, "Since I'm currently free of official duties, we can go back to pay respects to my mother-in-law after the New Year, shall we?"

You Tong smiled and nodded, then couldn't help but reach out and hold his hand tightly.

Youtong had no luggage, so she only changed her clothes and combed her hair before boarding the carriage. Master Yu didn't come out to see her off, only offering his best wishes from inside the house. Before leaving, Youtong remembered something and had Xu Wei help her to Master Yu's door, nodding to him. Xu Wei knew she had something to say to Master Yu, so he patted her hair and said with a smile, "I'll wait for you downstairs. Call me when you're done, and I'll come upstairs to meet you." After saying this, they looked at each other again before letting go of each other's hands.

Xu Wei had only taken a sip of tea downstairs when he heard You Tong calling his name. He quickly put down his cup and went upstairs to meet her. Once in the carriage, You Tong leaned against him, smiling, and asked, "Aren't you curious about what I said to him?"

Xu Wei asked with a smile, "What did you say?"

You Tong looked sorrowful, snuggled into his arms, and muttered to herself about how Cui Shi hadn't bled on their wedding night. Afterward, she asked, "Do you think my mother died unjustly?"

Xu Wei remained silent for a long time. Although You Tong had told him about this, as a son-in-law, he felt it was inappropriate to comment on his father-in-law and mother-in-law's private affairs. He simply hugged You Tong tighter, a hint of relief flashing across his face.

“He drove my mother to her death, so how could I let him get away with it?” You Tong chuckled. “I told him that my mother loved him deeply all her life, haha—” She smiled, but tears welled up in her eyes, sliding down her cheeks and staining Xu Wei’s clothes a slightly darker color.

Xu Wei smiled bitterly to himself and sighed deeply. He had gained something but did not cherish it. It seemed that Master Yu would spend his whole life in pain and regret.

67. Return to Beijing

Because You Tong's injuries had not yet healed, Xu Wei instructed the carriage to travel slowly. Therefore, by the time they arrived in the capital, it was almost dark. However, no one from the Xu family went to have dinner; they all waited anxiously in the main hall, awaiting news. When they heard that the eldest young master had brought his wife to the door, Madam Xu finally let out a heavy sigh, silently uttered "Amitabha," and quickly led everyone out to greet them.

Seeing that Youtong's face had become noticeably thinner, Madam Xu's eyes immediately reddened. She wiped away her tears while cursing the bandits. Then, she went forward and hugged Youtong, looking her up and down. Xu Wei, afraid that she would touch Youtong's wounds, quickly said, "Mother, Youtong is very tired. I'll take her back to her room to rest first. I'll tell you in detail later."

Seeing the hint of anger on her son's face, Madam Xu knew that You Tong had probably suffered some minor injuries. Her heart tightened, and she quickly nodded, instructing a servant to fetch a doctor. That evening, Madam Xu finally noticed the numerous wounds on You Tong's body. She nearly fainted, clutching her chest and gasping for breath. Between heartache and anger, she said to You Tong, "That damned bastard! This is killing me! My son, there's no point in showing any mercy to these people. Have Wei Ge'er lead the troops to wipe out all those bandits, leave no one alive!"

You Tong understood from her words that Xu Wei had probably told her everything about Bai Ling. She gave a bitter laugh and said, "I understand, but now that Brother Xu has resigned from his post, what will happen—"

"So what if he resigned?" Madam Xu said dismissively. "Does resigning mean he won't be a general anymore? How many generals like our Wei-ge'er are there in the Great Liang Dynasty? If he's not in the Left Gate Guard, he can have other jobs. Just have him say a word to the Prefect of the Capital, and we're not afraid that Lord Zhou won't send troops." She was afraid that You Tong would blame herself for Xu Wei's resignation, so she quickly comforted her for a while, coaxing You Tong until she had a happy look on her face before she stopped.

You Tong knew that what she said made sense, so she stopped worrying and calmed down to recover from her injury.

The next morning, Wenyan also received the news and rushed over to see her. Upon seeing her, she burst into tears, startling the maids who were serving her. After crying, Wenyan began to blame herself, even taking the blame for Youtong's attack upon herself. Only then did Youtong realize that Wenyan had indeed been ill that day, but hadn't sent anyone to inform her. She didn't know how the news had reached Wenqing's ears; it was Wenqing who had bribed someone to send someone to the Xu family.

No wonder Wen Qing knew her identity. Thinking of this, You Tong couldn't help but shake her head with a wry smile. Bai Ling was quite clever; she understood the principle that the enemy of my enemy is my friend. If she had sent a stranger to deliver the message, the Xu family wouldn't have even let her in. Only if it was a servant from the Cui family would You Tong believe it. Only by lying that Wen Yan was seriously ill would she be so eager to leave, without even a second thought. Bai Ling's years of service were truly worthwhile; she really understood her best.

"Wenqing, she—" You Tong really wanted to slap her twice. What was in this woman's head? How could she be so easily manipulated? She grew up in the Cui family. Even someone as simple as Wen Yan knew what she should and shouldn't do. But she was so stupid and siding with outsiders. Did she really think that by killing her, she could get into the Xu family?

“Third Uncle was furious,” Wen Yan stuck out her tongue, looking disgusted. “She was about to be married off, but somehow someone from Yizhou heard something and sent someone to annul the engagement. Third Uncle couldn’t bear the shame, and the next day the news spread that Eighth Sister had died suddenly. But my mother said that Third Uncle sent her back to Longxi, and she probably won’t be coming back.”

Without the identity of the eighth young lady of the Cui family, coupled with the Third Master's disappointment and resolute decision, Wenqing's matter was considered closed. Youtong had no interest in kicking someone when they were down. Since she would never appear before her again in this life, she would be magnanimous and let her go. After all, she was still nominally the young lady of the Cui family, and she couldn't be too heartless towards her maternal relatives. The Third Master would surely appreciate her kindness, and if anything happened in the future, she would have more confidence to speak up.

Hearing that You Tong had more than a dozen wounds, Wen Yan wanted to look at them several times but dared not. She quickly handed the wound medicine to You Tong and said, "It was brought from Longxi by Fifth Brother. It's the best for removing scars. He's been on duty in the palace these past few days, so he asked me to bring it to you."

When You Tong heard Xu Wei talk about how Cui Weiyuan had been helping her so diligently these past few days, she was deeply moved. She quickly reached out and took the gift, replying in a low voice, "Please thank Fifth Brother for me. Hmm, I'll personally visit him to thank him when I'm feeling better."

Wen Yan smiled and said, "Ninth Sister, why are you suddenly being so polite? You are also Fifth Brother's sister, so it's only natural for him to help. If you want to thank him, wouldn't it be better to give him a big gift when he gets married?"

You Tong then learned that Cui Weiyuan was getting married, and asked with a mixture of surprise and joy, "Fifth Brother is finally getting married? Which family's daughter is he betrothed to, and when?"

Wen Yan's face lit up again at the mention of Cui Weiyuan's joyous occasion, and she replied with a grin, "You've met that person before, she's the eldest daughter of the Gao family. The wedding is set for the end of November, and I imagine they'll be sending out invitations to the household in the next few days." She sighed and added, "Actually, I still prefer their second daughter, but my mother has her eye on the eldest daughter, and my fifth brother doesn't say anything, so in the end, they settled on the eldest daughter."

You Tong smiled and said, "That young lady seems to be a gentle and well-mannered girl, so she'll be easy to get along with. She'll be managing the Cui family's affairs in the future, so naturally she needs to be more composed. You can think of her as a playmate. Besides—" You Tong couldn't help but tease her, "You're getting married after the New Year, so you'll only have two or three months to get to know her. Even if you don't like her, it won't matter. Hmm—are you worried she might withhold your dowry?"

Wen Yan's face immediately turned bright red, and she stomped her feet in annoyance, saying shyly, "Ninth Sister, you've become naughty! You never used to be so disrespectful to people." Seeing her shy and timid demeanor, You Tong couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Contrary to Madam Xu's expectations, Xu Wei did not go to see Magistrate Zhou of the Capital, but instead visited the Shen family. Since Shen San was not home, Xu Wei chatted with the eldest son for the entire afternoon. Both were generals who had achieved fame at a young age. Although one served in the Northwest and the other in the Southern Frontier, and people in the capital often compared them, the two were open and honest, without any reservations. Especially when discussing their experiences on the battlefield over the years, they found themselves quite compatible, and before they knew it, they had lost track of time.

Although the Xu family did not publicize the disappearance of You Tong, the eldest son's spies could not hide it from him. When Xu Wei suddenly came to visit the mansion, how could he not guess the twists and turns? However, he did not want to get involved in these matters, so he did not ask. After the servant came to report that the third young master had returned to the mansion, he smiled and saw Xu Wei out, and then instructed the servant to lead him to Shen San's study.

When Shen San heard that Xu Wei had come to visit, he naturally knew his intentions. He couldn't help but curse Bai Ling in his heart again, but he didn't dare to delay and quickly went out to greet him personally.

"Third Young Master, you must have already guessed the purpose of my visit today?" Xu Wei asked directly as soon as he entered the room, without beating around the bush. Shen San's expression changed slightly, his eyes twitched, and he nodded silently. Since You Tong's disappearance, he had secretly sent people to investigate and vaguely knew that You Tong had been seriously injured by those bandits. Now that Xu Wei had come to his door, he had nothing to say.

"So, what does the Third Young Master mean—" Xu Wei squinted at him, his eyes filled with coldness. Shen San smiled bitterly and sighed, then steeled himself and replied, "Whatever the General commands."

Xu Wei chuckled and shook his head, saying, "Third Young Master is mistaken. I am now a commoner, how dare I call myself a general? I only came to you for help because I was desperate. Fortunately, you are a man of honor, otherwise I would have lost face. Thank you very much." As he spoke, he cupped his hands in a salute, his smile utterly despicable. Shen San had already been transferred to the capital, responsible only for the city's defense. Without orders from his superiors, he was absolutely forbidden from leading troops out of the city. Otherwise, he would be reprimanded at best, and punished according to military law at worst. Shen San knew that Xu Wei was clearly setting a trap for him, but he simply couldn't bring himself to refuse.

That evening, Shen San led a group of men out of the city. Xu Wei rode alongside them on horseback, his face grim.

Jigongzhai is located in a mountain range more than a hundred miles west of the capital. For some unknown reason, the stronghold has been stationed outside the city for more than half a year, and no one from the capital has been sent out to besiege it. Now, it has actually developed into a fairly large-scale stronghold, with a rough estimate of about a hundred people.

Shen San brought 299 men with him today. Xu Wei glanced at the number and smiled inwardly. There was an order in the army that anyone who secretly mobilized more than 300 troops would be executed without mercy. Shen San was still cautious; even if he fell into a trap, he still left himself a way out. Even if the censor impeached him today, he could secretly pull some strings and at worst receive a few dozen lashes. But if he refused Xu Wei, he would never be able to hold his head high in front of him again.

The group quickly arrived at the foot of the mountain. Shen San distributed the mountain map to everyone and instructed thirty people to form groups of three, conceal themselves, and sneak into the stronghold. The rest of the group would attack through the main gate and wait for the scouts to open it before launching their attack.

Seeing that he had made proper arrangements, Xu Wei did not say anything more. He simply followed closely behind Shen San with a smile on his lips, his right hand tightly gripping the long sword at his waist, ready to strike.

These men were all elite soldiers, and soon faint firelight flickered on the mountainside. Shen San's spirits lifted, and he made a gesture. Seeing this, the men quickly cracked their whips and spurred their horses forward.

These bandits were nothing more than a rabble, no match for Shen San and his group. They were quickly defeated one by one and routed. Xu Wei remained inactive, only grabbing someone and making him point out the bandits who had ambushed You Tong outside the city that day.

The man was so frightened by his gaze that he fell silent, not daring to oppose him. Ignoring the glares of the bandits, he quickly pointed out the others.

There were fifteen people who set up the ambush that day. Five of them were killed by You Tong, and two of the remaining ten were seriously injured. The soldiers had already killed them when they stormed in. Now, only eight people remain.

Xu Wei summoned all eight men to the platform at the entrance of the stronghold, rode his horse to the center of the field, and coldly surveyed them, saying, "Will you do it yourselves, or shall I do it?" As men who had fought bloody battles, they usually kept a low profile, but now, just by standing in the field, not to mention the bandits, even Shen San felt immense pressure. That chilling aura and the murderous intent that emanated from their very bones were something that these pampered guards in the capital could never compare to.

“What’s there to be afraid of? There’s only one of him, we’ll stand shoulder to shoulder—” One of the bolder ones shouted a few words to bolster his courage, but before he could finish his sentence, blood gushed from his throat, his eyes widened, and he collapsed to the ground. The other bandits were already terrified and dared not lay a hand on him; some even knelt down with a thud, wailing and begging for mercy.

Seeing this, Xu Wei's face darkened with anger, but he was too lazy to make another move. He waved his hand towards the deep mountains and said, "The rest of the people are yours." After saying that, he didn't ask any more questions, and he didn't even bother to inquire about Bai Ling's affairs. He pulled on the reins and went straight down the mountain.

68. A sigh.

"My lord, Miss Bai is in the inner courtyard."

Shen San watched Xu Wei's figure gradually disappear at the end of the road before turning around and saying with a grim face, "Understood." As he finished speaking, a hint of murderous intent flashed in his eyes. Just as he was about to walk further into the inner courtyard, someone suddenly shouted in alarm, "Fire! Fire!"

Shen San was startled, then suddenly understood something. He quickened his pace and ran inside, only to find that the small courtyard had already become a sea of fire. The surroundings were brightly lit by the fire, and amidst the crackling sounds of the flames, he could faintly hear someone laughing wildly.

"Sir, should we put out the fire?" the attendant asked urgently.

Shen San remained silent for a while, then slowly shook his head, turned around without a trace of expression, and said, "Let's go back to the city."

With the passing of the white-collar worker, the kidnapping of You Tong came to a temporary end. Wen Qing was stripped of his identity and sent back to Longxi, Xu Wei lost his official position, and Shen San was impeached by the censor, losing three years' salary and receiving thirty lashes. The young Marquis of the Wu family not only failed to obtain the position of Left Guard General, but was also disfigured and locked himself in his mansion for more than a month without going out. None of the bandits from Jigong Village survived. It seemed that no one had gained any benefit from this incident. Looking back, You Tong couldn't help but sigh.

What made Youtong feel even more guilty was the fate of her two maids, Huiying and Huiqiao. After being kidnapped by bandits and taken to the mountains, they lost their virginity. Xu Wei rescued them and brought them back to the capital, but the two maids were so frightened that they refused to stay in the mansion any longer. Helpless, Xu Wei had no choice but to send them to a villa outside the city to recuperate temporarily.

After You Tong returned to the capital, Xu Wei, unwilling to spend money to support Yu Wan, sent a message to Master Yu, asking him to bring Yu Wan back to Qiantang. However, the messenger arrived in Huifeng Town only to find that Master Yu had already set off for Qiantang. Upon receiving the news, You Tong was both angry and amused, saying, "There's no reason for a married older sister like me to support my younger sister! No way! Send someone to send her back tomorrow. She's eating and drinking well at the estate, costing me a lot of money every month."

Xu Wei laughed heartily upon hearing this, and holding her, he couldn't help but say with a smile, "My Youtong is so shrewd and calculating. I've truly married a treasure."

You Tong nodded repeatedly without any modesty, saying, "That's right. You'd better treat me well in the future, otherwise I'll squander money all day long and make it so that you can't even support a family." Xu Wei laughed so hard that he couldn't straighten up.

After nearly a month of careful recuperation, You Tong finally recovered, but some scars remained. The medicine sent by Cui Weiyuan helped a lot, and later the Grand Princess bestowed some dark, sticky ointment. After using it for a while, the scars faded considerably, but it would probably take many years for them to completely disappear. Xu Wei, having heard of a remedy from somewhere that pearl powder could remove scars, spent a fortune buying pearls from Hepu, grinding them into powder, and applying it to You Tong, much to her distress.

At the end of November, Cui Weiyuan got married.

You Tong accompanied Xu Wei to offer congratulations, inevitably exchanging pleasantries with the women of the Cui family. Both families had tried to keep her disappearance a secret for a while, fearing gossip, but the truth eventually leaked out. People looked at her with increasing scrutiny, but seeing her composed demeanor, they hesitated to ask. Only the second young lady of the Cui family, who was about to marry, kept staring at her, subtly bringing up the matter. You Tong pretended not to understand. Seeing that You Tong didn't respond, the second young lady's face darkened with anger, and she sneered, "Madam Xu, you have quite the airs. Do you look down on us humble families? Otherwise, why don't you even reply?"

Ever since You Tong entered the Cui family, this second young lady had been constantly making things difficult for her. Previously, You Tong hadn't bothered with her out of respect for the ninth young lady, but now, seeing her increasingly outrageous words, You Tong naturally lost her temper. She picked up her teacup, took a small sip, and without looking at her, calmly said, "There's a saying: 'Those who respect others will always be respected.' Madam Shi is learned and knowledgeable; surely she understands the meaning of this saying." She didn't directly answer her question, but her words were a clear insult. Having said that, she ignored her and went to talk to Wen Yan with a smile.

The second young lady was so angry that her face turned pale. She wanted nothing more than to tear her mouth apart, but she dared not act rashly because of the second young lady's status. She could only tremble with rage. In the end, she stormed off, abandoning Cui Weiyuan's wedding altogether. Seeing her so reckless, onlookers felt a bit contempt for her. They whispered among themselves, saying that it was no wonder the eldest master of the Cui family lost his position as head of the family. Just by looking at this second young lady's behavior, they knew that the eldest son's family was truly unworthy.

Because You Tong had seen the Gao family's young lady in person, she wasn't particularly interested in the bride. She just chatted with Wen Yan and the second madam. When she saw that they were too busy, she took the initiative to go forward and greet the guests.

The Cui family's wedding was a major event, and most of the powerful and influential people in the capital came to offer their congratulations. Even the Grand Princess and the Empress Dowager sent gifts, showing them great respect. The palace maid who came to deliver the imperial decree noticed that Xu Wei was also in the crowd, and said with a smile, "It's rare to see Lord Xu here. The Grand Princess has been talking about the young mistress these days. Let's see when she has time to come to the palace to have a chat with the Grand Princess."

Xu Wei smiled and agreed. Everyone in the room couldn't help but look at You Tong, their eyes involuntarily filled with seriousness. For the past month or so, the news of the Xu family's young mistress's abduction had been circulating widely in the capital. The women of powerful families were all gossiping, saying that after being abducted for so long, Miss Cui Jiu's chastity was probably in jeopardy, and some even bet on when the Xu family would seize the opportunity to divorce her. Just now in the courtyard, many people had been eager to see a good show, their words even carrying a hint of sarcasm. Unexpectedly, after experiencing such a thing, she could still stand firm. With the Grand Princess backing her up, even if the Xu family wanted to divorce her, it would be difficult.

Thinking of this, everyone immediately changed their expressions. Once the palace maid left, they spoke to her with pleasantries. Of course, they couldn't go too far; they were all from a wealthy family, and if they were too obvious, it would only invite gossip.

You Tong knew perfectly well that the palace maid's words were probably at the Grand Princess's special instruction. With so many people around today, it was a good opportunity to spread the word and prevent others from making things difficult for her in the future. She couldn't help but feel touched and thought that she would definitely visit the palace in a couple of days.

Because Youtong was a daughter of the Cui family, she was inevitably treated differently from other relatives. The two of them were busy until it was completely dark before returning home. As soon as they stepped out of the Cui family's gate, Youtong's stomach began to rumble. She complained, "There's a whole table of food, but everyone is so demure that they don't touch their chopsticks. It makes me feel embarrassed to eat much, and now I'm hungry again."

Xu Wei laughed and said, "I've been drinking all this time, and I haven't eaten enough. How about we find a place to have another meal?"

This was exactly what You Tong wanted to do. She hugged his arm and said, "Where should we eat? I don't want to go back to the manor to eat. Right now, there are probably only some snacks left in the manor. They're so greasy, and they'll make you fat."

Xu Wei thought for a moment and said, "I once heard someone mention that there are a few good restaurants along the Lianshui River. Although they serve home-style dishes, they are made with exquisite care. Why don't we go there and look for them?"

You Tong was naturally happy to agree and quickly accepted. So, Xu Wei told the coachman to take the carriage back first, and the two of them rode together on a horse, slowly making their way to the Lianshui River.

The houses along the Lian River were mostly ordinary families from the capital, their buildings densely packed together. The only sounds along the way were the chatter of neighbors, and many children ran around in the alleys, occasionally craning their necks to look at Xu Wei and his companions with curiosity. They were attending a wedding banquet today, so naturally they were dressed formally, and even the children could tell they were different from the other people in the alleys, their eyes filled with a hint of awe.

“Little one,” You Tong took a small piece of pastry out of her bosom and handed it to the child, asking with a smile, “Do you know which restaurant nearby has good food?”

The child's attention was completely drawn to the pastry. She blinked, hesitated, then took it, but didn't rush to open it. Instead, she carefully placed it in her bosom, and finally said, "The Liufang Restaurant at the end of this alley has the best sweet and sour pork ribs and braised pork." With that, she clutched her chest and hurriedly ran back, shouting as she ran, "Third Sister, Third Sister, come out quickly, there's something good to eat again—"

“Liufang Pavilion,” Xu Wei stroked his chin and frowned, “the name sounds quite elegant. Could it be a private restaurant? But why is it located in a place like this?” Private restaurants have become popular in the capital these past few years. Some businessmen have opened their shops in secluded alleys, decorated with elegant plum blossoms, orchids, bamboo, and chrysanthemums in the courtyard. They only serve two or three tables a day, but the prices are shockingly high. Although the food is not bad, Xu Wei thinks it's really not worth it.

“You’ll know once you go and see for yourself.” You Tong had also heard of the reputation of the private kitchen and laughed, “What, is Lord Xu afraid that I’ll eat you out of house and home?”

Seeing that no one was around, Xu Wei gently pinched her cheek and laughed, "I'm just afraid you won't eat her out of house and home."

The two strolled slowly into the depths of the alley and, sure enough, spotted the sign for Liufang Pavilion. It was just a small wooden sign, carefully painted, with three red characters that read "Liufang Pavilion" in delicate, graceful calligraphy, almost like the handwriting of a woman. The pavilion wasn't large; the entrance was clean and tidy, and inside, three or four tables were full of people. Judging from their attire, they were clearly ordinary locals. It seemed that Liufang Pavilion catered to ordinary people, and certainly not some kind of private kitchen.

Because of their lavish attire, the guests in the hall couldn't help but look at them, and the previously noisy room suddenly fell silent. You Tong felt a little embarrassed, took Xu Wei's arm and gently shook it, whispering, "How about we go to another place?"

"If we go to another restaurant, we won't be able to eat the restaurant's signature dishes." A customer laughed loudly, and squeezed past the people next to him, saying, "If you two don't mind, why don't you share a table with us? It's rare to find Brother Liu's dishes outside."

Xu Wei smiled and thanked him, then glanced down at You Tong, asking for her opinion. You Tong nodded, and the two sat down together.

Just as he sat down, the guest suddenly paused, staring intently at You Tong. Seeing that Xu Wei looked somewhat angry, he quickly explained, "This young lady looks just like Brother Liu's wife. Please don't take offense, sir."

Upon hearing his words, everyone looked at You Tong and exclaimed in amazement, "Wow, it really does look like her!"

"That's right, if that young lady from the Liu family changed her clothes, she would look exactly like her."

Xu Wei and You Tong exchanged a glance, and a possibility suddenly occurred to them.

69 The Little Emperor's Idea