strictlysupreme Chapter 529 Xie Jing Line: I've come to find you
Chapter 529 Xie Jing Line: I've come to find you
“I’m not looking for Wen Ziyan.” Li Sheng looked up at him, her eyes clear and straightforward. “I’m here to see you.”
Xie Jingwei was taken aback.
Li Sheng took two steps closer, carrying a small wooden box in her hand.
"Thank you for the pastries yesterday, there were so many, and every single one was delicious. I think the osmanthus sugar cake was the best, it was so soft and fragrant."
Xie Jing wanted to speak, but she kept muttering and didn't get a word in edgewise, so she could only listen quietly until she finished.
She spoke earnestly, her voice light and cheerful, like a sparrow hopping on a branch in spring, brimming with undeniable vitality.
His gaze fell on her face.
A faint smile slowly curved the corners of her lips.
Li Sheng spoke for quite a while before finally finishing, and only then did she remember to hand the wooden box in her hand to Xie Jing.
"This is a pastry I made, a specialty of the Wuli ethnic group. It uses southern fruit and honeyed lotus root. Try it."
Xie Jing took the food box and bent down to open it.
Inside are delicate little pastries, fragrant with fruit.
Xie Jing took a bite of the pastry, a slight smile playing on his lips.
"delicious."
"Haha, isn't it delicious? I told you it was delicious..."
The sunset glow on the horizon painted a gentle golden-red hue, enveloping the two of them.
Evening at the post station.
Li Meng sat in the main seat, his face extremely grim.
"These people from the capital are all very polite, but they are all extremely cunning!"
He said angrily, his voice filled with resentment.
"I went to the Ministry of War again today, but they wouldn't even let me in the door, and they wouldn't even give me a sip of tea!"
Granny Zheng tried to persuade him carefully, but Li Meng waved his hand, his anger growing even stronger.
Since arriving in the capital, he has been repeatedly turned down, unable to even meet with any important officials in the court, let alone ask for their help!
Everyone regarded him as a monstrous threat and avoided him at all costs!
Li Meng grew angrier the more he thought about it. He looked at Li Sheng, who was sitting below him, and said in an unfriendly tone, "Didn't you say that Xie Jing had accepted something from you? Why won't he see me? Did he accept it or not? Are you lying?"
Li Sheng was drinking soup when she heard this and put down her spoon.
"I don't know about that. Didn't my second uncle say before that I'm incompetent? Maybe I'm just not capable, which is why I didn't get Xie Jing to agree to help."
"Since you're in the capital now, I'll leave these matters to you. After all, your second uncle is very capable and will definitely be able to get this done."
After saying that, she ignored Li Meng's face, which had turned blue with anger, and continued to drink her soup.
Li slammed his hand on the table in anger, "What kind of attitude is this!"
Li Sheng raised an eyebrow, her expression unchanged.
"What other attitude could there be? If I were any more respectful, people would probably accuse me of being hypocritical."
Li Meng was speechless for a moment, his face flushed red, and he stared at her fiercely.
Li Sheng ignored him, scooped up another spoonful of soup, and slowly drank it.
Seeing Li Meng's attempt to thwart his plans, Li Sheng was overjoyed.
She finished her bowl of soup, put it down, and said, "I'm done eating. Enjoy your meal, Uncle."
Having said that, he got up and left his seat.
As Li Meng watched her retreating figure, the anger in his chest almost burst out of his throat.
He slammed his hand heavily on the table, the porcelain bowl rattling softly, soup splashing out and flowing over the edge of the table.
"That brat is getting more and more unruly!"
He cursed through gritted teeth, his face turning purple.
Suppressing his anger, Li Meng turned to the servant standing to the side and asked in a deep voice, "What has she been doing all these days, just loitering around?"
"Reporting to Second Master, Miss has been keeping a low profile lately, spending most of her time resting at the post station and making pastries in her spare time. In addition, she occasionally goes out to eat with others."
"Eating? With whom?"
"It's Lord Xie, and Lord Wen."
"Xie Jing? Wen Ziyan?" Li Meng's eyes twitched.
He naturally knew these two people.
One is the youngest senior official in the current cabinet, and the other is the son of a prominent family in the Ministry of Rites...
"Didn't those two already reject her?" he frowned. "Why are they seeing her again?"
The servant respectfully replied, "Although the two gentlemen have frequent interactions with the young lady, they have never offered any assistance. As for anything else, I know nothing."
Li Meng squinted, his fingers slowly tapping the table, one tap after another.
The next day.
As usual, Li Sheng went out and arranged to have a meal with Wen Ziyan at a vegetarian restaurant in the neighborhood.
Not far away, a figure was half-hidden behind the carriage curtain. Li Meng sat inside the carriage, staring intently at her back.
Li Sheng entered the vegetarian restaurant, and soon saw a young man dressed in a light blue robe sitting opposite her.
The two chatted, occasionally chuckling, creating a harmonious atmosphere.
A glint flashed in Li Meng's eyes, and he immediately summoned his trusted servant.
"Go to the black market and buy some medicine."
As he spoke, he leaned closer and whispered a few words.
The servant's expression changed drastically upon hearing this, and he looked up in astonishment.
"Second Master, this...this isn't right. If word gets out..."
"The Wuli tribe is almost wiped out!" Li Meng slammed his hand on the low table. "Are you still telling me that? If it weren't for Li Sheng's incompetence, things that should have been done long ago have been delayed until now! I wouldn't have resorted to this drastic measure!"
He took a breath, and his tone changed, becoming sinister.
"Besides, a woman's marriage is traditionally arranged by her parents and matchmakers. It is her blessing and her responsibility to serve her people!"
He narrowed his eyes. "Wen Ziyan is a man of propriety. If something really happens to him, given his personality, how could he deny it?"
The attendant looked troubled, but seeing Li Meng's eyes growing increasingly gloomy, he finally bowed his head and agreed, "I'll go right away."
Evening at the post station.
Li Sheng reluctantly walked into the hall.
She didn't like eating with Li Meng.
Every time they ate together, he would either make sarcastic remarks to her or scold and berate her.
But this time, as soon as she sat down, Li Meng greeted her with a smile.
"Come on, Sheng, this steamed sea bass was your favorite when you were little. I had the kitchen make it especially for you today. Eat it while it's hot."
Li Sheng subconsciously stopped eating, looked up at him, and her eyes showed a hint of wariness.
Not right.
Li Meng put some food into her bowl without paying attention to her. "You've lost weight recently. Is it because you're not used to the climate in the capital? I'll have someone get some medicinal food to help you adjust tomorrow."
Li Sheng frowned and didn't touch his chopsticks.
"Is Uncle in a good mood today?"
"No, it's just that I saw you working hard and felt sorry for you."
Throughout the meal, Li Meng was exceptionally attentive and spoke in a very gentle tone.
Li Sheng thought he would say something, or make some unreasonable demands.
But he didn't say anything, he just kept putting food on her plate.
Li Sheng knew that Li Meng was definitely up to no good.
But seeing that he couldn't get any information out of her, he stopped talking and focused on eating.