Half an hour later, four people gathered at Shen Mansion.
Shang Ruyi hadn’t had the chance to visit Shen Shiyan these past few days, so she took this opportunity to greet her uncle and aunt. As Shen Wuzheng had ntioned earlier, Shen Shiyan was injured, but his spirits were good, and having recuperated over these days, he was much improved.
Yu was also in high spirits, and upon seeing them, she could hardly wait to have the kitchen prepare a feast to entertain them.
Finally, it was Shen Wuzheng who said, "We have things to discuss. Father, Mother, please go back to your room to rest. If there’s nothing else, don’t co over."
Yu looked at them eagerly, "Can’t you tell us?"
Shen Wuzheng smiled and glanced at her.
It was Shen Shiyan who pulled his wife aside and said, "These young ones have matters to discuss. What are you doing here? Go quickly, and have the kitchen add a couple more dishes."
Yu, thinking it reasonable, turned and left with him.
Only then did everyone breathe a sigh of relief. Pei Xingyuan swaggered into Shen Wuzheng’s room and sat down—this room, even Shang Ruyi hadn’t returned to for years, nor entered. It was more of a study than a bedroom, except for a bed in the corner, a table, and several rugs in the center. The room was filled with books, and the scent of ink and paper mingled from the bookshelves lining three walls, bringing a sense of tranquility upon entering.
But Pei Xingyuan complained, "Why co to your house? It’s better to go to Duke Mansion; it’s closer."
Shen Wuzheng said nothing, rely glanced at Yu Wenye beside him—just called out from the palace, the frown between his brows hadn’t yet eased. Hearing this, he said solemnly, "Aunt Hui is at ho; if we go back, she will definitely see us."
"So what if she sees us?"
Pei Xingyuan blinked, "Isn’t that what we want them—to know?"
Shen Wuzheng said, "But with our intelligence, knowing Aunt Hui is from that side, would we gather today, letting her see us?"
"Uh?"
Pei Xingyuan was suddenly dumbfounded, blinking again, thinking for a while before mumbling, "That’s right..."
Shang Ruyi covered her mouth and laughed lightly.
Feeling embarrassed, Pei Xingyuan imdiately coughed twice and tried to cover up by saying, "But this room, every ti I enter, I feel like my palms will get slapped with a ruler!"
Shen Wuzheng said, "In our place, only those who are lazy and foolish get beaten."
"You—"
Pei Xingyuan wanted to argue but couldn’t refute, so he sat there sulking, ignoring him.
Shang Ruyi laughed and said, "Mr. Pei, let’s discuss the serious business first. You just told at Changle Square that the matter is almost done, but not entirely; what do you an?"
Pei Xingyuan finally turned his head, disdainfully glanced at the smiling Shen Wuzheng and Yu Wenye, and snorted softly, "That Jin Daji agreed to take to their warehouse tonight to get the dicine."
"...!"
Upon hearing this, the three people present widened their eyes in surprise.
But no one spoke imdiately.
After a while of silence, Yu Wenye said, "He’s been stalling, unwilling to agree. Why did he beco so agreeable today?"
Pei Xingyuan picked up his teacup, took a sip, and said after savoring the taste, "Today, I delivered the decoction later than usual, and the dicine was much weaker than usual. Sure enough, the people at Changle Square made a fuss, and it happened right in front of them."
"..."
"Thus, he couldn’t help but believe that my dicine is running out."
"..."
"So today, when I found him again, he finally agreed to sell so of the herbs he had."
Yu Wenye and Shen Wuzheng exchanged glances, Shen Wuzheng thought for a mont before saying, "Given this, why did you say it’s not entirely done?"
Pei Xingyuan said, "He set two conditions, one being a price increase. He wants a thousand Silver Taels."
After speaking, without waiting for the other three to show any surprise, he imdiately continued, "I have already agreed, but I’m short of five hundred Silver Taels that you must cover for ."
Although it was a troubleso matter, hearing him say this made everyone involuntarily purse their lips.
Shen Wuzheng calmly said, "I can’t contribute much from my end."
The group looked at him without saying anything. Although the Pei Family had been exiled, they were a large family, so their financial situation was different. The Shen Family wasn’t large, and their properties were all in the Eastern Capital. The couple had been exiled for so ti, and Shen Wuzheng followed them to Lingnan, so upon returning to Daxing City, many things had to be restarted, and he indeed couldn’t provide much silver.
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