Mo Tong nodded. "Cold Ice Powder is extremely expensive because it's hard to store and has potent medicinal effects. That man was very generous and bought a whole catty at once. This shows that he must be of noble status, not an ordinary person."
"Then... who on earth is he?" Bai Yinan couldn't help but interrupt.
Mo Tong rummaged through his sleeve again and took out a portrait. "Quite a few of the clerks at Xinglin Pavilion saw him yesterday. They pieced together this portrait."
This time, Feng Linyuan didn't even reach out to take it. Mo Tong wisely handed the portrait directly to Bai Yinan.
For some reason, Bai Yinan's hands trembled when he received the portrait, almost dropping it on the ground.
He pinched a corner of the portrait and carefully unfolded it bit by bit until he saw the face of the man painted on it.
Bai Yinan's face instantly changed.
He almost quickly turned around and showed the portrait to Mrs. He.
"Mother, why did Uncle go to Xinglin Pavilion?" His voice was a bit shaky.
Mrs. He recognized the person in the portrait with just a glance. It was her maternal cousin, He Kang'an, whom she had sent to buy the Cold Ice Powder yesterday.
She gritted her teeth and couldn't help but feel annoyed.
If she had known this would happen, she should have asked He Kang'an to cover his face. Then the clerks at Xinglin Pavilion wouldn't have remembered his face!
Mrs. He rolled her eyes and then looked up and shouted, "You're really my good son! They casually bring out a portrait, and you dare to question me with it? How do you know where this portrait came from?"
Feng Linyuan had long expected that Mrs. He would focus on the origin of the portrait. He wasn't annoyed at all. Instead, he calmly turned around and sat down on a chair. Then he said with a faint smile, "Is the old lady doubting my subordinates or praising my abilities?"
Mrs. He looked utterly confused. "What do you mean?"
"If the old lady doubts that my subordinates made up a portrait to deceive you, you can go to Xinglin Pavilion yourself. All the clerks in the store can testify.
If you're still not convinced, you can ask them to describe the details of the person who bought the Cold Ice Powder again to see if it matches this portrait.
But if the old lady thinks that I bribed the clerks at Xinglin Pavilion in advance and colluded with them, that would be a great compliment! If I had such abilities, the Dingyuan Marquis Mansion wouldn't have declined to this extent."
Even Bai Yinan was confused. He couldn't help but ask, "What does bribing those clerks have to do with praising your abilities?"
Wasn't this something that could be solved with money?
Feng Linyuan slightly lifted his chin. "Father, do you know whose property Xinglin Pavilion is?"
The powerful and noble families in the Great Zhou Dynasty, especially the century - old aristocratic families, usually had huge private industries.
Although this was not openly talked about, everyone knew it well.
Just like the General's Mansion, there were two large - scale rice stores in the southeast of the city.
The Dingyuan Marquis Mansion had countless properties under its name. The Jizhen Tower, which attracted people to spend a fortune every month, was one of them.
As for a well - known pharmacy like Xinglin Pavilion in Yongding City, the backer behind it was naturally not to be underestimated.
Bai Yinan frowned deeply. He thought for a long time but couldn't figure out who it was. He could only look at Feng Linyuan, indicating for him to continue.
Feng Linyuan raised his index finger and gently tapped the armrest of the chair. He whispered, "Xinglin Pavilion is the property of the Crown Prince."
As soon as these words were spoken, the faces of Mrs. He, Mrs. Zhao, and even Bai Sheng changed.
Especially Bai Sheng. Her eyes instantly darkened. She stared at Mrs. He's face, and her eyebrows were full of undisguised sharpness and ferocity.
It was all Mrs. He's fault, the initiator of this drama. She was too blindly arrogant and always thought that Bai Zheng was still the little granddaughter who could be crushed with a flick of her finger.
If it weren't for Bai Sheng's suggestion to use the Cold Ice Powder, she would probably have rushed to Bai Zheng's place and pushed her into the lake to drown.
But even after Bai Sheng's advice, she still didn't want to put much effort into harming Bai Zheng, so the things she did were full of loopholes.
She didn't even investigate the store where she bought the Cold Ice Powder in advance.
Now, she had shot herself in the foot!
The Crown Prince, Feng Jingye, had always been on bad terms with Dingyuan Marquis Feng Linyuan. Not only did they fight whenever they met since childhood, but just a few days ago, because of the Chu family's matter, Bai Zheng and Feng Linyuan had already had quite a feud with Feng Jingye.
Mrs. He would never believe that the people at Xinglin Pavilion would be bribed by Feng Linyuan!
But precisely because of this feud between them, it actually proved the authenticity of this portrait. As long as Bai Yinan went to Xinglin Pavilion and asked the people there, he would know if He Kang'an had really gone to buy the Cold Ice Powder.
Looking at Mrs. He's bloodless face, Feng Linyuan gently curled his lips. "If even I can easily find out this matter, how long do you think it will take for His Majesty to find out, old lady?"
Mrs. He trembled all over. Her lips trembled violently, but she couldn't say a single word.
Feng Linyuan tilted his head, and the smile on his lips grew deeper. "Old lady, are you still not willing to admit it? Why bother? Before I report this matter to His Majesty, you'd better confess everything. Zheng'er is a filial granddaughter. She surely won't pursue it."
Mrs. He stared blankly at Feng Linyuan and opened her mouth.
Just then, Bai Sheng suddenly said coldly, "Since it was He Kang'an who went to buy the Cold Ice Powder, it's his business. What does it have to do with Grandmother? What is the Marquis forcing Grandmother to admit?"
Feng Linyuan turned around and gave her a meaningful look.
This sentence instantly gave Mrs. He the backbone.
"That's right. It was him who bought the Cold Ice Powder. What does it have to do with me? Why are you asking me..."
Before Mrs. He could finish her words, there came a wail from outside the door.
"Cousin, wasn't it you who asked me to buy it?"
Mrs. He's face froze again.
Just then, a black shadow flashed past the door. Before everyone could see clearly, a middle - aged man stumbled and sat on the ground at the door. He was shivering and shouting excitedly.
"Cousin, you clearly called me yesterday and forced me to buy this Cold Ice Powder. How can you shift all the blame onto me now!"
The person who came was He Kang'an, the man in the portrait who bought the Cold Ice Powder.
He Kang'an was obviously taught a lesson by Mo Tong's subordinates. There was nothing wrong with his appearance, but his expression was trembling. He was afraid of everyone. Only when he saw Mrs. He did he seem to see a talisman. He crawled forward desperately with hands and feet and cried,
"Zheng'er is now the legitimate wife of the Dingyuan Marquis. If the Marquis reports this to His Majesty, I'm just a low - life. How can I survive?
Cousin, I told you yesterday not to provoke Zheng'er, not to provoke Zheng'er. But you forced me to buy the Cold Ice Powder... Now something has happened!"