That night, the old matriarch went to the front hall for dinner and informed Prime Minister Cheng of her plan.
Upon hearing this, Prime Minister Cheng almost instinctively glanced at Cheng Xiran. This annoyed her a bit, but she still managed to maintain a calm face, saying nothing.
“Don't look at the child like that. You'll scare her with your fierce look...” the old matriarch chided.
Her words woke Prime Minister Cheng up. He quickly averted his gaze and asked curiously, “Mother, why do you suddenly want to go back to our hometown in Chuzhou?”
“I can't recover from my illness here. It's been restless day after day,” the old matriarch said as she cast a glance at Liu Shi, who was silently eating across the table, and the charming Sun Yanyan.
Prime Minister Cheng understood but still asked, “If mother wants more peace, I'll set up a separate courtyard for you in the mansion. There will be dedicated servants to take care of your daily life. Will that be better?”
“I haven't been back to Chuzhou for years. I don't know how your Aunt Wang's family is doing. This time I'm going back to visit old friends and also look for the doctor who treated me years ago. I benefited a lot from his prescription.”
Prime Minister Cheng insisted, “The journey will be tiring. Mother's health may not be able to bear it. Why don't I send someone to go back on your behalf?”
The old matriarch showed obvious impatience on her face. “What? Can't I even go back for a relaxing trip? When do I need your permission to do things?”
Cheng Xiran also felt something was strange. Why didn't her father want her grandmother to go back?
Prime Minister Cheng quickly explained himself, “Of course not. It's just that mother has been unwell these days, and the carriage ride to Chuzhou will take one or two days. I'm worried about your health. Since mother is determined to go back, I have nothing else to say.”
Liu Shi had been resting for two days, and her complexion was gradually recovering. The previous incident didn't have much negative impact on her position as the mistress of the family, but Prime Minister Cheng no longer loved her as much as before.
Now that she heard the old matriarch was leaving, she felt a bit happy... She could deal with Sun Yanyan without restraint.
“If you handle the family affairs well, I won't have to worry. If I don't worry, my illness won't recur!” the old matriarch scolded him in a low voice.
Prime Minister Cheng quickly stood up and bowed, saying, “Mother is right. I'll remember. During the days when mother is away, I'll rectify the affairs in the mansion.”
The old matriarch said nothing more after hearing this, but the awkward atmosphere at the dinner table didn't ease much.
Cheng Zhiyue's face was also not looking good. Her perfect plan had failed, and now she had become the laughingstock of those rich young ladies. Her blind self - confidence had been almost completely worn away.
Sun Yanyan looked obedient on the surface, but she was actually fearless. She didn't sense any danger at all.
Cheng Xiran scanned around with a calm face. In the next three days, she almost spent the whole day in the newspaper office every day. She wrote a lot of manuscripts, which amazed the shopkeeper.
She rarely saw Helian Duo during these days. She guessed he must have a lot of things to deal with, so she didn't want to bother him. Also, she didn't have a proper reason. Sometimes when she finally found an excuse to visit the prince's mansion, she always learned from Zuo Yan that he had gone out to handle affairs.
In the evening of this day, she bound a thick stack of manuscripts and handed them to the shopkeeper. She also instructed, “These manuscripts are enough for ten or fifteen days. If we come back later, it's okay to postpone for one or two days.”
Cheng Xiran stretched comfortably and sighed, “I've been so busy these days.”
The shopkeeper took them carefully and exclaimed, “I have to say, miss is really amazing.”
“Then I'll trouble you to take more care during the days when I'm away. That Xue Lianyu is not very reliable. He only knows how to count money all day. If there's any urgent matter in the newspaper office, you can go to the prince's mansion and find the steward. He will know what to do.”
The shopkeeper listened attentively and then picked up a pen and paper to copy down what she said.
“Miss, please rest assured. I'll handle everything here.”
Cheng Xiran checked around to make sure there was nothing else to explain and then left. She felt relieved to leave the matter to the shopkeeper. After all, the shopkeeper was experienced and had seen a lot. He would act according to the situation.
After leaving the newspaper office, it was getting late. She guessed that her family should be having dinner at home by now.
“A Li, do you want to eat anything? I'll treat you,” Cheng Xiran said as she tightened her short outer jacket. She felt the oncoming wind was a bit cold.
“I've set up a banquet at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant. I've also invited Xue Lianyu and Li Yin. Let's have dinner together,” Helian Duo suddenly appeared from somewhere and stood right in front of her.
Cheng Xiran wasn't startled at all. Instead, she felt a bit surprised.
Cheng Xiran pretended to be calm and just said “oh”. In fact, she was extremely happy inside. Helian Duo had come to pick her up in person.
The two of them went to the Drunken Immortal Restaurant together. Since Cheng Xiran had almost had every meal at the Drunken Immortal Restaurant in the previous days, the boss was already familiar with her. Now seeing her come in with Helian Duo, he couldn't help joking with her, “It seems that what the miss told me last time is true. You've already captured the prince?”
Helian Duo glanced at her. She just gave the boss a silly smile and then pulled Helian Duo upstairs.
“Don't listen to the shopkeeper's nonsense. He just believes everything he hears,” Cheng Xiran said.
Helian Duo just smiled without saying a word.
The two of them were led by a waiter to a private room at the innermost part of the second floor.
Unexpectedly, Xue Lianyu and Chu Liyin were already eating.
As soon as she saw Cheng Xiran, Chu Liyin quickly put down her chopsticks and stood up to hug her. “Sister is here!”
Cheng Xiran nodded with a smile. “Yes.”
Helian Duo sat down expressionlessly on one side.
Cheng Xiran sat down one seat away from him.
“I'll set off early tomorrow. You can leave early the day after tomorrow. It will be less troublesome this way. I'll wait for you at your ancestral house in your hometown, and then we'll set off for Fenzhou together,” Helian Duo said. After that, he drank several sips of hot tea in a row.
Cheng Xiran originally wanted to say that it wasn't necessary to be so troublesome, but he must have his own reasons for doing so. She was too embarrassed to object, for fear of making him unhappy and canceling the plan of taking her with him. So she just agreed, “That's okay. I understand.”
Xue Lianyu was about to speak when Helian Duo interrupted him. With a serious look on his face, Helian Duo said, “During the days when we're away, you should also be more active. Find an excuse to go to the palace and pay attention to the movements of the Empress Dowager's party. Don't be idle anymore.”
Xue Lianyu said dismissively, “Got it, got it. When have I not done the things you told me properly? You can just go on a date with Xiran with peace of mind. I'll take care of things here.”
Helian Duo gave him a cold look. Cheng Xiran quickly corrected him, “It's not a date. It's a serious matter.”
Chu Liyin said while gnawing on a rib, “Come on, sister. I can tell that you're very happy, right? It's really not easy to be alone with the prince this time. You must seize this opportunity and capture him once and for all!”
Cheng Xiran felt so embarrassed that she couldn't help but secretly complain in her heart that Xue Lianyu and Chu Liyin were really a good match.
So she could only pretend to be stupid. “Liyin, I think you'd better focus on your meal.”
Helian Duo didn't say a word, as if he was tacitly agreeing.
“After the Hundred Flowers Banquet, the Empress Dowager recommended several concubines to the emperor. I've investigated, and they're all her confidants. I think she must be planning something. You must maintain contact with the emperor...”
Cheng Xiran didn't pay attention to what Helian Duo said later. She just thought that Helian Duo was extremely charming when he was serious, and she was irresistibly infatuated with him.
But since there were two people opposite who were eager to stir up trouble, she tried her best to pretend not to care, so as not to be caught by them again.
Everyone was having dinner in peace. At the end, the shopkeeper suddenly brought a plate of fresh fruits. “It's really an honor for our humble place that the prince, Miss Cheng, and Young Master Xue can come to our Drunken Immortal Restaurant today. These are the fruits I washed myself. I hope you all like them.”
They thought he was about to leave, but unexpectedly, he cleared his throat and continued, “Finally, I'd like to offer our most sincere blessings. If the prince and Miss Cheng get married, you can hold the wedding banquet in our Drunken Immortal Restaurant. I'll handle everything personally and make it a grand event!”
Cheng Xiran had already stood up. She was so embarrassed that she didn't dare to look at Helian Duo. She could only excuse herself. “Oh, I just remembered that I have something to do. I'll leave first. You can chat slowly!”
The shopkeeper quickly stopped her gently. “Oh, Miss Cheng is shy, isn't she? You were chatting so openly about the prince with me a few days ago. Why are you so coy today? This is not like your usual self.”
Cheng Xiran wished she could sew his mouth shut immediately.
Xue Lianyu and Chu Liyin were laughing so hard that they couldn't close their mouths.
As for Helian Duo, there seemed to be no reaction from him. Cheng Xiran stole a glance at him and found that his face was gloomy and hard to read.
Xue Lianyu started to shout with the shopkeeper, “Yes, Xiran, sit down. Let's chat together.”
Just when she was at a loss, the waiter called the shopkeeper out. “Shopkeeper, there's a group of drunk guests causing trouble downstairs. Please go and have a look quickly!”
The shopkeeper was used to this kind of thing and just felt a bit disappointed. “Then you all continue. I'll be back soon!”
After he left, Cheng Xiran secretly breathed a sigh of relief. She swore that she wouldn't come to the Drunken Immortal Restaurant for a long time. It was really embarrassing.
“Are you done eating? If so, let's go. Stop listening to his nonsense.”