Inside the Shifang Pavilion of the Shifang Zhai, Shen Qingfeng was sitting with a solemn face, looking at the teacups placed in front of him. Opposite him sat Liu Mei, who was only wrapped in a fox fur cloak.
By “only” wrapped in a fox fur cloak, it naturally meant that she was completely naked underneath.
A maid stepped forward to refill their teacups, then respectfully withdrew. Yu Shuang stood at the door and closed it with a “click”.
The room was now left with only Shen Qingfeng and Liu Mei.
“Alright~ Now there's no one else.” Liu Mei's voice was still as charming as ever. She let out a soft laugh. The fox fur cloak loosely draped over her body was only tied with a belt around her waist. As she moved, the cloak tilted to one side, revealing the deep cleavage between her breasts.
“Now can you tell me why you called me out of the bathtub?” Liu Mei yawned lazily and said, “Let me make it clear first. If it's not a big deal, it might be a bit difficult for Young Master Ruowei to enter my Shifang Pavilion in the future.”
Shen Qingfeng smiled faintly and said, “Manager Liu is joking again. Since I've come to you, how could it be a small matter?”
Liu Mei burst into giggles and said, “You're right. Young Master Ruowei once snatched someone right under my nose. So, what is it that your guard couldn't find out and you have to come to me for help?”
Shen Qingfeng picked up his teacup and took a sip. He decided not to beat around the bush anymore and said directly, “I'm here to ask Manager Liu to do two things this time.”
“First, I want you to investigate Li Yanqing.”
Liu Mei propped her chin up and looked at Shen Qingfeng knowingly. “Is it because of Qi Fuyin?”
Shen Qingfeng glanced at her and smiled. “You already know about it even before the imperial edict is drafted in the Bian Palace. Manager Liu is truly well - informed.”
“Don't flatter me, Young Master Shen~” Liu Mei stretched out her foot and rubbed it against Shen Qingfeng's calf. A fox - like smile appeared on her face. “It's not difficult to investigate Li Yanqing, that has - been. Since Young Master Shen said there are two things, I guess the last one must be quite tricky?”
Shen Qingfeng glanced at her, sat up straight, and said seriously, “Has Manager Liu ever heard of 'Qianhua Silver Water'?”
Liu Mei, who was smiling coquettishly at Shen Qingfeng, froze for a moment. Even the foot that had been rubbing against Shen Qingfeng's calf under the table obediently retracted.
“Young Master Shen, you need to be mentally prepared for the price of this information.” Liu Mei toned down her charming voice and was rarely serious.
Shen Qingfeng laughed and said, “Manager Liu, you're over - worrying. Since I dared to mention it, I must be mentally prepared. Manager Liu might as well just name your price.”
Liu Mei looked at him. Her red lips parted. “Five hundred taels of silver. Considering you're taking care of my business, I won't charge you for the information about Li Yanqing.”
The information sold in the Shifang Zhai was divided into several levels. Generally speaking, it was clearer from the price aspect. According to the difficulty level of the information, they were respectively divided into: ordinary information, common information, special information, and secret information.
The prices of these information ranged from ten wen to a hundred taels of silver.
Liu Mei asking for the sky - high price of five hundred taels this time really gave “Qianhua Silver Water” enough respect.
Shen Qingfeng remained calm and said, “Deal.”
Liu Mei laughed. “Young Master Shen, where are you going to find so much silver?”
Shen Qingfeng smiled. “Manager Liu, you don't need to worry about that. You just need to tell me how to detoxify this poison, and the money will naturally be delivered to your hands.”
Joking. In his previous life, Shen Qingfeng had a very clear understanding of how much silver the corrupt officials in Lige City had embezzled and where they had hidden the stolen money. He could just ask Yu Shuang to take a little. It wasn't a problem.
“You're really not cute at all...” Liu Mei covered her mouth and laughed, exposing a large area of her skin again.
Shen Qingfeng remained unmoved and said, “So, Manager Liu, can you tell me now?”
Liu Mei stopped laughing, looked up at him, adjusted herself into a comfortable position, and whispered, “Although 'Qianhua Silver Water' is known as an incurable poison and once a person is poisoned, they will surely die. Since Young Master Shen wants to detoxify it, it means this person is still alive. If I'm not mistaken, the person Young Master Shen wants to save has been in a 'nourished body' state, right?”
Shen Qingfeng nodded.
Liu Mei continued, “If they're in the 'nourished body' state, in principle, only the person who poisoned them can detoxify or eliminate the state. As for other medicines, they simply won't work.”
Shen Qingfeng squinted his eyes.
“However.” Liu Mei smiled. “Since it's a poison, there must be an antidote. I have a folk remedy here and I can tell you.”
“What's the folk remedy?”
“Has Young Master Shen ever heard of a medicine called 'Mermaid's Tear'?” Liu Mei asked.
Shen Qingfeng paused and said, “What is it?”
“Judging from the name, many people might think it's something from the sea, but actually it's the core of a fruit from a certain tree. Its shape is like a teardrop, and it's crystal - clear and seemingly transparent as a whole.” Liu Mei said, “Moreover, this kind of tree only produces one fruit per batch, and each batch is a hundred years apart. Its pulp is highly poisonous, but the core - that is, the 'Mermaid's Tear', can cure all diseases if ground into powder and taken with water.”
Shen Qingfeng quickly asked, “Where can I find this kind of fruit tree?”
Liu Mei shook her head and said, “I'm sorry. There's only one such tree left in the world now. It's planted in the Western Rong Palace. And unfortunately, this tree produced a fruit more than a decade ago. If you want to wait for it to produce another fruit, you might have to wait for more than eighty years.”
Shen Qingfeng was stunned for a moment and frowned. “Then how can I find the 'Mermaid's Tear'?”
Liu Mei smiled and covered her mouth. “Such a rare thing that can cure all diseases will naturally be monopolized by the Western Rong royal family. More than a decade ago, Princess Liuli of Western Rong married into Lige. The king of Western Rong was worried about his daughter, so that 'Mermaid's Tear' became her dowry and was brought into Lige City with her.”
Shen Qingfeng was stunned again and said in surprise, “You mean... the 'Mermaid's Tear' was the dowry of the late queen? Is it in the royal mausoleum?”
Liu Mei propped her head up and looked at Shen Qingfeng. “Let me narrow it down for you. Although most of Princess Liuli's dowry items were buried with her body in the royal mausoleum, the 'Mermaid's Tear' was left to the Crown Prince according to the princess's last wish. Young Master Shen... why don't you go to the Eastern Palace and take a look?”
-
Liu Mei was sitting by the window of the Shifang Pavilion, looking down at the master and servant walking quickly away downstairs. The smile on her lips grew wider and wider.
Sen Ya stepped forward, took off Liu Mei's clothes, and then respectfully helped her change into new ones. Although she was completely naked and had a curvy figure, Sen Ya remained expressionless throughout the process, as if just diligently following an order.
“Sen Ya, do you know why I'm so happy?” Liu Mei suddenly asked. A mysterious smile appeared on her face as her eyes followed the backs of the master and servant, watching them quickly leave the Shifang Zhai.
“I don't know, my subordinate.” Sen Ya replied.
“Because I got five hundred taels from the Crown Prince for free!” Liu Mei couldn't help laughing out loud. Her words were a bit confusing, but she didn't seem willing to explain further. After Sen Ya pulled up her collar, the elegantly - dressed Liu Mei walked up to a floor - length copper mirror. She looked at her reflection in the mirror, turned left and right, then pulled her collar wider, and finally nodded in satisfaction.
“Sen Ya.”
“My subordinate is here.”
Liu Mei looked at the charming woman in the mirror and waved at Sen Ya. “Now go and tell the Crown Prince that the fish has taken the hook.”