After receiving the reminder from Sun Jiming, Qin Junxing went to the teahouse and ordered his servant to call Lao Cheng.
"Sir, you called me!"
Since Lao Cheng had been relieved of other duties and was put in charge of business affairs, he had been in his element. Of course -
he had also become even more stingy.
When he knew that Qin Junxing had called him, he instinctively tightened his money bag.
Seeing his stingy look, Qin Junxing was so amused that he laughed, "Why are you clutching your purse? Do I look like a bandit? Besides, is there even two taels of silver in your purse?"
Lao Cheng ignored the mocking tone and said seriously, "Sir, you know it well. I really have no money."
"Who's asking you for money? Go and fetch the golden phoenix hairpin that I left with you when I came here!"
Hearing that he didn't need to pay money, Lao Cheng heaved a sigh of relief. But when he heard about the hairpin, his face almost scrunched up. He said with some distress, "Sir, you don't have to spend so much money just to marry a wife, do you? Didn't you just send a pair of white jade bracelets a few days ago?"
Just thinking about that set of jewelry made Lao Cheng feel heartache. It was the betrothal token given to the sir by the eldest princess. The sir didn't even have a bride yet, but he had sent out such precious treasures without blinking an eye.
"Stop talking nonsense. I need it. Go and fetch it quickly!"
"Yes!" Lao Cheng clutched his chest and left with tears in his eyes to get the hairpin.
Qingshi, who had witnessed the whole process, nudged Qingyin beside him, leaned over, and whispered with a bit of schadenfreude, "Every time the sir asks for money or things, Lao Cheng looks as if his wife has been taken away. Tsk tsk, isn't the money earned for spending? What's the point of earning money if you don't spend it?"
Qingyin glanced at him expressionlessly and suddenly said, "So you mean the sir has taken Lao Cheng's wife?"
"..."
Qingyin added another blow, "The sir just heard what you said!"
Qingshi turned around and saw Qin Junxing staring at him expressionlessly. His heart skipped a beat.
He knelt down with a thud and cried bitterly, "Sir, I was wrong. I shouldn't have spoken without thinking. I'm willing to accept the punishment!"
"Are you willing to accept the punishment?" Qin Junxing chuckled and nodded his chin, "Take the things Lao Cheng brings and send them to Qin Zhaoyue. Ask her to invite me to her dinner tomorrow."
"Sir!" Qingshi really cried this time. This was a real princess. It would be more appropriate for the sir to go in person. Was he going to be a cannon fodder?
"If you don't want to go, it's okay. Lao Cheng just arranged to send supplies to the northern border today. You can go back with the team!"
"No, sir, I'll go!"
Among the servants with the surname Qing around the sir who had been brought to the capital, there were only him, Qingyin, Qingling, and Qingfeng. They were the ones who could serve the sir closely. The ones with the surname Ying were secret guards and rarely showed up.
The sir originally didn't want to take him, but he had pleaded by hugging the sir's legs. If he was sent back, wouldn't he be laughed at by those guys?
Having made up his mind, Qingshi hugged the box and went to find the fourth princess with a look of desperation on his face!
After seeing him go out, Qingyin took out a secret report from his bosom and handed it to Qin Junxing, "Sir, news from the northern border. The Tartars have been restless again recently. The eldest princess has strengthened the defense. This news hasn't been reported to the court yet. What do you think? Should we report it?"
"The Tartars usually come to plunder when they are short of food and clothing in winter. Why are they still restless even though it's already spring this year? Have you sent someone to investigate the situation?"
"I've already sent someone to investigate, but there's no news back yet. I guess they were scared by you last winter. When they found out that you're not in the northern border, they became restless again!"
Qin Junxing sneered, "Do they really think my mother is old? If my mother takes action, they'll cry. Don't worry about them. Just wait for the report from the northern border to be sent to the court."
The northern tribes had a truce agreement with the court, so there generally wouldn't be large - scale conflicts.
Moreover, last winter, Qin Junxing led a team of cavalry and gave those restless tribes a good beating, and they had become much more obedient.
Qingyin wasn't surprised to hear this.
Suddenly, Qin Junxing remembered something else, "Go and investigate the Bloodthirsty Guards of the Xie family. The more detailed, the better."
"Yes!"
Qingyin turned around and left.
...
The next day, in the Phoenix Perch Palace of the queen, the fourth princess was accompanying the queen for breakfast.
The maid announced that the crown prince had arrived.
The queen quickly put down her chopsticks and repeatedly ordered the servants to invite the crown prince in.
"Your son pays respects to mother!"
"My son, get up quickly. Have you had breakfast? Do you want to eat some more?" Seeing that the crown prince was dressed thinly, the queen scolded, "It's cold outside. Why didn't the servants remind you to put on an extra coat?"
"Mother, your son isn't cold."
The queen was about to say something else when she was interrupted by the fourth princess, "Mother, your daughter hasn't greeted big brother yet!"
The queen gave her daughter a sideways look, "Hurry up and go!"
The fourth princess made a face, curtsied, and said, "Greetings to big brother!"
The crown prince couldn't help smiling, "Okay, hurry up and have breakfast!"
The fourth princess stuck out her tongue and sat back at the table to have breakfast quietly.
"Mother, have some more."
After saying that, the crown prince personally stood behind the queen to serve her food.
The queen had just taken a few bites when suddenly there came a voice from outside the door, "His Majesty the Emperor is here."
The people looked at each other and then went out to greet the emperor.
The emperor walked up to the queen, helped her up, and ordered, "All of you, get up!"
Then he walked into the palace.
He saw the food on the table at a glance. The queen quickly explained, "Your servant was having breakfast. Does Your Majesty want to eat something?"
The emperor nodded, "I came here right after court. I haven't had breakfast yet. I didn't expect both of you to be here. Come and have breakfast with me."
The queen was overjoyed. She quickly asked the maids to change the food and then served the emperor to sit down.
The emperor had many rules when having meals, so the people had breakfast quietly.
The emperor put down his chopsticks first, and the others followed suit.
"With you accompanying me, I can eat more. Crown prince, you should come to the palace more often to accompany your mother in the future."
The crown prince bowed slightly, "Your son will remember!"
The fourth princess pouted, "Father, didn't I accompany mother for breakfast?"
"You're such a贴心 little girl. Now you're always by our side. But when you get married in the future, if you can still come to the palace often to have meals with me and your mother, I'll be satisfied!"
"Father!" The fourth princess was not happy. She coquettishly said, "Starting from dinner today, I'll accompany father and mother for meals every day!"
"Zhaoyue, you're not a child anymore. Don't pester your father." The queen observed the emperor's expression, afraid that the emperor would think the fourth princess was competing for favor.
But the emperor seemed not to care. He waved his hand, "It's okay. No matter how old Zhaoyue is, she's still my little girl. But why do you start from dinner? What about lunch?"
The fourth princess rolled her eyes and said shyly, "I've made an appointment with Sister Xie for lunch today. Big brother will also go. So I won't accompany father and mother for lunch first!"
"Hahaha. You little girl!" The emperor found the fourth princess's guilty look very interesting. But thinking that the crown prince would also go, he thought for a while and ordered, "Your cousin is alone in the capital. You should get in touch with him more. Since the crown prince is going, you can also invite your cousin."
The fourth princess was a bit stunned. She glanced at the crown prince. Then she turned her head and saw the emperor waiting for her answer. She immediately replied, "Yes, father. Your daughter will definitely invite cousin!"
But in her heart, she was secretly excited: There's going to be a good show now!