In a restaurant in Datongfang, Chang'an.
"Shopkeeper, are you using coal or charcoal for the fire?" asked a young man in his early twenties, looking like a scholar.
The shopkeeper he addressed was a simple - looking middle - aged man. His smiling face froze instantly. "What do you mean, sir? Of course, we use charcoal. Using coal would be like smashing our own signboard!"
The scholar smiled. "Fine. Then bring me some of your signature dishes and a pot of wine to warm me up."
"Yes, sir."
The scholar looked around and noticed a slender young lady sitting alone, drinking. He immediately went over and said, "My lady, may I share this table with you?"
"Sure."
When the young lady looked up and saw a decent - looking young scholar, she didn't refuse. "Sir, isn't coal something introduced by Princess Chengyang? Why is using coal like smashing one's own signboard? What's the reason?"
"Don't you know? The shop jointly opened by Princess Chengyang and the Prince of Wu has had few customers buying coal in recent days. People say that the coal they sold killed ten people. The corpses are still lying in the county yamen. It's a definite fact." The scholar told her all the rumors he had heard.
The young lady let out an exclamation.
"How could this happen?"
"Right! Princess Chengyang used to do so many good deeds. How could she suddenly come up with a deadly coal? The Emperor dotes on his little daughter so much. How much money has she made these days by selling it?" The scholar continued, looking like a man concerned about the country and the people. In his words, Li Jingyun was portrayed as a heartless merchant only after money.
What he didn't know was that the young lady sitting opposite him was a female worker under Li Jingyun, a craftsman who dyed woolen yarn.
The young lady had seen with her own eyes that Li Jingyun ate with them, often rewarded them with gold, silver and valuables, and they could have meat for every meal.
Li Jingyun had never been haughty or superior. She was always easy to talk to.
She didn't believe that the little princess who could preside over the construction of the library and sell sweaters for only thirty cash could really be a person who didn't care about the lives of the common people just for money.
While she was thinking, an old man in his forties or fifties beside them echoed the scholar and said loudly, "The little princess did do some really good things before, but this time she's wrong. I think she's been blinded by money this time. You see, she's of royal blood, the most beloved daughter of the Emperor. How could she be short of money? How much money is enough for her?"
"Exactly! I think the money her coal shop makes in a day is enough to buy my little restaurant!"
The shopkeeper brought up two servings of cooked mutton and a pot of turbid wine, echoing the old man's words.
"Sure! Not many people go to the ice house now, but the warm house is different. The warm house makes money too. The money she makes is more than what people like us can earn in hundreds of lifetimes!" The scholar, seeing his limelight being stolen, immediately stood up. As he spoke, his eyes kept glancing at the young lady sitting at the same table.
The young lady picked up a couple of chopsticks of mutton, but it tasted like wax in her mouth.
She was naturally soft - tempered. She didn't want to get involved in such things and didn't like arguing with others. But she really couldn't stand their slander.
The young lady stood up and pointed at the charcoal burning crackling in the corner. "Charcoal can also cause carbon poisoning. There's no difference between the two. Why single out coal for blame?"
"Miss Zhong, you're wrong. You can't blindly defend Princess Chengyang just because you work under her! The ten people of the Liu family are watching from above!" The old man stood with his hands behind his back, pointing at Miss Zhong from the moral high - ground.
Seeing this, the scholar's view of the beautiful young lady changed greatly. Working under Princess Chengyang?
Could she be a maid in Princess Chengyang's mansion?
This maid was dressed so gorgeously, with jade bracelets on her hands and emerald hairpins on her head.
"Don't quarrel, don't quarrel! Let's make money in peace." The scholar suddenly changed the topic.
It was clearly he who had started the topic, but now he jumped out and said not to quarrel.
He pulled Miss Zhong's wrist and made her sit down. He waved at the old man opposite and coaxed softly, "My lady, people will judge this matter fairly. The princess must have a way to deal with it. There's no need to worry."
"Humph!"
Miss Zhong shook off the scholar's hand and turned around without saying a word.
Couldn't she see what this man was thinking? Before he knew her identity, he kept belittling the princess. Now that he knew, he wanted to play down the matter. She knew exactly what he was up to.
A sycophant!
"Don't you think this incident came too suddenly? The princess's coal has only been on sale for a few days, and then people died?" Miss Zhong counted the days on her fingers. It had been less than seven days!
The old man held a cup of wine and drank it contentedly. "Miss Zhong, you've been blinded by the small benefits thrown out by Princess Chengyang. It's useless to talk to you."
"Really? Then how come I remember that you were praising the princess's library a few days ago before this incident happened? Your eldest grandson has been in the library for the past few days, preparing for the spring imperial examination next year, right?"
Miss Zhong stared coldly at the old man. She couldn't eat a bite of the food anymore.
She felt so angry!
These people who had once praised the little princess to the skies were now condemning her.
They changed their attitudes even faster than the weather in Yizhou!
"People from the Yang and Zheng families have been eyeing the princess's shops covetously. In the court debate, several ministers couldn't argue with the little princess. This was also unanimously recognized by the prime ministers! It wasn't just the Emperor's idea!" Miss Zhong put her hands on her hips and continued to retort reasonably.
The old man didn't listen to her. He ate some food, drank some wine, enjoying himself. He completely ignored Miss Zhong's words.
Finally, he said, "Your family doesn't use coal, does it? You should be more careful."
His random reply made Miss Zhong unable to say the rest of her words.
She had prepared a whole lot of words to talk to this old man, but who knew he was so stubborn.
He didn't listen to anything she said and only believed in his old - fashioned ideas.
"Shopkeeper, pack up my food. I'll take it home to eat." Miss Zhong called out. The shopkeeper immediately came over, quickly packed up the food that had only been taken a few bites of, and handed it to Miss Zhong. At this point, he didn't dare to say much.
The shopkeeper and the old man didn't dare to say a word, but the scholar just had to come up at this time. "Miss Zhong, it's so cold outside. The food will get cold if you take it home."
"Since it's cold outside, then sir, don't follow me. Goodbye."
Miss Zhong picked up the packed food and turned away. Let them talk. They would be slapped in the face in the future. She would just wait and watch.
Outside the restaurant, the scholar really chased after her and blocked Miss Zhong. "My lady, don't be angry. This is all just hearsay. I have a favor to ask. Could you introduce me to Princess Chengyang? I'm willing to do anything to repay you."
"Get out of here! Your tricks won't work on me! If you're really capable, get a good ranking in the spring imperial examination next year, and you'll naturally meet the princess!"
Miss Zhong was extremely strong. She pushed the scholar to the ground and walked away.
The scholar fell into the snowdrift. His whole body ached. He struggled to stand up and murmured some dirty words in a low voice. His hatred for Miss Zhong and Li Jingyun increased even more.
He pointed at Miss Zhong's back and said, "The little princess shouldn't have opened that mansion and recruited female workers! Look how arrogant these people have become! When I get successful, I'll make you pay!"