Yang Mutao was drenched in cold sweat. Meng Ruqing asked a couple of questions and then figured out who he was.
Qin Shiyi had already investigated.
Before Fang Zichen moved to Yuanzhou, he had always worked as an accountant at Zuixiao Restaurant, and was on very good terms with the owner — paper and ink at his disposal, snacks whenever he wanted.
The cook in the back kitchen was in cahoots with him; every time he made snacks for customers, he'd deliberately make extra and leave it for Fang Zichen. Yang Mutao understood all these things perfectly well, but just turned a blind eye and let him make his mischief.
Fang Zichen could swim like a fish in Zuixiao Restaurant entirely because Yang Mutao indulged him.
At that time Fang Zichen had no official rank yet, just an unknown commoner with no name. That Yang Mutao could treat him like this made Meng Ruqing deeply grateful to Yang Mutao, and he personally poured him a cup of tea.
Yang Mutao was flattered beyond measure, holding the tea but not daring to drink.
Meng Ruqing said: "Thank you, Boss Yang, for taking care of my son back then."
Yang Mutao's hand trembled, and most of the tea spilled out. He didn't even feel the heat, just kept nodding and bowing, saying it was only right, only right.
Meng Ruqing didn't say who it was, but there was no need—Fang Zichen looked so much like Meng Ruqing, practically printed from the same mold. No need to ask.
Guaizai, impatient and eager, tugged at Qin Hengxuan's sleeve: "Handsome Grandpa, can you arrange some men for Guaizai?"
Qin Hengxuan looked down at him: "What for?"
Guaizai hugged his leg, looking up: "Someone's trying to snatch Guaizai's Uncle Yang, Guaizai wants to go save him, but if Guaizai goes alone he'll easily get surrounded like dumplings. Handsome Grandpa, give Guaizai some men, okay! Guaizai loves you."
Yang Mutao panicked, afraid Qin Hengxuan would misunderstand and think he'd deliberately coaxed Guaizai. He was just about to say something when Qin Hengxuan spoke first. He rubbed Guaizai's big head:
"You little rascal, now you know how to talk properly." Qin Hengxuan couldn't resist Guaizai like this—he doted on him most. He immediately untied the token at his waist and tossed it to him: "Take it. Flash it, and as long as you don't run in front of your great-grandfather and the Emperor, you can walk sideways anywhere in Da Xia."
This was actually modest.
Even running in front of Old General Qin and Xia Jinghong, he could still walk sideways.
Qin Hengxuan and Xia Jinghong were the closest of friends. When Xia Jinghong stayed with the Qin family, Qin Hengxuan often took him to raid bird nests, and they narrowly escaped death under Old General Qin's wooden stick several times—their bond forged through shared hardship was exceptionally deep.
Guaizai was his grandson; if he wanted to walk sideways, would Xia Jinghong stop him?
Yang Mutao wasn't completely ignorant either.
The Qin family's fearsome reputation was something he'd long heard of. But now, seeing the vivid, majestic, sacred qilin on that token, his heart still pounded uncontrollably.
Once this token came out, it was worth a thousand armies.
Guaizai looked up at him, blinking his big eyes: "Handsome Grandpa, Guaizai didn't expect your tone to be even bigger than Father's."
Qin Hengxuan said irritably: "If you don't want it, give it back."
Guaizai hurriedly said: "Want it, want it."
Yang Mutao watched and was secretly alarmed.
Outsiders trembled with fear when they saw the Qin family. He'd heard this eldest young master of the Qin family wasn't the type to bully the weak, but he wasn't easy to provoke either. Yet now, he saw how extraordinarily tolerant he was of Guaizai.
But then again, thinking about it—he himself had never had any way with this kid. Even when angry, he'd never had the heart to hit him.
Now, let alone his own real grandfather.
Guaizai stuffed the token into his clothes, then looked toward Meng Ruqing, eyes sparkling: "Pretty Uncle, do you have one?"
Meng Ruqing, a first-rank titled fulang, naturally had a token bestowed by the Emperor to symbolize his status.
Guaizai got two tokens and was delighted, hanging them at his waist together with his Ultraman token. His little body twisted left—jingling—twisted right—jingling again. Guaizai put his hands on his hips, listening to the sound, walking with swagger.
Yang Mutao watched and felt his heart clench.
Guaizai like this—his whole body gave off the exact same bastard vibe as Fang Zichen, and he looked extremely punchable.
Meng Ruqing laughed: "Is that enough? If not, tomorrow when your great-grandfather comes, I'll ask him for one more for you."
Guaizai tilted his head: "Great-grandfather? Who's that?" He only had one grandfather!
"Your Grandpa Meng!" Meng Ruqing said.
"Oh," Guaizai said happily: "Grandpa Meng is coming?"
"Yes!"
"Then Guaizai will go quickly, and come back quickly. Pretty Uncle, you have to make Grandpa Meng wait for Guaizai!"
Meng Ruqing held him, having wanted to ask earlier: "Where are you going? You just got back."
Guaizai waved his little fist, full of righteous fury: "Someone's trying to snatch my Uncle Yang!"
Meng Ruqing narrowed his eyes slightly, and looked toward Yang Mutao: "Boss Yang, what's going on?"
Yang Mutao stood up, and with a thud knelt before Meng Ruqing.
"Zhujun, Young Master Qin, please save my ger!"
---
In the eighth lunar month of last year, the prefect of Yuanzhou retired.
That same month, the court transferred Wang Linchang, the deputy magistrate of Xiayang, to serve in Yuanzhou.
Wang Linchang was forty-one and devoted to his wife alone; he had just two sons and one daughter.
His eldest son, Wang Wenjie, was a young talent, accomplished at a young age. The year before last he'd taken first place in the academy examination, bringing great honor to the Wang family.
Wang Wenjie was Wang Linchang's legitimate eldest son. He was already doted on, and being so promising only made it worse—he could have whatever he wanted.
When Wang Linchang went to Yuanzhou to take up his post, Wang Wenjie was delayed by some matter, and afterward came on his own with his page boy. The boat reached Fu'an Town dock in the afternoon. He was terribly seasick and hadn't eaten for two days. The page boy made inquiries, and brought him to Zuixiao Restaurant.
A small town naturally wasn't too particular, and Fu'an Town had few scholars—even fewer who were good with an abacus. After Fang Zichen left his job back then, the restaurant hired two more accountants, but they still couldn't quite keep up.
In the past two years, Yang Mingyi had shot up in height and his features matured — his appearance was even more outstanding, strikingly beautiful. When customers came to the shop, they would always steal glances at him, their gazes unrestrained and lecherous. Over time, Yang Mingyi grew displeased, but he still had to come.
The two accountants Yang Mutao hired were slow at reckoning, and when there were many people they'd get flustered—but their character was good. Shopkeeper Yang was also getting on in years and couldn't handle many things. Most of the affairs of Zuixiao Restaurant fell to Yang Mingyi.
Yang Mutao didn't have much ambition either. Seeing Yang Mingyi manage things well, these past two years he'd even fully let go and let him run Zuixiao Restaurant.
But most of the time he'd stay in the third-floor lounge handling ledgers and accounts.
That day was a coincidence—Shopkeeper Yang had something come up and didn't come, so Yang Mingyi came down to cover his work. The moment Wang Wenjie saw him, all his attention was drawn to him.
Yang Mingyi's looks were outstanding, truly eye-catching. He stood in the smoky, noisy restaurant yet hadn't picked up the slightest bit of common vulgarity. He looked clean and pure, unstained by the dust of the world, with a cold, aloof air and a faint sense of distant detachment—one look and you could seemingly fall for him.
Wang Wenjie was no exception.
A scholar, even more so, dreams of a beautiful companion—a fair lady by his side, her red sleeves adding fragrance to his studies.
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