Sir Song, do you want to pledge yourself to me?

Capital city, Xiaofeng Villa.

Mother Wu's face was full of joy as she walked through the hanging flower gate carrying the ink painting.

Before he even got close, her round face was already smiling like a blooming flower. She completely disregarded her usual etiquette and shouted to the leisurely and contented ladies in the courtyard, "Madam, Master Pei is back, and he brought something back for Madam on behalf of the Crown Prince!"

The noblewoman was none other than the wife of the Marquis of Xuanwei, Song Jinbai's mother. She reclined on a soft couch beneath the shade of a tree, radiating a carefree and carefree aura. Though nearly forty, she maintained herself well, her features resembling those of a woman in her twenties. Her oval face, arched brows, and pale blue house dress gave her a relaxed yet elegant look.

Hearing the voices, the wife of Marquis Xuanwei gently put down the book in her hand and her sitting posture became more dignified.

She smiled and said, "Look at how happy you are. Bring the things over here quickly so I can see what good things the prince has brought back for me."

"I, Mo Hua, greet the Madam." Mo Hua came forward holding a wooden box and bowed. "Mo Hua gives my regards to the Madam on behalf of the Young Master."

"Xiao San, you're so thoughtful." The lady smiled and beckoned him, "Open the box in your hand and let me see what's inside."

Mo Hua smiled as she gently placed the box on the table and slowly opened it, pulling out several medicine bottles. "The prince specially prepared beauty pills and health pills for Madam. They were all made by Miss Ji and have been very popular in the Kaiyun Mansion. The prince is concerned about Madam and never forgets to bring back any good things for her."

As he spoke, he took out another letter from the box and presented it with both hands: "This is a handwritten letter from the prince to my wife."

The Marquis's wife took the letter but did not rush to open it. She looked at the remaining things in the box, waiting for Mo Hua's introduction.

Mo Hua smiled and took out the last scroll, saying to the Marquis's wife, "This painting was taken from the Crown Prince's study with great difficulty by my son, and I specially asked him to bring it to you for your appreciation."

"Oh? So mysterious, what's that painting?"

"The prince secretly painted many portraits of Miss Ji, and you just took one of them." Mo Hua smiled as he spoke.

"Xiao San is such a thoughtful child!" The Marquis took the scroll and couldn't wait to know what the girl her son had chosen looked like. She hurriedly sent Mo Hua away, "Thank you for the trouble you made."

Seeing this, Mother Wu quickly took out a purse from her sleeve and handed it to Mo Hua.

Mo Hua took the purse with a smile and bowed, saying, "Thank you, Madam, for the gift. Now that the gift has been delivered, I will take my leave."

Mother Wu sent the ink painting out of the courtyard and turned back to Mrs. Hou, only to find that Mrs. Hou had already opened the scroll.

"Beauty is truly in the eyes of the beholder," the Marquis's wife said with a smile, her eyes full of admiration. "Look, in order to paint his beloved so vividly, the prince's painting skills have really improved by leaps and bounds, and have reached a new level!" As she spoke, she handed the scroll in her hand to Mother Wu.

Mother Wu took the scroll and examined it carefully. "Madam, please don't say that. The Crown Prince's calligraphy and painting skills are top-notch among all the young men and women in the capital. It's only because of the young lady's good looks and the Crown Prince's skills that he can paint so beautifully."

Mother Wu gazed at the woman in the painting, especially her smiling peach blossom eyes, which seemed to infect people's souls and make people feel happy.

It was no wonder that the Crown Prince had a special liking for this girl. Her outstanding looks were no less stunning than those of the noble ladies in the capital. Furthermore, Song Huai had mentioned in his letter that this girl was the Crown Prince's savior.

"In your eyes, there's really nothing wrong with him." The Marquis's wife laughed pleasantly and picked up the letter on the table.

~~~~~

After borrowing only a dozen taels of silver from the second branch of the Ji family, Zhang Qinghu felt even worse than if he had not borrowed any money at all.

He unconsciously tightened his grip on the dozen or so taels of silver, his expression changing even more gloomy. He turned around and didn't go back to the city, but quietly returned to Taohua Village and went to Li Ergou's house at the westernmost end.

There are always a few people in every village who are idle and do not do their work. Li Ergou and Fang Lai from Taohua Village are such people. They sit at home every day waiting for pie to fall from the sky.

As the saying goes, birds of a feather flock together. Zhang Qinghu has often come to Taohua Village since he was a child, sometimes staying for half a month. He is very familiar with his peers in the village, and he has an even closer relationship with those two lazy guys.

Li Ergou and Fang Lai were sitting together, drinking and bragging with a few soybeans.

When Zhang Qinghu came in, neither of them bothered to move their butts. They just raised their hands to greet him, "Brother Hu, you're just in time. Let's have a couple of drinks together!"

Looking at the two men's lazy appearance, Zhang Qinghu couldn't help but scold: "You two guys are not able to eat the next meal, what's the point of just sitting here drinking!" Although he said that, he still went over and sat on the bench with them.

Li Ergou saw that he had a sour face, obviously because he had been offended somewhere, so he poured him a glass of wine and asked, "Brother Hu, who is so blind to offend you again?"

"Who else could it be? Jishan's family." Zhang Qinghu raised his head and drank the wine in one gulp. The spiciness made him grimace. "Just because you've become rich and have a few bucks, you look down on us poor relatives. I knelt and begged, and only then did I borrow a dozen taels of silver. What's the difference between this and sending away a beggar?"

Li Ergou and Fang Lai looked at each other.

They wanted to say: There is still a difference. If anyone can give them a dozen taels, they are willing to kneel.

"Brother Hu, what did you mean by what you said just now? Do you have a way for us to make money and have enough food to eat?" Fang Lai poked Zhang Qinghu with his arm, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

Zhang Qinghu glanced at the two of them and said slowly, "The Jishan family is so rich, they eat and drink all day long. And look at you two, you can't even get a full meal. This is so fucking unfair. Can't his family give us some money to spend?"

The three of them have been together since childhood. Zhang Qinghu has come up with another evil idea. How could the other two not see it?

"Brother Hu, if you have any ideas, tell us brothers now!" When they heard that they could get silver, the two of them instantly became excited, their faces full of greed.

Zhang Qinghu motioned for the two to come closer and whispered something in a low voice. After the other two listened, their faces lit up with joy and they nodded frequently.