Reborn to marry, the short-lived prince lived a hundred years

Shen Yunheng pondered and said, "When the time is right, I will try to get her brother to write a letter to reassure her."

Meng Tingyue nodded to show that she understood.

When Meng Tingyue relayed these words to Li Jiaoyu, the latter was silent for a moment. Her almond-shaped eyes, which were full of expectation, gradually lost their luster and were covered with a faint haze.

Her voice also deepened slightly, carrying a barely perceptible hint of sadness. "Thank you, Princess, for your concern."

……

News from Hengcheng came again. Just as Meng Tingyue had expected, as soon as the floods subsided, the epidemic followed like a shadow and spread quietly.

However, because the imperial court was well prepared, several major merchants, led by the Xiao family, generously donated money and urgently delivered cartloads of life-saving medicinal materials to Hengcheng.

Another doctor named Qi appeared in Hengcheng. He was an excellent doctor and was well-known in the area.

As soon as Doctor Qi arrived, he quickly joined hands with the imperial physicians and other doctors in the city. They worked together day and night and finally lived up to everyone's expectations and developed an effective prescription to fight the epidemic.

Thanks to the joint efforts of Doctor Qi and everyone, the epidemic in Hengcheng was completely eradicated in just a short period of time, and the people in the city were spared.

Apart from the dozens of people who died during the flood, the support and treatment provided by the Great Zhou this time were extremely efficient, minimizing the losses and resulting in the fewest casualties in history.

When the news reached the capital, the emperor was greatly pleased.

Shen Yunheng returned home after court and brought good news to Meng Tingyue.

"This time, the Xiao family has made outstanding contributions in disaster relief and epidemic control. Father has issued an edict to specially confer the title of 'Imperial Merchant' on the Xiao family."

"Royal merchant?" Meng Tingyue's eyes flickered, and her surprise was beyond words.

The words "Imperial Merchant" are like a golden signboard written by the emperor himself. It is not only a recognition of the Xiao family's achievements, but also a declaration to the world that the Xiao family has stood shoulder to shoulder with the royal family and become the royal merchant.

Looking at her joyful expression, Shen Yunheng's eyes softened a little, "The imperial edict and the imperial plaque will be delivered to Jiangnan soon."

However, some people are happy and some are worried.

When Meng Qingjiao learned that the flood in Hengcheng had been resolved and the epidemic had been eradicated, she realized that all the food and herbs she had bought at high prices with great effort were wasted, and even if she resold them in the future, she would still lose money.

If she can't find a buyer, the money she spent will be hard to recover.

Of that huge expenditure, nearly half came from the treasury, a deficit that she could not easily fill now.

Seeing that the servants in the mansion were asking her for her monthly salary, the only money she had left had all been poured into the production of incense pills, so there was no money left to cover these daily expenses.

"Princess, the servants are here to ask for money again..."

Ziqing tiptoed into the house and looked at Meng Qingjiao's angry face. She looked cautious and didn't dare to breathe.

Hearing this, Meng Qingjiao's sinister eyes instantly shot towards Ziqing, and she picked up the teacup beside her and threw it at Ziqing.

"Hurry, hurry like a ghost! When has the mansion ever been short of food and clothing for them? Can you still let them starve? They are all greedy, as if they have never seen money before."

"And you," she said, her tone even more stern, her eyes piercing. "You're so incompetent, I just let you handle it for a few more days, and now they're here again! How on earth do you manage to do anything?"

After the scolding, Ziqing lowered her head, not daring to breathe. She felt mixed emotions, but could only silently endure the princess's anger.

She had been delaying for nearly half a month. The servants in the mansion were pressing her too hard and were afraid that if she didn't pay the monthly salary, they would report the matter to the prince. That's why she came to the princess to mention the matter.

Meng Qingjiao knew in her heart that this matter must not alarm the prince.

She gently closed her eyes, as if struggling, and said, "Sell the shop from my dowry and use it to pay the servants their monthly wages."

"Yes..." Ziqing responded in a low voice, bending her body slightly, and then seemed to remember something, and her voice became more cautious.

"Princess, the Marquis of Pingyang's wife's birthday is in two days, but we haven't prepared the birthday gift yet..."

As soon as these words came out, Meng Qingjiao's eyes suddenly widened, her brows furrowed tightly, and she gritted her teeth and said, "Why are you revealing this to me now? How do you do your job?"

"This princess trusts you so much, yet you only come to report at the critical moment? Are you deliberately trying to embarrass me?"

Ziqing bent her knees and fell to the ground, her delicate body trembling slightly with fear. She repeatedly defended herself, "Please calm down, Princess. Please calm down, Princess. I mentioned this to you last month. You instructed me to report it when the time is near. I did report it a few days ago, but..."

"You dare to talk back? This princess has really raised you in vain..."

Meng Qingjiao kicked Ziqing on the shoulder with her toes.

Ziqing staggered backwards, and her head hit the cold wall heavily with a dull sound.

Ziqing had no time to care about the severe pain in her head. She just instinctively knelt on the ground and kowtowed repeatedly to apologize, "I know I was wrong, I know I was wrong."

Her forehead was broken and blood was oozing out, winding down her cheeks, leaving behind a series of shocking bloodstains.

But she didn't care and didn't slow down her kowtow at all.

"What are you doing?"

As soon as Prince Qing stepped over the threshold, he was greeted by a scene of chaos and disorder. Tables and chairs were overturned, porcelain fragments were scattered all over the floor, and Meng Qingjiao's personal maid was still kowtowing and apologizing.

There was no time for Meng Qingjiao to hide the twisted anger on her face, which was all seen by King Qing.

Meng Qingjiao quickly suppressed the emotion on her face, gently and lightly approached Prince Qing, naturally took his arm, and said with a sweet smile, "Why are you back, my husband?"

Prince Qing's mind was still filled with the distorted and hideous look of Meng Qingjiao. Seeing her change so quickly, he was a little dazed for a moment.

There was a hint of weirdness in his eyes as he looked at Meng Qingjiao.

Meng Qingjiao was panicking about the money and didn't notice the strangeness in his eyes.

She forced herself to remain calm and asked softly, "Why did you leave court so late today? Did something happen on the way that delayed you?"

When this matter was mentioned, the expression on King Qing's face faded.

He pulled his arm out of Meng Qingjiao's arm, his tone cold and with a hint of displeasure.

"Have you hoarded a large amount of rice and herbs? When the imperial court wanted to buy from you, did you jack up the prices in an attempt to profit from the national crisis?"

Hearing this, Meng Qingjiao lowered her gaze and looked around, "Why did my husband suddenly say this? Is this the kind of person Jiaojiao is in my husband's eyes?"

After she finished speaking, Meng Qingjiao turned her back, holding the handkerchief.

In the past, as long as she made this gesture, Prince Qing would immediately come forward to hug her and coax her softly.

And today.

Meng Qingjiao waited for a long time, but King Qing did nothing.

Prince Qing's eyes fell quietly on the extremely familiar figure in front of him, his mind lingering with his father's warning this morning and what he had just seen and heard.

For a moment, he couldn't tell what the person he loved looked like.

Meng Qingjiao felt a little anxious as she waited for the King of Qing to take no action.

She turned around, with a few hypocritical tears in her eyes, and threw herself directly into Prince Qing's arms.