Help! The cunning and treacherous minister and I were reborn together!

"What's wrong with you?"

Xiao Zong's brows were furrowed with frost, his face showing displeasure. He stood solemnly beside the antique shelf and asked in a cold voice.

Yuan Zhi held his jade chopsticks, his expression indifferent, and ate his meal by himself.

Luo Mei was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. She was fine at noon, so why did she suddenly become upset?

She pressed down on Yuan Zhi's hand, which was holding a piece of food, and said, "Miss, stop eating. The young master is asking you a question!"

Yuan Zhi put down her chopsticks, raised her porcelain-white face, and looked at him without any sadness or joy.

“My husband is very particular about etiquette. What difference is there between me sleeping here and sleeping at your place? I know I can’t take the place of your beloved. I’d better make room for you as soon as possible so that you can arrange for someone else to move in.”

Her dress today was in an elegant color, which toned down her bright features and added a touch of graceful and refined beauty. From a distance, she was definitely a cold beauty.

Xiao Zong sensed the sarcasm in her words, but being young and impetuous, he refused to back down.

"Fine, sleep wherever you want, but don't ever come back!"

He swept out and shouted, "Guyu, throw away the bedding in the room and bring a clean set!"

"Yes, young master!"

Gu Yu raised her voice slightly, a triumphant smile spreading across her face.

Luo Mei cursed, "Shameless little bitch, what are you so smug about? Don't you even know your own worth? Can you even climb onto that bed?"

She was extremely anxious. "Miss, what you're doing is clearly pushing the young master away! What is the reason that it has to turn out like this!"

Yuan Zhi slammed down her chopsticks. "Did you hear what he just said? He said he wanted to change to a clean set of bedding! Hah, no wonder he's always refused to consummate our marriage; he thinks I'm dirty!"

damn thing!

He disliked her for having served the emperor in her past life, and she disliked him for being a virgin!

Thinking about how he had kissed her yesterday, she rubbed her lips hard with her fingers, cursing inwardly as she did so: "No tricks, just an old-fashioned old man who only knows how to bite raw. Does he think he's some kind of old lady?"

Pooh!

unlucky!

Seeing that the rouge had smeared on her cheeks, Luo Mei still refused to stop, as if torturing herself. Ignoring her scolding, she grabbed her wrist and looked at her with a pained expression.

"Miss, Miss, what are you doing? The young master was just saying that in a fit of anger, he definitely didn't mean it that way. The second young master didn't do anything to you, and you are still a pure and innocent person. Once you consummate your marriage, all misunderstandings will be cleared up."

Yuan Zhi knew that their misunderstanding would be difficult to resolve, but it didn't matter. They were mortal enemies in their past lives anyway, so let them continue fighting in this one. If she even flinched, she wouldn't be Yuan!

When the mind is free of worries, one naturally becomes divine.

Over the next few days, Yuan Zhi devoted himself to the restaurant, supervising the craftsmen's work and purchasing tables, chairs, and wine utensils.

Because there wasn't enough time to brew wine, she took Luo Mei and Chen Qing by boat to Qingzhou.

The Grand Canal passes through Qingzhou, connecting the north and south. The most prosperous and famous ferry crossing is Qingshi Town. The town is famous for its fine wines and has convenient transportation. Half of the wines used in the country's taverns and restaurants come from here.

Yuan Zhi followed the locals to the brewery, tasted each wine, and then ordered seven or eight kinds of wine from the owner, which would be delivered to Shengjing in two days.

When Xiao Zong got home from his shift, he didn't see Yuan Zhi or Chen Qing, and his face immediately darkened. He assumed something had happened to them, so he sent Dou Zhao with the Leopard Guards to look for them.

Not content with that, Xiao Zong summoned the entire household to inquire about Yuan Zhi's whereabouts. The entire Xiao mansion was thrown into chaos, the commotion lasting until midnight, when the gatekeeper came running over, scrambling to his feet, saying that the young mistress and her entourage had gone to Qingzhou.

"Why are you only reporting this now!"

"I'm so sorry! There were so many visitors today, I got so busy I completely forgot!"

Even though the two were a zhang apart, Xiao Zong could still smell the alcohol on him. He angrily said, "It's clearly your drinking that caused the trouble, and you still dare to make excuses!"

It was probably not the first time he had drunk alcohol while on duty. Xiao Zong ordered his men to search his bedroom and found two jars of fine wine, ten taels of gold, and a deck of mahjong tiles.

"Drunkenness, gambling, and accepting bribes—how dare he! Guards, give him thirty strokes of the cane and throw him out of the mansion!"

His cold gaze swept over the servants. "None of you are allowed to leave. Keep a close watch on them. Anyone who tries to shirk their duties, is lazy, or negligent will suffer the consequences!"

Helped over by Granny Li, Qin Shi wrapped her cloak tighter around herself and said irritably, "What's all this commotion so late at night?"

"It's just disciplining a servant, Mother, you don't need to worry about it. Li Mama, take Madam back."

"Yes."

The gatekeeper wailed, "Madam, save me! Ah! Madam, you have a compassionate heart, please save me!"

Qin couldn't bear it, so she pushed away Li Mama's hand and said to Xiao Zong, "Old Liu has been in the Xiao family for three years. Even if he hasn't done anything meritorious, he has still worked hard. Please spare his life!"

Xiao Zong twirled the jade-inlaid gold arrowhead on his thumb, his eyes dark and unfathomable.

"Don't worry, Mother, I know what I'm doing. I won't kill him."

Seeing that he was going against her, Qin was furious. "Your wife is the head of the household. She's not managing her subordinates well. Why are you taking your anger out on the servants? I've heard that she's been running around every day lately. If you don't do something about it, one day you'll be wearing a green hat and it will be too late to regret it!"

Xiao Zong's lips curled into a smile that sent chills down one's spine.

"There's no need for you to worry about that, Mother. I will discipline my wife myself. As for this unruly servant, he's been gambling, drinking, and taking bribes in the three years he's been in the household. Didn't you discover that when you were in charge?"

Qin Shi, having brought trouble upon herself, lost face. "There are so many miscellaneous matters in the manor, how can I possibly attend to them all?"

"In that case, it's understandable that the child didn't notice."

Qin was surprised that he had gone to such lengths just to exonerate Yuanzhi, and she suddenly felt a tightness in her chest, shortness of breath, and dizziness.

He married a wife and forgot his mother; how could she have given birth to such an unfilial son!

"I can't control you anymore, Lord Xiao. Go ahead and show off your power if you want!"

After saying that, he took Li Mama's hand and left angrily.

After the execution, the servants threw the battered and bruised Old Liu out of the mansion. As the rooster crowed, the dark night finally gave way to dawn.

Feng Quan just encountered the Leopard Guard searching the street. His carriage passed in front of the Xiao residence and rescued Old Liu. He then turned around and impeached Xiao Zong at the court meeting.

Punishing the servants was not a serious offense; the main problem was that Xiao Zong sent the Leopard Guards to search for his wife, which was an abuse of public power and could not go unpunished.

Xiao Zong was reprimanded and fined half a year's salary. After court, he was surrounded by his colleagues who asked him if his wife had been found.

Even the composed and self-possessed Commander Xiao couldn't resist such teasing and ran swiftly to hide in the Leopard Guard.

When Yuan Zhi returned to the city and heard about this, he turned his carriage around and came to the gate of the Censorate to block people.

Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, people from the Censorate began to emerge one after another.

Yuan Zhi had seen Feng Quan at a banquet at the *** Mansion. He was a handsome man with a face like jade, sword-like eyebrows and bright eyes. He was a rare beauty.

While admiring the flowers, the women talked about the men at the banquet, saying that although Xiao Zong was handsome, he was quite fierce and already married, which was not a good match for him.

Feng Quan was particularly popular with women. He was upright and polite, and was the most handsome third-ranked scholar in recent years. Who wouldn't be attracted to him?

The county princess is probably one of them.

Yuan Zhi smiled brightly; this person was not to be offended!

She lifted the carriage curtain and called out to the red-robed gentleman at the door, "Lord Feng, do you have time for a chat?"