Chapter 306: Chapter 271: Daring to Take Liberties with the Menial’s Wife - Part 2
Pei Zhan slightly curved his lips, subtly glancing at the shadowy figure under the curtain: "But I’m afraid I can’t help you, I never intervene in my mother-in-law’s family matters."
"Brother, you are of noble character, definitely not like those of Fu Yun. Unfortunately, I seldom interact with merchants, and I don’t know the head of the Ning Family. If I had a reliable introduction, I wouldn’t have needed to trouble you.
"How about this, I won’t trouble you. Simply help me get acquainted with the head of the Ning Family, and I can handle the rest. What do you think?"
Just as He Qunying finished speaking, Fu Zhen’s face on this side of the curtain grew colder.
This He fellow’s calculation was precise!
What is Pei Zhan’s status?
And Mrs. Ning’s?
Despite being father-in-law and son-in-law, if Pei Zhan becomes the introducer and introduces He Qunying to Mrs. Ning, how could someone as worldly as Mrs. Ning not agree to lend a boat to He Qunying?
Conversely, once He Qunying convinces Pei Zhan, he wouldn’t need Pei Zhan to act personally. Mrs. Ning surely wouldn’t refuse this favor!
He knows renting an outside boat is costly, other companies use their own cargo, wouldn’t the Ning Family need to transport goods?
With so many shops of their own, wouldn’t they need to do business too?
Yet, he directly approached Pei Zhan. Once Pei Zhan gets involved, Mrs. Ning would not only grant the favor of lending a boat but perhaps even waive the rent!
Heaven knows how satisfied she is with Pei Zhan as her son-in-law now. Even Ning Jia often complains to her sister about how much less favored he’s been since his brother-in-law became an in-law!
Mrs. Ning praises Pei Zhan day in and day out for his courage, cunning, and respectfulness as an in-law, often saying "Learn from your brother-in-law" and "Watch how your brother-in-law does things." This is a person recommended by her "dear son-in-law", she definitely wouldn’t charge!
Come to think of it, isn’t He Qunying clearly trying to take advantage of the Ning Family?
Fu Zhen clung to the curtain, ignoring whether it would expose her, staring directly at Pei Zhan, who happened to face this way, wishing she could signal him to refuse!
But this guy, today especially lacking perception, looks at the wine, the dishes, He Qunying, and not in her direction!
She had no choice but to pick up a spare wine pot, fill it, and approach, pretending to refill their wine.
After all, He Qunying hadn’t seen her, didn’t know her.
Pei Zhan caught sight of Fu Zhen grabbing the wine pot through the corner of his eye and then lowered his gaze.
"Given the relationship between our families, indeed, I shouldn’t refuse this favor. However, I must go back and discuss it with my wife. You might have heard she’s not easy to deal with, if I reply improperly, I’ll face her wrath,"
He Qunying laughed: "Brother, a great hero such as you, are you actually afraid of your wife? It’s fine to lower your tone to make a woman happy occasionally, but don’t take it seriously. Once the rules are broken, they’ll step all over you."
Fu Zhen, who was just approaching from the side, heard this and glared at him fiercely at the back of his head. At the time she thought the emperor had let him off lightly with only a demotion by three ranks; with his attitude, sending him to the far northwest as a slave wouldn’t be too much!
Fu Zhen poured wine into his cup to the brim, then moved to fill Pei Zhan’s as well. As she poured, he extended his pinky finger to lightly scrape the back of Pei Zhan’s hand as a signal.
Pei Zhan, however, opened his fingers, capturing her pinky in his palm.
Fu Zhen was stunned!
What is this guy doing?
Is he even flirting with a maid?!
Just as her mind turned, his hand moved away, as if his previous action was unconscious.
Fu Zhen lowered her eyes to glare, only to see his hand again supporting the newly-filled cup, and with the other hand, he extracted a silk handkerchief, slowly wiping the few spilled drops of wine.
He Qunying frowned and said, "Where did this clumsy maid come from? Get out!"
Pei Zhan intervened: "She seems quite perceptive; having her serve here is fine."
He Qunying then turned his gaze to Fu Zhen, and with a glance, he seemed to gain some understanding: "Oh, it’s a little sister-in-law. It’s rare for my brother to take a liking; do as you wish."
After speaking, he directed Fu Zhen: "Serve this gentleman well!"
Fu Zhen surreptitiously cursed his ancestors for eighteen generations, maintaining a calm exterior, she bowed her head and stepped back behind Pei Zhan, extending a hand to sharply pinch his back.
She refused to believe that this kid hadn’t recognized her?!
Last night she had warned him not to flirt with her, and today he dared to make a move in public. Take care of business first, and later she’d see how to deal with him!