A moment later, Meng Shuping was led by a servant of the Marquis Cheng'en's residence to an empty room, where hot water was provided for him to wash.
When he was almost done, the attendant Lai Xing brought him a change of clothes. After changing, Meng Shuping left the room and was surprised to find both Meng Shuchun and Jiang Cihe waiting outside.
He couldn't help but shoot Jiang Cihe a dissatisfied look. "Why is he still here? Whatever, since he arranged all this, I'll curse him one less time today—just one, no less!"
Meng Shuchun, who had just stood up, paused, quickly glancing at Jiang Cihe. Seeing Jiang Cihe's unchanging expression, he relaxed. Jiang Cihe probably couldn't hear that voice, right?
Feeling reassured, he began asking about Meng Shuping's condition. "Fifth Brother, are you alright?"
He had been worried when Meng Shuping didn't return after leaving earlier, and it turned out his premonition was correct.
Meng Shuping gave Jiang Cihe a resentful look, then muttered sarcastically, "What could possibly be wrong with me? I was just kicked into a filthy, freezing cold pond, suffered some internal injuries, and might even catch a fever or lie half-dead after returning—but it's nothing serious. I'm fine, really. There's no need to compensate me with a hundred taels for medical expenses."
"Oh, come on! A Prince of all people—surely he wouldn't be too poor to afford such a small medical fee? Don't let me look down on him!"
"If he dares mess with me, I'll make him pay a heavy price! Demanding only a hundred taels from him is me going easy on him!"
Meng Shuchun: "…"
It was clear Fifth Brother's resentment ran deep.
Jiang Cihe: "…"
So this was the "heavy price." He thought expressionlessly—a hundred taels, what a "painful" cost indeed.
Noticing Jiang Cihe's unreadable gaze, Meng Shuping grew irritated. "Why is he staring at me? I refuse to believe he'd dare hit me now! I'm not alone—Second Brother has my back!"
Meng Shuchun: "…"
Don't rely on your Second Brother for this—even I can't afford to offend Prince Zhao.
Jiang Cihe chuckled softly. Did Meng Shuping really think he'd be intimidated just because Meng Shuchun was here? What a joke—even if the Earl of Anyang showed up, he'd still have to show Jiang Cihe some respect.
Meng Shuping, however, had full confidence in Meng Shuchun. "I'm not exaggerating—if he dares hit me in front of Second Brother, the next second he'll be on his knees begging me!"
Meng Shuchun was both amused and exasperated. Fifth Brother, your Second Brother really isn't that powerful—please don't say such things!
Jiang Cihe nearly laughed in anger. Him, begging Meng Shuping? Was this guy out of his mind after falling into the water? Had he started babbling nonsense?
But the next moment, Meng Shuping added, "Begging me not to die."
"Hahaha, hilarious! Even if I can't beat him in a fight, I can definitely swindle him to death—no problem!"
Jiang Cihe: "…"
So that's what he meant. Jiang Cihe's face went blank again. Well, at least this guy knew his limits.
Meng Shuchun almost laughed aloud at Meng Shuping's sudden twist but quickly coughed and tried to persuade him. "Ahem, Fifth Brother, His Highness meant well. Don't blame him. Besides, he did help you, didn't he? Let's forget about the hundred taels."
Their household really wasn't short of a hundred taels, and they truly couldn't afford to offend Prince Zhao.
Meng Shuping thought his Second Brother was overthinking it and hurriedly denied it in a panic. "No, no, Second Brother misunderstood. I really don't expect His Highness to compensate me. Even if he doesn't give me this 150 taels, no one would say he's welching or bullying others. And since His Highness helped me, how could I blame him? In fact, I should thank him!"
Meng Shuping lowered his head slightly, not daring to meet Jiang Cihe's eyes. "I must thank Your Highness for today's matter—thank your ancestors eight generations back."
"Sigh, I've always been one to repay kindness. Although he did kick me into that dirty, cold pond, he still helped me. Gratitude is due."
Ling Feng's excited gaze shifted back and forth between Meng Shuping and Jiang Cihe. Wow, it had been a long time since anyone dared act so boldly in front of His Highness. This Fifth Young Master Meng was truly admirable!
Jiang Cihe: "…"
He could tell—this was still a curse. But wasn't it a hundred taels earlier? How did it become 150 now?
Meng Shuchun rubbed his forehead and awkwardly explained to Jiang Cihe, "Your Highness, please don't misunderstand. My Fifth Brother just gets nervous around outsiders and speaks without thinking. He really means no harm."
Meng Shuping couldn't help adding inwardly, "Yes, yes, I really mean no harm. I'm just so angry I want to swindle some medical fees from you. Don't misunderstand—I won't actually thank you."
Meng Shuchun: "…"
He really didn't know what to say about this Fifth Brother. Brave? He was shy around crowds. Timid? When angry, he'd even dare confront Prince Zhao.
Jiang Cihe gave Meng Shuping a meaningful, half-smiling look and said politely, "Second Young Master Meng, don't worry. How could I misunderstand? Although I saved your brother today, I truly don't need any reward. Even if your brother doesn't give me these 500 taels, no one would call him ungrateful."
Meng Shuchun: "…"
As expected of Prince Zhao—picking up Fifth Brother's act so quickly!
Meng Shuping was stunned by his words. "Good grief, I cry good grief! I only dared ask for over a hundred taels, and he multiplied it several times! How ruthless!"
"No! I can't lose!"
Meng Shuping put on an overly flattered expression. "What? Your Highness wants to compensate me with 200 taels? Oh, how embarrassing! But to avoid others saying I don't know what's good for me, I won't refuse these 300 taels."
Ling Feng, standing nearby, widened his eyes in shock. Ho! He'd seen people haggle, but never like this—Meng Shuping had some tricks up his sleeve.
Jiang Cihe: "…"
Today was truly an eye-opener—he'd never seen prices raised like this. Fine, since he was in the wrong today, he'd just pay the 300 taels as compensation, if only to stop this young man from cursing him inwardly every day.
Besides, arguing over this with Meng Shuping was beneath his dignity.
Jiang Cihe snorted lightly. "Since Fifth Young Master Meng was frightened today, these 300 taels shall serve as my gesture to calm his nerves. However, I didn't bring much silver with me today. I'll have someone deliver 250 taels to Fifth Young Master Meng later."
Meng Shuping was both surprised and delighted. "Wow! I was just asking randomly, and I actually got it! Huh? Who's the 250 here? You're the 250! How can there be a discount?!"
"Whatever, 250 is 250. Even if I'm a 250, I'm a happy 250! What does it feel like to get rich overnight? This is it! He just played a tiny, tiny, tiny joke on me—how could I, being so magnanimous, hold a grudge? Of course, I choose to forgive him! Hehehe!"
Jiang Cihe glanced at Meng Shuping in surprise. For someone so easily angered, he was surprisingly easy to placate.
Meng Shuchun: "…"
Weren't the two of them at each other's throats just moments ago? And now they've made up so quickly? I really don't get you two. Whatever, as long as you're happy.
Seeing that things were settled, Jiang Cihe immediately took his leave. "Since Fifth Young Master Meng is fine, I'll be going now."
Meng Shuchun said promptly, "I'll see you out, Your Highness."
After seeing Jiang Cihe off, Meng Shuchun finally had time to ask Meng Shuping about the other events. "Fifth Brother, where did you go during the meal earlier? How did you suddenly fall into a trap? Do you have any suspects?"
While Meng Shuping was still inside, he had asked Jiang Cihe about what happened, but he was unclear about the events before Meng Shuping encountered Jiang Cihe.
Meng Shuping thought for a moment, then declared firmly, "It was Sixth Brother who drugged me with an aphrodisiac!"
"What?" Meng Shuchun was furious. "That Meng Shuyang—how could he—"
"Although I don't actually know who did it, I'll just blame him. After all, he's the one I have the biggest grudge against!"
Meng Shuchun: "...Done!"
So Fifth Brother didn't know who it was either. If not for being able to hear his inner thoughts, who would have guessed he was once again talking nonsense with a deadpan expression?
However, Meng Shuping wasn't entirely talking nonsense. He hadn't been in this place long, and the number of people he'd made enemies with was few. Those who would actually go so far as to harm him were even fewer. Unless someone behind the scenes was trying to set up someone else and he ended up suffering unjustly, the likelihood that it was Meng Shuyang was very high.
Of course, even if he was wrong, what did it matter? After all, Meng Shuyang wasn't a good person anyway.
After Meng Shuping's hair had also dried, he and Meng Shuchun left the courtyard to meet up with the others.
When Meng Shuyang saw Meng Shuping approaching, a flicker of surprise passed quickly through his eyes. Then he asked probing, "Oh? Fifth Brother said he was going to relieve himself, didn't he? Why did it take so long? Don't tell me you fell into a ditch?"
Instantly, the eyes of everyone nearby turned to look.
Under everyone's gaze, Meng Shuping grew nervous at once. He said awkwardly, "Mainly—mainly because I fell into the water and was saved by a kind-hearted prince. He even gave me several hundred taels of silver to calm my nerves!"
Meng Shuyang said disdainfully, "How is that possible? As if!"
If someone said Meng Shuping had fallen into the water and a prince had saved him, he might barely believe it. But to say that not only did the prince save Meng Shuping but also gave him several hundred taels of silver? That's more like a dream!
Fifth Brother must be too new to this society and not very familiar with the nobility—the story he made up was just too far-fetched.
Maybe Meng Shuping couldn't bear the effects of the aphrodisiac and had to find some way to relieve himself. Look, he'd even changed clothes.
It was just a pity Meng Shuping had run off too quickly—he hadn't gotten to see him make a public spectacle of himself. What a waste of such good tonic.
But just as he was thinking it was impossible, he heard Meng Shuchun say, "Fifth Brother did indeed fall into the water and was saved."
Of course, there was no need to go into the details of how the silver was given, Meng Shuchun thought. Better to save Fifth Brother some face.
Meng Shuyang's eyes widened in disbelief. Meng Shuping actually hadn't been lying? How? Why did such good fortune have to land on Meng Shuping?
Seeing Meng Shuyang's astonished expression, Meng Shuping was immensely pleased. "Oho! Could it be he's jealous of me? Jealous that I came into such a huge windfall!"
Worried that Meng Shuyang wasn't angry enough, Meng Shuping deliberately added in the softest voice, "And it's all thanks to Sixth Brother dosing me—otherwise, I wouldn't have gotten this big fortune!"