Zhao Jiaqi chuckled twice, a hint of amusement in her tone. "Huangfu Xian is quite ruthless, having salt applied to wounds. Even an idiot knows that would only increase the pain, though it does help with inflammation!"
But not too much, or it would turn into cured meat.
Fan Zehao curved his lips, his eyes crinkling with a wide smile. "No pain, no gain."
There was truth in his words. If he were the one experiencing it, he might not say the same.
That evening, shortly after washing up, Su Ya came with news that the two sisters had been released. As for the outcome, they figured Sun Mo would report it tomorrow.
Lying in bed, the couple calculated that they hadn't been out for even half a month and had already encountered so much trouble. Zhao Jiaqi sighed, "Traveling isn't easy. We might go to see the grasslands, only to find them bare when we arrive, leaving us with nothing but emptiness!"
Fan Zehao grinned foolishly, wrapping his arm around his wife's slender waist. He turned to her, looking at her with adoring eyes. "If we can't see the grasslands, aren't there still tents? After all, it's just a herd of sheep, cows, and horses. Or perhaps it's endless green grasslands, with people who are robust and wear strange clothes. In the end, they all have two shoulders and one head; there's nothing surprising about it!"
The beautiful image of the great grasslands she had been imagining was thus described, making her lose interest in seeing them. It lacked something.
Zhao Jiaqi rolled her eyes at him. "You're really something, you know. You just have to crush the last bit of pleasant thought I had left!"
She pushed his arm away from her waist, rolled over, pulled the quilt around herself, and closed her eyes to sleep, completely unconcerned about whether the person lying next to her might get cold.
The next day, shortly after breakfast, the prefect Sun Mo arrived.
This was their third meeting this year. Unlike previous encounters, he seemed more at ease, less formal, and wore a smile.
He reported to everyone present about the punishments meted out to the Zhang and Gan households.
"The Zhang household, for allowing its subordinates to arbitrarily demolish the Binyue Inn, for disregarding royal authority, and for uttering disrespectful words to the Prince and Princess, as well as for attempting to monopolize the market and suppress competitors during their business operations, has been investigated and all allegations confirmed. The Zhang household has now been confiscated, and they are forbidden from engaging in business for the rest of their lives!"
Fan Zehao found this punishment acceptable. Those with wicked intentions would only seek to swindle buyers in their business dealings!
"Very good!"
The Regent's brief words gave Sun Mo confidence. He continued, "Regarding the Gan household's dishonorable act of selling their daughters for prosperity, while it was indeed an inappropriate action, the decision of parents and the arranged marriage are within common understanding. Furthermore, the shops owned by the Gan household all operate legitimately, and no fraudulent practices against merchants were found. Therefore, they will only receive a verbal warning!"
Regarding the matter of selling daughters, no one present would object to Sun Mo's statement, as the marriages of the Gan sisters were indeed decided by the head of the Gan family.
However, he knew his wife detested such behavior. He glanced at the woman beside him and saw that she was merely lowering her head, sipping her tea. Although his wife said nothing, he knew she was angry.
She wasn't reacting only because she wasn't the mother of these two sisters. Otherwise, if anyone dared to speak of Yu Meng like that, he suspected she would fly into a rage.
Fan Zehao withdrew his gaze and nodded slightly at Sun Mo. "The two sisters from the Gan family yesterday pleaded with me and the Princess, saying they refused to return to the Gan household. Are you aware of this matter?"
"Reporting to His Highness, your subordinate is aware. Gan Jiaojiao and Gan Yaoyao spoke with me, stating they would rather become servants than return to the Gan household. The head of the Gan family also replied that if the two girls are willing, they may do as they please!"
Upon hearing this, Zhao Jiaqi's eyelashes fluttered, and then she lowered her head again. Sun Mo then presented the compensation for the damage to the Binyue Inn, and the matter was thus concluded.
As soon as Sun Mo left, Prince Xian and Prince Xiaoyao exchanged glances. At the same time, Xiao Ce also returned, reporting his investigation in detail to Fan Zehao. "The Gan household has been in Hedong Prefecture for a hundred years. There are many daughters in the Gan family. After investigation, these two sisters were very low-key within the household and had no contact with outsiders. This is credible."
Saying this, he took out several booklets from his怀. The drawings on them were clearly sketches of cold weapons.
He presented them with both hands. "These were found in a secret room in the library. If they hadn't told me about the mechanism, I would never have found it. The mechanism is hidden too perfectly; I truly admire it."
Since a young master from a noble family said so, Zhao Jiaqi became very interested in what he had to say.
Zhao Jiaqi smiled at Fan Zehao. "One must continue to learn no matter how old one gets, wouldn't you agree, my husband!"
The person addressed understood immediately and nodded with a smile. "My wife is right. Rest assured, General Xiao will not disappoint you."
Zhao Jiaqi smiled without speaking. One could only hope.
As for the remaining two pampered daughters, Zhao Jiaqi directly handed them over to the two princes. "You two discuss whether you wish to marry them as consorts or have them as servants. I will not concern myself with this matter. We depart tomorrow."
The moment she stood up, the two princes leaped forward, blocking her path.
Huangfu Xu pleaded, "Sister-in-law, you can't do this. It's not proper for two men like us to have a woman serving us. If it ruins the reputation of these young ladies, we'll become sinners."
Huangfu Xian added, "Besides, these sisters haven't sold themselves into servitude. How can we have delicate young ladies serving us? And you only have Su Ya as a maid, who will become General Xiao's wife in a few days. You'll have no one to serve you. I think it would be best to keep them by your side."
What a flimsy excuse! Zhao Jiaqi's mouth twitched uncontrollably. Before she could say anything, the two of them, with practiced synchronicity, vanished from their spot, leaving not a trace behind as if they had waved their sleeves.
"They're quite quick to run."
She wondered if they would come back clamoring for the girls a few days later. She sensed a hint of pity from these two princes towards the sisters. She wasn't sure if it was an illusion or if they genuinely disliked having maids attending them closely.
She went to the room of the Gan sisters and saw them sitting on chairs, their faces clouded with worry, lost in thought.
Upon seeing her, they quickly rose to greet her. "Greetings to Her Highness the Princess."
She waved her arm slightly and smiled. "Rise, and sit down to speak."
Gan Jiaojiao and Gan Yaoyao didn't dare to sit as equals with the Regent's Princess. After standing, they stood by the table, quietly awaiting the Princess's instructions.
After a long wait, the Princess finally spoke. "Master Sun came today and conveyed your father's words, stating that your choice of staying or leaving is entirely up to you, and he will no longer interfere."
Upon hearing this, the two women's faces broke into long-lost smiles. Tears welled up in their eyes, and they kowtowed and offered their gratitude to Zhao Jiaqi.
They knew that if their father hadn't feared the Regent and the Regent's Princess, he wouldn't have let them go so easily. In the end, it was the Princess who had saved them from their plight.
Zhao Jiaqi repeatedly explained that it wasn't her merit they were thanking her for, but these two girls were stubbornly convinced that she had saved them, and simply didn't seek reward.
Zhao Jiaqi sighed. This was a tangled mess, impossible to sort out or cut ties with.