“Pan’er, I just found out.”
Inside the Half-Veiled Tea House, San Niang rushed into the kitchen, bustling about.
Due to last night’s incident, Half-Veiled was temporarily closed. They would reopen after figuring out why the Five Cities Patrol had come.
Otherwise, they had just opened, and the Five Cities Patrol would come.
Wouldn’t that mean they’d worked for nothing?
Besides, they hadn’t had a break in days. This was a good time to rest.
Zhao Pan’er was experimenting with new pastries in the kitchen.
The competition in the capital was fierce. They needed their own unique selling points to stand out and prosper.
Zhao Pan’er already had a plan for the future. Her good friend, the top pipa player in the Jiangnan region, would be arriving from Qiantang soon.
When that happened, she and San Niang would take care of the tea and pastries, while Yin Zhang played the pipa.
The three of them would carve a space for themselves in the capital.
San Niang rushed into the kitchen, panting, and said to Zhao Pan’er: “The leader of the group who helped us last night was actually the famous Jia Yu, Commander Jia!”
Zhao Pan’er didn't seem particularly surprised by this news.
Last night, she’d heard Jia Yu and his subordinates talking. She was in Jia Yu’s arms at the time.
The title “Commander” was exclusive to those holding the position of Jiedushi.
Currently, there was only one Jiedushi in the entire Great Zhou Dynasty, the Jingying Jiedushi.
Seeing Pan’er's lack of surprise, San Niang asked in confusion, "Pan’er, you knew all along?"
“No.” Zhao Pan’er shook her head and said with a smile, “Last night, I overheard their conversation, and I had some guesses. We’re lucky.”
Without Jia Yu, she might have been killed in the attack last night.
“Do you know what else happened last night?” San Niang said mysteriously.
“Last night?”
After Jia Yu and his people left last night, they closed up shop and went to bed.
“What happened?”
Zhao Pan’er waited for San Niang to answer.
San Niang said excitedly: “Last night, the person who attacked you with the crossbow ran all the way to the Gao family, the Gao family from the “catching-a-son-in-law-under-the-榜” event.
I heard that Commander Jia was very tough. He brought in his personal guard from outside the city and stormed directly into the Gao mansion.
He caught the person who wanted to assassinate you.
The Gao family’s Minister of Personnel was powerless to do anything about it. He could only pretend to faint.”
They had a deep conflict with the Gao family. When they first arrived in the capital, they were threatened by an old lady from the Gao family.
According to information from Commander Xiao, the man who had abandoned Pan’er, that Chen Shi Mei, was hoping to become the Gao family’s son-in-law.
After cutting ties with Ouyang Xu, they opened Half-Veiled with the help of Commander Xiao.
“This whole thing has blown up. Everyone in the court is talking about it and laughing at the Gao family.”
San Niang was extremely excited. The Gao family was like the sun to them.
If the head of the Gao family wanted to harm them, he wouldn't need to lift a finger. He could simply open his mouth, and they would vanish from the capital.
Only a heroic figure like Commander Jia could keep him in check.
Zhao Pan’er’s mind inexplicably conjured up Jia Yu’s handsome face.
Not the kind of pretty face you’d see on a pretty boy, but a handsome face with a strong, masculine edge.
There was an aura of strength in his handsomeness.
“Gao Hu is the Minister of Personnel, and also a member of the Grand Secretariat. The Chief Minister has had a misfortune. The Second Minister is getting old and will retire soon.
Gao Hu is the best candidate to be Chief Minister. Jia Yu has created such a major conflict with him. He might suffer for it in the future.”
Jia Yu rose to prominence at a young age. He was already in a high position at a very young age.
In terms of warfare, the civil officials might not be his match, but when it came to manipulating people and playing politics, Jia Yu was no match for them.
Zhao Pan’er was worried.
“As long as Commander Jia stays in the military, he will have no problem, thanks to his merits and his fierce, proud troops. Even if Minister Gao’s political schemes are numerous, he will not be able to do much.” San Niang said nonchalantly. The people they discussed this with had mentioned the future conflict between Minister Gao and Commander Jia, and they had analyzed the strengths and weaknesses of both sides, as well as what might happen in the future.
Zhao Pan’er thought about it and smiled relieved. “That’s right. As long as Commander Jia holds onto his military power, Minister Gao won’t be able to do anything to him.
Commander Jia is only in his early twenties, and Minister Gao is already in his fifties. Even for the sake of his descendants, he won’t offend Commander Jia too much.”
The most feared people in official circles are those who rise to high positions at a young age, especially those with a clean background and no major issues.
Jia Yu was exactly that.
He couldn’t go head-to-head with Gao Hu, so he could just outlast him and then deal with Gao Hu’s descendants.
Zhao Pan’er felt more and more relaxed.
Knock knock knock.
As they spoke, there was a knock on the door.
San Niang and Zhao Pan’er exchanged glances. The door was closed, so who could be knocking?
“I’ll open the door.”
San Niang was hesitant, but thought that Half-Veiled had a few loyal customers who came every day to have a cup of tea and a plate of pastries.
It had become a habit.
San Niang opened the door. A little old man with a flattering smile and a goatee stood there.
“De Shu?”
San Niang was stunned when she saw the old man. Then she coldly said, "We don't welcome you here. Please leave.”
Back then, in order to allow Ouyang Xu to focus on the exams without worry, Pan’er had suffered so much. De Shu knew what Pan’er had gone through better than anyone.
“San Niang, I’m here on behalf of the Master.” De Shu said with a thick face. "The Master wants to see Pan’er and explain the Gao family situation in person.
The Master will be waiting for you both at Fan Lou at noon today."
....