Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 749 - 0702: I Know People Everywhere in the Capital (1)
Not until Mr. Pei was beaten to the point where there was only breath going out and none coming in, did Li Yuwen say, "Let’s go back." She then pointed at the wine on the table, "Pour out the wine, lest he cause trouble for others again."
Aunt Ming took the wine jug and poured it over Mr. Pei’s face, "Have your fill!"
Mr. Pei angrily cursed, "Li Family, you just wait!"
"We’re waiting, what else could you possibly do?" Da Chuan gave him a kick.
The little maid Cui Xi, who came from Zhen An Prefecture, was dumbfounded the entire time.
She knew her young mistress was fierce, having feared no one even back in the village.
But now, in the Capital, daring to strike this rich young master?
And still, the elder brother of the Young Master?
Li Yuwen didn’t even glance at Mr. Pei, shouted at the stunned Cui Xi to hurry up, and swaggered out, pushing the door open.
Aunt Ming followed closely with the sunshade.
Da Chuan glanced at the table, picked up the roasted lamb with two slices cut from it, and swaggered off.
Mr. Pei gritted his teeth in anger, "You wretched woman, just you wait for me!"
Pei Shenyan was pulled outside by Young Master An to talk, as Li Yuwen walked past him, "Going home, husband."
Young Master An smiled and patted Pei Shenyan on the shoulder, "Sister-in-law is calling Wulang home, let’s chat another day."
"Alright, let’s chat another day." Pei Shenyan returned the gesture and quickly chased after Li Yuwen.
The carriage was parked in an alley beside the restaurant; the new servant Jisheng saw Li Yuwen coming and immediately placed a step stool in front of the carriage door, "Young Mistress, heading home now?"
"Heading home." Li Yuwen smiled, holding Pei Shenyan’s hand, and they sat in the carriage together.
The dazed Cui Xi was also lifted in by Aunt Ming.
The last to return was Da Chuan, who was carrying a roasted lamb.
He cheerfully waved at Jisheng, "Hey, when we get back, let’s split this, brother."
"Get some more wine." Jisheng laughed.
The carriage left the restaurant.
Inside, Pei Shenyan asked Li Yuwen, "Did Elder Brother say something to you?"
He didn’t want to leave, but Young Master An insisted on pulling him outside to chat, and he was worried Mr. Pei would trouble Li Yuwen.
Mr. Pei always spoke without a filter.
Li Yuwen was proud and headstrong.
"He spoke." Li Yuwen fanned herself leisurely.
"What did he say?" Pei Shenyan looked at Li Yuwen’s face, puzzled.
Li Yuwen’s face was beaming with a smile. What could have made her so happy?
"He said, ’Li Family, you just wait for me!’" Li Yuwen mimicked Mr. Pei’s tone, fiercely.
Cui Xi stared wide-eyed at Li Yuwen.
Aunt Ming looked at Li Yuwen with a doting smile.
Pei Shenyan was startled by Li Yuwen’s words, "Yu Wen, did you argue with Elder Brother? Did he curse at you?"
"He’s probably cursing even more fiercely now, ha." Li Yuwen sneered coldly.
Pei Shenyan looked at Cui Xi and Aunt Ming, "What happened just now? What did Elder Brother say?"
Aunt Ming secretly pinched Cui Xi.
Cui Xi kept her mouth tightly shut.
"It’s nothing, husband, just forget about your elder brother. Let’s discuss what to eat tonight?" She thought for a moment and grabbed Pei Shenyan’s hand, "I’ll take you to a place, their lamb soup is the finest in the Capital."
Seeing that she was in a good mood, Pei Shenyan decided not to ask anymore, "Alright, let’s go have lamb soup."
Whatever happened, it surely would get out from Mr. Pei, Pei Shenyan thought, and they’d talk about it then.
Li Yuwen took Pei Shenyan to a small tavern.
This tavern was by a small river in West Market.
In the evening, people were constantly coming in and out of the tavern, indicating its business was quite good.
Li Yuwen instructed the driver Jisheng to park the carriage properly, calling everyone into the tavern, "It’s on me."
Jisheng and Da Chuan knew Li Yuwen’s temperament; when she was in a good mood, she was generous, either giving money or things, and sometimes treating people to a meal.
"Thank you, Young Mistress." The two happily grinned ear to ear.
The tavern, though having two floors, only had six tables downstairs, indicating that the upstairs wouldn’t be much more spacious.
An old waiter was attending to guests. When he saw Li Yuwen and her group approaching, he paused in surprise and quickly turned to call out to the shopkeeper who was calculating accounts, "Shopkeeper, honored guests have arrived!"
The shopkeeper looked up and immediately spotted the dazzling and radiant Li Yuwen among the crowd, first in shock, then in delight.
He quickly put aside the abacus, smiled, and stepped out from behind the counter, cupping his hands in salute to Li Yuwen, "The young lady is here? Please come in."
"I am the Fifth Young Madam of the Pei Mansion." Li Yuwen gestured to Pei Shenyan beside her, "He is the Fifth Young Master of the Prime Minister’s Mansion, my husband."
"So it’s the Fifth Master, my respects to you." The shopkeeper bowed deeply to Pei Shenyan.
Pei Shenyan was a bit bewildered, but stepped forward to help him up, "No need for such courtesy, shopkeeper."
Li Yuwen chuckled, "Husband, he is one of our own, no need to be so formal."
Only then did Pei Shenyan realize, smiling slightly.
Da Chuan and Jisheng were evidently regulars, having already gone upstairs to take a look. When they returned, Da Chuan said, "Young Madam, there is still a table by the window upstairs."
"Alright, let’s go upstairs." Li Yuwen waved to the shopkeeper, "Bring six bowls of lamb soup first, and pick the other dishes carefully. Don’t over-order, it’s a shame to waste food."
The shopkeeper laughed, "Understood, Fifth Young Madam."
Li Yuwen led Pei Shenyan upstairs. Indeed, there were only six tables, four of which were full, leaving just a corner and a table by the window vacant.
The old waiter wiped the table and brought some refreshing tea, "Young Madam, this is the tea you used to like and the cup you used to use. Have some tea first; the lamb soup will be here shortly."
"Got it, off you go." Li Yuwen nodded with a smile.
"Alright." The old waiter hurried away.
Pei Shenyan noticed that the teapot and teacup on this table were different from those on the other tables.
The other tables had ordinary coarse white porcelain teapots and cups, but this one had delicate celadon tea sets.
Pei Shenyan smiled, "Indeed, among friends, even the tea set is unique."
Li Yuwen nodded, "The shopkeeper used to be my servant. Five years ago, his elderly mother broke her leg and no one was there to care for her, so I let him go home to tend to her. Seeing his life was tough, I gave him some money, telling him to start a small business. He’s quick-witted and found a wife who could cook. Together they managed to rent a place and opened this lamb soup tavern. It’s said that the business has been good; now he’s bought quite a bit of farmland in the countryside outside the city, purchased a manor, and hired servants to look after his mother."
Pei Shenyan came to realize, "I see."
Li Yuwen looked at Pei Shenyan, smiling sweetly, "Husband, I have acquaintances all over the capital. If you want to eat, play, or if someone provokes you and you want to vent, just tell me and I’ll help you."
Cui Xi only knew that Li Yuwen was once a resident of the capital and her family did small business. It was only after distant relatives caused trouble that they fled to Zhen An Prefecture, but she didn’t expect their young mistress to be so impressive, having contacts everywhere.
Unaware of the background, the old servant Aunt Ming and Da Chuan Jisheng all knew about Li Yuwen’s past.
Li Yuwen was generous and, by virtue of her high status, always walked proudly around the capital.
Though she was headstrong, unwilling to suffer losses, and initiated fights, she also helped many people.
Whether it was collecting debts for others, helping in lawsuits, or solving assassination attempts by enemies.
In short, whenever someone had a problem they couldn’t solve and approached Li Yuwen when she was in a good mood, upon request, she would lend a hand.
Even Princess Consort Luling once joked with her, saying that with such a love for justice, maybe she wanted to be a chivalrous woman.
Pei Shenyan had heard many legends about Li Yuwen, but hearing was not the same as seeing. He smiled and bowed to Li Yuwen, "In the future, I hope my lady will take care of me."
Which made Li Yuwen laugh quietly, covering her mouth.
Cui Xi, Aunt Ming, and Da Chuan Jisheng couldn’t help but twitch their lips and turn their heads away.
.
After Li Yuwen and her group left the restaurant, Mr. Pei struggled tremendously to get up from the ground.
His entire body ached, every spot hurt, moving even a little made him grimace in pain.
"Damn Li Family, just wait!" Mr. Pei cursed furiously.
His goal today was to use the drinking opportunity and his silver tongue to seduce Li Yuwen.
Pei Shenyan had been sick since childhood, wouldn’t live past twenty, and Pei Shenyan was already twenty this year.
Besides, Pei Shenyan was an illegitimate son; he was the legitimate eldest son of the Pei Mansion. Any sensible person would know that a legitimate son was better than an illegitimate son.
In the future, once his father dies, he would get the substantial portion of the estate, and the illegitimate Pei Shenyan wouldn’t get a single silver piece!
To make sure everything went smoothly, he drugged the drinks lightly.
It was the kind that made you drunk with one cup.
As long as Pei Shenyan got drunk, or Pei Shenyan’s wife got drunk, half of the plan would succeed.
But he never expected that Pei Shenyan’s wife drank but didn’t get drunk! She even saw through his plan and had him beaten!
This Li Family, deceitful and ferocious!
"You will die a miserable death, Li Family! Just wait!"
