Shen Jing and Zhou Yi talked a lot.
They talked from ancient times to the present, from the imperial court to the jianghu.
Although Shen Jing was very displeased with Zhou Yi being ordered to dig a pit for him, he still had to admire this old man.
This old man was knowledgeable and had unique insights into many things.
Shen Jing felt that if this old man were an official in the imperial court, his rank should not be low.
It wasn't until Zhou Yi showed clear signs of drunkenness and a servant helped him away that they stopped.
As he left, the servant glared fiercely at Shen Jing.
Shen Jing pouted, pretending not to see him.
What kind of person!
Only the magistrate is allowed to set fires, but the common people are not allowed to light lamps?
With Zhou Yi gone and no one to ramble with, Shen Jing immediately started catching fish.
Although they weren't big, it was much better than coming up empty-handed.
Indeed, doing anything requires effort to yield results.
Especially fishing!
Shen Jing didn't want the fish; he'd catch one and release one.
Just as Shen Jing had settled down to fish for a while, Ye Li and Su Yourong walked over.
Ye Li looked around and asked Shen Jing, "I heard you were drinking with someone here just now. Where is the person you were drinking with?"
Shen Jing turned his head, revealing a bright smile, "That old man was dead drunk and was helped away."
"What?"
Ye Li was like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, her voice suddenly rising an octave.
Su Yourong looked puzzled, not knowing why Ye Li's reaction was so strong.
Seeing Ye Li's reaction, Shen Jing became even more convinced of his judgment.
It was indeed a trap they had jointly set for him!
To monopolize the white sugar business, they really went to great lengths!
"I said that old man was drunk and was helped away."
Shen Jing replied again, then feigned confusion and looked at Ye Li, "The Eldest Princess, what's… what's wrong?"
"No… nothing's wrong."
Ye Li realized she had lost her composure, suppressing the urge to kick Shen Jing into the lake, and feigned a nonchalant look, "You… you're really something! You just met someone and dared to drink with him. Aren't you afraid he'd poison your drink!"
Ye Li gritted her teeth, wishing she could pin Shen Jing to the ground and beat him up.
This scoundrel!
"Isn't it because we hit it off?"
Shen Jing laughed heartily, "That old man just now was not only extraordinarily knowledgeable but also extremely generous. With cups this big, he drank clink, clink, more than a dozen cups in a row! It's a pity he's already been helped away, otherwise I really wanted to introduce him to you all…"
As Shen Jing spoke, he secretly observed Ye Li's expression.
Sure enough, when he mentioned that the old man had drunk more than a dozen cups in a row, Ye Li's face suddenly darkened.
Although her expression quickly returned to normal, that momentary change was still caught by Shen Jing.
You little punk!
Trying to fight me?
You're still too green!
"Is that so?"
Su Yourong secretly wondered, then asked casually, "What was that old man's name? Perhaps The Eldest Princess and I might even know him!"
"Zhou Yi."
Shen Jing replied.
Su Yourong thought for a moment and confirmed she had never heard that name.
"Let's go!"
Ye Li called out to Su Yourong, "It seems he's quite comfortable, you don't need to worry about him!"
"Mhm mhm."
Shen Jing nodded repeatedly, "You don't need to mind me, I'm catching fish one after another right now!"
"Alright then! You go ahead and fish! We'll call you at mealtime."
Su Yourong said, then walked away with Ye Li.
"No, no!"
Shen Jing waved his hands repeatedly, "I've had a belly full of wine, I can't eat anything! You all eat, don't mind me!"
Su Yourong hesitated slightly, "Hmm… alright then!"
She probably also guessed that Shen Jing didn't want to dine with the imperial princes and princesses.
Indeed, even she felt uncomfortable dining with the imperial princes and princesses, let alone Shen Jing?
As Su Yourong walked and thought, suddenly, she seemed to remember something and abruptly stopped.
"What's wrong with you?"
Ye Li turned to look at Su Yourong.
Su Yourong was stunned for a moment, then slowly came back to her senses, forcing a smile, "The Eldest Princess, please go and eat first, don't keep The Eldest Princess and the Fifth Prince waiting! I suddenly thought of something important just now and need to go tell Shen Jing."
"Go ahead!"
Ye Li replied distractedly, gritting her teeth as she walked forward.
This scoundrel!
This Princess will definitely teach you a good lesson!
On the other side, Su Yourong quickly returned to Shen Jing's side.
Hearing footsteps, Shen Jing, who was fishing, turned his head.
Seeing Su Yourong return, Shen Jing immediately said with a chuckle, "I'm really quite comfortable, you don't need to…"
"You said, what was the name of that old man you were drinking with?"
Su Yourong interrupted Shen Jing, asking with a solemn expression.
"Zhou Yi!"
Shen Jing was puzzled, "What's wrong?"
"Are you sure that old man just now was called Zhou Yi?"
Su Yourong's expression became even more solemn.
"How would I be sure of that!"
Shen Jing chuckled, "I even told him my name was Zhou Xibai! I estimate his name was probably fake too!"
He knew to use a fake name, so others probably did too.
That old man wasn't doing anything bad, was he?
Who uses their real name!
Su Yourong frowned, "Maybe you misheard!"
"Huh?"
Shen Jing was confused.
Su Yourong looked up, "Don't you think there's something wrong with that name?"
"What's wrong?"
Shen Jing was confused.
This name is high-end, classy, and not vulgar, what could be wrong with it?
"It's not Zhou Yi! It's Zhou Yi (meaning 'one')!"
Su Yourong suddenly poked Shen Jing's head with her slender, fair finger, "The Number One Person of Great Zhou!"
What?
Shen Jing's eyelids suddenly twitched.
Zhou Yi?
Zhou Yi (meaning 'one')?
Nima, playing a word game with me here?
Shen Jing swallowed with difficulty, feeling a bit weak, "You're not trying to say that old man was the Emperor, are you?"
"The Number One Person of Great Zhou, what do you think?"
Su Yourong was almost going crazy.
What has this ancestor done!
On the third day of arriving in the Capital, he got the Emperor drunk?
"Impossible! Don't scare yourself!"
Shen Jing waved his hand, "The Emperor is in his prime, but that old man looked like he was sixty. How could he possibly…"
"The Emperor really does look that old!"
Su Yourong lowered her voice, "In the past, with internal and external troubles, the Emperor toiled day and night, and in a few years, he aged a lot."
"No…"
Shen Jing's heart twitched violently.
Damn it!
How could it be the Emperor?
He's an emperor, even if he wanted to set him up, couldn't he send anyone else? Did he have to come himself?
The Emperor, to make him willingly offer the sugar-making method, came in person to dig a pit for him?
Was he so poor he'd gone mad?
Had he lost all face?
Hmm, hmm, it shouldn't be!
Most likely Su Yourong was overthinking it!
The name Zhou Yi wasn't unlucky, so why did it have to be Zhou Yi (meaning 'one')?
However, thinking of Ye Li's reaction just now, Shen Jing felt inexplicably guilty.
If it was just an old man with no relation to Ye Li who he got drunk, Ye Li shouldn't have had such a big reaction, right?
Damn it!
Who the hell did I offend?
"What did that person look like?"
Su Yourong asked hurriedly.
Shen Jing thought for a moment, then shook his head, "Specifically, I really can't describe it, but I should be able to draw a rough sketch."
"You'd better pray that person wasn't the Emperor!"
Su Yourong rubbed her head, aching, "I accidentally heard the Fifth Prince say that the Emperor had a serious illness some time ago. I'm guessing that Princess Qinghe wasn't going to pray for the Empress Dowager before, but for the Emperor!"
"I…"
Shen Jing was speechless for a long time.
Damn it! Damn it! Damn it!
Go to hell!
What kind of situation is this!