CHAPTER 1645: CHAPTER 1645: SINCERE EFFORTS (4)

Du Man, Gu Cheng, and Gu Ming didn’t waste time and truly went back to rest. To make it back before the end of the year, the three of them had endured meals in the wild and sleeping under the stars. Fortunately, their mounts were wild horses carefully picked by Xiaobai; otherwise, ordinary horses would never have survived such high-intensity journeys.

Now that they were home, they could finally relax, but the exhaustion had inevitably set in.

To welcome them back, dinner was made especially sumptuous. The menu was personally curated by Yang Ruxin herself. For dishes the kitchen staff didn’t know how to make, she stepped in to give instructions. All in all, she made sure that the dishes most loved by Du Man and the others were included.

"Big Sister, how did you know they liked these dishes?" Sanni asked.

"Observation," Yang Ruxin replied with a smile. "Even though they’ve sold themselves to us, we can’t treat them like servants. After all, everyone needs respect. By understanding the preferences and traits of the people around us, we can reward them thoughtfully. Don’t you think that would make them more genuinely devoted to me and work even harder and more loyally?"

Sanni nodded thoughtfully, and then a mischievous gleam sparked in her wide eyes. "Big Sister, everyone’s preferences? Is that true for everyone?"

"Yes," Yang Ruxin smiled and nodded, "If you don’t believe me, test me!"

"Then what about Xu Shifei, the tutor at the academy? Do you know his favorite food?" Sanni asked with a playful grin.

"Haha." Yang Ruxin laughed, "Of course I know! His favorite food is fish, but he absolutely dislikes radishes..."

Sanni’s eyes widened instantly. "What about Tutor Luo then?"

"Luo Wanli loves tofu, but he despises scallions..."

"Big Sister! How do you know all this?"

"They’ve been eating meals here every day. Just paying a little attention is more than enough to notice," Yang Ruxin said as she gently patted Sanni’s head. "It all comes down to care and thoughtfulness. As long as you put your heart into something, there’s nothing you can’t do..."

"I’ve got it now!" Sanni nodded quickly in earnest.

Dinner was lively, with everyone eating heartily and happily. Du Chengxiu’s family, in particular, felt especially at ease, as they had been secretly worried about their daughter. Now that she was back, they could finally feel reassured.

After everyone had eaten and drank their fill, the children went off to rest. Only then did Du Man begin his report on the investigation they had carried out during the trip.

First, concerning the Meng Family: it’s true that a girl from the family entered the palace. The girl in question is Meng Huaizhong’s eldest daughter, though she wasn’t born of his legal wife, but rather of one of his chambermaids. Her name is Meng Keqing, and she has an exceedingly pure and delicate beauty—just the type of woman who evokes a man’s instinct to protect. Six years ago, she caught the attention of the Han King by chance. He brought her into the palace, and upon returning to the capital, the Yun King took a liking to her. The Han King then gave her away to the Yun King as a gift.

Apparently, the Yun King is very fond of this concubine. Although she hasn’t borne him any children, she continues to receive his unwavering affection.

"The Yun King?" Yang Ruxin frowned. "So, you’re saying the Meng Family is aligned with the Yun King?"

"On the surface, that does seem to be the case," Du Man nodded in agreement.

Yang Ruxin’s expression turned thoughtful. "But didn’t Fatty Hao mention that the Meng Family has ties to the Crown Prince? What’s the nature of that connection?"

"Now that part gets interesting," Du Man chuckled. "In the Crown Prince’s residence, there are officially only two women with titles: the Crown Princess Consort, whom the Emperor arranged for him to marry, and another titled woman named Feng Rong, who holds the rank of liangdi. Feng Rong has a cousin named An Yun, who married into the Meng Family. Specifically, she is now the wife of Meng Huaizhong’s eldest son, Meng Kelong. Within the Meng Family, she’s considered the mistress of the household..."