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"Six……. Six…… six……" He Wenzhong's face was turning red. Holding his breath, he was about to choke to death. Then gasping for a short time, he tearfully looked at her: "Niang Niang could you be a bit more accommodating. I…. I can get someone to return to the residence to get some."

Xia Yuqing touched her chin in thought then smirked, becoming extremely delighted: "Sure. Ben Gong isn't someone without compassion. The general wants to dispatch someone to retrieve money, no problem. However, starting from the moment they leave Ben Gong's Xie Fang palace, we will double the debt every hour. Oh, the general doesn't know how to calculate right. Let Ben Gong help you. If you leave Ben Gong's place for an hour 8000 will become 16000. Two hours, 16000 will become 32000. Three hours 36000 becomes 60000*, and so on."

*not sure if the author wrote it wrong but will translate as is

Using the abacus within her hand, it clattered loudly: "Ben Gong has calculated. One Shichen is 4 hours. The generals place is a bit far from the palace so a round trip will take at least 2 shichens which means 8 hours. After eight hours, the general will owe Ben Gong, hmmm, 2144000 liang."

"Two…..two……two…." He Wenzhong's tongue was tied. Sucking in a deep breath, he looked like he was about to foam at his mouth.

"……" the palace maids and eunuchs on the side gave him a sympathetic glance. Within their hearts, they silently lit a candle for him. Encountering Niang Niang, this loan shark bandit, general just recognize defeat! If you continue to resist, you might even lose your underpants.

Xia Yuqing stared at He Wenzhong's deathly pale face, her eyes curving into a smile: "Young general, are you still insistent in going home to retrieve the money?"

He Wenzhong numbly nodded his head then suddenly reacted and shook his head like a rattle toy.

Even though he was from an influential family, his ancestors being government officials and making campaigns on the battlefield, but they also had many enemies. Being uncorrupt officials, they loathed those corrupt officials. So, even though their family property was big, they didn't have much wealth. Even telling him to take out around 200 liang is something that he can't really do. In fact, if his dad knew that he owed this much money, he would definitely break his leg!

"Niang Niang, what do I have to do for you to let me go…." He Wenzhong miserably looked at Xia Yuqing, his complexion deathly white with cold sweat flowing out. He looked exactly like a sick person beyond cure.

"General, are those superfluous words? The thing Ben Gong has wanted has never changed."

He Wenzhong at once was stupefied, then he quickly showed an awkward expression and struggled to speak: "But…."

Xia Yuqing immediately interrupted He Wenzhong. Slapping the abacus onto the table, she turned to give a face that said there was no more to discuss.

"……" He Wenzhong looked like he was about to collapse: "The Xue King won't admit it no matter what and is saying that the Xue kingdom has never had a young princess. He also told His Majesty to stop trying to find things to tarnish Xue Country to cause a dispute between the two countries. He even said that the assassin must have conspired to ruin the peaceful relations between the two countries and is guilty of a terrible crime. So His Majesty should punish the vile person immediately so they know they are not beyond law."

"If you were this straightforward from the beginning wouldn't it have made things a lot smoother?" Just after He Wenzhong repeated the words of the Xue King from beginning to end and haven't recovered from his depressed state, he was slapped by Xia Yuqing at the back of the head. All at once his head knocked onto the wooden table issuing out a loud bang.

"……" The group of shocked bystanders.

"……" The also stunned Xia Yuqing.

So it wasn't that she wasn't strong, rather the way she hits others is wrong?! Xia Yuqing stared blankly at her hand and couldn't help think this.

"Ughh, it hurts….." He Wenzhong covered the bump on the top of his head and slowly lifted his head to see stars above him. His mind a complete blank, he only felt as if there were a group of tiny birds chirping around him!

"Cough cough….." Xia Yuqing rushed to hide her evil committing hand behind her and embarrassedly said: "General, since this is the case then Ben Gong also won't make it hard for you. Please enjoy these dishes as you like."

Xia Yuqing looked at He Wenzhong's obvious eyes that revealed he had his guard up, so she rushed to add in another sentence. "Of course, this time Ben Gong is treating you and will not accept the General's money."

"……" He Wenzhong looked at the table full of food that still had steam coming out. He swallowed his saliva. "I…. I…."

"Hold it!" Xia Yuqing seized He Wenzhong who wanted to escape, her face full of sorrow: "General, are you not willing to forgive Ben Gong's lack of manners earlier?"

"Eh…. no, no. How…. would I dare?" He Wenzhong froze for a second and quickly waved his hand.

"Then please eat all of this. Otherwise, Ben Gong will feel bad."

"….. Ok… Ok then." He Wenzhong looked at the table full of delicious food and hesitated for a moment. In conformance with the logic that he had already paid for the favour and he shouldn't waste food, he once again sat down at the table. His grief transforming into hunger, he began to eat heartily.

Sigh, he really is an innocent child who remembers to eat and forgets being beat. Xia Yuqing looked at He Wenzhong's silly expression and shook her head and sighed. Then she couldn't help recall what He Wenzhong had just said.

That Xue King was quite cunning. After using the assassin, he now pretends he doesn't recognize them. Saying that there was no young princess from the start was basically him trying to draw a line and saying they have no relation. To sacrifice Yuan Er for their so called face, they are really malicious and sly. Poor Yuan Er…..

Recalling the adorable cute girl, she couldn't help let out a sigh. Subsequently, suddenly she could hear a regretful voice mumble to oneself: "If this pork shoulder could be stewed for another half hour, it would definitely taste a lot better."

He Wenzhongs voice wasn't loud but it definitely wasn't small.

Turning her head back, Xia Yuqing could see astonishment on Lu Rui's face. Following which Lu Rui smiled: "What General He said is right. Because of the time constraint earlier, the pork shoulder was stewed half an hour short. Otherwise if we stewed it a little longer, it would be even softer and yummier."

"You can cook?" Receiving Lu Ruis confirmation, Xia Yuqing astonishedly asked.

He Wenzhong felt embarrassed as he scratched his head and replied straightforwardly: "My mother said I shouldn't just know how to eat. If I don't learn some cooking skills, then I might starve to death in the future."

Xia Yuqing nodded her head cooly, yet her heart was in a big ruckus. You have to know that in the 21st century it was quite rare to find a man who would willingly go into the kitchen and make soup. Not to even mention this time period where men are regarded as superior to women. This is practically as uncommon as it gets! As expected he really is wifey material!

If we were to bestow this wifey material to the Ultra Seme Lord, wouldn't that two faced person would ruin this treasure?!