CHAPTER 113: CHAPTER 113: JUST A CONVENIENT SISTER-IN-LAW

After the group finished their meal, Zhao Ting found out where the gossip subject was staying.

"Brother, once you arrive at that inn, just ask anyone and you’ll know," the person sharing the gossip said with a burp.

Zhao Ting patted him heavily on the back, appearing grateful.

"Then, brother, I’ll take my leave first," Zhao Ting stood up.

"We’ll just stay here and wait for you to come back and tell us," the gossip-sharer said.

Zhao Ting turned his back to them with a cold expression, thinking they could talk about it if they could.

After Zhao Ting left, the gossip-sharer suddenly felt a tickle in his throat and wanted to cough to clear it, but found he couldn’t make a sound.

He opened his mouth, gesticulating wildly, looking very comical.

The others at the table thought he was trying to be funny and laughed heartily.

After a while, they couldn’t laugh anymore.

This person suddenly lost his voice, and the first thing people thought was that something was wrong with the inn’s food.

After a commotion, the shopkeeper’s words left them stunned, "You’re not the only one who ate the food at this table. You’re all fine, except for him. Could it be that you can’t pay for the meal and teamed up to scam us?"

As the shopkeeper’s words fell, several strong servants gathered around.

They looked hard to provoke.

The group sheepishly paid for the meal, not daring to argue further, and decided the urgent matter was to see a doctor.

Meanwhile, during all this commotion, Zhao Ting had already reached Yuekelai.

In the main hall, many people were also enthusiastically discussing the same rumors he had heard at the Fuxiang Inn.

"Guest, our rooms are all booked," the waiter approached.

"I’m not here to stay; I’m looking for someone," Zhao Ting lowered his voice. "I came to town today and heard some unsettling rumors. That scholar and his mother are my relatives..."

He had heard enough of the gossip in the past few days.

However, the shopkeeper had warned him not to get involved.

"What relation are you to them?" the waiter asked in a low voice.

"Just... relatives," Zhao Ting mumbled.

The waiter sensed something unusual from this and, judging by his age, wondered if he could be Master Zhao’s father. Otherwise, why would he come looking for this reason?

If his guess was accurate, he couldn’t let the man in.

Causing a scene would be entertaining to watch.

But if the shopkeeper found out he got involved, he’d lose his job.

"Sir, rumors are just hot air; don’t take them to heart. The people you’re asking about aren’t known to me. These students here probably made up some idle stories for fun," the waiter said. "Most of the guests here are scholars; they have exams tomorrow. It’s not easy to study, so don’t disturb them."

With that, he half-pushed Zhao Ting out the door.

The waiter planned to inform the shopkeeper immediately, so everyone at the inn would keep their eyes open and not let this man overhear anything.

As for whether the shopkeeper would want to appease Master Zhao, that was beyond the waiter’s control.

Creating too much of a scene wouldn’t be good, which was why Zhao Ting was so easily pushed out by the waiter.

So, what should he do now?

Zhao Ting walked back with a furrowed brow, pondering a plan, and almost tripped over something.

He had tripped.

Before Zhao Ting could see what tripped him, he heard a familiar voice, "What on earth are you pondering so deeply?"

With a puzzled look, Meng Yao looked at the man in front of her.

Not far behind him was Yuekelai.

Fuxiang Inn was on another street.

This man couldn’t just be wandering the streets, could he?

At that moment, Meng Yao felt perhaps Ren Zhong’s suspicion wasn’t entirely unfounded?

This man had ulterior motives for her.

But Zhao Ting wasn’t thinking that; he wondered if Lady Ren Zhong had heard all those rumors and that’s why she had come to Yuekelai.

Could this be a grand drama of the rightful wife confronting the mistress?

After all, this was the original Zhao Ting’s wife, and making such a scene would tarnish her reputation.

Zhao Ting came to his senses, "Meeting by chance is better than a planned encounter. I’ve always felt guilty towards you, Madam. How about I treat you to a meal to apologize?"

Meng Yao was about to refuse, but Zhao Ting lowered his voice again, "I can help you think of a solution to your predicament, Madam."

Meng Yao was baffled, what predicament did she have? She wasn’t aware of any.

Was this approach to striking up a conversation too awkward?

"Rest assured, Madam, I am definitely on your side. Some things I can’t make too clear right now, but rest assured, I will protect your reputation, Madam," Zhao Ting said earnestly.

With his words, Meng Yao started to feel like she really had a problem.

Moreover, this man’s words seemed to imply he knew her?

This was intriguing; neither her original self nor she had ever met this man before that day.

"Where do you want to have dinner?" Meng Yao asked.

"The first restaurant in Huaiyuan County, Manxiang Restaurant," Zhao Ting replied.

It wasn’t some obscure place, so Meng Yao decided to see what this man was really up to.

"Really sorry to make you spend," Meng Yao said.

Zhao Ting secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "It’s my pleasure, my pleasure."

At Manxiang Restaurant, Zhao Ting specially requested a private room.

His every move was quite refined.

Clearly, he was somewhat rough before, but now he seemed like a gentleman with a touch of humility.

Was he afraid of being too abrupt, so he acted like this?

This made Meng Yao take a second look at him.

"I wonder what you meant by what you said earlier?" Meng Yao asked proactively.

"Madam, there’s no need to call me ’sir’; my last name is He, and my given name is Yan," Zhao Ting said.

These two characters were the same as his mother’s surname, which he chose for himself.

For now, he had no intention of revealing his identity as a Prince to the Meng family, and his princely name wasn’t something he could announce publicly, so he used this name for the time being.

Meng Yao nodded slightly, "Could you clarify what you’re saying, Master He?"

Zhao Ting said in a low voice, "Some matters don’t need Madam to face directly. Otherwise, an indecent woman causing trouble will harm Madam’s reputation in a dispute."

Who was this woman?

Why would she need to argue with her?

She couldn’t understand.

"Let me ask you this, Madam, what are your intentions? Do you wish to have that woman stay away from the County Magistrate, or would you rather warn the woman and then bring her into the household for the County Magistrate?" Zhao Ting asked.

"Bring her into the household for the County Magistrate? Why?" Meng Yao was puzzled.

She didn’t even know who Ren Zhong was having an affair with!

"I understand Madam’s meaning; rest assured, Madam, I will find a suitable opportunity to make that woman leave willingly," Zhao Ting said.

"No, explain yourself," Meng Yao rubbed her forehead and asked, "What does bringing someone into the County Magistrate’s household have to do with me?"

She was barely considered Ren Zhong’s sister-in-law by marriage.