Zhao Da looked at the stewards with some confusion.
"Uncle Zhao, I heard these few are your stewards, and this entire street belongs to the Zhao family, is that right?"
Zhao Da glanced at the stewards' faces and shook his head slightly, clearly not recognizing them.
It was understandable; how could a mere steward be remembered by the family head?
"This street indeed belongs to my Zhao family. Please, just give any orders you wish. I see this shop is too small; how about I find you a larger one?"
Zhao Da nodded, confirming that the street was indeed Zhao family property.
"Alas! I wonder where this nephew has offended Uncle Zhao, for your Zhao family to seal my shop. If I have caused any offense, I hope Uncle Zhao will forgive me."
Su Fan spoke to Zhao Da with a wronged expression.
Zhao Da was startled but quickly understood the implication of Su Fan's words.
He certainly hadn't troubled Su Fan. If Su Fan spoke like this, it must be because the Zhao family had done something to displease him, and he had just mentioned the Zhao family stewards…
Zhao Da's face immediately contorted with anger as he looked at the stewards and the others.
"Are you using your positions to make things difficult for Lord Su!"
Zhao Da was burning with rage.
Despite the Zhao family's current prosperity, they held no real power, merely clinging to the Crown Prince.
Su Fan, on the other hand, was a high official who had genuinely rendered great service. How could the Zhao family compare? Furthermore, the relationship between the Crown Prince and Su Fan was not something he could afford to offend.
"My lord! This humble one was blind and did not recognize your eminence! It is all the fault of my useless nephew! I beg the family head for punishment!"
At this moment, nothing else mattered; the most important thing was to admit fault, as that was the only glimmer of hope.
The steward immediately knelt on the ground, begging Zhao Da for mercy, and then shifted the blame to his nephew.
"Uncle, what's wrong? Why are you afraid of them? You are the master here. Even if the King of Hell himself came, he would have to obey you. Wasn't that what you said?"
The sharp-mouthed, monkey-faced man looked at his uncle in confusion.
Su Fan's eyes lit up.
"Disrespecting His Majesty, Uncle Zhao, you can report them to the authorities and have them arrested."
Su Fan said to Zhao Da.
Zhao Da understood Su Fan's meaning as soon as he heard his words.
"Take them to the yamen!"
Zhao Da immediately ordered his guards.
These men, who couldn't even lift a chicken, were quickly subdued by Zhao Da's guards and sent directly to the authorities, their pleas for mercy ignored.
"Uncle Zhao, let us have a few good drinks today."
With the bothersome flies gone, Su Fan said enthusiastically to Zhao Da.
"Brother Su, may I give the remaining ingredients in the shop to the beggars outside?"
Wen Yan walked over and asked Su Fan.
There were many leftover ingredients in the kitchen from the day, such as steamed rice, which would be unusable tomorrow and would be a waste to discard. He wanted to give them to the beggars outside, so he came to seek Su Fan's opinion.
"You decide for yourselves. If you think it's right, then do it."
Su Fan did not nod but let Wen Yan and the others make their own decisions because the shop belonged to them, not him. He could not make decisions for others.
However, Su Fan had funded the entire shop, so Cheng Yaoyin and the others implicitly considered it Su Fan's and wanted to seek his opinion on any ideas.
With Su Fan's consent, Wen Yan went to carry it out.
He scooped out all the rice from the pots and added some small pickles, intending to give them to the beggars outside to fill their stomachs.
"Hey, hey, you're dressed so well, why are you begging for food like a beggar?"
As Su Fan was drinking with Zhao Da, Cheng Yaoyin's displeased voice suddenly came from outside.
"I'm hungry, and I don't have any money on me. I'm sorry."
Xiao Xue'er said pitifully, touching her stomach and putting the food back.
She hadn't found Su Fan and was penniless. Seeing free food here, she had come over, only to find out it was for beggars.
Su Fan was taken aback. That voice sounded familiar.
"Uncle Zhao, please continue drinking. I'll go out and see."
Su Fan curiously walked out of the inn to look outside.
He saw Xiao Xue'er standing to the side, watching the beggars eat with longing, her saliva almost dripping onto the ground.
"Princess?"
Su Fan was stunned.
Why had Xiao Xue'er come here?
Was she here to congratulate the Peace Inn on its opening?
Soon, Su Fan dismissed the thought.
If she were here to congratulate them, she would have entered long ago. Why would she be standing outside, drooling over beggars?
"Xiao Xue'er, why are you here?"
Su Fan guessed that Xiao Xue'er might have snuck out of the palace again and asked her directly.
Xiao Xue'er was lost in thought, imagining herself eating the food. When she heard someone call her, she immediately turned her head.
"Su Fan!"
Upon seeing Su Fan, Xiao Xue'er's eyes welled up with tears.
"Wuwuwu, I finally found you!"
Xiao Xue'er rushed over and hugged Su Fan, crying.
She hadn't eaten all day, and finding Su Fan was like finding a meal ticket!
"What's wrong? Get down first and then we'll talk."
Su Fan said somewhat awkwardly to Xiao Xue'er, his hands hanging in the air, feeling helpless.
It wasn't that he was cowardly, but Xiao Xue'er's status did not allow him to be presumptuous. What if he was implicated?
"I'm hungry."
(｡i_i｡)
Xiao Xue'er looked up at Su Fan pitifully.
Su Fan found it amusing.
Had she really not eaten? It was rare for a princess to be in such a state.
"Come in, let's eat together."
Su Fan brought Xiao Xue'er inside.
Zhao Da was in the middle of drinking.
As his gaze swept past, he saw Xiao Xue'er beside Su Fan.
!!!∑(ﾟДﾟノ)ノ
"Your Highness!"
Zhao Da had naturally seen Xiao Xue'er before; he had seen her when he entered the palace.
As a shrewd old man, he would remember such an important figure even if he had only seen her once, to avoid offending someone he shouldn't. Naturally, he recognized Xiao Xue'er at a glance.
Xiao Xue'er couldn't be bothered with Zhao Da at the moment. Seeing the food on the table, she rushed over and began to eat voraciously.
She was simply too hungry.
This was her first meal since dinner last night; she had been hungry for a day and a night.
"Slow down, no one is snatching it from you,"
Su Fan said speechlessly to Xiao Xue'er.
"Da Niu, ask Aunt Niu to help prepare some more food."
Su Fan instructed Da Niu.
To ensure there was enough for Xiao Xue'er.
"Lord Su, who is this?"
Zhao Da had also heard rumors about Su Fan's close relationship with the princess, but he had always dismissed them as gossip. Xiao Xue'er's appearance today made him doubt.
Could it be that Su Fan truly had an improper relationship with the princess?
"She must have snuck out. Don't say anything foolish."
Su Fan explained to Zhao Da, urging him not to speak carelessly to avoid trouble.
"This old man understands, this old man understands."
Zhao Da immediately put on a knowing smile.
He had clearly misunderstood. Su Fan merely wanted to prevent Zhao Da from getting into unnecessary trouble.
Zhao Da, on the other hand, interpreted it as the princess secretly leaving the palace to meet Su Fan in private, and he was being warned not to reveal it.
Zhao Da chuckled, thinking that by getting closer to the Prince Consort, his Zhao family's status would rise another level!