jdhmnovel Chapter 359 Entering the Capital, An Mi's Anger (2)
Chapter 359 Entering the Capital, An Mi's Anger (2)
Just as she was frowning, a burst of firecrackers rang out. Amidst everyone's gaze and cheers, Cheng Ying personally tore down the red silk that had been covering the plaque, revealing the four large characters "Prosperous Flames" in full view.
Cheng Ying spoke a few more words to the onlookers, inviting them inside. Many people had likely come specifically for the shop, and soon the entire place was packed. Cheng Ying instructed the staff to attend to the customers before approaching An Mi and softly calling out, "Miss..."
"I never expected that I would be the last person to know that Shengshi Lieyan was going to set up shop in the capital!" An Mi said calmly, a hint of displeasure in her eyes.
Cheng Ying's expression changed slightly. Although she had anticipated that this preemptive action would displease her young mistress, she had already mentally prepared herself. Even though her young mistress hadn't fully vented her anger, the mere fact that she had done so made her extremely uneasy. "Young mistress, please listen to me..."
"Forget it, what can you say? I think it's more appropriate to let someone else say it!" An Mi interrupted Cheng Ying, turning her gaze to Bai Yi. Meeting his half-smiling eyes, Cheng Ying didn't have the guts unless someone else was making arrangements behind the scenes, and that someone else... without a doubt, it was Bai Yi.
Bai Yi seemed to have anticipated An Mi's accusations. He raised a thick eyebrow, still calmly meeting An Mi's gaze. "It was me. I arranged all of this. Isn't it a good thing that Shengshi Lieyan is entering the capital? Besides, everyone in the capital already knows about your embroidery and clothing making for the concubines during the Ghost Festival. Since your reputation has already spread, why waste such a good opportunity? You're a businessman, surely you understand the stakes involved?"
An Mi's lips curled into a sarcastic smile. Thinking back to yesterday when she mentioned leaving the capital, Bai Yi hadn't reacted at all. So, all of this was waiting for her here?
He wanted her to stay, so he took it upon himself to open the Shengshi Lieyan restaurant in the capital. This man really buried his thoughts deep!
An Mi lowered her brows slightly, the corners of her mouth curving upwards a little wider. Instead of looking at Bai Yi, she walked towards Shengshi Lieyan, speaking softly as she went, "Your Highness is right. Shengshi Lieyan has such a large area under the capital, and with the protection of the Prince of Bohai, it is indeed a good thing!"
An Mi's reaction made Bai Yi frown, and his guard inevitably rose.
When Bai Yi and Cheng Ying saw An Mi enter the shop, they exchanged a glance and immediately followed her. Bai Yi watched as An Mi casually selected a few embroidery items and examined them, as if scrutinizing something. Occasionally, she would blurt out a few words of praise, which made Bai Yi and Cheng Ying frown.
"It was indeed my oversight to allow Shengshi Lieyan to set up shop in the capital without consulting you beforehand. But since things have come to this, I can't just shut down the shop, can I? If you are unhappy, feel free to vent your anger on me. I will accept it all without any resistance. What do you think?" Bai Yi stepped forward, his face full of flattery.
But An Mi wasn't buying it. She chuckled and said, "It seems that Your Highness has sold me all of your share in Prosperous Flames. Is it inappropriate for Your Highness to utter the word 'discuss' at this moment? Your Highness may be delicate and precious, but you are not thin-skinned."
Negligence? He clearly did it on purpose. An Mi didn't hold back her words, but the displeasure in her heart could not be so easily dispelled.
The King of Bohai's lips twitched involuntarily, but he did not refute it, only smiling awkwardly, "Isn't this all for the long-term development of the Prosperous Flame?"
This remark drew a glance from An Mi, whose tone remained sharp, "That's quite far-sighted. I had no idea that the Flourishing Flames were under the Prince's command!"
"Miss...Miss, please forgive me. I should have consulted you. This was Cheng Ying's oversight." Upon hearing An Mi's pointed words, Cheng Ying's heart skipped a beat. Even though she was capable of handling things on her own and would not back down in front of men, even at the negotiating table, her aura was enough to make men fear her. However, she lacked confidence in front of An Mi.
An Mi's gaze narrowed slightly, and the smile on her lips turned even colder. "Negligence? You know it was negligence? You know you should have asked for instructions? I'm afraid that if you encounter a similar situation in the future, you will be manipulated by certain people again, and you might not even know your own name."
While Bai Yi was certainly behind this, without Cheng Ying's cooperation, how could he have so quietly opened the Grand Flame in the capital, with her being the last person to know?
She didn't blame Cheng Ying, but some rules had to be established. She needed a right-hand woman who would only obey her orders. If Cheng Ying couldn't even do that, then she wasn't worthy of standing in this blazing inferno and working for her.
Bai Yi, Cheng Ying, and even Qing Lan, who came in with them, did not expect that An Mi, who had been relatively calm just moments before, was still calm, but the undercurrents were surging beneath the surface, which was beyond their expectations.
Surrounded by customers selecting embroidery items, the four of them seemed even more awkward amidst the lively noise. Cheng Ying frowned. When she decided to follow the Prince of Bohai's arrangements, she had already anticipated that it would displease her mistress. Her mistress wanted a loyal assistant, and she had undoubtedly committed a grave mistake.
She had already prepared herself mentally, but she did not regret her actions. She knew all too well the purpose of the prince's scheme. Thinking of the kindness her mistress had shown her, even if her mistress distrusted her because of this, as long as her mistress stayed in the capital and could find her place, she felt it was all worth it.
Taking a deep breath, Cheng Ying suddenly knelt down. This kneeling caused the once bustling shop to fall silent. Almost everyone turned to look at her, their eyes fixed on the kneeling woman, their faces filled with shock and astonishment.
They had all witnessed it; this woman was the manager of the Prosperous Flame, yet now she was kneeling on the ground, and the person she was kneeling to… Everyone’s gaze followed the direction where Cheng Ying was kneeling and shifted to another woman.
Those who had seen Anmi at the Ghost Festival recognized her immediately, their eyes filled with barely concealed jealousy. They hadn't forgotten how, at the Ghost Festival banquet that day, the Prince of Bohai had defied the imperial decree to refuse marriage for this woman. Although the Prince of Bohai later inexplicably accepted the Emperor's decree, now that Yunxiu was seriously ill, the marriage was off. The possibility of the Prince of Bohai and Anmi remaining together...
The others also noticed the presence of the King of Bohai and the First Prince in the hall. The two were standing beside the woman, and everything seemed extremely strange.
Those who didn't know An Mi were even more curious about this woman. Who exactly was she, to be able to stand beside the First Prince and the King of Bohai, and to have the manager of the newly opened Shengshi Lieyan kneel before her?