After Song Si left, Song Wangyue took Meng Jiao to the parlour.
Song Si changed into a purple robe and came out, his whole person looked more and more handsome.
Luckily, Meng Jiao was not an ordinary lady of the house, and although she was stunning, she did not stare much, and followed Song Wangyue and called out to her big brother.
Song Si answered.
“I’ve brought back scented soap here and thought of sending some into the palace for Queen Consort Xian.”
Song Si didn’t know what “scented soap” was, but what Yue’er could bring back must be something good, so she nodded, “You can bring me some, I’ll send it to the Duke of Ding’s residence.”
“I’ll go with big brother and tell them the details of the soap.”
“Why don’t you go now, it’s time for your sister-in-law to wake up later.”
“That’s fine.”
Song Wangyue arranged for Meng Jiao to go to her own house over here to rest.
She and Song Si got out onto the carriage, took a bar of soap for Song Si to look at and gave him the idea of wanting the Meng family to be royal merchants.
After listening, Song Si pondered for a moment, “In that case, then you can’t just let Queen Consort Xian help out alone.”
“Big brother means to have the second prince help as well.”
A dark light flashed in Song Si’s eyes, “After you went to Jiangnan, he has sent people privately several times to invite me to drink, I only went once, the rest of the times I have refused on the grounds that your sister-in-law is unwell and needs company, I think he will be very uncomfortable in his heart and may suspect us, at this time to let him help, he should be very happy.”
Song Wan Yue nodded, “Then let’s go there now.”
Song Si instructed, and the coachman turned his horse around and hurried to the eastern gate of the Second Prince’s residence.
The second prince had told him during that drinking session that if something came up, he would come to the east side gate, and the people here would take him there directly.
The men guarding the east side gate had been instructed long ago, and when they saw that it was Song Si, one of them ran in quickly to report, while the other one respectfully greeted him, took a quick glance at Song Wan Yue, didn’t enquire much, and bowed, “Squire Song, please.”
The second prince was having a discussion with his staff in the palace and froze for a moment when he heard the subordinate’s report. He had sent someone to invite Song Si three or five times, but apart from the initial time, Song Si had never come.
The curtain-bearer was overjoyed, “Your Highness, it is better to invite the man in quickly.”
The Second Prince returned to his senses and ordered the man to be invited to the parlour and sat down himself.
The curtain-raiser was puzzled, “Your Highness, you are ……”
“This palace has invited him several times but he has not come, it would be too disgraceful for this palace to go over as soon as he arrives, let him dry out first.”
Song Si and Song Wan Yue both were brought into the parlour, the maids served tea, snacks and melons and retreated to the door, standing there with their eyes and noses in the air.
Song Wangyue put down the soap in her hand and forked a piece of watermelon into her mouth with her fork, “It’s so sweet, big brother, you try it too.”
Song Si really also forked a piece into his mouth and nodded his head, “It is really sweet, later on ask for a few for His Highness to bring back to your sister-in-law to also try.”
The two of them did not treat themselves as outsiders and the words they said soon reached the ears of the Second Prince, who then realised that Song Wangyue had also come and could not sit still at that moment and hurried over.
Hearing the footsteps, Song Si and Song Wan Yue rose to greet him, “Greetings, Your Highness.”
Despite his heart being happy, the Second Prince still kept his face straight, nodding his head in a nonchalant manner as he walked to the main seat and sat down, “Have a seat.”
The two of them thanked him and took their seats.
The Second Prince picked up his tea and asked nonchalantly, “When did Miss Song return?”
“An hour ago, went home to see my sister-in-law, and then came over with my elder brother to pay respects to Your Highness.”
The Second Prince knew she wasn’t lying, he would know when she had returned as soon as he sent someone to check. His attitude was slightly better, “It’s hard for Miss Song and Squire Song to still think of me.”
Song Si heard the displeasure in his words and quickly stood up to make amends, “Your Highness, please don’t blame me, it’s because my wife is not feeling well and I’m very anxious, even when I see Your Highness I can’t calmly drink with you, I hope Your Highness won’t blame me.”
The Second Prince had long sent someone to check, Xiao Yao was indeed suffering from severe pregnancy vomiting, if this was not the case, he would have forcefully called Song Si to come.
Even so, he did not intend to forgive Song Si so easily, he wanted Song Si to know who was the master, “In that case, it is still the fault of this palace?”
“It was Song Si who was wrong, so he came here today to make amends to His Highness.
The Second Prince didn’t say anything, bowing his head and drinking tea slowly.
Song Si just bowed his body.
Song Wangyue didn’t plead for him either.
It was only when the Second Prince finished a cup of tea, covered the lid and put it down that he said, unhurriedly, “Sit down.”
“Thank you, Your Highness.”
Song Si sat back down.
The Second Prince’s gaze swept over the two delicate hollowed-out boxes Song Wangyue had placed on the small table without a trace, “Is there something you came for today?”
“In reply to Your Highness’s words ……”
Song Wan Yue spoke, “I have shipped a batch of soap from the south, it’s very good, my grandmother’s mother’s family used a secret recipe to make the soap, I specially sent some over to Your Highness, by the way I would like to ask Your Highness a favor ……”
The second prince waited for her next words.
The first thing I wanted to do was to ask for the help of the Queen of Xian, but my elder brother said that it would be most appropriate to ask for the help of Your Highness.”
“Oh?”
“Your Highness can try the soap first, and then I will talk to you about helping.”
“How can I try it?”
“Please, Your Highness, have someone fetch a basin of water.”
The Second Prince ordered down, and the subordinate fetched water and brought it in.
Song Wangyue gestured for the Second Prince to wash his hands, opened the soap box, held it in front of him with both hands, and told him how to use it.
The second prince used it and thought it was very good, not only was it clean but it also left a lingering fragrance.
“Besides washing your hands, you can also use it for bathing, especially in summer, when people sweat easily and bathe a lot, it’s convenient to use the soap.”
“So what?”
The Second Prince guessed his intentions somewhat, but still asked without moving.
“This is something unique in the whole world, and I want Your Highness’s help to make the Meng family an imperial merchant. We and the Meng family are indebted to Your Highness.”
The Second Prince’s heart moved, although the Meng family was not considered the richest in Jiangnan, they were influential among merchants, if he did the Meng family this favour and collected them, he would be collecting the economic lifeline of Jiangnan, and if he did wait until the day when he had to fight for that position, he would have a source of money.
“Leave it to my palace.”
“Many thanks, Your Highness, just ……”
“Say.”
Song Wan Yue said carefully, as if she was afraid that he would be angry, “I also want to ask Queen Consort Xian to help as well.”
Sure enough, after hearing his words, the Second Prince’s gaze went cold, “You’re doubting the ability of this palace?”
Song Wangyue waved her hands in panic, “It’s not like that, I was thinking of taking this opportunity to let Concubine Zuo and Concubine Xian move around more, they are all family after all.”