Chapter 35: Qifeng Takes Action
Nanhe Wangfu
Chu Qiyan walked out of Chu Yimin's study, just in time to meet Diancui, who was dressed in a elegant green dress, walking into the courtyard from outside.
"The maid servant has seen Master Shizi!" Jing Cui hadn't expected to run into him here, and hastily stepped aside to curtsy.
"Hmm!" Chu Qiyan responded faintly, her eyes fixed on the path ahead as she continued walking.
Dian Cui's attitude was respectful and cautious, with her eyes cast down at her toes, until Chu Qiyan walked several steps away before she lifted her hand and continued walking in with the maid.
"Master!" Li Lin, who was waiting outside the courtyard, hastened a step forward as soon as he saw Chu Qiyan come out.
Chu Qiyan's complexion wasn't very good, and upon hearing the sound of the door opening behind her, she turned her head to take a look. A sharp glint flashed across the bottom of her eyes as she suddenly asked, "Have you investigated her background?"
"Yes!" Li Lin replied, "This Cui Niang was also from an official family background, her father was a seventh-rank county official in Liu Zhou. When the Emperor ascended to the throne, he conducted a large-scale purge of the entire political situation, and her whole family was implicated, that's when she was sold into the teaching pavilion. Over the years, she has been transferred several times, changing hands several times, with some complicated background in between. If the young master needs it, I will verify each point later, but based on the surface information obtained, there shouldn't be any problems."
"Isn't there a problem?" Chu Qiyan also didn't know if she had heard his words, and just let out a thoughtful sigh.
As they were speaking, Chu Lingyun appeared in the garden across from them, accompanied by two maids.
"What's wrong with this woman?" Chu Lingyun asked.
Chu Yimeng's women are numerous, Chu Qiyan has long been used to it, and there aren't many who can get his attention.
"For the time being, I don't see anything." Chu Qiyan came back to her senses and first instructed Li Lin, "Go investigate again, I want this woman's detailed information, don't miss any clues."
"Yes! I understand." Li Lin replied, and seeing Chu Lingyun come over, he voluntarily excused himself.
Chu Lingyun furrowed her brow, gazing at the study door with flickering lights ahead, and said cautiously, "You really suspect this woman? She's only been in the mansion for half a month, I've had Ziwei keep an eye on her. Apart from being good at manipulating men, she hasn't done anything special to catch Father's attention."
"It's probably just my imagination, I don't know what's going on, but ever since I got back from Chu Zhou last time, I've been feeling a bit off." Zhu Qiyan shook her head and smiled, putting aside those disturbing thoughts for the moment, and asked seriously, "Big sister, why are you here? Are you looking for me?"
"Hmm!" Chu Lingyun nodded, "About tomorrow's imperial grandmother's birthday banquet, I have two things to say to you, are you available now?"
"Then... come with me." Chu Qiyan said.
Chu Lingyun nodded, and the two of them walked into the garden, one in front of the other.
Listening to the faint laughter coming from the study room behind, Chu Qiyan took two steps and couldn't help but look back again.
His father had ambition and ideals, but was dissatisfied with the status quo. However, he was just upright in his indulgence in women, which made him quite different from Chu Yi'an.
The two returned to Zhu Qiyan's courtyard and entered the study.
The maid brought tea, and Chu Qiyan waved her hand to dismiss her.
He sat behind his desk and took a glance at Chu Lingyun's face, then nodded knowingly: "You've come to see me about the Crown Prince of Changshun, I presume?"
Chu Lingyun's feelings for her siblings were deep, and she didn't hide it from him. She said impatiently, "I don't know what's going on with Su Lin, but he just won't let go of me. Lately, he's been sending invitations to my door every day, inviting me to travel together. Although I've refused them all, tomorrow is the grand birthday banquet for the Empress Dowager, and I'm afraid he'll make a scene in public."
"You're overthinking it." Chu Qiyan smiled slightly, leaning back in her chair and taking a sip of tea. "This engagement is a mutually beneficial transaction between two parties; even if he's extremely eager, he wouldn't dare speak rashly without first getting the emperor's approval. Would he unilaterally ask for a marriage? Unless he wants to make things awkward."
Chu Lingyun saw his determined expression and couldn't help but feel a sense of urgency, slamming the teacup on the table and saying, "I don't care, anyway, before the banquet tomorrow, you find an opportunity to see Su Lin alone first and make things clear with him. If not, I won't be at ease!"
Chu Qiyan was calculating the benefits of an alliance between the two families in her heart, but upon hearing this, she was taken aback and suddenly spoke in a cold tone, "What's going on? Did you fall into his trap?"
If it weren't for this, why would Chu Lingyun also become wary of Su Lin?
Chu Lingyun bit her lip, her eyes increasingly impatient, and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Last time in Chu State, I was so angry that I borrowed his and Su Wei's hands to find fault with Chu Muyang. He didn't even accomplish anything, yet he still has the nerve to come before me and take credit? It's simply preposterous!"
"Was that chaotic conflict in the city your doing?" Chu Qiyan's face sank, and a cold glint flashed out of her eyes for an instant.
Just as he was about to say something, Li Lin burst in from outside, his face grave with urgency: "Young Master, it's not good, something big has happened."
"What's wrong?" Chu Qiyan's expression turned solemn as she exchanged a glance with Chu Lingyun.
"We had a trade route connected to the Western Regions, but within this month alone, we've been robbed by mountain bandits twice, suffering heavy losses." Li Lin said, his face filled with grief.
The Nanhe Wangfu wants to buy people's hearts and expand its influence, which requires a large amount of silver that is not a problem. The merchant road heading west is the most important part of this endeavor.
"What?" Chu Qiyan's face suddenly changed color, and just then, a "crack" sound was heard. The teacup in his hand had been crushed, and the tea water splashed all over his body.
Chu Lingyun suddenly slapped the table and stood up, taking a swift step to Li Lin's front. Her beautiful face twisted into an almost ferocious expression as she confirmed, "Say it again, what exactly is going on?"
The merchant fleet was hijacked, and it happened twice in a row? Wouldn't that result in losses of over 100,000 taels of silver?
Is someone daring to openly make a move on the Nanhe Wangfu's business line? It's simply a huge joke!
"The specific situation is not very clear, this is just a message from the business side. Li Lin said, taking out a small note from his sleeve and handing it to Chu Qiyan, "After the first incident, the news was deliberately concealed, and someone even used our business's secret language to let Manager Sun quickly supplement another batch of goods with larger shares, the losses from the two shipments are as much as 200,000 taels!"
"Two hundred thousand taels!" Chu Lingyun let out a cold breath, and sat down in the chair with a thud, slapping her palm on the table. "These mountain bandits, I think they're tired of living!"
"Mountain bandits?" Chu Qiyan's face turned cold as he smiled, the paper ball in his hand crumbling into dust that fell from between his fingers. He squeezed out a single word from between his teeth, "Besides Dong Gong and Chu Qifeng, no one else has such a big handwriting!"
Digression
Yeah, Qifeng and Guoguo are also starting to counterattack the bird. The siblings join forces, one taking care of internal affairs and the other external ones. The South River Wang Fu is going to have a good show to watch haha!
