Chapter 23: The Murderous Intent Gradually Rises

  Chu Ba gazed at her flexible waist with some admiration, and after a while, he suddenly burst out laughing. "Good phrase for our first meeting, I like it. Although that thing happened many days ago, I believe you have already recognized me, and I'm here just to ask you one thing, so I hope you can answer honestly."

  Flowers in the rain watching him.

  Chu Ba suddenly leaned in and lowered his voice: "Has anyone asked you about what happened that day recently?"

  The rain poured down, and she suddenly opened her eyes, "Except for the Fourth Prince, there is no one else."

  "What did you say?"

  "I fainted and didn't see anything, what can I say?"

  "Chu Ba's nostrils flared as he snorted, 'I hope your actions are more reliable than your words. Also, I hope you understand that if you reveal what happened that day, it won't just be you who dies. The entire Guo Gong Fu, and everyone related to it, will all perish.'"

  It's better to keep these things secret. Hua Yu sat down on a chair, pouted her mouth, and even if she didn't ask about politics, she knew that at the time, probably everyone in the Guo Gongfu would die, and those related to the Crown Prince would not be able to escape. After all, in this imperial court, the Empress Dowager and the Taifu were also important figures who held great power.

  Chu Ba saw her expression and felt annoyed, so he sat down in front of her with a threatening tone and said: "Do you know why I brought everyone to the martial arts arena? Because my fourth brother is not a fool, he has been secretly monitoring me all along. You'd better not reveal any weaknesses to him."

  "Your Highness doesn't need to threaten me, and you don't need to teach me what to do either. Also, if you've finished speaking, would you please leave? It's really inconvenient for us to be in the same room like this."

  Chu Ba stared at her, what made this little woman always so arrogant and bossy every time she faced him, was she his father or mother?

  If it weren't for having something else to ask of her today, I would have taken care of her long ago!

  He almost slammed his face black and slapped his big knife on the table, "I heard that your Wanyuan Rice Store still has 200,000 dan of rice, is this true?"

  Her eyebrows jumped at the mention of rain, this matter was not considered a secret, but how did it reach his ears? Does the prince also manage other people's warehouse rice and grains?

  Chu Ba was obviously getting impatient, "Is it or isn't it? Why aren't you answering?"

  "What if it is? What if it isn't?" she said slowly and deliberately.

  "If so, I suggest you sell those 200,000 tons of rice to me at a price no lower than the market price."

  Hua Zhe Yu suddenly became alert, "You, prince, haven't eaten yet?"

  Chu Ba snorted coldly, "You talk too much, are you selling or not?"

  With a hint of jest, he said: "To be honest, there are indeed twenty million dan of rice, but although they're nominally mine, they're actually stored in someone else's warehouse. If Your Excellency can help me transport those grains out of that person's warehouse, I'd naturally be willing to sell."

  "Where did this come from?" Chu Ba's eyes narrowed.

  She told him everything about the management of the Wan Yuan rice store by the Gu family, without hiding anything. Finally, she said with a hint of a smile: "If Your Highness is confident that you can transport those grains out and digest them instantly so that no one from the Gu family can find any clues, and it won't cause any trouble, then this transaction can be concluded."

  Chu Bao really didn't expect things to be so tortuous. Thinking about Miss Hua Qi in front of him, who is about to marry Bei Ming, before leaving, she not only suffered robbery and murder, but also managed to escape with her life, and now she's being blackmailed by her stepmother. If it were an ordinary woman, she would have been scared out of her wits, but she... He couldn't help but look her up and down.

  A spotless white long dress, with a golden thread embroidered sash around the waist, cinched at the waist to perfection. Her eyebrows are slender and long, her eyes are dark and bright, her facial features perfectly balanced, showcasing her owner's extraordinary self-control and wisdom. And when she plots, that subtle smile, the pair of dimples on her cheeks, all so captivating...

  "It seems that Your Highness has limited abilities and can only gaze at the 200,000 dan of rice from afar with a sigh." Hua Zhe Yu seemed to be unaware of his measurement, speaking and laughing to himself.

  Chu Ba raised his eyes and said, "You don't need to urge me on this matter. The Gu family currently has great power in the imperial court, and it's indeed very difficult to dispose of the grain without leaving any trace that can be detected by them. However, as long as there is one person here, this matter can be done with absolute certainty."

  "Really?"

  Suddenly, the sound of birds chirping came from outside. Chu Ba suddenly picked up his knife and stood up, saying in a low voice: "Someone is coming, I won't say much to you either. In two days, I'll let that person come and sign a contract with you. You can quote your own price..."

  He turned around and walked towards the window, but Hua Yu pulled him back, "You haven't given me the deposit yet..."

  Chu Ba turned his head, his eyebrows slightly furrowed in incredulity, "The eight characters haven't even been written yet, and you're already asking for money? Are you crazy about money?"

  After finishing speaking, he slapped her hand away and had already slipped out of the window.

  Hua Zhe Yu looked in the direction he disappeared and sighed: "You're really heartless. You think I want to be shameless, but I'm anxious to get money to buy a house..."

  Chu Ba leaped out of the window, and Officer Ah Xin led him over the back wall. Since they had already arranged for another officer, Ah Xiu, to keep those people occupied in the martial arts arena, the two of them managed to leave the Duke's estate directly. It wasn't until they were on the carriage that Ah Xin finally couldn't help but say in a low voice: "Your Highness, since she didn't reveal anything, why not just kill her with one stroke and be done with it? Why let her go free and put us at risk?"

  "Kill her, who will give me those large quantities of rice?"

  "Your Highness, you should be clear that those grains of rice are no longer in her hands, and killing her would not be a conflict."

  Chu Ba's face turned red with rage, and he retorted: "What do you know? I have always done things with reason and evidence, how can I be like those bandits who rob and plunder?"

  Ah Xin shut his mouth, but in his heart he was unconvinced. Obviously, he was the one who had been using strong words to seize reason. It's really unclear what he wanted to do by dragging things out like this.

  Chu Ba didn't bother with her anymore and knocked on the car door. "Don't go back to the palace yet, go find Zhī Sōng at another courtyard."

  "Your Highness really intends to have Master Fang go and talk to Seventh Miss personally?" Ah Xin couldn't help but ask.

  Chu Bao leaned his broadsword against his head and closed his eyes, too lazy to say another word.

  Ah Xin muttered to himself, truly unaware of what kind of magical method the seventh young lady had used, actually getting the prince to agree to help her rob grain from the Gu House, didn't he know how dangerous that was?

  In the national duke's mansion, a crowd of people stood under the scorching sun waiting for Ah Xiu to finish her boxing routine. They waited left and right, but didn't see the prince arrive until they were all drenched in sweat. Then, a small eunuch came running over to say that the prince had an urgent matter and returned to the palace. Everyone's heart rose with resentment - how could this prince be so self-willed? He actually abandoned them and left first! It was clear that he didn't take the national duke's mansion seriously at all!

  Chu Mingqiu heard the news and didn't get angry. He just apologized to the crowd on behalf of the crown prince, then bid farewell as well.

  He had just mounted his horse when Chen Changqing's figure appeared from a short distance away.

  "Has anyone tracked down where the prince went?" Chu Mingqiu's face was expressionless.

  Chen Changqing lowered his head and said, "The Guo Gong Fu is too big, we don't dare to get too close, all I know is that he seems to have returned to the inner courtyard again, but I don't know exactly where."

  Chu Mingqiu's eyebrows furrowed tightly, and he fell silent for a moment. "In any case, assign a few more people to keep an eye on Miss Hua Qi. I always feel that even if she doesn't know about this matter, there are many strange things about her. Keep it as secret as possible."

  "Yes."

  In Da Cheng Garden.

  It seems that Mr. Gu, looking somewhat worn out, folded a letter and put it in an envelope, and Hua Ruoyun took it over. "The day after tomorrow is the half-month lake banquet of Princess Dachang, although on the surface it's to invite people to avoid the heat and appreciate the lotus flowers, actually it's to find a daughter-in-law for her foolish son, at that time you will definitely be invited, second uncle...

  Help her foolish son suppress his foolish illness. So, you have someone deliver this letter to your second uncle today and let him handle things perfectly for me that day."

  Hua Ruo's eyebrows furrowed slightly as she asked, "What exactly does sister want brother-in-law to do?"