Chapter 18: A Golden Opportunity

  In short, she had to return the 100,000 taels of silver before taking over the shop.

  Hua Zhe was secretly laughing coldly, this Gu's family trickery is indeed more and more venomous, on the surface saying to let herself take over the shop, but unknowingly when did she make the shopkeeper do a set of fake accounts, and also made the shop bear the responsibility of losing 100,000 taels of silver in public? In the end, Gu's family is probably not just going to seize these few shops, but also wants herself to hand over those jewelry as collateral? And then she still wants to pretend to be thinking for her own good?

  Are the three rice shops really losing money? Did the warehouse only collect 5,000 dan of rice? And are those 20,000 dan of moldy rice really unsold by Wanyuan Rice Shop?

  She smiled unintentionally, "Losing so much silver is scary, it seems that the three rooms of daughters are not capable of taking over."

  The fine lines at the corners of Gu's eyes seemed to smile, but she pretended to be very embarrassed and said: "Originally, it was a shop left by Aunt Yue for you. Because the shop was losing money before, my mother wanted to quietly give it to you without putting it in your dowry. But now that the matter has been clarified in front of your second aunt and third aunt, I'm afraid you can't refuse to take over the shop. As for how to fill the losses, we should think about it together as a family."

  The rain poured down at the corner of her mouth, and indeed, she thought about it with the door closed, probably just pawning off her jewelry.

  Peony was anxious and sweating, but she just lowered her eyes and said: "This matter... I really don't know what to do, let mother decide."

  Gu's family and Hua Ruo Yun exchanged a pleased smile, this fool has fallen into their trap.

  "Madam, the fourth prince has arrived." Just as Madame Gu was about to say something she had prepared earlier, the big maid, Liu Lian, suddenly came in to report.

  "Is there something wrong?"

  "I heard that Ruo Meng's sister was injured, so I brought some nourishing food to visit her." As he spoke, a small servant with narrow eyes lifted the door curtain, and then they saw Chu Mingqiu, wearing a dark blue robe with an air of dignity, and Hua Changrui, whose face looked somewhat delicate, walking in together.

  Gu's family and Hua Ruo Yun hastily got up to greet him, "How dare we trouble Your Highness to come in person? It would be a great favor if someone were sent to ask after us."

  "That's what they say, but considering the friendship between me and the Duke of Guo, I should have come in person." After finishing the polite words, Chu Mingqiu shifted his gaze and stared at Hua Zheyu, who was sitting silently on a chair.

  Gu's face sank. Can't the fourth prince put down his infatuation with Hua Ze Yu? He stared at her as soon as he came, what did he mean? Where was he putting his mind?

  At this time, Hua Changrui had already spoken out, "The Fourth Prince is not only here to see Eighth Sister, today Chen Taifu's eldest grandson Chen Daguizi was assassinated on the street, and since Seventh Sister was at the scene, the Fourth Prince was entrusted with the defense of the city, he came to ask Seventh Sister if she had seen the assassin clearly at that time."

  Gu's expression slightly cleared, she looked at Hua Zhe Yu, "Did something big happen on the street today? Since it is the Fourth Prince's responsibility, Qi Mei must tell the Lord about what happened."

  Hua Zhe Yu's face was pale and weak as she allowed Hua Ruo to help her up, bowing slightly towards Chu Ming Qiu and speaking in a soft voice: "Your Highness, I was sitting in the carriage at the time, when suddenly it was violently jolted, causing the carriage to overturn. At that moment, I had completely fainted. Later, when I came to, I saw many officials and soldiers surrounding me... now that I think about it, I'm still frightened..."

  She looked like she was still in a state of shock, which really made people feel sympathetic towards her.

  "Is that so?" Chu Mingqiu stared at her unblinkingly, "If what you said is true, then it means you didn't see the assassin's shadow at all?"

  Hua Zhe Yu nodded slightly, "I've always been a timid girl."

  Are you timid? Chu Mingxiu sneered, daring to openly threaten him, the fourth prince, and still having the nerve to claim that she was timid?

  "Chen Da Gongzi is my imperial grandmother's nephew. This time, he was stabbed to death on the street, and it's likely that you and Qi Bei Ming switching medicine have a great deal to do with it. If you want to find the real culprit who tried to kill you as soon as possible, I hope Seventh Miss can report all the things she remembers in detail to me."

  Flowers in the rain, pretending to be silly. But in his heart, he was thinking that if Chen Da Gongzi was the nephew of the Empress Dowager, then before he died, he shouted for his aunt to kill the assassin, and this aunt referred to the Empress Dowager. And that assassin, he clearly recognized him, who exactly was that person? With his family background, couldn't he just kill that person? Did he have to bring out the Empress Dowager to do it?

  "Oh dear, Your Highness, please stop staring at my seventh sister with that accusatory gaze. Can't you see she's on the verge of fainting? Zhong Sheng," Hua Changrui showed some brotherly concern and instructed a nearby servant, "Go outside and call for a sedan chair, hurry up and send Seventh Miss back to Jingting Garden. On such a hot day, we can't have her really fainting in Mother's chambers."

  What time is it?

  Hua Zhe's eyes narrowed, and she soon realized that the small-eyed young man following Hua Changrui was exchanging glances with a rather inconspicuous durian-browed person standing beside him. It turned out he was Zhong Sheng, the son of Manager Zhong?

  What a great opportunity! If Gu's family doesn't spit out the profit from the three shops she swallowed, plus interest, she shouldn't be called Flower in the Rain, but rather Flower in the Mud.

  Zhong Sheng indeed quickly called for a soft sedan chair, Chu Mingqiu sent her off with a gaze full of doubts, and then followed Gu Shi to see Hua Ruomeng.

  After returning to Jingting Garden, Qiner washed her hands and face with water. Peony finally couldn't help but ask: "Miss, it's impossible for the three rice shops to lose so much money. Obviously, Madam had a hand in it. Are you really going to give up?"

  Hua Zhe Yu comfortably stretched his waist, "Do you think that if I give up, nothing will happen? My mother has made an effort to force me to hand over those expensive accessories. Moreover, those are three profitable shops, if I give them up, where will I get the money to buy a drugstore?"

  Peony's heart was slightly calmer, but she still worried: "Madam has done things so thoroughly, if Miss doesn't give up, how can we get the shop back?"

  Hua Zhe smiled at her on a rainy morning, "Don't worry, this matter will be settled in a few days. Just keep your eyes wide open and watch how I teach those shameless people a lesson."

  She didn't want to continue on this topic, and suddenly changed the subject: "By the way, what's going on with the Listening Government that Mr. Zhong mentioned? My second brother didn't take the imperial examination, so why is he proud of passing the examination for the Miao Flag Guard?"

  Qin'er's eyes widened as she walked in with a cup of iced tea, "You don't even know this, miss?"

  Hua Zhe Yu very seriously shook his head.

  Peony smiled and said, "The Imperial Censorate is actually the domain of our National Master. Although taking the imperial examination to gain fame and fortune is not bad, the Imperial Censorate where the National Master resides is in some ways even more superior to the court officials, its reputation echoing throughout the nations, and many ambitious young people are eager to get in."

  Hua Zhe Yu said with a tilted head, "As for the story of Guoshi's arrival, I have heard it before, but can his power surpass that of the emperor? Isn't that too far-fetched? What makes him so special?"

  Qin'er took a fan and sat down to help her fan herself, "Miss is really ignorant, the National Master's prestige is respected by all because he can severely punish those officials who dare to bend the law for personal gain. He doesn't care about high or low-ranking officials, as long as they have committed crimes against the king's law three times and haven't been executed yet, no matter where they are, he will let the Miaoqiwei execute them. That's why the courtiers of our Daze dynasty tremble with fear when they hear the name Miaoqiwei, and usually behave very cautiously, not daring to cross National Master."

  What a ridiculous thing to say, in her opinion, that National Master is just a stick-in-the-mud, yet he can make people both respect and fear him, isn't this an exaggeration?

  "Miss, don't think otherwise, let's not talk about the great achievements of Guoshi, just his appearance... tsk tsk tsk..." Qiner giggled and started to tease.

  "What's up?"

  It is said that there was once a man who had seen the national teacher, and after returning home, not only did he abandon his wife and children, but also thought about it every day, and later became mentally ill. Then there was once a first beauty who saw the national teacher, and as soon as she returned home, she hanged herself to death, said to be dead from shame...

  Qin'er's lively tone made Hua Zhe Yu laugh, and she teased: "Could it be that from now on no one will see the face of Guoshi again? Otherwise, I don't know how many more people will suffer."

  "Hey, Miss really said it right, the National Master has a green bamboo hat covering his head wherever he goes, and no one has ever seen his true face again."

  A few people burst out laughing together.