The Fifteenth Day After Picking Up My Wife
Lu Ling didn’t even need to think before she answered, “Ye Shengzong.”
“Our Zhangzhou prefect.”
Almost at the same time, an inexplicable image flashed through Shen Wanxin’s mind: a blurred face, and the outline of someone kneeling in a dark blue official robe. She couldn’t help pressing a hand to her forehead and blurting out, “This man pays several times the silver tax every year, and has always been a model for the eighteen prefectures.”
“Last year, the Ministry of Personnel already intended to recommend him to the capital for the post of Vice Minister.”
“But... it didn’t go through.”
She couldn’t get another word out after that; her head hurt so badly it felt as if it were about to split open.
When Lu Ling saw this, she thought Shen Wanxin had remembered something. “How do you know Ye Shengzong’s background?”
“I must have heard it somewhere.” Shen Wanxin suppressed the strange familiarity in her heart and made up an excuse.
The more Lu Ling looked at her, the more she suspected Shen Wanxin must be the daughter of some high official; otherwise, how could she know so much?
Of course, even Second Sister-in-law could find out by asking around.
But something this private was usually not something an ordinary person would know.
“Then why wasn’t Ye Shengzong transferred away?” Lu Ling didn’t ask for the exact reason.
Shen Wanxin rubbed her temples and said slowly, “They say the Imperial Court blocked it.”
“An imperial censor impeached Ye Shengzong for exploiting the people and turning their suffering into his own achievements, for deceiving his superiors and claiming credit, and the Ministry of Personnel’s reassignment was rejected.”
As for who was holding him back from promotion, wasn’t that just His Majesty?
When Lu Ling heard this, she immediately brightened. “So Ye Shengzong was the one keeping my father from being promoted, and now he’s ended up in the same position himself.”
“What goes around comes around!”
“Hahahahaha!”
“You can still laugh?” Shen Wanxin couldn’t help raising a brow. “That man is narrow-minded. He’ll definitely take it out on your whole family.”
The official ship had already reached the three islands; clearly, Ye Shengzong intended to use the Maritime Bureau’s limited ships and its official authority to suppress the Lu family’s influence.
He might even want to destroy the Lu family.
Or rather, he wanted the Lu family to become his stepping stone, helping him create even more political achievements.
“He has his plans; I have mine. No need to rush,” Lu Ling said lightly.
Shen Wanxin frowned in confusion. “But you nearly died just now?”
Lu Ling analyzed the situation. “If they really wanted to kill me, they wouldn’t have come in through the front door and deliberately tampered with the bolt to make sure I stayed awake.”
Wasn’t that obvious? First threaten her, then comfort her later. A mix of hard and soft tactics.
In truth, if the prefect were a little more enlightened, she wouldn’t mind hiding certain things and offering him a few useful technologies for the good of the country and the people.
Unfortunately, the prefect only knew how to protect his own little interests. Even if she handed over the salt-making method and the cement method, he might just use them to inflate his own ambitions, then hook up with some prince and stir up a succession struggle. If he then backed his own daughter into the palace and got involved in a fight over the heir apparent, that would be when the people truly suffered!
She would never hand modern technology over to someone with wolfish ambitions.
And Ye Shengzong was especially small-minded!
“He has a narrow vision. Threatening me now is useless; I’ve already established business ties with a certain aristocratic family in the north.”
As soon as she said that,
A flash of cold light swept through Shen Wanxin’s eyes. “Prince Yan, and you still dare provoke him?”
Lu Ling found this strange. Shen Wanxin didn’t seem to remember much, yet somehow she knew quite a lot.
“It’s not Prince Yan, it’s the Li family.”
Shen Wanxin said, “The Li family’s eldest daughter is Prince Yan’s side consort. To the Li family, that’s no different from Prince Yan himself.”
Lu Ling rested her chin on her hand. “You’re right. But Prince Yan hasn’t rebelled yet, has he? I can always cut ties later. The Li family has branches all over the world; they won’t miss my one family.”
“That may not be so. His Majesty cares most about conflicts of interest at the bottom; better to kill the wrong one than let one slip away.” Shen Wanxin suddenly turned icy and warned her, “Don’t speculate recklessly.”
“Sever your ties with the Li family as soon as possible.”
Lu Ling blinked at her. “You can’t mean to kill Prince Yan right now? He has a hundred thousand troops under him. Even if His Majesty wanted to bring down this imperial uncle, it would take more than ten years.”
By then, she would have already taken her family across the sea and left this country where scholars were valued, warriors ignored, merchants suppressed, and farmers made to suffer.
She’d buy a big island and build a little principality of her own.
Wouldn’t that be wonderful?
Better to stand on her own than to be someone else’s servant.
Shen Wanxin didn’t know how to explain to her that, if she said it plainly, by the end of the month His Majesty would already be moving against Prince Yan, and in less than three months, Prince Yan would certainly be dead.
She was only a little irritated. Looking at Lu Ling’s fearless expression, she sighed helplessly. “If anything comes up in the future, you can ask me. I may know more than you.”
“Sure! Having another source of information is great.” Lu Ling accepted readily. “But why are you suddenly paying so much attention to me? Did the tour you gave me during the day work on you?”
“Not exactly.” How could Shen Wanxin honestly admit that she’d taken a fancy to Lu Ling’s exclusive salt-making method?
If it could be mass-produced, why couldn’t it reform the salt-tax system, eliminate redundant officials, lower costs, increase sales, and let ordinary people afford salt?
Then the local officials and gentry in every place would no longer be able to hide in the gray zone of salt-tax regulation; whether it was finished salt inventory, losses in transit, or using all of that to turn a profit, they would no longer be able to use it to manufacture ambitious families like Prince Yan and leave the people destitute.
By then, the court’s salt revenue would be more transparent and more abundant, instead of being pocketed privately.
Prince Yan was relying on Huizhou’s salt to dare challenge Kyoto!
“From now on, I’ll be the one protecting you,” Shen Wanxin said, still unable to resist reminding her despite Lu Ling’s fearless attitude.
Lu Ling said, “Sure. But are you okay after using force?”
Shen Wanxin looked puzzled instead. “Why would I be in trouble?”
That left Lu Ling speechless. She couldn’t exactly say, You’re poisoned by something called Bone-Eroding Poison right now, and fighting might damage your heart meridians.
“It’s just that your body is still recovering. I don’t want you getting injured on the job again; then you won’t even be able to pay for the medicine.”
She casually made up an excuse.
Shen Wanxin didn’t ask further. In fact, she could feel that her body didn’t seem as nimble as before.
She should have rushed in and subdued the assassin earlier, but in the end she could only use hidden weapons to shoot him. That meant her skill still hadn’t recovered to its former level.
“That’s nothing to worry about; hidden weapons don’t require inner energy.”
As soon as she said that, Lu Ling immediately leaned in, eyes sparkling. “Inner energy? The legendary kind you can draw from your dantian?”
“The kind that can split into three pure manifestations and turn into three of you?”
Shen Wanxin: ...
Looking at this young woman, both innocent and shrewd, she was truly speechless.
How had she not noticed before that Miss Lu was such a fascinating person?
Afterward, Lu Ling informed the guards at Yunshui Villa that assassins had slipped inside.
The first to step forward was the old steward. He knelt on the ground. “This old one cannot escape blame. Please, Miss, punish me as you see fit.”
Instead, Lu Ling comforted him. “The people the Ye family sent are all experts. You’re old soldiers who came down from the battlefield; battlefield tactics and assassination are completely different things. It’s normal that you didn’t notice.”
The old steward shook his head. “No, Eldest Miss. I discovered the assassin last night, but I never expected him to use a feint and draw me away.”
“I am truly old.”
“Uncle River, Yunshui Villa isn’t the imperial palace; it doesn’t need top-tier experts.” Lu Ling’s tone grew a little heavier. “Since that’s the case, I’ll dock three months’ salary.”
The old steward said, “Many thanks, Eldest Miss.”
The others were willing to accept punishment as well.
Lu Ling could only fine them to settle their hearts.
After all, before this, whatever happened at Yunshui Villa had always been repelled.
This time, the sudden incident clearly meant Ye Shengzong had added enough leverage to hire experts from somewhere else.
Fortunately, she also had an expert at her side.
“Also, I’m rewarding Miss Shen with one hundred taels of silver. From now on, she is my personal bodyguard.” Lu Ling took the opportunity to lay the groundwork for Shen Wanxin to remain at Yunshui Villa.
And everyone present had already seen Shen Wanxin break into the room. Naturally, they were convinced.
If Miss Shen hadn’t been the first to discover the assassin, then relying on them, the eldest miss would already have been killed.
Many of them felt deeply guilty.
“Miss Shen, we’re counting on you to protect the eldest miss.” Aunt Wu was the first to step up and make her position clear.
The others quickly followed suit.
In no time, Yunshui Villa was buzzing.
Shen Wanxin looked slightly surprised. “Miss Lu, I thought you’d return my indenture contract?”
“You’re thinking too much,” Lu Ling said. “Wait until you really do something worthy of great merit, then we’ll talk.”
Anyway, once He Chou found the antidote and cured her poison, she would immediately return the indenture contract.
Otherwise... she’d have to burn it to send it to her.
At that thought, Lu Ling’s mood suddenly grew heavy.
“I’m heading back to the manor first.” She had no choice but to shift her attention.
“Wanxin, are you coming with me?”
Shen Wanxin nodded. “Just in case. No one knows when the Ye family will stop. Until then, it’s best if someone stays by your side.”
Lu Ling then instructed Aunt Wu and the others to tighten security for the next few days.
The girls in the estate also had to be careful.
Who knew? If the Ye family couldn’t touch her, might they vent their anger by killing the people around her?
She had to go back and tell her mother!
In fact, when the Lu family received word of what happened at Yunshui Villa, Gao Yun immediately brought his subordinates back to the manor. Lu Tianxiang also had the experts from the Chenxiang Escort Agency come to the estate.
They waited for their daughter to return under layers of protection.
They also began planning their counterattack against the Ye family.
Since they had dared to lay a hand on their daughter, then their sons shouldn’t expect to get off easy either.
That very day, one of the Ye family’s young masters was knocked over by a bull when he went out. His lower half was a bloody mess; by the time he was carried to the physician, he was basically ruined.
It was said this young master had just been released from prison. Because he was a Ye family son, the matter of him humiliating an innocent woman had been swept under the rug.
Today, something suddenly happened to him, and many commoners set off firecrackers in the street to celebrate.
When Lu Ling returned and heard the news,
She knew her family was not made of soft persimmons to be squeezed at will.
Her eldest brother even took the chance to arrange for people to disrupt the Ye family’s dockside business.
Her second brother went so far as to put a sack over the head of the Ye family’s third young master, the one he’d long disliked, and beat him.
As for her third brother, there was no need to mention him.
He took dozens of firecrackers up to the Ye family’s mountain to hunt.
He almost burned the entire mountain.
The Ye family’s mountain had always forbidden local commoners from entering, so when the fire destroyed fruit trees and precious tea trees, no matter how much the Ye family managers offered, no one was willing to buy it.
Who knew whether they’d actually pay after the fire was put out? Besides, wasn’t the Ye family already notorious for not paying?
Their reputation for withholding wages had long spread everywhere.
So this Ye family probing attack suffered huge losses.
But it was far from over.
Next came Lu Ling’s own retaliation.
First, she publicly announced that she would no longer cooperate with the Ye family, but she would retain her shares in the Ning family partnership.
The moment this news was made public, all of Haicheng’s shops and trading houses erupted in discussion.
Especially Qingzhu Tower, where wave after wave of official wives came asking about the feud between the two families.
They were calculating whether to stay away from the Lu family or the Ye family.
But the more they calculated, the more they realized their future lives were already inseparable from the Lu family.
Once they cut themselves off from the Lu family, the good money-making days they had built so far would be gone forever.
Who didn’t know that the Ye family could open shops everywhere only because they had a prefect backing them?
Most of their business was monopolized; they bought and sold by force. Unlike the Lu family, who were pure merchants, honest merchants. They didn’t bully people, and they didn’t run monopolies.
They only talked cooperation with you.
And they never squeezed the living space of their competitors.
Unlike the Ye family, who would casually bring out the identity of the prefect’s family and force many merchants and minor officials to accept business dealings with them.
Forced buying and selling was never a long-term path.
With the Lu family suddenly cutting ties with the Ye family,
Ye Meishen couldn’t help but go look for her father and ask why he had made such a bad move.
This didn’t seem like Father’s style.
Only after her mother, Madam Ning, came to find her did she learn that her father’s plan to enter the capital had been shelved, and the Censorate and the Supervisory Court had been keeping an eye on him all along.
And what had once been the prefect’s greatest strength had unexpectedly become his greatest stain.
He had become too deeply entangled with merchants.
In Great Chong, contempt for commerce had always been deeply ingrained.
“Mother, are you planning to cut ties with the Lu family?” Ye Meishen actually did not approve.
Madam Ning set down her teacup and said tactfully, “Your father needs to calm down. From now on, many matters in the Ye family will need to go through you and me.”
“As for why your father took that bad step? He was trying to show the people above where he stands.”
“But he’s had it too easy in Zhangzhou Prefecture. He forgot he knows nothing about finances. A few questions from the Censorate, and he exposed himself.”
There was no need to say the rest out loud.
Half of Zhangzhou Prefecture’s economy was influenced by Haicheng.
Although the Ye family had tried many ways to shift Haicheng’s influence over to Zhangzhou, human hearts were impossible to predict!
For some reason, everyone just favored the Lu family.
Clearly, their biggest backer was only a county magistrate father, yet they were doing business even bigger than Zhangzhou Prefecture’s.
No, that wasn’t right. The Lu family’s greatest support was still Lu Tianxiang.
The old hands in the Maritime Bureau, and the descendants they had trained, had always protected the Lu family.
As long as Lu Tianxiang gave the word, those people who had long since entered official posts all over Zhangzhou Prefecture would unite.
That was the terrifying part!
“Years ago I told your father not to be so stingy with money and to treat his subordinates better. How else could things have come to this?” Madam Ning advised her daughter earnestly. “You should also start planning for yourself sooner.”
How could Ye Meishen not understand? She said, “Mother, the Ning family won’t cut ties with the Lu family, and Lu Ling won’t give up on continuing to work with you.”
“But there’s something you need to handle while you still can.”
Madam Ning naturally understood her daughter’s meaning. The Ye family’s power was already deeply rooted, even bloated with excess.
Too many people had been acting tyrannically simply because they were distant relatives of the prefect.
“Yes, it does need handling,” Madam Ning instructed. “I’ll start with the Ning family. As for the Ye family, you decide what to do.”
When Ye Meishen heard this, her heart sank.
She had always known her mother did not truly treat the Ye family as her own home; her heart belonged to the Ning family.
But she bore the surname Ye.
“Meishen, the Ye family isn’t suitable for you,” Madam Ning finally reminded her.
Ye Meishen nodded without speaking.
She had long since made her decision.
Let Father go hug his sons and grow the Ye family if he wanted.
As for this Ye family, she wasn’t staying either!
Conveniently, she had recently bought up six ships and planned to make a trip to Siam.
It just so happened that Siam had a tract of land taken by people from Haicheng, and the local king had already recognized the legality of the area; from now on, Haicheng people would have the final say there.
They only needed to pay the land tax on time.
At present, there were already hundreds of thousands of people from Haicheng over there. Even the local tribal chiefs had to curry favor with them.
“Mother, no matter where your child is in the future, don’t forget this: if you can’t stay here anymore, come to your daughter.” Ye Meishen said.
Madam Ning was a little startled by her daughter’s decision.
She had originally thought leaving the Ye family would already take tremendous courage.
She hadn’t expected her daughter to go across the sea as well.
“You’re no worse than Lu Tianxiang’s daughter. It’s just that you came to your senses too late and missed the timing.”
“If you can develop overseas, that’s good too!” As she spoke, Madam Ning couldn’t help reaching out to stroke her daughter’s hair, her face full of relief.
At the same time, because of the prefect’s foolish decision,
Haicheng’s business scene turned turbulent and hostile. Merchants large and small grew anxious, unable to resist thinking about pulling their investments out of Haicheng’s various districts so they wouldn’t lose everything.
Those who had once rushed to curry favor with the Ye family now all retreated.
The Ye family’s door became so quiet that not a soul visited.
The Ye family cursed the merchants for being snobs, while not once mentioning how much those merchants had contributed to them in ordinary times.
Now the merchants simply didn’t want to lose money.
Besides, one foolish decision by Prefect Ye had already caused many families to be ruined; his integrity and prestige had taken a heavy blow long ago.
Although there was still no final conclusion as to why the Lu family had suddenly withdrawn their investment,
rumors were already spreading that the prefect had no chance of promotion and wanted to vent his anger on the Lu family’s youngest daughter. In response, the Lu family’s youngest daughter saw through the official ship affair and was already preparing to file a huge lawsuit in Kyoto.
The Censorate had also begun to stir.
So whether or not Prefect Ye had already fallen from power, he had become a hot potato.
As long as he remained unpromoted for even one more day, it meant he would never again have the chance to return to the peak.
Who knew whether one day, if he ran short of silver, he would team up with the Maritime Bureau and extort everyone again?
At the same time, there was still no news about how the Ye family would be dealt with.
But word of the Maritime Bureau commander’s removal from office spread quickly to Haicheng.
By then, Shen Wanxin was already crouched at a street corner, one hand pressed to her head, sweat beading coldly on her skin; at her feet knelt a top expert whose bracer was embroidered with the character for “ten thousand.”
Shen Wanxin had already remembered everything.
She was not some orphan girl, nor some wandering swordswoman with no home under heaven.
She was His Majesty.
She still hadn’t returned to the capital.
And she had already been schemed against.
Right now, the capital was still keeping the situation under wraps, even delaying the enthronement ceremony. The daughter of the prime minister was holding the line in the harem, blocking the eyes and ears of Prince Yan’s people.
And the expert before her was the prime minister’s son.
“Your Majesty, the Grand Chancellor hopes that you will return to the capital as soon as possible,” the expert said.
“No.” Shen Wanxin pressed a hand to her forehead. She suddenly felt that staying in Haicheng might actually help her. “I still have some matters to handle here.”
“Have someone notify the Grand Chancellor that the second wave should focus first on the Maritime Bureau people.”
“Take away their authority, and place some ambitious scholars with clean backgrounds inside.”
“Yes!” the expert replied respectfully.