Kunning Chapter 34: The eve of the storm

"Boss Lu, Mr. Xie has arrived."

The sun had set, casting few pedestrians on the street, and most shops were closed. However, on the second floor of a street-facing building, lanterns outside the Youhuang Pavilion still illuminated the surroundings.

In the dimly lit back room, a young boy was present.

Inside, Lu Xian sat, a dissatisfied frown creasing his face as he reviewed the reports handed in from below.

Upon hearing Tong Chuan's voice, he scolded, "Always late to the party. Tell him there's some good wood, and he rushes over with his grand sedan chair. Working with him is worse than dealing with two pieces of broken wood!"

With that, he slammed the secret report onto the table with a snap.

Standing up, Lu Xian walked outside.

The Youhuang Pavilion had a dedicated qin room for guests. When Lu Xian opened the door and entered, he saw the young boy had already set up a charcoal stove in the room, brewing the finest Bitan Piaoxue tea.

Lu Xian's annoyance heightened.

Approaching the boy, he poked his forehead, saying, "How much did he pay for that piece of wood? Bringing him a charcoal basin to make tea—what profit does the boss make? Can't you use your brain?"

The boy cast a quiet glance at him.

"My boss is just stingy, and that won't change," he thought. Whenever Mr. Xie's tea was subpar, the boss would likely make it himself later.

Without arguing, the boy silently exited, closing the door behind him.

Lu Xian glared, "See! Look at how unruly these servants are! Who owns this hall?"

Xie Wei sat cross-legged on an arhat bed, a table with a thin blanket on his lap to fend off the cold. He smiled slightly at Lu Xian's outburst.

Approaching, Lu Xian noticed Xie Wei engrossed in something—a dozen sheets of rice paper filled with words, resembling answer sheets. Xie Wei was currently looking at one, bending his finger to his lips as if stifling a laugh.

"This guy and his word games," Lu Xian thought, feeling his eyes strain.

Lifting his robe, Lu Xian sat across from Xie Wei, expressing with a peculiar expression, "Heard you took an exam today to be the princess's companion. Are these the answer sheets from those aristocratic ladies? This handwriting is quite atrocious…"

Unperturbed, Xie Wei continued.

Only then did he slightly raise his eyebrows and say, "You've got some good catalpa here?"

Silence would have been golden, but once he opened his mouth, it was as if he risked choking to death.

If he weren't currently in the employer, Lu Xian could assure that someone like Xie Wei would be dealt with violently if encountered elsewhere!

At that moment, he coldly parted the corners of his lips, remarking, "There are good catalpa, but I have two pieces of bad news. Which one do you want to hear first?"

Xie Wei sighed lightly, "I still have a soft spot for that You Fangyin."

Had he known earlier, he would have asked Jian Shu for help to obtain the wood.

Why go on this errand himself?

Lu Xian couldn't stand hearing that name now; it triggered an internal rage, a feeling of being manipulated: "You tell them to investigate. But after several days of probing, what's the outcome?"

As soon as he learned that Xu Wenyi had hoarded raw silk and refused to sell it, Lu Xian suspected You Fangyin's involvement.

And there was a mysterious boss behind it.

Unable to identify the owner, he felt like a cat scratching at his heart. Despite being a shrewd old fox adept in business who scrutinized every detail, he found himself caught when attempting to buy raw silk. This confirmation that the raw silk wouldn't be sold left him almost spitting out a mouthful of blood in frustration.

Lu Xian couldn't tolerate such a situation.

A few days ago, he and Xie Ju'an had a direction in mind, linking the issue to water transport and the people on the Cao River. Thus, he ordered an investigation into the individuals You Fangyin had recent contact with.

Initially, the probing yielded no suspicious persons.

Infuriated, Lu Xian summoned and reprimanded the investigators, instructing them to scrutinize those individuals again, expanding the scope to those indirectly connected to the entire Youfu. Simultaneously, Xie Wei dispatched a letter to the emperor, detailing the malicious lowering of silk prices in Jingzhong and Jiangnan, aiming to thoroughly investigate those involved in this matter within the officialdom.

This time, results finally surfaced.

Officials and merchants along the Cao River formed an alliance. Initially, merchants intentionally reduced silk prices, leading to the capsizing of silk boats transporting raw silk on the Grand Canal. This scarcity caused silk prices to surge.

Once profits were reaped, the government and businessmen would evenly split the gains.

Upon the revelation of the incident, a significant number of officials and businessmen underwent a thorough investigation.

However, at You Mansion, it was discovered that a steward had connections to a servant from an official's residence on the Cao River. He had prior knowledge of the news and accidentally divulged it during a drinking session at You Mansion.

Initially dismissed as a joke, no one seized the opportunity to purchase raw silk and await the price surge, not even the person in charge took it seriously.

"Xie Ju'an, this situation is truly absurd," Lu Xian tapped the side table, stressing to Xie Wei, "Assuming You Fangyin is genuinely fortunate and destined, I bet I can extract something from this steward. Knowing about the upcoming rise in silk prices, she bought raw silk. But is it necessary for her to invent a non-existent 'employer'? The existence of this 'employer' wouldn't benefit her in any way. The only explanation is that this 'owner' does exist! We just haven't figured out where he is hiding."

Xie Wei lowered his eyes in contemplation.

As Lu Xian continued, he grew more frustrated, "This person is behaving paradoxically. He's aware of the news, yet he only spends four hundred taels to buy raw silk. Maybe he doesn't dare to act, or perhaps he lacks the funds. There might be more to this incident. It conceals a deeper meaning we can't fathom. Things that can be seen through aren't frightening, but uncertainties make me very uneasy."

Xie Wei suggested, "If you believe discovering a manager isn't enough to dispel your suspicions, then have someone talk to You Fangyin for a while. Xu Wenyi's raw silk was only sold two days ago, and the money has just been paid back. It's still hot. If You Fangyin truly has an employer, she must report to the 'employer,' right? We'll then know if this 'employer' exists and, if so, who it is."

Lu Xian welcomed this idea.

He immediately chuckled, clapped his hands, and said, "You'll need to send some capable individuals to observe. It's preferable to have Dao Qin go in person, in case the boss's side is also formidable. We can't afford to lose both the girl and the boss!"

Xie Wei responded, "Dao Qin may be unwilling to go. Enough of the idle chatter. What's the other piece of bad news?"

Lu Xian, at that moment, stared at him, his eyes flickering.

Xie Wei picked up the teacup, placing his slender fingers on the glaze color of Yuguo Qingqing. He paused, suddenly realizing something, "Does it have something to do with the Yongyihou Mansion?"

Lu Xian nodded, understanding that, for Xie Wei, anything related to the Yongyihou's Mansion was a significant matter—though he still didn't comprehend why.

At this moment, he took a moment to contemplate before speaking, "Recently, King Pingnan was arrested in Beijing for treason, and there have been several assassinations of court officials. The emperor is visibly enraged. There's still an internal struggle, and we'll see who can uncover the individuals behind these rebels in Beijing first. Panic has spread among the aristocratic families, and everyone fears being implicated, even if they have no connection to the rebels. They are also worried that Jin Yiwei might unearth other secrets. It can be said that everyone is avoiding Jin Yiwei. But guess what? Yan Shizi has taken in a member of Jin Yiwei named Zhou Yinzhi, who has been diligently working for him and is on the verge of filling the vacancy left by Zhang Zhe's impeachment as a thousand households. It's almost confirmed today, and it will be officially announced tomorrow."

"Jin Yiwei…"

Xie Wei, having spent the entire day in the palace without knowledge of external events, frowned suddenly, his clear eyebrows furrowing, and his usually pretty face turned desolate and chilling.

He was intimidating when not smiling.

In a deep voice, he inquired, "The Marquis of Yongyi is known for his uprightness and has never been involved with Jin Yiwei. How could Yan Lin promote this Zhou Yinzhi?"

When Lu Xian learned about this, he found it peculiar, so he deliberately inquired about it. Now, looking at Xie Wei, he said, "Zhou Yinzhi originally worked for Jiang Shilang of the household department, serving as a servant for the Jiang family. Later, he joined Jin Yiwei as a hundred households. Some speculate that Yan Shizi was entrusted by the future Yue family, while others believe this person was recommended to Yan Shizi by the second daughter of the Jiang family."

"…"

Jiang Xuening.

Xie Wei's gaze shifted to the rolled-up answer sheet, and as he recalled his conversation with her in Fengchen Palace today, his eyes revealed a hint of emotion.

He slowly closed his eyes, deep in thought.

But Lu Xian continued, "The timing, the coincidences, Jin Yiwei, Yongyihou's Mansion, the old case of Pingnan Wang – the pieces of the puzzle are falling into place."

When Jiang Xuening returned to the Jiang Mansion, it was already late.

Evidently, news of her passing the etiquette and examinations and being selected as the princess's companion had reached the mansion. As she alighted from the carriage outside the mansion and walked in, everyone she encountered showed great respect, almost wishing they could greet her with ten smiles on their faces.

This attitude was starkly different from before she entered the palace.

Despite the deep impression of the disdainful gazes and contempt from these people in the mansion in her past lives, Jiang Xuening found it hard to believe the sudden change in their behavior.

It was evident that being chosen to accompany the princess in reading had brought honor, winning favor with the nobles in the palace.

Jiang Boyou and Meng Shi were still awake, anticipating Jiang Xuening's return.

Upon her arrival, she went to greet them.

Apparently, both Jiang Boyou and Meng Shi hadn't held much hope for Jiang Xuening, especially after hearing that Xie Wei would oversee the palace examination. Upon learning that she had passed, they couldn't conceal their surprise. Initially prepared with comforting words for her potential loss, their sentiments were now rendered useless. Feeling somewhat unfamiliar with their daughter, all they could do was commend her for a job well done and acknowledge the credit to the family. Beyond that, she was advised to return to her room and rest.

Jiang Xuening was already repulsed by the idea of entering the palace. Enduring a cascade of congratulations, she felt extreme boredom. When instructed to return and rest, she rose with a vacant expression and stated bluntly, "I'll take my leave."

Upon finishing her words, she retreated.

Even within the short distance from the room to the corridor, she caught the dissatisfied tone of Meng's voice behind her: "You've found the position as a reading companion, yet you act so arrogantly! Do you still respect me as your mother?"

Jiang Xuening's steps paused for a moment, her fingers clenched tightly by her side.

After standing still for a while, she continued walking away.

Her attendants, Tang'er and Lian'er, who trailed behind her, had heard Meng's comments earlier. Now, as they followed Jiang Xuening's footsteps, they dared not utter a word.

As they walked, Tang'er and Lian'er realized she was heading in the wrong direction.

Wait, isn't this the way to the eldest girl's quarters?

They sensed that something might be about to unfold.

Their second young miss was accustomed to arrogance and had been unmerciful when bullying the eldest girl in the past. However, she had refrained from such actions lately. Was this a relapse?

The two exchanged glances, contemplating intervening but refraining due to Jiang Xuening's temper in the past.

In no time, they arrived outside Jiang Xuehui's room.

The servant girl, carrying a basin of water, was startled upon seeing her and almost dropped the copper basin. Her face turned pale, and she stammered, "Miss Two Two Two Two Two…"

Jiang Xuening glanced at her and walked through the door.

Inside the room, Jiang Xuehui had finished washing, her bun untied, and her long black hair falling loosely on her shoulders. Without any makeup, her appearance was plain yet carried a pleasant temperament.

Seeing Jiang Xuening enter, she frowned slightly.

She remarked, "Judging by the unfriendly demeanor of this visitor, it seems my mother has upset you again, so you've come to vent your frustration on me."

Jiang Xuening smiled, "Even if I set foot in your room, she'll have to deal with it for a long time. I don't need to take it out on you; she'll manage that on her own. After all, I'm the daughter raised by Wanniang, learning from her to be playful and mischievous. Two days ago, my head collided with a door, and I thought of being kind to others, avoiding conflicts. However, today it struck me that the most crucial thing for a person to live in this world is to be happy. If I'm not happy outside, and I still have to deal with anger when I come home, life is too tough. Whoever makes me unhappy in the future, I'll find a way to make that person even more unhappy. So, even though you didn't ask, how about I share some gossip about Wanniang tonight?"