Chapter 169: Need to Lie Low
Linhai Town.
President Zhu walked beside Yang Qifan, bowing his head and keeping his hands clasped, watching teams of guards move through the spacious warehouses, meticulously checking every corner.
The Crown Prince’s southern inspection tour would soon reach Jiangnan, and Linhai Town was a place he was bound to visit. Such thorough searches were only to be expected.
Although President Zhu felt that this search was undoubtedly mixed with the Young Lord’s personal grudges and objectives, just like this search itself, with the Crown Prince’s southern tour and the important matters at hand, they had to prioritize the Crown Prince’s safety above all else, and the Young Lord even more so.
As teams of soldiers returned from their patrols, Yang Qifan flipped through the meticulously drawn blueprints, then waved his hand, signaling to move to the next location.
He Chengzhe and his son, He Ruiming, were each in their own areas, accompanying the search of their own warehouses and other properties.
They worked until the sun set. Yang Qifan observed the separation of the searched warehouses and those yet to be searched, then headed towards the Prince’s Estate shed on the wharf.
He Chengzhe returned to his residence, leaning wearily on his couch. After drinking a bowl of ginseng soup, he gestured for his son to sit closer. “What did President Zhu say to you?”
“He spoke about the Cheng Zi Gang. He said that from the Second Boss to the Seventh Leader, they were all useless lumps of mud. He said Foreman Zou’s wife, Mrs. Wu, was a clever woman with great skill and some magnanimity. He also said that there had been female bosses before, and that in the very beginning, our Linhai Town had a female boss who was incredibly formidable,” He Ruiming said, massaging his father’s shoulders.
He Chengzhe let out a cold snort.
To compare someone to the Foreman who built Linhai Town with her own hands was utter madness!
“After you eat, go to the wharf immediately and tell Huang Xianzhou about President Zhu’s intention to support Mrs. Wu in leading the Cheng Zi Gang. Tell him everything about the Cheng Zi Gang, about Mrs. Wu, tell him what needs to be said. Also, remind him that with President Zhu’s backing, Mrs. Wu will soon be able to rally the Cheng Zi Gang,” He Chengzhe instructed in a low voice.
“Alright, I just need to tell Mr. Huang? General Yang is also here, and the Young Lord will be back soon. This isn’t an urgent matter,” He Ruiming hesitated before speaking.
“For such minor matters, telling Huang Xianzhou is sufficient. Remember, approach this with a sense of duty, not to show off or seek credit. Besides, Huang Xianzhou is not simple; I have high hopes for him,” He Chengzhe said, gently patting his son.
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Gu Yan stood at the Jinghai Wharf, watching dozens of warships slowly approach the dock. At the center of the fleet, on the flagship, the Gu family’s imperial banner fluttered high.
As the flagship neared the wharf and the thick anchor chains clattered down, a gangplank was extended.
Gu Yan strode forward and, facing the Crown Prince, knelt with a bent knee.
“Another half a year has passed in the blink of an eye.” The Crown Prince reached out to help Gu Yan up, examining him closely. “You look very well. Is this Linhai Town? I really want to go and see it now.”
The Crown Prince turned and looked around.
“There isn’t enough time today. We can go and see it tomorrow,” Gu Yan said with a smile.
“Someone is more eager than I am to see Linhai Town.” The Crown Prince turned and gestured to a refined man in his thirties standing to his side.
“Brother,” Gu Yan quickly cupped his hands in greeting.
The man was Wen Bin, a prominent figure of the Wen family, the foremost military family of the current dynasty. He had also been Gu Yan’s superior during his military training in the north.
The Wen family was the maternal family of the ancestor who earned the hereditary titles for Prince Rui’s Estate. The Wen family’s reviver had married Emperor Taizong’s younger sister, making their ties to the Gu family extremely deep. Since the founding of the nation, Prince Rui’s Estate had regarded the Wen family as their maternal relatives, a tradition passed down through generations.
“Old General Cheng repeatedly instructed me to bring back some military expenses,” Wen Bin said with a wry smile.
“The old general is obsessed with pacifying those barbarians. From the Capital City to here, in just over ten days, he’s written me three letters, all about the same thing: military expenses,” the Crown Prince said, chuckling.
“We should be able to raise a sum of military expenses next year, enough for the old general to fight a few satisfying battles,” Gu Yan said with a smile.
The military expenses in the north were sourced from the Maritime Tax Bureau. By next year, he would at least be able to clear up the embezzlement within the Silk Guild.
“I received a letter from my mother the other day. She said my father has been praising you quite a few times recently, saying you’ve finally learned to be patient,” the Crown Prince said, patting Gu Yan’s shoulder with a smile.
“He has indeed become much more steady, remarkably so,” Wen Bin said, looking Gu Yan over again with emotion.
The last time he saw Gu Yan was four years ago. Four years ago, Gu Yan was sharp-edged, brilliant, and piercing. The Gu Yan before him now was like the calm sea surface beside him, hiding immeasurable schemes and secrets beneath its placid exterior.
“Brother praises me too highly,” Gu Yan cupped his hands and smiled. “Let’s go. If we hurry, it will still take about an hour to reach outside Pingjiang City.”
“Let’s go,” the Crown Prince said, walking towards his horse.
Gu Yan mounted his horse and signaled to the dozens of personal guards who had followed him. The guards, in pairs, galloped ahead, maintaining a distance as they headed towards Pingjiang City.
Wen Bin signaled to the over a hundred elites who had accompanied them by land. They surrounded the Crown Prince and headed towards the Crown Prince’s Villa in Pingjiang City.
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Li Xiaonan ran back to the library, barely managing to say, “I have to leave quickly.” Wan Jing immediately threw up her hands and exclaimed, “You know you have to leave now? What were you doing before? You should have left long ago!
“I told you! Don’t speak carelessly, don’t speak carelessly! Did I say all that for nothing?
“Your whole string of nonsense!
“How am I supposed to report to the Young Lord? What am I supposed to say?”
“You’re still going to report to your Young Lord?” Li Xiaonan frantically packed her things.
“The Young Lord specifically instructed me to listen carefully! Sigh!” Wan Jing slapped her forehead.
“Say what needs to be said, and don’t say what doesn’t need to be said. You don’t have to say everything,” Li Xiaonan said with a fawning smile.
Wan Jing couldn’t even be bothered to glance at her. She snatched Li Xiaonan’s book bag and strode out.
Sigh, she was going to be ruined by this girl sooner or later!
After Wan Jing escorted Li Xiaonan home and entered the corner gate, Fourth Mistress Wei rushed out from a nearby pavilion, grabbed her, and pulled her dozens of steps inside. Stopping in an open area, she demanded, “What did Miss Li say to Eldest Madam?”
“Nothing, well, didn’t you ask Yu Lan?” Wan Jing’s hair stood on end. She wasn’t going to say a word.
“I asked. Yu Lan told me to ask you!” Fourth Mistress Wei’s brows were furrowed as tightly as they could be.
Wan Jing gave a dry laugh and remained silent.
“After Miss Li left, I saw Eldest Madam acting strangely and rushed over. But Eldest Madam didn’t answer a word and pushed me away, walking out. Eldest Madam has never acted like this before!
“Ninth Mistress and I followed her all the way to Liuyuan Garden, but Eldest Madam actually locked us outside the courtyard gate! Eldest Madam has never acted like this before!
“What exactly did Miss Li say to her?”
Fourth Mistress Wei was going mad.
Eldest Madam’s courtyard gate was tightly shut, and she ignored everyone who called out. She finally managed to get Yu Lan out, and Yu Lan just said, “Go ask Wan Jing.”
She hadn’t dared to tell Second Madam Pan yet, but by dinner time, if Second Madam Pan didn’t see Eldest Madam, she would definitely go to Liuyuan Garden to check. What would happen if Eldest Madam still refused to open the door then?
