Chapter 301 You Can’t Take Risks

"Bandit stronghold?" Xiao Jiuyue sat up straight, only to hear Shang Ting's voice continue: "I searched for a whole year last year, but there was no news. The eldest lady asked me to look for nearby bandit strongholds, brothels and other places. I didn't know until I started looking, and I really got some clues!"

Shang Ting covered his shoulder and said, "My people have already investigated clearly. He disguised himself as a member of the bandit village and seemed to have become a legal advisor."

"There's a master in the bandit village?" Xiao Jiuyue sneered. Her gaze fell on Shang Ting's shoulder: "Are you injured?"

From the very beginning, Xiao Jiuyue discovered that Shang Ting's shoulder seemed to be injured.

"Just a minor injury." Shang Ting said nonchalantly. He continued, "That bandit camp is quite famous throughout Xiangcheng. It's called the Eighteen Villages. Passing caravans and wealthy families are often harassed by the Eighteen Villagers."

"Is he still in the Eighteen Villages now?" Xiao Jiuyue asked, seizing the crucial point. "It's been half a month since you came from Yizhou. Could it be that Hou Jian has already escaped?"

This is the key evidence that can overturn his father's case, and Xiao Jiuyue cares about it very much.

"No, I had already inquired about it when I came here. His face was disfigured and his name was changed. If it weren't for my aunt recognizing him, I'm afraid no one would have known he was Hou Jian."

Shang Ting said this affirmatively, patting his chest and assuring, "Don't worry, Miss. You know how important this person is. I've already sent people to keep an eye on him day and night, and I'll make sure he doesn't get away."

"You sent someone to keep an eye on the bandit camp? Are you sure they won't find you?" Xiao Jiuyue asked cautiously, "Will we alert them?"

According to Jun Lie, both the Crown Prince and the Second Prince wanted to find Hou Jian.

"Don't worry, Miss. One of the people I'm looking for is from the bandit camp, and the other is a villager at the foot of the mountain. They will definitely not be discovered." Shang Ting explained, "I have leverage over both of them. They can be trusted."

"Well, that's good." Xiao Jiuyue breathed a sigh of relief. In the blink of an eye, she came up with an idea. She said, "Thank you for your hard work. I'll have someone prepare a room for you. You can take a shower, change clothes, and have some delicious food."

After saying that, Xiao Jiuyue went straight to the main courtyard and ordered on the way: "Lianxin, call my mother and the people from the second and third houses to the main courtyard. Today, I have something important to announce."

"Yes." Lianxin responded.

Main courtyard.

As soon as Xiao Jiuyue walked into the yard, she saw Old Madam Xiao walking in the yard.

"Yu'er?" Old Madam Xiao was very surprised when she saw Xiao Jiuyue: "How come you have time to come here today?"

Over the past six months, Xiao Jiuyue has installed several water windmills in Fu'an Village and improved the thresher. From the initial few threshers, he has now made dozens of improved threshers.

Xiao Jiuyue took care of the crops in the fields herself. Coupled with the matters at Fengchunlou and the Candy Shop, Xiao Jiuyue had less and less time to spend with her.

"Grandma, I'm sorry. I haven't been with you recently because of things in the fields." Xiao Jiuyue apologized with a smile, stepped forward to support Old Madam Xiao and said, "Grandma, Shang Ting is here."

"Well, I heard that you're sending cloth again? Delivering it personally?" Old Madam Xiao was not unfamiliar with Shang Ting. She came here several times a year.

"Yes." Xiao Jiuyue nodded, and helped Madam Xiao into the house. After sending the maids away, he said, "There's news about Hou Jian."

"Hou Jian?" Old Madam Xiao's skinny hands tightly grasped Xiao Jiuyue's. Her skinny hands formed a sharp contrast with Xiao Jiuyue's delicate hands. She looked at her with bright eyes: "That's the silver he was escorting, right?"

"Yes." Xiao Jiuyue nodded affirmatively. "Not only was he responsible for the silver he escorted, but he was also responsible for the Jinjiang Dike case. If we find him, we can prove that Dad didn't embezzle the disaster relief funds."

"Okay, okay." Old Madam Xiao's mouth corners turned up with joy. Then she asked, "Where is that person now?"

"In Xiangcheng, people from Shangting are already keeping an eye on us. I don't feel comfortable letting others go, so I want to go myself." Xiao Jiuyue expressed her thoughts.

"No." Madam Xiao shook her head. "The fact that Hou Jian was able to escape and hide for nearly two years shows that he is not a good person. He dared to throw dirty water on your father, which means he has already put his own death aside. Such a person is dangerous."

Madam Xiao patted Xiao Jiuyue's hand gently: "Yuer, I also want to vindicate the Xiao family, but you can't take the risk."

"Grandma, that's why I have to keep an eye on him personally. Otherwise, if he dies or escapes again, it will be even more difficult to redress Daddy's innocence."

Xiao Jiuyue felt the worry in Old Madam Xiao's eyes, and her determination to go to Xiangcheng became even greater. She squatted in front of Old Madam Xiao, looked up at her, and smiled, "Grandma, I'm not going alone. If I encounter danger, I will save my own life first."

"Yu'er, you have done enough for the Xiao family!" Old Madam Xiao raised her hand and stroked Xiao Jiuyue's hair, looking at her with loving eyes. As the daughter of the Shangshu Mansion, doing business is not what she should do at all!

When something happened to the Xiao family, Fan would rather divorce than follow them to Hongdu, but Xiao Jiuyue called off the marriage and insisted on protecting the Xiao family. She felt distressed for such a granddaughter.

"Grandma, I am a member of the Xiao family. I should do all this." Xiao Jiuyue has an indomitable courage in her heart. She used to be able to make a name for herself alone. Now, she has people she wants to protect. She wants the Xiao family to be upright rather than a criminal.

"No, there's nothing we should do." Madam Xiao shook her head slightly and said, "Yuer, we need to find the person. We can send someone..."

"Grandma, it's precisely because Hou Jian is so important that I should go." Xiao Jiuyue interrupted her and looked at Old Madam Xiao with a firm gaze. She said, "I've already sent someone to notify Mother and the people from the second and third houses. When the time comes, just say I'm going to Yizhou to look at the fabrics."

"Grandma, please help me cover up my lie?" Xiao Jiuyue looked at Old Madam Xiao with a smile. Old Madam Xiao was worried about her, but she also didn't want to miss any opportunity to redress the Xiao family.

"Yuer." Madam Xiao wanted to persuade him, but she swallowed all the words in the end: "When do we leave?"

"Two days later." Xiao Jiuyue wanted to go tomorrow, but the autumn harvest was approaching and there were many things to prepare. One night might not be enough. She said, "Grandma, I'm relieved that Mother is taking care of the household affairs. You don't have to worry about Zhiyun Tower and the embroidery workshop."

"Everything that needs to be done for the autumn harvest has been done. What remains is the harvest. I have already taken a look at the fields, and the harvest will definitely not be less than last year." Xiao Jiuyue's time in the fields these days was not in vain. He could tell by his appearance that the autumn harvest would be a bumper one.