Chapter 257 Why should I, an official, need to interfere?

Lin Shiyuan pursed his lips and did not answer her.

Yao Qingling then said, "Is it because Lord Lin insists on finding something out of me, to ruin me, so that he can explain himself to certain people?"

"Lady Yao, I am loyal only to the Emperor." Lin Shiyuan cupped his hands in the direction of the palace, then coldly addressed Qing Ling, "Please be careful with your words."

Finding nothing at Mulan Courtyard, Lin Shiyuan waved his hand, preparing to lead the team away.

At this moment, the man in black jumped out again and said, "It's not in the manor, but where is Hui Bafang?"

"Such a large shop, with such a large business, and dealings with powerful and famous people. Sir, aren't the things you've confiscated from the homes of officials and wealthy merchants recently the very things these merchants searched for from all over the country and sent to their homes?"

Yao Qingling trembled with rage: "You weren't satisfied with just searching my courtyard, you also want to search my Hui Bafang?!"

The man gave him a cold smile: "Madam Yao, a search is necessary."

As he spoke, he turned to look at Lin Shiyuan: "My lord, you agree, don't you?"

Lin Shiyuan glanced at him indifferently: "Do I need your interference in my affairs?"

The man bowed his head in a mocking manner: "You're right, sir."

But he achieved his goal.

If Lin Shiyuan doesn't investigate Hui Bafang, he's deliberately protecting Yao Qingling; if he does conduct a thorough search, Hui Bafang will definitely close down. As for how long it will be closed, that's not up to Yao Qingling to decide.

During this time of year, everyone is busy buying items for the New Year, making it the most profitable time of the year.

Closing down meant huge losses for Hui Ba Fang. People who used to buy things from Hui Ba Fang went to other shops instead. Some trendy goods couldn't be sold in time, not only failing to fetch a good price but also rotting in the warehouse.

This is only a minor impact. If it only lasts a few days, at worst we'll lose some business, but we can still catch up by the Lantern Festival.

I don't even want to think about the huge impact it could have.

If a large number of soldiers were to raid and search Hui Ba Fang, many unfavorable rumors would spread. Hui Ba Fang's good reputation would be completely ruined, and customers would be afraid to come.

Everyone understood the implications, but Yao Qingling couldn't stop it.

She could only watch helplessly as those people entered Hui Ba Fang and drove those who were shopping inside out of the shops.

Several tall, burly guards, armed with swords, blocked the front and back entrances, preventing anyone from entering or leaving.

The shop assistants, unable to bear their rudeness, stepped forward to stop them, but were instead pushed to the ground.

The shouting and cursing continued for a while, but fortunately, Lin Shiyuan was quite strict in managing his subordinates, and no one was allowed to hurt anyone without his orders.

The entrance to Hui Ba Fang was crowded with people, who were talking and pointing, but no one knew what had happened at the shop.

Yao Qingling covered her forehead, her head throbbing, feeling utterly helpless.

No matter how wealthy one is, one is utterly powerless in the face of absolute power.

She could only watch helplessly as the shop she had painstakingly cultivated was treated so brutally.

Xiao Pingfeng's eyes reddened with anger. He asked Qingling, "Madam Yao, are you just going to stand by and watch? We—"

He looked around and lowered his voice, "After Boss Sheng sent you something last time, you gave the order that we must not accept goods of unknown origin, and we must not touch anything that involves imperial palace items. Boss Sheng listened to you and has already destroyed those things."

Yao Qingling stared straight at him: "Really, they were all destroyed?"

Yao Qingling believed that Hui Bafang wouldn't have those things it shouldn't have, but she couldn't completely trust Sheng Dahe.

The items made with those ingenious techniques were exquisitely crafted; one glance was enough to tell they were extraordinary, otherwise they wouldn't have been allowed into the palace.

It would be such a pity to destroy these exquisitely crafted objects.

Sheng Dahe knew the value of these things, and he couldn't bear to destroy them.

Xiao Pingfeng's eyes flickered. After all, Sheng Dahe was his former boss, a brute, and there was no reasoning with him.

He insisted, "There are absolutely no such things in Huibafang!"

He refused Sheng Dahe's request and hid the items in the shop's warehouse.

Xia Chan also said that under her watchful eye, it was impossible for Hui Bafang to have those things.

Yao Qingling nodded: "I know."

Xiao Pingfeng and Xia Chan were both people she trusted.

She paused, her cold gaze sweeping over the search party, finally settling on the man in black. She said, "But, when someone wants to find fault, they can always find a pretext."

Someone is going to cause her trouble; there's no escaping it.

Fortunately, she had planned ahead. After discovering the golden silk, she quickly changed all of the child's clothes.

During that time, Qingling had already investigated all the embroiderers in the embroidery room.

The Marquis's residence used fabric from the Caiyun Pavilion, but the clothes given to Zhao'er were made of gold feather silk.

The fabrics were similar, and the embroiderers didn't know what kind of material they were, so they just made them directly.

It can only be said that someone in the Marquis's residence secretly replaced the cicada cloud silk from Caiyunjian with gold feather silk.

After Yao Qingling discovered this, she cut off the trail.

Otherwise, she would have dealt with the traitor within the Marquis's mansion long ago.

The only thing to be thankful for now is that they discovered it early and made preparations in time, preventing anyone from gathering evidence against them.

Xia Chan said, "No..." She glanced at Lin Shiyuan, who was staring intently from afar, "Can't we ask Lord Lin to put in a good word for us?"

I thought it was just the Magnolia Academy that was being investigated, but they also thoroughly searched the entire Hui Ba Fang area.

Xia Chan had put a lot of effort into Hui Ba Fang and couldn't bear to see her perfectly good shop being ruined like this.

Yao Qingling frowned and slowly shook her head.

If it were just Lin Shiyuan, he wouldn't have made things so difficult for her.

It's that man in black...

Yao Qingling's cold gaze swept over the man in black.

The man had been secretly observing Yao Qingling, and upon noticing her gaze, he walked towards her instead.

"What are you three whispering about?" The man asked with a forced smile, his venomous eyes fixed on Qing Ling.

Qing Ling sneered, "My subordinates asked if you accept silver notes, sir. How many silver notes would it take to treat all the officials to tea and refreshments?"

The man chuckled maliciously, "Madam Yao, that's not right. I'm here to investigate a case. If I accept the silver notes, wouldn't that be sending everyone to jail?"

Having said that, he looked at Xiao Pingfeng and Xia Chan and said, "As for these two, if you have any information to report to me, I will not only pardon you, but also reward you handsomely for your meritorious reporting."

Xiao Pingfeng, with a stern face, said in a serious tone, "I am one of the managers of Hui Ba Fang, and I know everything about the shop, big and small. The only thing I don't know is that the shop has been falsely accused of hoarding tribute."

The man ran into a snag, his lips twitched, and he turned to look at Xia Chan. Seeing the swollen handprint on her face, he frowned and decided not to ask her any more questions.

Outside the gathering, Zhou Zhining, accompanied by two maids, was also watching the spectacle from the crowd.

A smug glint flashed in her eyes.

Yao Qingling has been in the limelight for so long, this time, we'll make sure she falls so hard she can never get back up!

Just as she was feeling a surge of pleasure, Zhiyue suddenly tugged at her sleeve: "Miss, it's the Second Master!"

Zhou Zhining paused, turned her head and saw Zhan Xingzhuo riding his horse and forcefully breaking through the crowd to stop at the store entrance.

A figure in a dark purple hue leaped off the horse, his steps steady yet swift, reaching the shop entrance in the blink of an eye.

The guards on both sides raised their swords to stop him, saying curtly, "There's a case being investigated inside; no one is allowed to go in."