Chapter 258 For Yao Qingling, are you willing to do it?

"Get out of the way!" Zhan Xingzhuo kicked the guard, who was about to retaliate; the man in black heard the commotion outside the door, saw Zhan Xingzhuo, and paused for a moment.

He frowned and said to the guard, "Do you know who he is? He is the Vice Minister of Revenue, the second young master of the Duke's mansion. You dare to lay a hand on him? You're asking for it!"

The guard was so frightened that he immediately knelt on one knee and said, "This servant did not know, please punish me, sir."

Zhan Xingzhuo ignored him and stepped across the threshold.

He spotted Yao Qingling inside, who had a worried look on her face, and walked towards her.

Yao Qingling looked at him and frowned slightly: "What are you doing here? To laugh at me?"

Zhan Xingzhuo: "Is that how you see me?"

He rushed over as soon as he received the news; that heartless woman.

Yao Qingling pressed her lips together and said irritably, "I'm annoyed right now. If you know what's good for you, leave."

Zhan Xingzhuo witnessed her heartlessness once again: "You are suspected of illegally possessing tribute items. Don't you know how serious that crime is?"

Yao Qingling: "I didn't."

Zhan Xingzhuo: "If you hadn't done anything, why would they investigate you? Yao Qingling, I know you value Hui Bafang highly. You want to establish yourself in the capital as a businesswoman and rise to prominence. You've cultivated good relationships with those princes, nobles, and officials' wives. If you don't have some skills, who would befriend you?"

Yao Qingling stared at him in astonishment.

Does he mean that she used those treasures to win people's hearts?

She did nothing wrong, so she's guilty?

Yao Qingling was so angry she laughed.

She laughed mockingly: "Lord Zhan, are you here to investigate a case too?"

Zhan Xingzhuo: "I'm here to save you. Yao Qingling, you're always so ungrateful. I knew it, you can't do without me."

Yao Qingling: "..."

She rolled her eyes speechlessly, stared at the ceiling for a while, then looked at him coldly: "Hui Ba Fang is my foundation. I value this shop, so I have no need to, and will not, do those kinds of shady things."

"My shop was able to establish itself in the capital thanks to that stuff."

Yao Qingling raised her hand and pointed, revealing the three plaques on the crossbeam with their characters clearly visible.

"But some people can't stand to see my business thriving, so they've framed me. Lord Zhan, what do you think about that?"

Zhan Xingzhuo stared at Qing Ling with a sullen face and a hint of hesitation.

Qingling added, "If you want to take advantage of my misfortune, then make me beg you for help now..."

Her eyes were clear and bright, yet mocking, as if a needle were pointed directly at his eyes.

Zhan Xingzhuo's expression darkened further: "If something happens to you, Zhao'er won't have an easy time either."

The sharpness in Yao Qingling's eyes immediately disappeared.

She pursed her lips and said nothing more.

Zhan Xingzhuo saw that she had finally put away all her sharp thorns and turned to look at Lin Shiyuan not far away.

He's looking this way.

Zhan Xingzhuo said, "This ungrateful wretch even laid a hand on you. Do you know how many things he did to climb to the top?"

Yao Qingling laughed self-deprecatingly: "I heard that he has stained the blood of many people, and many ministers have been arrested. Now that his knife is pointed at me, I am honored to be treated the same as a high-ranking official in the court."

"Yao Qingling, how can you still laugh!" Zhan Xingzhuo thought she was crazy. Even at a time like this, she didn't say a harsh word to that pretty boy.

"Zhan Xingzhuo, if you can't do anything, please go back."

"You!" Zhan Xingzhuo glared at her. Why was she so lenient with Lin Shiyuan, but treated him with such hostility?

Yao Qingling turned her head away and looked indifferently elsewhere.

Zhan Xingzhuo walked up to Lin Shiyuan: "You even laid a hand on her? She's your benefactor."

Lin Shiyuan said indifferently, "I am merely a servant who receives the emperor's salary and bears his responsibilities. I have a clear conscience."

Zhan Xingzhuo revealed a disdainful expression and scoffed, "Whether it's for the sake of the emperor or for your own sake, you know in your heart."

Lin Shiyuan retorted without changing his expression: "Lord Zhan, you should be glad that Yao Qingling has already divorced you. Otherwise, if her crimes were proven, you would also be implicated."

"Before, you were implicated because of Zhou Zhining and were not given important positions. You even had to go to Luozhou and suffer for more than half a year before you could return to the capital. Now you want to go to Luozhou again for Yao Qingling?"

Zhan Xingzhuo paused, then clenched his fingers.

Lin Shiyuan looked at him mockingly: "You've worked your way up to this position of Vice Minister of Revenue for many years. You haven't even warmed your seat yet, and you're already willing to give it up?"

Seeing that he didn't speak, Lin Shiyuan asked again: "For Yao Qingling, are you willing to do it?"

Zhan Xingzhuo's jaw tightened, his cheek muscles bulged, and his eyes blazed with fury.

But there were some things he just couldn't say, and some things he couldn't do for Yao Qingling.

Just thinking about the hardships and near-death experiences in Luozhou, if he had to go through it again, could he still endure it?

Lin Shiyuan looked at the man in front of him indifferently.

Even though he didn't say anything, you could tell from his expression that he was struggling with his inner conflict.

He curled his lips cruelly: "Lord Zhan, this matter is outside your jurisdiction. Please return."

As he spoke, he gestured toward the door, indicating that he should leave.

Zhan Xingzhu clenched his fists tightly and said coldly, "Don't you dare touch Yao Qingling and her son, or you'll know the consequences!"

He left in anger.

Lin Shiyuan watched him leave, then his gaze fell indifferently on Yao Qingling's face.

She sat in the chair, drinking tea and eating pastries, seemingly having let go and no longer caring.

Lin Shiyuan walked over, and Yao Qingling stood up, seemingly unwilling to say anything more to him.

"My lord, this place is large, please take your time searching. My son was frightened, and I am worried about him, so I must go back and check on him. If you find anything, please come and let me know."

She spoke to Lin Shiyuan with her body turned to the side, and her demeanor suggested that there was no trace of past affection between them; they were practically enemies.

The search continued until the third day; the shops were closed, and people were guarding the doors.

The wind blew harder and harder.

The shop was closed, the son was sick, and rumors spread that Yao Qingling had also fallen ill. Doctors came to the Marquis's mansion again and again, and he drank bowl after bowl of medicine.

Jin Mantang.

Prince Xin was very pleased to see that the amount of silver added to the account book every day.

Zhou Zhining said, "As soon as Hui Ba Fang closed down, it brought us so much income. If Hui Ba Fang were to close down completely, Jin Mantang would be the largest general store in the entire capital."

Prince Xin glanced at the account books, then casually tossed the book onto the table, seemingly unconcerned.

Zhou Zhining glanced at him: "Your Highness, are you still not satisfied?"

The Prince's face was expressionless, revealing neither joy nor anger, yet one could sense his displeasure.

Zhou Zhining pressed her lips together and remained silent.

Prince Xin suddenly said, "Yao Qingling's shop was searched by Lin Shiyuan. I heard that Zhan Xingzhu went to plead for her. Don't you have any thoughts on this?"

Zhou Zhining replied, "Lin Shiyuan didn't give him any face. It seems that Lin Shiyuan is a heartless and ruthless man. He went too far, and the people have a lot of complaints about him."

Yao Qingling's shop not only caters to the wealthy but also to ordinary people.

With the shops closed, ordinary people had no choice but to buy from other shops.

However, Yao Qingling's shop had the most complete selection of goods. Ordinary people had just gotten used to buying things from this shop, but at the crucial time of the year-end, they had to run around to buy enough things.

Furthermore, the people are also worried.

Yao Qingling's shop sheltered refugees, but now that the shop is closed, those refugees are homeless again, wandering around everywhere, and there's a risk they might cause trouble at this time.

During the Lunar New Year, who wants to be harassed by homeless people?

Everyone still vividly remembers the incident at the beginning of the year when refugees burned down houses.