The night was as dark as ink, hanging heavy over the capital, but the moonlight, like a gentle blade, pierced the clouds, shedding its cool glow. Like two stalking night owls, Jiang Xiaocai and Wang Chengyi, taking advantage of the hazy moonlight, cautiously made their way towards the dilapidated temple west of the city. The west of the city already exuded a sense of tranquility and desolation, and the dilapidated temple, under the moonlight, seemed even more eerie, like a dormant beast, hiding an unknown secret.
As they quietly approached the dilapidated temple, moonlight slanted through the tattered window frames. A faint rustling sound emanated from within, like a ghostly whisper, remarkably distinct in the still night. In the dappled moonlight, they spotted Liu's personal maid frantically handing a letter to a woman veiled in black. The maid's body trembled slightly, her voice trembling with a noticeable tremor: "This is the last time! Madam has gone to the manor. I don't want to…"
"Don't you want to?" The woman in black veil scoffed, her laugh like the cry of a night owl, cold and piercing. She slowly pulled a dagger from her sleeve. With a flash of cold light, the sharp dagger instantly pressed against the maid's throat. "If I hadn't helped you conceal the fact that you stole the master's jewelry, do you think you could still stay in the Prime Minister's residence safely? It's too late to regret it now!"
At this critical, life-or-death moment, Wang Chengyi's eyes flashed, and he suddenly kicked the temple door open. The dilapidated door rang with a dull thud, echoing in the silent night. Jiang Xiaocai, holding an abacus, followed closely behind him. The abacus gleamed with an ancient luster in the moonlight, as if witnessing this tense scene. The woman in black veil was startled by this sudden change, her face turning pale. Without a second thought, she turned and ran. However, fate seemed to have no intention of letting her go. As soon as she reached the door, she was blocked by the sudden entry of Su Xiaohouye.
Young Marquis Su's face was flushed, clearly still drunk. He staggered, yet still brandished his broadsword, attempting to project an air of authority. "Want to escape? Ask my broadsword first!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the dilapidated temple, though somewhat unclear due to his drunkenness. However, his seemingly imposing gesture was instantly shattered. The broadsword in his hand clattered to the ground with a sharp, abrupt sound. Seeing this, the woman in black veil flashed a hint of surprise in her eyes, and she seized the opportunity to flee. But as she rushed out the door, she ran head-on into Nian Li, who had hurried over with her yamen runners.
"Capture her!" Nian Li commanded, her voice firm and powerful, resounding like a bell. Like well-trained hounds, the yamen runners swarmed over and surrounded the woman in black veil. The moment the veil was torn off, everyone was stunned. It turned out to be the factory director Wang's concubine! She usually appeared cautious, but now her face was contorted, her eyes filled with despair and unwillingness.
"It's you!" Wang Chengyi's eyes were as cold as ice, and that look seemed to penetrate the concubine's soul. "It was you who encouraged my father to smuggle the imperial candy, right? How many more schemes do you have?"
Seeing the truth completely exposed, the concubine's legs gave way and she collapsed to the ground. Her eyes were hollow as she cried, "It was all about money! Liu promised me that if I could ruin the Jiang family's marriage, she would give me half of the family fortune... I was also bewildered by the devil, which is why I did all these wrong things!"
The next day, sunlight streamed softly through the cracks in the window, spilling onto the main hall of the Prime Minister's residence. Su Jinli sat at the head of the table, listening to everyone's reports. She sighed softly, saying, "Humanity is insatiable. Greed is like a bottomless pit, never to be filled." She turned to look at Jiang Xiaohuang, who was nestled against Mo Chen. Her eyes were filled with smiles and kindness, as if all the gloom had vanished in that moment. "But don't let these dirty things ruin our good mood. Children, life is always full of twists and turns, but as long as we work together as a family, no difficulty is insurmountable."
Jiang Yan slowly approached, teacup in hand, his beard twitching and a sly smile on his face. "In my opinion, we should write these stories into a storybook, so that the whole capital will know the consequences of daring to mess with the Prime Minister's Mansion! This will serve as a warning to others and let everyone know that our Prime Minister's Mansion is not to be trifled with."
"Good idea!" Su Jinli's eyes lit up, as if a bright light had suddenly turned on in the darkness. She turned to look at Jiang Xiaocai, her eyes full of anticipation, "Xiaocai, aren't you good at accounting? Calculate how much it would cost to print 10,000 copies of the storybook? We really need to figure out the cost."
Jiang Xiaocai immediately pulled out the familiar abacus from his pocket and deftly moved his fingers across the beads, producing a crisp, melodious sound. "Paper, ink, labor... plus the bookseller's share, it will probably cost..."
"What do you mean by 'count it?'" Young Marquis Su rushed in carelessly, swinging his wine jug. His face was slightly flushed with drunkenness, and his words were somewhat bold. "Does our mansion still need a little money? My uncle has paid for the storybook this time! Let's just treat it as a good start for the children's wedding and let everyone in the capital see how lively our mansion is."
Everyone burst into laughter at Young Marquis Su's generous gesture, filling the main hall with a cheerful atmosphere. Just then, Su Qingyao rushed in, her face beaming with excitement, holding an exquisite box in her hands as if she were holding a rare treasure. "Come and see! My newly blended 'Forever Marriage' rouge! Xiaohuang, try it! I've meticulously crafted it, and it's guaranteed to make you look exceptionally beautiful."
Jiang Xiaohuang blushed and shyly accepted the rouge. She opened the box, only to find a crooked sugar painting inside—a phoenix flapping its wings, ready to take flight. Though crudely crafted, the painting exuded a unique childlike charm. Mo Chen, seeing this, smiled and pulled out another sugar dragon from his sleeve, teasing, "Looks like someone's secretly copying me. This phoenix is quite creative, though; it pairs well with my dragon."
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