Chapter 299 Where Did the Gold and Silver Go?
Behind the high wall, you enter a very quiet and cozy courtyard.
The courtyard is filled with pavilions, terraces, and winding paths, all kept very clean and tidy.
The area ahead was brightly lit, and the sounds of string and wind instruments, as well as soft, melodious voices, could be faintly heard.
Li Yao looked ahead and felt that the brightly lit area in front of him was strangely familiar.
"Yongfeng, Yao'er, you're finally back."
Bai San Niang came out of the house to greet them, her expression gentle.
"mother."
Li Yao stepped forward to help Bai San Niang.
At that moment, a man came out of the house.
The man was thin and pale, looking as if a gust of wind could blow him over.
The man stood under the eaves, nodded slightly to Li Yongfeng, and then walked down the steps.
"Yongfeng is here."
Li Yongfeng rushed forward excitedly and immediately knelt down on the ground.
"Your Highness, I pay my respects. It has been many years since we last met. How have you been?"
The man, Prince Chen, stepped forward, bent down, and personally helped Li Yongfeng up.
"My health is still the same. Bianjing has benefited greatly from your management over the years. You've worked hard!"
Prince Chen spoke gently and patted Li Yongfeng's shoulder lightly.
Li Yongfeng bowed respectfully.
"It is my honor to serve Your Highness."
After saying that, he waved to Li Yao.
"Yao'er, come quickly and pay your respects to the Prince."
Bai San Niang gently pushed Li Yao forward.
Li Yao stepped forward and knelt down.
"Your subordinate Li Yao greets Your Highness."
The moment his knees touched the ground, Prince Chen immediately bent down and helped him up.
"Yao'er, you are Yao'er!"
Prince Chen looked him up and down, his gentle face showing a hint of excitement.
Li Yao was puzzled.
"Your Highness... do you recognize me?"
Prince Chen was taken aback, then shook his head and chuckled.
"I haven't been to Bianjing City for over twenty years, how could I possibly know you? I've only heard your mother mention you all these years."
As time went on, even I, the king, couldn't help but become interested and wanted to see Third Sister's child.
Bai San Niang smiled slightly.
"Now that Your Highness has seen the child, what do you think of his appearance? Has he disappointed you?"
Prince Chen looked at Li Yao with a smile in his eyes.
"No, Yongfeng has raised his child very well."
A smile appeared on Li Yongfeng's face.
"Thank you for your praise, Your Highness."
Prince Chen smiled slightly and looked at the boxes that the men in black were carrying in one after another.
"What are these?"
Li Yongfeng said, "These are the profits from Your Highness's properties in Bianjing over the years, totaling ten thousand taels of gold and ten million taels of silver. Please accept them, Your Highness."
The Prince of Chen looked surprised.
"So much? Excellent! With all this gold and silver, what can't we accomplish in our great undertaking!"
Li Yongfeng stepped forward and opened each of the fifteen boxes one by one.
"Please send someone to check and accept them, Your Highness."
Prince Chen waved his hand.
"No need, I trust Yongfeng to handle things perfectly."
Li Yongfeng was very insistent.
“Money matters are no small matter. I have placed account books in every box here.”
As he spoke, he reached into the box into a familiar spot, but couldn't find the ledger.
"Strange, where are the ledgers? I clearly put them here."
Prince Chen paused for a moment, then waved his hand.
"Since I have said I trust you, there is no need to investigate further, and there is no need to look at the account books."
Bai San Niang said gently, "Yongfeng, look how much the prince trusts you. Think about it again. Could it be that you've misremembered where you put the account book?"
"impossible!"
Li Yongfeng flatly denied it, and simply took out some of the gold from the box to search through the account books.
His expression changed as soon as the gold was taken out.
Beneath the top layer of gold, it was all stone.
Everyone present changed their expressions.
"Where's the gold? How could this happen?"
Li Yongfeng's face was extremely ugly. He lunged at the box next to him, rummaged through the gold on top, and found that underneath was still stone.
Another chest of silver was opened, but it was still full of stones!
All fifteen chests of gold and silver turned to stone.
Li Yongfeng collapsed to the ground, large beads of cold sweat instantly streaming down his forehead.
"how so?"
Bai San Niang asked anxiously, "Where are the gold and silver? What exactly happened? Yongfeng, say something!"
Li Yao was also dumbfounded.
"Yes, Father, where did the gold and silver go?"
Li Yongfeng muttered, "The gold and silver have been switched. How is that possible? No one knows about that secret room except for myself."
Who opened the secret room? Damn it, who was it?!
He suddenly jumped up from the ground and grabbed one of the men in black standing in a row next to him.
"Did you switch the gold and silver on the way? Where did you hide the gold and silver?"
The man in black vehemently denied it.
"Of course not. We were following your carriage the whole time. How could we have had time to exchange gold and silver?"
"Then tell me where the gold and silver went?"
"You're asking me? I'd like to ask you the same thing. So all the brothers went through all that trouble to bring back were a dozen or so boxes of broken stones?"
"you!"
Prince Chen coldly interrupted their argument.
"Stop arguing! This is too suspicious. We've probably been tricked. Organize the brothers and get out of here immediately!"
As soon as he finished speaking, a loud bang suddenly rang out outside.
The courtyard gate was kicked open from the outside, and a group of people rushed in, surrounding Prince Chen, Li Yongfeng, and the others.
Suddenly, the entire courtyard was brightly lit, as bright as day!
Shen Cong, wrapped in a cloak, slowly stepped in.
Behind him followed Li Mu and his daughter Li Nanke.
Li Yongfeng's expression changed, and he pointed at Li Mu and Li Nanke, cursing angrily.
"Damn it, you guys did this, didn't you? You switched the gold and silver in the box, didn't you?"
Li Mu looked surprised.
"What are you talking about? Didn't you hand over that gold and silver to us willingly?"
"You're talking nonsense. When did I hand it over to you?"
Li Mu made a solemn vow.
"After you were arrested, I went to Dali Temple to visit you in prison, and you secretly told me the secret that there was gold and silver stored in the secret room of the study."
You even said you'd let me hand over this gold and silver to His Majesty in exchange for your life. Have you forgotten all that?
Li Yongfeng was so angry he jumped up and down.
"Nonsense! I would never tell you the secret of the secret room in my study!"
"If you hadn't told us, how would we have discovered this gold and silver? And how would we have been able to successfully switch them?"
Li Mu spread his hands and looked around.
"Furthermore, this place is sandwiched between Desheng Opera House in front and Dong Family Antique Shop behind."
Next door was an abandoned house that was often haunted, truly well hidden away.
"If you hadn't led the way, how would we have discovered this place?"
As Li Mu finished speaking, a hint of suspicion appeared in the eyes of both Bai San Niang and Prince Chen.
Bai San Niang: "Yongfeng, is it really you?"
Li Yongfeng denied it in a panic.
"No, I didn't, it wasn't me! How could I do that?"
"Third Sister, Your Highness, you must believe me!"
Prince Chen pursed his lips and remained silent, his gaze fixed on Shen Cong.
Shen Cong curled his lips into a smile.
"Should I call you Brother Chen or Patriarch Chen?"
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