The more Yu Tang thought about it, the more that seemed to be the case.

It's a pity that Rizhao is too far away from here. Even if she has some suspicions, it is difficult to verify. Moreover, according to the date, the incident has become a wrongful case, and she doesn't know what else she can do.

However, eight or nine out of ten of the fifty mu of permanent farmland of the Li family was used to launder the money he had embezzled when he was the prefect of Rizhao.

She was a little restless.

Li Yi has been the prefect of Rizhao for seven or eight years. If he really has bad intentions, there must be more than one case of injustice, which shows that he is not a good person. Now that he is an official in Beijing, he has more power and contacts with more people and things. Who knows if he will do something against his conscience again.

Come to think of it, their family is also a victim!

If Li Yi had not been an official outside, would the Li family dare to think of killing someone?

Yu Tang suddenly felt a sense of solidarity with the enemy. He thought that it would be fine if he didn't know about it, but if he knew about it and remained indifferent, and didn't make good use of it, and brought down the Li family, how could he be worthy of Wei Xiaoshan's death in vain?

She jumped out of bed, called Ah Tiao in, and said, "Go ask Manager Hu for me. See when the Third Elder is free. I have something I want to see him about."

Among the people Yu Tang knows, only Pei Yan has the ability to verify whether Li Yi has done those things.

She needs Pei Yan's help.

Ah Tiao left in response, and came back half an hour later to tell her: "The oranges on the Pei family's farm in Ji'an are ripe, and the third elder has gone to Ji'an to sell the oranges. He will be back tomorrow night. I want to ask you if it's urgent. If it is, please write a letter to the third elder. If it is not urgent, wait until the third elder comes back and then set a time."

It's urgent, but not in just one or two days.

But, Pei Yan is selling oranges...what's going on?

Are oranges available now?

Compared to Li Yi's affairs, Yu Tang was more curious about Pei Yan's selling of oranges.

She said, "Then you should go and tell Manager Hu and arrange a time after the Third Elder comes back."

Ah Tiao ran away again.

Ma Xiuniang asked Xi Que to bring a letter to see her and invited her to her house for lunch.

Yu Tang said something to Chen, took two silk flowers he made, and went to Zhang's house accompanied by Shuang Tao.

Ma Xiuniang was instructing the maid in the kitchen to roast a pig's head. When she saw her coming, she patted her apron and walked out of the kitchen.

As soon as Yu Tang entered the second door, he smelled a halite aroma. He immediately went forward to pay his respects and said, "What delicious food did you prepare? You called me from home. Where's Qing'er? Why didn't you see her? Is my brother-in-law home? Would it be too much of a bother for me to come here like this?"

"Why are you so talkative!" Seeing her smiling face, which was as beautiful as a summer flower, Ma Xiuniang couldn't help but pinch her face and said, "Since you were called here, there must be something inappropriate. Your brother-in-law has gone to work as a waiter and won't be back for lunch. Qing'er, that little girl, only knows how to sleep all day long, like a little pig. You don't have to worry about her."

The two talked and walked into the house hand in hand.

Magpie came in with tea.

The two of them sat down according to their status and exchanged a few pleasantries. Ma Xiuniang then explained the reason why she was asked to come over this time: "Originally, I should have been the one to see you, but Qing'er is too young. She has never left me since she was born. I was worried about leaving her alone at home, so I called you over. I just want to ask you, last time you said you wanted your brother-in-law to help you paint patterns for your shop, do you still need help?" When she said this, her face turned red.

Yu Tang was overjoyed and said hurriedly, "Yes, yes, yes. I just need the pattern. It would be great if my brother-in-law could help me. It depends on whether my sister wants to sell them one by one or sell them all to our family at once?"

Ma Xiuniang didn't quite know the difference, and it was not easy for her to ask in detail.

In his previous life, Yu Tang paid more attention to the family business because of Yu Yuan. He also dealt with those shopkeepers and knew that only by understanding the principle of business in business can one run a business for a long time. Ma Xiuniang didn't ask, so she spoke first: "We will pay for each piece sold, that is, we agree on how much we will share for each piece of lacquerware sold. For example, if this pattern is used on a mirror case, and the mirror case sells for one or two taels of silver, then we will give you ten cents for each piece sold; if you sell them all to us at once, then we will pay you according to the price of each painting, and we can use it as we like. Now our family hires an outside artist to paint a painting, and it costs about one or two taels of silver for each painting. But brother-in-law is different. He paints well. If he is willing to sell it to us, we will definitely pay double the money. Sister, it depends on what is convenient for your family. We can do anything."

If Ma Xiuniang was not waiting for money, she would not have instigated Zhang Hui to paint for the Yu family. Moreover, Zhang Hui only agreed to paint twenty pictures for Ma Xiuniang and would not stop there. Moreover, it was not known whether the pictures Zhang Hui painted could make money for the Yu family.

She blushed even more and whispered, "You also know about my family's affairs..."

Yu Tang understood what he meant and said immediately, "Okay. Just sell them all to our family. I said this because some painters like to sell one piece at a time, and you have never been exposed to this. Am I not making it clear to you? Just let your brother-in-law paint, and I will take care of the rest!"

After she said this, Ma Xiuniang felt even more embarrassed and said, "Your brother-in-law is only going to paint twenty pictures."

Yu Tang also thought that Zhang Xiucai would not always do this, and was not disappointed. Instead, she was happy to get Zhang Hui's paintings. She said, "Twenty is twenty, it's better than not getting any at all. Sister, when do you think I can come to get the paintings?"

Ma Xiuniang laughed and said, "Your brother-in-law has just been persuaded by me, how can it be so fast. However, you have to tell me what kind of drawings you want, so that I can urge your brother-in-law to finish the painting as soon as possible."

Yu Tang said, "The elegant things in the study will do."

They have no shortage of pictures such as Magu paying homage to the birthday god or Peng Zu ascending the throne, but what they lack are elegant pieces that would be liked by literati.

Ma Xiuniang smiled and said, "Okay! I understand. Just go back and wait for news."

Yu Tang thanked him repeatedly.

Ma Xiuniang pulled Yu Tang's hand and said with emotion: "I should be the one thanking you."

It was clearly a mutually beneficial thing, but Yu Tang acted as if the Yu family had gained some benefit from their family.

Ma Xiuniang suddenly felt very fortunate to have made a friend named Yu Tang, but she didn't know that Yu Tang was also very fortunate that he had not missed out on becoming good friends with Ma Xiuniang in his life.

After leaving Zhang's house, Yu Tang went directly to the Yu family's shop on Changxing Street.

From a distance, she saw Xia Pinggui and Xia Lian, Xiang's dowry maid, standing at the door of the shop and talking. Xia Lian was holding a food box in her hand.

She guessed that Xia Lian was sent by her sister-in-law to deliver lunch to her eldest cousin.

Yu Tang pursed his lips and smiled.

The food in the shop is cooked by apprentices, so of course it can't be as good as at home. My sister-in-law must be worried that my eldest cousin doesn't have enough to eat.

When she got closer, she realized that Xia Pinggui and Xia Lian's smiles seemed too bright.

A trace of doubt flashed through Yu Tang's mind.

Xia Pinggui and Xia Lian, seeing her, jumped away like cats whose tails were stepped on. Xia Pinggui greeted her with a enthusiasm a hundred times more than usual: "Young lady, you are here. Are you here to see the boss or the young boss? The boss has gone to see Master Xiang and hasn't come back yet. The young boss is guarding the shop. I'll take you in!" As he said that, he lowered his eyelids and rushed in like a headless fly.

Xia Lian said hurriedly, "Miss, I'm going back first. I'm here to bring food to the young master's family. Our young mistress is waiting for my reply," and ran away.

Is she that scary?

Yu Tang was muttering to himself when suddenly an idea flashed in his mind.

Could it be that Xia Pinggui was...

She didn't show it on her face, but the villain in her heart was laughing.

In her previous life, the same thing happened to her when she was in the Li family.

There were maids and servants around her who had taken a fancy to her. However, Lin would not allow such a thing to happen in the family, so she sold the maids and servants, saying that such a thing should not be set as a precedent, otherwise it would be easy for insiders and outsiders to collude and steal.

However, Xia Pinggui and Xia Lian are quite suitable. I have to remind her sister-in-law when the time comes. If the two of them really have this intention, it is better to help them get together early, so as to avoid any trouble and make everyone embarrassed.

Yu Tang went to the accounting office where Yu Yuan was resting without saying a word and told Yu Yuan about Zhang Hui.

Yu Yuan was overjoyed and said, "Do you know why my father went to see Master Xiang? A few days ago, my father took a job. Someone wanted to order fifty boxes and cages, but they wanted a pattern like Four Seasons Ruyi. My father went to Master Xiang to draw the pattern. You know Master Xiang, a pattern costs at least five taels of silver."

Yu Tang became anxious after hearing this: "Then you should quickly find someone to inform your uncle. If your uncle has already made an agreement with Master Xiang, it will be difficult for him to change his mind. Also, I know that Master Xiang is the most famous painting master in Lin'an City. If Master Xiang charges five taels of silver per piece, then Master Zhang should pay at least four taels of silver per piece, right?"

Before, she knew that the painting masters only charged one or two taels of silver for a painting. Who knew that Master Xiang would charge so much.

Yu Yuan hurriedly told Xia Pinggui that an important guest had come to the house and asked Yu Bo to come back quickly. After Xia Pinggui left, he continued to talk about this matter with Yu Tang: "We told Dad before that the patterns at home are a bit old. Dad also knew it, but he was more concerned about money and always wanted to make do with it for a while. If someone hadn't specifically requested a pattern like Four Seasons Ruyi this time, this business would not have been done if it was not available. Dad calculated that the money earned from this business was just enough to pay Master Xiang for the drawing fee, so he gritted his teeth and went to find it. Otherwise, why would it be delayed until now!"

Yu Tang smiled helplessly.

The brother and sister drank tea for half a day, and Yu Bo came back panting.

"I heard that you found a better pattern master?" he asked as he entered the room, without even having time to take a sip of tea.

"Not a painting master." Yu Tang told Yu Bo about Zhang Hui.

Yu Bo was indeed a little hesitant, and said, "Mr. Zhang's paintings are definitely good, but it's hard to say whether they can be sold well."

The price of four taels of silver is even worse.

Yu Tang smiled and said, "Since this business can pay for Master Xiang's sample paintings, and everyone always says that the samples in our shop are not original, I think it would be better to let Master Zhang draw a few samples according to the merchant's wishes. If the customer is satisfied, then let Master Zhang paint. You can also make a few taels of silver!"

Yu Bo thought that his family would not suffer any loss, so he agreed.