Chapter 30 Chapter 30 If Lu Xusheng doesn’t agree, then divorce him…

Chapter 30 Chapter 30 If Lu Xusheng doesn’t agree, then divorce him…

Soon, Butler Hang had evened out the ledger, and all the cards, keys, and account books were neatly stacked on the table.

Initially, the Duke's Mansion was in the hands of the old lady. Later, it was handed over to the first lady after she married. After Lu Chang became the Duke, it was given to the second wife, Wang. Now it can finally be returned to its original owner.

The second daughter, Lu Shuwan, immediately stepped forward to take over the power of reward for her mother.

At this time, Lu Xusheng's icy voice came over,

“Wait!”

His eyes were indifferent,

"What do you mean, second sister?"

Lu Shuwan was stunned for a moment, and gestured in the direction of her mother, "Shouldn't I give it to my mother?"

Lu Xusheng's face turned cold, "I don't think it's necessary to hand it over to mother. Second sister and Li will return home, and it would be more appropriate to hand it over to you."

Lu Shuwan's face immediately turned red, "Second brother, I..."

Lu Xusheng stood up and walked over to Cheng Yian. He straightened his official robe and bowed to her.

"From now on, the Lu family will rely on Madam for support."

This was in stark contrast to his majestic appearance just now. His back was bent in a smooth arc, and his posture was respectful and sincere.

When Lu Shuwan saw his expression, she immediately reacted and realized that she had overstepped the line. She glanced at Cheng Yian awkwardly and retreated to the side of the Second Wife. However, Cheng Yian did not look at her, but instead fixed his gaze on Lu Xusheng.

It was obvious that he did this to establish his authority and let everyone in the Lu family see that the young master who was feared by everyone was so humble in front of her.

Cheng Yian did not put on airs, she slowly stood up and calmly returned his greeting, "I obey your command."

Lu Xusheng gave a wink, and Butler Hang personally handed over all the storeroom keys and other items, while Cheng Yian signaled Mrs. Ming and Ruhui beside him to take over.

This scene was seen by all the managers present.

What is this called? A new emperor appoints new ministers.

Things have changed in Lu Mansion.

All the stewards in the hall immediately knelt down and kowtowed.

"Greetings, Madam."

Cheng Yian walked to the front of the hall, glanced at the manager present, and said in a low voice,

"Everyone, go back and settle your accounts now. I will settle the accounts within three days. If there is any mistake or concealment, I don't care where you come from or what your status is. I will sell what needs to be sold and deal with what needs to be dealt with. Of course, if you are honest and reliable, I will not hesitate to keep you."

Everyone immediately understood that this was a token of allegiance. If they bowed well to the wharf, they would be retained. Otherwise, they would be fired.

No one dared to be careless at that moment, and they all bowed in unison in response.

This matter is settled. Seeing that Lu Xusheng was not in a hurry, the old lady couldn't help but feel angry and said coldly,

"Xu'er, the imperial guard has been handed over. Is it time for you to go to the palace to save your uncle?"

Lu Xusheng didn't look at her, but took Cheng Yian's cloak from Rulan himself, put it on Cheng Yian, and replied calmly,

"Grandmother, please be patient. The man is now on trial at the Metropolitan Procuratorate. Even if I go there, I cannot bring him back. I will only speak after the whole case is investigated and presented to His Majesty."

The old lady thought about it and it was true. It was impossible to bail the person out from Cheng Mingyu's hands. In the end, the decision had to be made by the emperor.

The old lady was already in a daze and barely breathing. She no longer cared about anything else and called the maid to come and take her back to the backyard.

Lu Xusheng just said that he wanted to discuss household matters with his wife and took his leave first. No one else dared to say anything.

The couple walked out of the main hall and went along the corridor towards Ningji Hall. When they were out of everyone's sight, Cheng Yian refused to cooperate with him and shook off Lu Xusheng's hand, walking quickly forward with the tent in his arms. Seeing this, Mrs. Ming and others quickly followed with account books in their hands, leaving Lu Xusheng alone with his hands behind his back and a bitter smile.

Go out of the long corridor behind the main hall and turn northwest. There is a sloping corridor leading directly to Lu Xusheng's study. Behind the study is a small door that leads to Ningji Hall. This is the door reserved for Lu Xusheng.

Lu Xusheng looked at Cheng Yian's slender back. How could he not understand what was going on? She was still angry with him about her past life. But he was in the wrong and had no words to argue, so he had to chase after her with a flattering face.

He followed quickly, while Lu Shuwan and Third Young Lady Bai followed behind, helping the Second Madam out from the back corridor of the main hall.

Seeing her wise and brave brother being so humble in front of his sister-in-law, Lu Shuwan immediately shook her head.

"My second brother is too used to his younger sister-in-law."

The Second Madam didn't say anything. She just felt proud at the moment and didn't care about Cheng Yian at all.

The group returned to Mingxi Hall, and Lu Shuwan was still sighing.

"You don't know how people outside praise my brother, saying that he is as handsome as Pan An, bravest of all time, and a Jinshi. Even a god is no better than him. I thought he should be able to hold his head high in front of his wife."

As an older sister, I am afraid that my younger brother will suffer in front of his wife.

Mrs. Bai smiled and counseled, "After all, she is the daughter of Master Cheng. The Cheng family treats her like a treasure. Now that she is in our Lu family, we have to respect her. If it were anyone else, who would have known so many details about what happened today? Master Cheng must have done this for his son-in-law."

Lu Shuwan sneered, "No matter how beautiful the daughter of the Cheng family is, my brother is not unworthy of her, right?"

Bai looked at her sister-in-law's cold face and shook her head secretly.

Why does the elder sister have such a long hand? After all, it is her younger brother's family business, how can she care about it? The elder sister-in-law and the mother-in-law are on the same side, and they always talk to the younger brother in everything. How can they understand the hardships of being daughters-in-law? Cheng Yian is already very good. She is usually as gentle as water and does not put on airs. If it were her, with such a powerful father and such a capable husband, she would have walked around the Lu Mansion a long time ago.

Bai is also a daughter-in-law, so now she shares the same stance as Cheng Yian.

The second wife is now more open-minded.

"Forget it, just give it to her."

Lu Shuwan said anxiously, "You can't just leave it alone."

The Second Madam wanted to intervene, but judging from Lu Xusheng's behavior just now, she knew that he didn't want her to interfere.

It's not that she really wants to get involved, it's just that the third son has not found a wife yet, and Cheng Yian and she are not on the same page, so she has to keep an eye on it. Besides...looking at her daughter's impatient look, it's obvious that she is also looking forward to some support from her mother.

The second wife asked her, "Why, is there trouble at home again?"

Lu Shuwan glanced at Mrs. Bai and said nothing.

Mrs. Bai was very perceptive. "Mother, I'll go take a look in the kitchen. So many things happened today. I'm afraid the kitchen is out of order."

The second lady nodded.

As soon as she left, Lu Shuwan had a bitter look on her face and hugged her mother's arm.

"I have no choice. It's been so long and I still haven't gotten pregnant. My mother-in-law is upset and wants to find a concubine for my husband. I can't let them do that."

Lu Shuwan married into the family of Jiang, the Right Vice Minister of the Ministry of Rites. Her husband was an only son. When she first got married, the couple was very loving and harmonious. But a few years later, they only gave birth to a daughter. Her parents-in-law became dissatisfied and often gossiped about her husband, worrying that he would not be able to have children. They wanted to take a concubine, and Mr. Jiang also had the intention to waver.

The Second Madam had always been proud and arrogant, and had never bowed her head in front of anyone. Upon hearing this, she immediately scolded him.

"So you have to subsidize them in exchange for respect?"

"Hmph!" The Second Madam raised her sleeves and said with a sullen look, "Just let him do what he wants. If the Jiang family dares to take a concubine, we will divorce them. You are the eldest daughter of a Duke's mansion, how can you bow to them? You got married in such a glorious way, and I didn't even fancy the Jiang family. What basis do they have to choose you?"

Lu Shuwan's face turned pale and blue at what her mother said. She said softly, "Isn't this for Lei Lei's sake?"

The Second Madam said unhappily, "She is the daughter of the Jiang family. If they don't feel sorry for her, you don't have to feel sorry for her either. I tell you, when you go back, just ignore it. The more you guard against them, the more they want to steal her. Why don't you just let them take her as a concubine and give it a try? I'll let Xusheng go to the Jiang family later to see if they dare to say anything."

When Lu Shuwan heard her mother let her brother make the decision for her, she felt more confident.

"As you wish."

Then he asked, "So you really won't interfere with Zhongfu?"

The second wife was very calm and relaxed, dozing off with her head propped up.

"Why are you in such a hurry? She just arrived and she doesn't recognize everyone. I will intervene when she can't handle the situation anymore."

Lu Shuwan looked at her graceful mother and thought that her own cultivation was indeed a little shallow.

"Mom still has the idea."

After returning to her room, Cheng Yian asked Nanny Li to prepare a meal for her. She had not eaten well because of the old lady's fuss just now, so she had to fill her stomach now.

Lu Xusheng watched her eat from the side, and sent the servant away after she finished.

It was useless to talk about the things in the past life now. Lu Xusheng was not a man of sweet words and didn't know how to coax her. He simply kept silent and let Cheng Yian decide for him.

After dinner, Cheng Yian was relieved and at peace. He thought that the things in his past life were just passing clouds. If he kept dwelling on them, he would not be able to live. He immediately brushed off the thoughts and asked him,

"What are you going to do with the title? Can you get it this time?"

Lu Xusheng remained calm, took out a small booklet from under his sleeve, and pressed it with his fingertips.

"I haven't made a move yet.

This time he got himself into trouble first. When your father investigates first and finds the right opportunity, he will hand over this book to him. Then he will lose his title and official position."

"You can't put them in the pot without boiling them in the oil pan."

Although the tone was extremely calm, it gave people a chill.

This man is indeed very evil-hearted.

Cheng Yian suddenly felt a little afraid of him.

"Is it too late for me to please you now?" She poured him a cup of tea in a formal manner.

Seeing his wife's amiable appearance, Lu Xusheng did not dare to let his guard down at all. "Just don't stop me from going to bed, or I'll beg you for mercy."

Cheng Yian stepped hard on his foot under the table.

Lu Xusheng didn't dare to say a word.

"Does this count as going back on your word?" Cheng Yian is a well-behaved child after all, and he has never done anything shameful since he was young.

Lu Xusheng didn't take it seriously.

"Why didn't they think of today when they stole my father's title while his body was still warm?"

"When they realize they have no hope, they will just beg me."

"That makes sense." She pointed at the booklet in his hand.

"Where did this evidence come from?"

Lu Xusheng said, "The account book that Hao Ren kept privately contains evidence of my uncle's crimes over the years."

"Don't worry, you will be the Duke's wife before the end of the year."

Cheng Yian rolled his eyes at him, "You sound like I'm precious to you, but it's all for the sake of the child..."

Speaking of children, Cheng Yian's face turned red.

It has been three months since they got married. In her previous life, she had the child in December of this year. Thinking of the poor child, Cheng Yian felt a pain in her heart. In her two lives, she had only been pregnant once. She hoped that the child would give her another chance in this life, and she would give birth to the child safely.

Lu Xusheng looked even more uncomfortable, and he was obviously unable to let go of the blame, and he slapped his forehead several times.

After a moment of silence, he pointed at the account books and asked Cheng Yian,

"Okay? If you don't want to, I'll arrange it."

There is no reason for a man to be the boss of the house.

Cheng Yian glared at him, "Are you looking down on me?"

"How come?"

"In my previous life, I worked as a housekeeper for Fan Yulin for five years." She deliberately stabbed him.

Lu Xusheng's expression froze there, and his heart felt like it was boiling in a frying pan, hot and uncomfortable.

If he could, he would stab his past-life self a few times to vent his anger.

Cheng Yian watched him leave with a gloomy face and bent over with laughter.

Lu Xusheng came out of Ningji Hall, passed the sloping corridor, and ran into Lu Shuwan who was preparing to return home.

"Second brother."

When Lu Shuwan saw her brother, she immediately walked over with a smile on her face.

Lu Xusheng had a good relationship with his sister, but when he thought of her behavior just now, the smile disappeared from his face. He just bowed to her and asked, "Second sister, are you going back home?"

"Yes." Lu Shuwan looked at her brother in front of her, with his tall and heroic figure and handsome face. In terms of family background, talent, appearance and status, there is no one else like him in the whole capital. The more she looked at him, the more proud she became, and she couldn't help but confess,

"My brother is also a second-rank viceroy, the commander-in-chief of the frontier army appointed by His Majesty. You don't have to be so cautious in front of my sister-in-law. A man should not be led by a woman."

Lu Xusheng narrowed his cold eyes and said with his hands behind his back, "Second sister, are you trying to interfere in my bedroom affairs?"

Lu Shuwan choked, "I..."

Without waiting for her to respond, Lu Xusheng interrupted her with a calm expression.

"Second sister, please take care of your own business first and stop trying to get involved. Mother and Yi An's relationship is not a happy one to begin with. Second sister, you are really foolish not to mediate but to stir up trouble. Instead of trying to persuade mother to give you something, second sister should make good connections with her parents. That way, when you need their support in the future, you won't be ashamed."

Lu Xusheng said this and rode out of the door.

Lu Shuwan blushed at his words and looked at his back with shame and anger. He was her own brother, how could she, as an elder sister, harm him? But when she thought carefully about his words, she could figure out some deeper meanings. She couldn't help feeling embarrassed and left the Lu family with mixed feelings.

Cheng Yian was planning to take a nap, but when he looked at the time, it was almost 3 p.m., so he had no choice but to lie down on the bed and take a nap. As soon as he lay down, he saw Li Ma Ma coming in from outside, lifting the curtain.

"Grandma, don't rush to bed. There are guests coming."

Cheng Yian was stunned, "Who's here?"

Seeing that her clothes were half undressed, Madam Li was afraid that she would get cold, so she hurried forward to hug her and said, "The second young lady from the Tao family next door is here."

"Is Tao Qin here?"

"Isn't it?"

In the past, Cheng Yian had two good friends in Nan Mansion. One was Cheng Yike, a girl from the eighth room, and the other was Tao Qin, who lived next door to Fan Mansion. Tao Qin was the second girl of the Tao family. She had an older sister and a younger brother, and was never favored in the mansion. But they got along well with Cheng Yian, a child whose father disliked her for having no mother. In addition, Cheng Yike was bullied by her stepmother. As a result, the three poor little ones often squeezed together to share snacks when they were young, and were closer than real sisters.

"Please come in quickly."

Cheng Yian called Ruhui in again to help her dress, and sat on the kang bed facing south waiting.

Soon, a girl wearing a moon-white hooded cape and with a red face came in. When she saw her sitting there, her eyes suddenly turned red and she looked over.

“An An…”

Cheng Yian hugged her tightly, and seeing her bursting into tears, he helped her sit down and asked anxiously, "What's going on? What happened?"

Tao Qin's face was younger than Cheng Yian's, with a pair of willow-shaped eyebrows and tears hanging on her eyelashes. She looked very pitiful. She didn't rush to talk about the matter, but instead looked at Cheng Yian's complexion.

"I haven't seen you for a long time. I miss you so much."

Cheng Yian felt a pang of pain when he saw her sobbing. In her previous life, when she left the capital for Yizhou, Tao Qin cried herself sick and was reluctant to let her go. "I haven't seen you for a long time."

Tao Qin said ashamedly, "Last time at the Cheng family's Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, Ke'er and I saw you from afar, dressed in jewels and jade, being held in the arms of the old ancestor like a precious child. We didn't even dare to say hello."

Cheng Yian said angrily, "Come to think of it, last time at the Asian New Year's Eve party, I sent people to look for you two, but why didn't you two respond? One said he was sick, and the other said he wasn't at home..."

Tao Qin felt more and more uncomfortable and said ashamedly, "Do you think I don't want to? My mother is trying to use me to please you, hoping that I can use your influence to gain some benefits from the Asian New Year Banquet. I am so ashamed that I can't bring shame to you, so I used the excuse of going to my aunt's house and didn't meet you."

Cheng Yian glared at her, "If that's the case, why are you willing to come to my house today?"

Now it came to Tao Qin's problem, "Okay An An, you have to do me a favor."

Cheng Yian saw her serious expression and asked hurriedly, "What's the matter?"

Tao Qin cried, "You also know that my parents don't treat me well. My aunt is the only one in the Tao family who pities me and helped me when I was young. Now she is trying to find a marriage for me. But somehow my uncle got involved in the canal landslide case and was said to be imprisoned in the Metropolitan Procuratorate. My aunt came to the Tao family early this morning and wanted to follow the Cheng family's path. But you also know that the Cheng family can't even see the head of the Cheng family, let alone us? My aunt knows that I am on good terms with you and she almost knelt down to beg me..."

At this point, Tao Qin blushed and pulled Cheng Yian's wrist, "An'an, I have no choice. Please help me. I am just an aunt and can't bear to see her get into trouble..."

Cheng Yian was stunned and asked, "What position does your uncle hold?"

Tao Qin said, "Wailang, a member of the Ministry of Industry."

"No wonder, my great uncle from the Lu family was also involved."

Tao Qin asked hurriedly, "Do you have any ideas?"

Cheng Yian smiled bitterly and said,

"I can only inquire about it for you. You know, if your uncle really committed a crime, I can't help you."

Tao Qin nodded repeatedly, "I know, I know. I just want to help find out if my uncle is involved. What crime has he committed? My aunt's family is clueless and has no connections. If there is any news, at least I can feel relieved."

Cheng Yian could understand, "My second master just came back and said that the people were in the hands of the Censorate, so he could only go to look for my father..."

Isn't it just hoping that she will look for Cheng Mingyu?

Tao Qin said embarrassedly, "An An, I'm sorry to have caused you trouble..." and she wiped away her tears again and again.

Cheng Yian felt sorry for her and held her in his arms.

"I've already said this before. The Censorate is probably very tight right now, so it's not certain that the news will get in. If I don't go there for you, it would be a waste of our friendship. But if you don't get any news, you can't blame me."

What else could Tao Qin say? She just nodded.

Cheng Yian immediately went into the curtain and changed into a thick robe, wrapped in the cloud fox cape, and went out with Tao Qin.

It snowed yesterday, and there was a lot of residual snow on the streets of the city. The main roads had been cleared by the soldiers of the Five Cities Army, but the alleys had not been cleared in time, so the carriages had to take the main roads. Unfortunately, at this time of the year, the roads were crowded with people, and it took half an hour to travel from Lu Mansion to the outside of Zhengyang Gate.

Cheng Yian thought about it and thought, if he were to find Lu Xu

If she wants to live, she will have to go to her father in the end, so she might as well go directly to her father.

He gave Qiu Qing a bag of silver coins and told him to go to the tower to deliver the news to the Censorate.

"My father must be very busy right now, so there is no need for him to reply specifically. Just send someone to let him know."

Then the two of them parked the carriage at the Sifang Pavilion opposite.

Rulan sent her guards to arrange for the restaurant to reserve a private room on the second floor near the window for the two of them. Cheng Yian then sat in the private room with Tao Qin while waiting.

The Tongzhou Canal Transport Case was a horrific disaster for the parties involved, and also a difficult case for the Imperial Household Department, but it was just an ordinary case in the Censorate.

Cheng Mingyu has a bunch of more important cases on his hands.

For example, the occupation of farmland by the Jiangnan wealthy families, the smuggling of arms by Jin merchants, etc., each of these cases is related to the national economy and people's livelihood.

He gave this case to Qian Yunsheng, the deputy chief of police, to investigate. Just then, the interrogation results were handed to him. Cheng Mingyu took a look at them without showing any expression.

"Follow this timber merchant and find out if there are any other officials involved. There may be vested interests behind this."

"Oh, send someone to the Ministry of Revenue to tell Zheng Shanghe that all approvals from the Ministry of Works are suspended. A copy of each account should be sent to the Censorate. The Censorate will not approve it. If the Ministry of Revenue secretly lends money, they will be held responsible if something goes wrong. You check first, and I will talk to His Majesty later."

That Qiandu Lushi nodded in agreement.

As soon as this man stepped back, an official came in with a smile on his face.

"Master, your daughter is here to see you."

Cheng Mingyu was obviously stunned, "Which lady?"

The eldest daughter is not in the capital and will not come to look for him.

If they really look for it, given the eldest daughter's temperament, something big must have happened.

The first person Cheng Mingyu thought of was Cheng Yiqiao. After all, this second daughter was eccentric. Once when she was shopping in the former city, she fell in love with an emerald jade carving. She didn't have enough money, so she came to the government office to find him and insisted that he write her a receipt so that she could go to the account office to withdraw money.

As for my little girl...

Whenever Cheng Mingyu thought of Cheng Yian, his heart felt like it was being burned by a branding iron, sour and swollen, yet warm and cozy.

Could she come looking for him, or would she be afraid of him?

He was looking forward to it, but was afraid that she would not come.

The official had seen him last time in Fengtian Palace overpowering other ministers to protect his son. He knew the position Cheng Yian held in his heart, and immediately smiled as if inviting him to a favor.

"Your little lady, the one from the Lu family."

Cheng Mingyu's brows furrowed, and he didn't even bother to ask what was going on. He just dropped the work at hand and stood up.

Remembering that he still owed Cheng Yian a meal last time, he pointed at the clerk on the table and said,

"There are still a few documents left. Call Lord Liao to review them. I will be back after dinner."

Lord Liao is the deputy governor of Dulu, the officials responded one after another and watched Cheng Mingyu leave. A moment later, they saw the handsome man come back, change his official robe, put on an ordinary robe and went out.

The officials sighed inwardly, thinking that he was so careful and cautious. Was he going to meet his daughter? Obviously he was going to meet his ancestors.

Cheng Yian and the other man looked around and saw Cheng Mingyu appear in person at the foot of the city wall.

The logic is quite far away and you may not be able to recognize it at first glance.

But Cheng Mingyu has a unique temperament, with a sense of tallness and uprightness, which makes him a striking sight in the busy city walls.

Tao Qin was shocked.

"Lord Cheng came out to see you in person, and even changed out of his official robes."

It turns out to be my biological father.

She got up hurriedly, "I...I'll hide next door..."

Of course, people didn't want to see her as an outsider, so Tao Qin slipped away tactfully.

This made Cheng Yian nervous. If her father knew that she was here to escape, would she be scolded?

When Cheng Mingyu stepped into Sifang Pavilion, the shopkeeper recognized him at the first sight, as if he had seen a living god.

He had opened a restaurant outside the government district for more than ten years, but this was the first time he saw the chief of the Censorate eating in a restaurant.

The shopkeeper's mind went blank for a moment, and he instinctively rushed to the counter, took out a piece of high-quality silk that he had prepared for a long time, and returned to Cheng Mingyu's side, saying excitedly,

"Sir Cheng, we are honored to have you here. Could you please give me a piece of calligraphy?"

Who has Cheng Mingyu’s calligraphy?

No one!

No, there were some in the early years, but later Princess Minglan bought it for a large sum of money, so Cheng Mingyu stopped writing it.

Since opening the tavern, the shopkeeper has spared no effort to collect calligraphy works of court officials. Now he has all the works except Cheng Mingyu.

Of course Cheng Mingyu would not agree. He just glanced at him, nodded politely, and asked the attendant beside him, "Where is An An?"

The attendant pointed upward.

When Cheng Mingyu walked up the stairs, Cheng Yian came out to greet him. He knelt down and saluted him dignifiedly, "Greetings to father."

Perhaps it was the inherent impression she had formed over the years that made her afraid to make any mistakes in front of Cheng Mingyu.

Cheng Mingyu looked at his graceful little daughter, his eyes like the first melting winter snow, and smiled, "Ping Ping."

In private, he still likes to call her Pingping.

Cheng Yian welcomed him into the private room. The shopkeeper had come to serve him personally. Cheng Mingyu said to Cheng Yian,

"It's getting late, and Daddy still owes Pingping a meal. How about we have dinner here today before going back?"

Cheng Yian also had the same idea and said generously, "Well, I'll treat you."

As he spoke, he asked the shopkeeper what the restaurant's signature dishes were and asked Cheng Mingyu to order.

Cheng Mingyu laughed and leaned back gracefully, "Ping Ping, just order what you like."

Cheng Yian guessed that his father was busy with official duties and had no interest in eating, so he didn't bother to be polite with him. He ordered about six or seven dishes and asked the waiter to leave.

Cheng Yian personally poured tea for him.

Cheng Mingyu looked at his busy little daughter and asked with a smile, "Pingping now has some private money, so she can really treat Dad to a meal."

Cheng Yian sneered. All the money was given by him.

"What about you, father? Do you have any private money?"

Cheng Mingyu shook his head, "No, Daddy never had any private money."

He could use the money in the Cheng family's account at any time. The people around him had everything they needed, so he never lacked anything. He had no need for money. If it weren't for the dividends from the Asian New Year Banquet, he would never have the chance to touch money in his life.

Cheng Yian looked at his father who was as elegant and graceful as a mountain and felt deeply moved. No wonder others praised him for being detached from worldly matters.

Lu Xusheng was the same, he never took money seriously. If she hadn't forced him, Lu Xusheng would never have looked down on the Lu family's little fortune.

For men like him and Lu Xusheng who hold the interests of their country and family in their hearts, yellow and white things are a blasphemy to them.

But after all, we are not gods, and we need to be down-to-earth.

Daddy has managed the Cheng family well, and Lu Xusheng is also very capable now.

"Since you don't have any private money, your daughter will treat you in the future."

Cheng Mingyu was very pleased with what he said, and he said seriously, "Then Ping Ping must not break her promise."

The food would take some time to be served, so Cheng Yian stopped wasting time and asked him with a smile,

"Have you been busy lately?"

"Not busy." In case his daughter didn't come to look for him in the future, Cheng Mingyu decisively lied, "There are hundreds of officials in the Censorate, Daddy doesn't need to do everything himself."

The word "I'm not busy" made Cheng Yian unsure of how to respond, so he racked his brains to find a topic to talk about, "It's like this, haven't you been investigating the case of the Ministry of Industry these two days..."

Cheng Mingyu looked at his little daughter's embarrassed look and laughed, "Silly child, why are you being so polite to your father? Just say whatever you want to say."

Cheng Yian took a deep breath after hearing this, his face full of regret and shame.

"I am sorry to trouble you. I was asked by someone to inquire about the case of the Ministry of Works' grain transport ship."

Cheng Mingyu was not too surprised. With Cheng Yian's well-behaved personality, he would not come to the government office to look for him unless there was something important. So he asked seriously, "Who are you looking for?"

"Liu Xin, the deputy director of the Ministry of Industry."

Cheng Mingyu recalled the whole case and replied, "Liu Xin's signature was on the Tongzhou Wharf riverbank construction account, but he was not the person in charge of the matter and should not have known the inside story, so it won't be a big deal."

Cheng Mingyu had some impression of Liu Xin. He was an honest and decent person who would never commit crimes. He was probably not careful enough and was tricked by someone. There were rules for investigating cases. Anyone with a signature on the documents and accounts would be questioned, and Liu Xin was naturally among them.

After hearing this, Cheng Yian put his mind at ease and did not ask any more questions.

"Then my daughter will feel relieved."

At this moment, the shopkeeper personally brought people to serve the dishes. Cheng Yian also stood up and prepared to serve Cheng Mingyu the dishes. Cheng Mingyu was at a loss whether to laugh or cry.

"Silly girl, why are you busying around in front of your father? Just sit down and eat."

Cheng Yian grinned, "Then I won't be polite."

The dishes at Sifang Restaurant are world-famous and smell delicious.

Although with my father

The kiss was not particularly intimate, but as long as he was there, Cheng Yian felt inexplicably at peace, as if he was there to support her even if the sky fell, and she enjoyed the food even more.

Cheng Mingyu looked at her quietly. She had a pretty oval face and a pair of watery eyes. She was actually very beautiful and bright, but her personality was gentle and well-behaved, just like her mother. She was not very cunning. Cheng Mingyu was a little dazed.

The private room was filled with charcoal basins and was quite warm. Cheng Yian drank some hot soup and her forehead was sweating. She was about to stop and wipe it when a slender arm reached out to her. The warm handkerchief stayed on her forehead for a moment and wiped the sweat off her forehead.

"No one is competing with you for the drink, drink slowly."

In his eyes, she was just a cute and innocent little girl.

Is Lu Xusheng caring? Can he take good care of her?

Cheng Mingyu frowned slightly, regretting that he had married her off too early.

Cheng Yian stared at him blankly. The pampered life he had enjoyed over the years had given Cheng Mingyu an invisible intimidation. But it was the gentleness beneath this intimidation that could easily sway people.

Dad is really patient and considerate.

If I were his daughter, I would probably be raised to have a lawless personality like my second sister.

At this moment, Cheng Yian suddenly understood why the eldest princess was so obsessed with her father. Men like her father were rare in the world, and Lu Xusheng did not have the attentiveness and patience of her father.

"You eat too." Cheng Yian urged him when he saw that he didn't move his chopsticks.

Cheng Mingyu smiled and said, "Okay, Daddy will eat too."

A quarter of an hour later, the shopkeeper heard that the chopsticks seemed to have been put down inside, and immediately sent a plate of fruit in a small silver-plated gilded pot. "The fruit just arrived from Minnan today. It's warmed up with water. Mr. Cheng and Madam, please have a taste. It's very refreshing."

Cheng Yian tried one and it tasted really good.

The shopkeeper knelt down and kowtowed to Cheng Mingyu at the right time.

"Master Cheng, I swear to heaven that I will never sell your calligraphy to anyone but keep it as a family heirloom. Please give me a piece of your calligraphy."

Cheng Mingyu looked at him calmly, "It's not that I am thrifty with words, but I don't want to cause you any harm."

The shopkeeper suddenly realized that he didn't have to sell the items to outsiders, but what if the princess tried to snatch them from him?

Thinking of Tao Qin next door, Cheng Yian didn't dare to keep Cheng Mingyu, so he got up and saw him out.

Cheng Mingyu guessed that she had some social engagements, so he didn't allow her to go downstairs, "Don't be exposed to the wind."

He left first.

Cheng Yian called Tao Qin to the room and told her what had happened. Tao Qin was naturally overjoyed and cried, but she said she must not tell anyone else and would only tell her aunt quietly. Cheng Yian knew that she was anxious, so he asked someone to send her back first. He walked out slowly and was about to reach the gate of Sifang Pavilion when he saw a man standing blankly in the snow mist in front of the stage, staring in the direction of the city tower.

She was not wearing any cape, but only a graceful long gown of Xiangyun gauze, looking elegant and graceful. Snow flakes were floating all over the sky, and passers-by were hurrying to and fro, but she was the only one standing still, like a stone waiting for her husband to return.

Upon seeing this, Cheng Yian quickly took off his cloak and covered her with it, hugging her tightly.

"Your Highness, it's so windy outside, why are you wearing so little..."

The eldest princess stared at the direction where Cheng Mingyu disappeared in the distance, looking aggrieved like a child.

"I was listening to music in the house when I heard that your father had gone out to eat. He chased after him without caring about what to wear."

Cheng Yian glanced at her. How could she not care about her attire? She was clearly dressed up, with a boudoir on her head, a necklace on her chest, and the most gorgeous coral bracelet on her hand. Her eyebrows were as dark as distant black, and she had a pair of pink makeup on the corners of her eyes. She was as bright as could be.

Looking at his hands again, they were already frozen.

Cheng Yian was so angry that he dragged her into the carriage. He took the stove from the maid and put it in her hand, but the princess insisted on opening the curtain and was reluctant to move.

Although Cheng Yian felt sorry for her, he was also worried that she would do something out of line, so he asked her carefully,

"You didn't do anything to my father just now, did you?"

The princess didn't look at her, her tone was still very depressed, "What can I do to your father? If I could do anything, I would have done it thirty years ago, why did it have to wait until today? In fact, your father is not incapable of dealing with me, he just doesn't care."

The princess burst into tears when she said this, "I would rather he did it to me, at least he's been thinking about me..." She suddenly looked up at Cheng Yian,

"An An, tell me how it feels to be held in your father's heart..."

Cheng Yian's heart skipped a beat, fearing that she would have some evil idea again, so he started to talk nonsense.

"You are worrying too much. My father is absolutely a cold-hearted person. There is no love in his heart, let alone any woman. Otherwise, he would not have the reputation of being unlucky in marriage!"

"Hey, you really don't have to keep him in your heart. You are the eldest princess, you can't indulge in love. You have to set an example for women all over the world!"

The princess was distracted and asked, "What should I do?"

Cheng Yian gave her advice with confidence.

"Of course, I'll listen to music and watch operas, play polo when I'm free, and go to Yanshan to take a hot bath. If that doesn't work, I can watch the guards in the mansion compete in martial arts! People should enjoy themselves while they can."

After hearing the last sentence, the princess vaguely remembered something and immediately grabbed Cheng Yian's wrist.

"You are right. I remembered that I have a pair of male pets for you in the Princess's Mansion. They are both first-rate in appearance and temperament. Today, I have warmed up some deer wine in my snow room. Let's go. We won't go home until we are drunk."

Cheng Yian's smile froze when she heard this, and she said in panic, "Your Highness, I cannot go. This is not appropriate."

The princess had already ordered the guards to hurry up, and turned back with a frown, saying, "Why is it inappropriate? Who said just now that women should not indulge in love and should enjoy themselves in time? Are you afraid of Lu Xusheng? If he doesn't allow you to have a male concubine, you can just divorce him..."

Cheng Yian kept complaining.

Is it too late to pretend to be faint now?