Yes, how could he not understand such a simple truth?
They're all just pretending to be confused when they know the truth. Who doesn't know what kind of riddle they're playing?
"Even if you find out who betrayed you, what good will it do?" Lili suddenly smiled mysteriously. "The fundamental issue is still Liucheng's own problems. Instead of waiting for His Highness the Crown Prince, why don't we become rich ourselves?"
Qin Renjie pondered for a moment: "Lili, you might as well speak frankly."
Lili's bright, lively eyes darted around, a mischievous glint in them. Her lips curled into a playful smile, making her look like a little fox about to play a trick on someone.
"That Master Qi has over twenty beauties hidden in his house. He's so old and still partying every night. I bet he can't handle it." Lili showed a disgusted expression. "Those girls were all stolen."
"What?!"
Qin Renjie's expression turned serious in an instant, and he stared intently at Lili.
Lili's expression was anything but joking. Qin Renjie gasped, his mind racing to recall any relevant information, but he had no recollection of it.
He had heard that Master Qi had eighteen concubines, but what about the twenty-odd beauties?
Abducting women?
He had never heard of any of this!
“Those girls are the daughters of the people who rented his land. The farmers depend on that piece of land for their livelihood, and they also have to face the oppression of Master Qi. If Master Qi takes a fancy to their daughters, do you think they can resist?”
"..."
"It's getting hot, let's bankrupt the Qi family!"
This was the sentence that Master Huang heard when he returned.
When Master Huang saw this, he saw his master looking very serious, while the little dumpling was clever and mischievous, and they looked quite harmonious together.
Lili noticed the returning clerk Huang before Qin Renjie did. She nimbly jumped off the stool and said to him, "Uncle Magistrate, Lili is going back to find her mother. Thank you for your hospitality today."
Qin Renjie was about to ask her to say a few more words when the little dumpling opened the door on her own: "Uncle Huang, you don't need to see me off, goodbye."
All that remained for him was the sound of the door closing.
"Why…….!"
After leaving the restaurant, the wealthy merchants, led by Master Qi, waited for their carriages at the entrance.
Master Qi's face was gloomy, and he laughed contemptuously in the direction of the restaurant: "I thought he would be so high and mighty, but when the time comes, he still eagerly comes to us."
Another person said, "Heh, so what if he knows we have dealings with Zhou Wukui? He still didn't refuse. I think he's changed his mind and wants to serve the First Prince too!"
"No matter how upright or honest an official is, they can't resist temptation in the end."
"Everyone has been working extra hard lately, getting everything arranged, just waiting for him to fall into the trap!"
…………..
Yang had a meal already packed in a food box beside her. She gripped the rim of her teacup tightly, sipping her tea while glancing occasionally at the second floor.
"Mother~"
Lili lifted her skirt and came down the stairs, running towards the anxiously waiting Yang.
Yang immediately stood up and hugged Lili, who was running towards her.
Yang looked the little dumpling up and down, and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw that the little dumpling was no different from when she left.
Lili pulled on Yang's hand that was stroking her cheek, and noticing Yang's anxiety, she rubbed her palm against her hand: "Mother, don't worry, the county magistrate is a good person."
Madam Yang was slightly taken aback, smiled, and said nothing. She simply picked up the food box on the table and took her hand, saying, "Let's go find Father for dinner."
All she needs to do is support Lili; she doesn't need to ask anything else.
Okay~
Lili stayed close to her, and the mother and daughter slowly walked out.
The academy is located in a relatively quiet alley in the east of the city. The ancient alley is quiet and peaceful, with only the sound of students reading aloud and the occasional chirping of birds.
The academy's headmaster, Mr. Liu, was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations and was very talented.
Originally, he could have continued on his path of scientific research, but on the eve of his departure for the capital, his elderly mother suddenly fell seriously ill. Mr. Liu had lost his father at a young age, and he and his widowed mother depended on each other for survival. His mother had raised him alone and made many sacrifices. Naturally, Mr. Liu could not leave his mother alone at home while he went to take the exam.
Left with no other choice, Mr. Liu gave up his future and took his elderly mother to seek medical treatment everywhere. In the end, they settled in this small town, opened this academy, and became teachers.
Over the past twenty years, he has gained considerable fame here.
"Has Mr. Liu's mother recovered?"
Madam Yang frowned: "I don't know about that. Your father only said that Mr. Liu sought medical help for three years without success, and finally decided to find a small place for his mother to spend her old age in peace. However, your father has never heard of Mr. Liu's mother's death during the years he studied at the academy, so I guess she must have been cured?"
"Oh," Lili exclaimed, "Mr. Liu is such a filial son."
Madam Yang smiled in agreement: "Yes, your father said that with Mr. Liu's scholarship, if he had chosen to go to the capital to take the imperial examination back then, he would definitely have been on the list."
Lili listened attentively, already labeling her father's teacher as a good person in her mind.
"The greatest danger to the world is that it appears peaceful and tranquil, but in reality there are unforeseen troubles. If we sit idly by and watch things change without taking any action, it may become beyond saving; if we rise up and forcefully intervene, the world will become complacent with the peace and tranquility and will no longer believe in us."
The clear sound of reading aloud broke the silence, coming from a small courtyard deep in the alley.
The sound, with its ups and downs, like a babbling brook, echoed gently through the alley, adding a unique charm to the alley.
The plaque in front of the academy gate prominently displays the four characters "Mo Xiang Academy".
Looking at his handwriting, the strokes are vigorous and unrestrained, like dragons flying and phoenixes dancing, or luan birds soaring and phoenixes flying. Each stroke is powerful and vigorous, penetrating the paper, and the fragrance of ink seems to overflow from between the characters.
Logically speaking, the characters on the academy's plaque should have been carved by workers based on someone else's handwriting. So, the characters on the plaque were probably written by Mr. Liu.
Lili has a soft spot for people with good handwriting, and couldn't help but look at it for a while longer.
Madam Yang turned her head to look at Lili: "Listen, the sound of reading aloud, maybe your father's voice is in there. Lili, try to find your father's voice?"
"good!"
Lili wasn't disappointed at all; she dutifully pricked up her ears, trying her best to find her father's voice among the chorus.
“Only virtuous people, gentlemen, and heroes are willing to risk their lives for the world and undertake great difficulties in order to achieve great success; this is certainly not something that can be accomplished by forcing oneself for a month or two, or by seeking fame in vain.”
After a long while, Lili pouted and shook her head: "Lili can't find Daddy's voice."
Yang was amused by her, and Lili added, "But Lili could tell that they were reciting Su Shi's 'On Chao Cuo' inside!"
Madam Yang praised her, "Our Lili is really amazing, even more amazing than her father!"
Lili proudly raised her chin, like a proud little peacock.
Lili was feeling quite pleased with herself in front of her mother when a hearty laugh suddenly came from beside her.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com