015
Qin Yue has been found, and Steward Li has been released by Qin Baoyun. Although things have reached a temporary balance, the knot of hatred has been tied. Not taking the initiative is tantamount to waiting for death. Rather than sitting and waiting for death, it's better to take the initiative. No matter what kind of monsters are behind it, going to see for oneself might just lead to a breakthrough.
Knowing yourself and your enemy is the key to victory in every battle; this is an eternal truth.
Qin Sang thought confidently that since she had already dragged that noble young master surnamed Lu into the mess, she might as well lend him some more help.
The next morning, as dawn broke and birds sang amidst the fragrance of flowers, a carriage was already waiting at the gate of the Qin residence. Before everyone woke up, Qin Sang and Ying'er, who was disguised, boarded the carriage. The carriage first went to the Tang residence, where she handed the chicken and medicinal porridge she had cooked the night before to the doorman. Then she went to Qin Baoyun's villa and slipped a letter through the crack in the door. The letter simply told him to look after the Qin and Tang residences, that she would be right back, and that he didn't need to worry.
Finally, they arrived at the entrance of Chaotianlou and picked up the still-sleepy "Lu Yao" young master.
The clatter of hooves echoed through the streets just awakened in the early morning, with the occasional cry of a vendor reaching her ears. Qin Sang casually bought a few sesame cakes and instructed the driver to exit the city through the north gate.
Young Master Lu yawned the whole way, still half asleep. Actually, he was used to waking up early when he was at home, but during this month-long break, he had been indulging himself like a wild horse, and had gotten used to sleeping until he naturally woke up every day. It had been a long time since he had gotten up and gone out this early.
Whether it was dissatisfaction with the trip or being scolded by his master, Jinyun wore a dejected and unhappy face the whole way. He didn't even glance at the master and servant opposite him, and he ignored Ying'er when she offered him a sesame seed cake.
Ying'er was grateful to him for saving her yesterday, so she was exceptionally warm to him today, offering him sesame cakes and water, and then a handkerchief. Xie Sui'an finally woke up from his drowsiness and tapped the ungrateful guard on the head with his fan: "Can't you speak properly? Say thank you!"
Jinyun pouted and said thank you, and Ying'er quickly smiled and waved her hand, meaning that she was welcome.
Ying'er is about the same age as Qin Sang, but she is petite. Compared to the beautiful Qin Sang with her aloof and unrestrained appearance, she appears much more innocent and cute.
Her smile revealed two adorable dimples, which startled Jinyun slightly.
Xie Sui'an rested his head against the carriage wall and suddenly smiled: "Miss Sangsang is quite bold. She said she would go to Quzhou Prefecture and she went to Quzhou Prefecture. I thought you were going to back out today."
Qin Sang glanced at him: "Or are you trying to back out?"
“How could that be? A man’s word is his bond. I promised to help, and there’s no reason for me to back out halfway.” He paused and then asked, “Miss Sangsang, have you been to Quzhou Prefecture?”
Qin Sang: "Of course I've been there."
"Do you know who the prefect of Quzhou Prefecture is?"
Qin Sang finally looked Xie Sui'an in the eye and said, "I know him, Qiao Zhiyong, you know him?"
“Miss Sangsang, you are too kind. How could a lowly merchant like me know the esteemed Prefect? I merely inquired about him when I passed through Quzhou Prefecture. I heard that he is an upright and incorruptible man. Perhaps we can go directly to him to file a complaint.”
Qin Sang said, "So this is the idea you came up with: to go to Quzhou Prefecture and complain to the prefect?"
Xie Sui'an sensed Qin Sang's doubt and asked, slightly puzzled, "What's wrong?"
Qin Sang was about to tell him the story of "Why not eat meat porridge?" when she heard a horse neigh outside. The coachman quickly pulled on the reins and stopped the carriage.
A series of knocking sounds came from outside the carriage, followed by an anxious voice deliberately lowering its voice: "Sangsang, Sangsang, it's me, Yang Wenhao!"
"Yang Wenhao? What's he doing here?" Qin Sang found it strange. How did he know she was in the car so early in the morning?
She lifted a corner of the carriage curtain and saw Yang Wenhao with a full beard and a disheveled and haggard appearance. She was surprised: "Young Master Yang, what happened to you... that you've fallen on hard times?"
Yang Wenhao looked around cautiously, and without asking Qin Sang's opinion, climbed onto the carriage.
"Shh, don't make a sound, I ran away from home." He pressed his index finger to his lips as soon as he got in the car, looking mysterious.
Xie Sui'an covered his mouth and nose with his folding fan, seemingly disgusted by the other person's smell.
Yang Wenhao saw the sesame seed cake in Qin Sang's hand and took it without hesitation. While eating, he said, "Didn't you ask me to inquire about Yu Yunxuan before? I inquired around, but at first I didn't find anything special. It was just a teahouse. Until recently... does it have water?"
"..." Qin Sang glanced at Xie Sui'an, took a water bag and handed it to Yang Wenhao, "How have you been lately?"
"That day I was drinking with Manager Li from Chayunxuan, and I was hoping to put in a good word for you..."
Qin Sang asked curiously, "You knew they wanted to take over my tea plantation?"
"Of course," Yang Wenhao puffed out his chest confidently, mumbling with a sesame seed cake in his mouth, "How could I not care about your affairs?"
Qin Sang nodded: "You can continue."
Yang Wenhao continued, "That day, I used my father's connections to invite Manager Li of Chayunxuan for drinks. I wanted to help you persuade him not to buy your tea fields, but I got drunk while drinking and, as I lay down, I overheard his conversation with his subordinates!"
Yang Wenhao continued mysteriously, "I heard them saying—'Mining for gold!'"
Qin Sang was taken aback: "There really is a gold mine under my tea mountain?"
Yang Wenhao shook his head: "No, it wasn't in our Li County. It was discovered in the neighboring Tong County. Laojun Mountain in Tong County is connected to Fengming Mountain in our county. Tea was originally grown on that mountain, but one day, an old woodcutter dug up a tree stump and found a gold mine at the foot of the mountain! There is a black tea plantation on Laojun Mountain that supplies tribute to the capital every year. If the tea plantation is abandoned for the gold mine, wouldn't it be discovered?"
Xie Sui'an frowned: "They dare to operate a gold mine illegally??"
Yang Wenhao then noticed a young man sitting in the car. Upon closer inspection of his eyes, he leaned back and exclaimed, "You, you, you..."
Xie Sui'an waved his fan: "Don't worry, I won't hit you. Continue."
Yang Wenhao turned to look at Qin Sang in a panic. Qin Sang brushed the crumbs off him and said gently, "Don't be afraid, he's my friend."
Yang Wenhao's expression changed several times before he finally muttered, "More friends? How come you have so many friends, and they're all young men? Don't you know how to avoid suspicion? You're supposed to be a lady from a respectable family..."
Qin Sang stared at him gently and calmly. Yang Wenhao finally succumbed to her beauty and continued, "Okay, I'll continue. So, in order to protect both the gold mine of Lao Jun Mountain and the tribute tea, they set their sights on your tea mountain."
Qin Sang: "So, in other words, there's nothing under my tea plantation, I was just unlucky enough to be implicated?"
Yang Wenhao nodded: "More or less, that's right."
Qin Sang asked, "Then why are you in such a sorry state? Did they lock you up?"
“Sigh,” Yang Wenhao sighed, “It’s all because of that wine. I was half drunk and half conscious. I was in a daze when they were talking so enthusiastically, so I chimed in with a few words. Then they tied me up.”
Xie Sui'an laughed and said, "They dare to tie up the county magistrate's son? Aren't they afraid of being exposed?"
At this point, Yang Wenhao was on the verge of tears. He said, "So they bribed my father. Then he had my father lock me up at home, not letting me go out or secretly inform you. They wouldn't let me out until they got your tea fields and it was all over. I was afraid they would harm you, so I starved myself for two days and then pretended to be sick. I only managed to sneak out this morning when my mother-in-law brought me food. Luckily, I recognized your coachman... Oh, by the way, where are you going?"
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