Chapter 121 Large-scale donation of supplies
Not far away, Lu Zhaoruo looked over and her gaze fell on the tombstone.
She murmured to herself, "You took the blame for me and died for me, and I will give you a proper burial and honors after your death. Now I will also take your sister with me, ensuring she has enough to eat and wear, and teaching her skills and manners. Between us... we are now even."
The news of her properly burying Wan Miaoniang and taking in her sister had already spread throughout the embroidery workshop.
Seeing this, Mudfish Three couldn't help but exclaim, "Our master is truly a man of his word, benevolence, and responsibility! From now on... I will definitely turn over a new leaf and work diligently under his guidance!"
Lu Zhaoruo smiled.
Half a month later.
Lu Ji Embroidery Shop's business is booming, almost overshadowing Gu Xian's silk shop.
Gu Xian suddenly returned to the capital, unaware of what had happened at home.
Wan Wanning had gradually become familiar with everyone in the embroidery building. At this moment, she was sitting on a stone bench in the backyard, fiddling with a silk thread between her fingers, but her gaze involuntarily drifted toward the stone table...
Abao was lying lazily in a bamboo basket lined with soft cushions, his eyes half-closed, enjoying Dongrou gently combing his long fur with a fine-toothed comb.
On a low table to the side, there was a delicate little dish filled with glistening sugar peas and a small bowl of fragrant soup.
As Wan Wanning watched, the silk thread between her fingers tightened unconsciously.
She remembered when she was a child, she was so hungry that she stole a piece of cold cake from the kitchen. When her mother found out, she not only scolded her, but her shrill voice could still pierce her eardrums: "You good-for-nothing reincarnation of a starving ghost! You have no dignity whatsoever as a young lady!"
But this cat in front of me...
Does it understand what "decency" means?
Does it need to "earn" this respectability?
It was pampered from birth, and its "respectability" was bestowed upon it by Lu Zhaoruo at will, which was only natural and rightful.
She couldn't help but mutter under her breath, "Humans are not as good as cats... It's just an animal, yet it's more precious than many young ladies from respectable families. The food and things it uses every day are far more refined than what I used to eat, and even better than what I have now as its 'adopted sister'."
Her gaze seemed glued to the small dish and soup, and she felt a pang of sadness: "Although I am your adopted sister, I still have to work hard every day to learn how to read account books and identify threads, being careful for fear of making a mistake. It, on the other hand, spends all day sleeping or playing. When it's affectionate, people rush to hold it, groom it, and feed it. Even when it causes trouble, it just lets out a sweet whimper. Who would have the heart to really scold it?"
She gave a soft snort, turned her head away, and refused to look at that "glaring" scene of tranquility any longer.
"I am already Lady Lu's younger sister..."
She pondered this identity repeatedly in her mind, and secretly thought, "In time, as our feelings deepen, how can a cat compare to myself?"
At that time, everything it enjoys now may become its own.
Embroidered Pavilion.
Lu Zhaoruo's fingertips were stroking an embroidery piece, but her mind was slightly distracted.
Xiao Yeming... has been silent for almost a month.
The coldness and determination in his eyes when he left that day are still vivid in my mind. Given his nature, once he knew where the termites were hiding, there was no way he would remain so silent.
She visited the naval camp once during that time, but her personal guard, Wang Wu, only said that the commander was still recuperating.
Is it really about resting quietly?
Or perhaps... he had already laid out his plans in the shadows, just waiting to reap the rewards?
As she frowned in thought, the curtain was suddenly lifted, and Dongrou walked in with slightly hurried steps, her breath a little short, but her eyes filled with barely suppressed amazement. She lowered her voice and said, "My lady! It's all over the place. Commander Xiao hasn't been suffering from any kind of malaria these past few days..."
Lu Zhaoruo paused, then suddenly looked up.
Dong Rou continued, "He not only exposed Niu Xin'ou, the traitorous supervisor of the Linhai Maritime Trade Office, but also Gu Chen, the deputy supervisor under Supervisor Meng in the capital who secretly colluded with him for personal gain! The evidence is irrefutable!"
Lu Zhaoruo's heart trembled.
She never expected that he would act so quickly and ruthlessly, uprooting the deeply lurking poisonous vine within half a month.
Before she could think it through, Dongrou continued, "The warships at the naval stronghold are ready. Commander Xiao has ordered that we set sail at dawn seven days from now and strike directly at the Japanese pirates' lair!"
Seven days later?
It turns out that he hadn't been holding back for the past two weeks; instead, he had been laying the groundwork for a swift and decisive attack to eliminate internal troubles, all so that he could launch a full-scale attack without any worries at this moment.
Lu Zhaoruo's eyes flickered slightly, and she turned to Dong Rou and said, "Go and summon Manager Chen Yun and Steward Chen, and immediately check the accounts."
Why the sudden need to check the accounts?
Although Dong Rou was puzzled, she immediately accepted the order and left.
In a short while, Lu Zhaoruo had sorted out all the cash she could use, and even gathered up all the gold hairpins and jewels that were easy to convert into cash.
She instructed Dongrou and Sun Jing to split up and act: "At any cost, purchase the necessary supplies for the sea as quickly as possible—a large quantity of antiseptic and hemostatic herbs, durable grains, tung oil, and canvas."
She specifically instructed, "We also need to purchase a batch of high-quality shipbuilding timber."
In this life, she gave everything she had, donating far more thoroughly and comprehensively than in her previous life.
Because what she wanted was never for the government to award her a "righteous deeds archway".
What she wanted was an imperial decree.
It was that golden book and jade scroll bestowed by the palace, which would allow her to stand tall and proud before others.
Within five days, the supplies were gradually prepared.
Seeing that the embroidered building had been almost completely emptied, Sun Jing finally couldn't help but ask, "Master, are these... meant to be donated to the naval stronghold?"
Lu Zhaoruo didn't say much, but picked up her brush, dipped it in ink, and wrote down the donation details one by one on the plain paper. The items were clear and the value was obvious.
She then ordered the supplies to be loaded onto carts and personally escorted them to the naval stronghold.
The carriages and horses moved slowly through the dust.
Wan Wanning followed beside Dong Rou, her gaze repeatedly drifting to the several carriages piled up like small mountains behind them. Finally, she couldn't help but gently tug at Dong Rou's sleeve, her voice low: "Sister Dong Rou... why did you exchange so much money from the embroidery shop for these? How much silver is that...?"
Dong Rou turned her head and replied in a low voice, "My lady wants to donate these supplies to the navy to help Commander Xiao and his soldiers to fight against the Japanese pirates."
Upon hearing this, Wan Wanning pursed her lips slightly, a hint of confusion in her voice: "But...isn't suppressing the Japanese pirates the imperial court's responsibility? I've seen several other large merchants in the city, and none of them are as generous as this. If...if something goes wrong on this expedition, wouldn't all this hard-earned money...be completely lost?"
Dong Rou still wore that gentle smile on her lips, but her tone was firm: "General Xiao is a brilliant strategist, and he will surely wipe out the Japanese pirates. My lady always has her reasons for doing things, and she must have a plan in mind before she takes action."
Wan Wanning looked back again, her eyes filled with regret.
So much money was given to the navy for nothing.
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