Chapter 162 A Warm and Soft Jade in My Arms
Since the day the Emperor confirmed the irrefutable evidence of Minister Chen's wrongdoing, many ministers have been enjoying themselves, sightseeing and having a great time.
However, Shen Pingjin and Yan Jue knew that the matter of buying and selling smuggled salt was definitely not that simple.
Moreover, the two of them had more important things to do.
That was to agree to Fang Shengde's promise to collect the salt ten days later.
"Yan Jue, you said Chen Jian has been arrested, do you think Fang Shengde will still risk waiting for us?"
Chen Pingjin looked at the scenery in the distance with a bored expression.
Yan Jue pulled Shen Pingjin into his arms and smiled slightly: "Fang Shengde may not take the risk, but someone else will."
Shen Pingjin frowned: "What does this mean?"
Do you still remember Xiaomang and Mianhua from that day?
Shen Pingjin suddenly understood, "You mean, you want to find Fang Shengde through them?"
Yan Jue shook his head.
Under Shen Pingjin's increasingly puzzled gaze, Yan Jue finally spoke up to explain:
"Fang Shengde is one of Chen Jian's men, but he is even more of a man of Su Xuanmao's men. He must have found out about the Emperor's trip to Jiangnan, but he still has some lingering hope."
Shen Pingjin wasn't stupid; she naturally understood what Yan Jue meant.
"You mean, Fang Shengde might wait until we get there before running away? Because Su Xuanmao will protect him. Su Xuanmao knows about the fifty catties of smuggled salt and wants to make a profit from it too?"
"Because Chen Jian fell from power, all this dirty money ended up in Su Xuanmao's possession."
A flash of inspiration struck Chen Pingjin, and she suddenly remembered something.
"When Chen Jian was arrested, he knew Su Xuanmao, but why didn't he identify Su Xuanmao? Perhaps it was because Chen Jian simply didn't know that the person he was cooperating with was the current Crown Prince!"
"Su Xuanmao originally thought that this matter could be kept secret for a little longer. He did not expect that Emperor Anqing would discover Chen Jian's smuggling of salt so quickly. So, in order to extricate himself, he gave the emperor all the evidence against Chen Jian, saying that he had found it out himself!"
"Chen Jian knew nothing at all and was kept in the dark the whole time!"
"No wonder the evidence was found so quickly, and Chen Jian hasn't even identified Su Xuanmao yet!"
Yan Jue looked at Shen Pingjin's increasingly shocked expression and chuckled helplessly, "Clever."
After receiving Yan Jue's confirmation, Shen Pingjin knew that she was definitely right.
"Then, we still need to keep our appointment in ten days. This way, we can lure Su Xuanmao out of this matter without anyone noticing!"
Yan Jue nodded: "That's right, you think exactly the same as me. Let's go, let's go and meet that Fang Shengde together."
"good!"
Shen Pingjin's eyes grew even more determined. So that's why Su Xuanmao said he couldn't help him in his previous life. It turned out that he had overstepped his bounds in this matter.
But... Shen Pingjin stared blankly at the man beside her. Was all of this really done by Su Xuanmao? Was he really not involved?
"What’s wrong with you?"
Yan Jue frowned. He had long noticed that Shen Pingjin had been staring at him in a daze, and he was puzzled.
Shen Pingjin shook her head: "It's nothing, let's go quickly."
The distance from the inn to the distillery was not far, and the two of them, disguised, soon arrived at the distillery.
Fang Shengde stood in front of the salt depot with a displeased expression. There were many bags of salt next to him, clearly intended for Shen Pingjin and Yan Jue.
Seeing the two people who got off the carriage and walked towards him, Fang Shengde's gloomy face softened a little. "Gentlemen, you've finally arrived."
"You're too kind, Mr. Fang. Our inn is quite far away, and the journey has been tiring. We apologize for the long wait." Yan Jue raised his hand in a gesture of respect, his tone polite.
Fang Shengde laughed loudly, "It's nothing, it's nothing. I'm not such a petty person. I just don't know, Young Master Xi, about your silver..."
Yan Jue raised his hand and said, "Boss Fang, please rest assured, I have brought every penny of this silver. However, before the money and goods are settled, I need to inspect the goods."
This is the rule of the trade, and Fang Shengde naturally understands it.
This merchant from the southwest was indeed cautious, but Fang Shengde's displeasure vanished instantly when he thought about how he had sold these things at a high price.
"Don't worry, Young Master Xi, not a single bag of salt is missing!"
"Okay, but we'll have to wait and see after we check it out."
Yan Jue glanced at Chen Pingjin and said, "Madam, didn't you just go to the restroom? You should go in quickly."
Shen Pingjin immediately understood Yan Jue's meaning and looked at Fang Shengde, who was not far away.
"Mr. Fang, could you tell me where the restroom is here?"
Although the woman in front of me was disguised, her face was still so clean and refined.
Fang Shengde's breath hitched, but he quickly recovered and replied, "Madam Xi, go into the first courtyard, turn left, and you'll find the urinal."
Shen Pingjin raised her hand in a gesture of respect: "Thank you, Boss Fang."
"You're welcome, it's nothing, it's all I should do."
Yan Jue watched as Shen Pingjin walked into the courtyard, mentally counting down—
Three, two, one.
Just as Fang Shengde was about to speak to Yan Jue, a scream rang in his ears.
"Help! Where did this madman come from? Husband, I...I'm so scared!"
Fang Shengde swallowed his words, and Yan Jue, hearing his wife's scream, immediately ran inside.
Fang Shengde frowned slightly, but followed closely behind Yan Jue, wanting to see what was happening in the courtyard.
Xiao Mang was gripping Mianhua's neck with a resentful expression, looking utterly disheveled, and roaring angrily:
"You vile woman, you've been so arrogant! Today I'll act on behalf of Heaven and kill you!"
"Help, save my life, young lady, young lady, save me!"
Cotton used all her strength to grab the hem of Chen Pingjin's skirt as she walked into the courtyard, her face as pale as paper.
When Mianhua heard Shen Pingjin's next scream, she knew that she might be saved.
Shen Pingjin was so frightened that her face turned pale. She gripped Yan Jue's sleeve tightly with both hands. After feeling the man's pleasant scent, she finally breathed a sigh of relief.
At the same time, he whispered, "It's them."
With a soft, fragrant body in his arms, Yan Jue's heart fluttered, but his face remained indifferent.
"Who are you, and why are you frightening my wife?"
The cotton quilt was so tight she couldn't speak; her eyes were almost bulging out of their sockets—a sign of impending suffocation.
But the pressure on her neck was slowly decreasing.
When Xiao Mang saw Shen Pingjin, the tyranny in his eyes visibly dissipated somewhat.
This is the girl I saw that day... the one who was as beautiful as a fairy?
Did I scare her by acting like this?
Seeing her pale, bloodless face, Xiao Mang was about to let go when he suddenly felt something moving toward his back.
"Pfft—"
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