Li Mobai stood by the inn window, his fingers gripping the secret report he had just received, his knuckles turning white from the pressure. The night outside was dark, mirroring his gloomy mood.
"That good-for-nothing Chen Yu!" he cursed through gritted teeth, crumpled the letter into a ball, and threw it hard on the ground.
He had thought that by using Chen Yu to cut off Lin Yun's supply of goods, he could force her to submit. However, in just a few days, the situation completely reversed. Chen Yu was not only publicly exposed for his crimes but also secretly punished to the point of near death, now cowering at home, afraid to go out. Even more troublesome, the flower farmers collectively turned against him, with some even filing complaints directly with the county government!
“There must be someone from Fourth Master’s faction plotting this…” Li Mobai narrowed his eyes, a cold glint in them. He turned and walked to his desk, dipped his brush in ink, and the brushstrokes sharpened as they swept across the paper. This matter had to be reported to Ninth Master as soon as possible; otherwise, if Lin Yun seized the opportunity to retaliate, it would be difficult to suppress her again.
In the letter, he detailed how Lin Yun resolved the crisis, how Chen Yu was defeated, and the secret interference of someone suspected to be Fourth Master. At the end, he paused slightly and added, "This woman is cunning and may have already discovered the connection between the Qian family and Eighth Master. I suggest—" He paused, a murderous glint appearing in his eyes, "to nip it in the bud."
Before the ink was even dry, he sealed the letter and handed it to his trusted aide: "Send it to the prefectural city immediately and personally deliver it to Ninth Master."
His fingertips trembled slightly, not from fear, but from excitement. If Ninth Master granted his request, he could personally extinguish that pesky flame.
After his trusted confidant left, Li Mobai stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the gradually brightening sky outside the window, thinking to himself, "Lin Yun, I'll see how long you can remain smug!"
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The Hall of Mental Cultivation in the Forbidden City.
Emperor Yongzheng sat upright before his dragon desk, a secret memorial clutched in his hand, his face ashen and grim. The flickering candlelight in the hall made the menacing aura between his brows appear even more pronounced.
"Damn it!" He slammed his hand on the table, making the teacups clatter.
Su Peisheng, who was standing to the side, trembled and quickly bowed: "Your Majesty, please calm down!"
Emperor Yongzheng sneered, his eyes flashing with a chilling light: "A mere local bully dares to touch my people?" He rose and paced, his fingers clenched into fists beneath his sleeves. "What is the magistrate of Shangyang County good for? Allowing these petty scoundrels to run rampant in the countryside!"
The guard knelt on the ground, not daring to raise his head: "Master, Miss Lin has already devised a plan, but it seems that the Eighth Prince's Mansion is behind Chen Yu."
"Eighth Prince?" Emperor Yongzheng paused, a murderous glint flashing in his eyes. He had long known that his brothers were secretly fighting amongst themselves, but he hadn't expected them to extend their reach to Lin Yun.
"Issue my imperial decree," he said in an icy voice, "order the magistrate of Shangyang County to immediately conduct a thorough investigation of all local bullies and illegal activities within the county. Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!"
"Yes, sir!" The guard acknowledged the order and was about to leave when Emperor Yongzheng added, "Send another team of guards to secretly protect Miss Lin. If she loses even a single hair, bring me your head!"
——————
Shangyang County Government Office.
When Magistrate Zhao Deyong received the imperial edict, the teacup in his hand shattered on the ground, sending shards of porcelain flying. His face turned deathly pale, and cold sweat beaded on his forehead: "This...this..."
The advisor quickly helped him up: "Sir, why has the Emperor suddenly taken notice of Shangyang County?"
Zhao Deyong wiped his sweat, his voice trembling: "I don't know either! Could it be that Chen Yu has offended someone he shouldn't have?" He suddenly remembered the recent conflict between Lin Yun and Chen Yu, and his heart skipped a beat. "Quick! Immediately take men to raid Chen Yu's properties and arrest all those involved!"
The advisor hesitated, "But Chen Yu and Eighth Master..."
"Foolish!" Zhao Deyong interrupted sharply, "This is an imperial edict! Do you want to lose your head?"
The capital city, Ninth Prince's residence.
Ninth Prince Yinzhen clutched Li Mobai's letter, his face ashen. He slammed the letter on the table, sneering repeatedly, "Fine, fine, fine!"
Mr. Liu bowed and said, "Ninth Master, this matter has probably exceeded expectations. If we continue to target Lin Yun, we may end up getting burned."
A ruthless glint flashed in Yinzhen's eyes: "Fourth Prince is using this as an excuse to make trouble..." He paced to the window, then suddenly turned around, "Send a few assassins to Shangyang County. Make sure Lin Yun is eliminated. Remember, do it cleanly, don't leave any evidence!"
Mr. Liu exclaimed in surprise, "Ninth Master, this is too risky!"
Yin Tang narrowed his eyes, his voice as cold as a venomous snake: "If she doesn't die, the consequences will be endless."
The backyard of Yunxiang Pavilion.
Lin Yun sat in the study in the backyard, wearing an outer robe. The candlelight flickered, illuminating her slightly tired face.
There were thick ledgers piled on the table. She gently traced the lines of numbers with her fingertips, her brows furrowing slightly.
Dealing with Chen Yu's matter these past few days has caused the shop's business to decline considerably, but fortunately, Fourth Master arranged for guards to protect her.
Otherwise, she really wouldn't be able to handle all this fighting and killing.
"Just three more days, and Xie Yu's flower materials will arrive..." she murmured to herself, rubbing her temples. In the candlelight, her shadow was cast on the wall, slender yet straight, like a bamboo that refused to bend.
"Miss, it's almost 9 PM, you should rest." Xiao Tao tiptoed in, carrying a bowl of calming soup. Lin Yun took the porcelain bowl, and through the rising steam, she noticed the dark circles under Xiao Tao's eyes. Her heart softened. "You've been exhausted these past few days, go to sleep." Xiao Tao shook her head. "Uncle Wang said someone must watch over you at night these next few days." Before she finished speaking, a sharp "crack" sounded from outside the window, like a tile shattering.
Lin Yun paused, then looked up at the window frame.
"What's wrong?" Xiao Tao asked, puzzled.
"Shh—" Lin Yun raised a finger, her eyes suddenly sharpening. She put down the soup bowl, silently got up, and pressed her fingertip against a hidden compartment under the table—where a dagger was concealed.
In the courtyard, the shadows of the trees swayed, the moonlight was obscured by the clouds, and the surroundings were gloomy.
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