The aftermath is undercurrent
Chapter Quote: It is easy to dodge an open attack, but it is hard to guard against an arrow from the dark. After defeating the external thieves, we must also clean up the inner courtyard.
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News of the great victory at Wild Boar Forest spread like wildfire, spreading throughout Daming Prefecture within half a day. A constant stream of carriages and horses streamed in front of the Lu Mansion, all of them coming to offer congratulations from the city's dignitaries and close friends. Lu Junyi, overwhelmed with pride, threw a grand banquet at his residence, which lasted three days and was filled with guests.
Yan Qing, however, did not bask in the joy of victory. He knew clearly that while repelling an open attack from Liangshan was certainly gratifying, the real hidden danger often lay within. Wu Yong, a cunning man, would not give up after this setback and would surely seek another solution. And within the Lu Mansion, the root cause of Lu Junyi's family's destruction in a previous life—housekeeper Li Gu and mistress Jia—had yet to be eliminated.
At the celebration banquet, Yan Qing watched with aloof eyes. Li Gu busied himself with arranging the banquet and entertaining the guests, a proud smile plastered on his face. He was especially attentive to Lu Junyi, showing no sign of abnormality. However, Yan Qing keenly noticed that when Li Gu toasted certain officials, his eyes flickered, and beneath his smile lay a subtle hint of flattery and calculation. As for the mistress, Jia Shi, although she had not been seen in the inner hall, her personal maidservant had inadvertently revealed that she seemed restless these past few days, often gazing out the window in a daze.
"Has the time not come yet, or has the idea already been hatched?" Yan Qing pondered. In his previous life, Li Gu and Jia's affair was only fully exposed after Lu Junyi was framed and imprisoned. Now that Lu Junyi was at the height of his power, they might not dare act rashly, but the seeds of their evil intentions were likely already sown. If Wu Yong wanted to strike at Lu Junyi again, these two would be the perfect entry point.
We must take precautions before it happens.
The day after the celebration banquet, Lu Junyi enjoyed a rare moment of leisure, sipping tea in the flower hall. Yan Qing stood by, and seeing no one around, he spoke, "Master, although we've defeated Liangshan this time, the enemy remains intent. We must remain cautious."
Lu Junyi was in a good mood and smiled when he heard this, "Xiao Yi, you're worrying too much. After this battle, Liangshan suffered heavy casualties, and the government has increased its vigilance. I don't think they'll dare to cause trouble in Daming Prefecture again."
"It's easy to dodge an open attack, but hard to guard against an arrow from the dark." Yan Qing said solemnly, "Wu Yong is full of clever tricks and is good at exploiting human weaknesses. Master, you should know that a fortress is often breached from within."
Lu Junyi's smile faded slightly, and he looked at Yan Qing: "You mean... someone in the mansion will collude with Liangshan?" The first person he thought of was the suspicious servant that Yan Qing had reminded him to investigate.
Yan Qing shook his head and changed the subject, "The servants in the mansion have been thoroughly investigated and are currently safe. What Xiaoyi is worried about is... people's hearts are fickle. The master is now so powerful that it's inevitable that some will be jealous. Those outside the mansion may be bribed; those inside may be intimidated. Especially... those who are in charge of the mansion's affairs and are familiar with the master's whereabouts and habits."
He did not directly mention Li Gu's name, but the meaning of his words was obvious.
Lu Junyi's face darkened. He wasn't stupid; he simply trusted his subordinates, especially Li Gu, who had served him for many years. But Yan Qing's repeated foresight forced him to take his words seriously.
"Li Gu..." Lu Junyi pondered, "He's been with me for many years and has always been diligent. It shouldn't be possible, right?"
"Xiao Yi isn't concluding that Steward Li has ulterior motives," Yan Qing said, choosing his words carefully. "I'm simply reminding my master that you shouldn't harbor any intentions of harming others, but you should always be on guard against them. Steward Li oversees the finances and personnel of the mansion, and holds considerable power. My master might want to secretly check the recent accounts to see if there are any anomalies. Furthermore, should we keep some core secrets, especially regarding our dealings with the government and our strategies against Liangshan, secrets of our own?"
He was giving Lu Junyi a shot of prevention and at the same time limiting Li Gu's chances of accessing core information.
Lu Junyi pondered for a long time, then nodded slowly. "You're right. I'll keep an eye on the account matters." He paused, then added, "As for confidential matters, I won't discuss them in detail with anyone other than you."
"Master, you are wise." Yan Qing felt a little relieved. With Lu Junyi's vigilance, it would be much more difficult for Li Gu to collude with Jia and frame his master as easily as he had in his previous life.
At this moment, a servant outside the door reported: "Sir, Chief Steward Li wants to see you."
Lu Junyi and Yan Qing exchanged a glance and said, "Let him in."
Li Gu walked in with a beaming face, holding an account book in his hand, and bowed, saying, "Sir, this is the general ledger of all expenses in the mansion this month. Please have a look. In addition, the Tongpan's mansion just sent someone to deliver an invitation, inviting you to a banquet at their house tomorrow, saying that they want to celebrate your success." As he spoke, the corner of his eye seemed to inadvertently sweep over Yan Qing who was standing beside him.
Lu Junyi took the account book but didn't look at it immediately. He put it aside and said calmly, "I see. Please reply to the banquet for me and tell them that I have been exhausted and need to rest at home for a few days."
A hint of surprise flashed across Li Gu's face, and then he smiled and said, "Yes, I understand. You should have a good rest. But... if I refuse the good intention of the magistrate, should I..."
"That's fine." Lu Junyi waved his hand to interrupt him, "Just do as I say."
"Yes." Li Gu didn't dare to say anything more and bowed and retreated. However, as he turned around, a barely perceptible gloom flashed across his eyes.
Yan Qing took in Li Gu's shifting expression and sneered inwardly. It seemed his earlier warning had already made Li Gu sense the subtle shift in Lu Junyi's attitude toward him. This wasn't necessarily a bad thing. If Li Gu simply restrained himself and behaved himself, perhaps a disaster could be averted. However, if he harbored resentment, or even took a risk, then this would be a perfect opportunity to expose him.
After Li Gu left, Lu Junyi picked up the account book and casually flipped through a few pages. He didn't immediately notice anything wrong, but he had already harbored suspicions and decided to personally check the key accounts regularly in the future.
"Xiao Yi," Lu Junyi put down the account book and sighed, "It's not easy to be the head of a household. We have to defend against enemies from outside and maintain national security from within."
Yan Qing comforted him, "Master, don't worry too much. As long as your family business is stable and you're cautious, the villains won't be able to take advantage of you. Everyone in and around Daming Prefecture knows your reputation. Even the government relies on you to maintain peace. This is your greatest foundation."
Lu Junyi's mood brightened slightly upon hearing this, and he smiled, "That's true. After this incident, the prefect has taken an even better look at me. Yesterday, he even discussed hiring me as the deputy commander of the militia to assist in the defense of Daming Prefecture."
Yan Qing's heart skipped a beat. This was good news. With a formal official position, Lu Junyi's position would be more secure, and his ties to the government would be even deeper. If Liangshan tried to move against him again, it would be openly defying the imperial court, which would be even more costly.
"Congratulations, Master." Yan Qing congratulated sincerely, "Now, Master is even more legitimate and can ensure peace in this area."
Lu Junyi nodded, full of confidence: "That's right! I, Lu Junyi, was born and raised here. It is my duty to protect my hometown!"
Watching Lu Junyi's resurgence, Yan Qing felt a surge of emotion. In this life, his master's fate had taken a different turn. He hadn't been forced to join Liangshan, hadn't endured imprisonment, and instead had established himself in his hometown, his reputation growing. This was undoubtedly a tremendous success.
But he didn't let his guard down. Wu Yong must be racking his brains, thinking of his next sinister plan. And Li Gu in the mansion also needed constant attention.
A few days later, late one night, Yan Qing, like a ghost in the dark, quietly crept across the rooftops of the Lu Mansion. It wasn't that he distrusted Lu Junyi's increased patrols, but rather that he habitually used his own methods to ensure that nothing went wrong.
When he passed near the main courtyard, his body suddenly stopped, crouched down like a civet cat, and hid in the shadows.
Behind the rockery in the garden below, two figures huddled together, conversing in low voices. Despite the distance and dim light, Yan Qing's sharp eyesight allowed him to discern the figure: it was Li Gu! The other figure, dressed like someone from outside the palace, was short and stocky.
"... Don't worry... The master has been very alert these days... It's not easy to take action..." This was Li Gu's low voice, which came intermittently.
"...The higher-ups can't wait any longer...We must find an opportunity...as soon as possible..." The man outside the mansion spoke in a lower and more anxious voice.
"...let me think about it...the key to the warehouse...the time for night patrol..." Li Gu's voice was filled with hesitation and struggle.
Yan Qing's heart was filled with awe! As expected! Li Gu had already colluded with the outside world! From the tone of voice, it was clear that the other party was from Liangshan, forcing Li Gu to act as an insider in the mansion, looking for an opportunity to strike!
He held his breath, listening carefully, trying to gather more information. However, the two men were extremely wary. After only a brief exchange, the man outside the mansion handed Li Gu a small package and quickly disappeared into the night. Li Gu glanced around, tucked the package into his arms, and hurried away as well.
Yan Qing didn't alert the enemy. Showing up now and capturing Li Gu would have been simple, but it would have alerted Liangshan, letting them know they'd been exposed and prompting them to resort to more subtle and difficult-to-prevent tactics. Better to take advantage of their tactic, secretly monitor Li Gu, learn their specific plans, and wait for the right moment to capture them all.
He retreated quietly, with a new plan in mind.
The next day, Yan Qing reported to Lu Junyi that he had several properties in the manor outside the city that needed to be inspected and taken care of personally, and that he might be away for a few days. Lu Junyi did not suspect anything and readily agreed.
Yan Qing apparently left the city with two attendants, but on the way he found an excuse to send his attendants to the manor first. He then disguised himself and sneaked back to Daming Mansion quietly. He rented an inconspicuous house near Lu Mansion and monitored Li Gu's movements day and night.
He knew that the battle to clean up the inner courtyard had just begun, and he had to win this invisible war.
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End of Chapter 5
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