Red Mansion: Picking up a Lin Daiyu

Chapter 266 Emperor Longyou: Lord Yue, I have prepared a generous reward!
The Cao Gang, which developed with the support of the Caoyun Guild Hall, has become Yue Ling's largest underground force in Suzhou, and his help in secret operations.

Almost all the people in each hall are from Cangzhou. They are absolutely trustworthy to Yue Ling.

The secrecy of the Caoyun Guild Hall was also the basis for his secret investigation into Suzhou.

"My Lord, the letter is here."

After handing over the letter, the servant turned around and left. Just as he was about to close the door, Yue Ling said, "Two women will be here in a while. They are both very good-looking. They have been here with me before. If there are no suspicious people following them, lead them here directly."

"Yes."

Xiangling brewed tea and looked at Yue Ling eagerly.

Yue Ling took a deep breath. The faint fragrance coming from the envelope was too familiar.

"It's nice to see you in person. Did your trip south go smoothly, brother?"

"Since we parted, everything has gone smoothly for us. Now, with the order of His Majesty, we will go south again to look for my brother. There is no hindrance on the canal. The sisters who are traveling with me are all safe and sound. I am writing to inform you, so don't worry."

"Talk to the Empress, and have Sister Bao dress up as my brother and forge proof that we're on the ship. If we go south to Jiangnan, where will we meet?"

"My father once wrote a letter to invite you to be my guest, but I politely declined on the grounds of official duties. If you think it is inappropriate, you can make another suggestion."

"I hope to arrive in Gusu soon, meet my brother again, and talk about the daily life together."

"Respectfully presented by Daiyu."

After folding the letter, Yue Ling sighed and said silently in his heart: "Brother..."

After being pecked by Lin Daiyu, Yue Ling inexplicably began to care about this title.

"Baochai disguised herself as me? I can use this to my advantage, so that I can keep my identity hidden for a little longer."

"Did Lin Ruhai invite me to be his guest? To be his guest at Lin's house..."

Yue Ling had delivered letters to Yangzhou many times and was indeed familiar with Lin Ruhai. But for some reason, he felt a little nervous when he went there again this time.

According to common sense, when one is on his way to a post outside Beijing, if he meets old acquaintances in the places he passes through, he will usually stay as a guest for a few days.

After all, in ancient times when transportation and communication were not well developed, old friends could only meet rarely, and each meeting was not easy.

Using official business as an excuse was already a bit rude. If he were to confess the change in his relationship with Lin Daiyu, Yue Ling didn't dare to imagine what Lin Ruhai's attitude would be.

Yue Ling held his forehead with his hand, feeling a bit of a headache.

He could handle big things smoothly, but he was helpless when it came to small matters like love affairs.

"Eh? Could it be that Lin Daiyu wrote the resignation letter for me?"

"I don't think Lin Ruhai would think too much about this."

At the right moment, the servant pushed the door open again and delivered another letter.

"There are still more?"

The man replied, "This letter was sent down by someone in the palace, by a courier who traveled along the canal."

Yue Ling nodded, thinking that it must be Emperor Longyou’s instructions.

When I read it in detail, it was not surprising that it was about things in Jiangsu and Zhejiang.

At the beginning, Emperor Longyou told Yue Ling to pay attention to his own safety in Suzhou, not to take risks, and not to take risks alone like he did in Cangzhou. After all, Jiangsu and Zhejiang are places with deep connections.

Cangzhou's collaboration with the Japanese may have been a sudden decision, but if it was smuggling in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it means they had been collaborating with the Japanese for a long time.

He also explained to Yue Ling the current situation in the court. Changing rice to mulberry was a national policy recommended by the Ministry of Revenue and the Secretariat, and it was their political achievement.

If there is any change in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, it will have a far-reaching impact on the entire court, so Yue Ling must provide solid evidence to clarify the charges.

Yue Ling frowned, "It's unexpected that the situation is so serious."

Xiangling came over and handed Yue Ling a cup of tea.

Yue Ling took a sip and let out a sigh of relief.

The letter ended, but there were still a few extra sheets of paper. Yue Ling took a closer look and found that they were about things other than official business.

"I haven't seen you for a long time, but my heart is with you. Whenever I think of the past, when you were by my side and protected me, I feel that I have someone I can rely on for everything. You first governed Cangzhou without a break, and then went to Jiangsu and Zhejiang to serve as governor. I know the hardships you went through."

"Today, the world is in turmoil. Whenever I am busy with my work, I always wish you were by my side, so that I could relieve my worries and restore the deep friendship between the monarch and his subjects. However, for the sake of the country and the people, I have to part with you. This is a deep pain."

"Your talent is like the bright moon. You and I have devoted all our energy to the affairs of state. Can we not ensure peace for the world?"

"When you return to the capital, I have prepared a generous reward for your contribution. This reward must be what you have been looking forward to for a long time and what you have always wanted. There is nothing better than this. I can't wait to see your smile."

"I command."

The first half was almost like a love letter, which made Yue Ling feel annoyed, but the relationship between the emperor and his subject was there, and even if Emperor Longyou did not ask about it, he would still do his job seriously.

This situation reminded Yue Ling of Yongzheng and Nian Gengyao. However, he was not like Nian Gengyao, who would take credit for himself and become arrogant because of his favor.

The second half made Yue Ling stunned.

"A huge reward? Unrivaled? What could that be?"

Yue Ling is a person who has no desires and is not too keen on pursuing wealth and power.

An ordinary emperor, or an emperor who is adept at political intrigue, might find it very difficult to control such subordinates.

But in front of Emperor Longyou, Yue Ling didn't need to pretend to have any preferences, he just had to be sincere.

Even so, did Emperor Longyou find what he was looking forward to?
To be honest, Yue Ling didn't know what he was looking forward to.

This inevitably aroused Yue Ling's thoughts, and he was really looking forward to it. He wondered what Emperor Longyou would come up with.

Title?

The next level below Marquis is Duke. There can be a Marquis of Champion at the age of seventeen, but there can't be a Duke of the Kingdom at the age of twenty-two, right?

money?

Yue Ling is now truly wealthy. Even if he confiscates the money from Prince Kang's mansion, he still cannot spend it all. Moreover, Sister Lin is frugal and does not spend extravagantly, so the money is not much less.

Now with the Feng brand supplying all consumption, even the places where we spend money have been largely reduced.

reputation?

It seems that the thing Yue Ling lacks least now is fame.

Shaking his head, Yue Ling was no longer bothered by the matter. He took the fragrant tea prepared by Xiangling and slowly tasted it.

Xiangling saw Yue Ling was distressed for a while, and then his expression eased, so she moved closer and asked, "Husband, is there something difficult?"

Yue Ling said calmly, "It's just that the words in the letter are a bit confusing and hard to understand. However, for now, let's focus on taking care of Suzhou."

Soon, two beautiful women were invited in.

Light clouds came out of the mountains, as graceful as a startled wild goose, and the skirts of the two people swayed slightly, forming that scenery. Miaoyu is characterized by being aloof and noble, with a temperament like orchid, eyebrows like willow leaves, eyes like cold pools, and small and light pink lips, like a newly blooming plum blossom, melting the frost on her cheeks.

The slightly raised chin does not show arrogance, but rather just the right amount of self-admiration and independence.

Such a woman is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, and hates evil in her heart. This really makes her image break away from the original appearance in the book and become more three-dimensional.

This is not a monk or nun, but a woman who is practicing Buddhism with her hair uncut and has not yet severed her worldly ties.

Xing Xiuyan, standing beside him, is not just a green leaf setting off the red flowers.

If Miaoyu is the plum blossom, then Xing Xiuyun is as elegant as the chrysanthemum, beautiful inside and intelligent inside.

She was wearing a plain and elegant dress. Although it was not made of silk or satin, it was unique because of its well-fitting cut and embroidered patterns.

Her face was as white as jade, with sharp edges and corners. Her eyebrows were as long and thin as distant black, and they were also somewhat soft, making her look even more gentle. Her eyes were like a clear spring, clear and bright, and her gaze was full of the unique grace of a woman from the water town of Jiangnan.

Her nose is like a jade peak, and her lips are like cherries, which are more rosy than Miaoyu's. She looks more like an approachable girl next door.

The two of them bowed together and said, "Greetings, Lord Marquis."

Yue Ling was just thinking about business. When the two entered the room, he was stunned for a moment before replying, "So you are back. Please sit down first. There is no need to be restrained."

"Xiangling, serve them some tea as well."

Xiangling took it with lowered eyebrows, but the corner of her mouth curled up slightly.

She was calling her husband in this room, but now she was being ordered around by another girl like a servant.

Xing Xiuyan stood up and took the teapot first, "Sister, don't bother, we can do it ourselves."

Seeing that Xiangling and Yue Ling had a close relationship, Xing Xiuyan couldn't just sit there and enjoy it.

Turning the upside-down teacup over, Xing Xiuyan poured one for herself and Miaoyu.

Miaoyu looked at the light yellow tea with some tea foam floating on it, frowned slightly, and felt a little disgusted.

When she looked up, Xing Xiuyan was busy winking at her, her eyes seemed to say, "My dear sister, what time is it now? You are still as arrogant as when you were in the temple. You can't make tea without melted snow water, and you can't use the cup without it?"

Miaoyu could understand what Xing Xiuyun meant. She sighed helplessly, covered her eyes with her sleeves, pretended to take a sip of tea, and then put the cup down.

No little action can escape Yue Ling's eyes.

Even if Yue Ling didn't pay close attention, he could still see the reason.

"The tea is just for you two to warm up and take a breath. The tea sets are all new. If you mind, you don't have to. There are no restrictions here."

Xing Xiuyan gave a bitter smile, pulled Miaoyu up, and bowed to Yue Ling to apologize.

"My sister is a bit of a germaphobe. She was born with this defect and has loved cleanliness since she was young. If she wasn't like this, she would always get sick."

Yue Ling waved his hand and said, "It's okay. I'm not the kind of person who likes to force others."

Hearing this, Xiangling not only curled her lips, but also rolled her eyes.

"What did you find along the way?"

Xing Xiuyan and Miaoyu looked at each other, and it was Miaoyu who spoke up, "When we were walking towards the city, we saw several wealthy families digging ditches, as if to protect the fields and divert water. Further ahead, there were soldiers from the river government patrolling back and forth. We couldn't get close, so we could only watch from a distance, and couldn't see clearly."

"Dig a canal?"

Yue Ling pondered for a moment.

Digging canals is really a simple and effective means of flood prevention. It is usually done before the flood season to prevent flooding.

But at this time, based on Yue Ling's guess, it seemed a little unusual.

Xiangling, who was standing at the side, also became very nervous after hearing what she heard. She clutched the hem of her skirt tightly with both hands and looked at Yue Ling silently.

After a long time, Yue Ling told Miaoyu and Xing Xiuyan about his guess.

"Damage and flooding of fields?"

Miaoyu and Xing Xiuyan both had looks of shock on their faces.

Yue Ling nodded, "The dead can't argue. If the fields are flooded at this time, the blame can be pushed onto Prefect Zhu. The flooding of the fields is good for all the beneficiaries, but it is a disaster for the common people."

"After the fields are flooded, the harvest for the year is gone. Moreover, the people themselves are simply unable to deal with the flooded fields left behind by the flood, and silting is not an easy task. If not handled properly, the grain production in the next few years may not even reach the level before the flooding."

"During this summer and autumn, farmers already have little surplus food at home. If they don't sell their land, their families won't be able to survive."

Xing Xiuyan asked: "Even if they are selling the land, the government will set the price. Can they just do whatever they want?"

Yue Ling shook his head. "This is not something the government can control. The government can set the price, but it cannot stop the people from selling their land at a low price. The government sets the price, and the big households just won't buy the land according to this price. And the farmers are waiting for food to survive, so how can they not lower the price?"

"Buying and selling is a matter of mutual consent. If farmers insist on lowering the price, who can stop them?"

Miaoyu asked again: "If this happens, what will the Marquis do?"

Her father's body was still warm, and now she had to bear the blame for it, which really made her sad.

Even with the government's efforts to provide disaster relief, it was still not enough. Miaoyu really couldn't think of any solution Yue Ling could come up with.

"The most important thing is food. I will write to Cangzhou and other places to allocate food. As for disaster relief, I have also thought of a good idea."

"But once they destroyed the dikes and flooded the fields, they were already involved in this situation. We can make a big fuss about it."

"From now on, I'll need the cooperation of the two of you."

Miaoyu and Xing Xiuyan both widened their eyes and looked at Yue Ling in confusion.

"We cooperate? What else can two women like us do?"

Yue Ling nodded and said, "If there is a flood and the water level has not subsided, farmers can only move to higher ground. Xuanmu Mountain is a high point in Suzhou, and it is foreseeable that it will accept a large number of people."

"The temples in Suzhou are quite popular, and the people all believe in Buddhism. We can forge a proverb that the Buddha issued a decree that someone deliberately destroyed the farmland. In your opinion, what will happen?"

Xing Xiuyan was shocked. "This is much more serious than Uncle Zhu's corruption. The public sentiment will only be more turbulent than before."

"That's right." Yue Ling said calmly: "They used the public sentiment to force Governor Zhu into a dilemma. We can also use this to make it difficult for the current officials to step down."

"After that, they will definitely investigate the source of this matter and find out where it came from when they come to the mountain temple."

"The rest will be done by me."

Xing Xiuyan understood what she heard and felt a little excited. If they could lure out the snake and catch the people involved in the case, it would be much more useful than looking for some accounts.

Looking at Miaoyu again, who seemed to be considering the matter, Xing Xiuyan could not help but ask in a low voice: "Is it against your teachings to forge the Buddha's motto?"

Miaoyu shook her head, "You are the one who wants to forge it, and you don't believe in Buddhism."

Xing Xiuyan: "..."

(End of this chapter)