Remarrying Chun Yuan

Liu Yuechu almost jumped out!

horse?

Fur?

She immediately looked at Liu Musheng, who was also startled. "It has nothing to do with me, and it has nothing to do with you either!"

These two missing items are too strange; how could they be related to their family's business?

For some inexplicable reason, the image of Yuan Cuo suddenly popped into Liu Yuechu's mind...

"Mongol is a major consumer of furs. We originally intended to discuss purchasing matters with the Mongolian delegation at this palace banquet. Why don't we wait in the palace for a while? After all, we are bringing money, not begging for it, so we won't offend the Mongolian delegation."

She found a perfectly appropriate excuse to stay in the palace and gather more information.

The young eunuch dared not make the decision himself and could only immediately report to Eunuch Cheng.

Cheng Hai heard the young eunuch mention the Liu family and hear about Liu Yuechu's words...

"Then let her wait a bit."

The young eunuch trotted to Liu Yuechu's side and relayed Eunuch Cheng's words.

Liu Musheng didn't want to wait, "Why don't you wait here, I'll go back first!"

"What should I say when the palace asks about the operation of the horse farm later?" Liu Yuechu asked him.

"I can't answer that either! If I had known I'd let Yuan Cuo come with you, I would never have come to suffer like this!" Liu Musheng was filled with regret.

"It's good that the young master is going back. As long as the young master is at home, there's no need for everyone to be delayed here." Granny Fang was afraid that Liu Musheng would embarrass himself later.

Liu Musheng showed no disdain, only thinking that Granny Fang was wise. "Yes, yes, I will go back early and tell my grandmother about what happened in the palace. She has been thinking about us since we came out today."

Without waiting for Liu Yuechu's reply, Liu Musheng rubbed his waist and ran away.

If eyes were knives, Liu Yuechu would have executed him by slow slicing long ago.

Compared to his previous life, at least Liu Musheng no longer acted foolishly and was not bewitched by the third and fourth wives, which can be considered as some progress.

All the officials who had not left were invited to wait in the side hall, and Liu Yuechu and Granny Fang also went there together.

The side hall was filled with male officials, with only two female members, Liu Yuechu and Granny Fang.

Everyone was surprised, and after asking, they learned that it was the young lady from the Liu family who stayed behind for the fur business.

Of the eight prominent official and merchant families, only two were summoned to the palace for this banquet, and Liu Yuechu was one of them.

The Bai family, a long line of medicine merchants, had served as chief physicians in the Imperial Medical Academy for four generations, a perfectly legitimate line. But how could Liu Yuechu possibly rival the Wang family's fur business? Officials couldn't help but wonder who was behind her.

Whenever someone is accused of having "someone behind them," people's opinions become more complicated, but Liu Yuechu doesn't care at all and answers every question.

People who didn't recognize her before now recognize her almost all of them.

As Cheng Hai left the imperial study, he heard Liu Yuechu explaining the seasonal care of furs to the officials. He watched from the shadows for a moment, then instructed the eunuch beside him to fetch Liu Yuechu. "...Lady Liu is truly resilient."

These words sounded like a compliment, but Cheng Hai's tone was laced with sarcasm.

“Having already been appointed to a position in the government and the business world, I naturally dare not neglect it. Besides, Her Majesty said that all irrelevant people should go home first, and I am not free.” Liu Yuechu smiled.

"Let's go back first. Today's events are not so simple. They might find out about the Liu family later. There's no use in you staying here."

Since it involved fur, Cheng Hai couldn't help but offer a reminder.

Liu Yuechu smiled and said, "Of course I know it's useless. I just wanted to remind Eunuch Cheng that there was a theft case last year, which happened in the suburbs of Beijing. The stolen item was a fur coat, which was also transported from Mongolia to Beijing."

"In another case, a hunter brought a large amount of fur down the mountain, but when he returned, it caused a wildfire that killed four or five families."

Cheng Hai's face darkened. "Liu Yuechu, what exactly are you trying to say?"

"What I'm trying to say is that the Wang family hasn't even settled the matter of the furs they lost to the Imperial Household Department yet, so don't let it fall on our Liu family's shoulders. We won't be scapegoats."

“The Wang family has Consort Le to back them up, but I only have myself. I hope my father-in-law won’t blame me for overthinking things. Besides, it’s better to handle some things discreetly. Otherwise, if it’s exposed and becomes known throughout the city, it would be a laughing stock for foreigners.”

Liu Yuechu's lips barely touched her lips before her smile became incredibly bright, but as soon as she spoke, Cheng Hai felt a chill run down his spine.

"You...you're being ridiculous!" Cheng Hai lowered her voice, glancing around as if afraid someone would hear her.

"Did your father-in-law also say he would give me an explanation as soon as possible?" Liu Yuechu looked at him with expectation in her eyes, her hands clasped behind her back.

Her posture was exactly the same as Yuan Cuo's.

In particular, that indifferent and irritating attitude gave Cheng Hai a real headache.

"Go back quickly, there will be a result soon."

Liu Yuechu curtsied and thanked him, "Then I will go back and wait for your news, sir. If the delegation successfully enters the capital, I also hope that you can help our Liu family make contact. The cow and sheep hides there are of good quality and inexpensive, and the palace likes them very much."

After she bowed, she left with Granny Fang.

Cheng Hai kept his eyes fixed on her until she disappeared from sight.

"Where did her older brother go?" Cheng Hai knew there was an unreliable man by her side, and even though he had never met him, he knew he was the eldest son of the Liu family.

The young eunuch immediately stepped forward, saying, "They said they were tired of waiting and went back first..."

"Ha, no wonder he can hang out with those spoiled brats!" Cheng Hai said with a look of disdain.

"The Liu family also has a horse farm. Should we investigate it?" the young eunuch inquired. Emperor Qi Xiao had just ordered a thorough search of all horses in the capital, including those within ten miles of the city's outskirts.

Cheng Hai paused for a moment, then said, “Investigate. Since His Majesty has ordered an investigation, not a single one can be missed.”

"What about the fur coat?" the little eunuch asked again.

“The Liu family just took over this business, so they must be unrelated. Investigate the Wang family.” Cheng Hai named names directly, implying that even if they were unrelated, they could still be related.

Liu Yuechu has already presented several pieces of evidence, and there's clearly more to say. If he dares to let the Liu family act like a cuckold trying to get a piece of her mind, she can turn the capital upside down, and His Majesty will surely punish him severely!

Moreover, investigating the Wang family will allow us to give the Mongolians an explanation as soon as possible.

If the Mongol delegation were to return home, war between the Great Qi and the Mongol Empire would be imminent.

……

Once they left the main gate of the palace, Liu Yuechu finally felt the chill from behind disappear. She quickly helped Fang Mama up, saying, "My back is soaked with cold sweat!"

"My lady, you've gone mad! How could you possibly take advantage of Consort Le's misfortune and the Wang family's downfall at this time!" Granny Fang's voice was barely a whisper.

"Strike first, or we'll be the ones punished!"

Liu Yuechu hadn't originally intended to be so direct, but when she heard the word "horse," she naturally thought of how Yuan Cuo had tricked those纨绔 (playboys) into breeding the best horses in the Great Qi.

And what can't the Mongols lose? They just happen to lose their horses!

Liu Yuechu didn't believe that Pei Chun and Lu Bingyang had such audacity, but Yuan Cuo definitely did.

Regardless of whether it's related to him or not, if she leaves in a sorry state, wouldn't that arouse even more suspicion in the palace? If Consort Le finds out and targets the Liu family first, that would be even worse!

She just wanted to go back as soon as possible to sound out Yuan Cuo's thoughts, but she didn't expect that when she stepped out of the palace gate, Yuan Cuo was standing under the tall and straight locust tree waiting for her.