She got pregnant after the swap marriage, and the scumbag's family regretted it so much they cr

"Brother Haoyu is, after all, Father's only son. If he does something that displeases Father, he should be more patient."

This vast Lu family estate will eventually be handed over to my eldest brother.

"Yes, I know what I'm doing," Lu Chengde said vaguely.

He paused for a moment, then, recalling Zhou's actions, asked again, "Your mother-in-law has always been like this..."

"What's wrong with my mother-in-law?" Lu Huan pretended not to understand Lu Chengde's implied meaning.

Lu Chengde looked disgusted and was also somewhat displeased.

This daughter is indeed very filial, but she's too rigid and not clever enough. She insists that her father say all sorts of hurtful things.

Can't you just figure it out yourself?!

He glanced at Gao Yan. "Always like this... petty?"

What Lu Chengde actually meant was that it was stingy and not presentable.

Lu Huan seemed somewhat surprised, and also somewhat timid.

She glanced at Gao Yan furtively before carefully replying, "After all, the Gao family hasn't been in business for three generations, so their wealth is definitely not as great as the Lu family's."

Lu Chengde was very proud. "That's right. Your father started from scratch, so he's naturally not comparable to a playboy like your father-in-law."

When Gao Shangzhi was mentioned, his face hardened again.

"I've heard about what happened to your father. The family couldn't even afford the money for him to go to the capital for the imperial examinations, yet they were playing dice like everyone else. It's really outrageous!"

"Young Master Yan, as the eldest son of the Gao family, you must properly advise your father. We absolutely cannot stand by and watch him continue to squander the family fortune like this!"

Before Gao Yan could say anything, Lu Huan became unhappy.

"Father! You know perfectly well what kind of status Ayan has in the Gao family, why make things difficult for him!"

"If you have such thoughts, you might as well talk to your second daughter; perhaps she could be of some use!"

Lu Chengde's gaze darted back and forth between the two of them. "Oh, oh, oh, so they're protecting each other now!"

"Father! If you keep teasing me like that, I'm going back with Ayan!"

Lu Huan had no interest in continuing to act out the "filial piety" between her and Lu Chengde.

"I just teased you a couple of times, and you're already getting upset. Be careful, or your husband will think you're boring!"

Seeing Lu Huan lifting her skirt and pulling Gao Yan away, Lu Chengde dared not tease her any further.

"Alright, alright! Dad won't tease you anymore, okay?"

Lu Huan then stopped and turned around.

However, there was no indication that they would come back.

"Dad, you said you had something to ask me, go ahead and ask!"

It gave off an attitude of "I'm leaving if you don't ask me anything".

Lu Chengde could only suppress his impatience and take a tea set from the display shelf next to him.

I personally brewed two cups of tea and placed them in front of me.

"I've already poured you tea, do you expect me to hand you the steps to the table?"

Gao Yan shook Lu Huan's arm. "Let's go. What if your father-in-law has something important to ask you?"

With a blushing smile, Lu Huan slowly walked back to the table, pulled by Gao Yan.

Lu Chengde had a satisfied smile on his face. "Seeing you and your son-in-law getting along so well, I'm relieved!"

Aside from this dry statement, no real benefits were offered.

Lu Huan lowered her head, concealing her disdain.

His voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz: "Ayan has always been very protective of me."

Lu Chengde acted as if he hadn't heard, and went on to explain his intention to keep Lu Huan here.

"I heard from you that your father brought in a lot of grain from the south. It's just that the canal is frozen, otherwise even more grain would have been transported over."

Following his lead, Lu Huan asked, "Is Father worried that buying so much grain will result in a loss?"

That's absolutely impossible! With such terrible weather this year, we don't even know what the summer harvest will be like.

"They only know how to make money, they can't possibly lose money!"

Lu Chengde didn't really want to ask that. The previous questions were just a prelude.

He glanced at Gao Yan and said mysteriously, "The price of grain in Yanjing City has risen by 30% compared to usual!"

Lu Huan's eyes lit up. "I knew it was impossible to lose money!"

Lu Chengde carefully observed the expression on Lu Huan's face. He saw a mixture of joy and surprise, as if he knew nothing at all.

He asked tentatively, "The snow hasn't even melted yet, and the price of grain has already risen so much."

If bad news comes out later, won't the price rise even more?

It's unclear how the Prince of Yan's residence and the Yanjing government will react.

So that's what you wanted to find out.

Lu Huan was not surprised at all.

She had suspected something when Lu Chengde complained about Lu Haoyu before.

It must be that Lu Haoyu and Li Rong were involved, and Lu Chengde found out.

Lu Chengde didn't care about the Li family. He was only worried that the Lu family might be implicated by Lu Haoyu and the Li family.

Lu Huan pondered for a moment, then tilted her head and asked Gao Yan, "Ayan, when you went to the Prince's Mansion last time, did you hear any news?"

As she spoke, she gently pinched the man.

After a moment's thought, Gao Yan understood what Lu Huan meant.

She had clearly heard all of this from him, but she didn't intend to tell her father directly.

If he doesn't want to do his father-in-law a favor, then he's not planning to reveal everything.

He pretended to recall something, pondered for a while, and then shook his head. "On the last few times I went to the Prince's Mansion, I only saw Steward Zheng, who came to Gaojia Village back then."

However, it wasn't entirely fruitless. The atmosphere in the Prince's residence was extremely tense.

Everyone seemed incredibly busy. The guards of the Prince's mansion walked with a brisk pace, a stark contrast to their usual demeanor.

Lu Chengde's expression softened considerably after hearing this.

Beneath his restrained expression, there was a hint of excitement.

Lu Huan seemed not to have heard anything, and said apologetically, "Father, although Ayan and I can enter the Prince's mansion, it is impossible for us to see the Prince and Princess every time."

"It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter!"

Although Lu Chengde had shrewdly guessed the meaning of the Prince's Mansion from Gao Yan's words, he still had no idea to what extent the grain price would rise before the Prince's Mansion and the government would settle accounts with him.

But all the grain shops raised their prices, and if he didn't follow suit, he would be losing money.

He's not that stupid!

Lu Chengde leaned closer to Gao Yan and asked, "Young Yan, can you find out any information within the Prince's residence?"

What kind of news does my father-in-law want to know?

"Father! How could he possibly have the guts to spy on the Prince's mansion's movements!"

Gao Yan and Lu Huan spoke in unison.

Upon hearing that there was hope, Lu Chengde said impatiently, "Huan'er, you are still a woman, with long hair but short brains!"

"You haven't even asked your father what I'm trying to find out, and you're already trying to make me take the blame!"

"Then Dad, you tell me first, what do you want to find out! If it's something that could cost you your head, I'll be the first to disagree!"

"Alright, alright!" Lu Chengde assured him. "Good son-in-law, I'd like you to ask the steward of the Prince's mansion about grain prices..."

"Grain prices?" Lu Huan asked, puzzled. "What's the point of asking about that? Just send a few servants out to check out all the grain shops in the city, and you'll know."

"You understand this principle, how could I not?" Lu Chengde's voice rose slightly as he was repeatedly interrupted.

Lu Huan's eyes widened, like a startled fawn.

Her big eyes were wet, and tears were welling up in her eyes.

The sight of it about to fall off made Gao Yan feel extremely distressed.

"Father-in-law, you've frightened Huan'er!"

"Alright, alright! It was your father's fault!" Lu Chengde apologized repeatedly.

The more humble and subservient he became, the more wary Lu Huan became.