Chapter 27 – You’re Not Worthy to Ask About My Affairs

Chapter 27 - You're Not Worthy to Ask About My Affairs

The Yuefeng Wine House was bustling with activity, with talk of summoning the authorities and imprisonment filling the air. The commotion grew louder, drawing the attention of the entire capital. Meanwhile, another contest was unfolding elsewhere.

At the front and back entrances of the Fulong Money Exchange, as well as in the dark alleys on either side, the men of the Second and Third Princes were already at odds with each other. Neither side would yield, issuing warnings against any underhanded moves, while the other retorted with taunts about their own capabilities.

Prince Zhu Fu entered the VIP tea room of the money exchange through a side door, his demeanor low-key: "…I heard there's an issue with my exchange ticket?"

He was tall, with long eyebrows and narrow eyes, thin lips, and a gaunt face. His downturned inner eyelids, paired with a hooked nose, gave him an air of unspoken shrewdness, sharp and intimidating enough to deter anyone from crossing him.

The head of the money exchange, Jin Ming, was sweating profusely: "This... Your Highness, all the exchange tickets issued by our money exchange have special anti-counterfeiting measures."

In other words, the ones you brought don't have them, they don't, which means they're fake.

Zhu Fu swept his robe aside and sat down beside the tea table: "That's your problem. It was said that having a ticket would suffice just the other day, but now it's not good enough?"

"How can you blame others for this," someone lifted the curtain, and Prince Zhu Bin sauntered lazily into the tea room, "clearly, you didn't get the real thing, yet you come here to snatch it away, blaming others for seeing through your counterfeit ticket too clearly?"

Zhu Fu didn't even bother to acknowledge him, his cold gaze sweeping over him: "Second Brother is quite leisurely today, not pretending to be benevolent and magnanimous before your group of cronies and advisors?"

Zhu Bin smiled faintly, sitting across from him: "There's no choice, I'm busy trying to manage my younger brother. Someone is being unreasonable and causing a scandal for the royal family; as an older brother, I must educate him a little."

It seemed Zhu Fu had anticipated Zhu Bin's arrival. Whenever something happened that he cared about, this good Second Brother would always show up to obstruct him. He was used to it by now, ignoring him and focusing on the head of the money exchange, Jin Ming: "We both know where this batch of silver came from... you don't need to be so frightened."

He slammed something onto the table: "If the exchange tickets won't do, how about this? This should be acceptable, right?"

A rectangular strip, black background with golden characters, the words on it clear and distinct – Ministry of Revenue, Chen Yongan.

This was Chen Yongan's seal!

Jin Ming broke out in a cold sweat.

Zhu Fu stared at him: "Dare you say that the silver in your Yin warehouse didn't come from here? I haven't pursued your money exchange's responsibility or confiscated this silver, which could be considered a kindness. And yet, you still dare to make excuses?"

Jin Ming was drenched in cold sweat, swallowing hard before saying: "Although... this silver wasn't deposited by Lord Chen himself, and this seal cannot be considered proof."

Zhu Fu: "You can spread the word outside, saying that I took it, and see if the person who deposited the silver dares to speak up."

Jin Ming: ...

"Your Highness, please understand, you are a prince, a member of the imperial family, high and mighty, with the whole world at your feet. You can do whatever you want, who would dare to doubt you? But we are just a small money exchange, we still have to do business in the long run. If this rule is broken, without credibility, how can we survive in the future?"

In short, the silver exchange couldn't do this themselves, even if they were robbed openly, they would have to muster the strength to resist.

Jin Ming's eyes darted around before he continued: "Besides, so much silver, you wouldn't be able to transport it easily, why not wait until..."

Zhu Fu: "I have a convoy ready."

Jin Ming looked towards the Second Prince, swallowing hard: "Even... if you have a convoy, it might not go smoothly?"

"Well said," Zhu Bin nodded, "I also have a convoy prepared. Since neither of us has a proper exchange ticket, if the manager insists on giving this silver to one person, why not give it to me? I can promise to keep today's matter confidential, and I have plans for afterward, not only ensuring that the reputation of the Fulong Money Exchange remains intact, but also helping to attract a large number of depositors, assisting the Fulong Money Exchange in expanding its influence and reaching new heights – you know, I have some influence among the maritime merchants."

His mother, Imperial Concubine Zhen, was born into a maritime merchant family, immensely wealthy. This was a tempting offer indeed.

Zhu Fu's thin lips curled in derision: "As if I don't have that."

His mother, Consort Rou, was from a family with a Western merchant caravan, involved in the Silk Road and the Tea Horse Road, not lacking in wealth either.

"You'd better think carefully," he looked at Jin Ming, his brows furrowed in seriousness, "when it comes to not mistreating our own people, I've always been better than Second Brother. He upholds justice, needing to practice benevolence, righteousness, propriety, wisdom, and faithfulness, often requiring sacrifices from his own people. As for me, I'm more protective, unreasonable, and only care if someone is one of us – haven't you heard of my reputation?"

Jin Ming: ...

Sweating profusely, he was barely holding it together.

Both princes wanted him, vying for his favor, but he felt no joy. He wasn't some coveted treasure, merely a tool for the princes to play with. If they were in a bad mood, they could kill him instantly!

Today, it seemed... no matter what he did, he wouldn't be able to keep this batch of silver.

Zhu Bin smiled slyly: "Third Brother, don't scare people. With Eldest Brother here, you won't be able to achieve your goal today."

Zhu Fu: "As long as Second Brother doesn't achieve his goal, I don't really care if I do or not."

Anyway, if you mess with me, I'll mess with you. If I can't benefit, neither will you!

...

The big spectacle was at the Yuefeng Wine House, while the smaller one was at the nearby Fulong Money Exchange. The former drew crowds of commoners, growing larger by the minute, surrounding the area tightly. The latter saw the Second and Third Princes competing, their subordinates lurking in the shadows, ready to clash at any moment. This situation captured the attention of countless people, leaving other places unusually quiet.

Fang Rui swaggered through the outer streets, thoroughly covering every major and minor road, completely unnoticed.

Indeed, it was a godsend opportunity. Today, transferring silver wagons in the vicinity would be incredibly convenient!

However, this was only within this area. Outside of it, it would be impossible to avoid detection, it was broad daylight after all! To act without leaving a trace, he needed to find the perfect hiding spot... unfortunately, this wasn't his main task. The Sixth Prince had only asked him to check casually, reporting any abnormalities, remaining silent if everything was normal, and then proceeding with his own affairs.

Speaking of his main task, it was quite significant. Besides the disaster relief silver, Chen Yongan had lost disaster relief grain as well!

The people who robbed Chen Yongan were skilled. Since they managed to operate without a trace, placing the disaster relief silver in the money exchange, perhaps they also placed the disaster relief grain in a granary?

All the granaries that should have been investigated had already been checked, leaving only one left, located within the city. In the past, it was inconvenient to inspect due to the risk of discovery, but given today's circumstances, if he couldn't uncover the truth, he wouldn't be worthy of his surname!

Approaching the target granary, Little Marquis Fang covered his face with a handkerchief, paying no attention to the empty street. He only needed to avoid the guards patrolling the granary... now!

Like a lithe cat, he leaped onto the wall, using his hands to push off the bricks and land quietly. Turning left and right, he silently circled around the beams, soon entering the very heart of the granary.

This was the most important granary in the city, dug exceptionally deep. Looking down revealed nothing but darkness, the bottom unseen. However, Fang Rui knew that there were at least six or seven levels below, radiating outward from the center in a circle. Each level had vast spaces, with granaries closely packed together, connected by sloping paths suitable for carts. Special sealing layers began underground, effectively managing humidity, preventing dampness and pests...

Without a light source and unable to light one, he couldn't afford to be careless. Carefully jumping down to the ground, he began exploring level by level.

The grain Chen Yongan had allocated was granary grain, which had its own identifying features. Moreover, this kind of grain, not entering through official channels and 'illegally stored' for someone else temporarily, would inevitably be marked clearly to avoid confusion later.

Fang Rui was looking for this kind of mark.

However, as he felt his way through each warehouse, he didn't find it, and his expression grew increasingly tense.

"So empty..."

How many years had they been short on food?

This was the capital, under the feet of the emperor. Regardless of precedent or the officials' private desires and interests, the granaries were supposed to maintain their reserves. If it was this empty here, what would it be like in other places, in the provinces?

Fang Rui's mood gradually became heavier.

"Who's there? Is someone over there?"

The routine patrol personnel came down from the upper level, seemingly sensing something, and shouted in this direction.

Fang Rui pressed tightly against the wall, not making a sound.

"Was I mistaken..."

The patrol personnel muttered to himself, gradually walking away.

Fang Rui didn't dare to be careless anymore, moving more quietly, more agilely, his figure more graceful...

Found it! It really was here!

No wonder that group outside couldn't find it no matter how much they searched; these thieves could really hide... Clearly, they were also colluding with the government.

The Pan family, huh.

...

Pan Peng really didn't want to leave his home. He didn't know martial arts, his belly was too fat to run fast, and what if he encountered the Sixth Prince? His most useful weapon for self-preservation, the dead soldier Wang Liù, had already been killed by the Sixth Prince!

He had planned well: matters outside were handled by the clan, by his father. He arranged the trivial matters and stayed at home, didn't that work? After all, he wasn't short on money; whatever he wanted to play or enjoy, he could bring it into the manor. But he forgot that Xiong Ding was now in the hands of the Sixth Prince!

That useless piece of trash had actually been caught by the Sixth Prince. Even after being caught, he dared not to commit suicide immediately out of loyalty, and he was still alive now. Who knew if he had said anything he shouldn't have!

He personally planned a rescue mission, thinking that regardless of whether he rescued him or not, he had done his best, and also reminded him to understand things. But who knew, trying to steal a chicken ended up costing him a handful of rice; he was targeted for revenge by the Sixth Prince, leading to the current situation!

Pan Peng regretted it so much that his intestines turned green. What was the point of all this!

Well, just when he had lain back on the couch and fallen asleep, he received news that this damned thing, for the sake of a woman, had once again told the Sixth Prince things he shouldn't have!

There were some things at home that were too confidential, not convenient for others to know...

There was no choice but to get up and make a personal trip.

Pan Peng prepared a pile of things needed for survival: guards following him openly, assassins protecting him secretly. Of course, the assassins he bought with his own money were far inferior to those trained and assigned to him by the clan, but there was no way around it. His assassin was dead, and the clan's resources were limited; they couldn't provide a new one for the time being. Apart from people, there were weapons: short knives, daggers, sedatives, poisons... He even wore a hat and carried a fan to cover his face. In short, he was very careful, not forgetting to keep his eyes and ears open while walking on the road. After a thousand hardships and a body drenched in sweat, he arrived at the Temple of the Moon God.

"Where's Feng Guzi? I have an urgent matter to see her!"

Feng Guzi was a woman around thirty years old, with her hair styled in a Daoist nun's bun, wearing sandalwood bracelets, delicate eyebrows, long eyes, full lips, and rosy cheeks. Her appearance wasn't strikingly beautiful, but she was very gentle. Coupled with her habit of speaking slowly, she inexplicably gave people a sense of stability, making them want to trust her: "What urgent matter?"

Pan Peng: "Xiong Ding, that waste, seeing no one coming to save him, and Li Yue'e, that woman, missing, made him uneasy. He wants to expose us all..."

"Just that?" Feng Guzi smiled faintly, "Rest assured, the Pan family won't fall. As long as it doesn't, you won't have any problems..."

Pan Peng left the Temple of the Moon God, feeling convinced that there was no need to make this trip. There was nothing particularly urgent, and if he encountered something he couldn't solve, panic wouldn't help. For things that could be solved, there was no need to panic.

Probably could feel relieved... Not quite!

"Pan Peng? Is that Pan Peng ahead? Don't run!"

Pan Peng didn't want to run. He really couldn't run much, but that was Fang Rui! Where did this Buddha pop out from! And shouting so loudly, what if he attracted the Sixth Prince!

Fang Rui came out of the granary, wondering whether to make a scene to avoid suspicion and not let people think he had gone to the granary. Just then, he saw Pan Peng. How could he not stir up some excitement?

"You stop right there, don't run! You haven't thanked my brother yet!" Little Marquis Fang jumped around, chasing after Pan Peng, "Are you shameless? Not a word of thanks, no gifts of gratitude, you're really stingy. The top courtesan at the House of Wind and Moon was right; you can even owe your payment for services rendered. What did your father teach you!"

"You stop right there, I'm taking you to apologize to my brother right now!"

"Get lost, aaaaaah, don't chase me—"

Pan Peng was both anxious and scared, panting so hard he couldn't catch his breath. Compared to his life, what was politeness? He'd rather offend the young marquis than be discovered by the Sixth Prince! Why did this group of people have to haunt him like ghosts, insisting on playing various games with him!

Damn Wen Ruan, everything started with this person. And now, thank you and apologize; when he had the chance to see him, he would definitely give this person a good beating!

"You stop running!" Fang Rui chased after him without letting go, creating a commotion in the narrow streets and alleys, "Don't run! I have an appointment, and if you keep running, I'll be late again!"

...

It was clear that the Sixth Prince, Zhu Yan, hadn't waited for Fang Rui.

This was reasonable.

As long as there were no unusual bad signals, he hadn't considered this person in his next move at all.

Taking advantage of the chaos everywhere, with arguments breaking out like a pot of porridge boiling over, he directly led his men to meet with Third Prince Zhu Fu's people. A simple trick of the cicada shedding its shell allowed him to shake off Second Prince Zhu Bin's men, and he went straight to the Yin Numbered Silver Vault of the Fulong Money House.

"Break it open."

Third Prince's people didn't react: "Ah?"

"Bang—"

Lan Tian had already smashed open the intricately made lock on the silver vault.

Everyone: ...

Lost and at a loss, Lan Tian followed disheveled into the silver vault, not even having time to be dazzled by the vast amount of silver before Sixth Prince gave him a look. Lan Tian frowned and spoke up, "Isn't this the silver you're supposed to transfer? Hurry up and pack it, what are you standing around for!"

"Oh right!"

Today's primary task was precisely this, although Third Prince hadn't given the signal yet... Perhaps because he had directly ordered his younger brother, Sixth Prince, there was no need for any signals?

In any case, as long as their job could be completed!

Everyone enthusiastically packed the silver into crates, carrying them out one by one to be moved outside and loaded onto prepared carts... With the public's attention diverted from the bustling street, Second Prince's men were also restrained by some unknown force, making their operation incredibly smooth!

Breaking doors, packing silver, transferring vehicles, they encountered no obstructions! Sixth Prince was also considerate enough to leave once the deed was done, asking no further questions or meddling!

They truly had to thank Sixth Prince! His arrival was timely, and his control over the situation was impeccable!

But when did Sixth Prince take Third Prince's side? Third Highness is impressive; with this, wouldn't his future ascent be secure?

A group of people walked cheerfully, following the planned route, turning left and right, timing everything perfectly so that before Second Prince's men reappeared, they reached the originally designated location according to plan. They quickly nodded to their own people who were waiting there and switched vehicles. Their side took the empty carts, conveniently drawing all attention away, while another team quietly retreated with the silver-laden carts...

They even collided head-on with Second Prince's men, engaging in a fierce and exhilarating fight!

After all matters were handled, the leader came before Third Prince Zhu Fu to claim credit: "Your Highness, the deed is done! The plan was successfully completed, and the silver carts have been smoothly transferred! We also clashed with Second Prince's men, fought a good fight, and didn't lose!"

"Very well."

Zhu Fu's eyes relaxed, his eyebrows raised high, as he looked back at his smug second brother: "Did you hand over the silver carts to Tao Guan? Did he delay?"

"Tao... Guan?"

The leader sensed something amiss: "No, he wasn't there..."

"No him?" Zhu Fu's features suddenly turned ominous, his hawk-like nose making him even more intimidating, "Then who did you give the silver carts to, hmm?"

...

At the side residence of Sixth Prince's mansion, Zhu Yan looked expressionlessly at the silver carts that had been silently delivered.

His reputation kept most people from wanting to be his neighbor, even if the prince's residence was large enough that neighbors rarely saw each other. This house beside the palace had not been inhabited since its owner sold it three years ago. He usually didn't care about such matters, but now that there was a need... naturally, he would make full use of it.

This place wasn't far from the bustling street market, and no one usually entered or exited on a daily basis. The roads in front and behind the gate were stone-paved, leaving no tracks for carts, making it virtually impossible for anyone to think of hiding the silver carts here silently.

Today, Second Prince Zhu Bin wasn't very happy. He left with a purpose, intending to stop Third Prince, but encountered many unexpected hindrances, failing to thwart Third Prince. Upon hearing that the silver had been violently seized by Third Prince's men after breaking the locks, he flew into a rage, thinking to himself that he shouldn't have cared about propriety and let others gain an advantage!

However, the spy placed within Third Prince's camp reported that Third Prince's silver carts had mysteriously disappeared halfway through their journey...

He burst out laughing on the spot!

Ha ha ha, serves you right! Do you think you're the greatest under the heavens? You've crashed and burned!

And you dared to use Old Sixth's seal to cause trouble at the money houses? Old Sixth's things aren't that easy to take!

Uh... wait, Old Sixth... Could it be that Old Sixth got the silver?

It couldn't be, why would he! Old Sixth isn't interested in court affairs...

That's true, Old Sixth isn't interested in court affairs, but money? Who isn't interested in money? Old Sixth loves luxury and has the highest expenses among all the princes, lacking the support of a maternal clan. Where does his money come from if not by force?

Amidst the bustling city, someone was also speeding through the outskirts.

In the increasingly eerie wind, Nanxing caught up with a carriage traveling along a mountain path and village road, avoiding the secret passage. She reined her horse around and jumped onto the carriage shaft, brandishing her long sword: "Stop the carriage!"

The young driver called out to halt the horses, frightened and falling off the carriage, not daring to climb back up.

An old, withered hand pulled aside the curtain, revealing a face weathered by hardship. A white-haired old woman coughed pitifully, looking utterly miserable: "What's going on... Young man, are you short on money? I have a purse here, please accept it... My granddaughter is sick, suffering terribly, and I must hurry to take her to Doctor Huang in the neighboring village. If we're late, she might not survive..."

She shifted slightly, revealing the face of a young woman. The girl's face was covered in sores, making it almost impossible to discern her appearance. She seemed gravely ill, barely conscious, her eyes hardly able to open, her lips trembling slightly, unable to speak. She appeared genuinely pitiful.

The old woman's voice quivered: "Young man, have mercy on us, do us a favor..."

Nanxing, however, curled her lips: "Old lady, you're joking. She's my sister, how could she be your granddaughter? I don't recall having a grandmother."

The old woman froze, her eyes instantly sharp, rushing out of the carriage door: "Help! Mountain bandits are robbing a young lady—"

Nanxing delivered a heart-stopping kick, sending the woman sprawling on the ground, unable to get up, much less call for help.

Normally, she followed the young master, learning to be kind-hearted, learning to be sunny, to be considerate and caring towards the weak and elderly. The young master was too good-hearted, always seeing the best in people. In her case, she dealt with matters as they were. What was an old person? A bad person doesn't become pitiable just because they grow old. To her, if someone's core was rotten, there were no exceptions, regardless of gender or age. If they died from a kick, they deserved it.

"Lady Li?"

Nanxing ignored the old woman on the ground and stepped into the carriage, discovering that Li Yue'e's hands and feet were bound beneath the covers, unable to move. The sores on her face had been treated with some secret concoction, sticky and disgusting. Nanxing quickly untied the ropes, noticing water in the carriage. She soaked a handkerchief and wiped the girl's face clean, feeding her some water.

"Don't be afraid. It's the young master who sent me to save you. My young master, Wen Ruan, remember him?"

"Wen... Ruan..."

Li Yue'e regained a bit of consciousness, struggling to open her eyes and seeing Nanxing.

Nanxing: "My young master said to thank you for your help. The seedlings at the estate are safe, and this year's harvest will surely be good..."

Li Yue'e's tears immediately welled up: "Wen..."

"Miss, your body is weak, don't get too emotional," Nanxing said, "We're not too far from the capital. I'll first take you to the young master's estate for temporary lodging, alright?"

Li Yue'e's tears wouldn't stop: "Thank you..."

But she had been drugged and was drowsy, unable to fully regain consciousness. Nanxing simply drove off, thinking that she still needed to find a doctor for her.

On the return journey, she didn't forget to send a signal, informing the young master that everything was settled, the mission on this side completed.

It was just that...

The wind was too strong; with such intensity, it seemed likely to rain. The young master's body... he had to hurry, faster and faster.

No one wasted the opportunity provided by Wen Ruan's uproar. Upon receiving Nanxing's signal, Wen Ruan finally felt relieved, his demeanor completely relaxed.

The argument at the Lefeng Wine House had reached a boiling point. It had nothing to do with Wen Ruan anymore. Initially, it was a dispute between him and the Duke's Mansion, but as more people got involved, from princes to merchants, from the Duke's Mansion's in-laws who came to support, to those who spontaneously stood up for Wen Ruan, they argued with great enthusiasm. They could even argue about trivial matters like needles and threads, all the way to the grand righteousness of border defense.

Among everyone, Lady Liang was the strongest fighter. As the head matron, she managed the household affairs, utterly overwhelming the Zhou and Little Lu families. Having run her shops for over twenty years, managing her dowry and her husband's business, she was the one in charge, making decisions on everything. What didn't she know? What hidden meanings couldn't she discern?

She directly scolded Lady Zhou until she fainted!

"If I may say so, you should cherish your own younger generation. Your Duke's Mansion claims to care for the young master, but did you give him any pocket money? I think three to five thousand taels isn't much, ten to eighteen thousand taels wouldn't be excessive. After so many years, surely you haven't neglected to make up for this, have you?"

"Want to report to the authorities? Fine, my Liang family will accompany you! Truly, when there's no tiger in the mountain, a monkey pretends to be king, thinking my Liang family has no one!"

She firmly protected Wen Ruan behind her, leaving him with no room to act.

And then there was Doggie.

Whenever anyone dared to shout at Wen Ruan or point a finger at him, the black dog would bare its sharp white teeth, growling lowly at them. Standing close to Wen Ruan's leg, its protective intent was unmistakably clear.

For the first time, Wen Ruan could touch Doggie without restraint, stroking its fur whenever he wanted—it was so soft, warm, and comfortable...

Prince Sixth truly knew how to enjoy himself.

From the outside, Shi Muyun found it curious. This dog wasn't overly affectionate; despite knowing it for so long, he could only get close and pet it when it was in a good mood. How could this young master do it so quickly?

If Prince Sixth knew about this...

"Where's that useless thing of mine?" Prince Sixth arrived, striding with an indifferent gait, sweeping his gaze inside. "Did you let it recognize a new master?"

Shi Muyun snapped his fan shut: "You're wronging me. Can I control it?"

He gave a subtle glance, telling him the child was fine, that he was capable enough, and there was no need for him to intervene.

A sudden gust of wind rose, and dark clouds gradually turned black. Everyone saw Zhu Yan. Tall and long-legged, his appearance was too handsome. Even with a bad reputation, his eyes were filled with a cold disdain for the world, yet it didn't diminish the attention he received.

News of the Duke's Mansion's banquet had spread throughout the capital.

So, this master coming over... Was he here to support Wen Ruan, or simply to covet his collarbone?

His presence was too imposing. Lady Zhou and Little Lu were genuinely at a loss, seriously considering whether to soften their stance. But they were elders—how could elders apologize to the younger generation?

Wen Ruan hadn't spoken for a long time. As the fierce winds outside whipped the dark clouds, his head began to ache, his vision blurred. Most importantly, the scar on his heart, that place, throbbed painfully, pressing against his breath, making it hard for him to catch his breath.

Just hold on a little longer... Just a little while longer. It was already this late; it couldn't end like this.

"What do you have to say?" He walked in front of Lady Zhou and Little Lu, his eyes slightly red. "Duke's Mansion, shouldn't you give me an explanation?"

Zhu Yan sensed something was off with the child and stepped forward.

Since his appearance, no one in the building dared to make a sound. Wen Ruan didn't notice his movement, still talking to Lady Zhou and Little Lu. He thought his words were powerful and deafening, but in reality, his voice grew softer and softer, barely audible. Soon, he collapsed sideways, losing consciousness.

"Woof!"

Zhu Yan caught Wen Ruan before the black dog could.

The youth's entire body was burning hot, his eyes flushed, his breath weak.

His brows slightly furrowed, he carried the person horizontally and walked out.

"Hold on, why must Your Highness go to such lengths for a pair of collarbones—"

"Is my business something you can question?"

Zhu Yan's sharp gaze swept past Lady Zhou as he left without looking back.

"Woof!"

The black dog hurriedly followed.

"Damn, I'm late again!"

Fang Rui rushed over, but before reaching them, he abruptly stopped and changed direction. "I'll go call the imperial physician!"