Chapter 127: Only the Sunflower Bows to the Sun

Chapter 127: Only the Sunflower Bows to the Sun

Yes, it’s admiration.

Lu Mingchao smiled and said, "Thanks for the kind words, Uncle Shi."

After the officer left, the crowd outside Chaofu Grain Shop slowly scattered, their excited chatter still echoing now and then.

Lu Mingchao’s smile widened. "A Yan, the teahouse storyteller’s got work to do."

Sun Zhiye had sent a helpful wind with hidden intentions, and she planned to ride this wind to rise even higher, then ruthlessly uproot the Sun family, a tree deeply rooted in Changhe County.

Soon, Chaofu Grain Shop would be the first name on everyone’s lips in Changhe County.

No, not just Changhe County.

When word gets around, good news travels fast.

She hoped Sun Zhiye would enjoy the grand gift she sent his way.

Xie Yan nodded, his eyes clear and bright.

His Mingchao had once again amazed him.

The shop was a mess, and reopening today was out of the question.

Lu Mingchao told the shopkeeper to send the good grain to the charity house, then she and Xie Yan returned to the yard.

The shopkeeper, accountant, and clerks would handle the rest.

Back in the yard, Lu Mingchao flopped onto a cushioned chair, boneless and relaxed, letting the sunlight through the window wrap around her. The warmth from the brazier made her feel completely at ease.

Even in a storm, she’d face it head-on.

But in calm times, she savored the lazy peace.

On the table beside her was a cup of tea Xie Yan had just given her.

Lu Mingchao sipped the tea, her eyes half-closed, smiling. "A Yan, Uncle Shi says we’re a great pair."

"I couldn’t agree more."

Xie Yan stared at Lu Mingchao, glowing in the sunlight, leaving him slightly dazed.

For a moment, he couldn’t tell if the sunlight or Lu Mingchao herself shone brighter.

As for him, like a sunflower that rises towards the east, forever turning towards the sun.

No willow catkins are blown by the wind, only the sunflower bows to the sun.

A sly spark lit up Lu Mingchao’s eyes. "A Yan, come closer."

Xie Yan, not understanding, still complied and stepped forward.

In a flash, Lu Mingchao slapped her icy hands on Xie Yan’s neck, the gleam in her eyes like a cunning little fox finally savoring the sweet grapes.

Startled by the sudden cold, Xie Yan instinctively shivered. "You..."

Xie Yan took Lu Mingchao's hands in his palms and gently rubbed them.

Lu Mingchao was still muttering softly about how unfair fate was.

Her hands were as cold as ice, while Xie Yan's hands were like a warm and dry heating pad.

“A Yan, can I give them a taste of their own medicine?”

Besides leveraging Sun Zhiye's influence to gain momentum, she was eager to retaliate.

Otherwise, for someone as vengeful as her, she would feel like she hadn't fully settled the score and had come up short.

“Is Mingchao also planning to target the grain?” Xie Yan asked softly.

Lu Mingchao nodded without hesitation. “I do want to target the grain, but I haven’t figured out how yet.”

“Schemes like poisoning and framing are risky and can easily backfire.”

Xie Yan furrowed his brows. “Mingchao, Shu Yuan and I have found out that a batch of grain in the Sun family’s storage has become damp, and even a small portion has turned moldy red. They haven’t had a chance to address it yet.”

“That batch is quite large, and Sun Zhiye has been strapped for cash lately, so he’s been dragging his feet on making a decision. Could this information be useful to you?”

Lu Mingchao’s eyes lit up. “A Yan, you are truly my lucky star.”

“Mingchao, can’t damp grain still be consumed after being aired and dried?” Xie Yan asked with a frown.

In the northern army, damp grain was often part of the diet.

Lu Mingchao explained slowly to Xie Yan. “A Yan, it depends on how damp it is, but if the grain turns red, it’s no longer safe to eat. Eating it can harm the liver and, in severe cases, be fatal. Not even Hua Tuo could save them.”

“Even if Sun Zhiye orders people to painstakingly pick out the red grains, the remaining grains might still be unsafe.”

Lu Mingchao also had an idea why Sun Zhiye was short on cash.

If you want to win over the real daughter of the Yongning Marquis, you have to pay the price.

Especially since Lu Minghui is the type who won’t lift a finger without a payoff.

Sun Zhiye has a favor to ask of Lu Minghui, and it’s typical for the high-and-mighty Lu Minghui to demand a lot.

Lu Mingchao leaned in close to Xie Yan and whispered into his ear.

Xie Yan smiled. “I won’t let Mingchao down.”

“Mingchao’s vast knowledge is truly impressive.”

The previous incident of the Sun family being haunted and today’s issue of the grain turning red and damaging the liver all demonstrate Mingchao’s extensive knowledge.

Lu Mingchao gave Xie Yan a coquettish glare. “If I didn’t know A Yan’s personality, I might have thought he was being sarcastic.”

“Reading all kinds of books, you naturally pick up all kinds of odd knowledge.”

In the end, the incident of the Sun family being haunted was quite simple.

They bought eels at a high price in advance and stored the eel blood.

When the craftsmen entered the Sun mansion to paint the wooden pillars of the courtyard gate, they cleverly used the eel blood to coat the pillars and covered it with red paint.

The strong smell of the red paint was enough to mask the scent of the eel blood, making it difficult for ordinary people to detect.

However, although humans couldn’t smell it, the keen sense of smell of birds and animals could not escape the scent of blood.

Therefore, in the quiet of the night when the alleys are empty, birds and beasts are often drawn to this place, flapping against the doors and banging on the wooden pillars.

The midnight coughing sounds in the deep courtyards are caused by hedgehogs; hedgehogs eating salty food stimulate their intestines and produce sounds resembling the cough of an elderly man.

With no one in sight, doors banging, and coughing sounds, it’s no wonder it would seem like a haunting to those unaware of the truth.

However, Sun Zhiye must be completely baffled.

Lu Mingchao doesn’t credit her own smarts but rather the fact she lived in an era of explosive information.

Xie Yan’s eyes lowered, a hint of confusion in them.

Would the Yongning Marquisate let their carefully groomed noble daughter read all sorts of random books?

If Mingchao isn’t Mingchao, who is she?

Xie Yan sighed inwardly—Mingchao was truly an unsolvable mystery.

“What are you thinking about?” Lu Mingchao noticed Xie Yan zoning out and waved her hand, smiling as she asked.

Xie Yan didn’t lie. Sitting on the ground, he leaned his head on Lu Mingchao’s knee and said, “Thinking about Mingchao’s past in the Yongning Marquisate.”

“Mingchao, sometimes I feel you’re not like a noble lady, tied down by strict rules and raised in a rigid framework.”

Lu Mingchao’s heart skipped a beat. She dodged the question, “Do you want your wife to act like a proper noble lady?”

She’s not an ordinary person.