Chapter 191: Fleeing in Strides

Outsiders didn’t know that the study of this Old Master Zhou was so luxurious.

Everything laid out, everything displayed, everything used, everything employed, all were top-notch.

He loved to enjoy himself, and all these were bought or obtained by him.

At this moment, he, dressed in fine silk and linen clothing, was carefully examining something.

After a long while, he sighed: “This Loyal and Diligent Earl Song Shang, so young, yet capable of such achievements… His businesses cover a wide range, and all of them are top-notch.”

“Bamboo salt is his!
That’s something my family started using as soon as it came out!”

“He’s also acquainted with Prince Wu…

“Why didn’t Prince Wu mention this person?”

“Divorced from Wei Shi… related to the Wen family, Wen family?” He thought for a moment, he really didn’t know this family. “However, the Wen family is related to the Qi family by marriage!” He frowned.

“How did it get involved with her?
And she’s married to Qi Wu, the son of Lady Cui, the handsome young man who’s in the limelight…”

“It’s quite complicated!”

“But this kind of connection is of limited consequence…”

“The information obtained so quickly is definitely not comprehensive.”

“But it can basically be inferred that Song Shang is low-key, cautious, has skilled guards around him, and has secret connections. And this connection, shouldn’t be Prince Wu, that’s good!”

“If it’s just as the client requested: simply revenge against Song Shang. Then with careful planning, it wouldn’t be difficult.”

“But if you want to take over the Song family’s property as well, you can’t just get rid of him easily.”

“Otherwise, once he’s dead, the family will scatter, and the property won’t be consolidated.”

“It would take a lot of effort to get all of it.”

“Hmm, we need to play a long game.”

“This prey, since it’s been targeted by me, it’s no longer up to the client!”

“Everything has to be done my way!”

“I’m good at this kind of thing.”

Old Master Zhou gently stroked his long beard… his thoughts returning to the time when he was a young man, dealing with the Bai family.

“At that time, I was only in my early twenties, but I did such a big thing.”

He smiled…

“It’s a pity that my experience was insufficient: I didn’t get the key secrets of the Bai family. Although I got a lot of their property, I was later outmaneuvered by my partner. With neither power nor wealth, I barely escaped with my life.”

“Although in the end, I also dealt with that person.”

“But: I didn’t get the wealth. I even had to change my name and start over.”

“Even though I achieved a lot later, I still changed my surname, and I couldn’t bring glory to my ancestors. This has become my biggest regret…”

“I’m old now, it wouldn’t be bad to get my hands on the Song family in the same way!

So, he replied to the intermediary: “I’ll take it. But it will take a long time, and then: the man will die and the wealth will be collected! Everyone will be happy!”

“Just one thing: don’t rush me!”

Yang Xiangdong received the news and rushed to Wei Shi’s residence. Thinking of his beloved and the good news, he was filled with excitement.

He didn’t notice that someone was following him unhurriedly!
…

Madam Qi went out, passing by the small courtyard, to see if Wen Yu was there.

The courtyard was bustling with activity, Wen Yu was busy working. “Madam! You must be exhausted these few days?”

After pouring tea and sitting next to Madam Qi, the beautiful girl’s concern was natural.

This made Madam Qi feel happy. To say she had been in a good mood for a long time was an understatement. She was full of energy.

“I’m alright. That girl Moqing is really good! Even that old witch… cough cough…” She let slip, “The whole family can’t find any fault with her. I came to tell you something, do you remember the adopted daughter of the Wen family we saw at the Cui family’s last time? The one who took Zhuzhu’s pastries back?”

Wen Yu remembered, “Yes! She also opened a pastry shop.”

“Right, that’s her! Huiyi had someone send over two pastries, saying that Madam Yuan made them. She even sent some to her close friends, asking them to support the shop! When Huiyi saw them, she realized they were the same ones Zhuzhu had brought last time. But that girl actually claimed she came up with them herself. She’s so shameless! Just copying the shape and color, she has the nerve!”

“Don’t be angry, Madam. When our shop opens, we’ll crush hers!” Wen Yu said confidently.

“Exactly! I tasted them, they’re not that good!”

“We’ll not only have good pastries, but also good packaging! Look at these boxes… they come in all sizes, large, medium, and small. For gifts, we’ll use the boxes. For personal consumption, we’ll use these paper wraps.” The large table was messy, with Wen Yu working on these things.

“Oh my, these boxes are so beautiful.”

“Yes! There are paper ones and wooden ones. The wooden ones are the most expensive, and after you finish the pastries, you can use them to store other things!” Wen Yu showed them off.

“Such nice boxes, they must be very expensive!” Madam Qi hesitated a bit, could they still make money with such expensive packaging?

“Don’t worry, Madam, the cost is included in the price of the pastries!”

“Then the pastries wouldn’t be ridiculously expensive?!”

“We’re not targeting ordinary people anyway. At the beginning, you can also send some to families you’re close to, and once we build a reputation, then…”

“Oh my, what are you thinking? I’m not sending any! The families I know, who lacks this little bit of money? I don’t associate with people who take advantage!”

Wen Yu laughed…

✿✿✿

Mu Bo was a little troubled.

Ever since he started following Fifth Master, he had no worries about food or drink. His sister was doing well, he didn’t have to worry about her.

Kill when asked to kill, set fire when asked to set fire, frame when asked to frame, no need to think too much.

The tasks assigned by the young lady were also very simple.

He was so close, but that foolish man didn’t even realize it!

When they arrived at the small courtyard, the man told the woman everything nonstop.

His mission was completed so quickly?

✿✿✿

Mu Bo was bored, looking at that woman… tsk tsk, she was dressed up even at home! Those clothes were beautiful, they must be expensive.

No wonder Young Lady Wen wanted to open a clothing store!
Earning money from these strange women was easy.

Ever since his sister started following Young Lady Wen, she also loved to dress up! But she still had a conscience, she made him two outfits as well. He wouldn’t wear them normally, he couldn’t bear to…

As his mind wandered, he saw the two of them get into bed, lower the bed curtains, and soon, strange sounds started coming from inside.

What were they doing?

Mu Bo, the clueless straight man, grew up in the mountains where people were rarely seen.

This made him dislike talking even now, because he didn’t know how to.

His parents’ relationship left a terrible impression on him.

They were rarely both at home. Either his father was out investigating cases, or his mother was out and didn’t return.

When his mother was away, his father was silent.

When his father was away, his mother was absent-minded and lost.

His parents never beat, scolded, or abused him and his sister, but they didn’t care about them.

The few times they were both home, the way his father looked at his mother was the same expression as that man just now. Disgusting!
He grew up almost isolated from the world. No one taught him about men and women, he had nowhere to learn.

When he encountered “that kind of” situation later on… there were always more ways than difficulties, he got used to it, it was fine.

Later, when he followed Fifth Master, there was no such thing around Fifth Master.

He would often see those girls looking at Fifth Master like wolves, disgusting.

There were also maids in the Qi family who would blush and sneak glances at him…

Usually, he would reply inexplicably: “What are you looking at?”

Love and affection, he had never experienced them, he didn’t know what they felt like.

But the sounds from the bed curtains today… based on his man’s intuition, it might not be good to tell the young lady about this.

Then what should he do?

He had been worrying about this for a long time.

Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck him, he slapped his thigh, that’s right! Just let Fifth Master tell her!
Coincidentally, when he told Qi Wu what he had heard and seen, Qi Wu was busy planning a “big event” in his mind!
Mu Bo’s words entered his ears but didn’t get processed. When he went out to handle matters, he stopped by the small courtyard. Wen Yu was there.

They had spent ten days with the Crown Prince at the hot spring villa. Although they were together all day, they hadn’t really spoken to each other alone!

The slight romantic atmosphere that had gathered while watching fireworks with Fifteen had already dissipated with the fireworks.

Now, sitting here talking, it was like being old friends again.

Wen Yu poured him tea and asked with a smile: “How was Fourth Young Master’s wedding?”

“How was what?”

Wen Yu was helpless, wasn’t this just small talk? Alright, she had forgotten how boring it was to talk to him.

“I mean, now that Moqing has entered the family, has anything changed?”

“Fourth Brother has a wife now!” Qi Wu looked at her in confusion.

“Alright, alright…” Wen Yu surrendered, could they stop chatting? “What brings you here?”

Qi Wu recalled what Mu Bo had said: “That Yang guy told Wei Shi: The intermediary replied, the person you entrusted has agreed to do it. He also said: If it’s just Song Shang’s life you want, it’s not difficult. But the Song family’s property is vast, it would be a pity not to get our hands on it.

We need to come up with a plan now, tell them not to rush. Then, when both the life and the property are in hand, we’ll split the profits! Wei Shi was very happy after hearing this. She said the Song family has bamboo salt, salt fields, mines, silk, weaving factories, shipping, gold shops, gambling houses, brothels, and so on.

She’s going to write down what she knows for that person’s reference… that’s all she said! Then, the two of them got into bed, lowered the curtains, and started moaning and groaning inside, who knows what they were doing.”

Qi Wu mindlessly relayed everything…

Wen Yu listened silently: As expected, someone wanted to harm Song Shang… the intermediary, that person. In her past life, perhaps it was “that person” who set the trap. Who could it be?

As she was pondering, she heard Qi Wu say that the two of them got into bed, lowered the curtains, and started… what?

So she blurted out: “What kind of sounds did they make?!”

Qi Wu: “…” He was stunned.

He was a young master from a prestigious family, unlike the wild child who grew up in the mountains. Even if he hadn’t eaten pork, he had certainly seen pigs run.

Wen Yu also realized what she had said… “…”

She had lived two lifetimes… right?!

Now, they were both completely dumbfounded.

Although Wen Yu had even mentioned to Zhang Jiangqing about letting Ma Shi and Wang Xi “get together,” subconsciously, she regarded Zhang Jiangqing as her sister…

But the person in front of her…

Suddenly, both of their faces turned red.

Qi Wu jumped up, “I, I, I… I’m done, I have important things to attend to!” He finished speaking and fled in strides with his long legs, almost tripping as he went down the steps.

Wen Yu sat there, covering her burning face.

“Damn it!”

No one knew how Fifth Young Master Qi got through that night.

Only the next day, the Crown Prince looked at him in wonder: “What did you do last night?”

Qi Wu dropped everything he was holding…