"Tell me everything you've found out about the Xiang family, and about that Xiang Wanyu!"
"The common people of Yangzhou recall that three years ago, Xiang Wanyu, the legitimate daughter of the Xiang family, fell in love with a poor scholar named Li Fengsheng! Xiang Wanyu was gravely ill at the time, always reliant on medicine! The Xiang family elders doted on her in every way! Even though they disliked Li Fengsheng, seeing their daughter's affection, they turned a blind eye!"
Hearing this, Xie Qianmo felt a inexplicable discomfort!
He couldn't pinpoint the source of this unease!
"And then?"
"The Xiang family elders, seeing Li Fengsheng's devotion to their daughter and his diligent studies, believed he had a bright future and that passing the imperial examinations was imminent! They agreed to the marriage. After they married, Li Fengsheng passed the examinations that same year, not as the top scholar, but as the top candidate!"
"For Li Fengsheng, this year was a triple fortune of fame, beauty, and wealth!"
"However, the Xiang family was not so fortunate that year! Overnight, countless Yangzhou citizens were poisoned, and the blame eventually fell upon the Xiang family's businesses. Master Xiang believed his conscience was clear, but the local magistrate investigated his shops. It was during this investigation that toxic substances were found in all the grain and salt provisions in his shops! As a result, the entire Xiang family... was executed!"
Executed?
Xie Qianmo asked coldly, "Three years ago, when the Xiang family of Yangzhou was executed, what month was it?"
"Last year, the third month. His Highness had not yet ascended the throne; the former Emperor was still alive when this happened!"
"Your Highness, you ascended the throne in the ninth month of the following year! So... this matter has nothing to do with us!" Leng Ye didn't know why he added that last sentence, but he caught a hint of reproach in his master's eyes!
"So Xiang Wanyu was also executed that time?"
Leng Ye shook his head. "Because Xiang Wanyu was married at the time, she was not executed! However, three days after the Xiang family was executed, it was reported that Xiang Wanyu's condition worsened, and coupled with the grief of losing her close relatives, she passed away!"
For some reason, hearing the news of Xiang Wanyu's death, Xie Qianmo felt a dull ache in his heart!
"Then the Xiang family's assets must have fallen into Li Fengsheng's hands?"
"Precisely! But...!" Leng Ye frowned, a new doubt forming in his mind!
"I have a general idea. Li Fengsheng was working for Xie Wuyou, and they had colluded long ago. It's likely that the Xiang family's assets ultimately fell into Xie Wuyou's hands. No wonder Xie Wuyou was so arrogant three years ago!"
"What does it matter if he was arrogant? He's still no match for Your Highness!"
"It seems Li Fengsheng is not only ungrateful but also a viper. Qin Yun treated him that way, so he deserved his fate!"
But why was Qin Yun involved in this?
What was Qin Yun's relationship with the Xiang family?
Xie Qianmo fell into deep thought again!
"Your Highness, shall I summon the scholar Qin?"
"No need! This matter does not require her attention! For now, just keep a close watch on Xie Wuyou. As for Qin Yun... you need not follow her anymore!"
"Yes!"
After Leng Ye left, Xie Qianmo stood alone in the Imperial Garden!
Does a person's life have a past and a present life?
Although he had won Qin Yun, Qin Yun did not fully trust him!
It seemed he needed to put in more effort!
............
Two days later!
Qin Ji Wine House began to widely stock Piaoxiang!
With ample inventory and a continuous supply of Piaoxiang, customers flocked in!
All the Qin Ji Wine House establishments were doing booming business!
Conversely, the businesses of the Four Seasons Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter restaurants declined day by day!
Xie Wuyou, recuperating indoors, heard about the dire state of the restaurants and choked on his anger, spitting up blood on the spot!
"What were you all doing? Not only did you fail to obtain the secret recipe for Piaoxiang, but you couldn't even eliminate a single person! What use are you to me?"
Xie Wuyou was furious! Everything had been going wrong for him lately!
Not only had the pawn Li Tingting disappeared, but Li Fengsheng had also vanished without a trace!
He couldn't help but suspect if Xie Qianmo knew he was in the capital!
If that were the case, he couldn't afford to delay any longer; he had to launch his attack quickly, catching Xie Qianmo off guard before he could react!
Otherwise, if his opponent made a move first, this game would be his loss again!
During these past few days!
Many people were facing difficulties!
Ouyang Siqing, who had recently been released from prison, was also troubled!
He had gone to the Scholar's Mansion multiple times to see Qin Yun, but he was always turned away!
Outside the Scholar's Mansion, besides the guards, there were also highly skilled secret guards!
It was clear they were sent by the Emperor to maintain order!
Ouyang Siqing couldn't understand why the Emperor had sent people to guard the place!
As far as he knew, the Emperor was not aware of Qin Yun's identity!
In truth, he was afraid and also felt a sense of unwillingness!
As the saying goes, the Emperor's mind is difficult to fathom, and he truly couldn't guess the Emperor's thoughts!
In the study!
Ouyang Siqing was heartbroken again today for not seeing Qin Yun!
He sat there, holding a wine jar, drinking continuously!
He disliked drinking, but when he faced sorrow, drinking was his only solace!
At this moment, he just wanted to get drunk, so he wouldn't have to think about Qin Yun!
His Yun'er, he had missed his chance!
If there were a next life, he would want no one but Qin Yun!
But in this life, he was destined to be a failure!
"Yun'er, I love you, I love you...!" Ouyang Siqing was drunk and thought that intoxication would ease his pain!
But even when drunk, he still thought of Qin Yun!
In a fit of anger!
"Bang!" He smashed the wine jar in his hand onto the ground!
The servant outside heard the sound and rushed in!
"Young Master, be careful, don't hurt yourself!" The servant shook his head bitterly!
His young master had been drinking every day lately, and his health was failing!
When everyone asked him what was making him sad, he wouldn't say, just shake his head repeatedly!
It seemed his young master had unspoken grievances! He didn't know what secret he was hiding that caused him such pain!
Outside the door!
Shan Xiaoyu, who was on her way, also heard the commotion from the study!
Today, she was wearing men's clothing, her hair tied up, disguised as a man!
She admitted that she had a purpose in doing so, and she had deliberately imitated Qin Yun's attire!
Because she often heard Ouyang Siqing, when drunk, call out the name "Yun'er"!
After much thought, she concluded that this name could only be related to Qin Yun!
She had also observed that Ouyang Siqing's attitude towards Qin Yun was very gentle, and whenever she deliberately steered the conversation towards Qin Yun, Ouyang Siqing would talk more!
Therefore, she was certain that her husband harbored different feelings for Qin Yun!
She once doubted if two men could be that way, even suspecting Ouyang Siqing was a homosexual!
Seeing Ouyang Siqing drunk today, she resorted to her usual tactic, deliberately imitating him, hoping to get closer to him in his drunken state!
Upon entering the study, she found the room in disarray. The servant was helping Ouyang Siqing, trying to guide him to lie down!
Shan Xiaoyu stepped forward and said, "You go down, let me do it!"
When the servant turned around, he saw Shan Xiaoyu dressed as a man. Although he was puzzled by her attire, as a subordinate, he dared not ask further and obediently handed Ouyang Siqing over to Shan Xiaoyu!
The servant started to clean up the shattered wine jar fragments, but Shan Xiaoyu stopped him! "I'll clean it up later, you may go down now!"
"Yes, Madam!"