Chapter 503: Fire spreads all over the sky, people's hearts are in turmoil

Chapter 503: Fire spreads all over the sky, people's hearts are in turmoil

Chapter 503: Fire spreads all over the sky, people's hearts are in turmoil

The sound of hurried horse hooves rang out on Zhongzheng Street, and Lu Yunyi led his personal guards and the family guards to come.

When seeing Liu’s fruit and vegetable shop engulfed in flames.

Lu Yunyi actually felt a little relieved. Fortunately, it was the business that burned down.

But soon, Lu Yunyi regained consciousness.

Looking at the guards beside him who were still standing there in a daze, and somewhat relieved, he shouted:
"What the hell are you still standing there for? Go put out the fire! The money earned from the fruit and vegetable shop isn't money anymore!"

Until this time, many guards also reacted.
He quickly jumped off his horse and rushed towards the sea of ​​fire ahead!

"Go, go to the imperial merchant house and ask for help. They are working day and night, so there must be someone there."

Lu Yunyi looked at Feng Yunfang beside him and gave quick instructions.

"Yes!"

But Feng Yunfang hadn't taken two steps yet.

Lu Yunyi shuddered: "Come back!!"

"Sir, do you have any other orders?"

Lu Yunyi narrowed his eyes, tried his best to think, and said in a deep voice:

"No need to call for help. Tell Yingtian Commercial Bank to be on guard and alert to the surroundings. Don't let them fall for our trick!"

After hearing this, Feng Yunfang felt his hair stand on end:

"Yes!"

"Go."

Lu Yunyi waved his hands and shook his head.

He looked at the guards in front of him who were looking for buckets and shouted:
"No need to save it, just return it and let it burn!"

Although they didn't know why the master gave such an order, the guards still retreated reluctantly.

Liu's Yingtian Fruit and Vegetable Shop was bathed in flames.
The dry wood crackled and exploded in the flames.
Looking through the door and the flames, of which only the door frame was left, you can see the increasingly withered fruits and vegetables.

They are like these logs, howling in the flames.

Lu Yunyi looked at the fire scene, with fire burning in his eyes.

The effects of being drunk are not just being unconscious, but also having scattered thoughts.

Who did it? Was it a warning or a reminder? Or was it just to disgust people?

Lu Yunyi was not so naive as to think that the fire was accidental.
They run a fruit and vegetable shop, not a firecracker shop.

How can it burn if it’s not lit?

Moreover, the adjacent house at No. 1 Zhongzheng Street was not affected by the fire, but was only slightly blackened by the black smoke.

"This fire really knows how to burn."

Lu Yunyi muttered, a sneer on his face, and the timing of the flame burning was also somewhat clever.

A family banquet was held in the palace, and all the royal family members were present.
Now that a big fire has been started, is it a warning to him?

Warn him not to get involved with the royal family?
Lu Yunyi was full of thoughts, thinking about all kinds of possibilities.

At this time, hurried footsteps came quickly from the corner of the street.

Lu Yunyi turned his head and saw the runners from the Yingtian government office and the city defense guards rushing over.

The leader was Feng Kezhao, the Chancellor of Yingtian Prefecture, who was wearing a scarlet official robe and was a fourth-rank official.

Because Yingtian Prefecture is located at the feet of the emperor, it has a unique rank and organization.

In the third year of Hongwu, the prefect of Yingtian was changed to the prefectural governor, his official rank was raised to the third grade, and he was given a silver seal as a symbol of power.

The Chancellor of Yingtian Prefecture was of the fourth rank, and the Governor was of the fifth rank.

The Tongpan Tuiguan was no different from that of other prefectures, and was of the sixth and seventh ranks.

"Who are you!"

From a distance, Feng Kezhao saw a group of people in front of the fire scene.

I also saw the blazing fire and cold sweat broke out.

As for the details of the various business houses in Beijing,
As a prime minister, he was well-connected, especially in places like Zhongzheng Street, which was close to the imperial city and where every inch of land was worth a lot of money.

If I remember correctly, this fruit and vegetable farm is

It was opened by a general of the front-line scout unit who has become famous in the capital recently.

"Master Feng, please put out the fire quickly. If it's any later, I'm afraid I won't even be able to find the beams of the house."

A young voice rushed into his ears.

Feng Kezhao was stunned. He pulled the reins and took two steps forward.
Soon I saw a familiar-looking young man.

After a brief thought, Feng Kezhao's face changed drastically, and he quickly got off his horse and walked forward in a hurry:

"Feng Kezhao of the capital pays his respects to the Minister of Land Affairs."

Lu Yunyi just glanced at him lightly, and then stopped looking at him, and instead ordered:

"Walk."

The group rode away on horseback, their backs stretched out in the firelight, looking very elegant.

Feng Kezhao was stunned. What did this mean?
But he didn't have time to think.

He suddenly turned around to look at the many yamen runners and soldiers from the capital behind him and cursed:
"What are you standing there for? Put out the fire!!!"

The group then began to work in a hurry.

The moon was bright and the stars were sparse. The summer moonlight was particularly pale, evenly spread across Yingtian City.

The most eye-catching one is the brightly lit imperial city.
Then there are the bright spots near the imperial city and the billowing black smoke.

Even in the dark night, the news of the fruit and vegetable walking on the water spread quickly in the capital.
Some bigwigs soon received the news.

Like Lu Yunyi, he fell into deep thought.

Not only was he thinking about who the murderer was, but he was also thinking about the purpose of doing this at this moment.
In the dimly lit study room filled with books, Nanxiong Marquis Zhao Yong heard the servants report the incident.

His expression was extremely solemn and his brows were furrowed.

"Who did it?" His voice sounded a little exasperated.

"Reporting to the Marquis, I haven't found anything yet. Maybe we can find some clues after the fire is out."

"Check it out, check it out carefully, to see if this is really a self-torture trick!!"

"Yes."

After the servants left, Zhao Yong leaned back in his chair with a serious expression.

He was sure that this was not their doing.

Burning down a fruit and vegetable farm will not solve any problems, but will only exacerbate conflicts.

It will also cause dissatisfaction among some neutral people.

Therefore, Zhao Yong's first reaction was that Lu Yunyi was using a self-torture trick.
He hoped that this fire would attract attention and also draw the attention of the court.

But Zhao Yong soon realized that this was not a self-torture tactic.

If it is a self-torture tactic, wouldn't it be more direct to just burn down the Yingtian Commercial Bank?

So, why this move?

Zhao Yong was puzzled.

Having the same doubts was Crown Prince Zhu Biao, who had just returned to the Crown Prince's Mansion.

Zhu Biao had drunk a lot of wine and was a little tipsy at the moment.
He paced back and forth in the study, holding a teacup, brows furrowed.

The fire in front of us didn't seem to be deliberately targeted, but rather it seemed like a child venting his anger while playing house.

But with Yu Qilun’s example, who would dare to be so stupid?
"Who did it?" Crown Prince Zhu Biao muttered to himself.

After a long time, he stopped thinking and shouted:
"Someone is coming."

"Your Highness." The door was gently opened and a eunuch walked in with his head bowed.

“Send a message to the capital to investigate the real culprit and put out the fire with all our strength.

Nothing should be done at the scene rashly, and another Jinyiwei should be sent to see if they can find any clues."

"Yes!"

The eunuch bowed and left quickly.

Lu Yunyi hurried back to the Lu Mansion.
Mu Chuting, who was waiting in the main hall, came out immediately, looking worried:
"Husband, what's wrong?"

Seeing her concern, Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Don't worry about it. It's the fruit and vegetable shop that's on fire, not the imperial court's business."

"Ah?" Mu Chuting opened her mouth slightly, looking surprised:
"Fruit and vegetable business? Isn't that the business you run with General Liu?"

"Yes."

Lu Yunyi took the teapot and drank the tea in a gulp.

"Why aren't you in a hurry?"

"The fire has already started, what's the point of being anxious? It's better to come back and rest early."

“My dear, if the fruit and vegetable market is burned, it is burned.

My father is also in the capital, so let him pay for another one."

"Pfft, cough, cough."

Lu Yunyi suddenly started coughing and his face turned red. Xiaohong hurried forward and patted his back.

"You, my father-in-law's wealth will be emptied by you sooner or later."

"It's okay. There's plenty of money at home."

Mu Chuting winked playfully, her face full of pride. "How many?"

Lu Yunyi also moved closer with a sly smile on his face.

Mu Chuting did not hide it, leaned over to his ear and whispered:
"The cellar is full of gold, silver and jewelry. There are hundreds of boxes of gold alone."

"What? So rich?"

Lu Yunyi was shocked, and all the drunkenness and anger about the fire disappeared at this moment!
"They were all chieftains. When the imperial army came,
Some tribes still fought for the old Yuan, desperately fighting for their lives.
The court confiscated all their belongings, and a lot was left at home."

Mu Chuting's eyes lit up, a cunning look flashed across her face, and she leaned over again:

"Mother also has a cellar, which should contain money.
But my mother never let us in, saying that it was reserved for him by my grandfather."

Lu Yunyi was stunned on the spot. No wonder he was so shocked when he told his father-in-law that the company was making money.
He showed some lack of interest and was even uninterested in participating in the shares.

No wonder.

It is true that the business makes money, but no matter how much money it makes, it cannot compare to this kind of blatant robbery that confiscates property and exterminates an entire clan.

Seeing him standing there in a daze, Mu Chuting burst out laughing, and a blush appeared on her fair cheeks:
“So don’t worry, my husband. If one fruit shop gets burned, just open another one.

However, we still need to find out who did this, otherwise the money would be wasted."

"Yes, yes, yes."

After her interruption, Lu Yunyi's anger had subsided a lot.

The fruit and vegetable business was originally just a cover.

What is really important are the trade routes and supply chains.

Burning it now would attract some attention from the capital.

After figuring this out, Lu Yunyi looked at Xiaohong and raised his chin towards her:

"Go and turn on the water, Master, I want to take a bath."

Xiao Hong agreed, and her cheeks suddenly turned red.
Mu Chuting's eyes moved back and forth between the two of them. Under the shining lights,
Her eyes became more charming, and she reminded with a vigilant voice:
"Husband, if you have that much energy, use it more on Xiaohong. It's better to use it than to eat it."

After the words fell, Mu Chuting's cheeks were as red as the sunset, as if they were on fire, and her voice became a little charming.
This made Lu Yunyi a little embarrassed. He stood up and coughed lightly:
"What are you talking about, ma'am? You have to combine work and rest.

Okay, Madam, go take a bath and wait for your husband!"

Mu Chuting smiled, looked at the sky, and sighed:
"It's rare for my husband to come back early, go quickly, I'll be waiting for you."

The next morning, at No. 1 Zhongzheng Street,
The spacious and comfortable carriage with a restrained charm slowly stopped.
Song Wan'er rushed out of the carriage in a hurry and came to the door of the fruit shop.

The scene before her made her unable to believe it and her pupils shook violently.

The yamen runners in front formed a human wall, blocking the fruit and vegetable rows tightly.

The fruit and vegetable market, which was once decorated in classical style, has now become a ruin.
Only half of the broken beam remained, revealing the stump of wood.
The doors and windows were burned out, leaving only the door frame lying alone in the ruins.
The scattered black smoke showed the intensity of yesterday's fire.
"What's going on here?"

Song Wan'er murmured, with an incredible look on her face.

Qin Qing, who came on horseback, also had a dull expression on his face.
How can we work like this? How can we become bigger and stronger?

At this time, an inconspicuous carriage slowly stopped at the corner of the street.

Deng Lingyun's delicate face peeked out from the carriage window.

Her eyebrows were slightly furrowed, and her originally cute face was covered with frost.
"Miss, are you still going here?"

The driver sounded doubtful and unsure whether he should continue moving forward.

Deng Lingyun lowered the curtain and sat in the carriage for a long time without saying a word, with deep thoughts in her eyes.

After a long time, she ordered in a cold voice: "Go home."

"Yes"

The carriage was swaying, and outside the window there was a bustling crowd.
But nothing could hide the coldness on Deng Lingyun's face.

Dagongfang, Zhangde Street, Deng Mansion!
Compared to other bustling places, Zhangde Street seems much quieter.
On the entire street, only servants from each household were sweeping the dust that fell at night.

Deng Lingyun got off the carriage and headed towards the mansion.

The housekeeper at the door was a little surprised to see the young lady coming back:

"Miss? Why did you come back so early today?"

Deng Lingyun, who was always amiable, ignored him and went straight to the study in the back hall.

Two guards were standing at the door of the study. When they saw her coming, they quickly reached out to stop her:

"Miss, the master is practicing calligraphy, what can I do for you?"

"Step aside!"

Deng Lingyun shouted angrily, and the two looked at each other, not knowing what had happened.

"Miss."

"Snapped!"

Anger flashed in Deng Lingyun's eyes, and she slapped him. The crisp sound echoed throughout the back hall!

A red palm print instantly appeared on the guard's cheek, and he looked at her in confusion.

"Get out of here, you unruly thing!"

Deng Lingyun pried open the arms of the two men and just rushed in!
The study was elegantly decorated, with sunlight shining in, illuminating the incense burner emitting curling green smoke.
Behind the innermost desk, Deng Ming was wearing casual clothes and holding a brush.
Writing calmly on rice paper,
The brush strokes are heavy and the movements are relaxed and freehand.

Even when Deng Lingyun broke in, he didn't look up, but kept concentrating on the rice paper.

The guard hurried in, with some fear on his face:

"master"

"Okay, let's go out."

Deng Ming interrupted them, and the two of them breathed a sigh of relief and slowly retreated.

"Close the door."

"Oh!"

The door was closed, and the bright study suddenly became dim and the atmosphere was depressing.

Deng Lingyun's eyes were filled with tears and her eyes were red:

"Father, why do you do this?"

"what?"

Deng Ming raised his head and looked at her in surprise, but his expression also seemed a little playful.

"Fruit and vegetable shop."

"Oh~" Deng Ming suddenly realized:
"It's just a small fruit and vegetable business, with land and money, it only has 10,000 taels of silver.

If it's burned, it's burned. Do you need any reason?"

Deng Lingyun pursed her lips and clenched her teeth.

The fist at his side was clenched so tightly that the knuckles had turned white.

"Why!"

Deng Ming looked at her like this, smiled and shook his head:

"Lingyun, there are many things in this world that have no reason.

Just asking why will not give you an answer.”

"As a girl, wouldn't it be better for you to stay at home and learn some writing, calligraphy and painting?

Going to the fruit and vegetable market all day, you don't feel ashamed, but I, your father, feel ashamed too."

Hearing this, Deng Lingyun couldn't stop her tears from flowing down, and said stubbornly:

"I like!"

“Haha, liking it doesn’t mean you have to do it.

I haven't written seriously for so many years. Is it because I don't like it?

Of course not, I have to go to the government office, investigate cases, arrest people, and be busy, how can I have time?"

"I have time!" Deng Lingyun said sharply.

Deng Ming laughed and waved his hand:
“What Dad just said is just one situation and cannot be generalized.

Lu Yunyi is handsome and capable. The court is full of old men, and he is the only young man.

Aren’t there many ladies from prominent families in Beijing who like him?
But look, who is like you?
It's okay for you to be shameless as a waiter and it's okay for you to be shameless as a father.

But the Ninghe Palace is located in the center of the capital, so it still needs to maintain its dignity."

"Empty reputation!"

“The strength of the palace is not as great as before, so what’s wrong with wanting some false reputation?
As a member of the family, if you enjoy wealth and glory, you must take responsibility and not act willfully. "

Deng Lingyun burst into tears:
“This mansion is so lifeless, my daughter doesn’t even have anyone to talk to all day.

Now my daughter wants to marry a good man, but you won’t let her!
It would be fine if I didn't allow her to do so, but isn't it okay for my daughter to get close to him and feel some comfort? "

"No."

"As long as you are a member of the Deng family, you must abide by the family rules." Deng Ming said concisely.

"it is good"

Deng Lingyun looked sad, her body slowly retreated, tears pouring down like a fountain
"What? From now on, you are no longer a member of the Deng Mansion?"

Deng Ming smiled and raised his head jokingly, then shook his head disdainfully:
"I told you to watch less opera. If you don't listen, you will become stupid now."

Deng Lingyun did not say anything else, but looked at Deng Ming deeply.
Those crystal-clear eyes seem to engrave everything in front of them in their minds!

She turned and left, full of determination.

(End of this chapter)