Chapter 571 The Mastermind, the Fair Lady

Chapter 571 The Mastermind, the Fair Lady

Chapter 571 The Mastermind, the Fair Lady
Nearing dusk, nearly two hundred people in front of the Yingtian government office left in a mighty and angry manner.
You can also hear them cursing.

Kong Rui took the document, wiped the sweat from his forehead, and let out a long sigh.

After standing for nearly a day, my whole body was soaked.

What's worse is that many of the government's affairs have not been dealt with today.

If nothing unexpected happens, we will have to stay up all night again.

He had just walked into the government office with the documents in his hand.

Then I saw a yamen runner hurried over and handed me a document:
"Sir, this is the document of the torture.
They have already signed and sealed it, and Master Feng asked me to give it to you."

"understood"

Kong Rui nodded, took the documents back to the yamen and sat down.

He gulped down the tea and opened his mouth hard.
After playing the bad guy all day, his face looked a little stiff.

He washed his face and arms, then walked to the table, picked up the document and examined it carefully.

The confession that came into his sight made his brows furrow instantly:

"Sugar mill?"

"Sugar mill?"

Zhang Yu looked at the document in his hand with an extremely strange expression. How was it related to the sugar factory again?
He looked up at the judge of Yingtian Prefecture who was standing not far away and asked:
"Master Kong, is the complaint correct?"

Kong Rui, who had hurried to the business, regained his composure and bowed respectfully:
"Reporting to the Lord, it is correct, it was the people who gathered today who ordered it.

One of them knew the manager of the Shiqing Sugar Factory.

I happened to see the official from Xiaomei Village whispering to the steward.

Then there was the practice of renting land and people for farming.”

Zhang Yu nodded and continued to look through the pages.
Soon he saw Chenjiazhuang's complaint and narrowed his eyes slightly:
"This steward also appeared in Chenjiazhuang?"

"Reporting to the Lord, after this steward appeared in Chenjiazhuang,
Mr. Chen sent someone to Old Man Chen's house.

I told him that I wanted five cents of silver for a jar of rice wine and sold it to Yingtian Commercial Bank.

Then, Mr. Chen offered the company a price of 1.5 taels, and that’s how the subsequent events unfolded.”

Zhang Yu sneered, his eyes full of coldness:

"It's a good way to make money. So these villages are being planned by someone behind the scenes?"

Kong Rui pursed his lips slightly, looking hesitant:
"Master Zhang, I don't know."

Zhang Yu knew what he meant. The Yingtian government did not want to be involved in such disputes.

Zhang Yu nodded and looked at Kong Rui:
"Thank you, Lord Kong. I am aware of this matter."

Kong Rui breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands:
"I am resigning."

"Wenbi, give it a go and bring some gifts to Lord Kong. You have been busy today and you have worked hard."

Zhang Fu, who was standing at the door, nodded quickly.
He took out a wooden box from behind, held it in one hand, and made a gesture of invitation.

"This, this. I can't accept it." Kong Rui looked hesitant.

Zhang Yu waved his hand:

"They are all practical things that the business obtained in the countryside. Lord Kong, please take them."

"Thank you very much, Master Zhang. I will take my leave."

After the two left, Zhang Yu looked at the document in his hand with an extremely solemn expression.

He quickly stood up, mounted his warhorse and headed for the Ministry of Industry.

He happened to see Lu Yunyi who had just walked out of the yamen at the door.

Zhang Yu was a little stunned.

"Sir, are you leaving the court so early today?"

Lu Yunyi was somewhat confused by what he said, and stood there with his hands on his hips:
"Can't I go home and rest earlier?"

"No, no, no, that's not what I meant." Zhang Yu waved his hands quickly.

"What's the matter?" Lu Yunyi asked with a smile.

"Sir, the capital has already taken action and has found out who is behind it."

"Oh? So fast?"

A smile appeared on Lu Yunyi's lips.

"Sir, please take a look at these documents. They are the truth about the inconstancy of these villages.
The person who colluded among them was a manager of Shiqing Sugar Factory.

I was thinking, has the news of our plan to open a sugar factory been leaked out, and someone is here to cause trouble for us?"

Zhang Yu's eyes flashed dangerously and he spoke in a low voice.

"Azurite Sugar House?"

Lu Yunyi was stunned. He took the document and quickly looked through it. His brows furrowed even more tightly, and his expression was inexplicable:
"Shi Yashan?"

Lu Yunyi felt that although Shi Yashan was a profiteer,

But at least he is a sensible person, how could he act like this?
The main thing is that this will not hinder the operation of the sugar factory and the development of new technology.
But once discovered, they will be retaliated by their own jealousy.

No matter how you look at it, it seems like a thankless task.

"Sir, how about I take some people to arrest this steward and interrogate him?"

Zhang Yu narrowed his eyes and felt that this method was the simplest and quickest.

Lu Yunyi waved his hand:
"Don't be so rash. Your every move now represents the court and the company.
To do such a thing would be to lower one's status."

"Then let the Jingfu do it?"

Lu Yunyi smiled and waved his hand gently:
"No, don't worry about this matter, leave it to me."

"Yes!"

Zhang Yu stood up straight and asked:
"Sir, the attitude of the capital has obviously changed. Did you promise anything?"

"I told Feng Kezhao that Yingtian Commercial Bank would pay commercial taxes in the future.

I didn't expect him to act so quickly. I just went to find him in the morning, and he found out who was behind it in the afternoon.
These people in the capital should not be underestimated."

"Commercial tax?" Zhang Yu looked confused.
"Isn't this what we should have handed in?"

Lu Yunyi rolled his eyes at him and shook his head helplessly:
"If all merchants were as honest as you, I wouldn't have to beg for money to build the reservoir.
You should understand the business tax yourself.

I have something else to do now, do you have anything else to do?"

“No more.”

"it is good."

Lu Yunyi rode on his warhorse and rode away with his personal guards.

Zhang Yu was left standing there in a daze, scratching his head.
Why are you in such a hurry today, sir?

After many twists and turns, Lu Yunyi and a group of personal guards left the city and came to the first building in Yingtian on the Qinhuai River, Zuixianlou!
Zuixianlou is pretty much the same as before.

The buildings are tall and brightly lit.

Even though it's not dark yet, the building is already crowded with people.

Most of them are merchants from other places and the capital.

For them, they are used to seeing delicacies from land and sea.

It doesn't matter where you eat, but at this time, you have to pay attention to status and grade.

Zuixianlou was a place frequented by nobles and even dukes in the court.

Hosting a banquet here would certainly be very prestigious and expensive.

That’s right, Lu Yunyi also discovered it after reading Zuixianlou’s account book.

Being expensive is also one of the advantages of Zuixianlou.

Hosting a banquet here shows sincerity and good intentions.

As long as it can save some time, those businessmen and dignitaries don't mind spending more money.

Looking at the prosperity here, Lu Yunyi felt that
This should be the place where the gap between the rich and the poor in Ming Dynasty is the largest.

A family of three, with both husband and wife working, can earn four to five cents.

In Zuixianlou, a cup of tea weighs nearly two taels.

It is common for a table of food to cost thousands of taels.

Arriving here, Lu Yunyi dismounted from his horse.
The waiter at the door greeted guests with his eyes lit up and immediately came forward:

"Sir, you are here."

His action attracted the attention of many people who were waiting, and they all cast their eyes over to him.

Seeing him so young and in armor,
Some smart people already knew who the person in front of them was, and their eyes lit up.

A middle-aged man in his thirties reacted very quickly.
He quickly stepped forward and squeezed two steps to separate himself from the crowd, and bowed repeatedly:

"I am Wang Xie, the owner of Pingtang Commercial Bank, and I am here to meet Lord Lu!"

Lu Yunyi looked over in the direction of the sound.
She looked him up and down and nodded slightly.

Ok?
Upon seeing this, everyone present stepped forward, bowed and introduced themselves.

Lu Yunyi nodded in response and followed the waiter into Zuixianlou.

After he left, everyone started talking about it.

"Lord Lu doesn't come here often. How come you have time to come today?"

"Yes, yes, many dukes have left the capital.

I don't know which important person Lord Lu is having dinner with here, could it be one of the six ministries or nine ministers?"

Everyone was daydreaming and showing a bit of envy!

At this time, Wang Xie, who was the first to speak, seemed to be thinking about something, and stroked his chin:

"Just now, Doctor Zhu from Chungui Clinic came.

Lord Lu is going to have dinner with her, right?" As soon as these words came out, there was a moment of silence in front of Zuixian Tower.

Soon there was a sigh.

The faces of the people were different, some were making a fuss, some were thinking deeply,

There are also people who are squinting their eyes to ponder, in short, there is everything.

In Zuixianlou, Lu Yunyi did not go to the private room.

Instead, he went to the inner room to change his armor, washed up, and then put on a black casual suit.

Walking around in armor all day long,

It's summer again, and I don't know how much I'm going to sweat.

After Lu Yunyi put on his regular clothes, he felt like he was alive again, and a long-lost coolness filled the air.

When he walked out of the inner room, the shopkeeper Fang Hanheng, who had been waiting at the door, immediately smiled:
"Lord Lu, the weather is hot, this dress is suitable for you, don't get too hot."

"Saving your life is the most important thing. Where is the person? Take me there."

"It's Miss Zhu who has been waiting for a long time."

Fang Hanheng brought Lu Yunyi to a private room called "Tianyahai" at the innermost part of Zuixianlou.

Entering it, the view suddenly becomes clear.
The cool air blowing in his face made Lu Yunyi feel like he had entered an air-conditioned room.

The private room was extremely spacious, about 100 square meters.
There is a pond on the left side of the house, surrounded by fake rocks and a thin mist.

Red and golden fish swim in it.

On the right is an elegantly decorated opening with a square table placed there!
Zhu Jinyu stood aside, looking through the half-closed window.
Looking at the magnificent Qinhuai River outside the window, his delicate and angular profile is revealed.

Lu Yunyi's eyes lit up when he saw this.
What I marveled at was not her appearance, but the clothes she wore today.

Her upper body is a thin shirt made of silk.
The lower body is a horse-faced skirt tightly tied at the waist, with light white flowers embroidered on the chest and hem.

This outfit perfectly reveals all the advantages of her figure.

She has a slender figure, a towering chest, a thin waist and legs as straight as bamboo!
Hearing the noise, Zhu Jinyu turned around.

Seeing Lu Yunyi in casual clothes, his eyes lit up.
A look of joy appeared on his face, the corners of his mouth curved, and his eyebrows were curved.

If she was just a cold and arrogant fairy before,
Then at this moment she is the little wife who has been waiting for her lover for a long time.

She came to Lu Yunyi's side in a bounding manner.
She naturally took his hand and pulled him to sit at the table, with a bit of excitement in her voice:
"Sir, you are finally here. You must be tired today."

After helping Lu Yunyi sit down,

Zhu Jinyu moved and stood behind Lu Yunyi.
She massaged his shoulders affectionately, with moderate strength and unique technique.

Lu Yunyi suddenly understood.

Why does Black Hawk like such mature women? She is really good at serving people.

"Today, I have taken a break from my busy schedule and ended the office on time. This is a rare rest for me.

Miss Jinyu, as a woman, has to run a clinic and run around all day.
Sit down quickly, no need to be so polite."

Zhu Jinyu's eyebrows and eyes were like paintings, and her eyes were filled with joy.

There is no time to hide the white teeth, showing all the charm:

"Master Lu, the clinic is not busy today.
Recently, Jinyu has also been studying some medical books and learning some massage techniques, and has made some progress.

If Lord Lu doesn't mind,

Let Jinyu press it for a bit, it can be considered as practice."

"Thank you very much, Miss Jinyu.

I read documents all night yesterday and I feel a little tired. "

"Sir Lu, Jinyu has met many dignitaries.
Why are they not as busy as Lord Lu, but instead have quite free time?
Sometimes, we even play at home during the day.”

Zhu Jinyu tried her best to make her voice soft and gentle.

"There is nothing to rely on, only diligence,

It may seem like a great time, but there are dangers ahead, so you have to be careful."

Zhu Jinyu pursed her lips, a hint of complexity flashed in her eyes.
She took a step forward and exerted a little force.

She let Lu Yunyi lean on her and gently massaged his temples.

"Sir, you have come to this point at such a young age.

Maybe you can stop for a while and rest for a while.

Jinyu once met an idle person in the mountains of her hometown.

She told Jinyu that she was born into this world and saw the sea changing.
The mountains and rivers of Daming are extremely beautiful, you can go sightseeing.

If it were some young people like you, they would spend the whole day sightseeing and playing in the mountains and rivers."

Lu Yunyi smelled the faint fragrance on her body and sighed:
"The most beautiful scenery is on the top of a dangerous mountain, and the imperial court is the most difficult mountain to climb in the world.

After fighting in many battles and seeing all the misery in the world.

The only thing I want is to live some peaceful days after the war and spend the rest of my life in peace and stability.

But the situation is pressing.

This officer cannot stop now, and his subordinates go their separate ways;
They need support from their backers, help from their superiors, and promotion.

There are also business matters. I thought there were only a few thousand people to support.
After reading the documents of the company today, I found
It's not just a few thousand people, it's nearly three hundred villages in the entire Yingtian capital.
The livelihoods of thousands of people depend on the business.
I have never been so tired.”

Zhu Jinyu's lips moved, and her movements became more and more gentle.

She suddenly felt sorry for the person in front of her.

Although the scenery is endless, but the body is sick and the heart is still so painful,

This kind of life may be worse than those young students who live frugally.

"My Lord, has your hysteria improved?"

"No, but I'm used to it. It's just a dream, it's okay."

Lu Yunyi closed his eyes and smiled slightly.

Zhu Jinyu only felt a stabbing pain in his chest, and even his breathing became a little rapid.

There was no sound in the entire private room, it was so quiet that it was suffocating.

Zhu Jinyu knew that the man in front of him had slipped out of the government office so early.
I just want to have a moment of peace here.

She shouldn't bother.

After an unknown amount of time, light footsteps were heard from outside the door, accompanied by low voices.

Lu Yunyi suddenly opened his eyes.

There was a flash of sharpness in it, but it soon relaxed.

Zhu Jinyu behind him also took a step back awkwardly and pretended to leave.

"Don't mind it." Lu Yunyi said lightly.

Zhu Jinyu was stunned, a hint of joy flashed in his eyes.
Continue to stand behind Lu Yunyi and gently massage his shoulders
At this time, the door opened, revealing the figure of the shopkeeper Fang Hanheng.

Next to him was a dining cart with exquisite dishes on it.

When Fang Hanheng saw the scene inside the house, he was stunned and wanted to slap himself right away.

“It’s broken. It’s broken.”

He stopped the dining car from moving forward, stood at the door and asked softly:

"Sir, the food may be served."

"Ah."

After getting Lu Yunyi's response,

Fang Hanheng then breathed a sigh of relief, slowly pushed the food cart to the table, and gently served the dishes with another waiter.

The two of them were very careful and silent. After the dishes were served, Fang Hanheng spoke softly:
"Sir, Miss Zhu,

I am at the door, please call me if you need anything."

After saying this, Fang Hanheng waved his hand vigorously and fled with his men.

"Miss Jinyu, please take a seat and try Zuixianlou's cooking.

I'm ashamed to say that the first two times I came here, I made a scene.
It’s a pity that I didn’t even get to taste the food.”

Zhu Jinyu sat down with a smile, right next to Lu Yunyi. She smiled:
"Thanks to Lord Lu, this is also my first time to visit Zuixianlou, which coincides with the Lord's visit."

Lu Yunyi smiled gently and handed her a pair of chopsticks.
"Come on, have a taste."

The two of them talked as they ate, and the atmosphere was more relaxed than ever before.

From family matters to gossip in Beijing,

One can often hear Lu Yunyi's hearty laughter and Zhu Jinyu's gentle laughter.

Lu Yunyi quickly ate his fill and put down his chopsticks.
He turned to look at Zhu Jinyu and asked softly:
"Doctor Jinyu, I would like you to come here today.

First, to express my gratitude, and second, to ask Doctor Jinyu to do me a favor."

Seeing his serious expression, Zhu Jinyu's pretty face also became serious, and she asked softly:

"May I ask, sir, what is it? If Jinyu can do it, I will do my best."

Lu Yunyi pondered for a moment and spoke in a deep voice:
"Miss Jinyu has been in the capital for many years and has extensive connections.
I have only been here for half a year, so it is inevitable that I am a little unfamiliar.

He is also somewhat ignorant about the conflicts of interest in Beijing.

Therefore, I would like to ask Miss Jinyu to find a gang member who has some power but no backing."

Doubt flashed across Zhu Jinyu's eyes, but she nodded without hesitation:
"Okay, Jinyu got it."

Surprise flashed in Lu Yunyi's eyes:
"Miss Jinyu, aren't you curious? Why am I looking for this kind of person?"

Zhu Jinyu's cheeks flushed slightly, and a flash of affection flashed across her eyes:

"Jinyu is a woman with limited knowledge. She will listen to whatever the adults say."

(End of this chapter)