Wife Doting Addiction：My Abducted Tsundere Husband

Chapter 125: Encountering an Illicit Love

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio  Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

While Su Jiu made wild guesses, she heard a man and a woman conversing opposite the rockery.

“I heard some palace attendants mention that my father, His Majesty, stayed over at your palace last night?” The man’s hand wandered into the woman’s clothes, his fastidious voice carrying a hint of jealousy.

The woman squinted her eyes and moaned squeamishly. She grinned charmingly and teased, “No wonder you dragged me here the moment you arrived. You’re jealous!”

The man tugged the woman’s collar and pulled it down, leaving a series of marks on the snow-white skin of her chest. “Indeed, this prince wishes he can just hide you away so that no other man can see you!”

The woman grabbed the man’s shoulders and arched her head back. She smiled coyly. “You only know how to be jealous of me. You play around with those concubines back in your manor, but why do you still find faults in me?”

“The only person in this prince’s heart is you. Even if I climb onto their bed, the only person I think about is you!” The man’s breathing was rough.

When the woman heard this, she felt content and grunted. “Don’t worry. Last night, the Emperor wasn’t in good spirits. He didn’t do anything with me, and only asked me to massage his shoulders for a while, before going straight to sleep!”

“How about you? Do you miss this prince?” The man chuckled as he asked.

“Do you still need to ask this? If only I could be with you every day!” The woman quipped bashfully.

“Do what together?” The man uttered wantonly.

The woman thumped his chest. “You’re babbling nonsense again!”

The two of them embraced and smooched each other for a while. The man asked, “Why was my father, His Majesty, upset?”

“I heard there was a natural disaster in Xuzhou. The commoners were whining about the ongoing famine, and there were even some people who jumped at the opportunity to revolt. I heard that the rebels got the populace to sign petitions, but they were all shelved by the chief of Xuzhou!” The woman whispered.

“Who leaked the news regarding the chief of Xuzhou to my father, His Majesty?” The man questioned.

“I’m not sure about that, but as of now, the Emperor is most worried about who to send over to manage the disaster!”

The man’s eyes turned, and after contemplating for a moment, he inquired, “Does my father, His Majesty, have any candidates to send to quell the disaster?”

“He doesn’t, which is why the Emperor is so vexed over this matter. I heard that an imperial envoy was dispatched to distribute food rations to the areas plagued by the disaster, but the problem was not solved, and the famine has not subsided. On the other hand, it seems that the situation is worsening, even though aid has been sent over. The Emperor suspects that someone has embezzled the food rations meant for aid.”

“Did my father, His Majesty, say anything else? Did he suspect me?” The man hurriedly asked.

“Suspect you of what? Unless you were the imperial envoy that was dispatched?” The woman asked captiously and probed.

The man smiled awkwardly. “The envoy is indeed related to me, but the matter regarding the disaster has absolutely nothing to do with this prince.”

“Then what are you afraid of?” The woman smiled smugly.

“This prince is only worried that my father, His Majesty, will harbor doubts about me after hearing some baseless rumors.” The man kissed the woman’s tender lips and whispered, “If my father makes any movements, you must notify this prince right away.”

“Got it!” The woman responded and snuggled in the man’s embrace, her breathing shallow.

On the other side, Su Jiu was eavesdropping earnestly. Suddenly, her arm was pulled back, giving her a shock. Just as she was about to turn back, someone covered her mouth and dragged her entire body back a step.

She looked up and realized that Xiao Lie was standing behind her. His towering figure had locked her beneath him. His long and narrow eyes were as handsome as ever as he subtly shook his head at her.

Su Jiu pressed a finger on her lips, signaling to him not to make noise, before pulling Xiao Lie by his hand. She brought him in front of the rockery and pointed in the opposite direction.

Xiao Lie looked in the direction she was pointing at and caught sight of two people entangled together as they kissed and embraced. He furrowed his eyebrows, and a cold flash swept past his eyes. He grabbed Su Jiu’s hand and led her away from the rockery.

The two of them moved a fair distance away from the rockery and continued walking into the woods before Xiao Lie finally let go of Su Jiu’s hand. He asked curtly, “Why are you here?”

Su Jiu replied, “The Empress Dowager summoned me to the palace. When I arrived, the Empress Dowager was sleeping, and since I was bored waiting, I came out to find a lavatory!”

Looking for a lavatory yet again, could this girl not make any other excuses?

Xiao Lie’s chilly eyes softened slightly. He said solemnly, “Whatever you saw today, do not tell anyone. You can’t even let Ji Yuxian know, got it?”

When Su Jiu saw Xiao Lie’s expression, she wasn’t surprised, as though it was within her expectations. She asked, “Who is that man?”

Xiao Lie paused for a moment before replying, “My elder brother, Prince Zhao.”

Sure enough!

Su Jiu’s pupils turned and she realized something. She probed, “You already found out about it right? The two of them…”

“The situation is not as simple as it seems on the surface! No matter what, you need to keep my words in mind. Do not tell this to anyone. When you get out of the garden, don’t even let anyone know you’ve been here. Understand?” Xiao Lie repeated seriously.

Su Jiu noticed his stern expression and nodded her head. “Alright, I won’t say!”

Suddenly, she realized that everyone had their secrets. Even Xiao Lie himself was hard to decipher. He knew that his father’s concubine was having an affair with his elder brother, and yet, he pretended not to know anything. Such resolve is not possessed by most people.

Xiao Lie’s long eyes were bottomless as he stared at the girl’s exquisite and clear face. Little by little, the feelings that he had buried in the deepest depths of his heart started to burrow their way out. He hastily shifted his focus and asked nonchalantly, “I heard that a few days ago, your trading company met with some difficulties. Has it been settled?”

“Mm, everything has been resolved!”

“That’s great!” Xiao Lie nodded his head slightly.

“Zhu Hecheng’s influence in Shengjing is quite solid. It’s more complicated than you think. It’s best not to have too many interactions with him.” The man’s handsome face was insipid, and unbeknownst to him, his voice carried a tinge of concern.

Su Jiu raised her eyebrows. “How did you know that the person who orchestrated it was Zhu Hecheng?”

On Magistrate Lim’s public report, only Su Cheng’s name was mentioned.

Xiao Lie froze, a hint of panic flashing by his elongated eyes. He was unwilling to admit that he had secretly kept tabs on Su Jiu’s movements. He turned his head away and explained noncommittally, “Shengjing is only this big, so not much can be concealed!”

“Indeed!” Su Jiu nodded her head perfunctorily.

Zhu Hecheng…

Xiao Lie knitted his brows and seemed to have suddenly recalled something. He looked back at Su Jiu and could not help but say, “Also, be careful of Ji Yuxian! Regardless of how your relationship is with him now, do not trust him too much. No matter when you need to leave a path to retreat!”

“What do you mean?” Su Jiu frowned. She did not understand why Xiao Lie would suddenly mention Ji Yuxian when they were talking about Zhu Hecheng. How was Ji Yuxian related?

“Nothing significant. You should not trust anyone completely!” Xiao Lie replied curtly.

Su Jiu looked at him in confusion. She wanted to ask him to clarify himself, but Xiao Lie was unwilling to elaborate further. He only said, “My royal grandmother must have woken up. You should go over!”

“Oh!” Su Jiu nodded her head and followed the small path towards the garden.

Xiao Lie followed behind her and appeared to be leaving as well.

Both of them left the garden, one in front and one behind. Su Jiu took two steps and looked back to see Xiao Lie following behind her. She looked at him, perplexed.

Xiao Lie’s handsome face seemed to leak a trace of embarrassment. He coughed lightly. “I just realized that I haven’t paid my respects to my royal grandmother today. I’ll head over to Fushou Palace with you.”

Su Jiu’s lips pressed into a smile. While she walked, she brought up, “I thought you were still angry with me, and would not acknowledge me in the future!”

Xiao Lie’s eyes dimmed, and he closed his eyes in silence.

Inside Fushou Palace, the lady in-charge saw Su Jiu and quickly walked over. “Young Mistress Ji, you’re back. The Empress Dowager is awake and she’s looking for you!”

While she said this, she suddenly caught sight of Xiao Lie standing behind her. She hurriedly paid her respects. “This servant greets Prince Rui!”

“This prince is here to pay respects to my royal grandmother. I met Lady Su by coincidence and she was lost, so I brought her here with me. In the future, when Lady Su is in the palace, remember to send several palace attendants to accompany her,” Xiao Lie instructed in a dignified and nonchalant manner.

“Yes. This servant was careless and did not take care of the Young Mistress well. This servant realizes her mistake!” The lady-in-charge hastily cowered in response.

Su Jiu raised her brows and glanced at Xiao Lie. At that moment, she understood. Xiao Lie was worried that she would run into another taboo, or be placed in a precarious situation if she was found out by Prince Zhao. Hence, he had instructed the palace attendants to accompany her.

Xiao Lie glanced at her. “Lady Su, this way!”

“Mm!” Su Jiu nodded and followed him into the room to meet Empress Dowager Xiao.

Empress Dowager Xiao had just woken up and was sitting on the couch, drinking ginseng tea. When she saw Su Jiu and Xiao Lie enter one after the other, she instantly chuckled. “Why have both of you come together!”

Xiao Lie repeated the words he spoke to the lady-in-charge and smiled gently. “Has my royal grandmother’s headache gotten better?”

“Yes, better. The pills you sent over were effective. I only needed to take them for two days to recover!” After she said this, she turned to Su Jiu. “Little girl, sit here in front of me.”

Xiao Lie turned his head and wiggled his eyebrows at Su Jiu, gesturing her to go over.

Su Jiu understood and sat on the round stool carved with flowers, which was placed next to Empress Dowager Xiao. She looked up at the aged but kind lady and smiled lightly. “Greetings to the Empress Dowager!”

“Mmmm! Last night, I dreamed about you. So, I instructed my attendants to bring you into the palace to accompany me!”

“What did you dream about?” Su Jiu raised her eyebrows and asked.

“I dreamed that you were sitting there playing the zither. You played a piece that I have never heard of, and it was very touching. You even mentioned that the osmanthus flowers were about to bloom, and personally plucked and dried them to brew tea for me!” As Empress Dowager Xiao recalled the details of the dream, the corner of her lips slipped into a smile.

Su Jiu chucked. How was this dreaming of her? She was obviously dreaming about Su Yuejiu’s mother, Bai Jingrou.

“Little girl, what are you laughing about?” Empress Dowager Xiao asked.

“Did you dream of me? You must have dreamt of Bai Jingrou,” Su Jiu replied straightforwardly.

Empress Dowager Xiao looked at Xiao Lie and shook her head with a smile. “Look at this girl, she addressed her mother directly by her name. She deserves a beating!”

Su Jiu took a deep breath and hastily pressed her hands against her mouth, looking down guiltily.

When Xiao Lie saw her response, a hint of warmth flashed by his eyes as he looked down with a grin.

The lady-in-charge came forward and smiled. “Lady Bai played the zither well. Young Mistress Ji must have learned some of her skills as well. It just so happens that there’s a zither here. Young Mistress Ji, you can play a piece for the Empress Dowager!”

Empress Dowager Xiao nodded her head excitedly. “What a good idea! Little girl, why don’t you play me a song!”

Xiao Lie knitted his brows. He knew that Su Jiu was not Bai Jingrou’s daughter at all. She grew up in a mountain bandit hideout, how would she know how to play the zither? Just as he was about to come up with another excuse to help Su Jiu avoid this, he realized that Su Jiu had already gotten up. She sounded an agreement and walked towards the zither rack.

His eyebrows twitched as he stared at her curiously.

Su Jiu had learned how to play the zither under Ji Yuxian for a few months. Although her playing wouldn’t be considered superb, she could still play an entire song smoothly.

She had worn a moonlight brocade dress with Suzhou embroidery. Several lotus leaves were stitched in a line with dark green silk thread. The robe was tailored in a way where the sleeves were wide, while the mid-section wrapped tightly around her waist, accentuating her slim and slender figure as well as her youthfulness. Her picturesque eyes and brows were full of focus as her soft, white hands stroked the zither, her sleeves trailing behind. She was as beautiful as the first moonlight at dusk, clearly permeating the night sky.

Su Jiu gently plucked the strings, and pleasant notes resonated from her fingers. The tune was melodious and brisk, mirroring her personality.

The song she played was not one that lamented the passing of spring, nor was it a melancholic tune that marked the end of autumn, unlike the usual songs that most other girls played. Instead, the song was upbeat and cheerful, just like a creek that flowed through the mountains and the forests. The notes flowed like a coursing river, which followed the tides of the wind and meandered through the flora and fauna, carrying the reflection of the cloudy blue sky along the way. It brought about a sense of comfort.

She managed to play the zither. Xiao Lie’s eyes deepened and condensed on her exquisite side profile. The more he looked, the deeper he fell.

As Empress Dowager Xiao listened, she gradually fell into a trance, as she stammered, “Jing Rou.”

When Xiao Lie heard this, he froze for a second, a silent sublimity escaped from the depths of his eyes.

At the end of the song, Su Jiu lifted her head with a smile. “I didn’t play well. Empress Dowager, may you forgive me!”

Empress Dowager Xiao looked up and laughed softly. “This little girl, the way you speak is so interesting!”

“Indeed, the Young Mistress has a straightforward personality and always uplifts your spirits. No wonder the Empress Dowager likes her!” The lady-in-charge at the side quipped in agreement.

Su Jiu shrugged her shoulders and raised an eyebrow at Xiao Lie mischievously.

Xiao Lie blinked and pressed his lips into a smile. That smile, however, contained a hint of self-depreciation. He had realized that all the effort he put in to distance himself from Su Jiu was all for naught!

As of now, he was like a fish trapped in a bamboo basket. Even if he struggled and channeled all his strength to escape, he was unable to move at all.

They accompanied Empress Dowager Xiao for lunch. After lunch, Empress Dowager Xiao needed to take an afternoon nap, so Su Jiu took her leave.

Xiao Lie and Su Jiu had come together. To avoid unnecessary rumors, they could not leave together. He could only send her off at the gates of Fushou Palace. He recalled the incident of her bumping into Prince Zhao and especially lectured her once again.

“I’ll remember!” Su Jiu rolled her eyes at his nagging and waved her arms. “Go and accompany the Empress Dowager. I’ll take my leave now!”

“Su Jiu!” Xiao Lie could not help but take a step forward.

“What is it?” Su Jiu halted in her steps and turned around to look at him suspiciously.

Xiao Lie paused for a moment before shaking his head dully. “Nothing, take care on the way back!”

Su Jiu’s lips curled into a smile. “Let’s have a drink at the restaurant another day!”

“Alright!” Xiao Lie’s dim eyes were boundless.

The palace carriage was already waiting for her. Su Jiu boarded the carriage and headed back to the Ji Manor.

At the gates of the Ji Manor, Su Jiu disembarked. Coincidentally, she saw Ji Yuxian return at the same time. When he saw the horse carriage belonging to the palace, he turned over and frowned.

Su Jiu walked up and smiled. “What a coincidence, you just got back too!’

Ji Yuxian pulled Su Jiu’s hand over and asked, “You entered the palace again?”

“Mm!” Su Jiu casually nodded her head.

“Who did you meet?” The man raised his phoenix eyes slightly and asked nonchalantly.

“Of course, I went to see the Empress Dowager. And Xiao Lie.” Su Jiu suddenly thought of her encounter with Prince Zhao and Ji Yu’s secret affair, and then recalled Xiao Lie’s instructions, so she held back her tongue. She was only uncertain if the Ji Manor would be implicated if Ji Yu’s and Prince Zhao’s affair was caught by the Emperor.

Considering this, a hint of worry rose in Su Jiu’s eyes.

She could not fathom what she had seen. Being a prince, Prince Zhao could possess any woman he desired. Why did he have to fall in love with his old man’s woman?

Or was it really as Xiao Lie said, and were there many intricacies hidden behind this matter?

Ji Yuxian’s face remained calm amidst the billows, but his eyes were stained with a tinge of gloominess. He grasped Su Jiu’s hand tightly and smiled. “In the future, if the palace sends people again, you can make up excuses. Don’t go anymore!”

Su Jiu also had the vague premonition that she should not enter the palace anymore. Prince Zhao and Ji Yu’s matter being the first reason. She felt as though she had uncovered a huge secret that could put her in danger. Secondly, Empress Dowager Xiao viewed her as Bai Jingrou, causing her to feel extremely guilty.

It was only when Su Jiu made a promise that Ji Yuxian’s complexion finally warmed up. He held her hand tightly and walked into the manor.

The next day was Qiao An’s day off. He came over to the trading company to help Chang Huan sort out the accounts. During their break, he called Su Jiu to the study, citing that he had something to discuss with her.

Su Jiu followed him in. Qiao An poured out a cup of tea and placed it in front of her. “Chief, I want to visit Xuzhou.”

“Why do you want to go to Xuzhou?” Su Jiu asked. She suddenly recalled the conversation she overheard between Prince Zhao and Ji Yu in the palace – Xuzhou seemed to have been struck by a natural disaster.

“This summer, Xuzhou was engulfed by floodwaters. Not a single grain of crop could be harvested, and the houses of the commoners were all washed away, causing them to be displaced. To add to their troubles, there is an ongoing plague, and many people have already died as a result. The court sent out two batches of food rations as aid, but the disaster has not been mitigated. Some people have even jumped at the opportunity to wreak havoc, inciting the commoners to revolt.”

Qiao An briefly explained the situation in Xuzhou before continuing, “I heard that the Emperor was looking for volunteers to send over to the disaster zone as imperial envoys, but none of the ministers were willing to step forward.”

Serving as a relief envoy was originally a burdensome and unrewarding venture. The situation in Xuzhou at the moment was chaotic, acting as a further deterrence. If they were unable to appease the commoners, they will risk angering the Emperor and be punished. Most importantly, Xuzhou was now plagued by pestilence and was undergoing a revolt. No one knew how the situation would be like once they got there, and were also worried if they would even be able to come back alive.

“Xuzhou is my hometown. Even though I haven’t gone back in eight years, it is still where my ancestral roots are. The graves of my parents and our old housekeepers are there. When I think about this, I always feel uneasy, so I’m intending to recommend myself as the imperial envoy to Xuzhou!”

Su Jiu sat on the chair and knitted her brows tightly. Concerned, she said, “But this means you’ll need to go alone. If you encounter peril, we’ll be separated by a thousand kilometers. How can I come to your aid then?”

Anyone who heard a summary of the situation in Xuzhou would understand that it was a complicated situation. If there were commoners who revolted, they would not care if Qiao An was an imperial envoy sent by the court. It was extremely dangerous.

“I’ll bring some men and follow you!” After contemplating, Su Jiu felt that she could only rest easy if she followed along.

“No, you can’t go!” Qiao An instantly refused. “Once I get to Xuzhou, I’ll write a letter to inform you of the situation there. You can stay and help me from here. If we both go and are trapped in Xuzhou, we would have no way out.”

“But…” Su Jiu’s words trailed off, still unable to set her mind at rest.

“Chief, the moment I decided to go to Xuzhou to suppress the disaster, I have already put my life on the line. Whether I live or die, I’ll leave it up to fate! And I’m not just a weak scholar who doesn’t have the strength to kill a chicken. I have followed Chief for so many years, so I still can protect myself. If a situation crops up, I will do my best to preserve my life!” Qiao An declared solemnly.

Su Jiu remained in quiet contemplation. She only continued after a moment, “Since you’ve already made your decision, naturally, I will not hold you back. But I will get Ah Shu to send two bodyguards to stay by your side to protect you. No matter what happens, you must take care!”

Qiao An nodded his head with a faint smile. “Alright, I’ll do as Chief says! Tonight, I’ll write my recommendation petition, and submit it to the Hanlin Academy tomorrow.”

Su Jiu saw his determination to go and did not speak further, only acknowledging his words.

It was night-time. As Su Jiu ate her dinner, she thought back to Qiao An’s situation and lost her appetite. She only managed to finish a single bowl of rice, before declaring that she was full.

Ji Yuxian raised his head and looked at her while grinning. “Why, does it not suit your palate?”

Su Jiu shook her head and told him about Qiao An going to Xuzhou to manage the disaster.

Ji Yuxian placed his chopsticks down and mulled over for a moment. Suddenly, he hooked his lips into a smile. “You don’t have to worry. Qiao An was right in volunteering himself! He has just become an official, and in the Hanlin Academy, it is not easy to stand out. This is a good opportunity for him to be promoted!”

In the previous rounds of the imperial examinations, there were several ‘Zhuang Yuan’s and ‘Tan Hua’s who stayed at Hanlin Academy for three to four years or even longer, and yet, they were still officials of the sixth rank. In reality, if they did not contribute any meritorious service, it would be very difficult to gain the attention of the Emperor.

“I’m not worried about this. I’m only scared that Qiao An would be endangered in Xuzhou. As you know, the situation in Xuzhou is very chaotic right now,” Su Jiu explained.

Ji Yuxian filled up a bowl of chicken ginseng soup and placed it in front of Su Jiu. He smiled and said, “Drink some soup. I’m telling you that Qiao An will be alright!”

“How do you know?” Su Jiu raised an eyebrow and looked at him.

“I’ll tell you after you drink this!

Su Jiu puckered her lips. She raised her head and cleaned out the entire bowl in a few gulps while giggling.

“Go on!”

Ji Yuxian picked up a handkerchief and took his own sweet time to wipe off the soup residue on the corner of her mouth. With a faint smile, he continued, “Xuzhou is not only undergoing a famine, but there are also people inciting the commoners to revolt. The Emperor is most worried about this! Since Qiao An has volunteered himself to manage the disaster, the Emperor will definitely agree. But how can a weak and feeble scholar suppress a revolt? The Emperor will dispatch an army to journey with him. In your Dragon Conqueror Gang, Qiao An is not the only one in court, don’t forget that you have a military general as well. With Hu Dapao protecting Qiao An, what are you still worried about?”

When Su Jiu heard this, she froze. She hurriedly asked, “How do you know that the Emperor will send Dapao to suppress the revolt?”

Ji Yuxian hugged her. His phoenix eyes blazed like a raging fire as he whispered with a smile, “Nangong Shu will help with this!”

Su Jiu understood, and her eyes turned into two crescents as she laughed. “If that is the case, then Qiao An is safe!”

Nothing could console her more than knowing that Hu Dapao would follow him with a bunch of military soldiers.

Ji Yuxian looked at her beam with delight. Originally, he had wanted to continue the second half of his sentence, but he swallowed his words instead. Let her be happy for now, for when the situation arises, it’ll not be too late to come up with a solution then.

Just as Ji Yuxian predicted, during the morning court the next day, Hanlin Academy’s Qiao An submitted a self-recommendation petition. The Emperor was very pleased and immediately conferred him with the title of imperial envoy. He ordered that they depart to Xuzhou the following day.

Since the commoners of Xuzhou were wreaking havoc, it would be unreasonable to send Qiao An alone, and hence, another one thousand soldiers were dispatched to protect him.

Nangong Shu immediately went forward to receive the edict, and recommended his frontline military officer, Hu Dapao, to lead the army out.

The Emperor agreed!

When Su Jiu received the news, she could only sigh at Ji Yuxian’s god-like perception. She was even more touched that Nangong Shu had rendered help once again, and headed over to the Nangong Manor to thank him personally.

Since the matter was urgent, the group was slated to depart to Xuzhou the next day. At night, Su Jiu, Ah Shu, Chang Huan, and the rest gathered together to impart some words to Qiao An.

“Don’t worry, with Dapao following me, as well as one thousand soldiers and horses, I will come back in one piece!” Qiao An laughed as he said.

Su Jiu nodded her head. “When you get to Xuzhou, write me a letter immediately if anything crops up!”

“Alright!”

Early in the next morning, Su Jiu and the few of them sent Qiao An off at the city gates. Hu Dapao had already gathered his men and was waiting for him ten meters outside the city.

When he saw Su Jiu, Hu Dapao joyfully leaped forward to meet her. He donned a riding outfit and looked especially handsome and heroic. He grinned goofily. “Chief, rest assured! I will protect Master An well!”

“You must take care of yourself too. When the two of you return, we will prepare some wine to welcome you back!” Su Jiu chuckled.

“Good, then we’ll leave now!”

Chang Huan and Ah Shu stepped forward and gave Hu Dapao a tight hug.

Qiao An also flashed a soft smile at Su Jiu, before turning around and boarding his horse carriage.

Hu Dapao flipped onto his horse and bid Su Jiu and the rest farewell. He led the troops and guarded Qiao An, as they left via the public roads.

They watched as the troops faded into the distance, forming a meandering black line that gradually became blurrier and blurrier. When they could not see them anymore, Su Jiu and the few of them finally returned to the city.

Half a month went by in a flash. Just as Su Jiu was worrying about Qiao An’s situation on the other side, she finally received a letter from Qiao An. It was an urgent letter that Qiao An had ordered his men to send over at the fastest possible speed.

When the letter was sent to the trading company, Su Jiu swiftly read its contents, her forehead wrinkling more and more as she read on.

Chang Huan realized that there was something wrong with Su Jiu’s complexion and hurriedly asked, “Did something happen? Did something happen to Master An and Dapao?”

Su Jiu passed the letter to Chang Huan and said solemnly, “The situation that Master An is facing in Xuzhou is grim!”

The letter wrote that once Qiao An entered the territory of Xuzhou, the entire place was crawling with refugees. In the areas where the plague had spread to, corpses were stacked in piles, and there was no order implemented whatsoever.

When they reached Xuzhou’s government office, Hu Dapao brought a few of his soldiers to arrest a few instigators, to suppress the uprising. Despite that, however, the commoners continued to complain and were in urgent need of consolation. The sick also needed life-saving treatment as soon as possible.

What is worse, the government office in Xuzhou neither had a single piece of silver nor did it have any stores of grain!

Even the most resourceful housewife cannot cook a meal without any rice. When faced with such a situation, Qiao An was at a loss.

If no more grain was sent to salvage the situation, the commoners’ frustrations will spiral out of control. At that time, one could only fear an uprising of an even bigger scale.

The prices of medicine and grain in Xuzhou City had skyrocketed. Qiao An had no choice but to get Hu Dapao to dispatch his men to threaten the pharmacies and drug stores to set up temporary huts to treat the sick.

And food remained the biggest problem.

Before he wrote a letter to Su Jiu, Qiao An disguised himself and blended into the crowd. He found out that the food rations sent by the imperial court had indeed been distributed to them. However, half of the grain was mixed with sand. As such, the commoners only got half of the intended aid, and even less than half.

Qiao An suspected that the food aid had been embezzled by someone.

In the letter, Qiao An especially mentioned that Xuzhou’s largest grain store was owned by the Zhu Family. They had raised their prices to profit amid the disaster.

Chang Huan finished reading the letter and voiced coldly, “The commoners are starving to death, and yet, these conniving and greedy officials only care about themselves! How disgusting!”

Su Jiu inquired, “How much grain do we have in our storage?”

Chang Huan looked up the accounts and replied, “Previously, we sold quite a lot of grain. Now we only have around 5000 kilograms left!”

5000 kilograms of grain was way too little. It was like attempting to put out a blazing carriage with cups of water.

Su Jiu nodded her head. “Let me think of something else. We must help Master An overcome this difficulty!”

“Why doesn’t Master An request more grain from the court?” Chang Huan asked.

Su Jiu bit her nails and considered, “The imperial court has already dispatched two batches of food rations. They probably will not send out more so easily. And I heard Qiao An mention previously, that whenever an area is hit by disaster, only a limited amount of grain is allocated as an aid. This means that the imperial court will not send grain from the national stores to fill up a bottomless pit.”

“Then what should we do?” Chang Huan frowned.

By volunteering to manage the disaster in Xuzhou, Qiao An seemed to have trapped himself in a dead-end. If he retreated without contributing to the situation, or if the situation in Xuzhou worsened to the point of despair, the Emperor would be furious with Qiao An. His life might even be endangered.

“Don’t worry. There is bound to be a way!” Su Jiu’s eyes turned as she held the letter. “I will return to the Ji Manor. I will let you know as soon as possible in the event something happens!”

Chang Huan nodded his head. “Boss, don’t be too troubled. We will think of a solution together!”

Su Jiu nodded her head and left the trading company.

Back at the Ji Manor, it just so happened that Ji Yuxian had not left, and was instead in his study.

When Su Jiu walked in, she saw a manager reporting something to Ji Yuxian.

When he saw Su Jiu, that manager immediately bowed and paid his respects. “Greetings to the Young Mistress!”

Ji Yuxian caught sight of Su Jiu’s solemn expression and realized she must have come with a matter at hand. He looked up at that manager and said, “You can go back first, we’ll discuss the rest tomorrow!”

“Yes! Your subordinate will take his leave!”

The manager bowed his head at Ji Yuxian and Su Jiu separately, before taking his leave.

“Is something the matter?” Ji Yuxian walked over and stretched out his arms to wrap them around Su Jiu’s waist. His lips were curled into a smile.

Su Jiu raised her head slightly and looked at him. She replied seriously, “Ji Yuxian, how much grain do you have in storage? I want to buy grain from you, the more the better!”

Ji Yuxian’s eyes turned and he stared at the letter in Su Jiu’s hands. He smiled faintly. “Did Qiao An send a letter to say that there is no grain in Xuzhou?”

Su Jiu nodded her head. “Yes!”

“Do you know how many refugees there are in Xuzhou? No matter how much money you have, do you think you can fill up such a large void? My wife, you can’t act on your personal feelings to do things!” Ji Yuxian stroked her cheeks gently as he said with a smile.

Su Jiu frowned. “But the situation that Qiao An is facing in Xuzhou is dire!”

“The amount of grain that the imperial court allotted to Xuzhou is quite a significant amount. Why is it that the more aid they send, the worse the situation becomes? Have you pondered on this? And obviously, the Emperor knew that there was no grain in Xuzhou, so why do you think he sent Qiao An to manage the crisis?”

“Yes, Qiao An mentioned in his letter that he suspects the officials in Xuzhou were misappropriating the food aid!” Su Jiu understood where Ji Yuxian was getting at. The Emperor also suspected that there were people who were embezzling the grain. He had sent Qiao An over to relieve the disaster, but in reality, it was also to get Qiao An to investigate the matter. Unfortunately, Qiao An did not have much authority in Xuzhou. If the officials in Xuzhou had colluded to conceal this matter, how could Qiao An’s investigation reap any results?”

Was awaiting death the only option for him?

“That’s far from the case!”

Ji Yuxian’s lips carried a vague but cold smile.

“I’m not too clear about the situation in Xuzhou, and we’re only ordinary citizens who have no way of investigating corrupt officials and sending a petition to the Emperor. The only thing I wish is for Qiao An to be safe!”

Ji Yuxian sighed once again. He brought Su Jiu into his embrace and retorted with jealousy, “When will you view your husband with the same amount of importance?”

“Ji Yuxian!” Su Jiu frowned.

He could still make a joke in such a serious situation!

“You don’t have to buy grain; your husband will think of a solution for you!” Ji Yuxian kissed her temples as he consoled her.

“What solution can you come up with?” Su Jiu looked at him with doubt.

Qiao An was far away in Xuzhou, and Ji Yuxian’s hand could not possibly extend that far.

Moreover, she knew that this matter was further complicated by government matters. No matter how impressive Ji Yuxian was, he was only a merchant. How could he help her?

Little did she know, for the Ji Family to be the most influential in Daliang, it wasn’t solely due to the wealth that they had amassed.

“Even if I need to use grain, I don’t need my wife to buy it!” Ji Yuxian’s phoenix eyes shined as he stared leisurely at her. “My wife is the mistress of the Ji Manor. If you’re using the family’s grain, why do you need to use silver to buy it?”

Su Jiu looked up at him. “You plan to use the grain in your storage to help Qiao An?”

“Yes, my country is experiencing a crisis. As a royal merchant, naturally, we should help out. Your husband alone can only do so much, so we need to pull in another person!” Ji Yuxian smiled meaningfully.

Su Jiu seemed to understand, and at the same time, she did not. She looked at him with wide eyes.

“That being said, my wife does not need to worry anymore. Everything’s on me!” Ji Yuxian flicked her face in consolation, his eyes doting on his wife. “Don’t keep frowning, or else your husband’s heart will ache!”

Su Jiu pouted, her clear eyes glistening. “Ji Yuxian, you don’t have to do so much for me. As long as it is something I can manage, I can do it myself!”

“Mm. Naturally, since we are husband and wife, we need to work as a team!” Ji Yuxian raised his eyebrows with a grin.

That night, Ji Yuxian invited the Vice Minister of finance, Xie Shiyun, as well as Zhu Hecheng to a meal at Jingqin Tavern.

Because of Xie Ying’s matter, Xie Shiyun always felt very apologetic to the Ji family. When he received the invitation from Ji Yuxian, he immediately agreed to attend the appointment. The moment the sky darkened, he had gone over to Jingqin Tavern to wait.

Zhu Hecheng had no idea why Ji Yuxian had suddenly invited him over. He started speculating the moment he received his invitation. He knew that Ji Yuxian was a profound person, and would not invite him as a guest for no reason. No matter what, he had to guard himself and be extremely vigilant when confronting Ji Yuxian.

At Jingqin Tavern, the waiters came forward to lead Zhu Hecheng towards a suite. The moment he stepped through the doors, he realized that Xie Shiyun was there as well. Both of them exchanged glances in surprise.

“Shopkeeper Zhu, please take a seat!” Xie Shiyun got up and smiled gently.

“My lord is too polite!” Zhu Hecheng sat on an adjoining seat and smiled. “Does Minister Xie know why Eldest Young Master Ji has invited the both of us out for a meal?”

Xie Shiyun shook his head. “No idea!”

A flash swept past Zhu Hecheng’s eyes. He poured Xie Shiyun a cup of tea and said, “Minister Xie was originally Eldest Young Master Ji’s father-in-law. What a pity. I heard that something happened not too long ago!”

Xie Shiyun smiled awkwardly. “Yes, those are matters of the past. There’s no need to bring it up again! Regardless of whether my daughter is still around or not, we are still relatives of the Ji Manor!”

“Yes… indeed!” Zhu Hecheng did not know the details that transpired and had only learned that Xie Shiyun’s daughter passed away in the Ji Manor. He had originally planned to use this incident to drive a wedge between the two families, but he did not expect Xie Shiyun to respond so guiltily, giving him the impression that he did not want to raise the matter again. Instead, he could only change the topic,

“Did we arrive early? Why isn’t Eldest Young Master Ji here yet?”

He turned around, and just as he was about to ask some servants, the door opened and a man clad in a red robe strode in.

His long hair was ink-black, and his handsome face was bewitching. His entire being eluded an elegant air of nobility. When the lanterns that filled the room illuminated his figure, they seemed to be lackluster in comparison to the man’s shining countenance.

“Eldest Young Master Ji!”

Xie Shiyun and Zhu Hecheng rose at the same time, their faces brimming with smiles as they greeted each other.

Ji Yuxian walked towards the host’s seat and sat down. His thin lips held in a smile as he addressed, “Minister Xie, Shopkeeper Zhu, please take a seat!”

They took their seats. A waiter came forward to serve the dishes and set the table, before pouring wine for the three men.

“Thank you for being present. Let me toast to the Minister and Zhu Hecheng!” Ji Yuxian smiled, before raising the wine cup to drink.

“Eldest Young Master Ji, you are too polite!”

Xie Shiyun and Zhu Hecheng chuckled together and accompanied him to drink.

The waiter in charge of serving them immediately came forward to refill their wine cups.

“I’m not sure why Eldest Young Master Ji wants to meet me and Minister Xie.” Zhu Hecheng’s heart was unsettled, and could not help but ask impatiently.

Ji Yuxian blinked his long and narrow eyes. He put on the expression of a citizen who was concerned for the well-being of his country and said in a low voice, “Xuzhou has been hit by a disaster. Tens of thousands of commoners have been displaced and reduced to being refugees, all of them hungry and cold. Even though I live far away in Shengjing, whenever I think of the crisis our country is in, I find it difficult to rest easy!”

Xie Shiyun smiled. “Eldest Young Master Ji, you are such an honest and kind-hearted person. You are so upright and virtuous, it puts this Minister to shame!”

Zhu Hecheng played along and echoed, “We are all citizens of Daliang, our nation’s worries are naturally our concerns as well. I would like to commend the Eldest Master’s benevolence and give him a toast!’

“Come, let us all give a toast to the Eldest Master!” Xie Shiyun raised his cup as well.

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Ji Yuxian was commended by both of them at once. His smile was as light as a cloud, as he raised his wine cup to take a sip. He lamented once again, “Even though I have the intention, it’s more important to have the ability. As a royal merchant, I have a unshirkable duty to the nation, and I am willing to share this burden with His Majesty to solve this problem. However, my commitment alone can’t change much, and hence, I have invited Shopkeeper Zhu here today to discuss. Our families can each contribute half a million kilograms of grain to send to Xuzhou as an aid. Shopkeeper Zhu, what do you think?”

Zhu Hecheng was instantly dumbstruck. Even the hand that was holding his wine glass trembled. He smiled awkwardly, and his heart ached so much at that point that he was rendered speechless.

Half a million kilograms of grain!

Ji Yuxian had said this way too casually!