Chapter 457 : Completing The Confinement

Time flies, and more than half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

“Huu……” Yuxi let out a long sigh as she lay in the tub. She was finally done with her confinement. It had been a torturous month, with nothing to do but read for one shichen1 a day, and she was bored out of her mind.

Zijin carried the water into the clean room, poured it into the bathtub, and then smiled at Yuxi as she reminded her, “Madam, this is the third water. Don’t stay in the bath anymore after this!” The skin would become wrinkled if one continued to wash oneself.

Yuxi shook her head as she said, “No more washing this time.” She should finally be clean after scrubbing herself from top to bottom three times.

After bathing, Yuxi walked out of the house in her scented clothes, looked out at the bright sunshine, and said, “At last, I can see the light of the day again2.” It was tough being cooped up in the house every day.

Zijin pursed her lips and laughed. “Madam, won’t those who don’t know think you’ve just been released from prison?” Her Madam was simply not allowed to go out. How could that be the same as being allowed to see the light of the day again2? That reaction was so exaggerated.

Yuxi laughed slightly and asked, “Zaozao hasn’t returned yet?” Ever since she first let Zaozao be carried to Huo Changqing, Zaozao had been sent to the front yard every day except when the weather was terrible. Huo Changqing would not let Zaozao return until she was crying with hunger.

Zijin shook her head. “Not yet! Uncle Huo is still playing with Zaozao.” Zaozao was the most treasured person in the Yun Residence; from Huo Changqing down to the floor sweeper, none of them wasn’t fond of her.

Yuxi said helplessly, “All of them are spoiling that girl so much. I’m worried I won’t be able to control her in the future.” Yun Qing was already pampering Zaozao so much, and now Huo Changqing was doing the same; Yuxi couldn’t help but worry!

Zijin felt that Yuxi was worrying about nothing. “Madam, the Eldest Young Miss is only one month old. Isn’t it too early for you to be worried?”

Yuxi glanced at Zijin and asked, “You don’t believe it?” Seeing Zijin nod, Yuxi sighed. “In a few years, you will know if I am the same as the man from Qi who feared that the sky would fall3.” When the other generation began to spoil the children even more, the younger generation could not say anything about it.

Zijin felt it was too early and a waste of time to discuss Zaozao’s future right now. She then changed the subject by asking, “Madam, shouldn’t we bring all the children from the farm back to Yu City?” It would be inappropriate to keep these children on the farm.

Yuxi shook her head. “No need, let them still do some work on the farm.” Everyone had their laziness. If they continued supporting the children, some would inevitably become lazy and dependent. Therefore, it was better to leave them on the farm.

Speaking of children on the estate, Yuxi remembered the two estates she had bought. One was near Xinping City, and the other was close to Yu City, just half a shichen1 carriage ride away.

Yuxi said, “Go get Han Dong.” Han Jianming had sent three stewards: Han Dong, Han Xiaowei, and Han Baocai. Han Dong stayed at the residence as the second steward, and Han Xiaowei went to manage the 1,000 mu4 of farmland in Xinping City as the steward. The other farmland was given to Guo Xun, and Han Baocai was asked to assist him. Side assistance meant that she would assign Han Baocai with other duties in the future. Of course, not only Han Baocai but also Han Xiaowei would be brought back to the residence when the farmland he managed was on track. If she had only appointed him to run the farm, she wouldn’t have had to ask Han Jianming to send someone thousands of miles away.

When Yuxi saw Han Dong, she asked, “What’s the situation on the farmland now?” This farmland near Yu City was something that others had ignored. It originally belonged to the Qin family, who sold it in the second lunar month. It changed hands a few times before ending up with Yuxi. It was no small estate, with seven or eight hundred mu4 of rice fields.

Han Dong replied, “It’s the time of summer harvest, and the people on the farm are all busy with it.”

Yuxi instructed, “Have someone send a letter to Guo Xun and Chief Lian to come back here after the summer harvest. I have something to tell them.”

Han Dong nodded. “Yes, madam.”

After explaining a few more things, Yuxi was just about to ask Han Dong to withdraw when she heard Shiliu rush in and report, “Madam, the General has been assassinated.”

Yuxi flinched and asked, “Where is the General now?”

Shiliu replied, “The General is in the front yard, Madam. He is not……” Before she could finish saying ‘he is not hurt’, Yuxi’s figure was already gone.

When Yuxi reached the front yard, she saw blood stains on Yun Qing’s clothes. She immediately rushed forward and carefully tugged at Yun Qing’s sleeve, asking, “Where did you get hurt?” She didn’t even dare to touch Yun Qing’s arm, just in case her touch worsened the injury.

Yun Qing shook his head. “I’m fine. All this blood is from the assassin, not me.” He had reminded everyone not to inform Yuxi, but he didn’t think he could hide it.

When Yuxi heard that Yun Qing was not injured, she let out a sigh of relief and said, “Go and change your clothes first!” These clothes were covered in blood and looked a bit horrible.

After Yun Qing had changed his clothes, Yuxi asked, “Do you know who assassinated you?” It had just been two days of peace, and now it would not be peaceful again.

Yun Qing shook his head. “I’m not sure. Those people killed themselves by biting poison when they saw the assassination failed.” Those assassins were all dead men walking anyway. Even if they were caught, Yun Qing and his men couldn’t ask them anything.

A cold light flashed in Yuxi’s eyes. “Has the Songs become a cornered dog ready to jump over the wall?” It was impossible to dispatch dead men walking who were highly skilled in martial arts without any inside information. So, apart from the Song family, Yuxi couldn’t think of anyone else.

Yun Qing said, “It doesn’t have to be the Song family; it could be the Xu family.” Seeing Yuxi’s confused face, he explained, “The nearly tens of thousands of shi of grain and fodder that I burned last time had flowed out from within the Pass5. The Xu family has been selling grain, fodder, salt and other daily necessities to the northern barbarians for several years.”

Yuxi was very surprised. “The Xu family has long colluded with the northern barbarians?”

Yun Qing shook his head. “It’s not so much about collusion as it is about profiteering. Grain, fodder, salt and even cookware such as pots are all things that the Northern Barbarians are desperate for. If the Xu family sells them there, they can make twice as much or more.”

Yuxi said with some confusion, “I remember you telling me earlier that there were people in Yu City who sold grain and fodder to the enemy in the past, but weren’t they caught? What? Weren’t they caught clean?” Speaking of which, Yuxi looked at Yun Qing and asked, “It can’t be that you found out that the masterminds behind this were Qin Zhao and the Xu family, so you didn’t investigate further, right?”

Yun Qing smiled bitterly and said, “It was the Marshal who did not allow the investigation to continue.” If the investigation had been allowed to continue and the poisonous tumour that was the Xu family had been removed back then, tens of thousands of soldiers would not have died in vain. He wondered if the Marshal in heaven would have regretted his decision if he had known this would happen.

Yuxi fell silent; even the wisest of men had their weaknesses. The reason Marshal Qin did not allow the investigation to continue was to protect Qin Zhao thoroughly. He did not know that his love and protection were harming Qin Zhao, not an act of affection for him. Since Marshal Qin had already gone, there was nothing more she could say. “What? Are you going to make a move against the Xu family?”

Yun Qing nodded. “In the future, I will give the supply of grain and fodder to the Chen family.” This Chen family that Yun Qing was talking about was the maternal family of Da Nainai6 Fu.

Upon hearing this, Yuxi also understood why Yun Qing had said that perhaps the Xu family had sent someone to assassinate him this time. Yuxi sternly rebuked him, “You didn’t even tell me about such a big thing.” Although the profit from selling grain, fodder, uniforms, and blankets was not large, one could make a considerable profit if the amount sold was large.

Yun Qing said, “You’re in the middle of your confinement, and people in confinement can’t be bothered with that, so I didn’t tell you.” He had discussed things with Yuxi while she was in confinement, and somehow Uncle Huo found out and gave him a hard time for it. He didn’t dare to tell Yuxi about anything after that, even forbidding Zijin from revealing any outside news to her. This was also why Yuxi thought that the breeze was still and the waves were calm7 in the city all this time.

After hearing this, Yuxi was a little anxious and asked, “You haven’t already agreed to the Chen family, have you?” The benefits associated with this grain and grass supply were not small, and it could not be given to anyone casually.

Yun Qing shook his head. “When Tian Lei mentioned it to me, I didn’t immediately agree then. I only said that I would think about it.” The supply of grain and fodder was no child’s play, and if the Chen family was not qualified, he could not agree to it even if Fu Tianlei stepped in. So during that time, he had sent someone to check the Chen family’s details and found that they had acted appropriately and done business with integrity, so he had this intention.

Yuxi explained, “It’s not that the supply of grain and fodder cannot be given to the Chen family, but the price cannot be the same as before. Even the price for medicinal materials has to be changed.”

Yun Qing asked Yuxi, “Do you mean to lower the price?” They couldn’t lower the price just because they wanted to.

Yuxi said, “The prices of grain, fodder and medicinal materials in Yu City are too high, which is unreasonable. It is not only the prices of these things that need to be reduced, but also the purchase prices of other things. Although these things are not highly profitable, many a little will make a mickle8. Even if the price is slightly lowered, it is still very profitable.”

Yun Qing frowned. “It’s good that the prices can be lowered, but what if these people disagree?” Even if the price of those things dropped just a little, it would be a considerable amount of money over the course of a year.

Yuxi answered, “Businessmen value profit. As long as they can make money, these people will not refuse. Even if the Chen and the Zhao families decline this offer, there are still other families.”

Although Yun Qing was not well versed in common affairs, he still had some understanding after all this time. “If they cut off the supply for a while, it would be inappropriate.”

Yuxi wasn’t even worried about what Yun Qing had said. “As long as we don’t knock them down with a fatal blow9, I believe the Zhao family will make concessions.” What she wanted was not for these people to make concessions but for them to bleed10. If these families weren’t willing, she would find someone else who would.

Yun Qing asked, “You already have a plan?”

Yuxi made a sound of agreement. “You can leave this matter to me. I will take care of it properly.” Seeing Yun Qing’s hesitation, she said with a smile, “I have been learning the business from my mother since I was five years old, and I am no worse than those merchants when it comes to business. So, you can rest assured.” Qiu Shi hid nothing from Yuxi and taught her everything she knew. It was just that in the past, Yuxi had too many scruples in the capital, so she did not dare to do anything that would attract attention.

Yun Qing nodded. “Okay, then I will leave this matter to you. Tell me if there is any difficulty, and I will solve it.”

Yuxi nodded with a smile and promised, “Don’t worry, if I can’t get it done, I’ll definitely look for you.” If she didn’t have Yun Qing’s support, she wouldn’t be able to do anything.