Chapter One Hundred and Eighty-Seven
"Big brother, what does he mean? Hurry up and stop them!" Kong Yuhe said upon hearing this, looking discontentedly in the direction where Qing Mu and the others had left.
While signaling someone to untie Kong Meng'er, Kong Yuchuan irritably shoved the letter into Kong Yuhe's arms and said with annoyance, "See for yourself!"
Kong Yuchuan looked up at the sky, swallowing the aggrieved tears welling in his heart.
He, his brothers, and their father were all grown men. Within the manor, there were few women, and matters concerning young ladies were things they brothers did not understand, so naturally, they couldn't discuss them with Kong Meng'er.
Furthermore, none of the three of them were married.
There was no sister-in-law who could teach their sister about matters between men and women.
Coupled with the talk from the brothers in the manor after they had wives and children, they never imagined it would lead to their sister misunderstanding things to this extent.
"Big brother..." Kong Yuhe also fell silent after reading the letter.
How to explain this?
It was truly somewhat awkward.
"Big brother, hurry up and have that wretched fellow captured and brought back to me!" Kong Meng'er, thinking about how Qing Mu had gagged her all along the journey, was seething with anger!
Since childhood, she had never suffered such hardship. Just moments ago, she had been gagged and unable to speak. Anyone who didn't know would have thought she was mute.
"Nonsense! For these next days, you are not to go anywhere. Stay obediently at home." Kong Yuchuan thought that he really must find a matron to properly teach his sister.
Otherwise, if she goes out again, wouldn't it become a laughingstock?
The Capital
Li Tianyou had just left the Ministry of Revenue when someone blocked his path.
"Lord Li!" The man called out to Li Tianyou with a fawning expression.
"You are?" Li Tianyou had been busy all day and was somewhat tired, really not wanting to deal with others.
But this person kept blocking his way. Li Tianyou wanted to pretend he hadn't seen him, but that was no longer possible.
"Lord Li, important people have short memories. It doesn't matter if you don't remember this humble official, but this humble official remembers you," the man said with a smile.
Li Tianyou frowned. This person—he truly didn't remember having met him.
He had basically met all the officials of the Six Ministries, but he hadn't seen this person in any of them.
However, the man's official robes made Li Tianyou somewhat hesitant.
Perhaps he had actually met him but just couldn't recall for the moment?
"Might I ask if this official has some business?" Since he couldn't guess, Li Tianyou decided not to try.
"Look at what you're saying, Lord Li. Does it mean one can't come find you if there's no business? Back in the day, we had a chance encounter in Li'an County," Xu Xiangren said, smiling as he tried to get closer to Li Tianyou.
"I didn't expect you to have been to Li'an County as well?" Li Tianyou asked in surprise.
"As it happens, I served in Xin'an County for three years. It was only this year that I returned to the capital," Xu Xiangren said with a look of pride. After all, the opportunity to return to the capital after serving as a county magistrate in a small county like Xin'an was rare.
Even though now he was only a minor Assistant Minister of the Imperial Stud, it was still far better than many others.
"So it's Lord Xu. Look at my memory." Li Tianyou knew of Xu Xiangren, though they had never met. However, the Li family had business in Xin'an County; he had only heard of him but never seen him.
"Oh? So Lord Li actually knows of this humble official? That is truly an honor!" Xu Xiangren's heart leapt with joy. He hadn't expected Li Tianyou to actually know of him. He thought to himself that coming to find Li Tianyou today was truly the right move.
After all, although Li Tianyou was formerly just a merchant, now he was deeply favored by the Emperor, who had directly granted him a position of the second rank.
If he could build good relations with Lord Li, perhaps someday, when Lord Li was in a good mood, he might promote him?
Thinking this, Xu Xiangren's gaze towards Li Tianyou grew even more fervent.
"Might I ask why you sought me out, Lord Xu?" Li Tianyou asked, puzzled. After all, he and this Lord Xu had never even met, let alone had any friendship.
However, if he remembered correctly, this Lord Xu seemed to be on good terms with that Cao Yunpeng.
I wonder if he knows that Cao Yunpeng is currently imprisoned in the Ministry of Justice's dungeon?
"Nothing, nothing. I just heard you are now serving in the Ministry of Revenue, so I came to make myself known," Xu Xiangren said with a smile.
"Might I ask which department you are currently in, Lord Xu?" Li Tianyou looked at Xu Xiangren and asked.
"This humble official is of little talent but was fortunate to have the opportunity to return to the capital for a post. Currently, I am just in the Imperial Stud," Xu Xiangren said with a smile.
Li Tianyou thought for a moment. The Imperial Stud—he had recently read some files concerning it.
Right, the Imperial Stud—they manage the horses!
"Haha, for Lord Xu to stand out among the many and return to the capital is already quite impressive," Li Tianyou said a polite remark.
But Xu Xiangren beside him seemed not to notice at all, pulling Li Tianyou into chatter about this and that.
Leaving Li Tianyou feeling extremely awkward.
"Master, it is time to return to the residence." A cold voice sounded from the side.
The newcomer was precisely the shadow guard assigned to Li Tianyou by Xu Heming, Qing He.
"Lord Xu, my apologies. I have matters to attend to and must return to my residence first." Having said this, Li Tianyou turned and followed Qing He without looking back.
"Ah..." Xu Xiangren still wanted to get a bit closer to Li Tianyou, but the man was already long gone.
Xu Xiangren was dissatisfied but had no choice; the person had left.
However, coming here today wasn't without gain. At the very least, he had made Li Tianyou remember him.
Perhaps next time he needed to find someone for help or something, he might think of him.
By the time Xu Xiangren returned home, it was very late.
"Master, why are you only returning now?" Madame Xu, née Niu, seeing that Xu Xiangren had returned later than usual, asked somewhat discontentedly.
"Wife, do you remember that wealthy Master Li from Li'an County back then?" Xu Xiangren, however, excitedly took Niu's hand and said.
"I remember. Wasn't he just a merchant? So what if he was wealthy?" Niu said dismissively.
"Now this Master Li is extraordinary. Somehow, he gained the Emperor's favor. Now he is actually a Vice Minister of Revenue, a second-rank official!" Xu Xiangren said with a face full of envy.
"Master, are you saying that Master Li leapt to become a second-rank official?" Niu knew her husband had been a ninth-rank official when he served as county magistrate in Xin'an County. Later, after entering the capital, he became an Assistant Minister of the Imperial Stud, a proper sixth-rank official. They had been overjoyed for a long time back then.
Now, hearing that Li Tianyou, that merchant, had transformed into a second-rank official, Niu counted on her fingers and thought, Good heavens, that's a full three ranks higher than her husband.
An official one rank higher can crush a person to death. Three ranks higher could crush their entire family.
Thinking this, Niu swallowed hard and looked at Xu Xiangren nervously, asking, "Master, back in Xin'an County, you didn't... cause any trouble for this Master Li, did you?"
Niu was terrified that now that Li Tianyou had risen high, he might come back to take revenge on their family.
After all, the Li family was already wealthier than theirs. Now, their power was greater too.
What if they had done something back then and he seeks revenge?
