Married Thrice to Salted Fish

Chapter 21

From then on, Lu Wancheng paid a lot of attention to the developments in Qingdai Pavilion and asked after Qingdai Pavilion every day. Huan Tong came in from the outside and before he could even speak, Lu Wancheng pinched his throat and said, “Young Master, Shaojun, there’s finally been an incident in Qingdai Pavilion!” 

Lin Qingyu: “…”

Huan Tong looked completely at a loss. “What?”

Lu Wancheng smiled and said, “I’m guessing that someday you’re going to say that so I was imitating the way you talk.”

Lin Qingyu pulled the rug from under him right on the spot, “First of all, Huan Tong wouldn’t call me ‘Shaojun’. If you’re going to imitate him then at least try to imitate him well. Secondly, for livening-up medicine to harm someone’s core isn’t something that can be done in a day.” Lin Qingyu couldn’t help being suspicious, “Why are you even more anxious than I am?” 

“Well, isn’t that because I’m bored doing nothing but resting? I’m always coughing and I can’t sleep.”

Lu Wancheng hadn’t been sleeping well lately. He even had swaths of bluish purple under his eyes.

Lin Qingyu thought for a while, and asked Huan Tong, “And what have you come here for?”

“Oh,” Watching the two banter, Huan Tong almost forgot his purpose for coming. “Manager Zhang is here.”

Lin Qingyu said, “Let him in.”

Zhang Shiquan had come this time to tell them of something strange. Among the various businesses of the Hou Mansion, the restaurants and shops in the city along with the villages in the countryside accounted for half of them. The villages in the countryside depended on the weather for their crops. A drought could spell total crop failure for more than half the year. At the beginning of this year, Xuzhou has been suffering from a drought. Strangely, the income of several villages in Xuzhou did not decrease but increased instead. No problem could be seen on the books, and the grain has indeed been sent to the Hou Mansion’s warehouse. It really was quite puzzling.

Seeing Zhang Shiquan so worried, Huan Tong asked, “We received more of the harvest instead of less. Isn’t this a fortunate event?”

Zhang Shiquan said, “Seeing as we do not know where this wealth has come from, if it turns out to be ill-gotten, the entire Hou Mansion may be implicated.” 

Lin Qingyu cast a sidelong glance at Lu Wancheng who was lying atop the luohan. The noble son who was resting on the couch was still ever as relaxed and content despite his illness. Eyes half-lidded, he remained aloof to matters that didn’t personally affect him.

Zhang Shiquan asked, “Shaojun, may I send someone to investigate this matter?”

Lin Qingyu’s heart was moved but when his thoughts reached his lips, he changed his words, “No need. In any case, this isn’t a deficit in income. I simply don’t feel like bothering about it.”

Lu Wancheng’s eyes opened wide and Lin Qingyu fancied he could even see his ears perk up. He couldn’t help finding it all amusing. 

Zhang Shiquan said hesitantly, “Shaojun, I think it won’t do to handle this matter carelessly. It would be better to investigate it.”

“We’ll talk about it some other time.” Lin Qingyu stood up and said, “I’m a little tired. I’m going back to the room to rest. Do as you please.”

As soon as Lin Qingyu left, a worry-wart steward and a salted fish looked at each other.

It was common knowledge that Young Master Hou has always been indifferent to everything, holding himself above all worldly matters. He never asked about the household affairs, no matter how big or small. They needed only to listen to the Shaojun’s orders. Now that Shaojun said not to investigate, although he did not approve of such practices, he could only follow orders.