Read Novel Full Chapter 487: Schemes ( 1 )
Chapter 487: Schemes ( 1 )
Under Xi Yi’s instruction and Luo Bo’s supervision, the workers finished transporting the seedlings to the allocated area when the sun dipped toward the western horizon.
After leaving the workshops, Xi Yi didn’t return to the village. Instead, she stayed at the store.
Since the storefront had been renovated and turned into an upscale restaurant, they had built a separate three-story building as dormitories for the workers and Xi Yi’s office. Her office was located in a room on the highest floor.
Inside her office, there was not only a study room but also a bigger room as her living quarters.
Now that her Master was busy handling matters in Northeast City, she was the only one who managed everything in Yang Village and Zhu’an Town.
Sitting beside her desk, Xi Yi checked the ledger. Besides the Health-Preserving Restaurant, they also had several businesses under Lei Feng’s name: a Jewelry Store, Clothing Store, Pastry Shop, and Seasoning Store.
The money used to rent the shops was the money given by Yao Zhi before she left the village. These stores were located in several towns and cities not far from Zhu’an Town.
With Xi Yi’s business talent, these businesses were newly opened, but they had already earned back their initial investment in less than a month.
Right now, the only trouble for their businesses was the materials needed for the restaurant and seasoning store. As for the other businesses, they had signed a contract with the Xue family.
It took Xi Yi several hours before she finished calculating the ledgers. After she wrote down the final number, a smile appeared on her face.
Their net profit was more than she had expected, a total of 598,655 taels of silver from all the businesses.
Knowing her Master’s love for gold, she called out, “Xiao Ming.”
Soon after, a man in his early twenties entered the office and bowed to her. “Manager Xi, what order do you have for me?”
Xi Yi wrote several letters asking the store managers to exchange the silver into gold ingots. After she sealed the letters, she handed them to the man. “Send these letters to the store managers.”
Xiao Ming kept the letters in his clothes and nodded. “Understood.”
When she was alone, Xi Yi stretched her sore body and let out a sigh. Looking at the stars from the open window, a smile appeared on her face.
Before, she never thought that she would one day be able to live the life she had always longed for, a life of freedom.
Not long after her husband was beheaded and she became a state slave, she had thought about ending her life. If not for her children and sisters-in-law, she might not have survived long enough to meet her Master.
Now, she had not only become a good citizen, but she was also able to put her talent to good use. She was able to earn a lot of money to give her children a comfortable life.
But despite her high position and wealth, she never thought of betraying her Master. The main reason for her loyalty was not only because of the life-saving grace, but also because her Master treated her and her children as family.
Not only her Master changed her children’s identity, their Master allowed them to study and even encouraged them to join the imperial exam. Only when they joined the Imperial Court would they be able to overturn their father’s case and clear their family’s name.
Xi Yi let out a long sigh and went to wash up. Soon after, she lay on the bed and fell asleep.
Early the next morning, soon after the town gate was opened, the sound of the horse carriage’s wheels echoed along the empty road as it left the town.
Inside the carriage, Madam Han looked at the scenery through the carriage’s window. Beside her, Han Mingzhu was sleeping soundly.
Seeing her naive daughter, worries filled her heart.
Compared to Xue Ya’er, her daughter was still too young. Even if she became Lu Qianxuan’s second wife, she might not be able to defeat her cousin, considering how reckless and impatient she was.
If not for the trouble caused by her son, there would have been no need for them to use their legitimate daughter to build a connection with Lu Qianxuan.
Thinking about the situation of the Han family, Madam Han clenched her fists tightly. She only hoped that everything would go smoothly. Otherwise, it would be too late to save her son.
While they were traveling at high speed, the Pei family finally received the imperial edict ordering them to take over the defense of the Northern border.
In the far Western border, Pei Guifeng, the Commander of the Azure Dragon Army, handed an imperial edict to his son as they sat inside his tent.
“Songrui, the imperial edict is here. Take a look.”
Hearing this, Pei Songrui accepted the imperial edict from his father and unfurled it. He read the edict for a moment before he said, “Father, what do you think the Emperor wants by splitting our army like this?”
Pei Guifeng shook his head and replied with a frown, “This might be one of the Jin family’s or the Su family’s schemes. After the Emperor took Zhen’er into his harem, the Empress Dowager won’t be able to stay calm.”
Clenching his fists, Pei Yaozhi said through gritted teeth, “Our family is always loyal to the throne and never involves ourselves in the power struggle.”
“The Emperor clearly knows that by doing this, it will put my sister at the center of the storm. Yet, he still does it. I don’t know if he no longer trusts us or if he wants to use us against the Empress Dowager.”
The moment Pei Guifeng heard his grandson’s words, he frowned and reprimanded him. “Shut up!”
Noticing his grandfather’s displeasure, Pei Yaozhi swallowed the rest of his words. Although he was angry and displeased with the Emperor, he knew that if his words were heard by others, it would cause trouble for his family.
“Yaozhi, you are no longer a child. You should change your temper. The wall might have ears,” Pei Guifeng sighed.