Don't Ask Where People Go After Time Travel

Chapter 1813 Greeting
"Your Majesty, thank you so much for today." Mu Chuji bowed solemnly. "If it weren't for your message to me, which allowed you to obtain the Empress Dowager's decree in time, I'm afraid that the Master..."

He didn't continue. Li Qianning was puzzled, but remained outwardly calm. "Your Highness, there's no need for this. Prince Zhongzheng is the backbone of Miluo Kingdom. I just can't bear to see loyal ministers and generals suffer injustice."

"Aren't you wronged?" Mu Chuji chuckled inwardly. How many grievances had the Zhongzheng Prince's Mansion suffered over the years? Now that the Princess Consort was dead, the only person the Master cared about in this world was Murong Qing.

He truly didn't understand what Mu Churui was doing all this time. If it was for Murong Qing, and he was willing to gamble everything...

Does Mu Chu Rui no longer want the throne that he treated as a plaything?

"What is Your Highness Prince Qi thinking about?" Li Qianning asked when she saw that Mu Chuji remained silent for a long time.

"It's nothing." Mu Chuji shook her head, then suddenly reached out and stroked Li Qianning's hair.

Li Qianning instinctively tried to dodge, but Mu Chuji grabbed her wrist with his other hand. "Alright," he said, removing her hand and revealing a flower petal in his palm.

"Thank you, Your Highness Prince Qi." Li Qianning's ears turned red, and she lowered her eyes, not daring to look at Mu Chuji, but his words still reached her ears without missing a single one. "Sister-in-law, having you is the greatest blessing of my life."

He spoke with such sincerity that it seemed entirely genuine, and Li Qianning felt her heart pounding wildly. She turned and quickly left.

Mu Chuji watched Li Qianning's retreating figure, a slight smile playing on his lips. If only she weren't his sister-in-law, but his princess consort.

Thinking of this, his expression suddenly changed. Even he was startled by the thought that had suddenly arisen in his mind; it was a thought he would never have had in his usual carefree and playful way.

But once it takes hold, it's hard to erase.

Very well. Mu Chuji looked at the petal in his palm. If Mu Churui was not worthy to be the ruler of Miluo, it wouldn't be a big deal for him to take his place.

Fang Zilan took in Mu Chuji's changing expression. She raised an eyebrow and watched as he placed the flower petals in his palm into his robes, treating them with such care and respect, clearly showing that he was moved.

Finally, we've come to this point.

Fang Zilan said gracefully, "I visited your residence a few days ago, but I was disappointed to find that Duke Jin was ill. I am relieved to see you today that you are well."

Pei Jinqing knew the situation perfectly well, but remained calm on the surface and said, "I heard from my subordinates that the Duke of Yue has come to collect money from the Ministry of Revenue on behalf of the Southeast Prefecture. This matter has been delayed for a while because the Ministry of Revenue has been very busy lately. I hope the Duke of Yue will understand."

Fang Zilan had intended to probe his intentions, but his frankness made her appear petty. Since that was the case, she might as well be frank. After all, who knew if she'd return from this trip to Qiluo City? Besides, the Empress Dowager already disliked her, so what difference would it make if she offended the Pei family again? "Duke Jin, you flatter me. I was just worried and confused. I thought the matter of dealing with the aftermath in the southeast required utmost care, so I put a bit too much pressure on the officials in the Ministry of Revenue. I hope you won't take offense." Fang Zilan spoke politely, but her expression sharpened. "After all, with the Miluo people launching a major invasion, we in the capital cannot afford any mishaps."

Her words were clearly meant to intimidate, and some officials immediately slowed down, keeping a respectful distance to try and eavesdrop.

“Those incompetent officials in the Ministry of Revenue do need to be disciplined. I appreciate the Duke of Yue’s good intentions…” Pei Jinqing narrowed his eyes and said in a measured tone, “However, the Duke of Yue has overreached. Be careful not to overstep his bounds.”

Fang Zilan laughed self-deprecatingly, "Thank you for the reminder, Duke Jin, but my reach is already extending to Qiluo City, and it's hard to avoid stretching it too far."

Pei Jinqing pursed his lips, his tone softening slightly, "If I may ask, how long can the Duke of Yue defend Qiluo City?"

Just as Fang Zilan was about to say that she would do her best, he added, "What I want to hear is the specific date. Don't try to fool me with some excuse about doing your best."

Fang Zilan took a deep breath, thinking to herself that this person was truly strange. She dared not be negligent and, after considering all the pros and cons, cautiously uttered a deadline, "One month."

"Okay, I'll remember that." Pei Jinqing left with these meaningful words, and without waiting for her reaction, he took his leave, leaving her completely bewildered, feeling as if she were in a fog.

What Fang Zilan didn't know was that Pei Jinqing was genuinely ill during those days. Most of the Pei family members were in poor health, with Pei Xiaozhe being among the worst off. Therefore, the documents she sent to the Ministry of Revenue for approval were not returned at Pei Jinqing's behest, but rather were done on the Minister of Revenue's own initiative.

As for why she did this so deliberately, it's quite simple. Ever since that incident at the beginning of the new year, not only those in the Ministry of Revenue, but everyone in the court knows that the Empress Dowager dislikes her. Moreover, the Empress Dowager comes from the Pei family, which means that the Pei family and she are at odds. Therefore, the Minister of Revenue cleverly orchestrated this incident, thinking that he wouldn't give anyone a handle to use against her, but would still annoy her and vent his anger for the Pei family. Why not?
Unexpectedly, Pei Jinqing, who had just recovered from his illness, heard about this matter and went to the Ministry of Revenue to demand an explanation. In the words of this Duke of Jin, who had not visited the Ministry of Revenue for ten years, "Even if you have to sacrifice your family fortune to relieve the crisis, you must settle the debts in the Southeast." Those who knew him would understand, but those who didn't would think that the Southeast had been destroyed because it was his Pei family ancestral hall.

The Minister of Revenue was so frightened that he sorted out the accounts in the southeast overnight. The approved memorial had just left the Imperial Study when the national treasury sent the silver to the southeast. Needless to say, such efficiency was due to the advance notice given by the Ministry of Revenue.

However, that wasn't the end of it. The Su family somehow got wind of the news and spoke with Pei Jinqing. They also secretly contacted Zhuge Yu and sent someone to deliver the silver to the southeast, bypassing the Prince of Rong'an, for fear that someone might embezzle a single penny in the process.

The silver from the southeast had finally been scraped together, but the military pay for the fighting on the border was simply unaffordable. The Minister of Revenue was overwhelmed by the snowflakes of documents from the Ministry of War, and to make matters worse, the Ministry of Works also chimed in, saying there was a problem with the military workshops. This effectively put the Minister of Revenue, like an eel in boiling water, in a very difficult position. Not only was he severely punished, but he also dared not report it to the Pei family, fearing that if Pei Jinqing personally went there again, it would truly mean ruining his family's fortunes to save the country.

This matter involves a wide range of people, each with their own ulterior motives, and the relationships involved are extremely complex. As for how much Li Shengxuan knew and how much he did, no one knows.

Fang Zilan was unaware of the implications behind it all, so her departure was relatively easy.

(End of this chapter)