Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 110 Son-in-Law
Shen Qingzhou had already boarded the official ship.

The officials from the Ministry of War and the Ministry of Revenue were on routine patrols on their official ships. What was on the surface was naturally not apparent; the real problems were all hidden behind the scenes.

After the government officials left, he walked around a few times, and then his bodyguard came over: "Young master, we have checked everything. There are a total of 500 carts of grain, all packed in sacks weighing 100 catties each, totaling about 5,000 shi. This is the first batch, and it will be loaded onto one boat."

"There are nine more batches after this, each weighing 5,000 catties per boat. That's all that was transported from the capital, which matches the accounts."

"However, this ship is a ship with a value of three thousand shi (a unit of dry measure)."

The distant ship lights leaped into Shen Qingzhou's eyes.

He said slowly, “The ships that carry 3,000 shi of grain are reported to carry 5,000 shi of grain. The difference of 2,000 shi, calculated at one tael of silver per shi, is 2,000 taels. For ten ships, that's 20,000 taels.”

"In other words, they withheld 52% of the first batch of military rations, and then withheld a portion of each subsequent batch. Add to that the cash, and after a three- to five-year war, hundreds of thousands of dollars would be no problem."

The guard glanced at the shore: "There was trouble at the theater just now. I reckon it was them who made a scene to take advantage of the chaos."

Shen Qingzhou's toes unconsciously turned towards the dock: "Keep searching, but don't alert them. Keep an eye on where the grain they've embezzled has gone. It would be best to also get hold of their private accounts."

The guards obeyed and disappeared into the shadows.

Another whistle blew, and Shen Qingzhou turned around to see another person approaching: "Young Master, Miss Lu is in some trouble..."

……

Lu Jia, holding the little girl whose arm was bleeding, retreated into the alley with Changfu driving the carriage in front to block her way.

There were more than a dozen people coming from the opposite direction, and they were also carrying sticks.

She looked at the bean sprout-like girl with a chill run down her spine, then at the large knife she was still holding, and asked, "What did you do? Why are so many people chasing you?"

"Sister, I work at the opera house. I was doing my odd jobs properly when they... they suddenly tried to drag me away to perform a 'lucky charm' ritual for their master who's about to die. I don't want to go..."

The little girl was weak and listless, her voice tinged with timidity, but she didn't loosen her grip on the knife at all.

Lu Jia was stunned. By the firelight, he saw that the girl was only twelve or thirteen years old, pretty and charming, with a pair of bright, sparkling eyes that looked like they could attract attention.

"You know martial arts?"

The little girl nodded: "I've learned some martial arts for a few days."

Lu Jia glanced at the alley entrance, where Changfu was still blocking it with his carriage.

Even if she knows martial arts, her injuries render it useless.

After weighing her options, she dragged the girl onto the carriage and shouted, "Changfu! Charge out!"

Upon receiving the order, Changfu gave the horse two sharp lashes, and the horse immediately reared up and neighed! Then it galloped forward.

Lu Jia flung open the curtain, took out the silver from her heavy purse, and scattered it all on the ground.

This is real money!
Who wouldn't be envious?
The group of people holding torches immediately hesitated, and just as they were hesitating, the carriage shot out of the encirclement like an arrow and disappeared into the distance!
……

Shen Qingzhou arrived at the dock just as Changfu was driving back.

Seeing Lu Jia getting out of the car panting, he immediately frowned and looked into the darkness behind her.

The guard in the shadows hurriedly made a hand gesture, and only then did he calm himself down and look away, saying, "Swords and spears have no eyes, why take such a risk?"

After saying that, he looked at the little girl who was also walking down, clutching her arm, and stepped over to her: "Who are you?"

In that instant, he was not Qin Zhou, he was Shen Qingzhou, the outwardly calm but inwardly shrewd and calculating eldest son of the Grand Commandant's mansion.

Upon hearing his question, the little girl involuntarily trembled and knelt down: "I, my name is Yinliu, I'm a maid who does odd jobs at the theater over there..."

Who is pursuing you?

"They were guards from the Fusheng Grain Store at the dock. Their master was seriously ill and about to die, so they were looking for someone to perform a 'lucky marriage' for him. They suddenly found me and said that my birth chart was compatible with theirs. They offered our troupe leader twenty taels of silver to take me away, but I refused and ran away..."

Yinliu was in tears, but beneath the tears, a sense of resentment lingered in her eyes.

"Fusheng Grain Store?" Shen Qingzhou squinted at the distance. "He Qu, go take a look."

The grain store was nearby, so it was easy to find out if there was a dying old owner.

He Qu returned in the blink of an eye: "That's true, that old fellow is already over sixty. He has four or five concubines at home."

“My family also has businesses in the capital, including those for government officials.”

Lu Jia had found the timing of the events strange before. Now, upon hearing that they were also doing business with the government, he immediately understood.

So all that farce was just a cover-up for the docks?

She sneered.

Then, looking at Yin Liu who was still kneeling on the ground, he sighed and reached out his hand to Shen Qingzhou.

Shen Qingzhou glanced at her, knowing she wanted money, and took off his purse.

But when it came time to hand it over, I thought for a moment and decided to open my purse, take out all the silver myself, and then hand it over.

His personal seal and waist tag are in his purse; I can't give them to him.

Lu Jia weighed the silver in his hand, grabbed Yin Liu's hand and pulled her up, slapping the silver into her hand. "Take this money, heal your injuries, and then find another place to live."

Yinliu burst into tears, wiped them away with her sleeve, knelt down and kowtowed: "Thank you, sister!" After saying that, she glanced at Shen Qingzhou and kowtowed again: "Thank you, sister's son-in-law!"

Lu Jia choked.

Uncle?

Shen Qingzhou's face flushed as she listened: "What nonsense are you talking about?"

Only He Qu stood to the side, his eyes darting around, very lively.

Shen Qingzhou seemed a little uneasy and walked away.

Lu Jia patted Yin Liu on the shoulder: "Let's find a clinic first, and then leave the city at dawn."

Yin Liu nodded with tears in her eyes, watching Lu Jia's retreating figure, hesitant to speak.

After Lu Jia left, He Qu stepped forward and said, "The little girl is quite perceptive."

He then took out a few loose silver coins and gave them to her.

Back in Shawan, He Qu thought Shen Qingzhou's attitude towards Lu Jia was just a fleeting infatuation typical of a young master.

Later, when he learned that Lu Jia was Lu Jie's daughter, he felt that Shen Qingzhou was playing with fire.

The fire is so big that even a passing maid can see the details. Now we'll see how their young master puts it out.

Yinliu borrowed the silver and said, "Brave man, what was that lady's name? I want to repay her kindness in the future."

"Well," He Qu said, looking at Lu Jia and Shen Qingzhou who were already standing together in the distance, "the matter of repaying a debt of gratitude depends on fate!"

He's not good at handling these kinds of things.

On the other side, Lu Jia asked about the results of their investigation.

After Shen Qingzhou finished speaking, he said, "The grain hasn't been loaded onto the ship yet, so I need to go and investigate further. I'll leave Hequ to you."

Lu Jia grabbed him and asked, "Who are the officials from the Ministry of Revenue?"

Shen Qingzhou thought for a moment: "It's Liu Xin, the Assistant Minister of the Ministry of Revenue."

"Understood." Lu Jia nodded. "This man has long been a lackey of the Yan family. Since he is leading the team here, and considering the information you just gathered, the guess that the Yan family intends to withhold this batch of military rations is probably correct."

“Take me there, I have a way to get the information out of him.”