Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 279 This head isn't enough to knock over.

This happened so fast that Lu Jie was completely caught off guard.

But even in that brief moment, he could still recall the shape of the jade pendant.

That's the Lu family's jade!

A more accurate way to put it is that it was the jade he gave to Lu Jia back then!
When the father and daughter reunited, he asked Lu Jia about the whereabouts of the jade, and Lu Jia said that she had given the jade to someone else.

That jade was merely a token of recognition; he wouldn't be so incapable of recognizing his own daughter. So when Lu Jia said no, he didn't press the matter further. Yet now, it had appeared in the hands of this masked man!

"Who are you?!"

He asked the question after being forced out of the inn, lowering his voice to a whisper the moment he landed.

The jade was given away by Lu Jia, not lost, and the person who appeared at the right time must be a reliable person!
But how could Lu Jia, who grew up among the common people and was busy fighting with small businessmen like Zhang Qi before returning to the capital, know such a person?
"Leave first!"

Shen Qingzhou responded quickly, then grabbed him and leaped onto the wall.

Inside the Ministry of Revenue, only the guard Liu Fu remained with Yang Bonong in the office. After Lu Jie left, every moment became unbearable in the quiet twilight. From the time the two guards who were keeping watch left the Lu family residence, discovered the anomaly, reported to the Yan family, and then the Yan family responded by sending people to search for Lu Jie's whereabouts, they had already calculated the time taken before leaving home; it would take at least two or three quarters of an hour.

In other words, the maximum amount of time they have is only 45 minutes.

As the hourglass on the table emptied more than halfway, and half an hour had passed, Yang Bonong gradually became restless. He put down his official documents, stood up, and walked to the window to look at Liu Fu, who was waiting in the shadows outside the door. Then he walked back and sat down.

He sat for only a short while before getting up again. If things went smoothly with Lu Jie, he should be heading back by now. He wondered...

"somebody is coming!"

Liu Fu suddenly spoke up and instantly leaped onto the roof, pressing himself against the tiles as he looked toward the source of the sound.

Yang Bonong's heart was in his throat. He hid behind the window and looked towards the courtyard gate. Sure enough, he saw a noisy commotion coming over the many walls of the courtyard and heading towards the innermost part of the courtyard!

"Oh no!" Liu Fu exclaimed anxiously, "They're after the adults!"

This is the official residence of the highest-ranking official in the Ministry of Revenue; how could an ordinary person dare to come here?
Only the Yan family!

Only the Yan family!
Yang Bonong almost tasted the metallic taste in his throat. He quickly scanned the path leading to the backyard—being caught red-handed or disappearing now was neither a good idea. But if they missed their target, at least there would be a chance to make amends later!
He said, "Hold on for a while! If it really gets too much, I'll retreat from the back!"

After he finished speaking, he walked towards the back window, but at that moment, the door behind him was pushed open with a bang. Just as Yang Bonong was about to faint, Lu Jie's voice came: "Bo Nong!"

Yang Bonong was startled. He leaned against the wall and turned his head. He saw Lu Jie stride in, followed by a tall man in black. The candlelight made the man's mask shine brightly, making it impossible to look directly into his eyes!

……

Yan Shu's men, who had been sent out earlier, split into several groups and quickly made contact with the two guards who were keeping watch. Subsequently, the people who were tracking Lu Jie realized that there might be something fishy going on at the Ministry of Revenue. However, the Ministry of Revenue was not a place that ordinary people could enter. No matter how powerful the Yan family was, there was no reason for their servants to be able to barge in and arrest people.

When the servant, having been turned away, returned to the manor to report, Yan Shu immediately dispatched Yan Liang to personally lead a group of men. Given Yan Liang's status as the eldest son of the Yan family, if he requested to enter to find Lu Jie, at least the officials of the Ministry of Revenue would not dare to obstruct him.

Yan Liang had initially reserved his opinion on whether Lu Jie had deceived the Yan family, but now he dared not be careless.

Yan Shu's speculation was very reasonable. Lu Jie would never entrust something so important to someone else, so if he was up to something, then the thing must be on him.

He carried it on his person when he left the mansion, which must have been for the purpose of relocation.

Yan Liang hurried to the Ministry of Revenue. The journey there was indeed smooth, but the offices of other officials were completely dark, except for the innermost room with lights on.

This unusual scene deepened his suspicions. He quickened his pace towards the light, and without a word, pushed open the door: "Lord Lu, why are you still working so late?"

As soon as he finished speaking, a brightly lit room came into view. Lu Jie sat upright behind his desk, with half a cup of tea and a pile of messy documents in front of him.

The refined and scholarly Minister leaned back in his armchair, looking over with a sharp gaze.

Yan Liang's remaining words were stuck in his throat.

He instantly looked up into the room. Yang Bonong was organizing books under the bookshelf against the wall, staring at him with surprise. The rest of the room was empty, and even the windows were closed.

"Who do we have here? It's Young Master Yan this time." Lu Jie looked at him indifferently but with a hint of seriousness. "This is an important place for official business. Young Master Yan led his men to break in in the middle of the night. Did your father suddenly remember something and have some instructions to convey to me?"

These words were full of sarcasm. Yan Liang snapped out of his daze and chuckled, "Uncle Lu, you flatter me!"

The guards clearly reported that Lu Jie had likely slipped away unnoticed, yet he was still here perfectly fine!
An inconspicuous inn near the Cheng family's residence was suspected to be their destination, but there was no one there!

If it was Lu Jie who was blocked near the Cheng family earlier, then even if he escaped, there was no way he could have returned here so quickly!

He suppressed his surprise and took a jar of wine from the servant behind him: "I was just passing by and heard that Uncle Lu was still busy, so I brought a bottle of wine to help Uncle Lu relax."

"--The aged wine from Zuixianlou is exactly what Uncle Lu likes."

Fortunately, I had made two preparations before coming, bringing this jar of wine as a cover. Otherwise, given Yan Shu's intimidating presence at the Lu family this afternoon, I would definitely have been charged with the crime of forcibly entering a confidential government office and disrupting official business.

Lu Jie chuckled lightly, picked up the half-cup of tea, and said, "I can't take that responsibility. Take it away. If I accidentally break it, I won't have enough to knock my head over."

"Liu Fu, see the guest out for me."

Liu Fu walked in and bowed to Yan Liang.

Yan Liang had known Lu Jie for so many years, but he had never seen him speak so sharply. He smiled and picked up the wine: "I am young and ignorant, and I do not know if there is any misunderstanding between Uncle Lu and my father. Since Uncle Lu is busy, I will not delay for now and will make a special trip to visit you another day."

"Mr. Yang!" After saying that, he took the wine and walked to Yang Bonong's side. His gaze slowly swept over the documents in Yang Bonong's hands and the books on the bookshelf, and then glanced at the various places behind the screen that was just visible. He then said, "I'll trouble you with this wine."

After saying that, he smiled and glanced at the crowd below, then turned and led them out.