Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 282 This is tricky!
Yan Liang hurried back to the mansion and found Yan Shu pacing back and forth in the open pavilion with his hands behind his back.

“Father, it is indeed Lu Jie in the Ministry of Revenue, not just Yang Bonong!” He calmed his breathing and recounted the whole story after arriving at the Ministry of Revenue.

Yan Shu's cold and stern face immediately froze: "How could it be him? The people we sent out clearly found that inn and saw the Lu family's guards there with their own eyes. Moreover, Cheng Wenhui was not at home tonight and his whereabouts are unknown. Could it be that they are not colluding in secret?"

Yan Liang paused for a moment: "But the inn we found is several streets away from the Ministry of Revenue. I did the math, and I set off for the government office at almost the same time they found the inn, with only a quarter of an hour in between. If he really did leave, how could he have returned to the same place in such a short time?"

These questions caused Yan Shu to fall silent.

Lu Jie is a scholar. Even if he is good at disguising himself, there is no reason for him to be a martial artist disguised as a scholar. And assuming he has a group of highly skilled guards around him, how skilled would these guards be to get him out of danger and back to the Ministry of Revenue within a quarter of an hour?!

Even the guards of the Yan family couldn't do that!
Yan Shu relaxed a little after thinking about this: "So, I did misunderstand him." Then he looked over with his hawk-like eyes: "The fact that he didn't go out doesn't mean that the missing files from the Ministry of Works aren't in his hands."

“But I previously took the opportunity to walk around and inspect the room. Apart from Yang Bonong, there was no one else in Lu Jie’s office. Even all the documents and books displayed in the room were normal official documents.”

The offices in the yamen were simply furnished, even the minister's room. Apart from a table and two chairs, there were a few bookshelves placed depending on the situation.

Behind the screen in the room with the steps, there was only a couch placed by the window. In this hot weather, only a cool mat was laid on the couch, and all the utensils were in full view.

In short, it's unlikely that such a large file could be hidden.

You must hide it. Of course, you can find places to hide it in every nook and cranny, but that will take some effort.

So here's the question: if that's the case, why didn't Lu Jie just hide it in the Lu family?
Why bring it out?
They were brought out for handover, of course.

If the handover were to take place inside the yamen (government office), it certainly wouldn't be hidden from the person on night duty. Therefore, he had no choice but to choose another location.

But the problem is that he never left, so doesn't that mean this assumption is invalid?
For a moment, both father and son fell silent.

"Could I have misjudged him? Did he actually hand the case file over to someone else?" Yan Shu muttered to himself, then immediately added, "Have the people tracking the others returned?"

Someone at the door immediately responded: "We're still investigating. But a message just came back saying that the people from the Lu family who left the manor tonight have gradually returned."

Once they've returned, there's no need to track them down anymore.

Yan Shu gritted his teeth: "Go and investigate more carefully!"

Yan Liang watched the people at the door leave, then took two steps closer to Yan Shu: "Father, are you convinced that Lu Jie is lying?"

Yan Shu pursed his lips and remained silent for a moment before saying, "I wouldn't call it a certainty. But Lu Jie is a very shrewd person; even I used to have trouble guessing what he was thinking."

Yan Liang lowered his head, seemingly lost in thought.

“Master,” the servant who had been sent out returned, “according to the men who were guarding outside the Ministry of Revenue, Lord Lu has returned to his residence. Our men saw him alight from his sedan chair at the corner gate.”

Yan Liang then quickly looked at Yan Shu: "In any case, there's no point in keeping an eye on Lu Jie now. The Ministry of Works and the Liu family need to speed things up and take remedial action."

Yan Shu sighed, "Go quickly and appease the Liu and Su families, ensuring they don't say the slightest thing wrong. Also, once the palace gates open at dawn, send a message to Eunuch Gao at the Directorate of Ceremonial!"

"Yes!"

After Yan Liang left, the courtyard became quiet again. Fallen leaves outside the railing were blown into the house by the wind. It was only the beginning of summer, but for some reason the wind was so strong.

Yan Shu stepped back and sat in the rocking chair, picked up the teapot next to him, took a sip of tea from the spout, and let out a long sigh.

It's no big deal. We've been through so much over the years. What kind of trouble haven't we seen?

Even if the Liu family's situation is dire, the Yan family can handle it.

Even if the items lost by the Ministry of Works did end up in the Emperor's hands, given the long-standing relationship between the old man and the Emperor, they would get through this ordeal.

The shadows of the trees before my eyes were blurry and indistinct, and after an unknown period of time, they turned into phantoms.

When Yan Shu opened his eyes again, it was already dawn.

Yan Liang stood respectfully to the side, a hint of anxiety in his eyes: "Father, things are not looking good. Uncle Liu has not yet left the palace."

After regaining his composure, Yan Shu sat up straight, then stood up again a moment later: "It's been a whole day and night and they still haven't left the palace?"

That's certainly not a good idea.

"Eunuch Gao said he's still in the Qianqing Palace!"

"What about the emperor?"

"His Majesty is being accompanied by Taoist priest Lin Chi from Baiyun Temple while performing the ritual!" Yan Liang pointed towards the palace. "Uncle Liu is kneeling outside the threshold. He fainted once during the ritual but was woken up and is still kneeling there now!"
"Su Chen did get out, but he was sent to the Censorate and is being interrogated by the three judicial departments!"
“Father,” Yan Liang followed him to the railing, “Over the years, countless officials in the court have committed crimes. If it is someone the Yan family wants to protect, the Emperor will give them some face.”

"When have Liu Zhengyi's hands ever been clean?"
Even when he caused such a scandal last time, the Emperor only punished him by confining him to his quarters for three months.

"This time, before the formal trial even began, they simply left him kneeling outside the palace gates. The Emperor's attitude toward the Zhou Sheng case, or more precisely, toward the river transport tax, is already very clear."

Yan Shu sighed, "Does your grandfather know?"

"It has already been reported, and Grandfather has gone to the Cabinet. Because more battle reports have arrived from the southeast coast, Grand Commandant Shen submitted a memorial to the palace early this morning, requesting that the attack be intensified based on Hu Yucheng's battle report. The Emperor has instructed the Cabinet to discuss raising funds for the army several times—"

"The Shen family?" Yan Shu's eyes flashed with a sharp light upon hearing this. "They actually dared to join in the fun at this critical juncture!"

"His Majesty has always listened to Shen Bo's advice on military matters, but this time he is using the battle report to urge for money. Isn't this just making His Majesty hate the Liu family and Zhou Sheng even more?"

"He's deliberately going against the Yan family!"

"Father--"

"Master!" Just as Yan Liang opened his mouth to speak, a servant came again: "Master, someone from the palace has arrived. The Emperor summons you to the palace to report..."

Yan Liang's expression changed drastically: "Why the sudden summons of Father?"

The servant hurriedly said, "The eunuch who came to deliver the message said that Lord Cheng—that is, the censor Cheng Wenhui—just went to the palace, and the emperor then kicked down Lord Liu, who was kneeling at the palace gate!"

"Then they ordered the master to enter the palace! But the reason is still unknown..."