Contentment with modest wealth

Chapter 368 Stop Contacting Me
"Let me think about it," Lu Ying said. Then she asked, "Is there anything I can do for you, sister?"

Lu Jia thought for a moment, then shook her head and said, "Take care. I'll contact you if anything comes up. But you'd better think about what I said as soon as possible and make plans accordingly."

Lu Ying nodded.

Dark clouds obscured the moonlight, and the night grew thick. Lu Jia watched as she used the shadows to return to the side gate, and then signaled the guards to drive out of the alley.

Yin Liu glanced at Lu Jia twice in the carriage: "Second Miss is taking the initiative now. Back then, the young mistress tried to persuade her to join forces several times, but she was always dragging her feet and never made a decisive move."

Lu Jia curled her lips and looked out the window at the moonlight that had once again illuminated the streets after the dark clouds had drifted away: "Times have changed."

Lu Ying wasn't stupid at all. Lu Jie hadn't searched for her yet, and she knew that finding Lu Jia was her only chance of survival. But Lu Jia wasn't foolish either; what if she wasn't truly willing to help?

That's why Lu Ying took the initiative to ask if there was anything she needed to do. She stubbornly believed that only mutual benefit could bring them closer together.

However, Lu Jia did not object to her thinking this way.

Their relationship was based on mutual benefit from the very beginning.

However, given the current situation, it was not advisable for her to act rashly, lest unforeseen complications arise and affect Lu Jie's plans.

However, she cannot be allowed to stay in the Yan family for long, as this could also become a hindrance to Lu Jie.

……

Lu Ying was still on her way back to the third house from the garden when she heard Yan Liang and the old woman outside the courtyard gate talking.

She paused for a moment, then walked over: "Brother, is there something you need from me so late?"

Yan Liang turned around: "You've come at the right time. Take the key and come with me to the private vault to get some things."

These past few days, he's been frequently taking things from the house, so Lu Ying has become too lazy to say anything. She took the key and followed him to the storeroom.

No one spoke the whole way. Lu Ying could tell that he was preoccupied. The moment she opened the door, she saw that there was stubble on his chin. She paused for a moment and then looked away.

Yan Liang searched for a while, then opened the two innermost boxes according to the book, took out several land deeds and other documents and put them in his pocket, then closed the boxes.

Lu Ying stepped forward to help, saying casually, "You haven't slept for days. It's so late, are you still going out?"

Yan Liang grunted in agreement and turned to leave. Suddenly, he tripped over the doorframe and fell forward. Lu Ying quickly caught him: "Don't force yourself if you can't handle it. This family still needs you to hold on!"

Yan Liang's nose brushed against her temple, and he pushed her away and stood up straight: "I'm fine."

He stood there for a moment, leaning against the doorframe, and then said, "I just haven't had dinner yet. Go and prepare some food for me; I need to go out after I eat."

Lu Ying glanced at him and walked out the door.

When Yan Liang walked out of the private storehouse, the meal was already prepared, along with a small pot of warmed osmanthus wine.

Yan Liang stared at the wine.

Lu Ying instructed the maid to serve him rice: "I noticed you usually like to drink this, so I specially prepared a bowl. Eat something first to fill your stomach, otherwise it will upset your stomach."

Yan Liang sat down, picked up his rice bowl, and began to eat.

As Lu Ying was about to leave, he suddenly said, "Don't contact the Lu family anymore."

She stopped abruptly. Yan Liang put down his chopsticks, turned to look at her, then his gaze fell down as he bent down and picked up two tiny, rice-grain-sized fallen flowers from her embroidered shoes: "In the entire back garden, only under the North Gate are there two osmanthus trees."

Lu Ying took two steps back.

He threw the flowers away, his gaze as deep and unfathomable as an ink abyss: "Don't contact me anymore."

……

Upstairs in a teahouse on the street next to the Directorate of Ceremonial, Gao Hong sat on pins and needles under the oil lamp, occasionally looking down through the half-open window.

"Master, why don't you have a cup of tea to calm your mind?" A young eunuch, also dressed in ordinary clothes, couldn't bear to watch any longer and held up a teapot to pour him some tea.

"Go and see if anyone has come."

Gao Hong impatiently dismissed him.

As soon as he finished speaking, the door opened, and Yan Liang appeared in the doorway: "I'm sorry to have kept Eunuch Gao waiting."

Gao Hong hurriedly got up, knocking over the teacup he had filled, which instantly soaked the table and his clothes. He didn't bother to pay attention to it, patted it off with his bare hands, closed the window and door, and strode over: "You came here without anyone watching you, right?"

"Father-in-law, you can rest assured." Yan Liang smiled and sat down. "Don't you trust me to handle things?"

Gao Hong knew that he was Yan Song's favorite eldest grandson and that there was some truth to what he said, so he let it go and sat down with him, saying, "When the imperial decree was delivered this morning, I had already told the Grand Secretary everything that needed to be said. Why did you come looking for me at night, young master?"

"I won't delay your return, so I'll get straight to the point. Have you put to use the item our ancestor gave you the other day?"

Although the young man under the oil lamp was not as refined as before, his eyes, though haggard, shone brightly, reminding one of his grandfather in his prime.

Gao Hong sighed, "Ever since I got that thing, one problem after another has arisen. I didn't have time to deal with it, and this morning I didn't expect the Emperor to suddenly question and reprimand me. I dare not make any rash moves."

"If you don't act now, when will you?" Yan Liang poured him another cup of tea. "Li Quan has formed a faction with the Crown Prince, and the Crown Prince is in cahoots with the Shen family. Once they gain power, Li Quan, who has been your equal for so many years, will be the first to target you. What are you waiting for?"

Gao Hong's lips twitched: "This morning I spoke to the Emperor about the Crown Prince and the Shen family, but the Emperor kicked me instead and exposed my private dealings with the Yan family. If I cause any more trouble with this matter now, I'm afraid the Emperor will deal with me first!"

"You're too timid, Father-in-law!" Yan Liang slammed the teapot down. "If you're just making baseless accusations, you'll naturally be scolded. But what my ancestor gave you is solid evidence of Li Quan's collusion with the Crown Prince! As long as you present it to the Emperor, with his wisdom, how could he not understand?"
"Why is the Emperor in such a hurry to issue an edict to my grandfather at this time? It is because he has realized that the Shen family has colluded with the Crown Prince. Now that you have submitted the evidence, how could the Emperor not investigate? As long as he investigates further down the line from Li Quan, the Crown Prince will not be able to escape, and the Shen family will also be implicated."

"As long as their faction's power is suppressed, what is there for the father-in-law to fear?"

Gao Hong took a deep breath, and his back straightened up a bit without him even realizing it.

Seeing his clenched fist, Yan Liang continued, "Now that His Majesty is aware of our alliance, you are bound to the Yan family. Your actions now are for your own sake, and also for His Majesty's!"

"Investigating the Crown Prince would remove a major worry from the Emperor's mind. What do you think?"

Gao Hong gritted his teeth and looked at him through the lamplight: "Is this also what Grand Secretary Yan means?"

Yan Liang stretched out his body: "Grandfather will return to the yamen tomorrow morning. If you need anything, you can go to the cabinet to find him."

"The Emperor has granted the Yan family half a month. At least during this half month, the power of the cabinet will still be in my grandfather's hands. My lord, this is an opportunity that will not come again!"

As he spoke, he took out the house and land deeds from his pocket and stuffed them into his hand: "Things have come up in a hurry, and I'm sure you'll need some money to tide you over. This is just a small token of my appreciation."

Gao Hong pursed his lips, and after a moment clenched his fists.