Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 327 Conquer
After Xie Yuyan entered the palace, she watched others set up stages to perform operas. Sometimes she was even pulled onto the stage herself and had no choice but to accompany them to finish the performance.

Some people cried bitterly, some were so frightened that their faces turned pale, and there were many pitiful figures in front of her.

The more she watched this kind of drama, the clearer she became. She could understand the intention behind a single glance, but she simply chose not to reveal it. In any case, everyone had to save face for each other, and everyone knew what was going on. It was just about giving others an explanation.

The Feng Erniang that Guo Xiong mentioned... is exactly like that.

She would never have jumped off the platform if she hadn't seen Guo Xiong and Guo Chuan.

Guo Xiong found it hard to believe that he had personally witnessed Feng Erniang being tortured; how could it be fake?
Xie Yuyan said, "Think about it carefully. Did you find Feng Erniang only after you gained some fame on the Bian River?"

Guo Xiong thought back on it and realized it was true.

However, it's also possible that they knew many people and passed on information to each other, which led them to find the person.

Guo Xiong secretly shook his head. If he hadn't really figured something out, this lady wouldn't have told him. Without Feng Erniang, his second brother wouldn't have made up his mind to transport the spices.

Xie Yuyan said, "Two days later, once you receive those spices, the situation will be set and there will be no turning back."

Guo Xiong understood this principle. The only way forward was to report to the authorities before the matter was resolved. However, he also knew that those people were bound to collude with the government. If he reported to the authorities in advance, he would only alert them. Zhao Kun would not be able to transport the spices over, and the matter would be dropped. They would escape by chance, and those people would suffer no loss.

The second brother thought he was deliberately trying to sabotage things.

He hadn't come up with a foolproof plan.

Xie Yuyan said, "I know someone who is definitely not involved with merchants. You can go find him and secretly report that someone is trying to smuggle goods. Join forces with him to catch the person."

Guo Xiong's eyes lit up, and he immediately stood up and bowed to Xie Yuyan.

Xie Yuyan said, "I only know a little about that official. When you went to look for him, you could only say that you had heard of his reputation in the streets."

Guo Xiong naturally agreed and listened attentively to Xie Yuyan's instructions.

Xie Yuyan said, "This person is currently working in the Ministry of Justice. His name is Xu Huaiyi."

Xie Yuyan gave a general description of Xu Huaiyi's appearance and age, and then asked Guo Xiong to go find him.

Xu Huaiyi was a diligent worker in the government office. Especially recently, with the criminals from Daming Prefecture coming to the capital, the Ministry of Justice was bound to be busy. It was not difficult for someone who had just finished his workday to wait outside the Ministry of Justice.

Guo Xiong said, "I will go and wait for Lord Xu tonight."

Xie Yuyan continued, "Have any of your boatmen been bullied? You can tell Lord Xu about these things. It was because of the boatmen's experience that you immediately guessed that Zhao Kun wanted to frame you."

"You didn't immediately refuse Zhao Kun because you were planning to report them to the authorities and have them caught red-handed."

Guo Xiong thought about these words carefully, and in doing so, he explained that Guo Chuan had taken Zhao Kun's money.

"So that's how it is," Guo Xiong murmured subconsciously.

With things starting to look clearer, Guo Xiong felt much more relaxed. He then thought of Feng Erniang. If she was deliberately deceiving them, then they had truly been blind.

"Once this matter is settled," Guo Xiong said, "I will come and report back to Madam." Only after finding Xu Huaiyi can he investigate Feng Erniang, and then he will have to ask Madam for her opinion. Stepping out of the house, Guo Xiong realized that he had only come here to see Madam, but unexpectedly, as he walked out, he already trusted Madam completely. He even had a feeling of having a strong backer.

There will inevitably be fights on the Bian River. If someone can give you constant reminders, you will naturally be spared from being schemed against.

He thought he knew a lot, but there are always people more knowledgeable than you, and if he could learn from Madam for a few years, he would definitely improve a lot.

Moreover, he didn't have the slightest suspicion. Why would someone who dares to put everything out in the open need to scheme behind the scenes?
To say it was just to recruit him... Guo Xiong was very self-aware. After meeting the lady, he knew that in her mind, he was just someone she could use.

Without Madam Xie's help, he wouldn't even have a fleet of ships in the future; his life would be in immediate danger.

Guo Xiong was a grateful man, but he was also cautious and wouldn't make any rash decisions before everything was settled. He could roughly guess why the lady of the house had asked him to find the officials in the Ministry of Justice. If things went well, they could not only catch Zhao Kun, but also strike at the people behind Zhao Kun.

These people won't use this kind of framing tactic more than once. Too many things happen on the Bian River, and many people lose their lives every year. What good are the imperial decrees? They still have to cater to these people's whims. They don't want more ships coming to the Bian River to steal business, so they can only be suppressed.

Guo Xiong left, and Xie Yuyan immediately picked up the paper in her hand again. There were still many things to do. The newly purchased land needed to be repaired quickly, and she also needed to transport things over by water. Once all of this was done, the envoy from the Western Regions would arrive in Bianjing, and it would be time for her to make her public appearance.

Thinking of this, Xie Yuyan's hand subconsciously moved to her bosom, only to find that her Yu Chen was not there.

She really missed her little raccoon dog.

……

Before Wang Yan was summoned to the palace to report to the emperor, he met Xu En first.

Xu En hurriedly pulled him, saying, "Hurry up and change your clothes. We have to go out of the palace with the Emperor."

Wang Yan guessed what Xu En was planning to do: use that pottery bottle in front of the emperor. Wasn't that what he had been thinking about all the way here? Now that they had finally arrived in Bianjing, how could he possibly hold back?

After changing his robes, Wang Yan and Xu En mounted their horses and rode swiftly, finally catching up with the Emperor outside the city.

The emperor was dressed in a blue robe with a white fox fur cloak over it. He was flanked by guards on both sides and seemed to be in a particularly good mood, with a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

Wang Yan stepped forward.

The Emperor then said, "I wanted to see it yesterday, but it was too late and I had many official duties to attend to. Now I can finally see it with my own eyes and see what makes this black oil so different."

Xu En had already given the pottery vase to the Emperor, who was now examining it. Seeing the two handles and the narrow base, and hearing Xu En's explanation of the purpose of its firing, the Emperor truly admired the ingenuity of its creator. No wonder Xu En had presented the vase to him after entering the palace.

Upon seeing the pottery vase, Xie Yuyan's image flashed through Wang Yan's mind, and his gaze softened.

There was a royal hunting ground outside the city. The official went straight there and, as soon as he arrived, ordered his men to prepare immediately. He wanted to see what would happen if the black oil in the earthenware bottle was as potent as Xu En had described.

Xu En was already familiar with the process. He filled the black oil container himself and used a tree branch to throw the burning pottery bottle out.

A moment later, sparks flew everywhere.

The Emperor's face showed surprise at first, then he smiled and said, "My two ministers, I will remember your merits."

“If Your Majesty is going to offer a reward,” Xu En said, “why not bestow it upon Madam Xie, who makes pottery vases?”