The Incense Monopoly Order

Chapter 144: Unhappy Retribution
Shang Mingshu nodded slightly.

Magistrate Gao's actions had little to do with what she did that day. As long as Magistrate Gao did not collude with Shi Houqiong, he had to personally stand up at this time to completely sever ties with Shi Houqiong. Otherwise, if Shi Houqiong were convicted of colluding with Japanese pirates, he would inevitably be implicated.

Shang Jinliang mentioned it casually, not intending to discuss Magistrate Gao in depth with his daughter. Instead, he said, "Even now, I still can't understand why Shi Houqiong would associate with the Japanese pirates."

Shang Zishu had asked this question before. After careful consideration, Shang Mingshu voiced her guess: "Father, do you think... the Shi family's ancestors might have been Japanese pirates?"

She became more inclined to this guess after meeting Ikegoro.

Ike Goro was not the fifth child in his family; rather, his surname was Ike and his given name was Goro.

His Mandarin was fluent, and the moves he used were not very Japanese. Although Shang Mingshu had not had much contact with Japanese samurai, she knew that Ike Goro's style overlapped with Chinese martial arts.

"How can this be?" Shang Jinliang exclaimed incredulously. "The Shi family has been rooted in Shexian County for over a century!"

When his grandfather was still traveling from door to door, the Shi family had already accumulated some savings. Later, the Shi family gradually became more prosperous and took the lead in running a tea business. It was because his grandfather knew Shi Houqiong's grandfather that he decided to enter the tea business...

"This is just my guess," Shang Mingshu said, unsure herself.

Now, Shang Jinliang has to pay attention to everything she says and does. He had never thought of it this way before, but he couldn't help but waver: "I will go and find the prefect. Whether it is true or not, let the government investigate."

Such speculation is utterly absurd, and precisely because it is so absurd, it is easily overlooked. Since they have such doubts, they might as well raise them; whether it is true or not, the government will make its own decision.

Just as Shang Jinliang left, He Sui accompanied Zhang Yushuang back.

"Did I miss a great show?" Zhang Yushuang took Shang Mingshu's arm and walked inside, her eyes shining as she thought of the snippets of conversation she had overheard on the way into the city.

Her health was failing her, and the wind and snow on the road were heavy. She was even more worried that she would catch a cold in her haste to get on the road, which made Shang Mingshu feel guilty. When they passed through a small village, she made a point of resting for the night.

"I only caught the end of the performance." Shang Mingshu knew that Zhang Yushuang loved listening to opera and was a person who loved to join in the fun. "If you want to know, I will ask my second sister to tell you."

These two, one who loves listening to opera and the other who loves reading storybooks, must be kindred spirits.

Zhang Yushuang was an honored guest, and even Shang Wenshu, who was extremely worried about Du Zhong, had to tidy her appearance before meeting the guest to show her respect. Xiao Yushi only left after seeing that Zhang Yushuang was indeed intimate with Shang Wenshu. As an elder, she stayed behind, which made the other ladies uncomfortable.

"Zishu, tell me quickly." Zhang Yushuang couldn't wait any longer after Madam Yu left.

"Let me think about where I should begin..." Shang Zishu had finally met a woman who shared her tastes, and she was eager to share all her treasured storybooks with Zhang Yushuang. Zhang Yushuang wanted to know about the feud between the Shang and Shi families, and as the victor, Shang Zishu was happy to share.

"Let's start with Shi Guangchao's death..." Shang Mingshu put down her teacup and saw her second sister scratching her head, wishing she could recount the feud between the two families starting from their great-grandparents. She couldn't help but laugh and give her a suggestion.

“Yes, yes, Shi Houqiong hates us to the bone, ever since his son was beheaded…” With a clue, Shang Zishu spoke fluently and eloquently, her face displaying a range of emotions from tension to joy…

Shang Mingshu sat to one side, watching the two of them. One was eloquent and the other was easily startled. She wondered if her second sister could give the storyteller at the Shang family teahouse some pointers.

It might attract more people to the teahouse. When Shang Jinliang returned and learned that the younger generation was having a lively discussion, and since Zhang Yushuang was an unmarried woman, he did not disturb them.

"If Magistrate Gao were not an honest man, would you have let him go that day?" Zhang Yushuang had many questions in her mind after hearing this.

Shang Mingshu lowered her eyes, her delicate fingertips lightly tapping on the white porcelain cup. The flawless white cup made her slender fingers and pink skin appear even more delicate: "Whether I knew or not Magistrate Gao was honest or not that day, or whether I doubted whether Magistrate Gao was truly honest, I would not have used Prefect He's hand to take action against Magistrate Gao that day."

Shang Zishu looked completely confused.

Zhang Yushuang smiled, then sighed softly: "Ming Shu, are you really not going to reconsider and let me be your matchmaker?"

Dealing with Magistrate Gao involves dealing with government officials. Even if Magistrate Gao is in cahoots with Shi Houqiong, Shang Mingshu will still be at a disadvantage if she exposes Magistrate Gao's misdeeds to Prefect He.

Firstly, they used Prefect He to suppress the enemy, showing that they had designs on him. Secondly, they elevated Prefect He to a high position, implying that matters of the court were complex and intricate, so that even if Prefect He truly knew that a certain county magistrate under his command was corrupt, he would still have to carefully consider how to handle the matter.

Magistrate Gao's blatant dissent forced Prefect He to take immediate action.

From then on, the merchants and Prefect He could no longer have any dealings.

Shang Mingshu understands these things, but Shang Zishu does not. Zhang Yushuang genuinely feels that Shang Mingshu should be matched with a high-ranking family and become a matriarch.

"To act as matchmaker for my third sister?" Shang Zishu looked at Shang Mingshu. This was the "marriage up high" that her sister had always sought, so why did she refuse at the last minute?

Having had little contact with Zhang Yushuang, Shang Zishu didn't think Zhang Yushuang would arrange a superficial marriage for Shang Mingshu.

Helpless, Shang Mingshu had no choice but to refuse again: "Lu Sanlang has a bright future ahead of him, and he is not a good match for me."

Even without Cheng She, she wouldn't have agreed to this marriage. Commander Lu controls the Jinyiwei, a powerful force that strikes fear into the hearts of the court. Lu Sanlang will inevitably follow in his father's footsteps. For a family like the Lu's, wealth and status are always on the brink of ruin, and they won't have a good ending. This has nothing to do with whether the Lu family is useful or loyal...

Zhang Yushuang was taken aback, then fell silent: "I can't see as far ahead as you do."

She simply felt that Shang Mingshu should be matched with a young and talented man like Lu Sanlang. The Duke of Changguo's mansion never imagined that in the future, no, how could her father and brothers not see it?
The future is too far away; what they need to grasp is the immediate benefit. Right now, the Lu family is basking in glory, and who wouldn't want to befriend them? With the abilities of Commander Lu and his son, what difficulty would it be for the Lu family to flourish for another two generations?

The two tacitly agreed not to mention the matter again. As it was getting late, Shang Jinliang prepared a banquet to entertain Zhang Yushuang. During the banquet, Shang Jinliang did not shy away from Zhang Yushuang's words: "I just received news that the government has found the bodies of Shi Guangbo and his sister."

"Where are they?" Shang Zishu pressed, feeling much better knowing that neither of the Shi siblings had escaped.

"It was fished out of the river by fishermen," Shang Jinliang said, downplaying the seriousness of the matter. "Shi Houqiong will receive the news soon; I wonder what he'll do..."

With all his children dead, Shang Jinliang couldn't help but sigh.

People, in this lifetime, must not do evil, for retribution is inevitable.