Killer Queen: Tyrant, prepare to die!

Chapter 60 The intelligence network had just been established when Liu Chengming actually tracked them down to Jiangnan.

Two days later, at dusk, in the study of Qihuang Garden.

Mo Shisan presented a neatly bound booklet with both hands. Although his eyes were bloodshot, he could not hide his excitement: "Master, all the details about Zhao Wenkang, the prefect of Hangzhou, are here."

Ye Huang took the booklet, and Jin Shu served hot tea at the right time. In the past few days, she had been learning to read accounting documents from the young lady and had already figured out some tricks of the trade—Mo Shisan's report was extremely well done, with clear entries, key points highlighted in red ink, and a summary attached to the last page.

The booklet is thin, but every word is crucial.

Part One: Zhao Wenkang, the Man.

He was forty-three years old, born into a poor family, and passed the imperial examination at the age of twenty-three, becoming a disciple of Liu Chengzong in the same year. He rose from county magistrate to prefect of Hangzhou in just ten years. His wife, Wang, was a shrewd businesswoman who owned three silk shops and two teahouses. He had three concubines, none of whom bore him any children.

Part Two: Property Details

His official annual salary was 240 taels, but he actually owned 78,000 taels of property. He had two farmhouses outside the city, five shops inside the city, three houses, and 30,000 taels of silver in a money exchange. The most conspicuous item was a cargo ship he had purchased last year, registered under his wife's younger brother's name.

Part Three: Interpersonal Relationships.

The eldest daughter married Liu Chengming's distant cousin, thus establishing a kinship. She maintained close ties with many officials in the Jiangnan Provincial Administration Commission and the Salt Transport Commission, sending the Liu family a thousand taels of silver every quarter as "tribute."

Part Four: Doubts about Salt Tax

Mo Shisan used three whole pages to list a string of numbers.

Last year, Hangzhou Prefecture was supposed to collect 980,000 taels of salt tax, but only collected 640,000 taels, leaving a difference of 340,000 taels. Of this, 220,000 taels were recorded as "losses" in the accounts, and 120,000 taels went into Zhao Wenkang's private treasury.

And this is only in Hangzhou.

"Master," Mo Shisan pointed to the last line of data, "I followed the clues and discovered that the total shortfall in salt tax from the eight prefectures of Jiangnan over the past three years is at least three million taels. Of this, 30% flowed into the Liu family's businesses, 20% was distributed to thirteen officials in Jiangnan, and the remaining 50%... its whereabouts are unknown."

Ye Huang's gaze lingered on "50%".

One and a half million taels of silver—the person who could swallow this money so quietly was no ordinary individual.

"Continue investigating the part whose whereabouts are unknown." She closed the booklet, "but don't alert them. Leave the Zhao Wenkang lead alone for now."

Mo Shisan was taken aback: "Not moving? We have enough evidence to bring him down—"

"If we bring down Zhao Wenkang, the Liu family can still support Li Wenkang and Wang Wenkang." Ye Huang got up and walked to the window. The garden in the twilight was quiet and picturesque. "What I want is not to make a show of force, but to uproot them completely."

She turned around, her gaze sharp as a blade: "The next focus of Tingfeng Tower will be on the embezzlement of military funds. In particular, the 500,000 taels of compensation for the Northern Army—I want to know who handled this money, whose pocket it went into, and whose mansions, fields, gold, and jewels it ultimately became."

Mo Shisan's expression hardened: "Understood!"

"Are we manpower sufficient?"

"There are twelve people in total, all of whom have been carefully vetted by my subordinates." Mo Shisan paused, "Three of them were originally spies for Bai Xiaotang, with clean records and good skills."

"Not enough." Ye Huang sat back down at her desk, picked up her pen, and wrote down a string of numbers. "Add twenty more people. Go to Jin Shuzhi for the money. Remember, better to have fewer but better ones."

"yes!"

Mo Shisan accepted the order and was about to leave when Ye Huang called him back: "There is one more thing."

She took out a secret letter from the drawer—it had been delivered by Shen Fu through an undercover agent that morning. The letter contained only a few words, reporting the situation in the capital: Consort Rou (now Noble Lady Liu) was crying and cursing day and night in the Northern Three Palaces, Liu Chengzong was repeatedly impeached by the upright officials in the court, and Liu Chengming... left the capital three days ago, and his whereabouts were unknown.

"Liu Chengming has left the capital." Ye Huang handed the letter to Mo Shisan. "Where do you think he'll go?"

Mo Shisan quickly glanced at the letter, his expression changing slightly: "Master, he wouldn't be...?"

"They're coming for me." Ye Huang's tone was calm, as if she were talking about something unrelated to herself. "I 'died of illness' in the capital, but someone else was simultaneously buying a house and starting a business in Jiangnan. It would be strange if Liu Chengming, who is so shrewd, didn't suspect anything."

"Then let's—"

"Hold your positions." Ye Huang tapped the table lightly with her fingertips. "Even if he suspects something, he has no concrete evidence. The land deed for Qihuang Garden is under Xiao Jue's name, and Jinxiufang and Tingfenglou have not yet made a public appearance. If he investigates, he will only find a fog of mystery."

She looked up at Mo Shisan: "But we need to be quick. Before he figures out the truth, we need to set up all the necessary traps."

"Understood!" Mo Shisan nodded emphatically, his eyes blazing with fighting spirit.

After he left, the study became quiet.

Jinshu then spoke softly, "Miss, if Liu Chengming really finds out about Hangzhou, what should we do..."

"I'm not afraid." Ye Huang picked up her teacup, took a sip, and said, "Hangzhou isn't the capital; the Liu family's influence can't extend that far. Besides—"

She paused, then smiled slightly: "I was just looking for a pretext to shake up the Liu family's foundation in Jiangnan."

Jinshu seemed to understand but not quite, but seeing the girl's calm expression, she felt a little more at ease.

Suddenly, Bao'er's babbling came from outside the window.

Ye Huang put down her teacup, her expression softening: "Bao'er's awake?"

"He just woke up, and his wet nurse is holding him by the lake watching the fish," Jinshu said with a smile. "The young master loves those koi; he smiles every time he goes to the lake."

Ye Huang stood up: "Let's go take a look."

---

In the lakeside pavilion, the wet nurse sat by the railing, holding the baby in her arms.

In early summer, the lotus pond is covered with lush green leaves, and several red and white koi fish dart among them. Bao'er opens her big, bright eyes, waves her little hands at the water's surface, and makes mumbled "fish, fish" sounds.

As Ye Huang approached, Bao'er seemed to sense something, turned her head and saw her, immediately opening her little arms to hug her.

"Mother..." came the child's sweet, childish voice.

Ye Huang's heart softened, and she took the child. Bao'er hugged her neck, rubbed her little face against her neck, and then pointed at the water, babbling excitedly.

A miraculous scene unfolded.

The koi, which had been swimming freely, suddenly gathered together by the pavilion. They didn't fight for food; they just floated quietly on the surface, their tails swaying gently, as if...listening.

Bao'er spoke to the school of fish, making a series of soft, humming, murmuring sounds.

The koi fish began to swim in response, sometimes gathering in circles, sometimes spreading out in lines, as if in reply.

The wet nurse and Jinshu were dumbfounded.

Ye Huang simply watched with a smile.

Her precious child was born with the ability to communicate with all things. This ability currently only teases schools of fish, but in the future... it may be able to command all beasts.

"Bao'er is so amazing." She kissed the child's little face.

Bao'er giggled and patted the water with her little hands, splashing up tiny droplets.

The heartwarming moment was interrupted by hurried footsteps.

Mo Shisan returned, his expression even more grave than before. He held a slip of paper in his hand, its edges scorched—it was a secret letter he had just intercepted.

"Master," he said in a very low voice, "Liu Chengming... has arrived in Hangzhou."

Ye Huang paused slightly as she stroked Bao'er's back.

"Is the information reliable?"

"Anxiang's contact point in Hangzhou, 'Yuelai Tea House,' received a message by carrier pigeon half an hour ago." Mo Shisan handed over the note. "It only has one line: Tomorrow at noon, private room of Tianxiang Tower. Signed... Willow Leaf Imprint."

Willow leaves.

The symbol of hidden fragrance.

Ye Huang looked at the faint willow leaf pattern on the note and suddenly smiled.

The smile didn't reach his eyes.

"They came so quickly." She crumpled the note and scattered it into the lake. "In that case, we should... give this young master Liu a proper welcome."

The scraps of paper fell onto the water's surface, causing the koi carp to scatter in a flurry.

Bao'er seemed to sense something, turned to look at her mother, and her little brows furrowed slightly.

Ye Huang gently patted his back, her voice soft yet cold:

"Don't be afraid, Bao'er."

"Some people come to us on their own initiative..."

"Mother, that's perfect. Let's settle both the old and new scores together."

The ripples on the lake gradually subsided.

Dusk completely swallowed the last ray of light.

[Next Chapter Preview: Qian Sihai Appears! The son of Jiangnan's richest man kneels and offers his entire fortune—begging Ye Huang to avenge his father's murder!]