Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

Seated in the host's seat was Wu Dehai, the head of the Wu family in Yangzhou. He was over fifty years old, with a plump figure and a round face. When he smiled, his eyes narrowed into slits, revealing a shrewd and calculating nature.

"Gentlemen," Wu Dehai picked up his teacup and skimmed off the foam, "the Prime Minister's wife is new here, and we, as her subordinates, should do our best to assist her. However, the waters of Jiangnan are deep, and as a woman, I'm afraid she can't fathom their depths."

A thin silk merchant standing nearby chimed in, "Old Wu is right. I heard the Grand Secretary is terminally ill and has even relinquished control of the court. The Pei family is now outwardly strong but inwardly weak. If we hand over our lives and fortunes, who will protect us if things change in the future?"

"Therefore, we need to hold onto our leverage," Wu Dehai said in a low voice. "Grain and salt are our foundation. If the market descends into chaos, what can a woman like her do besides beg us?"

Everyone nodded in agreement.

The door to the private room was pushed open.

Shen Qiongju stepped into the room. Today she wore a dark green long dress, without intricate embroidery, only with continuous water ripples outlined in gold thread at the cuffs. She wore no gold, silver, or jeweled ornaments in her hair, only a jade hairpin to hold her long hair back. She looked neat and capable.

Pei An, accompanied by two armed guards, stood expressionless outside the door.

The previously noisy room fell silent instantly. Everyone stood up to greet each other.

"Greetings, Madam."

Shen Qiongju walked to the head seat and sat down. She didn't rush to speak, her gaze sweeping over everyone's faces. Her gaze wasn't sharp, it could even be described as peaceful, yet it made these seasoned veterans present feel an inexplicable pressure.

"Please have a seat, everyone." She gestured with her hand.

Everyone took their seats.

Wu Dehai was the first to speak. He sighed, adopting a concerned expression: "Madam, these past few days in Jiangnan have been plagued by continuous rain, making the roads muddy and preventing the transport of grain. The grain stores are running low on supplies, and rice prices are soaring. We commoners are deeply worried. Does Madam have any good solutions?"

He's forcing the emperor to abdicate.

Shen Qiongju picked up the teacup in front of her and smelled the aroma of the tea.

"Boss Wu owns seven large granaries located in Yangzhou and Suzhou. As far as I know, they hold a total of 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) of rice, both old and new. How come Boss Wu's granaries have been emptied by rats?"

The atmosphere in the room immediately plummeted upon hearing this.

Wu Dehai's face stiffened for a moment, then returned to normal: "Madam is joking. Those are all military rations reserved by the government; how could a commoner dare to use them privately? The grain circulating in the market has indeed run out."

"Military rations?" Shen Qiongju put down her teacup with a soft thud. "According to the laws of Dasheng, hoarding military rations without authorization is tantamount to treason. Boss Wu, you've really thrown a huge accusation at me."

A cold sweat broke out on Wu Dehai's back. He hadn't expected this young woman to be so aggressive from the very first word.

He forced a rebuttal: "Madam, you are wise. I was only acting under orders from the former Chairman Qian of the Salt Merchants Association. Now that Chairman Qian has passed away, the disposal of this batch of grain is something you must decide on. However... allocating grain requires a large number of manpower and horses, which is extremely expensive. Our business is currently experiencing cash flow problems, and I'm afraid we are willing but unable to do so."

They wanted money. They wanted power. They wanted to maintain their monopoly on the economy of Jiangnan.

Shen Qiongju smiled.

She turned to look at Du Hengniang behind her. Du Hengniang stepped forward and slammed a thick stack of account books onto the center of the round table with a "bang".

"This is the grain account of the thirteen merchant guilds that have been collecting grain from Huguang, Jiangxi and other places over the past half month." Shen Qiongju's voice was not loud, but it clearly reached everyone's ears. "A total of 500,000 shi. At this moment, the grain transport fleet has already docked at the Suzhou wharf."

The room was deathly silent.

Five hundred thousand shi!

They had assumed the Pei family had exhausted their resources trying to stabilize prices in the capital. Who would have thought she could mobilize such a massive amount of supplies in such a short time?

Wu Dehai's expression finally changed. His prized asset had instantly turned into a pile of wasteland.

"Madam, you have a clever plan," Wu Dehai said through gritted teeth. "But the waterways in Jiangnan are complicated. To transport these 500,000 shi of grain into the major grain stores, we need the cooperation of the dockworkers' union and the canal transport gangs. Without our approval, not a single grain can be unloaded."

See the picture poorly.

He was gambling that Shen Qiongju wouldn't dare to launch a major attack in Jiangnan.

The door to the private room was suddenly pushed open from the outside.

"Who says it can't be removed?"

A lazy, husky voice came from behind.

Pei Zhihui stood at the door. Today, he wasn't wearing his ever-present moon-white undergarment, but instead a dark blue cloak. His face was still pale, but the gloom in his eyes was extremely heavy.

In his arms, he was actually holding Ah Hu, who was eating a candied hawthorn.

The bizarre art style left the merchants inside dumbfounded.

Pei Zhihui, holding the child in one arm, slowly walked to Shen Qiongju's side, pulled over a chair, and sat down.

"The Zhenbei Army's Jiangnan Camp has 30,000 soldiers, and they're just idling around during their daily drills." He reached out and wiped the syrup from Ah Hu's lips without even lifting his eyelids. "Pei An."

Pei An, standing outside the door, responded, "Yes."

"Pass down the order. The Zhenbei Army will take over all the canal wharves in Suzhou and Yangzhou. Those disobedient gangsters will all be arrested and sent to repair the river embankments. Anyone who dares to obstruct the unloading of grain—"

He paused, raised his eyes, and looked at Wu Dehai.

Those were eyes that had killed countless people.

"Kill on the spot."

Wu Dehai's legs went weak, and he slid off the chair and knelt on the ground.

"Your Excellency, spare my life! This humble subject...this humble subject will arrange for the unloading of the grain immediately! I would not dare to delay even the slightest bit!"

The other merchants also knelt down, trembling like leaves. Only then did they remember that the sickly man holding a child was the living Yama who had climbed to his high position over mountains of corpses and seas of blood. His relinquishment of power did not mean he had drawn his sword.

Shen Qiongju looked at the merchants kneeling on the ground and tapped her fingers lightly on the table.

"The grain issue is resolved. Now, let's talk about salt permits."

She pulled out an official document from her sleeve, bearing the seal of the Salt Commissioner's Office.

"From today onwards, all old salt permits in Jiangnan are invalid. New salt permits will be issued uniformly by the thirteen merchant guilds. If you want a new permit, exchange it for 30% of your assets. If you are unwilling to exchange, you can leave now. I guarantee that you will not be able to buy a single grain of rice or sell an ounce of salt in Jiangnan from now on."

This is outright robbery.

But no one dared to resist.

With a knife to your throat, what does money matter?

Half an hour later, the managers of the thirty-six merchant houses signed the contract and left Wangyue Tower in a sorry state.

Only Pei Zhihui's family of three and Du Hengniang remained in the private room.

Du Hengniang picked up Ah Hu and looked at the thick stack of contracts on the table, her eyes shining.

"Qiongju, your move to cut off the enemy's supply lines is brilliant! Now, the money bag of Jiangnan is completely in our hands."

Shen Qiongju picked up her teacup and took a sip to moisten her dry throat. She turned to Pei Zhihui and said reproachfully, "What are you doing here? Didn't I tell you to rest and recuperate in the garden?"

Pei Zhihui leaned back in his chair, speaking with self-righteous indignation: "I'm bored staying in the garden. Besides, I'm here to support my wife; who dares to object?"

He reached out and squeezed Shen Qiongju's fingers.

"The way you made such a decisive move just now was truly impressive."

Shen Qiongju slapped his hand away, her cheeks slightly flushed.

The situation in Jiangnan stabilized completely after the treacherous banquet at Wangyue Tower. Thirty-six merchant guilds were broken up and reorganized, merging into the system of thirteen merchant guilds. Relying on her exceptional business acumen and the military intimidation behind Pei Zhihui, Shen Qiongju firmly controlled the resources of this prosperous land.

Days slipped by like flowing water.

April arrived in the blink of an eye. In Jiangnan, the grass grows lush and the orioles sing.

Pei Zhihui's health improved under the care of Ghost Hand Zhang and the mild climate of Jiangnan. He no longer spent all his time in bed and could occasionally walk around the garden with his cane.

That evening, the sun was setting.

Suddenly, the sound of rapid hoofbeats came from outside Zhenliu Garden.

This sound was unlike that of ordinary merchants' mounts; the horse's hooves were heavy, carrying the chilling aura of war and conquest.

Pei An gripped the hilt of his knife and rushed toward the gate.

The door was pushed open roughly.

A troop of dusty cavalrymen stopped outside the gate. The horses were panting heavily and covered in sweat.

It was General Fu. Pei An hurriedly went inside to greet him.

As soon as Fu Chuan'ang entered the hanging flower gate, he heard a commotion of chickens flying and dogs barking.

In the courtyard, Du Hengniang was holding a copy of the "Thousand Character Classic" and chasing after her son, Ahu.

"You little brat, stop right there! You've recited 'Heaven and Earth, Black and Yellow' as 'Heavenly King Covers the Earth Tiger'! You've completely disgraced your mother!"

Ah Hu, with his short little legs, ran incredibly fast, turning back to make faces as he went: "I won't memorize it! The handwriting is too ugly, it looks like worms crawling!"

The maids covered their mouths and chuckled, none of them daring to stop this troublemaker.

Just as Shen Qiongju was about to speak up to stop them, an unexpected turn of events occurred.

A tall, imposing figure leaped down from the wall without warning, like a black bear descending a mountain, landing steadily in the center of the courtyard. The newcomer wore a faded, close-fitting outfit, had a full beard, and carried a heavy smell of sand and dust.

The maids in the courtyard screamed in fright and scattered in all directions.

The scroll in Du Hengniang's hand fell to the ground with a "thud." She stared blankly at the man who should have been eating sand in the northern border, her lips moving but unable to utter a word for a long time.

Fu Chuan'ang grinned, revealing a set of white teeth. He strode forward, stretched out his long arm, and hoisted Du Hengniang onto his shoulder, spinning her around twice.

"Hengniang, did you miss me?!"

Du Hengniang was so dizzy from being spun around that when she came to her senses, she rained punches on his broad back: "Fu Chuan'ang, you heartless bastard! Instead of fighting in the Northern Frontier, you came back to court death! Put me down right now!"

Fu Chuan'ang laughed heartily. Not only did he not let go, he also picked up Ah Hu, who was staring in disbelief, like a chick and tucked him under his other armpit.

"You little rascal, you're so muscular, just like your father!"

Ah Hu thrashed about, biting Fu Chuan'ang's arm. Fu Chuan'ang, thick-skinned and tough, didn't even flinch; instead, he laughed even louder.

Shen Qiongju stood under the corridor, watching the chaotic family of three, and the fatigue brought on by the business battles of the past few days vanished.

The windows of the main courtyard were pushed open.

Pei Zhihui sat in a wheelchair, draped in a worn white fox fur coat, his face pale. He looked at the rough, dusty man in the yard, his brows furrowed.

"Fu Chuan'ang." Pei Zhihui's voice wasn't loud, but it pierced through the noise in the courtyard, "Did you eat up the northern border's defenses?"

Fu Chuan'ang quickly put down his wife and children, dusted himself off, strode to the window, knelt on one knee across the windowsill, and clasped his hands in a salute: "Your subordinate greets Your Excellency the Grand Secretary!"

Pei Zhihui leaned back in disgust, avoiding the dust that had been shaken off his clothes: "Wash yourself clean before you come back, or you'll stink up my daughter's clothes."

Fu Chuan'ang chuckled and scratched the back of his head nonchalantly: "Alright!"

Watching Fu Chuan'ang being dragged away by Du Hengniang by the ear, Pei Zhihui's lips twitched, and a rare hint of genuine warmth appeared in his eyes.

Inside the study, Fu Chuan'ang changed into a clean blue robe, but the robe looked awkward on him because of his bulging muscles.

He sat down imposingly at the lower end of the table, picked up his teacup, gulped down the scalding tea, and wiped his mouth.

"You can rest assured about the situation in the North," Fu Chuan'ang reported in a low voice. "Those nomadic barbarians only come south to plunder when the pastures are depleted in autumn and winter and their cattle and sheep starve. Now that spring and summer are here, the water and grass are plentiful, and they are too busy herding and breeding to have any time to think about fighting."

Pei Zhihui leaned against the cushion, toying with a white jade paperweight in his hand, his tone flat: "So, you just dumped the 100,000-strong Northern Garrison on your deputy and ran off to Jiangnan to enjoy the scenery?"

"How could that be!" Fu Chuan'ang patted his chest loudly. "I've already set out the training plan, the deputy general just needs to keep an eye on it. I was just thinking that you're unfamiliar with Jiangnan, sir, and if you run into some trouble, Pei An won't be able to handle it all by himself. So I'm here to be your bodyguard, and while I'm at it... I can also keep an eye on your wife and children."

He spoke the last half of his sentence with complete confidence.

Shen Qiongju, who was sitting to the side checking the chamber of commerce's contracts, looked up at him upon hearing this. This rough man was actually quite shrewd; he knew that Pei Zhihui was short-handed after relinquishing power. For him, the commander of the Zhenbei Army, to come to Jiangnan as a bodyguard—his loyalty was more valuable than anything else.

Pei Zhihui didn't expose him, but simply threw the paperweight back onto the table: "Since you're here, stay. From now on, spend every spring and summer in Jiangnan, and go back to the North in autumn and winter."

Fu Chuan'ang clasped his hands in a fist salute: "Your subordinate obeys!"

With Fu Chuan'ang's addition, the martial arts defenses of Zhenliu Garden became impregnable. His son, A'hu, also completely unleashed his true nature, becoming the garden's little devil.

Three-year-old Ah Hu perfectly inherited Fu Chuan'ang's physique, with a robust and powerful appearance. He dared to climb the artificial hill in the garden, catch the koi in the pond, and even dared to grab Pei An's temperamental black horse by the tail and climb up.

Only when facing Nian'an does this little tyrant become as docile as a cat.

Nian'an was a few months younger than Ah Hu. She was beautifully sculpted, and one could vaguely see Pei Zhihui's features in her eyes and brows. She was quiet and didn't like to cry or make a fuss. She loved sitting on the grass and watching the flowers.

The sun was shining brightly that afternoon.

Nian'an pointed to a tall peach tree and said in a childish voice, "Flower."

Without a word, Ah Hu rolled up his sleeves and huffed and puffed as he climbed the tree. He moved as nimbly as a monkey, picked the most vibrant peach blossom, snapped it off with a "snap," slid down the tree, and presented it to Nian An like a treasure.

"Here you go, little sister!"

Nian'an took the peach blossom and gave a sweet smile.

Ah Hu was stunned. He reached out his chubby hand, wanting to touch Nian An's face.

Nian'an had just learned to walk and was unsteady on her feet. When he was bumped, she fell backward. Ah Hu reacted quickly, pounced on her, and lay down on the ground first to cushion Nian'an's fall.

Nian'an fell onto Ah Hu's back without feeling any pain; instead, she giggled. Ah Hu groaned under the weight but dared not move, afraid of hurting his sister.

The corridor not far away.

Pei Zhihui, sitting in his wheelchair, took in the entire scene. He held a bowl of freshly brewed medicine in his hand; the medicine was bitter, but it couldn't compare to the bitterness in his heart at that moment.