Spoiled and mad critic of powerful ministers

In his letter, Shen Mo described the scene in great detail:

"...Your sister-in-law has truly impressed me. Faced with the officials pressing her step by step, she was able to find a loophole in the 'Great Sheng Law' and use a strategy of retreat to advance, forcing Chief Liu to back down."

"Zhihui, I know that her stealing the blueprints is a thorn in your side."

"Therefore, although I went there today, I did not take action immediately."

Upon seeing this, Pei Zhihui thought to himself, "Shen Mo is such a cunning old fox."

The letter continued:

"Behind the official property case stands Prince Shou. That man is currently at the height of his power in the capital. This property encroachment matter involves his private accounts in the northern border, and it cannot be easily touched. If I forcefully suppress it, it will only bring greater trouble to the Pei family. During this two-week grace period, I will find a way to get the contract back."

"As for this time, you can also see what your sister-in-law's true intentions are in staying in the declining Pei family."

"Let's see if she abandons the Pei family, or betrays them again?"

"But today she not only protected the house, but also subdued your two uncles who are only good at bullying their own kind. She has even made arrangements for her retreat to repair the old house on the estate."

"Zhihui, perhaps you could try... trusting your sister-in-law one more time?"

After Pei Zhihui finished reading the last word, a ball of dark blue flame suddenly burst forth from his palm.

That was the tinderbox he always carried with him.

The letter quickly curled and turned black in the firelight, eventually turning into ashes that scattered on the windowsill.

He closed his eyes, and the image of that woman appeared in his mind.

Pei Zhihui closed his eyes, turned his head, looked at the pile of scriptures in the corner that looked like a small mountain, and then looked at the tightly closed courtyard gate.

The teacher was locked in three locks. Unless he completed the "Comprehensive Mirror for Governance," the "Essentials of Military Strategies," and the twenty-seven essays on military strategy, he would not be able to leave the courtyard, let alone go down the mountain.

The teacher is forcing him, forcing him to let go of his hatred, forcing him to become a loyal subject.

But in this world, Chunchen only has one path: death.

"King Shou..."

Pei Zhihui chewed on those two words, a bloodthirsty glint flashing in his eyes.

It turns out that this big fish was stirring up trouble behind the scenes.

Shen Mo did the right thing.

Forcibly taking back the property deed now would only alert them. Only by making them believe that the Pei family has resigned themselves to their fate and moved to the countryside will they lower their guard and reveal more of their true intentions.

All of this is contingent on the Pei family being able to get through these two weeks peacefully.

Pei Zhihui's fingers tapped unconsciously on the table.

He cleaned up the mess at the distillery, won over the manager of the estate, and now he's even protecting his family from the officials.

She seems to be really capable, so "I'll trust my sister-in-law one more time."

Pei Zhihui whispered to the void, as if Shen Qiongju were standing right in front of him, "Sister-in-law, please don't disappoint me again..."

He didn't continue speaking, but instead took out a delicate little carving knife from his sleeve and carved a mark on the corner of the table, a habit he had for recording time.

There are still two weeks left. After he descends from this Si Xue Cliff, we can settle this score slowly.

.

Meanwhile, in Shenjia Village, dozens of miles away, Shen Qiongju was extremely busy.

The major renovation of Pei Family Manor was more complicated than she had imagined.

Cui Ya was indeed a capable woman. With her two original maids and some tenants, she cleaned the main courtyard inside and out in just three days.

The moldy plaster on the walls was scraped off and replaced with new paper. The drafty windows were nailed back in and thick cotton curtains were hung up.

They even had someone ventilate the floor, and although it took a lot of firewood, the house was finally warm.

Solan wasn't idle either; she led several musicians in a rehearsal in an open space in the backyard.

Although there were no musicians, she hummed a Qiang tune, her waist swaying, and her skirt fluttering as she twirled, adding a touch of brightness to the bleak winter day.

Shen Qiongju stood under the eaves, holding the account book in her hand, her brows slightly furrowed.

It's all about money.

Although they had won over Cuiya and Solan, the manor needed to house so many people, and the daily expenses were like water flowing away.

In addition, there's the cost of renovation materials for the tavern, which Old Man Lu has already urged to be paid twice.

The little gold she had was almost gone.

"Young Miss".

Cui Ya rushed over, holding a list in her hand. "The shop assistant who went to town to buy supplies just came back. He said the price of rice has gone up again. Our whole family is coming here soon. In these war-torn years, we have to stock up on food, otherwise we'll all starve to death as refugees if something unexpected happens."

"It's just that the money you gave me isn't enough right now."

Shen Qiongju closed the ledger, her expression unchanged. "I'll give you the money in a couple of days."

Just then, Shen Song came running in, panting.

"Sis! Sis! Good news!"

He waved a red paper in his hand. "The county government just posted a notice! To celebrate the new magistrate's inauguration and with the year-end approaching, the county government is holding a 'Drinking Contest'! It's said that whoever's wine comes out on top will not only be rewarded with a hundred taels of silver, but will also receive exclusive privileges for the county government's banquets for the entire year!"

Shen Qiongju's eyes lit up instantly.

Exclusive qualification!

This is not just a matter of one hundred taels of silver.

In this era, government certification is the best guarantee of prestige.

Once the wine from Shen Family Tavern becomes "exclusively supplied to the county government," who would dare to cause trouble in Wu County, or even the entire Liangzhou?

It's like someone delivering a pillow just when you're about to go to sleep.

"When was this notice posted?" Shen Qiongju asked.

"Just now!" Shen Song's face flushed with excitement. "All the wineries in the city have gone crazy, preparing their best wines. Sister, our 'Jingbian Spring' is definitely going to win!"

Shen Qiongju, however, calmed down.

This drinking contest is probably more than just a celebration.

Two days ago, our army won the Battle of Wushantou. Although the battle was difficult, the casualties were much lower than before because we carried strong liquor to keep warm and clean our wounds.

Shen Mo must have known that the Zhenbei military camp was short of strong liquor, and he was secretly helping to raise war supplies.

This "exclusive supply to the county government" is probably "exclusive supply to the military camp," as strategic materials are generally highly confidential.

Shen Qiongju's heart beat a little faster. If that were the case, then she couldn't afford to lose even more.

"Shen Song".

Shen Qiongju's voice rose slightly, revealing a calm sharpness born from ignited ambition.

"Go to the cellar and bring out those jars of the oldest raw liquor. Then go to the pharmacy and get these medicinal herbs according to my prescription."

Also, tell Old Man Lu I need ten small white porcelain jars, thin-bodied and with an even glaze. I also need twenty bamboo tubes, the inside of which should be coated with beeswax three times. They must be ready within three days.

"yes!"

Although Shen Song didn't understand, he knew his sister had her reasons, so he put the list in his pocket and ran away.

"If we're going to fight, let's go big."

"I want them to know what true fine wine in a prosperous era is."