When the two guards saw Xiao Jinghan about to enter, they bowed obsequiously and led him in. There were already several buyers inside Sanxi Workshop.
As long as there were any shops or mansions in this area for sale, people in the capital would surely flock to them. Unless something major happened, no one would sell their property here.
"Chen Feiyan." Yi Qing gently tugged at Xiao Jinghan's sleeve.
The last time she saw Chen Feiyan was when the latter went with Lady Yuan to inquire about Yuan Hecong. She hadn't seen her since then. Unexpectedly, they would meet again here.
"It seems it's really from the Chen family." Yi Qing looked at Chen Feiyan.
Chen Feiyan also saw Yi Qing. She raised her delicate eyebrows slightly, looking rather haughty. Yi Qing almost burst out laughing.
"What are you laughing at, Lady Xiao?" Chen Feiyan asked loudly.
Everyone turned around and saw Xiao Jinghan and Yi Qing. Some who recognized Xiao Jinghan hurriedly came over to pay their respects. For a moment, everyone surrounded them, which made Chen Feiyan furious.
"I'm laughing at your being so proud while being so stupid." Yi Qing laughed even more heartily.
Even if Chen Feiyan used to think she was young and beautiful and that everyone would like her, after staying in the capital for such a long time, she should know that in this place, there was no shortage of young and beautiful women, and the powerful and noble were as numerous as hairs on a cow.
"You..." Chen Feiyan pointed at Yi Qing angrily.
"Alright. Is this Sanxi Workshop from your Chen family?" Yi Qing was too lazy to argue with her.
"Of course it is, but I won't sell it to you." Chen Feiyan said proudly.
"Okay." Yi Qing nodded, then took Xiao Jinghan's arm. "Let's go."
Xiao Jinghan led Yi Qing away.
"What does Miss Chen mean? Why won't you sell it to General Xiao?" someone questioned.
"Yes. General Xiao has done so much for our Great Jin. How could Miss Chen act like this?"
"I don't think the Chen family is a good one. There must be something wrong with this mansion."
"Right. We shouldn't buy it."
...
People started to walk out while talking one after another.
"Hey—" Chen Feiyan didn't expect this to happen.
Hearing the discussions behind them, Yi Qing leaned closer to Xiao Jinghan. "When did your reputation become so good?"
"It seems to be after the storyteller told stories outside our house." Xiao Jinghan actually didn't care about this, but he was happy that it could make Yi Qing happy.
"It seems Tao Sanwen is quite useful." Yi Qing glanced at Tao Sanwen beside her. "Let's go."
Tao Sanwen didn't know what Lady Xiao wanted him to do, but he followed her out.
"Ruohong, take Mr. Tao to buy several sets of ready - made clothes and get him some other things. Make him look more decent in the future." Yi Qing ordered.
"Yes." Ruohong took Tao Sanwen away.
Chen Feiyan knew that Sanxi Workshop was a highly sought - after property, and people in the capital would surely compete to buy it. Who would have thought that Yi Qing would come and stir things up, and now there was no one left.
"Yi Qing, just you wait." Chen Feiyan stamped her foot angrily, but there was nothing she could do.
She was really stupidly proud. What did she have to compare with Yi Qing now? If one were to ask who was the most untouchable person in the capital now, it would surely be Yi Qing.
Her grandfather was a duke, and her mother was a first - rank imperial consort. But these were not important. The most important thing was that her husband was Xiao Jinghan, a god of war who would protect her without any principle.
After discussing with Qing Zijin, Yi Qing had to raise the silver. It was time to compete in terms of silver.
Thinking of this, Yi Qing understood why the Chen family wanted to sell Sanxi Workshop. By selling it, they could annex the Ping family's industry. Fortunately, she didn't let the Chen family succeed.
Deng Xiao showed no intention of going home and even started practicing calligraphy.
"Your injury has completely healed. When do you plan to go home?" Yi Qing and Xiao Jinghan came to drive him away.
"How do you think my calligraphy is?" Deng Xiao put down the writing brush.
"Is it about the calligraphy?" Yi Qing didn't want to talk to him.
"I secretly went back to take a look. Mu Lixue often goes to see my mother. My house is being watched by some highly skilled people. Once I show up, they will attack." Deng Xiao had wanted to go home for a long time.
Yi Qing looked at Xiao Jinghan.
"It's really a dead - end situation now." Xiao Jinghan also admitted the current situation.
"So there's no way out?" Yi Qing thought about all the troublesome things she had encountered. They were always dead - end situations.
"The simplest way is for Mu Lixue to stop liking Deng Xiao and have nothing to do with him from now on." Xiao Jinghan said directly.
Even if Duke Mu was unhappy, he wouldn't offend the emperor just because of Deng Xiao.
"Can't you come up with a simpler way?" Yi Qing thought this was the most difficult one. "Now Mu Lixue is just single - minded. She doesn't think about anything else."
Yi Qing had tried her best. Before, it was easier to deal with Wu Min because Wu Xia was inexperienced. But Mu Lixue had seen everything. In her eyes, there was only whether she liked someone or not, not what kind of person that someone was.
Deng Xiao and Xiao Jinghan both looked at Yi Qing. Xiao Jinghan glared at Deng Xiao, and then Deng Xiao nodded and continued to practice calligraphy.
"So you're going to hide in my house forever?" Yi Qing thought this wasn't a solution. "How about... I give Mu Lixue a hint that you may have had an accident."
"No. My mother will know."
"She cares about you so much. If I tell her not to let your mother know, she probably won't tell your mother."
Deng Xiao wasn't sure.
"Let me give it a try, then?" Yi Qing wanted to give it a shot as a last resort.
"Then I'll trouble you." Deng Xiao clasped his fists.
"By the way, what did you find out when you went to Chunan? Let me take a look." Yi Qing squinted at Deng Xiao.
Deng Xiao hadn't given these documents to the emperor yet. If he did, Duke Mu would probably know that he was still alive. "It's nothing important." He said as he gave them to Yi Qing.
Yi Qing thought they were quite useful to her. "Thanks."
"You're not going to give this to the emperor, are you?" Deng Xiao asked directly.
"Anyway, it's his business. Who else should I give it to?" Yi Qing wanted to control the emperor and the Marquis of Chunan so that it would be easier for her to divide up the Ping family's industry in the south of the Yangtze River.
In the evening, Yi Qing sat at the entrance of the tunnel. This was the only time she hoped that the dog - emperor would come. But he didn't show up even when it was time to go to bed.
"He comes here for no reason every day. Now when I need him, he's nowhere to be seen." Yi Qing complained.
Xiao Jinghan laughed. The emperor was probably also thinking about how to take over the Ping family to stabilize the north of the Jin River.
The emperor was indeed thinking like this. Since the first time Ping Xinian targeted the Xiao family, he had wanted to take over these big merchants. He didn't even have enough money to control floods, but these big merchants would spend 500,000 taels of silver just to buy a piece of information. It was simply too much.
After that, Yi Qing outwitted Ping Xinian, and Yi Qing almost got trapped by her. Finally, Ping Xinian was completely dead. Thinking about it, the couple was really a lucky star for Great Jin.
There had been too many things recently. Yi Qing finally got a good night's sleep, but early the next morning, Ran Ran came running.
"What's the matter?" Yi Qing got out of bed in her inner clothes. She was still groggy.
"Xie Hongyi is dead." Ran Ran said seriously.
Yi Qing was surprised. "What did you say?"
"Xie Hongyi is dead. He was killed, and his heart and liver were dug out." Ran Ran said, getting goosebumps all over.
Yi Qing stared wide - eyed. She had seen Xie Hongyi yesterday, and now he was dead. "Who did it?"
Ran Ran shook her head. "The emperor has handed this matter over to the Supreme Court. The people from Sihe Wine Shop said that he had a conflict with you yesterday and you kicked him into the pond. Mao Zhi asked me to come and tell you."