Joy of Life: Starting by clinging to the eldest princess's coattails!

Inside Suzhou city, in a private room of a teahouse overlooking the river.

The window was half-open, and you could see cargo ships slowly passing by on the canal outside.

The tea steamed in the celadon cup, with tea leaves floating and sinking within.

Xie Yu sat at the table, his fingers unconsciously stroking the rim of his cup.

He had been waiting for almost the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

The door was gently pushed open.

Chen Youliang slipped in and closed the door behind him. He was wearing a dark blue cloth shirt today, making him look like an ordinary merchant.

"Thank you, sir." Chen Youliang cupped his hands and sat down opposite him.

"Treasurer Chen." Seeing Chen Youliang arrive, Xie Yu didn't stand on ceremony and asked impatiently, "I've been wanting to see you these past few days. What's going on?"

"How could you three major pharmacies and Qingyutang make such a decision so quickly?"

"Could it be that Miss Ye left behind some kind of arrangement?"

Chen Youliang picked up the teacup, took a sip, and then slowly put it down.

"Lord Xie guessed correctly." His expression was solemn. "The master did indeed leave instructions."

Xie Yu's face showed an "I knew it" expression. He was about to ask what the plan was when Chen Youliang continued to speak.

"And the boss told us that himself a few nights ago."

"What did you say?" Xie Yu sat up abruptly. "You mean... Miss Ye isn't dead? She's even in Suzhou?"

He looked at Chen Youliang, his voice changing tone.

Chen Youliang shook his head.

"No, the master is dead." He paused, seemingly choosing his words carefully. "The one we saw that night... wasn't the real her."

Xie Yu was stunned.

"Not really her?" he repeated, his mind a jumble. "Then what do you mean?"

Chen Youliang took a deep breath and recounted the events of that night in detail.

……

"She told us to follow Wu Feng's instructions," Chen Youliang said softly. "After she finished speaking... she turned into several shadows and disappeared right before our eyes."

The private room quieted down.

Only the faint sounds of boatmen's chants from the canal outside the window could be heard.

Xie Yu's hands were trembling slightly.

He picked up his teacup, wanting to take a sip to cool down, but when the rim touched his lips, he realized the tea was already cold.

He put down the cup and it took him a while to calm down.

"Are you sure you're not mistaken?" He looked at Chen Youliang. "The person you saw... is really Miss Ye?"

"We won't mistake our employer," Chen Youliang said earnestly. "Besides, there are some things that only our employer knows. The person who appeared that night must have been our employer."

Xie Yu fell silent.

Can a dead person reappear? This was clearly beyond his comprehension.

"You mean..." his voice was hoarse, "Will Miss Ye ever appear again?"

"I don't know either." Chen Youliang shook his head. "That night she said she didn't have much time left, and disappeared without saying much to us."

Xie Yu leaned back in his chair and rubbed his temples.

This is a huge issue.

"Have you told the Censorate about this?" he asked.

"The employer didn't give any instructions, so we didn't say anything."

"We must tell Dean Chen." Xie Yu sat up straight. "Otherwise, the Dean and the others will think you were coerced by the Eldest Princess and will target her. I'll handle this. I'll contact the Surveillance Bureau."

Chen Youliang thought for a moment and nodded: "Okay. But you must tell Dean Chen that this matter must not be made public."

"I see."

After Xie Yu finished speaking, her gaze fell on the small wooden box next to her.

He reached out and patted the box. "It's just a pity... this is worth two hundred thousand taels of silver."

His original plan was very meticulous.

With these 200,000 taels of silver notes, plus the evidence of crimes committed by the Ming family, Cui family, and other families that he had secretly collected over the years, plus his position as the prefect of Suzhou.

By employing a three-pronged approach, they managed to persuade the eldest princess to intervene and eliminate these local bullies.

This decisive victory ensured that the three major workshops and Qingyutang would have no further worries in Suzhou.

But now...

Plans can't keep up with changes.

Chen Youliang smiled.

"Lord Xie, please give me this two hundred thousand taels," he said. "I will pass it on to Lord Wu Feng, and I believe he will handle it well."

Xie Yu looked at Chen Youliang and finally nodded.

"Alright."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

When Xie Yu returned to the government office, it was already dark.

He immediately went to his study to write a letter.

After writing.

He tore the letter into five pieces.

After doing all this, he changed into a dark gray casual outfit and quietly left the government office through the back door.

In the south of Suzhou, there is a secluded alley.

Xie Yu stopped in front of an inconspicuous wooden door and knocked five times rhythmically.

The door opened a crack.

Inside was a tall, thin middle-aged man. When he saw Xie Yu, his eyes flickered slightly, and he stepped aside to let him in.

"Urgent." Xie Yu handed over five letters. "Divide them into five routes and send them to Kyoto by the fastest carrier pigeon. They must be opened by Dean Chen personally."

The tall, thin man took the letter without asking a single question.

"clear."

Xie Yu turned and left, his figure quickly disappearing into the night.

On his way back to his residence, he was still thinking about what Chen Youliang had said.

They vanished in several shadows...

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Kyoto, Prosecutor's Office.

Chen Pingping sat in a wheelchair, with a routine report that had just been sent from Suzhou spread out in front of her.

His brow furrowed slightly.

It's illogical that the three major pharmacies and Qingyutang would come under the Princess's control so quickly.

He knew the people Ye Qingmei had trained all too well.

Those shopkeepers and treasurers were all proud and arrogant, and their loyalty to Ye Qingmei was almost obsessive.

Princess Li Yunrui... even with her royal status, it's impossible for her to make them bow down in just a few days.

unless……

Chen Pingping put down the paper in his hand and instructed the person outside the door, "Prepare the carriage, we're going to Qingyutang."

The carriage moved slowly through the streets of Kyoto.

Chen Pingping closed her eyes and gently tapped her fingers on the armrests of her wheelchair.

He was considering all the possibilities.

The eldest princess, in alliance with local prominent families in Suzhou, gradually replaced Qingyutang.

This was his original speculation.

But the reality is quite the opposite.

Qingyutang and the three major pharmacies not only did not resist, but also took the initiative to declare their allegiance.

Something must have happened that he doesn't know about.

The carriage stopped in front of the headquarters of Qingyutang.

Chen Pingping was carried off the carriage by the black-clad riders, placed in a wheelchair, and pushed inside.

When the managers of Qingyutang saw him, they all bowed and paid their respects.

"Dean Chen."

Chen Pingping waved his hand and asked directly, "What exactly happened in Suzhou?"

The shopkeepers looked at each other, and one of the older ones stepped forward.

"Dean, we don't know the specifics either." He said frankly, "but Manager Ye sent word that we can rest assured that Qingyutang will be fine."

"What else did Ye Songnian say?"

"The head manager didn't say, but I believe him." The older manager paused. "The head manager would never betray the master."

Chen Pingping fell silent.

Ye Songnian was indeed one of Ye Qingmei's most trusted people, but now he was loyal to the Eldest Princess.

The logic here doesn't make sense.

Chen Pingping sat in Qingyutang for fifteen minutes and asked many questions, but the answers he received were all vague.

In the end, he had no choice but to leave.

Back at the Overwatch Council, he sat in his study as darkness fell outside the window.

Even when the candle was lit, his brow remained furrowed.

What exactly happened in Suzhou?