"The Academy of Sciences really can't make waterproof and fire-proof paper …"
Li Xuan looked a little haggard. It was obvious that he had been thinking about this matter for the past few days. It seemed that he really had no clue. Otherwise, he wouldn't have given up so quickly.
"If you can't make it, then forget it. At most, I won't eat Paper-Wrapped Fish anymore." Li Yi shook his head and said, "MIngzhu is very busy these days. Keep a close eye on the paper mill, especially the method of making paper. Don't leak it. Also help to take care of the people from the princess's residence."
Li Xuan nodded and said, "Don't worry, I'm watching."
"Speaking of MIngzhu …" Li Xuan turned to look at him and hesitated for a moment before saying, "I know it's not easy for you, but MIngzhu is tired enough dealing with political affairs. You … should control yourself and take care of your health."
Li Yi looked at him in surprise and asked, "What should we control?"
"Anyway, just control yourself. Look at how tired she is …"
Watching Li Xuan turn to leave, Li Yi shook his head and murmured, "Strange …"
Fearing that he would forget, he reminded him again, "Insist on visiting the Yu Family!"
"Got it."
Li Xuan waved to the back and walked out of the gate.
The Yu Mansion.
A steward of the Yu Mansion said to the middle-aged official sitting on the chair with a bitter smile, "Sir, it's really not that we don't want to help. It's just that the paper mill of the Yu Family just received a few big orders before the New Year. We really can't spare any extra people …"
The middle-aged official thought for a moment and said again, "If the Yu Family is willing to provide this batch of paper to the Academy first, the price can be increased by one liter …"
"This …"
The steward looked embarrassed. He thought for a moment and said, "Sir, please wait for a moment. I'll go and inform the master first."
Not long after, Ningyuan Hou Dingfeng personally saw the official of the princess's residence out and said, "Sir, rest assured that what the princess is doing is good for the country and the people. The Yu Family is also doing our part for the country …"
"Thank you very much, Marquis. I will take my leave first …"
"Farewell!"
Seeing the official leave, a strange smile appeared on Yu Dingfeng's face, and he walked back into the mansion.
"Father, are we going to agree to the princess just like that?" A young man came from afar and followed him. He asked anxiously, "How are we going to explain this to the Cui Family and the King of Shu?"
"What do you know!" Yu Dingfeng glanced at him and said, "The demand for paper in the Academy is so large that no one but the Yu family can afford it. Since they are offering such a high price, why don't we do it? If this large sum of money is used on this, I want to see how their Academy will operate in the future. If their Academy can't continue and we get the money for nothing, not only will Noble Consort Cui not blame us, but this matter will also be a great merit."
The young man was startled for a moment before a look of reverence appeared on his face. "Father is wise!"
Yu Dingfeng waved his hand and said, "Alright, stop flattering me. Tell me, what's the matter?"
"Nothing can be hidden from Father." The young man smiled embarrassedly and said, "Third Brother has been reflecting on himself in his room for half a month. Mother sent me to ask when …"
"Don't mention that bastard to me!"
Hearing him mention this matter, Yu Dingfeng's face was filled with rage. If it weren't for that blind bastard provoking that person from the Chen family, that madman Chen Chong wouldn't have come knocking on their residence to denounce them. The Yu family had paid a heavy price to settle this matter, and even now, he still felt his heart ache when he thought about it.
"I said one month, so it's one month. Not a day less, not even an hour less!" Yu Dingfeng said with a sullen face. He then asked, "Have you found the prostitute from that day?"
The young man lowered his head and said, "Not yet. When I found the brothel, I heard that she redeemed herself on the same day and left. As for where she went, I don't know …"
Yu Dingfeng's face became even more sullen. Even now, if he still did not know that the Yu family had been schemed against, he would not be fit to be the head of the Yu family.
Half a month ago, after listening to the bodyguards' detailed account of what had happened that day, he realized that the appearance of that woman and the words she had said were all meant to lead that unfilial son into a conflict with that person from the Chen family. That was why Chen Chong had come knocking on their door. It was clear that someone had schemed against the Yu family from behind!
Although he did not know who the mastermind was, he had to settle this score with the Chen family sooner or later.
Originally, after knowing the identity of the other woman in the cloth shop that day, he still had many misgivings. After all, the youngest Golden Ziguanglu of all the dynasties was not a person who was easy to get along with.
Fortunately, after so much time had passed, that person had not made any moves. Perhaps … he had already forgotten about this matter?
Yes, he must have forgotten about it.
When Li Yi walked out of the School of Mathematics, Li Xuan chased after him and asked after listening to him, "Has the Yu family agreed?"
Li Xuan nodded and said, "They just agreed. Should we release that paper now?"
"No hurry." Li Yi waved his hand and said, "Let them stock up more goods first."
Originally, there was only a small grudge with the Yu family, but it had been half a month, and with the interest, the small grudge had long become a big one. Bullying MIngzhu and Zui Mo only made them lose money, which was not a big deal. After all, although the money was gone, at least the people were still there.
When passing by a brothel, he asked Xu to stop the carriage. This brothel was the core of all the brothels in the capital. Usually, all the matters of the brothel would be gathered here. If Ruoqing was not in Willow Lane, she would be here most of the time.
"County Marquis Li?"
When walking into the brothel, a voice came from behind. Li Yi turned his head and looked at the middle-aged man who came in from outside.
The middle-aged man in luxurious clothes took two steps forward, smiled, and said, "It's really County Marquis Li."
Li Yi's eyes swept over the man behind the middle-aged man, then he looked at him in confusion and asked, "You are?"
"I'm Qin He." The middle-aged man smiled and said, "Prime Minister Qin is my father."
Li Yi made an obeisance with one hand in the other before his chest. "So it's Lord Qin."
"You flatter me." The middle-aged man said with a smile, "I'm the fifth child in the family, and I have no official position. I'm just an ordinary man. County Marquis Li, you also come to the brothel to watch the show?"
"I'm just watching …" Li Yi smiled and asked casually, "I wonder what show Lord Qin is watching this time?"
"The Orphan of Zhao." Lord Qin smiled and said, "This show is really good. I don't know who wrote it. It's the third time I've watched it."
Li Yi said in surprise, "It turns out that Lord Qin likes to watch this kind of show of enduring revenge …"
Lord Qin shook his head with a smile and said, "I'm just watching, just watching …"
Li Yi chatted with this Fifth Master of the Qin Clan for a while before the latter entered a railing. Li Yi stood outside for a moment before withdrawing his gaze and walking towards the small building inside with familiarity.
"Li."
Inside the small building, there were several women busy. Seeing Li Yi come in, they hurriedly got up and saluted.
"Young Master, are you looking for Miss Ruoqing? She's upstairs."
Li Yi nodded to them with a smile, walked up the stairs, and gently knocked on the door of a room.
"Come in."
When Li Yi pushed the door open and entered, Wan Ruoqing was writing something at the desk. Without raising her head, she said softly, "Recently, there have been two new shows, and the repertoire needs to be rearranged. The costumes should be ready soon, and I'll go and urge them tomorrow. The two brothels in the east of the city are a little understaffed, and need to be transferred … Ah, you're here."
There was no sound coming from the door. She raised her head and glanced at it. After a moment of surprise, she immediately stood up.
Li Yi walked over slowly and said, "You don't have to personally arrange these trivial matters. The people below can also do it …"
Wan Ruoqing smiled and said, "I have nothing to do, so I'll just do what I can."
"How many times have you said it, but you've never listened." Li Yi looked at her, shook his head, and said helplessly.
When talking to her, she had always been so gentle and soft. She was truly a woman as gentle as water. No matter how impetuous he was, he could quickly calm down after spending a short time with her.
When he passed by here, he came to see her and talked about some things about the brothels. He didn't know how many times he had told her to rest more and not to be too tired. Then, he refused her offer to send him downstairs and left.
Above the small building, a gentle gaze, through the window, watched him walk out of the brothel, and stopped at the place where his figure disappeared.
The figure leaned against the window and stared blankly … until the sky darkened.
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