Long Yue casually asked a question, trying to divert Li Qingmu’s attention.
But Li Qingmu was startled, his eyes narrowing slightly: Is my little wife planning to take down both the Zhou Family and the Liang Family?
Indeed, Zhou Zhiqin had sched against them multiple tis. Although she had ultimately faced her own misfortune, it seed with my little wife’s petty nature, she couldn’t swallow that grievance, huh?
As for the Liang Family... they really are an unlucky clan.
After Li Qingmu was transferred to serve as the County Magistrate of Gaoyang County, he realized he had fallen into the trap set by his sister Long Yue. As long as he remains in office, he would be oppressed by the Minister of the Ministry of Personnel, Pang Wenzheng, and could never make a splash in his lifeti.
So he set his sights on Xinan, preparing to find a way out through military ans.
But one cannot simply go to Xinan; there always needs to be a reason!
The Liang Family, which was always colluding with the mountain bandits and causing trouble, beca his target. He took action, and he even completed half of it, just waiting for the Liang Family to collapse. Then, when the mountain bandits attack the county governnt out of anger, he would mingle among them to fulfill the orders from the Young Prince.
This was the deal he made with the Young Prince in the tea house back then: he would help him take down the mountain bandits, and he in turn would help him to Xinan.
Everything was going smoothly, then the Xiliang Envoy arrived.
Upon arriving, they had injured people from the Qin Family and humiliated Li Qingmu.
As a result, a tragedy occurred.
Li Qingmu was after all a daring character. He dressed the envoys as rchants to lure the bandits to murder them, and then he would wipe out the bandits to make ands, pulling himself out of the situation altogether.
But the envoys died, and the diplomatic relations between the two countries ruptured. This was a major issue. Simply killing the bandits was useless as the infuriated important ministers would cut off his little life. What to do?
To cater to the Emperor’s preferences!
The current Emperor is a formidable character; otherwise, he wouldn’t have stood out among all the late Emperor’s princes to beco the Emperor.
This Emperor shares a trait with Li Qingmu: he cannot endure grievances.
Back then, when Xiliang took advantage of Dazhou’s internal unrest to exact a heavy toll, the Emperor held onto this grievance and has always wanted to cause trouble for Xiliang.
Ten years ago, General Xiping, Cao Yin, repelled Xiliang’s incursion into Da Cao Valley. At that ti, this Emperor wanted to attack Xiliang, but was advised against it by the ministers.
He was only forty then, healthy and robust, and the princes were still too young to form a threat. He was frustrated being constrained by his ministers.
But in recent years, several princes at court have been fighting endlessly for the position of Crown Prince, which inadvertently has elevated the Emperor. Sotis, a single word from the Emperor could cause one prince to gain power while suppressing others.
In such a situation, the ministers have instead beco very compliant, all having to listen to the Emperor because most ministers have chosen sides.
Therefore, if Xiliang dared to provoke again, Dazhou would definitely dispatch troops!
Once the troops are dispatched, his opportunity will co!
Li Qingmu squinted, everything was within his calculations. Even though there were so discrepancies, they did not affect the outco, and this plan could be considered a success.
Of course, he didn’t realize that even if he hadn’t taken action, soone else would have targeted the lives of these Xiliang people.
But if he hadn’t taken action, he would have stayed ho, and disaster would have struck unexpectedly!
"I didn’t anticipate the Emperor would issue an imperial decree directly, nor did I expect it to arrive so quickly. I initially planned to deal with the Zhou Family..."
When Li Qingmu spoke to this point, his gaze beca icy. That Zhou Zhiqin had repeatedly persecuted the couple. Although she t with a miserable fate, her parents... would not be clean either!
"But don’t worry, I’ve left so contingency plans, the Zhou Family won’t remain carefree for long!"
Long Yue imdiately sensed sothing, cheerfully saying, "Does the Zhou Family have any indiscretions?"
"Yes, I had previously gathered so dirt on the Zhou Family. They also have business dealings with the Liang Family, and what the Liang Family does is to traffic salt and iron. Just this alone is enough to bring them misfortune!"
Li Qingmu said with a cold laugh, hugging his little wife tighter.
"The Xiliang envoys died in Gaoyang County, causing an uproar in the court. By then, surely there will be high-ranking officials coming to Gaoyang County for an investigation. Qingtian County is right next to Gaoyang County; how could it escape? Last ti Zhang Bingwen nearly lost his office; this ti, if I send him a major accomplishnt, will he accept it or not?"
Long Yue blinked and thought her man was really insidious, masterfully playing the trick of killing with a borrowed knife.
However, she liked it!
Just thinking that the Zhou Family would et a downfall, and at the edge of the blade of envoy murders, made Long Yue feel exuberant. What in the world could be more satisfying than witnessing the downfall of an enemy? Hahaha!
"Husband!"
In excitent, Long Yue fell into her husband’s arms, burrowing like a little bird.
Feeling the softness and sweetness in his arms, Li Qingmu’s eyes beca infinitely deep and dark. This pesky little charr, this is in a carriage; can’t you behave a little?
The carriage is very bumpy, you know?
"Yue’er..." His voice seed hoarse and seasoned, restraining the impulse to take action right then and there, he moved her away from his embrace, "Sit up straight!"
Long Yue settled down once her excitent passed: "Alright!"
Seeing her behave, Li Qingmu’s eyes flickered; this little woman, sets a fire and runs away, too much! Tonight, she’ll pay!
"Hyah, hyah!"
The carriage continued on, and soon enough it was noon.
"Sir, there’s a noodle shop ahead. Would you like to take a break, feed the horse so fodder, and then enter the city?"
The distance to Puyang City was rely half a day’s journey, definitely enough ti to enter the city for rest before nightfall. Seeing his little wife showing signs of weariness, Li Qingmu nodded: "Okay."
The carriage gradually moved towards the tea house, greeted by a waiter when they arrived.
"Gentlen, what would you like to eat? Our humble establishnt offers noodles, wontons, and tea. Travelers often stop here to rest and have a bite before continuing their journey."
"Three bowls of noodles, please! You can join us, lad!"
Long Yue was hungry, and though they had dry provisions, the journey to Xinan was long and spare supplies are necessary for ergencies. Here, fresh food was preferable if available.
Li Qingmu was indifferent, placing the luggage on the table and letting the coachman tend to the horse. The waiter smiled cheerfully, taking over the reins: "Allow , please. You all eat, leave these tasks to ."
"Many thanks!"
Having driven the carriage for so long, the coachman was exhausted. Receiving help, he gladly handed over the horse.
Li Qingmu eyed the noodles, squinted slightly, and, without eating first, signaled to Long Yue with his eyes.
"ow..."
Coincidentally, a stray cat, drawn by the aroma, approached, its green eyes fixated on them. Li Qingmu picked up a thin slice of at from the noodles and tossed it over.
"ow!"
The cat cried sharply, pouncing to seize the at.
After the cat devoured the slice and circled them with no ill effects, Li Qingmu began to eat with assurance.
"Heh, sir, aren’t you being overly cautious? Those who run businesses here wouldn’t serve problematic food!"
The coachman, observing Li Qingmu’s cautiousness, couldn’t help but laugh.
"When out and about, one has to be careful!"
Li Qingmu replied plainly, and on the other side, the waiter, who was feeding the horses, glanced furtively at the couple not far away, then lowered his head, revealing a sinister smile.
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