CHAPTER 352: CHAPTER 327: US

Yu Xiaolian frowned even deeper.

County Magistrate Ma is missing?

Did he hide himself, or has he already been silenced by someone?

Was it the Crown Prince’s men who did it, or did Prince Jin do it himself?

Sun Mancang continued, "I also heard that the Princely Heir of Prince Huainan was sent to the Northern Land."

Yu Xiaolian nodded, knowing that Jun Mobai was going to the Northern Land for post-disaster reconstruction and to revive the north. This was indeed in line with the book.

However, on the surface, Jun Mobai was seeking welfare for the people of the Northern Land, but secretly he was using the local militia to open iron mines privately, raising a large number of private troops for Prince Jin.

Yu Xiaolian called Zhao Erya and Zhao Sanyan, "Let’s go back to Luocheng."

Yu Xiaolian’s sudden decision to leave left the Sun family and Yu Changhe a bit puzzled. What does the emperor’s disfavor of Prince Jin have to do with their family?

"Lian’er, didn’t you say you would leave after the fifteenth?" Sun was a bit reluctant.

Yu Xiaolian tied her cloak, "Dad, Mom, I have something to do in Luocheng!"

She needed to return to Luocheng, as Fu Zihan might send for her in the next few days.

Then, she could also inquire about the situation.

"Lian’er..." Sun wanted to say more but stopped, ultimately not preventing Yu Xiaolian from returning to Luocheng.

After returning to Luocheng, Yu Xiaolian immediately sent Sun Mancang to fetch Su Jingchen.

But Sun Mancang went to Jianyin Academy and couldn’t find Su Jingchen.

Yu Xiaolian then had Sun Mancang go to Bridge Alley, where this time, Sun Mancang found Su Jingchen.

When Su Jingchen arrived on the third floor of Zhenpin Pavilion, he was somewhat anxious.

He thought that Yu Xiaolian probably knew about Ning Chuyu and was now seeking to settle accounts with him.

He gently knocked on Yu Xiaolian’s door, his heart pounding with unease.

Despite never giving Ning Chuyu a second look during this time, he inexplicably felt guilty, as if he had wronged Yu Xiaolian.

However, the matter concerning Ning Chuyu couldn’t be resolved easily, as his father harbored a grudge against Ning Baoku, who broke the engagement with the Su Family, and wanted him to take Ning Chuyu as a concubine to torment Ning Baoku’s beloved daughter for life, to ease his heart.

Of course, Su Jingchen wouldn’t agree to this.

It wasn’t because he held feelings for Ning Chuyu but out of a sense of revenge, he simply couldn’t bring himself to treat a weak woman in such a way.

When his father brought Ning Chuyu back, he was indeed shocked. Since when Ning Baoku broke the engagement with the Su Family, his father had cut all ties with this former brother. So how did he end up bringing the man’s daughter back?

Su Dafu knew about the connections between the Ning family and the Ma family and was aware that they had fled together to rely on relatives in Caozhou. Thus, after settling in Luocheng, he frequently transported goods between Luocheng and Caozhou.

Since Su Dafu had teamed up with Zheng Yuanfeng through Su Jingchen, his business only grew larger and larger. Setting aside other matters, merely transporting goods for Zheng Yuanfeng’s industries earned him a fortune.

Su Dafu didn’t know about Ning Baoku’s death on the road to flee, as Su Jingchen didn’t see fit to mention it to him.

Therefore, every time Su Dafu went to Caozhou, he investigated the Ning family and the Ma family, determined to avenge himself.

He didn’t waste his efforts, as he did hear something, although he didn’t expect that only Ning Chuyu remained of the Ning family.

On the road south, Ning Baoku was killed by bandits, and although Ning Baoku’s wife Duan and daughter Ning Chuyu safely reached Caozhou, their days were difficult as they lived under someone else’s roof.

Since they relied on relatives from the Ma family to act as guarantors to switch to white registration, they had to endure and bide their time.

Even though Duan and her daughter had some money, it wasn’t enough to buy property in Caozhou City, so they continued to live with Ma’s relatives, awaiting the right time to move out.

They remained dependents for over a year, and eventually, Duan tired of the situation and wanted to move with Ning Chuyu to a village.

However, just as Duan purchased land and a house in the village, she fell mysteriously ill, leaving the young Ning Chuyu alone.

After Duan died, the Ma family seized the land and house she bought, leaving Ning Chuyu, an unfamiliar face in Caozhou, with no recourse for justice.

When Ning Chuyu was about to be forced to become a concubine for Master Ma’s son during her mourning period, Su Dafu appeared.

To Ning Chuyu, he was like a ray of hope, so she begged Su Dafu for help with tears streaming down her face.

Seeing such a tragic Ning Chuyu, Su Dafu felt a sense of satisfaction. He initially intended to turn away but changed his mind.

He wanted Ning Baoku’s daughter to serve as a slave or maid, to be at his beck and call.

Thus, Su Dafu paid the Ma family a hefty sum to purchase Ning Chuyu’s contract of servitude.

Why did he purchase her from the Ma family?

Because Ning Chuyu had been betrothed to the Ma family’s son and had a marriage contract. With her parents deceased, the Ma family claimed her.

Yu Xiaolian initially wanted to discuss Prince Jin being exiled back to Yu State with Su Jingchen, but almost immediately Su Jingchen started explaining Ning Chuyu’s situation impatiently before she could argue.

After hearing everything, Yu Xiaolian touched her chin and teased, "So, what do you plan to do? You can’t keep her in your house forever, right?"

Su Jingchen helplessly replied, "I’ve already told my father that I will never take a concubine. If he wants, he can do it himself!"

In fact, taking Ning Chuyu as a concubine also tempted Su Dafu, and he even brought it up to Ning Chuyu, but Ning Chuyu refused adamantly, saying she’d only be willing to be Su Jingchen’s concubine.

Still, Su Jingchen didn’t plan to share this with Yu Xiaolian, as it would be disgraceful for a father to take as a concubine a woman meant for his son.

Yu Xiaolian waved her hand, "Let’s not talk about her. How about the matter with your ’rebellious poem’? How did that get resolved?"

Su Jingchen’s lips curled slightly, "That was just a false accusation by County Magistrate Ma and his son. It’s nothing now."

County Magistrate Ma is already dead.

There is no one more aware of where his body lies than Su Jingchen.

"Oh..." Yu Xiaolian noticed a meaningful glint in Su Jingchen’s smiling eyes, but she wisely chose not to pursue it.

"I heard that when County Magistrate Ma targeted you, it was Teacher Zhao who staunchly defended you. We owe him a huge favor." Yu Xiaolian sighed.

Su Jingchen chuckled frivolously, "We?"

"Ah..." Yu Xiaolian blushed, "We... what’s wrong with saying we?"

Yu Xiaolian’s embarrassed look made Su Jingchen feel immensely pleased, and he broke into laughter, "Of course, it’s we."

Yu Xiaolian, flustered and angry, smacked Su Jingchen’s arm, "Stop fooling around, I’m trying to be serious!"

"Cough..." Su Jingchen stifled his laugh, "Go ahead!"

Yu Xiaolian shared the situation regarding Prince Jin and Jun Mobai with Su Jingchen, asking for his analysis.

Seeing Yu Xiaolian’s serious expression, Su Jingchen also became earnest.

"I don’t actually think Prince Jin has fallen out of the emperor’s favor.

It’s possible that the recall to Yu State is a strategic retreat by Prince Jin, allowing him to consolidate when the Crown Prince’s influence is rising.

On the surface, it seems Prince Jin has lost favor, is exiled to his fiefdom, and has lost the chance to contend with the other Princes. However, a dormant Prince Jin in Yu State might end up reaping the final rewards."

With Su Jingchen’s words, Yu Xiaolian suddenly understood, "Ah, right, right, that’s quite possible."

She thought to herself, Prince Jin couldn’t possibly withdraw from the battle for the throne so early, proving he was smarter than she initially gave him credit for.

The Crown Prince found two Life-extending Blood Packs for the old emperor and managed to get Great Meng Country to withdraw troops and ceasefire. His current momentum is strong, and Prince Jin choosing to avoid the confrontation now is indeed a wise move.