Chapter 817: 344 Earthwork
A gust of autumn wind blew, causing the leaves to ripple, oscillating in concentric circles. The wind carried with it the faint, unique fragrance of chrysanthemums, refreshing the spirit.
Xiang Wei, seeing Yueyao’s serene expression, no longer wished to press further; she would naturally learn what she needed to know when the time came, "Miss, the wind has picked up, let’s go back inside!"
Yueyao did not go back but listened to the rustling sounds of the trees. After a while, Yueyao finally returned to the study, but she did not practice calligraphy or read. Instead, she copied scriptures. Whenever Yueyao was restless, she would start copying scriptures, a process that brought her peace.
Xiang Wei had thought Yueyao would write a letter or something. She had not expected her to copy scriptures and felt a mix of disappointment and admiration. To have such resources and choose not to use them was not something everyone could do. Although Xiang Wei thought it was somewhat foolish, she found Yueyao’s mindset to be very pure. Perhaps this was why she was willing to stay by Yueyao’s side; such a person was reassuring.
The next day Yueyao followed her usual routine—she woke up, practiced her punches, then had breakfast before heading to the study to practice calligraphy. In the study, however, she did not practice calligraphy but wrote a letter instead. She then took the seal she kept on her person, stamped it on the letter, dripped wax to seal it properly, and only after everything was in order did she call Xiang Wei inside.
Xiang Wei took the letter, which had no recipient written on it.
Yueyao said, "Take this letter personally and make sure you hand it directly to Fan Jun."
Xiang Wei, quite familiar with notable officials in the Capital City, knew of Fan Jun well. A shiver ran through her as she whispered, "Miss, don’t tell me the Fan Jun you’re talking about is the General Secretary Fan Jun?" No sooner had Xiang Wei spoken than she felt foolish; surely this Fan Jun was the one she was thinking of.
It was the first time Yueyao saw Xiang Wei look frightened, which she found quite rare, "Are you very familiar with Fan Jun?" If she was not mistaken, Xiang Wei seemed afraid of him.
Xiang Wei did not conceal the truth from Yueyao, "More than familiar, I’ve been tricked by him several times. Once, I nearly lost my life at his hands. I never expected that you were seeking his help. If he agrees to help you, this affair is very likely to succeed." The position of the Head of the General Secretary Department could not be held except by someone close to the Emperor, as it involved helping the Emperor supervise his officials and controlled the largest intelligence network in the Imperial Court. The power was enormous. Xiang Wei’s past activities were shady, and being bold, she had crossed the line of the General Secretary a few times. Fan Jun was not mild-mannered, and his subordinates were all competent; none of them would let Xiang Wei off the hook easily.
Although Yueyao knew what the role of the General Secretary Department entailed, she had never felt it as profoundly as now, "Maybe it’s better to have someone else deliver it."
Xiang Wei expressed speechlessly, "I was outsmarted by him, not assaulted by him. Miss, don’t worry, Fan Jun doesn’t know who I am." Fan Jun was the boss; if he had to do everything himself, everything would be in disarray!
Yueyao began to worry anew, "Do you think he will help me?"
Xiang Wei disdainfully said, "He owes a debt of gratitude to the Lian family, he definitely will pay it back. Of course, if you ask him to do something he can’t, he certainly won’t agree. But the task you’re asking of him is not difficult for him, he has no reason to refuse." Collecting evidence of crimes committed by a great merchant was a trivial matter for Fan Jun. Xiang Wei now felt that Yueyao seeking Fan Jun for this was a misapplication of resources, like using a butcher’s knife to kill a chicken; it just wasn’t cost-effective.
Yueyao shared her worries, "I know you might think Zhou Shu wouldn’t dare, as the Marquis supports me so Zhou Shu would not dare trouble me further. But I am certain, Zhou Shu has not given up. I must act before he does, or he will surely destroy me. Xiang Wei, if Zhou Shu is not removed, I will never have peace." No one knew Zhou Shu’s character better than she did; he was someone who must possess what he coveted, and if he couldn’t have it, he would strive to destroy it. In her previous life, she had been destroyed by him.
Xiang Wei had not expected Yueyao to fear Zhou Shu to this extent, "Miss, rest assured, I’ll deliver the letter to Fan Jun right now."
Unable to relax and read, Yueyao took her maid and old nanny, along with over a dozen followers, to visit Mingzhu. Among these followers, four had been given to her by Marquis Jingning whom Xiang Wei said possessed exceptional martial skills. The road from Ma’s Mansion to Niu Mansion was bustling and not secluded. With guards for protection, Yueyao was not worried about encountering any trouble.