Chapter 109

Chapter 109: I’ll Wait for You with Roast Duck The gloom surrounding Lihua finally began to fade as Gan Qiongying gave her exaggerated account. Seizing the moment, Gan Qiongying dashed forward, stumbling a bit from the sudden movement. Lihua caught her precisely. "Husband," Gan Qiongying said softly, leaning into Lihua’s embrace. "I really pushed him away in one go—he must have stumbled back three or four steps. I was just so happy to hear you’d returned that I didn’t have time to change clothes, and I ended up making you uncomfortable. Can you please stop being angry?" "Smile for me?" She reached up to lift the corners of his mouth. Lihua couldn’t resist being coaxed—not even a little. His anger had already dissipated while Gan Qiongying was explaining. He didn’t even bother to question whether her explanation was true or false. Without thinking, he wrapped his arms around her back and held her tightly. Gan Qiongying suppressed a laugh, not content to stop there. She hugged Lihua even tighter. "Husband, I was wrong to blame you earlier." She gently nuzzled his shoulder. "Only now do I understand that these people can’t just be dismissed so easily." "Many of them, if simply given money and sent away, might survive for a few days outside, but they’d soon find themselves at a dead end. They simply don’t have the ability to support themselves." Gan Qiongying said, "You have a kind heart and don’t want to thoughtlessly send any of them away. But you’ve already thought of a place for them, haven’t you?" While praising him, she smoothly shifted the responsibility onto Lihua. As dusk fell, their shadows merged into one. Gan Qiongying began to complain about their financial struggles again: "Since you’ve taken over managing the household, you must know that the Princess Manor has been running at a loss for a long time. We’ve only been able to maintain appearances thanks to the money you provide each month. I haven’t even ordered any new headpieces I like—how could we possibly afford to dismiss them?" She sighed deeply, clinging to Lihua shamelessly as she cooed, "From now on, I won’t handle any of this. I’ll leave it all to you, okay?" Gan Qiongying had far too many expenses to cover. She truly couldn’t afford the severance pay for these people. Although she had some money on hand now, if she used it to settle them and protect those who could be of use, her and Gan Lin’s escape plan would be pushed even further into the distance. Gan Qiongying had always been adaptable, but her own coquettishness gave her goosebumps. Today, she had clearly decided to throw all pride aside. In contrast, Lihua, who possessed endless wealth, didn’t place much importance on money. He had a steady stream of gold and silver from his business connections, and the amount needed to dismiss the people in the rear courtyard was insignificant to him. He couldn’t withstand Gan Qiongying’s coquetry. Before she even fully exerted her charm, Lihua had already given in, admitting that he had already found places for these people. "I own quite a few shops, and my business ventures are quite diverse. I plan to assign these people to work in some of the shops. Whatever they’re skilled in, they’ll have a way forward." Lihua took hold of Gan Qiongying’s arms wrapped around his waist and gently stroked them. "I know the Princess took them in out of kindness. They’re all pitiable people. Just leave them to me, Princess. I promise they’ll have food and clothing." He looked at Gan Qiongying, reached out to stroke her head, and smiled slightly. "I’ll arrange for them to leave the manor in batches as soon as possible." It wasn't difficult for Lihua to arrange people under his command, but he always wanted to respect their wishes and understand what they were good at, what they could do for a living. He wanted to do it well because this was something Gan Qiongying had entrusted to him. Upon hearing this, Gan Qiongying was particularly excited. She tightened her embrace around Lihua even more, her voice trembling, "What kind of luck have I stumbled upon?" Gan Qiongying laughed so hard her teeth were barely visible. "To have met the best husband in the world!" "Husband, do you even know how wonderful you are?" Lihua was a bit flustered by her antics. He pressed Gan Qiongying into his embrace, actually too shy to look up. The night breeze picked up, and Lihua wrapped Gan Qiongying in his wide sleeves, carrying her back in this bundled-up manner. At this moment, he didn't even mind the fragrance on her anymore; his whole heart felt as if it were soaking in a jar of honey. He didn't want to think about anything, and nothing was worth his thoughts. "You've worked hard all day, you must be tired. Let Manyue prepare a proper bath for you," he said. "The roast duck and I will be waiting." Gan Qiongying poked her head out from between Lihua's arms, her eyes lighting up at his words. "Roast duck!" She sniffed hard, "Is it from Phoenix Tower?" Lihua laughed again, playing along, "Yes, genuine and freshly made." Walking in this strange posture, one in front and the other behind, they reached the entrance of the Main Courtyard. The maidservants who saw them covered their mouths and giggled quietly, feeling the sweetness on behalf of their masters. At the doorway, Lihua patted Gan Qiongying's back. "Hurry along, or the skin will soften and lose its crispiness." "Alright, alright!" Gan Qiongying agreed repeatedly, trotting off toward the bedchamber while calling out, "Husband, wait for me! Don't sneak a bite first..." Gan Qiongying walked swiftly, and Manyue quickened her pace to keep up. Watching the retreating figures of mistress and servant, Lihua couldn't help but smile. After they had gone some distance, he shook his sleeves vigorously a few times, but the fragrance was too strong to disperse. The corners of his mouth, which had been raised in a smile, instantly fell, and he immediately quickened his steps to go bathe as well. While bathing, Gan Qiongying pondered matters as she washed. The steam rose, and she thought about how easily she had managed to appease Lihua, which seemed to wash away the fatigue of the day. In truth, Gan Qiongying had long considered the idea of placing people under Lihua's care. Dispersing those people would cost a fortune, and hiding those she wanted to use wouldn't be easy either. So why not simply not hide or dismiss them, but directly send them to Lihua's side? This way, they could "openly" have their own identities, with jobs and income—what was there not to like? Under these circumstances, it would be much more convenient for Gan Qiongying to have them work for her. She would first place some of them on the "open path," which would also serve as providing intelligence to Lihua. When he passed the information to Zhongli Zhengzhen, it would align perfectly with Gan Qiongying's strategy of feigning one move while making another. Moreover, Gan Qiongying wasn't just trying to save money; she was also thinking about the safety of those people. The most dangerous place is often the safest, and where is the safest place in the world? Under the enemy's wing. Gan Qiongying knew that by the later stages of the plot, Lihua would already be dead. With his numerous merchant guilds and considerable fame, his death was bound to cause a stir. By then, Zhongli Zhengzhen’s sinister ambitions would also be laid bare, and the fact that Lihua was sent by the Jinchuan royal family would ultimately be exposed. At that point, even if the people Gan Qiongying had used were exposed, they would surely be mistaken for Zhongli Zhengzhen’s agents. All of this would have nothing to do with her. This strategy of diverting the trouble elsewhere was something Gan Qiongying had decided upon only after countless rounds of deliberation. In the end, Lihua’s assets might shrink somewhat, but as a member of the Jinchuan royal family who had released so much information about Princess Duanrong and assisted Zhongli Zhengzhen in overthrowing Nánzhào, as long as he didn’t die according to the plot, he would undoubtedly remain safe and sound. He might even earn merits and would not be implicated by the people she had planted. This was truly a flawless plan.