Chapter 158: Chapter 106: Let the Liu Family Feel What Surging Public Opinion Means

If this sort of thing happened more often, who would dare to stay with the Zhao Family in the future?

If the Zhao Family couldn’t recruit Travelers, what would they do for Spirit Stones?

Song Meiqin considered these things from the comfort of Lu Yuan’s embrace.

’We can solve this problem now, but what about next time...’

’Even if my brother comes back, this will be difficult to handle...’

’The Liu Family is so hard to deal with...’

Song Meiqin’s beautiful face was etched with worry as she lay in Lu Yuan’s arms.

Her brother might be a Vice General, and he was the son-in-law of the Governor’s House, but it wasn’t as simple as the Governor outranking the Inspectorate by one level and being able to punish him at will.

High-ranking local officials like him all had connections within the imperial Court.

The Court was riddled with factions, and the Liu Family had their own backers.

Trying to take down a behemoth like the Liu Family was just too difficult.

Unless the Liu Family’s patrons fell from power, there was really no way.

Beside them, Zhao Qiao’Er didn’t seem troubled at all. She took a sip of her malva nut tea.

She just said nonchalantly,

"If we can’t deal with them, then we won’t~

Anyway, you’re our sweetheart’s Third Madam~

Don’t you go getting any ideas about sacrificing yourself and running away~

We’ll have to get that belly of yours knocked up~"

In truth, the incident with Xilingzi had already shown that Zhao Qiao’Er no longer cared much about money or power.

And after last night...

...Zhao Qiao’Er cared even less.

Now, there was only one thing on Zhao Qiao’Er’s mind: having a litter of cubs.

Birthing a litter of cubs for her sweetheart.

In Zhao Qiao’Er’s own words, what kind of she-donkey doesn’t birth foals?

And wasn’t she, a big she-donkey, meant for birthing foals for her little wild jackass?

So, what Zhao Qiao’Er was thinking was, if worst comes to worst...

...they’d just leave.

’The Liu Family is powerful here, but can they be powerful throughout the entire Empire?’

The Zhao Family had earned so much money over the years. If they couldn’t stay here...

...then they’d just go somewhere else.

They didn’t need to be able to blot out the sky with one hand like they could in Taiping City.

They could just find a quiet place and live as a wealthy family.

Wouldn’t that be nice, too?

Song Meiqin was deeply moved by Zhao Qiao’Er’s words, but her face fell as she said dejectedly,

"But such a huge family fortune...

And the factory that just started up...

It’s all because of me..."

SMACK!

Song Meiqin yelped, her face flushing red as she looked at Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan, however, just raised an eyebrow and said,

"What’s there to be afraid of!

If I dared to take you, I can protect you.

And what’s this about leaving? Why should we be the ones to leave?

The Liu Family wants to play, don’t they? Fine, we’ll play with them!"

Song Meiqin rubbed her backside, looking at Lu Yuan with a hopeful expression.

"How will you protect me...?"

But Lu Yuan just arched his brows and said,

"Don’t worry about how. I just can.

Liyan, bring me a pen and paper!"

After Lu Yuan spoke, there was no response from the room.

But Zhao Qiao’Er, who was beside them, said,

"She’s not here~

Liyan said she was going to the small kitchen just now. She’s probably craving sour things again."

Lu Yuan nodded without saying anything, simply looking at the shy Song Meiqin in his arms and nodding.

"What are you looking at? Hurry up and serve your man."

The blushing Song Meiqin quickly got off his lap and hurried to get a pen and paper.

Then, Lu Yuan cleared the table to make room for the pen and paper that would be brought over.

After clearing the table, Lu Yuan looked at Zhao Qiao’Er and raised an eyebrow.

"Aunt, what are you doing? Hurry up and serve your man."

Zhao Qiao’Er froze for a moment, then gave Lu Yuan a coquettish, flirtatious eye roll.

"You naughty thing~"

Soon, Song Meiqin returned from the north room, which was Su Liyan’s room, with paper and a brush.

As she turned back toward the main hall, she saw what Zhao Qiao’Er was doing under the large square table.

Song Meiqin’s pretty face flushed instantly, and she cursed inwardly.

’That hussy starts the moment she gets a chance...’

’But on second thought, you couldn’t really blame Zhao Qiao’Er...’

’After all, she’d been a widow for so many years.’

While enjoying himself, Lu Yuan looked at what Song Meiqin had brought back and said,

"Not a writing brush. I need a charcoal pencil. Go back and look again."

Her face beet-red, Song Meiqin hurried back to the north room to search.

When she returned, the scene she walked in on almost made her faint from embarrassment.

’Good heavens...’

Zhao Qiao’Er had flipped over under the table.

Lu Yuan was drawing his diagram quickly, and the table was thumping from below.

Partway through, Lu Yuan delivered two sharp smacks under the table.

"Stop bumping so hard, I can’t even draw!"

Hearing this, the frenzied Zhao Qiao’Er under the table finally reined herself in a little.

It didn’t take long, maybe ten-odd minutes.

Then, he handed the blueprint to Song Meiqin, whose face was so red it looked like it might start bleeding.

"Take this to the factory right now.

Find a few good craftsmen at the factory, have them modify the lathe according to this, and I want it done by tomorrow."

Song Meiqin looked at the diagram Lu Yuan gave her, a strange expression on her face.

"Wh... What is this...?"

Lu Yuan held his head high and declared,

"We’re going to let the Liu Family feel what’s called the surging will of the people!"

...

Meanwhile, in the Zhao Family’s small kitchen.

Su Liyan was finding some food for a little girl.

The little girl was eating with gusto, her mouth shiny with grease, looking extremely happy.

"Slow down, you look like a starving ghost."

Su Liyan watched the little girl, who looked like a porcelain doll, with a doting expression.

After Aunt Song came back this afternoon and told them what happened at the Government Office...

...Su Liyan had secretly written a letter to her mother.

’In the end, mother was right.’

’I can’t just stand by and watch.’

But Su Liyan felt there was nothing wrong with what she did.

After all, helping the Zhao Family was the same as helping her man, wasn’t it?

Aunt Zhao was already family to her.

"Big Sis~~

The food here is so delicious~"

The little girl said, shaking her head happily as she ate.

She couldn’t have looked any cuter.

Su Liyan pursed her lips into a smile and said,

"The family is rich now...

If you want to eat meat, just come find me."

The little girl had come to deliver a message.

Her mother had said she’d sent the Da Xingzi out to investigate the matter.

Worried that Su Liyan would stress too much during her pregnancy, she had the little girl deliver the message instead.

The little girl couldn’t have been happier to hear this, and she nodded repeatedly.

Watching the little girl gorge herself, Su Liyan couldn’t help but swallow a mouthful of saliva.

Finally, she glanced around like a thief and started eating as well.

This struck the little girl as strange.

’Why is Big Sis eating so sneakily in her own home?’

’Does her brother-in-law not let her eat?’

Meanwhile, after seeing Song Meiqin out, Lu Yuan was heading back to his room from the front courtyard.

He thought for a moment, then changed course and went to the small kitchen instead.

When Lu Yuan reached the small kitchen and pushed the door open,

he saw his wife with her back to the door, eating something.

"Eating out here? Aren’t you cold?" Lu Yuan asked suddenly.

Su Liyan froze, and the next second she immediately looked up toward where the little girl had been.

However, the little girl had already leaped onto the roof the instant Lu Yuan came in.

Before Su Liyan could even breathe a sigh of relief, something else occurred to her.

She frantically tried to hide the bowl of food in front of her, but she couldn’t think of where to put it.

Besides, it was too late.

Lu Yuan had already walked over.

When Lu Yuan came over and saw it, he couldn’t help but raise his eyebrows.

"What’s this?"

A bowl of chili peppers.

When Lu Yuan met his wife’s eyes...

...he blinked, but didn’t say anything.

He just had an amused look on his face.

But Su Liyan, her mouth still stuffed with food, suddenly couldn’t hold it in anymore.

She looked at her man, her face full of grievance, and burst into tears.

"Brother~~

I don’t like sour things...

I never liked them, not from the very beginning..."