Can’t you just stay home and teach your kids?

Take a look at your older brother, and see how well he taught that "Good Saint Grandson."

Is all you think about gallivanting around outside every day?

Fine.

I can’t be bothered to say any more.

Lu Yuan waved his hand dismissively.

"Alright, alright, just hurry up and go. Don’t come around unless you have a reason."

But Gu Gaoxu just pursed his lips and raised an eyebrow.

"Oh, so you’re just going to cast me aside now that you’re done with me, huh?"

"Watch out, or I won’t let you publish my story in the paper!"

Lu Yuan simply chuckled at Gu Gaoxu’s words.

"That’s fine by me.

Give back the Flintlock Guns, and you can forget about taking the Mortars with you.

Oh, right. The carts, too.

You can’t take any of it. Give it all back!"

Gu Gaoxu immediately backed down the moment Lu Yuan said this.

’I’m counting on these things to get a reward from my father!’

’If I bring all this back, how could my old man have the nerve to punish me?’

’If he doesn’t let me take this stuff back, I’m really in for it.’

’My father still hasn’t settled the score with me for not studying properly last time I went to the Imperial City, which earned my grandfather’s disapproval.’

’If he decides to settle old and new scores at the same time, he’ll tan my hide for sure.’

Gu Gaoxu immediately chuckled sheepishly.

"Alright, alright, you win. I’m scared of you."

Then, Gu Gaoxu cupped his hands in a salute.

"I’ll head back and pack my things, then.

If you run into any trouble in the future, just send word to the Prince’s Mansion, and I’ll bring my men right over!

Also, when the time is right, you can open your shop directly in Yandu.

I’ll find you a storefront and help you get everything set up."

Seeing that Gu Gaoxu was being serious, Lu Yuan stopped joking as well.

He rose to his feet and said,

"Once I’m done with this busy stretch, I’m planning to open a new factory near Yandu.

I’ll need your help with that, Second Son."

This was a huge deal. The moment Lu Yuan mentioned it, Gu Gaoxu’s eyes lit up.

’For the Zhao Family, a factory is a way to make a fortune.

But for people at a higher level, the money is a secondary concern.

The most important thing is that it can give a lot of common people jobs.

It can also stimulate the local economy.

It can ensure the local populace has food to eat.’

It was just like on modern Earth. Back in the 2000s, when a company like Foxconn wanted to build a factory on the mainland, the entire city’s leadership would be on standby around the clock, ready to give them the green light for anything.

They’d provide whatever was asked and do whatever was needed, with the mayor personally overseeing the coordination.

The reason was simple: a single factory with forty or fifty thousand workers could support a local population of over a million people.

Gu Gaoxu wasn’t a fool; of course he knew how much a factory like this was worth.

During his stay, he had witnessed the Zhao Family’s factory undergo a massive hiring spree.

A factory that originally employed one thousand people had now expanded to nearly four thousand.

’And how many families did those four thousand workers represent?’

’If this factory is built in Yandu because of me...’

’Could my father still lecture me every day about being an uneducated good-for-nothing?’

’Doesn’t my father think so highly of my older brother precisely because he’s good at managing civil affairs and keeps Yandu running in an orderly fashion?’

’But so what if he’s a good administrator?’

’He’s just doing a good job with what’s already there.

It’s just patching up holes.’

’How could that possibly compare to me bringing a whole factory over?

To putting food on the tables of so many common folk?’

’My brother’s work keeps the people from starving.

But I’ll be letting them eat their fill—eat until they’re stuffed!’

For a moment, Gu Gaoxu was so excited he jumped to his feet, about to say something.

But Lu Yuan simply waved his hand and cut him off.

"Between us, there’s no need for pleasantries.

Wait until around April or May, and I should be able to bring my people over.

You’ve seen what my factory is like. In the meantime, go back and help me pick out a plot of land.

It needs to be near an official road to make shipping goods easier."

This was a win-win situation.

Yandu needed his factory to support its people.

Likewise, he needed Gu Gaoxu’s family to give him the green light in Yandu.

With King Yan backing him, everything could be handled smoothly.

An ecstatic Gu Gaoxu immediately cupped his hands in a salute.

"Of course! I’ll personally oversee this when I get back. There will be absolutely no mistakes!"

In the end, Gu Gaoxu left in a state of excitement.

He had planned to leave in the afternoon, but after Lu Yuan mentioned the factory, Gu Gaoxu couldn’t wait any longer.

He prepared to head back immediately, not even staying for lunch.

After Gu Gaoxu had gone, Lu Yuan turned to Su Changliang, who was also in the room.

"You should go back to the West Wing and get some sleep, too."

Su Changliang hadn’t slept all day either.

He had rushed back the moment he got the news.

But Su Changliang just blinked and said,

"No, Brother-in-law. I have to get back and watch over the estate."

Lu Yuan scoffed at his words.

"Guard my ass. The problem’s been solved, what’s there to guard?

Hurry up and get to bed!"

...

「The next day.」

The most explosive front-page headline yet had arrived.

_Court-Appointed Inspector General Colludes with Jianghu Sorcerer in Murder-for-Hire Plot!_

Today’s newspaper didn’t just sell like hotcakes in Taiping City.

It sold out in all the surrounding counties, including the Provincial City.

The newspaper’s performance in other places was unlike that in Taiping City.

There, the previous story about Aunt Zhao and Lu Yuan had laid the groundwork, and after the first day, the papers had sold out completely for several days straight.

In other towns, daily sales were only around two or three hundred copies.

The Provincial City sold a little more, maybe four or five hundred.

But yesterday’s edition had already thoroughly whetted the public’s appetite.

Yesterday’s paper, though it only stated that the Zhao Family of Taiping City had been targeted by a Xingzi, had said nothing more.

But right at the very end, it had suddenly added a line: "suspected involvement of a high-ranking official."

What was that called?

A cliffhanger.

Yesterday’s suspense had already gotten many people talking.

And today’s paper got straight to the point.

Newsboys with runny noses were shouting all over the streets that the Inspector General’s family had hired a Da Xingzi for a murder plot.

If the papers didn’t sell out with a story like that, then something would be seriously wrong!

Of course, the common folk who read the paper didn’t erupt in public outrage.

A few might have worried that if the Inspector General hired killers to harm the Zhao Family today, he might hire them to harm them tomorrow.

Some people did have a sense of self-preservation.

But the vast majority of people were the type who wouldn’t feel the pain unless the knife was cutting their own skin.

Most people were just there for the show.

Frankly, such dirty dealings were all too common.

Everyone had grown a bit numb to it.

Lu Yuan hadn’t expected the common folk to take to the streets in protest.

They were only discussing it in private.

But that alone was enough.

When public opinion fermented like this across half a province, it couldn’t be ignored.

If it was left to brew for another half a month, a scandal this big would probably be known across half the Empire.

It would reach all the way to the heavens, to the Emperor himself.

Therefore, someone would definitely have to deal with it.

Not to mention, the Governor of Qilu was, in a sense, on Lu Yuan’s side.

After all, the man was Song Chi’s father-in-law.

Even without that connection—even if the Governor and the Inspector General, from the Liu Family, were on the same side—he wouldn’t dare cover this up.

Otherwise, when the Court sent someone down to investigate, would he want to keep his official’s post or not?

...

「On the third day.」

The newspaper headline was still about the Liu Family.

Building on yesterday’s story, it revealed even more details.

After brewing for a full day, the news had basically spread across the entire province.

Furthermore, there was a piece of good news.

The messenger who had taken the papers to the Provincial City by fast horse returned today with a report.

Yesterday morning, not long after the papers went on sale, the Governor had personally led men to surround the Liu Family’s residence before noon.

They had already been taken into custody.

He also brought back a message.

The Zhao Family was to bring the evidence, along with the captured men, to the Provincial City.

It was just as expected.

’As one of the involved parties, I’ll definitely have to go.’

For this trip, Lu Yuan decided to only take Song Meiqin.

After all, the Liu Family’s men on the roof had explicitly claimed they were there because of her.

As for Zhao Qiao’Er and Su Liyan, they could just stay home.

It was still winter, so there was no need for the two of them to make the difficult journey.

...

Early in the morning, Lu Yuan and Song Meiqin were waiting in the main hall of the Governor’s House.

They hadn’t been seated for long.

Suddenly, a loud cry came from outside.

"The Lord Governor arrives!"

Lu Yuan and Song Meiqin, knowing the proper etiquette, immediately knelt to receive him.

Soon, Lu Yuan saw a pair of black official boots, their heels inlaid with jade, step across the threshold.

They were followed by a scarlet—a deep red—Official’s Robe.

At that same moment, an incomparably majestic voice boomed:

"Lu Yuan! Do you know your crimes?!"