Everyone was taken aback.

The room fell silent for a moment.

It was Nanny Rong who spoke first, "I can’t recall who introduced Monk Zhiguang’s teacher."

Old Madam Gu frowned, deep in thought, but couldn’t remember either.

Qin Yuan said, "Monk Zhiguang’s teacher passed away a long time ago. This must have been over two decades ago, so forgetting is quite natural."

It was Sixth Master Gu who asked in surprise, "Bury numerous silver ingots? Where did these silver ingots come from, and were they obtained legally? Is there any connection with that skull?"

Qin Yuan remained silent.

Old Madam Gu also looked nervously at Marquis Gu.

Marquis Gu said, "There might be a connection, but not one that implicates us, otherwise it would become a murder case. Currently, Zhiguang is firmly not speaking up; the Capital Governor Mansion is trying to interrogate and examine that batch of silver ingots. The magistrate said it could possibly be the tax silver that went missing over ten years ago."

Old Madam Gu asked in shock, "You mean the tax silver lost at Lugou Bridge?"

Marquis Gu nodded.

Old Madam Gu muttered, "Oh my heavens, this truly is a karmic curse. How did it come to this?"

Qin Yuan furrowed her brows, asking, "Was it the Former Crown Prince..."

Marquis Gu nodded emphatically, "It was during that time."

Sixth Master Gu, confused, quickly asked, "Tax silver was lost at Lugou Bridge over ten years ago? How come I don’t remember it at all."

Old Madam Gu slammed the table, saying, "You were quite young back then and always cooped up at home, rarely going out. These matters weren’t really discussed in our family. That year, the Former Crown Prince lost favor because of this and was later implicated in the Jurong Treasure Paper Case... Alas... truly a karmic curse. Even after digging three feet into the ground, we couldn’t find where that batch of silver was hidden. Many officials were implicated and dismissed, and some had their entire families exiled to the border. These bandits even hid in our family temple. It’s truly sinful."

Marquis Gu glared, saying angrily, "Precisely, these bandits, I swear to capture all of them to pay homage to the Former Crown Prince."

Qin Yuan remained silent.

This matter was truly despicable.

Marquis Gu was the Former Crown Prince’s companion, sharing a deep bond, yet the bandits hid the tax silver in the Gu Family’s temple.

No one could swallow such grievance.

Sixth Master Gu worriedly asked, "Will this matter implicate the Marquis Mansion?"

Old Madam Gu once again slammed the table, saying, "This matter was discovered and exposed by our family, so why would it implicate the Marquis Mansion? If, in the future, someone exposes it and we can’t explain, then we might be implicated. This matter seems suspicious to me."

"What’s suspicious?" Sixth Master Gu asked.

Old Madam Gu didn’t answer, but looked at Qin Yuan, asking, "Good daughter-in-law, you’re always clever and wise, what do you think?"

Qin Yuan thought for a moment, "This matter is hard to say. That batch of tax silver wasn’t small, and to snatch it from the soldiers and transport it to our family temple without anyone noticing, how could Monk Zhiguang and his teacher manage it alone?"

Old Madam Gu nodded repeatedly.

"Yuan’er speaks quite rightly. This matter is very shady! Old Third, why does the Capital Governor Mansion believe this silver is the tax silver from back then? On what basis?"

Gu Jinghui looked solemn, "The tax silver sent up by the State Mansion was in sheathed silver for convenience of transport."

Sixth Master Gu grew even more confused.

"What is sheathed silver?"

Qin Yuan explained, "When the State Mansion transports into the capital, passing mountains and rivers, fearing mountain and river bandits, they split the wood, hollow out the middle, pour the collected broken silver into it, and secure it with iron hoops. Upon reaching the destination, they split it open to deliver the silver. Military funds are transported this way."

Marquis Gu secretly admired his young wife, for she even knew about this.

The father-in-law truly knew how to educate daughters.

Old Madam Gu nodded, saying, "Yuan’er speaks truly. When Old Marquis was alive, he said the Ministry of War sent tens of thousands of silver taels to Goryeo this way without any problems. Nobody expected the tax silver to be robbed at Lugou Bridge after crossing mountains and rivers unharmed."

Sixth Master Gu realized, "You mean when the silver ingots were poured, it bore the stamp of the State Mansion."

Marquis Gu said, "Precisely, otherwise how would the Ministry of Revenue have a record during counting and registration? The finished silver ingots have a mark, and no one can deny it unless they melt and recast it. This time, the silver ingots discovered under the Buddhist Hall by the Capital Governor Mansion was recognized by the magistrate as some hadn’t been melted yet."

Qin Yuan smiled, "This is too deliberate; I say, over these years, any amount of silver should have been melted and spent."

Marquis Gu glanced at Qin Yuan.

Qin Yuan spoke seriously, "I fear it was placed there for show, only to have the lid uncovered by us accidentally."

Silence enveloped the room.

After a long time, Old Madam Gu spoke solemnly, "Yuan’er, do you mean it’s a plot against the Marquis Mansion?"

Qin Yuan nodded, "Mother, I’m merely speculating."

"Elaborate."

Sixth Master Gu already felt his mind was lacking, eagerly looking at the third sister-in-law.

Qin Yuan cleared her throat, saying, "Monk Zhiguang’s origins are peculiar, that’s evident. It’s remarkable they found such a place to hide. Marquis’ and Former Crown Prince’s friendship was deep; Dingbei Marquis inherited it without pause, always supporting orthodox authority, naturally nobody would think bandits and tax silver would be hidden here, it makes sense."

Everyone nodded.

Qin Yuan drank a sip of tea, then said, "But since they went to such lengths, causing such a commotion, having obtained that silver, why have they cautiously never taken it out to use?"

After surveying everyone, Qin Yuan continued, "Ever since the Jurong Treasure Paper Case, treasure notes have been discontinued; only gold, silver, and copper coins circulate in Daxing now. Many places mint private copper coins and fake silver; although laws are strict, arrest leads to a hundred lashes, three years of labor, public display with a cangue at the local government office, family implicated and exiled, yet the court repeatedly bans private money production, but to no avail."

Marquis Gu nodded, supplementing, "In the Northern Border, there’s a lot of private money. After a court ban, official money was insufficient. Officials and craftsmen minting official money embezzle, resulting in official and private money being equally deficient, contaminated with lead and tin. The official money sent by the Ministry of Revenue shatters if dropped, so private money is hardly stoppable. More are counterfeiting silver, appearing as shining large silver ingots, yet can’t withstand even a bit of fire."

Sixth Master Gu heard this for the first time, couldn’t resist asking, "Third Brother, have we minted private money in the Northern Border too?"

Marquis Gu’s gaze pierced cold and severe, "What do you think? In the Northern Border, people even cut aluminum and iron for trading goods."

This statement puzzled Sixth Master Gu.

Seeing Sixth Master Gu’s confused expression, Qin Yuan shifted the topic back, "These bandits are audacious, likely desperadoes, daring enough to salvage silver from an oil pot. Money comes easy, naturally, they spend one for every two earned. Back then, they snatched the silver, hid it a few years, transported it out in batches, found a secluded place, melted the mark, like a cow entering the sea, leaving no trace to follow. After all these years, it should’ve long been melted into the vault, or circulated in the market. Who has seen newly melted and immediately spent silver?"