Chapter 968 - 962: Traitor
The Eldest Young Master Li instructed the maid to lead Su Jin and the others down to rest.
After they all left, the Old Master Li looked at his son and asked, "Why give up the forty thousand taels?"
The horses of Marquis Dongxiang were bought for the court.
The ones assisting the Li family were the steward of Beauty Pavilion and the Zhou family, not the court.
The favor cannot be offset in such a manner.
The Eldest Young Master Li waved his hand and dismissed the maids and women from the room.
Once the maids had departed, Eldest Young Master Li revealed Su Jin’s identity.
Even the Old Madam Li couldn’t remain seated at this revelation.
She could tell the masked man’s identity was unusual.
But... how could it be the Princess Consort Zhenbei?!
Her great-grandson called him father and burrowed into his embrace?
Knowing Su Jin’s identity, could the Li family accept the forty thousand taels gifted by them?
If not for the Princess Consort Zhenbei’s assistance, the Li family’s losses would far exceed forty thousand taels.
At a rough estimate, the losses amounted to a staggering two hundred and fifty thousand taels.
"Make sure to take good care of them and do not mistreat them," the Old Madam Li instructed.
Speaking of which, she looked at the masked face of the Eldest Young Master Li and said, "Just as the Princess Consort Zhenbei is here in the mansion, Marquis Dongxiang promised to help heal your face..."
Before she could finish, Eldest Young Master Li shook his head and said, "This isn’t urgent at the moment. If it risks exposing the identity of the Princess Consort Zhenbei and brings her mortal danger, our Li family cannot bear that responsibility."
Marquis Dongxiang is known for his word.
There’s no fear he would go back on it.
Old Master Li felt his son was right.
So Su Jin stayed at the Li family.
Her identity was disclosed to Eldest Young Master Li, but he mentioned it only to Old Madam Li and Old Master Li; others, including the Eldest Young Madam, remained unaware.
Because Young Master Li called Su Jin father, the Eldest Young Madam felt somewhat uncomfortable around Su Jin.
After staying at the Li family for two days, Su Jin understood why Eldest Young Master Li wore a mask and why Young Master Li didn’t cry for his mother despite her absence.
Eldest Young Master Li was attacked; although narrowly avoiding disaster, a knife scarred his face, hence the mask.
Since birth, Young Master Li had never seen his father’s real face, marked only by the masked visage he called father.
Moreover, the attack wasn’t solely on Eldest Young Master Li; half a year ago, Young Master Li was also taken hostage, together with the Eldest Young Madam, during a street outing, and a knife was held at his throat.
Young Master Li cried hysterically in terror, and though it ended safely, he was deeply frightened, falling into a high fever upon returning home.
To prevent Young Master Li from developing a psychological scar, the Old Madam coaxingly told him it was all a game, even staging a masked man kidnapping in the garden...
Young Master Li witnessed others being abducted, which eased his fears.
Being abducted while watching lanterns in Yu State, in his eyes, was a teasing game; he behaved well, and his great-grandmother rewarded him with sugar figurines, granting him whatever he wished.
Hearing this made Su Jin feel more compassion for Young Master Li.
While the Li family was vast, attracting trouble was inevitable; initially, Eldest Young Master Li planned to accompany the trip to Yu State to celebrate a birthday, but due to issues with the warhorses, he sought Old Master Zhou to speak for him to Marquis Dongxiang, delaying the warhorse delivery.
Busy with affairs, he failed to accompany the Eldest Young Madam, assuming the Zhang family was prestigious in Yu State and there would be no danger, yet trouble nonetheless arose.
Marquis Dongxiang, upon buying warhorses, had one additional condition: hoping Su Jin could restore his appearance, to which Marquis Dongxiang agreed.
Su Jin examined Eldest Young Master Li’s face; the scars were rather deep, nearly damaging the eyes.
Setting aside the injured half of the face, the other half alone was enough to captivate hearts.
Su Jin said, "The scars on Eldest Young Master Li’s face are quite severe and will take two to three months to fade. I don’t have ointment with me, and it’s inconvenient to concoct at the Li family; there’s ready-made at the border — I’ll send it once I arrive."
It’s been years; Eldest Young Master Li can afford to wait a few more days.
Moreover, he’s grown accustomed to wearing a mask for so long.
Five thousand horses dispatched to the border is no small feat.
Su Jin dislikes waste; sending so many horses empty to the border seems too wasteful.
Besides, given that the grain and grass meant for the border were burned, the border’s supply status is uncertain — for the border, grain and grass are always lacking, never ample.
Steward Zhou, to protect her route to the border, has done virtually no other tasks these recent days; Su Jin repays every minor kindness with great deeds.
Just as the Li family declined the leftover forty thousand taels in silver notes, Su Jin decided to spend all forty thousand taels to buy grain from the Zhou family.
Of course, as the Li family is generous, Su Jin won’t be petty and decided Eldest Young Master Li’s ointment money would not be charged, such that all parties are content.
Su Jin purchased forty thousand taels of grain in one breath and did so out of her own pocket — how could Steward Zhou sell it to her at market price, only at cost price?
Despite Su Jin’s insistence to pay more, Steward Zhou stubbornly refused...
What could Su Jin do?
If he won’t accept money, surely he’d accept a prescription?
Su Jin wrote two unsold health prescriptions from her pharmacy for Steward Zhou.
Steward Zhou held the prescriptions, deeply touched, figuring out that when dealing with the Princess Consort Zhenbei, the more voluntarily you suffer losses, the more you gain advantages.
These prescriptions far exceeded the minor losses the Zhou family sustained.
And so—
After staying two days at the Li family, Su Jin, along with five thousand horses and forty thousand taels of grain, headed to the border.
The grand procession was quite spectacular.
During Su Jin’s two-day stay at the Li family, peace reigned supreme within the family.
The unity and harmonious atmosphere within the Li family were enviable.
However, once Su Jin left Linzhou, a storm brewed within the Li family.
The letter sent by Steward Zhou exposed an internal spy within the Li family.
The Old Madam Li dispatched someone to investigate; the servant indeed visited the Li family and did deliver such a letter.
The letter fell into the hands of the Second Master Li.
After reading the letter, Second Master Li failed to inform the rest of the family.
Although Su Jin and the steward had not engaged with the group of black-clad figures, intuition compelled thoughts that the group targeted Young Master Li, yet conclusive evidence was lacking.
Still, Second Master Li, despite reading the letter, deceived and did not report — how could this not be malicious intent?
He was part of the Li family; the family treated him well, yet he watched the Li family threatened, losing money and horses, nearly falling into an irredeemable abyss.
His actions made it difficult for Eldest Young Master Li not to suspect Second Master Li’s involvement in the kidnapping incident.
Moreover, the horse incident led to delays in delivering the horses to Marquis Dongxiang...
The servant of the Second Master was apprehended and beaten with planks; the servant confessed — indeed, it was the Second Master Li’s doing.
Second Master Li was not born legitimate but because the Li family had few descendants, the Old Madam Li had never treated this illegitimate child harshly, unaware he’d become a betraying ingrate, proficient in harming his own family.
In fury, the Old Madam Li expelled this traitorous illegitimate child from the family, removing his name from the family genealogy.
These events were unknown to Su Jin after leaving Linzhou.
Though, such a significant matter could hardly remain hidden — she’d find out sooner or later.
...
Outside Linzhou City.
On a towering hill, a man rode on horseback, watching as the horse herd pulled the grain forward.
The man was none other than the Dark Guard Li Zhong, the personal guard of Duke Chong.
He stood there for a long time.
Until another hidden guard approached, reporting, "The message has been delivered to the Duke."
...
Two days later, within a delicate courtyard.
A snow-white pigeon landed on the window.
A masked man grabbed the pigeon and retrieved from its leg the letter.
While retrieving the letter, his lips curved slightly.
Upon reading the letter’s contents, his lips pressed into a tight line.
Prince Qi, having read the letter, was infuriated as well, "The fat meat readied for the bite, actually escaped?!"
Duke Chong clenched his fist, joint bones groaning, "What I can’t have, Marquis Dongxiang shall not get either!"
"What do you mean?" Prince Qi frowned.
"Use this fat meat as an amicable favor."