Allure of a Country Maiden
Chapter 477 - 475

Chapter 477: 475

As the end of the year approached, a major uproar was caused by the embezzlement case of Xu Zhongtian, a smalltime county magistrate. It involved two major families, the Marquis Zhongyong and the Minister of the Left, along with the Ministry of Revenue, and Ministry of Works.

This year’s New Year gifts were given more cautiously by many. Almost all of them were food products produced on their own estates and some pleasing foods bought from outside. They dared not give anything valuable. The officials kept a close watch, scrutinizing closely.

As a result, the gourmet foods from Xiao’er’s supermarket, and the exquisite pastries from Liu Jingshu’s bakery, had become hot commodities, in constant demand. The quantity supplied was increasing daily, and there were people still placing orders on the eve of the New Year!

Xiao’er laughed at the names on the orders. Weren’t they the ones who said that her gourmet foods were fraudulence? How come they were queuing to buy now! Clearly, their foods were curative for the sick, and nourishing for the healthy!

Such hypocrisy - criticizing on one side and rushing to buy on the other!

In recent days, all families had saved a lot on meals, and even those who bought blood bird’s nest from their premium goods had reduced.

When would these tremulous days end, Xiao’er sighed.

Looking at the list of New Year gifts, Mrs. Liu felt that something was not right – why were all of them food items?

"The New Year gifts that everyone is giving this year are very different from previous years. Has your father offended anyone in the Imperial Court?"

"Don’t worry, mother! Recently, the wind of corruption has been severe, and the Emperor has issued a furious order to severely punish corrupt officials. The officials scrutinize people’s houses all day, looking for extravagant households. Therefore, New Year gifts have naturally been prepared more modestly this year," Xiao’er explained what she could.

"I see, then we should also offer more modest gifts. Your father holds positions in both the Ministry of Works and the Ministry of Revenue, and we cannot give others any excuses!" Mrs. Liu didn’t think further, high-level corruption like this would certainly not involve her husband. Her husband was only interested in honest farming, using seeds from their home to plant on public land, so she was not worried about their family being implicated at all.

"Of course, we finally have a chance to save some silver. I’m not one to disdain silver, if I can arrange the New Year gifts without spending a coin, I would be overjoyed!" Xiao’er said mischievously.

"You dare to say anything, if outsiders heard you, wouldn’t they think our family is stingy?" Mrs. Liu chided Xiao’er with a glance.

"Let them think we are stingy! It’s still better than losing silver!" Yun’er added.

Mrs. Liu: "..."

Did this child only see money?

Xiao’er laughed lightly.

Mrs. Liu had been sleepy lately. After checking the gift list with Xiao’er for a while, she was too tired to continue and went back to sleep.

In the chilly mid-winter night, Xiao’er was quietly checking the annual profits of all the shops in their home.

Shangguan Xuanyi, shrouded in cold air, jumped in through the window.

"Stop always jumping in through the window. Can’t you come to see me during the day? If anyone finds out, will I still have a reputation?" Xiao’er knew who it was without looking up, so she spoke without lifting her head.

"No one will find out. Why aren’t you sleeping at this late hour?" Besides, the night was more convenient than the day.

Shangguan Xuanyi used his inner strength to remove the cold air from his body before walking over to Xiao’er and holding her in his arms.

"I’m balancing the accounts. Have you finished your business?" Xiao’er put down the pen in her hand and rubbed her aching arm.

"It’s done. The case can be concluded tomorrow!" Shangguan Xuanyi put his hand on Xiao’er’s shoulder to give her a massage.

"That’s good. At least we can have a decent New Year’s Eve dinner! This year our restaurant also prepared a lot of good things. We don’t have to worry about not being able to sell them!"

"Eat whatever you want, don’t worry."

"I’m not worried. It’s just that everyone is behaving with caution. My father says we can’t be an exception!"

Well, the words of father-in-law must be listened to.

"I heard you missed me, so I came to see you as soon as I came back! Why don’t you show any affection?" After massaging Xiao’er’s shoulders, Shangguan Xuanyi buried his head in her fragrant shoulder, taking in her scent.

"When did I say I missed you!" That big-mouthed Di Shaowei! He must have been gabbing again!

"Well, I missed you." After saying so, Shangguan Xuanyi covered her lips with his!

Di Shaowei, that smug peacock, said that his children could condiment fetch and he still couldn’t embrace a beauty!

He absolutely wanted to burn off all his feathers!

In his sleep, Di Shaowei sneezed twice in succession, quickly covered himself with a quilt, and then couldn’t help but worry that his wife would kick off the quilt and catch a cold.

So he got up, dressed and went to climb the wall again.

Just as Shangguan Xuanyi had jumped onto the wall, he saw another figure jumping off the wall from the other side, and immediately gave chase.

The two looked at each other and were both taken aback.

Shangguan Xuanyi frowned, "Why are you sneaking into her mansion in the middle of the night? You could ruin her reputation!"

Di Shaowei raised an eyebrow, "Everyone knows my wife’s at Marquis Shengping’s mansion, naturally, I’m here for her. But what are you doing here in the middle of the night? You could ruin her reputation! Just leave!"

Shangguan Xuanyi was struck dumb, having a wife was nothing special!

"Take your wife back to your mansion tomorrow! Don’t leave her here to be an eyesore!" Shangguan Xuanyi said angrily.

An eyesore? His wife was more than pleasing to the eye!

"I won’t! This isn’t your Sixth Prince Mansion, you can’t tell me what to do!" Di Shaowei retorted indignantly.

How unbearable! This was really too much to take! He actually deserved a beating!

So, the two of them started fighting!

The hidden guards hiding in the dark thought one thing: Boring.

This day was the coldest since the beginning of winter. The people who got up early threw their face-washing water into the courtyard, watching it freeze into ice at a visible speed.

In a couple of days, it would be time for the New Year’s break.

It wasn’t yet daybreak, but one carriage after another had already parked outside the Imperial Palace gate.

The ministers formed a line to enter the palace for the morning assembly.

Inside the throne room of the Imperial Palace, the words "righteousness and brightness" shone brightly.

The Emperor, clad in a bright yellow dragon robe, listened to the report on this major embezzlement case jointly presented by the Minister of Justice and the deputy judge of the Dali Temple.

Di Zhiyuan had received a total of 30,000 taels of gold, silver, and precious bribes from various lower-level officials.

The former Minister of Works, now the Minister of the Left, had taken a total of 100,000 taels in bribes.

The Vice Minister of Revenue had taken a total of 150,000 taels!

...

Not to mention the few smaller amounts.

Account books and the list of people who gave bribes provided evidence, even the time was documented, as solid as a mountain of evidence.

The Emperor flipped through several name lists and account books page by page, then looked up at the Minister of Justice and Deputy Judge of the Dali Temple: "Have you both thoroughly investigated? Are there any omissions?"

"Your Majesty, we have thoroughly investigated. The people who offered bribes have also been individually interrogated and their statements are consistent." The Deputy Judge of the Dali Temple replied.