RPAGF Chapter 208 Gu Ye, are you hiding something from me?
Chapter 208 Gu Ye, are you hiding something from me?
Murong Xuewei's eyes sharpened. Sure enough, nothing was a coincidence. The Empress's probing today, the Emperor's summons, and this impeachment—it was clearly a meticulously planned scheme.
Gently stroking her slightly protruding belly, Murong Xuewei's lips curled into a cold smile.
Since they're going to put on this show, she'll play along to the end. She just doesn't know who will ultimately prevail.
The moonlight outside the window was bright, yet it only made people's true feelings even more difficult to discern.
The mysterious letter that Liuli sent is still lying on the desk. I wonder what kind of trap it is this time?
As night deepened, Murong Xuewei tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep. She put on her outer robe and walked along, eventually arriving at the study without realizing it.
Murong Xuewei sat in the study, her fingertips gently tracing several secret letters on the table. These were pieces of information that Liuli had collected over the past few days; although scattered, they vaguely revealed some unusual signs.
"The flow of these businesses..." Murong Xuewei frowned slightly, her fingertip hovering over an account book. She noticed that in recent years, the flow of money among several large businesses on the border of the Taichu Kingdom had become abnormal. Large sums of money were circulating between different businesses, ultimately converging into a business called "Fuyuan".
What bothered her even more was that Fuyuan Trading Company seemed to have some kind of subtle connection with the General's Mansion. Whenever the General's Mansion made a large purchase, Fuyuan Trading Company would always appear at the right time, and the prices were far lower than the market price.
"Has Madam not rested yet?"
Uncle Lin's deep voice came from outside the door, interrupting Murong Xuewei's thoughts. She quickly put away the account book and smiled gently: "Uncle Lin, are you still awake?"
Uncle Lin entered the study, his gaze sweeping over the desk discreetly, his expression unchanged: "This old servant noticed the study light was still on, thinking that perhaps Madam needs something."
"Thank you for your concern, Uncle Lin." Murong Xuewei stood up. "I'll rest after tidying up for a while."
Uncle Lin bowed slightly but did not leave. He stood there, as if considering something, and finally spoke: "Madam, have you been investigating something lately?"
Murong Xuewei's heart tightened, but she remained calm on the surface: "It's nothing, just sorting out the family accounts."
"Is that so?" Uncle Lin gave her a meaningful look. "If Madam has any questions about the accounts, she may ask this old servant directly."
"Thank you for your kindness, Uncle Lin." Murong Xuewei smiled gently. "It's getting late, Uncle Lin, you should get some rest too."
After Uncle Lin left, Murong Xuewei's smile gradually faded. She walked to the window, gazing at the moonlight in the courtyard, her thoughts churning.
Uncle Lin's unusual behavior made her even more convinced that there must be some secret behind these accounts.
The next morning, Uncle Lin found Gu Ye.
"General," Uncle Lin said gravely, "Madam seems to be checking those accounts."
Gu Ye was practicing his sword when he heard this and paused slightly: "How far have you progressed?"
"It's not clear yet," Uncle Lin lowered his voice, "but this old servant feels we can't let our guard down. Although the madam seems gentle, she's extremely meticulous. If she discovers anything amiss..."
Gu Ye sheathed his sword and said calmly, "No need to worry."
"General!" Uncle Lin said urgently, "This matter is of utmost importance. I urge you to reconsider. If..."
"That's enough," Gu Ye interrupted Uncle Lin. "Xue Wei isn't an outsider."
Uncle Lin opened his mouth, but ultimately only sighed: "General, this old servant is just worried..."
"I know you mean well," Gu Ye said, his expression softening. "But Xue Wei is my wife, and I trust her."
Uncle Lin wanted to say something, but saw Gu Ye had already turned and left. He stood there, watching Gu Ye's retreating figure with a complicated expression. Over the years, he had watched Gu Ye grow from a boy into a general capable of leading independently, but he had never seen him protect anyone like this before.
At noon, Murong Yuxuan came to visit.
"How have you been feeling these past few days, Xuewei? Have you been feeling unwell?" Murong Yuxuan asked with a gentle smile as soon as he saw Murong Xuewei.
Murong Xuewei poured him a cup of tea: "It's alright. But you, I heard you've been busy acquiring shops lately?"
“Yes,” Murong Yuxuan took the teacup, “now is the perfect time. There was a battle on the border, and many shops are eager to get rid of their businesses.”
"The border..." Murong Xuewei mused, "Speaking of which, has the general mentioned anything about the border to you recently?"
Murong Yuxuan took a sip of tea and casually said, "He didn't mention it, but I heard he sent quite a few people to Fuyuan Trading Company..." Before he could finish speaking, he suddenly realized he had let something slip and quickly stopped talking.
Murong Xuewei's heart skipped a beat, but her face remained calm: "Fuyuan Trading Company? The one that specializes in military supplies?"
"Yes...yes." Murong Yuxuan seemed a little awkward. "Why is Xue Wei interested in this?"
"It was just a casual question," Murong Xuewei said with a smile. "By the way, I've already had the tea you requested prepared."
The topic shifted, and Murong Yuxuan breathed a sigh of relief, but he didn't notice the sharp glint in Murong Xuewei's eyes.
After Murong Yuxuan left, Murong Xuewei immediately returned to her study and retrieved the previous account books.
Murong Xuewei finally understood why the flow of funds in these businesses looked so strange—this was not normal business dealings at all, but clearly a covert accumulation of military funds!
Thinking of this, Murong Xuewei couldn't help but recall the sudden coup in her past life. At the time, everyone thought it was a border tribe rebellion, only to discover at the end that the army was actually led by a general from the Taichu Kingdom itself. And that general was said to be a descendant of the former emperor...
"Could it be..." A bold guess suddenly arose in Murong Xuewei's mind, and her hands trembled slightly.
Murong Xuewei forced herself to calm down and carefully recalled everything about Gu Ye. His background, his actions, his attitude towards the court... all the details strung together gradually outlined a shocking truth.
"Madam." Uncle Lin's voice suddenly came from outside the door, "The General has returned. Please come and have your meal."
Murong Xuewei took a deep breath and put the ledger away: "I understand, I'm coming right away."
During the meal, Gu Ye could clearly sense that Murong Xuewei was somewhat absent-minded.
"But what's bothering you?" Gu Ye asked.
Murong Xuewei snapped out of her reverie and forced a smile: "It's nothing, I'm just a little tired."
Gu Ye put down his chopsticks and looked at her seriously: "Xuewei, if there's anything, you can tell me."
Meeting Gu Ye's concerned gaze, Murong Xuewei felt a mix of emotions.
Murong Xuewei became somewhat dazed. If Gu Ye was indeed the son of the late emperor, then in his previous life he was not forced to rebel, but rather he had planned it all along.
But if that's the case, then what is their relationship? Was it a scheme he set up to acquire the Murong family's resources, or...?
"I'm fine." Murong Xuewei forced a smile. "I've probably just been sleeping less lately."
Gu Ye was silent for a moment, then reached out and covered her hand: "Don't overwork yourself. Whatever happens, we can face it together."
These words sent a shiver down Murong Xuewei's spine. She looked into Gu Ye's eyes, which seemed genuinely filled with concern and tenderness. But how could she be sure this wasn't just another layer of pretense?
In the stillness of the night, Murong Xuewei stood alone in the courtyard, gazing at the bright moon. Having been reborn, she thought she had grasped the entire situation, but little did she know that the greatest mystery lay right beside her.
Inside the study, Gu Ye was reviewing military documents. Uncle Lin walked in, seemingly wanting to say something but then stopping himself.
"Speak your mind," Gu Ye said without looking up.
"General," Uncle Lin lowered his voice, "I'm afraid the matter Madam is investigating..."
Gu Ye put down her pen, looked up at him, and asked, "Do you think I should be wary of my wife?"
"General," Uncle Lin said urgently, "It's not that this old servant is suspicious. It's just that this matter is of utmost importance. If the news leaks out..."
"I know what you're worried about." Gu Ye stood up and walked to the window. From here, he could see Murong Xuewei in the courtyard. In the moonlight, her figure appeared somewhat slender.
"But Uncle Lin," Gu Ye said softly, "have you ever considered that perhaps it is precisely because this matter is so important that I cannot afford to lose her trust?"
Uncle Lin was taken aback: "Does the general mean..."
"She is my wife," Gu Ye turned around, his gaze resolute, "and she will be the most important asset on my path to restoring my country."
Uncle Lin wanted to say something, but Gu Ye raised his hand to stop him: "Alright, let's leave it at that. You can go now."
After Uncle Lin left, Gu Ye looked out the window again. Murong Xuewei was still standing there, her slender figure seemingly carrying some unspoken worries. He knew perfectly well what she had been investigating lately, but he didn't want to stop her. Because he knew that it was better to let her discover the truth slowly than to let her harbor suspicions.
But what choice will she make when she truly knows everything?
Murong Xuewei, seemingly sensing something, suddenly turned around. In the moonlight, she met Gu Ye's gaze. The two looked at each other through the window, both seeing a hint of confusion and hesitation in each other's eyes.