Chapter 182: Strategizing

After dealing with Tao Qian’s situation, Leng Qing Yu turned her attention to Manager Xu for an update on the investigation into the situation in the capital.

Xu Yan, well aware of what the owner wanted to know, promptly relayed the information he had gathered.

“Master sent someone to investigate. The woman living in Yong Ning Alley is surnamed Zhao and has been residing there for over ten years.”

Having worked for the Leng family for ten years himself, Xu Yan was Master Wan Qi Nian’s most trusted disciple and had a deep understanding of the family and its head.

Over ten years ago, during the height of the owner’s relationship with the Marquis, who would have imagined that the deeply devoted Marquis Lu would already have taken on a mistress?

He carefully observed Leng Qing Yu’s expression. Seeing no particular reaction, he continued,

“This Madam Zhao has a fourteen-year-old son who passed the scholar’s exam two years ago. It’s said he’s highly regarded at Feng Ming Academy. He’s courteous, intelligent, and diligent, and the academy’s tutors hold him in great esteem.

This year, he’s even preparing to rank among the top three in the autumn provincial exam.”

This boy stood in stark contrast to their own Young Master Lu.

Although the young master’s academic performance wasn’t bad, it was far from outstanding.

Moreover, he carried an air of arrogance. It was said that aside from Wei Jing Yi, he didn’t get along with any of his classmates and even dismissed the academy’s tutors. Most people only tolerated him out of respect for the Marquis.

“What about this Madam Zhao’s husband? Did you uncover anything about him?”

Leng Qing Yu ignored the details about the boy and went straight to the heart of the matter.

Both of them already knew who the husband was.

Xu Yan replied, “The neighbors say the man of the house is surnamed Lu and works in business, rarely returning home.

Despite being neighbors for so many years, no one has ever seen him.

When Madam Zhao gave birth over ten years ago, she wasn’t even here. They said she went south to find her husband and only returned over a year later with a baby in tow.”

Leng Qing Yu chuckled softly.

“Surnamed Lu… It’s impressive how well they’ve kept this hidden.”

Xu Yan added, “The person investigating this matter wasn’t aware of the full context. After delivering the information, Master rewarded him with silver and sent him away.

So please rest assured, other than Master and myself, no one else in the Leng family’s network knows about this.”

Leng Qing Yu could tell Xu Yan was trying to protect her reputation.

If news of her husband’s infidelity got out, it would surely tarnish her image.

But Leng Qing Yu didn’t care much about that anymore.

The one who cheated was Lu Ting En. If anyone was to feel ashamed, it should be him.

As a wife, she had always been upright and dignified. Why should she feel embarrassed for his actions?

She had more pressing matters to attend to.

“What about Lu Ting Cong and Lu Ting Yi? Any updates from them?”

She shifted the topic.

Xu Yan chuckled before replying, “Just as you predicted, there was quite a stir at the Lu family estate at the beginning of this month.

Apparently, the second and third branches of the Lu family were complaining about running out of money and came to the Marquis to beg for support.

Our contacts in the estate, especially the maids, said the second and third branches didn’t do anything overly excessive. They simply brought their entire families, over a dozen people and showed up at meal times to dine at the Marquis’s expense.

The elderly lady of the household, despite being upset, felt pity for her sons and ordered the servants to treat them well.

After a few days, when they realized you hadn’t responded, the Marquis took some items from the storeroom to give to them. Only then did the situation settle down.”

“Took items from the storeroom?”

Leng Qing Yu narrowed her eyes.

There were two private storerooms in the Marquis’s estate: one belonging to the elderly lady and the other to Leng Qing Yu herself.

Leng Qing Yu’s storeroom contained her entire dowry.

The elderly lady kept her storeroom under strict control, holding the only key herself.

However, there were two keys to Leng Qing Yu’s storeroom, and one of them was in the Marquis’s possession.

The storeroom the Marquis had access to was clearly hers.

In the past, if the Marquis had come to her asking for something, Leng Qing Yu wouldn’t have hesitated to give it to him.

But now…

Leng Qing Yu chuckled lightly. When she returned, she would thoroughly inventory the storeroom to see exactly what was missing.

“Has Lu Ting Yi been visiting Bao Zhai Fang lately?” she asked.

Bao Zhai Fang was the largest gambling den in the capital.

Lu Ting Yi had a history of gambling. In the past, he had squandered most of his family’s assets and accumulated a mountain of debt.

If Leng Qing Yu hadn’t stepped in to help, Lu Ting Yi’s household would have fallen apart.

Afterward, the elderly lady had threatened him with her life, forcing him to stop gambling.

But could a gambler’s heart ever truly change?

In a previous letter, Manager Wan had mentioned that Lu Ting Yi seemed to have started gambling again.

Leng Qing Yu had instructed Wan to keep an eye on him and, if necessary, to lend him some silver discreetly.

This time, however, she wasn’t planning to pay off his debts, she intended to become his creditor.

“He’s going almost every other day,” Xu Yan replied.

“But when I left the capital, his luck was still holding up. Word is, he’d won quite a bit and hasn’t needed to borrow silver yet.”

“That’s not urgent,” Leng Qing Yu said calmly. “Gambling rarely ends well. He’ll need to borrow money sooner or later.”

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While Leng Qing Yu was strategizing, Ye Xin Ran was at the clinic, discussing plans with Li Mo to open a branch in the prefectural city.

“People in Tian Chang Prefecture are already familiar with our Shun Medical Hall. And with the reputation of Xue Yan Cream, I think the timing is perfect for Yong Le Hall to expand into Tian Chang,” Li Mo said, his excitement infectious.

Ye Xin Ran was amused by his enthusiasm and inspired by his determination.

“Have you prepared the doctors and staff for the clinic?” she asked.

Li Mo nodded confidently. “I’ve already arranged for the personnel, so that’s not an issue. My only concern now is finding the right store front.

I’ve had people scouting the area, but there aren’t many prominent, well-located shops available.

Since we’re moving to a prefectural city, we can’t just settle for any random place like we did in Yun Tong County.”

Seeing that Ye Xin Ran had no objections, he added, “I want a large store front because of Xue Yan Cream.

It’s selling so well and is priced so high that it deserves a store front that matches its reputation and value.

After all, as they say, people judge by appearances. Even tailoring shops put their most expensive clothes in the most prominent displays!”

“I understand!” Ye Xin Ran said.

She didn’t need much convincing, she already knew the importance of presentation.

Currently, people associated Xue Yan Cream primarily with scar removal, often overlooking its other benefits.

Ye Xin Ran planned to develop additional products under the Xue Yan Cream brand, such as whitening and anti-wrinkle variants.

This way, they could tap into an even broader market.

“I know someone with good connections. I’ll ask her to help us find a suitable store front,” Ye Xin Ran said.