Exile with Storage Space: Family Fortunes in the Barren Lands-Chapter 797 - 748 Partnership

Li Xingmao looked at her, his expression surprisingly calm, "You go your way, and I’ll go mine. I have nothing to say to you."

He gathered his cloak and continued walking forward.

More than two years of agricultural life had not dimmed the grace of the noble young master, who still possessed such extraordinary elegance.

The expression on the face of the member of the Xue Family was complex. She bit her lip, looking at his back, and said, "I won’t expose you, because I want you to see that I will be high above, and you and your family will kneel in front of me and look up at me!"

Li Xingmao’s expression remained calm. He didn’t even glance back, walking steadily until he turned into an alley ahead.

The member of the Xue Family gritted her teeth, "What arrogance! Does he still think he’s the Young Prince? The skies of this capital have long changed!"

.

Li Xingmao walked into a market near the East Market and paused in front of a desolate house.

The door of the house was half-open, and it seemed like there were people talking inside.

Li Xingmao pushed the door open and entered.

An old man with white hair was talking to a blind woman of the same age.

Hearing the footsteps, the old man turned slightly to look at Li Xingmao.

"Shu Gong." Li Xingmao nodded and smiled at him, "How have you been lately?"

He stared at Li Xingmao’s face for a good while before exclaiming in surprise, "Ah, Young Prince?"

"Just call me Mr. Li now, I’m no longer the Young Prince." Li Xingmao nodded at the old man and walked over.

The blind old woman groped her way around and asked, "Old man, who has come?"

"Just a passerby, old woman, sit here while I accompany this young man inside for a chat." Shu Gong patted the woman’s shoulder.

He took a cake from the kitchen for the woman and tucked a gourd filled with water into her hand, then led Li Xingmao inside the house.

Seeing Li Xingmao, Shu Gong seemed very pleased, bustling around to fetch a teapot and clean cups.

Li Xingmao surveyed the inside and outside of the room, took a few pieces of broken silver from his pocket, and placed them on the table. "Shu Gong, there’s no need to trouble yourself anymore. I’m not thirsty. Let’s talk; I want to ask you about some matters."

"Mr. Li, ask away, but there’s no need to give silver." Shu Gong looked at the silver, waving his hand, embarrassed to take it.

"It’s only about ten taels of broken silver, not worth much." Li Xingmao sat down and gestured for Shu Gong to accept the silver and sit down to talk.

Seeing his insistence, Shu Gong had no choice but to accept the silver.

He sighed, "When did Mr. Li come to the capital? Recent events in the capital, Mr. Li should be careful when traveling." 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

Li Xingmao smiled, "Thank you, Shu Gong, for the reminder. I will be careful." After a pause, he continued seriously, "If there weren’t incidents in the capital, I might not have returned. The capital is my hometown, where my former friends and family still live. I cannot just stand by."

Shu Gong said, "Mr. Li’s concern for the capital is a blessing for us."

Li Xingmao said, "By the way, Shu Gong, the artisans responsible for the renovation of the Empress Palace back then, besides yourself, who else was there? Do you still remember their names?"

Shu Gong nodded, "Of course I remember. It’s only been a few years. I remember them all."

Li Xingmao said joyfully, "That’s great, Shu Gong. Please tell me, and I will write them down."

Dictated by Shu Gong, Li Xingmao took notes.

Not a single name of the other eight craftsmen was forgotten by Shu Gong.

.

Leaving Shu Gong’s residence, Li Xingmao went to the mansion of Song Prefect, the Capital Prefect.

The situation in the capital had changed, causing Song Prefect to have sleepless nights recently.

He didn’t want to side with the Yu Wen father and son, but reality forced him to choose.

Song Prefect feigned illness and took leave to rest at home, avoiding his duties at the government office.

Standing in the back garden, he was observing the parasol trees rustling in the wind when Chang Sui came and said, "Sir, Mr. Li is requesting a meeting, claiming to be an old acquaintance of yours from years past."

Song Prefect was taken aback, "Mr. Li? Which Mr. Li?"

Chang Sui handed over a letter, "This is his letter."

Song Prefect looked puzzled as he opened the letter.

The letter merely stated "Puning Square, Zhang Yuan" requesting a meeting.

The only large residence in Puning Square was the mansion of Prince Luling, Zhang Yuan being a pseudonym often used by Li Xingmao.

Song Prefect was shocked.

Could it be that the visitor was Li Xingmao?

Otherwise, he wouldn’t claim to be Mr. Li.

He asked Chang Sui again, "How old is he, and what does he look like?"

Chang Sui said, "Around twenty-five or twenty-six years old, tall and handsome. The old servant thinks he might have seen him somewhere, but can’t remember. He speaks with a Capital accent mixed with some regional accent, with a gentle and refined appearance, looking quite easy-going."

Song Prefect accepted the card, "That must be him, quickly invite him in."

Shortly afterwards, Chang Sui brought Li Xingmao in.

Song Prefect dismissed the attendants and invited Li Xingmao into his study.

"Young Prince." Song Prefect greeted Li Xingmao with a clasped fist salute.

Li Xingmao smiled and said, "No need for such courtesy, sir. How can I still be considered a Young Prince? I’m merely an ordinary commoner."

Song Prefect invited Li Xingmao to sit, personally poured tea, and directly asked why Li Xingmao had suddenly visited his residence.

He understood that sudden changes had occurred in the Capital, and the Li Family would not just sit back and do nothing.

They were bound to take action.

A few years ago, he and Li Xingmao had some ordinary interactions, and Li Xingmao had helped him using his identity as the Heir of Prince Luling. Li Xingmao’s elder sister, Li Yuwen, was even the matchmaker for his daughter and son-in-law.

Whether for personal or official reasons, Li Xingmao must have important business for seeking him out.

Li Xingmao didn’t hide his intentions and said, "I do have an urgent matter and seek your assistance."

He presented a list of craftsmen written by Shu Gong to Song Prefect, "These people refurbished the Empress Palace five years ago. Can you help find them, whether alive or dead, and determine their precise whereabouts? If we can get the information within three days, that would be ideal."

After speaking, he added, "Please keep this confidential and do not leak any information."

How astute was Song Prefect?

The people Li Xingmao wanted to investigate were definitely connected to the palace.

He nodded and said, "Rest assured, Young Prince, I will find out as soon as possible."

.

Li Xingmao returned to the Wei Family at dusk.

By this time, Li Xingsheng and the others, who had gone out separately to gather information, had returned first.

The brothers exchanged the information they had gathered.

Prince Luling said, "As long as we’ve thoroughly investigated these people’s information, things won’t be difficult to handle."

.

Just before dinner, the Pei Family sent someone to invite the four members of the Li family to a banquet at the Pei Mansion.

Li Xing’an snorted coldly, "Offering kindness for no reason, it’s either traitor or thief!"

Li Xingmao said, "Father, the Pei Family received the most suppression this time. They’re sending letters and invitations, clearly trying to win us over."

Li Xingsheng didn’t oppose going to the Pei Mansion, "Let’s go, then. There’s something I want to ask Pei Fox."

Prince Luling said, "Considering they sent someone, there’s no harm in going."

.

The four didn’t have dinner at the Wei Family, instead taking the Wei Family’s carriage and following the Pei family’s servant to the Pei Mansion.

Previously, when Li Yuwen came, it scared the people at Pei Mansion half to death; this time, four people came directly.

The Pei Mansion’s servants were afraid of the Li family quartet, each keeping their distance.

Because Prime Minister Pei often called Prince Luling a fox, both cunning and treacherous.

Of course, in the eyes of the Li family, Prime Minister Pei was the real fox, sinister and treacherous, not a gentleman.

The quartet was led by a servant to Prime Minister Pei’s study.

Prime Minister Pei’s stroke, half-cured by Li Yuzhu, allowed him to travel in a wheelchair, speak, and feed himself and write.

He originally thought he could be completely cured, but Li Yuzhu was suddenly confined in the palace, infuriating him, leading him to write a letter to the Li family quartet in haste.

As always, upon meeting the "fox" Prime Minister Pei, Prince Luling couldn’t resist his usual sarcasm, "Oh, haven’t seen you in over two years, where have your legs gone, Prime Minister? Offended the Emperor and got them chopped?"

Li Can, when angry, liked to threaten ministers by saying he’d chop their thighs, making them crawl to court.

Indeed, two people had offended Li Can and had their legs chopped.

Prime Minister Pei’s illness was anger-induced by Li Can.

Li Can didn’t chop his legs but infuriated him to the point of a stroke, causing partial paralysis and the inability to walk. What’s the difference between that and having your legs chopped off?

"Ah, how could it be? The Emperor has now passed away, where’s the chance to chop this old man’s legs again? It’s you, Prince, who has had the misfortune! Just before passing, the Emperor stripped you of your title and barred you from returning home. By the way, I heard you eke out a living farming in the countryside; you must grow excellent vegetables? The Pei family loves fresh produce. When you have time, have your sons send some over? We’d buy it at a high price."

The three Li brothers all had gloomy expressions.

However, Prince Luling was not angered. He laughed heartily, "Aren’t you afraid that I’d poison my vegetables and leave you paralyzed in the upper body as well?"