Why My Domineering Prince Regretted Filing for Divorce?-Chapter 693 - 542: Turning the Tables_3

Yu Wenquan asked, "Is the situation controllable?"

Yu Wenye glanced at him and said, "Controllable."

"..."

The concise and straightforward response would usually be enough to satisfy Yu Wenquan, but today, upon hearing the words "controllable," his brows furrowed even tighter.

After a moment of silence, he said, "It’s naturally good to have the epidemic in the city under control, but why have I heard that your methods of controlling it are completely different?"

Saying this, he turned to look at Yu Wenye, "Ye’er, why have I heard that someone in Changle Square is—harvesting some ’leeks’?"

"...!"

Yu Wenye and Shang Ruyi exchanged a glance.

In Shang Ruyi’s eyes was a hint of undisguised astonishment. Although she knew that Yu Wenquan had entrusted the management of the eastern and western cities to his two sons separately, it was impossible for him to truly let go completely. However, the fact that he could accurately say the phrase "harvesting leeks" showed that he at least had his own people installed within Changle Square.

Yu Wenye was silent for a moment, then said, "Father, this is just street gossip, it is not worth mentioning."

Yu Wenquan frowned and said, "You better not think like that."

"..."

"Even if the voices of the common people are small, when those small voices are gathered together, they become deafening!"

"..."

"Moreover, the phrase ’harvesting leeks’ is not something that ordinary street folks could come up with!"

His gaze deepened further, "A bowl of medicine for one piece of silver, that’s not a trade an ordinary merchant can conduct."

Upon hearing this last sentence, Yu Wenye’s expression tensed again.

Yu Wenquan had already said gravely, "I previously believed that the young man of the Pei Family, despite his reckless behavior, had no serious faults in his character. But his actions this time are quite disheartening."

Yu Wenye was silent for a while, then said, "Hoarding goods and making scarce commodities expensive is understandable."

"..."

"On the way back, I also talked to Ru Yi about this matter, that in the future—items that concern the nation’s vital resources cannot be fully controlled by private individuals."

Yu Wenquan raised an eyebrow slightly, not expecting such a righteous and severe comment from him.

After a pause, he said, "That is natural."

"..."

"But—"

"But,"

Without waiting for him to finish, Yu Wenye interrupted, saying, "This time, the medicine is in his hands, and indeed, there is nothing I can do. Saving the patients in the city is the top priority."

Originally, interrupting him displeased Yu Wenquan somewhat, and hearing him absolve himself with claims of "powerlessness" made Yu Wenquan’s eyebrows knit even more tightly.

But he did not say more, only frowning while he pondered silently for a moment, then finally looked at Shang Ruyi with deep eyes, "But how do I recall that during the Battle of Fufeng, it’s like there was a batch of medicinal herbs entered the family’s accounts?"

Shang Ruyi immediately replied, "That was when Ru Yi sent Jiang Kesong and them to purchase outside Tongguan."

"Is it used in this instance?"

"Yes."

"Since you bought the medicinal herbs, why are they with Pei Xingyuan? And why is he selling them at such a high price?"

Shang Ruyi softly said, "I beg for father’s forgiveness. Ru Yi indeed, because of Feng Chen’s illness, dispatched people to purchase the batch of medicinal herbs outside Tongguan before. However—as the quantity bought was quite large, coupled with high mountains and distant roads, bringing them back already incurred quite a loss. And those medicinal herbs, in ordinary times, were not consumed in great quantities. To save some costs, Ru Yi resold those medicinal herbs to Second Young Master Pei."

Yu Wenquan’s brows furrowed into a knot.

This time, before he could speak, Yu Wenqian, who had been sitting quietly nearby, smiled as he said, "No wonder, previously at Fufeng, the sister-in-law clearly stated you bought that batch of medicinal herbs, yet this time it ended up in Mr. Pei’s hands. I thought there was some mishap in between. So that’s how it was."

Shang Ruyi said, "Yes."

Yu Wenqian looked at her, then suddenly smiled and said, "However, I thought with your cleverness, sister-in-law, you would have kept those herbs."

"..."

Shang Ruyi’s breath slightly hitched.

She did not immediately speak but instead raised her head to meet the pair of clear eyes that seemed to see through one’s soul with their penetrating light.

After a moment of silence, Shang Ruyi forced a smile and lowered her head, saying, "That just goes to show how dull Ru Yi truly is."

"..."

"If I were clever enough, I indeed would have kept those medicinal herbs, at least now, they could be dispensed within Changle Square."

Hearing this, another silence fell over the dining hall.

Yu Wenquan pondered for a moment, finally turning his head to look at his eldest son with a solemn expression, "Qian’er, who is dispensing medicine in Yanzuo Square?"