Chapter 100: Small Province big problems 2

Ningzhuo's governor's house

Rong Rong helped her get out of the stuffy uniform and into a free light pink gown. Su Liya sat on the couch by the side of the room while Rong Rong led the servants in with her things. They brought in her boxes from the carriage and placed them in the room.

Su Liya looked up when she saw a shadow covering the light from the window opposite her, "Baozhai!, have the three Ah's got settled".

Baozhai tilted her head to the side and rose one eyebrow up, "the three Ah's?"

Su Liya noticed that she mistakenly let her nickname for the three fixtures out, "I ah mean the new inner Fixtur_ I mean maids"

"Yes, I left them in the side room. They are arranging things over there"

"Good, keep them occupied so that they don't cause any trouble" Su Liya picked up the cup of tea and took a sip. While Baozhai walked over to Rong Rong to find out how everything was going. 

Hours later, the carriage was emptied and all the unpacking was done. Su Liya had a nap while Baozhai and Rong Rong arranged everything in the room. Lu Yaozhu cane by just as it got dark, he went straight to Su Liya's room he arrived. 

There was a faint scent of alcohol coming from him as he walked in, his cheek was a little red and he grinned a little. From her observation, he seemed a little tipsy and not full out drunk. She glanced looked beside her at Rong Rong and instructed "Brew a pot of sobering tea, be quick about it".

"Yes," Rong Rong replied and ran out to the small kitchen at the side. The kitchen wasn't very big, at best it was enough to boil water for a bath or to brew some tea. Any major cooking would be handled by the kitchen, An elderly maid manned the small kitchen. 

The weather was colder so the old Mama in the kitchen had a pot of water always on fire. She sat by the stove, carefully attending to the fire. She had been present when the maids for Fangxi Pavillion was introduced to the new madam. She had seen Rong Rong and Baozhai standing behind the new madam. 

They were dressed in high-quality uniforms which was an indication of their high status. Normal maid lie ranked maid wore low-grade clothes with rougher materials when compared to the high ranking maids.

The high ranked maid wore softer, brighter colours and could afford colourful jade hairpins. Since most of their jewellery was gifted to them by their madam. As soon as she came in the old mama greeted her and asked her if she wanted some water.

Rong Rong nodded and watched as the old mama poured some water into a jug and brought it to her. She came over with the sobering tea leaves, she poured the leaves into a cup and poured in some hot water before carefully distilling the tea. When the tea was brewed, she carried it on a tray back to the room.

"Have some sobering tea, my lord" Lu Yaozhu picked the cup out of the tray and passed it to him. Lu Yaozhu nodded as he took the cup from her, "thanks". He drank up gently, he don't gradually clear after a cup, Su Lita poured him a fresh cup when he was done. Two cups later he was very sober, his cheeks were less red and he sweated a little.

"weren't you just going to meet the security bureau, how come you are coming back drunk? Lu Yaozhu said as she kept the pot of tea and Cup away. She looked to Rong Rong, "take this away".

Rong Rong nodded and silently returned the pot is tea and a cup to the tray. She bowed at Lu Yaozhu before leaving. 

Lu Yaozhu loosened the neck of his hanfu a little, "Deputy Sun and the security chief took me out to a restaurant for dinner, after the meeting".

"How come dinner turned into a drinking fest, next time they try to get you drunk find an excuse and get out of them. See how much sobering tea it took to get touring cleared, drinking this much can not be healthy for your kidney" Su Liya grumbled frowning slightly.

Lu Yaozhu chuckled while watching her, "don't worry next time they try to pour alcohol down my neck I will reduce and tell them that my house's tiger wife doesn't like me to come back drunk".

Su Liya hit him hard on the shoulder, "You_". She glanced at Baozhai and Yu Tao and frowned. Lu Yaozhu just bent to the side and burst into full-on laughter.

Baozhai and Yu Tao glanced at each other and smiled. They got her hint, made some excuse and left the room. As they left, Su Liya rolled up sleeves and hit his other shoulder "okay that us enough laughter out of you, shut it" she whispered.

Lu Yaozhu looked up and continued laughing, "if only you can see your expressed right now .... It is so funny".

"Glad to see that I am amusing to you" she clicked her lips and looked away. "If you don't have anything else to do please get out, I need to get some sleep" she muttered when her tummy rumbled a little. 

They were a short distance away so he heard her tummy, he paused and looked up "You haven't eaten?".

"No, I was waiting for you to come back" 

"Sorry" he called out, "Yu Tao! Have the kitchen send over a light dinner for madam and I"

"Yes"

Ten minutes later Yu Tao led some maids in with two food packs and see them out on the table. They left after setting the table, Su Liya and Lu Yaozhu are silent. After which the table was clear, Su Liya talked for some time before calling it the night. 

*********

Governor's house at Ningzhuo

Lu Yaozhu wasn't aware of the crown prince's intrusion into his plans until a few days later, the message was delivered to the governor's office through his secure channels. He had just sat through four hours of meaningless debates by the local officials.

That had been the norm since he resumed office a few days ago, they were relentless in their little games to draw him away from their tracks. So far they had brought up the reconstruction of the copper mines multiple times.

Each time they did he shut them down with budget issues. He wasn't going to clear any money withdrawals until he was given detailed reports of the financial activities during the past year. He had already done his private investigation and found some obvious discrepancies with the reports submitted to the imperial court.

However the financial officers and his Deputy were acting stubborn, the insisted that the report submitted to the Imperial court was unaltered by them. When they weren't swearing on their parent's death, they ignored each question and just changed the topic. He would have to employ different tactics to get to the end of this.

Lu Yaozhu fell on his office seat behind his office desk with a loud sigh, leaned back on the seat and massaged his temple gently. He sat up when there was a knock on the door and glanced at Yu Tao. Yu Tao bowed and walked over to answer the door, he said a few words to whoever that was and shut the door.

He handed a sealed letter to Lu Yaozhu, "it is from brother Yu Ke".

Li Yaozhu unsealed the letter and read it through quickly, after which he took out his lighter and set the letter on fire. "Do I have any other meetings?"

"No you don't", Yu Yao replied.

Lu Yaozhu nodded, "let us call it a day". He stood and walked out of the room with Yu Tao following closely. Steward Meng met him at the entrance as he rode in. He had sent word that he was on the way back before leaving the Governor's office. 

Steward Meng bent at a 45-degrees angle as he reined in his horse and said "welcome home my Lord"

"Hmm" Lu Yaozhu passed the reins to the stable hand that ran over and jumped down from the horse. "Is Liya in the residence?" He asked as he walked into the compound.

Steward Meng followed him closely, "Yes, madam is around. Should I instruct the cook to bring over a light lunch?"

Lu Yaozhu shook her sleeves, "No need, I will eat with Liya. Have them send over two at of lunch to Madam's waiters". He increased his pace as he walked in, he arrived outside Su Liya's quarters minutes later.

Apart from the few maids tending to the flower beds outside the pavilion, it was quiet. It was odd, there wasn't any noise from inside the pavilion. He assumed that she may be reading a book and walked in. Two unfamiliar maids rushed up to him as he walked in, they blushed as they caught his gaze and giggled.