Chapter 470: The Headache Encountered by Yuwen Ze

Chen Yan's fingertips were still gently caressing Dantai Mingyue's leg. Hearing this, his movements paused, his brows raised slightly, and he muttered, repeating, "A Ze is here?"

His tone carried a hint of surprise, then he frowned again, puzzled: "Why is he still carrying a wine jar?"

This younger brother of his treated his mansion like his own home; he had never brought anything over before...

Dantai Mingyue pursed her reddened lips, lowered her eyes to recall the scene she had just glimpsed, and said softly: "Young Master Guan Ze seems troubled..."

She paused, then added: "As if he has something on his mind..."

Chen Yan responded indifferently: "Mm."

After a pause, he continued: "Go tell the kitchen to prepare a few dishes; I will have a good drink with A Ze later..."

Dantai Mingyue nodded and replied: "Alright."

"I will go arrange it now..."

As she spoke, she prepared to rise. Just as she stood straight and before she could turn to walk toward the door, her wrist was suddenly grabbed.

Her feet faltered. Turning her head, she saw that Chen Yan had also stood up, pulling her back into his embrace. His chest pressed against her back, carrying a warm breath.

Dantai Mingyue's eyes were full of confusion, and she let out a soft "Hm?"

Chen Yan lowered his head, his lips close to the woman's ear, his voice carrying a cunning, mischievous smile: "Remember to leave the door for me tonight..."

"We must work hard and strive to complete the 'mission' as soon as possible!"

Dantai Mingyue's earlobes turned bright red instantly, and even her neck was stained with a thin layer of pink. She raised her hand to lightly punch Chen Yan's arm, her voice soft and coquettish: "Hateful!"

Having said that, she struggled with her wrist, gently pushed away the bad man in front of her, and took two steps back, her eyes still holding lingering shyness: "I'm leaving..."

Before the words fell, she turned and walked quickly toward the door, slipping out of the study in a flash.

Duke of Wei Mansion.

Inside an elegant pavilion.

The carved window lattices were half-open, and as the wind passed through the hall, it carried a hint of coolness.

On the pear-wood table in the center, dishes were arranged neatly: amber-colored Hu-style roasted mutton wrapped in charred fragrance, emerald-green pickled mustard greens mixed with mallow leaves dotted with white sesame seeds, oily sauce-braised venison accompanied by sweet and sour plum sauce, and cherries in cream were all served in white porcelain dishes, the fruit pulp glistening.

In one corner of the table sat a celadon ice bucket; the ice cubes collided gently within, and wisps of coolness spread out.

Yuwen Ze lifted the wine jar he had brought with one hand. The seal on the jar mouth had just been peeled off. Tilting the jar slightly, the amber wine flowed slowly along the mouth into the celadon wine cup in front of Chen Yan.

The wine stream was long, and the mellow wine aroma spread instantly, mixing with the food fragrance in the pavilion, exceptionally enticing.

After all, this was something he had swiped from his father the Prince's wine cellar...

When the wine cup was filled to seven-tenths, he set down the jar and said: "Elder Brother, I heard that you just took office and the Mirror Department cracked a major case spanning over twenty years!"

Chen Yan picked up a piece of Hu-style roasted mutton with his chopsticks and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly. Only after swallowing did he speak indifferently: "That is all secondary..."

As soon as he finished speaking, he put down his chopsticks, his fingertips gently caressing the edge of the wine cup. A look of intoxicated reminiscence appeared on his face, and his tone added a hint of playfulness: "The main thing is that the Shi Wei woman and the Shi Su woman are both quite succulent!"

"Especially in their mourning clothes, they are incredibly beautiful!"

Hearing this, Yuwen Ze first subconsciously let out a "Hm?", a flash of confusion crossing his eyes, then as if he suddenly tasted the meaning in the words, the corners of his mouth couldn't stop rising, and he said: "Elder Brother, you wouldn't be..."

At this point, his voice stopped abruptly.

Yet he wore a look of tacit understanding.

What kind of person his elder brother was, how could he, as the younger brother, not know?

Chen Yan lightly licked his lower lip with the tip of his tongue, a playful smile flashing in his eyes, and he asked back, raising his brows: "Since they have been taken into custody under my command, if I didn't even taste them, wouldn't that be a waste of heaven's gifts?"

After listening, Yuwen Ze exchanged a look with his elder brother, both eyes filled with understanding.

They raised their wine cups simultaneously, the porcelain cups colliding with a crisp sound, and then they tilted their heads back and drank the wine in their cups in one gulp.

When they set down the wine cups, both burst into hearty laughter: "Hahahaha!"

Chen Yan tapped the tabletop lightly with his knuckles, his face full of satisfaction, and he couldn't help but sigh: "The ancients said, 'to look beautiful, wear mourning clothes'; truly, they did not deceive me!"

He lowered his eyes and swirled the residual wine on the cup wall, as if the scene appeared in his mind again, the smile at the corners of his mouth deepening, and he commented: "It can be called a different kind of experience!"

This time, he had satisfied his craving for a widow...

Moreover, what the Japanese dramas act out is fake; what he experienced was the real deal!

Chen Yan picked up a piece of pickled mustard greens mixed with mallow leaves and put it into his mouth. The refreshing taste relieved some of the wine's potency. He looked up at Yuwen Ze, his tone adding a hint of concern: "How is it going with you serving as the Chang'an Magistrate?"

"Has it been smooth?"

Yuwen Ze picked up the wine jar and refilled both their cups. Just as the wine reached seven-tenths, he set down the jar and let out a long sigh.

That "Sigh!" was full of melancholy, and even his shoulders seemed to slump a bit.

Seeing him like this, Chen Yan raised his brows slightly and asked: "What is wrong with you?"

After a pause, he changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of teasing: "Could it be that someone is blind and dares to pick a quarrel with the dignified Prince of Ancheng?"

As he spoke, a playful glint flashed in his eyes, and he teased deliberately: "Elder Brother feels that that kid Liang Shiyan shouldn't have the guts!"

Yuwen Ze shook his head gently, his fingertips gripping the edge of the wine cup, and he raised his hand to drink the wine in the cup in one gulp. The spicy wine entered his throat, but it did not suppress the worry between his brows.

When he set down the wine cup, a bitter smile tugged at his face, and his tone carried a hint of helplessness: "Elder Brother, stop making fun of me!"

"Shiyan is one of our own, and the County Clerk is also dutiful and follows my orders; how could he go against me?"

Chen Yan picked up a piece of sauce-braised venison and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly, but his brows furrowed slightly. He looked at Yuwen Ze with a face full of confusion: "Then where does this trouble of yours come from?"

He put down his chopsticks, tapped his fingertips on the table twice, and asked puzzledly: "I haven't heard of any major cases in Chang'an County..."

Chen, of course, knew clearly that Liang Shiyan would not, and even more so could not, go against A Ze...

Even without mentioning who his father was, just the life-and-death friendship forged on the battlefield from their many expeditions together meant there couldn't be any problems.

And the composition of the Chang'an County Yamen staff included quite a few old troops; with his ability, it shouldn't be difficult to carry out work...

So why was this kid looking so miserable?

Yuwen Ze curled his lips, a hint of resentment appearing on his face, his fingers unconsciously picking at the edge of the wine jar: "If it were a major case, there would be procedures to follow, and I wouldn't be having a headache..."

After a pause, his tone added a hint of irritability, and his voice lowered: "The main thing is that underground money shop in Huaiyuan Ward; it is very tricky!"

These days, Yuwen Ze truly envied A Xiang for being able to stay by Elder Brother's side.

He missed even more the days when he was a hanger-on of Elder Brother, having a backbone for everything he did...

Chen Yan raised his hand to pick up a piece of cherries in cream, placed it gently in Yuwen Ze's bowl, then picked up his own wine cup and took a sip, a light of interest rising in his eyes: "Tell me about it!"

"Let Elder Brother see just how tricky it is..."

The existence of an underground money shop, wasn't it just for profit?

Dealing with it shouldn't be difficult!

Yuwen Ze's brows twisted tighter, his fingertips gently caressing the edge of the table, his tone full of helplessness: "That Detai Money Shop does usury business!"

"Elder Brother, you also know this trade; it relies entirely on extorting high interest for profit..."

"What is most hateful is that the common people in Chang'an County without power or influence are unwilling to borrow, yet they use coercion and inducement to force people to sign and press their fingerprints!"

After listening, Chen Yan shook his wine cup gently, his tone indifferent, carrying a hint of carelessness: "What is difficult about this? Why not just lead the yamen runners to destroy the money shop?"

"If there aren't enough yamen runners and they can't hold the ground, just mobilize the personal guards from your Prince's mansion. Isn't it easy to crush these guys who are drilling for profit?"

Wasn't the underlying color of power just a violent machine?

Just suppress them directly; why have a headache?

Yuwen Ze's fingers gripped the wine cup fiercely, his knuckles turning white, and his voice deepened: "The tricky part is that all the trades of that underground money shop, I don't know what means they used, but the documents and contracts are all complete. Investigating them, everything is compliant and legal!"

After a pause, his tone added a hint of concern: "If I rashly take people to move against them, having no proper justification, I fear being caught by others and having my reputation ruined..."

Handling cases required being justified and having a proper name.

Especially since he was at a time when he needed to accumulate political prestige, he couldn't act recklessly...

"And..."

Speaking to this point, Yuwen Ze's subject suddenly paused, a flash of hesitation crossing his eyes.

Chen Yan picked up a piece of Hu-style roasted mutton and put it into his mouth, chewing slowly. Seeing A Ze stop speaking, he looked up and asked: "And what?"

Yuwen Ze took a deep breath, the worry on his face faded, replaced by a hint of gravity. He leaned forward, his voice lowered, and he said word by word: "Behind Detai Money Shop is the Imperial Clan..."

Chen Yan suddenly realized, the chopsticks in his hand paused, a flash of understanding crossing his eyes, and he sighed: "No wonder!"

The subject changed abruptly, his tone no longer having the previous carelessness, but instead adding a hint of playfulness: "But what is difficult about this?"

As he spoke, his right hand's five fingers slowly clenched, a flash of sharpness crossing his eyes, and his voice lowered, deep yet full of meaning: "To play Detai Money Shop to death, even without using force, there are plenty of means!"

【"Yuwen Ze was first appointed as Chang'an Magistrate. Upon taking office, he encountered a tricky matter.

Chang'an County had Detai Money Shop, which specialized in usury, extorting with heavy interest. The people could not bear the harassment, and complaints were everywhere. However, the money shop was cunning and tricky; the procedures it followed were all compliant and legal, leaving no room for criticism, and its backing was the Imperial Clan and noble relatives.

Although Yuwen Ze had the heart to eliminate the evil, he was hindered by established laws and the power of the relatives, so he went to visit the Founding Emperor—at that time, the Founding Emperor was still in his private residence, serving as the Magistrate of Wannian.

The Founding Emperor heard of it, remained indifferent, and said to Ze: 'To execute Detai Money Shop, why worry about having no means!'"

"History of Wei" · Biography of Yuwen Ze】 ===== CHAPTER 471 =====