Chapter 144: What Wouldn't He Do?

Minister Sun quickly folded the paper and tucked it away, working hard to calm his agitated mood.

The paper was nothing else but the imprint of the Sun Family's heirloom Jade Pendant.

Minister Sun couldn't suppress the smile tugging at his lips at all.

Good, his granddaughter-in-law was still alive; he no longer had to worry about his Grandson following her in death.

But he still had reservations in his heart, fearing there might be other people's spies in this residence, so on the surface he forced himself to put on a look of heavy-heartedness, shaking his head and sighing.

"So it was them. It really was hard on them. Their own family's situation isn't that great, yet they still thought to send me New Year gifts."

Then he gave the steward a deep look and tipped him a wink.

"Go to the accounts office, take out some silver, and see if they're still in the Capital. If not, send someone after them to deliver it."

The steward understood and nodded.

"Yes."

He understood that the Old Master was telling him to go handle the bribery for keeping mouths shut.

Minister Sun called out again.

"Quick, quick, quick, bring this chest inside!"

"Old Meng, you give a hand too!"

The three of them worked together to carry the large chest into the Study, and the steward withdrew to go handle his errand.

Minister Sun quickly opened the chest; inside were several parcels wrapped well and arranged neatly.

But at this moment he had no mind to look at what was inside; instead he took all the parcels out and placed them on the table, then carefully examined the chest, running his hand along the inner walls.

Minister Meng saw this, his face full of puzzlement, but he didn't ask out loud, merely waited quietly at the side.

Soon, Minister Sun's eyes lit up.

Found it!

Sure enough, in a corner, a small hidden compartment was discovered.

After prying it open, inside was a letter.

Seeing this, Minister Meng's eyes flickered.

Minister Sun opened the envelope and looked; on it was only a brief New Year's greeting.

Minister Meng was stunned for a moment, then laughed and shook his head.

"Just one sentence like this, and it's worth pairing with a chest that has a hidden compartment?"

But Minister Sun didn't speak; instead he lowered his head and gently sniffed twice.

Then he took the letter and walked briskly to the desk, took a Fire Folder from the drawer, lit the candle, and held the letter over it.

As the temperature rose, on the nearly blank letter, handwriting gradually appeared.

How sharp were Minister Meng's eyes?

He recognized at a glance his own daughter's and granddaughter's handwriting, and immediately rushed over to snatch the letter.

"Let me see it quickly!"

Minister Sun was so angry he stamped his foot.

"I haven't even read it yet!"

"Haven't you already read it? It's my turn now."

Hearing this, Minister Sun: "..."

So angry!

He had only just seen one useless line, hadn't seen a single word of the key content—could that even count as having read it?!

Minister Meng dodged his hands while darting about, quickly reading the letter twice through.

After reading it, he laughed and nodded, his eyes brimming with tears, wishing he could throw his head back and laugh three times to the sky.

Only, he had to keep a low profile now.

Minister Meng's eye sockets were all brimming with joyful tears.

"Good, good, good. Wonderful."

"So long as they're safe, that's all that matters."

Taking advantage of his being so agitated that his old tears ran freely, Minister Sun finally found the chance to snatch the letter back.

Looking at the letter, the space between his brows was also very pleased.

To think that Cheng Old Madam and the others, in such dire circumstances, could still help Crown Prince Muyuan reclaim the throne!

"This is a great asset."

He continued reading on.

"Hm? So the sweaters that have been priced but unavailable on the market recently also came from the hands of the Cheng Family!"

"Yes, yes, truly unexpected. These gloves woven from Sheep wool are actually so warm; no wonder they're so popular."

A pleasantly surprised voice suddenly rang out by his ear.

"Mm."

Minister Sun subconsciously nodded, but he quickly reacted.

"Mm?"

He spun around sharply, and turning his head saw a certain someone wearing knit gloves on his hands, a scarf around his neck, and holding a sweater ready to try it on.

Minister Sun shouted loudly.

"Stop!!!"

He rushed forward and gathered the parcels that had been rummaged into a mess into his arms.

"You rascal, how rude—how can you go rummaging through other people's things?"

"Taking without asking is theft! Did you read all those sagely books for nothing?!"

Saying so, she reached out to grab the scarf around the other's neck.

Minister Meng dodged as he spoke.

"How can you call it theft? The letter said there's a share for our family too."

Minister Sun's beard bristled as he glared.

"Even if there's a share for you, you still couldn't just snatch it without a word to me!"

Having said that, he tidied up the clothes that had been rummaged into some disarray, one piece at a time.

He handed over the share meant for the Meng family, and extremely reluctantly tossed in an extra pair of woolen socks.

In the end, Minister Meng hugged his family's share to his chest and went home in high spirits.

Meanwhile, in the Study, Minister Sun was packing up the chest when he suddenly heard a burst of footsteps.

"Grandfather, has something good happened? Why does it look like Grandfather Meng seemed quite happy?"

Minister Sun's Grandson, Sun Yanqing, walked in.

"Yanqing, come here."

Minister Sun beckoned to his Grandson.

Sun Yanqing swept a glance over the chest that was half a person's height.

"Grandfather, where did all this come from?"

Minister Sun handed him the letter, smiling mysteriously.

"See for yourself."

Sun Yanqing took the letter and read it, and his breath caught at once. He then turned and was about to dash outside.

"Hey? You child, where are you off to?!"

Minister Sun hurriedly chased after him and grabbed him.

"Grandfather."

Sun Yanqing's eyes reddened, an urgent look in their depths with a faint trace of something almost wild. He simply gazed at him fixedly, his tone firm.

"I'm going to find Yun'er!"

"Slap!"

Although he was his only grandson, Minister Sun had never spoiled him.

Seeing him in such a state now—as if the sky were falling and he wouldn't care—Minister Sun immediately smacked him on the forehead and shot him an exasperated glare.

"Are you a fool?!"

"Do you even know where they are, and you're just going to go look?"

He didn't hold back the force at all, and several red fingerprints were immediately stamped onto Sun Yanqing's forehead.

"Hiss!"

Sun Yanqing winced at the pain and rubbed his forehead. That blow actually calmed him down quite a bit.

"I'm sorry, Grandfather. I was too impulsive just now."

Having said that, he sat on a chair clutching his two garments and the letter, silent.

He wondered how Yun'er was doing now—whether she had enough to eat and warm clothes, whether she might run into danger, whether she was all right on her side with the heavy snow that had been falling for several days…

Looking at his reddened eyes, Minister Sun shook his head with a headache.

What a sin!

How did their old Sun Family ever produce such a lovesick fool?

……

Several hundred li away, in Cheng Jia Xiaoyuan.

Cheng Qiuyun sat on the doorstep in a daze.

Cheng Qiuluo, having finished her practice, saw her in such a state. Her eyes darted, a mischievous grin spread silently across her face. She lightened her steps, crept up to her side sneakily, and suddenly shouted.

"Big Sis!"

Cheng Qiuyun was startled, glared at her, and scolded.

"Luoluo, what are you doing?"

Cheng Qiuluo crouched beside her, her face full of nosiness.

"Big Sis, are you thinking about Brother-in-law?"

A trace of unease crossed Cheng Qiuyun's face.

"Don't talk nonsense. The great vengeance hasn't been avenged yet—how would I have time to think of anything else?"

Keep up the tough act!

Cheng Qiuluo muttered inwardly, then suddenly remembered something.

"Come to think of it, would that Emperor, to win over the Sun Family, make Brother-in-law a Horse Consort?"

Hearing this, a shadow fell over Cheng Qiuyun's eyes.

"How would I know?"

"But it's possible. After all, for the sake of his own empire, what wouldn't that Emperor do?"

Cheng Qiuluo first nodded with a look of disdain, then thumped her own chest.

"Don't worry, Big Sis. If that Emperor really dares to do that, your little sister will go snatch the groom for you and bring Brother-in-law back!"

"Pfft!"

A burst of laughter suddenly came from the side.

Cheng Qiuluo turned her head, crossed her arms over her chest, and looked at the newcomer with displeasure.

"Sister, don't you trust my abilities?"

Cheng Qiuruo walked over and patted her shoulder.

"Luoluo, there are plenty of good men under this heaven. If the Sun Family doesn't want it, there are many ways to refuse."

"If it really comes to that day, a man like that — better off without him!"

"A certain famous scholar put it well."

"If you are heartless, I shall cast you aside!"