Chapter 452: Been Targeted

Mu Nan Zhao glanced at the sleeping Shitou, naturally reached out, and held Gu Xixi's hand in his palm.

"Hot!" Gu Xixi laughed and complained, yet did not struggle to free herself.

"You're heading back to the capital this time—has that matter… been decided?"

Mu Nan Zhao hummed, "The overall direction is set, but many details still need consideration."

Gu Xixi realized that the marriage alliance was more advantageous than disadvantageous for the great undertaking, and had become inevitable.

Upon entering the village, Lv Jing saw the eastern sky already covered with dark clouds and shouted, "Looks like a heavy rain is coming—we need to hurry! Hold on tight and sit steady."

Gu Xixi responded and gently shook Shitou awake.

Lucky was more sensitive to changes in the weather than human perception.

Without Lv Jing needing to exert extra effort pulling the reins, Lucky began to run with all his might.

As they neared home, a strong wind kicked up, first scattering large, sparse raindrops that pattered down.

Several people quickly disembarked, unloaded the cart, led the mule, and sprinted into the courtyard in one fluid motion,

Just as they reached the eaves, the sound of rain behind them poured down like a torrent.

Gu Xixi wiped her damp hair, turned around, and saw that heaven and earth were already veiled in a white curtain of rain.

Seeing such a rain in the hot summer made people feel refreshed, and they couldn't help but smile.

Zhang Shen heard the mule's bray mixed with the rain from inside the house and hurriedly opened the door to look.

"You're back?"

She saw Mu Nan Zhao and said again, "You're back."

Gu Xixi entered the room and saw Xiao Hua, asking, "Aunt, has my master returned?"

Zhang Shen laughed and said, "Your master didn't go out today; he's been drying his medicinal herbs in the backyard."

"Just now I thought it might rain, so I went to the backyard to tell him."

"He gave me this, saying it's for you."

Zhang Shen couldn't read many characters, so the prescription remained neatly folded.

Gu Xixi opened it, glanced at it, then looked toward Mu Nan Zhao.

The two returned to Gu Xixi's room.

Gu Xixi sat at the desk, picked up her brush and ink, and said, "Truly worthy of my master."

"It seems just one medicinal ingredient was reduced and two added, yet once combined, the medicinal taste won't be so strong."

Mu Nan Zhao, not being a physician, didn't understand these, and asked, "How so?"

Gu Xixi wrote while saying, "If this medicine is made into powder, whether mixed into incense for burning or added to somewhat flavorful food, its difference won't be detectable."

"Its most important efficacy is also more stable than what I prepared."

Mu Nan Zhao lowered his gaze and saw that Gu Xixi had simply copied Lao Langzhong's prescription verbatim.

The handwriting… was still terrible to behold.

Mu Nan Zhao habitually ignored Gu Xixi's handwriting and asked, "Just give it to me directly—why go to all this trouble?"

Gu Xixi, straining with the brush, replied, "No."

"Even if it won't bring any trouble later, I cannot let my master be involved."

After she finished copying, she burned Lao Langzhong's handwritten prescription to ashes.

Mu Nan Zhao picked up the prescription and asked, "Aren't you afraid it'll bring trouble upon yourself?"

Gu Xixi raised her head and countered, "Do your actions leave loose ends that could someday backfire on you?"

Mu Nan Zhao said, "Of course not."

Gu Xixi asked again, "Even if something happens, would you push me out to take the blame?"

Mu Nan Zhao frowned, "Absolutely not."

Gu Xixi laughed, "Then that's settled—I have nothing to worry about."

……

Gu Xixi picked a cool, overcast moment and went to the tea garden again.

Less than three days remained until the originally scheduled completion date.

Mu Nan Zhao, who usually didn't meddle overly in Gu Xixi's affairs, sat in the shade and voluntarily said he would watch over the mule and cart.

With many workers on the site and constant traffic, it's indeed easy to lose things.

Gu Xixi let Mu Nan Zhao stay, merely reminding him to drink more water in the heat and leaving him a small packet of crisp candy.

Lv Jing always felt a bit nervous in front of Mu Nan Zhao.

After walking far away, she quietly let out a breath before daring to joke, "The Regent Prince standing in as my coachman—who would believe that if I told anyone?"

"I didn't dare glance at him more than once when I walked by, for fear of shortening my lifespan."

Gu Xixi chuckled, "You, you're getting better at snarky remarks."

However, Mu Nan Zhao seemed to be truly growing more accustomed to rural life.

Gu Xixi and Lv Jing first made a round of inspections; the project's progress was as expected.

It should be finished within the fifteen-day deadline.

However, just as Gu Xixi was paying the supervisor for the remaining days' food expenses and about to head back home, Jiang Mingyuan arrived.

He had sweat beading on his forehead and hurried steps.

"I heard you had come, so I rushed over to speak with you."

Gu Xixi saw he was hot and weary, and apologetically said, "If you have business, why not send someone to summon me?"

"It would trouble you to drop all your affairs and come specially."

Jiang Mingyuan laughed, "No problem, I came by carriage; I just walked a bit quicker earlier, so I'm a little hot."

He paused, then got straight to the point, "This matter is somewhat complicated; if you call it private, it's also mixed with public affairs."

"The local clan meeting is the day after tomorrow; you've already received the notice, right?"

Gu Xixi nodded, "Mm, I've received it."

She is currently the youngest among the local Gu clan members and the only female person in charge recorded in the clan genealogy.

Every year after the summer harvest, a clan meeting is held.

One purpose is to celebrate; another is for prominent figures in the clan to gather and discuss past and future matters.

This year, the clan members used the new wheat‑planting method taught by Gu Xixi and obtained an unprecedented bumper harvest.

Naturally, the clan meeting must be held on a grander, special scale.

So, as the person in charge, Gu Xixi received the notice as early as half a month ago.

Please ask her to arrange her time in advance; she must attend when the time comes.

The location is still Sweetwater Village, where the most people surnamed Gu gather.

The specific time is just two days from now.

Gu Xixi glanced at Jiang Mingyuan and smiled, "Compared to me, who has an appointment to attend to..."

"Lord Jiang is now the Gu clan's only relative holding an official post; he should be an invited guest, right?"

Jiang Mingyuan gave a wry smile, "Stop teasing me."

"I have indeed received the invitation, but I must set off for the prefecture capital tomorrow on official business."

"Right now, the focus is not on me, but..."

He looked around, lowered his voice, "The clan elders and several persons in charge already know that Cha Yuan is the enterprise you manage."

"Their intention is to have the Gu family members also take part."

Gu Xixi frowned, "Do you know how they intend to participate?"

Jiang Mingyuan said, "For now, no unified idea has been worked out; some want to plant people in the tea garden, some want to invest money for a share, and others have even wilder ideas, wanting to take charge of transporting and selling tea leaves in the future."

Gu Xixi listened, the corner of her mouth already curling into a cold smile.

After Jiang Mingyuan finished speaking, Gu Xixi declared firmly, "Impossible."

"Doing business with relatives is itself a major taboo."

"Moreover, these people each harbor their own motives; if they take part, will they obey my orders, or will they genuinely submit to me?"

Jiang Mingyuan nodded, "I know you are upright in your intentions."

This opening certainly cannot be opened.