met free Chapter 102 Explanation is Equivalent to Covering Up
Chapter 102 Explanation is Equivalent to Covering Up
When Zhang Jinxuan discovered flammable stone on the mountain bestowed by the Emperor, his eyes widened in surprise as he double-checked the contents of the letter. Yes, it was flammable stone.
Zhang Jinxuan hurried out of Yunyi Tower with the letter in his hand, and ordered his attendant Zhang Er to lead the carriage to the palace to see the Emperor. He and Li Jiating worked for Xia Yichen, who was the Emperor's most trusted eldest grandson. In effect, they also had special privileges.
At the palace gate, Zhang Er whispered a few words to the guard, who immediately went inside to report. Half an hour later, Zhang Jinxuan arrived at the imperial study, saying, "Jinxuan greets Your Majesty, long live the Emperor!"
The Emperor said calmly, "Little Xuan'er, no need for formalities."
"Your Majesty, please take a look at the letter from Princess Muhua," Zhang Jinxuan respectfully presented the letter.
After reading the letter, the Emperor repeatedly exclaimed, "Good, good, good! Great Xia now has flammable stone mines!"
In her letter, Wen Yuxia stated explicitly that the gold, silver, copper, and iron mines all belonged to the Emperor, and the flammable stone mine should also be handed over to the Emperor for disposal. She requested that the Emperor send someone to take over those two mountains as soon as possible.
"Xiao Xuan'er, you must go to the Burning Stone Mine in person and tell Chen'er that he will be in full charge. Also, you must convey my decree." The Emperor drafted the imperial edict and handed it to Zhang Jinxuan, ordering him to set off immediately.
Zhang Jinxuan rode swiftly, arriving in Mengzhong County from the capital in just eight days. He verbally conveyed the Emperor's decree to Xia Yichen, and then presented the imperial edict to Wen Yuxia for her to receive.
The imperial edict did not specify the reason for bestowing the rewards upon Wen Yuxia; it only stated that she would be granted a princess's mansion, an estate in the suburbs of the capital, and a place to study at the Imperial Academy.
Wen Yuxia accepted the imperial edict without changing her expression. As was customary, Bei Yi slipped Zhang Jinxuan a purse, but Zhang Jinxuan waved his hand and refused, saying, "We're family, no need for formalities!"
Xia Yichen didn't accept any money when he announced the imperial decree; only a fool would accept the purse Bei Yi offered.
"Jinxuan, Sister Yuxia has finished drawing the factory layout plans for the pharmaceutical plant. I was just about to send someone to deliver them to the post station..." Xia Yichen took out the plans and placed them on the table, beckoning Zhang Jinxuan to come and take a look.
Xia Yichen owns two estates in the suburbs of Beijing. He plans to convert one of them into a pharmaceutical factory, as he intends to remain in Mengzhong County to mine combustibles. Therefore, the task of building the pharmaceutical factory falls to Zhang Jinxuan.
Zhang Jinxuan carefully studied the map, humbly asking Wen Yuxia for help with anything he didn't understand. Wen Yuxia patiently explained it to him. Meanwhile, Xia Yichen, seemingly unconcerned, led Xie Qianlian up the mountain to enjoy the scenery.
"Yuxia, where's Jiating?" Zhang Jinxuan, who was discussing the blueprints with Wen Yuxia, finally realized something was wrong. He had been there for over two hours, and Li Jiating hadn't shown up.
"They went to Pingyuan Pass to recruit workers," Wen Yuxia said, suppressing a laugh.
Zhang Jinxuan arrived more than two hours ago before remembering his friend Li Jiating. Xia Yichen was right; Li and Zhang were both irrationally insensitive and careless, respectively.
Xia Yichen decided that the first batch of workers would be recruited from the wounded soldiers at Pingyuan Pass. Li Jiating had gone to Pingyuan Pass half a month ago and was probably on his way back now.
Before the pharmaceutical factory was built, the workers lived in Lingyuan Village and learned from Wen Yuxia. The medicinal materials needed to make the medicine had already been sent to Lingyuan Village.
After Li Jiating brought the person back, Wen Yuxia was to return to Lingyuan Manor to become a teacher. She would be responsible for teaching everything, from theory to practice, and she had spent a lot of time preparing lessons these past few days.
Zhang Jinxuan looked at Wen Yuxia with sympathy, "Sister Yuxia, can you keep a respectable image as a teacher to a bunch of seasoned veterans?"
Wen Yuxia said with a faint smile, "If you're not satisfied, then let's fight. If you're not satisfied after one fight, then let's fight twice."
After her encounter with An Yi, Wen Yuxia gained a completely new understanding of her martial arts skills. Now, she is not afraid to fight anyone.
"Sister Yuxia's courage is commendable."
The wounded soldiers had killed and seen blood on the battlefield; it would be incredibly difficult for Wen Yuxia to discipline them. Remembering the hardships Xia Yichen faced in subduing soldiers in the military, Zhang Jinxuan felt a chill run down his spine for Wen Yuxia.
Wen Yuxia said with a faint smile, "Don't worry, I can do it. Didn't I win over the old soldiers at the horse farm? Now those old soldiers listen to me."
"The horse farm raises warhorses, and the veterans have an emotional attachment to them, so of course they're obedient," Zhang Jinxuan said dismissively.
He spends his days singing that old song, "The horse's hooves clatter, the Yellow River flows," carefree as he rides his steed around. Who would dare disobey him? If Xia Yichen agreed, he'd be happy to stay at the horse farm with his black horse.
Wen Yuxia smiled and shook her head. Not all of the hundred veterans at the horse farm were wounded with broken arms or legs; more than twenty of them were able-bodied veterans wearing masks, their injuries visible on their faces.
These veterans, new to the area, immediately clashed with Gu Jiusi, Nan Yi, and others. None of them would yield to the others. However, Wen Yuxia's battle with An Yi completely subdued these masked men with all their limbs intact.
After waiting several days in Mengzhong County without seeing Li Jiating return, Zhang Jinxuan, having important business to attend to, planned to return to the capital early the next morning.
Just then, Zhang Jinxuan ran into Li Jiating at the courtyard gate. Excitedly, he rushed up and punched Li Jiating twice. "Jiating, if you had come back any later, you wouldn't have seen me anymore!"
Li Jiating hugged Zhang Jinxuan tightly, her voice tinged with a hint of coquetry: "You can't leave, I won't allow it, stay and keep me company."
"Baby, be good, I have important business to attend to," Zhang Jinxuan said with a smile, gently lifting Li Jiating's chin with his finger.
……
A million mud horses were galloping through Wen Yuxia's mind. Both of them were single; could it be that they were gay? Wen Yuxia's eyes swept back and forth between Zhang Jinxuan and Li Jiating, trying to figure out who was the bottom.
Xia Yichen was already used to it and immune to his good friend's performance, but seeing Wen Yuxia's scrutinizing gaze, he suddenly felt that Wen Yuxia had misunderstood.
He had grown up with Li Jiating and Zhang Jinxuan; could Wen Yuxia have also come to suspect him? Thinking this, Xia Yichen felt annoyed.
He shouted, "Jinxuan, you can go now," then turned and lowered his voice to explain to Wen Yuxia, "Sister Yuxia, they were just joking around, please don't take it to heart."
"No offense, no offense," Wen Yuxia chuckled, covering her mouth. Xia Yichen thought to himself, "If you're not offended, why are your eyes scanning them up and down?"
The two, who were having a good time, were startled when they heard Xia Yichen and Wen Yuxia's conversation. They each took a big step back, and the same thought arose in their minds.
Oh no! Wen Yuxia doesn't know they're just joking. Could she be misunderstanding them and think there's something wrong with their sexual orientation? How embarrassing!
Zhang Jinxuan said sheepishly, "I'm leaving, I'm leaving. Jia Ting, you explain this to Sister Yuxia." With that, he leaped onto his horse and galloped away.
Watching the dust kicked up by the horse's hooves, Li Jiating cursed Zhang Jinxuan inwardly for being cunning, teasing him and then running away. His face flushed slightly as he explained, "Sister Yuxia, we just didn't want to get married too early, so we were just joking around!"
Wen Yuxia calmly said, "Jia Ting, have you ever heard the saying, 'An explanation is the same as a cover-up, and a cover-up is the same as the truth'? Okay, stop explaining. I can accept whatever relationship you two have."
Is there any need for an explanation? The two men are nobody to her, whether they're homosexual or heterosexual, what does it have to do with her? Or should we get down to business?