Chapter 100: Small Province big problems 2 (2/2)

”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.