Chapter 410 - Chapter 410: Chapter 417: It Won’t Be Pleasant (2/2)
“Talk, what exactly is going on? Who are these people deliberately hoarding food and driving up prices?” Liu Xiu asked, barely suppressing his anger, conspiring much like Su Wenyue did in the beginning by suspecting a plot from the Imperial Court.
“My Lord, these people were sent by Miss Chen. A few days ago, Miss Chen dispatched a large number of people to purchase food, not only in Yiyang Prefecture but also in the nearby towns, buying up all the grain at prices several times higher than the market rate. Thus, our local food prices have risen so sharply, and it’s all due to the commotion Miss Chen has caused,” a subordinate reported.
It was Chen Li’s actions that were too noticeable, making the discreet purchases by Su Wenyue’s people seem insignificant by comparison. By the time Liu Xiu’s men started investigating, they paid little heed, as by then, there were too many scrambling over the food prices.
Liu Xiu had never expected that Chen Li would be the instigator. This woman! He couldn’t fathom what had gotten into her to pull such a stunt. Her actions were insufficient to succeed but more than enough to cause failure. Liu Xiu even began to doubt whether leaving Chen Li and the Su Family to balance each other had been the right decision, likening Chen Li to an unreliable ally.
“Call that woman here!” Liu Xiu said curtly, eager to confront Chen Li and question her sudden decision to hoard food and inflate prices. Surely, she wasn’t insane.
At this moment, Chen Li was indeed feeling uneasy. Her initial plan was to hoard food as a bargaining chip to leverage her value when Liu Xiu would seek her help in desperate times. She hadn’t anticipated that her purchasing would spike food prices to an uncontrollable level.
Chen Li, although impulsive and hasty to reap immediate gains, was not foolish. She quickly realized her mistake, especially when she saw the panic caused by the sudden surge in food prices causing public unrest. She knew she might have caused trouble for Liu Xiu, but the situation had spiraled beyond her control. As she was pondering a solution, Liu Xiu had already sent for her.
Chen Li was typically proud and arrogant, and she somewhat belittled Liu Xiu. But now, she was panicking. Liu Xiu might appear easygoing, but he had distinct boundaries that, once crossed, would not bode well for the offender. Chen Li regretted her actions thoroughly, realizing that Liu Xiu, albeit not yet the King of the Forest, still had the dignity that must not be offended lightly—once one provoked the tiger’s whiskers…
“Have you arrived?” At this point, Liu Xiu’s anger had peaked. Seeing Chen Li arrive, he unexpectedly calmed down, his expression inscrutable. He had already decided that if Chen Li could not provide a satisfactory explanation, he would no longer want such a person around, lest she become a future menace.
“Big Brother Liu, have you called for me because something is wrong?” Chen Li asked with a strained smile. Liu Xiu was seldom so enigmatic, especially when she had done something wrong. Chen Li felt inexplicably guilty and frightened. It was moments like these that Liu Xiu demonstrated the imposing air of an emperor. Chen Li had always thought Liu Xiu was too mild, but only now did she realize the gravity of her mistake. A tiger was still a tiger, and even if not yet the King of the Forest, his majesty was not to be trifled with—once one touched a tiger’s whisker…
“I thought you should explain your recent actions to me?”