Chapter 333: So many things she doesn’t know (2/2)

“Those are already things of the past. There’s no need to bring them up,” Mu Qingwu answered.

Han Yunxi stopped asking questions, but Mu Qingwu neither spoke nor left. He looked even more embarrassed than she did. Finally, Han Yunxi said, “Young General, you must have found me for something. Just say it outright.”

Mu Qingwu wore a difficult expression. He paused for a second before rising to his feet. “Esteemed wangfei, this soldier really did come just for a cup of tea. It’s getting late, so I won’t disturb you any further. Farewell.”

Weird!

Han Yunxi was puzzled, but she didn’t keep him. “Alright. Someone come, send off the young general.”

Mu Qingwu had already reached the door before he suddenly backtracked. Han Yunxi furrowed her eyebrows at the sight. He had always been a direct and straightforward man, so what was wrong with him today? Just what kind of problem made him so reluctant to share? If it was Gu Qishao or Gu Beiyue, Han Yunxi would definitely laugh at them, but she’d always been more formal around Mu Qingwu.

She simply smiled slightly without saying a word.

Mu Qingwu sucked in a deep breath before he approached her. He was clearly fidgety and irresolute, but he hated hemming and hawing. Finally, he reached Han Yunxi and knelt with one knee on the ground. “Esteemed wangfei, this soldier has a request!”

Han Yunxi guessed as much, but she didn’t know what kind of request had made Mu Qingwu so afraid to speak. “Young General, hurry and rise. There’s no harm in telling me your request directly!”

Han Yunxi might value Mu Qingwu, but she had her own selfish motives as well. Before she got a stable footing in the Duke of Qin’s estate and the capital city, Mu Qingwu had counted as one of her supporters. They had a connection because of that. Moreover, she hoped to gain General Mu’s support for Long Feiye’s sake.

“This one is ashamed to be constantly troubling esteemed wangfei!” Mu Qingwu didn’t rise.

“Young General is treating me like an outsider,” Han Yunxi personally helped the man up. “Young General has always been a man direct with his words. This wangfei looks down on your hemming and hawing!”

Mu Qingwu panicked and finally spoke the truth. “Esteemed wangfei, there’s only one month left before the six month deadline.”

Han Yunxi suddenly realized what was going on. The sixth month deadline referred to Emperor Tianhui’s decree to Mu Qingwu. He was supposed to collect 300,000 taels for soldiers’ pay and provisions, and 200,000 dan of grain. Otherwise, he’d be demoted and dealt with accordingly.

But what was the use of finding her?

She had money, but it was all from Long Feiye’s gold card. She could use the card as she liked, but she didn’t have physical gold and silver on her hands. The 200,000 dan of grain was an even harder problem. Even if she did have the money, there was no way she could buy so much grain in such a short time. Han Yunxi thought it over before she suddenly realized something. Her eyes lit up, but Mu Qingwu spoke up before she did.

“Esteemed wangfei, this one wanted to find His Highness Duke of Qin for advice, but he’s already refused me three times.” A self-deprecating smile rose on Mu Qingwu’s lips. “This one didn’t even get a glimpse of His Highness’s face.”

Han Yunxi was surprised. Mu Qingwu had been refused three times by Long Feiye? She didn’t know anything about it. In other words, Mu Qingwu had tried to seek help before instead of finding her outright. That did sound like his style.

“His Highness rejected you personally?” Han Tunxi asked seriously.

“I suspect His Highness guessed the purpose of my visits,” Mu Qingwu said somewhat helplessly.

Han Yunxi was secretly puzzled. Didn’t Long Feiye want Great General Mu’s support on his side? His strength was incomparable to the rest, because he had control over the largest source of military power in Tianning, the infantrymen! A second ago, she was all too happy to recommend Mu Qingwu to Long Feiye, but the duke had actually rejected him beforehand.

“Young General, 200,000 dan of grain is indeed…” Han Yunxi affected a difficult expression.

But Mu Qingwu said, “Esteemed wangfei, His Highness Duke of Qin has a large estate in the southern regions. There’s been drought all over country except Jiangnan, which managed to produce a bumper harvest…”

What? Long Feiye has an estate in Jiangnan?

Han Yunxi couldn’t help but feel her jade crystal bracelet. Just how many more things did she not know about Long Feiye? He was actually that rich! If that was the case, why was he refusing Mu Qingwu’s requests?

In the midst of her thoughts, Long Feiye himself returned…