Chapter 1669 - 1664: Mrs. Jin Still in the County
"Da Niu, the moment you got here, you asked about water transport. Are you planning to send goods to the Capital? Is there a lot? If not, I can ask Chief Song to help you take them, and you won’t even have to pay the Silver Tael!" Zhao Erbiao said to Mu Shuangshuang.
"Yeah, but I don’t want others to transport it; I want to do it myself!" Mu Shuangshuang replied. "Transport it yourself? What kind of goods are you transporting yourself? Aren’t you supposed to go with us to the Northwest on the escort mission?" Zhao Erbiao still looked puzzled, cluelessly gazing at Mu Shuangshuang.
"Just some silk and fabrics, those things are lightweight but valuable!
Besides, that’s just a cover. The real thing hidden inside is quite a few clothing design drawings, entrusted to me by a good friend. I have to handle it personally!"
Mu Shuangshuang spoke half-true and half-false.
The purpose was just to have someone take her to the dock.
She would then find a way to get close to Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian discreetly.
The escort masters of Zhenyuan Escort Agency would never associate with her, Mu Shuangshuang.
"That’s easy to handle! Here’s the deal, I’ll introduce you to Chief Song. He’s just married recently and won’t be going on any escort missions for two months. He can teach you how to transport goods to the Capital and how to avoid unnecessary trouble while he’s idle."
Zhao Erbiao genuinely cared for Mu Shuangshuang.
Thinking of deceiving Zhao Erbiao with lies, Mu Shuangshuang felt a bit guilty inside.
She had decided, after resolving the matter with Mu Dade, she would confess everything to Zhao Erbiao.
By then, whether he hit or scolded her, she would willingly accept it!
"Thank you, Chief Zhao!" Mu Shuangshuang said.
"You can’t just thank Chief Zhao, you must thank all our brothers as well!" Liu Laogen chimed in from the side.
The other escort masters who had interacted with Mu Shuangshuang joined in the banter.
Everyone insisted on forcing Mu Shuangshuang to drink a few more bowls of wine.
Mu Shuangshuang laughed it off: "This wine, a few sips are enough, you can’t overindulge!
If you get drunk, and your mind’s not clear, wouldn’t you miss seeing a pretty girl? I can’t get drunk!"
The escort masters burst into laughter at her jest.
After enough food and drink, Mu Shuangshuang prepared to go home.
Several drunken escort masters went back to their own rooms to sleep.
Mu Shuangshuang walked along and unexpectedly found herself outside of County Magistrate Zheng’s mansion.
By this time, it was completely dark outside.
The street was lit only by the faint glow of lanterns, but it was enough to see people and things.
Mu Shuangshuang looked for a while at the County Magistrate Mansion, thinking of the Ruan Xiao Jiao living inside.
The corners of her mouth curled up in a cold smile.
This woman, essentially, had already been assimilated by Mu Dade.
Not worth a bit of sympathy.
Just as she thought that, a soft sedan came over in the direction of the County Magistrate Mansion.
A short distance from the sedan, there was also a carriage following.
That carriage, Mu Shuangshuang recognized, was Mu Dade’s.
The person in the soft sedan...
The soft sedan stopped in front of the County Magistrate Mansion, and a heavily pregnant, clumsy Ruan Xiao Jiao came out.
It was indeed her!
Mu Shuangshuang snorted coldly; these two were too audacious.
Coming to the County Magistrate’s mansion, one after another, this late at night.
Are they not afraid of being discovered, or do they truly think they can indulge in an affair under the County Magistrate’s nose without any qualms?
Ruan Xiao Jiao leisurely entered the County Magistrate’s mansion and quickly disappeared.
Mu Dade’s carriage, likewise, turned and headed elsewhere after she had entered the mansion.
Mu Shuangshuang had an idea to follow Mu Dade’s carriage.
Luckily, it was during the night market, the streets were crowded, and the carriage was moving slowly.
Otherwise, how could her two legs outrun four?
At first, Mu Shuangshuang didn’t think much, just assumed Mu Dade was heading home.
But when Mu Dade stopped in front of a small courtyard, Mu Shuangshuang sensed something was off.
Mr. Mu said Mu Dade’s place and the third branch’s new house were just two streets apart.
The location where Mu Dade’s carriage stopped was definitely not where the Old Mu Family currently resided.
Moreover, this was a one-entry, one-exit house, definitely not worth over a hundred taels of silver.
Mu Shuangshuang squinted her eyes in thought for a moment and decided to go in for a look.
After all, she was disguised as Lu Daniu now. Even if Mu Dade saw her, he would never suspect ’Mu Shuangshuang’.
Mu Shuangshuang seized the moment the coachman wasn’t paying attention, slipped into the courtyard, and climbed over the courtyard wall.
Then she landed steadily inside the courtyard.
She quietly moved towards the source of light, finally stopping outside the largest room in the courtyard.
Pressing her ear against the door, she could clearly hear the conversation inside.
Inside the room—
As soon as he entered, Mu Dade embraced Mrs. Jin.
"Yinyin, I’ve missed you so much!" Mu Dade said.
"Dade, why haven’t you come to see me for so long? Is the old hag giving you a hard time? Or did the old folks find out about us?" Mrs. Jin asked, concerned.
"No, they don’t know. It’s just that there’s too much going on at the government office!" Mu Dade lied smoothly.
"Is it about the docks?" Mrs. Jin asked.
"Yes! Right now, the water levels are high, making river transport convenient. Uncountable merchant ships are using it! Many big and small merchants in the county want me to give them a pass so their ships can obtain shipping permits as quickly as possible!
Once they have the permit from here, there’s no need for inspection elsewhere—they can directly load and unload goods!"
Mu Dade explained.
"Indeed, there are many merchants here, and there’s a lot of profit to be made! But I still don’t understand why you let those two dimwits, Mu Dazhong and Mu Danian, handle those matters?" Mrs. Jin wondered.
"Scapegoats! The position of dock steward sounds pleasant but could become troublesome if someone reports me. I can’t take the blame myself.
So, I had to push two brothers into the spotlight. By then, others will think highly of me for sacrificing for righteousness, and even the County Magistrate will trust me more!" Mu Dade explained.
Mrs. Jin couldn’t help but laugh out loud at his words.
"That’s good, that’s good! Back then, they did so many wicked things to drive me away, it’s about time heaven dealt with them!"
Mrs. Jin wholeheartedly agreed with Mu Dade’s actions.
She even added, "If possible, deal with that bitch Mrs. Lin and the entire fourth branch!
Otherwise, they will continue to bring us trouble! It’s better to eliminate them once and for all, saving us from future headaches!"
"Don’t worry, none of them will get away! Especially the third branch?!" Mu Dade vowed.
"The third branch? Aren’t they in town? How are they involved?" Mrs. Jin was perplexed.
Having left the Old Mu Family for so long, she heard most things from Mu Dade.
What Mu Dade said, she knew.
𝚏𝐫𝚎𝗲𝕨𝐞𝐛𝕟𝚘𝐯𝚎𝗹.𝕔𝐨𝗺
What Mu Dade didn’t say, she knew nothing about.
"No, that wretched girl bought a house in the county and plans to start a business here!"