"I... I didn't... Your Highness, it was me."
Gu Moran put down the book in her hand and walked over unhurriedly.
He reached out and lifted the wad of fabric.
Yun Shuyue's face was revealed, as red as a boiled shrimp.
Head down, hair half-loose, rouge smeared across half face.
She clutched the wooden box tightly to her chest with both hands, looking embarrassed and at a loss.
"Your Highness..."
Her voice was choked with sobs.
Gu Moran looked at her, and the corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
What kind of kung fu are you practicing?
Yun Shuyue's face turned even redder.
"I... I didn't... I just wanted to..."
Before she could finish speaking, there was a "ripping" sound.
The skirt was completely torn.
She panicked and struggled even harder, which only made her skirt tear more violently, causing her to fall straight down.
Just then, a hand caught her waist steadily.
Yun Shuyue's head was still buried in her skirt, her whole body stiff, and she dared not move.
Gu Moran one arm around her waist, and with the other hand pulled away the messy fabric covering her face, looking down at her.
The candlelight illuminated her face.
Her lipstick was crooked and uneven, a few strands of hair were loose and stuck to her forehead, and her eyes were wide open, like a small animal that had been caught.
Gu Moran stared at her for a couple of moments, then couldn't help but laugh out loud.
Yun Shuyue's face instantly turned as red as if it could drip blood.
Ignoring her embarrassment, she slapped the thing in her arms onto Gu Moran's chest and stammered.
"Your Highness, this... this is all my possessions."
Her voice was trembling with tears, she was extremely anxious.
"I want to invest. Invest in that Land of Abundance Granary. To buy meat for Tiedan and the others."
Gu Moran looked down at the heavy box on his chest, then looked at her.
Yun Shuyue's eyes were red, and she stared intently at him, as if afraid he would reject her.
Gu Moran sighed and put her back on the ground.
After regaining her footing, Yun Shuyue immediately took two steps back, put her hands behind her back, lowered her head, and dared not look at him.
Gu Moran wasn't in a hurry; he opened the box with one hand.
Three layers of oilcloth, stacked one on top of the other, wrapped very tightly.
He slowly unfolded it.
Inside the innermost layer, a ledger with yellowed edges was visible.
The ledger was thin, only half a finger wide, and the cover had no words, only a few old ink marks.
Gu Moran turned to the first page.
The candlelight shone on the paper.
The accounts above are not ordinary financial records.
The word salt does not write salt, but is divided into three points and one horizontal line.
The amount of silver is not written out; it is hidden in the last digit of the date.
The business name is not the full name; it is represented by half a character, half a seal, and a slanted hook.
At first glance, it looks like a miscellaneous account jotted down by an accountant.
Gu Moran had recently read Xie Wanqing's compilation of old regulations for the Transport Bureau, and had also heard Su Yao mention several ways to write the secret accounts for Yi Prefecture salt permits.
He couldn't see it all.
But there were a few places he recognized.
"Sweet."
"Dongshan."
"Three wells."
"Install."
There are also several recurring hidden marks that correspond precisely to the line indicating that the Gan Clan of Chengnan, the East Mountain Ironworks, and the Salt Wells invested in the company.
Gu Moran's finger stopped on the page.
The system suddenly lit up the next moment.
[Detected: Fragments of old salt tax records from Yun Zhengze.]
[Account categories: Salt license transfer, merchant profit sharing, government protection, private silver transfer.]
[Key connections: The Gan Clan in the south of the city, the East Mountain Ironworks, the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office, and the Prince An's Residence's residence.]
[Completeness of the fragment: 50%]
[This can serve as one of the core pieces of evidence in the Yun Zhengze salt tax case.]
Gu Moran's expression finally changed.
I don't know everything.
But that's enough.
This half-finished ledger is a knife that can be held to Yun Zhengze's neck.
He looked up at the Yun Shuyue.
Yun Shuyue was rubbing her aching lower back when she stole a glance at his expression.
Seeing that he didn't speak, she assumed he didn't appreciate the value of the item and became anxious.
"Your Highness, this is my father's most treasured possession, hidden away the deepest part of his heart."
Her voice was urgent and fast.
"He wouldn't even let me touch Lady Wang normally, it took me a lot of effort to sneak out."
She paused, then added.
"It'll definitely sell for a lot of money."
Gu Moran looked at her and chuckled.
He gently tapped her forehead with the ledger.
"I will accept this investment."
Yun Shuyue's eyes lit up immediately.
"Real?"
"Real."
"Then, how much will I get?"
Gu Moran closed the ledger and placed it on the table.
"This thing of yours could take a 30% stake in Land of Abundance Granary."
Yun Shuyue opened her mouth, but couldn't close it for a long time.
30%.
That one word was all I could think of; nothing else clicked.
Seeing her silly look, Gu Moran smiled, turned around, poured a cup of warm tea, and handed it to her.
"Have a drink of water."
Yun Shuyue mechanically took the teacup, tilted her head back and gulped down a large mouthful, choking and coughing.
Gu Moran stood beside her and patted her on the back.
"Slower."
After Yun Shuyue finished coughing, she put the teacup on the table and looked up at him.
The candlelight illuminated Gu Moran's profile.
This sickly-looking prince is actually quite handsome.
She suddenly felt a tightness in her throat.
He lowered his head and spoke very softly.
"Your Highness, will I... will I cause you trouble?"
Gu Moran turned to look at her.
Why do you say that?
Yun Shuyue picked at her fingers, not daring to look at him.
"This thing belongs to my dad. If I stole it, he'll definitely come looking for it."
She paused, then her voice became even softer.
"If he finds out he's here with you, he... he might..."
Gu Moran interrupted her.
"I'm not afraid."
Yun Shuyue looked up at him.
Gu Moran's tone was very calm.
"Once these ledgers are in my hands, they belong to me."
"Whether Yun Zhengze searches for him or not is his business."
He paused, looking into Yun Shuyue's eyes.
"You just need to remember that you belong to the Prince Yi's Residence's Mansion."
"Anyone who touches you is touching me."
Yun Shuyue's nose tingled, and her eyes instantly reddened.
She sniffed hard, held back her tears, and nodded.
"Um."
Gu Moran sighed inwardly as he looked at her.
This girl is both stubborn and soft-hearted.
He reached out and ruffled her hair, as if soothing a child.
"Alright, go back to sleep. You'll have to deliver food again once you're feeling better."
Yun Shuyue nodded and turned to walk out.
Gu Moran stood there, watching her disappear behind the moon gate, then turned and walked to the bookshelf.
Pull out a hidden compartment from the bottom and put the ledger inside.
After doing all this, he sat back down on the couch and picked up the book " The Early Rice Domestication Method ".
The candlelight flickered.
The writing on the page is clear.
Seed soaking method using lime water.
Seed dressing with wood ash.
The domestication of early rice involves three steps.
As Gu Moran looked at these words, she began to plan the layout of the experimental fields after winter and spring.
Yi Prefecture mostly mountainous and valley-filled with a warm climate. If early rice can be domesticated and combined with terraced field improvements, two harvests a year is not a dream.
In addition, there was that half-finished salt tax ledger.
With Yun Zhengze's Achilles' heel in his hands, he could also get involved in the salt trade of Jiannan Circuit.
Gu Moran's lips curled into a smile.
This game is getting more and more interesting.
The temperature in Yi Prefecture City dropped overnight.
A cold wind blew into the alley from the base of the city wall, and the street vendors hunched their shoulders and called out their wares, their breath rising in puffs of white vapor.
Inside the main hall of the Provincial Surveillance Commissioner's office, Lady Wang clutched her chest and wept uncontrollably.
"Master, you're finally back! You must stand up for me!"