Do Not Offend the Reborn Wicked Wife-Chapter 338: I Believe in Him!

Long Yue returned to the General Mansion and told Li Qingmu about the matter with the Su Jinxiu Workshop.

"A Mu, I want to go to Luanshi Ridge to have a look. I just feel this matter isn’t simple."

Long Yue gazed at the handsome man across from her, lost in thought, and expressed her idea, believing in the unease bubbling inside her.

Li Qingmu’s deep gaze rested steadily on her as he said, "I’ll go with you!"

"Are you crazy?"

Long Yue was annoyed. He hadn’t even recovered from his serious injuries, and now he wanted to run around with her? She could accept what happened last night, but not this time.

"You’re not allowed to go!"

"I fear for your safety!"

Li Qingmu’s voice was firm, his gaze unwavering, as if this trip for Long Yue was a journey of no return.

Long Yue looked at him in surprise, "I’m just taking people to look around Luanshi Ridge. With my skills, how could there be any danger?"

As she spoke, her expression subtly changed.

Sometimes, a man’s intuition can be sharper than a woman’s. Perhaps Long Yue had invested a lot of effort into the Su Jinxiu Workshop, making her anxious when something happened, but Li Qingmu was different.

Observers see clearly while participants are puzzled. He, standing by as an observer, naturally saw something unusual.

The Su Jinxiu Workshop and Qin Family Embroidery Workshop had been trading for quite some time without issue, so why did problems arise now?

The Daliang Envoy’s assassination attempt had just settled, and now their goods were robbed. Could this not suggest that someone was targeting them?

Remember, the assassination of the Emperor was almost a success!

"Luanshi Ridge... A Mu, you’re right! We once eradicated bandits there, razing Heifeng Village to the ground. Many neighboring smaller villages were implicated. It’s only been a little over a year, so how could so many mountain bandits reappear? And they’re well-equipped, with exceptional martial arts skills!"

Thinking of this, Long Yue felt a chill run down her spine, grateful for Li Qingmu’s subtle reminders, or she would have made a grave mistake.

"A Mu, thank you!"

"No need for thanks between husband and wife." Li Qingmu smiled gently, lightly caressing her smooth cheek. "However, since someone has taken aim at us, we can’t just sit and wait. Yue’er, we need to go to Luanshi Ridge, but not now."

Long Yue blinked her beautiful eyes, curious, "Then when do we go?"

Since he noticed the problem, his opinion needed to be sought.

"We have to first figure out what Luanshi Ridge is being used for nowadays?"

Li Qingmu crossed his arms, stroked his chin, and said seriously, "Yue’er, these are some of our current speculations, but we need proof to confirm that Luanshi Ridge isn’t what it once was."

What Li Qingmu said would likely be incomprehensible to others, but Long Yue understood.

When they went to Luanshi Ridge, like at Heifeng Village, it appeared they were engaging in looting, but in reality, they were smelting iron and forging weapons and armor. Someone was plotting rebellion!

Illicit weapon and armor forging mean raising an army for revolt. What else could it be?

But that’s not the main thing. The main thing is, where did they get so much iron for all those weapons and armor?

Ore!

Dazhou prohibits private mining and ore trading, especially copper, iron, salt, gold, and silver. Iron ore is essential for forging weapons and armor, copper for minting coins. Those who dare mine privately are courting death.

Yet someone did it, and over at Bai Chong Mountain, Long Yue and Li Qingmu, under the guise of spring outings, found that mining site and reported it to the court to have it sealed. The person running the mine was someone associated with the Third Prince, Wang Ren.

Oddly enough, Long Yue and the others initially wanted to strike a heavy blow to the Third Prince, ideally getting him punished by the Emperor to retaliate against Consort Xue’s attempt on Long Yue. But the Emperor Qi Yun didn’t punish him. What does this suggest?

Qi Yun is lenient with his kin, true, but also that, at the time, the Third Prince merely mined and sold the ore without forging weapons. Otherwise, if a prince secretly mined and forged armor and weapons, it would be an obvious rebellion!

This crosses the Emperor’s line. No matter how forgiving Qi Yun might be, he wouldn’t tolerate it!

So, the question arises: where was all that iron ore transported to?

Someone must have taken the ore and forged it into weapons.

Coincidentally, there’s a forging place at Heifeng Village.

Could there be a connection between the two?

That’s what they need to ascertain now.

This is why Li Qingmu mentioned needing someone to prove it.

"So, do we need to find the Third Prince to ask where all that iron ore went?"

Long Yue hesitated, finding the task tricky, like indirectly poking at the Third Prince’s sore spot.

Back then, they shut down his mine and he lost a subordinate. Now, visiting that old wound feels like asking for trouble.

But despite it all, they still needed to ask.

Seeing the man’s nod, before he could speak, Long Yue said, "I’ll do it. I’m a woman. The Third Prince wouldn’t dare act against me."

Men often go easy on beautiful women, unlike Li Qingmu, who’s notoriously ruthless. He’s an exception.

His behavior can’t be judged by normal standards.

Li Qingmu nodded slightly, "That’s exactly what I intended! Yue’er, you go talk to the Third Prince, while I approach the Emperor. After all, he wants to see me at the Imperial Study Room tomorrow. I’ll use the opportunity to come clean."

"Come clean about what?"

Long Yue looked at him, suspicious. He wasn’t considering revealing his true identity, was he?

Li Qingmu reached out to gently scrape her pert little nose, chuckling, "What are you thinking? I’m talking about the large quantities of armor we confiscated from Heifeng Village last time. Back then, I didn’t specify this in my report. Now, wanting to borrow troops and assistance from the Emperor, I must tell him."

Long Yue’s eyes widened. Those weapons and armor ultimately ended up with Qi Jingyu and his men. Wasn’t this betraying them?

Li Qingmu noted her concern, paused, and said, "I’ll discuss this with the Young Prince. If something happens, I’ll take full responsibility."

Long Yue frowned lightly, shaking her head, "I doubt he’ll agree."

"No, he will! In matters of black and white, he will! You have to trust that little guy!"

Li Qingmu exuded confidence as he spoke.

Seeing his firm resolve, Long Yue understood she couldn’t sway him. Besides, if this trip indeed posed danger, they needed to inform the Emperor and secure help.

Additionally, he contemplated whether to involve the Cao Family Army, perhaps allowing his uncle to gain some credit. It was a risky notion, but if successful, his uncle might also earn rewards. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

"Get ready; I’m entering the palace tomorrow, and you go find the Third Prince!"

"Alright!"