Shocking! The actress was dragged to the regent's bedchamber every night.

Chapter 233 Is Your Backer Reliable?

Yu Chen returned to the manor when it got dark.

The robe was damp with the coolness of the night wind, and the cuffs were slightly wet, whether from dew or something else, I couldn't tell.

The study was lit, and Yinghun stood in front of the desk, holding the booklet that Fengxi had handed him.

Yu Chen sat down and took the booklet.

The booklet contained names, official titles, family backgrounds, students, and relatives by marriage, densely packed like a net.

"Last year, the Vice Minister of Rites received a painting. The person who gave it to him was a salt merchant from Jiangnan. The salt merchant owned three salt mines, one of which he sold privately to a merchant from the northern border. The accounts were made through the bank of Zhou Mingyuan's brother-in-law."

Yingjun's voice was clear as he reported, "The head of the Ministry of Works embezzled 120,000 taels of silver from the river works. He gave 20,000 taels to his superiors and kept the rest for himself. He hid the money in his family's cellar and exchanged it all for gold bars."

Yu Chen listened, then turned the page.

Shadow Falcon continued reporting, listing crime after crime: corruption, forming cliques, and colluding with the enemy.

When the topic of treason came up, Shadow Falcon's voice lowered slightly.

"The news coming back from the border is that Zhao Cheng, the Vice Minister of Revenue, has a young son who is doing fur business in the northern border, and he is using trade routes to the enemy country. Whether Zhao Cheng himself knows about this is still under investigation."

Yu Chen closed the booklet and placed it on the corner of the table.

"Continue the investigation," he said coldly. "Find out everything thoroughly. Don't miss a single one. When the net is closed, I will make sure none of them escape."

"Yes." Shadow Falcon nodded.

Yu Chen leaned back in his chair, looking out the window.

Her voice softened slightly, "How was she at the manor today?"

"In the afternoon, Miss Su drank tea in the courtyard, chatted with Chuhe and Qiaosheng for a while, then went back to her room to take a nap. After waking up, she read a book for a while. In the evening, she took a walk in the courtyard, fed the fish, and then went back to her room."

Shadow Falcon paused for a moment, "I ate half a bowl of rice for dinner, my appetite is alright."

Yu Chen nodded slightly.

Yingjun added, "When the young lady was chatting this afternoon, she mentioned Manager Liu. Chuhe said the young lady was very capable, and the young lady said—"

He paused for a moment.

"What did you say?" Yu Chen asked.

"The girl said it wasn't that she was powerful, but that her powerful backer was."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yu Chen chuckled softly, "She certainly knows how to leverage her connections."

After a moment of silence in the study, Shadow Falcon remembered there was something else he hadn't mentioned.

After hesitating for a moment, I finally spoke.

"Manager Liu didn't finish receiving the full fifty strokes of the cane; he died after about thirty strokes."

His voice was flat, "It's been taken care of."

"Hmm," Yu Chen responded without asking any further questions.

He picked up the teacup on the table, took a sip, and said, "You may leave."

"Yes."

Shadow Falcon responded and went out.

Yu Chen was left alone in the study.

He picked up the booklet on the table and flipped through it again.

After reading it, place it on the corner of the table.

I stood up and opened the door, letting the night wind rush in.

He stood there for a while, then stepped out and walked towards the courtyard.

……

When the door was pushed open, Su Wuli was leaning against the couch, holding a book in her hand, the pages of which she hadn't turned for a while.

She heard the door open, looked up and saw Yu Chen.

His eyes lit up.

She put down the book and got off the couch.

"You're back?"

"Hmm," Yu Chen said, "Are you bored being alone?"

"Mm." Su Wuli nodded. "No cell phone, no internet, and my laptop is out of battery."

Yu Chen smiled and reached out to rub her earlobe.

As they got closer, Su Wuli could feel the coolness emanating from the man.

"You feel so cold."

Yu Chen looked down at the damp stain on his cuff.

Su Wuli followed his gaze and looked down, reaching out to touch his sleeve.

She took his hand and pulled him down to sit.

Then she poured a cup of hot tea, handed it to him, and put it in his hand.

Yu Chen looked down at the steam rising from the cup and took a sip.

He then looked up at her and suddenly smiled.

Su Wuli was taken aback for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "What are you laughing at?"

Before she could finish speaking, the man pulled her into his arms and made her sit on his lap.

Su Wuli leaned her head on his shoulder.

Yu Chen rubbed his thumb against the back of her hand.

He asked in a low voice, "Is this person you're backing reliable?"

Upon hearing this, Su Wuli was taken aback and looked up at him in astonishment.

A hint of teasing amusement was hidden in the man's eyes.

These were clearly the words she spoke to Chuhe that afternoon.

It must have been the Shadow Falcon that told him.

When she met his gaze, her face flushed slightly.

She subconsciously lowered her head and buried her face in his shoulder, muttering in a low voice, "Shadow Falcon was eavesdropping on me."

"Hmm," Yu Chen said calmly, "Should we punish him?"

"No," Su Wuli said quickly.

As soon as she finished speaking, the large hand that was around her waist suddenly tightened.

"Mmm..." Su Wuli pressed herself even closer to him.

Then a deep male voice rang out, "Is it reliable?"

"Reliable..." Su Wuli's muffled voice came from his shoulder.

Yu Chen rubbed his fingers against the back of her hand and chuckled softly.

Su Wuli buried her face in his shoulder, her cheek pressed against his neck, and could feel the coolness of his skin.

Soaked by the night wind.

She remained silent for a moment, then looked up at him. "Have you had dinner?"

"Hmm." Yu Chen nodded.

Su Wuli reached out and pushed his chest. "Then go take a shower. You're all cold."

Yu Chen looked down at her hands, then slowly said, "Let's wash them together."

Upon hearing this, Su Wuli paused for a moment, unable to tell whether he was serious or joking.

But she had already taken a shower.

And every time we shower together, he...

Su Wuli raised her eyes and then lowered them again, gently tapping his chest twice with her fingers, hesitating back and forth.

"Are you really considering it?" the man's voice suddenly rang out.

His voice was a little lower than before, and a little hoarse.

Su Wuli raised her head and met his dark eyes.

She recognized that look all too well, and her face flushed uncontrollably.

Su Wuli pushed his chest with her hand, this time pushing a little harder.

"Go wash up first."

She lowered her head and said in a soft voice, "I'll wait for you in the room."

After he finished speaking, the room was silent for two seconds.