CHAPTER 40: CHAPTER 39: SURPLUS GRAIN

Lu Qing did not respond to Lu Jingxing’s heart-wrenching accusations. Instead, he suddenly asked, "Your Lu’s Brewing requires stockpiling grain. How have the grain prices been around Qingshui County these past few years?"

Lu Jingxing, still immersed in his own tragic and generous emotions, was momentarily at a loss upon hearing the Imperial Censor’s question. It took him a while to realize what the other party was asking him, and he quickly replied, "My lord, although I have not personally managed the family business in the past, I have heard my elder brother discuss it during meals.

In recent years, the grain prices around Qingshui County have remained high, and we often can’t gather enough grain for Lu’s Brewing. Many times, our distillery has no choice but to send people to other counties to purchase it."

"The grain produced annually around Qingshui County is not enough for a single distillery to brew wine?"

"Indeed, my brother said those farmers who are still willing to stay and farm in this area reserve their own rations; the surplus is in short supply.

Although my brother made mistakes in the distillery business, he has always refused to forcibly buy the scarce surplus grain remaining in Qingshui County.

He said that if others in the county couldn’t even have enough to eat, no one would drink wine.

So Lu’s is willing to go hundreds of miles away to buy the grain needed for brewing."

"Why go hundreds of miles away?"

"Because the nearby areas are no different from Qingshui County," Lu Jingxing replied. "I’ve heard only the neighboring Runzhou is sufficient. The Prefect there, it seems, has some method of keeping the farmers on their land, resulting in plentiful harvests each year. Not only does it feed the entire prefecture, but they also have surplus to sell for profit."

After speaking, Lu Jingxing awaited more questions from the Lord Imperial Censor. Waiting anxiously but hearing nothing, he cautiously raised his head and called softly, "My lord..."

"How should I deal with you to be appropriate..." Lu Qing’s voice was cold as he stared at Lu Jingxing from behind his mask, "Over the years, the Lu Family has been notorious in Qingshui County for monopolizing the distillery business, causing the deaths of innocent people, ruining families. If your brother were alive, I would surely tie him to a post and flay him alive.

Earlier you mentioned you were willing to take the punishment for your brother. Does your offer still stand?"

With that inquiry, his tone slightly rose, almost contemptuous, yet it seemed he had an interest in flaying Lu Jingxing alive.

Lu Jingxing’s face turned even paler, his whole body trembling, teeth chattering, nearly unable to open his mouth.

A simple beheading would only require a moment’s resolve, a closing of the eyes to let it all go, the fear lasting but an instant.

But flaying...

The thought of someone slicing his flesh bit by bit made Lu Jingxing feel the blood in his veins turn cold.

Even so, he forced himself to speak despite his trembling, "Although I am not a hero strong enough to stand tall, I do believe in keeping my word.

The Lu Family has betrayed the elders of Qingshui County. I am willing to atone with my death..."

"If today you go back on your word and cling to life, I will see you punished for your brother’s crimes," Lu Qing snorted. "However, since you have such courage, it does make me view you in a new light.

Go and write a list of names, exposing those who have conspired with your brother over the years. Be as detailed as possible, leaving nothing out. In doing so, your family’s death sentence can be avoided.

Should you intentionally conceal or shield anyone, I will exile the remaining members of the Lu Family to a bitterly cold land."

As Lu Qing finished speaking, the rune-keeper at the door stepped forward, grabbing the back of Lu Jingxing’s collar, pulling him up from the ground and dragging him to an empty room nearby to write the list.

After Lu Jingxing was taken away, Lu Qing turned his attention to Zhu Yu, noticing she seemed lost in thought, waving a hand in front of her face, "Chief Historian, return to your senses."

Zhu Yu snapped back to reality, speaking softly, "Coming to Qingshui County, it wasn’t actually to specifically investigate the Ghost Immortal Temple case, was it? At most, it was just a side matter."

"Oh? Then please, tell me, what did I really come for?" Lu Qing replied with another question.

"The matter of farming," Zhu Yu responded with certainty.

She knew it! Ever since arriving at the post station in Qingshui County, seeing the vast stretches of abandoned farmland had shocked her. How could Lu Qing, appointed as Imperial Censor by the present Holy Emperor, ignore such a sight?

While it is true that five or six lives lost in a small Ghost Immortal Temple is no trivial matter, when placed against grain— the foundation of the nation—it seems less significant.

Lu Qing was likely targeting counties like Qingshui, those with the most abandoned farmland, intending to make an example of them.

The Ghost Immortal Temple was merely an added task since he was already here.

Lu Qing did not deny this but instead gave Zhu Yu another glance, as if speaking to her, or perhaps to himself, "The Prefect of Runzhou... someone I hadn’t paid attention to before."

Zhu Yu was unfamiliar with the appointments of officials across Jin Country’s various counties, unable to chip in on this topic. She got up and checked the doorway to ensure that the rune-keeper and Lu Jingxing in the other room wouldn’t overhear their conversation before returning.

"Do you think it possible for a person to excel in both wine brewing and be quite skilled in perfume craftsmanship?" she asked Lu Qing, a matter she had been pondering.

Lu Qing thought for a moment, then shook his head, "It’s rare. Wine brewing emphasizes depth, while perfume crafting demands precision; both disciplines frown upon contamination that would ruin the original scent.

Perfume crafting involves constant exposure to fragrant materials, over time, one becomes imbued with the scent..."

At this point, Lu Qing paused, looking at Zhu Yu with more understanding, accompanied by a nearly imperceptible hint of amusement, "So the Chief Historian is enlightening me. But I am dull; perhaps the Chief Historian could help unravel this mystery further?"

Zhu Yu suspected that behind the menacing golden mask was a face playing dumb despite knowing the truth.

"Alright," she acquiesced, not wanting to waste time with banter, "The day we went to the cave, I felt that only one person could not have accomplished such a deed.

Although I am unaware of the specific grievances those four individuals on the estate had with the murderer, I know that in Qingshui County, the old shopkeeper of the eatery previously informed Lu’s for perks, indirectly ruining many distilleries.

As for Lu’s, let alone Wang Shan’s family, several members were driven to their deaths.

The eatery had unknown vintage wine, strongly suggesting the conflict with Lu’s revolved around this wine.

Initially, I assumed it was a group of distillery owners ruined by Lu’s, but couldn’t fathom why the wine jars carried that peculiar scent, nor how any distillery owner could create a seductive fragrance so potent it immobilized the rune-keeper.

Hearing Lu Jingxing say his sister-in-law bought Soul-Attracting Incense from a traveling Taoist cleared my confusion, solving the puzzle.

The culprits are likely more than one, thus needing not all to be brewers!

Although I am unaware of the perfume maker’s past with the Qingshui area, their perfume is truly uncanny."

Lu Qing nodded, "Rather than the person, I am more intrigued by where they acquired one of the fragrance ingredients."