Volume 3, Chapter 426 – Prospering Day by Day

Hearing this, Chi Muxue looked up at Chi Xiyan, a smile tugging at the corners of her mouth.

“Xiyan, what do you think?”

She gently took hold of Chi Xiyan’s palm.

“Of course we should solve this problem together, and solve it beautifully!”

Chi Xiyan lowered her eyes slightly, her gaze sweeping subtly over Chi Muxue’s hand.

“Alright.”

Chi Xiyan answered and gently set the wine jar back in its place.

“For these inferior spirit wines to have made their way out of the Chi family, it means there is a flaw in the Internal Affairs Hall’s oversight process. To solve this problem, aside from Manager Fang, we also need to find the parasites within the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall who are colluding with him.”

“So…” Chi Xiyan’s words trailed off.

Chi Muxue could tell what she was thinking and finished for her, “So, we need help.”

“But the family head has already said I am not allowed to borrow anyone from the Chi family.”

“And without enough evidence, we cannot simply go to the Chi family’s Punishment Hall to request people either.”

Chi Xiyan smiled faintly. “It is fine, I already have someone in mind.”

“He should be able to help us.”

“For now though, to avoid alerting the enemy, we still need to stay here and put on a show for a few more days.”

***

The next day.

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“Boss, here is today’s purchasing list, please take a look.”

Manager Fang handed a list over to Chi Muxue with a beaming smile.

Chi Muxue took the list and pretended to look it over.

Suddenly, she furrowed her brow, slapped the list down on the table, and jabbed her finger at it forcefully.

“Wait, I do not understand this part! I do not remember telling you to buy this!”

“And what about the things I ordered before! Why has nothing been bought?”

Manager Fang’s expression did not change. He glanced down at the list and said, “Boss, today’s purchasing list was compiled entirely according to boss Xiyan’s plan.”

Manager Fang raised his head, still smiling.

“Boss, if you do not believe me, you can ask boss Xiyan yourself.”

“…” Chi Muxue glanced wordlessly at Chi Xiyan, who sat some distance away writing and sketching things out.

Chi Xiyan looked up and gave Chi Muxue a helpless look.

“Ugh!” Chi Muxue pursed her lips. She turned back to Manager Fang in front of her and said, puffing with anger, “I want to inspect the goods! Take me to the cellar!”

“I want to see whether what you bought actually matches the list!”

Manager Fang seemed a little startled, but he quickly recovered and said, “Yes, young boss, I will go with you.”

Manager Fang left with Chi Muxue.

Chi Xiyan set down the brush in her hand.

Creak. The window beside her was pushed open.

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A teenage boy climbed in through it.

It was Chi Ning.

“I thought you would not come,” Chi Xiyan said.

Chi Ning shot her an irritated look. “I am only interested in the chance to earn merit that you mentioned in your letter.”

“In the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall, in order to be promoted quickly, one needs sufficient achievements and seniority. I do not want to waste that much time slowly working my way up.”

Chi Xiyan smiled. “Of course, if this matter succeeds, you could end up with a supervisory position.”

Chi Ning frowned. “Is that so?”

Chi Xiyan slid a small booklet over to him. “Take a look at this first.”

Chi Ning picked up the booklet, looking skeptical.

“This…” he furrowed his brow. “There are parasites inside the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall, is that really true?”

“Of course it is true,” Chi Xiyan answered.

Chi Ning was silent for a moment. “This will not be easy. The Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall is so large, and with just me alone, I would have no idea where to even start. I only just joined the Internal Affairs Hall, my standing is low, no one would even listen to me.”

“There is no need to rush, look at the next page first,” Chi Xiyan said calmly.

Chi Ning, still half doubtful, turned the booklet to the next page.

Then, an expression of shock came over his face.

“Where did you get this roster? Even I am not this familiar with the officials of the Internal Affairs Hall.”

“You do not need to worry about that,” Chi Xiyan said. “Start your investigation with these people on the roster, can you do that?”

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Back when Chi Xiyan had gradually taken power away from Chi Jingwen, she had once purged the Chi family’s Internal Affairs Hall.

This list was, in fact, made up of the very same parasites she had already caught once in reality. Since this illusory realm had been built based on her memories, catching these same parasites here again should pose no problem.

Chi Ning hesitated for a moment, but soon said, “Fine! I will try.”

Chi Xiyan added, “Do not take too long about it. I have already written down where to begin the investigation on the back.”

“Mm.” Chi Ning nodded solemnly. “I will do my best.”

***

Not long after Chi Ning left, Chi Muxue came back.

She glanced at Chi Xiyan, who was still poring over the account books.

“Did Chi Ning come by? Did you tell him the whole plan?”

“Mm.” Chi Xiyan nodded. “I told him part of it. Now we just need to wait a few more days, until Manager Fang has fully fallen into the trap.”

Chi Muxue’s fine brows knit slightly. “What about Chi Ning’s side? Do we not need to wait for his cooperation?”

“There is no problem on that end,” Chi Xiyan said. “No matter how deeply the parasites in the Internal Affairs Hall are hidden, only a small number of people would actually have access to the spirit wine and need to profit from it this way.”

“That narrows things down quite a lot.”

“With Chi Ning’s abilities, catching those parasites should not be a problem.”

Chi Muxue looked surprised, then laughed softly. “Little Xiyan is really something. I really cannot imagine how terrifying it would be to become your enemy.”

Chi Xiyan gave her a complicated look. “You, a sword dao sacred body, are saying this to me?”

“Eh! What does being a sword dao sacred body have to do with it!” Chi Muxue pouted. “I am not nearly as clever as little Xiyan.”

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“You worked out a plan this quickly, and set a trap for that Manager Fang to jump into all on his own.”

Chi Xiyan sighed helplessly. “That is not my doing, that is just his own greed.”

“So, little Xiyan, about how much longer do we need to wait?”

“That depends on just how bold that Manager Fang really is.” Chi Xiyan thought it over. “At most it should not be more than half a month.”

***

As it turned out, Manager Fang’s boldness went even further than Chi Xiyan had imagined.

Perhaps spurred on by the promise of profit, Manager Fang threw himself into his work with unusual enthusiasm.

In less than seven days, he had already carried out most of Chi Xiyan’s plan.

Every day when he came to report his progress, Chi Muxue could not help but marvel at his efficiency.

After Chi Xiyan had swapped out the childish menu Chi Muxue had originally drawn up and reworked the business strategy from scratch, the once nearly empty wine shop had, remarkably, come back to life!

Day by day, the earnings visibly kept improving.

The entire wine shop was prospering more with each passing day.

Watching the number of customers at the wine shop rise every day, Chi Muxue took hold of Chi Xiyan’s hand, her face full of excitement.

“Xiyan, Xiyan! At this rate, I can make up for the deficit I caused before, right?”

Chi Xiyan looked at her, a little amused.

“Mm, about seven more years should be enough.”