Chapter 352: Conditions

As he went, he noticed the Wei family guards were also on the move, but their attention was solely fixed on the assassin's escape route. This allowed him to seize the chance and slip into the dim courtyard.

The moment he stepped into the courtyard, an eerie feeling enveloped him. It was poorly lit, appearing secluded and desolate compared to the brightly illuminated sections of the Wei estate. Furthermore, the courtyard was completely deserted—no servants, no maids, and not a single guard. Once inside, the atmosphere reminded him of visiting a haunted house at an amusement park, radiating an aura that deterred any unwelcome visitors.

Zu An quickly composed himself, knowing time was short and he needed to find what he was looking for as soon as possible. He needed to find both the gold token for Pei Mianman and the box Old Man Mi had requested. Although Old Man Mi had told him not to search for it yet, Zu An's curiosity about its contents remained. Normally, he would have suppressed his curiosity, weighing the significant risks. However, this was a rare opportunity; Pei Mianman had drawn everyone away, and it would be a huge waste not to seize it.

The layouts of rooms in noble families were generally similar in this world. Having become accustomed to the Chu family's rooms, Zu An quickly located the study within the courtyard. He quickly scanned the study, paying particular attention to the bottles and jars on the bookshelves, trying to twist each one. After all, he'd seen enough TV shows to know that hidden mechanisms were often found in such places. To his disappointment, none of his attempts revealed any hidden mechanisms in the study.

He then decided to search the bedroom. Shortly after passing the study, he arrived at the bedroom behind it. The moment Zu An stepped into the room, he frowned and instinctively waved a hand in front of his nose. "What is that smell?" he mumbled. A peculiar smell permeated the room. He could tell it was an expensive incense, which ordinarily should not be unpleasant. However, the incense was mixed with an unmistakable, lingering smell of urine. The combination was truly nauseating! It wasn't fragrant, nor was it purely foul; it was a disgusting odor that defied easy description.

"What is the Wei family up to?" Zu An grumbled, "Can't they even manage to keep one room clean and tidy?" Despite his complaints, he did not pause his search. His gaze swept across the entire bedroom like lightning, then he moved directly to the bed. He lifted the bedding and gently tapped the bed board with his fingers. Sure enough, it wasn't long before a hollow sound echoed from beneath a section of the bed board.

"Ugh, these guys are so uncreative when hiding things," Zu An couldn't help but grumble. These hiding spots had appeared countless times in TV shows; he never expected people in this world to use them too. He quickly found a secret compartment. Upon opening it, he saw a box identical in appearance and intricate patterns to the one Old Man Mi had described. He quickly took the box Old Man Mi had given him from his pocket and placed it back in the compartment. This way, if anyone returned, they wouldn't immediately realize the item had been swapped.

He was very curious about the box's contents and instinctively wanted to open it. However, the box was exquisitely designed, and a faint glow flickered on its surface, indicating some kind of magical restriction. With time pressing, he didn't dare examine it thoroughly. After quickly tucking it into his pocket, he began searching for the gold token Pei Mianman had requested. Unfortunately, he searched every conceivable spot in the room but found no trace of the gold token.

Realizing that roughly an incense stick's worth of time had passed and hearing footsteps approaching from not far away, he dared not linger and quickly withdrew.

"I wonder if Big Manman managed to escape that guy's clutches," Zu An mused with some concern. He decided to run to a side room in the courtyard, where he deliberately knocked over an oil lamp. Soon, flames and thick smoke began to rise. He used the resulting commotion to return to his own room.

"Fire! Fire!" Shortly after, a clamor erupted throughout the Wei estate as servants hurried with buckets of water to extinguish the flames. Zu An, pretending to be an innocent bystander, rushed out and even feigned concern, grabbing a few passing servants to ask, "What happened? What happened?" His performance was so convincing he could have contended for an Oscar for Best Actor.

Immediately after, he rushed towards the Wei family's study with a worried expression, where he coincidentally ran into Qin Wanru leaving. "Madam, are you alright?" Zu An asked with genuine concern.

"I'm fine," Qin Wanru replied, gazing at the chaotic Wei estate with a hint of bewilderment. Someone had already rushed to inform the family head, Wei Dabao. His expression shifted slightly upon hearing the news. He then bowed to Qin Wanru, saying, "My sincerest apologies, Madam Chu. Something has happened at home, and I fear it has caused you inconvenience."

"Master Wei, you overstate the matter," Qin Wanru replied. "Since your estate has affairs to attend to, we shall not intrude further and will take our leave now."

Wei Dabao nodded. "Everything that needed to be said has been conveyed to Madam. Please give it careful consideration once you return. Our Wei family has approached this with the utmost sincerity."

Qin Wanru offered him a slight smile and a nod, then departed with Zu An. After leaving the estate, Qin Wanru boarded her carriage, while Zu An rode his horse alongside. Unable to contain his curiosity, he leaned closer to the carriage and asked, "Madam, how did the discussions with the Wei family go?"

Qin Wanru subtly lifted a corner of the curtain. Her expression was unreadable as she said, "Come inside the carriage." The nearby guards exchanged glances, realizing their madam seemed to be growing fonder of their son-in-law. They silently vowed to be more careful not to offend him in the future. Meanwhile, those guards who had participated in the bet with Cheng Shoubing wore grim expressions, as it became clear they were genuinely going to lose their wager.

Zu An was somewhat flattered by her invitation. After all, they had known each other for so long, and her usual demeanor towards him ranged from already angry to on the verge of anger. Such a pleasant invitation was indeed rare.

Upon entering the carriage, he was immediately greeted by a refreshing scent. This fragrance was distinctly richer than Chu Chuyan's, clearly identifying it as Qin Wanru's personal perfume. Zu An recalled the smell from the courtyard earlier; though it was supposedly expensive incense, it had been utterly repulsive. This current fragrance, however, was far more pleasant and invigorating.

Qin Wanru frowned slightly upon seeing him subtly twitch his nose, thinking him rather ill-mannered. Nevertheless, as a woman whose personal fragrance was appreciated by a man, she found it hard to stay truly angry. She let out a soft "hmph," startling him. "Before Chuyan left, she repeatedly urged me to trust you," she began. "Although I still don't understand why she trusts you so much, I believe Chuyan wouldn't make such a statement without good reason. You were the intermediary in the Wei family matter, so there's no need to hide our discussions with them from you."

A warmth spread through Zu An's heart; he hadn't expected his wife Chuyan to consider him so thoughtfully. He respectfully replied, "Thank you, Madam."

Qin Wanru then continued, "The Wei family has offered to provide us with a loan at an interest rate of 8.8%."

Zu An keenly picked up on the crucial detail. "How much can they lend?" he asked.

"Unlimited," Qin Wanru replied.

"Unlimited?" Zu An was stunned.

"That's right, they can provide as much as we need." Qin Wanru's voice held a hint of shock, clearly amazed by the Wei family's financial power.

"Do they own a mine?!" Zu An exclaimed, dumbfounded.

"They are likely proxies for some high-ranking officials and nobles in the capital," Qin Wanru analyzed.

"If that's true, this interest rate is quite generous," Zu An remarked. An 8.8% interest rate would be considered low, even in his previous life. Although the bank prime rate there was around 6%, very few could actually secure a bank loan at that rate without strong connections. Most businesses would be grateful to get a loan at 12%. Furthermore, the Chu family needed to borrow an astronomical sum this time. Therefore, from every perspective, the Wei family's terms were exceptionally favorable.

Qin Wanru sighed. "If only it were that simple. They require our Chu family's salt fields as collateral, and I fear this is their scheme to seize them."