Huo Xing’Er looked at Ji Youcheng and asked softly, "What sort of bad luck have you run into?"
It’s not bad luck, she thought. You’ve just provoked Xiaosuisui’s jinxing mouth.
Finally able to get to the point, Ji Youcheng was so emotional, his face looked like he was about to burst into tears.
"Ersao, you have no idea how incredibly unlucky I’ve been these past two days.
The day before yesterday, my most trusted subordinate was bringing back two boxes of gold for me from the south. Somehow, he lost them at the Yuelai Inn, which is thirty miles outside the city.
That was gold worth over a hundred thousand taels, and the boxes also contained silver notes!
Even now, those boxes haven’t been found."
As soon as Ji Youcheng finished speaking, Huo Xing’Er’s mouth fell open, and she gasped, "That much?"
"Exactly! This is no small sum!
And let me tell you, that’s far from all. Take this trip to Qixia Temple, for instance. Initially, I didn’t even know that Xiuxiu’s ancestors had donated the money to build this temple. When I came here to speak with the supervising monk about arranging a Guest Courtyard, there was a long queue of people.
I just figured I’d donate some money for incense, get a small courtyard, and that would be that. As for offering incense, it’s all about sincerity making it effective, wouldn’t you say?"
Huo Xing’Er forced a smile and nodded.
"Makes sense! Do continue!"
This time, however, Ji Youcheng looked very embarrassed. He didn’t dare to meet Huo Xing’Er’s eyes and mumbled, "When I gave my attendant the money pouch to add to the incense fund, I don’t know how it happened, but I gave him the wrong one. It wasn’t filled with loose silver, but with silver notes—several thousand taels worth!"
Ji Youcheng pounded his chest and stomped his feet, weeping in despair...
"That little bit of money should be a trifle for you! No need to cry..."
Huo Xing’Er knew how vast Ji Youcheng’s business was; over a hundred thousand taels of gold and two hundred thousand taels of silver notes were no big deal for him!
However...
"Who said that’s all?" Ji Youcheng grew agitated. "Just yesterday afternoon, I received news. A shipment of cloth I was transporting from the south to the capital encountered a tornado at sea, and the entire boatload of cloth fell into the sea!"
"Ah..."
Huo Xing’Er fell silent, her gaze shifting to Xiaosuisui’s face.
Xiaosuisui still had her hand over her mouth, blinking at her Second Aunt-in-law who was looking at her, her eyes seeming to ask, "Why are you looking at me?"
"Ersao, do you know where my Third Brother is?"
Ji Youzhi’s anxious voice came from outside.
Huo Xing’Er replied casually, "He’s in here! What’s wrong?"
Ji Youzhi rushed over, grabbed Ji Youcheng’s arm, and started to pull him away.
"Third Brother, you’re here! That’s great, I have something to tell you."
"Lao Qi, you’re in such a hurry. Have they found my consignment? Where is it! I really have to thank you, Lao Qi!"
Seeing Ji Youzhi frantically searching for him, Ji Youcheng assumed his two boxes of gold had been found.
He was absolutely ecstatic.
However, once Ji Youzhi pulled him to a secluded corner, his expression became very grave.
"Third Brother, it’s not that your boxes have been found. I have some very bad news to tell you!"
Hearing this, Ji Youcheng’s heart lurched, and he was instantly filled with a sense of foreboding.
"What is it?"
Why did he instinctively feel that he was about to lose more money again?
Ji Youzhi coughed, his expression troubled. "Third Brother, are you... financially liquid right now?"
Ji Youcheng instinctively clutched his money bag tighter.
"What... what are you trying to do?"
Ji Youzhi gritted his teeth. "I need to borrow some money from you..."