The Host Has Fallen for the Second Female Lead Again - Chapter 88

Zhaoyan and Wenyue have already become a couple. Now is the exact time when Wenyue is conning Zhaoyan into building a villa in the suburbs of the capital. This construction project will last for three years and has already resulted in the direct deaths of over a thousand people. The number of indirect deaths is impossible to tally.

However, this news has not reached the emperor’s ears at all. Zhaoyan knew about it and was sad for a while, even instructing people to give compensation to the families of the deceased. But the money never reached those people’s hands; it all ended up in the Wen family’s pockets.

Coupled with the fact that Zhaoyan often bought and gifted things to Wenyue, a lot of the money for the Wen family’s rebellion came directly from the royal family—a truly ironic situation.

If Wenyue hadn’t deceived Zhaoyan’s feelings, twisting her orientation from straight to gay, and had simply done these things from a friend’s perspective, Ji Mingxiao wouldn’t have thought there was a problem. Dynasties change, and wanting that position, it’s normal to be a little ruthless.

Was it to get a hold over her? Or did she think that pillow talk would be more effective?

Ji Mingxiao narrowed her eyes and glanced at the world level, “S” class. She got out of bed and called someone in to help her get dressed.

Ji Mingxiao wanted to leave the palace to see things for herself. Since construction had already begun, it wouldn’t be stopped.

She was free to leave the palace as she wished. Ji Mingxiao had preparations made for her departure, then she ordered her lunch. The meal was very rich, but she had little appetite.

Ji Mingxiao knew there were many eyes and ears around her, but she hadn’t expected so many. A quick look around revealed that few of them were trustworthy.

She didn’t know which side Xi Ruan was on, but it didn’t matter. She was currently besieged on all sides, and even if she found Xi Ruan, she probably wouldn’t be able to keep her close.

News of Ji Mingxiao’s intention to leave the palace quickly reached Wenyue’s ears. Because Ji Mingxiao hadn’t said where she was going, everyone assumed she was just going for a walk in the streets. Zhaoyan often left the palace, so no one thought much of it.

After leaving the palace, she didn’t head straight for the villa site. She wandered around outside for a while, and when she thought the time was right, she said she wanted to go to the villa, acting as if it were a sudden whim.

The expressions of the few people who had accompanied her instantly changed.

“Your Highness, why the sudden desire to go to the villa? It’s not finished yet, and it’s quite dirty.”

“This princess wants to go see it. Do you have a problem with that?” Ji Mingxiao glared with her beautiful eyes, then got into her carriage. “We’re going now, and hurry.”

The others exchanged glances and tried to persuade her again.

“What? Do you dare to block me from doing what I want?” Ji Mingxiao said with a cold laugh. “Are you no longer putting this princess in your eyes?”

Seeing Ji Mingxiao’s face turn sullen, the others exchanged a look, not daring to say more. They could only take Ji Mingxiao there first, and then have someone go to the Prime Minister’s residence to tip them off.

Ji Mingxiao saw the person leaving. She smiled wryly and lowered the curtain.

The carriage moved slowly. Ji Mingxiao rushed out of the carriage and whipped the horses, startling the people inside.

“Are you deliberately trying to keep this princess from going?” Ji Mingxiao said coldly. “Then this princess will ride a horse myself!”

After her outburst, the speed of the carriage finally increased.

At the entrance, people were already waiting with fawning smiles, but Ji Mingxiao didn’t even look at them.

She walked in by herself. She had been to construction sites in her own world, and the one before her now was much better than those modern ones.

It must be said that the area of this villa was very large. It was called a princess’s villa, but it was more like a proper royal one.

There were many people working inside, most of them strong young men.

“It’s autumn now, shouldn’t you be out planting in the fields?” Ji Mingxiao asked casually, frowning.

A few people exchanged glances.

“What are you afraid of? I’m just casually asking about the situation, it’s not like I’m going to kill you,” Ji Mingxiao said.

“Your Highness, we are being paid wages,” the foreman next to her said. “And our families have other people to work, don’t they?”

“How much are the wages?” Ji Mingxiao asked, glaring at the foreman who was about to speak again. “I didn’t ask you to speak. If you interrupt me again, I’ll have someone cut out your tongue.”

The foreman’s face changed.

The workers present looked at Ji Mingxiao. While their expressions seemed neutral, the resentment in their eyes was very clear.

“Last night I had a dream. I dreamed someone was scolding me, saying this princess was abusing the common people. This is very strange. Although I demanded the villa be built, I gave each person five qian of silver per month. Isn’t that enough? How much more do you want?”

Yes, each person was supposed to get five qian a month. Zhaoyan had no concept of money at all.

The workers were stunned for a moment.

“What? Did the money not reach your hands?” Ji Mingxiao narrowed her eyes. “Don’t be afraid. I came here today to get to the bottom of this.”

“We only get five wen a month,” one person said, gathering his courage.

The foreman next to him immediately knelt down.

“Who embezzled it? Someone dares to embezzle this princess’s money?” Ji Mingxiao looked down at the foreman.

“I’ve been wronged, Your Highness!” the foreman cried. “How can you believe these rascals?”

“What, in your heart, am I so stupid that I can’t tell what’s true and what’s false?” Ji Mingxiao tugged at the corner of her mouth. “Speak, who did you give the money to?”

“Your Highness.”

Ji Mingxiao looked up at the person walking toward her, Wenyue.

She did have a deceptive appearance, and a very gentle voice.

“Wenyue, you stand to the side for now,” Ji Mingxiao said, then looked at the foreman on the ground again. “Speak, who was it?”

The foreman was dripping with cold sweat.

“Your Highness, you misunderstand him. Five qian of silver is simply too high, which is why this happened,” Wenyue said, walking up and taking hold of Ji Mingxiao’s arm. “In the end, he was afraid Your Highness would be taken advantage of.”

“Who does he think he is, to be afraid this princess would be taken advantage of? If he was so afraid, why didn’t he tell me five qian was too high before? Embezzling it privately is what you call being afraid this princess would be taken advantage of?” Ji Mingxiao looked at Wenyue. “Since that’s the case, then let him give back what he embezzled.”

“He’s quite audacious, a mere foreman daring to pocket things from the royal family.” The smile on Ji Mingxiao’s face grew cold. “Yueyue, you should open your eyes a little wider. A brazen foreman like this, he was arranged by your family, wasn’t he?”

Wenyue’s body stiffened. She looked at Ji Mingxiao, who had been so direct that she couldn’t tell whether she was doubting the Wen family or something else.

“I was short-sighted. I thought he was a good person before.”

“Now, give the money back to me.”

The foreman looked up at Wenyue and stammered, “The money… the money has already been spent.”

“Is that so? Then give me whatever you have now,” Ji Mingxiao said. “Chengyun, you take a few people to his house. Bring back whatever money you find.”

“Yes,” Chengyun said.

“If there’s any money missing, I’ll have that much of your flesh cut off.”

The foreman’s eyes widened with disbelief as he looked up at Ji Mingxiao.

“Audacity must always be met with the punishment for audacity. While I don’t care about my reputation, I don’t like it when others slander me.” Ji Mingxiao looked back at the workers. “In a few days, I will personally come back to supervise the repayment of the wages owed to you. It will be ten qian for each of you. But from next month on, it will be one qian per person, because five qian is indeed high. Do you have any objections?”

The crowd exchanged glances. How could they have any objections?

“I’ll still come to supervise. If the people below don’t do their jobs properly, I can only make myself work a little harder.”

“You are also supposed to be provided with two full meals. Have you been getting them?”

The crowd shook their heads again, their courage now completely bolstered. Although this princess seemed hard to get along with, she wasn’t a bad person.

“Yueyue, look at the things your family has done,” Ji Mingxiao glanced at Wenyue again, this time with a hint of displeasure.

Wenyue pursed her lips and said nothing.

“Do your work well. This princess will come by from time to time in the future. Later, when the foreman is being punished, have the other foremen come and watch. Tell them that this is the fate of those who embezzle wages,” Ji Mingxiao said.

Wenyue stood to the side, looking at Ji Mingxiao. The change in her was too great. When she arrived, she had heard Ji Mingxiao’s story about the dream. Was it true or false? And she hadn’t come here directly from the palace; she had wandered around first. Was she trying to mislead her so she wouldn’t receive the message in time, or was there some other reason?

Moreover, the previous princess would never have resorted to corporal punishment. Was she really that angry this time?

Ji Mingxiao spoke again: “Every month, each of you can apply for three days of rest to go back and help your families. No more than that. After all, you get one qian per month.”

The crowd was stunned again, then began to cheer, kneeling and shouting, “Long Live the Princess!”

Even though it was only three days, it was a great help to their families.

“The maximum work time is seven hours a day.” Originally, they had to work about nine hours. Although Ji Mingxiao still felt seven hours was a lot, any less would be bad. “The hours are shorter, but this princess hopes you won’t be lazy.”

Every time Ji Mingxiao spoke, they would cheer.

Her arrival had greatly boosted the workers’ enthusiasm. It wouldn’t be long before she could turn around her reputation outside.

Ji Mingxiao took one last look at the construction site, then turned and left, refusing Wenyue’s invitation. After returning to the palace, she headed straight for the Imperial Study.

This mission was said to be about fighting the scumbag, but in reality, it was a fight against the Wen family and the royal family.

Once the Wen family falls, she can torment Wenyue however she pleases.

“Royal Sister?” Zhaoxun was stunned when he saw Ji Mingxiao walk in.

Ji Mingxiao waved at Zhaoxun. “I saw something good in the Imperial Garden. Come with me.”

“But Royal Sister, I still have memorials to read,” Zhaoxun said with some difficulty.

Ji Mingxiao stepped forward, grabbed his wrist directly, and led him out.

Zhaoxun felt a bit tired and was already dreading having to work late into the night.

“I went to my villa today and found that the Wen family was embezzling the wages I gave the workers and deliberately sabotaging my reputation outside.”

Zhaoxun was stunned for a moment and then grumbled, “Royal Sister, where are you taking me?”

“You’ll know when we get there,” Ji Mingxiao said.

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