Chapter 98: Causing a Disturbance

After the departure of Ye Minghui and his brother, the Ye household fell into a temporary, heavy silence.

Madam Ye was in poor health and could no longer even leave her bed. No one dared to tell her what had happened. Lady Zhuo and Lady Guan had to force smiles to attend to her, careful not to let her notice any irregularities—they had worked so hard to see her condition improve, and they could not let all that effort go to waste now.

Regarding the official post of Tong Zhiyang’s brother-in-law—the Commissioner of the Office of Imperial Manufactories in Yanjing—the Ye family paid little mind, aside from being momentarily surprised by Jiang Li’s precise memory of such minor official titles.

Jiang Li, however, thought differently. The Li family and Tong Zhiyang were linked by nothing more than this commissionership; such a close connection made it difficult for her not to harbor suspicions. Yet, she knew that if she were to voice these thoughts, the Ye family would likely not believe her.

Once back in her own quarters, Jiang Li sat in deep contemplation. Tong'er and Bai Xue did not dare disturb her and quietly retreated outside. Because of the trouble involving Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan, the servants of the Ye house also seemed much more subdued. The entire estate felt stifled, as if an invisible haze hung over everyone’s hearts, preventing any sense of lightness.

As the saying goes, "True feelings are revealed in times of adversity." While no one wished for a crisis to befall the Ye family, to Jiang Li, this was an opportunity. To melt a block of ice, one could simply wait for it to thaw, but that took too long—and time was the one thing she lacked most. If she could contribute even a fraction of effort to helping the Ye family overcome this ordeal, then once it passed, most of the existing barriers between them would likely vanish.

At that point, "reconciling" with the Ye family would be a simple matter.

However, the first thing to clarify was the truth behind the Ye family’s Guxiang silk incident. Jiang Li sensed the faint, lingering scent of a conspiracy. So far, she only suspected the Right Prime Minister Li’s family, but she had no evidence. She would have to wait for the brothers to return to the estate to discuss it further.

...

Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan did not return that night. Moreover, for the next several days, they remained completely vanished. At first, Lady Guan and Lady Zhuo waited in the house with mounting anxiety. After three or five days passed without a word, they could no longer restrain themselves and went to the government office to see Prefect Tong, desperate to understand what had happened.

But Prefect Tong refused to see Lady Guan, sending only his secretary to spar with her in circles. The secretary claimed that the two masters were merely "guests" at the office, that the matter was not yet concluded, and that they would return home once it was finished.

Even though Lady Guan was usually adept at handling all sorts of people, she was helpless against the slippery Tong Zhiyang. When she returned, she complained to Lady Zhuo, "I couldn't even catch a glimpse of Tong Zhiyang, let alone ask about your husband and my brother-in-law! I am certain he is doing this on purpose. He knew I would come, so he avoided me!"

Lady Zhuo, more timid by nature, said with worry, "What exactly does he want? Detaining our men in the government office—who knows how they are faring? Could he be subjecting them to secret torture? I’ve heard of officials keeping people in jails just to torment them."

These words were overheard by Ye Mingyu, who immediately roared in anger, "Torture? Have they lost their minds? Sister-in-law, wait here. Since Tong Zhiyang won't see you, I’ll force my way in! I'll put a blade to his throat and see if he dares to refuse!"

Lady Guan and Lady Zhuo pleaded with him to stop, but Ye Mingyu was not a man to be restrained. He strode out, snatched a horse, and galloped off, clearly intent on settling the score with Tong Zhiyang.

Ye Mingyu possessed a strong, rugged, bandit-like temperament and did not understand that not every problem in the world could be solved with fists. Jiang Li, having rushed to the front hall upon hearing the news, saw only Lady Guan and Lady Zhuo desperately ordering servants to chase after him, though it was doubtful they could catch him.

Ye Jia'er and Ye Rufeng also arrived. Upon learning the situation, Ye Rufeng didn't hesitate to say, "I'll go find Third Uncle!"

"Rufeng!" Lady Zhuo grabbed him. "Don't go adding to the trouble! There isn't a single man left in the house now—only us weak women. This is truly... truly, oh!"

Ye Jia'er was also in a difficult position. Seeing Jiang Li standing to the side, she walked over and whispered, "Cousin, you must find this all very incredible."

"Indeed," Jiang Li nodded. "Before I came to the Ye family, I didn't know there would be such troubles. I thought the Ye family lived quite well in Xiangyang."

"The Ye family did live well in Xiangyang, but that was a few months ago." Ye Jia'er gave a bitter smile. "But look at us now. People say that prosperity is followed by decline; could it be that it is time for the Ye family to decline?"

In Ye Jia'er’s tone, there was an unconcealable sense of loss. Though she was usually poised and graceful, she was still very young. To suddenly encounter such a crisis—especially with her father and uncle being taken away—naturally took its toll. Jiang Li noticed the dark circles under her eyes; she must not have had a good night's sleep in days.

"Human effort can overcome destiny; there is no such thing as a 'time' for decline. Besides, the Ye family has committed no evil. Heaven will treat the Ye family well." Jiang Li comforted her, though the words made her want to laugh. Heaven would not treat someone well just because they were good. In her past life, her Xue family was filled with upright, honorable people, yet they met a tragic end. Heaven had never been reliable; one must rely on oneself.

She steadied herself and said to Ye Jia'er, "Cousin, don't lose heart. In my opinion, your father and uncle won't come to any harm at the government office. If they really wanted to hurt them, they could have done so long ago. This hiding and stalling is more like a negotiation. I suspect Tong Zhiyang refuses to let you see them because he is waiting to sell his terms at a high price."

"Waiting to sell at a high price?" Ye Jia'er was confused.

"Isn't that how things work in business? Many deals aren't struck in one go. There is a process of tug-of-war, mutual deadlock, and gradual concessions until a price both sides can accept is reached. It depends on who has the heavier bargaining chip. Whoever has the stronger position is patient and can afford to wait. Once the other side panics and loses their composure, they subconsciously make the first move, and they give up more."

Ye Jia'er suddenly realized, "You mean the Prefect is treating our family like a business deal? He won't let us see them so that we become anxious and lose our composure, and then we will automatically concede. Whatever terms he offers, we will accept."

"That is exactly the logic," Jiang Li smiled; Ye Jia'er was very clever.

"But what kind of business does he want to do with us?" Ye Jia'er still didn't understand. "What is his goal in holding our family members?" Without realizing it, she had developed a habit of consulting Jiang Li when faced with problems. After all, Lady Guan and Lady Zhuo didn't manage the business, and Ye Rufeng was still too inexperienced. Looking around, Jiang Li was the only one in the room who could hold a sensible conversation.

"That depends on the terms Tong Zhiyang proposes," Jiang Li said. "Don't worry. If he truly intends to trade, he will eventually reveal his conditions. We just have to wait."

Seeing Jiang Li’s confident demeanor, Ye Jia'er felt as if she had found a backbone and gradually calmed down. Her expression softened, and she teased, "But cousin, why do you insist on calling the Prefect by his name? If someone were to hear you..."

"He is merely a Prefect," Jiang Li said with a bright, innocent smile that carried a sense of fearlessness. "My father is the Senior Grand Secretary. Even if I stood in front of him and called him by his name, no matter how dissatisfied he might be, he would only be able to tuck his tail between his legs."

Ye Jia'er was stunned, and Ye Rufeng looked at Jiang Li in surprise. Although they had heard of their cousin’s "legendary" past, the Jiang Li who had come to the Ye household was always gentle and considerate. She didn't fit the image of the vicious, cruel daughter of the first wife as rumored. Over time, everyone had come to believe that she had a soft, sweet temperament. But in this moment, the contempt in her voice when she spoke of Tong Zhiyang was clearly visible to both Ye Jia'er and Ye Rufeng.

Jiang Li truly looked down on Tong Zhiyang.

She did indeed despise him, but not merely because he was just a Prefect. Tong Zhiyang had reached his position thanks to his brother-in-law and had benefited from his wife’s status. On the surface, he was deathly afraid of his wife, but in reality, he kept a mistress on the side and had fathered a child with her.

At the end of the year, the District Magistrate was subject to review by the Prefect. Xue Huaiyuan, being a man of integrity, did not offer bribes like the other magistrates, so Tong Zhiyang deliberately looked for faults in him. Xue Zhao, unable to stand it, wanted to find dirt on Tong Zhiyang. Unexpectedly, he discovered this secret and used it to threaten the Prefect, forcing him to stop harassing Xue Huaiyuan.

Xue Huaiyuan never knew about this, only finding it strange that Tong Zhiyang had stopped bothering him in recent years. In truth, had Xue Zhao not accidentally stumbled upon the secret, Xue Huaiyuan might not have held his post for long; given Tong Zhiyang’s narrow-mindedness, he would have found an excuse to strip him of his office.

Jiang Li scorned such a man, and since it was this same Tong Zhiyang who had targeted the Ye family, she naturally held no pleasant feelings toward him.

Lady Guan said to Lady Zhuo, "Why haven't the people who went to chase Third Brother come back? Could it be they failed to stop him?"

"It's very likely," Lady Zhuo said nervously. "Third Brother’s martial arts are excellent, better than any of our guards. He was so determined to settle scores with the Prefect, he surely left in a hurry... I hope he doesn't bring any disaster upon us. At a time like this, we cannot afford any more trouble."

"No, I must go to the government office," Lady Guan said, rising hurriedly. "Our guards couldn't possibly persuade him, and with his temperament... I have to go see."

"I'll go with you," Lady Zhuo said.

Just as the two were about to leave, they saw Afu running in, panting heavily. He and Ashun had been helping at Lizheng Hall these past few days.

"Afu, what happened to you?" Lady Zhuo was shocked.

Jiang Li looked over. Afu’s clothes were half-torn and tattered, his face was bruised—whether from fists or slaps, he was covered in red and blue marks, and there was blood at the corner of his mouth. His hair was in a chaotic mess. It looked as if he had been in a brawl.

"Mistress, Second Mistress, it's bad." Afu gasped for air, pausing as if speaking was a great effort. After a long moment, he continued, "Lizheng Hall... Lizheng Hall has been smashed. The guards couldn't stop them. The shopkeeper is surrounded. Ashun is still there trying to protect the place, but those people started smashing everything the moment they got in. They even smashed the shop sign. Mistress, you must go see!"

He finished in one breath.

"Lizheng Hall was smashed?" Lady Zhuo nearly fainted.

"That's right," Afu tugged at his clothes. "If I hadn't been quick on my feet, I wouldn't have made it back to report. Those people have gone mad with rage, and they won't let anyone out of Lizheng Hall."

"Afu," Jiang Li asked, "what kind of people are these who are smashing the shop?"

Lizheng Hall was a Ye family business, and everyone in Xiangyang knew that. To dare to smash the shop meant they had no small amount of nerve.

Afu, not caring now whether he should be wary of this "cousin," immediately replied, "They are just ordinary townspeople."

"What kind of unruly mob dares to run wild at Lizheng Hall? They must be tired of living!" Ye Rufeng was furious. "Why didn't you report it to the officials?"

"The officials have already dragged our masters into the government office, Young Master. Who are we supposed to report this to?" Afu answered with a mournful face.

Jiang Li asked, "Why are they smashing the shop? Lizheng Hall didn't provoke them for no reason; why are they making trouble?"

"I heard it's because of the Guxiang silk incident," Afu’s expression turned heavy. "The townspeople who came are saying that clothes made from our Guxiang silk are causing rashes. Now, none of the ready-to-wear shops in Xiangyang will accept our Guxiang silk anymore. But the silk already sold is still causing harm. A few days ago, someone wore it and... they died."

Dead?

Ye Jia'er covered her mouth. As the daughter of a merchant, she knew clearly that once the rumor "Guxiang silk kills" spread, the Ye family would have no hope of recovery. And now, the rumor had already spread.

Lady Zhuo and Lady Guan nearly collapsed. Ye Rufeng clenched his fists tightly.

Afu looked at the people in the room, and for some reason, he felt a sense of desolation. With the masters detained, the Third Master out to find them, and the old Madam bedridden, only a house full of women remained, along with the young and inexperienced Ye Rufeng. How could they face such a fierce crisis?

"I'm going to Lizheng Hall," Ye Rufeng said.

"Rufeng, what can you do if you go now?" Lady Zhuo tried to stop him.

"Mother, what else can I do if I don't go? Lizheng Hall is the foundation our ancestors built; it cannot be destroyed in our hands. I am the only man left in the house. I must go," he said. "I have to."

Lady Zhuo slowly loosened her grip.

Jiang Li felt a flicker of admiration. Although Ye Rufeng seemed immature, he possessed the rare quality of recognizing his responsibilities. He never retreated in a crisis—in that, he was much like Xue Zhao. Her gaze softened.

"I'll go with you," Jiang Li said. "Don't be afraid. I'll find a way."

"You..." Ye Rufeng started to speak, but Ye Jia'er had already grabbed Jiang Li's hand. "I'm going too."

...

At Lizheng Hall, chaos reigned.

The street was packed, and the shopkeepers of neighboring businesses leaned against their doorways to watch the show. Lizheng Hall had always occupied the best spot in Xiangyang and enjoyed booming business, which inevitably invited jealousy. Now, seeing the shop in trouble, they feigned sympathy while inwardly rejoicing.

Ashun stood at the entrance. Though not tall, he had traveled far and wide with Ye Mingyu and knew some martial arts, possessing a bit of a rugged, untamed spirit. The reason the door hadn't been completely broken down was because he was commanding the guards to hold the line. Even so, the cabinets near the door had been smashed to pieces, and shredded fabric lay scattered everywhere. The crowd was agitated, and more people kept pouring in, wielding wooden clubs.

He couldn't hold them back much longer. Ashun felt miserable. If Ye Mingyu were here, he might have been able to intimidate them, but he had vanished.

Among the crowd were servants sent by wealthy households, as well as ordinary people who looked far from rich, all shouting in rage.

"The Ye family is murdering people for money! The Guxiang silk killed someone!"

"Traitorous merchants! Bring out the head of the Ye family!"

"May the Ye family suffer a miserable end!"

The Ye family had always been known for charity in Xiangyang and never cheated their customers; this was the first time they had faced such notoriety. Ashun felt dizzy. Someone rolled up their sleeve to show the crowd a dense patch of red rashes on their arm, sparking gasps and making the smashing even more wild.

When Ye Jia'er and her party arrived, this was the scene they witnessed. Lady Guan and Lady Zhuo were not there; Lady Guan had gone to the government office, and Lady Zhuo stayed home waiting for news. Before leaving, Jiang Li had summoned all the guards she had brought from the Jiang family.

It was fortunate she had. As they approached, someone spotted them and shouted, "The Ye family's young lady and young master are here!"

The crowd rushed toward them. Ashun felt a surge of dread, but then he saw the guards behind Jiang Li draw their swords in unison.

The guards of the Senior Grand Secretary’s household were far more stern and imposing than the Ye family’s guards. They were enough to intimidate the crowd, looking no less formidable than the government officers. People were bullies who feared the strong; seeing these fierce, grim-faced guards, they subconsciously faltered.

Fearing the blades, they hesitated. Ashun and the shopkeeper finally breathed a sigh of relief. If anything happened to the young master, the young lady, and their cousin from the capital here today, they would be held responsible.

The guards escorted Jiang Li and the others into Lizheng Hall. The rioters wanted to follow but were deterred by the long swords.

Inside, the place was a wreck. Shopkeeper Qian was holding a handkerchief to his forehead, blood seeping through; it seemed he had been struck by something.

"Everyone..." Ye Rufeng gathered his courage. "Please, don't be agitated. Calm down. I am the young master of the Ye family. If there's an issue, let's sit down and talk properly. The Ye family will not evade responsibility..."

Before he could finish, an egg was hurled at his head, blocked only by one of Jiang Li’s guards.

"What do you mean you won't evade responsibility? Your Guxiang silk killed someone! You took lives and still want to make money from the people of Xiangyang? You are black-hearted merchants!"

Ye Rufeng’s face turned bright red. In the past, everyone in Xiangyang praised the Ye family, and he, as the young heir, was highly respected. Now, he felt like a street rat everyone wanted to beat. The scorn in the people's eyes was real.

A young man who had never experienced such things felt lost, bewildered, and disillusioned. No one was willing to believe him. The coldness of human nature was too much to bear.

Ye Jia'er, slightly older, stood forward. "Everyone, I don't know where this rumor that Guxiang silk kills comes from. We haven't investigated it yet. The Ye family has done business in Xiangyang for many years; our reputation is there for all to see. We would never deceive you."

But her words were drowned out by the shouting. Jiang Li saw someone reach for a stone to throw at Ye Jia'er and quickly pulled her behind the guards.

"Who says Guxiang silk kills?" The cold, clear voice was not loud, but it pierced through the noise, reaching everyone’s ears.

The crowd looked forward. A young girl stood before the guards, dressed in robes of deep and light cyan, looking exceptionally clean, her eyes beautiful and gentle.

Perhaps the difference in status between a "Senior Grand Secretary’s daughter" and a "merchant’s daughter" carried a different weight. The people who dared to throw stones at Ye Jia'er now hesitated to speak foul words to this gentle-looking girl, as if they felt a sense of dread.

Perhaps it was the fearless "aura" Jiang Li carried.

"Who are you? The silk is problematic; everyone knows that! Look at us!" The man, perhaps wanting to shame the girl, rolled up his sleeve to show the dense red rashes.

He expected Jiang Li to cover her eyes in dismay, but she merely glanced at his bare arm with indifference, as if looking at a teacup or an oil lamp.

"Oh," she said flatly, then pulled a small dagger from her sleeve.

The crowd startled, stepping back. Was this girl going to kill someone?

"Cousin—" Ye Jia'er tried to stop her.

But Jiang Li held the dagger horizontally and, with a swift, clean motion, sliced off a piece of fabric from her own sleeve. She tossed the fabric toward the man, who caught it instinctively.

"Everyone, take a look. I am also wearing Guxiang silk. Yet, I have no such rashes. If you don't believe me, any of you ladies can come in and verify it for yourselves," Jiang Li said.

Ye Jia'er and Ye Rufeng were stunned. They didn't know Jiang Li was wearing Guxiang silk. In their haste, no one had noticed. But since Jiang Li had arrived in Xiangyang after the trouble began, she couldn't have bought it at Lizheng Hall; she must have brought it from the capital.

Seeing the crowd’s expressions soften, Jiang Li felt a slight relief. She had found this garment in her luggage; Tong'er had pointed it out yesterday, and Jiang Li had realized it might be useful.

Guxiang silk was expensive; those who bought it weren't poor, but it was a significant sum. Most bought it as gifts. If a gift caused such trouble, they wouldn't let it go. There was nothing more convincing than wearing it oneself. Xue Huaiyuan had once told her: "A knife never hurts until it cuts your own skin." It was hard for people to empathize with words, but if you could prove you shared their experience, many problems could be solved.

No one came to inspect Jiang Li’s arm; her expression was too candid, making them believe that the skin beneath the sleeve was as fair as her face.

Some who still didn't believe her examined the torn piece of fabric and had to nod. "It is indeed Guxiang silk."

Jiang Li smiled. "You see, if the silk were truly poisonous, I wouldn't be wearing it myself, would I?"

"That doesn't mean anything," someone muttered. "What if you're a plant sent by the Ye family, acting for money? A life is nothing compared to profit."

Before Jiang Li could speak, Tong'er exploded in anger: "Nonsense! Our mistress's life is worth far more than your money!" But she kept her mouth shut about Jiang Li's true identity.

The people of Xiangyang didn't know Jiang Li and assumed she was just a distant relative who had come to seek refuge.

Jiang Li said, "I have no need to act for the Ye family. My life is likely worth more than this entire Lizheng Hall."

"Who on earth are you?" someone laughed. "Are you a princess?"

At the mention of "princess," Jiang Li’s expression darkened slightly. But soon, she raised the corners of her mouth in a sneer.

"I am not a princess. I am the daughter of the Senior Grand Secretary of Yanjing, Jiang Yuanfu. I am Jiang Er."

The mocking in the crowd faded away.

Jiang Li’s smile turned completely cold.

Across from Lizheng Hall, in a tea house, a handsome young man in red sipped tea while watching the show.

Lu Ji, the scholar in green, stood opposite him, frowning. "I didn't expect the second Miss Jiang to stand up for the Ye family."

Ji Heng rested his chin on one hand, gently twirling a folding fan with the other. The fan, closed into a narrow strip, glinted with faint golden thread.

"Tong Zhiyang's plan is doomed," he said.