The cement had indeed developed problems—this was what Yun Ye worried about most. Without any testing equipment and having to rely solely on experience for estimations, this gave the kiln workers enormous autonomy. However, the last thing standardized production needed was arbitrariness.

Early in the morning, a steward from the cement kiln came to report that the cement fired last night had no adhesive properties. They had made test blocks, and now after six hours had passed, a squeeze with the hand turned them into powder—completely unusable.

When asked for the reason, the steward stammered and couldn’t explain clearly. Yun Ye didn’t ask further questions. He simply put on a set of hemp cloth clothing and went to the kiln. The kiln workers were all squatting on the ground without speaking, while an official-looking fellow was jabbering away. He was somewhat far off, so his words couldn’t be heard clearly. Only when Yun Ye drew closer could he make out what was being said.

“You blind good-for-nothing dogs, useless trash! You can’t even fire a single kiln of cement properly—what use are you?”

“Inspector Xie, we normally only add three thousand catties of material per kiln. The day before yesterday, you insisted on adding five thousand catties. The fire couldn’t penetrate the stones thoroughly, so naturally it was ruined. You’re cursing at us now—that’s unreasonable. The steward has already gone to fetch the Marquis. We’ll see how you explain yourself then.”

From these words alone, one could tell this was an old hand from the Yun family estate. Ever since the Marquis had broken the leg of the Hu family estate’s steward, they no longer feared the authorities much. Each of them walked sideways around the estate, and when people from other estates greeted them, they would snort through their noses and walk right past. Every one of them had become a bully—none dared talk back to them except their own kind.

Inspector Xie couldn’t save face and was about to lose his temper when he noticed the kiln workers all standing up. Turning around, he discovered Yun Ye standing right behind him.

“You return to the Ministry of Works. No need to come back. If Minister Zhang wants to know about the cement situation, have him send someone who won’t give random orders, and bring the compensation payment for this ruined kiln while you’re at it. This is the Yun estate, not the Ministry of Works. If you want to throw your official weight around, go back and do it there.”

Having said this without paying any further attention to the inspector, he turned to the kiln workers and said, “What are you all doing? Just because someone gives you foolish orders, you listen? Ruining a kiln of cement is no big deal, but to teach you a lesson not to listen to others’ nonsense: everyone from the Yun family estate will have two-tenths of their wages docked, outsiders one-tenth. Next time something like this happens, you’ll be sent straight home. Understand? Now, everyone get to work and reload the kiln.”

None of the kiln workers resented Yun Ye. Instead, they glared furiously at Inspector Xie, who had cost them their wages—especially those from the Yun estate. No one felt they’d been docked more than the outsiders; they only felt they’d disgraced the Yun family estate.

Clearing and reloading the kiln was exhausting work. The temperature inside the cement kiln was still very high, and everyone was drenched in sweat. Some who didn’t know better actually removed their masks, earning a fierce scolding from Yun Ye. He didn’t want them developing silicosis later—that was a fatal disease.

By the time the fire was lit, it was already noon. Yun Ye, covered head to toe in dust, hurried home. In his hemp clothing, he no longer looked like a marquis at all. His face was filthy, and he didn’t look much different from the kiln workers beside him.

When the kiln workers got off work, it was quite a spectacle at the Yun family estate—over a hundred dust-covered men with their shirts open, barefoot, striding along with great strides, laughing and talking without restraint, crude jokes and bawdy humor flying all the way.

“Young brother, may I have a word?” A burly man with a full beard stopped Yun Ye to speak with him.

“I wonder what matter this elder brother wishes to ask about?” Still in high spirits from chatting with the kiln workers, Yun Ye casually responded.

“Is this the estate of Yun Ye, foremost of the Three Scourges of Chang’an?” the man asked in a booming voice. Only then did Yun Ye take a careful look at the man before him. He was dressed entirely as a warrior, with a blue cloth band tied around his head, deliberately leaving one end to flutter in the wind. Around his waist was a wide compression belt, and on his back he carried a long blade, giving him an imposing and majestic appearance.

Everyone in the village was stunned by his words, not knowing what this idiot intended to do. Several kiln workers who served as guards quietly separated Yun Ye from the burly man.

“Don’t be afraid. I’ve come precisely to eliminate this scourge. Four days ago, I spent the night in an abandoned temple and heard women crying at night, so I went to investigate. I saw over thirty women and children weeping most bitterly, with escort agencies guarding them. I heard them repeatedly mention the name of the villain Yun Ye, so I rode hard for a thousand li to come meet this villain.”

“To my fury when I reached the capital and made inquiries, I learned this villain is actually the foremost of the Three Scourges of Chang’an! Today I will not let this villain escape. Just tell me where the villain is, and I, Xi Tong, will eliminate this scourge for you all.” He spoke with such righteous indignation, such imposing authority.

Yun Ye nearly fainted from choking on his breath.

Over a hundred burly men pressed this fellow called Xi Tong beneath them all at once, tying him up firmly with belts. For a moment, fists and feet flew, and clubs danced through the air. Even an old woman by the roadside came up to give him a kick.

Yun Ye gulped down a large mouthful of water before recovering. Looking at the burly man bound tightly yet still struggling with all his might, he stepped forward and asked, “From where did you learn that Yun Ye is a villain? Did those women and children say so with their own mouths?”

“Villain! You villains who aid the tiger in its cruelty! Even if I reach the underworld, I won’t let you go!” After receiving several more punches, he stopped shouting and only said viciously, “When the road is unjust, someone will tread upon it. I miscalculated—I didn’t expect an entire estate full of bandits. If you have the guts, untie me. Let’s go one-on-one, and see if I don’t twist off your dog heads!”

His words were vicious, so naturally he received another sound beating. The street was no place for this, so Yun Ye had them carry the strong man into a room and bind him firmly to a chair.

“I am the Yun Ye you’re looking for. I am the renowned Yun Ye, foremost of the Three Scourges of Chang’an. I just don’t understand—we have no old grudges or recent grievances, so why have you come looking for me, wanting to kill me?”

Xi Tong’s eyes nearly burst from their sockets. His body suddenly lurched forward, and he headbutted toward Yun Ye. Yun Ye dodged, and Xi Tong crashed face-first to the ground, leaving two teeth behind. He struggled to turn his head, and opening his blood-filled mouth wide, spat a thick gob of bloody phlegm that splattered Yun Ye’s clothing hem with red dots.

Yun Ye suddenly wasn’t angry anymore. He didn’t have him beaten again either. He had Old Zhuang, who had hurried over, help the man up and wiped the blood from his mouth with a handkerchief.

“If I’m not mistaken, you encountered survivors of the Lu family. Their entire household was executed—over one hundred and sixty male members all killed, and the women sent to the Court of Imperial Entertainment. Do you know who got them out?”

Xi Tong’s expression didn’t change. He sat upright in the chair with considerable dignity, his mouth shut tight, saying nothing.

Yun Ye continued, “It was me. I risked the Emperor’s displeasure to send them away. Now, do you understand you’ve found the wrong person?”

“Sophistry! You’re one of the Three Scourges of Chang’an—would you really be so kindhearted?” Xi Tong was just that kind of single-minded person. Whatever principles he first decided upon, he would uphold for life. A firm idealist, his world was relatively simple, and so his understanding of the world was also simple. What wasn’t good must be bad.

“You need to make careful inquiries in Chang’an about how I got the title of the Three Scourges. Things aren’t as you imagine.” Yun Ye greatly admired this type of person—he’d always admired them. You could call them brainless or foolish, but you absolutely couldn’t doubt their resolve. Refusing to compromise was this type of person’s defining trait.

He waved his hand, signaling Old Zhuang to release him.

“My lord, this person harbors ill intent. Even if sent to the authorities, he’d be beheaded. You mustn’t be softhearted.” Old Zhuang hastily urged Yun Ye not to release the tiger back to the mountain.

“This type of person is becoming increasingly rare. To ride a horse a thousand li to avenge a group of women and children he doesn’t know—he has the bearing of ancient great knights-errant. Letting him go isn’t a bad thing. Do you also believe your lord is someone who commits every evil?” Yun Ye waved his hand again and said to Xi Tong, “If after making inquiries you find I truly deserve ten thousand deaths, I’ll wait for you to come kill me.”

Having finished speaking, he lifted his foot and left. Who knew what chaos there was at home—Yun Ye feared his grandmother would become ill with worry.

Old Zhuang had no choice but to release Xi Tong, saying to him with a bitter smile, “You’re damned lucky you met our lord. If it had been any other household, your skin would probably have been peeled off to make drum leather by now. Go ask around the area—who doesn’t speak well of our lord? This year there was a disaster. If not for the Marquis, do you think these people would still have the strength to walk? I won’t dare claim he’s a living Buddha for ten thousand families, but giving several thousand people a way to survive is no boast. That the world has idiots like you—I don’t know if it’s a good or bad thing.” Finishing, he kicked his foot, and Xi Tong’s blade flew back to his hand. Handing it to Xi Tong, he added, “If you want to kill our lord, kill me first. This time the Marquis was magnanimous, but next time I’ll make sure you regret being born into this world.”

Xi Tong said nothing. Dragging his lame leg, he limped outward step by step. On both sides of the road were furious estate residents. He too sensed something was wrong. Would a dust-covered marquis in hemp clothing really be so evil? He wanted to verify the truth.

The household was in an uproar. The old grandmother’s wailing carried from the rear courtyard all the way to the front. Her grandson was the flesh of her heart—even the slightest injury would cost her life. Upon hearing there was an assassin, she had fainted twice before waking up and frantically searching everywhere for her grandson. She was completely beside herself.

Yun Ye quickly ran over and embraced his grandmother, saying it was nothing, just a joke. He glared fiercely twice at the loose-lipped steward.

The old grandmother felt all over Yun Ye’s body for wounds, asking this and that for a long while before coming back to her senses. Then she cried again. Having so many women in the house was truly troublesome—as soon as one stopped, another began. It went on endlessly. Fortunately, Yun Ye was used to it. He went to bathe himself, leaving them to their wailing.

After bathing, he discovered Old Zhuang and Liu Jinbao kneeling in the front hall while his grandmother beat them with bamboo canes, striking their heads and faces. The two fools didn’t even know to dodge, stubbornly enduring the beating.

“Grandmother, please calm down. Don’t let it harm your health. Your grandson will definitely take them along whenever he goes out from now on.”

Hearing her grandson’s promise, the old grandmother finally put down the bamboo cane. Only then did she think to ask Yun Ye about the whole story. Upon learning the cause, she too was dumbstruck, unable to understand how her grandson, who was clearly the best child, had become one of the Three Scourges of Chang’an—and the foremost one at that!

At this moment, Xi Tong stood on the small hill outside the estate and secretly vowed that if he had wronged Yun Ye, he would make amends with his life. If Yun Ye truly deserved death, then he would kill him and then commit suicide to repay the grace of being spared.

A mountain breeze blew past, seeming to sweep away this rich, undissolvable, most foolish noble sentiment.