The words from the two refugees—not to mention Yu Tang and Wei Xiaochuan—left even the two Qu brothers stunned.

The Qu brothers knew about the Li family quietly putting out word that they were looking for two disobedient refugees, but this belonged to client confidentiality, and they would never tell a third party under any circumstances. They hadn’t expected these two people to have no scruples at all, just spilling everything like beans pouring from a bamboo tube, without any concealment, and even directly threatening the Wei family.

Clearly, these two people were already at their wit’s end, recklessly determined to bite the Li family even before dying.

Wei Xiaochuan was so angry his forehead was throbbing.

He had never seen such shameless people.

For their own selfish gain, they actually wanted to implicate Yu Tang.

Originally, he and Yu Tang had agreed that if these two people had indeed killed Wei Xiaoshan as they suspected, they would send them to the yamen and let them and the Li family tear each other apart like dogs.

But now they couldn’t do that.

His second brother had already passed away—he couldn’t let the living Yu Tang suffer any more harm.

However, he was still young after all, not calm enough when dealing with matters, and couldn’t come up with better ideas.

He angrily stepped forward and viciously kicked the two refugees, loudly saying: “Fine then, we’ll hand you over to the Li family. The two elder brothers from the Qu family can still collect a sum of silver from the Li family. I’d like to see what good will come to you when you fall into the Li family’s hands!” After saying this, he asked the Qu brothers: “Two elder brothers, you should still be able to collect silver from the Li family, right?”

The reason the Li family hadn’t even given a deposit was because they had more faith in other fixers and didn’t quite trust them. If they could find these two refugees before other fixers, their reputation among fixers would rise to another level, and they might even establish a connection with the Li family through this and do business for them.

However, both men felt that integrity was more important. Hearing this, they couldn’t help but glance toward Yu Tang hiding behind the flower wall.

It was this Miss Yu who had hired the two brothers to do this job.

Hearing Wei Xiaochuan’s words, however, Yu Tang’s heart stirred.

In her previous life, in order to leave the Li family, she had carefully studied the Li family. Later, being able to leave the Li family also relied on exploiting the intricate and complex relationships within the Li family clan.

Li Duan’s branch was the legitimate line of the Li family, but not the main branch. This branch had only become prominent starting from Li Duan’s grandfather. Possibly because they had been suppressed too severely by the Pei family, Li Duan’s grandfather was single-mindedly determined to emulate Old Master Pei—not only becoming one of the foremost families in Lin’an, but also wanting to become the main branch of the Li family.

In her previous life, because Li Duan’s branch had succeeded in maritime trade in Fujian, it made this branch the wealthiest and most powerful branch of the Li family. When the Li family main branch’s Twelfth Grand-Uncle passed away, Li Duan’s father, Li Yi, suppressed Twelfth Grand-Uncle’s son Li He and became the main branch of the Li family.

Yu Tang had been able to leave the Li family back then precisely by taking advantage of Li He’s dissatisfaction with Li Yi.

This time, could they also make use of these Li family clan members?

Yu Tang beckoned Wei Xiaochuan and the Qu brothers over to talk: “Magistrate Tang isn’t someone who likes to handle matters. Even if we send these two to the yamen, if the Li family steps forward and has a word with Magistrate Tang, everything will be pushed onto these two people, and the Li family will naturally emerge unscathed. I think Xiaochuan’s idea isn’t bad—we’ll hand them over to the Li family. However, we won’t hand them to Li Yi’s household, but to Li He’s household. It’s just that the two elder brothers Qu will have to take a small loss—I’m afraid you won’t be able to get the reward silver from Li Duan. However, I will do my utmost to compensate you both for your losses.”

Wei Xiaochuan didn’t know about the Li family’s affairs, but as fixers, the Qu brothers were very clear.

The Li family main branch had been dissatisfied with Li Yi’s branch for a long time. However, because the main branch had only produced one scholar in recent years and had to rely on Li Yi’s branch for many things, they had been enduring it all along.

Hearing Yu Tang say this, the way the Qu brothers looked at Yu Tang changed.

They were people who made their living by reading expressions and assessing situations. This young lady from the Yu family not only dared to hire them to help capture people, but also dared to pull a tooth from the tiger’s mouth and provoke the Li family. Leaving aside everything else, just based on this courage, she would not be an ordinary person in the future.

They most liked dealing with such people—those with courage wouldn’t be content with mediocrity; those unwilling to settle for mediocrity would stir things up; and those who stirred things up would need people like them to help with matters that couldn’t see the light of day.

This Miss Yu was still young. They had also heard that the Yu family was going to recruit a live-in son-in-law for her, so in the future she would be able to be the master of the household. A friendship that begins from humble origins is the most enduring friendship.

The brothers exchanged a glance and immediately decided to do Yu Tang a favor.

“One servant does not serve two masters; one woman does not marry two husbands,” the eldest Qu brother said. “Since we’ve taken Miss Yu’s business, we won’t change course. There’s no need for compensation—whatever Miss Yu says is what we’ll do!”

Yu Tang hadn’t expected the Qu brothers to be more agreeable than in her previous life.

Could it be because they didn’t have their former reputation yet and didn’t have much business?

She didn’t think too much about it, nor did she generously pretend to be wealthy. She curtsied to the Qu brothers in thanks, saying: “Your great kindness—I can only repay you in the future.”

The Qu brothers turned aside to avoid Yu Tang’s courtesy.

The second Qu brother looked at the young lady still in her boudoir and the boy who was still only at the age of tying his hair in horns before him. His heart inexplicably softened for a moment, and he reminded Yu Tang: “Miss Yu should still be careful. Li He may not be willing to offend Li Duan for some small profit at present.”

Without sufficient benefits, how could the Li family be willing to give up Li Duan, who was almost ready for harvest and about to bring in profits?

Yu Tang thanked the Qu brothers again and said tactfully: “I will have the adults from our family step forward.”

The Yu family simply wasn’t as powerful as the Li family. So what even if adults stepped forward?

As the one of the two brothers who used his brain, the second Qu brother felt that Yu Tang was still too naive. However, the fragrance of plum blossoms comes from bitter cold—without experiencing some setbacks, this Miss Yu wouldn’t know how difficult the paths of this world were. Letting her run into some walls would be good too.

The Qu brothers said no more and, according to Yu Tang’s instructions, took the two refugees away. Moreover, they had to hide them for two days first before handing them over to Li He.

Wei Xiaochuan didn’t understand, but he trusted Yu Tang very much.

If it weren’t for Yu Tang, he wouldn’t have discovered that his second brother’s death was suspicious at all, nor would it have been possible to catch the murderers.

So he waited until after the Qu brothers left before asking Yu Tang: “Elder Sister, are we really going to ask Uncle Yu to step forward?”

He was a student, and moreover studied at the county school. He understood the thresholds between scholarly families better than anyone.

When a scholar met a provincial graduate, he had to give up his seat, regardless of your age or seniority.

Similarly, when a provincial graduate met an imperial examination graduate, he had to bow his head.

Yu Wen was only a scholar.

The Li family had not only provincial graduates but also imperial examination graduates.

Yu Tang smiled slightly, her eyes curving into the shape of crescent moons, indescribably gentle and lovely. But the words she spoke didn’t match this gentleness at all: “Of course. With matters having developed to this point, it’s no longer just a matter of one or two families. Officials protect officials—the authorities will surely be perfunctory and evasive. We naturally need to find someone who can take charge for us to fight this lawsuit.”

Wei Xiaochuan was even more confused.

He scratched his head.

Yu Tang’s smile grew more gentle: “That Lin’an can enjoy the peace and tranquility it has today isn’t due to the magistrate who serves three-year terms, but rather depends on the Pei family of Little Plum Lane.”

“That’s right!” Wei Xiaochuan jumped for joy, almost leaping up. “How did I not think of that! If Magistrate Tang favors the Li family, we should ask the Pei family to help act as mediators. The Pei family is a household of accumulated virtue—they act most fairly of all. If the magistrate won’t handle it, the Pei family certainly will. They won’t sit idly by while the Li family kills innocents so recklessly.”

Yu Tang nodded and said: “Now you understand why I asked the Qu brothers to hide those two refugees for two days? We’ll wait until the elders in our family have made arrangements, then bring out the evidence. This way we can avoid having Li Duan silence those two refugees by killing them.”

Wei Xiaochuan nodded repeatedly, but then wilted like blanched vegetables all at once.

Yu Tang assumed he was thinking of Wei Xiaoshan and couldn’t help but sigh inwardly.

No matter what, Wei Xiaoshan had died because of her involvement.

How could she feel any better about it!

Yu Tang gently patted Wei Xiaochuan’s head and said warmly: “Don’t you have a day off from studies today? Come to my house for a cup of tea! Our two families are relatives now. You can also go play with my elder brother—he’s a very good person. Once your cousin marries over, my elder brother will definitely treat her well.”

Wei Xiaochuan shook his head, however, his voice downcast as he said: “I don’t want to play. I want to go back and review my books.”

Yu Tang couldn’t stop him and said: “Then at least come sit at my house for a bit. I’ll have A-Tiao go hire a sedan chair for you right now to send you back.”

Wei Xiaochuan softly said “Mm” and went with Yu Tang to pay respects to Yu Wen and Chen Shi, only saying that Wei Xiaochuan was passing by and she had invited him to come sit.

Chen Shi had originally liked the fair and clean Wei Xiaochuan, and moreover now that the two families were about to become in-laws, she liked Wei Xiaochuan even more. She hastily had Chen Pozi go buy some pastries and fruits for Wei Xiaochuan to take back to the Wei family: “For your mother and your sister-in-law and cousin to taste.” She also instructed him, “If you have clothes that need washing, just send word and I’ll have Chen Pozi go help you wash them. When the weather’s bad on your day off from studies, come stay at our house. If there’s any schoolwork you don’t understand, come ask your Uncle Yu.” After saying this, she felt that the child was too young and still shy—no matter how much she said, he would only take it as polite words. She simply said, “Oh my, look at me, why am I telling you all this? I’ll have your Elder Brother A-Yuan send you back in a bit and have him pass on a message to your mother.”

Wei Xiaochuan hastily stood up and respectfully expressed his thanks.

Chen Shi had A-Tiao go call Yu Yuan back from his work on Long Prosperity Street. When the hired sedan chair arrived, she had him personally escort Wei Xiaochuan back to the Wei family.

Yu Tang, meanwhile, pulled her father into the study and told Yu Wen everything about investigating the Li family with Wei Xiaochuan, leaving nothing out.

Yu Wen was so frightened his face turned white. Several times during Yu Tang’s narration he wanted to interrupt her, but afraid that in his agitation he might say something that would hurt his daughter, he held back each time. Finally, when Yu Tang had explained everything clearly, he immediately flew into a rage, saying: “Do you still have any regard for your father and brothers? Such a major matter occurred, yet you told no one and led Xiaochuan, a child who hasn’t even reached the age of the ladle dance, to do such dangerous things. It seems I’ve been too indulgent with you in normal times. Starting today, you will stay properly at home. Until you’ve finished writing fifty thousand large characters, you’re not permitted to go anywhere.”

Yu Tang knew she had done wrong and obediently accepted the scolding.

Her family didn’t know she had been reborn, nor did they know that she had struggled alone in the Li family for seven or eight years, suffering hardships and losses countless times more than ordinary families. In this life, her way of doing things was all exchanged for with blood, tears, and even her life in the previous one. If it would harm her family, she wouldn’t dare do it.

Hearing about such matters, her father would naturally worry.

She lowered her head and admitted her mistake: “Father, I will never do this again. I will properly stay home and practice my large characters.”