After listening, Li Duan’s face immediately turned deathly pale.

With a “bang,” he slammed both hands on the table, his eyes red as he gritted his teeth and growled, “What exactly is he trying to do?”

Lin Jue’s expression was equally grim.

Only Li Jun, not knowing what had happened, looked at Li Duan then at Lin Jue. Feeling it was better not to get involved between them, he remained silent for a moment before saying, “Brother, Cousin, I’ll go check on Mother. If you need anything, just have a servant tell me.”

The matter of Wei Xiaoshan was like a boulder that shattered the Li family’s tranquility, also allowing Li Jun to see the hidden rocks and silt beneath the lake’s surface. He couldn’t pretend not to see it, nor could he righteously denounce his own family, so he could only be like a quail hiding its head under its wings, numbly drifting with the current.

The bad news Lin Jue brought left Li Duan vexed and irritable, with no mood to concern himself with Li Jun. Hearing Li Jun say this, he wished for nothing more. He immediately waved his hand at Li Jun, saying, “Mother’s forehead injury hasn’t healed yet. She used to love you most. I won’t say much since you weren’t home, but since you’re here now, you should properly keep Mother company and not make her sad anymore.”

Li Jun nodded, greeted Lin Jue, and left the study.

Lin Jue watched this young cousin shuffle out listlessly like a little old man. After Li Jun left the study, he couldn’t help but say in a low voice, “What’s wrong with Jun? What does Uncle say? Why do I hear Uncle might be transferred to Yun-Gui? It’s not really true, is it?”

If it were true, the Li family would be in danger—Yun-Gui was a land of treacherous mountains, bad waters, and frequent miasmas. Few who went there came back alive.

Of course, if the Li family fell, the Lin family would have no good days either.

Hearing this, Li Duan’s face turned iron blue as he demanded, “Who did you hear this from?”

Lin Jue secretly curled his lip, though his face showed nothing, saying, “I heard it from the Song family.”

After the Peng family confirmed that the map auctioned by the Pei family was the same as the one in “Fishing in Seclusion at Pine Creek,” they turned hostile. Although they didn’t openly accuse them of incompetence, they never mentioned the previously promised conditions again and even demanded they investigate how the Pei family obtained the map.

The implication was that they suspected them of playing both sides.

But how could they possibly find out how the Pei family got that map?

If they had that ability, they would have replaced the Pei family long ago. Why would they need to curry favor with the Peng family?

Wasn’t this making things difficult for them?

Li Duan had verbally agreed but kept delaying action.

The Peng family might have sent people to monitor them, because two days ago they actually sent a steward to threaten him, saying if he couldn’t handle it well, they would find someone else.

Having never suffered such humiliation in his life, he had immediately talked back.

Never imagining that these past few days, rumors would spread that his father had his younger brother transport embezzled silver back home.

Lin’an City was the Li family’s roots. They were established here, grew here, and their descendants would live here for generations. If their reputation was ruined and they were pointed at by others, could they really abandon their home?

What made it even worse was that now rumors were spreading that his father would be posted to Yun-Gui.

If it were a promotion with a posting to Yun-Gui, although dangerous, it would be worth the risk for future prospects. The fear was that this news was released by the Peng family to warn their family… and in the end, it might backfire and become true.

Li Duan couldn’t help but furrow his brows tightly, asking Lin Jue, “Did you make contact with the Song family?”

The Song family was now doing business with the Peng family, and the Song and Pei families were related by marriage. If they wanted to ease relations with the Peng and Pei families, having the Song family as intermediary was most appropriate.

This cousin of his truly had a nimble mind and was truly reliable in handling matters.

Thinking this, his gaze at Lin Jue grew somewhat more affectionate.

Lin Jue had always felt his cousin was good in every way, just a bit too stiff, liked to maintain airs, couldn’t let go. Many relationships that could have been useful with just a little effort ended up with him unable even to strike up a conversation.

Perhaps this was the aloofness of scholars.

He somewhat looked down on it while also somewhat envied it, saying, “Didn’t I have no other choice? The Peng family is now convinced we’re double-dealing. We’re weak, so whatever we say is useless. I suspect they had no way to explain to the Peng family elders, so they shifted the blame onto us. If you ask me, there must be problems on the Peng family’s side. And the Pei family—tell me, did Pei Yan discover what we were doing? He didn’t hold any auction earlier or later, but held an auction precisely when we found ‘Fishing in Seclusion at Pine Creek.’ He must have been targeting us.

“Don’t look at how I’ve been wandering around outside these past few days—actually, I’ve been investigating Pei Yan. He’s nothing like Old Master Pei. From what I can see, he’s a man-eating wolf who swallows you whole and still complains your bones are too hard to digest…”

The more Li Duan listened, the more upset he became, saying discontentedly, “Couldn’t it be the Yu family causing trouble behind the scenes?”

Lin Jue was startled, saying, “That’s impossible! The Yu family is small. Apart from Yu Wen who’s read some books, there’s no one worth a second glance. If their family discovered the secret of ‘Fishing in Seclusion at Pine Creek,’ wouldn’t they have found a way to sell the painting!”

As they spoke, their gazes couldn’t help but meet.

If the Yu family wanted to sell the painting, who would they sell it to?

The Pei family, of course!

Both felt their hearts skip a beat, as if an invisible hand had parted the dark clouds to reveal sunlight, and certain things suddenly became clear.

Despite all their calculations, how had they missed the Yu family!

Especially after Pei Yan took charge of the Pei family, the Yu family suddenly became close to the Pei family and began frequenting the Pei residence.

If this matter had nothing to do with the Yu family, they wouldn’t believe it even if beaten to death.

Lin Jue jumped up at once, saying joyfully, “Let’s hand over the Yu family!”

That way, they could extricate themselves.

Li Duan was initially delighted too, but then he shook his head, saying gravely, “Not appropriate! If the Peng family asks how the Yu family learned the secret of ‘Fishing in Seclusion at Pine Creek,’ how do we answer?”

Lin Jue said, “Say they discovered it by accident?”

“Then how did we know the Yu family discovered this?”

“After the fact, we re-investigated everything ourselves and then discovered it?”

“Why would we re-investigate?”

Lin Jue said nothing.

Li Duan said, “Because something was wrong on our side? Wouldn’t that be admitting we have problems?”

They certainly couldn’t admit that.

If they admitted it, this matter would become their responsibility.

Lin Jue paced irritably around the room, saying, “This won’t work, that won’t work. We can’t just sit and wait for death, can we? And I’m certain this matter is definitely connected to the Yu family. We can’t just let the Yu family scheme against us like this, can we? I know that impatience ruins great plans, but if I have to swallow this matter like this, I can’t stomach it…”

Li Duan ignored Lin Jue and thought about this matter.

Why would the Yu family do this? Eight or nine times out of ten, it was related to Wei Xiaoshan’s death.

They had made mistakes from the very beginning with this matter.

If they had instigated the Lu family to demand the belongings from the Yu family right after killing Lu Xin, perhaps all these other problems wouldn’t have arisen.

But at that time, they hadn’t known Lu Xin had already sold the painting to Yu Wen, much less that Yu Wen would generously return that painting as part of the belongings to the Lu family.

One wrong step led to every step being wrong.

It was too late to discuss this now.

The urgent matter now was whether his father would be transferred or promoted.

He asked Lin Jue, “Is the Song family’s information reliable? They didn’t hear it from the Peng family, did they? The Song family has been doing well these past two years, but among their studying sons, no one holds position in the central government anymore. If Father were really to be transferred to Yun-Gui, how could our family not have received word?”

His father wasn’t a confused person. If such a change occurred, he would surely send express notice to the family so they could prepare in advance.

Lin Jue understood. After thinking, he said, “It shouldn’t be, right? But at the time, I didn’t feel comfortable asking the Song family where they got the information.”

Li Duan sighed, saying, “Can’t you see that the Peng family is trying to force us to submit!”

But after they submitted, what then?

What exactly did the Peng family want to do?

Both were puzzled.

The Peng family members were also puzzled when they received the news.

The steward reporting to Peng Shiyi said, “We don’t know who’s spreading these rumors. I’m afraid the Li family will suspect it’s us, and then if they go down fighting, we’ll have to find someone else to help with the work.”

Peng Shiyi was so angry the veins on his forehead throbbed as he said grimly, “Investigate. Investigate thoroughly. I want to see who dares to play tricks behind the Peng family’s back!”

The steward hesitated, saying, “Could it be the Pei family?”

“No.” Peng Shiyi said without thinking, “Years ago at Seventh Uncle’s house, I once met him. He probably doesn’t remember me anymore, but I still remember him.” Speaking of this, his expression became ferocious. Back then he thought he would become colleagues with Pei Yan, who knew now one would be in heaven and one in the gutter. “This person is extremely proud. If he wanted to deal with the Li family, he fundamentally wouldn’t use such methods.”

The steward thought about it and agreed. This time, the Li family had challenged the Pei family’s status in Lin’an City. If the Pei family wanted to deal with the Li family, it was to make an example of them. What would be the point of doing it so sneakily?

“Then who else could it be?” the steward muttered.

But Peng Shiyi didn’t care about these things, saying, “You’ve confirmed clearly that the map matter has nothing to do with the Li family?”

The steward hurriedly said, “Confirmed clearly. This matter truly has nothing to do with the Li family. After they got the item, they had a painter authenticate the painting’s genuineness. That painter’s corpse is still at the bottom of Suzhou River now. There’s no way problems could have arisen on the Li family’s side.”

Then the problem was on the Peng family’s side.

These past few years, internal strife in the Peng family had been severe. Even Seventh Uncle Peng Yu, who served as an official in the capital, couldn’t stand it anymore and wrote a letter back asking Great Master Peng to restrain the family’s younger generation. Perhaps this traitor was among their own people!

“Put this matter aside for now.” Peng Shiyi said, “Keep a close eye on Li Duan—if he breaks off the engagement with the Gu family, this person won’t be necessary to keep in hand anymore.”

Hearing this, the steward shivered and respectfully bowed his head, saying, “Yes.”

Peng Shiyi sipped his tea with an indifferent expression, thinking about Gu Chang who was still in Lin’an City and hadn’t left yet.

He wondered what exactly that fellow intended?