Madam Ji pushed away Maid Li’s supporting hand and closed the door.

The hall suddenly darkened, and Young Master Sheng in his black robe resembled a beast lurking in the shadows, his eyes unnaturally bright.

Madam Ji slowly walked before him, not attempting to hide her hatred: “Murder for profit? Whose money, whose life? You are truly vicious!”

A-Sheng didn’t stand. Because Madam Ji stood too close, he leaned back slightly, adjusting to a more comfortable position in his armchair. He lifted his chin: “Madam Ji has just recovered from illness. Please, sit down to talk.”

It was the posture of a master, not yielding an inch to Madam Ji’s towering gaze.

Madam Ji swallowed her anger and moved to the head seat. She had a strong feeling that this Young Master Sheng’s true identity would shock her.

“Madam Ji, you remember your half-sister, Lady Li? She had such bad luck—her ship hit a reef on the Yangtze River. Everyone aboard and all the silk cargo sank, leaving no bodies to be found.”

“What?!” Madam Ji cried out. In an instant, Lady Li’s face appeared before her eyes. Past grievances, resentments, and sisterly bonds rushed forth like a broken dam. Madam Ji’s vision darkened as she clutched her chest, gasping for air.

A-Sheng completely ignored Madam Ji’s distress, smiling faintly as he continued: “As it happened, her maid could swim and stole Lady Li’s gold before jumping ship to save herself. My people happened to find her and sent her to the baron’s mansion. Facing death, she abandoned her mistress to save herself. She never got to spend that gold. She had no choice but to claim you hired bandits to kill Lady Li. This way, she could transform herself into a loyal servant who escaped to report the crime.”

Madam Ji pointed at him, gritting her teeth: “You killed her! She bore you no grudge—how could you bring yourself to murder her?”

“The ship has been salvaged. The planks are too shattered to tell. It could have hit a reef, or bandits could have scuttled it. Madam Ji, that servant’s life is in my hands. Following the constables to the prefecture office has two possible outcomes. One, you return home safely. Two, your property is confiscated and you’re executed. Lady Li is dead—don’t think about avenging her. She took my generous payment specifically to come to Yizhou Prefecture to trick you into owing a huge debt.”

“San-niang…” Madam Ji murmured her sister’s name, experiencing shock, then rage, then heartbreak. A lump in her throat made her cough. She covered her lips with her sleeve, which became stained with spots of fresh blood.

She gave a desolate smile: “In just a few days, the Ji family walks on thin ice, facing imminent destruction. Your hands move heaven and earth, toying with the Ji family at will. Young Master Sheng, we’re just a humble family running a small dye house—are we worth such elaborate schemes?”

Young Master Sheng said coolly: “When it costs only thought and time, not soldiers’ lives, it’s certainly worth it.”

Madam Ji was shocked: “You… who exactly are you?”

A-Sheng tilted his head slightly: “Who I am doesn’t matter. Madam Ji, you haven’t told me your decision. To preserve the Ji family and maintain your current peaceful life, surrender both the formula and your daughter. Huanhua Dye House is just a small operation, unable to supply silk for all of Shu. Having more top-quality Shu red silk and Huanhua silk in the market won’t greatly affect the Ji family. As for Second Miss Ji, I only want her to serve me for three years. After that, I’ll let her return home.”

“I can give you the formula. But not my daughter.” Madam Ji made her decision instantly. Face pale, she glared at him fiercely: “My health likely won’t recover. Even at the cost of my life, I must protect both my children.”

“Young Master Ji is to be married next month. I suspect Master Zhang will likely cancel the engagement. He wouldn’t push his daughter into a fire pit, would he? Second Miss Ji is innocent and naive, easily deceived. Within a year, once you’re in the prefecture prison, using the case as bait, she’ll voluntarily sell herself into servitude. You don’t fear death, but can you abandon your children? How will you face the late Master Ji in the underworld?”

Each sentence stabbed deeper into Madam Ji’s heart. Her body trembled as she finally conceded to Young Master Sheng: “I’ll give you the formula. Leave my daughter alone.”

Before he could speak again, she said harshly: “Otherwise, we three of the Ji family would rather perish together and reunite in the underworld! Someday, our innocence will be proven!”

A-Sheng’s face turned cold: “Madam Ji, I give you choices because I value the Ji family’s craft. Your two silk varieties are better than others, but silk brocade can still be woven without Ji family silk!”

Madam Ji was equally unbending. Realizing that surrendering the formula wouldn’t satisfy him, and unable to bear her daughter serving an enemy, she immediately hardened her resolve: “Fine! I’ll see if that worthless servant’s word alone can condemn me! Young Master Sheng, please leave. The Ji family no longer welcomes you.”

A-Sheng showed no anger and merely smiled: “Madam Ji, don’t forget Second Miss Ji’s one-year debt agreement with me. If I’m not mistaken, Jucai Chamber will come to collect the payment tomorrow. With you at the magistrate’s office, will you use the house or the dye house to repay? A clean resolution requires money for bribes. Does the Ji family still have funds?”

The warehouse fire that destroyed the dyes was meant to pile misfortune on the Ji family. He had set that fire. If he dared commit arson and murder, what wouldn’t he dare do?

Madam Ji felt ice-cold, the scene before her slowly spinning. Without the dye house, how could they earn two thousand guans in a year to redeem that contract? She closed her eyes. A-Sheng’s voice sounded beside her ear: “Trade the formula for both silks to clear the debts with Jucai Chamber and the Zhao family. I can help you hire a litigation master to easily resolve the case.”

No mention of the credited ginseng. Madam Ji understood that seeing her firm attitude, Young Master Sheng was forced to compromise, wanting to secure the formula first. Their only option now was to delay, to weather this storm from all sides, and then find another way.

She said steadily: “I’ll trade the formula for the case and both debts. Young Master Sheng said he wouldn’t be as unsightly as the Zhao family. As for my daughter’s credit agreement with you, in one year, I’ll have the money ready when you bring the contract.”

“Then it’s agreed. I’ll send someone to learn the formula. Madam Ji is ill—please rest well.” A-Sheng nodded slightly, rose, and walked out.

Madam Ji, drenched in sweat, collapsed into her chair.

Light streamed in from outside as Ji Yaoting and the two elderly maids rushed in.

“Yaoting, Mother is tired. Help me in to rest.” Madam Ji gripped her son’s hand, thinking of his wedding next month, and forced herself to hold on.

Soon after, Maid Wu returned from the front courtyard, unable to hide her joy: “Madam, who exactly is that Young Master Sheng? I don’t know what he said to the leader, but all the constables left. They only said to summon us when the magistrate holds court.”

Thinking of her sister who came to scheme for gold but lost her life, Madam Ji was filled with hatred and rage. She cried out: “Enemy! He is our family’s enemy! Yaoting, remember this clearly!” With that, she fainted.