At the Ye family, after the Ye Minghui brothers left, the household temporarily fell into silence.

Old Madam Ye’s health was poor—she couldn’t even get out of bed now. No one dared tell her about this matter. Zhuo Shi and Guan Shi still had to force smiles to care for Old Madam Ye, unable to let her discover anything amiss. Old Madam Ye’s condition had improved with great difficulty—they couldn’t let all their efforts be wasted at this juncture.

Regarding what Jiang Li had said about Tong Zhiyang’s brother-in-law serving as Palace Bell Director in Yanjing City, apart from making people marvel at how clearly Jiang Li remembered what positions these people held, it didn’t receive much attention from the Ye family members.

But Jiang Li’s inner thoughts were different. The Li family and Tong Zhiyang—it only took one Palace Bell Director to connect them. Such a close connection made it hard for her not to think more deeply.

But if she mentioned this to the Ye family members, the Ye family probably wouldn’t believe it anyway.

After returning to her courtyard, Jiang Li sat in the room deep in thought.

Tong’er and Bai Xue didn’t dare disturb her and quietly withdrew outside. Because of the Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan incident, the Ye family servants also became much more somber. The entire mansion instantly became much more oppressive, as if an invisible gloom hung over everyone’s hearts, making it impossible to feel lighthearted.

As the saying goes, adversity reveals true feelings. Although no one wanted to see the Ye family encounter trouble, for Jiang Li, this was not necessarily without opportunity. To melt a block of solid ice, doing nothing and letting it slowly thaw wasn’t impossible, but it would take far too long. And what she lacked most was time. If this time when the Ye family encountered trouble, she could contribute even a little, could help the Ye family escape crisis, after this matter passed, most of their previous estrangement would likely vanish into thin air.

At that time, “reconciling” with the Ye family would be an effortless matter.

However, what first needed to be clarified was exactly what was going on with the Ye family’s Guxiang satin matter. Jiang Li vaguely sensed the scent of conspiracy. Up to now, she only suspected this matter was related to the Right Chancellor’s Li family, but she had no evidence.

She could only wait until the Ye Minghui brothers returned home before discussing further.

Ye Minghui and Ye Mingxuan did not return to the mansion that night.

Not only that, over the following days, they also disappeared without a trace. At first, Guan Shi and Zhuo Shi waited anxiously at the mansion. After three to five days passed without even a message, the two could no longer restrain themselves and personally went to the yamen to see Prefect Tong, wanting to find out what exactly had happened.

But Prefect Tong wouldn’t even see Guan Shi. He only had the legal secretary by his side come out to fence words with Guan Shi, saying that Master Ye and Second Master Ye were guests at the yamen, just that matters weren’t yet finished. When they were done, they would naturally return home.

Even though Guan Shi was usually tactful in handling matters, facing this slippery Tong Zhiyang, she was helpless. Returning home, she complained to Zhuo Shi, “I couldn’t even see Tong Zhiyang’s face! Let alone ask about Master and Second Brother. I think Tong Zhiyang is clearly doing this deliberately. He knew early on I would come looking, which is why he’s avoiding me!”

Zhuo Shi was more timid. Hearing this, she worried, “What exactly does he want to do, detaining the masters at the yamen? Who knows how they’re faring? I wonder if he’s privately torturing them. I’ve heard that in the past, some officials kept people in prison just to torment them.”

These words were overheard by Ye Mingyu, who immediately roared in fury, “Torture? Have they eaten bear hearts and leopard galls? Elder Sister-in-law, Second Sister-in-law, just wait. Tong Zhiyang won’t see you? I’ll damn well barge right in! Put a knife to his throat and see if he’ll see me then!”

Guan Shi and Zhuo Shi cried out that this wouldn’t do, but Ye Mingyu wasn’t someone they could restrain. He directly chose a fine steed from outside the gate and rode off at full gallop, apparently to settle accounts with Tong Zhiyang.

Ye Mingyu carried heavy bandit airs from the martial world and didn’t understand that not everything in this world could be solved with fists. Jiang Li, who had rushed to the front hall upon hearing the news, saw Guan Shi and Zhuo Shi ordering people to chase after Ye Mingyu, though she didn’t know if they could catch up.

Ye Jia’er and Ye Rufeng also hurried over. Learning what had happened, Ye Rufeng said without hesitation, “I’ll go find Third Uncle!”

“Rufeng!” Zhuo Shi grabbed him. “Don’t go adding to the trouble at a time like this! Right now the mansion doesn’t have a single male, only weak women left. This really is… really is, ai!”

Ye Jia’er was also very troubled. Seeing Jiang Li standing to the side, she walked over and said in a low voice, “Younger Cousin also finds this unbelievable, doesn’t she?”

“Indeed.” Jiang Li nodded. “Before I came to the Ye family, I didn’t know the Ye family would have these troubles. I thought the Ye family lived very well in Xiangyang.”

“The Ye family did indeed live very well in Xiangyang, but that was several months ago.” Ye Jia’er smiled bitterly. “But look at now. Everyone says that extreme prosperity brings decline. Could it be that the time has come for my Ye family to fall?”

Ye Jia’er’s tone couldn’t hide her disappointment. Although she was usually generous and proper, she was still young after all. Suddenly encountering this matter, especially with her uncle and father both arrested, not knowing how they were now, she would naturally be affected somewhat. Jiang Li noticed the dark circles under her eyes. These days, she probably hadn’t slept a single good night.

“Man can conquer heaven—where is there any question of should or shouldn’t? Besides, the Ye family hasn’t done evil. Heaven will treat the Ye family well.” Jiang Li comforted her, and as soon as the comforting words left her mouth, she herself almost wanted to laugh. Heaven wouldn’t treat someone well just because they were good. In her previous life, who in her Xue family wasn’t upright and honorable their entire life, yet they ended up in such a desolate state. Heaven had never been reliable—one still had to rely on oneself.

She steadied herself and said to Ye Jia’er, “Older Cousin, don’t say discouraging things. In my view, Uncle and Second Uncle at the yamen won’t necessarily come to harm. If they truly wanted to harm them, they could have said so early on. Hiding and concealing like this makes it more like they’re making a deal. I guess Tong Zhiyang has been refusing to let the madams see them precisely to wait for the right price.”

“Wait for the right price?” Ye Jia’er didn’t understand.

“Isn’t this common in business? Many deals aren’t accomplished in one go. There’s a process of pulling and pushing, mutual stalemate, each side yielding little by little until reaching a price both sides can accept. At that time, it depends on whose bargaining chips carry more weight. The one with heavier chips is confident and patient enough to wait it out. Once the other side panics and can’t keep their composure, they’ll subconsciously yield first, yielding more.”

Ye Jia’er understood suddenly. “You mean right now Prefect Tong and our Ye family are like conducting a business transaction. Prefect Tong won’t let our family members see Father and Uncle. If our family members worry and can’t maintain composure, we’ll actively yield. At that time, whatever conditions Prefect Tong puts forward, we’ll all accept.”

“Precisely.” Jiang Li smiled. Ye Jia’er was very clever.

“But what business exactly does Prefect Tong want to conduct with us?” Ye Jia’er still didn’t understand. “He’s detaining our family members—what does he want to do?” Without realizing it, when Ye Jia’er encountered problems, she had habitually begun discussing them with Jiang Li. After all, Guan Shi and Zhuo Shi didn’t manage business matters, and Ye Rufeng was still rather immature. Looking around the room, the only one who could really talk was Jiang Li.

“That depends on what conditions Tong Zhiyang puts forward,” Jiang Li said. “Don’t worry. If Tong Zhiyang truly has the heart to make a deal, before long he’ll always put forward his conditions. Just wait.”

Seeing Jiang Li’s confident appearance, Ye Jia’er seemed to have found a pillar of support and involuntarily calmed down gradually. Her expression finally eased somewhat, and she teased, “But why does Younger Cousin constantly call Prefect Tong by his name directly? If someone heard this…”

“He’s only a prefect,” Jiang Li smiled with curved eyes and brows, carrying a few traces of innocent fearlessness. “My father is the Chief Minister. Even if I stood before him and called him by name, no matter how dissatisfied he felt inside, he’d only tuck his tail and behave.”

Ye Jia’er was startled. Ye Rufeng also looked toward Jiang Li.

Although they’d long known of this younger cousin’s past “glorious achievements,” since coming to the Ye family, Jiang Li had always been gentle and considerate, making people feel she had no connection to the rumored cruel legitimate daughter. Over time, people had come to think that Jiang Li had a very good temper and an extremely soft nature. But at this moment, the contempt when she spoke of Tong Zhiyang was truly and clearly seen by Ye Jia’er and Ye Rufeng.

Jiang Li truly looked down on Tong Zhiyang.

Jiang Li indeed looked down on Tong Zhiyang, but not because Tong Zhiyang was merely a prefect. This Tong Zhiyang had only reached his prefect position by relying on his brother-in-law, also benefiting from his wife’s influence. He appeared extremely henpecked on the surface, yet kept a mistress outside and even had a child.

County magistrates had to go to the prefect for year-end evaluations. Xue Huaiyuan was honest with empty sleeves and unlike other magistrates didn’t send silver to Tong Zhiyang, so Tong Zhiyang deliberately found fault with Xue Huaiyuan. Xue Zhao couldn’t stand watching this and wanted to catch some dirt on Tong Zhiyang. Unexpectedly, he discovered this secret and used it to threaten Tong Zhiyang, preventing him from troubling Xue Huaiyuan further.

Xue Huaiyuan still didn’t know about Xue Zhao’s actions. He only wondered why Tong Zhiyang stopped troubling him in later years. Actually, if Xue Zhao hadn’t stumbled upon Tong Zhiyang’s secret by accident, how many years Xue Huaiyuan could have served as county magistrate would be hard to say. With Tong Zhiyang’s narrow-mindedness, he would definitely have found an excuse to make Xue Huaiyuan lose his official hat.

Jiang Li scorned people like Tong Zhiyang. She hadn’t expected that the one crossing paths with the Ye family would be Tong Zhiyang again, so naturally she had no pleasant expression.

Guan Shi said to Zhuo Shi, “Why haven’t the people chasing Third Brother returned yet? Could they have failed to stop him?”

“Very possible.” Zhuo Shi was somewhat nervous. “Third Brother’s martial arts are good—our mansion’s guards can’t compare. At that time he was singlemindedly thinking of settling accounts with Prefect Tong and must have left in great haste… Let’s hope he doesn’t cause any trouble. At this critical juncture, we can’t have any more problems.”

“No, I must make a trip to the yamen.” Guan Shi hurriedly stood up. “How could the mansion’s guards possibly persuade Third Brother? With his temperament… I’ll go take a look.”

“I’ll go with you,” Zhuo Shi said.

The two had just stood up when they saw A Fu rushing in from the doorway in a hurry. These days he and A Shun had both been helping at Lizheng Hall—they weren’t needed at the mansion.

“A Fu, what happened to you?” Zhuo Shi was greatly shocked.

Jiang Li looked over and saw that A Fu’s clothes were torn to shreds, tattered and hanging loosely. His face bore marks of either fists or slaps—bruised and reddened, with what seemed to be blood traces at the corner of his mouth. His hair was disheveled beyond recognition. He looked as if he’d fought with someone somewhere.

“First Madam, Second Madam, this is terrible!” A Fu caught his breath. As he spoke these words, he paused, as if speaking was also very difficult. After a long moment he continued, “Lizheng Hall—Lizheng Hall has been smashed. The guards couldn’t stop them. The shopkeeper has been surrounded. A Shun is still protecting him there. Those people came in and just smashed things—couldn’t stop smashing anything. They even smashed Lizheng Hall’s signboard. Madam, you should go take a look!”

He finished in one breath.

“Lizheng Hall has been smashed?” Zhuo Shi nearly fainted.

“Indeed.” A Fu tugged at his clothes. “If this servant weren’t small and quick to slip away, I couldn’t have returned to the mansion to report. Those people smashed with red eyes—not a single person from Lizheng Hall was allowed to leave.”

“A Fu,” Jiang Li asked, “what kind of people came to smash the shop?”

Lizheng Hall was the Ye family’s property—no one in Xiangyang City didn’t know the Ye family. To dare come smash Lizheng Hall’s shop took considerable audacity.

A Fu couldn’t be bothered now to worry whether the person asking was the young miss from the Jiang family who needed to be guarded against. He immediately answered, “Just ordinary common people.”

“What unruly mobs dare to run wild at Lizheng Hall—tired of living!” Ye Rufeng was furiously enraged. “Why not report to the authorities?”

“The bailiffs have already arrested our masters, Young Master. What authorities are there to report to?” A Fu answered with a mournful face.

Jiang Li asked, “Then why are they smashing the shop? Out of nowhere, Lizheng Hall hasn’t provoked them—why would they come looking for trouble?”

“I heard it’s because of the Guxiang satin matter.” A Fu’s expression was also somewhat grave. “The common people who came said that wearing clothes made from our Guxiang satin causes rashes. Now garment shops in Xiangyang won’t accept Guxiang satin anymore. But the Guxiang satin that’s been sold out is still harming people. A few days ago, someone wore Guxiang satin and died.”

Someone died?

Ye Jia’er suddenly covered her mouth. As a merchant’s daughter, she clearly knew that once the rumor “Guxiang satin can kill people” spread, the Ye family would truly have no possibility of turning things around.

And now, this rumor had already spread.

Zhuo Shi and Guan Shi nearly collapsed.

Ye Rufeng clenched his fists tightly.

A Fu looked at this roomful of people and somehow felt a sense of desolation. Right now Master Ye and Second Master Ye had both been invited to the yamen. Third Master Ye had gone to find them and who knew his current situation. Old Madam Ye was bedridden with illness. The rest of the people in the room—Ye Rufeng was still immature, and the others were all weak women. But the Ye family’s crisis was coming on so fiercely—what could they do?

“I’ll go to Lizheng Hall,” Ye Rufeng said.

“Rufeng, what can you do if you go now?” Zhuo Shi blocked him.

“Mother, what can I do if I don’t go? Lizheng Hall is the foundation our ancestors built with their own hands. It cannot be destroyed in our hands. Right now I’m the only male in the house. I must go.” He said, “I have to go.”

Zhuo Shi stood there dazed, releasing her grip.

But Jiang Li quite admired him. Although Ye Rufeng indeed seemed rather immature, his ability to recognize his responsibilities was a very rare quality. Never retreating at critical moments—in this point, he was quite similar to Xue Zhao.

Her gaze suddenly softened.

“I’ll go with you,” Jiang Li said. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll think of a way.”

“You…” Ye Rufeng was about to speak when Ye Jia’er had already grasped Jiang Li’s hand. “I’ll go too.”

At Lizheng Hall at this moment, outside was complete chaos.

The street was surrounded so tightly not even water could pass through. Shopkeepers from other nearby shops all leaned against their doorways watching the show. In the past, Lizheng Hall occupied this best location in Xiangyang with incredibly good business, inevitably making people envious. Those in the same trade belittled each other, and even if not in the same trade, there was much jealousy. Now seeing Lizheng Hall’s misfortune, they sympathized on the surface but were delighted inside.

Always unable to stand seeing others do well.

A Shun blocked the doorway. Though he wasn’t tall, having traveled far and wide with Ye Mingyu these years, he’d learned some martial arts and developed some of a martial world person’s fierce air. Lizheng Hall’s entrance hadn’t been trampled through right now precisely because he was commanding the guards to block people. Even so, the cabinets by the door had been completely smashed. On the ground lay crisscrossed torn fabric scraps. The crowd was emotionally agitated, and new people continuously surged forward, holding wooden sticks and clubs in their hands.

Two fists couldn’t fight four hands. If this continued, he wouldn’t be able to hold them back much longer either.

A Shun cried bitterly in his heart. If Ye Mingyu were here it would be better—he could probably intimidate people. But Ye Mingyu had vanished at just this moment. Even if he tried his utmost, he alone couldn’t possibly stop the continuously surging crowd.

In the crowd were servants sent by wealthy households, and there were ordinary common people who didn’t look like rich families, all angrily clamoring.

“The Ye family values money over lives—Guxiang satin has killed people!”

“Unscrupulous merchant Ye family! Tell the Ye family head to come out!”

“May the Ye family die horribly!”

The Ye family was charitable in Xiangyang and never cheated customers—this was the first time suffering such a vile reputation. A Shun felt dizzy hearing it. Someone rolled up their sleeve to show surrounding people the fine dense rashes on their arm, drawing cries of alarm all around. The shop-smashing actions became even more violent.

When Ye Jia’er’s group first arrived at Lizheng Hall, this was the scene they saw.

Guan Shi and Zhuo Shi hadn’t come. Guan Shi had gone to the yamen to find Ye Mingyu. Zhuo Shi stayed at the mansion waiting for news. Before leaving, Jiang Li had called out all the guards who had accompanied her from the Jiang family.

Fortunately Jiang Li had called the guards. Because as soon as the group arrived at Lizheng Hall, someone spotted them and immediately said, “Young Miss Ye and Young Master Ye have come!”

With a “whoosh,” the entire crowd rushed toward them, coming on fiercely. Seeing this, A Shun inwardly cried that this was bad. But then he saw the guards behind Jiang Li all simultaneously draw their blades with a “shing.”

The Chief Minister’s household guards looked much more stern and serious than the Ye family’s guards. Simply bringing them out to intimidate people was still possible—at least they looked no worse than the yamen bailiffs who had come to arrest people from the Ye family. People bullied the soft and feared the hard. Seeing so many fierce-looking guards, they subconsciously stopped.

Feeling intimidated, they didn’t dare advance.

Only then did A Shun and the shopkeeper breathe a sigh of relief. If the young master and young miss, plus the young miss from the capital, had come to harm here today, they as servants would be hard-pressed to escape blame.

The guards protected Jiang Li and the others as they walked toward Lizheng Hall. Those troublemaking common people still wanted to follow but feared the long blades in the guards’ hands, so they could only follow step by step, surrounding them.

Retreating to Lizheng Hall’s entrance, Jiang Li glanced inside—it was already a complete mess. Shopkeeper Qian held a handkerchief covering his forehead, blood seeping out—apparently hit by something thrown. It seemed these troublemakers had come suddenly, catching Lizheng Hall’s people completely off guard.

“Everyone…” Ye Rufeng mustered his courage. “Please don’t be agitated. Calm down. I’m the Ye family’s young master. Whatever the matter is, let’s sit down and talk properly. The Ye family won’t evade responsibility…”

Before these words were finished, an egg “smack” came flying toward Ye Rufeng’s head. It was blocked by Jiang Li’s guard; otherwise Ye Rufeng would have been thoroughly splattered.

“What ‘won’t evade responsibility’—your Guxiang satin killed people! You harmed lives and still want to earn Xiangyang people’s money! Your earnings are ill-gotten gains, you’ve taken on a life debt!”

Ye Rufeng’s face instantly flushed deep red. In the past when the Ye family was mentioned, everyone in Xiangyang praised them, and he as the young master naturally received much respect. But now it was as if he’d become a rat crossing the street that everyone wanted to beat. The contempt in the common people’s eyes was real and tangible. They denounced him.

The young boy had never experienced such things. There was bewilderment, incomprehension, and even more, a kind of disheartened despair. No one was willing to believe him. Human sentiment was cold, warmth and coldness were self-known, but it was too cold.

Ye Jia’er was somewhat older than Ye Rufeng. Although her heart ached for her younger brother, at this moment she couldn’t spare time to comfort him. She stepped forward. “Everyone, I don’t know where this claim of Guxiang satin killing people came from. We haven’t investigated this matter clearly yet. The Ye family has done business in Xiangyang City for so many years—our commercial reputation is there for all to see. We won’t deceive you.”

But these words were immediately drowned out by clamoring voices. Jiang Li even saw someone bend down to pick up stones, intending to throw them at Ye Jia’er.

Jiang Li quickly pulled Ye Jia’er, having her hide behind the guards.

“Who said Guxiang satin kills people?” A slightly cold, clear female voice, not loud, yet seemed to have great penetrating power, clearly reaching everyone’s ears.

The crowd looked forward.

They saw a young maiden who’d appeared from who knows where standing before the guards. Her dress was in shades of deep and light blue-green, especially clean. Her features were delicate and gentle, clear and lovely.

Perhaps between “Chief Minister’s daughter” and “merchant’s young miss,” the transformation in status would also carry slightly different airs. Those common people dared throw stones at Ye Jia’er, yet facing this seemingly gentle young girl, they didn’t dare speak harsh words, as if somewhat intimidated.

Perhaps on Jiang Li’s person was an air of fearlessness.

“Who are you? Guxiang satin having problems—this is something everyone knows! Look at our bodies!” That man, perhaps wanting to embarrass this kind of young girl, rolled up his sleeve in one motion to show Jiang Li the fine dense rashes.

Perhaps thinking Jiang Li would lose composure and cover her eyes, but Jiang Li only glanced indifferently at his bare arm, as if looking at a teacup, a bowl, an oil lamp—without any reaction.

“Oh.” She said lightly, then drew a short dagger from her sleeve.

The surrounding crowd was startled, involuntarily taking a step back. This young girl drew a blade without a word—could she want to kill someone? Although they kept saying the Ye family killed people, in their hearts they also knew clearly that in broad daylight, the Ye family wouldn’t kill anyone.

“Younger Cousin—” Ye Jia’er urgently wanted to dissuade her.

But then she saw Jiang Li place the dagger horizontally against her hand. With a “rip,” she cleanly and decisively cut off a piece of fabric from her sleeve.

She casually tossed the fabric toward the man who had rolled up his sleeve. The man instinctively caught it.

“Everyone might as well look—I’m also wearing Guxiang satin. But my body hasn’t developed such rashes. If you don’t believe me, any madam may come inside with me to verify.” Jiang Li said.

Ye Jia’er and Ye Rufeng were stunned. They didn’t know that what Jiang Li wore was Guxiang satin. Today they’d left in such a hurry—who would notice what Jiang Li was wearing? But when Jiang Li came to Xiangyang, Guxiang satin had already had problems. Even Lizheng Hall no longer sold Guxiang satin, so Jiang Li couldn’t have obtained even half a bolt. This must have been bought in the capital.

Jiang Li saw the common people’s expressions ease somewhat, and her heart relaxed slightly.

This garment was something she’d discovered among the luggage she’d brought to Xiangyang. Yesterday Tong’er was finding clothes for her, happened to see it, and mentioned it to Jiang Li. Jiang Li’s heart stirred—she hadn’t expected to use it so quickly.

Guxiang satin was worth quite a bit. Common people who could afford it were at least not from impoverished families, though it still wasn’t a small sum. Most bought it to give as gifts. When the gift had problems and they’d spent such a large amount of silver, these families naturally wouldn’t let it go easily.

Nothing was more persuasive than personally wearing it on one’s body. Jiang Li had once heard Xue Huaiyuan say: a blade that doesn’t cut your own body will never let you know pain. For common people, empathizing and thinking from their perspective isn’t easy, but if you want common people to believe you deeply understand their feelings, many matters can be resolved.

No one came to examine Jiang Li’s arms. Perhaps because Jiang Li’s expression was truly frank, making people unable to help believing that the arm under that cut sleeve was as white as her face.

There were also common people who didn’t believe what Jiang Li said. They picked up that half-cut sleeve to examine it carefully and finally had to nod. “It is indeed Guxiang satin.”

Jiang Li smiled. “You see, if Guxiang satin truly had problems, I surely wouldn’t wear it on my own body, seeking my own death, would I?”

“What’s impossible about that?” Someone in the crowd muttered. “What if you’re a plant the Ye family found, acting for the Ye family in exchange for silver—what does one life count for?”

Before Jiang Li could speak, Tong’er beside her exploded in anger. “Nonsense! Our young miss’s life is worth far more than silver!” However, she kept her mouth tight and didn’t reveal Jiang Li’s identity.

Xiangyang people hadn’t seen Jiang Li and didn’t know who she was. Hearing Ye Jia’er call Jiang Li “younger cousin,” they thought Jiang Li was a distant relative of the Ye family who had come to seek refuge with them.

Jiang Li said, “I indeed have no need to be the Ye family’s plant. My life might well be worth more than this entire Lizheng Hall.”

“Who exactly are you?” Someone asked mockingly. “Are you a princess?”

The mention of “princess” made Jiang Li’s expression darken slightly. Quickly, she raised the corners of her mouth, but the smile carried several traces of mockery.

“I’m not a princess. I’m the legitimate daughter of Yanjing’s Chief Minister, Chief Minister Jiang Yuanbai—Jiang the Second.” She said.

The mocking laughter in the crowd gradually vanished without a trace.

Jiang Li’s smile also became completely cold.

In the small teahouse across from Lizheng Hall, a handsome young man in red robes drank tea while turning his head to watch the show.

The scholar Lu Ji in blue robes stood opposite, watching Lizheng Hall’s current scene, frowning slightly. “I didn’t expect Second Miss Jiang would stand up for the Ye family.”

Ji Heng supported his chin with one hand and lightly waved his folding fan with the other. The fan was folded into a narrow strip, swaying carelessly like this, faintly revealing delicate gold threads.

“Tong Zhiyang’s plan won’t succeed.” He said.