With Cheng Chumo as company, his mood improved considerably. Today, Yun Ye planned to give away the new things from the Yun residence on a large scale. Many iron stoves, chimneys, and kettles had been sent from Zhaoguo Ward. There were also soft chairs that Yun Ye had made with wool following the design of sofas. Without using springs, he simply woven cow tendons for the load-bearing layer—soft and elastic, truly indispensable good things for home living. Old Cheng had said exactly this. As the Yun family’s major creditor, he naturally had to participate. Making money—who wouldn’t like that?

Yun Ye hadn’t repaid the Cheng family’s debt. Even when His Majesty Li’er bestowed ten thousand strings of cash as a reward, he didn’t mention repaying the money. What Old Cheng most appreciated about Yun Ye was precisely this point—knowing what was appropriate. The Cheng family’s debt couldn’t be repaid with money and treasure. If he repaid the money, it would mean the Yun family and Cheng family no longer owed each other anything, with implications of drawing clear boundaries. If that happened, Yun Ye wouldn’t be willing, and Old Cheng would take a knife to people. It was better to forever remain in debt. At least as long as Old Cheng was still around, this matter couldn’t be mentioned. This was the thread of affection Cheng Yaojin left for the Cheng family. In the future, if the Cheng family had difficulties, Yun Ye absolutely wouldn’t stand by and watch.

The Cheng family’s fierce and menacing household servants charged recklessly through the streets. Not a single person without eyes dared to maintain order. Liu Jinbao, with one blackened eye, had just planned to learn the Cheng family’s ways when Old Zhuang struck him on the head, and he obediently followed behind without speaking.

Very desolate—the dignified Duke Wei’s residence had so few visitors one could catch sparrows at the gate. Although he had been reported for misdeeds several times, it shouldn’t result in no one calling at the door, right? Too cautious. Even if you didn’t participate in Li’er’s great campaign of killing his brother and slaughtering his siblings, and couldn’t be called a trusted close minister, you were still an important pillar minister. Making yourself look like a wronged little daughter-in-law was too much.

After the calling card was sent in, no one responded for a long time, leaving the two brothers abandoned at the gate with no one to attend to them. Cheng Chumo’s face darkened, and Yun Ye was also unhappy. No matter how self-righteously aloof Duke Wei’s residence was, they shouldn’t leave guests outside without greeting them.

Just as the two were preparing to hand the gifts to the gatekeeper and leave, the gate opened. Li Jing’s son, Li Deyu, hurried out. Walking up to the two men, he apologized repeatedly. One doesn’t strike a smiling face, so the brothers had to restrain themselves and follow Li Deyu into Duke Wei’s residence.

Upon entering, they immediately discovered something was wrong. There was no festive atmosphere at all in the house. Servants and maids hurried about with tense expressions. Li Deyu gave a dry laugh: “Brother Cheng, Brother Yun, we were truly negligent just now. My mother is having a temper tantrum, making everything at home a mess. Please don’t laugh at us.”

Having heard that Li Jing was somewhat henpecked, Yun Ye hadn’t expected the Red Whisk Woman to be so domineering. This wasn’t the behavior of a wife or mother. Yun Ye said to Li Deyu: “Since Brother Li’s household is inconvenienced, this younger brother and Chumo won’t disturb you. Please convey our regards to both elders on our behalf.” Having said this, he was about to leave.

“Boy, where do you think you’re going?” A clear voice came, immediately followed by a cold gleam flying past Yun Ye’s face. With a “thud,” it embedded itself in the paulownia tree beside them. Yun Ye’s face turned deathly pale—it had nearly struck him in the head.

Cheng Chumo, unprepared for such a thing, flew into a rage. Pulling Yun Ye aside, he clenched his fists and was about to rush forward. Li Deyu blocked Cheng Chumo’s path with raised arms, shouting: “Mother, these are guests!”

A young woman’s figure flashed out from the reception hall, graceful and elegant, appearing only about twenty-some years old. She wore archery clothes, thin-soled quick boots on her feet, and both sleeves bound to her arms—what a spirited and valiant woman. Taking a step forward, she grabbed Li Deyu by the collar and flung him aside. Seeing it was a woman, Cheng Chumo found it improper to strike and stopped in his tracks.

“This is my mother!” Li Deyu hastily said from the side.

Yun Ye clasped his hands in salute: “This junior Yun Ye greets Madam.”

The Red Whisk Woman looked Yun Ye up and down: “So you’re that boy my old man mentioned?”

Somewhat unwilling to respond, Yun Ye truly disliked this kind of woman who made the whole family uncomfortable just because she herself was unhappy. Considering Li Jing’s dignity, he bowed and answered: “This junior doesn’t know whom Duke Wei mentioned. What connection does it have with this young one?”

“Is your master called something like Xiaoyao Zi? Has he met my second brother?” Though her son was nearly twenty years old, she still had the manner of a little girl. Add to that her discourteous speech, and it provoked disgust.

“This junior doesn’t recognize the Xiaoyao Zi Madam speaks of, much less know your second brother. We’ve disturbed Madam—we’ll take our leave now.” Having said this, he pulled Cheng Chumo toward the door.

The Red Whisk Woman turned her body to block the doorway: “You little brat, don’t think you can leave through this door without telling me my second brother’s whereabouts.”

Yun Ye’s face was iron-blue. He asked Li Deyu: “I don’t know what instruction Brother Li has. Today, we two brothers came according to propriety to offer New Year’s congratulations, yet we don’t know what error we committed to suffer such humiliation?”

Li Deyu was clearly caught in a difficult position. He could only pull Yun Ye aside and say in a low voice: “Brother Yun, please don’t take offense. My mother suffers from a strange ailment. Normally she’s fine, but once the illness strikes, she thinks she’s a fifteen-year-old girl. She always says big gray wolves are biting her, and snakes are licking her feet. She hasn’t slept for three days already. Where is there half a trace of her usual dignified and proper manner? It’s giving my father a terrible headache. Father has already gone to invite Daoist Sun to come treat her. Please, Brother Yun, bear with it for now.”

So she was a mental patient. Yun Ye finally understood the mystery of the historical legend that the Red Whisk Woman remained youthfully vibrant even at eighty years old. Essentially, she was a stubborn schizophrenic. Not cured even at eighty—who knew what kind of trauma she suffered in her girlhood that caused her to strongly suggest to herself not to recall that period. This suppression taken to the extreme would form a second personality, forever frozen at fifteen years old. Once her emotions calmed, she would return to normal but wouldn’t remember what she had done during her episodes. She didn’t even understand why she became this way.

Having found an excuse to forgive the Red Whisk Woman, Yun Ye took the opportunity to step down gracefully. “Oh, so that’s how it is. This younger brother didn’t know and offended Auntie. I hope she won’t take offense.”

“What are you two whispering about? Boy, you still haven’t answered my question.” The Red Whisk Woman pouted cutely. Li Deyu’s face flushed bright red.

“We were saying a big gray wolf is coming. Why aren’t you running? Are you waiting for the wolf to eat you?” Yun Ye said with complete seriousness.

Li Deyu looked at Yun Ye angrily and was about to ask them both to leave. But then Cheng Chumo shook his head at him, pulling him aside and saying: “Don’t disturb them. Little Ye is treating Auntie’s illness.” Li Deyu was half-believing, half-doubting, but stood to the side without moving, anxiously watching his own mother.

“Where? Where? Where’s the gray wolf?” Sure enough, the Red Whisk Woman shrank into the corner, staring with wide eyes and looking all around.

“The gray wolf is right beside you. Look, it’s licking you with its tongue—drool is dripping down. Oh no, here comes a snake—it’s crawled onto your foot.” Yun Ye spoke vividly. The Red Whisk Woman let out a wretched scream and jumped onto the screen wall. Yun Ye had no idea how she managed to jump up there—he watched with wide eyes but completely failed to notice.

Li Deyu was so angry he nearly exploded. His whole body’s muscles tensed tightly, fists clenched, about to confront Yun Ye. A pair of large hands pressed on his shoulders, preventing him from moving. Turning his head, he discovered it was his own father, with a black-bearded old Daoist standing nearby. That old Daoist watched with great interest as Yun Ye frightened the Red Whisk Woman.

“I’m a big rooster that can fly—the wolf can’t bite me, and the snake can’t bite me either.” Standing on the wall top, the Red Whisk Woman was triumphant.

“The snake crawled up the wall—it’s sticking out its tongue and about to reach your foot.” Yun Ye continued frightening the Red Whisk Woman.

“Then what should I do? I forgot snakes can climb walls.” Yun Ye finally witnessed what true terror looked like on her face. After struggling for a long time, Yun Ye finally pulled the precious sword embedded in the paulownia tree and threw it to the Red Whisk Woman: “Quick, chop it! The snake is at the corner of the wall.” While the Red Whisk Woman desperately hacked at the bricks, he said to Li Deyu: “Get some red pigment and mix it with water to look like blood. Quick!” Li Deyu ran off immediately. Li Jing’s face remained unchanged as he watched the frenzied Red Whisk Woman, his eyes full of tenderness.

Yun Ye splashed the red pigment on the wall and poured some on himself, shouting loudly: “Aiya! You chopped the snake to death—blood is flowing everywhere. Why did you splash blood on me? The big gray wolf also ran away. You’re really amazing!”

The Red Whisk Woman giggled delightfully while chopping bricks, saying: “Who told you to stand there? Serves you right to get covered in blood. I’ll chop you to death, you damned beast, for licking my feet and making me afraid to sleep.”

“You chopped the snake to death, but you have to compensate me for my clothes. You splashed blood all over me—you have to compensate me for my clothes. Come down quickly.” Yun Ye jumped and shouted on the ground.

The Red Whisk Woman jumped down from the screen wall, looking at Yun Ye: “Oh my! I really got blood all over you. I’ll have my husband compensate you. I’m so tired!” Having said this, she let out a long yawn, and her body softly began to sink toward the ground. Li Jing reached out and caught her. There was no movement. He checked her breathing and discovered the Red Whisk Woman had already fallen asleep.