Hou Junji tore off another chicken leg, rinsed it in his mouth, then pulled it out—only a bone remained. He tossed the bone onto the table and looked at the three young men, saying, “Boys, that’s the right way to answer. It’s best to answer the same way before His Majesty. This is called ‘better to be known than to be seen.’ What’s the big deal about slaughtering a few scoundrels with evil records? If they’re killed, they’re killed. Sons of military families will have to kill people in the future anyway. Those bastards who harm young children—if this old man encountered them, he’d have them torn apart by five horses too.”
“Boy Yun, how did you turn such a major incident into a gang brawl? Kid, if you want to settle matters, don’t personally step forward. Just find someone random to leak some information to them—that would be enough. You’re a marquis now, don’t you know to avoid suspicion?”
Hou Junji still didn’t get it. Yun Ye sighed inwardly. If it were Li Jing or Cheng Yaojin, they would have already seen why Yun Ye had to step forward personally. Only Hou Junji still superficially believed one should hide in the shadows and use underhanded tactics.
His later rebellion was probably related to this mentality of always wanting to take advantage without suffering losses. No one in this world had ever succeeded casually—you couldn’t do it without paying a price. Yun Ye put himself in the forefront for three reasons: first, to ensure the matter’s success rate and confirm he could suppress the affair; second, to show everyone, including Wei Shou and Du Yan, that even Yun Ye, a marquis, deeply hated these evildoers, so they as local officials should all the more share this righteous indignation; third, if one day the truth came out and an investigation occurred, the matter would be simple and clear—no excessive scheming, just a brainless youth wholeheartedly helping a friend out of trouble, making forgiveness easier. If things got complicated, Li Er’s heart would inevitably harbor doubts, and that would be truly terrifying. Hou Junji’s wisdom was sufficient, but his emotional intelligence was too low.
If Li Er asked about it, given his calculating nature, he wouldn’t ask without being certain. Once he did ask, it meant he already had sufficient evidence. In that case, lying again would completely expose one’s weakness before him. So, as long as Li Er asked, Yun Ye would confess honestly without even stammering. Only this way could he escape disaster.
Thinking about history, Hou Junji’s rebellion conspiracy had been exposed long ago. Li Er asked him twice, and he never admitted it. So after the matter completely erupted, the last bit of affection between them was exhausted, and death inevitably came.
“This old man has ruled Luoyang with an iron fist for three years now. What demons and monsters exist in Luoyang—how could this old man not know? Boys, this incident happened precisely the day before you arrived. If this old man doesn’t suspect you, who should he suspect? Each of your households is a place where dragons and tigers hide. Having one or two expert fighters is nothing unusual. Although he used his hair to shield his face so people couldn’t see clearly, as long as we investigate the expert fighters over thirty years old in your households, the truth will surely come to light.”
“However, Prefect Liu has already characterized this matter as a gang brawl, so let it be a brawl then. This matter ends here. If any more waves arise, this old man will tie you three up and send you to your Chang’an residences to ask how your elders taught you.”
Seeing the three juniors trembling as they listened to his lecture without speaking out of turn, Hou Junji nodded with satisfaction. His tone also became gentler: “Little Ye, you’re from Yushan Academy. When you leave, take Jie’er with you and have him study properly under Master Yushan to improve himself. You several should encourage and help each other, live properly as decent people, and stop this daily nonsense of parading horses through entertainment districts. You’re going to the Shaolin Temple to offer incense? A temple with warrior monks who eat meat all day—would it have spiritual essence? Nonsense.”
He seemed to live in anger every day, and others needed to bear his fury. When he spoke just now, Yun Ye noticed Hou Jie’s legs were trembling, showing how domineering he was at home.
Hou Junji said to Cheng Chumo again, “That Western Regions white crystal your father asked me to find last time—I’ve accumulated some. Take it when you leave. Jianhu’s foot has an old injury. This old man had someone prepare some tiger bone ointment. It’s very beneficial for the body. Use more of it, take care of your health, and give more descendants to the Old Niu family. Always being a single lineage and still not peaceful—it makes people worry.”
The two hastily expressed their thanks. Hou Junji patted their shoulders, showing some affection, then said to Yun Ye, “Since you’re here, stay a few more days and keep your auntie company. Your sister Lian’er is about to be married, and she’s feeling uncomfortable. Comfort her more. This old man is used to being harsh and can’t speak soft words.”
With a sigh, Old Hou walked out. Outside the door came the sound of ordering horses to be prepared. A servant loudly acknowledged the command, then everything fell silent.
The four people in the room looked at each other, then suddenly burst into cheerful laughter. Old Hou’s aura just now had been truly oppressive. The killing intent cultivated over many years had almost become tangible. Just one glance at Yun Ye, and he felt like he’d been stung by a hornet.
Cheng Chumo opened the gifts and pulled out a mahjong set. He dragged Niu Jianhu to the rear courtyard to play mahjong with Madam Hou. He knew Yun Ye had some matters to arrange, so he didn’t include him.
Returning to his lodgings, Yun Ye began examining the environment. This four-courtyard residence was located on Yuquan Street—an important commercial hub for the Yun Family. His family’s goods were transported to various parts of the country from here. Qian Tong’s eldest son was already nineteen years old and had been sent here to learn how to be a qualified manager. If he had aptitude, he would replace the original manager and become the decision-maker here.
Xinyue was currently召集ing the managers for a meeting. This had become routine in the Yun Family—women managed the family business while men didn’t interfere. Of course, this was also because the Yun Family only had one man.
Standing under the pomegranate tree, listening to Xinyue speak inside, her voice was clear and cold, imposing authority. The young mistress held her airs fully, probably following Old Hou’s approach—first beat them down, then give them a sweet reward. Too lazy to listen—Old Qian and the Yun Family’s chief accountant Old Huo could flip through the account books eight times a day. Combined with the Yun Family’s new double-entry bookkeeping method where debits and credits must match, the possibility of embezzlement was very small.
Besides, it wasn’t worth it. As long as these managers worked diligently for twenty years, they would become retainers of the Yun Family. Their children and grandchildren would always work within the Yun Family’s business circle. If any of their descendants were capable, the Marquis would send them to study at Yushan Academy. In the future, obtaining an official position would be easy. For this alone, they’d be willing to work for free at the Yun Family for twenty years.
It was all for their small families. To leap from merchant to official family in one bound—this was what all merchants dreamed of. “Once you enter commerce, all is lost”—this wasn’t a joke but the tearful cry of Great Tang’s merchants.
Yun Ye gently touched a green pomegranate fruit. The pomegranates had already grown to the size of an infant’s fist. The crown flowers on top hadn’t yet fallen off, hanging there dried and withered, clinging stubbornly.
Yun Ye loved eating pomegranates most. Every year, Grandmother would always select the largest and best pomegranates for Yun Ye. He only needed to use a small knife to remove the flower crown on top, then cut small openings along the white membrane parts, and the pomegranate would open by itself like blooming petals. Sometimes Yun Ye just enjoyed cutting pomegranates without eating them. In the end, Wang Cai, who often refused to leave Yun Ye’s room, would benefit.
Yun Ye was waiting for Dan Ying to return. Even before Dan Ying entered the city to kill Dragon Three, one of the Yun Family’s stewards had already set out first. He needed to investigate exactly how many households in Luoyang had become widows and orphans because of the Dan Xiongxin incident.
Today’s steward’s report made his heart completely cold—over four hundred people. This number was more than ten times larger than the Yun Family. They had all become the dregs of Luoyang society. Back then, Dan Xiongxin had committed sins far too great. Dan Ying would never be able to repay this debt in his lifetime.
Sure enough, the usually brave and invincible Dan Ying returned with his head hanging low. The youth’s heart must have been severely wounded. Even if he’d been born as a bandit, he would surely be deeply shaken at this moment.
“Yun Ye, it might take me a very long time to repay the money I owe you. I only hope you can still lend me two thousand strings of cash. I need it urgently. In the future, if you have any requests, I definitely won’t say a second word.”
Making the proud Dan Ying lower his head was harder than killing him. These words must have been spoken after considerable struggle.
“Little Ying, I’m very happy you’re willing to ask me to borrow money. It shows you consider me a brother. Two thousand strings of cash is no problem—you can take it anytime. But will you always support them this way? It will drag you down to death.”
“Then what should I do? I only know how to slaughter pigs or slaughter people. Do you know? A full four hundred-plus mouths! I don’t have the ability to fill all their mouths. I can only take it one step at a time.”
Dan Ying’s eyes turned red. What martial heroes valued was avenging grievances and settling scores. Losing one’s head was just a bowl-sized scar. Now he discovered that dying was an easy thing—filling over four hundred hungry, crying mouths was the most difficult thing in the mortal world.
The eagle hadn’t yet spread its wings but was already firmly tethered to the ground by thick iron chains.
“The Yun Family plans to open a match workshop in Luoyang. We need many women and children to make match sticks and paste small paper boxes. Although they won’t become wealthy households, having enough to eat and warm clothes to wear won’t be a problem. Little Ying, what do you think?”
To let these women and children have enough to eat and wear, they could only rely on their own self-reliance. Yun Ye decided to manufacture matches so the women and children would have a way to survive.
The match wasn’t Yun Ye’s invention either. Early on when Northern Qi was defeated, in a situation where even fire sources were problematic, the palace maids there used yellow phosphorus and sulfur to create the world’s first match. It was described in Northern Qi’s “Records of Lu Yi,” though the account was vague. Yun Ye hadn’t paid attention to it. Who would have thought that a student named Ji Yuning, courtesy name Muchen, would actually tinker out matches.
When he excitedly ran to Yun Ye and struck the match he’d made, Yun Ye was nearly knocked out by the yellow phosphorus fumes. After pressing him on the table and giving him a good beating, Yun Ye told him that if he could separate the sulfur and yellow phosphorus while the match could still ignite, the Academy would buy his invention for two hundred strings of cash.
Facts proved that human potential was limitless. Ji Yuning, at the cost of getting nosebleeds from yellow phosphorus fumes, successfully created the first safety match. He abandoned the yellow phosphorus that gave him nosebleeds and replaced it with red phosphorus. Then he ground and mixed sulfur with phosphorus, stuck it on a wooden stick with wax, and when he struck it on paper coated with red phosphorus, flames would emerge.
Looking at the completely oblivious Dan Ying, Yun Ye pulled out a small wooden box from his bosom, took out a match, and gently struck it on the box. A bright flame danced on the wooden stick.