Facts proved that Yun Ye was overthinking. Yao Silian came to Yushan with only one thought—to have the “Book of Liang” and “Book of Chen” printed into books. The “Book of Liang” had fifty-six volumes, the “Book of Chen” had forty-two volumes. The word count actually wasn’t much for either. Plus, the old gentleman very much liked to be meticulous with words—not a single superfluous character. So in Yun Ye’s view, they were just two thin little booklets.
“Marquis Yun, as you know, this old man has only known how to read books all his life, not how to accumulate family wealth. My family’s property is just a few rooms full of books. Now, these two manuscripts, the ‘Book of Liang’ and ‘Book of Chen,’ have been completed, but unfortunately they’ve never been published. Now I’ve heard that the Academy’s book printing efficiency is extremely high. This old man really can’t wait to see these two manuscripts published. I ask Marquis Yun to help me.”
After the old man finished speaking, he pushed over a bundle. When Yun Ye opened it, he discovered inside were two thick stacks of manuscripts—precisely the two books of Liang and Chen. On top of the manuscripts was also a promissory note from a bank. Looking at the amount, it was only fifty silver coins. Yun Ye immediately didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. The old gentleman had made a mistake—he thought the Academy charged money to print books, not knowing that the Academy printing his books would actually pay him money.
Yun Ye took down the promissory note and set it aside, then called over a servant and ordered him to find the manager of the printing workshop. Those people were the experts in printing books—they knew how many copies these two books should be printed and how much money should be paid to Yao Silian. All this could be done following established regulations.
Before long, the manager came. First he asked about the old gentleman’s name, then carefully examined the manuscripts, estimating the word count of the full books. Finally he cupped his hands and said: “Mister Yao, how about one hundred eighty silver coins total for these two books? We’ll print one thousand copies of each, so two thousand copies total. Does that work for you?”
“One thousand copies each?” Yao Silian’s eyes nearly bulged out. He had never imagined his manuscripts could actually be printed in one thousand copies. Good heavens, that was a whole oxcart full of books! But thinking of one hundred eighty silver coins, he gritted his teeth and said: “No problem. This old man will go raise the silver coins right away. You start printing. This price is very fair.”
The manager looked at Yao Silian in surprise for a long time before saying: “Mister Yao, you don’t need to give us money—we need to give you one hundred eighty silver coins.”
“You’re giving me money?” Yao Silian, who had just stood up, sat back down in the chair. Since ancient times, it had always been writers giving money to printers. He had never known that now it had reversed—printers were giving money to writers. He looked at Yun Ye with confusion and said: “Marquis Yun, there’s no need to do this. Although this old man isn’t wealthy, a mere hundred-some silver coins is still manageable.”
“Mister Jianzhi doesn’t know—it really is the print shop giving you money, not you giving them. Think about it—the manuscripts you worked so hard to write, how could you let them take them for free to make money? They’re using your achievements, so they need to pay you. If they want to reprint later, they’ll still need to continue paying you. Rest assured, it’s not Yun Ye playing tricks here. Li Gang, Yuanzhang, Mister Xiao Yu—when they print books, the workshops pay them money. It’s not just you!”
“How can this be proper? Literary works are matters of a thousand ages. For this old man to take them and sell for money is very improper. You print as many as you want—no need to give this old man money.”
“‘Want Death Face,’ why do you still have this stinking behavior even now? ‘For three years a doctor, yet never seen practicing medicine. In warm winter, children cry of cold; in abundant years, wife weeps from hunger. Head bald, teeth fallen—what use is death? Not considering this, instead teaching others?'”
Hearing the newcomer showing off literary knowledge gave Yun Ye a headache. Yao Silian didn’t seem to take offense but laughed heartily and said: “You are not a fish—how do you know the joy of fish?” After speaking, he was about to rise and leave, but the person outside walked in and grabbed Yao Silian to drag him away. Yao Silian struggled twice but couldn’t break free, so could only let it be.
“Boy Yun, ‘Want Death Face’s’ books must be printed well. The old fellow is self-disciplined, but his scholarship is absolutely top choice. Printing two thousand copies, you absolutely won’t lose money. Remember to put away the manuscript—the library needs to collect it. Print overnight tonight, and tomorrow print a hundred or so copies for him to take away. If extra expenses are needed, just deduct them from my salary.”
Hearing Mister Yuanzhang’s voice coming from far away, Yun Ye smiled and said to the manager: “You heard that. Then do it that way. First print out one hundred copies, bind them properly, and send them to Mister Yuanzhang’s place. It looks like Mister Yao won’t be going home tonight.” The manager smiled in agreement and withdrew holding the manuscripts.
He didn’t know if Yuanzhang could keep Yao Silian at the Academy to teach, but it seemed Mister Yuanzhang hadn’t planned to let Yao Silian go. “In warm winter, children cry of cold; in abundant years, wife weeps from hunger”—from these two lines, Yao Silian was probably a true bookworm. His family circumstances must not be good. He didn’t know what Li Er was thinking—such a great Confucian scholar carelessly abandoned. What a pity.
Taking the two children to play at the Academy for a long time before returning home, he saw Old Qian arranging for the gatekeepers to clean the entrance. He casually asked: “Old Qian, it’s not dirty here—why clean it again? I see you’ve even re-scrubbed the stone slabs. What’s this about?”
“My lord, bad luck! Earlier a donkey got startled and dragged its cart racing wildly through the marketplace. If not for our household guard chopping off the donkey’s head with one slash, who knows how many people would have been injured. The ground is all covered with the donkey’s blood—we have to wash it.”
Yun Ye felt very strange, yet didn’t know what was wrong. Just as he was about to enter the gate, he heard Wang Cai wearing his muzzle begin barking loudly, charging at the stone lions at the gate, ready to pounce. Not only was the dog Wang Cai barking loudly, but the horse Wang Cai also raised his front hooves, continuously neighing loudly. Yun Ye held the horse Wang Cai while Yun Mu also held the dog Wang Cai. Both Wang Cais kept backing away. The dog Wang Cai even shook off his muzzle and dragged Yun Mu by her clothes into the residence.
Yun Ye’s eyes darted around. This time he could see clearly—whether it was the dog Wang Cai or the horse Wang Cai, both were very frightened of the two stone lions in front of the residence gate. From the dog Wang Cai’s reaction just now, this Tibetan mastiff was very intelligent, completely different from other stupid dogs. Would such a dog bite people for no reason?
Steward Qian held Yun Baobao, who was sitting in the carriage, in his arms. He also looked around with uncertainty, wrapping Yun Baobao with his own body and slowly retreating back into the residence.
Wang Cai pawed the ground and refused to enter the residence gate. Yun Ye’s heart stirred. He ordered guards whose swords had already been drawn to go back into the residence to fetch a bottle of perfume and a cloth. They quickly brought them over. Yun Ye opened the perfume, poured it on the cloth handkerchief, and covered Wang Cai’s nose with it. Wang Cai instantly quieted down. Yun Ye’s face was gloomy as water. He led Wang Cai into the house gate and handed him to the groom, then extracted Yun Mu from the dog’s mouth and handed her to Na Rimu who had rushed over upon hearing the commotion. He ordered them to go inside and stay with Xinyue, not allowed to come out. Old Jiang appeared on the roof ridge holding a powerful crossbow. The Yun family guards instantly made preparations.
Yun Ye then led out the household’s local dog. It had just reached the gate when the local dog collapsed with weak legs, both urine and feces flowing. Its front legs went soft and it pressed itself to the ground, burying its head, not daring to move.
Confirmed—it was the stone lion on the left. Just as he was about to go out, Old Qian firmly stopped him. The guard closest to the gate gritted his teeth and rushed out, holding his blade and slowly approaching the stone lion. No matter how he observed, he couldn’t discover anything wrong with this imperially bestowed stone lion. He looked back at Yun Ye with confusion.
“Old Qian, wash that stone lion thoroughly several times with lime water. Use brushes to scrub it. That stone lion was doused with the urine of fierce beasts, which is why the dog and horse were startled.”
After hearing Yun Ye’s words, Old Qian’s heart finally settled. He had just walked two steps when he suddenly turned back and said: “My lord, that family bitten by the dog must have a problem. This old servant will immediately send people to investigate.”
“Don’t rush. Take people from the authorities along. If it’s just our household’s people, we might not be able to explain things clearly later. If I’m not mistaken, that family is already dead. Don’t move the stone lion either. That person called Tao Sibao is too suspicious. Liu Jinbao, take my waist token and find He Tianshang. Tell him there’s a truly major case for him to take over.”
In a flash of lightning and spark of flint, Yun Ye had considered the entire cause and effect. Those damned divine men had come to the door again. Han Zhe’s household used dead people as welcome gifts, but this bastard was doing this routine—how wickedly satisfying.
First attacking the Yun family’s reputation, smearing something—probably fox urine—on Tao Sibao’s body to provoke the dog Wang Cai into biting. Knowing the Yun family wouldn’t stand by and watch, they would compensate. Then at night they killed Tao Sibao. After the Yun family compensated again, they killed the entire family. A very small matter, after just two nights, had become a case of family extermination. Li Shentong’s second son’s precedent was not far off. When the time came, the Yun family wouldn’t be able to explain even with eight mouths. Years of accumulated reputation would be destroyed in one stroke.
The reason Yun Ye had shown mercy to Han Zhe was because they still had bottom lines in their actions. Overly proud people would never lower their standards. This fellow who appeared this time must be a very sinister person. Yun Ye had never had a good impression of such people. Using such base and underhanded methods—truly seeking their own death.
Fortunately, this time they wanted to bring panic to the Yun family and did something superfluous, which was discovered by the Wang Cais. If Yun Ye hadn’t discovered the conspiracy, he might have been exploited by the enemy.
Returning to the study, he swiftly wrote a line of scrawled large characters that read: “No matter who you are, you’re dead.” He ordered guards to post this paper outside, right on the stone lion. The thieves definitely hadn’t gone far—perhaps they were mixed in the marketplace. Yun Ye stood at the residence gate and viciously glanced at the marketplace before going back. The Yun family had no way to seal off the marketplace—they could only find another opportunity to find them.
A small dwarf helped a decrepit old woman slowly walk out of the marketplace. Turning around the foot of the mountain and seeing no one around, the old woman with hunched body straightened up, casually wiped her face with a wet cloth a few times, removed her headpiece, and immediately became a young woman in her prime.
“Husband, this Yun Ye is no simple matter. He broke your Beast King Liquid ahead of time. I was planning to let his household panic for a few more days, but it looks like that won’t work now.”
“Han Zhe failed and is now suffering at Hanwu. I originally didn’t want to meddle, but you just had to show off. Now we’ve been targeted by Yun Ye. We’re all divine men—we’re from the Lower Five Gates, and Yun Ye could show mercy to Han Zhe, which means this fellow is also an Upper Immortal. Us provoking Yun Ye is not a good thing.”