Lady of Fortune, Jiao Niang

Chapter 57

The Cai family's downfall was somewhat sudden.

They had risen to prominence 20 years ago, monopolizing most of the town's wine business with their honey-sweet fine liquor, becoming wealthy almost overnight.

No one knew where their renowned liquor recipe that could be smelled from ten li away actually came from, but ordinary people didn't pay much attention to which family's wine the town's wine shops sold. The Cai family quickly took root.

Over the years, various small wine shops in town would sporadically try to get a piece of the action, but all failed without exception.

Either someone would have their legs broken today, or their walls pushed down tomorrow. In any case, they couldn't continue operating.

Until Qi Yun's wine shop arrived, the Cai family had monopolized the town's business.

This incident arose because someone spread rumors that the Cai family's rice wine recipe was stolen from someone else.

This was different from stealing money or goods. Recipe formulas were people's means of livelihood, and forcibly taking them as one's own was very taboo. Subsequently, people frequently went to the yamen to file complaints, precisely those merchants who had been dealt with by the Cai family before all ran to file complaints.

Nowadays, filing complaints wasn't something you could do casually. If you were found to have filed false accusations, you would face counter-punishment.

If only one person accused the Cai family of bullying the market, the yamen wouldn't pay much attention, but this time it involved over ten households, so the yamen had to open a case.

Coincidentally at this juncture, a concubine in the Cai family's back residence couldn't bear the humiliation and fled overnight. When she was caught and brought back as an escaped slave, the concubine cried to heaven and earth saying her son had died unjustly, directly exposing the ugly affairs of the Cai family's back residence.

That very night, the Sun family money house encouraged the Cai family's accountant to expose the Cai family for hiding taxes and failing to pay large amounts of tax silver, providing receipts as evidence, which became the last straw that broke the camel's back.

In an instant, Master Cai was thrown into prison, the women of the back residence were also arrested for involvement in murder, servants scattered in all directions. After just one night, the Cai family members who had been showing off their power yesterday suddenly disappeared without a trace.

But no one connected these events to the Qi family.

Those who filed complaints were merchants who had been bullied before. Those who exposed them were people from the Sun family who had grudges against the Cai family. As for the back residence affairs, they had killed innocent children themselves, yet still wanted to pretend nothing had happened? Which family could kill people without paying with their lives?

The only thing related to the Qi family was that Cai Twelve was jealous of Third Young Master Qi and pushed him down the mountain slope.

But Third Young Master Qi was the victim, quite pitiful. Not dying was considered lucky. Anyone who heard about it would sigh that the Qi family had escaped a disaster. Everything else had nothing to do with them.

Ye Jiao found the stories she heard along the way quite fascinating. Often these street corner tales inevitably had embellishments added, but they were particularly interesting when told.

Especially last night's scene of the yamen sealing up the Cai family wine shop overnight was described as particularly thrilling. Ye Jiao even had the carriage stop to wait for the people in the tea shop to finish talking before continuing on.

When she arrived at the medicine shop, her face still showed a smile.

Seeing this, Dong Shi first reached out to help her down, then asked somewhat curiously: "Jiao Niang, did you encounter something joyful?"

Ye Jiao remembered Qi Yun's earlier instructions and didn't reveal anything, instead smiling: "I heard people chatting outside while sitting in the carriage. It was like listening to stories, very interesting."

Dong Shi thought she had heard some joke and also smiled: "If you like listening to stories, when the weather warms up in a few days, I'll take you to the tea house to listen to storytelling. A new female storyteller arrived recently, and she tells stories extremely well."

"What book? Could you give me..."

Dong Shi's face turned red and she quickly cut off her words: "How could that book possibly be told publicly?"

Ye Jiao also nodded: "That's right, it doesn't have many words anyway, so there's not much to tell."

Dong Shi: ...That actually makes sense.

But just as they were linking arms to enter, not far away, someone was sitting at a tea stall watching her from afar.

It was Second Brother Ye, who had been wandering around town for several days.

Second Brother Ye hadn't seen his little sister for a long time. Since Ye Jiao's last return home visit, Second Brother Ye hadn't seen her.

It wasn't that Ye Jiao was deliberately avoiding him, but rather that Second Brother Ye was intentionally avoiding Ye Jiao.

Actually, he knew about the Qi family opening wine and medicine shops in town, and he also knew they would go to the shops on opening days.

But each time, Second Brother Ye avoided them.

Because during openings, the Qi family would scatter some copper coins, and many villagers would gather to watch the excitement and come back with elaborate descriptions of how grand the scene was and how handsome Second Young Master Qi was. Second Brother Ye heard it all.

But no matter how much others said, he only listened and thought about it in his head. He absolutely didn't dare go acknowledge his in-laws, yet he still enjoyed listening.

When others talked about Second Young Master Qi's good life, Second Brother Ye felt happy listening, as if this could convince himself that marrying off Ye Jiao was for her to enjoy good fortune. But he didn't dare actually go see Ye Jiao, afraid that his little sister's coldness would shatter the fantasies in his head.

But this time, Second Brother Ye truly had no choice.

A few days ago, Ye Ping Rong had come to his house. Others might not recognize Ye Ping Rong, whose appearance had greatly changed, but Second Brother Ye, who had grown up with him, recognized him at first glance.

But before he could feel happy, Ye Ping Rong threw a document for him to sign and left without saying anything else.

Second Brother Ye and his wife didn't know many characters. Apart from their own names, they didn't recognize many other words.

But Ye Bao knew quite a few. Although he hadn't studied diligently at school, Ye Bao was afraid of pain and, to avoid being hit on the hands by the teacher, had managed to memorize the "Three Character Classic."

After Ye Bao stammered through reading this document and they roughly understood its meaning, Second Brother Ye became anxious and hurriedly wanted to come out and explain things clearly to his big brother.

But when Ye Ping Rong returned, he only said to sign the document and send it to the yamen, not mentioning anything else.

Second Brother Ye neither knew what Ye Ping Rong did for work nor where he currently lived. He could only wander around the area, hoping to find his big brother.

Today he hadn't found Ye Ping Rong, but instead saw Ye Jiao.

This made Second Brother Ye's eyes light up, thinking that his little sister was the most soft-hearted. Even though his wife had been domineering before, Ye Jiao had endured it all for his sake. They were still family.

Now if he begged his little sister to persuade big brother, surely he could make big brother change his mind.

As for the fact that he had harmed Ye Jiao, Second Brother Ye couldn't remember it at all.

He had spent years telling himself lies, originally intending to ease his conscience, but who knew that after telling these lies so much, he gradually believed them himself.

Second Brother Ye saw Ye Jiao enter the medicine shop and hurriedly stood up from the tea stall, but quickly sat back down.

He was tongue-tied and needed to prepare what he wanted to say.

But Second Brother Ye didn't notice that someone had been watching him from not far away.

Liu Rong following Second Brother Ye wasn't Ye Ping Rong's arrangement, but Meng's instruction.

Princess Consort Duan had roughly understood the grudges between the Ye family brothers and guessed that Second Brother Ye wouldn't agree after learning that Ye Ping Rong wanted to divide the family. So she had Liu Rong follow Second Brother Ye to prevent him from causing a big scene.

If Ye Ping Rong and Prince Duan behind him were exposed, things would become difficult to handle.

Now seeing Second Brother Ye targeting their commander's precious sister, Liu Rong became more vigilant. He called over his subordinates and said in a low voice: "Go tell the commander about the situation here."

"Should I tell the princess consort?"

"Tell the commander first. If the commander doesn't come, then tell the princess consort. Go."

"Yes."

After giving instructions, Liu Rong looked up again, only to find that Second Brother Ye, whom he had been watching, was gone.

He hurriedly looked ahead and indeed saw that Second Brother Ye had already entered the medicine shop.

In the back hall of the medicine shop, Ye Jiao was looking at a box of flower ornaments that Dong Shi had recently acquired.

"These flower ornaments are also called eyebrow decorations. Most are applied between the eyebrows. These are made from tea oil flower cakes, and there are also ones made with gold foil, but the gold foil ones require special fish bladder glue to apply, which is slightly troublesome." Dong Shi explained while taking out several flower ornaments for Ye Jiao to see.

Ye Jiao took them to look, finding the colors beautiful and the patterns much more complex than those she kept at home.

Dong Shi had brought out her flower ornament box specifically because she saw Ye Jiao wearing one today. She rolled up her sleeves and gently touched Ye Jiao's forehead, smiling: "Why don't I apply one for you to try?"

Little Ginseng nodded obediently and sat there waiting for Dong Shi to apply it for her.

But before Dong Shi could start, they heard someone come in from outside saying: "Madam, there's a man surnamed Ye outside who says he wants to see Second Young Mistress. When asked what it's about, he won't say, only that he has business with Second Young Mistress."

Hearing this surname, Dong Shi instinctively looked at Ye Jiao.

Ye Jiao thought it was Ye Ping Rong and said to Dong Shi: "It might be my big brother. I'll go take a look. Spring Orchid, wait here for me."

But Dong Shi also stood up: "I'll go with you."

She knew how much the master's second Young Master cared about Ye Jiao. Regardless of who that person was, Dong Shi had to go with Ye Jiao. If something happened to Jiao Niang at their shop, forget about expanding the medicine shop in the future, Second Young Master might flatten this place.

Ye Jiao didn't refuse and went to the front hall with Dong Shi.

As soon as she entered, Ye Jiao stopped in her tracks and looked at the person with some surprise: "Why is it you?"

Seeing Ye Jiao, Second Brother Ye immediately smiled and wanted to go talk to her, but he didn't dare get too close. He said quietly: "Well, Jiao Niang, I... it's been a long time since we've seen each other. I came to see how you're doing."

Ye Jiao's eyes were particularly bright, but they didn't show much intimacy, though there was no annoyance either. Her voice was as gentle as always: "Second Brother, I'm doing well."

At these words, Dong Shi frowned.

Ye Jiao's natal family affairs weren't a secret, especially after Qi Yun's business grew large. The fortune-bringing marriage had become gossip among many back residence women.

But unlike the previous mockery, now when others mentioned Ye Jiao, they spoke with envy.

She was blessed, able to turn bad things into good. A marriage that seemed like rock bottom to others had become a good match. Qi Yun of the Qi family, who used to be constantly ill, had now become someone everyone envied. No one knew who had benefited from whose fortune.

But regarding Second Brother Ye, few didn't despise him.

As fellow women, marriage was a major life event, like a rebirth. Ye Jiao's good life was her blessing, but how could natal family members be so heartless as to trade her for silver coins? How could women not be disgusted by this?

Probably Second Brother Ye himself didn't know that these ladies had embellished his story when telling their husbands, and Second Brother Ye's reputation had long been ruined. How could he succeed in business?

Now, hearing Ye Jiao's form of address, Dong Shi knew this village man was Second Brother Ye.

She couldn't speak out now, as this was Ye Jiao's natal family member, and Dong Shi, who just worked for the Qi family shops, couldn't make decisions for the master.

But Dong Shi was shrewd. Her eyes darted and she had an idea.

She stepped back a few paces, pretending to get the teapot, slightly turned her head, used her handkerchief to cover her mouth, and said quietly to a shop assistant: "I heard the master's second Young Master went to the wine shop to check accounts today. Go tell Second Young Master right now that Second Young Mistress's natal family member has come, and have him come over quickly."

The young assistant immediately ran out to report. Dong Shi put down her handkerchief and walked back to Ye Jiao's side, calm and composed as if nothing had happened, smiling: "Jiao Niang, don't keep standing. Sit down." Then she looked at Second Brother Ye, also with an extremely polite smile: "You sit too."

Little Ginseng also felt tired from standing. She had been getting tired easily lately. Hearing this, she found a chair to sit in. But Second Brother Ye couldn't sit still. He was anxious inside, feeling days of restlessness stuck in his chest. How could he settle down?

Seeing that Ye Jiao hadn't driven him out, Second Brother Ye felt there was hope. He stepped forward two paces and said: "Little sister, I came today because I have something I want to ask of you."

Ye Jiao was holding a teacup with both hands to warm them. Hearing this, she looked at him: "What is it?"

Seeing her ask, Second Brother Ye couldn't care whether there were outsiders present. He said directly: "Well, big brother came back recently. He found me and said he wanted to take me to the yamen to sign documents, saying he wanted to separate and live apart."

At these words, Dong Shi cheered for that Brother Ye in her heart.

But Ye Jiao's reaction was somewhat different.

She showed neither surprise nor sympathy for Second Brother Ye, just looked at him calmly: "I've read the legal codes. After parents die, you're actually already considered to have divided the family by default. It's just that big brother helped you bear military service, so the household wasn't officially divided."

Dong Shi timely expressed surprise: "Jiao Niang, you've even read legal codes?"

Little Ginseng nodded: "Yes, my husband has them on his bookshelf. I used them for calligraphy practice."

Dong Shi smiled: "Jiao Niang is so smart." This wasn't flattery. Many people used books for calligraphy practice, but being able to actually remember the contents showed exceptional intelligence.

Seeing them start chatting, Second Brother Ye hurriedly said: "Little sister, big brother isn't just dividing the family. He... he gave me documents to sever our relationship!"

At these words, the room fell silent.

Dong Shi looked at Second Brother Ye with some surprise, but more than that, she was shocked by Brother Ye's decision.

Nowadays, severing relationships wasn't just a matter of words, but required going to the yamen for official documents and seals to count.

This kind of severance was complete and thorough. Not only would they no longer be relatives, but most would become enemies.

Even though Dong Shi thought Second Brother Ye was worthless, she hadn't expected Brother Ye would go this far.

But Ye Jiao had already known Ye Ping Rong would do this, so she showed no surprise.

She put down the teacup in her hand and looked at Second Brother Ye.

This expression gave Second Brother Ye a bad feeling, but by now he had no other choice.

Before Ye Jiao could speak, Second Brother Ye said urgently: "Jiao Niang, for the sake of our sibling relationship, please talk to big brother for me, alright?"

Dong Shi knew this was now family business.

She mentally cursed Second Brother Ye for being worthless. At this time he knew to come beg Ye Jiao, but when he sold off Ye Jiao before, why didn't he beg?

...She wasn't criticizing the master. The master was certainly good, but now Second Brother Ye using family affection to pressure Ye Jiao was particularly disgusting to Dong Shi.

Logically, this was family business and none of Dong Shi's concern, but she didn't dare hide away, afraid that if Ye Jiao needed help and couldn't find anyone, she would be in trouble. As she hesitated, she heard Ye Jiao directly reply in a calm voice: "I won't help with your matter. Big brother is right."

These words left Second Brother Ye stunned. He seemed unable to understand why, when it had been Second Sister-in-law Ye who wronged Ye Jiao before, and his relationship with his little sister hadn't been bad, and they could even exchange a few words during the last return home visit, now Ye Jiao wouldn't soften her heart at all.

He was about to say more when he heard a voice from outside: "Second Brother Ye, who gave you the nerve to come bother my little sister?"

Ye Jiao looked toward the voice and saw Ye Ping Rong striding through the door.

Following close behind was Qi Yun, his face dark as water.