The Double
Chapter 248 - 105 Start

Chapter 248: Chapter 105 Start

"Uncle Mingyu, to put it simply, there is a noble in Yanjing City who has taken a fancy to the Ye Family’s fortune and Cousin Ye’s career path and deliberately staged a ’lure-the-enemy-into-the-pot’ play. But alas, the performance was bungled."

Ye Mingyu was somewhat stunned; he didn’t quite understand what Jiang Li was saying, but it wasn’t entirely lost on him either.

The Ye Family was a colossal wealth in Northern Yan, with a fortune that indeed incited envy, not only from jealous competitors but also from others with nefarious intentions. It wasn’t out of the question that someone would use the Ye Family and their vast wealth for unscrupulous purposes. Yet, a meaning subtly implied in Jiang Li’s words suggested that the person lurking behind Dafeng Medical Shop, and perhaps behind Tong Zhiyang and Brother-in-law Tong Zhiyang, could potentially be an immensely powerful figure.

A person of immense power is never easy to provoke.

Everyone knows the adage that commoners should not contend with officials. Although Ye Mingyu possessed an indomitable courage, fearless of anything, the entirety of the Ye Family was not impregnable. Being targeted by such a person, one might escape once or even twice, but what about a third time? One can’t always be lucky.

He murmured, "There’s no such thing as guarding against a thief for a thousand days..."

"Uncle Mingyu need not be too humble," Jiang Li continued, "The Ye Family and the Jiang Family are also connected by marriage. As long as I am alive, I won’t let the bond between our two families be severed. My father and uncle hold no insignificant positions in the court. Whoever the noble is, our Jiang Family is not a lowly house, and neither is the Ye Family one to be bullied so easily. Moreover, Cousin Ye is now the Vice Minister of Revenue, with such a high starting point, his journey hereafter can only be smoother. When Cousin Ye reaches a certain status, the Ye Family will naturally have a shield."

Jiang Li paused before continuing, "The reason why those people chose to act now is nothing more than Cousin Ye’s wings not yet being fully grown. Once the wild beast grows its fangs and claws, it becomes exponentially more difficult to take action against it. Their failure to succeed this time means finding another opportunity in the future will only become harder."

Her words did offer Ye Mingyu some comfort. Reflecting on what she had said, he couldn’t help feeling ashamed, "In this manner, I’ve pulled your father and the Jiang Family into this mess; either way, it’s troublesome."

"Why speak of two households within one family?" Jiang Li smiled, "Who knows, there might come a day when the Jiang Family faces calamity, and at that time, we might need the Ye Family to lend a hand."

Ye Mingyu was amused, "Ah Li, you are quite the scaremonger. The Jiang Family will never be reduced to seeking help from our Ye Family. You don’t need to tell such tall tales just to comfort me."

Jiang Li didn’t agree or disagree; in her view, the future was uncertain. As Prince Cheng’s power grew in alliance with the Right Chancellor, the situation became increasingly unfavorable for the Jiang Family. Emperor Hongxiao was weak for the time being, and it was still unclear whether the future would belong to Prince Cheng. Even as she tried to prevent such an outcome, any misfortunes befalling the Jiang Family were beyond her control. Fortunes rise and fall, and after so many years of prosperity for the Jiang Family, who knew what the future held.

Reining in her thoughts, Jiang Li smilingly said, "Regardless, the issue with Ancient Fragrance Satin is temporarily resolved. The mother and child from Tong Zhiyang’s second household present a problem, but since Magistrate Tong is so honor-bound, we should abide by our agreement and return his beauty and child to him."

"Just return them to him?" Ye Mingyu felt indignant. After learning the truth in Tong Zhiyang’s letter, he was very displeased. Initially, Tong Zhiyang wanted to involve the Ye Family in his dirty scheme. Although the Ye Family cleared their name, reviving the business of Ancient Fragrance Satin would be difficult, yet Tong Zhiyang got off scot-free. This was unfair.

"One must keep their word," Jiang Li said with a gentle smile, "Tong Zhiyang is so attached to his son because Tong Yu is his sole descendant. Having his only line of descent out in the world is not a good thing. We can do a good deed this time, help Tong Yu a little, and also let the He Family know of Tong Yu’s existence. This way, Tong Yu need not remain a by-blow; he becomes the legitimate Young Master Magistrate. When Tong Zhiyang rises step by step, he will at least have an heir, right?"

Her words were gracious and sincere, with each sentence seemingly for the benefit of Tong Zhiyang, leaving no one to doubt her goodwill.

Listening to her, Ye Mingyu’s expression turned wry. As he heard Jiang Li’s last word, he couldn’t help bursting into hearty laughter, "A true man must know what to do and what not to do, but today I’ve realized that even a young lady should not be provoked!"

Every time Jiang Li spoke or schemed, she was very open, turning plots into open strategies, something only she could pull off. This method was hardly honourable, as she had just finished talking about "keeping faith" and then immediately created a significant problem for Tong Zhiyang. However, as a member of the Ye Family, Ye Mingyu, upon hearing this, felt extremely exhilarated, his frustration from the past few days swept away.