The Double
Chapter 250 - 105: Beginning_3

Chapter 250: Chapter 105: Beginning_3

Tong Zhiyang was actually refused entry.

After all, Tong Zhiyang was a magistrate; although he had been suppressed by Lady He for many years, he always maintained his dignity in front of the common people. Now, being publicly kicked out was a huge blow to his pride, his face flushed with shame as he ordered the crowd to disperse, yet the embarrassment was palpable.

Seeing the mocking expressions on the faces of the onlookers, Tong Zhiyang was filled with both rage and resentment. He was furious that he didn’t know how Lady He had discovered the existence of Suqin and her son, and resentful that she truly lacked any compassion for her husband. What followed was a tinge of unsettling fear.

Indeed, Lady He could strip him of everything he had. If he was no longer a magistrate and had no silver in hand, what would he do in the future?

Now he was truly in a dilemma, at a loss for what to do.

...

Ye Mingyu told everyone about the incident at the Tong Residence’s doorway.

When it came to Tong Zhiyang’s disgrace, Ye Mingyu couldn’t help but revel in schadenfreude. He vividly described Lady He’s boldness and Tong Zhiyang’s outward bravery but inner timidity.

Lady Guan exclaimed in surprise, "I would never have guessed that Magistrate Tong, who seemed so obedient to Lady He, had been secretly keeping a concubine. He was a hypocrite. To think that his son is already so grown up."

"Tsk tsk tsk, it is indeed unexpected," Ye Mingxuan shook his head, "Given that Tong Zhiyang has kept this secret for so long, it seemed watertight. How could Lady He have caught him by the tail at this critical moment?"

"There’s an old saying, ’You can’t frequently walk by the river without getting your shoes wet,’" Ye Rufeng said disdainfully, "the deeds one does will eventually come to light, sooner or later they’ll be known."

Ye Mingyu and Jiang Li exchanged a glance; they were the only ones in the Ye Family who knew about Tong Zhiyang’s concubine and her child. The reason they hadn’t told Ye Minghui and the others was for fear of opposition from the start. Although the Ye Family was wealthy, they were especially cautious due to their extensive business dealings, conducting trade by the book. Ye Mingyu was different; he was bold and willing to take action, and only in discussing with Jiang Li, was he not afraid of disagreement.

"Tong Zhiyang’s official career is bound to be difficult from now on," Ye Mingxuan said, "Even if just to teach him a lesson, Lady He will not let him off easily, possibly reducing his authority."

"This might actually be good news for us," Ye Jiaer said, "But... even so, the business of Ancient Fragrance Satin has plummeted."

Tang Fan had explained the ins and outs of the Ancient Fragrance Satin affair to the Ye Family, but the public only cared about the result, not the intricate details. Whether due to sabotage or not, the problem lay with the Ye Family’s Ancient Fragrance Satin. If wearing it could cause death, then people would avoid it.

The Weaving Yard had resumed the production of cloth, but no one dared to buy the latest batch of Ancient Fragrance Satin. Left with no choice, Ye Minghui had to temporarily halt all production at the Weaving Yard, but still had not thought of a good solution.

"Why not, let’s just quit this business," Ye Mingyu said carelessly, "Our Ye Family’s wealth is sufficient for several generations, who needs to desperately make silver? Wouldn’t it be better to live like those rich playboys, spending days wandering mountains and rivers?"

This was hardly something a member of the Ye Family would say. Sure enough, as soon as these words were spoken, Ye Minghui shot his brother a stern glance, "You better not mention such thoughts in front of mother. Over the years, I see you’ve only grown in age but regressed otherwise!"

Lady Guan said helplessly, "Third Brother, this isn’t about whether or not we do business. The Ye Family’s enterprise was built from scratch by our parents, and you are well aware of the effort mother put into Ancient Fragrance Satin. How can we let the Ye Family’s business fail on our watch? Otherwise, how would we have the face to meet father in the afterlife?"

"Yes, Third Uncle," Ye Jiaer also chimed in, "Currently, Big Brother is an official at court, and it’s said that you need to spend silver for networking both up and down the ranks. Yanjing is not like Xiangyang, and our silver may not last very long. We can’t have Big Brother living in Yanjing City with his coat flapping open now, can we?"

"Indeed," Ye Mingxuan added, "even Jiajia understands better than you." He then glanced at Jiang Li, "Moreover, regarding the Ancient Fragrance Satin incident, if it hadn’t been for Jiang Li stepping in and leveraging the Jiang Family’s name, how could we have gotten off so lightly? The Jiang Family has just helped you, and now you’re talking about quitting the business. How would the Jiang Family feel about that?"

Jiang Li understood what Ye Mingxuan meant. It wasn’t about her; although Jiang Yuan Bai was involved in politics, the truth was the current political climate was much like the merchant’s realm, where interests were paramount. Jiang Yuan Bai helping the Ye Family was because the Ye Family had something valuable to offer due to their substantial business operations. If the Ye Family stopped this business, they would lose all their value, and Jiang Yuan Bai’s assistance to the Ye Family would become a transaction with nothing in return—a decidedly unprofitable deal.