“I have nothing to worry about since I know you have a good life now. Those bad guys will get what’s coming to them,” Mother Su said angrily. She was a woman with a gentle temper so she wasn’t able to protect the young mistress very well. She thought that her fate would change when she found out that she was getting married, but it turned out that it just took a turn for the worse. She never imagined that Ning and the Second Young Lady would do such a thing.
Ye Jiayao gave a brittle laugh. “Where is Ning?”
“She went out with the Second Young Lady to visit some relatives. It is said that your father fought with his wife and broke a lot of furniture. She didn’t even extend greetings to your grandmother on New Year’s Eve. I don’t understand why your father still stays with Ning,” Mother Su expressed with a bit of frustration.
Ye Jiayao was a bit surprised that Mother Su knew a lot of details about the mansion. Then again, the maids of the Ye family has suffered under the Ning’s severe discipline. Understandably, they would take whatever chance was given to bring her down.
As for why her father hasn’t divorced Ning yet, she doesn’t know. The only reason she could think of was that Ning knew a lot of secrets about the Ye family that his father had no choice but to put up with her.
This thought worried Ye Jiayao and she couldn’t wait for Chunyu to come back so she could run this theory with him.
It wasn’t until they were finished with breakfast that Chunyu came back.
Mother Su quickly got up to greet him but Chunyu stopped her, saying, “Mother Su, there’s no need to be so formal. I brought you a bottle of snake wine. It is said that it is very effective to cure rheumatism. I have Song Qi give it to you later.”
The gesture was so thoughtful that Mother Su teared up a little. “Thank you, Heir-son Lord. I’m sorry that you had to bother with that.”
“Jinxuan always thinks about you so it’s not a bother,” Chunyu said with a slight smile.
Ye Jiayao blushed. She actually forgot about it and yet Chunyu gave her the credit.
Mother Su said her goodbyes and left the two of them to chat.
“What have you found out?” Ye Jiayao asked. She wasn’t liking the grave look on her husband’s face.
Chunyu replied, “Your father’s in great trouble.”
It was much more serious than he expected.
She held her breath. “Can we do something about it?”
Chunyu hesitated, “The salt business is troublesome. The government takes serious control of the salt business. Your father has been taking bribes, but since he was unable to deliver with his promise, the salt traders exposed him.”
“Can’t he return the bribes? Since he couldn’t deliver, he can just return the bribes.”
“It’s not that simple. Even if he returns the bribe, they’ll refuse. What they need now is salt and the only way they’re going to admit that they framed your father is if they get what they want.”
“Bastards”, Ye Jiayao whispered. However, her father also made mistakes. If he didn’t take bribes, he wouldn’t be in this position.
Suddenly, Ye Jiayao thought of something. Those salt merchants knew that Ye Binghuai could not get them the salt but they still made that demand. Why? Could it be because this demand was actually directed at Chunyu? It was possible that they knew about Chunyu’s position and figured that he could get them what they need.
She looked at her husband worriedly. “You can’t get involved in this, Chunyu. I have a feeling that they wouldn’t stop even after they get what they want.”
Chunyu’s eyes got distant. He appreciated Yaoyao’s concern for him. He knew that his wife would rather see Ye Binghuai in jail than have him get in trouble for helping him out. However, he couldn’t just leave Yaoyao’s family in the lurch like that.
“I understand, Yaoyao,” Chunyu said. “However, I have to spend one more day here. Tomorrow, your father will invite the salt merchants to come and I will go and meet them. We’ll go to Zhenjiang tomorrow night.”
Ye Jiayao nodded, still a little bit anxious about the whole thing.
Suddenly, there was a knock on the door.
Ye Jiayao sat up and called, “Come in.”
Jinyao walked in, a red lacquer tray in hand. She said with a smile, “I came to give some food to Big Brother-in-law.”
She carefully put the porridge, dumplings, and bun near Chunyu and politely urged, “Sir, please eat.”
Ye Jiayao told her, “You should have let the maid bring this. You don’t have to bring this here personally.”
“It’s very kind of you,” Chunyu said.
“You can call me Yaoyao,” Jinyao told him.
Chunyu turned to his wife, surprised.
Ye Jiayao silently cursed herself. How could she have forgotten that Jinyao’s nickname was also ‘Yaoyao’! However, it was irrational for Chunyu to call Jinyao by her nickname since they just met. Ye Jiayao guessed that as Jinyao was only thirteen, she just wanted to be closed to them.
“Grandpa and Grandma found out that you guys are here and asked to see you. I’ll come back later to escort you,” Jinyao said before leaving.
Chunyu ate a dumpling and asked, “Why is she also called Yaoyao?”
To deflect, she threatened, “Just try and call her Yaoyao.”
Chunyu smiled. “Of course not. You’re the only one I will call Yaoyao.”
He offered her a dumpling. “Try this. Although yours is more delicious, this is pretty good too.”
She shook her head. “No, thank you. I’ve already had some earlier.”
After his meal, accompanied by Ye Binghuai, Zhongyuan, and Jinyao, Ye Jiayao and Chunyu went to see her grandparents.
Ye Jiayao’s grandfather was a scholar. When Ye Binghuai married a girl from the Fang family, he finally became an official under their support.
Her grandmother was also born in a small family and she never went to school.
Ye Jiayao didn’t really have a good impression of these two old people. In all the years she was living here, they had never once shown any care or concern for her. She might be smiling at them now, but inside she was very uncomfortable.
Her grandfather was a little cautious at the beginning but when he noted that Chunyu was fairly respectful, he got braver.
“Jinxuan, I knew you feel wronged but we are still family. You can’t hold on to your grudge too much. The past is the past. The family should live in harmony and should help each other as much as they can.”
Ye Jiayao wanted to laugh. Now that she’s a noble, she’s family? Where was her ‘family’ when Ning and her sister made her life every day in this house miserable? Where was her ‘family’ when she almost died? Where was the ‘help’ that families are supposed to give each other? Ha! They have got another thing coming if they think they could manipulate her.
“You’re right, Grandfather,” she said with a kind smile. “I just wish you said that way earlier because then maybe I wouldn’t have been bullied, wouldn’t have been sold to the bandits, and wouldn’t have my life endangered. However, I appreciate you saying that now that I am finally safe and happy.”
Everyone was quiet, embarrassed with the truth that she just dropped.
Her grandmother was annoyed. She had thought that the old man would be able to handle their granddaughter, but he was beaten so easily.
“Oh, you are wrong,” her grandmother started. “He’s making this family better. We should be grateful.”
This was unbelievable. Ye Jiayao didn’t know whether to laugh or to storm out.
“Grandma, how can you say so? How am I wrong? Did I plan the murder of my brother or sisters? Did I harm the family? It seems like someone else has all those things covered,” Ye Jiayao said, still a smile on her face.
Chunyu knew about Yaoyao’s temper, her smile wasn’t fooling him. He knew that the more she smiled, the angrier she is. If this old crone doesn’t let up, Yaoyao’s going to burst and he can’t let that happen. He’d have to step in before it comes to that.
Her grandmother turned red from embarrassment. She was just about to speak when Ye Binghuai cut in, “Mom, we can’t blame Jinxuan. It’s not easy for her to come back. I am to be blamed for all of these. It is my fault that Jinxuan has suffered so much.
Ye Binghuai looked at his mother, pleading silently for her to play along. They couldn’t afford to anger Jinxuan and Xia Chunyu now.
“How dare you control me when you even can’t control your wife and children?” the old woman yelled angrily.
