After entering his bedroom, Ling Zhang changed into a light, skintight outfit with the intention to return to the manor. He flicked a glance at the bed and found that the thin quilt was going.
Ling Zhang, “…”
Yuwen Tong was such a double-dealer. Yesterday he’d said that he wouldn’t take the quilt away, but now it seemed that he’d done it anyway.
At this moment, in the residential compound of the Yuwen family, on the bed of Yuwen Tong who was the eldest son of the former patriarch and also a marshal lay a thin, neatly folded quilt.
As Yuwen You and his family moved into the residential compound of the Yuwen family, the houses near the former patriarch’s abode, which had stood empty for many years, finally witnessed their original occupants’ return. It had been a long time since the last time this place had been so lively.
Yao Yi had changed into another outfit. Dressed like a butler, he was busy dealing with all kinds of matters.
Yuwen Tong summoned Yao Yi and instructed, “Go ask Zhao Fugui some questions tonight and find out what my uncle’s branch of the family have been up to recently.”
Yao Yi gave a nod, turned around and went to make arrangements.
Yuwen You, followed by Yuwen Chi and Yuwen Si, walked inside. Yuwen Tong rose to his feet to welcome them and then closed the doors. Nobody knew what their talk was about, and there was no other trace of it apart from the suggestion of shock remaining on Yuwen You’s face when he walked out of the house with his two sons in his wake.
At this time, Ling Zhang, taking Wang Dashan and other security guards with him, had exited the city, heading for the manor.
He was pondering over something, which he previously hadn’t had time to think about owing to some more important matters.
Yuwen Zhi had agreed to Yuwen Tong’s separation from him because he’d come to understand why the emperor had given his consent, realizing that the emperor was going to try to dispose of Yuwen Tong, so he wanted to stay out of it. This kind of conduct struck Ling Zhang as very disgusting. He could bear himself being bullied, but he couldn’t tolerate anybody taking advantage of Yuwen Tong.
Ling Zhang suddenly reined in his horse and stopped halfway along the journey.
Wang Dashan hurriedly asked, “What’s the matter, Young Master?”
“Go make some inquiries about Yuwen Zhi’s branch of the Yuwen family. I want to know when they usually leave home, where they ordinarily go to and how long they typically stay.”
“Yes, Chief.”
Wang Dashan, without asking any further questions, put Liu Yi in charge of the escort and then returned to the city to perform the task Ling Zhang had just assigned him.
…
Five days later, Yuwen Tong was still occupied and hadn’t come to the manor, but Ling Zhang received a message saying that Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi would leave home the next day.
“They are going to check a couple of large stores and a private bank.” Wang Dashan also told Ling Zhang exactly where Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were going.
Ling Zhang face went cold. “Good. They’ll be my first two punching bags.”
Yuwen Zhi had been following a surprisingly fixed daily schedule, either at home or in the imperial court, which was why Ling Zhang had hitherto never got a chance to do anything to him.
The next morning. In a courtyard house of Yuwen Zhi’s branch of the Yuwen family in the capital city.
Zheng shi and Su Yaoyao, along with Yuwen Qi sitting in a wheelchair, were going out to get some fresh air, their faces tinged with contentment. They planned to drop into the couple of large stores and an unnaturally profitable private bank. Of all the businesses of the Yuwen family, this private bank was the most lucrative one, the branches of which could be found in almost every city in the north-east of the Great Yue. A couple of days ago, Yuwen Tong had suddenly demanded he and Yuwen Zhi divide up family property and live apart, and also showed them a handwritten imperial edict. Zheng shi had almost died with anger. Not long ago Yuwen Zhi had broken Yuwen Qi’s legs to prevent this from happening, but now Yuwen Tong had shown up again, trying to have the Yuwen family broken up with a handwritten imperial edict – wasn’t Yuwen Tong bullying them? But unexpectedly, Yuwen Tong had retorted, “Aunt, you know exactly who started those rumors about the Ling’s Drugstore a few days ago and also gave Su Zhi the orders that eventually led to his death, don’t you? You broke the agreement first, and even His Majesty was alarmed. Shouldn’t you feel happy that I’m granting your wish today?”
Zheng shi had been sent speechless.
“You want us to agree to break up the family? Okay! Give us half of the family property and you’ll get our consent!”
Zheng shi had demanded an exorbitant price. In the realization that breaking up the family was unavoidable, she had insisted on half of the family property, but to her surprise, Yuwen Tong had actually agreed. He’d even been okay with her taking away that private bank which was the most profitable business of the Yuwen family, and he had only one condition for that – they must not disclose anything about it before the wedding, or else he would take back the private bank. Naturally, for the sake of the private bank, Zheng shi had accepted that condition.
“First Yuwen Tong fell out with us for that male courtesan, and now he even agreed to give up the private bank. I think sooner or later the Yuwen family is going to meet its end because of him. We’ll be better off without him, and we’ll never again have to gauge his mood before speaking. Your father should have consented when Yuwen Tong suggested they break up the family that day–”
“Don’t mention him.” Yuwen Qi’s face instantly went icy at the mention of Yuwen Zhi.
Zheng shi hurriedly coaxed, “Okay, okay. I won’t mention him again.”
“Here we are. Let’s go inside and take a look. This private bank will soon be ours, and we’ll never have to worry about anything with all this money. Your brother is now the Assistant Minister of Rites and attends court meetings. In a couple of years, when he gets promoted to Minister of Rites, everybody would be cottoning to us, even though we’ve separated from Yuwen Tong.”
However, Yuwen Qi still had a sullen look on his face, gripping the armrests of the wheelchair.
Their horse-drawn carriage came to a halt in front of the private bank. Yuwen Qi in a wheelchair was pushed off the carriage along a ramp. The bank manager, along with some staff members, had been waiting for them in the doorway.
“Mistress, Childe Qi, this way please.”
Zheng shi raised her chin and glanced around the private bank, both her heart and her face full of complacency.
Yuwen Qi’s face also slightly softened at the sight of the private bank.
Su Yaoyao was tightly grasping a bar fixed on the back of the wheelchair Yuwen Qi was sitting in. After her father’s death, her mother had told her that she must fawn on her aunt and cousin so that she wouldn’t have to worry about money in the future. This private bank would soon belong to her aunt and cousin. If she married her cousin, she would be an owner of it as well!
The three of them had their respective facial expressions, but it was manifest that they were all excited and self-satisfied.
The bank manager stole a glance at them and then lowered his eyes. When he lifted his eyes again, his face had taken on a sycophantic look, lifting Zheng shi’s and Yuwen Qi’s spirits considerably.
Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi, who had already regarded themselves as owners of this private bank, directly asked the president to show them the account books.
The bank manager agreed and personally led them to a chamber to check the account books. Zheng shi appeared very smug. It seemed that Yuwen Tong had been telling the truth. Staff members of this bank had been informed of these matters. She added, “I want you to deliver the account book to me every five days.”
“Yes, Mistress,” answered the bank manager obediently.
Zheng shi became even more complacent. The look in Yuwen Qi’s eyes flickered. “Mother, tell them I’d like to have a look at the account books as well.”
Zheng shi smiled, “No problem. You’ll see all of them.”
Yuwen Qi gave a sneer after hearing this.
Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi stayed in the private bank for half a day. The bank manager and some staff members reverently saw them off.
Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi were bloated with pride owing to staff members’ flattery. After their carriage drove far away, the bank manager straightened himself and took the couple of trusted subordinates of his back into the bank.
“Chief, it seems that Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi didn’t find any flaws in the account books.”
“If those two clods could find a flaw, the sun will rise in the west. It’s not them but Yuwen Zhi and Yuwen Feng that we should be wary of. These two are the smart ones.”
“Then–”
“Don’t worry. Even Yuwen Zhi and Yuwen Feng wouldn’t be able to find any flaws in the account books forged by Master Six himself. All you have to do is make sure none of them see through it during the next half a year and finish the task assigned by the Marshal without loose ends.”
“You may rest assured that we will, Chief.”
After saying this, the bank manager sighed, “It’s been so many years, and things have still come to this, but it’s definitely a good thing that the Marshal is getting married.”
“Chief, do we have your permission to send the Marshal a great present?”
“Sure. Why not? But… you’ll have to wait until the Marshal and Childe Ling get married to do that lest anybody of Yuwen Zhi’s branch of the family becomes suspicious.”
“Yes, Chief.”
…
When the carriage of Zheng shi and Yuwen Qi drove to a quiet spot, a group of men in black suddenly stopped it.
“Who are you? And what do you want? Do you know that this carriage belongs to the Yuwen family? You’re flirting with death!” raged the carriage-driver. Eight guards escorting the carriage immediately clustered around it, eyeing vigilantly the bunch of men in black that had suddenly come out of nowhere.
“People of the Yuwen family are exactly the targets we’ve been looking for. We kick their asses every time we lay eyes on them. Do it, boys!”
“This is outrageous!”
“Bah!”
It was very noisy outside and after a while they seemed to start fighting. Zheng shi was startled. Yuwen Qi had a sulky look on his face. Su Yaoyao kept flinching in horror.
“Identify yourselves! What do you think you’re doing? How dare you stop a carriage of the Yuwen family! All of you will be beheaded for this!” yelled Zheng shi’s handmaid harshly, raising the carriage curtain after summoning up her courage.
“Not if I have you beheaded first!”
Those men in black were quite good at kung fu, and the guards were no match for them at all. Yuwen Qi wanted to help but couldn’t move, his face livid with rage.
Zheng shi’s handmaid kept cursing and threatening them but it was no good. All guards had been downed, lying on the ground this way and that. The carriage-driver had been knocked out some time ago.
“Drag them out of the carriage.”
“Yes!”
“Don’t you dare! Let go of me! Let go of me! Help, Mistress!”
The handmaid shouted in vain for help and was dragged out off the carriage. Those men in black, who seemed to have no tenderness whatsoever toward women, heavily threw her to the ground, leaving her wailing in pain.
Zheng shi didn’t dare go out of the carriage. Yuwen Qi was unable to stand up. Su Yaoyao was terribly frightened.
“Who on earth are you people? How dare you do this to the Yuwen family! Even if you manage to escape from here, I will have you tracked down, and I’ll torture every one of you so hard you’ll beg me to kill you. You’d better flee right now!”
Unable to stand up, Yuwen Qi had no choice but to make threats.
“Oh, you think the words ‘Yuwen family’ are so intimidating, don’t you? Let me tell you something – even Yuwen Tong himself doesn’t scare us. Today we specially came here to settle a score with the Yuwen family. Don’t just stand there, boys. Drag all of them out of the carriage. You may do whatever you want to them as long as none of them die.”
“Yes!”
Soon the carriage curtain was raised and Yuwen Qi was dragged out to Zheng shi’ and Su Yaoyao’s shriek. And before long the latter two were also drawn out off the carriage. All these men in black were wearing masks concealing their faces. Yuwen Qi was put into a sack immediately after being dragged off the carriage.
“Get your hands off my son, you ruffians! I’m the Mistress of the Yuwen family. I’ll have all your family members executed if you dare hurt us!”
“Bah! Since you’re so cocky, I’ll start with you.”
“Ah!”
Zheng shi was slapped hard across the face and let out a pained screech, her cheek swelling up immediately.
Yuwen Qi had received several kicks and punches. Su Yaoyao, screaming hysterically, was probably the only one who had come to no harm so far.
It was her very squeal that caught some residents’ attention.
“Enough. Someone’s coming. Let’s get out of here.”
In the blink of an eye, all men in black disappeared without any trace, leaving Zheng shi, Yuwen Qi and the others bruised and furious.
