Chapter 864: From Ignorance to Awakening

To facilitate attendance at court, officials were often stationed near the East and West Chang’an Gates. Among them, several grand secretaries granted residences by the emperor were all located in the Shiyong Fang area south and west of the imperial city. Many officials from the six ministries also lived there. With limited space, the houses could not be very large—those of lower-ranking officials had just one courtyard, while those of higher-ranking ones had two or three. Yang Shiji, though a first-rank official and granted a residence by the emperor, only had three courtyards, with an additional small courtyard on the east side. Inside were two carriages commonly used by the family, along with two mules and four horses.

Given the simple layout, the furnishings in the various rooms were likewise modest. Unlike the main hall, the small meeting room had only a central seat, with two firwood chairs and desks on each side. Even in the cold weather, no brazier was provided. Leaning back in those worn-out pine-colored padded chairs, Yang Ji felt a chill seep into his buttocks. Despite wearing a thick woolen cloak, he couldn’t ward off the stiffness spreading through his body.

“What exactly do you want?”

The middle-aged man in a blue silk coat had just rambled on for a while. After throwing down his trump card and seeing Yang Ji’s reaction, he grew confident. Forgetting that this was what outsiders called a noble residence, he casually lifted the hem of his robe, sat cross-legged, and said with a fake smile, “After all, I was once close to you, Young Master Yang. Don’t you care about how I’m doing? Miss Yunzhu is quite fortunate too. If not for my mother’s intervention, she might have come to you after being neglected these past days. Who would have thought she’d become pregnant…”

“Stop talking!” Yang Ji was both shocked and angry. He couldn’t help but stand up and shout. Realizing there might be people outside, he forced himself to sit back down, suppressing his anger. With a calm smile, he said coldly, “It’s just an act. How dare you come here to extort me? Do you think I won’t send you to Shuntian Prefecture to be beaten to death?”

“You are a nobleman, and the elder is the top official in the cabinet, a trusted minister of the emperor. How could I dare not obey you?” The middle-aged man showed no fear, instead revealing an even more shameless smile. “But don’t forget, many people are eyeing the elder’s position. If censors launch an accusation, it won’t be a joke. Even if you kill me here in Shuntian Prefecture, the news will still spread.”

“You…”

Seeing Yang Ji’s face turn deathly white as he clutched the armrest, unable to speak, the middle-aged man realized the other party was finally scared and would surely yield. He softened his tone and said, “Young master, please don’t misunderstand. I’m not here to extort money. Although Miss Yunzhu is a woman of low virtue, she’s not heartless either. I’ll deliver her to you at the proper time. She will definitely give birth. You can raise the child yourself or find an excuse to take her home—it’s a simple matter. We’re not asking for your money or power, just one very simple thing.”

With someone already coming to his door and even threatening him, even if Yang Ji was slow to understand, he knew the request must be significant. But since he had gradually repaired his relationship with his father and understood that the entire family, including their clan back home, relied on his father, Yang Shiqi, he gritted his teeth and after a long while asked slowly, “What is it?”

“Please ask your father to take a few days off at home to rest due to illness.”

“What!”

Yang Ji jumped up abruptly, pointing at the middle-aged man’s nose and shouting, “How dare you ask me to murder my own father!”

“You’re joking, young master. How could I have such courage? I just want your father to have some symptoms and rest at home for a few days. Think about it—how long has your father been in the palace? What’s his age? If he gets sick from overwork, what will happen? The Yang family’s prestige comes from your father as a grand councilor. Right now, your eldest son is still young. Even if you grant him an official position through your influence, what rank could it be? It’s a simple task, and it’s for your father’s benefit. Why be so stubborn?”

As he spoke, the middle-aged man took out a medicine pack, stood up, and lightly placed it on the table beside Yang Ji, smiling broadly. “If you don’t believe it, you can take it to a pharmacy or medical clinic for inspection… This is what wealthy families use to feign illness. It’s hard to detect anything serious, and it’s definitely harmless to the body. Let your father rest for a few days, and your problem will be solved. I’ll give Miss Yunzhu to you. What do you think?”

Hearing that he could take it to a pharmacy for verification, Yang Ji became somewhat tempted. That Yunzhu was indeed beautiful and skillful at flattery. If she were really pregnant, it would indeed be inappropriate to leave her outside, and of course, he couldn’t really bring her home. If it weren’t really about murdering his father, this wouldn’t be impossible… Wait, Wan Shi Jie once said there are no free lunches in this world. He heard that the crown prince in the palace was sick. If his father couldn’t stay in the palace to oversee the Wenyuan Pavilion…

He was utterly confused and at a loss for words, while the middle-aged man smiled and bowed, saying, “Young master, we’ll wait for your reply within two days. If not, we’ll leave. By the way, Miss Yunzhu has moved elsewhere; you won’t find her at the old place. Young Master Yang has only one son. If Yunzhu can truly give you another son or daughter, your family will thrive even more, and Grand Secretary Yang will surely be pleased!”
By the time Yang Ji regained his senses, he felt a gust of cold wind hit him, making him shiver. Looking up, he saw that the cotton curtain in the flower hall had already been drawn down. Instinctively, he rushed forward, lifted the curtain, and saw that the person had already disappeared through the courtyard gate. Thinking of the trouble he had caused this time, his teeth chattered. It wasn’t until a voice called out beside him that he suddenly came back to his senses.
“Young Brother Yang.”
“Zhang… Zhang…” Yang Ji tried to say the name twice but couldn’t finish it. In the end, he could only manage to say, “Why are you here?”
“I heard some news, so I came to check it out.”
Zhang Yue didn’t mention what the news was, but seeing him appear out of nowhere, Yang Ji immediately thought he must have learned about his misdeeds outside. He felt even more at a loss. When he saw Yang Zhong’s figure appear by the moon gate, he wanted to call for help, but in the end gave up. With a sigh, he lifted the curtain and invited Zhang Yue into the flower hall.
“I happened to arrive just in time. I heard everything that happened inside.”
Seeing Yang Ji’s face turn pale and blue, Zhang Yue didn’t beat around the bush and straightly stated the facts. He added, “Let’s put aside whether what happened is right or wrong for now. I just want to ask Young Brother Yang, what do you plan to do?”
“I…”
If Zhang Yue hadn’t come, Yang Ji, desperate in his panic, would have been utterly indecisive. But facing that unshaken expression, he gradually calmed down. He was no longer the Yang Ji who had first arrived in the capital. Over the years, he had seen a lot. Once he thought things through, he said fiercely, “If it were handled properly, it would be fine. But he deliberately threatened me, thinking I’m some fool who knows nothing? To harm my father for a woman of unknown background? Wouldn’t that make me worse than an animal? I’ll go tell my mother and Qingniang right now! I’m not an official, so I’m not breaking any rules. If anyone accuses the Yang family of negligence, I’ll take the blame alone!”
“Young Brother Yang!”

Seeing Yang Ji stand up and storm out in a fit of anger, Zhang Yue had no choice but to call out to him. When he still didn’t stop, Zhang Yue got up and chased after him, stopping him at the door. Seeing Yang Ji clutching the door curtain tightly and refusing to let go, with the cold wind and snowflakes seeping into the already chilly room, Zhang Yue forced him to turn back and gently lowered the curtain.

“The old lady has always been in poor health; don’t disturb her with such things anymore. As for your sister-in-law, she’s kind and virtuous but lacks decisiveness, only adding to the worries. I’ll ask you directly, Brother Yang—what exactly is the story about that woman?”

The Tai’an family came from a scholarly lineage with strict family education. Their legitimate wives usually came from equally distinguished scholarly families, so although they didn’t completely forbid concubines, they kept strict control over them. Previously, when Yang Shiqi was alone in the capital, some people sent servants to serve him, but he had already informed his wife back home, and it wasn’t until his wife arrived in the capital that their relationship was officially recognized. Besides his legitimate wife, Yang Ji also had two concubines. Though not entirely satisfactory, their relationship was still relatively harmonious. But that day, tempted by a silk business offered to him, he invited a singing girl to a tavern, got drunk, and somehow lost his head.

As Zhang Yue listened, he frowned. “When did you get into the silk business again?”

“Brother Zhang, you may not know, but though my father’s position is now higher, his expenses have also increased. Last month, I asked Yang Zhong for the account books and found that there was a significant deficit. I didn’t dare let my mother know, and my wife doesn’t understand these matters either. So I had to use the profits from the two taverns to make up for it, but it still wasn’t enough! My father refuses to accept gifts from others, but he has many students, and there are monthly literary gatherings, along with various donations. If I stopped those, it would be unreasonable, and people might slander me behind my back! So I found out that silk businesses in the south yield high profits, and I thought I could start there.”

Yang Ji spoke calmly, and Zhang Yue understood that it made sense. The Yang family’s situation was similar to the Du family’s, plus they had several hundred acres of fertile land in Tai’an, along with their official salaries. Du Zhen was colder in temperament than Yang Shiqi, dealt with very few people, which reduced his expenses by more than two-thirds. Moreover, he often had Du Wan find ways to support him, along with the resourceful Wan Shijie and Xiao Wu, so he was naturally more stable. The Yang family, however, was different. So Zhang Yue dropped the subject and asked in detail about that woman. Finally, he leaned back and smirked coldly.

“A simple beauty trap, designed to lure you in—they really planned well!”
A beauty trap!
Zhang Yue saw Yang Ji stiffen instantly, then grip the armrest of the chair tightly. It was obvious he had understood, so Zhang Yue didn’t say anything more. Instead, he stood up and said, “Lord Yang can’t leave the Wenyan Pavilion these days. Don’t bother others with this matter. If I didn’t know, it wouldn’t matter, but now that I do, I’ll surely find someone to handle it. One thing though, Young Master Yang—everyone in this world might think their family’s flowers are more fragrant than wild ones, but outsiders often have ulterior motives, nowhere near as loyal as those within one’s own family. Lord Yang holds a high position, and I’m sure many people covet that seat. Since you’re aware of the need to watch expenses for your family, you should be even more cautious about such matters. I think Old Wan must have told you—without family connections, it’s not easy to run a business in the capital!”
Business was considered a lowly occupation. Although the court prohibited officials from engaging in commerce, this explicit ban had long been ignored since the early Yongle era. Moreover, Zhang Yue’s own family was also in this business, so he certainly didn’t look down on Yang Ji. Yet Yang Ji, proud of his substantial income, wasn’t shaken until he heard Zhang Yue’s last words, which struck him like a thunderbolt and snapped him out of his complacency.
Indeed, he was capable, but to run a business smoothly, his greatest reliance was his father, a high-ranking minister in the cabinet!
He jumped up from his chair in an instant, stepped forward, and bowed deeply to Zhang Yue without saying any unnecessary words. Knowing Zhang Yue had important duties to attend to, he escorted him out. Along the way, recalling the rumors he had heard, he decided it was better to bring them up with Zhang Yue.
“Young Master Zhang, didn’t Chancellor Chen Shan and Zhang Ying, who taught the emperor in the Eastern Palace, withdraw from the cabinet? The Inner Study cut staff recently. Although Chancellor Chen still oversees it, he hasn’t been successful and is said to have spoken ill of my father. I once encountered Chen Shan’s son, and during an argument, he made harsh threats. Since my father has always forbidden me from getting involved in such matters, I’ve had to hold it in. In my opinion, he’s surely involved in scheming against me! Also, I heard he’s dissatisfied with Scholar Du as well.”
“I’ll pay attention to what you mentioned. Don’t worry.”

After leaving Yang’s residence, Zhang Yue met up with his two attendants. Once on horseback, they rushed out of the alley at full speed. It was already curfew time. In Dashi Yongfang, where most residents were high-ranking officials, in addition to the guards at the gates, there were many patrol guards everywhere. Moreover, since the shift had already changed, Zhang Yue faced numerous checks on his way back. It wasn’t until he turned into Nianzi Hutong, ahead of Jiangmi Alley, that the number of patrolers decreased. He stopped his horse and waited for his attendants to catch up before asking, “Have they followed them?”
“Yes, they have followed them.”
“That’s good. Follow the clues to the end.”
Zhang Yue nodded and adjusted his bamboo hat. No matter who had planned all this, now that the cotton armor had been found and the other party had hurriedly killed Guo Cong to silence him, with the plan in the palace ultimately failing, the only thing they could do was buy time. As long as they unraveled the situation step by step, the fox’s tail would eventually show itself!