CH 52

Chapter 52 – Leak

However, what surprised Yu Tang the most was meeting Pei Yan here.

When they were in Hangzhou City, Yu Wen was delayed for a few days because of the province map, so by the time he went to thank Pei Yan, Pei Yan had already left for Huai’an. After returning to Lin’an, Yu Wen went to the Pei Family’s estate several times, but the stewards all said that Pei Yan had not returned.

The last time that Yu Wen went to the Pei family’s estate was only two days ago.

Was Pei Yan really that busy or did he just not want to see her father?

Yu Tang felt that it should be the latter.

However, whether the former or the latter, clearly Pei Yan did not want to have any more dealings with their family.

Not to mention PeiYan being her savior, even if it was a stranger, she couldn’t force the actions of others.

Yu Tang thanked Pei Yan again, but she did not bring up the matter of her father personally visiting the Pei family.

Perhaps Pei Yan was satisfied with Yu Tang’s words or that he just didn’t think much of the rescue, he simply nodded and said to the carriage driver. “Zhao Zhen, let Lady Yu handle those people, we’ll go off first.”

Zhao Zhen immediately followed his order. With just a few moves, the ruffians were knocked unconscious onto the ground like split watermelons. He ran over to Yu Tang, grinning. “Lady Yu, you can rest assured, before the magistrate’s people arrive, these people will not wake up.”

Yu Tang was surprised.

Pei Yan’s attitude towards others was cold and arrogant, so she didn’t expect the carriage driver named Zhao Zhen or the boy who helped her to be such kindhearted and warm people.

For them to be like this, it had a direct correlation with how Pei Yan usually treats his subordinates.

Her view of Pei Yan was clearly biased.

At least from this, it was evident that Pei Yan treated the people around him with care and magnanimity.

Since today was an unplanned encounter, Yu Tang did not want to delay Pei Yan further.

She thanked Zhao Zhen, saying “Thanks to you, these people were restrained in time.”

Zhao Zhen waved his hand and laughed embarrassedly, “I, I too was following orders. If you want to thank me, please thank my master instead!” After saying that, he quickly ran to the side of the carriage and pulled the reins of the horse carriage, and called the boy, “Ah Ming, let’s go.”

The child called ‘Ah Ming’ answered cheerfully. He bid his farewells to Yu Tang, before turning around and climbing onto the carriage and sitting in front.

Yu Tang could not help but smile as she waved goodbye to Ah Ming.

Ah Ming smiled shyly.

Pei Yan went away in the carriage.

Both Li Jun and Shen Fang stood at the village entrance and watched Pei Yan leave. Once the carriage was far away, they pointed at the men lying on the ground and said, “What does Lady Yu intend to do?”

Yu Tang wanted Li Jun to stay, so after hearing his words, she went with the flow and said. “Gentleman Li, Gentleman Shen, many thanks for your help. Although the third master Pei family’s Zhao Zhen said that these people will not wake up before the magistrate’s arrival, however, just to prevent anything untoward from happening, could I ask both of you to stay here for a moment? Once the magistrate’s people arrive, both of you can be witnesses as well. I’m going to the village to have them call the village chief and my father to come over; this matter can’t be settled just like that.”

Li Jun and Shen Fang felt that what Yu Tang said was reasonable. Yu Tang quickly went to knock on the door of the nearest house. She took two pieces of broken silver and asked them to go to the Yu family’s residence and report the news. She added, “Tell my father not to speak of this to my mother and eldest aunt. If you find seventh uncle, please bring him along.”

Just now she did not see her seventh uncle at all and didn’t know if he had fled or was just hiding.

The man looked at heap of people lying on the floor motionless and got frightened. He got a little curious, but he also wanted to keep that two pieces of broken silver, so he only shot them a quick glance before running towards’ the Yu family’s residence.

Li Jun spoke about Pei Yan to Shen Fang, commenting “Pei family’s third master seemed to be cold and arrogant, but unexpectedly he’s a compassionate person. He’s also decisive, unhesitatingly reaching out to rescue Lady Yu.”

Shen Fang rolled his eyes as he retorted, “Anyone who encounters such a situation will naturally help, right? I don’t see how Third Master Pei is brave and quick-witted.”

“Hey, you don’t know yet. A few days ago, something happened in my family.” Li Jun said defensively, “My cousin had his shipment detained by the Taihu Inspection Division. He sent someone to my father asking for help. Regrettably my father did not know anyone from the Taihu Inspection Division. Having no other choice and holding onto one last shred of hope, my father went to find Third Master Pei. Third Master Pei didn’t even ask any questions, he just took out a name card for my elder brother and told him to find the Taihu Governor, and the matter passed just like that. The third master of the Pei family is really quite nice.”

Shen Fang was startled and asked, “Your cousin? Which one of your cousins?”

Li Jun replied, “It’s my cousin who is doing business in Fujian. The eldest son of my uncle’s family. He’s a nice guy, the next time he comes to Lin’an, I’ll introduce you to him.”

Shen Fang gave a non-committal reply. In Yu Tang’s opinion, Shen Fang did not really want to meet Li Jun’s cousin, but Li Jun obviously did not see it, as he continued, “This cousin of mine is the same age as my elder brother, but he is already my uncle’s right hand man ……”

Yu Tang knew who he was talking about.

Lin Jue, the nephew of Madam Lin’s maternal family and the current head of the Lin family.

He was an excellent merchant, and the Lin family became one of Fujian’s leading magnates after just a few years of management in his hands. The Li family also relied on him to start their sea trade business, and their metaphoric rise in wealth was in a large part due to him.

In her previous life, he worked closely with the Li family and had a good relationship with Li Duan. There was once, Li Duan harbored ill intentions towards her, and it was Lin Jue who helped him……

Yu Tang silently got lost in her old memories, but suddenly a commotion rang in her ears.

She looked up and saw her father, her eldest uncle and her eldest cousin running over angrily with seven or eight men from the village.

Yutang hurried over to meet them.

Yu Wen held on to Yu Tang’s arm and examined her from head to toe with a face as white as sheet, and asked urgently, “Are you all right?”

“I’m fine!” Yu Tang said, “Mother doesn’t know about this, right?” She asked as she stretched her head to see who came.

There was no Seventh Uncle in sight.

Yu Wen said, “I was so shocked when I heard the news! I didn’t even wait to find your seventh uncle before I hurried over with your eldest uncle. What happened to your seventh uncle? He was with you, wasn’t he?”

Yu Tang said, “We’ll talk about this later. Gentleman Li and Gentleman Shen are here, they rushed over when they heard that something happened to me.”

Yu Wen immediately went up to both of them and thanked them.

Li Jun and Shen Fang turned to the side and did not accept Yu Wen’s thanks, both blushing a bit and saying embarrassedly, “We were late, the one who saved Lady Yu was the third master of the Pei family!”

The person who went to report the news didn’t know exactly what had happened, so when Yu Wen suddenly heard that this matter was also related to Pei Yan, he was startled and said, “Where is the third master of the Pei family?”

Yu Tang replied, “He had to leave first.”

“Then we’ll have to wait until we return to the city to thank Tthird Master Pei.” Yu Wen said, but he still sincerely thanked Li Jun and Shen Fang, continuing “Although the two gentlemen came a little late, but your sincerity is greatly appreciated. Don’t be modest, you two must go to my house for a glass of water or wine later, so I can properly show my gratitude.”

As Li Jun and Shen Fang were politely responding to his words, the magistrate came over.

Yu Wen was a scholar and had some reputation in Lin’an City, so he quickly got acquainted the magistrate. With Li Jun and Shen Fang as witnesses, the magistrate quickly settled the ruffians. Yu Bo also privately slipped him a few taels of broken silver, asking him not to bring up Yu Tang’s name in this matter, and offered to have a drink with him once they returned to the city. The magistrate quickly settled matters and brought the few ruffians back to the Magistrate’s office.

Li Jun and Shen Fang saw that it was about time to leave and said, “Xiao Wan and the others were anxious too. If not for their poor horse riding skills, they would have came. We’ll head back first and let them know.”

Yu Wen thought that as they still have to visit the Wei Family’s residence later, he contemplated if he could thank Li Jun and Shen Fang some other time, but Yu Tang said, “Since there aren’t any outsiders here, why not stay and have a cup of tea at our house?”

Li Jun and Shen Fang looked at each other, and after some thought, they both agreed.

They all went to the Yu family’s country estate.

Madam Chen and Madam Wang didn’t know what happened, only that there were guests in the front courtyard, so they didn’t pay much attention.

Yu Tang invited Li Jun and Shen Fang to sit in the hall, and invited Fifth GrandUncle over and told everyone what Seventh Uncle had done.

Everyone was dumbfounded, and fifth granduncle was the first to jump up from his seat, saying in disbelief, “Impossible! How is it possible? He is so honest, how could he have done such a thing? Grand-niece, did you hear wrong?”

The second one to jump up was Li Jun.

His face was red and he said, “No, it shouldn’t be! How could my mother do such a bad thing? Even if you marry into our family, the two of us would have been enemies instead…… My mother couldn’t possibly treat me like this!”

Even Yu Wen, also thought this matter was too preposterous. “Could it be that someone did not have good intentions and framed the Li family? This matter has to be investigated clearly.”

Yu Bo came back to his senses and also said, “Yes, yes! This kind of talk can’t be said carelessly. If there is really someone else who instigated this, wouldn’t we have wronged the Li family?”

Only Yu Yuan and Shen Fang did not say anything.

Yu Yuan seemed to be contemplating something. Shen Fang glanced at Li Jun and then at Yu Tang.

“Whether was it a misunderstanding or not, once we find seventh uncle, and the magistrate finds the perpetrator, then this matter will be clear.” Yu Tang calmly replied, “This matter can’t be left like this. If we don’t find out the mastermind, we can’t even sleep in peace.”

Li Jun’s face became even redder, as if it could drip blood. He stammered and said, “Lady Yu, you, you don’t believe me?”

Yu Tang replied, “It’s not a matter of believing you or not. What matters is knowing the person out who did this. Using such underhanded and despicable means, surely no one can tolerate it.”

Li Jun stood up, he angrily wanted to say something in defense, but he seemed to have thought of something and held himself back, the corners of the mouth opened and closed, but he did not make a sound.

Shen Fang stood up and said, “As Lady Yu said, there must be evidence, so it is useless for us to say anything now. It so happens that Master Yu still has something to do this afternoon, so we might as well disperse for now. When your seventh uncle is found, and there is news from the magistrate, we can then discuss this matter again.”

Yu Wen felt that Li Jun and Shen Fang came to save Yu Tang, but in the end they were suspected by Yu Tang, which was quite rude, so he said ashamedly, “How can it be resolved like that……”

“Uncle!” Yu Yuan suddenly stood up and interrupted Yu Wen, saying, “Gentleman Li and Gentleman Shen are not strangers, so it’s more important to find seventh uncle first.”

Hearing this, Li Jun followed suit, saying, “Master Yu, Gentleman Yu’s words are reasonable. I think it is more important to find your family’s seventh uncle first.”