Chapter 17

Jiang Fengming had been visiting the Beiming Mansion more frequently in the past few days, not for any other reason than that Yang's younger sister lived there. Yang's younger sister's given name was Shu Cai. She had big eyes, curved eyebrows, and was a lovely young lady with two shallow dimples when she smiled.

Because the Jiang and Yang families had been growing closer recently, it seemed that Jiang Fengming's proposal to the Yang family was on the agenda. That evening, Jiang Fengming was sitting alone on the sofa at home. His elder brother hadn't returned yet, and he felt rather bored. Suddenly, he thought of Yang Shucai, and his heart began to flutter. He looked at his watch and saw that it was almost dinnertime. Jiang Fengming made a phone call to the Beiming Mansion, deciding to go and spend the night with him.

The call was quickly connected, and the maid handed the receiver to Miss Yang. Yang Shu answered the phone with a smile. Because she liked the other person very much, she was overjoyed to hear that Jiang Fengming was willing to come and keep her company tonight.

Jiang Fengming suggested on the phone that they go out for dinner and a movie, but Yang Shucai wanted to spend the night at home with him. "We have a Western chef at home tonight," Yang Shucai told Jiang Fengming as she listened to the phone. She had tasted the chef's cooking before and thought it was very good, so she wanted to invite Jiang Fengming to try it too.

Jiang Fengming didn't necessarily need to go out for entertainment, so he readily agreed when he heard the other party's suggestion. He hung up the phone unhurriedly, got up, and instructed his subordinate to bring him an ironed shirt.

Winter had arrived, and being someone who was sensitive to the cold, he wore layers upon layers of thick clothing when he went out, including boots, his feet wrapped up like calluses. But he was also quite concerned with his image; as he stepped out the door with one foot, he turned back, instructing his servant to fetch some scented tea leaves from his wardrobe and stuff them into his shirt pocket.

Dressed impeccably, he stepped out the door, and the driver sped off, taking him to the Beiming Mansion. The mansion's living room was heated, and as soon as Jiang Fengming entered, he felt a gentle breeze and breathed a sigh of relief. His face, which had been slightly stiff from the wind while walking downstairs, immediately brightened with a smile.

He removed two shirts and unbuttoned his vest, revealing a rich, fragrant scent emanating from him. He took out a sachet, fanned himself with it, and walked into the living room, feeling quite pleased with himself. There he saw Yang Shucai. Although Yang Shucai was not yet married, she was far from reserved, already sitting on the sofa waiting for him. Seeing Jiang Fengming arrive, she happily put down the apple she was peeling and went to his side.

Jiang Fengming saw that she was wearing a light blue velvet dress, a white silk scarf around her neck, and a pair of small leather shoes. While this attire might not be considered formal enough for public occasions, it was quite appropriate and beautiful, even somewhat formal, for home. He couldn't help but smile, leaning closer to hug her. Yang Shucai also had a pleasant fragrance, a fruity scent. Jiang Fengming pulled her hand and led her to sit on the sofa.

Picking up the unfinished red apple from the coffee table, Jiang Fengming continued peeling it for her. Meanwhile, the chefs were busy in the kitchen, and it wasn't time to eat yet, so Yang Shu took his arm and began to speak intimately.

Jiang Fengming never really listened to girls' conversations without thinking. Their discussions about cosmetics, handbags, and jewelry were incredibly naive and superficial; to him, these things were all equivalent to money—silver dollars and banknotes. And since he was never short of money, he was quite adept at winning girls' hearts. Listening to her rambling on about a ruby ​​ring she'd seen while shopping with her friends, Yang Shu suddenly felt a flutter in her heart. She grabbed Jiang Fengming's arm and asked innocently, "When will you marry me?"

Jiang Fengming barely hesitated, then smiled and cut a slice of apple, feeding it to her. "Ask your older brother. He was the matchmaker when I married you." He then put the apple slice into her mouth.

Miss Yang bit into an apple, her pink cheeks slightly flushed. She was a little embarrassed by her initiative, but didn't care at all. She gently pushed the other person and said, "Don't try to fool me. Tell me, do you want to marry me?"

"Let me think about it." Jiang Fengming nodded repeatedly, then turned around and offered her another slice of apple. "Miss Yang is beautiful, lively, and adorable. So many people are pursuing you, how could I not want to marry you?"

Yang Shu was finally satisfied. She hugged his arm and slowly chewed on her apple. Then she heard Jiang Fengming say, "But your older brother said that I have to settle things with your second aunt first before we can really be together."

Yang Shucai had heard these words before. After thinking for a moment, she hesitated and said, "Second Aunt, she...who killed her?"

Upon hearing this, Jiang Fengming glanced at her and threatened her, "Girls shouldn't ask about fighting and killing; it's scary."

"I'm not afraid," Yang Shucai laughed. "Don't you know who my older brother is? All these years, although there are some things he won't tell me, I can roughly imagine them! Tell me, I've always been curious, who is my second aunt's enemy?"

"Don't talk nonsense, what enemy..." Jiang Fengming stopped halfway through his sentence. Because Jiang Jiejie was his aunt, he hadn't dared to think too deeply about her accidental death, afraid of scaring himself with unthinkable thoughts. Unfortunately, he wasn't the type to think things through. Now, reminded by Yang Shucai, the lingering fear from before suddenly flooded back into his mind. Yes, why would someone like Jiang Jiejie offend the Tang family, or more precisely, the young master of the Tang family? What grudge or hatred did she have that would lead them to kill her? More importantly, his Jiang family and the Tang family had almost no dealings with each other. If the Tang family killed Jiang Jiejie because of some hatred, would he, Jiang Fengming, be implicated? What exactly was going on behind the scenes?

What he had been worried about suddenly came to light, brought to his attention by Yang Shucai. At that moment, he suddenly became inexplicably annoyed and restless. He threw down the remaining half of the apple, stood up without warning, and looked at Yang Shucai with almost fear and suspicion.

The half-eaten apple rolled a few times on the amber glass coffee table before finally coming to rest on the corner. Yang Shu, startled by his sudden outburst, looked up blankly. "Fengming, what's wrong?"

Jiang Fengming stared at her for a long time, then suddenly sat down again, facing her.

"Tell me in detail about my aunt Jiang Jiejie's affairs in your family. Tell me everything you can think of."

"Huh?" Yang Shu was confused and didn't understand Jiang Fengming's meaning. However, she still thought about it seriously and slowly recalled her thoughts to answer.

Yang Shucai greatly disappointed Jiang Fengming. He then realized that Yang Shucai was truly an innocent and carefree rich girl, completely oblivious to the dark and sordid aspects of life. All he got from Yang Shucai was information about his stepmother Jiang Jiejie's daily habits: what she liked to wear, how she dressed, what she liked to eat, where she liked to go, what kind of perfume she liked, what kind of shoes she liked, where she liked to go shopping… None of this was what Jiang Fengming wanted to hear. He asked Jiang Jiejie if she had any other friends, thinking it might be one of the connections to the Tang family, but Yang Shucai knew nothing about these details, shaking her head throughout. As for other, deeper secrets, such as whether her relationship with Yang Xiang was harmonious, Yang Shucai simply shook her head, unaware. During this time, servants from all walks of life came to serve them tea and water, but Yang Shucai couldn't recall anything more.

Jiang Fengming was at a loss with her, his suspicions growing stronger, and looking at her face made him feel increasingly uneasy. Unable to resolve the situation, he excused himself to use the restroom and hurriedly left the living room. Once out of Yang Shucai's sight, his face turned pale, and he suddenly felt incredibly anxious. He racked his brains but couldn't recall any past or present conflicts between the Jiang family and the Tang family that involved any life-or-death situations. He reassured himself that this matter had nothing to do with his Jiang family; the problem must lie with the Yang family.

Just then, a maid hurried past him. Jiang Fengming happened to be standing in the passageway connecting the guest room and the toilet. With quick reflexes, he pulled the maid along, swiftly went around to the guest room, and then closed the door behind him.

Jiang Fengming recognized the maid; she was one of Miss Yang's personal servants, someone he had met several times before. Just now, while he was speaking with Yang Shu, the maid had stood beside them for quite some time, and Jiang Fengming sensed out of the corner of his eye that she seemed to want to say something but was holding back. He felt that this maid must know something that was not being told to others. In fact, servants in a mansion or villa, if they frequently move around and gossip behind people's backs, often seem to know far more secrets about the household than their young masters. Jiang Fengming wouldn't let this opportunity slip away. He pulled the maid behind the door, covered her mouth, and gestured for her to be quiet.

The maid, her face flushed, looked up at Jiang Fengming, her expression hesitant and reserved, showing no sign of fear or a disturbance. Jiang Fengming's heart skipped a beat upon seeing this; he instantly understood her meaning. At the same time, he suddenly realized why she had appeared before him so frequently before. This maid liked him. Realizing this, Jiang Fengming suddenly felt relieved. If this extra bit of affection added to her charm, what was there to fear about not being able to get anything out of her?

He released the other person's hand, pretending to be a little embarrassed as he straightened his shirt vest, looked into the other person's eyes, and whispered, "I want to ask you something, is that alright?"

This maid was incredibly clever; from her master's conversation, she could tell what Jiang Fengming wanted to know. Her passing by was intentional. She raised her eyes, her voice trembling slightly, and asked, "Young Master Jiang, you want to know about the Second Madam, don't you?"

Jiang Fengming nodded tacitly, then took a moment to observe the other person's appearance. He found her to be as thin as a straw, with little flesh on her cheeks, and her eyes were sunken and listless. She had a delicate and frail appearance, which was exactly what Jiang Fengming disliked. He would hesitate to touch her even a few times, fearing he might accidentally break her. At this moment, he was almost driven to desperation, but despite his inner turmoil, he continued to press her for answers.

"Please tell me everything you know about my aunt and the Yang family, okay?" Jiang Fengming suppressed the goosebumps rising in his arms, gently wrapped his arms around the other person, and placed a kiss on the other person's forehead. "Please, this is very important to me."

Yang Ruinian's father, Yang Xiang, was separated from his parents at a young age and became an outlaw, making a living by robbing镖师 (bodyguards/escorts). Because of his skill in fighting with two swords, he was known in the underworld as "Two-Sword Tiger." He was skilled in combat and adept at robbery and murder, killing ruthlessly and gradually establishing a certain prestige within the gang. After years of fighting and killing, and with his repeated victories, he inevitably attracted the attention of officials. At that time, the head of a镖局 (bodyguard/escort agency) in the French Concession, surnamed Bai, was terrified of being robbed by Yang Xiang and devised a plan to recruit him. Yang Xiang himself was only in this line of work to make a living, and his success in the bandit gang often made him the target of suspicion and sabotage. Now, seeing that Boss Bai was trying to persuade him to leave and promised him the position of second-in-command of the镖局, he readily agreed almost without hesitation. That very night, after everyone in the gang had fallen asleep, he set fire to the mountain, trapping over a hundred bandits to death in the flames. His pledge of allegiance was undeniably impressive, and Boss Bai, true to his word, resigned from his life of crime and became the second-in-command of the escort agency. He held this position for thirty years. A few years later, Boss Bai died of illness, and Yang Xiang naturally rose to the top position at the Detian Escort Agency, where he amassed his fortune.

His reputation for ruthlessness was legendary. After becoming the head of the escort agency, he used his decisive methods to subdue his subordinates, who obeyed his every command. In the French Concession today, everyone who hears Yang Xiang's name respectfully addresses him as "Boss Yang," a recognition not only of his abilities but also of his status. Now, Yang Xiang is past fifty, and few know his past. This maid had only managed to overhear it from the old steward. However, this story offered Jiang Fengming no comfort. But since the protagonist was so formidable, he pressed for more information with even greater anxiety.

The maid clutched her chest; her heart was pounding. She glanced at the other woman and said with a slight reproach, "These past events aren't known to everyone. I'm telling you something so important, and you…"

Before he could finish speaking, Jiang Fengming grabbed the woman's hand, brought it to his lips, and then stared at her with his clear, bright eyes, his gaze pleading and pitiful. He was adept at manipulating women, and his own handsome appearance made him irresistible to most. The maid blushed and her heart pounded. Seeing Jiang Fengming like this, she steeled herself and, like a machine, recounted the rest of the secret.

As he had expected, Jiang Jiejie's death was indeed related to Yang Xiang. However, the story of this tragic fate began on the day that Yang Xiang's son, Jiang Jiejie, met Yang Ruinian.

Jiang Jiejie and Yang Ruinian met in the park. It was a summer day, and Yang Ruinian, for some reason, suddenly felt like taking a boat trip on the park's lake with a few servants. After disembarking, he felt extremely tired and hot, so he sent a servant to buy him ice cream and cold drinks. He happened to see a pavilion nearby and, wiping his sweat, decided to sit down and cool off. Upon entering the pavilion, he noticed a girl in a white dress leaning against a bench. Although her head was down, it was clear her face was deathly pale, and her chest was heaving violently. The girl was resting her chin on her hand, her body curled up in a similar position. Yang Ruinian found this strange. Seeing that the girl was thin and frail, and there was no one else beside her, he kindly approached and asked if she needed help. The girl looked up, her brows furrowed and her lips pale, and told him that she had heatstroke and was feeling dizzy, but that she was alright and would feel better after a while.

Looking up, Yang Ruinian was completely stunned. This girl was simply...too beautiful. Even in her illness, with her face deathly pale, her stunning beauty couldn't be concealed. Her eyes were like the water in a cool, clear pool on a summer's day, or like a young deer crossing a stream, glistening with dew. Yang Ruinian felt he was about to be mesmerized. Just then, a servant brought over some cold drinks and ice cream. Yang Ruinian, quick-witted, handed both to the servant and sat down, telling him, "Eating something sweet will help you recover. Holding the ice cream will keep you cool." His words were rather unrefined, but driven by his pounding heart and flustered emotions, Jiang Jiejie smiled at him and didn't refuse, taking the two items and eating them bite by bite.

Yang Ruinian eventually took her to the hospital, where the doctor prescribed some medication. By then, Jiang Jiejie's heatstroke symptoms had significantly improved. The two had already spoken and exchanged names in the park. Now that Jiang Jiejie was alright, it was time for her to say goodbye to Yang Ruinian. However, Yang Ruinian grew increasingly fond of her and didn't want to miss this opportunity, so he naturally asked for her phone number, planning to meet her again sometime.

Time flies by so quickly.

At this time, Jiang Jiejie was a young lady confined to her chambers. One day, Jiang Fengming told her that in order for the Jiang family to gain a better foothold in the foreign concessions, she had to marry Mr. Yang, a businessman from the French Concession. He explained that the two men were increasingly at odds, and Jiang Jiejie was a stabilizing force, temporarily easing tensions between them. Jiang Fengming's words were clearly forcing her to marry a complete stranger; she was being used as a pawn, and she had no way to stop it.

But she was soon shocked to discover that this Mr. Yang's son was the same young master who had helped her in the park pavilion that day. She couldn't possibly be unaware of Yang Ruinian's feelings for her, and yet she was about to become his stepmother. She wasn't ready to get involved in this mess, or rather, besides gratitude, she actually harbored other, deeper feelings for Yang Ruinian.

Perhaps it was because she had expressed her feelings to Yang Ruinian that he was so unrestrained in fantasizing about what would happen later.

And this relationship, as time goes by, will gradually be completely dragged down by despair.

Yang Xiang, without realizing it, noticed the feelings between his daughter-in-law and son, and that the latter had begun openly and secretly vying for her with him. At this time, he hadn't officially married Jiang Jiejie yet, and he felt guilty because he knew he was getting old, while his son surpassed him in every way. Age-wise, his son was definitely the more suitable match for Jiang Jiejie.

Seeing that his father was delaying his marriage to Miss Jiang, Yang Ruinian firmly believed that he had a chance. He practically imagined himself as Prince Shou, Li Mao (also known as Li Chang), and that even if his father, Yang Xiang, were Emperor Xuanzong of Tang, he wouldn't be able to sway him! He naturally felt that he had the upper hand in this drama of the father and son vying for a woman.

Unfortunately, fate was unkind; the Yang family wasn't yet under Yang Ruinian's control. Yang Ruinian soon discovered, to his dismay, that Jiang Jiejie wasn't as obedient as he'd hoped, and she had slept with his father. This was, of course, perfectly logical, but Yang Ruinian felt resentful for not being able to sleep with her first. He didn't understand where he fell short compared to his father. Unwilling to be outdone, Yang Ruinian took the initiative and invited Jiang Jiejie out. Knowing that the young master Yang had always coveted her, and seeing that he controlled almost half of the Yang family's business and wielded considerable power, Jiang Jiejie almost instinctively climbed into his bed.

This nearly enraged Yang Xiang. He hated both of them: his son, a scoundrel; and Jiang Jiejie, ultimately, a woman whose name didn't reflect her character. He thought he was being punished for all the bad things he'd done in his life—punished for his son fighting with him over a woman. Then he sadly realized he couldn't kill his son, nor could he publicize the matter. The former was because he was approaching fifty and had only one son; the latter was because he always felt family scandals shouldn't be aired in public. He began to regret letting Yang Ruinian manage part of the Yang family's businesses a few years ago, which had given Yang Ruinian almost equal power in the French Concession—something he couldn't afford to lose. Since he was so cowardly and useless, even unable to openly break ties with his son, he was even more helpless when it came to Jiang Jiejie. His son was incredibly cunning. Over the years, he had weathered countless storms and become a notorious villain. He appeared calm on the surface, but his underhanded dealings were more despicable than those of a rat in a sewer. He could easily handle such a trivial matter without any guilt or remorse. What was even more bizarre was that during this period, the father and son managed to maintain a semblance of calm on the surface.

Yang Xiang's feelings for Jiang Jiejie were a mixture of love and hate, a love-hate relationship where he was willing but unable to help.

Thus, Jiang Jiejie served both Yang's father and son. Because of this complicated relationship, Yang Xiang was unable to formally marry Jiang Jiejie as he wished. At a dinner party, Yang Ruinian, pushing his luck, proposed taking Jiang Jiejie away from the French Concession. All three understood the implications of this move: Yang Ruinian was using the pretext of managing the business to divert his wife from his father's attention. Yang Xiang knew he was at a disadvantage, and this time the other party was serious. He subtly raised his eyes and pressed Jiang Jiejie for her consent.

Jiang Jiejie had long harbored deep hatred for the Yang family and wanted the father and son to become sworn enemies. However, when she saw Mr. Yang speaking without any emotion, her eyes filled with disgust, she said, "You're old and your body is useless even with medicine. What use am I to you?"

"Perhaps it was this sentence that completely enraged Master Yang."

He asked himself if he was really old, if he was really as worthless as she made him out to be. Jiang Jiejie's words pierced his pride and struck at the reality he least wanted to face.

Yang Xiang watched helplessly as his son took Jiang Jiejie away, and this thorn remained in his heart, impossible to remove, and he harbored deep resentment.

He wanted to kill this woman. He only had one son, and he couldn't kill him; after all, he was a member of the Yang family. But this woman deserved to die.

"So I suspect that Madam was actually killed by an assassin hired by Master." At this point, the maid looked up at Jiang Fengming, emphasizing each word carefully. "Young Master doesn't know the true cause of Madam's death, but he doesn't dare ask Master either, so he had to find someone to investigate himself. I assure you that everything I've said is true. Madam's cause of death is a guess, but we all know Master's methods, and besides, Young Master is in the wrong... I've told you everything I know, you know I won't lie to you."

After hearing all this, Jiang Fengming released the maid and lowered his head to think for a while. Suddenly, he looked up and smiled at her. He remembered the time Yang Ruinian had talked to him at the dock, and how Yang Ruinian had affectionately called Jiang Jiejie "Second Aunt"—was this the story behind it all? Yang Ruinian, pretending to be a good person! He couldn't see through it. He suddenly burst into laughter again; the truth behind all this was too absurd and laughable. He had never felt any pity for his aunt, Jiang Jiejie, let alone now. He thought about it again and realized that this also explained why it was the stack of photos Yang Ruinian gave him that led him to commit murder. So, his aunt later became his woman; who else would be in such a hurry if not him?

Then he remembered Yang Ruinian saying that the Yang family didn't have a suitable assassin. So, was hiring Lu Jin—the Tang family's bodyguard—to assassinate Jiang Jiejie a more suitable option for Yang Xiang? It would both distance himself from the Jiang family regarding Jiang Jiejie's death and prevent a major rift between father and son. As for why it was Lu Jin, the Tang family's bodyguard, who did the killing, that seemed less important. These people were all mercenary, and any reason could explain why Tang Zefei would agree to Yang Xiang's request.

Jiang Fengming then realized that since that was the case, Yang Ruinian must not know the cause of Jiang Jiejie's death, let alone suspect that it was his father who had done it. By possessing this information, he essentially possessed the weapon to turn the Yang family father and son against each other.

More importantly, given this trajectory of events, it's clear that the Jiang family has absolutely no involvement in it anymore.

He could almost happily conclude that Jiang Jiejie's death had absolutely nothing to do with him, Jiang Fengming.

Just then, a voice called out from outside the door, "Brother Fengming, Brother Fengming!"

It was Yang Shucai's voice. He had been gone for far too long, and it must be lunchtime by now. Jiang Fengming didn't rush to open the door. Instead, he glanced at the entrance first, then looked at the maid in front of him. He didn't know how much courage she had mustered to reveal this hidden scandal of the Yang family, but undeniably, such a matter of life and death was not something he could easily hear about. Thinking this, he quickly rummaged through his clothes, pulled a ring off his index finger, and handed it to the maid.

The maid accepted the ring with a shy expression, holding it in her palm and looking at him. Jiang Fengming smiled brightly at her, leaned close to her ear and whispered, "I'll be waiting for you in the backyard downstairs at the mansion in three days." Before she could react, he smiled apologetically at her, pointed to the door, and then opened it and went out.

"Sister Shu Cai, I'm here."