Chapter 31 Yunxi's identity is that of a servant.

Gu Nanxiao brought back the latest news from Kyoto: the Shi family was trying to drag Huimin Shop into trouble by revealing their past profit accounts.

Poor people often harbor resentment towards the rich. When they see you making a lot of money, they stop considering how much money you've saved for them.

Therefore, the current public opinion is very unfavorable to Yunxi and Gu Nanxiao. Once they officially clash with the Shi family, there will inevitably be a back-and-forth battle, so the current situation is exactly what Yunxi expected.

After all, a century-old family would probably have already infiltrated every corner of the court and the marketplace. For example, the online trolls spreading rumors in Kyoto—just look at the speed at which they act and the area where the rumors spread—that gives us a glimpse into their influence.

But after hearing this, Yunxi just scoffed and wrote a letter, which she then had Qianyu take to Qi Jinxiu.

Just as the rumors were escalating and Yunxi's reputation was plummeting, a procession of orphans and elderly people appeared in the capital.

Holding up a "Ten Thousand People's Umbrella," they loudly praised Yunxi's merits throughout the streets and alleys of Kyoto. The appearance of this group immediately attracted attention from all sides.

The crowd of onlookers grew larger and larger, and the massive throng, following the procession, arrived at the Shuntian Prefecture government office, where they handed over a petition.

The complaint clearly records all the expenses that Yunxi spent on orphans and the elderly over the past three years, as well as her donations of rice and other goods.

They intend to sue those who maliciously smear Yunxi, claiming that the money Yunxi earns is not for personal gain, but is used to help them, these poor people, over the years.

The Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture had already received instructions from Gu Nanxiao, and after the complaint was submitted, he read its contents aloud in front of everyone.

However, the number of people accused in the complaint was too wide to be investigated, so the Prefect of Shuntian Prefecture could only offer a few words of support to clear Yunxi's name.

With this incident, the rumors that slandered Yunxi were naturally debunked. Those who had previously believed the rumors and joined in defaming Yunxi were now filled with shame and worked even harder to sing her praises.

But the matter did not end there. The day after the "Ten Thousand People's Umbrella" incident, the Tiger Roar Army, which was stationed on the border, sent a team of messengers to the capital.

The memorial submitted by Hu Xiaojun was presented to the Emperor at the morning court session that day. The memorial listed in great detail the supplies that Yunxi had donated to the border troops in his personal capacity over the past three years.

After reading the memorial, the Emperor was greatly pleased. Such fundraising, which greatly benefits the court, should be set as an example.

After all, most merchants are profit-driven; they're already doing well if they don't try to evade taxes. Where can you find someone who quietly donates for years without seeking fame or fortune?

Such righteous deeds deserve great praise from the Emperor. Therefore, the Emperor first ordered someone to read aloud the list of donations in the memorial during court, and then ordered the court's commendation of Yunxi to be posted all over the streets and alleys of the capital.

Everyone stared in astonishment at the list of a million bushels of grain and a vast amount of supplies. Some even felt a pang of regret at the expense of donating the donated goods. Imagine, if they possessed such wealth, they would never have given it away so easily.

What's most admirable is that even before those unsavory rumors spread in Kyoto, Miss Yunxi continued to donate quietly, never seeking fame or fortune in the past three years.

The Emperor's commendation immediately set the court officials on a high pedestal, and their families praised Yunxi's righteous act at banquets of all sizes in their respective residences.

The saying "What the superiors like, the inferiors will follow even more fervently" perfectly illustrates this point. Whoever the emperor wants to promote, they will follow suit and promote without hesitation.

Three days after the imperial edict was announced, the crown prince, who had gone south to provide disaster relief for the flood victims, returned to the capital to report.

During the morning court session, while the emperor was lavishly praising the crown prince, he presented a list of disaster relief supplies donated by Miss Yunxi.

The list clearly shows the quantities of donated clothing, shoes, hats, food, medicine, etc., as well as prescriptions for preventing a major epidemic after the disaster.

The Crown Prince petitioned for commendation on Yunxi's behalf, a request that perfectly aligned with the Emperor's wishes. He was preparing to use Yunxi's righteous act to establish a role model of serving the country and its people.

After a moment's thought, the Emperor decided to bestow upon Yunxi the title of County Princess and the honorary title of Loyal and Righteous.

But incredibly, after the emperor's edict was issued, the messenger could not find a girl named Yunxi anywhere.

While everyone was still in shock, Yunxi's sworn sister, Zhao Yunxi, stepped forward and spoke up for her sworn sister, saying that Yunxi had died tragically in the Shi family mansion.

This boomerang-like attack was undeniably ruthless. It was as if the current prime minister and the current Qing officials were being roasted on a fire.

The people of Kyoto suddenly realized why Yunxi's sworn sister and Shi Qingchen had presented the exact same prescription. It turned out that Yunxi had once lived in the Shi residence.

But what exactly happened that led Yunxi's sworn sister to claim that her sworn sister had died tragically at the Shi residence?

Soon, various speculations spread in Kyoto, such as the Shi family coveting Yunxi's recipe and committing murder to steal it.

For example, Shi Qingchen exploited Yunxi's wisdom to deceive the world and steal fame. Another example is how Shi Qingchen betrayed Yunxi, setting her on fire and burning her to death before he could marry a noblewoman.

The Emperor was extremely dissatisfied with the Shi family's recent actions. The example he wanted to set had been ruined by the Shi family, and no one could oppose him.

However, since the imperial decree of commendation had already been issued, the emperor had to give an explanation to the people. At the morning court session that day, the emperor ordered the Shi family father and son to suspend their duties pending investigation, and to wait for the Imperial Guard to investigate the matter before making a decision.

The emperor's dissatisfaction with the Shi family spurred their political enemies to take action. Among them, the factions of the second and fourth princes were particularly active, submitting memorials for several days in a row to accuse the Shi family of various crimes in recent years.

Moreover, the evidence they provided regarding the Shi family's crimes subtly pointed the finger at the Third Prince.

The Third Prince is the younger sister of the Grand Secretary, and the son of Consort Shi. From a young age, the Third Prince was intelligent and talented, both in literature and martial arts, and was greatly favored by the Emperor. He was also the strongest contender for the position of Crown Prince.

Although there is a crown prince in the current dynasty, the prince was poisoned in his childhood and later fell into a cold pond several times. The Imperial Medical Academy has concluded that he will not only have difficulty having children, but also that his lifespan is short.

Therefore, the Crown Prince only held the title of heir apparent. The Emperor, however, was actually grooming the next heir. And the court officials had long since begun secretly choosing sides among the princes.

The reason why the Shi family held such a significant position in the imperial court, with their sons, nephews, and descendants all holding important posts in various departments, was largely due to the fact that they were the maternal family of the Third Prince.

However, this time, the Shi family has incurred the wrath of the masses. Therefore, the Third Prince, who knows how to protect himself, has been trying to avoid contact with the Shi family ever since their reputation was tarnished.

Even when the Shi family father and son were suspended from their posts and investigated, he never visited them or spoke a word in their defense before the Emperor.

The Prime Minister was deeply saddened by the Third Prince's attitude, since the Shi family would provide the Third Prince with 50% of the profits from their shops every year so that he could manage them in the court.

At this moment, the chief minister could only console himself by thinking that as long as the third prince did not fall, the Shi family would not fall, so it was best not to involve everyone.

Because the cause of Yunxi's death was a mystery, and the matter was of great concern to the people, the Emperor ordered Gu Nanxiao to investigate the matter as soon as possible.

On the day the case was filed, the Imperial Guards released a case file from the Dali Temple, which stated that the fire at the Shi family residence was an accident and that Yunxi was actually just the lowest-ranking servant in the Shi household.