Chapter 37 Frosty Dawn (Part 7) - Advocacy.
Ye Mu froze by the door, watching her mother sway and collapse to the ground. She knelt down beside Liu Shi, her gaze burning like starlight as she looked up. "Aunt, please understand! My mother comes from a scholarly family and has always been mindful of etiquette. How could she possibly do such a shameless thing?"
Xia Jie walked over, draped the clothes over her head, and spat as she spoke, "Smell carefully, isn't this your mother's scent?"
After a moment's thought, Ye Mu realized that this was a scheme orchestrated by the Zhou family.
"You can determine it's my mother just by the scent?" She threw the clothes on the ground and sneered, "Then tomorrow I'll go to the tailor shop and buy ten bolts of plain silk, scent them with my second aunt's agarwood incense, and throw them into the fire shop. I'll let those vagrants come to my door with the silk, saying that my second aunt meets with them every night. Do you all believe such a ridiculous story?"
Huoxinfang was a gathering place for bachelors in the capital, and also a notorious filthy place where dissolute men often gathered to drink heavily and hurl filth at passing women.
Upon hearing this, Madam Zhou was furious. Holding her fan, she pointed at her and said, "You've gone too far! You ill-mannered brat, how dare you insult your elders like this! Ask your mother if she saw Mr. Chen the day before the old lady passed away? Did she go to the back garden?"
Liu explained, “It was Mr. Chen who sent someone to ask for the account books of the silk purchases in the previous season to reconcile. I was about to deliver them when we happened to meet in the back garden and chatted for a few minutes.”
"Are there any maids or servants around?" Wang asked.
“It was mealtime then, so I sent the maids to eat, and I went to deliver the account books myself, which was a good opportunity to digest my food on the way.”
Zhou scoffed, "Whether we're standing or leaning in to talk, who knows?"
"How dare you utter such foul language!" Wang shouted.
She glared coldly at the smug Zhou Shi, thinking how foolish she was, speaking without any sense of propriety. Wang Shi was seething with anger, but she couldn't vent it at this moment.
"Even a three-year-old could do something like scenting clothes." Ye Mu shielded Liu behind him. "How can you assume she's my mother without even investigating?"
She looked at Zhou Xia beside her, "Since you were my mother's maidservant, you should know her best. How has my mother treated you all these years? And now you want to humiliate your former mistress?"
When Ye Mu returned from Baoxiang Temple today, she deliberately took a detour to the west of the city, intending to invite Sister Xia to testify. However, she found the small courtyard locked, and the neighbor's aunt was rubbing the pickled mustard greens in the jar at the door. She said to her, "A carriage with eight-treasure tassels came this afternoon, saying that it was from the Marquis's mansion and took Sister Xia away."
She guessed it was her aunt, and was secretly pleased. With her master and Sister Xia as witnesses, she wondered how Zhou would escape this time.
But upon returning home, he was met with this unexpected scene.
Holding Ye Mu's hand, Liu choked out, "Fourth Sister, Fourth Sister, Mother didn't... Mother didn't..."
“I know, Mother.” Ye Mu gently patted Liu’s back, then turned to Wang. “I implore Aunt to summon Mr. Chen for a face-to-face confrontation and to investigate thoroughly. Since he has accused my mother of having an affair with him, the parties involved should be allowed to explain themselves.”
"Isn't it embarrassing enough?" Zhou sneered. "Family scandals shouldn't be aired in public. Are you only satisfied when it becomes a public spectacle? While not many people know about it yet, you three branches of the family should leave quietly, so that everyone can at least save face!"
"Why feel ashamed of something you didn't do? Or is it that Second Aunt is feeling guilty?" Ye Mu said coldly. "I implore Eldest Aunt to summon Mr. Chen."
Before she could finish speaking, Sister Xia spat out, "What are you two pretending to be innocent for?"
She wouldn't listen to any explanations right now, stubbornly sticking to her own logic. Because she had cried so much, her voice was even rougher than usual, scraping like a broken gong. "My husband was kicked out of the mansion yesterday! They said they miscalculated the rent for ten acres of paddy fields. Bah! He's managed the accounts in the Ye family for over ten years, when has he ever made such a mistake? If it wasn't your good mother pulling the strings behind the scenes, who else could it be! She's tired of him and afraid her shameful deeds will be exposed, so she's in a hurry to kick my husband out of the mansion."
"My poor husband, after I pressed him repeatedly last night, he finally dared to confess to me that you, Third Madam, had seduced him several times. He's so ashamed that he's run away from the city. He's terrified of your despicable methods, that's why he won't come! Don't even think about dragging him into this mess!"
Xia Jie stared intently at Liu Shi, her hatred burning. "If it weren't for the fact that Madam sent someone to ask me about the rumors on the estate today, I would have already made up my mind. This afternoon I would go to the blacksmith's shop, buy the sharpest pig-slaughtering knife, and tomorrow, I would come with the knife and smash down the vermilion gates of your Marquis's mansion! Either you give me an explanation, or we'll fight to the death!"
"Absurd! Absurd!"
Liu was so angry that she trembled all over and her face turned pale. Those sage books taught her to be chaste, gentle, kind, respectful, frugal and modest, and to refrain from speaking improperly, but they did not teach her how to defend herself.
She couldn't utter a single word, shaking her head in vain as her body slid limply downwards, barely managing to stay upright only thanks to Ye Mu's all-out support.
Madam Wang rubbed her throbbing temples. No wonder Mr. Chen came to say goodbye yesterday. She was surprised, but then she heard Mr. Chen say, "I was fortunate to be recognized by the old Marquis and allowed to work as an accountant in the mansion. Now that the old Marquis and the old lady have both passed away, and there are rising talents in the mansion, it is time to give way to the younger generation."
At the time, she thought this person was old-fashioned and polite, so she invited Sister Xia today, firstly to ask about the rumors about Zhuangzi, and secondly to give her some money to comfort her. Who could have expected this big show to happen?
Looking back now, it was all a scheme orchestrated by the Zhou family.
The Zhou family dared to be so arrogant, they must have already rehearsed their lines with Mr. Chen. Even if they summoned him from outside the city to confront him, it would be of no use. How could Fourth Sister be a match for them?
Moreover, Wang also had her own selfish motives. Jian Ge'er was at a crucial point in his career, and if this matter were to escalate, who knew what kind of lies Zhou would concoct with her loose tongue.
Perhaps it would be good to take advantage of this opportunity to send Ye Mu away through the Zhou family. Once Jian Ge'er returns from his post, and after a long absence, those inappropriate feelings will naturally fade away.
"Fourth Sister, your mother is ill and cannot withstand any more trouble, but there are too many people in the mansion and too much gossip. For the sake of your peace and quiet, it is really inconvenient for you to stay any longer."
Finally, Madam Wang spoke, seemingly genuinely considering their needs, "Although the old house in the south of the city is simple, it is still our own property. You can stay there for now and move later when you find a suitable place to live."
The old house in the south of the city that she mentioned was the courtyard where the old Marquis's grandfather lived when he was young.
Since the Ye family ancestor followed Emperor Taizu in establishing the country and made meritorious contributions, and was granted the title of Marquis of Yong'an, the family has become increasingly prosperous. The narrow and cramped courtyard was no longer worthy of the Marquis's mansion and was gradually abandoned.
Nearly a century of wind and rain erosion has left the beams and pillars crumbling, spiderwebs tangled, and weeds growing taller than a person.
Wang knew perfectly well that the house was uninhabitable. She made this arrangement only so that if Jian Ge'er asked about it in the future, she would have something to say to appease him. After all, it provided a place for the mother and daughter to stay.
However, whether Liu and her daughter would rent a house or seek refuge with distant relatives after leaving the Marquis's residence was no longer within her consideration.
The entire capital city has a population of 1.3 million. In such a vast sea of people, once they are separated, it's like a needle falling into the ocean. After they move away, it won't be so easy for Jian Ge'er to see them again.
Ye Mu looked up in shock, not expecting her aunt to make such a decision.
She stared intently at Wang, "My aunt has always been known for her fairness in managing the household. Is this how you judge a case today? You allow the innocent to be wronged, and you allow those who framed her to run rampant?"
“The evidence is conclusive, and you still want to argue!” Zhou said.
"Evidence?" Ye Mu stared coldly at her. "Without confrontation or verification, is a piece of clothing and a few deliberately misleading slanderous words enough to constitute evidence? Is this enough to convict a Marquis's wife of misconduct? Is this the Ye family's rule?"
She gave a low, cold laugh. "I've certainly learned my lesson today."
"Alright, the matter is settled," Madam Wang felt a pang of fear under her gaze and looked away. "I will strictly order everyone to keep a close watch on you and not let a word of it leak out. This is more than enough from the Marquis's family."
Only now did Ye Mu realize that from beginning to end, her aunt, who was in charge of the household affairs, had never intended to clear her and her daughter's name. All her arguments were useless.
She stared at these people, her teeth clenched in disapproval. Although she had long wanted to leave the Marquis's mansion, she would never do it in such a humiliating way, bearing an indelible stain, being driven away like a stray dog.
A chill ran down Ye Mu's spine, but he became even calmer. "I don't know if my aunt has other reasons or if someone has something on her that she would do such an unjust thing! But this matter concerns my mother's and my lifelong reputation, so how can we make such a hasty judgment?"
“My father is still observing mourning at my grandmother’s grave. As a son, he is fulfilling his filial duty; as a husband and father, he also has the right to know! Fourth Sister begs that we wait until my father returns home so that he can make a decision on this matter himself! Before my father returns, my mother and I will never step out of the Marquis’s residence!”
Seeing that Ye Mu was unyielding and insisted on waiting for Third Master Ye to return, Madam Wang did not expect that this seemingly docile niece had such an unyielding spirit. After pondering for a moment, she finally summoned Jin Yun and whispered, "Go to the cemetery in the south of the city and ask Third Master Ye to return to the manor. Tell him that there are important matters in the manor that require his immediate return to make a decision."
Jin Yun accepted the order and left, but as dusk fell, she was seen returning alone in a hurry.
"Reporting to Madam, Third Master said that the old lady has just passed away, and he is physically and mentally exhausted. He needs to be mindful of his filial duties and stay at the cemetery to calm his mind, not concerning himself with external affairs. No matter what family matters there are, they are none of his concern. Everything will be decided by Madam and the Marquis."
Jin Yun looked embarrassed and glanced at Ye Mu. "Third Master didn't even hear what it was about before he thought I was too noisy and sent me back."
Zhou's tense shoulders immediately relaxed, and he chuckled twice, having anticipated this.
Ye Mu felt a surge of blood rush to his head. Indeed, one can never rely on a man, not even one's own father.
Unwilling to give up, she took two steps forward. "Since you keep saying my mother is unfit for marriage, why not invite the clan head and the marquis here, open the ancestral hall, clarify the rules, and make things clear in front of our ancestors..."
"Enough!" Madam Wang slammed her hand on the table. "Fourth girl, how long are you going to make a scene? Do you really want to alarm the whole clan, expose your mother's shameful affair to the public, and make the entire capital laugh at the Marquis's mansion before you're satisfied?"
Zhou chimed in sarcastically, "Why waste your breath arguing with her, sister-in-law? Such a shameless person..."
"Smack—"
A sharp slap suddenly rang out, landing hard on Zhou's face and interrupting her unfinished words.
Ye Mu used all his strength in that slap. Zhou Shi's head was turned to the side, her hair bun falling loose from the violent shaking, and clear red marks from five fingers instantly appeared on her face. She covered her face in disbelief and shrieked, "You...you dare..."
"This slap is for my mother!" Ye Mu gripped her wrist tightly as she tried to retaliate, his fingers like iron clamps. "I'm slapping you for framing your sister-in-law and disgracing the family!"
Before Zhou could react, Ye Mu slapped her even harder across the left cheek.
"This slap is on behalf of my grandmother!" Ye Mu said sternly, "You are so vicious, you don't deserve to be respected!"
Two slaps left Zhou's hair disheveled and her cheeks swollen and red. She stood there stunned, momentarily forgetting to cry or make a scene.
Madam Wang watched coldly until she finally spoke slowly, "Have you made enough of a scene? Someone, escort the Third Madam and the Fourth Miss out of the mansion."
Several rough-looking servants stepped forward and reached out to grab Ye Mu's arm.
"Don't touch me!"
Ye Mu shook off their hands, "We can leave on our own. We've wanted to leave this filthy place for a long time!"
"Today, I, Ye Mu, walk out of this door not to admit to this fabricated crime, but to see clearly the filth and injustice within this high-ranking family! My mother's innocence is witnessed by heaven and earth, and seen by the gods! This Marquis's mansion is not worthy of us staying here! One day, the truth will come to light, and I only hope that when that time comes, my aunt will not regret what she has done today!"
She helped the sobbing Liu Shi walk out step by step. As she passed Zhou Shi, Ye Mu paused slightly. "Second Aunt, these two slaps are interest. One day, we'll settle the score."
"Rebellion! Rebellion!" Zhou finally came to her senses and lunged forward like a madwoman.
With a single glance from Wang, the servants grabbed her tightly, and Zhou could only watch helplessly as the mother and daughter walked out of the courtyard without looking back.
As dusk settled and the eaves were shrouded in mist, a light rain began to fall, enveloping the vermilion gates and high walls in a melancholy, damp atmosphere.
As Ye Mu helped the frail Liu Shi step out of the side gate of the Marquis's mansion, a slender figure emerged from behind the stone lion, tightly clutching a blue cloth bundle in her hands.
"girl!"
Zijing hurried forward and held the oil-paper umbrella over their heads. Her voice was trembling with tears. "I was listening intently in the corridor and saw Sister Jinyun come back alone. I knew something was wrong, so I rushed back to our courtyard to pack my personal belongings, a few pieces of jewelry that the young lady usually wears, her usual clothes, and a few doses of medicine for the madam. I didn't have time to take anything else."
"Luckily you're quick-witted." Ye Mu touched the heavy silver coins and the corner of the hardwood box in the bundle, his throat tightened, and he just squeezed Zijing's cold hand tightly. "Ajing, it's good that you're here. Mother's body can't take it. Let's find an inn to stay in first and then make other plans."
This Vermilion Bird Avenue is adjacent to the imperial city, surrounded by grand mansions. The three of them walked briskly for two long streets before they were truly out of the Marquis's sphere of influence.
As you turn into the slightly noisy alleyway, you can see a three-story pavilion standing tall, with the black plaque bearing the words "Yun Jian Ge" in gold lettering standing out prominently in the misty rain.
They could barely walk anymore; this was the nearest inn they had encountered.
The hall was brightly lit, and the faint sound of a singer could be heard. Ye Mu stopped at the foot of the steps. A night in a place like this would cost at least two or three taels of silver.
She gritted her teeth and went into the shop, but when she saw the gold-plated price tag in the hall that read "Superior Room: Five Taels," she turned back. It was so expensive to stay one night; five taels of silver was enough for an ordinary family in the capital to live on for two months.
This is outrageous!
Just as Ye Mu was clutching her purse, determined to find another place, she heard her mother coughing softly. It was raining outside, and the sleeves and hems of the three of them were already mostly wet.
"I need a superior room." Ye Mu finally stepped through the door and tossed the silver ingot onto the counter.
The waiter was a man of the world. Seeing that the three men looked disheveled but their overall demeanor and the quality of their clothes were extraordinary, he hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Honorable guests, please come in. You are lucky. There is one room left tonight. It is quiet and elegant, perfect for resting."
The waiter led them through the corridor with a smile, and they found themselves in a secluded courtyard.
The ground is paved with blue bricks, and a rainproof horn lamp hangs under the eaves. The windows of the main room are covered with brand-new mulberry paper. There are several green bamboos in the courtyard and a few koi fish in a stone basin in the corner of the wall.
The environment was quiet and peaceful, which helped Ye Mu relax a bit. It was worth the room fee, and her mother could also get a better rest.
"Your room rate includes three meals and one soup." The waiter pushed open the lattice door, revealing the pear wood table and chairs, embroidered stools and dressing cases in the room. He bowed and handed over the menu. "The kitchen has newly arrived Yellow River carp, winter bamboo shoots and ham. Would you like some seasonal soup or some easy-to-digest porridge?"
Ye Mu's gaze lingered on the last item on the menu. "Three bowls of chicken and bird's nest porridge, along with a dish of pickled quail, a dish of pickled cucumber, and a bowl of stir-fried ham and bamboo shoots."
After the waiter left, she carefully helped Liu Shi clean up and change her clothes.
When the warm towel was wiped across her mother's bony back, Ye Mu's fingertips trembled involuntarily. In just half a month, her inner garment had become so loose.
When the hot porridge was served, Liu managed to eat half a bowl before falling into a deep sleep.
After Ye Mu and Zi Jing finished washing up in silence, they sat facing each other at the Eight Immortals table and drank porridge. The valuables in their bundles were spread out under the candlelight: five ingots of official silver, several pieces of red gold hairpins, a jade pendant of excellent quality, and some loose silver.
Zijing said, "Miss, although the old house in the south of the city is dilapidated, it is still ancestral property. Why don't we go and take a look at it tomorrow?"
Ye Mu took a sip of porridge and shook his head. "No need. Now that we're out, we should go our separate ways and have nothing to do with the Marquis's mansion anymore. It would be better to rent another house."
First, his grandmother died under mysterious circumstances, and now his mother has suffered such a humiliating disgrace and been forced out of the Marquis's mansion. With all these things happening, where is there any room for kinship? Ye Mu felt heartbroken and had no desire to have anything to do with the Marquis's mansion again.
She could have brought up her master today, but seeing that Wang was no longer able to discern the truth, why should she let her master get involved in this mess?
Let the Marquis's mansion rot on its own.
“It will take time to find a place to rent,” Zijing said worriedly. “This inn costs five taels of silver a day, and our money can’t withstand this kind of expense for more than a few nights.”
"Tomorrow, we'll move to a cheaper inn and find a place to rent within three days."
Zijing put down her chopsticks. "Miss, although we've lived in the capital since childhood, how could we truly understand the rental market in the city? Three days is far too short..."
Ye Mu gently squeezed her hand. "A-Jing, don't worry. Get some sleep first. I have my own plans."
Ye Mu did indeed have a solution. Thanks to the fact that in the three years before Jiang Si failed to become the top scholar in his previous life, they also had to rent a house. During those three years, they encountered many obstacles, rented a small house with a leaky roof, encountered a difficult landlord, and had a drunkard knock on their door in the middle of the night. They suffered a lot.
They finally settled down after renting a house with a small courtyard in Yanqingfang, thanks to the kind and honest broker, Manager Feng.
So Ye Mu decided to go find him the next day.
Strangely enough, she thought that after such a change, she would definitely have trouble sleeping that night, but holding the bamboo-shaped jade pendant given to her by her master, she had no dreams all night.
Because the inn charged an extra half-day's room rate after noon, Ye Mu didn't dare to delay. The next morning, they moved to the Yuelai Inn, which was five streets away. Although the rooms, which cost half a guan per room, were small, they were bright and clean, which was quite rare.
"Is Miss going to see a broker?" Zijing tied her bundle. "Would you like me to come along?"
"No need." Ye Mu straightened her veil. "A-Jing, you stay here and take good care of my mother. Prepare the calming medicine you brought with you. I'll be right back."
Following her memories of her past life, she turned into the alley next to the Rainbow Bridge. However, when she stopped and looked up, her heart sank. The shop that had been a brokerage firm in her memory was now a newly opened silk shop, and the clerk was enthusiastically greeting customers.
Yes, now that she came here to find him in her previous life several years earlier, Manager Feng probably hasn't even established himself here yet.
As Ye Mu hesitated, his gaze swept across the street corner and he saw an elderly man with white hair and beard sitting next to a small tea stall, with a half-finished chess set in front of him.
She remembered that the old man had lived in this place in his previous life and loved to play chess with people here.
She stepped forward slowly, gave a slight curtsy, and asked in a gentle voice, "Old lady, do you know a shopkeeper surnamed Feng, who is about twenty-five or twenty-six years old and usually works as a middleman?"
The old man looked up from the chessboard, squinted at her for a moment, and shook his head. "There's no broker named Feng on this street."
He paused, then casually pointed south, "Young lady, are you mistaken? There's a newly opened brokerage firm called Sun's Brokerage over there. Why don't you go there and ask?"
Sun's Brokerage Firm?
Ye Mu was puzzled; she had no recollection of this name from her past life, but time was of the essence, and she couldn't afford to search for it carefully. She thanked the old man and headed south as instructed.
Sure enough, not far away, they saw a shop with a newly framed facade; the signboard of Sun's Brokerage was brand new.
Ye Mu lifted the indigo curtain, and a fresh scent of tung oil wafted out. Several maps of the city's streets and alleys hung on the walls, and dozens of vermilion wooden plaques hung on the counter, each with information about available properties, such as "Three-courtyard house by Jinming Pond," "Two-story shop on Maxing Street," and "Small courtyard on Old Caomen Street," among others.
The young man, who was climbing the wooden ladder to add a new plaque to the wall, turned around and jumped down when he heard the sound. He was about twenty-seven or twenty-eight years old and was wearing a Hangzhou silk robe. When he saw the visitor, he smiled before speaking, "Greetings, young lady. Are you looking for a suitable house? My name is Sun, and I am the manager here."
"I wonder if you are preparing for your honeymoon, or if your husband is requesting a lesson? Do you desire a layout with multiple courtyards and rooms? Would you like a small yard for gardening and planting flowers and plants?"
As he spoke, he pointed to the picture album on the wall, "Look at this place, it's only two alleys away from the Imperial College, perfect for scholars; if you want convenience, there are the newly vacated official residences next to the Imperial Street..."
The shop was new, but the shopkeeper was quick-witted and experienced, suggesting he had been in the business for many years. Ye Mu got straight to the point, “I’m looking for a secluded courtyard, not too big, just quiet and safe. The neighbors must be respectable people, but I don’t mind which alley or lane it is.”
"What a coincidence! There is a very nice courtyard in Yanqingfang. The original owner was promoted and sent to a post outside the city, and he entrusted it to me a few days ago. The courtyard is not big, but it has a small courtyard, which is exactly what you want. If you have time, I can take you to see it now?"
Ye Mu was surprised that things went so smoothly, but he still nodded and agreed, "Thank you for leading the way, Manager Sun."
Manager Sun deftly locked the shop door and led Ye Mu through the streets and alleys.
He walked briskly and spoke warmly, "To be honest, young lady, that courtyard is so hard to find even with a lantern, you're just lucky to have come at the right time..."
Ye Mu followed behind him, her brows furrowed slightly beneath her veil.
At first, she could still barely make out the familiar outline of Yanqingfang, with its blue bricks and gray tiles, and bustling streets. But after a few turns, the surrounding scenery became completely unfamiliar. Instead of heading to the quiet residences deep in the market, they followed a tributary of the Qinghuai River, going further and further astray.
The banks of the river were no longer lined with neat houses; instead, piles of cargo boxes and makeshift sheds began to appear, and the air was filled with the faint smell of fishy river water mixed with the odor of goods.
"Manager Sun," Ye Mu stopped, his voice growing colder, "this doesn't seem to be the way to Yanqingfang?"
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