“This servant dares not lie. This is popular in the capital now. People say that the Suanni pattern is auspicious and can protect peace. Many people have it carved on inkstones and ornaments. The people are very enthusiastic about it.”
Green screen, low volume.
"If the general doesn't believe me, he can go and ask around; they're everywhere in the streets and alleys."
Song Ziyu immediately sent someone out of the mansion, and in less than the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the servant returned with a pile of jade pendants and ornaments.
These items were of varying quality and looked very cheap, but the designs were exactly the same as the jade pendant in his hand.
Song Ziyu's face turned pale.
How... is this possible?
The tiger tally of the Song family army was engraved with a lion holding a pearl.
The tiger tally was split in two; the half engraved with a lion was held by the Song family, while the half engraved with a pearl was placed in the imperial palace.
The lion-shaped pattern on this jade pendant is exactly the same as the one on the tiger tally, and it happens to be the half held by the General's Mansion.
The Tiger Tally was a top secret of the Great Yong Dynasty, and no one except the emperor and the generals of the Song family throughout the ages had the right to see it.
Who was it that secretly saw the pattern on the tiger tally?
They even brazenly manufactured them into cheap toys, which circulated in the streets and alleys.
This is an insult to the Song family, and even more so, an insult to the Great Yong Dynasty.
He had never seen anything so absurd since he was born!
Just a few days ago, the elder's wife declared in the Ministry of Justice that the Song family guarded the tiger tally closely and had set up sophisticated mechanisms, making it impossible for others to steal it.
Now that this has happened, haven't I just embarrassed myself?
If Emperor Jingyuan were to learn of this…
Song Ziyu broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly gave the order.
"Quick! Go to the street and buy all of these things for me!"
"Tonight, you will stand guard in front of those stalls. Once it's dawn, buy everything that's being sold, and arrest all the people involved. Do you understand?"
The servants quickly ran out.
The following day, five or six vendors were arrested and taken to the general's mansion.
While sending people to investigate their identities, Song Ziyu interrogated them, asking, "Where did these things come from? Who is behind you? What is your purpose in causing such harm to the General's Mansion?"
The vendors looked at each other, then started chattering amongst themselves.
"We don't understand what you're saying. We're all business people; we sell whatever makes money. What does this have to do with the General's Mansion?"
?
"Yes, this is a design drawn by Mr. Yun Que himself. It's very popular in the capital and sells for a high price!"
"Exactly! What's the use of arresting us? There are shops selling this everywhere in the city, from the Bogu Hall to the Treasure Pavilion. You can't make enough money even if you arrest us!"
Song Ziyu's head spun: "Who did you say? Yun Que?"
"Indeed, it is the renowned Master Yun Que," a merchant said. "He is still at Bogutang today, personally drawing up designs!"
Song Ziyu immediately said, "Take men and go to Bogutang!"
What a Mr. Yun Que! He was so badly deceived back then, yet he still dares to come back!
He arrived at Bogutang with his men in a grand manner.
Going up the stairs, I saw a young man in a dark blue brocade robe painting with ink, surrounded by a group of scholars and commoners clapping and cheering.
Upon closer inspection, Song Ziyu realized that the drawing on the paper was indeed of a Suanni (a mythical lion-like creature).
Enraged, he stepped forward and ripped it off, pointing at Mr. Yun Que and cursing, "You hypocritical江湖人 (jianghu person), you said you wouldn't show your face, but now you dare to show your face and paint?"
"Let me tell you, you are treating the matter of the Tiger Tally as a joke, which is a serious crime!"
"What tiger tally?" Yun Que asked. "I don't understand what General Song is saying."
Song Ziyu was furious: "Are you still pretending?"
It was clearly Yun Que who had copied the tiger tally, but he couldn't say it.
Once others know that he once traded with the real Yun Que, the merchant's lies will be exposed. Not only will Jiang Wan be unable to be convicted, but everything he and the matriarch said in court will also be considered false evidence!
His lips trembled, and he could not express his suffering.
But Yun Que had no intention of letting him off the hook and deliberately brought up what happened that day.
"Oh, so it's that piece of red marrow jade from last time. I just drew on it for fun because of its exquisite patterns, but I didn't know it was some kind of tiger tally."
He raised an eyebrow and looked at Song Ziyu with a leisurely air.
"I'm timid, General Song, please don't scare me. The tiger tally is such an important thing, how could I dare to make a deal with you?"
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