Chapter 27

At this moment, Ying Yue also found herself in a difficult situation.  

Today was supposed to be her homecoming day, but since Fang Han Xiao said he had matters to attend to and wouldn’t be going back, she decided not to go either. Instead, she stayed in the bridal chamber, reorganizing the inventory of her dowry.  

She hadn’t expected that even if she didn’t go, someone from the Xu family would come looking for her—by name, no less.  

It wasn’t Madam Xu who came—she still didn’t dare—but Master Xu the Second and Madam Xu the Second.  

Since Master Xu’s title included the word “First,” it naturally meant he had younger brothers. Master Xu the Second was just as unsuccessful in his studies as his elder brother, but far more troublesome. Back when Old Minister Xu was in charge of the Ministry of Justice, Master Xu the Second suddenly became full of himself, thinking he could exploit his father’s authority as the Minister of Justice to line his own pockets. He set his sights on a prime shop in a bustling area of the capital and tried to strong-arm the owner into selling it to him at a low price.  

Little did he know that anyone who could establish a business in such a prime location was no pushover. The shop owner had powerful backing as well. After lodging a complaint with his patron, the patron, upon reflection, found it hard to believe Old Minister Xu would condone such behavior. So, he held back and instead sent a mediator to discreetly inform Old Minister Xu of the matter.  

Old Minister Xu was so furious he nearly collapsed. His son being useless in studies was one thing, but to have such a flawed character was another! In a fit of rage, Old Minister Xu immediately banished Master Xu the Second back to their ancestral home in Yangzhou, making arrangements with the clan to keep him confined there, never to stir up trouble again.  

For many years after that, Master Xu the Second never set foot in the capital again.  

Until now.  

Master Xu the Second had gotten into trouble—bullied by a nobleman—and couldn’t swallow the humiliation. He came to the capital to seek justice, while also asking his elder brother and sister-in-law for help. After all, no matter how incompetent Master Xu was, he was still better than his younger brother and held an official position. That’s why they had come.  

Ying Yue, who had been minding her own business at home, was utterly bewildered by this sudden turn of events. *Why come to me? Shouldn’t they be looking for my father, Master Xu?*  

She hadn’t seen this uncle and aunt in years and could barely remember their faces. They were practically strangers to her.  

Madam Xu the Second, now nearly forty, looked haggard from the long journey to the capital, her voice hoarse from exhaustion. In that raspy tone, she explained that they *had* gone to see Master Xu first, but after waiting half a day without seeing him—who knew where he had wandered off to—Madam Xu hadn’t even let them finish explaining their purpose before claiming she had urgent matters to attend to and never returned to the guest hall.  

It was only after making inquiries within the Xu household that they learned of Ying Yue’s situation and came to her.  

Ying Yue was even more confused. She answered honestly and slowly, “Second Uncle, Second Aunt, I don’t understand anything. I’ve never even met any noblemen.”  

Her strongest—and last—memory of Master Xu the Second was his disgraceful act that had enraged Old Minister Xu. In her mind, this uncle was not a good person, and she wanted nothing to do with him.  

Master Xu the Second cleared his throat awkwardly. “What do you mean you haven’t? Isn’t everyone in this residence a nobleman? Third Niece, if you’re willing to help your uncle make a connection, this matter will be as good as settled.”  

Ying Yue continued with her honest reply, “No, they all dislike me.”  

Old Master Fang had reluctantly accepted her while holding his nose in disdain. Lord Fang and Madam Hong had tried to throw her out on the very first day. As for Fang Han Xiao—she had no idea what he was thinking, but he certainly didn’t like her either. Given how poorly she was faring here, who could she possibly introduce them to?

She was telling the truth, and Master Xu the Second and Madam Xu the Second weren’t entirely skeptical—after all, the niece originally promised to Wangyue had turned out to be Ying Yue upon arrival. No wonder the Marquis Pingjiang Manor was displeased.  

But this was the only path left, and a likely successful one at that. So regardless of Ying Yue’s feelings, they had to try.  

Master Xu the Second acted as though he hadn’t heard her refusal and continued on his own: “Third girl, this really isn’t difficult for you—just a small favor. Let me explain—”  

He began narrating, half storytelling and half complaining. It turned out that after Old Minister Xu had sent him back to their hometown, he had been sending him money every year for expenses. Yangzhou itself was a prosperous place, and with a comfortable residence, free money to spend, and the clan keeping an eye on him under his father’s orders, Master Xu the Second had behaved himself for quite some time.  

But freely giving money was something only a doting father would do. Once Old Minister Xu passed away and the Xu family fell into Master Xu’s hands, things changed. Master Xu the Second had never contributed a single penny to the family coffers, yet he received an annual allowance—why should he keep spending money that wasn’t his?  

Madam Xu, who managed the accounts, decisively cut off all funds to the second branch. Master Xu the Second had relied on the last portion of inheritance Old Minister Xu left him before his death, but after a few years, it ran out, and he had to start looking for income himself.  

Master Xu the Second had no patience for slow, steady businesses. In a place like Yangzhou, finding a quick and lucrative venture wasn’t hard—one word: salt.  

Had Old Minister Xu still been alive, he would never have allowed him to touch this trade. The salt business was murky, and with Master Xu the Second’s reckless and impulsive nature, it was entirely unsuitable for him.  

But since he was gone, Master Xu the Second did as he pleased. Using his status as the son of a former minister, he sent his servants out and easily befriended a few minor salt merchants, obtaining some Salt Licenses. Under his servants’ names, he successfully completed a few transactions.  

Of course, business was best when it expanded. But with the word “late” now preceding Old Minister Xu’s title, Master Xu the Second’s status as the son of a minister wasn’t worth much anymore. As a result, he couldn’t obtain more Salt Licenses.  

Without Salt Licenses, the business couldn’t grow.  

But it wasn’t entirely hopeless. Among the people Master Xu the Second had befriended, though they couldn’t get him more licenses, they could provide extra salt.  

Ying Yue, hindered by her speech impediment, couldn’t argue much with Master Xu the Second. Since he kept talking without pause, she had no choice but to listen. When she reached this point, she gasped in shock: “Second Uncle, are you smuggling salt?”  

Master Xu the Second: “…”  

He choked on his words and abruptly stopped.  

This little brat—how was she sharper than Madam Xu? Madam Xu hadn’t even reacted at this point. He shouldn’t have explained in such detail.  

“What do you mean smuggling? I do have Salt Licenses,” Master Xu the Second stubbornly insisted.  

Ying Yue replied earnestly, “Second Uncle, your salt exceeds the licensed amount. The extra is smuggled salt.”  

She thought the logic was quite clear.  

“It’s just a little over,” Master Xu the Second grumbled, gulping down a mouthful of tea. “Is that really too much? It’s just the servants being careless. But that Customs House at Donggoukou in Huai’an actually seized my entire shipment! My servants protested and got into a scuffle with the guards. In the chaos, my boat capsized—my entire cargo sank into the river! Sank into the river!”

Master Xu the Second was on the verge of tears as he spoke these words.

Ying Yue hesitated before saying, “But Second Uncle, that was… smuggled salt.”

Getting caught with smuggled salt was only to be expected, wasn’t it? And to have fought with the officials—though the outcome was tragic, she felt he had no choice but to accept it. It was already fortunate they hadn’t arrested him. Yet here he was, trying to sue them instead—wasn’t he afraid of landing himself in jail?

Master Xu’s sorrowful eyes suddenly gleamed with determination. “What smuggled salt? There was no smuggled salt! It all fell into the river, dear niece!”

Ying Yue: “…”

Her eyes widened in shock. She wasn’t the quickest when it came to scheming, so it took her a moment to realize—Master Xu was planning to deny everything!

Salt dissolved in water. The official salt might have been better packaged, but the smuggled salt certainly wasn’t sealed as tightly. Even if a few bundles had been salvaged in time, the amount would never match what was originally on the boat.

In other words, the evidence had vanished on its own.

Ying Yue was astounded by Master Xu’s audacity. The Customs House had let him off due to lack of evidence, yet instead of being grateful, he was now trying to sue them for his losses.

But she had underestimated him even further. Master Xu continued, “At first, I sued the Customs House. But the Huai’an Prefecture, fearing Marquis Longchang’s influence, insisted the boat capsizing was my own fault. Hmph! So now I’ll sue Marquis Longchang! His men caused my entire cargo to be lost to the river—he has to compensate me!”

The current head of the Customs House was none other than Marquis Longchang, who had taken over the position from Lord Fang. His full title was the Huai’an Garrison General.

Though nominally responsible for guarding Huai’an, his jurisdiction was far broader. This was a crucial midpoint along the Grand Canal where the Yellow and Huai Rivers converged—a vital hub for water transport. Over time, a specialized office had been established here, though its chief official didn’t necessarily reside there permanently.

Ying Yue was too stunned to speak. Staring at Master Xu’s utterly unrepentant face, she could only think—their Xu family truly produced extraordinary characters!

Now that she understood the situation, Ying Yue was even less inclined to help him. But Master Xu and his wife seemed rooted to their seats, stubbornly refusing to leave and continuing to pester her.

Finally, Master Xu revealed his true purpose—he wanted her to introduce him to Lord Fang. Leaning in conspiratorially, he said, “That lucrative position Marquis Longchang holds used to belong to Lord Fang. Don’t you think he’d want it back? If we join forces, we can use this case to bring Marquis Longchang down! Let me tell you—not only did the Customs House capsize my boat, but they also caused the drowning of an old family servant and a distant nephew who had come to seek my help. This is a matter of life and death!”

Ying Yue gasped. “Someone drowned?”

Master Xu nodded emphatically. “Exactly!”

In truth, it was the parents of this drowned distant nephew who had filed the lawsuit. Master Xu hadn’t personally stepped forward, maintaining no apparent connection to the incident on record. All matters, including purchasing the Salt Licenses, had been conducted under this nephew’s name—a common practice among official families engaging in commerce. Though Master Xu no longer held office, old habits died hard.

Moreover, Master Xu had initially tried to visit Lord Fang directly, but Lord Fang, already in a foul mood, had dismissed him as just another opportunist and refused to see him. Left with no choice, he had turned to Ying Yue.

After a moment’s hesitation, Ying Yue said, “Second Uncle, wait a moment.”

The loss of money and goods could be endured—they could always be earned back. But once lives were involved, it was a different matter. No wonder Master Xu the Second was so confident and determined to press charges.

She stood up and walked aside, whispering to Shinan, “Go and see if the master has returned. Tell him about this matter, but don’t let Lord Fang know.”

She didn’t actually want to involve Fang Han Xiao, but she feared that if Master Xu the Second failed to get anywhere with her, he would turn around and insist on confronting Lord Fang—and Lord Fang and Fang Han Xiao were at odds with each other. Just thinking about it made her head ache.

Better to inform him in advance. If he got angry, she’d just have to bear it. Sigh.

Master Xu the Second had been pestering her for too long, while Fang Han Xiao’s audience with the emperor hadn’t taken much time. By now, he had already returned.

Shinan found him in the Tranquil Virtue Courtyard and anxiously relayed Master Xu the Second’s schemes. She was flustered, and some of Master Xu’s words had been hard to follow, coming out jumbled. But Fang Han Xiao’s comprehension was sharp—he understood everything without difficulty.

His heart, which had sunk slightly upon seeing Marquis Longchang, now lifted again.

Heaven never seals off all exits.

Shinan: “…”

She watched, baffled, as Fang Han Xiao strode out with quick steps—not the irritated gait of someone facing trouble, but rather… cheerful?

Fang Han Xiao marched straight to the bridal chamber.

Ying Yue was greatly relieved to see him arrive, though she also felt a bit guilty. She stood up, her eyes fixed on the ground, not daring to meet his gaze.

Then, a book and a piece of paper were thrust into her arms.

On the paper was written: *Go read your book. Don’t meddle in this.*

Ying Yue looked up in confusion. Fang Han Xiao stood tall before her, his chin jerking outward to signal her to leave.

He didn’t seem angry, but why was he shooing her away? He couldn’t speak, so she thought her presence might be helpful. And then he handed her a book—what did that mean? Like she was a child to be pacified.

He really was strange.

Full of questions, Ying Yue hesitated but eventually stepped out.

—

**Bonus Sweet Fate Theater:**

Fang Han Xiao: *I achieve great things without being bound by trivialities or scruples. But I’m starting to think you should stay away from this. Understand?*

Ying Yue: “Oh.”

She obediently scooted farther from him.

Fang Han Xiao (pulling her back): *…Not from me.*