Chapter 259: The Sun Family

The three met, exchanged brief pleasantries, and then Master Bai led the mother and daughter to see their quarters.

This merchant ship had two levels.

The lower level stored the cargo; the upper level housed the cabins.

Master Bai had paid in advance and already booked two cabins.

This journey by water to Xuzhou would take at least four or five days, so resting places naturally needed to be reserved ahead of time.

Jiang Xiaoxiao glanced at the quarters: the room contained nothing but a bed and a table, on which sat a pair of tea sets.

"Hey, you're from Qingping County too? Heading to Xuzhou?"

The group chatting seemed warm and generous, but each of them eyed one another with caution, subtly and openly probing each other's origins.

"Pah! How dare such a lowlife still walk the earth!" Zheng Yaocai couldn't bear it anymore and burst into curses.

At these words, everyone rushed over.

"Old Master, your concubine previously sent people to investigate the Jiang family. Do you remember the old man at the wharf just now? He's Jiang Shi's father-in-law." Zheng Shi's smile carried a hint of malice, "That Jiang Shi, now that she's made money, disrespects her in-laws, ignores her sisters-in-law, and even spent these past years consorting with outside men while her husband was away…"

…

…

But Zheng Shi understood. Her eyes rolled, recalling the old man at the wharf who had grabbed Jiang's girl and called her granddaughter. She flattered, "Old Master, I know you have reservations, but Jiang Shi is merely a farmer woman—no matter how fierce, she can't overturn heaven. If we frame her with a crime… even if the Yong'an County magistrate protects her, she'll still have to surrender helplessly…"

The deck was now packed: some leaned against the ship side pretending to nap, others gathered in small groups chatting, some sat alone in corners staring blankly…

The sea breeze blowing against her carried a faint chill; Jiang Xiaoxiao instinctively hunched her shoulders and nodded vigorously.

Sun the Wealthy Man nodded in satisfaction: "Good. This matter is entrusted to you."

Meanwhile.

"Who knows… but I heard the Sun family angered someone."

Mid-sentence, Sun the Wealthy Man's peripheral vision caught what seemed to be a shadow passing outside the door, and he swallowed the rest of his words.

Most of these people were from Qingping County; why they boarded the boat at Yong'an Town Wharf must be tied to Sun the Wealthy Man's feud with Fu'an Trading House.

After scanning the surroundings, Jiang Xiaoxiao turned her gaze away, and her mother's voice echoed in her ear: "This ship is full of all kinds of people—you never know who's hiding among them. Keep a tight hold on your belongings."

This was undoubtedly severing the Sun family's lifeline.

The man shook his head: "I'm going to County City to visit relatives—I'll disembark halfway."

Zheng Shi continued sweetly, "Old Master, our Great Yin Emperor values Filial Piety above all. A woman like her, who has lost all virtue—if we bring her to court, even the Yong'an County magistrate won't be able to protect her."

Yet before she finished speaking, Sun the Wealthy Man slapped her across the face.

Seeing Old Man Li, Li Xiufen, who had been sitting in the corner grinning foolishly, suddenly lunged forward, grabbing him for food: "Dad… I'm hungry. I want to eat."

A very ordinary room.

At this moment, Old Man Li had no idea he was about to be drawn into a scheme to frame the Jiang family.

It seemed he grew angrier the more he thought about it—so furious he smashed the cup in his hand.

She also noticed: those men leaning against the ship side, though eyes closed, clutched their bundles tightly and silently.

"Old Master, don't worry. I'll handle everything," Zheng Shi bowed slightly, her gaze returning to Old Man Li near the wharf, "As I understand, the Li family has been driven out of Yuhe Village. If I offer them a little kindness, they'll surely help us take Jiang Shi to court."

She was covered in filth, her clothes unwashed for who knew how many days, reeking of sour rot; her hair was matted with dust and straw, and with her grotesque, terrifying face, no one dared come near her.

Jiang Xiaoxiao listened intently nearby.

Old Man Li didn't know whether to rejoice or grieve.

"Oh?" Sun the Wealthy Man's interest sparked instantly. "What's your plan?"

"That's reasonable," Sun the Wealthy Man nodded. "But we're neither kin nor acquaintance to her—what grounds do we have to bring her to court?"

"Sigh, I arrived at Yong'an Town Wharf two days early, never expecting the ship to depart today."

"You don't understand!" Sun the Wealthy Man suppressed his rage, teeth gritted. "Do you think I'm afraid of some farmer woman? It's all because the Yong'an County magistrate protects her! If not for that connection, I'd have already ruined her family's wealth—"

Inside the temple, a few beggars sat scattered about; when they saw him enter, they merely lowered their eyelids slightly, then rolled over and went back to sleep.

Plain and unremarkable.

Because of Li Xiufen's disfigured face, the temple beggars wouldn't touch her—her purity… was preserved.

A restaurant near Yong'an Town Wharf.

Sun the Wealthy Man sat in a second-floor Private Room by the window, gritting his teeth as he stared down at the bustling wharf.

Zheng Yaocai, seeing his sister struck, couldn't help but defend himself: "It's not entirely my fault—it's all Duan Yu's doing! Besides, Jiang Yu already returned to the Metropolis. You're a Wealthy Man—why fear a mere farmer woman?"

She hadn't expected Jiang Yu to strike the Sun family so hard—halting their ships outright.

He was limping toward a temple on the outskirts.

Beside him, Zheng Shi cautiously stepped forward to soothe him: "Old Master, don't anger yourself into illness…"

Zheng Shi, slapped across the face, could only clutch her cheek pitifully, too afraid to speak.

"Look at the younger brother you raised! What exactly did he do to offend Jiang's girl? My Sun family's business has nearly been destroyed by him!"

This merchant ship's destination was Xuzhou, but many passengers disembarked en route.

"Why did the Sun family's ship suddenly stop operating?"

They were mostly poor people who couldn't afford cabins, dressed in tattered clothes, carrying Big and Small Packages.

After inspecting the room, Jiang Xiaoxiao followed her mother onto the deck.

The mother and daughter were both sharp-eared and keen-eyed; every word from the group's chatter drifted clearly into their ears.

He walked to a corner of the temple and spotted Li Xiufen, sitting alone against the wall, grinning foolishly.

"Xiufen, I have nothing to eat. Wait for your mother to return," Li Old Man said coldly, releasing her hand—he seemed repulsed by her sour stench, stepped back two paces, then sat heavily in a quiet spot, closing his eyes to pretend sleep.

He was hungry too.

He was waiting for Old Matriarch to return with food.