Chapter 97 Part 3
Chapter 97 Part 3: Magistrate
Ye Jia Er sighed and didn’t speak. Although his words were unpleasant to hear, it wasn’t without basis. This behavior of seeing the wind and setting the helm indeed made people contemptuous. Furthermore, not regarding the previous ten over years of business dealings.
In her mind, Jiang Li thought that it wasn’t due to this. These ready-made clothes shops took ancient fragrant satin from the Ye family to gain profits. Since they had done over 10 years of business, it could be clearly seen that this business was very prosperous. The purpose of merchants doing business was to make a profit. At the moment, even if there’s a problem with the ancient fragrant satin, before the truth comes to light, these ready-made shops would not so quickly stop the transactions with the Ye family. Because terminating the deal with the Ye family meant they were cutting off future possibilities of making profits.
What could make merchants be willing to renounce making money? It was either because there’s a greater benefit or there’s a greater threat than making silver.
“Actually, it’s okay with this batch of ancient fragrant satin suffering a loss, it’s not as if the family could not live with timely stop-loss. What is scary is the news spreading that there’s a problem with the Ye family’s ancient fragrant satin. The Ye family’s reputation will be ruined, the Ye family’s signboard will be smashed and from then on, it’s difficult for the Ye family to get back up. Could it be that a 100 years foundation be destroyed in one day?” Ye Jia Er was extremely sad.
The wealthier a family was, the more they paid attention to reputation. An ant hole may cause the collapse of a great dike, a careless move will lead to loss. Therefore, since the beginning, the Ye family was very careful in regards to materials. They didn’t think that this time a major setback would occur.
“Older sister don’t feel anxious first,” Jiang Li comforted her, “at the moment, how the clothes made using ancient fragrant satin could cause rashes still could not be determined that it’s due to the material’s problem. It was but to increasingly distort the truth, still not at the stage where there’s nowhere to go. As long as the true cause could be found, the Ye family’s injustice will be washed away and the reputation will be restored.”
“It’s easy to talk,” Ye Jia Er shook her head, “no matter how, we could not find out the cause. There’s clearly no problem in the ancient fragrant satin produced by the manufacturer, but in every ready-made clothes shop, all the clothes made with ancient fragrant satin have problems.”
“Maybe ancient fragrant satin is not the cause,” Jiang Li said: “maybe the cause is those ready-made clothes shops.”
“It’s safe to say that it’s impossible for all the ready-made clothes shops in Xiangyang to have problems, right?!” Ye Jia Er said: “I understand what younger sister wants to say, that is, someone is thinking of harming the Ye family. However, although the Ye family is not an official family in Xiangyang, no one would dare to provoke us on normal days. Who has such a big guts to set us up? A person who has such huge courage to frame us would surely be in a high position, then why would they harm us? What could they be planning?”
“Then, in Xiangyang, aside from the Ye family, are there other manufacturers?” Jiang Li asked.
Ye Jia Er shook her head.
Then it’s impossible for it to be a business competitor.
Jiang Li sighed, as the two people were talking, the three Ye brothers came over. Upon seeing Ye Jia Er and Jiang Li were in the middle of a conversation, Ye Ming Yu called out: “Jia Er, Ah Li!”
“Uncle Ming Yu.” Jiang Li nodded at him.
Ye Ming Hui looked at Jiang Li and hesitated somewhat. But in the end he still spoke up and said: “Ah Li, not letting you see the old madam in the past few days was truly because old madam’s health is not good. You’ve been in Xiangyang for more than half a month, the old madam’s health has gradually improved, so today, let’s go and see old madam.”
Jiang Li was surprised. Seeing Ye Ming Yu, who was at the side, showed a satisfied look, she understood that it was due to Ye Ming Yu supporting her and persuaded the two brothers. Only then did Ye Ming Hui make up his mind to let Jiang Li meet with old madam Ye right away.
It was actually an unexpected move.
Actually, it was not urgent for Jiang Li to meet with old madam Ye. But since the other person had put it forward, of course she had to follow and agree readily. She timely showed a trace of delight and said: “That’s very good.”
Ye Ming Hui and Ye Ming Xuan looked at Jiang Li, her happiness did not seem fake. These days, although the two of them were busy with the matters in Li Zheng Tang, they did not relax their observation of Jiang Li. All the servant girls waiting upon Jiang Li said that Jiang Li did not do anything overstepping her boundary these days. She was calm and had a gentle temperament. The Ye family’s two brothers gradually relaxed.
“Then let’s go now.” Ye Ming Xuan said.
Jiang Li nodded.
As the few people were about to leave, suddenly, Guan-shi and Zhuo-shi rushed over from outside. Guan-shi and Zhuo-shi did not handle much on the business side, but with such a huge Ye family household, everything up and down needed to be put in order, so normally, Guan-shi and Zhuo-shi were also very busy. The Ye family was very special where the housekeeper power was not concentrated on the hands of one person only, rather, Guan-shi and Zhuo-shi jointly managed the household. It seemed that the sisters-in-law’s relationship was pretty good, otherwise they would have fought for power long ago. In other words, assuming that the Jiang family let Ji Shuran and Lu-shi manage the household together, the Jiang family would definitely have no peaceful days from the beginning.
Guan-shi said: “Master, Magistrate Tong sent people over.”
“Magistrate Tong?” Ye Ming Hui was puzzled, “why did he send people over?”
“I also have no idea.” Guan-shi appeared a bit anxious. Before she finished talking, a group of officials appeared from outside, each and every one of them carried a long blade in their waists and without scruples, they directly dashed into the front hall. They asked: “Eldest master Ye and second master Ye?”
Ye Ming Xuan said: “Here. What is the matter, official?”
“Magistrate Tong invites the two of you to make a trip,” the head official said: “two masters, please.”
“Make a trip? Where to? What happened?” Ye Ming Yu was not afraid of the government official and promptly moved forward to speak. “Why just invited the two of them? What do you mean?”
That official sized Ye Ming Yu up and down. Ye Ming Yu was dressed like a peddler, his body had the air of rivers and lakes. If they were not people who knew the third master Ye, they would simply think that Ye Ming Yu was an insignificant person. He only said: “This humble person is just doing his work. These questions are still better for the two masters to please discuss with Magistrate Tong.” He was actually somewhat arrogant.
Jiang Li felt odd, according to the Ye family’s business, even though it would not go as far as restraining fear in everybody, it would not incur being bullied by others. While the local official named Magistrate Tong, it absolutely was not necessary to be this rude to the Ye family. Government officials were always looking whether the dish could be eaten. This sort of attitude must be because Magistrate Tong was conveying the message that there’s nothing to fear from the Ye family.
Why was Magistrate Tong acting like this, as if he was secure in the knowledge that he had a backing.