Chasing Jade (Zhu Yu)

The next day, Fan Changyu got up early as usual to slaughter pigs.

During these first few days after the New Year, most people in town were visiting relatives, and nearly every meal had meat in it. With bellies already greasy from rich food, folks weren’t craving fresh meat as much, so sales at her shop were slow. However, the braised meat business was booming—every household preferred buying ready-made braised meat to serve guests, as it made for an impressive dish on the dining table.

Before, Changyu’s shop could sell two pigs’ worth of fresh meat, but these days, she only slaughtered one pig for fresh cuts.

As for the braised meat supplied to the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion, she sourced the meat from elsewhere. On the street where pork was sold, pig heads and pork knuckles were almost entirely bought up by Changyu.

She was no longer just a competitor to the other butchers but had also become their biggest customer. To secure this long-term business, every butcher on the street greeted her with cheerful smiles, far more warmly than before.

If she ever ran into any difficulties at the shop, all she had to do was speak up, and a crowd would rush to help her.

Changyu suddenly understood why, after Song Yan passed the provincial exams, some people in town had gone out of their way to flatter the Song family by stepping on her.

Just as Yan Zheng had said—when she had nothing, no matter how good her nature was, people would still find fault with her.

But now, with just a slight connection to wealth and influence, the kindness she received multiplied several times over.

Everything was moving in a positive direction, except that Changyu was now stretched thin—delivering meat to the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion and the portly manager while also managing her own pork shop.

Finding a helper on such short notice wasn’t easy.

During breakfast, she kept glancing at Xie Zheng, hesitating to speak.

Xie Zheng had slept poorly the night before, the dark circles under his eyes even more pronounced. Noticing her frequent looks, he set down his bowl of porridge and asked, “What’s wrong?”

Only then did Changyu notice his noticeably darker eye circles and was stunned. “Did you not sleep at all last night?”

Xie Zheng lowered his gaze. “No, there were sounds of rats in the room. It took some time to deal with them.”

There had indeed been rats, but he’d killed one with a single bamboo skewer and tossed it to the gyrfalcon.

At the mention of rats, Changyu immediately thought of the cured meat hanging above the fire pit and grew worried. She hurried over to check but found no signs of rodent nibbling, finally relaxing.

“Before, we never kept so much braised or cured meat at home—we mostly sold fresh cuts, so there weren’t many rats. I’ve been careless. I’ll have to get a cat soon.”

Changning, who had already finished eating, went to check on the gyrfalcon in the chicken coop and burst into tears. “Falcon’s gone again!”

Changyu was puzzled. “Did it fly away?”

The sisters both turned to Xie Zheng.

The man, who had secretly sent the gyrfalcon to deliver a letter in the middle of the night, paused briefly before saying, “That creature is hard to tame. Maybe it wasn’t fully trained yet.”

Golden teardrops immediately began rolling down Changning’s cheeks.

Changyu sighed. “Don’t cry, sweetheart. How about I get you a brood of chicks in spring?”

Changning kept sobbing. “Don’t want chicks! Want Falcon!”

She wiped her eyes with her sleeve. “Falcon will come back!”

Then she looked at Xie Zheng with hopeful eyes.

This time, Xie Zheng didn’t give her a definite answer. He only said, “Maybe it will.”Changning immediately pouted and cried even harder.

Fan Changyu coaxed her, "Shall we go catch another one in the wild?"

Changning shook her head, "I don't want any other, I only want Falcon."

Fan Changyu knew children could test one's patience when stubborn. She said, "The gyrfalcon has already flown away. It belongs in the wild to begin with, and even your sister can't find it now. The best I can do is catch you another one if you want, but you refuse and just keep crying. Ning Niang, tell me, what else can your sister do?"

Changning sniffled pitifully and raised her chubby arms to hug Fan Changyu. "I'm sorry, sister. Ning Niang isn't being willful, Ning Niang just misses Falcon so much."

Fan Changyu patted the child's back.

Burying her face in her sister's shoulder, Changning said in a muffled voice, "We'll raise chicks when spring comes."

Fan Changyu agreed.

Changning straightened up, her eyes red-rimmed as she declared, "When the chicks grow up, Falcon might see them and come down to eat."

Thinking she had finally comforted the child, Fan Changyu replied, "...Alright."

At least the child had stopped crying.

Fan Changyu returned to the table and sat down, finishing her remaining half-bowl of porridge with mixed feelings. Remembering the shortage of hands at her butcher shop, she scratched her head and asked Xie Zheng, "Are you going back to sleep later?"

Xie Zheng had noticed her earlier hesitation and guessed she needed help. "Just say what you need," he replied.

Summoning her courage, Fan Changyu said, "My pork shop opens today, but I still need to deliver braised meat to Shopkeeper Yu's restaurant. If you're free, could you watch the shop for half a day? I'll come back right after the delivery."

Though he'd mentioned leaving just last night, making this request felt awkward. But overwhelmed with work, she had no choice but to impose on him this once.

When Xie Zheng nodded, Fan Changyu exhaled in relief. Had he refused, even her thick skin wouldn't have spared her some embarrassment.

She'd grown slightly more socially aware—no longer immediately offering payment, as his help was a favor. Mentioning wages now would only cheapen his kindness.

Instead of transactional promises, she decided to properly express gratitude by quietly preparing more supplies for his journey. Such subtle gestures meant more than upfront bargains.

With both going out, Fan Changyu couldn't leave Changning alone. As usual, she brought the child to Aunt Zhao's next door.

Then she hailed an ox-cart at the alley entrance to transport the fresh meat to the Fan Family's butcher shop.

The meat alone was heavy enough that Fan Changyu and Xie Zheng chose to walk alongside the cart rather than ride.

Having lived here this long, it was Xie Zheng's first time seeing the morning market. Though not as bustling as the capital, its lively atmosphere surprised him.

Steam rose from breakfast stalls' cauldrons as vendors' cries mingled with the busy traffic. The hurried crowds and vibrant activity embodied both the town's vitality and the warmth of everyday life.

At the shop, Fan Changyu unloaded a basin of braised meat while Xie Zheng carried all the fresh pork inside.

Glancing at his efficiency, Fan Changyu couldn't help but think how much easier things were with an extra pair of hands.After placing the braised meat basin aside, she began arranging fresh cuts on the butcher's block while explaining to Xie Zheng which part of the pig each piece came from and their respective prices.

The butcher's wife from the shop across the way, noticing Xie Zheng's striking appearance, teased: "Changyu, you've finally brought your husband out for everyone to see! Such a handsome young man! No wonder you've been keeping him hidden at home!"

Having grown accustomed to Yu Qianqian's teasing, Fan Changyu wasn't as easily flustered by others' jokes about her and Xie Zheng anymore. She replied, "Auntie, you jest. He was recovering from injuries at home before. Now that he's better and I'm swamped, he's come to lend a hand."

The butcher's wife only dared make such jokes because she knew Xie Zheng was Changyu's live-in son-in-law. Being a generation older, she understood how sensitive many grooms could be about their status, and her teasing might have caused marital discord.

Hearing Changyu's earnest explanation, she quickly amended: "That was just a silly joke, young man. Don't take it to heart."

Xie Zheng responded simply, "I won't."

The butcher's wife added, "Changyu used to manage everything in this shop alone. Now that she's married, she finally has some help."

Xie Zheng silently arranged pork cuts on the block, glancing at Changyu as she hoisted a ham onto an iron hook. Despite the thick winter clothes, fine beads of sweat already dotted her forehead. He realized she must have done all this work single-handedly before.

"The ham sells for thirty-five coppers per jin. If customers bargain, never go below thirty..." Changyu explained the pricing while securing the meat. Turning back, she noticed Xie Zheng watching her and frowned. "Didn't you remember?"

Xie Zheng averted his gaze. "I did."

Skeptical, Changyu pressed, "What did I just say?"

With a faint smile, Xie Zheng recited, "Ham at thirty-five coppers, no less than thirty when bargaining."

Nodding approval, Changyu said, "Exactly right."

Just then, an elderly shopper paused at their stall, drawn by Xie Zheng's striking presence. "Young man, how much for this hind leg?" she inquired.

Changyu stayed silent, curious to observe Xie Zheng's salesmanship.

Meeting the customer's gaze calmly, Xie Zheng quoted, "Thirty-three coppers per jin."

"That's quite dear..." the woman muttered.

Xie Zheng merely raised his eyebrows slightly, adopting an unpressured take-it-or-leave-it attitude that made Changyu's eye twitch. She quickly interjected, "You're welcome to compare prices elsewhere first. If our quality still appeals, we'll be here."

The haggling attempt foiled, the woman conceded, "You youngsters seem honest enough not to cheat an old woman. Give me two jin."

As Changyu reached for the cleaver, Xie Zheng had already selected and precisely portioned the requested amount. While Changyu wrapped the purchase, the customer kept stealing glances at Xie Zheng as she counted coins. "Are you married, young man? If not, my seventeen-year-old granddaughter is quite the catch—pretty and sweet-natured..."Xie Zheng's expression was indifferent. "This meat shop belongs to my wife. I'm just here to lend her a hand."

The middle-aged woman immediately looked somewhat embarrassed. "Oh, I see..."

She turned to Fan Changyu. After all, having lived for decades, she knew how to smooth things over. With a smile, she said, "You young couple—the man so handsome, the woman so pretty—at first glance I thought you were siblings! Turns out it's that husband-and-wife resemblance? What a blessed match!"

Fan Changyu could only force a slight upward curve of her lips.

As soon as the woman left, Changyu couldn't help but scold Xie Zheng: "No matter what, you should greet customers with a smile when doing business. You look like someone owes you money—who'd want to buy meat from you?"

Just as she was speaking, a young girl buying groceries nearby blushed while looking at Xie Zheng and asked, "How much for these pork ribs?"

Xie Zheng's face remained completely expressionless. "Thirty-nine wen per pound."

Pork ribs were the most expensive among fresh meats.

The girl didn't dare look directly at Xie Zheng, keeping her head down as she murmured shyly, "I'll take three pounds, please chop them into small pieces."

Xie Zheng picked up the cleaver, chopped the ribs into pieces with a few swift strokes, wrapped them up, and handed them over.

Fan Changyu watched this scene dumbfounded.

For convenience in counting, a hundred coins could be strung together with thin string, making transactions easier for both parties.

When Xie Zheng handed her the 117 wen, Changyu was still somewhat stunned.

Then she gradually accepted this reality—while others relied on smooth talk to sell pork, this guy sold pork with his face.

Rubbing her forehead with one hand, she joked half-heartedly, "I should have had you help in the shop earlier. Our business might have been even better before the New Year."

Xie Zheng glanced at her but didn't respond.

It was still early, with few customers in the market. Other pork shops remained deserted, yet the Fan Family's stall had already made two sales.

Though other butchers were envious, Changyu often bought pig heads, pork knuckles, and occasionally offal from their shops for her braised meat business, effectively supporting their trade. Thus, no one harbored resentment.

Guo Butcher, however, had long-standing grievances with the Fan family. Changyu would never buy from his shop, making their rivalry increasingly intense.

While clearing snow in front of his stall, he aggressively flung shovelfuls onto the street, sneering sarcastically, "Selling meat indeed—why not go to the brothels instead? Might fetch better prices there!"

Clearly mocking how Xie Zheng's looks attracted customers to the Fan shop.

Changyu's face darkened instantly.

She was fiercely protective of those close to her. Xie Zheng had entered this sham marriage to help her safeguard her family assets. While others might mock his status as a live-in son-in-law behind her back, she wouldn't tolerate such vulgar remarks right before her eyes!

Moreover, his uncle had recently conspired with Fan Da to seize her property. With old grudges and new grievances combined, it was time to settle accounts!

Changyu stepped out of her shop and planted herself in the middle of the street, arms crossed as she glared at Guo Butcher. "Say that again."

Her shout drew the attention of every shopkeeper on the street and the few scattered shoppers passing by.Guo Butcher had suffered at Fan Changyu’s hands before, so he didn’t dare confront her directly. Instead, he resorted to verbal provocation: "What did I say? Oh, just now on the road, a prostitute was flirting with a male prostitute. I was talking about them, so why are you, Miss Fan, so eager to claim the insult?"

The moment he finished speaking, his chin was struck hard by a long staff. The force was so strong that Guo Butcher staggered back several steps, only steadying himself after crashing into a shop counter.

Clutching his chin with one hand, he felt as though his upper and lower teeth had been jammed together, the taste of blood filling his mouth. For a long moment, he couldn’t utter a word. Pointing at Fan Changyu with his other hand, he barely had time to speak before meeting her icy glare.

She only said two cold words: "Apologize."

Guo Butcher endured the sharp pain in his jaw, spat out a mouthful of bloody saliva, and then his temper flared. He snarled, "I wasn’t talking about you or your pretty-boy husband! You’re the one who took it personally. Why the hell should I apologize?"

Fan Changyu had no patience for his nonsense. With a thrust of her staff, Guo Butcher ducked in fright. Though the staff had no spearhead, her sheer strength drove it straight through the wooden counter door.

One couldn’t help but wonder—if it had been a skull, the staff might have punched a bloody hole straight through it.

Guo Butcher trembled in fear but still blustered, "You dare touch me? My uncle is the County Magistrate’s advisor! If this goes to court, you’ll rot in jail!"

Fan Changyu said, "Do you believe I can twist your head off and feed it to the dogs before your precious uncle even gets here?"

When it came to sheer audacity, Guo Butcher was no match for her. His face twisted with resentment.

Fan Changyu barked again, "Apologize!"

Reluctantly, under the threat of the staff pointed at his face, Guo Butcher finally gritted his teeth and muttered in front of the crowd, "My apologies."

Fan Changyu withdrew her staff and sneered. "They say only eunuchs love to gossip, but you’re even worse than them! If you’re so jealous of my butcher shop’s business, why not aim higher? With your talent for twisting words, you’d make a fine chief eunuch in the palace. It’s a shame to waste that silver tongue of yours!"

The onlookers burst into laughter.

Other butchers in the market stifled their grins.

"A eunuch? Ha! With Guo’s bluster and no substance, he might as well be one!"

"I heard his son looks just like his cousin—probably borrowed seed!"

"Everyone’s been saying his wife cheated on him. Poor woman’s been slandered all this time, but turns out it wasn’t her fault—he’s just useless!"

"He’s built like an ox, so how’s that thing not working?"

"Rumor has it he was butchering a pig once, and when it struggled, he lost his grip. The pig kicked him right in the family jewels!"

Guo Butcher’s face turned crimson with rage as he listened to the crowd’s jeers, veins bulging in his neck. "Shut your damn mouths! I’ll cut every last one of you down!"

The crowd scattered, but the whispers didn’t stop.

"Look at him—he’s fuming. Could it be true?""I always said that a grown man who gossips so much and keeps calling handsome young men male prostitutes must be one himself!"

The rumor grew wilder by the minute. The angrier Guo Butcher got at the surrounding crowd, the more elaborate the stories people spun about him became.

In the end, Guo Butcher could only glare venomously at Fan Changyu: "You just wait!"

Fan Changyu couldn't even be bothered to look at him. "That filthy mouth of yours spews the vilest things about others, but now that the tables are turned, suddenly it hurts?"

With that, she picked up her stick and returned to her butcher shop.

Guo Butcher, hearing the crowd's relentless chatter, had no mood to continue business for the day. He simply closed up shop and hid at home.

Back in her shop, Fan Changyu apologized to Xie Zheng with some remorse: "Sorry you had to get dragged into Guo's nonsense right before you leave."

Xie Zheng had seen how she'd defended him outside. "It's fine," he said, though his eyes held complex emotions.

Fan Changyu added, "He only acts so bold because his uncle's a county clerk. Once the magistrate's term ends and he's transferred, that uncle of his will be nothing!"

During the earlier scuffle, the cloth binding her sleeve had come loose.

Frowning, she untied it to rewrap it. To tighten it properly, she held one end between her teeth while clumsily trying to wind the other around her sleeve with one hand.

Though winter sleeves were narrower than summer ones, they still hindered work. Being a butcher who frequently chopped bones, she bound her sleeves at the wrists with cloth for protection.

Noticing this, Xie Zheng took the cloth strip from her hand with his long fingers. "Let me help."

It sounded more like a statement than a request, for before she could respond, his other hand had already pinched the end between her teeth. "Let go," he said.

Caught off guard, Changyu instinctively released her bite.

By the time she regained her senses, Xie Zheng had already neatly folded up her sleeve. Pressing firmly but gently at her wrist, he began winding the cloth strip methodically. The sensation against her skin was unusually vivid.

Changyu's fingertips curled slightly without her realizing.

The dark blue cloth contrasted starkly against his pale, slender fingers—bones and tendons clearly visible beneath the skin, creating an indescribably elegant sight.

Though he appeared focused, he still managed to ask, "When does your magistrate's term end?"

The strange atmosphere had made Changyu uncomfortable, but his question eased the tension. "After New Year's, it'll be three full years," she answered.

Xie Zheng said, "Then that clerk's days are numbered."

Under Great Yin's official regulations, county magistrates were reassigned every three years—typically transferred, only promoted for exceptional merit. If local citizens petitioned for them to stay, they might remain.

When Changyu asked why, he explained the regulations. Understanding dawned on her, and she laughed, "Then I've even less to fear from that Guo fellow!"

County clerks were merely magistrates' hired advisors—not even government-salaried officials.Since he was the one advising the county magistrate, he must also be privy to many of the magistrate's secrets. Typically, when a magistrate is transferred or promoted, they either take their advisor to the new post or pay them off to prevent them from working for others in the future.

Given the current magistrate's actions in Qingping County over the years, it's impossible for the people to petition for him to stay.

So whether the magistrate is promoted or demoted, he won't remain in Qingping County. Even if Guo Butcher's uncle continues to serve as his advisor, their new post won't be in Qingping County, meaning he can no longer throw his weight around here.

After Xie Zheng finished tying the cloth strip around her sleeve for her, he looked up and saw the unrestrained, radiant smile on her face.

His gaze darkened slightly as he averted his eyes and said, "Done."

Fan Changyu flexed her wrist, her smile unwavering. "It is tighter than when I do it myself. Thanks!"

The lingering sensation of his grip around her wrist made it feel as though his hand was still there. Only after she rubbed it did that strange feeling fade somewhat.

Xie Zheng replied, "It was nothing."

Fan Changyu glanced at the sky outside and said, "I need to hurry and deliver the goods to Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. I’ll leave the shop to you."

Xie Zheng said, "Don’t worry."

As she reached the door, Changyu turned back to add, "If someone comes to buy meat and we’re sold out, help me take down their order if they want to reserve some."

Xie Zheng nodded in agreement.

Only then did Changyu leave with peace of mind. Once seated in the ox cart, she couldn’t help but rub her wrist again, though she couldn’t quite pinpoint what felt off.

The roads were slippery from the snow, and it took Changyu half an hour to reach the county town’s Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. From a distance, she could already see a crowd gathered at the pavilion’s entrance, with faint cries of mourning as if someone was wailing in grief. The crowd was so dense that even passing through was difficult, let alone getting the ox cart through.

Changyu had no choice but to dismount and ask a bystander on the outskirts of the crowd, "What’s going on at Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion?"

The middle-aged woman turned to glance at her and said, "Someone died from eating the food here. The family brought the coffin right to the entrance and is demanding justice!"

Changyu’s heart skipped a beat. She had once worked at Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion and knew that the ingredients procured there were of the highest quality. Shopkeeper Yu had always been meticulous about food quality—how could someone have died from eating there?

She grabbed the woman’s arm and asked, "When did this happen?"

The woman, taken aback by her urgency, replied, "I heard it was yesterday at noon. The person suddenly started foaming at the mouth while eating, and though they called a doctor immediately, they couldn’t be saved. Early this morning, the family came to demand answers."

Two rough-looking men nearby glanced at Changyu and clicked their tongues, shaking their heads. "Charging such high prices, yet serving food that kills people—the owner of this place deserves death!"

"If the authorities don’t investigate this strictly, who’d dare eat out anymore?"

"I’ve long heard that the female owner of Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion dabbles in shady practices. Rumor has it she adds something addictive to the food—how else could she have opened two restaurants in just a few years and made such a killing? Maybe this time, she added too much, and that’s why someone died!"

"Honestly, it should be a life for a life! Arrest that female owner and execute her. Just look at her face—she’s clearly not the decent type! Definitely no good!"

Changyu’s lips pressed into a thin line as she listened to the two rat-faced men in felt caps sneer and slander Yu Qianqian.

After retreating from the crowd, she instructed the ox cart driver to wait in a less congested area and headed toward the alley behind Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion.

Entering through the back door, Changyu found the kitchen nearly empty. The managers and the staff who usually attended to high-profile guests were all at the front, arguing with the deceased’s family.

Finally spotting a waiter, Changyu quickly called out to him, "Where’s Shopkeeper Yu?"The waiter thought she was there to deliver braised meat and waved his hands dismissively. "Boss Fan, you can see the situation in the pavilion. We can't accept your braised meat today."

Fan Changyu said, "I'm not here for that. I came to see Shopkeeper Yu. What exactly happened with the person who died here yesterday?"

The waiter looked exasperated. "Who knows? Yesterday, a customer suddenly had a seizure. The shopkeeper thought it might be goat horn wind and immediately sent for a doctor. The family was grateful at first, but after taking the person home, they passed away during the night. Early this morning, they brought a coffin to the restaurant's doorstep, demanding compensation for their elder's life! Isn’t this just blatant extortion?"

"No matter how Shopkeeper Yu tried to reason with them, they wouldn’t back down. Even offering money to settle the matter didn’t work—they were clearly here to cause trouble. The shopkeeper suspects another restaurant might be behind this. He reported it to the authorities, but no officers have come. He went to the government office himself to pull some strings, but it’s been a while, and he still hasn’t returned."

Though Fan Changyu hadn’t read many books, she understood the saying "Tall trees catch much wind."

Yu Qianqian’s banquet a few days ago had been a great success, and Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion had gained quite a reputation in the county, taking business away from many larger restaurants. It was inevitable that someone would grow envious, but using such underhanded tactics against Yu Qianqian was truly despicable.

The crowd gathered outside Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion wasn’t just there because of the coffin—everyone was condemning Yu Qianqian, with not a single voice speaking up for her. Some even claimed the restaurant’s dishes contained addictive substances. Fan Changyu immediately thought of those two shifty-eyed men.

Their coordinated performance was clearly meant to mislead the uninformed and stir up trouble.

If the coffin-bearers couldn’t be persuaded to leave, then the instigators spreading rumors had to be dealt with first.

After a moment’s thought, Fan Changyu said to the waiter, "Gather a few more people, change out of your uniforms, and come with me."

The waiter, already overwhelmed by the chaos, replied apologetically, "Sorry, Boss Fan, but we really don’t have the manpower to spare today..."

Fan Changyu cut in, "There are people in that crowd deliberately slandering Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. Bring some men with me, and we’ll pull them out."

Hearing this, the waiter quickly rounded up a few others.

Half a quarter-hour later, Fan Changyu led seven or eight plainclothes staff from Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion out the back door and pushed back into the crowd.

After observing for a while, she noticed that most onlookers, after watching for a bit and seeing no resolution, eventually left to attend to other matters.

Only a group similar to the two felt-hat men remained at the restaurant’s entrance, shouting louder than anyone else. Whenever an uninformed passerby asked what was happening, they immediately repeated the claim that the restaurant’s food contained addictive substances.

Fan Changyu was certain these were the troublemakers. She signaled to the staff.

These workers treated Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion as their own home and couldn’t tolerate such slander. Following Fan Changyu’s instructions, they pretended to push toward the center of the crowd, forcing the instigators to the outer edges. Then, the staff behind them grabbed their shoulders and dragged them away.These men were already guilty and nervous, so when they were grabbed, they immediately tried to shout. Fan Changyu swiftly punched them in the gut a few times, successfully making them swallow their cries before they could escape their lips.

Nearby townsfolk turned to look, and Fan Changyu snarled, "What are you staring at? Never seen debt collectors from a gambling den before?"

As she spoke, she kicked one of the felt-hatted men: "You bastard! Run all you want—you can’t escape forever!"

The staff of Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion were momentarily stunned to see their usually kind and approachable boss suddenly acting like a street thug, kicking people in broad daylight. But they quickly snapped out of it and rushed forward to help, grabbing the men by their collars and dragging them toward an alley. Seizing the chance to settle personal grudges, they punched and kicked while cursing loudly, "Pay your debts or we’ll break your legs!"

The onlookers, hearing they were gambling debt collectors and seeing the men’s shifty, unsavory appearances, hurriedly backed away, not daring to interfere.

The captives tried to yell, but their mouths were soon stuffed with filthy rags, leaving them only able to mumble as they were hauled into the courtyard behind Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. Tied up like livestock, they stared in terror at Fan Changyu and the disguised staff standing before them with arms crossed.

Fan Changyu sat like a bandit king on a chair brought by her staff, idly twirling a boning knife. Suddenly, she flicked her wrist—the knife shot out, piercing straight through one man’s felt hat and embedding itself in the tree trunk behind him with enough force to pin the hat there.

This was the same man who had cursed Yu Qianqian the most viciously earlier.

Fan Changyu looked up, ready to deliver a threat, but paused for a second—under that hat was a bald head!

No wonder he wore a hat!

Now exposed, the bald man’s scalp felt the icy sting of the wind, sharp as a blade. Remembering how close that knife had come to his head, his face turned ghostly pale.

Fan Changyu quickly masked her brief surprise and resumed her menacing glare. "Who sent you to cause trouble at Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion?"

A shifty-eyed man beside the bald one sneered, "No one sent us! People died from eating your food—can’t we demand justice? You tie us up here, planning to kill us and silence everyone? This isn’t a restaurant—it’s a murderous den of thieves!"

Fan Changyu’s temper flared at his incessant yapping—this guy was as vile as Guo Butcher!

She grabbed a wooden mallet leaning against the wall and cracked it against his forehead three times. The crisp thwacks were far more satisfying.

The man was clearly dazed from the blows.

Fan Changyu growled, "Did I say you could speak?"

The other tied-up troublemakers gulped, shuffling away from the man as subtly as they could, curling up to make themselves as small as possible.

The man wanted to keep running his mouth, but seeing the mallet in Fan Changyu’s hand and feeling the splitting pain in his skull, he reluctantly shut up.

Fan Changyu scoffed. "That tongue of yours is useless anyway. Someone—drag him away and chop it up to feed the dogs!"The staff at the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion exchanged glances before two of them immediately stepped forward, dragging the bound troublemaker to the backyard.

Soon after, the sound of sharpening knives could be heard, followed by the heavy thud of a cleaver striking a chopping board and the man’s agonized screams. Moments later, the screams ceased, replaced only by muffled groans.

The other troublemakers tied up in the yard turned pale with fear.

Fan Changyu nearly lost her composure on the chair. She had only been putting on a show to intimidate them, just as she’d read in storybooks. Had the staff misunderstood her intentions and actually cut out the man’s tongue?

Before long, a staff member came forward carrying a plate with a small, bloodied piece of tongue on it and said to Fan Changyu, “The bastard struggled too much—we couldn’t pull out his whole tongue, only managed to cut off this bit.”

The sight of the gory lump nearly made the troublemakers wet themselves in terror, too frightened to look closely. Fan Changyu, who often slaughtered pigs, immediately recognized it as a small piece of pork tongue—not very fresh at that—drenched in what looked like chicken or duck blood. Placed on the plate, it was convincing enough to scare them.

She sighed in relief, thinking the staff were quite clever, and maintained her fierce expression. “Bring a dog here and feed it to the dog!” she barked.

A staff member promptly led a wolfhound over and tossed the pork tongue to it. The dog devoured it ravenously.

The troublemakers watched, retching uncontrollably, some even losing control of their bladders.

Fan Changyu figured they were scared enough to tell the truth now. Glaring, she pressed the bald one again, “Speak! Who sent you to cause trouble at the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion? If you lie even once, your tongues will be cut out and fed to the dogs too!”

The bald man was retching so hard tears streamed down his face. “I’ll talk! I’ll talk!” he cried. “It was Master He’s servant who hired us!”

Hearing this, Fan Changyu was momentarily stunned.

How was Master He, that troublemaker, involved again?

“You’re lying!” she snapped.

The bald man, still bound, kowtowed frantically. “I swear, ma’am! It really was Master He’s servant who came to us!”

Fan Changyu demanded, “Master He has no grudge against the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. Why would he send you to do this?”

The bald man wailed, “We don’t know either!”

The other troublemakers also tearfully pointed fingers at Master He.

“Let them go,” a woman’s voice called from the moon gate.

Fan Changyu looked up and saw Yu Qianqian. She stood from her chair. “Shopkeeper Yu, you’re back?”

Yu Qianqian nodded, her eyes warm with gratitude. “Just returned. I happened to hear you interrogating these men for me. Thank you, Changyu.”

Fan Changyu replied, “I didn’t do much to help.”

Yu Qianqian smiled. “This was more than enough. Release them.”

She signaled the staff to untie the troublemakers.

The man Fan Changyu had ordered taken away earlier was brought back out—his tongue intact, though his mouth had been gagged. Clearly, the earlier screams had been faked by some method Yu Qianqian had arranged.

Puzzled, Fan Changyu asked, “Aren’t you taking them to the magistrate’s court to confront Master He?”Yu Qianqian only shook her head, her expression weary. After the ruffians had been taken away by the establishment's staff, she finally spoke: "As you just found out, these men were sent by Master He."

Fan Changyu frowned. "Did a rival restaurant seeking to compete with Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion bribe Master He to undermine your business?"

Yu Qianqian gave a bitter smile. "It's worse than that."

Fan Changyu had thought that was the worst possible scenario. Hearing Yu Qianqian say it was even worse left her at a loss. "What exactly is happening?"

Yu Qianqian's neatly combed bangs were now disheveled from constant rubbing. She closed her eyes. "Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion can't be saved. It's my fault—I was too aggressive. If only I hadn't rushed to open a restaurant in the county town last year..."

In Fan Changyu's memory, Yu Qianqian had always been confident and in control, rarely showing such helplessness. "Though our friendship isn't particularly deep, I remember all the times you've helped me. I don't know what difficulties Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion is facing, but if you need it, my family has some connections with Head Constable Wang at the County Government Office. I could ask him for a favor to see if we can help."

Yu Qianqian shook her head. "It's no use."

She squeezed Fan Changyu's hand and forced a smile. "I appreciate your kindness. I've spent the entire afternoon exhausting all my connections. If there were a way, I wouldn't just wait for disaster. Don’t go to Head Constable Wang—it would only cause trouble for him."

Fan Changyu could feel Yu Qianqian's exhaustion. Even she hadn’t expected Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion to face such a crisis overnight. "I still can’t understand what trouble the pavilion has gotten into. The old man who ate here yesterday—I heard from the staff that he had a goat horn wind seizure, which caused the foaming at the mouth. How can that be blamed on the food? Even if it goes to court, doctors can testify."

Yu Qianqian asked, "Do you know who Master He works for?"

Fan Changyu uttered two words: "The magistrate?"

Yu Qianqian nodded wearily. "The highest official in Qingping County wants to seize my family’s assets. Right and wrong in court are whatever he says. What commoner would dare oppose an official?"

Fan Changyu said, "Then appeal to Jizhou Prefecture. The magistrate may be the highest authority in Qingping County, but outside it, what power does he have?"

Yu Qianqian shook her head again, her expression pained. "After hearing rumors from noble households that the magistrate was behind this, I sent a guard by carriage to Jizhou Prefecture. Just as I returned, someone delivered something..."

Her voice trembled. "It was my guard’s severed finger. The officials and bandits are working together—all roads to Jizhou Prefecture are blocked by outlaws."

Fan Changyu finally understood what it meant for someone to "cover the sky with one hand." What Yu Qianqian was experiencing was even more hopeless than when Fan Da had tried to seize her family’s property.

The authorities had already spread rumors that Yu Qianqian’s restaurant had tampered with its food. Coinciding with an old man’s death after dining at Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion, they could easily claim her food was to blame. After confiscating all her assets, they might even arrest her.In the blink of an eye, Fan Changyu recalled what Xie Zheng had mentioned earlier about the military grain requisition in Jizhou Prefecture. She said, "With just you alone, you'd certainly be outmatched. But if all the people of Qingping County rise against the magistrate, then whether the authorities blockade the roads or send Yamen Runners to suppress us, it won't matter anymore!"

Yu Qianqian asked, "How so?"

Fan Changyu explained, "Jizhou Prefecture is collecting military grain, and our county is demanding one dan of grain per person. Those who can't pay in grain must pay in silver. With over a hundred thousand people in Qingping County, that means the county alone could forcibly extract a hundred thousand dan of grain. Jizhou wouldn't push the common folk to the brink—clearly, the magistrate is using this as an opportunity to amass wealth!"

Upon hearing this, Yu Qianqian's expression changed drastically.

She murmured, "The magistrate isn't just amassing wealth. At this critical moment of his transfer, he's suddenly extorted so much silver from the people and set his sights on my Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion. Even if he can hide it temporarily, it won't last forever—he'll eventually be exposed. Even after his transfer, he won't escape punishment. Perhaps... the Overflowing Fragrance Pavilion is just the chicken slaughtered to warn the monkeys! His real targets are all the wealthy merchants of Qingping County!"

She turned to Fan Changyu, her face grim. "Chongzhou borders Jizhou. The magistrate must be planning to defect to the Rebel King!"