Chapter 185

Chapter 185: Who Are You Trying to Disgust?

Yet even this cotton—scarcely one part in ten saved—had cost the commoners everything they could give.

Commoners might be slow-witted, but their hearts were full of gratitude.

Du Yi Zhi felt bitterness rise within him.

A baby’s cry startled him from his thoughts. He turned and saw a figure rushing from the burning nursery, one child cradled in his arm, another carried on his back.

A beam collapsed behind the figure, sending up clouds of smoke and ash.

Du Yi Zhi’s eyes widened in shock—it was someone who shouldn’t have been there!

“Damn it!” Jiang Mang cursed. He quickly handed the baby in his arms to a waiting woman and carefully lowered the other child from his back.

Finally, Du Yi Zhi could see the face clearly…

…

In Du Residence.

Several fine silver-threaded charcoal braziers warmed the meeting hall.

Second Master Du, Third Master Du, several senior members of the Du family, and Prefect Yan sat comfortably within. Kneeling before them was a man vividly recounting how Du Yi Zhi had ordered his people to abandon the cotton to save lives instead.

Smiles flickered across the faces of the seated men.

Prefect Yan inhaled deeply, as if savoring the smell of burnt cotton carried by the cold wind.

Third Master Du looked especially pleased. It had been his clever idea to set the fire in the first place. Didn’t Du Yi Zhi want to sell cotton at low prices to win people’s hearts?

Then let him make a choice!

If he chose cotton, he’d forsake the lives of over thirty infants. With a little effort, they could easily ruin his hard-earned reputation.

If he chose lives, that was even simpler.

He would fail the mission entrusted to him. His masters would surely punish him. As for the commoners—unequal distribution always bred resentment. Those who got cotton would rejoice, while those who didn’t would never accept it quietly.

No matter what Du Yi Zhi chose, he would lose!

[A fatherless nobody, daring to frighten my Cheng’er?]

[Does he think he can leave Ji Prefecture so easily? Dream on!]

“But…” The kneeling man continued, hesitant now. “Something unexpected happened. Besides Du Yi Zhi and those from Northern Du, many commoners rushed to help put out the fire.”

Old Madam Du’s brows creased slightly.

“Hmm?” Prefect Yan was displeased.

The man hastily added, “But the fire was so fierce that despite all their efforts, only one part in ten of the cotton survived!”

One part in ten.

Prefect Yan glanced toward Old Madam Du, who nodded slowly. “That’s acceptable.”

They hadn’t burned the cotton merely to destroy it but to send a message to Du Yi Zhi: no matter how much cotton he had or whose orders he followed, in Ji Prefecture he would always be at the Du family’s mercy.

If he dared have more cotton, they’d burn it again.

Once wasn’t enough? Twice.

Twice wasn’t enough? Thrice.

“Old Madam, th-there’s trouble…” A steward hurried in, his face pale.

Nanny Wang stood guard outside the hall. Seeing his panic, she frowned deeply and approached him.

“Old Madam is in a meeting. What’s gotten you into this state?”

“Outside… outside…” The steward swallowed nervously. “Du Yi Zhi has come!”

“So what? Why are you so frightened?”

As Old Madam Du’s trusted confidante, Nanny Wang wasn’t fully aware of tonight’s plot. But the rolling flames and acrid scent of burnt cotton in the wind made it clear enough.

Du Yi Zhi would soon become a homeless stray dog.

Was this his desperate, last bark?

“N-no, it’s not like that…”

“What’s the racket?” Third Master Du opened the door impatiently.

Seeing him, the steward turned even paler. “Third Master, Du Yi Zhi is outside. You should see for yourself!”

“Oh? He still has time to visit Du Residence?” Old Madam Du’s calm voice drifted out. “Then let’s hear what he has to say.”

The cotton had burned. The outcome was settled.

Du Yi Zhi must have come seeking explanations. But did they owe him any?

Did Du Yi Zhi have proof that the Du family had burned his cotton?

If anyone was to blame, it was Du Yi Zhi himself—so proud he had offended a petty shop assistant who, in anger, had stolen his master’s oil to set the fire.

If anyone should be blamed, it was Du Yi Zhi’s own inflexibility.

At Old Madam Du’s command, everyone followed her and Prefect Yan outside.

Du Yi Zhi stood before Du Residence.

He hadn’t fought the fire himself, yet soot and the blood from the injured hunters still dirtied his clothes and face, giving him a bedraggled look.

Old Madam Du stepped slowly out the high threshold of Du Residence, gazing down at Du Yi Zhi from above.

She said nothing.

Neither did Du Yi Zhi.

Feigning surprise, Prefect Yan said, “Boss Du, how did you come to look like this?”

Du Yi Zhi stared directly at him. “Has Prefect Yan truly not heard? My yard caught fire—a great blaze that spread even to the Ciji Orphanage nearby.”

“What?” Prefect Yan’s face showed concern. “Were there casualties?”

“The orphanage’s thirty infants and five nannies were safely rescued,” Du Yi Zhi answered calmly.

“Thank goodness!” Prefect Yan let out a relieved sigh.

Du Yi Zhi nodded slowly. “Indeed, fortunate. Unfortunately, my cotton has nearly all burned away, so I won’t be able to provide affordable cotton for Ji Prefecture’s people anytime soon.”

“That… can’t be helped,” Prefect Yan said, smiling lightly. “As long as Boss Du himself is safe.”

They faced each other, fully aware of each other’s thoughts.

Du Yi Zhi knew these people before him had a hand in tonight’s disaster.

And they knew he was aware.

Still, they had to keep up appearances.

Third Master Du, however, saw no need for such games. Du Yi Zhi was nobody. Why should they stand in the cold pretending with him?

Snorting, he bluntly said, “Enough, Du Yi Zhi! Your cotton burned up, so why come whining to our Du Residence? You don’t mean to accuse us of setting the fire, do you?”

“If you have evidence, show it. If not—” He laughed mockingly. “Better figure out quickly how you’ll explain this mess to your princess master!”

“Du San!” Old Madam Du scolded mildly, but there was no displeasure in her eyes.

Du Yi Zhi had always been too arrogant. Now, she was curious what he might do next.

Surely he wouldn’t stoop to pleading for their help now?

[Too late, boy.]

But Du Yi Zhi didn’t spare her a single glance. Instead, he looked at Third Master Du with pity, raised a hand, and called out, “A-Jian.”

With a rumbling sound, a cart rolled forward onto the cleared stone path before Du Residence’s gate.

The Du family looked on, confused.

On the cart was something covered in white cloth.

What was beneath?

A grim suspicion stirred in the crowd.

Old Madam Du clenched her prayer beads tighter.

Third Master Du stepped back in disgust. “Ill fortune! Du Yi Zhi, what’s the meaning of this? Your cotton burned—your problem. Who are you trying to disgust by placing a dead body at Du Residence’s gate?”