Chapter 163: The Face of the Enemy

As night fell, the Residence of the Princess Consort of Chengguo.

Since the founding of the Wu Dynasty, the Zhou imperial clan had expanded and flourished considerably. However, due to strict management of the imperial family, while many wealthy relatives existed, few were genuinely entrusted with significant responsibilities in military or political affairs. Among these, the title of consort was naturally the most awkward.

Nevertheless, while Jiangning was home to more than one person holding the title of consort, the Princess Consort of Chengguo was an exception. Typically, despite a princess's noble status, those willing to become consorts were not necessarily highly capable. However, Kang Xian, the consort, was a renowned scholar of his time, possessing genuine literary talent. Most importantly, by now, their seniority surpassed that of most other imperial relatives.

Generally, the emperor's daughters were called princesses, and his sisters, grand princesses. As the emperor's aunt, Princess Zhou Xuan of Chengguo now held the title of Grand Grand Princess. The 'Grand Grand' prefix suggested a formidable status. Few people likely remembered why the brilliant Kang Xian became a consort, and the individuals themselves might have long forgotten. In any case, the astute and formidable Grand Grand Princess Zhou Xuan and the talented consort Kang Xian, though already enjoying their golden years and seemingly leading leisurely lives, actually commanded an astonishing array of commercial enterprises and wealth. If brought into the open, their riches might have astounded everyone.

Naturally, intelligent people understood the importance of self-preservation. In the Jiangning area, the Princess Consort of Chengguo's influence largely remained detached from major political affairs, with her many businesses quietly accumulating wealth. Consequently, numerous surrounding imperial relatives were quite willing to associate with them. That afternoon, Prince Kang, Zhou Yong, after having tea with his two children and several scholars, also dropped by for a visit.

It was past dinnertime, and Zhou Yong was chatting with his imperial aunt in the courtyard. His two children and Kang Xian had also been there earlier, but Xiao Pei and Jun Wu, being frequent visitors, couldn't sit still. They had dragged Kang Xian off to the consort's mansion's Treasure Pavilion to view interesting items. Zhou Yong didn't visit the consort's mansion often, but he had been very close with his aunt, Grand Princess Zhou Xuan, as a child. After a long conversation about family matters, he left the courtyard and only found Kang Xian near the garden. As for his children, they had disappeared somewhere again.

Zhou Yong had always respected Kang Xian. As they spoke, they walked towards the garden to enjoy the cool air. After discussing some minor matters, Zhou Yong casually brought up the afternoon's events: "Today, when I took Xiao Pei and Jun Wu to the Fragrant Warm Teahouse and strolled with some scholars, I saw someone whom you, my uncle, had mentioned before…"

He recounted the entire incident, including Liu Qingdi's appearance and the tenor of his words: "Heh, it's not easy to earn the title of the foremost scholar. This Liu Qingdi might appear open-minded, constantly proclaiming Ning Yi's astonishing talent, but in reality, he probably harbors resentment and aims to spread rumors. Many of his claims were untrue, yet it seemed many people subsequently knew about the matter. Regarding Ning Liheng, you mentioned some time ago that Xiao Pei and Jun Wu should become his disciples, so I wanted to meet him. I wonder, Uncle, if you know anything about the fabric merchants, the Su and Wu families?"

The two sat down in the pavilion. After Zhou Yong finished speaking, Kang Xian chuckled. Kang Xian naturally didn't believe that Zhou Yong had been particularly invested in this matter before; it was likely Kang Xian who had taken more responsibility for educating Xiao Pei and Jun Wu. When the idea of the children studying under Jiangning's foremost scholar was first suggested, Zhou Yong had merely nodded casually. After all, he was the foremost scholar, and Kang Xian had recommended him, so it must be fine. Zhou Yong's attitude was simply that the children should be ready to learn whenever summoned, and as for Ning Yi's character, Kang Xian was handling the vetting. Perhaps it was only today's encounter that made Zhou Yong take a little more interest.

Ultimately, those of royal blood cared about practical achievements.

"'Heh, I asked Liheng a similar question over a month ago. At that time, the dispute between the Su and Wu families over imperial silk orders was raging. After the initial resolution, the Su family was ultimately outmaneuvered, and he angrily composed the poem 'Drinking Wine with Pei Di' in front of others. I thought he was upset and that if the matter couldn't be resolved, he would eventually seek my help. I waited several days at home, then encountered him at Old Qin's house. He looked troubled then and played chess distractedly, yet he still wouldn't ask for help, which was quite vexing…'"

"'If that's the case, he certainly has some pride,' Zhou Yong nodded. 'So, you're quite familiar with Ning Yi, Uncle? And… Old Qin?'"

He recalled Ning Yi's appearance—only in his early twenties, remarkably young. He had initially thought his uncle merely acknowledged Ning Yi's talent, but now it sounded like their acquaintance was deeper than he imagined.

"'Heh, we were originally just chess partners, nothing too involved. But later, Liheng provided significant help, and many benefited,' Kang Xian nodded gravely, then smiled. 'However, I later learned it wasn't pride. Heh, I told him that day, with our relationship, why be so cautious about asking for help just once? This matter affected his reputation and greatly impacted the Su family. I had even decided to intervene on his behalf to resolve it. Who knew he would then say one sentence that made it awkward for me to bring up the matter for over a month, heh heh…'"

Amused, Kang Xian chuckled happily. Zhou Yong frowned. "'One sentence?'"

"'Heh, the fabric faded.'"

Kang Xian shook his head, his simple words drifting lightly around the pavilion. Zhou Yong's expression remained somewhat confused. For a moment, the surroundings fell silent. It was a long while before he truly processed the meaning and reacted, "'Huh?'"

While the conversation took place at the consort's mansion, a heated argument and discussion were unfolding in the main hall of the Wu family residence. Servants guarded the area from a distance, occasionally glancing back to see figures moving, but unable to discern what was happening. In the room where those who would decide the Wu family's fate had gathered, an unusual atmosphere, unlike anything before, hung thick in the air. Emotions ran high, differing from usual: anger, shock, fear, absurdity, and even occasional outbursts of hysteria.

"'No matter what, a third of our assets is impossible… It's absurd, such a thing has never happened!'"

The argument had, in fact, been going on for some time. After Wu Qilong initially finished explaining the situation, everyone fell silent for a long while before discussing it with a sense of absurdity. Even in the notoriously greedy world of commerce, such an incident was rare: one merchant openly telling another, 'Give me a third of your family's assets.' At first listen, such a demand seemed utterly unworthy of discussion. However, as the atmosphere gradually settled, and as they understood from the expressions of Wu Chenghou and others that the situation was no joke, and as time afforded them a moment to think, they were finally able to clear their minds and consider the gravity of the matter.

"'Give them a third? And then use another third or even half of our family assets for bribery and lobbying? What will become of our Wu family then? How can we—even if we die—face our ancestors, who accumulated this fortune with such immense effort! The title of Jiangning's foremost fabric merchant…' Wu Chengluo, who oversaw affairs in the Hezhou region, shook his head. 'It's merely faded fabric; I refuse to believe it will lead to our assets being confiscated! As long as we lobby hard and spend enough, our Wu family might just overcome this hurdle!'"

"'When a wall collapses, everyone pushes it down, Old Seven,' Wu Chengyuan remarked."

On the other side, Wu Chengke, his face ashen, stated, "'Give them a third, then squander half or a third, then relinquish market share to become only imperial merchants—that's what the Su family intends. After this, do you think the Su family will back down easily if we don't comply?'"

"'You just said the Su family won't back down easily. Who's to say they won't secretly leak information or sabotage us from behind our backs?!'"

"'It would take them time to absorb that, and besides… it would be better for their reputation…'"

"'It's better for their reputation if they don't destroy our family?' Wu Chengluo looked at Wu Chengke with a sense of absurdity."

"'At least no one will say they took our assets and then forced us to our deaths…' Wu Qilong entered the fray, his voice low."

"'Whether they can truly force us to our deaths is still a question!'"

"'Seventh Uncle, don't say angry words…'"

"'I'm not speaking in anger; you've been frightened by that scholar! Everyone knows those so-called talented men only boast!'"

"'But war is truly coming, and everyone pushes a falling wall, Seventh Uncle! Right now, a group of people are watching the Su family; they haven't moved yet, waiting for the Su family to fall on its own! The Su family hasn't made any major blunders externally yet. But if something like this happens to our family, everyone will have leverage, and everyone will kick us while we're down! Does our Wu family have fewer rivals than the Su family?'"

"'It might not necessarily reach that extent! If we do as he says, what difference does it make if it reaches that extent…'"

"'Shut up!'"

Thud! A walking stick struck the floor. After such a long argument, amidst the cacophony of chatter and debate, Fifth Uncle Wu Zhen, who was seated at the head, finally erupted. He stood up, trembling slightly.

"'Stop speaking nonsense there! It's not a matter of 'extent' now. It's confiscation! Of the family's assets! Extermination! Of the clan!' He pounded his staff on the ground. 'Confiscation and extermination!'"

The surrounding sounds instantly quieted. The old man surveyed the room, then sank back into his chair, speaking between gasps: "'Haven't you understood yet? It's not about 'extent.' If we make the wrong move, it's not a difference between giving thirty percent or sixty percent. If you make the wrong decision, it's confiscation of assets and extermination of the clan. Everyone here now, inside and outside, your wives and children at home—some will die, others will be exiled. By now, you must all know this… Stop arguing. Say something useful.'"

"'We can only… only try to curry favor with some high-ranking officials…' Wu Chengyuan said, after a moment of hesitation."

Wu Chenghou, at the head, shook his head. "'Ten days isn't enough time. Even with unlimited money, we can't influence officials at the Three Departments and Six Ministries level.'"

Fifth Uncle Wu Zhen regained his breath. "'Actually, if the negotiations truly break down, is it really that severe? Let's all think about that first.'"

"'The Chen and Lü families are also watching us. They used to be imperial merchants and now want to expand further. They… have previous official connections. If our Wu family falls and we give up our share, they will certainly be delighted…'"

"'A falling wall definitely invites everyone to push it down…'"

"'And war is really coming. If it were before…' Wu Qilong frowned, 'then there would likely be room for maneuver…'"

"'War doesn't necessarily mean things will go wrong. How high is the probability?' Wu Chengluo asked."

"'I don't know,' Wu Qilong said frankly, then looked around. 'Uncles, what do you think? Do you… dare to take this risk?'"

Matters like confiscation and clan extermination ultimately depended on the emperor's mood. If it were just one isolated issue, perhaps they could risk it. However, on the eve of war, combined with the potential instigation from other fabric merchants after the scandal broke, and the emperor's likely comprehensive reaction to hearing about it, no one could be in good spirits. A heavy silence fell. Fifth Uncle's staff tapped once. "'What more is there to discuss about that…'"

"'It's not necessarily hopeless,' Wu Chengke finally said after a long deliberation. 'Ning Liheng's proposal is simple: for our Wu family to buy time with money. But business can always be negotiated; we don't know how much of what he says is bluster. We need to assess how eager the Su family is for a smooth transition. If it's not smooth, how much effort will they put in? And in all this, who exactly is planning and making the final decisions? We need to clarify these things first…'"

Wu Chenghou nodded. "'It's simply those three: Su Yu, Su Tan'er, and Ning Yi…'"

Wu Chengyuan frowned. "'I'm not sure about Ning Yi, but Su Yu and Su Tan'er are no pushovers. What if negotiations break down after just one probing attempt?'"

Wu Chenghou was silent for a moment. "'It depends on how resolute and how determined they are…'"

"'Su Tan'er hasn't been having an easy time recently either,' Wu Qihou looked up. 'Our Wu family ultimately has a chance to avoid disaster, and even if the situation worsens, we can still hold out for several months, or even half a year… Su Tan'er must be desperate to prove her capabilities now, and she's leading this matter. I think… there will definitely be room for negotiation… Delaying the public announcement of the news is key. If we can drag it out for a few more days, we might be able to release false information, confusing the market about what to believe.'"

"'That would only prevent some people from finding out. Once the Su family releases information, some will surely believe it, and spreading rumors would only deceive a fraction of people. Our lobbying would need at least a month or two…' Someone else emerged, shaking their head. 'If we want to find a weakness, we should first figure out who is truly orchestrating this. But I don't think Su Tan'er is controlling this scheme.'"

"'Su Yu has never used such methods before; it doesn't seem like him… But besides them, it couldn't possibly be Ning Yi, could it? This kind of thing can't be pulled off by mere cleverness; it requires people like Su Yu or Su Tan'er. And we investigated him before, he had no experience at all…'"

Amidst the ceaseless chatter and buzzing discussions, Fifth Uncle sighed and motioned to Wu Qilong, who had fallen silent again. "'Qilong, you've had the most contact with Ning Yi. What do you think? Even if this scheme truly is his, what is he really like?'"

Wu Qilong glanced at him, hesitating. "'I… I have some thoughts, but…' He shook his head. 'It's hard to explain…'"

In business, one can only truly strategize after grasping the opponent's true nature. The same applies to formulating plans and escaping crises. If an opponent has set up a seemingly perfect trap, one must seek weaknesses in their personality and guess what they might not be able to control. The Su family and the Xue family had contended for years, with the Wu family observing from the sidelines. But regarding Ning Liheng, by now, no one truly understood him. Perhaps only Wu Qilong, who had the most prolonged contact with him, could, at this moment, piece together some semblance of his character.

"'Actually, thinking back now, there's one thing we all overlooked…' After a moment, he sighed and finally began to speak. 'Everyone somewhat knew Su Tan'er's character. Two and a half months ago, when Su Boyong was assassinated, she suddenly fell ill. We thought she was genuinely overwhelmed by stress—and her stress at the time truly was immense; we inquired and confirmed it, so we had no doubts. But later, it became clear there was a problem.'"

At his words, someone nearby reacted. Wu Qihou said, "'She didn't appear for that entire month…'"

"'Exactly,' Wu Qilong nodded. 'Given Su Tan'er's personality, once the initial days of a cold had passed and her fever subsided, it would have been impossible for her to remain bedridden for recovery. Yet, Ning Yi accepted it, which seemed somewhat comical. In the background, however, the Su family continued to heavily promote the yellow fabric without missing a beat. We all assumed Su Tan'er couldn't handle the intricate details but had grasped the bigger picture. That's why, after Ning Yi's few performances, we thought that even if he handled the general situation well, there would always be loopholes in the specifics that we could exploit…'"

"'It might be hindsight now, but given Su Tan'er's personality, how could she have possibly stayed home at that time? Even if Ning Yi didn't understand, she certainly would have… It was only a few days after Ning Yi told me about those things that I realized. He said that Su Tan'er collapsed because the yellow fabric faded… For a woman like her, with Su Boyong assassinated and the Su family facing internal strife and external threats, those factors alone could not have kept her bedridden for a month. We overlooked these things, but looking back, when she fell ill, the main branch of the Su family had no core leader, and she couldn't have made such calculations in her state then. It must have been during that period that Ning Yi finalized his plans. That's why she didn't get out of bed even after her fever broke a few days later, and Old Master Su didn't interfere either…'"

"'And then everyone fell into this trap. At the time, it seemed Ning Yi did nothing, but now, thinking back, we didn't even feel anything amiss; it never even crossed our minds. Even over a month after the imperial merchant decision, Ning Yi simply dropped the matter, and we recalculated several times without a shred of suspicion… Uncles, everything was perfectly orchestrated. If you ask me what kind of opponent such a person is, he's simply… simply…'"

He frowned, his expression hesitant for a long time, unable to find the right words. Yet, those around him could largely perceive the outline he was attempting to draw…

"'…Actually, to put it plainly, it's just a simple case of 'offering flowers borrowed from Buddha,' which many might think of verbally. But to truly implement it, the difficulty is incredibly high. One has to induce the other party to have certain thoughts without being too obvious, and every step must be perfect. Otherwise, the Wu family, being seasoned veterans in business after years of struggle, could exploit even a small flaw and find a loophole…'"

In the pavilion at the consort's mansion, Kang Xian smiled and shook his head.

"'At that time, the Su family had an inside informant, and Ning Yi couldn't possibly have gone around teaching people how to act. As a live-in son-in-law, gaining full control would have been incredibly difficult. Yet, he subtly manipulated their thoughts little by little. It seemed no one noticed anything. The Wu family believed they had deliberately stolen the Su family's formula, completely unaware of how many strings Ning Yi was pulling behind the scenes. At the time, I also had people watching the Su family, and heh, they noticed nothing either. After he uttered that sentence, I, like you, was stunned for a while. After I understood, my scalp felt numb… Truly formidable…'"

"'He made setting up this scheme seem effortless, meticulously building it thread by thread… Many things appear miraculous, and ideas might be simple, but what determines success or failure often lies in subtle details that others cannot see or perceive. Similar matters, perhaps only Old Qin… *cough*…'"

He paused there, sighing slightly. Zhou Yong frowned. "'Are you referring to Duke Qin, Uncle?'"

Kang Xian shook his head. What he was referring to was no longer a strict secret, but it was still best not to mention it carelessly. "'What Liheng has accomplished this time is truly admirable. I imagine the time is nearly ripe for the truth to be fully revealed, heh heh. When that happens, you and I shall witness the dumbfounded expressions of those people… It's fortunate that Xiao Pei and Jun Wu can become his disciples, Defang; you must not neglect this opportunity.'"

"'Of course, I wouldn't dare neglect it,' Zhou Yong replied respectfully, bowing, indicating his newfound admiration for Ning Yi. 'I did hear that he was unwilling to become a guest advisor for the Prince's residence. I wonder why.' He had heard this some time ago but dismissed it, only recalling it now."

"'Heh, Liheng's temperament is unlike others. In time, you will understand; it's not that he has any issues with the Prince's residence. Defang, do you know why, despite speaking casually about business matters that day, he remained somewhat distracted while playing chess with someone?'"

"'Did he encounter some trouble?' Zhou Yong asked, frowning, resolving to remember this."

Kang Xian, however, smiled amusingly. "'Not at all… Oh, though it was troublesome, it wasn't something others could resolve. At the time, he had effortlessly handled matters concerning the survival of both the Su and Wu families, yet he still faced a difficult dilemma. Old Qin and I were quite curious, and when he finally told us, heh heh, we found it truly amusing. It turned out that on that day, a woman outside had confessed her feelings to him. As a live-in son-in-law of the Su family, he was hesitant and undecided about how to proceed…'"

Zhou Yong blinked, then burst into laughter. "'Such a trivial matter! A man can have three wives and four… er…' He had intended to say it grandly, but considering his uncle, who only had one wife, albeit with a deep affection for his aunt, he stopped himself, changing tack. 'Ahem, this person truly is very sincere and genuine…'"

"'Heh, speaking of her, Old Qin and I actually know that woman. She's indeed a good person. She was originally a courtesan, but always maintained her integrity and later bought her freedom…'"

On a tranquil night, by the corridor on the second floor of the Su family's small courtyard, Ning Yi and Su Tan'er gazed at the full moon in the sky, eating and enjoying the breeze while talking.

Today, the two were rather bored, munching on uninspired food: flatbread.

"'When negotiating with the Wu family, you need to be a bit more assertive.'"

"'Hmm… but how exactly should I be assertive?'"

"'Uh, for example… Don't be sad, after all, people are alive…'"

"'My husband will infuriate people to death.'"

"'No, they're all business elites… Mmm, the moon on the fourteenth is also very round…'"

"'Too bad it's not the fifteenth of the eighth month…'"

"'Why did you suddenly think of the fifteenth of the eighth month? Is it a shame we missed this year's poetry gathering?'"

"'No, I was just thinking that because my husband couldn't go that day, I missed seeing him compose moon poems that would leave those scholars with nothing to write.'"

"'It's not that exaggerated…'"

"'How about my husband writes another poem today, to celebrate the Wu family's downfall?'"

"'Alright.'"

"'Oh, really writing one?'"

"'Heh, as a scholar, writing poetry is, of course, effortless…'"

She waited, poised and focused.

"'…Oh, great ocean, you're all water!'"

"'Mmm…'"

"'Oh, swift steed, you have four legs!'"

Her face began to twitch.

"'Oh, moon, you're so round!' Ning Yi's expression remained calm."

"'Oh, Wu family, you're finished.'"

Her head was already bowed. She frantically stuffed flatbread into her mouth, trying to stop her body from trembling.

"'Done. See? A poem about the moon, and the Wu family's downfall.'"

"'Mmm… ugh… *cough, cough*… ugh…'"

"'What's wrong with you?'"

"'Ugh, ugh, ugh…'"

"'Do you want to choke yourself…'"

Under the moonlight, Ning Yi began to playfully pat his wife's back, a wry smile on his face. From his perspective, Su Tan'er's figure appeared quite slender.

She seemed on the verge of choking to death and began to repeatedly bump her head against Ning Yi's chest.

This might be the year I've laughed the most…

She thought this as she performed these unladylike actions, things she had almost never done before…