Chapter 10: Offering the Yan Family a Chance to Show Their Zeal

Jiang Wencheng fell ill because he hadn’t covered himself with a blanket in the middle of the night; after all, March nights were still chillingly cold.

By the time the constables from the government office arrived—long overdue—he was already burning with fever, breathing heavily, his cheeks flushed an unnatural ruddy hue.

The constables paid him no heed, busily searching inside and out, questioning thoroughly, and concluded it was the work of a nimble thief. But since no one had ever seen this thief, they could only continue their investigation. They also tactfully warned, “Even if the thief is caught, the chances of recovering the stolen goods are slim; you must be prepared.”

It was the first time they had seen such a thorough theft—everything had been taken cleanly. It was clear these travelers were either wealthy or noble; otherwise, how could even their undergarments have been stolen?

Jiang Wencheng lay in a haze, while Jiang Chongyuan, clad in his underclothes, had thrown a blanket over himself. His heart burned with anger. When had he ever endured such humiliation? Had he known, he would never have come to the southwest. This place was truly uncivilized and barbaric.

He shouted at his attendants, “Hurry and buy some clothes! Do you want me to freeze to death?”

“Remember, get only the finest brocade.”

The attendants were miserable. Their two masters had been stripped down to a few books, and only the servants still had some silver coins. Finest brocade? If they couldn’t find more silver, they wouldn’t even be able to return to the capital.

Footsteps sounded again; the government secretary arrived. Earlier, someone from the Bo residence had come to the office but could provide no proof of identity. Whether they were genuine or not, only the secretary could verify.

Jiang Wencheng forced himself to sit up. “Is Lord Wen Zhen present?”

Hearing the correct title of their lord, the secretary hurried forward. “Honored guest, my lord is not in the city. May I ask from which residence in the capital you hail?”

“The Bo residence of Zhongshun.”

Jiang Wencheng was too exhausted to argue with a mere secretary. “When your lord returns, please have him come here.”

“Honored guest, my lord has gone to inspect the spring plowing at the lower regions. He will be away for about half a month.”

The words were smoothly spoken, but Jiang Chongyuan suddenly interjected, “What could be more important than my father? Summon him back immediately.”

Though displeased, Jiang Wencheng said nothing to stop him. The secretary’s tone grew firm. “Spring plowing is a matter of national importance, crucial to the livelihood of the people. No delay is permitted. The lord personally leads the inspection to demonstrate its significance. Before leaving, he instructed that unless urgent matters arise, he should not be disturbed.”

“If your valuables have been stolen, the office will do its utmost to search for the thief. If you are temporarily short on funds, you may provide identification and borrow money from the office.”

Summoning the lord back? What a joke. They couldn’t even be sure these people weren’t frauds.

Jiang Wencheng’s anger flared. His attendant quickly spoke, “All items proving our identity were stolen. But how would we lie? The plaque of our Zhongshun Bo residence proudly hangs in the capital; no forgery there. We earnestly ask the office to swiftly capture the thief and return our belongings. When that day comes, our Bo residence will offer generous rewards.”

“Rest assured, honored guest, the office will pursue the thief with all its might. Should you need anything, send word to the office, and we will provide all reasonable assistance.”

With no proof of identity, they could only wait for their lord’s return. The secretary, not wishing to linger, soon took his leave.

The constables gathered, whispering, “Can we trust he’s really a Bo lord? Last time, a cripple pretending to be a steward of the Hou residence tricked over a dozen children. There are too many frauds these days.”

“Yeah, we’re so far from the capital, and we’ve never heard of this Zhongshun Bo.”

In short, no one thought well of Jiang Wencheng. Whatever his status, he couldn’t guard his own belongings, yet still wanted to cause trouble. And that young master, wrapped in a blanket like a silkworm cocoon but strutting arrogantly—tsk!

The secretary only told them to try their best. Whether the truth would emerge, “We’ll know when the lord returns.”

They hadn’t offended anyone. Even if there were shortcomings, the lord would only pretend to scold them upon return, and it would be over.

Soon the attendants bought two sets of clothes—fine cloth, the best their coins could afford. Jiang Wencheng’s disdain was obvious. Jiang Chongyuan even threw the garments on the ground and stomped on them twice. “I said the finest brocade! Can’t you understand?”

“Do you think I’ve become a beggar?”

“Quiet.”

Jiang Wencheng suppressed his anger. After taking medicine, he felt somewhat better and realized the attendants had no money.

Lowering his eyes, he pondered their predicament. They had to leave this place, and clothes were necessary. He couldn’t go out dressed in coarse cloth. After much thought, he decided to seek out Madam Yan.

As a master weaver at the Imperial Brocade Workshop, her monthly salary must be substantial. This would be an opportunity to curry favor.

If she prepared respectable clothing and ensured he had no worries before Lord Wen’s return, even if she had a crime to atone for, he would grant her some favor.

“Go fetch Madam Yan.”

The attendants guessed his plan. After all, in this remote southwest, they had no relatives, and the only acquaintance, Lord Wen, was away. The only one with silver was Madam Yan.

Meanwhile, Yan Chaonian was unaware of the trouble involving Jiang Wencheng. After spending three days tending to a child left by Madam Yan’s mother in the residence, she went to meet Lady Qin, whom she had long wished to see.

Lady Qin was a woman of moderate stature, with naturally smiling eyes and brows. Though her face was expressionless, she seemed to radiate joy, leaving a very favorable impression.

Her husband was a scholar with vast knowledge but had endured many setbacks in pursuit of official rank. Despite his talent, he repeatedly failed the exams. Later, it became known that his name matched that of the provincial governor’s father, who deliberately blocked his progress. Disheartened, he turned to teaching while continuing to study literature.

Fortunately, Lady Qin’s family was wealthy and skilled in crafts, so their life was comfortable.

Yan Chaonian presented her respects at the door. Lady Qin accepted the gift politely. What she expected to be a brief exchange turned into an engaging conversation as Yan showed considerable knowledge. They began to speak more freely.

They started with silkworm breeds, discussing which produced finer silk, which yielded stronger threads. They spoke of mulberry leaves needing to be dried in the shade, when to feed the silkworms, how much to feed before cocooning—each step affecting the quality of the final silk.

From silkworms, the conversation moved to reeling and twisting silk threads. When it came to dyeing, Yan listened intently—it was her weakest point. Then they discussed looms. Yan was amazed to learn that Lady Qin used a 120-shuttle loom, able to produce a batch of superior brocade in just sixty days, with patterns far finer than hers.

By this point, there was no need to conceal anything. Yan presented her own brocade patterns for Lady Qin’s advice. They talked from morning until evening, growing ever more engrossed, oblivious to the passage of time.

“Was the plum blossom ‘Bada Yun’ pattern from last year truly your work?”