Chapter 20: Jiang Wencheng Faces Another Mishap

“I just can’t understand—how much did he overlook you before that he couldn’t recognize you simply because you wore a veil?”

Li Xia glanced back at Jiang Wencheng several times, then leaned close to Yan Chaonian’s ear and lowered his voice. “Truly blind as a bat.”

It was the same person, merely dressed up more grandly, adorned with gold and silver, with a touch of makeup—not even a disguise. How could he fail to recognize her?

Yan Chaonian suspected Li Xia might be trying to stab him in the back. “If you think my past was wasted, just say so.”

Li Xia pouted, unable to comprehend the mindset of those noble families. When his former wife stood before him without a veil, he was arrogant and disdainful; but once she covered her face, he suddenly became obsequious, grinning like a sycophant. Quite amusing.

He suddenly wondered what expression would cross his face if he found out the obsequious mistress he was flattering was actually Yan Chaonian.

He wanted to see that.

Yan Chaonian rose slowly. Among the new batch, one brocade truly caught the eye—a Tonghai satin with a dense floral pattern, vivid and rich in color, lustrous and smooth.

Not only she but also Li Chun and others from the brocade workshop saw it. Everyone gathered closely to examine it carefully. In terms of pattern, it might not be the finest, but a full floral brocade, especially one with such heavy coloring, could only be worn by those with striking features and exotic charm.

This piece was so densely patterned that no background color showed through. The intricate weaving had to be the work of someone with extraordinary memory. “A true master.”

“This Tonghai satin was only seen last year. The Brocade Guild calls it full floral brocade—no background color, just a spread of multicolored flowers. Truly beautiful.”

“What good is beauty? Clothes made from this fabric would overshadow the wearer; using it for curtains is almost a waste. Only someone with a strong presence could pull it off.”

The owner of the Cloud Brocade workshop sneered, belittling the dazzling piece admired by others. Boss Zhao laughed and said he was just jealous. “It takes extremely skilled weavers to produce such fabric. The weavers at Cloud Brocade probably can’t manage that.”

Li Chun and the others laughed. Yan Chaonian looked at the brocade again and again before turning back to her seat. Her eyes inadvertently met Jiang Chongyuan’s gaze; he was staring at her, but she paid no mind.

Jiang Chongyuan felt Yan Chaonian looked very familiar, especially those eyes—they were exactly like the woman who had fought him before. Considering she worked at the Chaobrocade Workshop, could they be the same person?

He recalled his grandmother saying his maternal family was in the fabric business.

“Father, have you...”

“Silence.”

Jiang Chongyuan wanted to voice his thoughts, but Jiang Wencheng gave him no chance. His mind was occupied with plans to further court the Chaobrocade Workshop, awaiting the emergence of this year’s top artisan. If the top artisan slipped away, he had other plans. He couldn’t pin all hopes on just one workshop.

Jiang Chongyuan shrank back. In the past, he might have finished speaking, but his father’s growing impatience and the grandmother’s distant presence in the capital made him cautious. He kept silent, his gaze returning to Yan Chaonian.

She really did look alike.

The last group of brocade workshops performed just before noon. Afterward, Yan Chaonian prepared to return to her residence. Her purpose here was fulfilled; now she awaited her two uncles’ results.

“Follow her.”

Jiang Wencheng hurried into the carriage, determined to uncover the background of the Chaobrocade Workshop’s mistress. With a single command, his attendants eagerly followed Yan Chaonian’s carriage, trailing it all the way.

“Boss, we’ve got tails.”

The guards hidden among the crowd quickly spotted the followers. This was routine; which brocade workshop in the city hadn’t been tailed before?

“Same as always, send for reinforcements.”

They never dealt with tailing themselves.

Thus, Yan Chaonian’s carriage led, with Jiang Wencheng behind, surrounded by guards from the garrison. When the carriage turned into a complicated alley, the driver lost his way. Just as he anxiously tried to find the route, a group of masked bandits appeared from nowhere, brandishing wooden sticks and beating them relentlessly.

The saying “a strong dragon does not crush the local snake” rang true. Jiang Wencheng’s guards soon fell. After a short while, the master and servants found themselves stranded on an unfamiliar street, anxious and alarmed. In broad daylight, they had been robbed—the carriage stolen, along with every last bit of silver on them.

The bruised guards dared not meet Jiang Wencheng’s eyes. The father and son had been forcibly dragged from the carriage, each kicked several times. Their backs still bore the marks of heavy boots.

Jiang Chongyuan didn’t dare cry. All he wanted was to return to the capital. The southwest was simply too terrifying—first thieves, now bandits, and now their carriage was gone.

“Investigate immediately. I want to know who dares openly rob the carriage of the Bo family.”

“Heading to the magistrate’s office right now.”

Jiang Wencheng no longer paid attention to Yan Chaonian. He had barely taken a few steps when they encountered a timid old man. The guards approached and asked. The old man sighed, “You don’t know? There’s a bandit gang in our generation that loves robbing outsiders. They never leave empty-handed—if not money, then at least two pieces of clothing. The authorities are powerless. They’ve been caught many times but to no avail.”

“Our land is mountainous. The bandits escape into the hills outside the city, and no one can find them. You’ll probably have to accept defeat.”

The guards and attendants felt a chill. They’d heard the southwest was unstable, but not this chaotic.

Jiang Wencheng felt his vision darken. After learning the way to the magistrate’s office, he hurried there first. When the magistrate’s clerk saw him again and heard of the robbery, he grimaced. How could this man be so unlucky?

“To be frank, that bandit gang is very troublesome. Even the magistrate’s office can’t handle them. Only General Yuan could keep them in check. Since he left with the troops, the bandits have reappeared, making them very hard to capture.”

“General Yuan?”

Jiang Wencheng had never heard of him. The clerk explained he was the southwest garrison commander. “I don’t know what the higher-ups think—General Yuan oversees not only military supplies but also commands the troops in battle. He’s quite capable. With him around, things were much more peaceful.”

“I’ve heard he’s returning soon. Then we can seek his help and see what can be done.”

Jiang Wencheng refused to believe such a large magistrate’s office couldn’t catch a single gang of bandits. He suspected they were making excuses. The clerk explained the dangers of the southwest, the tangled interests of various factions. “In short, those bandits likely belong to some faction. How can they be caught?”

Jiang Wencheng wanted to explode but restrained himself, pressing the magistrate’s office to act. Suddenly, someone rushed in. “Sir, General Yuan has returned.”