adbindia Chapter 1190 - 1179: The Wealthy Merchant
Chapter 1190 - 1179: The Wealthy Merchant
Ye Cheng stood dumbfounded, staring at the army practicing martial arts in front of him. If it weren’t for the fact that he’d personally recruited these people, he would have thought his elder brother had replaced them with a new group.
But isn’t this equivalent to a new group? The soldiers standing majestically before him, full of fighting spirit, bore no resemblance to the poverty-stricken, down-and-out individuals from a month ago.
Especially their eyes, which now held hope for survival and a spirit unyielding in battle. Ye Cheng had genuine admiration for his brother. How did he achieve this?
"Second Master, the Family Head is inside," a captain from the group stepped forward and said.
Ye Cheng looked puzzled, "How do you know who I am?"
"Reporting to Second Master, the Family Head showed us your portrait. Shall I escort you inside?"
"No need, continue your training. I’ll find my brother myself." Ye Cheng continued to walk in a daze; he had been here when it was constructed, so why did it seem so different from what he had imagined?
The buildings were the same, but the overall atmosphere had transformed. Most notably, the energy and spirit of the people; they no longer had muddled eyes and were no longer meekly begging for a meal. Even the children playing by the roadside were laughing and cheerful, unlike earlier, when they seemed silent and fearful.
The women in the stockade were orderly in doing various chores, chatting about their men and where to find wild vegetables on the mountain.
When they saw him approaching, they all greeted him with genuine respect.
Inside, Ye Cheng felt as if there were ants crawling in his heart; he was desperate to know how his brother had transformed these people so thoroughly in just a month. If someone told him they had all been raised in affluence and meticulously educated, he’d believe it.
"What brings you here?" Ye Qiu walked out from inside, accompanied by two young boys, looking around twelve or thirteen years old. Their eyes were sharp, and upon seeing him, the two boys cupped their fists in salute.
"Ye Mo, Ye Sen, greet the Second Master."
The extraordinary bearing of these two boys was undeniable. If they didn’t look so identical, Ye Cheng might not have recognized them. He remembered that among the people he recruited, there was only one pair of twins, two orphans who were skin and bones at the time, which technically didn’t meet Ye Cheng’s recruitment standards.
But there was a strong will to survive in their eyes, prompting Ye Cheng to relent. He thought that if his brother didn’t want them, he’d keep them as odd-job boys, little imagining that in just a month, he would barely recognize them!
Not only had they gained weight and grown taller, but their eyes had become resilient, completely unlike children of twelve or thirteen.
Ye Cheng smiled with relief, "Not bad, they’ve been raised well."
Ye Qiu nodded with satisfaction, "You have a good eye; Ye Mo and Ye Sen have excellent talent."
Ye Cheng was even happier, "I’m glad you’re satisfied, big brother. The recruitment continues; we’ve almost exhausted the pool in Jing’an City, so it might take some time to bring in people from outside."
"Hmm, you’ve done well, but is this matter substantial enough to require you to report to me personally?"
At this, Ye Cheng’s face turned grim, and he bowed his head in frustration and anger, "Big brother, I’m here to admit my mistake."
"Ye Lu escaped?" Ye Qiu didn’t even change his expression.
Ye Cheng felt even more embarrassed, "Big brother, did you foresee this? It’s all my carelessness. I thought being a legitimate miss of the Ye Family, she’d consider the bigger picture and wouldn’t be so bold. You reminded me beforehand, but I ignored it. Big brother, please punish me."
Ye Qiu looked at his younger brother’s ashamed face and sighed faintly, "It’s good that you recognize your mistake. Remember, we are engaged in a grand undertaking—competing with heroes of all shades. Even the smallest mistake can be fatal. In the future, never underestimate anyone, no matter how insignificant or close they may seem, if there’s any suspicion in your heart."
"Yes, big brother, I understand." This time, Ye Cheng truly learned his lesson and realized the consequences of his underestimation; he vowed never to repeat it.
Seeing his younger brother’s eyes, Ye Qiu knew Ye Cheng had listened, justifying his decision not to directly deal with Ye Lu. Although Ye Lu might cause him trouble in the future, a loyal, meticulous, and prudent younger brother was more valuable to him.
"And what about our stepmother?"
"She went along as well, taking their private stash. Fortunately, big brother instructed me to keep an eye on the Li Family’s people, so they didn’t manage to take more."
"The business wasn’t affected, was it?"
"No, and according to your instructions, we’ve begun transitioning it from open to secret operations. I’ve also arranged for the clansmen—if people from Prince Donghe or Prince Linsan come seeking revenge, we’ll have enough time to relocate."
"You did very well. If necessary and I can’t make it back in time, you can seek out City Lord Liu."
Ye Cheng was startled, "City Lord Liu? Will he help us?"
"Even if he doesn’t want to, he has no choice. Prince Donghe no longer trusts him, so a new City Lord may soon take office. Have people watch carefully; if anyone sent by Prince Donghe is spotted, immediately disguise as mountain bandits and intercept, and spread the news that our stepmother and third sister were killed by bandits while going to the temple outside the city to offer incense."
Ye Cheng opened his mouth but ultimately nodded in agreement, "Big brother, I won’t let anything go wrong with your instructions this time."
"After spreading news of our stepmother and third sister being killed by bandits, hold a funeral and inform the clansmen. If they see anyone resembling them in the future, they are not to acknowledge them. The Li Family and Ye Lu are already dead, and if anyone approaches them, they’re spies from the enemy and should not be shown any mercy."
"Yes, I understand."
At that moment, Ye Lu and her mother, Li Dezhen, were sitting in a rattling carriage. She occasionally lifted the curtain to look back, both fearing someone might come and hoping someone would catch up.
She never regretted escaping from home. She never regretted following Prince Linsan’s men to Lishan Prefecture on her own, because she knew that in this world, only Prince Linsan was the main protagonist. Only by clinging tightly to him could she live unrestrainedly in this war-torn world.
She understood the ancient world’s norm where a concubine is appointed as a wife, yet she was originally a concubine and not an official wife, so what difference did it make?
In the end, only final victory counted as victory. She didn’t believe that with her beauty, knowledge of the plot, and knowledge of future events, she couldn’t earn Prince Linsan’s attention, so she was determined to replace the heroine and become the most important woman to Prince Linsan.
As for the Ye Family, it’s not that she’s heartless, but that her big brother was too foolish, having defenses against her long before, so she couldn’t be blamed for not warning them.
She thought to herself, if her big brother came to her in time and decided to offer all the family assets and rely on Prince Linsan, she would forgive and forget. If he abandoned her or sent someone to retrieve her, she’d have no choice but to prioritize her own interests.