Four Harmonies and Good Fortune

Chapter 184 Questioning
After cleaning herself up and changing her clothes, Liu Erniang sat down in a chair with bloodshot eyes.

Mrs. Liu examined her daughter from head to toe. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished in time and the burns did not reach her legs, but her wrists and palms were also bright red.

The doctor carefully applied the medicine.

Madam Liu asked worriedly, "How is it? Will it leave a scar?"

The doctor was very confident: "As long as you change the dressing on time, you will recover in eight to ten days."

Madam Liu breathed a sigh of relief, inwardly praying to the Bodhisattva for protection. If she really had a scar, how would she ever get married again?

After the doctor left, Madam Liu held her daughter's uninjured hand and said, "Drink the calming soup and rest early. You'll be all better tomorrow."

Liu Erniang refused, asking, "Hasn't my brother arrived yet?"

Madam Liu shook her head. Logically, Liu Shizhang should have come to report after he had dealt with the matter, but he had not yet appeared.

Liu Erniang was getting anxious.

Madam Liu said, "Your elder brother is always very capable, so you can rest assured."

Liu Erniang was still worried; she knew that Madam Xie was not someone to be trifled with.

As I was pondering, Liu Shizhang's voice came from outside: "Mother, have you and my sister rested yet?"

Madam Liu glanced at the steward, who then hurriedly welcomed Liu Shizhang into the house.

Liu Shizhang's gaze fell on Liu Erniang's hands, which were covered with medicine, and his expression turned serious as he asked, "How is your injury, sister?"

"It still hurts even after taking the medicine," Mrs. Liu said, "but thankfully it won't leave a scar."

Liu Shizhang's expression improved somewhat, and he was just wondering how to bring up the Yang family's affairs when Liu Erniang asked impatiently, "Brother, have you thought about how to deal with that woman?"

Madam Liu couldn't help but feel strange. Just now, her daughter said she wanted that woman from the Yang family to harm her. Did she not have any evidence? Why did she need Zhang Ge'er to come up with a plan?

Liu Shizhang didn't want to be too explicit: "You rest first. I'll take care of things for you whenever it's convenient."

Liu Erniang sensed something was amiss and immediately frowned: "Brother, where did you get this idea? Does that mean we can't put her in jail tonight?"

Liu Shizhang's silence was tantamount to acquiescence.

Let alone tonight, even tomorrow, there's no way to get that woman from the Yang family.

Before Liu Erniang could speak, Madam Liu said, "What? Can't that woman be arrested?"

When dealing with people, their family doesn't care who is right or wrong; they only care whether they can be dealt with and how easy it is to deal with someone.

Madam Liu thought that she was just a woman from a merchant family, so what kind of problem could she possibly have?
Liu Shizhang said, "That woman has some connection with He Tan."

Madam Liu wasn't completely ignorant; she understood the intricacies of relationships among high-ranking officials and dignitaries.

Madam Liu asked, "Was it given to He Tan by the Yang family?"

Liu Shizhang shook his head: "It's just that when that woman was in trouble, she happened to be rescued by He Tan, and afterwards she helped He Tan with some things... My son is afraid that He Tan will use that woman as an excuse to ask our family for money, so we have to be on guard."

So that's what happened. Madam Liu thought for a moment and asked, "Have you told your father?"

Liu Shizhang said, "Not yet. My son will have someone inquire about some information tomorrow to see if we can find a solution."

"Don't their clay kilns break down?" Liu Erniang interjected at this moment. "Even the Xie family's clay kilns broke down, but the ones fired in the Yang family's porcelain kiln are no different."

"Brother, just find some excuse... or find a few ordinary people, give them some money, let them get burned, and then go to the yamen to report to the authorities, wouldn't that be enough?" Liu Erniang almost said that they burned people to death.

But since someone died in the fire and there's no evidence to corroborate the story, it's unclear.

“The Yang family’s clay stove has been burning for almost an hour,” Liu Shizhang said. “They’ve been throwing salt into it continuously, but there haven’t been any problems.”

"They have an extra layer of mud inside their clay stove. Does this younger sister know that? I think that mud must be something unusual."

How could Liu Erniang know any of this? When the stewardess bought it, she only glanced at it and didn't notice anything different.

Liu Shizhang continued, "Finding some people to be burned to death or injured is fine, but sister, don't forget, in the end we still need to examine the clay furnace. Whether the furnace was deliberately damaged or burned is definitely different, and besides..."

“I’m worried that my sister isn’t the only one whose clay stove burned out.”

"Will those who bought Xie's clay stoves encounter the same thing as my sister when they go back to play with salt?"

“A few days ago, the Yang family went to the Xie family’s pottery kiln to inspect the clay kiln, and as a result, they were imprisoned. The tabloids published an article about it, and it’s not just common knowledge, but everyone in the streets and alleys is talking about it. The Yang family insisted that there was something wrong with the Xie family’s clay kiln, and now the Xie family’s clay kiln has indeed run into trouble.”

"It's come to this, and in the end, it's Madam Xie who ends up in jail. What will those scholars write? Are we supposed to investigate the tabloids and shut those scholars up too?"

Liu Erniang stared blankly at Liu Shizhang.

Liu Shizhang said, "These are all minor matters. He Tan has seized the opportunity to write a memorial to the capital, giving those people the chance to impeach my father."

Liu Erniang slumped back in her chair, looking deflated, and then her eyes slowly reddened: "So all this suffering was for nothing?"

Madam Liu gently patted her daughter's back: "Don't rush, don't rush, your older brother hasn't finished speaking yet."

“It’s not over yet,” Liu Shizhang coaxed gently. “We just need to think about this carefully. I promise you, I’ll find a way to send that Madam Xie to jail.”

"But we can't do anything stupid and give others a handle to use against us. The court has planted He Tan'an in here, so we have to be on guard. Father has had a hard time too."

Liu Erniang was convinced. She wiped her eyes and said, "Brother, you must keep your word."

Liu Shizhang immediately agreed.
After leaving Liu Erniang's room, Liu Shizhang's face turned stern. He looked at the steward and said, "Take the clay stove to the Xie family and let them see what they've done."

The steward bowed and immediately strode out.

Liu Shizhang still had to go to the front yard to report to his father. He had finally gotten some peace and quiet, but now he had to run around doing this. Because of this, the matter wouldn't be so easy to resolve.

……

The Xie family's New Year celebrations this year were rather quiet.

Xie Chongjun and Xie Zizhang were both in prison, and Zhao and Xu did not join the banquet with their clansmen.

Not only that, the Xie family has been spending too much money in their accounts lately, and the rewards given to their servants have all been halved.

This matter has caused widespread panic. If they can't make money now, they'll make up for it by exploiting their servants. If they still can't make money in the future, they'll have to deduct money from the clansmen's wages.

The food served at the clan banquet was the same as always, but many people found it tasteless.
Xie Chonghai had no choice but to move among the clansmen and say words of reassurance.

It's nothing more than the fact that Xie Chongjun and his son will be back soon, and the clay stoves will sell for a higher price in a while, which will solve everything. Moreover, after the New Year, the Xie family's porcelain will be sent to the market, which will be a big business.

And so, the atmosphere only improved towards the end of the banquet.

Under these circumstances, the Liu family brought their clay stove into the Xie family's gate.