Crossing the Mountains

Chapter 198 Tell the truth frankly
With the lotus pattern as a clue, Cai Zhu continued her investigation through the merchant guild and obtained some vague information. Someone said they had seen a similar pattern in several small merchant caravans and promised to find it for her to see.

A few days later, Cai Zhu brought back the collected utensils and examined them with Shen Tu Zhuo.

After comparing all the lotus patterns with those on the dressing case, Caizhu sighed in disappointment: "At first glance, they all look like lotuses, but upon closer inspection, the brushstrokes, angles, and shapes of the patterns are all slightly different... If we have a long-term business relationship, how could it be so hard to find them?"

Shen Tu Zhuo examined the several tools back and forth, offering words of comfort: "Don't be discouraged. It might just be bad luck; we haven't yet found the Li family's connection. Another possibility is that the Li family has been in decline and hasn't done this kind of business for a long time, so there are very few of their goods left on the market. Perhaps we should look for those antique items."

“They haven’t done business for a long time, which means that after they came to Hexi, they only wanted to live a peaceful life and completely lost the ambition and ability to make a comeback…” Cai Zhu’er couldn’t help but feel sad. “The Li family was so glorious in Andu. They should be considered famous wealthy merchants. But in just two years, everything has vanished.”

"In such court infighting, being able to extricate oneself in time was already a stroke of good fortune amidst misfortune."

“You’re right. At least we’ve saved our family’s lives. As long as we’re alive, we can’t be completely wiped out.” Cai Zhu’er cheered up and took out her mother’s pair of earrings from the dressing case, admiring them in the light. “The lotus on these pendants is the same shape as the bottom of the dressing case, so it’s definitely a unique pattern of the Li family… Hmm, I don’t know if it’s because I’ve been comparing them for too long, but I’m getting a little confused. I feel like I’ve seen this pattern somewhere before.”

"You think so too?" Shentu Zhuo frowned. "From the beginning, I felt this pattern was somewhat familiar. I thought I was seeing things or misremembering. Where is it? In places where there are lotus patterns..."

"where is it?"

The two sat facing each other, deep in thought. They both felt something flash through their minds, but they couldn't quite grasp it. It was as if the truth was separated from them by only a thin layer of silk, and this feeling was extremely uncomfortable.

Just as they were scratching their heads in frustration, Shen Tu Ji's voice came from outside the study: "Brother Ci, didn't you promise me that you would help me collect enough tokens for Wangchen Incense Shop so that I would be eligible to buy their rare and precious spices? I'm only twenty taels short. Could you help me a little bit more, just a little bit..."

Shen Tu Zhuo said irritably, "Ugh, I'm busy right now, don't bother me!"

"Waaah, please help me! The young lady of the Wang family is almost ready to collect enough. If she also uses that Gu Pan Xiang, she'll definitely show off to me. Second brother, can you bear to see your sister being outdone by someone else?"

"How could I not be heartless! Why do you have time to pester me here? Why don't you go and learn how to make incense from your sister-in-law? Once you learn, what kind of incense can't you get?" Shentu Zhuo scolded her through the door.

"That's different!" Shen Tu Ji said aggrievedly. "I don't just want to use that incense, I want to collect all the paper from the Forget-Dust Incense Shop! Ugh, you wouldn't understand even if I told you, just tell me if you'll lend me the money or not!"

"You always borrow from me, have you ever paid back the money I borrowed from you?"

"Pfft." Seeing Shen Tu Zhuo being pierced by her sister's devilish voice, Cai Zhu couldn't help but laugh. "Uncle, please come in. Let me see how many more of your notes you're missing."

"Sister-in-law is here too?" Shen Tu Ji paused, seemingly a little embarrassed, and reluctantly pushed the door open to enter.

Shen Tu Zhuo rolled his eyes when his important business was interrupted.

Cai Zhu'er laughed and said, "Does your uncle want to collect all the slips of paper to get the exclusive incense box mark for VIP customers of the incense shop? And you also want the new Gu Pan incense? Why don't you just come to me directly?"

Shen Tu Ji glanced at Shen Tu Zhuo, who had a bad look on his face: "My second brother won't let me use the back door. He said that I used to be arrogant and often caused trouble for my sister-in-law. I should pay money to atone for my sins."

"What kind of talk is that? We're all family. Do you think I'd hold a grudge against you? That would make me seem petty." Cai Zhu'er took the note and looked at it. "You're only missing two embossed flowers. I'll make the decision and add them for you later."

"Thank you so much, sister-in-law!" Shentu Ji immediately beamed and knelt down beside her, saying, "May I choose a special guest mark myself? I'll have it stamped on that Gu Panxiang box!"

"Okay, no problem." It's such a good deal to get a favor from my uncle for just two pressed flowers.

Shen Tu Ji, holding Cai Zhu'er's arm, wrinkled her nose at her second brother: "Sister-in-law is so generous and magnanimous, who cares about your few stinking coins!" Shen Tu Zhuo retorted angrily: "Oh ho, you've got some backing, you've gotten bold, haven't you!"

The brother and sister were arguing when Cai Zhu suddenly slammed her hand on the table, startling them.

Shentu Zhuo asked alertly, "What's wrong?"

Cai Zhu'er said excitedly, "I remember now! I remember where I saw it before!" She gently turned Shen Tu Ji's face and brushed her fingertips across her earlobe. "It wasn't this pair, it was when Yan Zhi Si first opened, you and Guan Bai Niangzi went to support me. Weren't you wearing lotus pendants then?"

Shen Tu Ji was stunned: "Huh? What?"

"Do you have a pair of lotus earrings? Where did you buy them?" Shen Tu Zhuo pressed.

“Yes, I do have a pair of lotus earrings. They are my favorite earrings, and I only wear them on important occasions,” Shentu Ji said. “But I didn’t buy them; they were a gift from my mother.”

"Did your mother give it to you?"

"Yes, what's wrong?" Shen Tu Ji looked bewildered.

Cai Zhu hurriedly asked her to bring the pair of earrings. After careful comparison, she found that the lotus pattern matched the one in the dressing case perfectly.

The two couldn't help but rub their foreheads and smile wryly. The thing they had been searching for for so long was actually right in front of them?

Cai Zhu asked Shen Tu Zhuo, "So you think they look familiar because you've seen your aunt's earrings before?"

Shen Tu Zhuo shook his head: "No, I've never noticed her earrings... I feel like I've seen them somewhere else, but I really can't remember."

"It's alright, let's go ask Aunt Jun first."

"Yes, I had suspected that Mother was hiding something before, and now that I have the evidence, I hope Mother can tell me the truth."
-
Placing the dressing case and Shentu Ji's earrings beside her, Old Madam Shentu sighed, "So you are actually a descendant of the Li family. It seems there is a divine will at play. It's time to tell you."

According to the old lady, she had already met the owner of the Li family business when Shentu Jianzhi was appointed as an interpreter.

Boss Li was originally from Jiangnan. After a conflict with the head of the family, he divided the family property and started his own business. He was bold and resourceful, and traveled from Jiangnan to beyond Yangguan Pass. Somehow, he made contact with Buddhist believers in India, who transported colored minerals, colored soil, and gold powder to him, and he became rich from this.

It was around that time that Boss Li met Shentu Jianzhi, who was on a mission to the western border. The desert road was extremely dangerous, and Shentu Jianzhi traveled with the escort of the Li family's caravan, visiting various countries and escaping danger many times.

Afterwards, Boss Li's business grew bigger and bigger, and Shen Tu Jianzhi was also appointed as the Grand Herald. The two seemed to have no more contact until Shen Tu Jianzhi was suddenly convicted and demoted. Boss Li took over the Shen Tu family's mansion in Andu at the right time.

The old lady said, "I only heard about all this from your grandfather after we arrived in Hexi. When we sold our property and left Andu, I thought that Mr. Li was just an ordinary wealthy merchant. I never expected that those people in the court would not even let the Li family go. I don't know what dirty tricks they used, but they caused Mr. Li's mother to die and all his businesses to be lost. In order to protect his family, Mr. Li had no choice but to return to Hexi."

Shentu Zhuo asked, "Is he here to see his grandfather?"

The old lady shook her head: "No, he came to convert to Buddhism."
-
Next chapter: If I see my cousin and... my cousin's husband, my brother will be very happy.