Five Years After My Death, the Mad Emperor Still Summons My Spirit

Chapter 205: Chapter 205: Her Brother is Quite Black-Bellied

Ming Lingyi belatedly recalled that when Ming Chengyu had first introduced Pu Yan to their restaurant as a reviewer, he seemed to have mentioned that Pu Yan’s family had fallen on hard times.

She had to know how a young man from a line of officials had fallen so far as to sell his ancestral home.

If he was tainted by a bad habit like gambling, their restaurant wouldn’t dare to employ such a person. No matter how learned he was, there were some lines that could not be crossed.

So Ming Chengyu had briefly explained.

Ming Lingyi sucked in a sharp breath. "Was it Qin Lingzhi?"

Pu Yan hadn’t gone into much detail about the past with Ming Chengyu, likely because he was worried Ming Chengyu would intervene. In Pu Yan’s view, he had already learned his lesson. Furthermore, Pu Yan knew that his good friend’s sister had tragically died in the imperial harem, and Ming Chengyu had long been on bad terms with the Emperor as a result. If Ming Chengyu were to confront the Qin Family on his behalf, it would only bring trouble and no advantage.

But Ming Chengyu wasn’t the type of person to turn a blind eye when he knew something was amiss.

He had someone look into it and found that the person who had argued with Pu Yan’s father on the street back then was none other than Qin Lingzhi.

As Qin Shiqi’s only daughter by his primary wife, Qin Lingzhi was arrogant and domineering within the Qin Family. Though her mother had died young, she had a powerful older brother, and no one dared to cross her.

Having been publicly humiliated on the street by Pu Yan’s father, who called her "a woman of no talent or virtue," how could she possibly let it go? To turn around and have men break both of Pu Yan’s father’s legs, however, was excessively cruel.

How could Ming Chengyu forget something he had just investigated not long ago?

That was why when he had heard Ming Lingyi and Jiang Yuchuan mention the two words "Miss Qin," Ming Chengyu had almost reflexively thought of Qin Lingzhi.

Jiang Yuchuan’s brow furrowed as soon as he asked the question.

He had never thought to investigate the affairs of this young lady from the Qin Family; after all, he considered it rather impolite.

Now, hearing Ming Chengyu’s words unexpectedly, he could tell that Ming Chengyu would not speak without reason, even if he wasn’t being completely direct.

Ming Chengyu nodded.

What he hadn’t yet mentioned was that when Pu Yan had been lured into that "investment," people from the Qin Family had been fanning the flames from behind the scenes.

The Pu Family was merely a family of minor officials. His ancestors were all scholars, and while they had lived a relatively comfortable life, they could hardly be called exceptionally wealthy or powerful.

How could Pu Yan have known that the wealthy households of Shangjing City were divided into several different factions?

Some were merchant families who had been doing business in Shangjing City for generations, becoming the wealthiest in the region. Another portion of the city’s wealth, however, was carved up by Shangjing’s great aristocratic families, with each powerful house controlling resources across different industries.

And back then, the Qin Family also had resources in the banking business.

What made things even worse for the Pu Family at that time was undoubtedly the fact that Pu Yan was swindled out of his Silver. He lost nearly everything and was even forced to sell the old family home. Afterward, they vanished from the east side of the city, only to reappear in a dilapidated, two-courtyard home on the west side.

Ming Chengyu hadn’t even told Pu Yan about any of these things he’d discovered.

In truth, he was very hesitant.

Telling Pu Yan about this would only cause him needless worry.

How could the Pu Family possibly be a match for the Qin Family? Besides, people with no scruples are capable of things that principled people can’t even imagine.

If Pu Yan confronted the Qin Family, he would only suffer for it.

If Pu Yan learned the truth of how he had been set up, Ming Chengyu couldn’t believe that he would simply do nothing.

That was why he had kept it from him.

But now, after learning that the person Jiang Yuchuan was meeting for a potential marriage was Qin Lingzhi, he thought it over and finally nodded. "It’s them."

Upon receiving the answer, Jiang Yuchuan’s face was momentarily devoid of any expression.

Ming Chengyu wasn’t sure what he was thinking, but adhering to his own principles, he didn’t elaborate further. He only said, "To insist on avenging every minor grievance is not the conduct of a gentleman."

Ming Chengyu believed that those who fixate on revenge will ultimately bring disaster upon themselves.

Besides, everything Qin Lingzhi had done afterward could not be summarized by the simple word "revenge."

Pu Yan’s father had merely, from a moral standpoint, asked her to admit her mistake and compensate for the damages. In response, she had turned around and casually had him crippled and his family ruined.

If word of this were to get out, it would be utterly appalling.

A flicker of expression finally broke through on Jiang Yuchuan’s face. He gave a bitter laugh. "My dear maternal uncle has really made a fine calculation."

Before, he had thought Xie Jupu was merely forcing him to make a choice—to sacrifice himself for the benefit of the Xie and Qin Families. Now, he finally saw the whole picture.

His uncle’s schemes didn’t just involve him.

He was being used as bait to absorb the Qin Family into the Xie family’s sphere of influence.

The Ming siblings exchanged a look. When something like this happened, it wasn’t their place as outsiders to offer advice.

Jiang Yuchuan stood up and cupped his hands in Ming Chengyu’s direction. "Thank you for today, Mr. Ming."

If Ming Chengyu hadn’t known about Qin Lingzhi’s situation, he would have been pushed into a pit of fire without knowing a thing.

"And thank you, Boss Ming, for informing me that the Qin Family was seeking an imperial decree." Jiang Yuchuan didn’t want to dwell on how Ming Lingyi knew that Qin Shiqi had requested an audience with the Emperor in the palace. He was afraid that if he thought about it too much, the pain in his heart would only grow worse.

’Knowing it was impossible between me and Ming Lingyi was one thing, but seeing her standing with another man... that was something else entirely.’

Ming Lingyi said, "...It was nothing. We’re friends, after all."

"A friend of Yuan Niang is a friend of mine, naturally," said Ming Chengyu. "Besides, this matter also involves a friend of mine."

Jiang Yuchuan also knew that the person he should really be thanking in this matter was Emperor Jing’an.

If the Emperor hadn’t been willing, he never would have learned all this from Ming Lingyi. In fact, he might have already received the imperial edict announcing the marriage by now.

However...

A ruler is a ruler and a subject is a subject, but a contest between men has nothing to do with status or position.

As for being magnanimous to the one who had won, Jiang Yuchuan didn’t think he was that broad-minded.

"So, what will you do now?" As Ming Lingyi asked this, she glanced first at her brother.

’Did she not know what kind of person her own brother was?’

’The people of Shangjing City called her brother and Zhang Sifan the "Twin Jewels," little knowing that beneath the exterior of a gentleman as gentle as jade, her brother was a schemer who would always repay a grudge.’

’However, compared to Qin Lingzhi’s arrogance, her brother was more concerned with right and wrong.’

’Take what the Xie family had done to her before, for instance. Since the Xie family was at fault, he had joined forces with Zhang Sifan to stir up internal strife within their house, and he hadn’t shown the slightest bit of mercy.’

Now, with Jiang Yuchuan running up against Qin Lingzhi, Ming Lingyi knew that her brother would certainly not stand idly by and do nothing about Pu Yan’s plight. Jiang Yuchuan’s appearance might be an unforeseen variable in her brother’s plans.

To prevent this variable from affecting his arrangements, Ming Lingyi took the initiative and asked Jiang Yuchuan for his plans.

However, Jiang Yuchuan’s choice surprised both Ming Lingyi and Ming Chengyu.

"I plan to marry Miss Cai."