Yanliu stopped because she saw someone walking out of the shop their family had sold. It was none other than her uncle from the clan, Jiang Cenci. The shop sign hadn't been changed; it was still the original one, bearing the name "Jiang Shi Pastries." The interior decorations remained the same. Her uncle, dressed as a shopkeeper, was at the entrance, chatting with customers.
"Why did you stop?" Mingyue asked curiously when she saw Yanliu staring blankly.
"Princess, I feel something is wrong. That is the shop my family sold. Back then, my parents were gravely ill and urgently needed money. My younger brother was young, and I was by their bedside, unable to leave. So, I entrusted my uncle, Jiang Cenci, to sell the shop and get some cash to buy medicine for my parents. He said the shop was hard to sell, and a shop worth a hundred taels of silver was sold for only ten. But now, he's the shopkeeper of this very shop. I suspect I was deceived by him back then. My family's shop wasn't sold to someone else; it was taken by him. With his black heart, I worry even more about my brother."
Although Yanliu was timid, she was sharp-witted. Seeing the scene before her, she immediately understood the truth of what happened years ago. Pointing at the distant shop and Cenci, who looked like a shopkeeper, she told Mingyue her suspicions.
"How despicable! We are all from the Wuman tribe. In a foreign land, we should help each other. To disregard kinship and take advantage of someone's misfortune! I'll get the shop back for you and vent your anger." Mingyue's nature was to hate evil. Yanliu's uncle was also a Wuman, and to do such a thing made her even more furious. Rolling up her sleeves, she was about to go and seek justice for Yanliu and teach Cenci a lesson.
"Don't be impulsive. This is all Yanliu's speculation for now. We have no proof, and we don't know the truth. Yanliu has been away from home for several years, and we don't know what happened in between. Perhaps your uncle bought the shop back. The shop is here, it's not going anywhere. Let's go see Yanliu's brother first. He must know the real situation. After asking him, if the matter is true, we can deal with it then." Ji Shiyou grabbed the agitated Mingyue and analyzed the situation for her.
Ji Shiyou's words were logical and well-founded, and Mingyue couldn't refute them. Yanliu also agreed. So, she led the way, bypassing the shop, and went to Cenci's house. Years ago, Yanliu's family and Cenci's couple came to Yuecheng together from Wuman. The two families were close, and they bought adjacent houses to take care of each other.
"Princess, this was originally my home. Later, it was sold to Aunt Shen across the street. Cenci's house is next door," Yanliu said to Mingyue and the others, pointing to a small courtyard with gray tiles and white walls.
After many years, she returned to the place where she grew up. Coupled with the imminent reunion with her brother, Yanliu's heart was filled with mixed emotions. Reaching Cenci's doorstep, Yanliu raised her trembling hand and knocked on the door knocker.
"Who is it?" A woman's voice sounded from inside, and then the courtyard gate opened. It was Cenci's wife, Madam Han.
"Who are you looking for?" Madam Han looked at Yanliu at the door, pretending not to recognize her, and asked.
"Auntie, it's Yanliu. Don't you recognize me? Xiaohu's sister, Yanliu. I've come to see him." Yanliu thought that she had been away for too long and Madam Han didn't recognize her. She quickly stated her name to remind Madam Han.
"Nonsense, I don't know you. There's no Xiaohu or Xiaomao here. Hurry up and leave." Unexpectedly, Madam Han, with an impatient look, pushed Yanliu and quickly closed the courtyard gate. Yanliu was pushed to the ground. She quickly got up and wanted to knock again. She didn't understand why Madam Han was acting like this, pretending not to know her. She also said Xiaohu wasn't here, which made her even more anxious.
"It's Yanliu girl, you're back?" At this moment, the gate of the house Yanliu's family had sold opened, and an old woman in her fifties came out. Seeing Yanliu, she called out in surprise.
"Aunt Shen, are you home? I've come back to see my brother Xiaohu." Yanliu saw that it was Aunt Shen, who had bought her family's house, and greeted her politely.
"Good child, don't you know yet? Come with Auntie." Hearing that Yanliu had returned to see her brother, Aunt Shen's face changed greatly. She grabbed Yanliu and took her to a secluded place.
"Child, Auntie tells you, that pair of heartless scoundrels, Cenci and his wife, are not good people. When your parents were seriously ill, they took advantage of your and your brother's youth and extorted you. That shop was worth a hundred taels of silver back then. They lied to you. They wouldn't let anyone else buy it, drove the price down to ten taels, and kept it for themselves. As for your brother Xiaohu, he died less than a year after you left. And in the past two years, the couple has become very secretive. Strangers often come to their house in the middle of the night. And now that they are rich, they ignore us old neighbors, not even greeting us. Auntie is telling you this for the sake of your deceased parents. Don't betray Auntie. Now, I'm scared when I see that couple." After speaking, Aunt Shen returned to her house and closed the courtyard gate tightly.
Yanliu was stunned to learn that her brother Xiaohu had died long ago. She had been saving money every month to send for his medicine. It turned out her brother had died long ago. It must have been the Cenci couple, those scoundrels. Not only did they cheat her family out of their shop, but they also caused her brother's death.
"Yanliu, are you alright?" Mingyue and the others had heard Aunt Shen's words. Seeing Yanliu's state, Mingyue asked with concern.
"I'm going to kill them both! They must have killed Xiaohu. Madam Han pretended not to know me because she was afraid I would pursue their responsibility. Brother, your sister will avenge you today!" Yanliu seemed to be deaf to the outside world and ignored Mingyue's question. She just muttered to herself, walking in a daze towards Cenci's courtyard gate.
Mingyue worried that she would be at a disadvantage. Madam Han looked strong and sturdy. In a dispute, Yanliu would surely not be her match.
"Something is wrong!" Ji Shiyou, who was behind them, muttered to himself, his face full of doubt.
"Come in? I'll tell you everything you want to know. The two behind you, you're together, right? Come in, all of you." Before Yanliu could knock, the courtyard gate suddenly opened. Madam Han stood at the entrance, her face calm, and said to them.
"How did Xiaohu die? Did you kill him?" Yanliu's eyes were fixed on Madam Han as she spoke through gritted teeth.
"I said, I'll tell you once you come in. If you don't come in, I'll close the door." Madam Han did not answer Yanliu's question. She looked at Yanliu's fierce gaze without any panic and made a move as if to close the door. Yanliu directly pushed open the door that was about to close and strode into the courtyard. Mingyue naturally followed. Ji Shiyou hesitated for a moment before also stepping into the yard. Seeing everyone enter, Madam Han's face showed a sinister smile. She casually closed the courtyard gate and latched it.
"You chose not to walk the path to heaven and instead broke into hell. If you court death, don't blame me." Madam Han turned around and grinned ferociously at the four of them. Then, a thick-backed short knife appeared in her hand, and she lunged at Mingyue and the others.