Chapter 67 Direct Confrontation

Furious over Shen Rong being severely burned, Jiang Yi was consumed by rage toward the mastermind behind the arson.

The primary suspect in his mind was Li Dongyang. Unable to compete fairly in business, Li had resorted to despicable and dangerous tactics to suppress his rivals.

"Doctor, can my wife's injuries be cured?"

"She has suffered severe burns across her body, and I will write a prescription for a medicinal decoction. The wounds on her body will heal, but the scars are likely to remain with her for the rest of her life."

Especially the burns on her face, which covered a large area and would be exceedingly difficult to remove, casting Shen Rong into a prolonged state of deep self-doubt and insecurity.

"Please do everything in your power to heal her. I only wish for her to live a full life, and I do not care about the scars on her face."

Jiang Yi spoke from the bottom of his heart. Even if Shen Rong were disfigured by scars, he would never abandon or despise her.

"It is good that you feel this way. You must comfort her gently and ensure she does not sink too deep into despair."

"I will comfort her, and I thank you for your hard work. I have arranged for meals to be prepared and a guest chamber readied for you."

The hour was already late, and returning to Hanyang City tonight was out of the question.

Two Western beauties walked into the main hall to wait on Sun Chengji during his meal.

"You must serve Doctor Sun with the utmost care."

"Yes," the two young women replied in unison.

These two Western women were gifts from Cao Zhi, renamed Shen Qi and Shen Lu respectively.

Jiang Yi merely asked them to serve food and pour wine for Sun Chengji, never forcing them to do anything against their will. Although they were maids, Jiang Yi afforded them a measure of respect.

The two women held both Jiang Yi and Shen Rong in high regard and performed their duties with utmost dedication within the Jiang household.

"There is no need for them to wait on me. Since the hour is late, I shall simply spend the night under your roof."

Unable to return to Hanyang City for the time being, Sun Chengji decided to lodge at the Jiang residence for the night.

Sun Chengji instructed Jiang Yi to protect Shen Rong's wounds from drafts and water in the coming days, and to strictly forbid spicy foods. He warned that when the wounds began to scab over in a few days, they would itch intensely, but she must on no account scratch them.

Jiang Yi committed every instruction to memory, knowing it would help his wife recover as swiftly as possible.

Throughout the night, Jiang Yi stayed by Shen Rong's side, telling her lighthearted stories to keep her spirits up.

It was not until the small hours of the morning that Shen Rong finally drifted into sleep.

At early dawn, Jiang Yi asked Pang Yueting to take good care of Shen Rong. Accompanied by his guards, he escorted Sun Chengji back to Hanyang City and officially reported the previous day's events to the authorities.

Although he strongly suspected Li Dongyang of burning the warehouse, he still needed to let the yamen investigate the arson first.

Shen Rong had advised him the day before not to act too rashly and to let the officials handle the matter. For the time being, they could not afford a direct confrontation with the local government, lest it disrupt their future plans. Moreover, they needed to trust the yamen's investigative capabilities while stepping up patrols around the warehouses and workshops from now on.

Upon arriving at the East Gate of Hanyang City, Jiang Yi ran into Chang Youliang, who was on duty.

"Is Xiaorong's condition improving? I heard from Captain Qin that she was burned in the fire yesterday."

Qin禄, who had switched shifts with him today, had recounted the events of the previous night.

"Doctor Sun prescribed medicine for her, and her condition has improved slightly. She still needs to recuperate for a few days. I am here today to report the crime to the authorities, in the hope that they will apprehend the culprit soon."

"Go ahead to your business. I'll have someone let Xiaoxiu know later so she can go visit Xiaorong."

"I will visit Captain Qin's home in person another day to express my gratitude. If he hadn't given the order to open the city gates, Xiaorong would have had to wait until this morning to see a doctor."

Every moment of delay added another layer of mortal peril for Shen Rong.

Qin Lu had ordered the city gates opened so Shen Rong could receive timely medical attention, a move that would undoubtedly bring him trouble and punishment.

"He is a man of great integrity. Given the special circumstances at the time, you should indeed thank him properly."

After exchanging a few more words with Chang Youliang, Jiang Yi led his men toward the Hanyang Prefectural Office.

Wang Zhun had learned early that morning that a warehouse in Funiu Village had been burned down and Jiang Yi's wife severely injured.

"I am here to report a crime. Yesterday, my warehouse was deliberately set on fire by someone, nearly costing a human life."

"Relate the details of the incident to me, and I will dispatch men to investigate."

Wang Zhun recognized the gravity of the situation. If this case remained unsolved, the Jiang family's workshops and warehouses would continue to face sabotage.

Jiang Yi recounted the events of the previous day in detail to the prefect, while the yamen secretary sat to one side taking notes.

"Do you have any suspects in mind?" Wang Zhun asked.

"I suspect Li Dongyang. He has repeatedly tried to destroy my workshops and warehouses."

Jiang Yi had good reason for his suspicion, as he had few enemies in Hanyang. Li Dongyang was his direct business competitor, and with the sales of Lifu Department Store recently plummeting, Li undoubtedly harbored deep resentment and would resort to vile means to ruin Jiang Yi's enterprise.

"Do you have evidence? Or have you caught the culprit?"

"The culprit has not yet been apprehended, which is why I have come to report the case, so that Your Honor may send men to solve it."

Wang Zhun immediately dispatched officers to bring Li Dongyang in for questioning regarding the arson. Jiang Yi further suggested searching Li Dongyang's residence, as it might yield tools used in the crime.

This was merely his conjecture, but whether Li Dongyang had personally ordered the fire or not, he remained the prime suspect.

The bailiffs soon brought Li Dongyang to the yamen, having also seized soul-strewing incense and burning oil from his estate.

"Li Dongyang, these items were confiscated from your home. How do you explain this?"

Wang Zhun felt that Li Dongyang was much too young and impulsive. Business competition was fair game, but attempting to burn down Jiang Yi's warehouse to inflict massive losses was already a serious offense; nearly causing a life-threatening disaster made it a grave felony.

"These are not mine! Someone is undoubtedly framing me. I beg Your Honor to examine the facts and clear my name!"

"Hmph! You expect us to believe these things don't belong to you?"

Jiang Yi gave a cold snort, a flash of murderous intent piercing his eyes.

"I have no idea what is happening! These items truly do not belong to me."

Gazing at the incense and oil laid out before him, Li Dongyang realized he was being framed.

"Last time, you sent men to sabotage my workshop, and they were caught by my guards. Yesterday, you sent men to burn down my warehouse, and now you claim you are wronged? Who on earth would believe such a story?"

"I am truly being framed! I implore the Prefect to exercise your discerning judgment!"

Li Dongyang felt like weeping from the injustice of it all, unable to articulate a clear defense before the crowd.

With the incense and oil discovered right inside his residence, his culpability in the arson appeared damningly heavy. Upon deeper reflection, it was entirely possible that members of his own clan were plotting against him, solely to strip him of his control over Lifu Department Store.

"I am truly innocent!" Li Dongyang cried out in protest.

"Your Honor, I shall wait for the outcome. If the result fails to satisfy me, I will resolve the matter in my own way."

If the local authorities could not deliver a satisfactory verdict, these officials would have no need to remain in their posts. Even if Li Dongyang had not personally ordered the arson, his clan was undoubtedly implicated.

Jiang Yi had already guessed that someone might be attempting to frame Li Dongyang. Once convicted, Li would lose his position as head of the family and his right to inherit Lifu Department Store.

"You claim I burned your warehouse? I suspect you staged a bitter-cruelty act, using such a despicable trick to frame our Li family!"

Jiang Yi found this accusation laughable. His business was thriving; he had no reason to resort to such extreme measures to frame Li Dongyang, let alone sacrifice his own wife's life in the process.

Unwilling to squabble any further with Li Dongyang, Jiang Yi cared only for a satisfactory resolution.

"Your Honor, I shall return home to await word. I will not take up any more of your time."

Jiang Yi left the Hanyang Prefectural Office with his guards. Before departing Hanyang City, he stopped at a pharmacy to purchase medicinal herbs renowned for their scar-fading properties.

He might not mind the scars left on Shen Rong's body, but she certainly would. Especially with the large scar on her face, which would inevitably make her painfully self-conscious.

After gathering the medicinal ingredients, he returned home to prepare the remedies himself. While it might not completely erase the scars, it would undoubtedly diminish them.

Having finished purchasing the herbs, he also bought several pieces of jewelry for Shen Rong.

In their earlier days of poverty, Shen Rong had always dressed with utmost simplicity. Jiang Yi had tried on several occasions to buy her silver ornaments, only to be refused each time.

He also bought raw materials for making lipstick, intending to surprise her once it was completed.

Using such thoughtful gestures to cheer her up would also aid significantly in the recovery of her wounds.