Chapter 002: The Debt of Infatuation

Yang Yi did not wait for her to finish speaking. He firmly held her shoulders and said seriously: "Mother! Rest assured! If he wants to report me, let him do so! Without evidence, he cannot do anything to me. Even if it is a false accusation, it will not have much impact on my reputation. Moreover, you do not know, my dear mother, that the court is currently filled with factions vying for power, each scheming against the other. A single misstep could lead to exile in a remote land. I do not wish to enter officialdom at this moment! In a few years, when this matter is forgotten, what difference will it make?"

Hmm!

Upon seeing Yang Yi inquire, she paused for a moment and said: "Your Aunt Li has gone to the shop. Yesterday, my son was unconscious, and my mother did not know what to do, so she sent your Uncle Li to Wei County"

What does it mean

In fact, Yang Yi is not clear about the Song Dynasty's legal provisions regarding the crime of false accusation, but saying so at least makes him appear more professional. Even in the twenty-first century, very few ordinary people truly understand legal texts, let alone in the Song Dynasty, where the illiteracy rate was predominantly high. Yang Yi is simply trying to intimidate him

This time, Zeng Lihua could no longer endure it. She slammed the table and shouted, "Li Yi, you wait! I, an old man, am willing to sacrifice my reputation and vow to bring you to court! I want to see just how long you can be so arrogant!"

Yang Yiqing responded lightly, sitting down on the stone steps with his robe gathered, gazing at the shimmering waves of the lake, his heart filled with complex emotions

Yang Xuer resides downstairs, while the Li couple lives in the front room. At this moment, the house is enveloped in silence

The former official, filled with rage, said with a tremor in the age spots on his face: "Li Yi, stop pretending. I was once in charge of the eastern part of the city; are you not aware of the good deeds you have done yourself?"

Although she did not know who the visitor at the door was, it was not difficult to deduce from the shouts and curses that they were there to cause trouble for her son. As soon as she saw Yang Yi enter, she quickly stepped forward, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him into the house to hide.

Yang Xuer is sitting under the eaves, embroidering flowers on her collar. The needle in her hand occasionally flicks at her hair, and her demeanor is extremely serene and tranquil. However, the few crow's feet at the corners of her eyes mark the passage of time.

You ... ... this shameless person https://www.hetushu.com!'' The former official pointed at Yang Yi and scolded him, but surprisingly, he quickly suppressed his anger, and this level of self-restraint is truly admirable

Yang Yi patted her hand and then turned to walk towards the front door. It was not until he had exited the backyard gate that Yang Xu'er came to her senses and hurriedly chased after him. Although she did not pull Yang Yi to hide again, she resolutely stood in front of him.

He turned to Yang Xuer and said: "Madam Li, I will not hide it from you. Your son, who has brought shame upon himself, has actually seduced my concubine and committed such disgraceful acts! For the sake of our families' reputations, I have swallowed my anger and come to discuss this matter with you. If you do not agree, I am not afraid of losing face; I will file a lawsuit at the local government office. Your son claims to be a talented scholar, does he not? I intend to let the world see his sordid nature and see how he will fare in the imperial examinations and how he will establish himself in society in the future!"

I understand now; it turns out that Mr. Zeng had his eye on my family's property. This is quite simple, so let's have Mr. Zeng write up the purchase agreement first

As Yang Yi casually asked while going downstairs, "Where are Uncle Li and the others?"

What should be the next step

Esteemed Master Zeng, please do not be angry. My son Yi'er is young and inexperienced. If he has offended you in any way, I hope you can forgive him

Yang Yi smiled, took her hand, wiped away the droplets of blood on it, and then gently pressed with his finger. The shouting outside grew much louder. Yang Yi suddenly pulled the door open, and outside stood Master Zeng, proud as a pear tree in full bloom.

"Mother, please do not worry, I will handle it appropriately," Yang Yi said as he quickly found paper and pen, handing them to Zeng Lihua.

Since I have decided to bear this romantic debt myself, I will face the challenges head-on. What is there to fear for someone who has already faced death once

Mother, the child has grown up! From now on, it is time for the child to protect you!

Should one continue to indulge in the same carefree lifestyle as Li Yi, enjoying the flowers and willows, or should one engage in something else?

For the sake of her child's future, Yang Xuer's willingness to sacrifice not just two properties but even her own life was evident. As she saw Mr. Zeng seething with anger and about to leave, Yang Xuer became anxious and hurriedly said: "Mr. Zeng, please do not be angry. It is my failure as a mother to not manage this child properly. I apologize to you! I have only this one son, whom I have raised with great hardship. Could you, for my sake, spare my son Yi'er this once? I will sell my fields and shop to you as compensation!"

The family relies solely on two properties for their livelihood. Once they are sent away, how will the mother and child survive?

Li Yi, how do you intend to proceed? Hurry up and sign!

Yang Yi's words left Yang Xu'er momentarily stunned. She then tugged at his robe with all her might, urging him to hide. When she could not pull him away, she became anxious and cried out in despair: "My child! No matter the first or fifteenth of the month, all I care about is your well-being! You must hide quickly. Even if it costs me my life, I will protect you at all costs..."

From Yang Xu'er, it was learned that, at least up to this point, no one had come to the house to cause trouble. Yang Yi finally breathed a sigh of relief. Having taken over someone else's body, he undoubtedly had to bear the former's romantic debts.

Mother

Is it the Li family daughter? What good deeds have you done, you wayward child? I have no time to beat around the bush with you. I have heard that your family has one hundred and thirty acres of good farmland outside the city, and there is also a lacquerware shop in the city. I am now willing to pay five guan of silver to purchase these two properties. What do you say?

Behind him followed seven or eight young servants in green attire, each with a hostile expression. Yang Yi sighed inwardly; what was meant to come had indeed arrived

Yang Yi has come to understand the intentions of Zeng Lihua. His concubine has committed adultery with another man, and he has not yet caught them in the act. This scandal would equally damage the reputation of the Zeng family, so he intends to seek some tangible benefits

Yang Yi was not in a hurry; he leisurely followed into his own hall, but took the lead in occupying the prominent seat. Without even serving tea, he looked down from his elevated position at Mr. Zeng.

Yang Yi took the pen but did not rush to sign. He leisurely blew on the ink to dry it, then tucked the contract into his bosom

Yang Xuer was once again stunned, looking at Yang Yi with a sense of disbelief. Her eyes revealed a sense of comfort, yet tears flowed even more urgently!

Five guan of money can buy one hundred and thirty mu of good farmland, along with a lacquerware shop. Tsk tsk, isn't this practically a gift? By then, don't just think about buying a concubine; you could buy several if you wanted. This calculation is quite clever.

Yang Yi said nothing more. Weixian is the hometown of Li Leren, located not far northwest of Daming Prefecture. With her son in trouble, it was clear that she wanted Li Gui to go to Weixian. This illustrates how helpless she felt in this world. Since she had taken over someone else's son, she should be treated as a mother and cared for from now on.

Alas! Encountering such a weak and weeping mother

"No! The fields and the shop must not be sold!" Yang Yi said decisively, "Isn't Master Cheng in a hurry to file a complaint? Please go ahead! I won't see you off!"

Mr. Zeng did not intend to start a fight directly. With a serious expression, he walked in with his hands behind his back, instructed the servant to close the main door, and then continued to walk towards the front hall, his demeanor as relaxed as if he were entering his own home

Yang Yi withdrew his gaze from the lake, stood up to brush off his robe, and then walked slowly back home. At this moment, the willow catkins in the courtyard were already in a state of panic, with blood beads forming on her hand from being pricked by a needle

Yang Yile laughed and began to show off. Let’s not even mention that it wasn’t himself who went to his concubine’s bed; even if it were, so what? If you can be an old bull eating tender grass, I can find fragrant grass anywhere in the world. Moreover, catching a thief in the act is a different matter! Although our fish hasn’t swum out of West Lake, it has certainly swum out of your concubine’s bed. What can you do about it?

Hehe, whether it is beautiful or not, I do not know, but it should be quite beautiful! Yang Yi secretly chuckled to himself, yet deliberately tapped on the table and asked, "May I ask who the visitor is?"

My child, quickly hide, for someone may be coming to cause trouble for you. Your mother has gone to deal with them...

Mother! You need not say much, whatever the matter is, I will discuss it with Master Zeng! Yang Yi pulled Yang Xu'er to sit beside him, intending to send her away, but that was probably not going to be possible

Yang Xuer finally found a doctor to check Yang Yi's pulse, and only after confirming that he was fine did she feel relieved. In fact, in his previous life, Yang Yi spent four years at a military medical academy, and after joining the special operations team, he was primarily responsible for the medical care of his teammates, far surpassing the skills of the doctor invited by Yang Xuer. At that time, Li Yi was mostly suffering from asphyxia leading to shock, and generally, if one could regain consciousness, there would be no significant issues.

Having gone through all this, Yang Yi feels very tired. Nowadays, he does not reject a life like Li Yi's, but one must set a goal for oneself, especially as a traveler. If one spends all day idly, it is easy to become trapped in the mental quagmire of living two lives, lost in a daze and unable to extricate oneself

You are quite perceptive! Mr. Zeng thought to himself, and soon wrote down the contract, signed his name, and then handed the pen to Yang Yi

Yang Xuer still wanted to plead, but was pulled back by Yang Yi. Once the figure of Master Zeng disappeared outside the gate, her tears streamed down uncontrollably as she sobbed, "My child! How can your mother live now? Your mother is counting on you..."

As Yang Yi finally opened the explanation, it managed to quiet this troublesome mother down. A lawsuit seemed inevitable, and Yang Yi was secretly contemplating countermeasures.

A soft reminder from Yang Xuer said behind me: "My child, do not wander too far!"

In his previous life, driven by passion, he inadvertently discovered that a major figure in the military was involved in smuggling. The organization he had been willing to sacrifice his life for had fundamentally decayed, which ultimately led to his dismissal from military service.

It must be said that Zeng Lihua's words struck at Yang Xuer's Achilles' heel. Her greatest wish in life was for her son to pass the imperial examination and become a jinshi. If Zeng Yuanwai were to truly file a lawsuit at the yamen, resulting in a scandalous reputation, what hope would she have for the future?

My child has truly grown up, and I am very happy, but in my heart, my child will always be a child. Later, you must be obedient, and if anything happens, I will bear it all!

Mr. Zeng said that one must first distinguish between day and night before making such a statement

From Yang Xu'er, one can easily understand what is the greatest in this world

Arriving in this world inexplicably, I still feel as if I am dreaming, as if this dream could awaken at any moment, and the sound of gunfire continues to echo in my ears, while the intense pain still churns in my chest

Is it not suitable to dream during the day

Since someone has come to cause trouble, can we avoid the first day and also the fifteenth day

Good, good, good! Li Yi! Just you wait!" Zeng Yuanwai's expression turned severe as he pointed at Yang Yi, his age spots seemingly expanding rapidly, his face turning completely dark. Finally, he cursed, "Shameless scoundrel," and swept away with a flick of his sleeve

Just as Yang Yi was lost in thought, a sudden knocking sound came from the front courtyard, accompanied by a series of indignant shouts.

Mr. Zeng shook his robe and sat down in the guest seat, casting a glance at Yang Yi, and suppressing his anger, he asked: "Li Yi, the scenery on West Lake was beautiful yesterday, wasn't it?"

It is unclear whether Master Zeng has realized that it is Li Yi who is comforting his concubine in bed, and Yang Yi suspects that he might come to cause trouble.

The courtyard of the house is not large, built by the lake, simple and elegant. In the corner stands a plum tree, its lush branches hanging down. Occasionally, a few sparrows flutter down from the gable wall at the corner of the courtyard, chirping incessantly.

She was still in a state of inner conflict, yet Yang Yi laughed and said: "Zeng Yuanwai claimed that I seduced your little concubine. Do you have any evidence? If there is no evidence, then it is slander. According to the laws of the Great Ancestor's 'Revised Penal Code', specifically the eighth section on fraud and deceit, the slanderer will be punished instead! Therefore, I advise Zeng Yuanwai to think carefully before filing a complaint! Otherwise, he might end up lifting a stone only to drop it on his own foot"

In the backyard, there is a small gate. Yang Yi pushed the door open, revealing several stone steps extending into the lake. These steps are likely used for washing clothes at home. Alongside the steps are a few weeping willows, their emerald green like dark dye, with tendrils brushing the water.

Yier, how can this be achieved

Seeing the woman in front of him with tears streaming down her face in distress, Yang Yi couldn't help but call out softly.