USWHC -Chapter 358 Jumping Into One’s Own Trap (Part 8)

The Ji family didn’t have any decent chairs. They only placed a large chair at the very front for the county magistrate, while everyone else stood with their hands at their sides by the doorway. It looked just like a makeshift courtroom, and the atmosphere was solemn beyond words.

Then the magistrate spoke in a gentle, amiable tone, “What was that about someone being abducted just now?”

It was clearly just a concerned inquiry, not an interrogation. Only his manner of speaking still carried the official tone of the yamen. Ji Yi replied calmly and neither humbly nor arrogantly, “It was just a misunderstanding. It has already been clarified.”

“As long as it’s cleared up, that’s good.” The magistrate even lowered his voice in agreement, clearly not intending to pursue the matter further.

He then raised his head and glanced around. Seeing three men and four women in the room, all dressed plainly—except for Ji Yi—everyone had their heads lowered as if lost in thought. Though he looked carefully, he couldn’t make out their faces clearly, and it wouldn’t be appropriate to abruptly order everyone to raise their heads, so he simply smiled and nodded.

“Today, I have come for another matter!” the magistrate finally announced in a drawn-out tone.

At this, everyone held their breath, feeling somewhat nervous again—especially Zhu Jie, whose heart was pounding as if it might leap out of her chest.

The magistrate then asked Ji Yi, “I’ve heard that the soap produced by Liao’s Trading Company was made by you?”

Caught off guard by the sudden question, Ji Yi felt a bit puzzled. A bar of soap—was it really worth a county magistrate making such a big effort to come all the way to the countryside to “inspect the people’s livelihood”? Wasn’t this making a mountain out of a molehill?

Zhu Jie’s heart also tightened. Soap? So it wasn’t about the fraud? But what could be wrong with the soap?

After a brief hesitation, Ji Yi gritted his teeth and admitted, “Yes… I made it.”

Upon hearing this, the magistrate’s gaze toward him grew even more enthusiastic. He burst into hearty laughter and said, “I never expected that a small village under my jurisdiction like Xiangshui Village could produce such outstanding talent. Excellent—truly excellent!”

A bar of soap—it’s not like he invented electricity. Is it really worth getting this excited? Zhu Jie couldn’t help but mutter inwardly.

But the magistrate continued, “This soap is truly well made! Not only is it popular in our small county, but even in the capital it has become all the rage. Even the noble consorts in the palace are extremely fond of it! I have come this time to deliver a reward to you!”

You can get rewarded just for selling soap? Ji Yi’s mother’s eyes widened in disbelief. So having a side business could be this promising?

At that moment, the magistrate generously called out, “Bring the items in!”

As soon as he finished speaking, several yamen runners carried in a large red wooden chest and placed it in the courtyard. What was this? Ji Yi’s mother’s eyes practically popped out of their sockets.

The magistrate continued, “The Noble Consort Li in the palace was greatly pleased with this soap and has graciously bestowed a reward: five hundred taels of silver, one dou of pearls, and ten bolts of fine silk! Ji Yi, why haven’t you expressed your thanks yet?”

Everyone was stunned. The palace consorts were truly extravagant—seeing something they liked, they would send rewards all the way from the capital. Transporting such a chest from the capital couldn’t have been easy. Truly, money to burn!

Before Ji Yi could even give thanks, his mother had already eagerly kowtowed and exclaimed, “Oh my! Thank you, Your Highness, for the reward! You are like a fairy descended from heaven! To think you would remember our family from so far away—we are truly touched!”

Seeing her impatient eagerness, the magistrate wasn’t the least bit annoyed. Instead, a faint smile appeared on his face—though whether it was amusement or mockery was unclear.

But in the very next moment, the magistrate asked in an extremely friendly tone, “Ji Yi, such a fine thing—did you come up with it all by yourself?”

That question was a bit strange. If Ji Yi didn’t come up with it alone, could it be that the magistrate taught him?

Unexpectedly, someone eagerly responded at once. Ji Yi’s mother blurted out, “Of course not! A big man like him couldn’t possibly come up with something so delicate—he just learned it from someone else!”

Ji Yi and Zhu Jie both widened their eyes. Could it be that she knew the soap was actually made by Zhu Jie? Zhu Jie couldn’t help but cast her an annoyed glance—what a blabbermouth, truly insufferable!