"Worker Gu..." In his study, Shang Ya Zi looked at the Gu worm in his hand, his brows knitted into a tight knot. A surge of impulse rose in his heart — he wanted to crush this Gu to death!
But he had to endure.
After all, this Worker Gu had cost him a sky-high price of eight hundred and ten thousand. It would pain his heart to destroy it.
Yet every time he looked at it, Shang Ya Zi felt incredibly frustrated.
This Worker Gu seemed like a silent mockery, constantly reminding Shang Ya Zi of his own stupidity!
At the auction a few days ago, he had been outsmarted by Fang Yuan in full view of everyone.
Now, he had become a laughing stock for everyone. Even his own close relatives looked down on him.
It was one thing to be stupid himself, but he was the Young Master of the Shang clan! This kind of behavior was practically a stain on the entire Shang family!
As the Young Master of the Shang clan, every action of Shang Ya Zi represented the image of the Shang family to a certain extent. His performance at the auction was not only a personal disgrace but also an insult to the pride and superiority that the Shang clan members held in their hearts.
As for Shang Yanfei, he hadn't expressed anything.
However, this only made Shang Ya Zi feel even more uneasy.
"No, I must turn this around. I have to make Father see me in a new light! I have to change the clan's impression of me!" Shang Ya Zi gritted his teeth, his resolve firm.
"Fang Zheng, you dare to oppose me and make a fool of me. I will make you pay a brutal price!" A cold, sinister glint flickered in his eyes as he began to scheme against Fang Yuan.
After this incident, his hatred for Fang Yuan grew even deeper, truly becoming a hatred that had seeped into his very bones.
"Young Master! Young Master! Something terrible has happened!"
Just then, a trusted family servant came running, shouting loudly outside the study door.
"What's all this noise for? Get in here!" Shang Ya Zi shouted in displeasure.
The door was pushed open, and the servant fell to his knees with a thud, his face full of panic: "Young Master, this is bad. No one knows where it started, but it's spreading through almost every street and alley in Shang Clan City. They say that you once competed with Fang Zheng for Lady An Yu and lost. Because you hold a deep grudge, you're trying to teach Fang Zheng a lesson."
"Lady An Yu? The top courtesan from Qinyan Pavilion? What nonsense." Shang Ya Zi scoffed disdainfully.
But the servant continued, "The rumors also say that you and Fang Zheng had a secret deal. To pass the assessment, you fabricated... fabricated the accounts."
"What?!" Shang Ya Zi roared upon hearing this. His expression drastically changed as he shot up from his seat, shaking the inkstone and brush set on his desk until they toppled over.
The servant spoke carefully, his tone hurried: "Young Master, the rumors are very detailed. They even mention the exact time of the transaction and the specific accounts. It is said that the family's Internal Affairs Hall has taken notice and is sending Gu Masters down to investigate."
"Ah?!"
Shang Ya Zi was terrified, his mind feeling like it had been struck by a thunderbolt.
In an instant, all the color drained from his face, leaving it deathly pale.
His heart pounded wildly, and his body went limp. He almost collapsed, reaching out to hold the desk to support himself.
This blow was too fast, too heavy, too sudden!
"It's over, it's over. Once the fabricated accounts are dug up, I will definitely lose my position as Young Master. This violates the clan rules. Even Mother won't be able to speak up for me. Begging Father is useless! Once I lose this identity, I don't know how many people will kick me while I'm down!"
Facing this great calamity, Shang Ya Zi was completely terrified, sinking into extreme fear.
"How did this news get out? I was so careful. No one else could know besides Fang Zheng. Impossible, impossible..."
Shang Ya Zi muttered to himself, his eyes completely vacant.
He was still too young, never having experienced the trials of life and death. Although he had managed the shop for two years, busy with a myriad of tasks, it had only refined his outer shell. When faced with a major upheaval, he became completely panic-stricken.
...
Nanqiu Garden, Pavilion in the Lake.
A gentle breeze blew, stirring ripples across the emerald green lake.
The lake was not large. On both sides were layers of gray stone rockeries, surrounded by green bamboo and fir trees.
On the lake, large green lotus leaves spread out like jade plates, with pink and white buds dotting the surface, not yet in bloom. Golden and orange carp frolicked in the water, occasionally leaping up to break the surface.