Jiang Yijie said coldly, “Purpose? Of course there was one! This laboratory was just granted ‘Breakthrough Therapy’ designation by the FDA, and the biological gene-based drug they’re researching is specifically designed to treat spinal cord injuries! For Fourth Brother’s legs, I called in countless favors before their researchers agreed to let us take a vial of the drug back home for analysis. But although the drug has been approved in Switzerland, it hasn’t been granted import approval in mainland China, so it isn’t allowed into the country!”
Yu Xiang was startled. “There’s hope for Fourth Brother’s legs?”
When she noticed everyone looking at her, Yu Xiang denied it even more emphatically. “Of course it’s a good thing if Fourth Brother’s legs can be saved. Why would I ever make that call?”
Jiang Yijie let out two sinister chuckles and bluntly exposed the struggle for power that had been going on recently. “No reason? As long as Fourth Brother can’t recover, doesn’t your branch have a secure hold on the position of heir?”
Jiang Yihua shouted angrily, “Enough! This is pure fabrication. If your own mind is filthy, don’t pin your thoughts on my wife and me!”
He then took a moment to calm himself before looking at Old Master Jiang. “Dad, you know what Yu Xiang is like. All these years, she’s never fought or competed for anything within the family. She has always treated you, Madam Ge, and all her younger brothers and sisters-in-law with courtesy. Not to mention that even I didn’t know Fourth Brother might have a chance to recover. She’s a university professor who has never involved herself in the group’s affairs. How could she possibly have known the flight details so clearly, let alone called Customs to report it? It’s simply absurd!”
Jiang Yijie was indignant. “Big Brother! Sister-in-law planned everything carefully and cleaned up every trace. But she overlooked one thing: she didn’t know calls to Customs were recorded. Fortunately, I have a contact who managed to get hold of the recording.”
“Enough! Give me the recording. I’ll find an expert to determine whether it’s the original!”
“Fine! We’ll find someone and listen to it together. Third Brother is in custody, and Fourth Brother is relying on this drug to get back on his feet. I spent time, money, connections, and effort personally contacting the laboratory. I truly can’t figure out who in this family would benefit most if Fourth Brother never recovered!”
Jiang Yihua’s face flushed with anger. “You’re deliberately trying to cause trouble! I’ve never had any such thoughts!”
“Heh, but who can know what you really think? Unless Big Brother is absolutely certain that he—”
Jiang Yijie was about to continue arguing when Jiang Yifeng interrupted him. “Enough, Second Brother!”
“Fourth Brother!”
Jiang Yifeng sighed. “I know you’re worried about me, and that you’re trying to make amends for Third Brother. But there are indeed doubts surrounding this matter. One recording alone proves nothing. We’re brothers under the same roof. Don’t turn against one another and tear the family apart.”
Jiang Yijie was anxious. “But I went through so many connections to obtain that drug! If we don’t bring it back for further research, are you supposed to go abroad and begin treatment immediately?”
“The drug is gone, but we can find a way to bring it back again. Besides, it’s only an experimental dose. Even if Sister-in-law really wanted to harm me, why would she go personally? Doesn’t she have anyone around her to do it?”
Jiang Yijie retorted, “How could you let outsiders know about something like this? It was just one phone call. Naturally, she would make it herself while she was at it!”
Jiang Yifeng looked as though he had no intention of pursuing the matter. His voice turned stern. “Enough, Second Brother! Let’s end this here. The drug is still only in the trial stage, and we don’t even know whether it will work.”
“But at least trying gives us a chance!” Jiang Yijie sighed helplessly. “Fine, fine. It’s your business, after all. I’m the one worked up and worried sick, while some people don’t even appreciate it!”
Jiang Yifeng soothed him in a mild voice. “Second Brother, it’s not that I don’t appreciate what you’ve done. I just don’t want more conflict in the family.”
From beginning to end, Qiuyun had remained silent. She looked at Old Master Jiang, who sat behind the tea table, his brows tightly furrowed as he leaned back in his grand chair and rubbed his temples repeatedly.
Then she glanced at Jiang Yifeng, who had said nothing until Jiang Yijie had finished revealing everything, only to start pretending to be the peacemaker and acting like the caring, brotherly sibling.
This was a difficult game.
If someone suggested at this point that Mr. Jiang take full responsibility for the matter—
“Why don’t we do this?” Jiang Yijie turned to his elder brother. “I can’t handle this matter, and I’m not going to handle it anymore. Let Big Brother take full responsibility. If Big Brother genuinely wants Fourth Brother’s legs to recover, he certainly won’t interfere or tamper with anything. Wouldn’t that prove his innocence from another angle?”
With so many people present, Qiuyun had no time to give any warning before she heard Mr. Jiang readily agree. “My wife and I never intended to interfere with anything in the first place!”
Yu Xiang continued to deny it resolutely. “I didn’t make that call. I can guarantee it. And afterward, I’ll investigate the matter to the end and clear my name!”
Sigh.
At this point, Qiuyun couldn’t think of any good way out either.
After all, they had already erected a stage and forced Mr. and Mrs. Jiang onto it. If they refused repeatedly in front of Old Master Jiang, wouldn’t that amount to admitting they had something to hide?
They only had to act as the liaison with the laboratory in Switzerland. It was a simple enough task—just instructing an assistant to keep an eye on things. They wouldn’t even need to handle it personally. Refusing now would only make them look even more suspicious, leaving them unable to defend themselves.
Qiuyun sighed.
This really was a dead end. Other than agreeing, she couldn’t think of any other way out.
After leaving the main building, the three of them were all somewhat silent as they made their way together to the study on the first floor of the auxiliary building.
The photographs in Qiuyun’s bag had grown warm from being held against her body. Who would have thought that once they arrived, there wouldn’t even be an opportunity to take them out?
Yu Xiang spoke first. “I truly didn’t make that call. I can swear to it.”
Jiang Yihua naturally knew that. “In this family, apart from his own parents, you’re probably the only person who genuinely hopes Fourth Brother’s legs can be saved.”
Yu Xiang was puzzled. “Then who was it? Who would try to frame me?”
Qiuyun said, “Perhaps they weren’t trying to frame you. Perhaps they were trying to drag our branch down with you.”
Jiang Yihua suddenly remembered that Old Master Jiang had previously called to ask about Jiang Lin’s plans for the summer vacation. He also recalled the incident with the Swiss company, when several directors had insisted that he personally go abroad to demonstrate how seriously he took the matter.
After hearing this, Qiuyun said, “It looks like one scheme after another failed, so they had no choice but to use Madam’s voice to report the matter to Customs and drag our branch into the mess.”
Jiang Yihua was confused. “But what was the purpose? Was it simply to force us to establish contact with Fourth Brother’s laboratory in Switzerland?”
Qiuyun closed her eyes and pondered, trying to figure out exactly what Jiang Yifeng was attempting to accomplish.
It was clear from the outset that his ultimate goal had to be securing the group’s inheritance. To achieve that, the first obstacle he had to eliminate was Mr. and Mrs. Jiang’s branch.
And after the incident involving Technician Hu, he had fallen out of favor with Old Master Jiang. Without that preferential treatment, this illegitimate son had even less chance of winning.
Therefore, the purpose of this scheme had to be to bring the eldest branch down.
Suddenly, Qiuyun thought of one of the late emperor’s consorts, who had deliberately caused a miscarriage and framed another consort. Later, she was exposed for faking her pregnancy, and the story spread throughout the court and the capital.
“If the drug research were to be completely halted while you were overseeing the Swiss laboratory, wouldn’t that give them a perfect opportunity to shift the blame onto us?” Qiuyun pointed out the crux of the matter.
Jiang Yihua frowned. “How could Fourth Brother possibly gamble with his own legs?”
Qiuyun said with certainty, “But what if this so-called biological drug has been a scam from beginning to end?”
