Chapter 5

When Mr. Su saw the woman, he couldn't help but frown. The woman was wrapped up like a dumpling, her head even wrapped in cloth, leaving only her nose and a pair of eyes exposed. If it weren't for her figure and the strands of hair visible through the cloth, it would have been hard to tell she was a woman.

What was even more terrifying was that the skin exposed on the woman's face was covered with red bumps, and her fingers were grotesquely twisted. Suddenly, Mr. Su, who had been stroking his beard, seemed to understand something. He hurriedly raised his sleeve to cover his mouth and nose, took a few steps back, and pointed at the woman, his face full of fear, saying, "She, she..."

"Indeed, she is a leper!" The lean man surnamed Li said with a smile, "Look at her tattered clothes, how pitiful! I, Li, have the intention to make her a new dress, but the tailors in my shop are not skilled enough to take her measurements. I heard that Mr. Su is bold and skilled, so I came to trouble you..."

Outside the shop, a crowd had gathered, and it grew larger as time passed. When the onlookers heard that the woman was a leper, they immediately became restless and all retreated to a distance with a "whoosh."

However, no one left; they just watched from a distance. Everyone knew that to make a dress, the tailor had to take measurements, and how could they do that without getting close? But the woman had a deadly disease, leprosy, which was highly contagious. Thus, everyone looked at Mr. Su, feeling anxious for him...

Ye Yu, standing to the side, listened to the whispers of the crowd and finally learned that the owner of the tailor shop was named Su Quanzhong. The lean man who had come to cause trouble was named Li Tong, who owned several shops in the town and had been doing well for over a decade.

But ever since Su Quanzhong opened the 'Xiu Yi Yang Shen' tailor shop on Yong'an Street, Li Tong's business had plummeted. As the saying goes, competition can breed resentment, so Li Tong blamed everything on Su Quanzhong. Therefore, he had brought his shop assistants to deliberately make things difficult for Su Quanzhong today.

When Ye Yu heard that the woman had leprosy, he also felt a chill. He thought that Li Tong's move was extremely ruthless. Leprosy was highly contagious, and anyone who came into contact with the patient could be infected.

"Mr. Li, this is no joke. Lepers should be isolated by the authorities. Bringing her here to me is putting me in a difficult position," Su Quanzhong said, though angry, he could only politely refuse.

But Li Tong was relentless, and he coldly laughed, "Mr. Su, how can this be a joke? I am truly here to seek your help. If you succeed, I will willingly be your disciple..."

At this point, Li Tong changed his tone and said menacingly, "But if you fail, you will have to be my disciple. What do you think, Mr. Li?"

Li Tong's words caused a stir among the onlookers, and Su Quanzhong's face turned dark. He looked at the leper and then at the crowd, caught in a dilemma.

Su Quanzhong knew that if he admitted defeat now, he would have to be Li Tong's disciple. That was a small matter, but his shop's reputation would be ruined. But if he didn't admit defeat, he would have to take the measurements of the leper. Leprosy was almost as contagious as a plague, and he dared not get close to take the measurements.

At this moment, the curtain was lifted, and a young girl walked out from the back room. She wore a long dress, her figure graceful, but her eyes were unusually sharp. She walked over, glanced at Li Tong and the others, and said, "Father, since Mr. Li is seeking help, let me take the measurements for his friend..."

"Yueyun, no nonsense!" Su Quanzhong immediately scolded his daughter.

"But Father, should we let them succeed in their scheme?" The girl looked displeased.

Li Tong coldly snorted, "Scheme? Miss Su, please be careful with your words! Who doesn't know that your father is called 'Su the One Cut'? With such a reputation, you should have the courage and skill that others lack!"

Su the One Cut? Ye Yu, standing in the corner, looked puzzled. It wasn't until Qiulan whispered in his ear that he learned the origin of Su Quanzhong's nickname. It turned out that Su Quanzhong not only had excellent skills but also a unique technique. With one cut, the basic shape of the garment would be visible, hence the nickname 'Su the One Cut'.

This made Ye Yu think of a saying: "A tall tree attracts the wind, and a man's fame can lead to his downfall."

Li Tong's counterattack left Su Quanzhong and his daughter speechless. Li Tong, not letting up, loudly asked the crowd, "Mr. Su, please make your decision quickly!"

"Father..." Su Yueyun, whose arm was grabbed by her father, pleaded anxiously.

Su Quanzhong's expression darkened. Although he wanted to protect his shop's reputation, the severity of leprosy was terrifying, and he couldn't let his daughter take the risk. Wealth and fame were external things, but life was precious. So, he decided to admit defeat.

He pulled his daughter behind him, bowed to Li Tong, and said gloomily, "Mr. Li, you are making things difficult for me. My skills are not up to the task, so I must..." Su Quanzhong was about to kneel and perform the disciple ceremony.

"Then you must take the job!" Just as Li Tong was gloating, a voice came from the back of the crowd, calm and composed.

The words stunned everyone, especially Su Quanzhong. When the crowd turned to look, they saw Ye Yu being pushed into the hall by Qiulan in a wheelchair.

"Who are you?" Li Tong, who had not expected this, asked.

Ye Yu calmly looked at Li Tong and bowed, "I am Ye Yu!"

Li Tong frowned, trying to recall the name. In the end, he had no memory of it. He coldly snorted, "You said you would take the job?"

"Yes, Mr. Li, is there a problem with that?"

Originally, Ye Yu did not want to cause trouble. He understood the saying, "The first to show his head gets shot." However, he could not stand bullies. Business competition should be fair and open, not through underhanded means. Moreover, from the townspeople, he had heard that the Su family had a good reputation. For these reasons, he decided to help.

"Ha ha ha! Even if I allow you, this fearless young man, to help Mr. Su, your disability makes it impossible for you to take measurements, doesn't it?"

Seeing Ye Yu's audacity, Li Tong burst out laughing. The crowd also laughed, imagining how difficult it would be for a man who couldn't stand to take measurements.

Su Quanzhong was initially delighted but felt sorry when he saw Ye Yu's disability. He tried to dissuade him, "Young sir, I appreciate your kindness, but this matter..."

"Mr. Su, you are too kind. Since I have encountered this, I will not stand by idly!" Ye Yu waved his hand and continued calmly, "If I can complete this task, I hope Mr. Su will agree to one condition!"

Su Quanzhong was skeptical but saw the determination in Ye Yu's eyes and said, "Young sir, please speak. I will not refuse if I can do it!"

Ye Yu nodded and said, "I only hope that in the future, when Mr. Su sells clothes, he will, without incurring a loss, try to lower the prices for the people of this county. Can Mr. Su agree to this?"

Today, as Ye Yu walked through the town, he saw the bustling markets and the prosperous streets. But he also saw the dark corners and the beggars. The Song Dynasty was known for its prosperity, but behind the wealth, there was poverty.

The so-called prosperity was just a facade, with wealth concentrated in the hands of a few. Historians saw the prosperity through the eyes of the rich, but the poor were still struggling.

Moreover, he himself had to think carefully before buying clothes. It was clear that many people in the prosperous Song Dynasty still lacked basic necessities. Therefore, Ye Yu had this idea, even if it was just a small act of kindness...

Ye Yu's words, though soft, were clear to everyone. The crowd, who had laughed at him, now fell silent. Ye Yu's suggestion touched them deeply.

Su Yueyun, standing behind her father, looked at Ye Yu with a hint of admiration in her eyes.

"Agreed! I will do it!" Su Quanzhong, impressed by Ye Yu's condition, looked at him with admiration.

Li Tong, annoyed, said, "Ye Yu, if you insist on being a hero, then let's get started. Please!"

"Alright, let's begin!"

"Mr. Ye, here is the measuring tape. Please be careful..." Just as Ye Yu was about to signal Qiulan to push the wheelchair, Su Yueyun appeared with the measuring tape.

Ye Yu nodded in thanks. Qiulan pushed the wheelchair toward the leper, and the crowd's eyes followed. However, to their disappointment, Ye Yu did not use the tape to take measurements but stopped two meters away from the leper.

Qiulan then pushed the wheelchair around the leper in a circle and returned to the original position. The crowd was puzzled, wondering what Ye Yu was up to.

Li Tong, thinking Ye Yu was afraid to get close, mocked him, "What, scared? If you knew you couldn't do it, why boast?"

Faced with the crowd's skeptical looks, Ye Yu remained calm and looked up at Su Yueyun, "Miss Su, here is the measuring tape..."

Su Yueyun, disappointed, took the tape, but Ye Yu suddenly said, "Please, Miss Su, record the measurements!"

"What!?"

Su Yueyun, surprised, almost dropped the tape. The crowd was also shocked. Ye Yu then slowly and orderly recited the measurements of the clothes.

"If making a Zen robe (undergarment), the top is 22 inches long; the sleeves are 31 inches long; the sleeve width... the waist width... the skirt is 26 inches long; the hem is 42 inches wide. If making an outer garment, the top is..."

The continuous recitation of measurements from Ye Yu stunned everyone. Some people opened their mouths in disbelief, looking at Ye Yu with amazement.