CHAPTER 397: CHAPTER 397: THE RUTHLESS ONES

Master Tian said, "Daughters who are married off can indeed be redeemed back, but the price is not cheap. It costs five taels of silver for a daughter and ten taels for a son over the age of fourteen."

"Ten taels!" Yao Minghui felt a pang in his heart. Two would amount to twenty taels, which was no small sum of silver.

Seeing his distress, Master Tian chuckled and said, "Whether the Lu Family are runaway slaves is not certain yet. You can wait until the Slave Registration Book from Jinling Prefecture arrives before deciding. If Old Master Lu is not a runaway slave, you would save this amount of silver."

Yao Minghui was tempted, but then he thought of the expression of County Magistrate Zou in the courtroom... Even County Magistrate Zou was eager to sever ties with the Lu Family, so the likelihood of Old Master Lu being a runaway slave must be substantial.

He couldn’t wait any longer. If he waited until Old Master Lu was sentenced before redeeming them, his two sons would become official slaves.

To redeem them earlier would also avoid this stain on their reputation.

"Master Tian, my family has truly been ruined by the Lu Family. Rest assured, those two are my sons and no matter what, I will redeem them back. Please wait here, I am going to get the silver right away," said Yao Minghui as he bowed repeatedly to Master Tian before respectfully withdrawing.

Niu Chengwu, upon hearing that it cost ten taels to redeem a son, immediately did not want to redeem his own son.

But Village Chief Niu did not agree, claiming that Brother Ren was his son after all, already seventeen this year, with his marriage arrangements already set. He was to be married in a few months, so he must be redeemed to carry on the family line.

As for the two daughters born to Lu Hehua, they were not worth the expense; Village Chief Niu was not willing to spend ten taels of silver to redeem them.

Once the decision was made, both the Niu Family and the Yao Family got busy with the redemption.

...

In the Zou Mansion, Zou Yuzhen hadn’t slept all night. Knowing that County Magistrate Zou had returned, he did not dare to wander in front of him, fearing that County Magistrate Zou might vent his anger on him.

He went to see Concubine Lu.

Concubine Lu had also not slept all night and was nearly scared out of her wits when she heard the news, "Nanny, the matter has indeed been revealed, what shall we do now?"

Concubine Lu knew that Old Master Lu was a runaway slave, because back when Mrs. Han encountered tragedy, she met Old Master Lu and used the threat of exposing his status as a runaway slave to force him to spend silver to redeem Mrs. Han.

After redeeming Mrs. Han, she did not sell herself to the Lu Family but gave a suggestion to Old Master Lu; she proposed to train Lu Meihua and after training her to serve men well, Lu Meihua could become a concubine to County Magistrate Zou, providing the Lu Family with a good life.

Mrs. Han, who used to specialize in teaching girls how to serve men on the Linglong Painting Boat, was exceptionally skillful; anyone she taught would have no difficulty in gaining favor.

Old Master Lu himself-despising how impoverished his family was at the time-agreed immediately after hearing Mrs. Han’s suggestion with a slam of his fist on the table.

Over the following two years, Concubine Lu was guided by Mrs. Han, learning various skills in serving men, along with some literacy and poetry. Two years later, Concubine Lu sold herself into the Zou family.

Due to her fair looks and literacy, she was assigned to serve in County Magistrate Zou’s study.

It wasn’t long before Concubine Lu began service for County Magistrate Zou, thereafter gaining his favor and, by virtue of her son, became a concubine.

And at that time, Mrs. Han also sold herself into the Zou family, becoming the nanny at Concubine Lu’s side.

Thus, no one actually knew that Mrs. Han and Old Master Lu were old acquaintances and both had emerged from the Linglong Painting Boat.

It’s just that Old Master Lu was an escaped slave, whereas Mrs. Han, having been resold and having encountered Old Master Lu, forced him to buy her freedom. In order to secure her future glory and wealth, she then schemed to send Concubine Lu into the Zou family and sold herself to follow along, enjoying twenty years of blessings.

Mrs. Han said, "Concubine, you don’t need to worry. No matter what happened to the Lu Family, it will not implicate you. With the Third Young Master by your side, as long as he is here, your good days will not come to an end."

"What do you mean, Mrs. Han? Are you suggesting giving up on the Lu Family!" Concubine Lu was shocked, her eyes filled with a hint of resentment as she looked at Mrs. Han: "That’s my father, my brother, my nephews and nieces. If we give up on the Lu Family and don’t save them, I’ll have no family home left."

Concubine Lu had some conscience; at a life-and-death juncture, she did not think of abandoning Old Master Lu.

But who is Mrs. Han?

How could she possibly let Concubine Lu offend County Magistrate Zou to save the Lu Family.

Mrs. Han said, "Concubine, although County Magistrate Zou has not found out who administered the infertility drug to him, he has started to be wary of you. Recently, not to mention visiting your room, there have been quite a few people hidden outside our courtyard, all secretly watching over you."

Mrs. Han lowered her voice and said, "The old man no longer trusts you. He is grasping for your weaknesses. If you go against the County Governor now, what will become of the Third Young Master?"

"With the eldest and the second in downfall, the Third Young Master is on the verge of taking control of the Zou family. Such an incident has suddenly erupted. The only plan now is to abandon the Lu Family to protect the Third Young Master. Remember, you need to rely on the Third Young Master. Only if he is well-off will you have good days ahead."

And she would also have good days ahead.

Concubine Lu was very hesitant: "But, that’s my father."

"What about it being your father?" Zou Yuzhen entered, closed the door behind him, walked up to Concubine Lu, knelt down and said, "Concubine, please have pity on your son, help your son. My son cannot have a grandfather who is an escaped slave."

"Your son aims for an official position, but if it’s known that he has a grandfather who is an escaped slave, even if he could sit for the exam, he would be laughed to death by his peers. This is a lifelong stain, a stain that cannot remain!"

It cannot remain...

Concubine Lu was shocked, trembling as she asked Zou Yuzhen, "Brother Zhen’er, what do you mean? What do you mean it can’t remain?"

Zou Yuzhen looked towards Mrs. Han.

Mrs. Han, understanding the cue, whispered softly, "Concubine, the Slave Registration Book from Jinling Prefecture is being sent back, and it will take ten days. Usually, when pressing a fingerprint, they use the left thumb, as long as..."

Mrs. Han whispered a few words to Concubine Lu, who was frightened to the point of turning pale, tears streaming uncontrollably: "You, you are going to... my father will die a tragic death."

Mrs. Han said, "Concubine, what tragic death? Old Master Lu’s death is to prove his innocence. If this thing is done right, not only will County Magistrate Xu not be able to pin the crime of deserting a slave onto the Lu Family, but he will also be charged with the crime of negligence. Then, if he wants to advance further, it won’t be so easy."

Zou Yuzhen said, "Concubine, because of Zhong Cuilan’s words before her death, father has started to suspect you. And Steward Shao, who always favors legitimate lineage over illegitimate, has recently been persuading father to support the second son’s child as the future head of the Zou family. We cannot be dragged down by the Lu Family anymore, we must use them for our own turnaround!"

With the death of Old Master Lu, leaving behind a blood letter, they could take this letter to the Prefecture to cry injustice, not only could they escape this calamity, but also could bite back against County Magistrate Xu and County Captain Jiang.

After being persuaded, Mrs. Han took advantage of Concubine Lu’s agreement, quickly grabbed a bag of silver, and went to the county government prison with a box of food to visit Old Master Lu.