Liu Family Town.
The morning after the heavy rain brought the chill of autumn.
"Aunt, what does the Liu family mean? Are they deliberately keeping us waiting?" Jin Baozhen sat on a chair, her face flushed with anger. The thought of everything going wrong since arriving in Huaian Prefecture made her impatience unbearable.
In contrast to Jin Baozhen's temper, Madam Wei sat at her dressing table, having a maid comb her hair. She looked at her vibrant makeup in the bronze mirror. "Today I'm visiting Madam Chu. Change into that set with the inlaid gems and jade."
"Yes, Madam," the maid replied softly, adding flatteringly, "This hair ornament perfectly matches the plum blossom patterned silver thread ruqun you're wearing today."
"Aunt," Jin Baozhen called out impatiently, "Will Prefect Chu really accept Gui Xuan?"
"Don't worry. Xuan'er is intelligent, and he studies diligently and works hard. Lord Chu owed our Jin family a favor years ago, and your father never used it. Xuan'er is sure to succeed in becoming his disciple." Madam Wei adjusted a hairpin in her bun. She was a second wife, and if the Jin family declined, she might not even be able to maintain her position as Madam Wei. Therefore, this trip to Huaian Prefecture could not go wrong.
"Madam, Old Madam Liu and Madam Liu have arrived." The maid serving outside reported softly, a flicker of disdain in her eyes. The Liu family was truly inconsiderate. Even if they were guests in a side courtyard, they shouldn't visit so early in the morning. Even if they had something to discuss, they should have sent a maid first. Why were mother-in-law and daughter-in-law coming directly?
Madam Wei was also slightly displeased, but the Jin family still needed to cooperate with the Liu family. No matter how much she disliked the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the Liu family's seventh branch, Madam Wei could only endure it for now. "Ask Old Madam to wait in the small hall. Baozhen and I will be there shortly."
A moment later, Madam Wei, dressed and made up, arrived with Jin Baozhen. To her surprise, as soon as she entered, she saw Old Madam Liu sitting in the main seat. Fortunately, Madam Liu Wang was sitting in a chair below.
"Old Madam, you've come so early." Madam Wei strode over, her smile warm and cordial, and sat down in a round chair on the right. "I was planning to visit Old Madam with Baozhen later."
"What a coincidence." Old Madam Liu laughed heartily at the flattery. Madam Wei was, after all, an official's wife. Being praised by her made the old lady feel very dignified, and her back straightened.
Thinking of Liu Bao'er, who had gone mad again that morning, Madam Liu Wang couldn't help but speak, "Madam Wei, I have something to ask of you today. As long as it's done, I'll shed this old face to get the clan elders to agree to the ghost marriage."
If the Liu family wanted to arrange a ghost marriage for Liu Hefeng, they wouldn't need the Jin family to curry favor. They could find plenty of women with compatible birth charts, thus avoiding their deceased daughters becoming lonely ghosts. It was unlikely any family would refuse.
But a ghost marriage with the Jin family was different. With this connection, if the Jin family sought help in the future, the Liu family couldn't ignore them.
Madam Wei nodded and asked with a smile, "Is it about that maid?"
Upon mentioning being repeatedly thwarted by Zhan Feiyu, Madam Liu Wang nodded with a grim expression. "That brat is impossible to deal with."
Jin Baozhen glanced disdainfully at the complaining Madam Liu Wang and said crisply, "That cheap girl isn't short of money. However, my aunt and I are going to visit Prefect Chu later. It will only take a word."
It was already inappropriate for Jin Baozhen, a junior, to interrupt when elders were speaking, and she did so with an arrogant and showy demeanor. However, Old Madam Liu and Madam Liu Wang not only didn't feel offended but even echoed her words. Their fawning attitude was simply vulgar.
Old Madam Liu and her daughter-in-law personally escorted Madam Wei and her party to the carriage, hoping that Jin Baozhen would bring He Nuan back with her.
...
Xinglong Inn.
"Gentlemen, please come upstairs." The waiter greeted them enthusiastically, leading Deng Zhiwu and his group of seven or eight people to a private room upstairs. "What would you gentlemen like to eat? The master roasted goose this morning. How about I carve one for you?"
Deng Zhiwu was only in his early twenties and was accompanied by guards from the General's mansion. Except for two who were of similar age, the remaining six were nearly forty years old. They were all burly and strong, wearing weapons at their waists, clearly formidable martial artists.
"Uncle Huang, you all have some tea first." Deng Zhiwu looked at the waiter standing beside him and handed him some broken silver. "Please ask the waiter if my sister came to Huaian Prefecture a few days ago with her servants. She seemed to be staying at Xinglong Inn. Do you remember?"
Due to Liu Hefeng's funeral, Xinglong Inn was full, but most of the guests were male. When Deng Zhiwu spoke, the waiter immediately thought of Zhan Feiyu, who had stayed in the small courtyard for five days.
But thinking of Zhan Feiyu's delicate and pretty appearance, and comparing it to Deng Zhiwu's dark complexion and thick eyebrows, not to mention that this young gentleman had stubble on his chin, they didn't look like siblings at all.
Deng Zhiwu spoke again, "My sister is only nine years old."
"So it was that young lady." The waiter looked at the bear-like, strong and sturdy Deng Zhiwu with a complicated expression. Was one like the father and the other like the mother? "She did stay here before..."
After speaking, the waiter left.
Deng Zhiwu frowned, looking very troubled. "Uncle Huang, this is the same as what we heard. Could Miss Zhan have already left Huaian Prefecture?"
As the commander of the General's mansion's guards, Uncle Huang looked no different from an ordinary middle-aged man at first glance. But upon closer inspection, one could see the sharp glint in his eyes, his temples were high, and the palms of his hands holding the teacup were covered in thick calluses.
"Second Young Master, you don't need to worry. Miss Zhan has people sent by Scholar Gu with her. They are all experts. If anything happened to Miss Zhan, Huaian Prefecture wouldn't be so peaceful." Uncle Huang poured Deng Zhiwu a cup of water and handed it to him, patting his shoulder. "We can't rush matters concerning the Eldest Young Master."
Deng Zhiwu wiped his face fiercely, looking dejected. However, with his sturdy physique and a face that resembled General Deng's by ninety percent, this look of dejection was truly awkward.
"It's all my fault. Big Brother urgently needs medicinal herbs. If we had this money, we could also buy those medicinal fields." Deng Zhiwu had been to the southwest. The deep mountains were full of miasma, not to mention poisonous plants and insects, a single poisonous mushroom could kill someone.
The insect repellent powder was still manageable, made of ordinary medicinal materials. However, the detoxification pills required ginseng, which was a life-saving item, and the military consumed a lot of it.
Fifty thousand taels of silver seemed like a lot, but there were a hundred thousand troops stationed in the southwest. When divided among the various military camps, this money was only enough to buy medicinal materials and pay some overdue military salaries.
"Uncle Huang, what if Miss Zhan really left Huaian Prefecture?" Deng Zhiwu asked listlessly. His father had sent him here without prior notice, and he might even be impeached by the censors. But he hadn't even met Zhan Feiyu, let alone gotten any money.
"Logically, she shouldn't have." Uncle Huang didn't know Zhan Feiyu at all before. Even though she was Scholar Gu's disciple, the Deng family were military officials, and they didn't have much contact with civil officials.
It wasn't until Zhan Feiyu tricked Chen Ji into sending a hundred thousand piculs of grain to the border, and then gave the money from Meiren Zhuang to soldiers who had to retire due to injuries, that Uncle Huang guessed that Scholar Gu might be behind it, aiming to build Zhan Feiyu's reputation.
Since Zhan Feiyu was greedy for fame and fortune, she wouldn't leave Huaian Prefecture until the fifty thousand taels of silver were resolved.
As for where she went, the imperial merchant Liu family wouldn't dare to harm Scholar Gu's disciple. However, Huaian Prefecture was so large, and the city guards had seen carriages leaving the city. Uncle Huang didn't know how to find her for the moment.
"Why don't I go find Second Uncle Jiao after I eat?" Deng Zhiwu slammed his fist on the table. If he couldn't find Zhan Feiyu, he wouldn't get the money. Without the money, Big Brother wouldn't have medicinal herbs, and that would cost lives!
Uncle Huang looked at the impatient Deng Zhiwu. The General was right; the Second Young Master really needed more tempering. "Distant water can't quench near thirst. This is Huaian Prefecture, and it's more appropriate for the Second Young Master to visit Prefect Chu."
"But I don't know Prefect Chu." Deng Zhiwu shook his head like a rattle drum. He disliked dealing with civil officials the most. Besides, he had heard before coming that Prefect Chu was an old fox, and Deng Zhiwu felt intimidated just thinking about it.
"It doesn't matter if you don't know him. The Second Young Master is looking for Miss Zhan. With Scholar Gu's influence, Prefect Chu will surely cooperate fully. It will be much more convenient than us searching blindly like headless flies." As Uncle Huang said this, the guards sitting beside him nodded in agreement.
A disciple of Scholar Gu, in the entire Daqing Dynasty, which official wouldn't give them some face? If Zhan Feiyu had an accident in Huaian Prefecture, Prefect Chu would be the first to be held accountable.
Seeing Deng Zhiwu's distressed and extremely reluctant expression, Uncle Huang smiled and said, "Second Young Master, think about that fifty thousand taels of silver. Why did Miss Zhan write to Scholar Gu for help? We are strangers in Huaian Prefecture. If Prefect Chu helps, we will likely get the money from the Liu family in the shortest possible time."
"I..." Thinking of his elder brother in the southwest who lacked medicinal herbs, Deng Zhiwu could only nod and utter two words, "I'll go."
It's just a trip to the prefectural office. What's the big deal? Even if his head is cut off, it's just a small scar.
"We'll send a calling card this afternoon, and I'll accompany the Second Young Master tomorrow morning." Uncle Huang looked at Deng Zhiwu, who seemed resigned to his fate. The Second Young Master had failed the martial arts examination eight times, so it seemed he wasn't just afraid of studying but also of scholars.
"So many rules." Deng Zhiwu pouted. It was better to be a military man. If they wanted to meet, they would just go to their door. Why send a calling card and choose a specific time? Scholars were so troublesome. He was only taking the martial arts examination, so why did he have to write essays? Would he scare the enemy away on the battlefield with rhetoric?
...
Chu Mansion.
Although Madam Wei was a female guest, it was inconvenient for Prefect Chu to receive guests. However, Jin Gui Xuan was a young man, and the Chu family owed the Jin family a favor years ago. Prefect Chu had no choice but to have Madam Chu come forward. It was considered proper for the couple to receive guests together.
Hoo... The sound of a horse being reined to a halt rang out. On horseback, Deng Zhiwu glared angrily at the coachman beside him. "You dare to whip my horse?"
The alley corner was a bit narrow. Deng Zhiwu and Uncle Huang's horses were in front, but the carriage behind them was rushing forward. Fearing that the carriage would hit the corner wall, the coachman actually whipped Deng Zhiwu's horse fiercely.
Fortunately, Deng Zhiwu was a skilled rider, otherwise, if his horse was startled, in such a narrow alley, with a carriage blocking the way ahead, it would have been a complete disaster.
"Zhang Ming, hurry up and don't delay the time." Inside the carriage, Jin Baozhen impatiently urged. She lifted the carriage curtain, glanced at the bear-like, strong, and dark Deng Zhiwu on horseback, snorted with disdain, and threw five taels of broken silver over. "You're not hurt or dead. Take the money and get out of the way!"
The coachman raised his whip again, and the carriage rattled away.
Uncle Huang stopped Deng Zhiwu, who was about to rush forward to argue. "It's better to avoid trouble. Let's handle the important matters first."
Not only in Huaian Prefecture but even in the capital, there were more such arrogant and bullying young masters. However, most people had some discernment. Deng Zhiwu's fine horse was clearly a retired military horse, and his face, so similar to General Deng's, meant that most young masters wouldn't dare to provoke the strong and robust Deng Zhiwu.
"Uncle Huang, do you think Zhan Feiyu is also so unreasonable?" Deng Zhiwu was naturally rough and didn't bother to argue with the departing Jin Baozhen. But thinking that he was asking for a favor, and if Zhan Feiyu had such a wild temper, Deng Zhiwu's face fell. He suddenly realized this was a difficult task.
Uncle Huang chuckled unkindly. "Even if she's unreasonable, will Second Young Master not come?"
Thinking of his elder brother in the southwest who lacked medicinal herbs, Deng Zhiwu replied in a low voice, "I will come! Even if it's a mountain of knives or a sea of fire, I will come!"
With a flick of the whip, five taels of broken silver flew out. A small beggar watching nearby's eyes lit up, and he grabbed the silver and disappeared without a trace.
A moment later, looking at the carriage stopped at the entrance, Deng Zhiwu suddenly understood what it meant to meet an enemy on a narrow road.
After tidying her clothes and hair ornaments in the carriage, Jin Baozhen alighted with the help of her maid. As she looked up, she saw Deng Zhiwu approaching on horseback. The horse's hooves kicked up and then fell, stepping into a low spot. The rainwater from last night instantly splashed up.
Before Jin Baozhen could react, she was splashed with muddy water all over her face. Her specially worn pomegranate-colored skirt was also dotted with mud.
"Don't blame me. Who told you your carriage was blocking the road!" Deng Zhiwu dismounted but showed no apology at all. If the carriage hadn't blocked the road, he wouldn't have had to ride his horse to the corner, and his horse's hooves wouldn't have stepped into the puddle.
"I'll kill you!" A sharp, piercing cry rang out. Jin Baozhen's face contorted as she shouted angrily. She snatched the whip from the coachman's hand and lashed out at Deng Zhiwu. Her posture was incredibly skilled, showing that she hadn't hesitated to whip people before.
Steward Chu, along with two young servants, stared dumbfounded at the scene at the main entrance. Were these people visiting the master? Those who didn't know would think they had deliberately come to the Chu mansion to cause trouble.
Uncle Huang was older and, as the commander of the guards, had a steady temperament. However, he couldn't help but dislike such a capricious and overbearing young girl like Jin Baozhen. This whip didn't hit anyone. If it had hit an ordinary person, it would have likely left a bloody gash.
Deng Zhiwu snatched the whip from Jin Baozhen's hand and threw it to the ground. "Are you done making a scene?"
Panting heavily, Jin Baozhen's eyes turned red with anger. She sternly ordered Steward Chu, "What are you all standing around for? I am a distinguished guest of Prefect Chu. Aren't you going to arrest this barbarian and lock him up!"
Madam Wei's face was also very unpleasant. She had been standing a little further away, but her dress was also splashed with mud and water, especially since it was a plain colored dress, making the mud stains particularly noticeable.
"I haven't broken any laws, so what are you arresting me for!" Deng Zhiwu rolled his eyes, too lazy to argue with Jin Baozhen. He cupped his fists towards Steward Chu and said, "Please inform him. Deng Zhiwu requests an audience with Lord Chu."
He had already sent a calling card yesterday afternoon, so Deng Zhiwu didn't have to worry about Prefect Chu not knowing who his son was.
"Aunt!" Jin Baozhen tugged at Madam Wei's arm, wishing she could flay Deng Zhiwu alive.
But this was Huaian Prefecture, and they were unfamiliar with the place. If this were Zhongzhou Prefecture, anyone who dared to offend Jin Baozhen would have already been dragged out by the Jin family's guards and had their legs broken.
"So it's Young Master Deng. The Lord has been waiting for a long time." Steward Chu greeted them with a smile. This was indeed the second son of General Deng, representing the General's mansion in the capital. Moreover, General Deng and Commander Jiao had a life-and-death friendship, so Deng Zhiwu could be considered a distinguished guest of the Chu mansion.
As for Madam Wei, Miss Jin, and Young Master Jin, it wasn't that Steward Chu was putting on airs. A deputy commander was only a fifth-rank official, and his wife was not qualified to be called a distinguished guest of the Chu mansion. Although the Jin family were major salt merchants, Prefect Chu came from a noble family. It was simply laughable for mere merchants to dare to put on airs in front of him.
However, no matter what he thought in his heart, Steward Chu showed nothing on his face. "Madam Wei, Miss Jin, Young Master Jin, please come inside. Madam is waiting in the flower hall. Dongmei, lead Madam Wei to the flower hall."
Dongmei was Madam Chu's head maid. She bowed respectfully, "Madam Wei, please follow this servant."
"Aunt, what do they mean by this? Are they looking down on our Jin family?" Jin Baozhen said with a stiff face and shouted. She wasn't stupid. This steward only had a small maid lead the way, while he himself greeted this barbarian. This was clearly looking down on the Jin family.