Butler Yu pushed the door open and entered. Ren Zhixian blinked his eyes, and seeing that Butler Yu had co empty-handed, he looked behind him and found no attendant carrying anything, he couldn’t help but ask in surprise, "Where are the items?"
"Ah?" Butler Yu was taken aback, not understanding.
"My purchased items, where are they?" Ren Zhixian asked impatiently: "Weren’t you supposed to bring them to ?"
"Oh, they’re right here!" Butler Yu ca forward with a smile, presenting the bill with both hands.
This ti, it was Ren Zhixian who was stunned, suspiciously taking the bill. Upon seeing it, his complexion changed drastically, turning red and then white, his face contorting as he coldly questioned Butler Yu, "What is the aning of this!"
Why would Butler Yu be afraid of him? He placatingly replied with a smile, "Please listen to this old servant, young Master-in-law. There was a clerk by the doorman’s quarters who handed this over to be given to ’Master Ren’, saying it was for several sets of the Four Treasures of the Study. This servant thought that these must belong to you, so I personally brought them over!"
Rage building inside, Ren Zhixian retorted, "Why are you handing this to ? Why not take it to the accounting office?"
Butler Yu replied with a smile, "The clerk specifically said it was for ’Master Ren’, naturally, it should be given to you! The accounting office only accepts the bills for the household’s public expenses; this one, they won’t take! Young Master-in-law, would you like to go out and pay for it yourself or give the silver and let pay for you? That person is still waiting by the doorman’s quarters!"
Ren Zhixian’s face darkened, and he said nothing, thinking to himself: If I had the silver to pay, would I still be waiting until now? Even a Shi family slave dares to give an attitude! I can’t stay in this place any longer!
"It seems you’d rather go yourself, then I shall take my leave," Seeing that Ren Zhixian remained silent, Butler Yu tactfully made a bow, ready to leave.
"Stop right there!" Ren Zhixian commanded coldly: "Is Shi Fengju here? Is he in the mansion?"
Butler Yu was uncomfortable with such discourteous way Ren Zhixian referred to his Master, his expression imdiately turned grim as he sarcastically smiled and said lightly, "Young Master-in-law, what kind of question is that? This is the Shi Mansion, the ho of the young master, where else would he be if not in his own mansion?"
This statent suggested that Shi Fengju was the master of the house, and Ren Zhixian was but an outsider, who should not be too impolite. Ren Zhixian felt a fit of dizziness strike his forehead with irritation, and grunted, "Since he’s here, you deliver this bill to him! Let’s say I, as his brother-in-law, am borrowing a few hundred taels of silver from him, and I will repay him with interest in the future. I’ll draft a promissory note right now!"
Ren Zhixian rashly reached for the brush and ink as if he were slapping Shi Fengju across the face, consud with indignation but full of self-satisfaction at the thought. Contrary to his expectations, Butler Yu replied, "This bill was specifically instructed by the young master to be delivered to you by this servant, so it seems unnecessary for young Master-in-law to go to such trouble! The young master said, should the young Master-in-law require any of the Four Treasures of the Study, he would have soone purchase the best available. He truly did not understand why the young Master-in-law would buy so much unnecessary stuff. As you know, our young master is a businessman, he wouldn’t pay for useless things."
Ren Zhixian’s hand, which was grinding the ink, stiffened. He lifted his head to stare at Butler Yu, nodding slowly in an exaggerated manner, "Very well, extrely well!" He slamd his hand on the table, glaring at Butler Yu as he shouted, "Is the Shi family deliberately humiliating , yes or no!"
Butler Yu sneered back coldly, "If the young Master-in-law feels that way, isn’t it rather disheartening! Everything about your living, from food to clothing, is no less than that of any proper and wealthy family out there. Aren’t you a scholar, and yet you do not understand the principle of gratitude and paying it forward?"
"How dare you lecture !" Ren Zhixian said incredulously, "A re slave daring to preach to ! Do you believe I can’t make you pack up and leave by tomorrow?"
Butler Yu scoffed dismissively, "This servant does not belong to the Ren family; young Master-in-law, it seems you are sticking your nose a bit too far!"
"You!"
"What’s the matter, shouting again!" Shi Yui pushed the door open and walked in, frowning unhappily.
"You’ve arrived just in ti!" Ren Zhixian pointed at Butler Yu, "This old thing is out of line, blind to his masters, tell your mother to have him thrown out by tomorrow! What use is there in keeping such an ill-disciplined slave!"
"You!" Butler Yu trembled with rage. He had been managing affairs in the Shi Mansion since he was thirty, climbing his way up to the position of the second housekeeper. Over the past twenty years, the master, mistress, and their sons had never scolded him like this. Yet today, he was cursed and shouted at by soone from outside the mansion!
"What nonsense are you spouting! What exactly happened?" Shi Yui couldn’t help but frown, casting an apologetic glance towards Butler Yu.
"Young Mistress," Butler Yu, suppressing his anger, recounted the matter. Then he bowed and said, "The bill has been delivered, please see to it as you deem appropriate, young Master-in-law. This servant has other matters to attend to, so I shall take my leave now."
How much longer can I endure talking with him without dying on the spot!
Shi Yui was angry, annoyed, but also ashad. She had heard about the over eighty taels of silver he took out, and thought that after a trip outside, he would co back cald down with everything settled. Who knew that he would revert to his bad habits once again!
This place is Qingzhou, not ng County. Shi Yui’s thoughts, just like Shi Fengju’s, were that with such a precedent set, what else could follow would be disastrous. If the good na of her natal family was implicated, how could she bear it in her heart?
"Butler Yu!" Shi Yui quickly called out to stop Butler Yu, stepped forward to grab the bill from the desk and stuffed it into Butler Yu’s hand, confidently instructing, "Give this to the clerk by the doorman’s quarters, tell him ’Master Ren’ had urgent matters and has already left the Shi Mansion. Have him take those items back! Give this two taels of silver to him as a token for his troubles in running errands."
Shi Yui pulled out a piece of broken silver from her side.
Butler Yu glanced at Ren Zhixian, who was silent with a sullen face, took the silver and the bill, and agreed to leave.
Upon stepping out the door, he heard a torrent of loud argunts coming from behind. Butler Yu couldn’t help but sigh to himself, musing about how his young Miss was such a bold and arrogant figure, lofty and superior, yet now reduced to such a predicant! The vicissitudes of life were indeed unpredictable!
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