When the Mada saw the one thousand taels of silver that Li Sheng took out, her eyes glead with excitent. Though a trace of greed was evident, she did not take the silver bills, instead chuckling and saying, "Scholar Li, where did you strike it rich? To bring out a thousand taels so easily! Truly, when a scholar returns after three days, one must look at him with new eyes!"
Li Sheng replied coolly, "Where I made my fortune is no concern of yours, Mada. I only ask you to take the silver and return Yiyi’s servitude contract to , and then bring Yiyi out; I intend to take her away today!"
The Mada giggled and said, "Why rush? Yiyi is not here right now. Even if you have the servitude contract, you’ll have to wait a few days before you can get her."
"Not here? Where has she gone?"
Upon hearing that Yiyi was not present, Li Sheng was suddenly anxious, standing up with a start, his voice rising involuntarily.
The Mada laughed and said, "Oh dear, look at you getting all worked up. Your Yiyi is alright; she’s just been kept by the Major Steward of Xiaoyaoshan Manor for these past few days. She’ll be sent back to you before the year’s end!"
Knowing the implications of his lover being kept by another man, especially these Liaodan people, Li Sheng’s face twisted into a look more pained than constipation. Outraged, he said, "How could you let her be taken by soone else? Do you have any idea how perverse those Liaodan people are?"
The Mada clapped her hands and said, "Is Scholar Li joking with the old ? We are a family that lives off our daughters, who eat, dress, and are used up by our daughters. If we forbid them from receiving custors, should we raise them like thousand-gold mistresses in the deep chamber?"
Li Sheng clenched his fist, saying with difficulty, "Bring her back to today. However much Xiaoyaoshan Manor paid you, I will match it."
"Oh my, Scholar Li really is throwing his money around! Even your manner of speaking has changed!"
The Mada waved her handkerchief, laughing heartily. After laughing, she solemnly said, "Scholar Li, although we are from a family engaged in this unsavory flesh business, we still have credibility. Since we’ve already agreed to let Xiaoyaoshan Manor keep Yiyi for a month, rashly backing out would ruin our reputation. Such unprofitable business, the old won’t do it!"
Hearing this, Li Sheng understood the Mada’s aning, and gritting his teeth, said, "I will add thirty taels to what they are giving you!"
The Mada sneered and said, "Scholar Li, you know how domineering that group of Liaodan savages is. You ask the old to fetch soone back from them, and if one second they’re offended, my old life could be forfeit. For the sake of thirty taels, putting my life on the line is truly not worth it."
"Fifty taels."
Li Sheng painfully added twenty taels. He didn’t have much money at hand; aside from the thousand taels his parents-in-law gave him on the wedding day, it was what he earned managing the fur shop these past few months. Along the way, he had already spent quite a bit, and more he could not offer.
However, the Mada snorted dismissively, mockingly saying, "Scholar Li, taking a re fifty taels, you want the old body to risk life fetching soone back for you. Do you overestimate your fifty taels, or underestimate the old life’s value? I say, better you wait a few more days. By the twenty-ninth, your sweetheart will naturally be sent back to you, and not a chunk of at will be missing. Then you can laugh and rejoice as you like."
"Bang—"
Li Sheng couldn’t take it anymore, slamming his fist on the table, suppressing his anger as he said, "Tell , how much silver is needed to bring her back?"
Hearing this, the Mada was straightforward, holding up two fingers and saying, "Two hundred taels, not a single copper less!"
Two hundred taels, though not sounding much, was an astronomical figure for Li Sheng. He just couldn’t produce two hundred taels of silver. The fifty taels he previously promised would require pawning the rabbit fur cloak on his body to gather.
Yet, as he thought of his beloved being ravished beneath the Liaodan savages, his heart ached as if bleeding.
The hand on his knee gradually reached for the mandarin duck jade pendant hanging at his waist.
The Empress Dowager bestowed that jade pendant; he and his wife each had one. Although not large, it was carved from the finest white jade, the workmanship of palace artisans, unparalleled in beauty. Even such a small piece could be worth one to two thousand taels of silver.
At this ti, he was in extre difficulty. He wanted to use this jade pendant to redeem Yiyi, yet feared desecrating the Empress Dowager’s gift and thus offending. As he hesitated, the Mada saw the jade pendant in his hand, her eyes brightened instantly, and with a beaming smile said, "Considering your deep affection for Yiyi, I’ll give you a chance. Let you use this jade pendant to redeem her. As long as Scholar Li is willing, I’ll risk my old life, against the Liaodan people’s wrath, and today surely bring your Yiyi back, allowing you two to reunite as a couple."
Li Sheng was silent, stroking the crystalline, pure jade pendant, his face showing clear hesitation!
Seeing Li Sheng’s expression, the Mada comprehended his thoughts, thus said with a half-smile, "If Scholar Li is reluctant, that’s fine, although it ans that Yiyi must suffer accompanying those savages a few more days. Ah, if it were another girl, I wouldn’t mind, but Yiyi’s body is frail, those savages are like wolves and tigers, fond of a large gang bullying one, the other day at Qingyi Square a girl was tortured to death, pitying Yiyi all alone at Xiaoyaoshan Manor, with hundreds of Liaodan n there, ah, one can only imagine what suffering that Girl is enduring!"
As soon as she finished speaking, the veins on Li Sheng’s forehead bulged out. Resolutely, he unfastened the jade pendant from his waist, handing it over with both hands, saying, "Mada, let us state clearly, presently I have no silver, for now, I’ll pawn this jade pendant as twelve hundred taels with you, wait until I gather the silver and redeem it, now please, step out and fetch Yiyi back!"
The Mada took the jade pendant, holding it against the sun, observing the warmth and smoothness of the mutton-fat jade, it being the finest warm jade, and instantly smiled so broadly her eyes vanishing in mirth, assenting repeatedly, "Well said, well said, you just wait here, I’ll go fetch Yiyi for you now."
With this, she ordered the Bastard to get the carriage ready, then hurried upstairs to change, enthusiastic as she headed towards the direction of Xiaoyaoshan Manor.
In the teahouse opposite, Liu Xi stared blankly at the opposite Ningxiang Pavilion, turning to one of his attendants saying, "Go, find out what the person just went inside is doing there, investigate thoroughly and report back every detail!"
"Yes!"
The attendant cupped his hands in acknowledgnt, leaving at once.
Liu Xi shook his head, sighing, "Shen Juhua, oh Shen Juhua, it seems you’ve made the wrong choice in your partner, marrying a downright scum..."
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