Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 227 What is going on?

Erhuzi took the deed and read it, then took out a purse from his pocket.

He pinched out a silver ingot, weighed it, and threw it to Li Changgen, saying, "You don't have to go to the gambling house to exchange it. This is a ten-liang silver ingot with half of it cut off. Five or two liang is more or less. Forget it, I'll give it to you at a bargain."

Li Changgen stretched out his hand, took the silver, and smiled happily, not caring whether Zheng Sanniang wanted to go with him or not.

He just said to his parents in a hurry: "Dad, Mom, I have money again. You pack up these and go home quickly. I'm going to the gambling house. Who knows, I might make a comeback today."

After saying this, he called him back regardless of how his parents yelled at him behind him.

He separated from the crowd and went away.

Everyone was stunned. Li Changgen was completely hopeless.

Seeing that there was no more excitement to watch, everyone shook their heads and sighed, then dispersed and hurried back home.

It was gradually getting dark, and only the Li family's parents-in-law, Shen Yu, Lu Lang and their group were left in the alley.

The Li family's parents-in-law stared blankly at the alley where their son disappeared. They were tired of scolding him, but they couldn't catch up with him no matter how hard they tried.

After these few days of hard work, they were exhausted both physically and mentally.

Li Changgen's father glanced at Zheng Sanniang and wanted to say something, but in the end he just lowered his head slightly, pulled up his dazed old woman, and walked into the yard together.

They couldn't move the broken items piled at the entrance of the yard, so they simply left them alone.

Seeing the person go in, Shen Yu said worriedly: "Nothing will happen, right?"

Mrs. Liu curled her lips and said, "Don't worry, young lady. They are very open-minded. As long as their son is around, they are not afraid of anything."

Shen Yu thought about it and it made sense. His son sold out his grandson, but the two men said nothing. How heartless!

Lu Lang said, "After a lot of trouble, the matter has been settled. Let's go back."

Shen Yu looked at Er Huzi and asked in a low voice, "Sister Zheng, are you going to go with them now? Has she really been sold to the gambling house by signing a death contract?"

Lu Lang said: "I have my own arrangements for this matter, you don't have to worry about it, just take Zheng Sanniang back. From now on, she and Xiao Zhuzi will no longer be members of the Li family."

Shen Yu still didn't understand. What would Zheng Sanniang do in the future? Would she go to the gambling house again?

Lu Lang turned around and walked out, saying, "Go back quickly, I'm hungry."

Shen Yu was speechless and had to pull Zheng Sanniang, who still looked nervous, to follow him out of the alley.

Mrs. Liu followed a few steps and said, "Miss, I won't follow you. It seems that Master Lu has made all the arrangements."

"Sanniang is with you, I have nothing to worry about. I have to go home first. I don't know how my mother-in-law will scold me."

After saying that, he hurried towards his own yard.

Erhuzi and the others waited until Mr. Chai put away the small wooden box, then followed him out of the alley.

When they reached the entrance of the alley, Erhuzi took out two deeds and respectfully handed them to Lu Lang who was waiting at the entrance.

Lu Lang took it, smiled and said, "Just tell me when you go back that you gave me both the person and the contract."

"I will pay a visit to Brother Song tomorrow and return the twenty-five taels of silver to him then."

"Don't worry, I won't default on my debt and let you suffer the consequences."

Er Huzi bowed slightly and said with a smile: "Mr. Lu, you are joking. The young master and the young master are classmates and friends. Why can't I trust him? The gambling house is still waiting for my reply. I will go back first."

After saying this, a few people bowed, got on a carriage at the entrance of the alley, waved their whips, and sped away.

Lu Lang immediately handed the deed to Shen Yu and said, "Here, keep it."

Shen Yu took the deed and was about to speak when he suddenly heard someone call, "Yuzhi."

When I looked up, I saw that it was Li, Jiang and Zhou Dalang who came out from behind the trees on the street.

Li carefully looked towards the alley entrance and saw that no one was there, so she asked, "How did the talk go? Did Li Changgen agree to divorce?"

Shen Yu knew that Li and the others must have come here because they were worried about waiting at home.

I didn't know how to answer for a moment, so I folded the deed and put it in my purse while saying, "Mom, Sister Zheng is fine now. This is not the place to talk. Let's go back to the store and talk."

Lu Lang also said: "Yeah, let's go back quickly, those people are giving me a headache."

When Li heard that everything was fine, she felt relieved and said happily, "That's good. Zhou Dalang, don't worry. Go home and tell Madam Cui. She is worried at home too."

Zhou Dalang responded and went back home.

The group returned to the shop, entered the big kitchen, and sat down.

Jiang hurriedly made tea and gave each person a cup of osmanthus honey drink, which had a sweet osmanthus fragrance and was at just the right temperature.

Shen Yu took it and drank half of the cup before he let out a long sigh. He felt completely relaxed sitting in his own shop.

Lu Lang picked up the cup, tasted it, raised his eyebrows, and drank it slowly in small sips.

All the servants sat there, eagerly waiting for Lu Lang to finish his tea and tell them what happened.

Lu Lang lowered his eyelids and drank half a cup slowly. When he put the cup down, he realized that everyone was looking at him.

He asked curiously, "Don't you guys drink tea? This sweet osmanthus honey drink is good, sweet and refreshing."

Shen Yu was anxious to know the answer, so he smiled and asked, "We have already had the tea. Mr. Lu, what is going on?"

"Sister Zheng and Xiao Zhuzi were sold to the gambling house by Li Changgen. The contract says that they are now the gambling house's people. What are they going to do in the future?"

Lu Lang smiled and said, "Isn't the deed in your hands? I'll return the money to Brother Song tomorrow and have him sign a new deed. Then they will no longer be members of the gambling house."

As he said this, he turned to look at Zheng Sanniang, but Zheng Sanniang just lowered her head, holding the cup tightly in both hands, and trembling slightly.

Lu Lang asked, "Madam Zheng, I will give you the silver tomorrow. After you get the release deed, you will have two choices."

"One is to take the child back to her parents' home. You write an IOU with Miss Shen. The money is from Miss Shen's family. When you have the money, you can return it to her."

"Second, you signed a sales contract with Miss Shen's family. From now on, you and Xiao Zhuzi will be Miss Shen's servants. She will decide whether you stay or go, whether you live or die."

Lu Lang said it very easily, and Li and Jiang beside him were not surprised, but Shen Yu, a modern man, was a little dumbfounded when he heard it.

Why do you want to become a servant out of nowhere? Didn’t you agree that you would just work as a helper in my house and pay me back?

Seeing Shen Yu's puzzled expression, Lu Lang thought for a moment and said with a smile: "Miss Shen has probably never bought or sold servants."

"Mrs. Zheng married into the Li family, so she is a member of the Li family."

"Li Changgen signed a contract of sale with the gambling house. From then on, Zheng Niangzi and her son were no longer free civilians, but people who had signed a contract of sale."

"Her life or death is decided by the person who bought her."

Shen Yu still didn't understand what Lu Lang meant.

She thought for a moment and asked, "Then I should return the gambling house's deed to Sister Zheng and ask her to write a promissory note and pay back the money. Why did I suggest that she sign a contract to sell herself with my family?"