Free Web NovelChapter 43: Chapter 41: Caixia’s Decision
Wei Tu stopped at the door.
He drew back his right foot, which had been poised in mid-air to cross the threshold, and turned to look at the kneeling maidservant in the hall.
It was evening now. The hall’s oil lamp stood on a side table near the southern wall, right beside Li Yaozu and his wife. The light filtered through their robes and hairpins, casting immense shadows that stretched from the table to the threshold outside, blanketing the weeping, kneeling maidservant.
After halting, Wei Tu stepped onto the shadows covering the floor tiles and walked back into the living hall, standing beside the maidservant without a word.
Having been at the Li Mansion for years, Wei Tu was familiar with all its maidservants and servants. Even without seeing her face, he could guess who it was just from her figure.
If his relationship with this maidservant had been ordinary, he would have immediately turned and left, ignoring such a trivial matter, common in the households of the wealthy.
He did not yet have the strength to challenge the established social order.
But if it was Caixia...
He found it impossible to take that step, to choose to ignore the situation and leave the Li Mansion’s hall.
Although the debt he owed Caixia wasn’t enough to make him "wage war" on the Li Family, it was more than enough to make him stand up for her.
Back then.
If not for Caixia’s warning, which had prompted him to buy out his indenture contract early and avoid Li Yaozu’s "attack"...
He might have already become a bandit, a swordsman hiding in the mountain forests.
Or even worse—
He might have been beheaded, killed tragically by the blades and spears of the Official Soldiers.
...
’Why did he come back?’ Inside the Li Mansion’s hall, seeing Wei Tu standing beside Caixia, Li Yaozu and his wife felt their hearts twist in turmoil. They had no idea how to proceed with this "trivial matter."
A master abusing a maidservant was explicitly forbidden by the laws of Zheng Country. However, the penalty for violating this law was merely a fine of a few silver coins. Thus, in the eyes of Li Yaozu and his wife, the so-called decree was nothing but an empty piece of paper.
Normally.
After something like this, Mrs. Li Tong, as the Lady of the House, would scold Li Xingye a few times, punish him with confinement to reflect on his actions, and then compensate Caixia with some money. The matter would then be considered over.
If the couple was so inclined, it would also be possible for Li Xingye to secretly take Caixia into his chambers.
But the trouble now was that Wei Tu was backing Caixia. Even though he hadn’t spoken, his stance was clear.
Wei Tu’s own strength, along with Shan Wuju and the Huang Family of the County Town behind him, forced Li Yaozu and his wife to carefully consider how to give a perfect answer to both Wei Tu and Caixia.
"Caixia, what’s done is done. Even if I... even if I scold Xingye further, it won’t change anything..."
"State your demands. I will consider them and agree to what is reasonable."
After a moment, Mrs. Li Tong finally broke the silence in the both quiet and noisy hall.
"Anything but the position of Xingye’s Main Wife is on the table."
She added another sentence.
Caixia was Li Yaozu’s bed-chamber maid. Although Li Yaozu had never touched her under Mrs. Li Tong’s watch, she still held that title. For Li Xingye to take Caixia as a concubine would be a breach of propriety and highly inappropriate.
Her words telling Caixia not to covet the position of Main Wife were actually a warning not to even think of becoming Li Xingye’s concubine, which would put her in a difficult position.
"Caixia..."
Caixia’s sobs stopped. She pursed her lips, uttered her own name, and then fell silent again.
"Mother, she’s just a maid. Father doesn’t use her, and I haven’t taken a wife yet. It’s no big deal to take her into my chambers," Li Xingye interjected, rubbing his drowsy eyes.
Hearing this, Caixia seemed to make a decision. She looked up, first at Wei Tu, then her gaze shifted to Mrs. Li Tong. "This servant begs the Lady of the House’s grace. Grant me my freedom and funds to return home."
"That’s all?" Mrs. Li Tong was a little incredulous upon hearing Caixia’s request, a look of astonishment on her face.
Without Wei Tu backing her, Caixia’s demand would have been outrageous. She would never have even considered agreeing.
For a master to favor a maidservant was considered a gift, a blessing. After all, everything a maidservant had belonged to her master.
But things were different now. Mrs. Li Tong had already braced herself to be extorted for a hefty sum by Caixia.
Spending a little money to keep the family scandal from getting out—that was what she, the Lady of the House, was supposed to do.
Once the scandal became public, not only would the Li Family’s local reputation suffer, but it would also hinder Li Xingye’s path in the imperial examinations.
"I pray the Lady of the House will grant my request."
Caixia kowtowed twice.
"Since your mind is made up, I will grant you this," Mrs. Li Tong said, sighing in relief internally.
A short while later, Mrs. Li Tong emerged from the inner hall with a lacquered wooden tray. On it were two silver ingots and an unsealed envelope.
"These two silver ingots are each a full five taels, for a total of ten taels of silver. Take them."
"Inside the envelope are your indenture papers and a letter of manumission written by the master..."
Mrs. Li Tong spoke each word clearly.
"Thank you, Lady of the House."
Caixia kowtowed again, her face filled with gratitude.
Seeing this, Wei Tu saw no further reason to stay. He sighed inwardly and prepared to leave.
Everyone makes their own choices.
’In his view, Caixia’s choice wasn’t a bad one. She asked for her freedom and ten taels of silver, rather than staying in the Li Mansion.’
’With her freedom and money, as long as her parents weren’t scoundrels, she could live out the rest of her life with a decent outcome...’
However—
Just when everyone thought the dust had settled, Caixia suddenly stood up.
She rose, quickly took the two silver ingots from the lacquered tray Mrs. Li Tong held, and said, "Lady of the House, Sister Xinghua and I have always been close. She has helped me a great deal in this mansion. With these ten taels of silver, I would like to buy Sister Xinghua’s freedom. Would the Lady of the House permit it?"
As her voice fell, everyone in the hall turned to look at Wei Tu, who was standing beside Caixia.
Xinghua was Wei Tu’s wife.
For Caixia to buy Xinghua’s indenture, and for the Li Mansion to release it, there was no way to get around the man standing before them—Wei Tu...
Hearing this, Li Yaozu and his wife looked at Wei Tu, waiting to see his reaction.
They knew full well that with Wei Tu’s current status and position, he could have borrowed the money to buy back Xinghua’s indenture half a year ago if he had wanted to.
The reason he hadn’t was not that he had forgotten the wife who shared his hardships, but because the favor owed from borrowing money to free one’s wife was simply too great.
Now, Caixia’s offer to use her money to buy Xinghua’s indenture from the Li Mansion was undoubtedly a great favor bestowed upon Wei Tu.
However, to Li Yaozu and his wife’s disappointment, Wei Tu seemed to tacitly approve. He remained silent after hearing Caixia’s words.
"Buying out an indenture contract requires the person’s consent..." Li Yaozu began, searching for the right words to refuse.
’He still wanted to use Xinghua as leverage against Wei Tu. If Caixia bought her freedom, the debt of gratitude would fall entirely to her.’
"A wife follows her husband."
"On this point, I will consent on Xinghua’s behalf."
Wei Tu said, breaking the silence.
