Free Web NovelChapter 44: Chapter 42: An Ungrateful Person
"I agree on Xinghua’s behalf." These were the first words Wei Tu spoke after Caixia burst into the Li Mansion’s drawing room.
His words were calm and brief, but Li Yaozu and his wife detected an underlying message—Wei Tu was talking back to them.
Whether viewed as a former servant who had bought his freedom from the Li Mansion, or as a guest in their home, Wei Tu’s words were incredibly impolite...
’No, I should say he was already being impolite the moment Caixia burst into the drawing room.’ Sitting in his chair, Li Yaozu’s right hand, hidden in his sleeve, clenched tightly as he suppressed his dissatisfaction.
He had originally assumed that Wei Tu, in order to buy back Xinghua’s contract, would first approach him with a proposal for discussion... Then, the two families could handle it amicably. The Li Mansion would release her, the Wei Mansion would receive her, and the whole affair would become a celebrated story in Qingshan County—perhaps even across all of Shannan Dao.
This way, the Li Family would have gained immense prestige. When Li Xingye took his examinations, the officials would have looked upon him more favorably, helping him secure a place on the list of successful candidates.
Then, the Li Family’s social standing would soar, and they would become known as the most "benevolent family" in all of Qingshan County Town.
But now, Wei Tu’s single sentence had shattered his fantasy.
Wei Tu had agreed to Caixia’s proposal so readily, without giving any consideration to the Li Family’s perspective.
’How could he be so ungrateful?’ Li Yaozu seethed.
He couldn’t just stand by and watch his investment in Wei Tu over the past six months go completely down the drain...
His fury now was as intense as his previous enthusiasm had been.
Although Mrs. Li Tong hadn’t thought about it as much as Li Yaozu, she instinctively felt that Wei Tu’s words were ’improper.’
She just couldn’t quite put her finger on why it felt so ’improper.’
"Perhaps Master Li feels I am not qualified to make this decision on Xinghua’s behalf?"
When Li Yaozu and his wife remained silent, Wei Tu’s brow furrowed slightly, and his tone instantly grew sharper, more pointed.
Initially, upon arriving at the Li Mansion’s inner residence today, he had recalled Chunlan’s words. He had decided to postpone buying Xinghua’s freedom, intending to find a more opportune moment and avoid provoking Li Yaozu and his wife, as a gesture of respect for their past kindness.
But plans are no match for reality.
In the interim, the incident with Caixia had occurred.
This classic scene of a young master from a wealthy family bullying a servant girl immediately convinced Wei Tu that the Li Mansion was no safe haven for Xinghua. She needed to leave, and soon.
He hadn’t forgotten the day he saw Li Xingye back in the second month. After the banquet, Li Xingye had viciously kicked an old cypress tree in the courtyard.
’Now, with Li Xingye "unhinged" after failing his examination, if he found out that I had passed, there’s no telling what he might do to Xinghua out of resentment.’
’A situation like that... would be Uncontrollable!’
At that time, even with his official rank, it would be difficult for him to intervene on Xinghua’s behalf.
After all, Xinghua’s servitude contract was held by the Li Mansion; she was, legally, their property.
Therefore, Caixia’s outburst had actually solved a pressing problem for him.
After a moment’s thought, Wei Tu decided to ride the momentum and seize this opportunity to retrieve Xinghua’s contract from the Li Mansion without any further delay.
As for what happened today—
Wei Tu was certain the Li Family wouldn’t dare publicize it or accuse him of "betraying his masters," because it involved Caixia.
To publicize it would be to air their own dirty laundry—a family scandal.
The time was right.
Wei Tu would not hesitate.
"O-Of course not..." Li Yaozu sighed to himself and shook his head.
Wei Tu was Xinghua’s husband; of course he had the right to decide whether to buy back her contract.
Arguing further would be pointless. Worse, it would mean completely dropping the facade with Wei Tu.
He wasn’t ready to make an enemy of Wei Tu.
But the moment Li Yaozu finished speaking, Li Xingye slammed his hand on the table and shot to his feet. He paced back and forth in the hall, sizing up Caixia and Wei Tu. "Wei Tu," he sneered, "are you really going to turn against our Li Family over this servant girl?"
"In the 16th year of Qing’an, there was a great drought in Qingfeng Prefecture. The harvest failed completely. The Li Family took you in and saved your life. Have you no intention of repaying that kindness?"
"Last year, when you bought back your contract, my father took pity on you. He used the Li Family’s connections to write a letter of recommendation to Shan Wuju..."
"And you repay all this kindness by brazenly disrespecting my parents today?" Li Xingye finished with a scornful laugh.
A moment ago, he had been ready to let Caixia go and allow Xinghua to be bought out. But he hadn’t expected Wei Tu to be so audacious, to humiliate and pressure his parents in such a way.
He finally snapped.
Having hurled the words out, Li Xingye felt a rush of catharsis, as if all the pent-up resentment from his own failure had finally been unleashed.
As his voice fell, a frigid silence descended upon the drawing room.
Li Yaozu and his wife fell silent.
Caixia was also shocked.
All three of them stared at Wei Tu, wondering how he would react to such a blatant insult.
But—
Wei Tu remained perfectly calm, as if he had expected Li Xingye to say exactly that.
"I have never forgotten the Li Family’s kindness."
"And I will repay it, when the opportunity arises..." Wei Tu replied, looking at Li Xingye with a slightly cold tone.
With that said, Wei Tu turned his gaze back to Li Yaozu and his wife, awaiting their decision on Xinghua’s contract.
"Xingye has been despondent since he failed his examination. Please, Brother Wei, forgive his offensive words."
Mrs. Li Tong offered an apology.
Then, she nudged Li Yaozu, who was sitting beside her. "Husband, go get Xinghua’s contract. Two of our people buying their freedom on the same day is a joyous occasion. I’m happy for them."
"Yes, yes, of course..." Seeing a way to save face, Li Yaozu didn’t hesitate. He turned and went to the inner hall to retrieve Xinghua’s contract.
"Buying out Xinghua’s contract doesn’t require ten taels of silver. Seven taels is enough."
Mrs. Li Tong took three taels from her coin purse and placed them on the small table beside her.
Having done this, she, much like Caixia earlier, pressed her lips into a thin line. She leaned back in her straight-backed chair, her gaze drifting aimlessly toward the hall’s beams and pillars, lost in thought for a moment.
With Xinghua’s contract in hand, Wei Tu cupped his fists and thanked Li Yaozu and his wife. "Madam," he said, "regarding my staying the night, I don’t believe today is appropriate. On another day, when I am free, Xinghua and I will come to visit you..."
"Very well." Hearing this, Mrs. Li Tong’s face reflexively broke into a smile as she nodded in reply.
To the side, Li Xingye watched this, stunned. He hadn’t expected Wei Tu’s Qi Cultivation Skill—his self-control—to be so formidable. His parents’ handling of the situation had also differed from what he’d imagined.
After his outburst, however, he realized his words had been inappropriate—spoken in a fit of rage that had clouded his judgment. So he simply played dead, waiting for the whole affair to be over.
Soon, Wei Tu and Caixia left the drawing room.
Chunlan, who had been waiting outside, watched them go. Then, with trembling hands, she entered carrying the dinner tray for the masters of the Li Mansion.
"Chunlan, what you just saw—swallow it. You are not to speak a word of it to anyone outside, or you will face the household discipline." Mrs. Li Tong’s smile vanished completely, her expression hardening as she spoke.
"This servant understands."
Chunlan bobbed her head like a chick pecking at grain and set the dishes on the Eight Immortals table.
"It’s just... this servant has something to say, but I don’t know if I should..." Chunlan hesitated for a moment before looking at Mrs. Li Tong and speaking in a low voice.
"What is it?"
Mrs. Li Tong’s expression was grim. She had suffered more indignity today than in all her twenty-odd years since marrying into the Li Mansion.
"Brother Wei..."
"He passed this year’s Daoist Examination," Chunlan said hurriedly. "He’s on the list... He’s a Second-Class Martial Scholar."
