Chapter 40

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Protagonist:

Song Miao

"Official document?"

The subordinate who replied looked a bit panicked, his mouth hanging open as he recalled for a good while before finally saying in a low voice: "That day was extremely urgent, because I thought that Song Dalang was already dead, and the family only had an underage daughter left, who most likely couldn't stir up much trouble, so I spent a few coins on the street to find someone to write the document. If you ask whether there were any flaws, there shouldn't be any... there shouldn't be, right?"

That Boss Liao glared at the subordinate with dissatisfaction and said: "How many times have I told you, you can't be the least bit lazy with this kind of thing. If you had honestly gone to find a Lawsuit Master that day, why would we be afraid of a loose end showing up today?!"

The subordinate hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to say a word, but in his heart he wasn't very convinced.

One word from above, and below they have to run their legs off.

The boss opens his mouth and says go find a Lawsuit Master, but where is a Lawsuit Master so easy to find?

Two lips open and close, and all you get back are a few sheets of paper with writing on them, and three or two strings of cash are gone.

But if you just randomly find a fortune-teller on the street, give forty or fifty wen, in less than half a day's work they can help make the document proper and tight, and you can't see any flaws.

Although these monies, as long as you open your mouth, the boss will give them back in the end, you still have to advance them yourself first.

Today three or two strings, tomorrow three or two strings, can we still live our days?!

Moreover sometimes that bit of money, it's not little if you say it's little, but it's not much if you say it's much, it's fundamentally too embarrassing to ask time and again, and if it drags on, it often ends up unresolved.

Advancing a few dozen wen is one thing, but if you really have to shell out three or two strings yourself...

Damn it, even when sleeping at night your heart aches!

Such words, the subordinate naturally wouldn't dare say straight to the boss's face.

And that Boss Liao, although he also climbed up from the very bottom back in the day, it's been some years since he climbed up, and the position he sits in now is long different, so naturally he doesn't have the energy to consider too much for his subordinates.

He thought for a moment, then ordered: "Take that document and find a Lawsuit Master to look at it. If it's no good, hurry and fix what needs fixing, supplement what needs supplementing — the day before yesterday Wu Yuanwai still sent someone to urge me, telling me to quickly send that young lady over to the Wu family, and not to let any mishaps arise at this time."

The subordinate's heart instantly cried bitterly in secret.

A Lawsuit Master again.

Having a Lawsuit Master examine the document isn't free either, it inevitably requires shelling out money again.

But this time it was his own loose ends that weren't cleaned up, so he didn't dare quibble, only asking: "Boss, then... the Song family side, do we still need to handle it?"

He added: "The Song family's daughter goes every day to Nanlu Academy and the Taixue Gate to set up a stall selling food. I hear business is extremely good. Those students originally aren't picky eaters, they can eat dog shit with relish, lining up in a huge long queue every day. If there really is a flaw in the document, and she finds a student or two to help spot it..."

"Then you tell me what to do?"

This subordinate said: "She's just a little girl, right now she thinks she's something special. How about I bring men to scare her, flip her stall over, and see if she still chatters away here! She's really fucking tired of living!"

The moment the word "le" left his mouth, he felt a sudden gust of wind in front of him, and before he could react, "Pa!" a crisp sound accompanied by pain, one by his ear, one on his face, almost simultaneously exploding.

— It was actually Boss Liao raising his hand and giving him a slap.

Boss Liao, worthy of his porter origins, carrying loads and moving buckets so much his palms are covered in old calluses, he couldn't control his strength for a moment, and the slap sent the subordinate seeing stars.

"I'd say you're the one tired of living!" He spat a mouthful of saliva on the ground, "You know they line up in long queues every day, and you still want to go flip her stall right in front of them, are you afraid the commotion isn't big enough?! Just the day before yesterday I instructed you, the government office has a new recommending official, things haven't been smoothed over yet, it's best to be careful in our conduct, and this is how careful you are?!"

That subordinate covered his face, and could only say: "Then... then just let her be?"

"Are you an idiot?!" Boss Liao hated iron for not becoming steel, "Her whole family lives inside Sanzao County Alley, all day there's only one person, and across from them is our territory. If we really want to teach her a lesson, send two brothers, they'd be there right now, do we have to wait until tomorrow?"

He shouted again: "This still needs me to teach?!"

That subordinate hurriedly agreed non-stop, supporting his face and running out.

This person went outside, head aching, face aching, pain was secondary, when he was slapped it seemed he still saw a human figure outside the door, not knowing who that person ultimately was, whether they would spread the story of him being beaten, where would his face be put then, how would he lead subordinates.

He hated bitterly in his heart, yet didn't delay, splashed water on his face twice — truly baring teeth and cracking mouth, blood even coming from his mouth — only then went to the back courtyard, and sure enough counted out a few brothers, a full four big men, already quite imposing.

After explaining the matter clearly, the brothers each had no second word, immediately agreed, taking advantage of the sky not yet dark, rushing in the time before the night soil carriers come, together heading toward Sanzao County Alley.

With the subordinate gone, Boss Liao didn't idle either.

In this Zhuque Gate area there are so many porters carrying night soil and urine, ever since the previous boss left due to injury and illness, the later son was too young to take over, how many people wanted to snatch this piece of fat meat?

Yet only he climbed up.

To be able to climb up, aside from his own ability, naturally there was also Wu Yuanwai's helping hand behind the scenes.

But how could this helping hand be obtained for nothing?

Boss Liao gets his hands dirty, and follows up on matters tightly.

This is also the reason Wu Yuanwai is willing to use him.

Not to mention the Song family house's position, just this one asset alone, he couldn't possibly only have one person watching it. At this moment he called another subordinate and asked: "Last time I told you to stretch out and feel out that Sun Lizheng of Sanzao County Alley — what's the situation now?"

That subordinate hurriedly said: "He hasn't been idle either. Recently he's had several dealings with the Song family's daughter, sending food and drink back and forth. I heard he even stepped forward to help negotiate with those Song family debt collectors, asking them to grant an extension of days, allowing slow repayment."

Boss Liao heard this and was very displeased, saying: "Given face but don't want face!"

He asked again: "His brother — the one called Sun Er, how is he?"

"Hooked tight, even if you shake the hook he'll chase up and bite. Right now he's addicted to gambling, Boss rest assured, he can't break free!"

Boss Liao then nodded, saying: "Pinch that Sun Er a bit, make that Sun Lizheng properly go mind his own household, stop idling out farts all day meddling in business!"

That subordinate agreed, but wasn't in a hurry to leave, instead went to the side, picked up a pot, came over and helped pour tea.

Boss Liao seeing this, leaned his back against the armchair behind him, and squinted his eyes for a while.

Perhaps there have been a few too many matters this past while, not as able to be thorough as usual, he always feels uneasy.

The Song family house in Sanzao County Alley should originally have been an easy, relaxed job. The gambling ghost father is dead, leaving a daughter, who hasn't even come of age. By rights, isn't it just knead her however you want?

But just at this juncture, the government office changed a new recommending official.

Afraid of attracting attention, after all the connections haven't been smoothed out yet, and the things he's doing aren't things that can see the light, he also didn't want to make too big a fuss. Going with the flow, he gave a month or so of grace, to let that Song Xiaoniangzi recognize the ways of the world, and once she submits and enters the Wu family later, it'll be settled.

How could just this little bit of leftover time still let her toss out all these bird matters?

Just as he was thinking, he heard that subordinate carefully ask: "Boss, just now was it Diao Zi who did something wrong?"

Liao the Shopkeeper froze, then suddenly realized — that slap of his just now was mostly for show.

Such beating and scolding, in the past it would have been fine, but now that he had climbed to this position, doing such undignified things didn't look good; if people saw, they'd think this boss had a narrow mind.

He felt a bit regretful, closed his eyes, and didn't answer.

The subordinate didn't dare ask again, and hurriedly retreated.

After the man left, Liao the Shopkeeper called another person in and instructed: "Go get five hundred cash, and when Diao Zi returns give it to him, just say the brothers worked hard tonight, tell him to take the men out for a good meal and drinks."

Meanwhile, at the Song Family Eatery, Song Miao used oil paper and dried lotus leaves to wrap up pieces of puffed rice candy and five-spice broad beans as return gifts for everyone, and saw them out a few steps beyond the door, bidding them a fond farewell; only after everyone had left did she turn back.

She tidied up the things in the front hall, and was just about to close the main door, when she heard someone speaking not far behind the door.

"Song younger sister."

As he spoke, the man had already walked over in a few steps, arriving right in front of her.

Song Miao looked up, and saw two or three steps away, a young man at the age of twenty was looking at her.

The man had a fair face and tall figure, handsome features — it was precisely the original body's former fiancé, Lin Yiwen.

He looked for a long while, his expression dazed, and sighed: "How did younger sister become so thin and haggard, looking at you... truly makes my heart feel uneasy..."

Seeing this person, Song Miao couldn't help but frown, and without a word, moved to close the door.

Da Wei never placed much emphasis on male-female impropriety to begin with, and moreover the Song family were merchants with shallow boudoirs; Song Huai Zhou and Lin Yiwen were classmates, and before the two families' betrothal, Lin Yiwen often came to the Song family to freeload meals, so the number of times he had met the original body was not few.

In the past two years, the original body, led by her elder brother, had even gone with Lin Yiwen to admire the Lantern Festival flower lanterns and go on spring outings.

Young man and young woman, in the bloom of youth, already having a marriage pact, how could there possibly not be mutual affection between them?

That Song Miao hanged herself so quickly, aside from truly having no way out, the fact that when the Lin family broke off the engagement, Lin Yiwen — this always gentle-spoken fiancé — didn't show his face at all, not a single word of news, was also a reason.

Never mind that they once had a marriage pact; even if they were just neighbors, casual acquaintances, upon learning the Song family had suffered such a great calamity, they would have come to offer a few words of comfort, burn a stick of incense.

Yet the husband she once thought would grow old with her turned out to be so cold-blooded and heartless; for a girl with no relatives present and no family at all, the blow was truly not small.

Song Miao, having inherited the original body's memories, had not the slightest desire to deal with this former fiancé, simply treating him as a dead man.

However the door didn't manage to close in time; Lin Yiwen hurriedly stepped over in a few steps, already frantically using his hand to block it, and asked: "Are you blaming me?"

He opened his mouth to explain: "I've been studying in the academy all along; by the time I got the news it was already too late, and moreover Father owed that much money, the house was also sold off to repay debts; even if I had the will, I truly lacked the power, and I was afraid that coming here would instead make you feel ashamed..."

He also said: "That day coming to break off the engagement truly had nothing to do with me; today for your sake I specially asked my teacher for a leave slip, and have already explained clearly to Mother, asking her to properly persuade Father, to still let you and I continue our good match."

"In the next year or two I'll take the Taixue examination; when the time comes there will naturally be a stipend, I'll give you half each month; once this house is sold and the debts repaid, you also mustn't go out setting up stalls selling food again — it's truly hard work, and coming and going among those students in broad daylight, it doesn't look good either."

"Better to stay home helping make some food, and send it to me daily — I never knew you still had such skill before."

"Only your status now, the two families are no longer suitable for marriage; I fear you'll have to suffer some grievance, and may not even be able to become the wife..."

Song Miao endured for a long while; at first she was still afraid of injuring this person's hand and causing trouble, but the more she listened the more wrong it sounded, and in extreme anger she laughed coldly, through the half-open door saying in a cold voice: "The marriage was long ago cleanly broken off; if you keep blathering on, don't blame me for being impolite."

Lin Yiwen heard Song Miao speak, but where did he take her words to heart? He only thought this was her worrying about the future, and hurriedly said again: "Rest assured, even if I marry a wife in the future, where could anyone match our fate? My heart will certainly still take you as primary, I won't favor one over the other..."

Song Miao could listen no more; she exerted force with her hand, and with half her body pressed the door forward.

Lin Yiwen had not the slightest guard; his hand was caught in the door, crushed with unbearable pain, and with an "Ow!" he cried out miserably, frantically shouting: "Let go, let go!"

The door loosened at the sound.

Lin Yiwen's heart just relaxed a breath; he didn't even have time to wipe his tears and snot, only thinking this was Song younger sister's heart still having him, and was about to complain a few sentences.

Song Miao saw him open his mouth, and already unwilling to hear another half word, threw open the main door, grabbed that door bar from the side, reached out and struck at Lin Yiwen.

The latter was startled, couldn't dodge in time, covered his head and fled like a rat.

Song Miao chased two steps, but couldn't be bothered to waste effort on this person, only raised her voice: "If you dare come again, dare speak nonsense outside, don't blame me for hitting you every time I see you."

She also scolded: "Scram!"

As she spoke she swung that door bar twice in the air, then turned back and closed the door.

Lin Yiwen had originally come to pour out his heart; he thought at most he'd encounter weeping and wailing, comfort and persuade a few sentences; who knew Song Miao would actually treat him so ruthlessly.

His arm still hurt; seeing that door "bang" shut from inside, at this moment hiding in the corner, he actually couldn't react for a long while.

But after standing a moment, recalling just now Song Miao's powdered face holding anger, cold words and cold speech, he only felt this fiancée's appearance today, compared to what he'd seen before, was actually even more spirited and compelling, and instead made his heart and spirit drift.

Lin Yiwen touched his arm, endured the pain, and was about to step forward to knock on the door again.

But before he could walk out from the corner, he heard footsteps coming from the road behind, and also voices speaking.

"Is it that front room? Song Ji Food Shop, don't get it wrong."

"Yes, I came along once last time."

"Door closed, who knows if that woman will agree."

"If she won't agree, just smash the door open — you think you're here as a guest?"

"Best if she's sensible, also saves us some effort."

"What do you want? The boss explained, don't injure the face, and don't think about taking advantage — this one's already been fancied by a noble person!"

As they spoke, four or five big men had already walked out from behind, heads wrapped and legs bound, imposing manner — one look and they were not to be trifled with.

Lin Yiwen heard their words; how could he not guess this was headed for Song Miao.

His heart gave a jump; the foot that had already stepped out half a step suddenly withdrew, and he didn't dare go forward again, only still hiding in the corner, peeking out to look.

And at the alley entrance, brushing past these thugs from the other direction, were also Cheng Zijian, Wang Chang and the other Taixue students carrying puffed rice candy and five-spice broad beans.