Chapter 535: More than half of the fees have been recovered.

Shu Yu and her two companions returned to their small courtyard, where the Shu family members huddled together, some standing and some sitting, chatting.

Only the sixth sister stood alone at the courtyard gate, looking out with a worried expression.

The Shu family members mocked and ridiculed her from behind. If it weren't for the officials in the courtyard, they probably would have attacked the Sixth Miss.

Fortunately, the sixth young lady soon saw Hou and the others return, and immediately took a few steps forward, saying, "Mother."

Madam Hou was very pleased. Just now, when no one was paying attention, she glanced down at the silver notes in her hand.

That young Master Qi is really generous, giving away one hundred taels of silver in one go.

Not to mention that they are penniless now, even in the past, one hundred taels of silver would have been a considerable sum for the Hou family.

With this money and the instructions from that young Master Qi, their journey to the southwest will be much smoother.

She grabbed the sixth girl's hand and whispered, "Mother is alright, don't worry. We'll have good days ahead."

The sixth young lady looked bewildered, but Madam Hou simply patted her hand and said, "I'll explain it to you in detail later."

When the group reached the courtyard and saw that Shu Yu and Hou Shi were unharmed, the Shu family members' expressions turned sour.

That wasn't all. When they went outside and saw the mule carts parked there, they were even more incredulous.

Shu Yu already had a mule cart, and now she has another one?

The leading official didn't need to explain to the Shu family; he simply asked Madam Hou and the sixth daughter to get into the carriage.

Shu Yu got into the same old cart. The mule cart given by Lord Qi was not meant to be too conspicuous, so it was a flatbed cart with no place to lean on.

Shu Yu naturally preferred the 'carriage' her father made. She could cover it with a raincoat to block the sun, and there were curtains all around to block the wind and rain. When all the curtains were drawn, it became a private space.

No one can see what she's doing inside, so she can rest and sleep more peacefully.

Once the group had set off, Shu Yu opened the purse in her hand, looked at the silver inside, and raised her eyebrows.

Indeed, she has recovered most of the expenses she spent bribing officials during this period.

The officials won't ask her for the silver.

Shu Yu rested comfortably in the carriage. After about an hour, the official driving the carriage was replaced by the lead official.

As soon as he sat on the carriage shaft, he increased the speed slightly, creating some distance between himself and the rest of the group.

He then began to recount the background of the middle-aged man, "That Lord Qi was originally the Junior Tutor, a high-ranking and powerful official. Some time ago, something happened at the Imperial Academy, and the Emperor was furious. The Junior Tutor was implicated and was thus exiled to the southwest."

Shu Yu listened silently. The Junior Tutor was a first-rank official in the imperial court, an official who assisted the monarch.

He certainly has a powerful background. No wonder he has protection, family members who follow him on his journey to exile, and even people who try every means to harm him.

The leading officer continued, "Although the Junior Tutor has been exiled, he still has connections with the Emperor. Everyone knows he won't be gone for long in the southwest. When the Emperor remembers him, he'll recall him. Besides, the Junior Tutor's son, students, and colleagues are still in the capital; they'll definitely help."

Shu Yu nodded. "Then who was the assassin who tried to kill him last night?"

The officer shook his head. "I'm just an escort officer. How could I possibly know about such confidential matters?"

(End of this chapter)