Chapter 46: Dealing with Runaway Slaves – A Battle of Wits

Qiu Yuan received a letter from Zhang Ting early this morning, and was shocked to learn that she was going back to her hometown to devote herself to her studies. However, Qiu Yuan really had no time to pay attention to it at the moment.

At 9:00 AM, she received a message from the steward saying that a servant at the estate had secretly slept with someone and absconded with a large amount of valuables the previous night!

The Qiu family is a prestigious family with a century-long history and strict discipline. How could they not be ridiculed for such a disgraceful incident?

At that time, Qiu Yuan was sitting and drinking tea when she heard this. She was so angry that she smashed her bowl and immediately ordered her attendants to lead the maids in the mansion to chase after him.

Those two were also fast runners. Qiu Yuan and her group rode swiftly, chasing them for ten miles outside the capital before finally catching them.

Fearing that the news would leak out, Qiu Yuan ordered her men to tie the two of them up tightly, gag them, and secretly transport them back to the manor.

She didn't want to make a big fuss and damage the Qiu family's reputation, so she planned to deal with the runaway slave and his lover privately, as if the scandal had never happened.

As soon as he returned, he ran into Qiu's mother's confidant halfway there.

The trusted confidant came on orders and conveyed Madam Qiu's message to her: "The head of the family means that these are turbulent times, and he requests that you hand the two over to the authorities so that the prefect can deal with them."

Qiu Yuan dared not disobey her mother's orders, but she was furious. She glanced at the two people who were crying and begging for mercy, and ordered her men to tie their hands with ropes, then tie the ropes to the horses and drag them to the prefectural government office in the capital.

A cold smile tugged at the corner of her lips. "Isn't he supposed to be a fast runner?"

......

Zhang Ting was busy today, so she ate lunch at a food stall outside and ordered a bowl of braised noodles.

After finishing her meal, she rinsed her mouth with the tea beside her. Looking up, she saw a group of people galloping across the way, kicking up dust. Leading them was Qiu Yuan, with a man and a woman dragging behind her. They were disheveled, dressed in tattered clothes, and stained with blood, leaving a long trail of blood in their wake.

What's going on here?

Qiu Yuan also saw Zhang Ting, reined in her horse and stopped, casually tossed her riding whip to a servant, and walked straight over with a smile on her face: "Sister Zhang, what a coincidence!"

Zhang Ting got up and exchanged pleasantries with her. After they finished talking, he asked her what had happened.

Qiu Yuan sighed and said, "Since we've lost all face and dignity today, and we're sisters, I won't lie to you."

She pointed vaguely at the two people lying stiffly on the ground, unconscious, then lowered her hand, feeling it was bad luck. "That man is a servant of my household. He ran away with someone last night. Today I'm arresting him and his lover and taking them to the authorities!"

Qiu Yuan kept quiet about absconding with a large amount of valuables; her lax management of her household was so egregious that it was truly shameful to mention.

Escaped slaves? Zhang Ting understood immediately.

A ruthless glint flashed in Qiu Yuan's eyes as she continued, "According to the law, runaway slaves must be exiled three thousand miles away. This time, I'll make an example of one to warn a hundred, and see who else dares to break the law."

Zhang Ting comforted her, telling her not to let anger harm her health, and that the Qiu family had a clean and upright family tradition and treated their subordinates with kindness and gentleness; this was just an isolated case.

Qiu Yuan felt somewhat comforted and nodded in agreement, but then suddenly slapped her forehead, exclaiming, "I forgot to pick up this lowly slave's indenture!"

He said to the maid beside him, "Hurry back to the mansion and ask the master for it. We'll need it when we go to court later."

Qiu Yuan had other important matters to attend to, so she turned to Zhang Ting with an apologetic look and said, "I am busy today and have neglected you, sister. I will definitely come to see you off the day after tomorrow!"

Zhang Ting pulled her aside and said sincerely, "I will be setting off at dawn the day after tomorrow. Please don't come to see me off, sister. I will be hosting a banquet at Keyinglou tomorrow. Please do me the honor of attending."

Seeing that she was determined, Qiu Yuan gave up, accepted her invitation, mounted her horse, and hurried to the government office.

Zhang Ting stroked his chin, gazing at the departing figures of the group, lost in thought as he recalled the bloodstain from earlier.

She looked away and sighed to herself: "I traveled three thousand miles in vain, and Xiaoyi almost caught up with me."

I wonder how well he tidied up his house.

In the afternoon, Zhang Ting took Li Ruilian for a walk around the incense shop. The incense shop was not big and had been operating for almost a month. After deducting the monthly fee, the total profit was 1,380 taels. This business was not particularly eye-catching, so she was not afraid of being targeted.

After agreeing with the accountant that 70% of the monthly profits would be deposited into the bank, and Steward Zheng would come to check the accounts regularly, Zhang Ting went home.

He didn't stop on the way, calculating how much money he had left.

The accounts for Keyinglou in April haven't been settled yet. She has nearly 10,000 taels of silver in her hands right now. She also has a piece of land in Lvtian County. When the time comes, she can demolish the dilapidated house and build a three-courtyard mansion, which will be more than enough.

With the extra money, we can buy some more property and at least make ends meet.

Li Ruilian was somewhat uneasy today. She walked behind Zhang Ting, hesitated for a moment, and finally asked, "Master, you are from Luchuan County, why don't you go back to your hometown to settle down?"

As Zhang Ting walked through the corridor, he casually remarked, "My mentor and friend are in Lütian County; they live there very comfortably."

Upon hearing this, Li Ruilian fell silent.

Zhang Ting asked in surprise, "Master Li, what's wrong with you today?"

Li Ruilian looked embarrassed and somewhat awkward, only saying, "It's nothing."

Seeing that she was unwilling to explain, Zhang Ting did not press the matter further.

Lin Xiuzhen was standing at the hanging flower gate when she saw Zhang Ting return and handed her the letter in her hand.

Zhang Ting took it and saw that it was from Qiu Yuan and Fang Ting, but Luo Zijun was missing, which she found strange.

Fearing that Luo Zijun would collapse at home again like last time, she specifically asked, "When you went to deliver the letter, how was Zijun's condition?"

Lin Xiuzhen opened her mouth to answer, but a light and cheerful voice beat her to it.

"Zijun is well, thank you for your concern, sister." Luo Zijun came out of the main hall after hearing the noise.

Lin Xiuzhen scratched her head and grinned, "Miss Luo, you came back with me and said you have something to say to you alone."

Luo Zijun quickly came to Zhang Ting's side, her round almond-shaped eyes looking at Zhang Ting with a hint of grievance, "Sister, you left in such a hurry. Zijun only regrets that she could not spend more time with you."

Zhang Ting affectionately patted her head. In fact, the person she couldn't bear to part with the most in Kyoto was Luo Zijun. The appearance of this good younger sister deepened her understanding of the imperial examination and her knowledge almost made a qualitative leap.

"Zijun has no parents in the capital, why don't you come back to your hometown with me?"

Luo Zijun's eyes lit up, and she was very tempted, but after a while, she suddenly remembered something and her expression darkened again. "Zijun also has important matters to attend to in the capital and cannot go back with her sister."

Zhang Ting took in her series of reactions, nodded slightly, and said that every family has its own problems, and there was no way to force anyone to do anything.

The two walked hand in hand into the study. On the way, Zhang Ting talked about future plans, which Luo Zijun praised highly. However, after a while, she slumped her shoulders, pouted, and said with regret, "So, Zijun won't be able to see her sister for three years?" Her round eyes stared pitifully at Zhang Ting, like a little dog wagging its tail and begging for mercy.

Zhang Ting pursed her lips, patted the puppy's head. It's grown to her shoulder now, and in three years it should be about the same height as her.

"Although we are thousands of miles apart, our hearts are connected. This will not damage our sisterly bond. We can keep in touch through correspondence. We will meet again at the summit in three years."

Luo Zijun stared intently at Zhang Ting with her clear eyes, as if a tail was wagging eagerly behind her, and smiled as she echoed, "Of course."

Zhang Ting smiled and invited her into the study for a chat. Since she was already there, it would be a shame not to take advantage of Ziju's knowledge.

We chatted until the hour of You (5-7 PM), when it was almost time for dinner.

Zhang Ting and Luo Zijun entered the main hall chatting and laughing, only to be met with a handsome and refined face. He stared at her with a gloomy expression, his eyes full of accusation that she had neglected him.

Zhang Ting coughed twice, then called Du Zaolang to set the table and invited the two men to sit down.

The three of them sat down, and a moment of silence ensued.

Zhang Ting awkwardly introduced them: "This is Young Master Xiao Yi. He's the one who prepared the tea and snacks for you earlier."

"This is Luo Zijun, my younger sister. She came to visit us last time."

Zong Suyi nodded respectfully to Luo Zijun, and Luo Zijun returned the gesture.

The two exchanged a glance, and in that single look they sensed each other's dislike, without uttering a single word.

A moment later, Zong Suyi and Zhang Ting started taking stock of their belongings. "The carriage is all old. How about I replace it with a new one tomorrow?"

"Okay, whatever you say."

After a while, Luo Zijun pulled Zhang Ting aside to chat about current events in the capital. "I heard that Lord Lu, the examiner for last year's imperial examination, was demoted to the position of judge in Taizhou Prefecture the day before yesterday."

"really?"

In short, Zhang Ting kept turning her head to the left and then to the right, extremely busy, and her mouth never stopped moving.

In the end, it was Du Zhaolang and Xiao Rong who brought her food and rescued her.

She breathed a sigh of relief and said, "Let's eat."

The other two glared at each other, snorted, and were unwilling to give up. They tried to pull Zhang Ting aside to talk to her again.

As if he had foreseen the future, Zhang Ting spoke before them: "One should not speak while eating or sleeping. Even if it is just coarse food and vegetable soup, or a melon offering, one must treat it with utmost respect."

This is to tell them to follow the rules and stop talking.

The two immediately stopped talking and lowered their heads.

Zong Suyi was resentful and couldn't stand this round-faced girl.

Luo Zijun frowned, disgusted by this talkative, spoiled young master.

Zhang Ting looked at this and then at that, feeling that she couldn't disrupt the hard-won tranquility.

He then lowered his head and focused on eating.

Hmm, Du Zaolang's cooking skills have improved today; the food is delicious and fragrant.

After the meal, Luo Zijun followed Zhang Ting to the courtyard to digest. Zong Suyi, who was eating slowly and hadn't finished yet, wiped his mouth upon hearing this and hurriedly followed.

As they chatted, Luo Zijun suggested that she and Zhang Ting sleep side by side. Zong Suyi, who was lagging behind, looked up in disbelief, glared at Luo Zijun with hostility, gritted his teeth, and clenched his fists.

That brat!

Before he could stop her, Zhang Ting softly declined, saying, "I'm in a hurry this time and have many other matters to attend to. I really can't entertain you, sister. Please don't take offense."

Sleeping side by side? No, Zhang Ting never wanted to stay awake until dawn again.

Luo Zijun was disappointed. After talking for a while, Zhang Ting sent a driver to take Luo Zijun home.

After she saw the person out, she returned to the inner courtyard humming a country tune. There she saw Zong Suyi squatting on the ground, poking at the ants with a stick.

Zhang Ting raised an eyebrow, walked over and asked him, "Is it alright for the family to set off at dawn the day after tomorrow?"

Zong Suyi looked up at her, her expression obedient, and said softly, "No problem, Miss, please rest assured." Then she suddenly tugged at the hem of her robe, opened her bright eyes, pouted and complained to her aggrievedly, "Miss, you hardly paid any attention to me today."

Zhang Ting bent down and ruffled his round head, messing up his neat and smooth hair. Feeling refreshed, he said without any guilt, "I was busy with work today."

He clearly didn't notice the situation on his head. Instead, he was instantly happy because of Zhang Ting's comforting words. He squinted his eyes happily, tugged at Zhang Ting's clothes, and finally didn't forget to put down Luo Zijun: "Miss, the person you brought back keeps glaring at me!"

"That's outrageous!"

Zhang Ting straightened up and clutched her forehead in pain. Clearly, the two had never had any conflicts, so why did they become like oil and water the moment they met?