Chapter 109 Reward (Two Chapters in One)
Old Lady Lou has a very bad reputation on this street. She is a well-known shrew, arrogant, unreasonable, and dishonest.
Mr. Lou's reputation was not very good either. It was said that although he was a scholar, before he got married, he also liked to take advantage of small opportunities. For example, after eating half a bowl of vegetarian noodles that cost two cents, he started complaining that the noodles were too little. The more customers there were, the more excited he complained, and he didn't stop until the noodle stall owner gave him a few more noodles.
However, all this changed after he got married. Although Lou Lao Niang was still a shrew, she never stole anything again.
The biggest change was that of Mr. Lou. Not only did he no longer haggle over a few noodles, but he also became generous and gained a good reputation among scholars.
The neighbors concluded that he was lucky to have married a rich and obedient wife.
Xiuxiu grabbed the old lady who said she had talked to Zhang before, and asked her in detail. It turned out that the old lady had never seen Zhang's true face. Although they had talked, Zhang hid her face in the veil the whole time.
However, the neighbors have always said that Zhang is beautiful, and Xiuxiu is puzzled. You haven't seen her face, so how do you know she is beautiful?
But this question soon had an answer. The matchmaker who lived in Erdao Street had seen Zhang's face. When Zhang and Mr. Lou got married, the matchmaker was present. The news that Zhang was beautiful was also spread by the matchmaker.
Zhao Shiqing was overjoyed when he heard that someone had seen Zhang. Zhen Wuduo did not waste any time and spent a lot of money to hire a scholar who was good at painting portraits to draw a portrait of Zhang based on the description of the matchmaker.
Unfortunately, the matchmaker had only met Zhang once, and many years had passed. Although the matchmaker insisted that the portrait was exactly like Zhang, Zhao Shiqing felt that she would be thankful if it was even 50% similar.
The portrait soon appeared before Wushiliu. He was startled at first, then he looked at it carefully and suddenly said, "Is this Cui Niang? She doesn't look like her."
Before this, Zhao Shiqing had not told him that this portrait was related to Cui Niang. Wushiliu's words confirmed Zhao Shiqing's guess to a certain extent.
Then, the same scholar who charged a high fee painted a portrait of Cui Niang based on Wu Shiliu's description. When the two portraits were put together, they were indeed only 40% to 50% similar.
Zhen Wuduo did not send the portrait to the government office. Wushiliu and others were hiding in Shilipu, and the people in Shilipu had benefited from it.
Cui Niang has lived in Luzhou City for ten years. Who can guarantee that the officials of all ranks in Luzhou City have not accepted bribes?
Zhen Wuduo has his own people. Besides, he is rich and can use money to pave the way, so this matter will be easy to handle.
Before long, Cui Niang's portrait was posted all over Wu. It was only because time did not permit it, otherwise Zhen Wuduo would have had people post this portrait all over Dayong.
In Zhaoting Town, a little boy was walking laboriously through an alley carrying a basket full of vegetables on his back. Suddenly, he saw a notice posted at the entrance of the alley. When he saw the portrait on the notice, he was stunned, looked around, quickly tore it off, rolled it up, and put it in his arms.
When he got home and entered the yard, the little boy turned around and closed the gate. Without even putting down his backpack, he ran into the inner room and said, "Dad, look!"
Chef Zhang, who was marinating meat, didn't even look up when he heard this. He said unhappily, "Why are you so flustered?"
"Dad, look, is this Mom?"
Chef Zhang was stunned for a moment, wiped his hands on his apron, took the notice from the little boy, and when he saw the portrait on the notice, his eyes widened.
"Where did this come from?"
The little boy said, "It's at the entrance of the alley over there. Look, the glue on it hasn't dried yet. It looks like it was just put on."
Chef Zhang took off his apron and said to the little boy as he walked away, "Lock the door. We're not doing business today. Let's go see where else this is posted and tear it off."
The little boy followed behind Chef Zhang and asked persistently, "Dad, is this Mom?"
Chef Zhang was getting impatient with the question. He stopped and looked down at the little boy who had just reached his waist fiercely: "How many times have I told you that your mother died a long time ago? You don't have a mother!"
The little boy pursed his lips tightly, tears welling up in his eyes, but he tried hard not to cry.
My father is lying. He has a mother. His mother looks just like the person in this portrait, but she is prettier than the one in the portrait.
......
Zhao Shiqing, who was far away in Luzhou City, had no idea what was happening in Zhaoting Town.
The bodies of Mr. Lou and his family were still warm, and there was new gossip in Luzhou city.
It was Mr. Cui Sanshao, the young master who was nearly sold to a brothel by Mr. Lou, who suddenly disappeared.
The Cui family searched everywhere and posted a reward outside the government office. Anyone who found Young Master Cui would be rewarded with 50,000 taels of silver. Anyone who provided clues that led to the person would also be rewarded with 50,000 taels of silver.
There will always be brave men when there is a big reward. Almost all the men, women, young and old in Luzhou City are looking for Young Master Cui. They almost dug the city three feet deep, but they can't find anyone alive or dead.
Loach was rubbing his hands, eager to try, glancing at Zhao Shiqing from time to time. He didn't want to drag Zhao Shiqing to find someone together, but wanted to borrow Xiaoguai for a while.
Zhen Wuduo snorted coldly: "Are you looking for a living person or a dead person?"
Loach was startled: "What do you mean?"
Zhao Shiqing interrupted, "My grandfather's point is, the Third Young Master Cui is dead. The reward notice posted by the Cui Mansion doesn't specify whether you're looking for someone dead or alive. What if you find someone dead, and they say the fifty thousand taels is for a living person, then if you don't pay, then your search will be in vain."
Loach was puzzled: "Dead? How is that possible? Oh, even if he's dead, how did the old man know?"
Zhen Wuduo snorted again, then put on a smiling face: "My dear granddaughter, teach this silly boy a lesson for me."
Zhao Shiqing cleared his throat, shook his head, and stroked his nonexistent beard. "As far as you know, can the Cui family easily come up with 50,000 taels?"
Loach knew that fifty thousand taels was a lot, but he was born into a poor family and had no idea what these fifty thousand taels meant to a wealthy family like the Cui family.
He asked Shen Guanyue for help, but Shen Guanyue shook her head: "Although the Cui family is a wealthy family, it depends on who you compare it with. Compared with small families, the Cui family is certainly a wealthy family, but compared with those real aristocratic families, it is nothing.
As far as I know, the young masters of the Cui family only receive three taels of silver per month, which also covers the cost of writing. The women in the family receive even less, with only one tael for cosmetics. The Cui family also has two officials, both of the sixth or seventh rank, whose ranks are not high, but they need money to manage their affairs. I'm afraid that Consort Cui in the Crown Prince's Mansion also needs financial support from her family.
In addition, the Cui family did not split up, and the dozens of people in the family were all supported by the public treasury. Although the third young master Cui was the legitimate son, he still had uncles and aunts.
Even if the head of the Cui family agrees to spend 50,000 taels of silver on him alone, his uncles and aunts will not agree."
Loach understood, but was confused. Since he couldn't come up with so much silver, why did he offer a reward of 50,000 taels?
It's not that he looks down on anyone. Even if the Cui family offered a reward of 5,000 taels, or even 500 taels, there would be plenty of people to help them find the person. At least he, Xiao Niu, would run around for 500 taels.
Seeing his bewildered expression, Zhao Shiqing said, "What do you think would happen if someone really found Third Young Master Cui and the Cui family couldn't come up with 50,000 taels of silver?"
Without a second thought, Niu Qiu said, "Of course I'll make a big scene. I'll report this to the police and make a big fuss about it. I'll have the whole city scold him. The Cui family are scholars, and they want to save face."
Zhao Shiqing nodded: "Yes, if you can think of something, is there any way the Cui family can't think of it?"
Loach scratched his head and suddenly had an idea: "The Cui family dared to offer a reward of 50,000 taels because they are sure that no one can find the Third Young Master Cui!"
Zhao Shiqing gave a thumbs up: "Smart, keep going."
Loach is very smart. Now that he is inspired, once the door in his mind is opened, inspiration will flow out like a spring.
"The Cui family wouldn't hide Third Young Master Cui and deliberately ask people to look for him. That would be looking for trouble. But the Cui family is sure that no one can find Third Young Master Cui. There is only one possibility: Third Young Master Cui is dead. Even if he is found, it will only be a corpse.
Just as the second young lady said, the reward did not specify whether the person was found alive or dead. If the person was found dead, the Cui family would say that the 50,000 taels were for finding the person alive. Moreover, the reward usually states how much silver is given for providing clues, but the Cui family said that if a clue is provided and the Third Young Master Cui is found based on this clue, they will also give 50,000 taels. This seems to be a lot, but if you think about it carefully, it is not a penny.
The Cui family wrote this because they were sure there was no clue to find Young Master Cui.
Zhao Shiqing praised him generously: "You are a smart loach."
Loach sighed: "I used to envy those who had parents who loved them and were rich, but now, I don't envy them at all."
Yes, what is there to envy? Are you envious that Young Master Cui is dead, but his family is still hypocritically offering a reward to find him?
However, the affairs of the Cui Mansion have nothing to do with them. It is better to have less trouble than more. What's more, they are the prince's men. At most, they will not follow the trend to look for the Third Young Master Cui.
Ten days passed in a blink of an eye. The sun finally came out of the gloomy sky and the temperature rose. Zhao Shiqing had been cooped up at home for many days and now he could finally go out for some fresh air.
But it's time to return to Liangdi.
Not long ago, Zhao Shiqing received a letter from her sister, asking her if she would come back for the New Year, and the words between the lines expressed her hope that she would go back.
This was also the first time Zhao Shiqing had left Liangdi since she was a child. After thinking about it, she decided to go back.
Liangdi has her brothers and sisters, her master, and the children she picked up. Every Chinese New Year, she would give those children New Year's money.
She wanted to go back to Liangdi, and Zhen Wuduo wanted to go back with her without saying a word.
Of course Zhao Shiqing welcomed it with open arms, so today, while the weather was fine, she decided to go out and pick out a gift.
Ha, it’s time for her to bring gifts to her brothers and sisters. In the past, they were the ones who gave her gifts.
Zhao Shiqing and her group of five walked from one end of the street to the other. Not only did she want to buy gifts, but Niqiu also wanted to buy some for his younger brother Xiaobao, and for Murong Linlang who helped him take care of Xiaobao.
Chen Guanyue also picked out a few gifts, which he planned to give to the escort company and have them secretly take them to the capital. The gifts were bought for Mr. Bai and his master Xiao Huangying.
Xiuxiu also wanted to buy a gift, and she would send the gift to the escort company and ask them to deliver it to her uncle.
Even Lingbo bought gifts. She bought them for some good friends in Baihe Village.
The five people bought a lot of things. Spending money makes people happy, so they were all very happy.
After buying the gifts, of course we have to go to a restaurant for a big meal.
Chen Guanyue led the way, Zhao Shiqing treated them, and the five of them walked into a narrow street where there was a time-honored restaurant with great food.
When they got there, the five people were dumbfounded. There were a row of small benches at the door of the old shop, and there were no seats inside, so they had to sit outside and queue.
Zhao Shiqing waved his hand and stuffed a piece of silver into Shen Guanyue. Shen Guanyue hooked the waiter's neck and the two whispered to each other. When Shen Guanyue came back, the waiter went into the shop and came out after a while, waving at them and there was a seat inside.
Zhao Shiqing was in a good mood. It was another day for her grandfather to teach her a lesson. Grandpa said that most of the problems in this world can be solved with money. If they are not solved, it must be because the money has not been spent enough.
When the five of us went in, the waiter had already cleared the table, which was by the window, a good spot.
Five people ordered ten dishes. It wasn't because they were extravagant, but because they were in the growing stage and ate like cows!
When the dishes were served, the five of them stopped talking and ate voraciously. They were hungry from shopping.
Chen Guanyue was a well-educated child. He would only go to the toilet after eating and drinking enough. Loach went with him.
Zhao Shiqing, Xiuxiu and Lingbo were chatting while waiting for them.
After waiting for a long time, the two came back, both looking as if they wanted to say something but hesitated.
Zhao Shiqing didn't ask any more questions until they left the old shop. Then she asked, "What's wrong?"
Chen Guanyue said, "I was going to the toilet just now and passed by a private room. The door of the private room was half open. Mr. Cui was sitting inside with a girl named Hua in his arms. There were also a few people beside him, and each of them had a girl named Hua accompanying them."
Loach said: "You see, they have no affection for Mr. Cui, and they still have the mood to look for Hua Niang at this time."
Zhao Shiqing advised: "Let's go, this matter has nothing to do with us."
After living here for two months, Zhao Shiqing developed feelings for this courtyard. However, she believed that she would come back because her parents and grandmother were buried in Zhuxitang.
That day, after packing their luggage, Zhen Wuduo left two people to look after the house, and the others followed them to Liangdi.
Before going to Liangdi, the grandfather and grandson decided to take a detour back to Zhuxitang to pay their respects.
Everyone rode horses, and even Xiuxiu was already very skilled in riding, but Zhao Shiqing insisted on buying a carriage. The old man was old and the weather was cold, so she was reluctant to do so. Besides, the gifts they brought could also be placed in the carriage.
The old man refused to accept his age, but his granddaughter's words were like an imperial decree, so he had no choice but to agree.
The carriage was piled with things, and the little old man was sitting among the gifts, looking very happy.
On the way, we passed a big inn and everyone stopped. Some went to the toilet, some went to buy food, and after a short rest, we continued on our way.
Zhao Shiqing was riding on a horse when he suddenly heard the old man's voice coming from the carriage: "Stop, stop quickly!"
Zhao Shiqing was startled. Before the carriage stopped, she jumped up and saw that in the carriage, a little old man was grabbing a young man's hair with one hand and holding a dagger against the young man's throat with the other hand!
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