Chapter 31 Eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted
Lu Zhaoruo chuckled at the joke.
Abao immediately raised the tip of his tail, his eyes shining as if they were filled with stars: "Mother's smile is brighter than the lanterns of the Lantern Festival!"
It suddenly rolled into Lu Zhaoruo's sleeve, revealing its furry belly: "How about Abao performs 'The Old Scholar Catches Lice' for you every day from now on?"
Lu Zhaoruo's eyes were slightly red.
How could she not know that Abao was carefully trying to please him?
After thirty years of being together day and night, even though Abao came because of that nightmare, she could no longer feel any hatred in her heart.
At this moment, Ah Bao twitched his beard, still shaken, and said, "Luckily, it didn't bring out the letter. I had just memorized the address and jumped onto the windowsill when a fat rat suddenly darted out..."
It bristled dramatically, "and the old woman was immediately awakened and went to check the hidden compartment."
Hearing A Bao's words, Lu Zhaoruo was still shocked.
If Abao had done as he said and taken the letter back then, it would have been a complete disaster...
She picked up her pen, dipped it in ink, and wrote down the address that Abao had given her.
Abao also told her everything in the letter, then whispered, "That mistress from the outer quarters... she's pregnant again."
The child's innocent voice had barely faded when Lu Zhaoruo's pen paused.
The ink spread slowly on the rice paper, like a drop of old blood that suddenly dissolved.
The pen tip paused involuntarily, spreading a small blot of ink on the paper.
yes.
She's pregnant again.
Keeping mistresses isn't enough; now even children born out of wedlock require the legal wife to pay for them.
She stared at the ever-growing ink blob and suddenly found it ridiculous that she, the lawfully wedded wife, had become someone else's accountant, solely responsible for supporting mistresses.
Shen Rongzhi, is this how you treat me?
A metallic taste suddenly welled up in my throat, and I realized that I had bitten my lip until it bled.
Ah Bao nestled against her arm: "Mother, don't be sad..."
Lu Zhaoruo immediately snapped out of her thoughts and smiled at Abao.
If fifty taels of silver are given to Zhang tomorrow, she will definitely send the letter and the silver away.
She needed to follow them secretly.
The next day.
In the early morning, when Lu Zhaoruo was helping Zhang Shi with her washing and dressing, she presented the fifty taels of silver she had borrowed with both hands.
Zhang weighed the money pouch in her hand and sent Lu Zhaoruo away: "Forget it, you go to the shop and take good care of the business, earn the money as soon as possible, and return this fifty taels of silver to the other party."
After Lu Zhaoruo left, she immediately summoned Shen Qingshu to write a letter: "Lu is still like dough, easily molded. This time, the fifty taels were all raised by her through her own efforts. My son, you can rest assured while you are away. All matters at home will be handled by this lowly maid."
Before the ink on the letter was even dry, Zhang had already wrapped himself tightly in his gray squirrel fur coat, tucked the money and letter into his pocket, and headed straight for the City God Temple…
Lu Zhaoruo secretly followed.
In the past, Zhang would hide the letter and silver ingot in the inner compartment of the donation box under the guise of "fulfilling a vow".
The temple keeper takes items and receives a 10% commission.
The temple keeper then contacted the porters, who disguised themselves as peddlers and hid the letter of money in a lining of a tea basket before entrusting it to a merchant ship. The letter of money was then sewn into the belly of a dried sea cucumber and delivered to Guiyu Island.
However, the temple keeper said, "Auntie, I'm afraid you won't be able to send it until the end of the month. The new commander of Linhai is cracking down hard, and even the imperial merchant ships can't go to sea. We have to wait for the sea ban to be lifted..."
Zhang had no choice but to agree.
Lu Zhaoruo's eyes darkened.
It turns out that Zhang was actually sending money and messages to Shen Rongzhi through a smuggling route through the City God Temple.
She had intended to follow this method, but unexpectedly, the temple keeper was also a member of Zhang's maternal family.
The sea ban will be lifted at the end of the month...
Lu Zhaoruo already had an idea.
When the time comes, I will personally go to the dock to find a reliable merchant who goes out to sea, give him the address of Guiyu Island, and spend some money to ask him to find Shen Rongzhi according to the address. I must obtain conclusive evidence that he has married and had children abroad, and then try to send it back.
Being so open and aboveboard is actually the safest approach.
The round trip by fast boat takes more than two months.
She looked towards Lin Hai, waiting for the unfaithful man to return home, which would be the time for her to escape.
These past two weeks...
When facing Zhang Shi and Shen Qingshu, Lu Zhaoruo still pretended to be meek and obedient, so as not to arouse their suspicion.
However, the expenses at home were still secretly cut in various ways.
She then had Dongrou dig up some non-toxic herbs from the mountain and brew them into a precious medicinal herb for Shen Qingshu to take.
Shen Lingyi remained addicted to gambling, which gave Lu Zhaoruo some peace and quiet.
She traveled to and from the shop every day, initially taking Abao with her, using its mind-reading ability to confirm the loyalty of Manager Chen and Yunniang.
Tomorrow marks the day the sea ban is lifted...
Lu Zhaoruo walked into the tailor shop with a ring-shaped cake in her mouth, and handed the other two wrapped in oil paper to Yunniang.
"The shopkeeper brought food for Yunniang again."
Yunniang smiled and took the cake, then took a bite of the crispy honey-fried ring-shaped pastry. "It's strange," she said, "the distinguished guest who ordered more than a dozen winter clothes last time has come again today to order spring clothes, another fifty taels of official silver."
Lu Zhaoruo swallowed the last bite of the pancake: "Do you know which family it's from?"
Yunniang shook her head: "I only know that his surname is Ban."
Lu Zhaoruo asked again, "What do you look like?"
Yunniang recalled: "He was eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a loud but not fierce voice, like a military officer."
Lu Zhaoruo frowned and thought carefully, but she did not remember such a person.
Afternoon.
At the busiest time of day in the city, the candied peas stall was immediately surrounded by customers as soon as it set up its stall.
Lu Zhaoruo bought a pack early in the morning, and just as she stepped onto the street, she heard the sound of horses' hooves.
As dusk fell, a small, steady Shu horse trotted along the stone path.
Lu Zhaoruo looked up and saw a young general sitting on horseback, wearing silk armor and a waterproof robe.
Beside him stood a burly man, as tall as an iron tower, his indigo cotton winter coat taut over his muscles...
The burly man's voice boomed: "Commander, isn't that Lady Lu in front of you?"
He had admired him greatly ever since he saw him in front of the county government office.
Before Xiao Yeming could respond, he led his horse forward, grinned, and laughed loudly, "Madam Lu, what a coincidence!"
The horse smelled strongly of oyster shells.
Lu Zhaoruo wrinkled her nose slightly, having already recognized them.
Xiao Yeming...
Deputy squad leader...
Come to think of it, both of them had done me a favor at the county government office last time.
Her gaze first fell on Ban Ling. She hadn't looked closely at his appearance at the yamen last time, but now that she saw him, he was eight feet tall, broad-shouldered and thick-waisted, with a loud voice. Wasn't this the distinguished guest that Yun Niang had mentioned?
Moreover, his surname is Ban.
She then examined his winter clothes, which were dark blue with fine stitches, clearly made by her own shop.
Therefore, the person who generously gave fifty taels of silver twice was the deputy squad leader...
She quickly curtsied and said, "Greetings, Deputy Commander."
Xiao Yeming sat upright on his horse, silent and aloof.
Ban Ling waved his hand and said in a rough voice, "Madam Lu, there's no need for formalities."
The voice had a somewhat fierce and menacing quality.
The children passing by were so frightened that they ran away.
Ban Ling realized he had frightened someone, so he lowered his voice, making it high-pitched like a female opera singer: "Don't be afraid, Madam Lu~ I have a naturally loud voice~ but I mean no harm~"
After saying that, he added, "Ever since I learned about Madam Lu's knowledge and insights at the county government office last time, I've been very impressed! I never expected to run into her today!"
Lu Zhaoruo took two steps back and solemnly curtsied: "I will never forget General Ban's help from the county government that day."
Banling scratched the tip of his nose, about to explain that it was the intention of the person about to arrive—
But Lu Zhaoruo continued, "General, you are decisive and upright, just like Bao Longtu reincarnated..."
This handful of compliments made Ban Ling's ears burn. He chuckled dryly, "Of course..."
Completely unaware that on horseback behind him, Xiao Yeming's face had turned ashen.
Zhao Ruo glanced at Ban Ling's winter clothes and said with a light smile, "General, you are so imposing, but these clothes make you look more approachable. You are truly a good general who loves the people like his own children."
Upon hearing this, Banling braced his arms on his horse's belly, threw his head back, and laughed loudly, his voice booming like a bell: "Hahaha..."
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