Chapter 45045: Letting her in and then wanting her out.
The rise and fall of a nation is the responsibility of every citizen, let alone scholars who pride themselves on being concerned about the country and its people.
The more chaotic the political situation, the better the business of taverns and teahouses.
Ever since the emperor claimed illness and stopped attending court at the beginning of the year, there have been no shortage of scholars gathering in groups of three or five in the taverns.
With no imperial examinations this year, scholars have even more free time and would love to stay here and freely discuss national affairs with their close friends.
This was the case in the first half of the year, but after the chaos in the south in the second half, even more people came to taverns and teahouses.
Even students from academies without official titles drown their sorrows in wine because of the incompetence of those in power and the inaction of the court. How much more so should academy teacher like Li Juren, who already holds an official title, do so?
Despite his repeated refusals, he was still invited to drink by different friends and gentry every day. The former wanted to hear the scholar's lofty discussions and unique insights to prove that he was truly sociable and concerned about the country, while the latter sought advice to appear cultured so that they could make plans in advance.
Anyone with eyes can see that the world is about to descend into chaos. While they are still far from the place of the uprising, they have time and leisure to consult with some knowledgeable people about the future situation and what should be done in the present.
In Chenhe County, there are very few people with the title of Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations at the provincial level), but Juren Li is the most approachable and will come whenever invited.
Barring any unforeseen circumstances, it's fair to say that Li Juren has been so busy lately that he hasn't had time to teach his students or go home to rest. He's been alternating between sleeping in restaurants and brothels every day.
However, when local gentry invited Li Juren to a meal and drinks, he would simply drink and eat. But if it was a student or a close friend who invited him, even if it was out of politeness, Li Juren would insist on paying the bill.
The academy teacher's meager monthly salary wasn't even enough for a few meals at a restaurant. As for the money from the sale of the Ming family's ancestral home land deed years ago, it was used to support his mistress and stay at brothels. So, despite Li Juren's seemingly glamorous appearance, his money bag was already jingling with cash.
If someone hadn't found him a few days ago and given him directions, saying that Li Yue'er was very favored in the Qu family, he wouldn't have remembered to ask Ming Shi for money.
As the number of banquets increased and Li Juren's finances became increasingly strained, he began to set his sights on the Ming family.
He had no feelings for his wife. His affectionate proposal years ago was just a ploy to trick the old man into marrying his daughter to him and to introduce him to a job as a teacher at the academy.
The headmaster of the academy was a rigid, stubborn, and strange old man. Even though he was a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, he would never have allowed him to enter the academy without the recommendation of the old man from the Ming family.
As a scholar who had passed the imperial examinations, he was already frustrated enough that he couldn't get into the academy on his own, but the Ming family wanted to use this to force him to marry into their family.
What a joke! He's the only son in three generations of the Li family. If he marries into the Ming family, he won't have the face to face his deceased parents and ancestors in the afterlife.
Fortunately, he was good with words and managed to get away with it.
After that, he endured hardship and bided his time for several years, finally outliving those two old men from the Ming family and seizing control of the Ming family's land deeds.
Although he wouldn't admit it, in his heart, Ming was not someone he truly wanted to marry, and the years he lived in the Ming family were a humiliating experience for him.
After the deaths of the two elders of the Ming family, he, the humble "grandson," suddenly became the head of the household. Whether the ancestral home was to be kept or sold was entirely up to him. Even if there were some criticisms from outsiders, it didn't matter; it was his family matter, and even the government couldn't interfere, let alone the neighbors.
So what if he almost beat Ming to death, let alone selling the house?
It was just an unintentional act after drinking. Who told Ming to be unable to bear a son? He kept a mistress and lived in a brothel. He was both a romantic scholar and a useless wife.
Besides, he was a successful candidate in the imperial examinations, a candidate who even had a seat when he met the county magistrate.
Li Juren enjoys his current status as a Juren (a successful candidate in the imperial examinations). In Anping Prefecture, this status might not even qualify him as a top-ranking official, but in Chenhe County, he, Li Juren, is the head of a chicken.
Since he no longer wanted to take the imperial examinations and had no son, Li, the scholar, wanted to cultivate relationships with merchants.
Once the world descends into chaos, what use will those self-righteous scholars around him be? They're nothing but idealistic ideals. The only ones who can truly help him survive are the merchants who hold money and can navigate the turbulent times.
This is also why Li Juren sold Li Yue'er to the Qu family at a low price. He said it was Ming's fault, but in reality, he took this opportunity to get closer to the merchants.
In just a month and a half, he was able to navigate the business world with ease and live such a comfortable life, all thanks to Li Yue'er paving the way for him.
She's a despicable woman, just like her mother, and in the end, she just became a stepping stone for him to climb up the social ladder.
He not only wanted to stand taller by stepping on the backs of the Ming mother and her two daughters, but also to crush the Ming family's reputation and dignity into the mud under his feet, in order to avenge the humiliation he had suffered at the hands of the Ming family.
He was thinking about the Ming family when the person who had guided him last time stopped him again.
Li, the scholar, walked forward with one hand behind his back as if he hadn't seen anything.
What a joke! How could a mere scholar like him be constantly driven around by a "cowardly rat"? Wouldn't that be a disgrace?
"Scholar Li, please wait." The man, wearing a hood and covering his face, called out to him.
Li, the scholar, then pretended to be puzzled and stopped, turning to look at him. "And who are you, sir?"
The man smiled and cupped his hands in greeting, "We just met last time, and you've already forgotten me, Scholar? You truly are a busy man in Chenhe County. I merely caught a cold and lost my voice, and you already don't remember me."
Scholar Li stood upright, stroking his long beard, and squinted arrogantly, "What brings you here to see me this time?"
Even at over thirty-five, he remained a slender, refined, and elegant scholar, wearing a scholar's cap and a light gray robe. Regardless of his character, his appearance alone was enough to deceive people. If it weren't for his good figure and handsome looks, the Ming family would not have been fooled by his appearance.
The man said, “Aunt Li blocked my master’s way in the courtyard. My master was still furious and wanted to make her unhappy as well. She was very satisfied with the result last time, so she should give the scholar the full amount of tribute he owed.”
As he spoke, he pulled out a heavy money bag.
Last time, Li Juren was wondering who Li Yue'er could block in the Qu family's way, until he heard that the Zheng family and the Qu family had recently had a subtle conflict, and the Qu family even sent back Xu, the concubine sent by the Zheng family. Then he understood.
It turns out it belongs to the Zheng family.
Unexpectedly, Aunt Xu had quite a temper; even after returning to the Zheng family, she still wanted to make Li Yue'er suffer.
Li, the scholar, knew his eldest daughter best. She looked weak but was actually very resilient. She had poisoned him with her innocent face and even tried to suffocate him in the smoky charcoal fire with the doors and windows tightly closed at night. She would do anything for her mother and sister.
Scholar Li lifted his eyelids and asked, "The matter was settled last time, what about this time, sir?"
He was already certain that the other party was Aunt Xu's person, and he thought that if he could use this matter to get in touch with the Zheng family, it would be an opportunity for him.
Just as a pillow had been delivered to someone who was sleepy, the man said, "It doesn't matter who my mistress is, but she said that since you've relieved her worries, she'd like to ask her elders to invite you to a restaurant for a casual chat another day."
This is even more tempting than giving money.
Li, a scholar, smiled and politely declined the money offered by the other party, even giving a perfunctory bow in return. "It is my wish to get to know your master's elders. As long as you invite me, I will definitely go in person."
He felt a pang of heartache just looking at that money bag, and almost gritted his teeth to refuse it.
This was his first time dealing with the Zheng family, and he couldn't appear too mercenary, lest they treat him like a commoner and lose respect for his status as a scholar.
The man didn't refuse, simply took back his money bag, and said concisely, cupping his hands in farewell, "Farewell, scholar."
Having had this serendipitous encounter, Li Juren lost his appetite for drinking elsewhere. After returning to his outer chambers, he subtly mentioned the matter to her, saying, "The Qu and Zheng families are both powerful households. No matter which one I climb up to, I'm not afraid even if the world descends into chaos."
The Qu family is out of the question. After all, the more favored Li Yue'er is in the Qu family, the more resentment she harbors towards her biological father. How could they possibly act as a matchmaker between him and the Qu family?
The maidservant was thrilled upon hearing this, and her tone was also joyful. "Then, sir, you mustn't put on too much airs when you meet the head of the Zheng family, lest he sense the difference between you and distance himself from you."
Li, the scholar, was pleased to hear this and stroked his beard, lost in thought. “Of course, of course, you don’t need to worry about how to deal with me.”
Even businessmen have pride, and he was especially concerned about his reputation. When they finally met, he couldn't bring up those clandestine matters; he had to address the bigger issues.
Remembering something, Li, the scholar, lightly scolded his mistress, "You can tell me about your connection with the Zheng family, but you can't tell anyone else. Why should a scholar like me need to flatter and fawn over a merchant? If word gets out, people will laugh at me."
The maid placed her hand on Li Juren's chest and drawled, "Yes~"
.
After Li, the scholar, left the alley, the hooded man emerged from the shadows again. He weighed the heavy money bag in his hand, gave a mocking smile, and strode towards a carriage.
“Madam, the matter has been settled.” He bowed and handed over the money bag with both hands.
Once the carriage curtain parted slightly, a hand took the money bag away, and he got up and sat back on the carriage shaft. As he gripped the reins and urged the horse forward, he casually looked up to see the road ahead.
It was none other than Lin Mu.
“Brother Mu treats me like his own brother, and like Aunt Qiu, he sincerely hopes for my well-being, so naturally he will help me.” Li Yue’er said with some pride.
She is loved by others too.
Moreover, Lin Mu had grown up with her since childhood and had personally witnessed Li Juren's true nature as a beast in human form, so naturally he would always side with her.
In particular, Lin Mu knew about her affair with the mistress through Aunt Qiu. Li Yue'er felt that there was nothing to hide between her and Aunt Qiu and her son. Since they would be living in the same boat from now on, it would be more reassuring to entrust such matters to Brother Mu than to someone else.
Qu Rong held the money bag in her hands, and when she heard this, she glanced at Li Yue'er. Seeing that Li Yue'er was showing off with her soft lips, Qu Rong lowered her eyes to hide the smile in them.
Qu Rong leaned back against the wooden carriage, drawing out her words meaningfully, "Well, you certainly have your own ideas and trustworthy people. In that case, why did I come all this way today?"
Li Yue'er's eyelids twitched, and she shook her head without hesitation, "Of course it's not superfluous. Without the mistress coming to help me and back me up, how could I dare to do this whole thing?"
She spoke in a coquettish voice, feigning gentleness, and leaned on her mistress's shoulder, "I'm the most timid person, as you know, mistress."
Qu Rong glanced at her sideways. "Oh? You dare to ride on my face? I don't think you're a coward."
...Wasn't that because he was so infatuated that he lost his senses?
Li Yue'er chuckled awkwardly as she straightened up, abandoning her concubine persona.
She diverted the mistress's attention by talking about the money bag in her hand, "When he raised his hand just now, I was terrified. I thought he was going to take the money. It was such a heavy bag. If the mistress is willing to part with it, I am not."
Just thinking about how Li Juren would squander that money made her so disgusted that she couldn't sleep at night!
The mistress raised an eyebrow at her and said, "It's so heavy. Guess how much silver is inside. If you guess right, it's all yours."
Li Yue'er likes this game.
She leaned closer, slowly placing her hand on the mistress's lap, her bright eyes looking up as she asked, "Fifty taels?"
Li, the scholar, had an appetite bigger than a glutton and considered himself of high status. He probably wouldn't be tempted by a small amount of money. The mistress was generous and naturally wouldn't ruin what she really wanted to do just to be stingy with a little money.
Qu Rong looked down at the fingers lightly clenched on her lap, shook her head slowly, and looked up at her, "Guess again."
Li Yue'er: "Wait a minute? Then, twenty taels?"
The mistress shook her head again, a faint smile appearing in her eyes.
Li Yue'er felt a soft, itchy sensation in her heart, but feigned distress on her face, wrapping her arms around her mistress's waist. "Ten taels?"
The mistress remained silent, only smiling.
Li Yue'er looked down at her palm in confusion, "It can't be just an ounce, can it?"
How could such a heavy money bag weigh only an ounce?
Seeing Li Yue'er's curiosity and confusion, Qu Rong reached out and handed her the money bag, gesturing for her to open it and take a look. "Although I guessed wrong, I'm giving it all to you."
The mistress is so kind!!!
Li Yue'er's eyes were even brighter than before. She took the money bag with both hands, sat back down, placed it on her lap, and carefully opened it.
It's all hers! Even just one or two pieces would be fine.
Li Yue'er's smile froze on her lips when she saw what was in the money pouch. "A stone?"
It can't all be stones, can it?
She picked them up one by one.
One piece, two pieces... two pieces, one piece.
It really was all rocks...
Li Yue'er stared blankly at the pile of stones on her skirt, then looked up at her mistress with a resentful expression.
The mistress looked at her with interest. "Don't you like it?"
Li Yue'er was furious, but she couldn't scold him. So she said, half-praising and half-scolding, "You're so mean."
They actually tricked Scholar Li with a pile of stones, and they also tricked her with a pile of stones.
Although Li Yue'er felt that the beast was not worth a single tael, she had at least been worth a few taels before.
Li Yue'er slowly put the stone back, deliberately bringing up old grievances, "You used to give me at least six taels, but after a while, the mistress must have gotten tired of me and felt that I was no longer interesting, so she stopped giving me even one tael."
Qu Rong, "..."
Li Yue'er tied the money pouch tightly and stuffed it back into her mistress's palm. Her watery eyes and slightly pursed lips asked, "After this New Year, will I not even be able to get into your bed anymore?"
Qu Rong, "..."
Qu Rong knew Li Yue'er was putting on an act, but she still raised her hand and pinched her face, almost gritting her teeth as she asked, "Before we came, who was crying and refusing to come?"
Li Yue'er, "..."
It's her.
Qu Rong let go, her face expressionless. "I'm not going back to the Qu family. I'll go to the restaurant instead."
In this context, the mistress taking her to a restaurant is definitely not for a proper meal.
Li Yue'er, "..."
She stopped making a fuss.
Li Yue'er hugged the mistress's waist, kissed her chin ingratiatingly, and pleaded softly, "Tonight, I'll let you do it tonight, even just a few fingers will do."
Qu Rong: "Heh."
They make it sound like she can eat a lot, but she only took three sticks before crying and begging, twisting like a pretzel, wanting her to go in and then out at the same time.
Qu Rong looked down at Li Yue'er, who was clinging to her like a beggar, saying that her body was still numb.
Qu Rong covered her mouth with a blank expression, which was considered as granting her request.
Nighttime it is then.
She didn't want to, but Li Yue'er insisted.
————————!!————————
Moon: Yes, yes, yes, it's because I'm so addicted, I can't wait to go to the private room at the restaurant [eating melon emoji]
Mistress: ...
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com