Chapter 161 - 153: Tearing the IOU to Shreds
Chapter 161: Chapter 153: Tearing the IOU to Shreds
The Jin guard nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! It’s so boring for the young master and me to just sit here. Why don’t we go with you?"
Bai Zhi didn’t see a problem with it. If they came along, they might even be able to lend a hand. She turned to Hu Feng and asked, "What do you think?"
Hu Feng shrugged. "Someone’s offering to do our work for us. Why wouldn’t we take them up on it?" ’Free labor, delivered right to our doorstep. It’d be a waste not to use it. This will just about cover the cost of the meals they’ve been mooching off us.’
’Huh? Work? Didn’t she just say they were going to run errands?’
’The "work" he’s talking about... it can’t be farming in the fields, can it?’
Meng Nan looked down at his robes. This was the first time he was wearing them. Of all his newly made clothes, this was his absolute favorite. He had worn it specially for today, not to go work in the fields...
’Is it too late to back out now?’
Before he could voice his regrets, Bai Zhi and Hu Feng had already walked out of the main hall. They each grabbed their things and went straight for the carriage outside the courtyard.
The Jin guard followed along. He opened his mouth, but ultimately swallowed his words of protest...
There were two carriages. Hu Feng drove one, and the Jin guard drove the other. They left the village one after the other.
Carriages rarely appeared in the village, and now two had shown up at once. Moreover, Hu Feng was driving one himself. As the carriage picked up speed, the wind blew open the curtain on the small window, and everyone saw Bai Zhi sitting inside, much to the envy of the villagers.
Some people went their whole lives without ever riding in a carriage, let alone touching one. To villagers from the mountains like them, horses were incredibly precious living treasures. Not a single family in all of Huangtuo Village had ever raised a horse.
Furthermore, that Lord Meng had come again today, and he’d even had breakfast at the Hu Family’s home. Now he was going out with Hu Feng and Bai Zhi. It looked like the Hu Family had really struck it lucky.
This news naturally reached the ears of the Bai family, who were filled with hatred and jealousy. But before they could even get a few curses out, Doctor Lu showed up at their door.
"Old Mrs. Bai, today is the day to repay your debt. Is the silver ready?" Doctor Lu said coldly upon his arrival, addressing the Bai family who were standing in the courtyard shouting curses.
Old Mrs. Bai frowned, her face full of displeasure. "The nerve! Coming here first thing in the morning talking about repaying money. When did our Bai Family ever owe you anything? Stop trying to swindle me."
’Heh—I knew it. I just knew it. The Bai family never had any intention of paying me back.’
Doctor Lu had a plan for this. He took out the IOU he had prepared, shaking it in Old Mrs. Bai’s face. "Recognize this? This is the IOU you made yourself. It even has your thumbprint on it. You want to go back on your debt? You’ll have to ask this piece of paper if it’ll let you."
Old Mrs. Bai’s eyes darted, and she sneered, "Don’t try to scare me. I didn’t write this IOU. I can’t read or write, so how could I have possibly made an IOU for you?"
Doctor Lu said, "I wrote the words, but you pressed your own thumbprint on it. You did it in front of so many villagers, and you’re still denying it? Believe it or not, I can take this to the government office right now and have Lord Qing Tian rule on this case of an unpaid debt."
Old Mrs. Bai already had a plan in mind. She held out her hand to Doctor Lu and said, "Let me see that. I don’t remember putting my thumbprint on any IOU. Let me take a look and compare."
A cold smile played on Doctor Lu’s lips, but he magnanimously handed it to her.
But who would have known? The old woman didn’t even look at it. The moment it was in her hands, she tore it to shreds. After ripping it up, she flung the pieces into the air. A sky full of paper scraps danced in the gentle breeze, like an unjust snow in June.