"Last night, my son had already told Mr. Qin that if I didn't return today, he would ask for a leave of absence from the academy on my behalf." Li Wenshan looked at his father, holding back tears as he spoke of the matter at hand, "I didn't dare to order Tongtong around, but Elder Madam...the thing with Zhongshi, Tongtong knows the most about it. Father, when I first arrived in Hangzhou, Tongtong told me that Elder Madam...Zhongshi had asked him to take me to brothels and gambling dens, and she even wanted Tongtong to ruin my reputation, saying that our family is of lowly birth and not worthy of serving the prince..."

  "Why didn't you tell me?" County Magistrate Li's eyes reddened again.

  "You never let me say anything bad about Clock Lady, but that one time she invited a shaman, almost drove me to death. Mother said something and you said Mother was unfilial, how dare I speak up? There are many things like this. Also, last time Eldest Uncle gave us fabric for clothes, Tongtong didn't even burn incense, carried it all the way to the pawnshop on Eight Character Street, pawned it for a lot of silver and gave it all to her. Tongtong said that in the past too, things sent from the capital and by Eldest Uncle were all resold by her, there are many more things like this, ask Tongtong."

  Li Wenshan got angrier and angrier as he spoke, but when he looked at his father, his heart ached less, and instead, he felt a hint of pleasure.

  "Have Wutong come in." With the huge blow from last night as a buffer, County Magistrate Li didn't have much of a reaction to these things anymore.

  Li Wenshan came out and met Hong's anxious gaze, lowering his voice, "It's okay, let someone attend to Father's washing and dressing, I'll go call Wutong, Father wants to interrogate him." The last word "interrogate" was emphasized by Li Wenshan, who also winked at Hong.

  Hong's heart thoroughly fell back, instantly filled with joy, filling up to half, and then hurriedly covering her face and rubbing it back, this time a joyful face was not suitable.

  "I'm going to call my wife, brother hurry up! Hurry up!"

  Magistrate Li washed and changed his clothes, and was forced by Mrs. Xu to drink a bowl of clear chicken soup, which greatly improved his spirits.

  Wutong followed Li Wenshan in, his heart was very determined, he had long abandoned the dark and surrendered to the light, and had also made great contributions.

  Without waiting for County Magistrate Li to ask more questions, Wu Tong poured out a string of accusations from the bamboo tube, starting with how he had entered the mansion and sold the goods sent from the capital, down to the last detail of how much silver was obtained, and even including how Clock Mother-in-law would scold County Magistrate Li and his family in private, how she had stolen the mistress's dowry, and even the minor offense of selling examination questions for money when he was in Taiyuan Prefecture - all of which were pinned on Clock Mother-in-law, with Wu Tong speaking so rapidly that his words tumbled out in a foamy torrent.

  Magistrate Li listened calmly, while Li Wenshan glanced at his father's face and gave a signal to Wu Tong with his eyes, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more. Wu Tong understood Li Wenshan's intention, knocked his head on the ground, and continued: "...Sir, these things are known by everyone below, even when we were in Taiyuan Prefecture, our neighbors all knew, saying that old woman was cruel and heartless, making your whole family serve her as filial sons and grandsons, saying you were foolish..."

  "Alright, you can withdraw." Li Wenshan interrupted Tong's words. Tong happily responded with a "yes", bowed his head and quickly retreated.

  "Father, send her away." Li Wenshan sat down beside Magistrate Li.

  "She was alone, where could she be sent? She..." County Magistrate Li's mind was no longer murky, but a vast expanse of uncertainty."

  "Ah, Dad." Li Wenshan's anger was ignited by his father's words, and his voice rose higher. "All these years, she has been a scourge to us, emptying our family of all its wealth. Even if we calculate conservatively, there must be at least 20,000 to 30,000 silver coins in her hands. And yet, Dad is still worried that she will be left alone!"

  "Alright, alright." Li Wenshan's voice rose, and to his surprise, County Magistrate Li seemed slightly intimidated. "Father didn't say... She is from Yangzhou, always saying that nowhere is better than Yangzhou, so let's send her back to Yangzhou. She is a slave, we need to write a document for her to leave the household register, and also provide a travel permit, and..."

  "These trivial matters, Father, don't worry about them. I'll go find... Let Mr. Qin help out. Father, you have to meet her in person and make things clear. Otherwise, how can she agree to leave? Where else can we find someone like Father... from a family like ours?"

  What reaction will County Magistrate Li have, and what to do next, Li Wenshan had already discussed with Mr. Qin and made some contingency plans. However, his father, County Magistrate Li, was unexpectedly so calm about it, which was somewhat beyond Li Wenshan's expectations.

  ………………

  Zhong Baozi sat on the bed, slapping her own face with a loud crack, squeezing her eyes shut and then slapping herself again.

  She got drunk yesterday, and now she's still feeling dizzy. Just now, she must have been dreaming. How could this dream be so realistic?... Old Lady Zhong slapped her own face again.

  Hong's aunt stepped on the threshold, looking at Zhong's aunt who had slapped herself several times, and her heart felt extremely relieved.

  "It's no use even if you puff up your face now. Auntie, hurry up and pack your things, you have a lot of valuables to gather, it won't be easy. The old master and mistress are kind, they let you take the silver, although it was stolen from this house, from the mistress' dowry, but since you'll be alone in the future, they permit you to bring it with you. The old master and mistress are truly kind, hurry up and pack, someone will come to escort you away soon."

  Hong's words were finished, and she felt refreshed. She swept her eyes over Xia Jiu who was standing still in the middle of the room, "What are you doing standing there? Hurry up and serve Ninth Sister! If Ninth Sister scorns you again, I'll tell you, you'll be sent to the kitchen to cook!"

  Xiao Jiu'er was so scared that she picked up her skirt and ran away.

  Zhong Baozi stopped hitting her face, got down from the bed, stood still for a while, turned around and entered the bathroom.

  In the clean room, Xiao Jiu hadn't had time to fetch water and bring it in when Zhong Baozi expressionlessly took the toothbrush, salted cloth, and spittoon and rushed straight out of the door to the kitchen.

  Tang Bao and the rough servant girl didn't know what had happened, seeing her doing the same as them, gathering around the water pool to brush teeth and wash face, they stared with wide eyes in a daze.

  After washing her face, Zhong Baozi felt refreshed and rejuvenated. She picked up a handkerchief, held her head high, and returned to her own room. From the top of the cabinet, she pulled down a large camphor wood chest, tidied it up, locked it, changed into clean clothes, quietly stuffed a stack of silver notes into her bosom, walked out of the house, and stood on the corridor, looking at Hong Niangniang who was standing there, saying loudly: "I'm leaving now, let me bid farewell to everyone."

  Li Xia sat on the back of a goose-necked chair under the corridor, swinging her legs, watching Zhong Baozi carrying a towel and thermos out, then going back, and coming out again with a clean and refreshing expression to bid farewell.

  After something like this happened, her calmness and reaction were much stronger than her father and mother. No wonder she could control her family for so many years... This farewell is to leave a backhand, isn't it?

  Li Xia jumped down from the goose neck chair and pulled up Xiao Jiu'er, "Come on, let's go see him off, it'll definitely be fun."

  ………………

  Zhong Baozi calmly said goodbye to the others, and Tongtong and Zhao Sheng were already standing at the door waiting for her. Zhong Baozi pointed to the large camphor wood trunk, and Tongtong and Zhao Sheng carried it out. Zhong Baozi followed behind them with a calm and composed demeanor, exiting through the Houyuan Gate, where a horse-drawn carriage was already waiting.

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