Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 154: 42 jin, the problem is solved

Liu Sanjiang didn't notice Shen Yu's expression, and continued, "The fourth young master followed the county master to study here, and he will be here next spring. Whenever he has free time, he will go to the front yamen to help the county master with trivial matters. He said that he can first understand the people's sentiments and gain some experience."

"He is an upright man with a kind heart. I remember he once said that life is not easy for ordinary people. What may seem like a small matter may be a big deal for ordinary people. He will do his best to help if he can."

When talking about Lu Lang, Liu Sanjiang's eyes were full of stars and his face was full of admiration from the bottom of his heart.

Zhou Dalang clasped his hands together and said devoutly, "I don't ask for anything else. If I can get five hundred and sixty taels of silver, I will have enough money to leave this place and no longer be tied up by my parents at home. I will be satisfied."

Liu Sanjiang said: "When I came here today, I saw the Fourth Young Master in the master's room in front. You can go and ask him for help. Maybe there will be a chance for a turnaround."

Shen Yu stood up and said, "Zhou Dalang, have you thought it through? If you go to find the Fourth Young Master, it would be like you are openly going against your parents."

Zhou Dalang also stood up with a look of grief and resoluteness on his face: "I treated them with all my filial piety, but they used my Xiaobao to harm you. When I think of Xiaobao, I wish I could leave them immediately."

Then he pulled out a small cloth bag tightly wrapped in blue cloth from his bosom and said, "I have the store's title deed and license with me. I'm afraid my mother will transfer them directly to her relatives while I'm away."

Shen Yu asked Liu Sanjiang: "Brother Liu, can you accompany us to the county government? Zhou Dalang and I are both ordinary people, and we can't get in even if we get to the county government."

Liu Sanjiang stood up with a smile, and said half-jokingly and half-seriously: "Then I'll be a good person and accompany you. Zhou Dalang, if this is successful, you have to treat me to a meal."

Zhou Dalang nodded his head like pounding garlic, thanking him repeatedly, "Brother Liu, I will definitely treat you to a drink. If this works out, you will be the lifesaver of our family of three."

Shen Yu went to the next room, put the money note for savings, the four hundred taels of silver notes and a few strings of small coins that He had given him yesterday into his small purse and walked out.

Then he said to Li who had been listening, "Mother, let's go together. If we can sign the contract on the spot, you are the head of the family and the elder, so it should be signed in your name."

Li saw that they really had to sign the deed and pay the money, so she said hesitantly, "Yuzhi, we have been in the bakery to buy cakes, but we have never been to the house behind the shop. How can we pay for a house without seeing it?"

Zhou Dalang finally caught a glimmer of hope to get rid of Mrs. Hu, and hurriedly said, "Madam, you saw my bakery when you went in to buy cakes. Although the shop is not big, it is also covered with blue bricks and has white walls all the way to the top. It is clean and tidy."

"The house in the back is twice as big as the shop. It has three main rooms. The side rooms were built in the back. They are new and spacious, just as good as the main rooms. In addition, there is a sweet water well in my yard, which makes it very convenient to drink water and wash vegetables."

Li didn't think much of anything else, but when she heard there was a well in the yard, she thought of the trouble and inconvenience of going to Mrs. Liu's house next door to fetch water every day, and she immediately said, "Then why are you still standing there? Let's go."

The attitude changed so quickly that Zhou Dalang was stunned for a moment.

Shen Yu smiled beside her. In fact, she had never been inside the bakery to know what the back was like, but she had been to other shops many times when Shen Yu was delivering food.

The houses here are uniformly designated by the government, and the size of each shop on the street is about the same.

So Shen Yu had a rough idea of ​​the size and depth of the bakery. At most, the maintenance of the building was different in terms of new and old.

But if you buy a house on Market Street for 560 taels, no matter how old it is, it's still a profit.

The group of four hired a mule cart and soon arrived at the county government office.

After getting off the car, Shen Yu paid the fare, and Liu Sanjiang took the three of them and entered the county government office through a small door next to it.

There is a row of houses to the right of the entrance, which is where the yamen runners who are not on duty rest.

The room was simply furnished. There was a wooden table at the entrance and benches placed around the wall.

Liu Sanjiang asked the three of them to wait here first while he went to find the Fourth Young Master and ask him to come over.

The three of them sat on the bench and waited quietly. Although there were people walking outside from time to time, the three of them did not dare to go outside to take a look.

After waiting for about an incense stick of time, Liu Sanjiang and the fourth young master Lu Lang walked in one after another with the sound of brisk footsteps.

Shen Yu and the others quickly stood up. Lu Lang smiled gently and said, "Miss Shen, we meet again."

Shen Yu nodded with a smile, squatted down and bowed: "Mr. Lu, how are you? I have to trouble you again with Zhou Dalang's matter."

Lu Lang's face flashed with disdain, and he smiled and said, "Liu Sanjiang has already told me about Zhou Dalang's affairs. Although filial piety is the most important virtue, we also need to consider whether the parents are worthy of their children's filial piety."

well said!

After hearing this, Shen Yu felt very comfortable. Mr. Lu was a man who could distinguish right from wrong. She secretly gave Lu Lang a little red flower in her heart.

However, in this era, such words could be considered as extremely treasonous and against human ethics. The other three opened their mouths in surprise.

Lu Lang turned to Zhou Dalang and said, "I heard from Liu Sanjiang that you wanted to sell the shop to Miss Shen, and the price was already set, but your mother disagreed and wanted you to sell it to her relatives. Now you want to use the shop to pay off the crime, and you want to pay more money?"

Zhou Dalang made a bitter face and nodded submissively.

Lu Lang said calmly, "There's no need to go through so much trouble. You should just sell it to Miss Shen directly. You can get more money. If you give it to the government as collateral, the most you can get is the amount of silver you used to pay for your crime. How can the government ask you for money?"

Zhou Dalang was anxious: "I want to sell it to Miss Shen, but my mother doesn't agree."

Lu Lang glanced at Zhou Dalang and said, "According to the laws of our dynasty, when selling a house, one must first consult all relatives and friends. Only if relatives and friends do not want to buy it can it be sold to others."

Zhou Dalang's shoulders suddenly slumped. It was because of this law that he was reluctant but unable to refute.

Lu Lang smiled slightly and continued slowly, "But there is another law in our dynasty. If a relative or friend is a criminal who has violated the law, he or she is not eligible to interfere with or sell the house while serving the sentence."

"If I remember correctly, even though your parents paid for their crimes with money, the county magistrate still sentenced them to sweep the streets for half a year. Now, the half-year period hasn't even expired yet." After Lu Lang finished speaking, he smiled as he looked at Zhou Dalang's face, which showed an expression that looked like he wanted to laugh but wanted to cry at the same time.

After hearing this, Shen Yu almost laughed out loud with joy.

knowledge is power.

Zhou Dalang's embarrassment and crying were resolved by Lu Lang with just a few casual words.