Chapter 9: Strip Him Naked

Lu Jia looked at the two men, Zhang and Li, who were currently struggling with each other. "Li Er, you don't actually think my uncle wants something from your family, do you?"

"Is there anything your family has that the Zhang family lacks?"

"He’s just fooling you!"

"Everyone knows what you’re like on a daily basis. If he really intended to give me to you, wouldn't the Zhang family be afraid of the truth coming out later and being pointed at by the people of Shawan County for the rest of their lives?"

"Their daughter, Ru-jie'er, is also getting married soon. I hear they’re looking for a good family for a high-status marriage. If the Zhang family really did this, forget about a high-status marriage—with a father who does such unscrupulous things, it would be a question of whether she could get married at all."

"What reason could he possibly have to insist on marrying me off to you? You’re just stupid; even now, you still think you can hold the Zhang family in the palm of your hand?"

Even though Li Er was filled with rage, he had been beaten into a pulp tonight and could no longer muster any authority. He spat out a few harsh threats and prepared to retreat.

But when he heard Lu Jia’s words, the anger he had been suppressing suddenly flared up again!

He pointed at Zhang Qi. "You think I, Master Li Er, am a fool? Let me tell you, he did it to buy that warehouse of ours!"

"A warehouse?" Lu Jia narrowed her eyes. "What warehouse?"

"The idle warehouse our family has under the city wall!"

Li Er couldn't take it anymore. He was being called stupid by this young girl? How could that be? He wasn't stupid at all!

To prove he had a logical basis for his actions, he shouted it all out in one breath

"He wanted to buy our warehouse, but my father wouldn't sell. No matter how he wheedled or pressured us, it was useless. Later, when he saw that I was already twenty and still not betrothed, he proposed marrying you off to me!"

"He gave my father his word that he could definitely pull it off, and the only condition was that he had to get that warehouse. That was the only reason my father agreed!"

As Li Er roared this out, the surrounding crowd erupted in an uproar.

"Master Zhang, I never expected you to be this kind of person! You’d even sell your own niece; you’re really not human!"

"Exactly! To get a warehouse, you’d even strike at your own kin. It was the Xie family that helped the Zhang family get rich in the first place. Not only do you not remember their kindness, but you turn around and sell their granddaughter? Bah! Watch out, or the old master of the Xie family won't let you off even from beyond the grave!"

The curses of the neighbors rose like a tide, but Lu Jia’s eyes flickered in the dark night, as if the only word she had heard from everything Li Er said was "warehouse."

"Uncle?"

She raised an eyebrow and turned her face toward Zhang Qi.

Zhang Qi had never expected Lu Jia to provoke Li Er into saying all that!

This was a disaster. Originally, he and Madam He could have insisted to everyone that this marriage was just an uncle and aunt caring for their niece. Now that Li Er had spilled the truth, there was no way he could continue with this scheme!

Everyone in Shawan knew the purpose behind his matchmaking. If Li Er ever tried to target Lu Jia again in the future, the blame would surely fall on his head!

He gritted his teeth and glared at Lu Jia, feeling as if his heart had been tossed back and forth between ice and fire tonight.

Without further ado, he barked at the servants beside him: "Someone! Take Master Li Er back!"

He couldn't deny what Li Er had confessed, nor could he admit it!

If he didn't deny it, the spit of the entire town would drown him. Just as Lu Jia had said, Zhang Ru, who was about to be married, could forget about a high-status marriage—it would be a question of whether she could get married at all.

If he did deny it, who knew what other "pleasant" things Li Er might blurt out!

If he didn't hurry and chase him away now, was he going to wait for him to strip his pants off too?

"What’s the rush, Uncle?" Lu Jia said. "At least let the man finish what he has to say. —Li Er, if you don't explain this matter clearly, I won't believe a word you say."

"What does the Zhang family lack? Would they really be short of a warehouse? If you’re going to lie, at least make it believable."

Li Er sneered and rolled up his sleeves. "Last month, the imperial court issued a decree ordering all provinces to reorganize river transport and adjust shipping lanes for cargo vessels. I heard the documents from the Ministry of Revenue have already reached the Tanzhou Prefectural Office. Because the river isn't wide at the Tonghuomen Wharf outside the city and it suffers from disasters year after year, more and more cargo ships have been stopping at our Shawan Wharf. This time, they say they’re going to move all the merchant ships from the Tonghuomen Wharf over here!"

"Once that happens, our Shawan will be the largest wharf on the Xiang River within the entire Tanzhou Prefecture!"

"The merchant houses that got the news early are terrified of others finding out, so they’ve been secretly expanding their storage. The Zhang family heard our Li family had a large warehouse, so they came begging to buy it."

"But our Li family isn't short of that little bit of money from selling a warehouse, and besides, we need it ourselves. So he, Zhang Qi, came up with the idea of matching you and me, and even took the initiative to invite me onto a boat to see you—"

"You brat! Listen well, all of this was stirred up by your good uncle. It wasn't my idea to begin with. If you have any grievances, remember to go find the Zhang family!"

Li Er glanced at Lu Jia, then gritted his teeth and glared venomously at Zhang Qi.

Zhang Qi was so angry he could barely breathe.

That was it.

Everything was laid bare!

He gritted his teeth and looked at the scene before him. The originally spacious courtyard was packed with people. He had been drenched in the rain for half the night, and his usual polished appearance was long gone. His clothes were half-soaked by the drizzle, his hair was dripping wet, and combined with the mud he’d picked up when he was beaten earlier, he couldn't have looked more wretched.

Then he looked at Lu Jia, who was clean, comfortable, and looking at him with a meaningful gaze.

That gaze was direct, as if it were looking right through his filthy, wretched guts. It made Zhang Qi feel so humiliated that it was as if his pants really had been stripped off, and all his angry blood rushed to his head!

He roared and waved his hands: "Get out, all of you, get out!"

Lu Jia had been staring at Li Er after he finished speaking. Hearing Zhang Qi’s impotent rage, she curled her lips. "Shouldn't you be the one getting out? Uncle, this is the Xie family’s territory."

The neighbors began to chime in: "That’s right, this is the Xie family’s home. What kind of authority are you throwing around here, Zhang family? You bullied an orphan and a widow, and now you want to brazenly occupy their home?"

Zhang Qi was so angry he nearly fell backward. Thinking about how he hadn't gained a single advantage all night, his vision went black, and he nearly fainted!

The servants beside him were quick-witted; they hurriedly supported him and turned to call for others: "Quick, help the Master back! The Master isn't well!"

Hearing that shout, Zhang Qi, who had still been three-tenths conscious, was completely knocked out by the rage.

Xie Yi, who had been hiding in the house, waited until they passed the east wall, then immediately chased after them to pull the door shut, adding a few more bolts himself.

He then picked up a shoulder pole from the corner and returned to the courtyard, slamming it down heavily in front of Li Er: "You get out too!"

He was only twelve and not particularly sturdy. If Li Er had his men with him, he wouldn't have paid him any mind, but after the repeated setbacks tonight, his spirit was long gone. Seeing the aura of this boy, Xie Yi, he actually found it quite intimidating.

Even though he felt aggrieved, he had lost enough face for one night and was in pain, so he had no desire to tangle with these unruly commoners. With a wave of his hand, the men who had left earlier brought over a simple sedan chair and moved him onto it.

Once they had dispersed, Lu Jia and Qiu Niang walked toward Daoist Li and the others: "Thank you all for your help. We’ve boiled ginger soup and prepared some food. You’ve been standing in the rain for so long, please come inside and have a cup of tea."

Everyone waved their hands.

Qiu Niang usually taught her children to be kind to others, and the family had long since sown seeds of goodwill. Everyone felt it was only right to help in return. After a few words of advice, they all dispersed and headed home.

Lu Jia and Qiu Niang walked them to the end of the street and only returned to the house after watching them leave.

After closing the doors and windows, they sat around the fire pit, and Li Chang came in through the back door.

"I just saw that scum Li Er pass by the Zhang family’s house on the way back, and he smashed their front gate to pieces. The Zhang family didn't make a sound."

Qiu Niang hurriedly brought him the sticky rice she had saved. Li Chang declined twice, but he couldn't resist after all the activity tonight, so he took the bowl and started eating.

Xie Yi happily picked up the clay pot to pour ginger soup for everyone: "This time, not only did we vent our anger, but we also cut off the Zhang and Li families' schemes. We’ve cleared this hurdle. It’s just a pity the beating wasn't satisfying enough. We really should have beaten them until they couldn't get up for the rest of their lives to make up for the grievances my sister suffered!"

Qiu Niang took the ginger soup he handed her: "Tone it down! That’s enough."

Xie Yi and Li Chang exchanged a look, then shrugged and stuck their tongues out at Lu Jia.

Lu Jia held her ginger soup, looking quite relaxed: "The beating is done, why worry? When the boat reaches the bridge, it will naturally go straight."

"I’m not afraid of the Li family anymore," Qiu Niang sighed. "I heard the new magistrate is a newly appointed scholar sent from the capital to gain experience. I’m afraid he wouldn't deign to get mixed up with local bullies. We have justice on our side; if the Li family dares to use force against us, the government can't pretend not to see it."

"Besides, they are businessmen and won't do business that loses money. Our house is bare; even if they know we set this trap, they can't squeeze any oil out of us."

"Tonight, Li Er already beat Zhang Qi like that; the Li family can't pretend it didn't happen. Besides, if they want to vent their frustration, isn't it much more cost-effective to go after the Zhang family than to bully us?"

Qiu Niang had lived in the capital for many years with Xie Zhang and had seen many official families, so she naturally had some insight. Having said this, she sighed again

"What I’m afraid of is the Zhang family. That couple is in cahoots and acting more and more shamelessly. Now that they’ve suffered a loss, I’m really afraid they’ll try to get it back."

Those who have nothing to lose are not afraid of those who have everything. She had already fallen to this point; what else could she lose? The only things were her children, especially Lu Jia, who was a girl—she absolutely could not let anyone harm her.

"Don't worry." Lu Jia swirled the coarse pottery cup in her hands. "He will definitely come."

Everyone thought she was trying to comfort Qiu Niang when they heard the first two words, but after hearing the whole sentence, they all stretched their necks in surprise.

"What are you saying? Since you know he’ll come knocking, how can you be so calm?"

Xie Yi was speechless.

This whole setup tonight had been Lu Jia’s arrangement from start to finish, which was surprising enough in itself—after all, they had grown up together, who didn't know who?

Although Lu Jia hadn't been weak in the past, there was no precedent for her handling the Zhang family so smoothly. This method of "beating the dog" tonight was too seasoned; one had to admire it!

And ever since Li Er spilled the beans on the Zhang family’s tricks, he had expected Lu Jia to take advantage of the momentum to crush the Zhang family in front of everyone, but she hadn't!

Not only had she not, but she was actually waiting for the Zhang family to come and settle the score?

What kind of medicine was she hiding in her gourd? Why couldn't he, her younger brother, understand it at all?

"If he doesn't come knocking, how can I collect my profit?" Lu Jia held her soup bowl and said unhurriedly: "After all, for me, beating the dog was just to break even."