Surviving in the General's Mansion - Chapter 127

Inside a private room at Lehua Tower, Cheng Zhesong said, “I must trouble the General to take care of the shadow guards.”

“That itself is no trouble. But has the Left Prime Minister not been losing shadow guards rather quickly of late?

“Training them takes time. I hope the Prime Minister will exercise more caution in the future.”

Lin Feng smiled without warmth.

Cheng Zhesong’s gaze turned sinister.

“Does General Lin believe the silver Wang Jian sent was insufficient?”

“Now the Left Prime Minister has reached the heart of the matter! I keep so many people. Don’t they need somewhere to live? I have to feed them, house them, and train them. When they die, I even have to bury them! Money flows out like water!” Lin Feng said shamelessly.

“If Cheng remembers correctly, those shadow guards were refugees intercepted by General Lin in the first place.

“Wang Jian has sent a considerable sum, and Zhao Fan of the Ministry of Revenue has transported plenty of provisions there as well. Surely the General is not so poor that he cannot keep the men fed?”

“Listen to what you’re saying! The grain sent by the Ministry of Revenue is military provisions. How could I use it to train shadow guards for the Prime Minister?

“Besides, His Majesty has spoken. Don’t I have to return it at once?”

Cheng Zhesong studied Lin Feng for some time as though meeting him for the first time.

“General Lin is correct. It was my oversight. In two days, the General will see Cheng’s sincerity.”

“The Left Prime Minister is too serious. It isn’t that I want money. It’s simply that the trainees in the south are still waiting to eat. Rest assured, Prime Minister. As soon as the funds arrive, I’ll restore your numbers!”

Smiling, Lin Feng raised his cup toward Cheng Zhesong. Cheng Zhesong raised his own in response.

Afterward, the two drank without speaking while Lin Feng happily ate his way through the table of dishes by himself.

—

Xia Heng had gone out with Cang Chuli today to cancel her indenture contract.

Simply tearing up an indenture contract did not invalidate it. Only cancellation at the yamen made it official.

Xia Heng was immensely grateful that, after receiving the indenture contract, she had not imitated the television dramas she had watched and destroyed it on the spot.

Otherwise, she might have ended up in a lawsuit.

Uncle Zhao had purchased land for her. She was now a landowner too.

She had heard that she could register her household directly on land she owned.

Cang Chuli studied the visibly excited woman sharing his carriage.

“That happy?”

Only then did Xia Heng realize she might be showing far too much delight in front of her master. She hurriedly composed her expression, terrified he might demand the indenture contract back.

Cang Chuli knew what she was thinking the moment he looked at her.

Had he not been a good enough master?

He had never punished her. She wailed twice and he raised her monthly pay. Nor had he ever made the women do heavy labor.

And so he asked, “Do I treat you badly?”

Surprised, Xia Heng hurriedly replied, “No. The General treats us very well. I doubt any other household has a master as good as you.”

Only then did Cang Chuli feel a little better.

“Then why…”

“That’s different, General!

“My own father sold me. It wasn’t even because the family had no food. I was given away as a plaything!

“It always made me uncomfortable before. But now, thanks to the General’s generosity, he has released me from my indenture contract!

“Once I receive free commoner status, I can establish my household on my own land!

“I’ll be the head of my household! No one will ever be able to sell me casually again. That is what you call a sense of security!”

Cang Chuli propped his cheek on one hand and watched the woman before him answer his question earnestly.

Her manner remained respectful, but her round eyes shone brilliantly.

At the end, she even promised him, “But don’t worry, General! I’ll continue working hard in the future. I absolutely won’t slack off!”

The carriage gradually came to a stop, and the driver’s voice sounded outside.

“General, we have arrived.”

Xia Heng climbed down first, lifted the curtain, and extended a hand to help Cang Chuli.

She did not notice him part his lips softly as she turned away to descend.

“Mm. I’ll give you that sense of security.”

The bailiff on duty stared wide-eyed at the man stepping down from the carriage. Wasn’t that the General of the Northern Pacification?

What was he doing at the Capital Prefecture Yamen?

The bailiff slapped his thigh and raced inside to report to his superior.

Before long, Prefect Song hurried out, his official hat sitting crooked on his head. He was worried sick!

Whose son had Cang Chuli taken a fancy to this time? Usually, the families whose sons had been carried off came here to file complaints. Why had the man appeared in person today?

Who knew whether the black gauze cap on Prefect Song’s head would survive the day…

“This subordinate official greets General Cang.”

“Please rise, Prefect Song.”

Cang Chuli was always courteous toward Prefect Song, and not merely because the man had cleaned up so many messes for him over the years.

Prefect Song had risen step by step from a minor county deputy in the south. He was one of the rare officials who genuinely accomplished practical work for the common people.

“General, what brings you here?”

Prefect Song was fifty this year, yet the sight of Cang Chuli still made him nervous.

He looked left and right but saw no aggrieved complainant following behind.

*You little baleful star! At least tell me how much trouble you’ve caused this time!*

“Oh. I brought a maid from my household to cancel her indenture contract.”

“You brought a maid from your household to… do what?”

Cang Chuli patiently repeated himself, thinking that Prefect Song was a good official, but perhaps age had left him somewhat hard of hearing.

“Cancel her indenture contract.”

“…”

Xia Heng hurriedly smiled at Prefect Song to indicate that she was the maid in question.

Of course Prefect Song knew it was her. She was the only maid beside Cang Chuli today.

But had the sun risen in the west? This little baleful star had personally brought someone here to cancel an indenture contract?

How many servants in his household were even bound by an indenture contract?

Besides, did Uncle Zhao not usually handle matters like this by coming directly to the yamen and asking the clerk in charge of household registration to cancel the record? Why had Cang Chuli come himself today?

“Oh… I see. Then come with me, General. This way.”

As he led them, Prefect Song stole glances at Xia Heng. A young woman who could make Cang Chuli come in person must possess extraordinary qualities!

The more he looked, however, the more familiar she seemed.

“Are you… the exceptionally gutsy young woman who held up the archery target at the training grounds that day?”

The corner of Xia Heng’s mouth twitched. The phrase “exceptionally gutsy” gave her a touch of post-traumatic stress these days.

“I believe you mean me.”

“Oh~”

So that was it. This made considerably more sense.

The suspicion in Prefect Song’s eyes turned to understanding, with even a trace of gratification.

He had shouted himself hoarse at the training grounds that day. A young woman like this truly deserved a reward! The little baleful star had finally handled something properly!

Prefect Song led them to the clerk responsible for household registration.

Under the eyes of the assembled group, the trembling clerk canceled Xia Heng’s slave status. As he prepared her new household registration, Cang Chuli spoke in an unhurried voice.

“Register her as a female-headed household.”

The words meant little to Xia Heng, but Prefect Song understood perfectly.

Once registered as a female-headed household, she would become the head of her own household. This meant severing her ties with the Xia family completely!

He had heard something of her history. After all, the return of those women by Cang Chuli had caused no small commotion.

Still, this was a good thing. A fine shoot had grown from the Xia family’s rotten bamboo. It appeared Miss Xia enjoyed considerable favor at the General’s Mansion. With that support, she would not be easily bullied even as the head of her own household.

“Do as General Cang says. You need only pay your taxes on time,” Prefect Song said gently.

Xia Heng nodded repeatedly. Of course! Paying taxes was an obligation. After seeing so many public figures fall afoul of the law in modern times, this was one thing she understood!