Chapter 132: Extortion

Despite their reluctance, the time had come for the two to part ways. Xu Ruojin walked Jiang Mingshuang to the gate herself, wishing she could follow her all the way home.

"Enough, enough! Anyone watching would think I’m kidnapping you. You’re bold, but my family is timid; we’re terrified that the 'King of Hell' Liang might come looking for us."

Jiang Mingshuang’s teasing made Xu Ruojin pout. "Him? I honestly wonder if we’ll even see each other again after you leave. His mind is too deep, his schemes too profound; if one is plotted against by him, there is simply no recourse."

"Liang Xiao may be a man who inspires fear, but he is not the type to play games with women."

Jiang Mingshuang’s attempt to comfort her only earned a sigh from Xu Ruojin. Before she could reply, however, they saw a young maid hurrying toward the gate.

"What is it? What happened?" Xu Ruojin signaled to Chuncao, who quickly caught up to the maid and stopped her.

The maid turned, spotted Xu Ruojin, and rushed over to bow, her face flushed with anxiety. "Second Miss, I’ve finally found you! It’s the Young Master of the Li family—he’s shown up at the gate, demanding that the Master give an explanation for the Eldest Young Mistress’s passing. But the Master isn’t home, and he’s causing a scene."

Li Zhonglin.

Xu Ruojin had not expected him to show up. Since he had left the Xu estate in a drunken stupor, they had not officially crossed paths. He might have been lurking near the magistrate’s office last time to watch the commotion, but he hadn’t sought out the Xu family. Xu Ruojin had all but forgotten his existence, never imagining he would appear now.

Yet, upon reflection, it was understandable. Li Qiuping’s death had indeed been marked by great injustice, and her funeral had been rushed due to Xu Ruojin’s own wedding preparations. Setting aside Li Zhonglin’s perspective, any family might find such treatment deeply unfair. Regardless of how sharp-tongued or headstrong Li Qiuping had been in life, her final "I’m sorry" before dying had wiped away all past grievances. She had left behind the eldest grandson for the Xu family; she should have been laid to rest with honor, yet instead...

"Who is attending to him now?" Xu Ruojin steadied herself, preparing to face the situation.

The maid’s voice was faint. "It’s Concubine Liu."

Xu Ruojin’s expression chilled. Jiang Mingshuang, sensing that trouble had found her friend, knew better than to linger. "Ruojin, attend to your affairs. I’ll write to you once I reach the neighboring county."

"Then I won’t keep you. I am also planning to leave soon. Before I go, I must resolve the matters weighing on my heart, or I won’t be able to leave with peace of mind."

Xu Ruojin did not hesitate. After seeing Jiang Mingshuang into her carriage, she headed straight for the main hall of the Xu estate.

As soon as she entered the courtyard, she heard Li Zhonglin’s shouting.

"My sister was the legitimately wedded Eldest Young Mistress of your house! She bore you the eldest grandson, and you held such a perfunctory funeral for her? Bah! If you don’t give me a reasonable explanation, I will air all your dirty laundry for the whole world to see! Don’t believe me? Just try me!"

"Young Master Li, how can you say such things? The Eldest Young Mistress was indeed a benefactor to the Xu family. Under normal circumstances, how could we ever treat her so poorly? It’s just that the family had other matters..."

"Bah!" Li Zhonglin spat to the side, sitting in a chair with his legs crossed. "Don’t try to fob me off with such talk. Do you take me for a fool? Your Master wants to hide from me? Not a chance! I’m not leaving until I see him face to face!"

"Pour some tea! Bring snacks and fruits, prepare a meal, and get my room ready for tonight." Seeing the maid standing there in a daze, he snatched a cup from the table and threw it at her. "What are you staring at? Why haven’t you gone?"

The cup shattered upon hitting the floor, and the maid scrambled away in terror. Concubine Liu, filled with embarrassment and suppressed anger, could only swallow her pride. "Young Master Li, what are you doing..."

"Who do you think you are? A lowly concubine coming here to put me off? What kind of thing are you? And another thing—my sister’s child is not to be raised by you. How can a child born of a maid-turned-concubine raise the eldest grandson? You’ll turn him into a useless fool!"

Li Zhonglin’s verbal abuse left Concubine Liu frozen, on the verge of tears. Ever since Madam Yang had been confined and she had been tasked with managing the household, she had never been insulted like this. It was true she had started as a maid and was only a concubine, but did that mean she deserved to be pointed at and berated? None of this was her doing; she merely followed the Master’s orders...

Xu Ruojin listened from the doorway for a while, realizing the situation was becoming unbearable. She nodded to Hongxing, who stepped forward and lifted the curtain, announcing, "Second Miss has arrived."

Li Zhonglin, already furious and about to lash out at Concubine Liu further, clamped his mouth shut upon hearing the announcement and glared at the door.

"Well? Does the great Master Xu, a dignified Registrar, not dare to show his face? Either he sends a concubine to dismiss me, or he asks Miss Ruojin to step in? Since when did the Xu residence become a place where women handle the affairs of the world?!"

Xu Ruojin ignored his sarcasm. She looked at the tea on the table and instructed Hongxing to brew a fresh pot.

"My father is indeed not here. If you don’t believe me, you are welcome to check at the magistrate’s office."

Xu Ruojin’s steady gaze forced Li Zhonglin to stifle his tirade. After a pause, he retorted, "I want an explanation for my sister. You Xu family members are truly too much!"

"Yes, the Xu family has been excessive."

Xu Ruojin’s words caught Li Zhonglin off guard. Before he could recover, she continued, "Unfortunately, she is already gone. Any words of regret are useless now. If you have any demands, speak them. Whatever the Xu family can do, we will do."

"Hmph!" Li Zhonglin let out a cold laugh, crossing his legs again. "I used to think you were kind, generous, and clever—a good girl. But hearing you say that now is truly chilling. 'Words of regret are useless'? My sister died giving birth to a son for your family, and you buried her in such a slipshod manner! Don’t think you can settle this with a bit of money!"

"I was by my sister-in-law's side when she gave birth. Do you think I wanted to watch her lose her life for that child? You never heard her insist that the midwives save the child even when she knew the danger, just to bear a son for my brother. You don’t know her at all!"

Xu Ruojin’s emotions surged. As she thought of Li Qiuping, tears welled in her eyes, leaving Li Zhonglin momentarily speechless.

"Enough. It’s useless to say anything more now. Tell me the amount, Young Master Li. How much silver do you want as compensation?"

"I—I never said anything about money..."

"If you don't want money, then you are not just disgusting me—you are insulting my sister-in-law." Xu Ruojin looked at him coldly. "Is a false reputation really that important? It’s truly shameful."

"Ten thousand taels!" Li Zhonglin, stung by her words and feeling cornered, raised a finger to the heavens. "Ten thousand taels! Give me ten thousand taels, and all matters will be wiped clean!"

Xu Ruojin bit her lip, then nodded. "Very well, I agree!"