Cai Xia's Decision

Wei Tu stopped at the doorway.

He retracted the right foot that was suspended in mid-air, about to step over the threshold, turned around, and looked at the maidservant kneeling in the hall.

It was already evening. The oil lamp in the hall stood on a half-table near the south wall, beside Mr. and Mrs. Li Yaozu. Its light shone through their robes and hairpins, casting huge shadows that stretched from the table to the threshold outside the door, covering the maidservant who was kneeling and crying on the ground.

After stopping, Wei Tu stepped back into the living room, treading on the shadows on the floor tiles. He stood beside the maidservant, silent.

Having been in the Li Residence for many years, Wei Tu was very familiar with the maids and servants there. Even without seeing their faces, he could generally guess who it was just by their figures.

If this maidservant had no special connection with him, he would have turned around immediately and left, as such minor incidents were common in wealthy households.

He didn't yet have the strength to challenge the established order.

But Cai Xia's words...

He couldn't bring himself to take that step, to choose to ignore it and leave the Li Residence's living room.

Although Cai Xia's kindness wasn't enough for him to "make a big fuss" about the Li Family, it was enough for him to stand up for her.

Back then.

If Cai Xia hadn't reminded him, prompting him to redeem his deed of indenture in advance and avoid Li Yaozu's "trouble."

He would probably have become an outlaw by now, a bandit hiding in the mountains.

Even worse—

His head might have already been severed, dying tragically under the blades of the soldiers.

"Why did he come back?"

In the living room of the Li Residence, Mr. and Mrs. Li Yaozu felt a knot of anxiety in their stomachs when they saw Wei Tu standing beside Cai Xia. They didn't know how to proceed with this "minor matter."

Although the law in Zheng State explicitly prohibited masters from abusing their maidservants, the penalty for violating this law was merely a fine. Therefore, the so-called laws were nothing more than empty words in the eyes of Mr. and Mrs. Li Yaozu.

Normally.

After such an incident, Madam Li, as the mistress of the house, would reprimand Li Xingye a few times, punish him with confinement for reflection, and then compensate Cai Xia with some money. The matter would then be settled.

If they had the inclination, Li Xingye could secretly take Cai Xia into his chambers.

But the problem now was that Wei Tu had taken a stand for Cai Xia. Even though he hadn't spoken, his attitude was clear.

Wei Tu's own strength, as well as his connections with Martial Graduate Dan and the Huang Family of the county town, forced Mr. and Mrs. Li Yaozu to carefully consider how to provide a satisfactory response to both Wei Tu and Cai Xia.

"Cai Xia, what has happened has happened. No matter how much I scold Xingye, it will be of no use..."

"You state your demands, and I will consider them seriously and agree."

A moment later, Madam Li finally spoke in the quiet yet tumultuous living room.

"Except for the position of Xingye's principal wife, I will consider everything else."

She added.

Cai Xia was Li Yaozu's concubine maid. Although Li Yaozu had not touched Cai Xia under her supervision, the title itself made it highly inappropriate and against the rules and rites for Li Xingye to take Cai Xia as a concubine.

When she told Cai Xia not to covet the position of principal wife, she was actually reminding Cai Xia not to think about becoming Li Xingye's concubine, which would make things difficult for her.

"Cai Xia..."

Cai Xia's crying stopped. She pursed her lips, uttered these two words, and then fell silent again.

"Mother, she's just a maidservant, and Father doesn't need her. I'm not married yet, so taking her into my chambers wouldn't be a big deal," Li Xingye said, rubbing his sleepy eyes.

Hearing this.

Cai Xia seemed to have made up her mind. She looked up at Wei Tu first, then at Madam Li, and said, "This servant asks the First Mistress for your grace, to grant this servant her freedom and a sum of money to return to her hometown."

"Is that all?" Madam Li asked, her voice filled with disbelief and surprise upon hearing Cai Xia's demands.

If Wei Tu hadn't stood up for her, Cai Xia's request would have been outrageous, and she wouldn't have even considered agreeing.

The master's favor towards a maidservant was considered a gift, as everything a maidservant possessed belonged to the master.

But things were different now. Madam Li had already prepared herself to be extorted by Cai Xia.

Spending a little money to keep the family's shame from spreading was what she, as the mistress, should do.

Once the family scandal became public, it would not only affect the Li Family's reputation in the community but also hinder Li Xingye's path in the Imperial Examinations.

"I hope the First Mistress will graciously agree."

Cai Xia kowtowed twice.

"Since your mind is made up, I will grant you this," Madam Li said, a sense of relief washing over her.

Soon after.

Madam Li brought out a black lacquered tray from the inner hall. On it were two silver ingots and an unsealed envelope.

"These two silver ingots are each worth the full amount of five taels, totaling ten taels. Please keep them safe."

"Inside the envelope is your deed of indenture and a letter of manumission written by the master for you..."

Madam Li said, word for word.

"Thank you, First Mistress."

Cai Xia continued to kowtow, her face filled with gratitude.

Seeing this, Wei Tu felt no need to linger. He sighed inwardly and prepared to leave.

Everyone makes their own choices.

In his opinion, Cai Xia's choice wasn't bad. She had secured her deed of indenture and ten taels of silver, rather than staying in the Li Residence.

With her freedom and money, once she returned home, as long as Cai Xia's parents weren't unreasonable scoundrels, her life would likely have a good outcome...

However—

Just as everyone thought the matter was settled, Cai Xia suddenly stood up.

She rose, quickly took the two silver ingots Madam Li had placed on the lacquered tray, and said, "First Mistress, Xinghua and I have always been close. Xinghua has been very helpful to me in the residence. I wish to use these ten taels of silver to redeem Xinghua's deed of indenture. May I ask if you permit it?"

As soon as she spoke.

All eyes in the living room turned to Wei Tu, who stood beside Cai Xia.

Xinghua was Wei Tu's wife.

Whether Cai Xia redeemed Xinghua's deed of indenture or the Li Residence returned it, the matter inevitably involved Wei Tu...

Upon hearing this, Li Yaozu and his wife looked towards Wei Tu, wanting to see his reaction.

They knew well that given Wei Tu's current identity and status, he could have borrowed money to redeem Xinghua's deed of indenture half a year ago.

The reason he hadn't was not that Wei Tu had forgotten his humble wife, but because borrowing money to redeem his wife would incur too great a debt of gratitude.

Now, Cai Xia's intention to use money to redeem Xinghua's deed of indenture from the Li Residence was undoubtedly an act of kindness towards Wei Tu.

However.

To Li Yaozu and his wife's disappointment, Wei Tu seemed to tacitly approve of the matter. After hearing Cai Xia speak, he remained silent.

"To redeem a deed of indenture, the person themselves must agree..." Li Yaozu chose his words carefully, thinking of a way to refuse.

—He had intended to use Xinghua to control Wei Tu. If Cai Xia redeemed Xinghua, the favor would fall entirely upon Cai Xia.

"A wife follows her husband."

"On this matter, I will agree on Xinghua's behalf," Wei Tu said.