Private Savings

However, the prerequisite for participating in the Martial Arts Examination was that he first had to shed his slave status in Qingmu County.

But shedding one's slave status was often not easy.

Firstly, one needed to have enough Redemption Silver to buy back their deed of indenture from their master.

Secondly, one had to take their master's letter of introduction and deed of indenture to the Yamen's registry office to complete the process of emancipation.

The Yamen would not obstruct such a good thing as increasing the number of taxpayers under their jurisdiction. The real difficulty lay only in dealing with the master who held the deed of indenture.

"After so many years at the Li Residence, eating and using resources, and learning horse-keeping skills, the market price to buy back my deed of indenture would be at least ten taels of silver..."

Wei Tu's expression turned grim as he thought of this.

He had risen from a mere tenant farmer to become a Groom at the Li Residence. His treatment there had improved significantly: he received wages, meat to eat, and a certain standing before his masters.

His masters had even arranged his marriage...

If he didn't buy his freedom, all of this would be good.

But to buy his freedom...

Everything he had eaten, drunk, and used before would have to be repaid.

His status as a Groom also increased the value of his deed of indenture.

Besides that.

Skilled workers were like Golden Geese.

When the Yamen levied corvée labor, he, as a Groom, could be sent to perform the service, saving his masters a large sum in Substitute Service Silver.

Under these circumstances, even if he saved up the ten taels of silver needed for redemption, the Li Residence would not let him go easily, especially since Master Li was such a "sharp" man.

Stingy, a skinflint.

He would instruct his servants to light only one wick of a candle, for fear of wasting their oil.

"When my father sold me, he only got five qian of silver and two dou of wheat."

Wei Tu sighed inwardly.

In just six years, his value had increased more than twentyfold, which was hard to imagine.

However, during the years of famine, lives were cheap. The fact that he could sell himself to survive was, in a way, fortunate at the time.

"How much money do we have on hand..." That evening, when Xinghua returned to their room, Wei Tu asked her about her Private Savings.

Although they were married, according to custom, the Private Savings Xinghua had accumulated before were her Dowry. As her husband, he could not use a single cent without her consent.

"Why are you asking about this?" Xinghua's face showed a hint of wariness.

The Private Savings she had accumulated from working at the Li Residence all these years were her foundation for survival.

Even though Wei Tu was her man, she wouldn't part with a penny without a proper reason.

"I... I plan to shed my slave status and take the Martial Arts Examination. I'm short on money..." Wei Tu stated his intentions without hesitation.

Now that he and Xinghua were married, they were the closest people to each other, relying on one another.

Using Xinghua's Dowry, although he felt a little uneasy about it, freeing himself was related to his future, so the sooner the better.

He would not be sentimental about this.

What he owed Xinghua today, he would repay a hundredfold, a thousandfold tomorrow.

A couple meant facing hardships together and sharing blessings together.

"Shed your slave status? Brother Wei, what got into you? Are you crazy?" Hearing Wei Tu's words, Xinghua jolted to her feet, her face full of lingering fear. She lowered her voice and admonished him, "Leaving the Li Residence, where else can you find such a good job? After the autumn harvest this year, I'll try to probe the First Mistress again. Maybe we can rent land this year..."

"Once we rent land, things will get better, and we can move out of this main hall."

After muttering a few words, tears streamed from Xinghua's eyes, and she gently wiped them with her handkerchief.

She had thought she had married a content man, and that life would improve. Now it seemed that Wei Tu was inherently "discontent."

Martial Arts Examination?

Was that something a servant could take?

People who passed the Martial Arts Examination were greeted with bows and called "Martial Arts Master" by ordinary folk.

"Look." Seeing Xinghua's state, Wei Tu didn't go to comfort her. Instead, he walked out of the main hall, picked up the two-hundred-jin stone lock from the corner of the yard, and brought it back into the room.

He performed a display of strength in front of Xinghua.

Facts were the best proof.

He had the capital to take the Martial Arts Examination!

"This isn't fake, is it?" Xinghua wiped her tears with her handkerchief and walked over to Wei Tu. She tried to lift the stone lock.

Soon, her expression turned incredulous, her eyes shining brighter and more crystal-clear than the oil lamp in the room.

She couldn't even lift the heavy two-hundred-jin stone lock, but her man could wield it.

She wasn't some delicate woman who couldn't carry a shoulder pole or lift a hand-carry.

Xinghua moved closer and touched Wei Tu's chest. Through his summer clothes, she quickly felt his bulging, firm pectoral muscles and his sturdy, powerful arms.

"Brother Wei, do you really plan to take the Martial Arts Examination?" Xinghua was starting to believe Wei Tu's words.

At this moment, she not only began to place her hopes on the next generation achieving academic success but also on her own husband making a name for himself in this generation.

"As long as I practice archery well, passing the Martial Arts Examination to become a Martial Scholar shouldn't be too difficult." Although Wei Tu wasn't entirely sure himself, he still gave Xinghua his assurance.

There was still over a year until the Martial Arts Examination in Qing Feng Prefecture. Within this time, his physique would definitely be stronger than it was now.

Furthermore, without slave status, he could do things more conveniently. Even if he couldn't make a fortune with the modern knowledge in his mind, earning a few small sums would be more than enough.

Now, with superior martial strength, he could also protect the property he deserved.

He wouldn't have to fear petty thieves coveting it.

"My private savings... I have three taels and seven qian. This is from all my years of wages, plus the usual rewards from the residence..." Xinghua hesitated for a moment, then took out her private savings from the rosewood chest in the corner of the room and placed them on the bed, counting them.

She had entered the Li Residence two years before Wei Tu. As a maid, she received many rewards daily. Not to mention, after becoming the cook at the Li Residence, she could pocket a decent amount by slightly skimming.

Of course, she was timid and didn't dare to skim large amounts, only daring to haggle for small sums when buying meat and vegetables.

The masters generally knew that servants were greedy for money. As long as they didn't go too far, they wouldn't inquire too deeply.

Otherwise, given Madam Li's shrewdness, Xinghua wouldn't have been the cook for so long.

"I only have a little over one tael on hand, plus the money my father gave me. Adding it up, I have about three taels."

"We still need three taels and three qian to reach ten taels..."

Wei Tu calculated their combined money and said.

"Three taels and three... If we can persuade the First Mistress this year to rent three to four mu of land, after deducting the rent, we could earn five to six qian."

"I'll also borrow some from Chun Lan and Cai Xia, and with our future wages, the shortfall shouldn't be too large."

"If all else fails..."

Xinghua gritted her teeth, contemplating using her position to skim a large sum of money.

"That won't do," Wei Tu said, seeing Xinghua's intention and stopping her in time.

Skimming small amounts through haggling was acting within the rules, and Madam Li would turn a blind eye if she knew.

But if she had wicked thoughts, passed off inferior goods as good, or used crooked scales, Madam Li wouldn't be so accommodating then.

Even if Xinghua were beaten to death, the yamen wouldn't pursue it too seriously, just imposing a fine.

"If you succeed, I'll even become a prostitute if I have to..." Seeing the worry on Wei Tu's face, Xinghua said with deep emotion, as if swearing an oath.

"Pah, pah, pah."

"Don't say such things."

"What do you take your husband for?"

Wei Tu frowned and rebuked her.