Chest Held High

A few days earlier, Li Ru had already felt that Xie An's request for redemption was inappropriate. He had made up his mind to leave him hanging for a few days and put some pressure on him, so that Xie An would understand his status as a servant.

Now that Xie An had come knocking the day before the pawnshop opened, Li Ru instinctively felt that he had come to yield.

Li Ru had been in business for many years and considered himself deeply versed in the art of managing people, so he could not help feeling rather pleased with himself.

"Madam, I told you so. All it took was leaving him hanging for a few days, and he became obedient."

Madam Li sighed softly and said nothing more.

Li Shaoyun, however, chimed in. "Father, I heard Mother say that you promised Old Xie a hundred and eighty taels for his redemption?"

Li Ru said, "The original price was two hundred taels, but your mother felt that was too harsh, so she waived twenty taels."

Li Shaoyun thought for a moment before saying, "After I become a nominal deputy steward of White Feather Hall, there'll be many more places where I need to spend money. Isn't a hundred and eighty taels a little too little?"

Li Ru leisurely chewed a piece of braised pork and said vaguely, "It doesn't matter. Old Xie can't come up with a hundred and eighty taels anyway. It's nothing more than making him realize the difficulty and retreat. He's been an Appraisal Master in town for thirty years and has a good reputation. Keeping him at the shop will bring in some business. We can earn a little more silver for you to practice martial arts."

Li Shaoyun nodded in agreement. "Father, you've thought it through as always."

"Chunlan, it's still snowing outside. Go and bring Old Xie a hand warmer." Madam Li knew that Li Ru valued household rules and never saw servants during meals, so she said this to Chunlan.

Chunlan nodded in agreement and hurried away.

The snow outside grew heavier and heavier, while the weather turned bitterly cold.

"Master Xie, Madam asked me to bring you a hand warmer. Here, take it. It'll be a while before Master finishes eating." Chunlan hurried out of the courtyard and gave Xie An a hand warmer to keep himself warm.

Because he had cultivated the Health Cultivation Technique, Xie An, standing in the snow, did not feel especially cold. Still, he thanked her and accepted it.

After giving him a few instructions, Chunlan left, leaving Xie An alone to wait in the wind and snow.

With his Superior Senses, he naturally smelled the aroma of meat drifting out from the main hall, and every so often heard the laughter of Li Ru and Li Shaoyun.

Based on his understanding of Li Ru, he usually took about fifteen minutes to eat a meal. Today, however, he had been eating for more than half an hour.

Xie An felt that Li Ru was deliberately leaving him hanging.

As for the reason, it was nothing more than the fact that his request for redemption had offended Li Ru's authority. Li Ru wanted to put pressure on him so that he would behave properly in the future and never bring up redemption again, remaining Li Ru's slave forever.

Any servant who brought up redemption would more or less anger their master. This was nothing new in the Great Qian Dynasty.

That was the fate of a servant.

Everything was fate, and not a bit of it was up to oneself.

The more Li Ru acted this way, the firmer Xie An's resolve became to take control of his own life.

Xie An stood in the snow for nearly a full hour before he finally heard footsteps approaching. When he looked up, he saw Chunlan walking over. "Master Xie, Master wants you to go inside."

"All right."

Xie An showed no expression as he followed Chunlan into the inner courtyard.

Upon entering the reception hall, a wave of warmth swept over him and drove away the chill clinging to his body.

As usual, Xie An maintained a humble, lowered head. "Greetings, Master, Madam, and Young Master."

Li Ru sat high in the seat of honor, both hands wrapped around a steaming tea bowl. He spoke indifferently. "Have you thought it through? Then go back and do your duty as an Appraisal Master. Your monthly pay will remain unchanged. Go on. Manage the shop properly and prepare to open for business."

Xie An had not expected Li Ru to assume the answer without even asking him, so he did not speak at once. Instead, he keenly sensed the expressions of everyone in the reception hall.

Li Ru's resentment and lofty superiority; Li Shaoyun's disdain; Madam Li's regret and guilt; Chunlan's sympathy.

Xie An wanted to remember this bone-deep feeling one last time, and then... bid farewell to the feeling of being a slave forever.

Seeing that Xie An did not answer, Li Ru blew the tea leaves from his tea bowl and took a sip. His expression remained calm. "Hmm? Are you listening to me? If you have no other questions, go back to the shop early. Don't delay the shop's business."

Whoosh!

Xie An drew a deep breath. Then... for the first time before his master, he slowly raised his head and met the gaze of Master Li.

This tiny movement shocked Li Ru greatly.

Ever since he had taken charge of Li Manor, no servant or attendant had ever dared look him in the eye like this.

What was more, in his impression, Old Xie had always been low-key, humble, timid, and afraid of trouble. Yet today, he actually...

Moreover, Li Ru clearly sensed a resolute glint in Xie An's eyes, even carrying a hint of threat.

This... was simply an upside-down universe.

Madam Li and Li Shaoyun were both startled. Li Shaoyun frowned. "Master Xie, didn't you hear my father tell you to return to the shop? At your age, the fact that my father is still willing to let you work peacefully as an Appraisal Master is already a blessing."

Xie An turned a deaf ear to him. He took out a cloth bag, placed it on the nearby Eight Immortals table, and opened it.

A full hundred and eighty taels of silver.

Then Xie An straightened his back and said neither humbly nor arrogantly, "As Master Li requested, I have gathered a hundred and eighty taels of silver."

His voice was not loud, but every word rang like iron.

There was no trace left of a servant's obsequious cringing. Even the "this humble one" he had once habitually used had silently become "I."

Xie An now possessed enough strength to crush the entire Li Manor head-on.

Li Shaoyun, a Martial Scholar, was still somewhat short of reaching the Bronze Skin Realm—not even enough to withstand one of Xie An's punches.

If Li Manor kept its word today, the matter would end there.

If Li Ru continued to make things difficult, Xie An would have no choice but to send him on his way.

Li Ru was clearly displeased by Xie An's attitude, but when he saw the genuine hundred and eighty taels of silver on the table, the rebukes that had reached his lips were swallowed back down.

After all, he had personally promised it back then.

He simply had not expected Xie An to truly gather the silver. If he went back on his word today and the matter grew serious, Li Manor's reputation would be ruined.

Although Li Manor was wealthy, the town still had respected local elders and worthies. If Li Manor lost its credibility in their eyes, doing business in town would become difficult in the future.

Li Ru was harsh and calculating, but he knew what mattered. In the end, he forcibly suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Old Xie, the world outside is in chaos, and not long ago there were even reports of bandits from Great Yin Mountain descending to raid the town. At your age, are you really sure you've thought this through?"

Realizing that Li Ru still wanted to manipulate him, Xie An simply stood with his hands behind his back and no longer showed any courtesy. "I've thought it through."

Even the respectful "I" was gone. He directly used "I" without embellishment.

Li Ru was so furious that he nearly stamped his feet. He was about to lash out when Madam Li held him back with all her strength. Only then did Li Ru force down his anger and let out an icy, mocking laugh. "Good, good! Old Xie has really grown capable! Madam, go get the deed of sale. Write a release document for him on my behalf."

Madam Li brought over the deed of sale, wrote the release document, and handed both to Xie An. She did not want Xie An to remain and inflame the conflict, so she urged him to leave. "Old Xie, the wind and snow are heavy outside. Let me see you out."

The moment the two of them stepped out of the reception hall—

Bang!

Li Ru slammed his palm onto the table, overturning the tea bowls. "Old Xie actually dares to thumb his nose at me! This is an upside-down universe!"

He regretted not asking for more at the start. He should have demanded a thousand taels... Then he could have seen how Old Xie would gather it, how he would be unable to hold his head up.

But he also knew there were no second chances.

What he did not know was that if he had truly done anything excessive just now, the entire Li Manor would have ceased to exist...

Li Shaoyun, however, only stared at the silver on the table. "Father, calm down. He's just a decrepit old man. Once he leaves Li Manor, his life will only get worse. Before long, he may well come begging us to take him back in."

Li Ru shouted, "When that time comes, even if he kneels and begs me, I still won't take him in."

After Xie An left the gates of Li Manor, Madam Li took out a small five-tael silver ingot and handed it to him. "Old Xie, you're advanced in years and have no children. Take these five taels. At least you won't be left without a place to go the moment you leave Li Manor. If you run into difficulties someday, have Chunlan tell me anytime."

Xie An had initially wanted to refuse, but then he thought of how he was penniless at that moment and how Madam Li's concern was sincere, so he accepted the kindness. "Thank you. Madam Li, you have a kind heart."

Madam Li said, "Old Xie, take care."

Xie An sensed the sincerity in her words and cupped his hands in a salute. "Madam, take care."

Then Xie An turned and walked into the wind and snow.

Madam Li stood beneath the eaves, watching the old man grow farther and farther away. She watched him stride forward with his head held high, chest thrust out.

He was no longer the obsequious old servant he had once been.