Cast Off by All

The young man glaring at the servant was someone Su Ziji knew. Who else could he be but Qi Hongxin's son, Qi Jianjun?

Whenever Qi Jianjun saw Su Ziji, he usually gave a dismissive snort and ignored him. Still, as the prefect's son, he carried himself with a certain bearing. Now his face was full of fear and unease.

The man in his forties whom Qi Jianjun was stopping from leaving had to be one of Qi Hongxin's servants.

Su Ziji had never imagined that his spur-of-the-moment visit would bring him upon this scene.

Qi Hongxin might have fallen ill, but he was still the prefect. Yet an old servant of his household not only wanted to leave, but had dared to make off with valuables and treat the prefect's son this way?

A sense of absurdity rose in Su Ziji, followed by a flare of anger. He forced the anger down and walked toward them.

The clerk who had followed him looked as though he wanted to say something. But after opening his mouth, he seemed to think better of it and shut it again, his face grim.

The two men struggling with each other had noticed no one approaching. Fan San, the old servant Qi Jianjun was trying to stop, had lost all patience. He flung the young man off again and snapped, "What the hell are you talking about? Why do you think I served you, your father, and your whole family?"

"I have a family to feed. I did it for the money!"

"Qi Hongxin spent his whole life guarding his spotless name. If he was willing to make his wife and children suffer for it, that's your family's business. My indenture was returned to me long ago. What's wrong with leaving now? Should we stay