Baozi Xishi's Struggle

Chapter 153 You Go and Ask the 4th Master for a Try

Shen Yu didn't want to cause unnecessary trouble, so she whispered, "Zhou Dalang, why don't you just hide for now? If it's really your mother's relatives who come looking for us, we can just say we haven't seen you."

Shen Yu turned to Jiang and Li and said, "Mother, ask clearly before opening the door. If they are really looking for Zhou Dalang, just say you haven't seen him and don't open the door for them. I'm sure the relatives of Mrs. Hu are not easy to deal with. It's better not to provoke them if you can."

Li agreed, walked around the yard, picked up a wooden stick used to carry water leaning against the wall, and went to answer the door with Jiang.

Shen Yu, Zhou Dalang and Dun Dun hid in the house and listened carefully.

Li asked a few questions through the door, and then opened the gate with a creaky sound.

As Li walked into the house with the visitor, she shouted, "Yuzhi, it's Brother Liu coming over."

"Brother Liu, could it be Liu Sanjiang?" Shen Yu couldn't help but mutter to himself.

When Zhou Dalang heard that it was not his mother's relatives who were chasing after him, he breathed a sigh of relief and the expression on his face was not so tense anymore.

Liu Sanjiang walked in with a smile on his face. Just as he was about to greet Shen Yu, he was surprised to see Zhou Dalang standing in the room. He couldn't help but ask, "Zhou Dalang, why are you here?"

When Zhou Dalang saw that it was the yamen runner Liu Sanjiang, he was timid at first, his face flushed and he stammered, "I, I..."

Shen Yu smiled and said, "Brother Liu, please sit down and talk. How come you have time to come here today? I looked for you yesterday when I delivered the food but couldn't find you."

Several people sat down around the table, and Zhou Dalang also sat timidly beside them.

Liu Sanjiang cupped his hands and said, "Miss Shen, the Chief of Police sent me here. Yesterday afternoon, there was something going on at the market, so I didn't go to patrol the streets."

Shen Yu thought of what he had asked He to find out yesterday, and smiled and said, "Third brother-in-law, did he have anything for you to tell me?"

Liu Sanjiang glanced at Zhou Dalang, who stood up tactfully and said, "Miss Shen, I have something else to do at home, so I won't bother you for now."

Zhou Dalang said that he was leaving, but he said in his heart: Miss Shen, Miss Shen, please don't really let me go, the problem has not been solved yet.

Zhou Dalang walked out reluctantly, listening carefully to see if anyone from the Shen family would ask him to stay.

As soon as one foot stepped out of the door, Shen Yu smiled and said behind him: "Zhou Dalang, please stop for a moment. We can ask Brother Liu. Maybe he knows."

Zhou Dalang stopped immediately, bowed to Liu Sanjiang with a flattering look on his face, and sat back on the stool.

Liu Sanjiang looked at the two of them in confusion, not understanding what Shen Yu was up to.

Shen Yu smiled and said, "If Third Brother-in-law has anything to say, Brother Liu can just say it directly. It's okay for Zhou Dalang to listen."

Liu Sanjiang glanced at Zhou Dalang who was standing aside timidly, and thought it was okay to speak directly, so he simply said: "The chief of police asked me to tell Miss Shen that according to the law, Zhou Dalang must pay the silver for the crime. It's not just because it was Zhou Dalang who proposed it, but also because it's filial piety for children to take the punishment on behalf of their parents."

Shen Yu curled his lips silently in his heart. The hat of filial piety really works well.

She complained in her heart, but remained calm on the surface and even nodded cooperatively.

Shen Yu asked again, "Brother Liu, I would like to ask you something. Can Zhou Dalang only pay in cash as compensation? Can he use his shop as compensation? He has no money right now."

Liu Sanjiang asked in confusion: "Didn't his family harm your family? Why are you still speaking for him?"

Shen Yu shook his head: "Those things were done by Mrs. Hu. Zhou Dalang and his children are also victims. They did nothing wrong."

Liu Sanjiang couldn't help but praise: "Miss Shen is a woman who is as brave as a man. I am narrow-minded. The silver for the crime can be paid in kind, but the value of the kind is determined by the county government, not by the payer himself."

Zhou Dalang was stunned for a moment, and then he argued hastily: "Someone once offered one thousand taels of silver to my shop."

Liu Sanjiang looked at Zhou Dalang as if he were a fool, and said sarcastically, "Since you can sell it for 1,000 taels of silver, why don't you sell it directly, but pay it to the county government instead?

"You only need to pay 520 taels. Do you expect the county government to give you another 480 taels? I've only heard of the county government collecting money, but I've never seen anyone take money from it." Liu Sanjiang's eyes were full of mockery.

The little hope that had just risen in Zhou Dalang's heart was shattered again. He didn't want to say a word, but just hung his head and said nothing.

Shen Yu looked at Zhou Dalang's frustrated look and couldn't help thinking, "No wonder Mrs. Hu is so sure. Zhou Dalang is too soft-hearted."

Shen Yu could only smile and say, "Brother Liu, this is a long story. Are you free now? If you have nothing else to do, I will tell you the reason."

Liu Sanjiang rubbed his nose with his hand and smiled shyly, "It's my turn to take a day off today. Anyway, I'm alone here, and it's boring to lie in the official residence. So I took this job to run a errand for the head of the criminal police. It's also good to listen to some stories here."

Shen Yu briefly recounted what Zhou Dalang had experienced over the past two days, from beginning to end.

Liu Sanjiang couldn't help but show sympathy. Seeing this man of similar age being cornered, he sighed, "Mrs. Hu is so calculating. Zhou Dalang, since you are so pitiful, I will show you a way."

Zhou Dalang raised his head upon hearing the voice, his eyes shining, and looked at Liu Sanjiang eagerly.

Liu Sanjiang felt a little uncomfortable when Zhou Dalang looked at him, and he laughed and scolded: "What are you looking at? I don't have any flowers on my face."

He paused and said, "Why don't you go and ask our fourth young master for a try? Maybe he can find a solution."

"Mr. Lu?" Shen Yu didn't understand, and Zhou Dalang was even less confused.

Liu Sanjiang lowered his voice with a gossipy look on his face and said, "I'm telling you this, you are not allowed to tell anyone, especially you, Zhou Dalang. I'm telling you this just to defend you, you can't hurt me."

Zhou Dalang was anxious to know what to do, so he swore and swore immediately.

People at this time still believe in oaths, although sometimes they don't work very well.

Shen Yu stood by and waited for Liu Sanjiang's next words with a faint smile.

Liu Sanjiang continued, "The county magistrate is a person who does not like worldly affairs. I heard that the county magistrate has someone above him. He is here to be the county magistrate, but it is just a formality. He will be promoted after three years of assessment."

"As long as the county government doesn't have any major affairs assigned by the higher authorities, our county magistrate will not bother to intervene. The daily affairs are all handled by the two lawyers and the head of the criminal police."

Shen Yu understood this time. No wonder the county magistrate was so careless about trying the case. It turned out that he was just a confused official who came here to improve his resume.

If Lu Lang and the head of the Criminal Police had not intervened, would I still be in jail now?

When Shen Yu thought about how he had served under such a foolish official, he couldn't help but break out in a cold sweat.