Chapter 9, Repaying Debts

"Yes." After the agreement was made, Uncle Wang began to sing loudly while holding the promissory note: "Chunyu from Xiacun, Wu Chang, ten taels of gold, interest one percent—" Upon hearing Uncle Wang's singing, Liu Jing took out ten taels of gold and some scattered five-zhu coins from her bundle and placed them on the table. She first carefully examined the promissory note, and after confirming its accuracy, she pushed the ten taels of gold to the overjoyed Wu Chang. She then recalculated the interest with Wu Chang and counted the five-zhu coins before pushing them over. Once Wu Chang confirmed everything was correct, she tore the promissory note into pieces. She first carefully examined the promissory note, and after confirming its accuracy, she pushed the ten taels of gold to the overjoyed Wu Chang. She then recalculated the interest with Wu Chang and counted the five-zhu coins before pushing them over. Once Wu Chang confirmed everything was correct, she tore the promissory note into pieces.

This time, Liu Jing narrowly escaped death and successfully resolved the crisis at home, feeling completely relaxed. As a result, she did not even take a bath to cleanse herself and fell asleep in a daze.

Amidst their cheers, Liu Jing turned to Zhao Xuan's subordinate and said slowly, "I, Liu, returned a day late; I wonder if Lord Zhao has any dissatisfaction with that"

She slept for a whole day and night. When Liu Jing woke up feeling refreshed, Liu's mother had already learned the details from Uncle Wu. Almost as soon as she woke up, Liu's mother hurried in and called out to Liu Jing: "Jing'er, I heard that those rascals had their eyes on you? And you have offended a murderous fiend?"

As soon as he uttered this sentence, all the creditors displayed joy on their faces

He turned around and bowed deeply to the group of creditors, his voice hoarse as he said: "Gentlemen, Liu is fortunate not to have failed in my duty"

This time, Liu Jing took nearly three hours to repay all the debts, including both principal and interest.

Zhao Xuan's subordinate smirked, revealing a mouthful of yellow teeth as he drooled over the heavy bundle at Liu Wenjing's feet. He swallowed hard, rubbed his hands together, and said: "This was supposed to be for three months. If you arrive a day late, my lord will naturally be displeased..."

I never expected that Liu Wenjing would return at this moment, and all the creditors were taken aback. The middle-aged fat man who was grabbing Liu Xuan could not help but release his grip, allowing the little girl to cry as she rushed back into her mother's embrace

The sound was exceptionally crisp, standing out prominently amidst the clamor. The crowd, who were shouting and pulling at each other, involuntarily turned their heads in unison. Upon turning, they beheld a young man in a blue robe, standing on the steps like a jade tree in the wind, his face marked by anger, along with several servants from the Liu residence who were glaring at them with fury.

Before he could finish speaking, Liu Jing wearily closed her eyes. She coldly said, "Indeed, Wu Gong was right... Everyone, do you really think that a mere young man like me could earn so much gold in just three months? This gold was a gift from a former friend of my father. Now that friend is considered a powerful figure, and when he gave the gold, he mentioned that perhaps someone would be greedy and insatiable." At this point, she suddenly opened her eyes wide, her gaze icy as she stared at the burly man, and coldly said, "Please convey to Zhao Xuan that my father only borrowed two hundred gold from him, with an agreement to repay it a year later, including principal and interest, totaling two hundred fifty gold... Now that friend is considered a powerful figure, and when he gave the gold, he mentioned that perhaps someone would be greedy and insatiable." At this point, she suddenly opened her eyes wide, her gaze icy as she stared at the burly man, and coldly said, "Please convey to Zhao Xuan that my father only borrowed two hundred gold from him, with an agreement to repay it a year later, including principal and interest, totaling two hundred fifty gold... From the time my father borrowed the gold until now, it has only been a mere eight months, yet Zhao Jun is forcing our Liu family to repay one thousand gold and is still not satisfied, and now he wants to create trouble over this delay?"

Well, this time we are heading directly to Liyang. Upon arriving in Liyang... From Liu Jing's words, it is clear that her matters this time went exceptionally smoothly. After briefly explaining the situation in just a few sentences, without mentioning any difficulties encountered, Liu Jing's eyes appeared somewhat heavy. Rubbing her face against her mother's knee, she drowsily said: "Mother, I am so sleepy..." As soon as she finished speaking, she yawned, and when Liu's mother thought about the vague parts of her words and wanted to ask for clarification, she looked down and saw that her daughter had actually fallen asleep on her knee.

Regardless of whether it is Liu Wenjing or these several servants of the Liu family, they all appear travel-worn, with expressions of fatigue and weariness.

Amidst the chaos of war, a cultured yet scornful voice suddenly emerged from the doorway, saying, "You all truly embody righteousness..."

Hearing this, Liu Mu also felt a pang of pain in her heart. She embraced Liu Jing tightly and, choking back her tears, said: "It is the mother's inadequacy that has burdened my Jing'er."

Seeing her mother crying incessantly, the creditors on one side grew somewhat impatient. Liu Wenjing glanced at them and then took out a handkerchief to gently wipe away her mother's tears, softly saying: "Mother, your son has earned gold and returned home, you can rest assured now." After saying this, she pulled over her younger sister, who still had tears in her eyes but was looking at her with wide, dark eyes. After placing the little girl into her mother's arms, Liu Wenjing stood up.

Turning his head, he saw that all the creditors were looking at him with disdain. The burly man rubbed his hands and thought: "The second brother always says that a rabbit does not eat the grass by its nest. Well, today I will yield a little, to prevent these people from spreading today's events everywhere and tarnishing my lord's reputation"

She coldly remarked, "There is a saying that one should leave a line when dealing with others, so that we may meet again in the future... It seems that Zhao Jun does not wish to meet anyone from the Liu residence!"

This one is also quite good, although it is a bit small, after raising it for a few years, it can be sold for a good price. As the last sentence fell, Liu Xuan seemed to be pulled by someone. The little girl cried out loudly, "Mother, Mother... Second Sister, Second Sister, save me, save Xuan'er!" Accompanying Liu Xuan's cries was the angry scream of Liu's mother, "Don't go too far! Xuan'er... let go of Xuan'er!"

Thinking of this, he grinned with his yellow teeth and said: "Why is Liu's eldest son so angry? Did I say anything just now? I didn't say a word, did I? Alright, alright, quickly bring out one thousand gold, I still need to hurry back for dinner!"

"Liu, where has your second daughter gone?"

Liu Jing saw him relent, and immediately nodded, speaking in a hushed voice: "Uncle Wang, Uncle Wu, please collect the IOUs, and I will check them one by one."

Liu, I remember when you first arrived in Yanghe, you were adorned in gold and silver, enjoying boundless glory. I have a family to support, so why don't you take out some gold and silver to settle the debts your husband owes

As Uncle Wang sang loudly time and again, Mother Liu sat beside him, gazing at her daughter with eyes that had recently swollen from crying and were now blurred. She looked at her daughter's noticeably thinner and darker profile, at the determination revealed between her brows, and at the swift and error-free manner in which she calculated interest. Unable to help herself, she let out a soft sigh, breaking into a smile, and thought with joy: When she was young, I always blamed her for being too clever... Now, I truly feel grateful to have such a smart daughter to rely on.

Liu Mu had once enjoyed wealth and was indeed a person of insight, but the relatively impoverished life of recent years has made her unable to forget the transformation of two hundred and fifty taels of gold into one thousand taels of gold

As soon as that voice fell silent, another middle-aged man's voice came through, "Liu, your eldest son said that we should give you three months, and now those three months have passed. Back in the day, Old Liu was a man of righteousness, but no matter how righteous he was, we brothers cannot go without food. How about this, I will give you another half a day's time. If your son does not return by tonight, you will have to move out. This house was mortgaged to me back then." Back in the day, Old Liu was a man of righteousness, but no matter how righteous he was, we brothers cannot go without food. How about this, I will give you another half a day's time. If your son does not return by tonight, you will have to move out. This house was mortgaged to me back then.

As the last IOU was torn to shreds and the final creditor took his leave, the servants of the Liu residence erupted in cheers, laughing and crowding around Liu Jing. Liu's mother was also beaming with joy; she waved away the crowd repeatedly, laughing, "You can ask your questions tomorrow." In the blink of an eye, she turned to Liu Jing and commanded, "Child, come inside with your mother."

Thinking of Liu Mu here, she no longer wanted to wallow in self-pity and add to her daughter's burdens. She embraced Liu Jing and said hoarsely, "Child, tell me about your experience this time."

Liu Jing knelt obediently before her mother, feeling her mother's gentle caress. She spoke softly: "That Zhao Xuan has visited father several times, and I have had the fortune to meet him. That man has triangular eyes, a sharp and bony nose, and is a cruel and cunning person. I worry that if we do not handle this matter in a way that leaves him with no grounds to speak or find fault, he will relentlessly make things difficult for us. Father is currently in prison, and Liu Wenjing is indeed a real little aunt. Mother, I do not dare to engage with him."

At this point, Liu Jing no longer looked at the burly man, but simply closed her eyes, her face displaying an expression of indifference

The master of the Han did not actually instruct him to demand more; the earlier statement was merely his own initiative. At this moment, seeing Liu Jing's attitude being both strong and unpleasant, he thought that under normal circumstances, even a prodigy like Liu Jing would not be able to earn more than a thousand gold in three months. It is likely that this gold... was indeed obtained from some powerful connections of hers... The more he pondered, the more guilty he felt. At this moment, seeing Liu Jing's attitude being both strong and unpleasant, he thought that under normal circumstances, even a prodigy like Liu Jing would not be able to earn more than a thousand gold in three months. It is likely that this gold... was indeed obtained from some powerful connections of hers... The more he pondered, the more guilty he felt.

Liu Mu seemed to have only now confirmed that the one kneeling before her was indeed her own child. She trembled as she reached out with both hands to caress Liu Wenjing's face. After a moment, she came to her senses and could not help but embrace Liu Wenjing's shoulders, weeping loudly.

Beside Liu Mu, Liu Xuan also widened her dark eyes to look at Liu Jing. After a while, she leaned closer to her mother and said happily, "Mother, the eldest brother is the most impressive, I really like him." After a pause, the little girl's voice lowered a bit as she murmured with a hint of grievance, "But I still feel that the eldest brother and the second sister are quite similar."

Liu Mu tightly held her young daughter, lowering her head and remaining silent. Opposite her stood thirty to forty creditors.

In a moment of silence, Liu Wenjing, with a pale face, strode into the hall and approached his mother, Liu. He brushed his outer robe aside and knelt down on the ground, bowing deeply to her. Trembling, Liu Wenjing called out, "Mother, your son has returned late"

Before entering the hall, Liu Jing heard a harsh voice calling out: "Liu, it seems your son will not be coming back... Damn it, I actually let that little brat scare me, bah! A mere child, how could he possibly have the ability to earn so much gold in just three months?"

Liu Mu sat down in the bedroom with her daughter, gently stroking Liu Jing's hair. Without yet inquiring about her daughter's hardships during the journey, Liu Mu sighed at the thought of what had just happened. "Child, did you really repay Zhao Xuan with 1,000 gold? Didn't you manage to hold that person with your words? Couldn't you have given a little less?" Beneath her words, there was a hint of pain.

She said she was happy, but her mother-in-law did not believe it. A younger sister-in-law bears such a heavy burden for the family; she is not a deity, how could she be genuinely happy as if nothing were wrong? Everything is merely her daughter comforting herself

Since yesterday, these creditors have come knocking, and now they are even staying at the Liu residence. As time ticks away, all sorts of words are being spoken. The person sent by Zhao Xuan is even casting sidelong glances at her youngest daughter, as if assessing how much gold the little girl might be worth

The Liu residence is now in a dilapidated state, and even the capable servants have been taken away by Liu Jing, leaving only a few maidservants at home. Currently, there is no gatekeeper at the entrance of the Liu residence, allowing Liu Jing and her companions to pass through without obstruction.

Liu Jing shook her head and said playfully, "Mother, you do not know, this time when I went out, I discovered how vast the world is. Moreover, I am quite delighted to interact with people from various professions."

Liu Mansion