NOVEL WEB Chapter 31: Reason for the summon
After another cold cup on my face and promising a tear faced Li Bo that I would never make him do it again, I had a quick wash - Spiritual energy type of cleaning -
Breakfast was earlier than usual and heavier. Grandma Li knew why I wanted to have breakfast before being summoned and who knew when I would have the chance to eat today with the Yu family bullsh*t
What we expected arrived. Another maid, much older this time, came to bring me to Old lady Yu. She did not comment on the locked door and she even apologized about the young maid that was reassigned as a cleaning servant. Good she was still alive so I, inwardly, wished her the best of luck far away from me.
Before leaving, I took my time to put everything in my room into my ring. I asked Grandma Li to join me while I sent the boys to a morning errand with some money. All the while the old maid was waiting outside the courtyard.
Grandmother Yu was in the main room having breakfast with all the uncles except the first one. No aunts or cousins were with them. My grandfather was not present so he was most likely back to seclusion.
“Good morning everyone” I said disregarding etiquette like usual
“Ah Shin, you need to learn proper etiquette. You should greet each of your your elder by title when you meet them” old lady Yu scolded
“Oh. Don’t worry old lady Yu. I know etiquette very well. I just don’t want to follow it with the lot of you” I stated brutally
“YOU! How dare you talk to your grandmother like that! What education did you have? Disregarding filial piety Hum” sneered the 2nd uncle.
“You are right, 2nd uncle. I did not have my parents in the last 5 years to educate me and those who promised to replace them did not do it properly until now. So how about we let old lady Yu tell me why she bothered my sleep last night? I have a lot to do this morning” I replied with a smile
“Ah Shin, I will not tolerate this way of talking from you anymore. I will send a servant that can teach you etiquette. What will your parents think you of when they arrive?” Old lady Yu scolded
“They would think it weird that it took until a bit less than a month before their return for you to start thinking about my education.
THEY would think that this late education is your way to bully me” I replied with innocent eyes. The worst devil is not one with an ugly smiling face but the one that looks like a young little angel that tells you the truth you want to avoid. And today, I was the one! Hehehe1inward evil laugh
Weirdly no one tried to reply as after a long silence, I had to remind them “So…why did you call me for?”
“Well…why don’t you have breakfast while we talk?” said my 4th uncle.
“I already ate. As I said I am busy today so please just say what you need”
…
“Fine, you saw yesterday’s chaos right?” started Old lady Yu
“Yes, I asked about it and it seemed I was not allowed to know or be concerned about it”
…
“Well…Now we can tell you. It was too chaotic yesterday to think properly.
Your cousins Yu JinLi and Yu LaoYin are having school issues. Their lives and reputations could be wasted due to framing” Old lady Yu paused looking at me intensely but I stayed silent.
“Even if we fight sometimes we are still a united family and all of us should find ways to help them by any means”
…
“As you know, your cousins like you a lot, especially Yu JinLi”
She was waiting for me to react but I was behaving like I was waiting until she finished talking before answering.
“I know that you have a good heart. You talk like that because you miss your parents so we do not mind it much. But if you could help save your cousins, all the family would thank you and recognize you”
“I don’t see how I, a 10 year old, could help while adults like you could not” I replied curiously
“Well, your father is a friend of the city lord and you are his son so if you talk to the city lord to drop the charges he might do it as he said once that he owed your father a favor. However, he rejected us using it but it might work with you” Then she added
“If we cannot drop the charges, we will all have to leave the city to start a new life elsewhere. Your parents might not be able to find us right away so you might see them much later than in a month...”
Like this could be a threat. I didn’t understand, did they not have any connections or people to relate the city lord's speech yesterday? Then how about me getting smarter instead of behaving like an ignorant kid these past few days? They did not apologize yet after I complained 2 days ago! Did they think that I had a goldfish’s memory or I am a fool?
“So to understand; you want ME to ask the city lord about a favor owed to my father. And that is to drop the charges against my cousins? What are the charges by the way?”
I waited a few minutes until one of them had enough courage to answer me
“Bribing teachers and cheating on exams” My 2nd uncle replied dejectedly.
“Wow….dare to cheat at school…I see… Even bribe teachers! They must be wealthy”
“They were framed!” the 2nd uncle replied. We all knew there was no framing, I could ask who would try to frame them to get this game going but that would mean talking to this lot for longer. Instead I made a split second decision, I was going to try on calling in that favor to my advantage.
“Yes framed. I will go to the city lord and ask for an audience then” I announced.
“Thank you Ah Shin, you are my favorite grandson!” Lied grandmother Yu
“Your 2nd uncle will go with you” To supervise me I presumed
“You already had breakfast so you can go right away” She ordered but I was never one to be ordered by those I disliked.
“I am not ready now. I want to take my servants and I sent 2 of them out for a bit. I have to wait for them and change clothes”
“Ah Shin, you can go without them we cannot afford to waste time” replied my 2nd uncle
“Either I go with them or I don’t leave at all. Your choice” I looked at grandmother. She gritted her teeth then nodded
