NOVEL WEB Chapter 32 : Going to the city lord
“Fine, go get ready. As soon as you are, come back here”
“My servants were sent to rent a carriage. I will wait for the 2nd uncle at the main exit when it arrives” I was enjoying denying her orders. No one wanted to argue with me anymore so they let it pass and I left without a farewell. When we arrived at the courtyard, I personally locked the door and left the key there. Then took grandma Li to the kitchen and started to remove all the food and wood.
“Grandma Li, change of plan. I am not sure what they will do to this courtyard after we leave so we need to take everything with us right now. I already did it in my room. Now, we need to do it in yours”
“Master, are you really going to the city lord?” asked grandma Li
“Yep. And I even plan to call in the favor if he lets me. Don’t worry I know what I am doing” It was a calculated risk and I have always been excellent in math! If it worked, I would never come back here. If it did not... I could use it as a reason to break away from this toxic family. Win Win for me
Grandma Li was still concerned but decided to trust me for now. We went to the bedroom and apart from a few small personal items she put in her pouch, I took everything else. After making a quick final check, we heard the boys. I briefed them and asked if we missed anything because we were not coming back here. Both ran to the room and came with pouches - they must have hidden under the floorboard -
The boys hired the driver for the whole day for 25 silver tael. They found him idly waiting for new customers not too far from the residence. I asked him to take us to the Yu main entrance before going to the city lord’s residence.
At the main entrance, the 2nd uncle was already waiting in his carriage. He invited me to join him while the trio used the one I hired but I rejected him. I was not a masochist who would give him a chance to warn and nag me during the trip. I asked the driver to move along before letting my uncle try to convince me.
It took an hour and half to arrive there. I slept during that time and woke up naturally 10 minutes before we arrived. The city lord was not at the residence but at the patrol office today. We decided to go there instead of waiting for him - not that the housekeeper invited us in -
The city lord agreed to meet us after my 2nd uncle mentioned that I was the one who wanted to see him. This was a good start, I had a better chance to call in that favor.
“Bai Yu Shin! happy to see you again. Why are you here with mister Yu Sheng?” Yu Shen was the name of my 2nd uncle. He changed his smile to a scowl when looking at him. But my uncle, who gained more courage since the city lord agreed to meet us, answered instead of me.
“Ah Shin would like to call in the favor you owed his father” Then he shrunk his neck when the city lord stared at him.
“Is it true?” asked me the city lord
“Good day city lord” I started with a bow. Few hours ago, I got scolded for not following etiquette by the same uncle and now HE was the one who disregarded it. This was the mighty and powerful city lord! After my greeting, my 2nd uncle's face turned pale and soon bowed while asking for forgiveness. We ignored him.
“City lord, it is true that I want to use that favor today if you allow me” I finally answered the question. The city lord sighted then sat behind a desk and said dejectedly “Go ahead then”
“As a favor, I would like you to help me to completely break free from the Yu family and if possible, to let me live in your house until I either find a residence to buy or rent or until my parents return. Whichever comes first” I said in one breath. No need to make the Yu family expel me, I could use this scandal and the city lord to leave them for good. I was not sure if he would let me live with him to protect me from them, I just needed it for 2-3 months or at least a month if he found it too long.
“What! Ah Shin this is not what we agreed. No wait, venerable city lord please don’t listen to him, he is too young to know better…” Stammered my future former 2nd uncle
“HAHAHAHA” Laughed the city lord. He must be happy I was not as stupid as in my first life.
After he stopped laughing, he roared at Yu Sheng to stop threatening me with filial piety and spreading rumors. I was not listening to my uncle so I did not catch all of his threats but the roar made uncle sheng unable to talk or move.
“Xiao Shin, do you think your father would agree with your decision?” Wanted to confirm the city lord
“I did not have the chance to know him well enough to predict his thoughts. But if he loved me, even a bit, he would agree after I told him how I lived for 5 years and what they were planning to do to me if he never came back” I said the last part in a small voice
“Sir Yu Sheng. I order the Yu family to prepare the ancestral book, I want to see your patriarch personally cross Bai Yu Shin’s name from it” then added “I will come tomorrow morning. Maybe earlier if I am in a good mood”
He flicked his hand and Yu Sheng turned then started walking like a puppet toward the exit “We could go there now if you need to take your personal items” offered the city lord after my uncle left
“No need. I already took everything I owned from that house” I answered back
“From now on, call me uncle Huai. You can stay with us until your parents come back. No need to rent or buy a house. They might have to stay with us a bit anyway” he said
“Thank you uncle Huai. I plan to buy a residence in 2-3 months anyway. My servant can come with me right?” I wanted to confirm
“Yes. No worries, they are your servants so they follow you. My wife will be happy, it had been decades since we had children at home”