189 Trial

Ruyi said to Zhou Jia, “Young Master, don’t waste your breath. It seems that he wants to have a taste of washing up. I’ll get someone to prepare it!”

“Don’t!” Manager Ouyang begged, “I’m really here to deliver the goods. Please let me go!”

Zhou Jia patted Manager Ouyang’s cheek and said darkly, “It seems that you really want to have a taste of iron brush! Look at your pitiful appearance. I’ll give you a hint. Your surname is Ouyang. You came from Qingzhou. Even if you don’t say it, I’ll send someone to investigate and find out who you’re working for. Ruyi! I’ll leave him to you!”

When Manager Ouyang heard this, his heart seemed to be pressed by an invisible rock. His mouth kept trembling, and his mind was blank.

Zhou Jia said coldly, “Tell me! As long as you tell me honestly, I’ll let you live. If you don’t tell me, I have plenty of ways to make you suffer!”

Manager Ouyang trembled in fear. He came back to his senses and said hesitantly, “If I tell you, will you really not kill me? Also, my family is in Qingzhou. Can you protect them?”

Zhou Jia said gently, “Don’t worry. As long as you’re telling the truth, I’ll get someone to protect your family in Qingzhou. The premise is that you’re telling the truth.”

Manager Ouyang shook his head and said, “I don’t dare to lie. You’ll know after checking. My name is Ouyang Yongchun. I came from Qingzhou Prefecture and work as the manager of General Huang’s grain shop. I was ordered to come and collect the grain. After I left the mountain, I was going to go to the Tiger Head Stronghold, but you kidnapped me here.”

Zhou Jia looked at Manager Ouyang angrily. “It seems that the ones who came to Qingchuan to suppress the bandits in the past were also General Huang’s subordinates, right?” Manager Ouyang nodded fearfully. Zhou Jia pointed at Manager Ouyang angrily. “Do you know that you harmed the people of Qingchuan for your own selfish interests? Where is the ledger of your collusion with the bandits and plundering the people’s food all these years?”

“Sir, the account book in the shop is at General Huang’s house. However, I still have a private account book with my wife. I have a key on me. Take it to my wife and she will give you the account book! Sir! I’m just a servant and can only follow orders. I’ve said everything you want to know. Please keep your word and help me get my family out. If the general finds out that I betrayed him, my family will die.”

“Where are the people from Tiger Head Stronghold meeting you?”

“Tomorrow, they’ll pick me up at the inn in town.”

Zhou Jia asked Manager Ouyang to press his handprint and said to Ruyi, “Untie him and bring him to wash up. Give him some food.”

Ruyi nodded and untied Manager Ouyang. Manager Ouyang glanced at Zhou Jia and the others, lowered his head, took a key from his neck, and handed it to Zhou Jia. “Sir, here’s the key. Please get my wife and child out.” Zhou Jia took the key, nodded, and asked Ruyi to bring Manager Ouyang up.

When the couple returned to the central room, Zhou Jia said to Li Yu, “Yu’er, I’ll get Xu Dong to send a letter to the Four Seas Bank immediately to obtain evidence of General Huang’s collusion with the bandits and protect Manager Ouyang’s family.”

“Alright, I’ll get someone to prepare food and luggage for him immediately.”

Zhou Jia explained the situation and put it into a bamboo tube. He then asked Manager Ouyang to write a letter to his family. He called Xu Dong over and said to him, “Master Xu, please send this to Qingzhou immediately and hand it to Shopkeeper Chu. Tell him that it’s urgent.”

Xu Dong nodded and said, “Lord Zhou, don’t worry. Leave it to me. I won’t delay anything.”

Xu Dong took the luggage from Li Yu and rode away.

Ruyi brought Manager Ouyang to the central room. Zhou Jia said to him, “Don’t worry, I’ve already sent someone to pick up your family. You know very well that General Huang conspired with the mountain bandits to rob and pay taxes. The penalty for his crime is the confiscation of his family’s assets and the extermination of his clan. As long as you do your job well, I’ll save your life.”

After Manager Ouyang confessed, he knew that he had no way out. With a thud, he knelt in front of Zhou Jia and kowtowed. “Thank you, sir. I will definitely do my best. Thank you for not killing me!”

Zhou Jia said kindly, “Get up! I’ll get Ruyi to protect you and go to Tiger Head Stronghold together. In order not to arouse the suspicion of the people in Tiger Head Stronghold, you and Ruyi can go back to the inn!”

Manager Ouyang got up and bowed. “Sir, don’t worry. I will cooperate well.”

Ruyi and Manager Ouyang left through the back door and walked towards the inn.

Zhou Jia returned to his room and saw Li Yu combing her hair in front of the bronze mirror. He took the comb from Li Yu’s hand and helped her comb her hair. After telling Li Yu about the Shi Family Village, he said, “Originally, I was worried that we wouldn’t have enough manpower. Now that we’ve captured Manager Ouyang, there’s no need for us to go to Shi Family Village anymore. After the bandits hand the food to Manager Ouyang, we can bring it back and return it to the villagers.”

“You have to make things clear with Elder Shi first. Also, I want to buy a piece of wasteland. After the farming is over, I’ll hire people to reclaim it. You have to hurry up and repair the city walls. Otherwise, it will be too late when winter comes.”

“Alright, I’ll post an announcement tomorrow and hire someone to repair the city wall.” Zhou Jia squatted down and looked at Li Yu with a fawning smile. “Yu’er, I wanted to discuss it you. Let’s get some money from our savings to pay the wages, okay?”

Li Yu looked at Zhou Jia’s fawning expression and hooked Zhou Jia’s chin. She teased, “As long as Lord Zhou serves me well, I’ll allow you to do so.”

Zhou Jia looked at Li Yu, his eyes burning with passion. He picked Li Yu up and muttered in her ear in a low and hoarse voice, “Xiao Xi will serve Madam well.”

Zhou Jia got out of bed with a smile. After dinner, he asked Tiezhu to bring out the money at home and called Mr. Qian and Scribe Tu to the dilapidated office. Tiezhu placed the silver and gold in his bag, as well as the silver and jewelry he had taken from the bandits, on the table.

Scribe Tu’s eyes lit up as he stared at the money in his bag. He thought to himself, I didn’t expect Lord Zhou to be so rich at such a young age.

“This is the first time I’ve seen so much money. Did Lord Zhou bring this money to show off?”

Mr. Qian also looked at Zhou Jia in confusion. Zhou Jia smiled and said, “I asked my wife for these silver coins. The gold was rewarded by His Majesty, and the silver was saved by my wife through hard work. Let me bring it over and repair the city wall first. Let me make it clear first! When the county office has silver, we have to return it to her.”

Minister Tu’s eyes turned red as he looked at the silver. Oh my god! Our Qingchuan finally has a parent official who loves the people as his children! Scribe Tu bowed to Zhou Jia and said, “Lord Zhou, thank you and Madam!”

Zhou Jia helped Scribe Tu and said, “Scribe Tu, you don’t have to do this. I’m the official of Qingchuan County. It’s only right for me to do these things.”

Scribe Tu wiped his tears and said, “I’ll gather the people in the city and let everyone pool the money to repair our city wall!”

Zhou Jia looked at the Scribe Tu and said seriously, “Scribe Tu, make it clear to the people that the wages of those who do work are not much. Ten copper coins a day. After you use up these silver coins, I will write an IOU to them. The county office will not renege on it.”

Scribe Tu replied respectfully, “Yes, sir.”

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