Chapter 559: Chapter 559: Going Home
Boss Bao’s wives, children, and entire household cursed him half to death upon learning of his deeds. Several of his younger concubines couldn’t withstand the shock and fainted on the spot.
Fully aware that his demise was sealed, Boss Bao was indifferent to the insults. Adhering to a principle of ’if I’m going down, I’m taking everyone with me,’ he confessed that Boss Yu of the north city, Boss Mao, and Boss Feng had all assisted the river bandits.
Deputy Magistrate Hu quickly dispatched men to arrest them.
Boss Yu, Boss Mao, and Boss Feng had feared that Boss Bao would betray them and had sent people to eavesdrop outside the government gate. Upon hearing the news, they immediately tried to sneak back to warn others, but they were discovered by Qin San Lang, who immediately sent Qiu Lang and Feng Jin to capture them.
Ah Shi and the others also shouted, "Come quickly, someone is trying to inform Boss Yu and the others!"
Once this was revealed, the area in front of the Prefecture Government Office instantly boiled over with excitement, as the curious onlookers and government officials immediately began to apprehend people in the crowd.
Before long, Feng Jin, Qiu Lang, and others had, with the help of the officials, captured five individuals, all of whom were escorted into the courtroom.
Deputy Magistrate Hu, fearful of Boss Yu and the others escaping, immediately ordered the city gates to be closed.
That day, the people of the Prefecture witnessed quite the spectacle.
The storytellers, their faces flushed with excitement, had just made a handsome sum recounting the Water Bandit Case, and now they could earn even more with the stories of Boss Bao, Boss Yu, and Boss Feng. They were indeed blessed by God with a feast.
No, they needed to urgently find out any juicy secrets about Boss Bao, Ma Shisan, and Boss Yu to attract an audience to their storytelling.
The storytellers of He’an Prefecture, disciples of the Jiangnan style, were quite skilled. By the next day, they had set up tables in the Prefecture’s various wine houses, teahouses, and even in the marketplaces, and began recounting the affairs of Boss Bao, Boss Yu, and Boss Feng.
They described the events so vividly and dramatically, spraying spit all over as they detailed how Boss Bao and his gang had gone astray from childhood to adulthood.
Boss Feng, being a local of the Prefecture City, was portrayed most tragically. They shared every detail from his bedwetting at six years old, his first visit to a brothel at fourteen, to having an illegitimate daughter raised outside, who was now married off to someone.
Gu Jinli also went to listen to the storytelling and was left dumbstruck... You know, why don’t you try time-traveling to the modern age and becoming paparazzi? You are far more capable than they are.
While the Prefecture City remained abuzz over the affairs of Boss Bao and his associates, Gu Jinli and company were not staying any longer and prepared to return home.
The day before their departure, Gu Jinli had Qiu Lang, Feng Jin, Ah Shi, and Tong Dayu clean up the Jiang Residence, tidying up the place they had stayed in. This was the Jiang Family’s property; the Jiangs were kind to allow them lodging, so they could not leave it in a mess.
Ah Shi and the others cleaned for an entire day, washing and drying the beddings they had used, then neatly folding and placing them back into the rooms.
Old Uncle Cheng sighed upon seeing this, "Miss Gu, you needn’t do this. You are guests, guests who have been generous to the Jiang Family. It’s not fitting for you to engage in such menial tasks."
Inside, he was actually delighted, his fondness for the Gu Family People growing stronger. Although the Gu Family were farmers, they knew proper etiquette and were considerate people. Such guests, even if they came to stay often, would not be resented by those like him who served the Jiang Family.
Third Grandpa chuckled, "Old Cheng, don’t bother them. This little bit of work is nothing; let them do it."
Upon hearing this, Old Uncle Cheng no longer interfered.
That night, Qin San Lang found Gu Jinli and handed her a letter: "It’s from Miss Ran’s servant, asking you to burn it after reading."
Gu Jinli was puzzled: "Isn’t the matter settled? Why would she send me a letter?"
Opening the envelope and reading by the light of Qin San Lang’s lantern, the letter stated that Miss Ran knew they were leaving early in the morning and it was not appropriate to send someone, so she resorted to writing a letter to bid farewell and express gratitude for Gu Jinli’s kindness.
The letter also mentioned that Miss Ran had rebroken her injured leg yesterday and had undergone bone setting again. The process was extremely painful, causing her to faint twice, but the results were very good. The bones were set far better than what Qi Kangping had done, and Doctor Xiao said that as long as she recuperated like Qi Kang, her leg would not end up crippled.
Miss Ran’s leg injury originally would not have led to a limp, but Ms. Shen’s eldest son harmed Miss Ran, causing the healed bone in Miss Ran’s leg to become misaligned, which led to her limp.
Yet the Ran Family now only has this legitimate son, and the Old Madam could not bear to punish him, so the incident was suppressed.
At the end of the letter, Miss Ran even told her her full name and the childhood nickname used at her maternal family’s home, reminding her to remember them, especially the nickname recognized by the old Shopkeepers of the Chu Family’s industries, which was even more useful than her official Ran Family name.
After reading the letter, Gu Jinli burned it as agreed: "Miss Ran is smart and cautious. Although she is having a tough time now, she will definitely live well in the future."
Qin San Lang was aware of the Chu Family and Lord Ran, and upon hearing this, he said: "Hmm, both the Chu Family and Lord Ran are intelligent people; they wouldn’t waste such a legitimate daughter of the nobles."
Legitimate daughters of noble families are carefully cultivated, especially those like Miss Ran who belong to this group of noble females—they all aim for the position of Empress or Imperial Concubine, so it is implausible to let them be destroyed in the hands of rival women in the seclusion of the inner quarters.
Lord Ran, knowing that the Old Madam and his stepwife were being cruel to Miss Ran, did not take her away, which, frankly speaking, is like raising a gu; he was using the stepwife and the Old Madam as whetstones for Miss Ran.
If Miss Ran cannot even overcome these two, once she enters the palace, her life would be even more unbearable.
Miss Ran was aware of this, which is why she never sought help from Lord Ran or the Chu Family, but endured in silence, waiting for the opportunity to bring down Ms. Shen and the Old Madam all at once.
After listening to Qin San Lang’s words, Gu Jinli shook her head and said: "People of the noble families are truly inhumane, harming their own daughters like this."
Qin San Lang paused: "You don’t like people from noble families?"
Gu Jinli: "I don’t, especially some men of noble families, they are disgusting."
"Why?" Qin San Lang pressed: "Although some men are not good, there are also good ones."
Like his father... Well, he would also strive to be a good man.
Gu Jinli looked at him and said: "Do all men of noble families take concubines? Even those who do not take concubines will have maids, men who go from one woman to another—aren’t they disgusting?"
Qin San Lang looked at the disgust on her face, remembered her words, and smiled: "I also think such men are not good."
His father isn’t like that; he’s only good to his mother.
Gu Jinli, hearing this, smiled: "Of course, our Brother Qin is not that kind of man."
Then, looking at his clothes, she said: "Had I known, I would have bought you more clothes; with only one set, you have nothing to change into. You look good in that dark robe; it suits you."
Qin San Lang: "No need to buy too many, one set is enough. It cost you six taels of silver."
Xiao Yu loves money so much, she must be heartbroken to have spent six taels of silver on him.
However...
"If you buy the fabric and make the clothes yourself, you can save half the silver."
Gu Jinli said: "Sure, I’ve bought quite a bit of fabric anyway, I’ll make you a set of clothes when we get back."
She’ll do it quietly, without letting anyone know, so no one will have the chance to gossip.