Li Laocai's body tilted, and his obese frame rolled down the embankment. He smeared a hand of blood and immediately let out a pig-like scream, causing onlookers to feel distressed.
"Master!"
"Master, are you alright? How did there come to be nails? Oh my!"
Chen Pu and another sturdy servant were aghast, carefully avoiding the nails underfoot as they hurried to lift Li Laocai. They found that the master's right foot had been pierced by a nail, which had gone through the sole and into the foot, bleeding profusely.
Moreover, there was another rusty iron nail lodged beside the master's buttocks, with a small piece of wood attached to the nail head, likely used to fix the nail in the soil. The piece was still covered in dirt.
Blood poured out, staining Li Laocai's brocade robe red.
Chen Pu and the sturdy servant were both panicked by the sight of so much blood.
"Ah!"
"Quickly take me to Baicao Hall to find Doctor Bai! Ah, it hurts so much!"
At this moment, Li Laocai couldn't sit or stand; he lay on his side on the ground, crying out in pain.
"Hurry, carry the master to Baicao Hall!"
Chen Pu instructed the sturdy servant, and the two of them half-carried, half-supported Li Laocai as they hurried off. Not far from them, in the withered grass, lay a money bag the size of a palm, the same color as the grass, making it hard to spot without careful inspection.
"Mm?"
"That old murderer fell for it! Feels great!"
"Hmph! This is just an appetizer. You dared to plot against me? I won't rest until you're dead!"
Qin Wang, hiding in the weeds by the dirt bank, watched as the Li family's servants carried Li Laocai to Baicao Hall in the market. He quickly made his way to the spot where Li Laocai had been injured.
Before long, Qin Wang reached the spot where he had buried the nails. With a glance, he saw a dirt-colored money bag among a large clump of withered grass, the bag tied with a string. His eyes lit up. "Found it!"
Qin Wang picked up the money bag, tucked it into his chest, collected the remaining eight iron nails, and headed in the opposite direction towards the woods.
This was behind the market.
When Li Laocai came to his senses and realized the money bag was missing, he would undoubtedly investigate who had been near the embankment. Although Qin Wang wore a black hat covering half his face and a bulky cotton coat that concealed his appearance, it wasn't entirely foolproof.
Taking a long detour home without arousing suspicion was the best course.
Behind Qingniu Market was a hilly area.
About eight miles from the market was a cemetery, rarely visited by anyone.
Most of the people from Qingniu Market were buried here after death. The area was surrounded by three- to four-zhang tall maple trees, and the ground was covered with decaying leaves, emitting a musty smell.
Seeing no one around, Qin Wang sat under a large maple tree, eagerly took out the money bag, untied the string, and found it filled with silver pieces. He counted them and his eyes shone. "Eighteen taels of silver! Great! Together with my original three taels, I have twenty-one taels of silver! Enough for the martial arts school's entry fee!"
Qin Wang carefully placed the silver pieces into his chest, then concealed Li Laocai's money bag, cleaned up the traces, and set off on a circuitous route home.
The Li family estate, located southwest of Qingniu Market.
Covering six or seven acres, it had four courtyards, surrounded by a wall over a zhang high. The courtyard was large, with rock gardens, lotus ponds, pavilions, and various ornamental trees, creating a serene atmosphere.
The Li family estate housed over twenty servants and maids, as well as four guards.
In a classic-style side room in the second courtyard.
"Ouch~~~"
"Which heartless scoundrel placed nails on the embankment! It hurts so much!"
Li Laocai lay on the couch, groaning and cursing the person who buried the nails. He was covered with two layers of cotton quilts, leaving only his head exposed. The room was ventilated, with a brazier in the middle of the room.
By his bedside, three maids stood nervously.
After Doctor Bai from Baicao Hall had removed the nails and bandaged him, he prescribed a few doses of Chinese medicine and advised him to stay indoors and keep warm.
"Master, I brought three people and searched the embankment thoroughly but couldn't find your money bag."
At this moment, the steward Chen Pu entered the room and respectfully said, "However, I asked the nearby households. During the time you were injured, five people passed by the embankment. Three were tenants of Qingniu Market, and two were unrecognized."
"Keep searching!"
"Find those five people and question them thoroughly! The money bag must be found!"
Li Laocai's eyes widened as he scolded.
That was eighteen taels of silver, enough to buy three maids and servants. Losing it was like cutting his flesh!
"Yes, Master!"
Chen Pu respectfully complied and turned to leave.
"How could I be so unlucky!"
"Ouch."
Watching Chen Pu's back, Li Laocai's eyes revealed a look of frustration. With nails in his foot and buttocks and the loss of silver, he felt suffocated.
"Master, Madam Yan is here to see you. She's in the front hall."
At this moment, a maid in green entered, respectfully saying.
"Madam Yan? Everyone, leave. Let her in."
Li Laocai remembered his arrangement with Madam Yan. Over the years, he had made quite a bit of money through her.
Yanyun County.
One of the four major families, the Chen family, laundry house.
This was a courtyard near the Chen family mansion's rear, about a hundred zhang in size. Bamboo poles were set up all around for drying clothes, most of which were covered with various garments. Ten young girls in coarse hemp clothing were beating the dirty clothes in front of large wooden basins.
Beside their basins were piles of wrung-out clothes, mallets, and soapwort.
"Sister Xuemei, were you sold here because your family had too many people?"
At this moment, one of the scrawny girls looked at the girl washing clothes beside her and asked.
"I volunteered."
Qin Xuemei glanced at the girl speaking, Xiao Zi, worry in her eyes. She had been out for nearly two months and didn't know how her brother was doing. The 600 coins were enough for the winter, but would he take care of himself?
Without land, what would he do in the future?
"Volunteered? Why?"
Xiao Zi looked puzzled.
She had been sold to the Chen family by her parents, who couldn't support three children. Otherwise, who would willingly become a lowly laundry slave?
"Yes, I sold myself so my brother could live."
Qin Xuemei said softly while continuing her work. "Xiao Zi, don't talk while working. If we don't complete the task, we won't get food and will be whipped. Also, be extra careful with expensive clothes. The consequences of damaging them are severe."
The Chen family was large, and the number of clothes they changed daily was also large. The ten laundry slaves had other tasks besides washing clothes, leaving them almost no free time, even running to the latrine.
Failing to complete tasks would result in hunger and whipping.
And that was considered light punishment.
Especially for the clothes of the young masters, mistresses, and ladies. Damaging them would result in not only beatings but also compensation. Qin Xuemei had heard that two laundry slaves were beaten to death for damaging the first lady's dress.
She and Xiao Zi had just filled their places.
"Oh, understood."
Xiao Zi tensed, no longer daring to speak, and focused on her work.
She had been there for three days and only got along with Qin Xuemei. The other laundry girls remained silent.