Chapter 293: Bought for 10 Silver
Upon hearing Mr. Xu’s words, the servant didn’t dare to object. He hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, so who knew if Liu Fu was telling the truth or not.
When Liu Fu saw the servant pulling Mr. Xu aside to whisper, he felt relieved. ’Mr. Xu must be about to back down now.’
Who would have thought Mr. Xu would just stare at Gu Fei and say, "Well now, Miss Gu, you certainly put on a good show. I just wonder if that blade is heavy. Careful you don’t drop it on your foot."
Gu Fei sneered, "Why don’t you try it, Mr. Xu?"
Mr. Xu sneered, "I can’t be bothered to waste my breath on you." He waved his hand. "Go on, bring her out."
Several guards started walking inside, but Gu Fei swung the long blade in her hand, slashing the one at the very front.
The man froze, stopping in his tracks. He looked down and saw his robes had been sliced open, revealing a bloody gash across his stomach.
Mr. Xu was slightly taken aback. ’I can’t believe this wench actually knows how to use a blade!’
He raised his hand, and the guards halted.
Mr. Xu’s face darkened. "Miss Gu, out of respect for Mr. Su, I’m willing to show you some courtesy. But don’t push your luck. No matter what, I am taking Lan Zhi with me today."
Gu Fei found this amusing. "Mr. Xu, does the Ning’an Marquis Mansion not have to abide by the laws of the land? You have no marriage certificate. By what right do you come here to drag someone away?"
Mr. Xu smiled, full of confidence. "A marriage certificate? Of course I don’t have one. She’s only a concubine; a marriage certificate isn’t necessary for that."
He suddenly brandished a piece of paper. "However, I have Lan Zhi’s Indenture Contract right here! I spent ten taels of silver to buy her, so of course I’m taking her with me!"
At this, the uninformed spectators outside all chimed in: "Well, that settles it. With the Indenture Contract in hand, she belongs to the young master."
Gu Fei started laughing. "Mr. Xu, has the ink on your Indenture Contract even dried yet?"
"And that thumbprint... I bet it’s your own, isn’t it?"
"What a coincidence. I happen to have Lan Zhi’s Indenture Contract right here, too!"
She produced Lan Zhi’s Indenture Contract from her sleeve pocket and said with an amused smile, "Mr. Xu, forging official documents is a punishable offense."
Mr. Xu was startled. He had tasked someone with getting information about Lan Zhi from an old woman who worked as a helper in Gu Fei’s shop.
The old woman’s knowledge was limited. She had only heard Gu Fei call her Lan Zhi, and after wheedling a few bits of information from Lan Zhi herself, she learned that the girl’s parents were both dead and that she was now living with Gu Fei’s family. How could she have known that Lan Zhi’s Indenture Contract was in Gu Fei’s possession?
But Mr. Xu wasn’t one to admit defeat so easily. He sneered, "Yours is the fake! You have some nerve, daring to forge a document!"
He turned and barked at the governmental officials, "Are you all blind? Someone is forging a document right here, and you’re not going to arrest her?!"
None of the governmental officials moved.
Of the ten or so governmental officials present, five had been at Gu Fei’s shop that other day. Their injuries hadn’t even fully healed. Who would dare lay a hand on Gu Fei? Offending her meant offending the Young Master Heir, and if the Young Master Heir had them beaten to death, it would be for nothing.
The governmental officials didn’t move, and Mr. Xu was stunned for a moment. Just then, Su Chen came hurrying down the stairs.
He strode over and said irritably to Mr. Xu, "Brother Xu, you’re taking this too far. If Miss Lan Zhi had agreed to marry you, that would be one thing. But since she is unwilling, why must you be so forceful?"
Mr. Xu frowned. "Mr. Su, this is a private matter of mine. Please do not interfere."
"I have Lan Zhi’s Indenture Contract. She belongs to me. No matter who you ask, I’m the one in the right."