The carriage curtain was lifted, and a middle-aged man in a silk padded jacket, with a prosperous physique, stepped out.
Hearing the commotion, the coachman, who was originally angry and restless, instantly put on a fawning expression and ran to help the man, bowing, "Steward Li, watch your step."
The onlookers all followed his movements, curiously sizing up the middle-aged man.
Seeing his prosperous appearance, everyone could not help but cast envious glances.
Steward Li felt the gaze of the crowd, and his chin lifted slightly.
As if he were an emperor ascending the throne, he was helped by the coachman and walked to the front gate under everyone's watchful eyes.
Then, he raised his hand and said, "Go knock on the door and tell them we are here to deliver the contract of sale."
The coachman immediately ran to knock on the door, without any impatience, "Open the door quickly, we are here to deliver the contract of sale! Without the contract, Shen Can is still a servant of our Li family, and we can take her away at any time. Open the door quickly and let us in!"
With threatening words shouted out, the villagers who had gathered to watch instantly guessed that they had come to take Shen Can away.
With such a loud voice, the people inside the house naturally heard it.
Everyone's gaze instinctively shifted to Shen Can, whose face turned slightly pale, and she almost instinctively looked at Li Yue Shu with a pleading expression.
Li Yue Shu's gaze deepened. She handed Shen Zhi Yu in her arms to Mother Mo, patted her body, and stood up. "You all stay inside, I'll go out and see."
As she spoke, she was about to turn and go out, but Shen Wei immediately ran to her side, looking like he wanted to follow her. https:/
Li Yue Shu wanted to say something, but when she met his stubborn gaze, she finally swallowed her words.
Despite Shen Wei's lack of mental capacity, when he was stubborn, no one could persuade him.
In the end, Li Yue Shu went out with Shen Wei.
Although everyone did not follow, they stood nervously at the door, ready to come out at any moment.
"Creak—"
The closed door finally opened, and Li Yue Shu immediately saw the middle-aged man blocking half the doorway.
Li Yue Shu saw a hint of inquiry and curiosity in his eyes.
Her heart skipped a beat, and before she could think further, the coachman beside her suddenly spoke, "You are Li Yue Shu?"
The dissatisfied and dismissive tone was uncomfortable to hear.
Li Yue Shu ignored him and looked directly at the middle-aged man, "Are you here to deliver the contract of sale?"
Steward Li smiled and nodded, his round face looking like a Maitreya Buddha, "Indeed."
Li Yue Shu glanced behind him. Besides the villagers who were there to watch, she didn't see anyone else.
It seemed they were not here to cause trouble.
Li Yue Shu walked out from inside the door, and Shen Wei naturally followed, closing the door as he did so, showing no intention of inviting them in.
"What are the conditions?" Li Yue Shu asked directly. "For a servant, the Li family traveled all the way from the yamen to Tong Mu County without any effort, and even forced the county magistrate to imprison me into prison. You wouldn't give me the contract of sale for free, would you?"
Looking at the calm, and even faintly imposing, young woman in front of him, a sharp glint flashed in Steward Li's eyes.
However, he was too fat, and his eyes narrowed into slits when he smiled, so no one could see it.
His smile remained unchanged, "Madam Shen, you misunderstand. I came today to explain to Madam Shen that the incident last time was because my subordinates wanted to extort money from Shen Can, and they came to Tong Mu County without my knowledge."
"As for forcing the county magistrate to arrest you, that was also done by those people they bribed. After the Prefect returned, he specifically informed us, and only then did my master send me to Tong Mu County to explain and apologize to Madam Shen in person."
Li Yue Shu naturally did not believe him.
She had asked Shen Can, and it was Steward Li who personally said that if she could gather thirty taels of silver at home, he would give her the contract of sale.
He originally just wanted to extort money from Shen Can, but he didn't expect to encounter her, an unexpected variable.
Now that Steward Li had personally come, and was shirking all responsibility onto his subordinates, it was highly likely due to Elder Xu's letter.
Li Yue Shu knew this clearly in her heart, but did not show it on her face.
She glanced at the coachman beside her and did not hide her sarcasm, "Is this how your esteemed family apologizes?"
The coachman's expression turned grim, but he did not feel that he had done anything wrong. Hearing Li Yue Shu's words, he glared at her angrily.
Before leaving, Steward Li had instructed them that although they were here to apologize, they also had to let this village woman know that the Li family was not to be trifled with!
But to his surprise, Steward Li said, "My master has always been generous and kind to his subordinates, which is why they have become so audacious. Not only did it cause the misunderstanding last time, but it also frightened Madam Shen this time."
Saying this, he glared at the coachman as if in mock sternness, "Why don't you apologize to Madam Shen quickly!"
The coachman was not a clever man, but he was very perceptive.
Hearing Steward Li's words, his previously resentful expression instantly turned into one of sincere apology, "Madam Shen, it is I, your humble servant, who was uneducated and offended you. Please be magnanimous and do not take it to heart!"
"Madam Shen is benevolent and naturally would not bother with someone like you who cannot recognize true value."
Before Li Yue Shu could speak, Steward Li cheerfully answered for her.
Li Yue Shu's expression remained unchanged, but she let out a cold laugh in her heart.
One played the good cop, the other the bad cop – they cooperated quite well!
Hearing this conversation, the villagers who had thought Li Yue Shu was in trouble were all shocked:
"What's going on? Aren't the Li family people here to cause trouble for Li Yue Shu?"
"From what the fat man said, they're here to apologize. Didn't they say Li Yue Shu had offended a noble person, and that she wouldn't have a good end even if she was released?"
"This Li Yue Shu is too capable. Not only did she get out of the county jail alive, but she even had a noble person come to apologize in person."
...
The villagers' discussions were quite loud, and Li Yue Shu naturally heard them.
She subconsciously looked over and happened to see the Shen family of three at the back of the crowd.
Especially Shen Wang and his mother, their faces were a mixture of blue and white, more colorful than a palette.
Li Yue Shu's heart stirred, and she suddenly said, "I indeed will not argue with uneducated people. However, your family's poor discipline almost cost me my life, and there are even rumors circulating in the village saying that I offended a noble person, and that I wouldn't have a good end even if I was released. This has seriously affected my life and business. How do you account for this?"
Steward Li did not know about this matter, but following Li Yue Shu's gaze, he also saw those few people at the back of the crowd.
One of them seemed to be the person who had led them earlier and told them to deal with Li Yue Shu properly.
Steward Li, being clever enough to reach his position, naturally understood.
His mind stirred, and he raised his voice, "This is purely a rumor! The matter between the Li family and Madam Shen was all a misunderstanding. Spreading rumors can be punished by law. Does Madam Shen know who is spreading the rumors? I will have the yamen arrest them immediately!"
As soon as they heard that they would be punished by law, the faces of the three members of the Shen family instantly changed.
Especially Mother Shen, without thinking, turned and ran, looking as if a ghost was chasing her.