The Red Mansion

Chapter 5 Kidnapper
Gu Bozi, forty years old, is a kidnapper.

"Gu the Lame" is obviously a nickname.

When he was young, he was caught kidnapping a little girl and was severely beaten, leaving one of his legs disabled.

However, his evil nature is hard to change, and he still sticks to his old ways.

The thing he was most proud of was that on the Lantern Festival seven years ago, he kidnapped a little girl from the local official Zhen's family in Suzhou. After seven years of careful training, the girl became extremely beautiful, well-educated and well-mannered. Even if the asking price was 800 taels of silver, there would be no shortage of buyers.

However, Gu Bozi was not willing to earn only 800 taels of silver from this girl.

He had already made a plan. He planned to sell the girl to one family first, find an excuse to collect the money but not hand her over, and then secretly sell the girl to another family. In this way, he could take the money from both families and escape to another province. He could earn 1,600 taels of silver from this girl.

What made Gu Bozi depressed was that today, Wang Maoan from the pawnshop suddenly came to his door. Wang Maoan took a closer look at the Suzhou girl, asked a few questions, and said that he might want to buy the girl.

Gu Bozi would not dare to play tricks on the Wang family of the pawnshop, and most of the time he would fail to do so.

Gu Bozi knew that although the Wang family was in the business of trafficking people, they were also human traffickers, but they always valued the rules and would not forcibly seize a girl from Suzhou.

But if the Wang family really wanted to buy this girl, wouldn't his plot be ruined? Wouldn't he only be able to earn 800 taels of silver from this girl?
After much deliberation, Gu Bozi decided to take the Suzhou maid and flee to Yangzhou. The maid business in Yangzhou was more prosperous than in Jiangning, and he could earn 1,600 taels of silver with this maid in Yangzhou.

So, Gu Bozi hired a mule cart and was moving his luggage and belongings into the rented house when Wang Maoan's cold voice came from outside the door: "Gu Bozi, why are you moving in such a hurry? Where are you going?"

Gu Bozi looked up at Wang Maoan and found that Wang Maoan was followed by two young and strong attendants.

Gu Bozi couldn't help but shudder and groan inwardly. Wang Maoan had just come to check on the Suzhou girl half an hour ago, and he came again so soon.

Oh no, I can’t escape even if I want to!

Gu Bozi forced a smile and said to Wang Maoan respectfully, "Master Wang San, I have just rented a new house inside Qilin Gate and am about to move there. What could you do for me, Master Wang San?"

"Oh, really?" Wang Maoan smiled calmly, but there was a dagger hidden in his smile. "I thought that because you saw that my Wang family wanted to buy the girl you kidnapped, you didn't want to sell her to my family and wanted to flee Jiangning with the girl."

Gu Bozi was afraid, but he still smiled and said, "How could that be possible? Third Master Wang wants to buy my girl, but I'm lucky. Everyone knows that Old Master Wang and Third Master Wang are noble people who value rules. Eight hundred taels of silver is just a drop in the bucket for the Wang family."

Since he couldn't escape, Gu Bozi hoped that the Wang family would buy the Suzhou girl for eight hundred taels of silver, without bargaining or robbery.

Wang Maoan was too lazy to waste time talking to this guy. He smiled calmly again and said, "My master wants to see you. Come on, take that girl with you and follow me to see him."

Gu Bozi groaned inwardly again.

……

……

Wang Dian was sitting in the study drinking tea, with Wang Maoan, Gu Bozi, and a very pretty girl from Suzhou standing in front of him.

Through questioning, Wang Dian confirmed that this Suzhou girl was well-educated and well-mannered, which made him very satisfied, and he was also very satisfied with her appearance.

Wang Dian sipped his tea while repeatedly examining the Suzhou girl. The more he looked at her, the more he liked her. He sighed inwardly, "Gu Bozi has indeed abducted a very good girl. If I hadn't wanted to use her to please Jiang Nian and He Yun, I would have kept her and nurtured her for another two or three years before giving her to my Zhen'er as a concubine."

"I'll buy this girl." Wang Dian said to Gu Bozi, put down the teacup, and looked at Wang Maoan, "Give her four hundred taels of silver."

Gu Bozi was stunned for a moment, then after realizing what was happening, he hurriedly said, "Master Wang, I'm selling this girl for eight hundred taels of silver."

Wang Dian snorted. "I wanted to give you eight hundred taels, but when you learned that my Wang family wanted to buy this girl, you actually wanted to take her away. Do you despise my Wang family and think we won't give eight hundred taels? Or do you think we will take her by force?"

Gu Bozi's face was filled with bitterness. "Master Wang, you have misunderstood me. How dare I! I have already explained to Master Wang San that I am not trying to escape. I have just rented a new house inside Qilin Gate and am planning to move there. Your request to buy my maid is a stroke of luck for me. You and Master Wang San are both distinguished people, and you value proper etiquette. Eight hundred taels of silver is but a drop in the bucket for you."

Wang Dian stared at Gu Lame with a piercing gaze. "Don't lie to me! I've crossed more bridges than you've walked. Do you think I can't figure out your intentions? You're clearly trying to escape! Either you despise my Wang family, or you have other motives! I don't bother to get to the bottom of things. Four hundred taels of silver, I'll buy this girl. If you don't agree, I'll give you two hundred taels. If you still don't agree, I'll take you to the authorities! Don't forget that you kidnapped this girl. Can you bear the punishment from the authorities?"

Gu Bozi's face turned pale when he heard this, both out of anger and fear. However, he did not dare to resist, knowing that resistance would be harmful and useless.

Haha, he originally planned to earn 1,600 taels of silver from the Suzhou girl, but in the end he only got 400 taels of silver.

Instead of doubling it, it was halved!

……

……

Today Jiang Nianru is studying under teacher Fang Tingxun as usual.

At noon, the lessons were finished.

Jiang Nian said to Fang Tingxun, "The day after tomorrow I will be moving to the capital and will no longer be able to receive your instruction. Tomorrow, when you return, it will be the last time you will teach me."

Fang Tingxun was surprised: "Oh? Is this true? Why did they move to the capital so suddenly?"

Jiang Nian said, "It's inconvenient to explain this matter, I hope you will understand."

Fang Tingxun nodded. He also knew that Jiang Nian had a mysterious background and guessed that this matter might be related to Jiang Nian's father. Since Jiang Nian said it was inconvenient to say it, he didn't want to go into it further.

Jiang Nian said, "I have prepared a gift of thanks to Mr. Meng for his instruction. I hope you will accept it as a token of my gratitude."

After saying this, he looked at He Yun beside him.

He Yun understood and handed a package to Fang Tingxun, saying with a smile, "Mr. Fang, there is a hundred taels of silver in the package. Please accept it."

Fang Tingxun gladly accepted the package and said with a smile, "What a coincidence! Yesterday I heard that the emperor has issued an edict to open a special imperial examination. The Ministry of Rites has agreed to hold the provincial examination in April of this year, the metropolitan examination in September, and the palace examination in October. I intend to go to Beijing to take the metropolitan examination."

It is common sense that when a new emperor ascends the throne, he will hold a special examination for the throne.

Jiang Nian said, "Since that's the case, sir, would you be willing to go with me?"

In this era, etiquette is very important. Students should respect their teachers, which is also a rule.

Fang Tingxun paused and said, "You've moved to the capital, so I imagine you have a lot of luggage to move. I don't want to burden you. Besides, I have a lot of things to take care of in Jiangning. I'll go to Beijing in a month, and I'll be traveling with a few local scholars."

Fang Tingxun then said, "Where will you live after you arrive in Beijing? Please give me your address. I will visit you when I arrive. If you still need a teacher, I can continue to teach you while I prepare for the exam."

Fang Tingxun's family was not well-off. He had gone to Beijing three times to take the imperial examinations, which cost him a lot of money. He also had a family that depended on him for support.

He taught Jiang Nian and earned a good income, and today he gave him a generous thank you gift of one hundred taels of silver.

He was reluctant to give up this well-paid job.

Moreover, he guessed that it was a nobleman in the capital who summoned Jiang Nian to the capital, and that the person might be Jiang Nian's father. If so, if he continued to be Jiang Nian's teacher after arriving in the capital, it might be beneficial to his future.

Jiang Nian said, "I don't know where I will live after arriving in Beijing."

This is the truth. Emperor Taishun summoned Jiang Nian to Beijing, but had not yet arranged accommodation for her. He just asked Ren Pijiang to convey the message that after He Yun arrived in Beijing, he should go to Prince Zhongyi, and Prince Zhongyi would arrange accommodation for Jiang Nian.

Fang Tingxun paused again and said, "I will arrive in Beijing around the end of March. If nothing unexpected happens, I will be staying at the Shangjiang Liangyi Guild Hall east of Fayuan Temple. You can send someone to the Shangjiang Liangyi Guild Hall in early April to look for me. Even if I am not living there by then, I will leave my address at the Guild Hall for you to come and find me."

Please collect and vote for me.

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(End of this chapter)