34. Head Held High

A few days ago, Li Ru had already decided that Xie An’s request for self-redemption was inappropriate. He made up his mind to leave him hanging for a few days to wear him down, ensuring Xie An would remember his status as a servant.

Now that Xie An had arrived the day before the pawnshop’s grand opening, Li Ru instinctively assumed he had come to concede. Having been in business for many years, Li Ru considered himself an expert in managing people and could not help but feel a sense of smug satisfaction.

"My dear, I told you. We only needed to let him cool his heels for a few days, and he’d become obedient."

Madam Li sighed softly but said nothing more.

It was Li Shaoyun who chimed in, "Father, I heard from Mother that you promised Old Xie a redemption price of one hundred and eighty taels?"

Li Ru replied, "It was originally set at two hundred, but your mother thought that was too harsh, so she knocked off twenty."

Li Shaoyun pondered for a moment and said, "Now that I am the deputy deacon of the White Feather Hall, I have many more expenses. Isn't one hundred and eighty taels a bit too low?"

Li Ru chewed on a piece of braised pork, speaking vaguely, "It doesn't matter. Old Xie can't scrape together one hundred and eighty taels. This was merely to make him realize the difficulty and back down. He has been an appraiser in the town for thirty years and has a good reputation. Keeping him in the shop will help attract some business. We can earn more silver for your martial arts training."

Li Shaoyun nodded in agreement, "Father is as thoughtful as ever."

"Chunlan, it’s still snowing outside; go take a hand warmer to Old Xie." Knowing that Li Ru valued house rules and did not like to see servants during mealtime, Madam Li addressed Chunlan this way.

Chunlan nodded and hurried off.

Outside, the snow was falling even harder, and the air was bone-chillingly cold.

"Master Xie, the mistress asked me to bring you a hand warmer. Take it. The master will be eating for a while longer." Chunlan quickly stepped out of the courtyard to give Xie An a warmer to help him endure the cold.

Standing in the snow, Xie An did not feel particularly cold due to his practice of the health-cultivation technique, but he still accepted it with a word of thanks.

Chunlan left after giving a few instructions, leaving Xie An alone in the wind and snow. With his keen senses, he could smell the aroma of meat wafting from the hall, accompanied by the occasional laughter of Li Ru and Li Shaoyun.

Based on what Xie An knew of Li Ru, a typical meal lasted about fifteen minutes. Today, however, they had been eating for over half an hour. Xie An felt that Li Ru was intentionally making him wait.

As for the reason, it was simply that his request for redemption had bruised Li Ru’s ego. Li Ru wanted to suppress him so that he would be obedient and submissive in the future, never mentioning redemption again, and serving as a slave for the rest of his life.

For a servant to request redemption was, to some extent, an affront to the master. This was nothing new in the Great Qian Dynasty. Such was the fate of a servant—everything is predestined, and one has little control over one's own life.

The more Li Ru acted this way, the more it solidified Xie An’s resolve to take control of his own life.

Xie An stood in the snow for nearly an hour before he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he saw Chunlan coming toward him. "Master Xie, the master wants you to come in."

"Very well."

Xie An kept his expression neutral and followed Chunlan into the inner courtyard. Entering the parlor, a wave of warmth washed over him, dispelling the chill from his body.

Xie An maintained his usual humble posture, keeping his head bowed. "I greet the master, the mistress, and the young master."

Li Ru sat high at the head of the table, holding a steaming teacup in both hands, and spoke indifferently, "Have you thought it through? Then go back and perform your duties as an appraiser. Your monthly wages will remain the same. Go now, manage the shop well, and prepare to welcome customers after it opens."

Xie An did not expect Li Ru to be so presumptive without even asking, so he did not speak immediately. Instead, he keenly observed the expressions of everyone in the room: Li Ru’s resentment and condescension, Li Shaoyun’s disdain, Madam Li’s pity, and Chunlan’s sympathy.

Xie An wanted to remember this bone-deep feeling one last time, and then... say a final goodbye to this life of servitude.

Seeing that Xie An did not respond, Li Ru blew the tea leaves aside, took a sip, and said coolly, "Well? Did you hear me? If you have no other questions, return to the shop early. Don't let your duties suffer."

*Hoo!*

Xie An took a deep breath and then, for the first time in front of his master, slowly raised his head to look the master of the Li household directly in the eyes.

This subtle movement shocked Li Ru. Since he had taken charge of the Li household, no servant had ever dared to look him in the eye like this. Moreover, in his memory, Old Xie had always been low-key, humble, and timid. How could he possibly…

Furthermore, Li Ru clearly sensed a flash of determination in Xie An's eyes, and even a hint of threat. This… this was simply turning the world upside down.

Madam Li and Li Shaoyun were both startled. Li Shaoyun frowned and said, "Master Xie, didn't you hear my father tell you to return to the shop?"

Xie An turned a deaf ear to him. He took out a cloth bag, placed it on the nearby Eight Immortals table, and opened it. It contained exactly one hundred and eighty taels of silver.

Then, standing straight, Xie An said in a neither humble nor pushy tone, "As per Master Li’s request, I have gathered the one hundred and eighty taels."

His voice was not loud, but every word felt as firm as iron.

There was no longer any of the servile cowering of a slave. He had even silently changed his self-referential term from the humble "this lowly one" to "I."

Xie An had not wanted to do this, but Li Ru had left him standing in the freezing snow for an hour, clearly showing that he did not respect Xie An and intended to suppress him, hoping to force him into submission for a lifetime of servitude.

Although Xie An did not harbor deep hatred because of this, he understood one truth: when dealing with someone like Li Ru, the more humble and weak you appear, the more you will be looked down upon, and it might even make him more determined to take advantage of you, ultimately causing the matter to fail.

Since that was the case, Xie An had to be firm and convey his intentions clearly. After all, humility from the strong is a virtue, while humility from the weak is seen only as cowardice.

Most importantly, Xie An now possessed the strength to crush the entire Li household if he chose to. Li Shaoyun, a martial scholar, was still some distance away from the Copper Skin Realm and wasn't worth a single punch.

If the Li household honored their word, the matter would be settled. If Li Ru continued to cause trouble, Xie An would no longer need to worry about martial ethics. With sufficient strength in hand, one could be calm and unafraid of storms or tyranny.

This was why Xie An had waited until he secured the status of deacon before coming to the Li household to show his hand.

Li Ru was clearly displeased with Xie An’s attitude, but looking at the genuine one hundred and eighty taels on the table, he swallowed the reprimands that had been on the tip of his tongue. After all, he had given his word.

He just hadn't expected Xie An to actually come up with the silver. If he went back on his word now and the matter blew up, the reputation of the Li household would be ruined. Although the Li family was wealthy, there were still respected local elders in town. If the Li family lost its credibility with them, business in town would become difficult.

Though Li Ru was stingy and calculating, he knew the stakes. Finally, restraining his anger, he said coldly, "Old Xie, the world outside is in chaos. Not long ago, there were reports of bandits from the Great Yin Mountains raiding the countryside. You are at your age; have you really thought this through?"

Although his stance was firm, Xie An still bowed slightly with politeness. "Thank you for the reminder, Master. I have thought it through. I hope you will grant my request."

Li Ru laughed coldly in his extreme anger. "Fine, very fine! Old Xie, you’ve really grown ambitious! Wife, go get the indenture contract, and write a letter of release on my behalf."

Madam Li retrieved the indenture and wrote the release letter, handing them both to Xie An. She did not want Xie An to stay and stir up more conflict, so she urged him to leave. "Old Xie, the wind and snow are heavy; let me see you out."

The two had just stepped out of the parlor when—*bang!*—Li Ru slammed his palm onto the table, causing the teacup to overturn. "An old man like him dares to look me in the eye and defy me—it’s simply turning the world upside down!"

He regretted saying such a low price. He should have asked for a thousand taels... to see how Old Xie could ever manage to pay it and be forced to bow his head. But he knew there were no "ifs."

It wasn't worth ruining the Li household's reputation over such a small matter. He could only vent his anger this way.

Li Shaoyun, however, only kept his eyes on the silver on the table. "Father, calm your anger. He’s just a decrepit old man; without the Li household, he will only live a more miserable life. It’s likely he’ll be begging us to take him back before long."

Li Ru shouted, "By then, even if he kneels and begs me, I will not take him back!"

...

After Xie An left the gates of the Li mansion, Madam Li took out a small five-tael silver ingot and handed it to him. "Old Xie, you are getting on in years and have no children; take these five taels so you won't be without a place to stay after leaving the Li household."

Xie An had wanted to refuse, but thinking that he was currently penniless and that this was a gesture of genuine concern from Madam Li, he accepted the kindness. "Thank you, Madam Li. You have a kind heart."

Madam Li said, "Old Xie, take care."

Feeling the sincerity in her words, Xie An bowed. "Take care, Madam."

With that, Xie An turned and stepped into the wind and snow.

Madam Li stood under the eaves, watching the old man grow smaller in the distance. She watched him walk with his head held high and his chest pushed out.

He was no longer the cowering, servile old servant he once was.