"He, what is he doing here again?"
the lady asked in panic.
"I don't know, they came straight to the backyard, like, like..."
said the messenger.
"What?"
The lady was shocked and quickly tightened her clothes.
"I didn't expect Liu Dingbei to be such a person."
"Even if I am killed by a head-on collision today, I will never let this beast like Liu Dingbei succeed."
"Everyone inside, come out."
As soon as he finished speaking, he heard a cold shout from outside, "I'll give you ten breaths. If you don't get out, I'll kill you without mercy."
"Get out, I'm going out now."
Madam said coldly: "I want to see what this Liu Dingbei wants to do?"
"Aren't you satisfied with arresting the master and killing my son?"
"Do you want to wipe out our entire Liu family?"
Following a series of complaints, Mrs. Liu led a group of people out of the inner courtyard.
"Get under control."
Liu Dingbei ordered.
"Liu Dingbei, what do you want to do?"
Mrs. Liu asked: "Our Liu Mansion has been searched just now, and nothing was found. Why are we still being arrested?"
"What's your reason?"
"Who are you?"
Zhao Ping asked.
"I am Liu Lai's wife."
Mrs. Liu said: "It's you, who is it?"
"I'm talking to General Liu, what qualifications do you have to interrupt?"
"My name is Zhao Ping."
Zhao Ping said.
"So you are Zhao Ping?"
Mrs. Liu said angrily: "It is said that you have received money from our Lord Liu. Look at the things you are doing now. Are any of them helping our Liu family?"
"What kind of shame do you have?"
"I'm here to collect the cash."
Zhao Ping said.
"Cashier?"
Mrs. Liu was obviously stunned and asked: "What money do you charge?"
"Of course it's the money Master Liu promised me."
Zhao Ping said: "There is an IOU here."
"He promised to give me 200,000 taels of silver. He has paid 6,000 taels and still owes me 194,000 taels of silver."
"Since you are his wife, let me do the work for you and give me the remaining silver."
"for you?"
Mrs. Liu sneered, "You took my husband's money and didn't do anything for my husband. You even came to collect the money while licking your face. Do you think I will give it to you?"
"Why am I not doing anything?"
Zhao Ping asked back: "In the palace, so many people were tied up. I personally helped Mr. Liu loosen them, right?"
"And after he was put in prison, I told Shan Dayong to treat Mr. Liu kindly."
"These are all for the sake of money."
"You don't have to give me any money."
"But I can tell you clearly that if I can't get the money, I don't know how Shan Dayong will treat Mr. Liu tomorrow."
"Are you threatening me?"
Mrs. Liu said gloomily.
"You can think so."
Zhao Ping said indifferently.
"What are you doing standing still?"
Liu Dingbei said impatiently: "Didn't I ask you to take down all these people?"
"Tie them up first."
"Then send him to prison."
"Let them eat prison food for a few days first to let them understand how stupid it is to defend Liu Lai at this time."
"Since when have we defended the master?"
Madam and others were surprised.
"snort!"
Liu Dingbei snorted coldly, "Isn't there any maintenance?"
"Then why can't this general search the letters exchanged between Liu Lai and other officials?"
"As long as you tell me where the letters are, I won't embarrass you. How about that?"
"Don't tell him."
Instead, Zhao Ping stopped him and said, "Please make up the money Liu Lai owes me."
"As long as I get the money, I can ask Shan Dayong to release Liu Lai. I promise you that tomorrow, no, as long as you take out the money you owe me now, I will immediately send people to the palace and ask Shan Dayong to release Liu Lai. "
"I'm afraid Liu Lai will return to Liu Mansion before dawn."
"Zhao Ping, what are you doing?"
Liu Dingbei said with a dark face: "Today in the palace, you can forget about collecting money in front of so many people."
"After all, it's just a small amount, not a big mistake."
"But now, you actually want to release Liu Lai for money. Are you worthy of the Shang Fang sword you hold in your hand?"
"If this matter really reaches His Majesty's ears, I'm afraid even if you have nine heads, you won't be enough for His Majesty to chop it off, right?"
"Are you in charge?"
Zhao Ping said indifferently: "If you dare to talk too much, believe it or not, I will kill you right now?"
While speaking, Zhao Ping also drew out Shang Fang's sword.
Then, their people also divided into two teams.
A team followed Liu Dingbei.
But there are very few people.
On Zhao Ping's side, there was a group of people standing there.
Make a judgment.
"you you you……"
Liu Dingbei pointed at Zhao Ping and was so angry that he couldn't speak.
"Zhao Ping, are you sure that as long as we give you money, you can bring my husband back?"
Mrs. Liu asked in disbelief.
"I swear by Shang Fang's sword."
Zhao Ping said solemnly: "As long as you hand over the money, Liu Lai will definitely return to the Liu Mansion before dawn."
"Okay, let's go out."
Mrs. Liu made up her mind on the spot.
The Liu Mansion was already in chaos. Although she was Liu Lai's wife, she couldn't hold up the situation.
Only Liu Lai's return can save the Liu Mansion.
When Liu Lai was away, his wife was able to come up with two hundred thousand taels of silver.
Zhao Ping felt a little regretful. It seemed that he would have less money to ask Liu Lai for at the palace today.
If I had known this, I should have asked him for five hundred thousand taels of silver.
Even if the price is negotiated later, it should be reduced to 300,000 taels, no lower.
I still underestimated the background of these officials and aristocratic families.
Mrs. Liu really couldn't afford two hundred thousand taels.
After all, the Liu family's accounts are in charge of the master and the housekeeper. As a wife, she only gets a share of pocket money.
They have to raise their children every month, and reward some to the maids and servants, so that they can work hard for the Liu family.
At this time, we can only piece it together here and there.
For example, the dowry given by your mother's family when you get married, such as some broken silver accumulated over the years.
In addition, there are some family members, servants and the like around.
In the end, only thirty thousand taels of silver were taken out.
"Only thirty thousand taels of silver?"
Zhao Ping frowned, "Are you sending away beggars?"
"Mr. Zhao, I am just a woman, and I don't care about the money in the house."
Mrs. Liu begged: "I can only take out so much now."
"Do you think you can be accommodating?"
"When the master comes back, I will ask him to pay you in one go."
"Two hundred thousand taels of silver, not even a copper penny will be missing from you."
"no."
Zhao Ping shook his head, "Thirty thousand taels of silver is too little."
"You should be aware of the current situation. His Majesty wants to purge the court, and Mr. Liu has become a typical example. It is very likely that he will be pushed outside the Meridian Gate and beheaded."
"If I let him go at this time, I would be going against His Majesty."
"So Your Majesty is taking full measures to deal with the situation, and if you don't have enough measures to do it, it won't work at all."
"Thirty thousand taels of silver, I can't even satisfy Shan Dayong's appetite, how can I get him to let him go?"
"You can make up some more."
"It's still a hundred thousand taels anyway."
"Otherwise, I won't be able to help with this matter."
"As for what General Liu wants to do, I won't care anymore."
"kill."
Liu Dingbei roared very cooperatively.
The frightened women's cries became louder again.
"Mrs. Liu, I, Zhao Ping, am a farmer and I understand very well how difficult it is to make money."
Zhao Ping pondered for a moment before continuing: "Master Liu is an upright official. It is indeed difficult to come up with so much money at once."
"Otherwise, you can use other things as collateral."
"For example, land deeds, house deeds, and slave sales deeds, etc."
"I can convert it into silver for you."
"Okay, okay, I'll get it right now."
Mrs. Liu did not doubt that he was there and returned to the room to look for him.
Not long after, when she came out again, she had a lot of paper in her hand.
There is a house deed, a shop, a field, and a deed of sale.
Added up, it's enough for two hundred thousand taels of silver.
Zhao Ping was not polite and accepted the order.
He said with a smile: "Mrs. Liu, since you have collected enough money, I will arrange for people to go to the palace to negotiate with Shan Dayong and ask him to release Master Liu."
"I believe it won't be long before you can be reunited with Mr. Liu."
"Zhao Ping, you really disappoint me."
Liu Dingbei was still on the sidelines angrily accusing him.
"What you do is a disgrace to the Emperor."
"I disdain to be associated with you."
"Just wait, I will go home and write a memorial now, inform His Majesty about this matter, and ask him to make a decision."
"Can you leave?"
Zhao Ping sneered, "Come here, tie up Liu Dingbei."
"The people behind him were also tied up."
"Whoever dares to move, I will kill right now."
While talking, Zhao Ping also raised the Zhuge Liannu and pointed it at Liu Dingbei and the others.
Gao Meng immediately brought people forward and tied up the others headed by Liu Dingbei in three strokes.
"Mrs. Liu, this is still some distance from the palace. Let's go back to the house and wait. I believe Mr. Liu will be able to return home before dawn. I will leave after seeing Mr. Liu. What do you think?"
"Mr. Zhao, please come soon."
Mrs. Liu was also extremely excited. She made a show of invitation and invited Zhao Ping and others to the inner courtyard.
Drink tea, chat, and wait for Liu Lai to return.
