Chapter 135: Written Agreement
Ma Jieyong held the bowl and gulped down the fish soup, feeling both happy and sad in his heart.
He might not be able to eat such delicious meals in the future, so while he still could, he wanted to eat more.
Gao Yan knew Shang Wan had picked up an injured child, and he was a bit curious. “That child isn’t coming out to eat?”
Xiao Huan said, “I’ll send food in to him in a bit.”
Gao Yan wanted to ask more, but He SIZhi stepped on his foot under the table and at the same time picked up some food with chopsticks and put it in his bowl.
Gao Yan had no choice but to suppress his curiosity and shut up to eat.
Shang Wan glanced at He SIZhi a few more times, thinking that this master was not just skilled in craftsmanship.
Xiao Huan brought a bowl of fish soup and steamed egg mixed with rice to Chu Xu, who ate until his eyes were teary.
He had finally eaten something substantial!
He was the second young master of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion—when had he ever suffered such grievance?
When Shang Wan came in, Chu Xu had just put down the bowl, his little face still showing a trace of satisfaction.
Xiao Huan cleared the bowls and chopsticks and carried them out.
Shang Wan shook the ointment in her hand at the child. “I’ll change your dressing for you, and in a bit, I’ll send you away.”
“I don’t want to leave.” Chu Xu shrank back a little, his pair of cat-like eyes gazing pitifully at Shang Wan. “But three promises are too many.”
Shang Wan raised her brow. “You’re the second young master of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion. Isn’t one life worth three promises?”
Chu Xu shook his head. “Compared to the family, it’s not worth it.”
Children of aristocratic families put family interests first.
“Can you tell me what you want these promises for?”
“Safeguard.” Shang Wan sat down on the soft cushion, unwrapping the gauze on him as she said, “Don’t worry, I won’t ask Duke Dingguo’s Mansion to help with anything illegal, like murder and arson, or anything that violates reason.”
Chu Xu pouted. “But three promises are too many. How about just one?”
Shang Wan examined his wound closely and looked up at him. “What do you think?”
“I… ah!” Chu Xu cried out in pain, tears welling up in his eyes.
Waaah, the wound hurts so much!
He clamped his mouth shut, sniffling his red nose, trying hard not to let the tears fall.
A man must not cry!
Shang Wan lightened her touch, quickly applied the ointment, and wrapped fresh gauze around the child.
“I… I can promise you more requests.” Chu Xu forced back his tears and negotiated with Shang Wan. “When I get home, I can also provide you protection.”
“Don’t mention distant water that can’t quench immediate thirst.” Shang Wan smiled. “You’re only six years old. What protection can you provide us?”
Chu Xu felt belittled and immediately widened his amber cat-like eyes. “I’m the second young master of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion. Lots of people rush to curry favor with me.”
Shang Wan corrected him. “They’re not currying favor with you; they’re currying favor with Duke Dingguo’s Mansion. Instead of your protection, why not just have Duke Dingguo’s Mansion protect us directly?”
Chu Xu muttered, “Isn’t it the same thing?”
Shang Wan looked at him with a half-smile. Chu Xu shifted his gaze away guiltily. He looked around, taking in all the crude items.
Suddenly inspired, “When I get home, I can give you lots and lots of money. With money, you can buy a big house and many servants, delicious food and fun things. I can give you enough money to last a lifetime.”
A military family with generations of accumulated wealth had the confidence to say that.
Shang Wan chuckled lightly. “A lifetime without worries about food and drink sounds pretty good.”
Chu Xu said delightedly, “You agree?”
“What do you think?” Shang Wan glanced at him.
The delighted expression vanished instantly. Chu Xu puffed out his cheeks like buns and said huffily, “Then what do you want? I can’t promise three promises. At most one, or else just send me away.”
Anyway, no matter what he said, he couldn’t promise three promises. Not just him—even if Father were here, he wouldn’t lightly make promises on behalf of Duke Dingguo’s Mansion.
As for promising and then breaking it?
Impossible!
The men of the Chu family were men of their word—one spit was one nail. They would fulfill promised matters even if it cost their heads.
Shang Wan shook her head inwardly. Silly child who hasn’t been beaten down by society yet.
In negotiations, if you don’t start with a big lion’s mouth, how can you give the other side room to bargain?
“I’ll take a little loss. I’ve already saved you—if you just die like this, my medicine would be wasted.” Shang Wan said, “One promise, plus one Imperial Academy enrollment slot. How about that?”
Compared to three promises, Chu Xu instantly felt the current terms quite acceptable, even a bit touched inside.
For ordinary folk, keeping him would indeed be big trouble, and they might even lose their own family’s lives.
This woman said she didn’t care about him on her lips, but she still wanted to save him, right?
Maybe this was the knife mouth bean curd heart of a good person?
Still, he was a bit puzzled. “What do you want the Imperial Academy enrollment slot for?”
That good-looking scholar wasn’t disabled? Even with a slot, he couldn’t enter the Imperial Academy.
Shang Wan said, “I have my uses for it. Just say if you agree or not.”
Chu Xu made conditions. “If I agree, you not only have to protect me fully, but also safely send me back to the Capital City.”
Shang Wan agreed readily. “Fine.”
Chu Xu puffed his cheeks, pretending to hesitate. Seeing Shang Wan about to lose patience, he nodded his little head. “I agree.”
Shang Wan reached out her hand. “Token.”
Chu Xu felt under the pillow for the small purse and handed the jade pendant to Shang Wan.
Shang Wan took it and glanced at the copper token in his hand. She asked, “What’s this token for?”
“Elder Brother gave it to me as a toy.” Chu Xu backed his little hand behind him like he was afraid it would be taken, which tugged at the wound on his back. He gasped in pain, and tears welled up again unbidden.
Shang Wan would be a fool to believe that, but seeing Chu Xu so guarded, she thought about it and didn’t press further.
“Can you write?”
Seeing her not pursuing the question, Chu Xu secretly breathed a sigh of relief. He nodded, his tone a bit proud. “I can. I started studying at two.”
“Write up a written agreement.” Shang Wan said, “Put the terms we just negotiated in it, then sign and seal it.”
Chu Xu widened his eyes. “You don’t trust me?”
“Hearts are separated by flesh.” Shang Wan set the brush and ink in front of him and smiled with curved lips. “I trust black and white words on white paper more.”
Chu Xu wrote the written agreement huffily. After Lu Chengjing checked it, he signed and pressed his handprint.
At Shang Wan’s strong insistence, he also pressed the copper token on it, leaving a clear complete imprint.
“Done.” Shang Wan blew dry the ink on the paper, folded it, and put it away in her bosom—actually into the space.
“Those assassins don’t know where they are, and you need to recover from injury. Safety first. I won’t send you back to the Capital City yet. We’ll plan after your wound heals. The wooden shed is so small with no extra partitions. Tonight you’ll sleep with Shi Tou. He can also keep an eye on you, so you don’t kick off the quilt at night.”
Chu Xu: “…”
He wouldn’t kick the quilt! Besides, how could he kick the quilt while sleeping prone?
Seeing the child puffing his face unhappily, Shang Wan added, “You can’t even turn over now. What if you want water or need to go to the toilet at night? Don’t you need someone to help?”
This made some sense, but Chu Xu still felt aggrieved.
As the saying went, a young master raised in luxury was always surrounded by attendants wherever he went, with everything taken care of. He’d never suffered like this.
