Climbing on the Sparrow Branch – CH 033

Chapter 33: Indenture Contract

“In that case, the monthly allowance for our courtyard will also be reduced by 10%.” An Zhi looked into the distance with an unhappy expression. “Also, you go to the main house in person and explain to the madam that our courtyard doesn’t need special treatment. Otherwise, people will think I’m so powerful that even the wife has to listen to me.”

“Wait.” An Zhi pointed to an orchid in the yard, “Take that flower and give it to Madam. Orchids like quietness, I think Madam will like it.”

An Zhi did not object, nor did she reject Meng Jie establishing her prestige in the mansion, but she could not use her as a target.

After all, she was the eldest daughter of the An Mansion. If anyone didn’t want her to have a good life, she would make that person suffer. After all, no matter who was in charge of the An Mansion, it was her world.

More than ten days later, when the weather gradually warmed up in May, the doorman said that a beggar came for An Zhi and could not be driven away no matter how hard they tried. He said that he had lost a bet with An Zhi and came to fulfill the bet.

Upon hearing this, An Zhi knew who was coming, and asked the doorman to take Pei Yu to the side room to wash up, and then bring him back to see her.

An Zhi and Binglu went to the living room.

“Miss, Young Master Pei is really here. Why doesn’t he go back to the Pei family first?” Binglu asked.

“He has been expelled from the Pei family’s family tree, so he is no longer a member of the Pei family. Even if his parents want to help him again, he will not go back now. A person as arrogant as him will never go back to ask his parents for help easily.” An Zhi said with a smile and walked to the reception room.

After a while, the doorman came with Pei Yu.

Same place, different time, An Zhi was still the eldest daughter of the An family, but Pei Yu had a thin face, sunken eyes, and had no home to return to.

“Pei Yu, what are you doing here?” An Zhi asked deliberately, feeling happy when she saw Pei Yu in such a miserable state.

“I’ll fulfill the bet.” Pei Yu stood straight, looking at the floor.

An Zhi smiled. “Pei Yu, I remember you said at the time that if you lose, you will be my slave. But have you ever seen a servant stand up straight the first time they see their master?”

“Okay, I’ll kneel.” Pei Yu said and knelt down.

“Have you ever been home since you returned to the capital?” An Zhi asked again.

“I no longer have a home.” When saying this, the corners of Pei Yu’s lips trembled slightly, and some emotion appeared in his dead eyes.

“You have a home, but you don’t want it.” An Zhi asked the people beside her to help Pei Yu up. “Pei Yu, before you enter the An family, I have something to explain to you. I arranged for the wealthy businessman to seduce An Rong.”

An Zhi had to say this first. If Pei Yu held a grudge about this matter, she would knock the man out and send him to Pei’s house. From then on, Pei Yu’s affairs would have nothing to do with her.

She saw Pei Yu’s pupils suddenly widen, and was about to hear Pei Yu scold her, but after a while she heard Pei Yu sigh, then crawl on the ground and sob.

“I’ve left this indenture here. If you still want to stay, sign it. If you want to leave, you can leave at any time.” An Zhi said as she walked out. “When it comes to people, you can’t just judge them with your eyes, you have to judge them with your heart. Pei Yu, you must read the indenture carefully. Once you sign it, for the next ten years, you will live if I tell you to, and die if I tell you to.”

After saying this, An Zhi had already walked out of the reception room.

“Miss, you made Young Master Pei sign the indenture. What if the Pei family blames you?” Binglu was the most worried.

“What else can they do? They should be grateful to me. I woke up their unfilial son with a single blow and am willing to spend ten years to help educate him. Such a good thing is hard to find even with a lantern.” An Zhi smiled.

Binglu: Is this really a good thing?

At this time, Meng Jie in the main house also received the news that Pei Yu had come.

Although Xi’er had been taken into her room, she still served Meng Jie. She fanned Meng Jie gently, “Madam, the person who just came back said that the eldest lady wants Young Master Pei to sign a contract and sell himsef to our family for ten years. Isn’t this obviously going to offend the Pei family?”

The old man of the Pei family was the prime minister of the current dynasty and a powerful official second only to the emperor in the court. Xi’er was worried about her head when she thought about letting his grandson work as a servant in the An family.

Meng Jie also didn’t understand An Zhi’s behavior. “Logically speaking, since Young Master Pei has turned over a new leaf, she should give the Pei family some face. How could she actually sign a contract with Young Master Pei?”

“It hasn’t been signed yet.” Xi’er reminded, “The eldest lady only asked Young Master Pei to sign. Young Master Pei is still in the reception room and hasn’t actually signed. Madam, the Fourth Master of the Pei family has the worst temper in the capital. If we offend the Pei family because of this, then… what are we going to do?”

Although it was An Zhi who asked Pei Yu to sign the indenture, they were all members of the An family. If one person made a mistake, the whole family would be implicated. This was a theorem that no one could escape.

This was what Meng Jie was worried about. She had just married into the An family and had just secured her position as the madam. She didn’t want to suffer the same hardship as the Meng family so soon. “Send someone to the Pei family and tell them this news. Tell them that this is all An Zhi’s idea. If the Pei family wants to take Pei Yu back, we can send him back anytime.”

As soon as Meng Jie sent someone out, An Zhi received the news.

Binglu was quite indignant about this. “Miss, why did Madam do this? If she felt that this was inappropriate, she could have come to you directly to tell you. Why did she have to secretly send someone to the Pei family?”

Ever since Meng Jie reduced her monthly allowance, An Zhi understood what she was thinking. “Binglu, do you think there are truly kind-hearted stepmothers in this world?”

Binglu shook her head. “I haven’t seen one, but as soon as the Madam came in, you handed over the housekeeping power to her. You’ve done this, so what else could she be dissatisfied with?”

“Because she feels it’s not enough.” An Zhi said calmly, “She married from a poorer family and tasted what it’s like to be the head of the family and get paid, so naturally she wants more. She doesn’t care about the two concubines in the family, and the only one she’s wary of is me. But it’s impossible for her to get more by bypassing me, but she can’t do anything to me. If this goes on for a long time, she’ll feel resentment. So God gave her an opportunity, and she must make good use of it.”

As early as when Madam An was choosing a second wife for An Chengye, An Zhi didn’t like Meng Jie. At that time, she was afraid that Meng Jie’s vision was too narrow. Later, after chatting with Meng Jie, although she felt her average, she didn’t ask for too much, after all, her own father was even worse.

An Zhi didn’t care about the monthly allowance issue before, but telling tales behind her back completely drew a line between the two of them.

“But the young lady will be married in two years, why is she so impatient?” Binglu was still very angry.

An Zhi laughed, “How do you know I’ll be married in two years? What if I never get married and stay at home as an old maid?”

“Pah, pah, pah, don’t say such unlucky words.” Binglu looked confident that An Zhi would be able to get married. “With your talent and looks, how could you not get married?”

An Zhi laughed and said nothing.

“Miss, why aren’t you worried at all? What should we do if the Pei family is really angry about this?” Binglu felt like a few more hairs were about to fall out.

An Zhi comforted her, “Don’t worry. If Pei Yu signs the indenture, he’ll be part of our An family. If the Pei family wants to harm us, Pei Yu will be killed along with us. With me here, your head is safe. No one can take it away. But why hasn’t Pei Yu sent any letter yet? A grown man is dithering. Ask Fusheng to urge him. If he wants to sign, then sign. If not, then get out!”