RPAGF Chapter 11 Ding 3 Imprisoned
Chapter 11 Ding 3 Imprisoned
This man is called Ding San. He is a groom who used to deliver goods to the Marquis's residence, but he is not one of the household's employees.
I noticed the bell when I was delivering the goods.
Although the bell wasn't ugly, she wasn't his type, and he hadn't even been interested in her in the first place.
However, I've heard that Lingdang serves the lady of the house, and I imagine her monthly allowance must be quite substantial. If I could marry her, not only would I have money to spend, but I might also be able to leverage the power of the Marquis's household to gain some benefits for myself.
So he tried every means to get close to Lingdang.
But even after hooking up with Lingdang, he remained incorrigible, always thinking of philandering. Since he had no money, he lied and said that his mother was sick and needed money for medical treatment, and borrowed ten taels of silver from Lingdang.
He still felt that ten taels of silver was too little. A maidservant from the Marquis's wife's household had only borrowed ten taels of silver, being so stingy.
However, thinking that he could marry Lingdang, have her bear his child, and then use her money to take a concubine, he decided to put up with it for the time being.
By then, he and Lingdang will already have a child, and isn't it normal for men to have multiple wives and concubines? The Marquis's mansion probably can't interfere in their marital affairs.
Unexpectedly, he was caught red-handed in a brothel and was brought here by the Marquis's men.
Lingdang stood to the side, her eyes red with hatred as she glared at Ding San, occasionally wiping away tears with her handkerchief.
Ding San immediately understood what was going on: she had borrowed money from Lingdang to visit brothels, and the Marquis's mansion was making amends for her.
Yang Xiurong looked down at Ding San and said sternly, "You borrowed ten taels of silver from Lingdang, saying it was for your mother's medical treatment, but you used it to go to brothels. You dare to cheat someone from my Marquis's mansion? Quickly return the money to Lingdang."
Ding San spent his days indulging in debauchery and had little money. He had only received ten taels of silver for a short time when he patronized two beautiful girls at a brothel, and it was all gone.
Ding San looked distressed: "Madam, I really have no money left. Please allow me some time. I will return the money to Lingdang in a few days."
Ding San thought that whether he borrowed money or visited brothels, it was all legal according to the laws of Dayao. He wouldn't repay the money for the time being, and the Marquis's mansion couldn't do anything to him, could it?
Yang Xiurong sneered. "A few days? Do you expect me to wait a few days before repaying?"
My family cannot abuse our power to bully others; it would ruin our reputation. Do you think we can't even get ten taels of silver back?
“It’s fine to pay it back in a few days. But your employer sells grain. I’ll send someone to tell him that his men are seducing the maids around me, borrowing money and not paying it back while going to brothels. From now on, I won’t buy grain from him.”
Upon hearing this, Ding San inwardly groaned.
This guy was someone he had finally found, and he had already missed work a few days ago because he was drunk, so his employer was very dissatisfied with him.
If this incident causes my employer and the Marquis's mansion to break off their cooperation again, I will definitely be kicked out.
He has no skills and was kicked out by his employer. Who would dare to hire him in the future? He can't just go begging!
Ding San kowtowed repeatedly: "Madam, spare my life! Madam, spare my life! I'll repay the money right now! Please, Madam, spare my life!"
He took off the jade pendant from his waist and said with great determination, "This jade pendant I'm wearing is an heirloom, worth ten taels of silver. Just give it to Lingdang!"
He wasn't lying; the only valuable thing he owned was this jade pendant.
If even this jade pendant is given away, then we'll be left with nothing but the northwest wind.
Yang Xiurong had someone appraise it, and it was confirmed that the jade pendant was indeed worth ten taels of silver, so she had Lingdang accept it.
Ding San was filled with regret. Of all people to seduce, he had to choose the maidservant beside the Lady of the Marquis's mansion! Now he was reaping the bitter fruits of his actions!
Ding San felt a surge of hatred for Lingdang again. What a jinx! He had thought Lingdang would bring him good fortune, but she had turned out to harm him like this!
Lingdang stood to the side, holding the jade pendant. Looking at Ding San's disheveled state, a glint of vengeful satisfaction flashed in her eyes. She had been unlucky in her judgment, blind to trust this scoundrel. She vowed never to have anything to do with him again!
Seeing that Ding San was about to leave, Qin Wanying stared at him for a long time before saying, "Mother, this man is hoarding the master's grain and selling it!"
Everyone present was surprised to hear this.
Who would have thought that Ding San was not only immoral in his personal life, but also a thief?
Ding San was startled upon hearing this.
How could the young lady of this Marquis's mansion know that I was hiding things from my master? That's impossible!
So he retorted, "Miss, don't talk nonsense! I am completely innocent and have never stolen a single grain from the master!"
Seeing Ding San's deeply wronged expression, Qin Wanying couldn't help but admire his acting skills. No wonder he managed to trick Lingdang into giving him her.
"Mother, he's been hoarding the employer's grain, and there are still two bags of rice in his cellar! An investigation will reveal all!"
Ding San was dumbfounded. How could this young lady know where he hid the grain? Could she possibly be a fortune teller?
We mustn't be soft-hearted towards him. If we let him go today, he'll hold a grudge and seek revenge. Later, when the Marquis's mansion fell into trouble, he stood up to give false testimony and even received a considerable reward for it!
The four people from the Marquis's residence were shocked. They never expected that this person would later provide false testimony for the Marquis's residence!
“In that case, let’s call his employer over and let him handle it himself,” Yang Xiurong said. The Marquis’s mansion has no authority to adjudicate cases, and Ding San didn’t steal anything from the Marquis’s mansion, so we can only call the employer over to deal with it.
The landlord was a slightly overweight man in his forties. He jogged all the way to the Marquis's residence, bowing and scraping with smiles at Qin Yezhong and Yang Xiurong.
Qin Yezhong remained silent throughout, leaving the affairs of the inner quarters to his wife to handle without his interference.
His wife has managed the household very well over the years; she is sensible, fair, and he trusts her completely.
The servant had already relayed Ding San's story to the master.
The landlord looked at Ding San, who was kneeling on the ground trembling, with an icy gaze.
He kicked him directly in the butt, and Ding San cried out and fell to the ground.
"You scoundrel Ding San! I kindly took you in, and you still steal my things!"
"Report to the authorities! I want to report this to the authorities!" the landlord said angrily.
Upon hearing that the matter was to be reported to the authorities, Ding San turned pale with fright. He had no desire to go to jail! Life in prison was something an ordinary person like him could not endure!
Besides, who would dare hire someone who's been to prison? He won't be able to stay in Kyoto anymore!
He was initially proud of his status as a citizen of Kyoto, feeling superior to others living in the capital. But if he couldn't make it in Kyoto, he'd have no choice but to return to his remote hometown—something he desperately wanted!
Ding San kowtowed repeatedly, pleading, "Please, master, don't report this to the authorities! I know I was wrong! I'll never do it again!"
The landlord looked at Ding San with disgust. This kind of person couldn't be treated with mercy. He had to make an example of him so that his subordinates wouldn't dare to be dishonest in the future.
Ding San suddenly remembered Lingdang. Perhaps Lingdang still harbored feelings for him and could plead for him.
He crawled up to Lingdang and pleaded, "Little Lingdang, I know I was wrong. Please give me another chance. Please beg me to plead for me!" As he spoke, he slapped himself repeatedly.
Lingdang looked at him coldly: "You dog of a man! I must have been blind to fall for you and believe your lies! I even lent you the money I had saved up, and you used it to go to brothels! Stay away from me!"
Ding San pleaded repeatedly to no avail, and knelt on the ground, his face ashen.
It's over, it's all over now.
After a while, the officials were about to take Ding San away.
Qin Wanying stared at Ding San for a long time and discovered that his fate information had changed.