Chapter 44: A Son-in-law Worth Two Hundred Thousand

Shen Residence, Brook Garden.

Shen Hao sat on the couch, his expression as dark as water. On both sides of the room, many people were seated.

Pei Yunrui, clad in exquisite armor, stood tall at the center, reporting the results of their search. Once he finished, he silently stepped aside.

Where on earth had this son-in-law been taken? Seeing his cousin’s current state made Pei Yunrui grind his teeth in hatred for Lu Jin.

“So in other words, there’s still nothing to show for today?” Shen Hao swept his gaze across the room.

Everyone lowered their heads. Every inch of Jiangzhou had been turned over, yet there was still no sign of the missing man.

“Master, we’ve searched up and down the Lan River. The only possibility left is Yunmeng Marsh, but it’s too vast—our men are nowhere near enough to cover it,” a man seated below replied.

“Is it possible he’s still in the city? The very night the incident happened, the Jiangzhou garrison sealed off both ends of the Lan River. The river bandits couldn’t have gotten to Yunmeng Marsh…”

The people in the room began analyzing all possible scenarios, each offering their own opinion. The discussion grew heated, but led nowhere.

Shen Hao pressed his aching forehead. His daughter was bedridden, the son-in-law had vanished without a trace—his mind was a tangled mess.

To this day, there had been no word from the river bandits. Could Lu Jin really have escaped?

“Master, a shopkeeper claims to have seen the young master,” a servant whispered in Shen Hao’s ear.

Shen Hao started and looked at the servant. “Are you sure?”

Everyone in the room turned to look as well—this was one of the rare pieces of news they’d had in days.

“He’s waiting outside,” the servant replied.

“Bring him in at once,” Shen Hao said, suddenly energized. At last, some news! His mother’s strategy was proving effective after all.

Not long after, an elderly man in his fifties or sixties entered, led by a servant, and knelt on the ground.

“Ma Shun, at your service, Master.”

“Rise and speak,” Shen Hao said, in no mood for formalities.

“And you are?” As the old man lifted his head, Shen Hao felt he looked familiar.

“Master, I’m the manager of Prosperity Pawnshop.”

Shen Hao understood at once—wasn’t Prosperity Pawnshop their own business?

If Lu Jin knew this, he’d probably want to die from embarrassment.

Without waiting for Shen Hao to ask, the old man recounted in detail how Lu Jin had pawned something that day, and handed the jade pendant to Shen Hao.

Everyone was stunned—his own son-in-law pawning valuables at his own shop? What was this? Did the Shen family’s son-in-law not have money to spend?

What the others didn’t know was that Lu Jin had run away without permission in the first place.

But Shen Hao saw things clearly—if his previous suspicions had been speculation, now they were confirmed. His son-in-law had been plotting to escape all along.

As Shen Hao turned the jade pendant in his hands, he couldn’t help but feel a pang. To think he’d pawned such a fine piece just to run away. Had the Shen family really treated him so poorly?

“How much did he get for it?” Shen Hao asked. Knowing how much money he had would help estimate how far he could get.

“F… fifty taels,” the trembling shopkeeper replied.

“Fifty taels?” Shen Hao laughed in disbelief. “You gave only fifty taels for such a fine jade?”

“Forgive me, Master, I didn’t know he was the young master…” The manager dropped to his knees, weeping.

“Master, since he’s brought us this clue, let’s let it go this once,” someone interjected.

“This once? You think it’s just this once? Do you know how often things like this happen? The Shen family’s businesses have always had rules: fair trade, no cheating the old or the young. He’s undermining the very foundation of our family,” Shen Hao said angrily.

This wasn’t baseless. As the current head of the family, Shen Hao knew all the tricks. This was just the one time he got caught; who knew how much the man had pocketed before?

“Take him away and thoroughly investigate what he’s been doing all these years,” Shen Hao ordered. Warriors entered and dragged the wailing manager away.

What a blunder! Why ask how much he pawned for if you don’t care about your son-in-law’s fate?

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Three days passed, each feeling as long as a year for Lu Jin.

Every day he was given nothing more than a moldy bun. Lu Jin had never suffered through such miserable days.

Where was the lady chieftain? Why hadn’t she come to see him? If he went much longer without food, he’d be nothing but a withered shell—hardly pleasant to look at.

He wondered how Shen Yanxi was faring. Now, he realized she was quite a good person. Though she often wore a cold expression, he’d seen her smile—when she did, she was truly beautiful.

Her character was fine, too; she seemed a good match. What a pity there was no more chance. She must have seen the farewell letter he left on the table by now.

Lu Jin felt a pang of regret. He’d been wronged in the Shen family, but otherwise, life was comfortable. Wasn’t that better than his current situation, hovering between life and death?

When you can’t even beg a full meal, dignity means nothing.

When your life is in someone else’s hands, what is freedom? Utter nonsense!

Real life was never like the world imagined by those online cynics of his previous life—every choice came at a price.

He wished he could charge out and wipe out all the river bandits. Was it possible? No—he had no superpowers.

Over the past three days, several of his fellow captives had been taken away, leaving only himself, Xiaobai, and a man in his twenties or thirties.

That man never spoke, just huddled silently in the corner each day. In these circumstances, Lu Jin had no energy to bother with him.

Every day, he heard the screams of those taken away, but had no idea what fate awaited them. His turn would come soon, no doubt.

Though he hadn’t been in this world long, he was truly reluctant to leave it.

If he really died, would Shen Yanxi grieve? Why did he keep thinking of her?

“Out!” The door was flung open with a bang, and a river bandit glared at Lu Jin.

Lu Jin was at his limit. He stood up to go out, but he was so starved and dizzy that he nearly collapsed as soon as he took a step.

“Young master,” Xiaobai said, his face full of worry as he followed behind.

Lu Jin bent over, steadied himself, then stood again. He said weakly to the bandit, “Bring him along too—let us both go together.”

The bandit said nothing, simply led them both out. Only then did Lu Jin see that the weather was foul—clouds gathered overhead, promising rain at any moment. Let it fall, let it flood these dogs out!

Lu Jin and Xiaobai were soon brought to another house not far away. This one was clearly far better than the hovel he’d been kept in. Inside sat three middle-aged men, evidently waiting for him.

Lu Jin glanced up. Not one of them looked the least bit kindly—they were born to be bandits.

“So, I hear you want to be a river bandit?” The man in the middle, baring a mouthful of yellow teeth, questioned Lu Jin.

Damn it, only now do they ask after locking me up for days? Too late!

“Third Brother, I didn’t expect you to bring back such a precious catch,” the wiry, dark-faced man beside him spoke before Lu Jin could reply. Lu Jin glanced at him—was this the third chief? Judging by the eyes, it must be.

The third chief didn’t look at Lu Jin, just busied himself twisting rope in his hands—a craftsman, apparently.

“You look like a scholar. You can write, can’t you? There’s paper on the table. Write a letter to your family, let them know you’re safe,” the first man said again, his voice surprisingly gentle.

Were these bandits so kind-hearted? Lu Jin was baffled. The earlier prisoners had howled and wailed—what was this about?

“Boss, my family has no money. I just want to be a hero on the rivers and lakes, like you all,” Lu Jin replied, deciding to go along with their story for now.

“Scholars are always scheming—did you think we’d know nothing?” The dark-faced man’s scowl deepened, his eyes boring into Lu Jin.

“You’re the Shen family’s son-in-law, our precious hostage.”

What?! How did these bandits know?

“Surprised? Did you think we just snatched people off the street at random? We’ve been watching you for days…”

Damn it! So it was my aimless wandering that got me into this mess?

“Two hundred thousand taels of silver—not much for the Shen family, right?” The dark-faced man spoke as he picked at the dead skin on his foot, making Lu Jin sick.

The bandits who’d gone out to exchange prisoners hadn’t returned yet, so they didn’t know the Shen family had offered a reward of five hundred thousand.

“Two hundred thousand taels, not much? Why don’t you… Oh, I’m not worth that much, Boss,” Lu Jin stammered.

“I told you, these people only behave after a beating,” the black-faced man said, rising to his feet.

“Boss, I’m just a son-in-law, insignificant. Even if I write a letter, they won’t believe it. How about this: let my servant go back, let him tell my wife—she’s the only one who cares if I live or die… He’s not important anyway…” Lu Jin said hastily.

If he wrote a letter himself, what could he say? “Father, come save me”? Nonsense—his father-in-law might just send him an urn.

Shen Yanxi had to know—that was his only hope for survival. He’d lost all dignity now.

Even if it didn’t work, at least Xiaobai could go back—he owed him that much.

Xiaobai was deeply moved by the young master’s words. Such a good man, thinking of others even now.

“You think we bandits are fools?” the dark-faced chief snapped, hurling a battered shoe at Lu Jin.

Lu Jin dodged desperately—he was being sincere!

“Take him out, give him a good taste of the lash…” the black-faced man growled, his voice like a demon from hell.