Chapter 77: Theft

Lu Ying explained, “Big Brother Liu Xin found Manager Li’s home yesterday and informed him that Third Young Madam wished to meet him to locate Mama Wang’s family. However, Third Young Madam couldn’t meet him directly, so she asked the Third Young Master for help…”

Manager Li had been searching for an opportunity to meet Lu Man, elated when she reached out to him. They arranged to meet at Shang Ya Tang, an antique store managed by Jiang Zhanwei. To further gain Manager Li’s trust, Jiang Zhanwei brought Lu Ying along as well.

Initially, Manager Li had reservations and remained tight-lipped. But upon seeing Lu Ying, confirming that Lu Man had contacted him through Jiang Zhanwei, he finally let go of his guard.

Manager Li had encountered Lu Ying a few times a couple of years back when Mama Wang had accompanied her for errands outside. However, she hadn’t noticed him at the time.

Their chance encounter at Drunken Spring Pavilion, where Manager Li first spotted Lu Ying and then Lu Man, left a lasting impression. Although he hadn’t met Lu Man before, seeing the girl who looked exactly like his senior sister in her youth, alongside Lu Ying, led him to believe she was Senior Sister’s daughter, Lu Man. With Mr. Huo by his side, he hesitated to approach Lu Man but feared missing this rare opportunity, which led to him tumbling down the stairs from the second floor…

Upon hearing from Lu Ying that Lu Man was doing well at the Princess Changting’s residence, Manager Li was overcome with emotion and tearfully disclosed everything he knew.

Manager Li, whose name was Li Yuan, was thirty years old. He had learned medicine from He Huang since childhood, with his uncle being the former Renhe Hall Manager. At the age of fourteen, He Mingzhu, Lu Man’s mother, married into the Lu family.

Three years later, He Huang unexpectedly dismissed almost everyone from Renhe Hall, retaining only an old Manager, a pharmacist, and two medicine sellers. And one of those medicine sellers was the current Manager Li. Initially trained in medical treatment, Li had to switch to selling medicines to remain at Renhe Hall.

Following this, Renhe Hall solely focused on selling medicines, no longer offering medical consultations. Despite the modest earnings from selling medicines, the large shop was their own property, eliminating rental costs and providing a ready supply of medicines. Though they wondered why they only sold medicines when renting out the entire shop could potentially yield more profit.

Two months later, He Huang discreetly added Renhe Hall to his daughter’s dowry list. He also privately instructed the old Manager Li that if anything happened to him, no matter how difficult, they must ensure Renhe Hall stayed with He Mingzhu, as it was the ancestral legacy of the He family and must never be sold. Even if they stopped doing business or selling medicines, they could rent out the front shop for a yearly income of several hundred taels of silver. However, the backyard and side rooms were not to be rented out, even if left vacant, they should never fall into the hands of outsiders. Remember, remember…

Three months later, He Huang was executed for disrespecting the then Wang Consort. Without any siblings or heirs, and with his wife dying of anger upon learning of his crime, the authorities confiscated the He family’s assets, but Renhe Hall, already part of his daughter’s dowry, was left untouched.

Six months later, Lu Fangrong was transferred to Wucheng in Liaoning, and suddenly, the elderly Mrs. Lu demanded that He leave.

He Mingzhu visited Renhe Hall before leaving the capital, expressing her intention to seek refuge with her relatives in Shu, while asking Manager Li and his companions to look after Renhe Hall. She mentioned that once settled, she would send word. However, over the years, He Mingzhu seemed like a kite with a broken string, disappearing without a trace.

He Mingzhu’s decision to leave Renhe Hall with the Lu family primarily stemmed from her fear of staying in the capital, doubting her ability to safeguard the family business alone as a woman, uncertain of her longevity. By leaving it to her daughter, the Lu family, being officials, ensured the continuation of the He family’s bloodline…

Before departing from the Lu family, He Mingzhu had arranged for the business contract of Renhe Hall to be handed to the old Lady Lu, while the property deed was entrusted to Mama Wang and Bao Yin for safekeeping. The loyal retainers left behind by He at the Lu family, including Mama Wang’s family and a maid named Bao Yin…

Additionally, she instructed Manager Li to annually deliver half of Renhe Hall’s earnings to the old Lady Lu, with half set aside as Lu Man’s dowry. When Lu Man married in the future, Renhe Hall would be included in her dowry. He Mingzhu believed this arrangement would ensure the old Lady Lu’s care for Renhe Hall and better treatment of Lu Man.

However, once He Mingzhu left, the old Lady Lu arranged for the return of her second son to marry her niece, Miss Xiao Chen. A year and a half later, the new wife of Lu Fangrong, Mrs. Xiao Chen abruptly arrived with people to expel the occupants of Renhe Hall, claiming that He Mingzhu had sold the shop along with the backyard a year earlier to her for five thousand taels of silver, presenting the property deed.

Upon seeing the authentic contract, Manager Li was so enraged he spat blood and fainted.

Li Yuan went to the Lu family and found Mama Wang, learning that Bao Yin, in order to secure a position as a concubine to Lu Fangrong, had stolen the real contract a year ago and handed it to Xiao Chen, replacing it with a fake one. Mama Wang only discovered this after the incident, causing her great distress.

Upon realizing the truth, Manager Li and his nephew were powerless. They couldn’t contend with the Lu family, and with He Huang having passed not long ago, they couldn’t risk causing a stir regarding Renhe Hall. Doing so might not only result in losing Renhe Hall permanently but could also implicate the Lu family and lead to their punishment by the authorities.

Feeling remorseful for failing He Huang and He Mingzhu, the senior Manager’s condition deteriorated, and he passed away a few days later. Before his death, he instructed Li Yuan to do everything possible to stay in the shop, awaiting Lu Man’s maturity to seek an opportunity to help her reclaim Renhe Hall…

After the senior Manager’s death, his family returned to their hometown in Dingzhou, leaving Li Yuan in the capital. He rented a small courtyard near the original site of Renhe Hall, visiting there occasionally. The area had been converted into a fabric shop, and he would buy fabric there, gradually building a rapport with Mr. Huo, often inviting him for drinks and meals.

Months later, Li Yuan discovered that Mr. Huo was constructing a small adjacent building to the fabric shop. Upon inquiry, he learned that this annex would serve as the future Renhe Hall. Enraged, Li Yuan suspected foul play. He speculated that He Mingzhu had included Renhe Hall in her daughter’s dowry list, securing Lu Man’s inheritance rights. Perhaps Mrs. Xiao Chen feared explaining the situation to Lu Man in the future and decided to create a fake Renhe Hall to deceive her.

Li Yuan presented a significant gift to Mr. Huo, explaining his near penniless state apart from selling medicines, attributing his hardships to He Huang’s crimes. He requested Mr. Huo to speak favorably to the Mrs. Xiao Chen, urging for a chance to sell medicines and earn a living at the new Renhe Hall.

Mr. Huo lived up to the trust placed in him, not only allowing Li Yuan to sell medicines at “Renhe Hall” but also appointing him as the “Manager” there.