The merchant's rebirth led to the complete downfall of the Marquis's mansion.

Jiang Su inexplicably followed the dean.

Behind him, Jiang Zu's face was deathly pale.

Ignoring the uncle's worries, Jiang Zu ran off like the wind.

He had only one thought in his mind: It's all over, it's all over.

The dean must know.

Jiang Zu ran back to his lodgings, and was in a dilemma again. What should he do?

He was a servant of the Jiang family. If Jiang Su needed his help, the government would assist him. What else could he do?

Jiang Zu sat slumped on his bed, his face ashen.

In the dean's courtyard.

Jiang Su's eyes widened as he looked at the list of recipients the dean handed him.

The next moment, he hurriedly explained.

"This... Dean, I haven't applied..."

"Although my family isn't wealthy, we're still financially secure. Why would I do something like this?"

"Besides, Qin Yao... is already in love with me, so I don't need to do it this way..."

Jiang Su suddenly couldn't continue speaking. He remembered that if the money Jiang Zu got back wasn't from Qin Yao, but from the dean...

So, what about Qin Yao...?

Jiang Su began to panic.

“Jiang Su! I have high hopes for your talent, but you must know that the imperial examinations not only assess a person's abilities, but also their character. If rumors of your misconduct spread…”

The dean has said all he wanted to say.

He admired Jiang Su's talent and was willing to believe in his character, but if this matter got out, it would not be good for either him personally or the academy.

"Don't worry, Dean, I will definitely handle this matter well!"

After making his promise, Jiang Su left immediately.

A short while later, a sound came from Jiang Su's courtyard.

Jiang Su summoned the supervisor of the academy and handed Jiang Zu over.

Following the dean's instructions, the supervisor conducted a routine interrogation.

Yang Jinghong represented the Qin family as an observer.

Jiang Zu knew he was doomed and admitted that he had lied about his family being poor and needing financial assistance.

However, when the supervisor asked about the whereabouts of the money, Jiang Su suddenly became aggressive and uncontrollably punched and kicked Jiang Zu.

"You wicked servant! How dare you commit such a rebellious act!" Jiang Su, still not satisfied with being pulled along, stomped on his foot.

Unable to kick anyone, Jiang Su said with a pained expression:

"Supervisor, this servant has been swindling money around the manor. I haven't seen him for days. He must have taken the money and spent it all!"

"I was initially thinking of him because he was a servant and decided to give him a chance, but I didn't expect him to be so incorrigible. I beg the supervisor to punish him severely!"

Jiang Zu looked up at Jiang Su, his eyes filled with disbelief.

Thinking of what the young master had just said, he chose to remain silent.

The young master said that as long as he took all the blame, he would give him a sum of money, release him from slavery, and let him leave the capital.

As long as we get through tonight!

"Jiang Zu, do you plead guilty?" The supervisor's words were authoritative yet tinged with coldness.

Jiang Zu lowered his head and admitted it.

"Yes!"

The supervisor shook his head, his face full of regret.

"In that case, Jiang Su, you can deal with the person yourself, as long as you get the money back."

"Yes, Supervisor, rest assured! I will definitely make him hand over the money."

Jiang Su led Jiang Zu back to his room.

Jiang Zu knelt on the ground, his voice choked with sobs.

"Young master, I didn't mean to deceive you! I just wanted to borrow it for a while..."

"Alright!" Jiang Su interrupted him.

“Young Master…” Jiang Zu looked at him, unsure of what to say.

The supervisor just said that the money should be returned.

The money is all spent, how can I return it?

Unless the young master is willing to make up for it.

Jiang Su was unwilling to say more and dismissed Jiang's soldier.

Therefore, Jiang Zu had no idea what he was thinking.

Jiang Zu woke up the next morning when it was broad daylight, and was startled by the person standing next to his bed.

"Sir?"

"Awake? If you're awake, come down the mountain."

Jiang Su tossed a package over, which landed steadily in his arms.

Jiang Zu had a premonition, and it was not unexpected.

He calculated that since he had taken the academy's money under a false name, how could the academy possibly want to keep him around?

Jiang Zu quickly got up, slung his bundle over his shoulder, and kowtowed three times to Jiang Su.

"Young Master, Jiang Zu is not here. Please take good care of yourself. Jiang Zu will remember your great kindness and will always pray for you in the future!"

Jiang Su stood with his back to him, never turning around, and Jiang Zu did not insist.

It is common for a servant to take the blame for his master, especially since he was the one who made the decision in the first place.

Jiang Zu was still very happy at the thought of embarking on a new life.

There weren't many people at the academy yet, and Jiang Zu didn't encounter many people along the way. When he finally came out of the academy gate, Jiang Zu looked back and then continued down the mountain without hesitation.

This time, he still didn't have a carriage, but his heart was no longer heavy, and the road down the mountain felt much lighter.

As soon as Jiang Zu left, two people came out of the academy gate.

It was Yang Jinghong and the coachman.

"Young master? Are we just going to let him leave like this?"

Yang Jinghong, fanning himself with a folding fan, glanced at him sideways. "He's not our target, so why don't we let him leave?"

"But he's a witness! If we drag him out, we can expose Jiang Su's hypocrisy!"

"Is he willing now?"

"This..." The man was speechless.

They probably already knew what had happened. Jiang Su must have spent the money, but Jiang Zu was the one who did the work, wasn't he?

Most importantly, Jiang Zu took all the blame, while Jiang Su remained completely uninvolved.

"What can we do? Just watch him get away with it?" the uncle said angrily.

Yang Jinghong put away his fan and patted the uncle's shoulder with it.

"How can you have no trust in your master at all?"

Without waiting for the uncle's reaction, she turned and went back to the academy.

The uncle looked at the Jiang soldiers walking away, then at Yang Jinghong behind him, his face blank.

Jiang Zu, who was walking down the mountain, was put into a carriage halfway down the road by a sack.

Qin Family

Qin Yao was looking down at the account book when Qiu Liu hurried over and whispered something in her ear.

Qin Yao was not surprised at all after hearing this, and continued to look through the account book in her hand.

After Jiang Su went to Kangshan Academy, she thought about finding someone to go in, partly to keep an eye on him, and partly to find a way to ruin his future.

The reason for investing so much money in Kangshan Academy is the same.

But the choice of personnel...

The people under her command became Yang Jinghong, and her people became the uncle who drove the horse-drawn carriage.

She was not surprised at all by Jiang Su's choice.

Even ordinary people would choose to protect themselves.

He simply did one more step than the average person.

“Miss, that servant… he was sold to that kind of place!” Qiu Liu said, feeling a pang of pity.

Selling someone to the market usually leaves room for negotiation; at worst, the work might be dirtier and more tiring. But selling someone to a brothel, regardless of gender, can ruin their entire life.

"Let him suffer for a couple of days," Qin Yao replied without looking up.

Finally, I'd like to add something.

"Have someone keep an eye on him, and also his family. We'll bring them out in a couple of days."

Qiu Liu was relieved and replied with a smile, "Yes, Miss."

Yes, Jiang Su not only wanted to sell Jiang Zu, but also his family.

A pair of parents, and a younger sister who is only ten years old.

My parents are getting old and can only do manual labor, but my younger sister is still young and loves brothels the most.

The price is also the highest.