Chapter 529: Chapter 512 The Yongzheng Seal

Lu Jiajie returned the next day after sending the two children to elementary school and accompanied Lu Hongjun to Doctor Zhao’s clinic. Doctor Zhao specialized in orthopedics and treatment of external injuries, with over forty years of rich experience.

Lu Jiajie, having been beaten several times at the mine, had some old injuries. Doctor Zhao took his pulse first, then examined his body, and said that these injuries had not affected his bones and muscles and that they would heal over time without any lasting effects.

Doctor Zhao prescribed some medicinal ointments for injuries and said, “I’m not very skilled at tonifying the body, you should see Doctor He. Everyone who has been there has praised him highly.”

Lu Jiajie was familiar with Doctor He, the one who had treated Jiaxin’s health. Truly remarkable, Jiaxin’s vitality had been injured, but after taking the medicinal meals he prepared, she recovered in a year.

Having his own car was very convenient; he and his nephew turned around and went straight to Doctor He’s, got the medicine, bought a medicine pot, and went home to decoct the medicine.

In the past, the smell of Chinese medicine made him nauseous out in the countryside, but now he found it fragrant because it was something that would help his body recover quickly.

In the morning, he was busy fetching and decocting the medicine and drinking it. After lunch, he then visited the homes of his two friends from the mines. One was Luo Guangyuan, the other Sun Qi. Lu Jiajie first went to Luo Guangyuan, only to find that his wife had remarried with two children and was already carrying the baby of her new husband. Sun Qi was an only son who had also married and had children, but he had divorced before going abroad. His child was living with his mother, who was thrilled to hear her son was still alive, and was willing to sell everything to ransom him back.

Lu Jiajie said to Sun Qi’s mother, “They said they would give an answer tomorrow. If you want to save your son, you must gather the money within two days.”

Gathering two thousand greenbacks in two days was no easy feat! Yet to save her son, his mother still agreed, saying she would find a way to collect the money.

Leaving Sun Qi’s home, Lu Jiajie felt heavy-hearted. The Sun family was willing to pay the ransom, but Luo Guangyuan might never return. He wished to put together the money himself, but he had only left fifty thousand yuan with Longhair. His body needed tonifying, and he had two children to feed; he needed money for everything and felt helpless.

After taking care of this matter and returning home to brew the medicine, it was time to pick up the children. Not wanting to cook, he took the two children over to Lu Jiaguang’s to eat together.

When Lu Jiaguang got home and saw him looking so troubled, he asked, “What’s wrong? Did the doctor say your body can’t be tonified well?”

Lu Jiajie shook his head, sharing the situation of his two friends: “Sun Qi should be able to come back, but Luo Guangyuan, he might never return.”

Lu Jiaguang said, “Two thousand greenbacks, how many families in the Forty-nine City could come up with that much money? Do you think the Sun family can gather it in one day?”

Lu Jiajie wasn’t worried about that, “Older brother only gave me two days to handle this matter, he didn’t say I have to give him the money within two days. After meeting tomorrow and discussing, we should be able to get an extension of a few days.”

Lu Jiaguang patted his shoulder, comforting him, “Don’t think too much, just do your best.”

If not for Jiaxin, Lu Jiajie wouldn’t have been able to return, let alone Sun Qi. By the time his mother closed her eyes, she still wouldn’t know where her son’s remains were.

After dinner, Lu Jiajie took his two children back to his own home. To his surprise, two people were waiting for him at his doorstep: one was Sun Qi’s mother, and the other was Sun Qi’s big sister.

Lu Jiajie welcomed them in and was about to pour them water when Sun Qi’s mother stopped him.

From the bag she was carrying, Sun Qi’s mother pulled out a red lacquered wooden box the size of two adult palms. She placed the box on the table in the living room, “Child, it’s very hard to collect two thousand greenbacks in one day. I heard your sister likes old things; she will definitely want this. We’re not asking for much, just enough to bring my Qi back.”

Upon hearing Sun’s mother’s words, Lu Jiajie immediately opened the box and saw a jade carving inside.

Big Sister Sun said, “This is the ‘Imperial White Jade Nine Dragon Knob Square Seal’ of Emperor Yongzheng, invaluable and irreplaceable. Had it not been to save my brother, our family would never have brought it out.”

Though not well-educated, Lu Jiajie knew that anything used by the emperor was extremely precious and valuable. He looked at Big Sister Sun, puzzled, and asked, “If it is as you say, this precious seal of Emperor Yongzheng, it could easily sell for twenty thousand greenbacks.”

Big Sister Sun nodded and said, “Yes, if we were willing to sell, it would fetch a hundred thousand greenbacks with immediate payment, but can twenty thousand greenbacks really ensure my brother’s safe return?”

Lu Jiajie couldn’t guarantee that for certain, but he understood the implication in Big Sister Sun’s words. The jade carving would be sold to Jiaxin for twenty thousand greenbacks, and then she would have to ensure Sun Qi’s safe return.

Lu Jiajie shook his head and said, “My sister cannot promise Sun Qi’s return unharmed.”

Sun’s mother quickly said, “He doesn’t need to be unharmed, as long as Xiao Qi can come back alive. Jiajie, please plead with your sister for us. If this jade carving is not enough, I can add more. No matter the cost, we will come up with the money.”

Lu Jiajie also wanted to save Sun Qi. He thought for a moment and said, “Wait here, I will call my sister right now and ask if she is willing to take this jade carving.”

Mother and daughter naturally had no objections.

After sending the two children back to their room to do homework, Lu Jiajie went to Lu Jiaguang’s house: “Big brother, I need to make a phone call to Jiaxin, I’ll use the study.”

Knowing that the content of the call was not for the children’s ears, Lu Jiaguang let him use the study.

Lu Jiaxin was doing yoga, and hearing from the maid that it was Lu Jiajie’s call surprised her, but she still answered. A call at this late hour meant it was something urgent.

Upon hearing her voice, Lu Jiajie conveyed the matter of the jade carving and Sun’s mother’s request, “I don’t know whether the jade is authentic or not, but considering it concerns Sun Qi’s life, they shouldn’t be deceiving us.”

Lu Jiaxin became interested when she heard it was the emperor’s seal. She said, “He Bin is currently in the Forty-nine City. Take the seal to him tomorrow, and have him find someone to appraise it. If it’s genuine, I’ll have Old Geng make another trip and ensure his son’s safe return.”

If it were fake, Old Geng would withdraw without her saying so, although the chances of that were very slim.

“Okay.”

The next day at noon, He Bin called Lu Jiaxin to discuss the seal, “Boss, I’ve had three experts appraise it, and the seal is genuine. One of the experts mentioned that the emperor had five such jade carving seals, and this was one of them, with clear records concerning its creation.”

Lu Jiaxin hummed in response and said, “Give my Fifth Brother thirty thousand greenbacks, and also tell him the seal is worth a hundred thousand greenbacks. The extra fifty thousand is for me to hire additional help to ensure nothing goes wrong. I’ll handle the reward and the ransom directly with Old Geng. With such a large amount of foreign currency, it might be difficult for Old Geng to leave the country.”

“Okay.”