"But Master, he is just a dirty little beggar." The coachman said hesitantly, "I"m afraid it"s inappropriate to take him into the mansion."
"Stupid! It"s all your fault!" Master Luo Baiqian shouted, "It"s not proper to take him in. So, we just leave him here, in front of the gate? Someone in the porter will check the record to see who has been in and out at this time. You think I can escape that easy?"
"Yes, yes, Master, you are right!" The coachman nodded and said, "I"ll get him in right now!"
Master Luo Baiqian thought for a moment, and then ordered, "Listen, get him in from the side door and put him in the servant"s room of the northern courtyard. If he could survive, you can ask someone to fill a prescription for him; if he died because of this, you should take him away from the side door and throw him on the ma.s.s grave."
The coachman nodded repeatedly. But the Master stopped him right after he got started, "Do you know how to explain this when the madams ask?"
The coachman replied nimbly, "Master stayed late at school yesterday, and he was afraid to wake Master Zhu and other children up, so he rested in the house outside the mansion. When we went back this morning, we met a little beggar who was hurt by a cart. Master was sympathetic and saved him."
Master Luo Baiqian nodded contentedly and warned him in a low voice, "You"re the only one who knows I went to Qing Ya Yard. If it is revealed, that would be you who released to message! You are the only one to be blamed!" The coachman was so scared that he wiped his sweat. As soon as the Master lifted his lower hem of the outermost robe and walked upon the steps, he finally snorted and said, "Go find a tight-lipped coachman this afternoon to replace your role. You can keep watch for me. You useless thing! Can"t even drive a cart. Fortunately, this time you just run into a beggar. Next time if you fall me down, you will die!"
Staying up all night and working hard, Master Luo Baiqian was very tired now. He took a shortcut to Qi Lu Yard, hoping to catch up some sleep. When he rounded the rockery, he came face to face with a person. He walked very fast. If he hadn"t stopped his steps in time, they would knock into each other.
Luo Baiqian raised his eyes. A middle-aged woman was in front of him with delicate skin, beautiful face with a smile on it. She was about 30 years old. Her dress was decorated with silver threads, embroidering hundreds of b.u.t.terflies and flowers. Outside, she covered a s.h.i.+rt embroidered with sprinkled flowers. Her askew Furong Guiyun haircut was decorated with a white jade and gems.
Luo Baiqian stepped back and said with a smile, "Second Mistress Luo is really busy. Deal with the household affairs in the early morning day after day."
Second Mistress Luo looked at Luo Baiqian, and her face was covered with a smile. She said, "We women are busy in trivial things. Unlike you men, you are working all day to do big deals!"
Luo Baiqian smiled again, "Second Aunt, how can you say that? A family has a management and everyone in this family is charged with specific responsibilities. Why do we need to distinguish which one is the more important? My father often praises your ability of managing accounts. We males are ashamed."
Second Mistress Luo covered her smile with a silk handkerchief. She was very beautiful. When she blinked, she noticed that his lapel was slightly askew. Just when she wanted to remind him to be upright, she focused on the left side of his dark green collar inlaid with gold edge. It was…
Luo Baiqian was so sleepy that he didn"t pay attention to her eyes. He said, "I"m required to learn economic numeration in school. You set up an example for me. When I"m stuck in school, I always encourage myself to work hard. Yesterday, I studied till midnight in the academy. It was already 11:00 at midnight. I was afraid that I would come back late and disturb everyone, so I rested in the house of the front street." He yawned and quickly confessed, "Sorry, I"m so rude. You are the busiest person in the family. I dare not take up more of your time. I will come to ask for your advice about numeration some other day!" Then he made a bow. He didn"t leave until Second Mistress Luo nodded.
Looking at his back with a smile, Second Mistress Luo shouted suddenly, "Master Qian, wait!"
He Danggui looked up, asking, "Miss, do you need me to ask someone to help you?"
The girl in red took a glance at her from the branches, and then she complained bitterly, "Missy, you cheeky devil! To seduce a man at such an early age. A woman who seduces another woman"s husband is called a wh.o.r.e, and she would definitely go to h.e.l.l after she died. Don"t you know that? Don"t get smug with me! I"ll be back!"
He Danggui changed her face, and she asked again, "Hey, don"t you really need help?"
The girl in red was about to continue cursing, while the loyal c.o.c.kroach was crawling away from her collar, which inspired her fighting will. So, her arts of lightness became powerful. And then she stepped on the wall like a pigeon and left.
He Danggui"s hands were tied tightly behind her back with rope. She tried to get rid of it but failed. Then she ignored that and got out of the alley to a breakfast shop. She just wanted to have a big breakfast. Why was it so hard?
Except a blind beggar, along her way to the breakfast shop, each person kept their eyes upon the beautiful girl. The pedestrians stopped and the eaters forgot to swallow when they saw her. Oh, oh, whose daughter was this? What a charming girl! She had never been seen before. Why was she tied to parade in front of the crowd? Oh, oh, how cruel her parents were!
"Xiaoyi, what"s wrong? Who tied you up?"
Looking at Gao Jue"s cold face, Zhen Jing ate several spring rolls tastelessly. Suddenly, she saw He Danggui walking in with her hands tied.
He Danggui acted quite naturally, and she said hastily, "Never mind. Just go on eating." Seeing the prepared soup with bean vermicelli on the table, she rushed into the kitchen and shouted to a chef, "Hey, buddy, please fry four crisp fried pieces made of flour for me. I want them well-done!"
Zhen Jing put the chopsticks down and tried to untie He Danggui immediately. But she failed because the rope was tied in a special way. Then He Danggui looked back over her shoulder to Zhen Jing, "Don"t worry about me. Just go on eating. And we also have something to do after the meal." Then she walked toward Gao Jue who was eating deep-fried dough sticks, turning her back to him for help, "Hey, Master Gao. Many thanks."
Gao Jue squinted at her white wrists which were tied by the rope, but he was in no rush to untie for her. After putting the last bite deep-fried dough sticks in his mouth, he asked solemnly, "Where is she? Why didn"t you take her back? I don"t believe you can"t control her." He blamed her like she was his servant and had the duty to keep an eye on his sister-in-law.
He Danggui turned her head, and blinked innocently, saying, "I"m really hungry right now. Can I have some soup and then answer your questions, Master?"
Gao Jue was unhappy to hear that. He wiped the oil stain off his hands, and finally reached out to untie the knot… While a magical scene appeared, Zhen Jing"s eyes widened in shock. Ah! Was it witchcraft? That"s just amazing! That thick and tough rope loosened the moment Gao Jue touched it slightly. It was like burnt ashes, falling on the ground.
After that, He Danggui couldn"t wait to eat the soup with bean vermicelli. However, she felt it was plain. Taking a glance at the flavorings upon the wall, she grabbed all of them and watched carefully one by one. And then she seasoned lightly with salt, vinegar, powder of Chinese p.r.i.c.kly ash and chopped spring onions.
"Hey, guest, here are your crisp fried pieces!" The fella served four crisp fried pieces which were fried golden. He Danggui expressed her thanks to that fella. Regardless of the heat, she tore one into four pieces and threw them into the soup within seconds. Then she pressed them and then picked them up with the chopsticks. Finally, her mouth approached one of them to eat.
It took her a long time to eat the first piece. After all, her mouth was small. Then she was ready to pick up the second one. Suddenly, she looked up, but found that Gao Jue and Zhen Jing put down their chopsticks to look at her.
"What"s wrong? Are you full? You eat like a bird!" He Danggui used her left hand to push the three crisp fried pieces left to their side. And she said generously, "This is on me! Suit yourselves! You are welcome!" Then she took a sip of the soup. Seeing they still had no intention to eat the food, she frowned, "Morning hours is the best time of the day. Come on! Eat warm. It won"t taste good if it is cold. That would a punishment to your stomach."
"Xiaoyi, how about reporting that girl"s situation to Master Gao before you eat?" Zhen Jing reminded her in a low voice.
He Danggui picked up a spring roll and took a bite. Chewing the food and scrutinizing Gao Jue"s jadeite thumb ring, she yelled suddenly, "Oops! That"s bad!"
"What"s wrong?!" Zhen Jing and Gao Jue asked at the same time.
He Danggui looked at Gao Jue regrettably, "Your cloak seems have been left in the backroom of the tailor"s shop. Do you want to go find the shopkeeper to take it back?"
Gao Jue took her spring roll away and asked furiously, "What"s going on between you two? Where is she?"
"Eat the spring roll since you took it from me! It"s a shame to waste food!" He Danggui looked that twisted spring roll regretfully. And she scratched her face unconcernedly, "Speaking of that girl, she can fly! It"s awesome! She flew away. She might go back to Dahong Inn to take a shower. I guess."
"Dahong Inn? She said she lived there? What else did she say?" Gao Jue stared at her eyes.
"No, she didn"t tell me that. I guessed it. She mentioned Childe Duan twice. It seems that she came to Yangzhou City to find him specially. However, although she found Tu"er Town, she didn"t know where you are concretely. And also, she didn"t know Childe Duan had already left. Then I found that she was familiar with that tailor"s shop. She didn"t need me to give her a lead! She just needed me for the answer that she couldn"t get from you. Most importantly, I found that the patterns of the worn shoes on her feet were exactly the same from the ones I saw in the tailor"s shop. She might buy these from that shop as well. And she had worn those shoes several days. It proved that she had been here for several days. So, I guess that she lives in Dahong Inn."
He Danggui finished in one shot and picked up a spring roll with a smile, "You are the General of the Imperial Guard in criminal investigation. So, you definitely would not ask me stupid questions like "Why is she in Dahong Inn". When we arrived in this town, there are so many Dahong properties: Dahong p.a.w.nshop, Dahong Rice Shop, Dahong Chateau, Dahong Inn, etc. Also, the fella from that grocery said that Dahong Inn was the biggest inn in this town. So, I speculate it. Since your sister-in-law is generous and rich enough to tip me and the shopkeeper of the tailor"s shop a silver ingot for each of us, she must live in the best inn. Probably she saw you shouldered a coffin with a girl and a nun. So, she followed behind you to figure it out."
Gao Jue listened to her silently. He frowned tightly. It was definitely not a pleasant time for him. Then he walked away silently.
"Hey, Xiaoyi. Is Master Gao angry? Who is he mad at?" Seeing Gao Jue was gone, Zhen Jing asked.
He Danggui looked at the spring roll which Gao Jue pinched and threw on the table. Then she shrugged, "Leave him alone. Hurry up! Let"s finish our breakfast. We are going to save money in the money shop after the meal."