Chapter 19 Returning Home
When Song Qianzhao heard this, he didn't know whether to laugh or cry and said, "I went to Hongxinglou to help my grandfather get back the rhinoceros belt."
Manager Huang curled his lips, with an expression that said, "Who are you trying to fool?"
Come on, there is a rhinoceros belt in Hongxinglou?
What else is there besides the girl?
I am old, but I am not senile yet!
Song Qianzhao felt uncomfortable under the strange gaze of Manager Huang. She immediately took out the rhinoceros belt from her bosom and handed it to Manager Huang.
"I've got the things back. Take a look at them yourself. I need to rest. I didn't sleep all night last night."
Song Qianzhao was too lazy to explain to Manager Huang. After saying that, he walked towards the room where he had bathed and changed clothes yesterday.
Manager Huang stood there like a fool, holding the rhinoceros belt wrapped in brocade, watching Song Qianzhao walk away.
He really couldn't believe it.
The rhinoceros belt had been pawned by Song Fu for several days.
If that thing was really that easy to get back, I would have gotten it back long ago. Why would I wait until now?
It has been less than twelve hours since Song Qianzhao left the house yesterday and returned home now.
Manager Huang couldn't believe that Song Qianzhao had taken such a short time...
"Uncle Huang, it's true."
Looking at Manager Huang who was standing there in a daze, the Song Mansion attendant said something.
He could understand Manager Huang's reaction.
If he hadn't seen what Song Qianzhao did with his own eyes, he wouldn't have dared to believe it.
The words of the Song Mansion's attendant brought Manager Huang back to his senses. He hurriedly opened the brocade and saw the rhinoceros belt appear before his eyes.
Manager Huang's eyes widened, almost popping out of their sockets, and he exclaimed with trembling lips, "It's true!"
The Song Mansion attendant nodded.
Steward Huang asked in disbelief, "Really?"
The Song Mansion attendant could only helplessly say: "It's true, it's true. The Xuanqiong Rhino is in your hands, you can test it."
"Oh, yes!"
After being reminded by his attendant, Manager Huang suddenly remembered to check it out.
Steward Huang examined the rhino belt carefully and exclaimed in surprise, "This is the one bestowed upon you by the late Emperor. I will report this to you immediately."
Manager Huang rushed to the central courtyard holding the rhinoceros belt. After running a dozen steps, he suddenly stopped and turned back.
"Young Master, tell me how you got this rhino belt back. If the master asks about it later, I can give him an answer."
Manager Huang looked at the Song Mansion's entourage and asked.
The Song Mansion attendant smiled bitterly, "I don't know either. The young master didn't say."
Manager Huang's eyes widened, and his voice suddenly rose: "Uncle has watched you wear open-crotch pants since you were little, and now you're hiding it from me? What's the matter? Are you afraid that I'll steal your credit?"
The attendant explained with a bitter face: "Uncle, I swear to God, you have wronged me so much. I really don't understand. After the young master left the mansion, he went to Hongxinglou. He passed by the famous actress Chen Ming'er in Hongxinglou and met Fan Zhiyu, the second son of the Fan family. Then he went to a restaurant of the Fan family with Fan Zhiyu to paint.
This morning, he asked Fan Zhiyu to go to Xiangyun Pawnshop to sell his paintings, while he went to Ruiqi Casino to gamble.
Before all the money was gambled away, Xiangyun Pawnshop caught fire.
The young master was certain that Xiangyun Pawnshop would catch fire, and reminded Wang Ju to put out the fire.
After Wang Ju left, the young master took us to Jingming Street.
At the intersection of Jingming Street, Fengtian Prefecture officials had been waiting for a long time. The young master gave them a brief explanation, and they took their orders and left.
When they came back, they handed the rhino belt to the young master."
Manager Huang looked bewildered. After a long while, he said in frustration, "I don't understand either. Why don't you come with me to see the master? Perhaps he can understand."
"good!"
After passing through the corridor, the group arrived at the central courtyard.
Inside the pavilion.
Song Jian leaned lazily and sipped his tea.
He Jingyi was concentrating on brewing new tea for him.
The situation is exactly the same as yesterday.
Steward Huang led the Song residence's entourage to the pavilion and bowed respectfully: "Greetings to the master and son-in-law..."
He Jingyi nodded slightly at the two of them.
Song Jian placed the teacup on the table, moved closer to the charcoal stove, and said with a sullen face, "Is that good-for-nothing back?"
Manager Huang smiled and said, "He's back! Not only that, but he's also brought back the rhino belt."
Song Jiangang picked up the tea bowl again, but when he heard this, his hand trembled and the tea bowl fell on the table with a "bang", his face full of shock.
He Jingyi was originally stroking his beard leisurely, but upon hearing this, he suddenly grabbed his beard tightly and his eyes widened.
Both of them were speechless at the sudden news.
Manager Huang excitedly untied the brocade wrapped around the rhinoceros belt and showed it to Song Jian and He Jingyi.
"Look, the rhino belt is here..."
Song Jian and the other two took one look at the rhinoceros belt and knew it was real.
Song Jian withdrew his gaze and muttered absentmindedly, "Tell me, how long did it take this kid to leave the mansion and return?"
He Jingyi's throat moved a few times, and he breathed heavily as he said, "Ten and a half hours."
Song Jian smacked his lips and said, "Ten and a half hours, what a powerful method."
He Jingyi also nodded in agreement: "It seems that I was wrong. Just ignore what I said yesterday. This person is not arrogant, but he has real skills."
He Jingyi paused, then looked at Song Jian with a smile: "You didn't pick a good son, but you picked a good grandson."
Song Jian raised the corner of his mouth slightly, then turned stern and said, "They're just using cunning tricks. I hate such treacherous people the most in my life."
He Jingyi sighed, "It's a good thing to have a cunning man in your house. It's because you're not cunning enough that you can't make a single move in the court."
Song Jian was displeased when he heard this. "I have always acted uprightly and honestly. How could I have done anything wrong?"
He Jingyi could only hold his forehead helplessly. He had no way of continuing to argue with Song Jian.
"Let's listen first and hear how that guy got the rhino belt back. Maybe he didn't use any tricks!"
He Jingyi changed the subject.
Song Jian nodded.
The two of them turned their heads in unison to look at the Song Mansion's entourage.
Seeing that Song Jian and He Jingyi were looking at him, the Song Mansion attendant was subconsciously stunned.
He originally thought that the two would ask Manager Huang first, but unexpectedly they looked at him first.
He didn't know that as soon as he arrived at the Central Courtyard, Song Jian and He Jingyi guessed his purpose.
If Manager Huang could really explain how he and Song Qianzhao obtained the rhinoceros belt, why would he bring him to this courtyard on purpose?
Seeing that he was still in a daze, Steward Huang got anxious and kicked him. "Why are you in a daze? The master and the son-in-law are waiting for your reply!"
The attendant suddenly woke up, bowed hurriedly, and then recounted every move of the young master after he and the young master left the mansion.
What he said was exactly the same as what he had reported to the steward before.
After hearing this, Song Jian and He Jingyi couldn't help but frown.
The two looked at each other, and saw confusion and shock in each other's eyes.
Song Jian glanced at He Jingyi calmly.
He Jingyi understood, thought for a moment and asked, "You mean, Song Qianzhao went to Fan Zhiyu, the second son of the Fan family, and used him to get the rhinoceros belt back?
Then do you know what benefits he promised Fan Zhiyu?
Do you know how he set the fire in Xiangyun Pawnshop?"
The attendant shook his head and said, "I only know that the young master painted a few fake paintings for Fan Zhiyu and asked him to pawn them at Xiangyun Pawnshop."
"Then do you know which one of the fake paintings painted by Song Qianzhao is famous?" He Jingyi asked again.
The attendant thought for a moment and said, "I remember there was a painting called 'Brocade Calligraphy, Clouds and Geese' inside, which was painted based on the original."
"'Brocade Book, Clouds and Geese'?!"
He Jingyi was startled and turned his gaze to Song Jian.
Song Jian's mouth twitched, but he didn't say anything.
They all knew very well what "Brocade Book, Clouds and Geese" meant to the Fan family.
He Jingyi looked at his attendant and said seriously, "Did the Xiangyun Pawnshop take over the painting 'Brocade Calligraphy, Clouds and Geese'?"
"After Fan Zhiyu pawned the painting, he flaunted the money he received from the Xiangyun Pawnshop on the streets. After the young master learned that he had pawned the painting, he went to the Ruiqi Casino."
He Jingyi stroked his beard and looked at Song Jian in shock, "Amazing!"
Song Jian raised the corners of his mouth slightly.
He Jingyi waved his hand and said, "You step back first."
The attendant bowed respectfully, turned around and left the yard.
As soon as the entourage left, He Jingyi said, "Using benefits to lure them, taking advantage of the situation, besieging Wei to save Zhao, making a feint to the east and attacking in the west, and cutting off their roots, these tactics are more sophisticated than those of the old ministers in the court.
With one move, he took back the Xuanqiong Rhino and made the Wang family spend all their wealth.
But I still don’t understand how he set the fire in Xiangyun Pawnshop.”
"I don't understand either."
He Jingyi sighed, "It's hard to believe that these strategies came from an eighteen-year-old boy. He acted so decisively and fiercely, showing no mercy to his enemies.
People who don't know the truth would never believe that he did it.
More importantly, it has only been ten hours since he learned about the Xuanqiong Rhino.
If it were someone else, they probably wouldn’t even be able to figure out the whole story in such a short time, let alone handle it properly.
And his painting skills are so superb that people can't tell the real from the fake. It's simply amazing!
If a veteran minister who had been in the court for decades had used such tactics, it wouldn't be surprising. But he was only an eighteen-year-old boy.
Song Jian said quietly, "I now doubt whether he is the adopted grandson I recognized."
He Jingyi smiled and said, "He went to see Song Fu, and Song Fu did not deny that he was Song Qianzhao, which means he is undoubtedly your adopted grandson."
Song Jian's face was filled with bitterness. "I have never had a biological son in my life. When I got old, I wanted to adopt a son so that he would be there for me. But I chose the wrong son, but I got a wonderful grandson. I don't know whether to cry or laugh."
He Jingyi smiled and said, "You have to give up something to gain something. I don't have a good son, but I have a good grandson, which is not bad either."
After hearing these nice words, Song Jian seemed to be not very interested.
He Jingyi asked in confusion: "Are you unhappy?"
Song Jian nodded and said, "Suddenly I have a grandson who is a bit weird. I feel a little uneasy."
He Jingyi thought for a moment and said, "Are you afraid that he will become another Li Shufeng?"
Song Jian sighed, "Li Shufeng is a disaster that disrupted the government. He alone has turned Dasui upside down. If another one comes along, Dasui will be in danger."
He Jingyi smiled and said, "He's just a child. You're worrying too much. If you're really worried, why not take him with you and teach him, or send him to the Imperial Academy to study with you teachers? With your careful guidance, how could he go astray?"
Song Jian carefully considered He Jingyi's suggestion, pondered for a moment, and nodded in agreement. "I am busy with official duties and I am afraid I don't have the time to discipline him. It would be a good idea to send him to the Imperial College and let the teachers there teach him. He is still young and it is the right time for him to study."
I have decided to send him to the Imperial College."
He Jingyi nodded and bowed to Song Jian: "Then I will take my leave first..."
Song Jian was startled when he heard this and blurted out, "Going back home? What for?"
He Jingyi laughed and said, "Song Qianzhao said that if the Xuanqiongxi is gone, the Wang family will definitely be finished. As his uncle, I must fulfill my promise."
Song Jian smiled and said, "You want to be this guy's pusher?"
"I'm not trying to push him around. I'm doing this to make it clear to all the officials in the temple that even if we're suppressed by Li Shufeng, not everyone can plot against us."
"You, you."
"My son-in-law takes his leave."
He Jingyi waved his sleeves and turned to leave the central courtyard.
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