The night wind was chilly and cold, and Minglan sneezed slightly. The bear-like man was holding a pot of wine and offering it to the woman who was very good at swimming. Seeing Minglan shivering, the woman handed her a small cup. Following the cool river breeze, Minglan smelled a faint aroma of wine. The woman smiled and said, "If you don't mind, drink some to warm yourself up."
Minglan immediately looked up at Gu Tingye—children should listen to adults. Seeing Minglan's pair of large, distinct black and white eyes looking at him, Gu Tingye felt relieved and nodded slightly. Minglan then stretched out a small fist from under the quilt, took the wine glass, flipped her wrist, drank it all in one gulp, returned the glass, and said cheerfully, "Thank you."
The wine was rich and mellow, and a feeling of warmth immediately rose from the body.
The woman and the other men on the boat seemed a little surprised. They had often seen young ladies from wealthy families, all of them delicate and reserved, but they had never expected this girl to be as pretty and delicate as a doll, yet with such a graceful and bright air, without a trace of pretense or affectation. The burly man was the first to give a thumbs-up and praised in a gruff voice, "What a straightforward niece!"
The woman also smiled and introduced herself: "Don't be surprised, young lady. My boss has always made a living in the underworld and doesn't follow any rules. My name is Che Sanniang."
Minglan then took a closer look at the woman. She was about eighteen or nineteen years old, with a slightly dark complexion, big eyes and a big mouth, and was quite lively and pretty. She pointed at the people on the boat and introduced them one by one: the big bear-like man was her husband, Shi Keng, and the slightly shorter and stronger boy next to him was called Shi Qiang, his younger brother; the fair-faced and handsome young man standing at the bow was called Yu Wenlong, and they were all from the Cao Gang; next to Gu Tingye stood a middle-aged man dressed as a scholar, who was always smiling, his name was Gongsun Baishi; behind him stood a young man who looked quite like him, with a smart and clever face, his name was Gongsun Meng, and the two were uncle and nephew.
Minglan struggled to stretch her other hand out from under the quilt, then clenched it into a pair of plump little buns and bowed to everyone, saying politely, "Although I've never heard of you, I've long admired you."
The Shi brothers were simple-minded and probably didn't understand, so they bowed back enthusiastically; Che Sanniang and the uncle and nephew Gongsun couldn't help laughing. Yu Wenlong glanced at Minglan and thought her eyes were as beautiful as a painting, so bright and beautiful that he blushed and lowered his head; Gu Tingye turned around with no expression, but the stars in the sky were not as bright as his eyes.
At this time, another small boat came over. Except for the Shi brothers, everyone else jumped on it. Che Sanniang sat next to Minglan and said with a smile, "Your boat is now clear. Let's go back first so you can change your clothes. They will go and deal with the remaining bandits. The brothers in the gang are very good swimmers. They will definitely find your girls."
Minglan thanked him repeatedly, although she was wondering when the Cao Gang became a water security team.
At this time, the fighting on the river gradually stopped. The Shi brothers protected the small boat one in front and one behind, Che Sanniang hugged Minglan tightly, and was on guard everywhere. Minglan watched the boat gradually heading towards her own ship, and could not help but look back. She saw Gu Tingye with one foot on the bow, holding a big bow in his hand, drawing the bow and arrow, bending his arms and straightening his waist, and shooting a few arrows. Blood immediately gushed out from several floating places on the river surface. Several men around also shot arrows. As for the heads that were originally on the river surface, they became moving targets.
Under the faint moonlight, Gu Tingye's face was gloomy. His tall body looked down at the corpses floating on the river. But when he saw those wailing and struggling, he shot an arrow to save their lives. He looked like an eagle and a wolf, with murderous and bloodthirsty eyes. Minglan couldn't help but shiver.
The Shi brothers were quite skilled in boat handling. There was no visible ripples on the water, but the small boat was moving at full speed, quietly sailing towards the big ship. Along the way, Minglan chatted with Che Sanniang. The women from Jianghu were very bold and straightforward. After a few words, Minglan got some information out of them. She was shocked to find out that Shi Keng was the newly appointed deputy chief of the Cao Gang. Just now, she saw him calling Gu Tingye "big brother", and she thought he was just an ordinary Jianghu man.
Minglan sighed blankly and said softly, "Boss Shi rowed the boat for me. It's worth it to get through this robbery today." Che Sanniang's fiery eyes flashed as she smiled, "You're not going to refuse." Minglan spread her hands and answered honestly, "I can't row a boat. If I refuse, who will row? Forget it, I'd better be thick-skinned."
Che Sanniang laughed so hard that her body shook, and she gently patted Minglan twice.
The Sheng family's big ship had not suffered much damage. As soon as Minglan went up, she saw Dai Xiaotao standing on the side of the ship looking around, and next to her was Danju, whose face turned blue with anxiety. Minglan was stunned, and could only let the two girls throw themselves on her, crying and laughing. After entering the wing room, Minglan asked anxiously: "Why are you still on the ship? Is there... nothing?" As she looked them up and down, she saw that they were not hurt at all, which surprised her very much.
Xiao Tao was very proud and said, "How can we swim fast with Sister Danju? So I held my breath with her and hid under the boat, taking a breath every once in a while. The pirates were busy chasing others and didn't pay attention to the bottom of the boat. It was dark, so no one noticed. I originally wanted to swim to the other side, but a group of people came and chased the pirates away. So we just came back."
Minglan looked at Xiaotao for a long time without saying a word, and sighed inwardly: This is true wisdom and courage!
Danju helped Minglan change into clean clothes, wiped her hair with a dry towel, and simply tied it up; Che Sanniang was bigger than Minglan, so Xiaotao went to find a set of Yuner's clothes for her to change; then Minglan asked someone to count the number of people on the boat. Most of the servants and guards of the Sheng family were safe. Two boatmen died and about seven or eight were injured. Minglan asked Danju to write down their names so that she could provide them with compensation later.
Then two servants came in, carrying three old women, and threw them to the ground. Danju gnashed her teeth in hatred when she saw them: "Miss, it was these three who revealed our secret!"
Minglan sat upright, glancing sideways at the hastily found oil lamp placed beside the table. The dim light made everything in the room seem a little eerie. She lowered her head and stroked her slightly raised embroidered velvet jacket, which felt cool and smooth, like the finest Jiangnan brocade. The three old women kneeling below had disheveled hair and kept kowtowing in pain, their faces wet with tears.
Minglan asked quietly, "What was the situation at that time?"
One of the women looked at the two beside her and bravely said in defense, "Young lady, please understand! Those thieves captured us, but couldn't find any valuables. In their rage, they wanted to kill us! I was so scared that I said this... Young lady, we really didn't mean to betray you. Young lady! Spare our lives!"
As the three maids kept begging for mercy, the servants beside them kicked them a few times in anger. Danju remembered the fear just now and was furious. She shouted, "It's worth dying for the master. Otherwise, why would you women be supported by so much money? I asked a long time ago. The thieves only beat and killed a few people. You just did what the young lady said and pointed out that the masters had taken the property and sailed to the other side. The boat is empty, right? It's just that you were afraid of death and said everything in a panic. You almost cost the young lady your life!"
Minglan's face was expressionless. She lowered her head and continued to stroke the patterns on the fabric. Slowly, she raised her head and sighed, "Forget it. You three keep them under guard. When we return to Youyang, I'll ask the old lady to release you." The three women were about to beg for mercy, but Minglan waved her hand wearily and said, "Your actions, taken in panic, are understandable. However, your lives are lives, and so are the lives of others. I won't punish you, but I can't let you go either."
After saying this, he ordered the three women to be escorted out. Just then, Che Sanniang came in and saw what was happening. She laughed and said, "My niece is really kind. If this happened in our gang, betraying our brothers and leaking secrets, we would immediately open the hall and stab them in front of Master Guan Er!"
Danju was still furious, but hesitated after hearing this: "So... severe?" Xiaotao, who followed Che Sanniang in, quickly added: "Sister, you've softened your heart again. Just now, when you choked on the water and coughed so hard you almost died, I was swearing I'd punish you severely! It seems you've forgotten the pain now that the wound has healed!"
Minglan looked at Danju's embarrassed look and said to Danju and Xiaotao seriously, "So, this incident tells us that if you are not a good man, don't join a gang; everyone in the gang is a hero!" She flattered them without any effort.
Che Sanniang burst out laughing, took Minglan's hand and said affectionately, "My niece is truly a wonderful person! I've traveled extensively and have seen young ladies from wealthy families, but I've never seen anyone as interesting as my niece!"
Minglan blushed and said something like "No, no".
Not long after, there was the sound of heavy footsteps, and Shi Keng walked in. As soon as he saw Che Sanniang's indigo-colored silk jacket with a silver thread pattern of Baoxiang flowers, his eyes lit up and he said with a smile, "Sanniang, this outfit looks really good on you! It makes you look less dark and slimmer!"
Minglan opened her mouth wide, saying that this guy was too speechless. He would definitely be punished by his wife to kneel on the washboard when he got home. But Che Sanniang was not angry at all. She smiled and said, "It's the clothes that are good. People need clothes!" Shi Keng pulled his wife to look at him and nodded repeatedly, saying, "Let's go to Tianyi Pavilion to make clothes later! It's just silver." Che Sanniang smiled and agreed.
Seeing that the couple had almost finished talking, Minglan stood up respectfully and said in a serious voice: "If it were not for the rescue of this virtuous couple and the good men in the gang tonight, Minglan and these girls would be in trouble. I cannot express my gratitude enough. Please accept my bow!" As she spoke, she bowed down with her knees almost touching the ground. Xiaotao and Danju also bowed quickly.
The Shi couple hurried to help them, but Shi Keng kept saying, "It's none of your business, it's none of your business. My eldest brother's niece is my own niece, how could I not save her!"
Minglan thanked him repeatedly before she stood up. Che Sanniang, fearing Minglan would thank her again, quickly changed the subject and asked, "Master, where's my brother?" Shi Keng replied, "I asked him to help out there. He's best at treating external injuries."
The boat was busy at this time. Minglan asked Danju to go out and instruct the maids to tidy up the messy rooms. Xiaotao went to find firewood to boil water and make tea, and then invited the Shi couple to sit down and chat.
Minglan spoke in a humorous manner, with a cheerful attitude and a humble and polite tone. The Shi couple felt very relaxed and soon started chatting.
Shi Keng was a man of the underworld, his father and uncles all made a living by begging at the docks. Che Sanniang was originally a fisherman's girl by the sea, but when her hometown met with disaster, she followed her master out to sell medicine, and later met Shi Keng and they got married. Minglan was very curious to hear them talk about the interesting things in the underworld, and she listened with great interest. After Xiaotao brought up tea and snacks, Shi Keng moistened his throat and continued.
About two years ago, they met Gu Tingye, who had run away from home. They hit it off immediately and became brothers. Shi Keng praised Gu Tingye's skills and character highly, and described in vivid detail how heroic Gu Tingye was and how he helped his uncle get the position of gang leader. He spoke very frankly. The Shi couple were rough but considerate, and except for some important gang affairs, they talked very frankly.
"...Alas, eldest brother's life is too hard. Even if he is not a son of a marquis, he has money and fame now. Why bother..." Shi Keng began to sigh, "In my opinion, sister-in-law Man Niang is good enough. She followed us from far away and was willing to endure hardships with eldest brother. She is kind and warm to all of us brothers and takes care of us in every way. But eldest brother never pays attention to her and would rather sleep in the open outside!"
Che Sanniang frowned and quickly pushed her husband, saying, "Don't talk nonsense!" She glanced at Minglan anxiously, as if worried that her husband might let the cat out of the bag. Minglan asked, "Man Niang is here too? Isn't she in the capital? Did she bring the child?"
Seeing that Minglan also knew, Shi Keng glanced at his wife and said with relief, "See, niece knows too." Then he grinned at Minglan and said, "Niece, do you know why my elder brother dislikes Sister-in-law Man Niang so much?"
Minglan lowered her head, pondered for a moment, and said lightly: "She... did something wrong."
Che Sanniang's eyes flashed, and she seemed to understand. But Shi Keng didn't think so, and kept nagging: "But big brother has to go through wind and rain, he always needs a woman to take care of him. I think that sister-in-law Man Niang is very good, big brother, just give her a status. Big brother, it's fine as long as he is close to her, isn't it also a failure..."
Che Sanniang poked her husband hard and shouted at him: "You rascal, what do you know?! Stay out of interfering in what happens in big brother's room. Last time you called her 'sister-in-law', big brother didn't speak to you for half a year! Have you forgotten? Big brother hates her clinging to him the most, and you still join in the fun!" Upon hearing this, Shi Keng shrank his body like a big bear, shook his head and said nothing.
Che Sanniang poked her husband in frustration and scolded him softly, "You're just a loose-lipped person. When you get excited, you dare to say anything!" Turning to Minglan, she smiled and said, "Niece, don't listen to his nonsense."
Minglan smiled faintly and soothed him, "It's all right. Wasn't that marriage that my second cousin was talking about the Peng family from Qingcheng, Gannan?" For the past year, in observance of mourning for the late emperor, most entertainment activities had been banned in the capital. As a result, the unusually empty leisure life had led to a thriving gossip industry. Tentatively, Minglan asked, "Didn't the marriage go through?"
Che Sanniang glanced anxiously at Minglan, and seeing her kind face, she sighed and whispered, "We went to inquire about the marriage that our eldest brother's brother, the Marquis, arranged. Although the Peng family is not a wealthy family, the young lady there is gentle and elegant. Who would have thought... Humph!" Sanniang snorted coldly and continued, "The Peng family is so infuriating. If they don't want to marry, then they don't want to marry. But they actually... actually want to get a concubine's daughter from a side branch to make up for it. Do they think our eldest brother can't get a wife and deserve their pity?!"
The Peng family of Qingcheng in southern Jiangxi was originally a descendant of Marquis of Jinxiang. During the reign of Emperor Taizong Wu, they fell into trouble and were stripped of their titles and their property was confiscated. The entire family was returned to their hometown. Although the previous emperor did not restore their family's title after he ascended the throne, he did give them some rewards. The family had been working hard to gain status, but later the title of Marquis of Jinxiang was given to a new noble, and there was no hope of restoration for their family. However, the Peng family had some old relatives with powerful nobles in the capital, and the family had children in official positions, so they did not decline. But when it comes to power, they are not as good as Sheng Hong, who can supervise all officials and have direct access to the emperor.
Gu Tingye's marriage was indeed rather bumpy. After hearing this, Minglan remained silent, first nodding, then shaking her head. Shi Keng was puzzled and shouted loudly, "Niece, why don't you say something?"
Minglan didn't want to say anything, but the Shi couple were both straightforward people and kept pressing her. Unwilling to speak against her will, she carefully considered her words and slowly said, "The Peng family wants to find another girl to make up for their debt. This is indeed deceiving, but their refusal to agree to the marriage is understandable."
Shi Keng's face flushed red, and he was about to retort with a thick neck: "What do you say, niece? My elder brother... Ouch, what are you doing?" Sanniang kicked him. Shi Keng screamed in pain and bent down to touch his calf, but saw a tall and straight figure standing at the door. Gu Tingye with a big beard had come in at some point.
Che Sanniang had already stood up nervously. Shi Keng chuckled a few times and walked over to Gu Tingye, asking about his well-being. He said, "Brother is back. I'm sure they've cleaned up that gang of thieves. They did it so quickly." Che Sanniang quickly added, "Of course. With Brother around, what can't be accomplished?!"
The couple sang in unison, flattering each other very hard, trying to cover up the embarrassment of being caught gossiping behind someone's back. Minglan also felt uncomfortable, as if she had done something wrong, so she stood aside honestly and smiled foolishly to join in the fun.
Gu Tingye quietly glanced at the Shi couple, and immediately cold sweat broke out on their foreheads. Gu Tingye said nothing, but walked in slowly with his hands behind his back, and said in a deep voice: "Everything is fine outside, you should hurry up and leave. I'll give you a few words and then I'll be back."
The Shi couple seemed to be in awe of Gu Tingye. When they heard this, they hurriedly said goodbye to Minglan and walked out of the room. Then, only the embarrassed Minglan and her second cousin with a big beard were left in the room.
Gu Tingye found a chair near the door and sat down calmly. He was ten steps away from Minglan at the other end. He gave an order from a superior position: "Sit down." Minglan immediately sat down obediently and waited for instructions from her leader.
Gu Tingye spoke in a kind tone, slowly saying, "Two things. First, no one outside will know that you fell into the water tonight. Your maid will take care of it herself when she returns home. As for the rest of the people who saw you, I will take care of it."
Minglan suddenly looked up, her eyes filled with joy. A delicate pink blossomed at the corners of her mouth, and two small dimples appeared on her snow-white skin, sweet as locust flower candy in June. Gu Tingye's mouth twitched, but his beard hid it, so no one could see. He continued, "...Second, don't mention my affairs to anyone. Just say that the Cao Gang led the people to rescue you."
Minglan nodded repeatedly. No matter how much Shi Keng admired Gu Tingye's achievements in the martial arts world, the martial arts world was still the martial arts world. In the eyes of the dignitaries in the imperial court, those who made a living in the market were nothing but the lowest class. They were either driven by the powerful to guard the house, or they acted as pawns of the forces behind them, fighting and killing.
It is not a glorious thing for the son of a marquis to become a big brother in the underworld. No matter how powerful Chen Jialuo, the leader of the Red Flower Society, is in the underworld, to the Haining Chen family, which has been noble and prominent for generations, he is just an unpromising prodigal son who is so stupid as to imitate others in rebelling, and they don't even want to mention it.
"Don't worry, second cousin!" Minglan immediately expressed her determination, practically patting her chest. "Apart from calling you once on the boat, I haven't mentioned you a word since then. No one will ever know."
Gu Tingye nodded with satisfaction.
Then, everyone in the room looked at each other in silence. Minglan looked at Gu Tingye, who was sitting still, not knowing what to say. She could only stare blankly at the oil lamp beside her. The light was faintly yellow, and the tip of the flame was tinged with a light blue halo, like the tip of a girl's frown. At this time, Gu Tingye suddenly spoke, and the words were very abrupt: "...Why is it excusable?"
It was very strange. Minglan seemed to have known that he would not be able to help asking this question. He was still himself, no matter he was a playboy in the capital with fine clothes and a gallant horse, or a prince who was wandering around the world. He still had the same in-depth temper as in the Marquis of Xiangyang's Mansion.
Minglan had already prepared a bunch of responses that would make people feel relaxed and happy. She was about to start her trickery when Gu Tingye beat her to the punch and added softly, "If you still want to know what I've done for you, then tell me the truth. I've been listening to your perfunctory nonsense for twenty years."
His face, covered by a thick beard, was as gloomy as the river at midnight. His eyes were slightly tilted, revealing a hint of sadness.
Minglan choked, her prepared speech interrupted. She fiddled with the embroidery pattern on her cuffs in frustration. From Gu Tingye's angle, he could only see a part of her small, fair neck, as smooth and white as a tender lotus root. Under the dim light, a few weak blue blood vessels were soft and tender under her almost translucent skin.
The girl suddenly spoke, her voice unusually cold: "Second cousin, why did you sincerely ask to marry the eldest sister of the Yu family several times? There are other ladies in the capital, right?"
Gu Tingye was stunned. He didn't expect Minglan to ask this suddenly. Before he could answer, Minglan continued to talk to herself: "That's because the eldest sister of the Yu family has always been gentle and virtuous, modest and frugal, and willing to put her family first in everything. Such a wife will definitely be able to tolerate Man Niang and treat illegitimate children well." - In addition, Mrs. Yu is a second wife, and she may not protect her stepdaughter wholeheartedly.
Listening to Minglan leisurely explain his original intentions, Gu Tingye was silent for a while. Minglan tilted her head slightly and said, "A woman trapped in the inner courtyard, thinking about this all day long, even I can understand this, let alone others?" Minglan chuckled softly, "How can parents who truly love their daughter agree to this? If they don't know the character of my second cousin, but still rush to marry you, so happily, then we will suspect that he has other intentions."
Minglan's words were just enough to make her point. Gu Tingye, with his intelligence, knew that he had a reputation for being a playboy and a record of being unfilial and unjust. And yet, he still wanted a good wife who would tolerate his wife and his son. Why?! No one who truly cared about their daughter would want him. They only wanted him for his status and family. But then again, he didn't have any great power or status.
Minglan looked at Gu Tingye's gloomy face, hesitated for a moment, and whispered, "Forgive Minglan for presumptuousness, but why don't you just marry Man Niang? After all, you have been in love for many years, and you have children." Gu Tingye snorted and sneered, "Master Sheng's upbringing is indeed good. His daughter is so kind and generous."
Minglan could hear the sarcasm in the words, but she said sternly, "Regardless of what Manniang did before, she's truly devoted to my second cousin. She's not after money or power, but simply for you. This is already much better than many others."
Gu Tingye chuckled, "You've changed so quickly." Minglan said bluntly, "In the past, Second Cousin relied on the Ningyuan Marquisate. He accepted the benefits and had to abide by the rules of the Marquisate. But now Second Cousin has earned everything himself. He can marry the woman he loves. Why should he be restricted by others?"
Gu Tingye's expression was stern, and he continued to shake his head slowly. Minglan stared at him with interest, with a hint of irony in her heart: - This man, no matter how flamboyant and rebellious he appeared on the surface, was still a prince in his bones. This innate pride and dignity had long been engraved in his blood. He was willing to pamper and support a woman who came from a humble background as an actor, but he was still unwilling to entrust her with the household chores. He still hoped to marry a lady of equal status, a virtuous and quiet wife who was sensible, could take care of her husband and children, and was presentable.
Minglan found it amusing and said coldly, "Second cousin, although you look like a rebellious person and despise worldly rules the most in the capital, you are actually the most disciplined person at heart." - He always had a clear mind, unlike other young masters who would not care about anything once they were bewitched.
Gu Tingye looked up and saw the irony in Minglan's eyes. He narrowed his eyes slightly, and before Minglan could speak again, he raised his hand to stop her from continuing and said bluntly: "Don't say anything, Manniang's intentions are already bad."
In a flash, Minglan's mind flashed, and she blurted out, "Could it be that she was involved in the death of the second sister of the Yu family?"
As soon as she finished speaking, she immediately regretted it and hurriedly covered her mouth. This was the bad thing about working in a court. She had to look for doubts and flaws in other people's words all the time, and once she found them, she would immediately point them out. How could she talk about other people's private matters?
Gu Tingye's voice was as cold as the river water Minglan had just soaked in, freezing her limbs. He stared at Minglan with authority and said word by word, "If you continue to be so reckless, you will lose your life sooner or later!" Minglan lowered her head and apologized muffledly, "I'm sorry."
Gu Tingye stood up, turned around and was about to leave. When he reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned back to look at Minglan.
"I'll give you something as well." Gu Tingye jokingly sneered, "Although your every move seems to be very proper, you actually sneer at it deep down. You can pretend to be decent on weekdays, but once something unexpected happens, you will be exposed immediately! I just hope you can pretend for the rest of your life and never let anyone expose you!" After that, he strode away.
The half-open door let in only a cold draft. Outside, the night faded, the sky slowly turned green, and a faint red hue shone at the end of the water, blending with the gray clouds to form a mottled light color.
Minglan stood there, speechless for a long time.
In fact, she had long known about this fatal flaw of hers. She was born and raised in a simple and ordinary life, and was naturally timid and lazy. However, there was a little bit of passion hidden in her heart. She also wanted to be brave and help others, and act like a hero.
That's why she had nothing better to do than to go to the border areas, that's why she tried to stand up for Yanran, and that's why she stayed on the boat to clean up the mess and did all kinds of stupid things that ended badly.
Yao's father once comforted his daughter in a defensive way: A life without mistakes is not a life, and memories without regrets are not very meaningful. In a long life, doing some harmless stupid things according to your own temperament is actually very meaningful.
Minglan lowered her head dejectedly: Dad, she died in the line of duty, how could it be considered a small stupid thing? Who knows what will happen if she makes a mistake again next time, so we should just change it.
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