Chapter 19 The Ancient Scholar Used as Cannon Fodder (19) Qian Youcai...
When Qian Youcai saw the message that came back, he was dumbfounded. What exactly did Chu Xiaomei write in her letter? Why did Han's parents suddenly disown their son?
Upon hearing the news, Chu Qing immediately ran to find Chu Nanfeng. The little girl said triumphantly, "Big brother, I got revenge for you! Han Qige was not only stripped of his academic honors, but he was also beaten up terribly!"
When Qian Youcai saw that she had confessed on her own initiative, he could only smile awkwardly, go over and tell her everything he knew, and also took the information that had been sent back with him.
Chu Nanfeng took the document and glanced at it, then frowned. "I wonder who else is in Brother Qian's family?"
Qian Youcai answered truthfully: "My parents are still alive, and I have a younger brother, Qian Youhua, who is over 20 years old. He is a bit wild and has not yet started a family."
A few years ago, after my father handed over the business to me, he and my mother moved to the village. I was away on business most of the year, so my second younger brother took care of all the household chores.
Chu Nanfeng instructed, "Give your brother a heads-up. Han Qige will probably go to the Qian family for revenge. He's ruthless and cunning. Don't let him fall into his trap."
After Han Qige and the others were able to get up, they hired a car and left. As for why they didn't wait until their injuries were healed before leaving, it was because the medicine Han's father bought was of extremely poor quality.
He had previously skimped on the food rations of his employees, and he still had more than half of the twenty taels of silver left. In addition, he had thirty taels left on him.
If he were to take out more than thirty taels of silver, it probably wouldn't be enough to settle Han's parents. He still has important things to do, so how could he be without money?
As for what to do with his parents, he has relatives, friends, and neighbors who won't let them starve. Once he becomes successful, he will naturally take care of them.
Han Qige spent two taels of silver at the clinic to buy the best wound medicine and pills to reduce swelling and relieve pain. He then hired an oxcart and slowly set off on his journey.
He was heading to the Qian family. A mere Xiucai degree was nothing to him; since he had passed the exam once, he could take it a second time.
But being stripped naked and beaten in public is something he's never been treated so humiliated, even when he was struggling at the bottom of the entertainment industry!
The Qian family! Qian Youcai! He will definitely get back tenfold for this humiliation!
Han Qige thought to herself that it was quite impressive, but she kept calling out to the driver, "Slow down, be steady, I'm not in a hurry."
The coachman was also helpless. "Young master, if you slow down any further, you won't be able to reach the next county before dark."
Han Qige hissed as the hand was pulled on her injury, and said, "Be careful, I'll pay double!"
What should have been a day's journey took the oxcart three days to reach its destination. Han Qige paid the bill and asked the others to leave, while he found a clean inn to stay and recuperate, planning to continue his journey after he recovered.
After receiving a message from his brother via carrier pigeon, Qian Youhua waited for a few days but no one came to cause trouble, so he put the matter out of his mind and continued to indulge in pleasure and carefree life.
After traveling for more than two months, Chu Nanfeng and his group finally arrived in the capital. It was now the dead of winter, and everyone was wearing thick cotton-padded clothes. Even Lin You's clothes had changed to a padded jacket to fit the occasion.
Upon entering the capital, Chu Nanfeng was about to bid farewell to Qian Youcai, but Qian Youcai stopped him.
"Prime Minister Chu, you saved Duo Duo's life back then and didn't accept any gifts. Now that you've helped my Qian family so much, I should at least show my appreciation."
"Given our relationship, I won't bring up money. You're Duoduo's husband, and the Qian family owns a house in Beijing. You can stay here comfortably; it'll give you a place to stay."
Chu Nanfeng couldn't refuse, so he stayed at the Qian family's guest courtyard. The house was a three-courtyard residence. The location wasn't great, but it was spacious. The guest courtyard was even bigger than his own house, so there was plenty of room for him.
Upon arriving in the capital, Qian Youcai immediately began working on his business, aiming to sell off all the goods he had brought before the New Year.
The young girl, Qian, still followed Chu Qing around like a shadow. Even though she was half a year older than Chu Qing, she listened to Chu Qing's arrangements in everything.
"Daddy said that the teacher and Xiao Qing are both very capable, so we should be obedient," Qian Duoduo said innocently.
Looking into her watery eyes, Chu Qing resigned herself to taking over her brother's job of tutoring Qian Duoduo.
When Qian Duoduo became an apprentice, her father gave her eighty-eight taels of silver as tuition. Chu Qing decided to go back and ask her older brother for pocket money!
Chu Nanfeng calmed down and began to study hard to prepare for next year's spring imperial examination, even neglecting to play with painting.
Chu's mother did needlework every day, watched the two little girls play, and was even asked by Lin You to learn radio calisthenics.
Now she has enough to eat and wear, a successful son and a loving daughter, and she exercises every day, and her health has actually improved.
Later, Chu Qing and Qian Duoduo also learned the radio calisthenics. The four of them would go to the courtyard to do the exercises at a fixed time, with Qian Duoduo still shouting the slogans.
They didn't try to hide it, and it was quickly discovered by Qian Youcai, who often came over. He skillfully praised, "Prime Minister Chu is truly talented! This gymnastics is much easier to learn than things like the Five Animal Frolics."
Chu Nanfeng glanced at him helplessly, still unable to get used to his boasting.
Qian Youcai followed along without any hesitation. He wasn't fat, nor was he ugly, but his nouveau riche attire made his calisthenics look somewhat comical.
Lin You, who had already developed a high level of immunity to ancient people's exercises, laughed out loud again. This time, she didn't block the mental link, so Chu Nanfeng could only laugh along with her until the exercises ended.
Unaware that he was being watched as a spectacle, Qian Youcai memorized all the movements of the radio calisthenics before mysteriously approaching Chu Nanfeng and explaining his purpose for coming.
"I've heard some news that might interest you, Prime Minister Chu: General Zhengxi was smuggling salt, iron, and weapons to the Qiang people and his property has been confiscated. His estate will be auctioned off in three days."
Qian Youcai paused to take a sip of tea, intending to leave things in suspense, but Chu Nanfeng glanced at him, and Qian Youcai coughed again before continuing:
"Among them, there are about ten small courtyards in slightly remote locations, which were bought by the mistress of the house to give away her illegitimate sons. The prices should not be very high."
Qian Youcai originally wanted to explain that this was a rare opportunity and that he wasn't trying to drive them away. But after looking up at Chu Nanfeng's expression, he suddenly felt there was no need to explain.
The Prime Minister of Chu is so capable; he must know that I have no ulterior motives. Given their relationship, saying those things would be completely unnecessary.
Upon hearing this, Lin You casually remarked, "Are all ten or so small courtyards for illegitimate sons? Does this general have so many sons? Isn't his family quite chaotic?"
"Then I'll trouble Brother Qian to inquire about the auction." After saying that, Chu Nanfeng asked, "What's the situation with the General of the Western Expedition's family?"
Qian Youcai didn't know much about these things; he only knew rumors he'd heard from the common people, such as which concubine the General of the West favored the most, which concubine was the prettiest, and which son was a good-for-nothing.
Seeing that Chu Nanfeng did not interrupt him, Qian Youcai rambled on for almost half an hour before finally finishing what he had said.
Qian Youcai asked cautiously, "Prime Minister Chu, is there something wrong with this?"
"Don't leave any evidence against your brocade business. They'll be cracking down on smuggling when they come in. If someone like you gets caught, you'll be seriously injured." Chu Nanfeng said seriously, and Qian Youcai couldn't help but shrink back.
He continued, "Brother Qian, please keep an eye on the news outside and come over to tell me every day, just in case."
"Understood! I'll go find someone to inquire right away!" Qian Youcai hurriedly left, sending a message home while also tidying up the mess in the capital.
"Is it really that serious? Will the Qian family be implicated?" Having known the Qian family for so long, Lin You felt they were a good family and didn't want anything to happen to them.
"Doesn't your older sister like to hear gossip? The streets have been a bit chaotic these past few days, so don't go out alone. We'll go to the auction in a couple of days." She's definitely never seen anything like arresting or beheading people; don't let her get scared.
Lin You didn't understand what he meant by "chaos," but she did understand that what he had just said was all to scare Qian Youcai.
Chu Nanfeng seemed to know what she was thinking, "I'm not trying to scare him, it's just not that serious. It's good to clean things up, just in case."
"...Chu Zaizai, if you keep guessing what people are thinking like this, you'll never be able to find a wife!" Lin You was quite exasperated by his ability to read people's minds. After complaining, she turned around to watch the two little girls.
After finishing his homework for the day, Chu Nanfeng practiced calligraphy for a while before putting down his pen, opening his savings box, and planning to buy a courtyard.
The information Qian Youcai mentioned is indeed a good opportunity.
He still had more than forty taels of silver left from selling his paintings. When Qian Duoduo became his apprentice, he received eighty-eight taels as tuition. He also received four hundred taels as a commission for the paintings he made, and he still shared half of it with Lin You.
There are now more than three hundred taels of silver in the box. According to the current prices in the capital, if you don't choose a prime location, you should be able to buy a slightly larger house.
"Chu Nanfeng, include my money too, let's buy a bigger house so you can use it to get a wife." Chu Nanfeng had just put down the money box when he suddenly heard Lin You say this.
"Didn't you go to play with your younger sister? Why are you back now?" At this hour, your younger sister should be learning embroidery. Just a couple of days ago, she said she would make clothes for her older sister herself.
"My little sister said she had a surprise for me and wouldn't let me peek." Lin You snorted. "Chu Zaizai, don't change the subject. Take out all the money. I don't need the money right now. You can pay me back later."
“You’re seventeen already. If you pass the imperial examination next year, someone will be arranging a marriage for you. You can’t just buy a small courtyard house and then let your godmother and younger sister live in your wife’s house.”
Chu Nanfeng was speechless for a long time after being nagged. "Sister, you are so young, why do you worry about such things?"
The modern obsession with buying a house led Lin You to strongly condemn Chu Nanfeng's refusal to lend money and his insistence on paying in full himself.
She started by saying that a house could increase happiness and security in daily life, and kept going on about leaving Chu Qing a small courtyard after she got married, which made Chu Nanfeng feel numb.
After spending so much time together, Chu Nanfeng was defeated by Lin You for the first time. His older sister, in her motherly mode, was terrifying; she was even more talkative than his own mother.
As for Lin You, who is only a high school graduate, how does she know so much? That's all thanks to Grandma Lin, the director of the orphanage.
Every year during holidays, Grandma Lin would talk about her children who came back to visit her. The older ones would talk about family and career, and the younger ones would talk about their studies and life. She could talk about them for most of the day each time.
This led the five of them to agree to go back together, since one or two people alone couldn't withstand Grandma's barrage of abuse.
"Sister, I will definitely return this money double," Chu Nanfeng solemnly promised.
"I'm not a loan shark, I don't need you to pay me back double." Lin You snorted. "But after your exams, you have to come with me to explore the capital. I want to visit the street stalls, the night markets, and the temple fairs in the suburbs..."
Chu Nanfeng agreed to all of them, and in his heart he was planning to ask around later to see where there were any lively and fun places in the capital, so that the whole family could go and have a look.
Qian Youcai had just finished dealing with his business when, because of a single sentence from Chu Nanfeng, he was once again extremely busy.
Even so, he still found time to collect blueprints for several houses and personally delivered them to Chu Nanfeng.
He didn't even have time to drink some water; he simply ordered a waiter to accompany Chu Nanfeng to look after the house before hurriedly leaving.
Qian Youcai brought twelve blueprints, each thoughtfully indicating the location and surroundings. Lin You asked, "With so many houses, can we see them all in two days?"
"These houses should still have official seals on them, so we can only look at them from the outside and not go in. Besides, we don't need to look at them all."
Chu Nanfeng picked out the ones that were too small or had too messy environments and set them aside, selecting only five sets of drawings.
His slender fingers tapped on the last drawing, and after a moment's thought, he picked it up.
Lin You peeked at the picture twice but couldn't see anything wrong with it. Well, she could only roughly make out how many rooms there were, their sizes and heights, but she couldn't tell them apart.
The next day, Chu Nanfeng went out with the young shop assistant. Lin You was still sitting on his shoulders. She had been in the capital for several days, and this was her first time going out.
Perhaps because of its remote location, the streets here look much like those in a small county town.
They first went to a two-story teahouse. Standing at the east window of the teahouse, they could see one of the houses inside.
Lin You looked at the seal on the gate of the house and the soldiers standing at the entrance. It was impossible to go inside and see the details; they weren't even allowed to get close to the gate.
"I'll go in and take a look." Lin You flew directly out of the window and landed in the middle of the house.
A note from the author:
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