novelhk Page 184
Page 184
The implications are self-evident.
Liu Huiniang was exceptionally intelligent, and naturally understood his meaning immediately.
········Requesting flowers·· 0
Recalling the terrible fortune she had just drawn, the girl sighed inwardly.
She then broke free from Zhao Yuan's support and moved to the side.
He deliberately kept a distance from Zhao Yuan.
Seeing his niece act this way, Chen Xizhen nodded slightly in satisfaction and continued,
"Your parents plan to stay in Jingyang Town for a while and have asked Steward Yun Tianbiao to search for your whereabouts."
"Now that you have come looking for me, my niece, I must hurry and find someone to send a message to your parents so that they will no longer worry."
"I'll leave everything to my uncle," Liu Huiniang said with a slight bow.
"Ah Xiu, now that we've talked about your parents, it's time to talk about yours,"
Chen Xizhen glanced at Liu Huiniang, then at Zhao Yuan.
. ...... ...
"Didn't your father say you were kidnapped by bandits? How did you end up in Tokyo? And who is this strong man who is traveling with you?"
"Uncle, what happened that day was actually a misunderstanding by Ah Xiu's father,"
Liu Huiniang briefly recounted the situation in Chuzhou that day.
"After Ah Xiu fell into the water, she was rescued by this Brother Zhao. Because the dock was in chaos at the time, the officials were arresting people everywhere."
"Brother Zhao was worried that Ah Xiu would be bullied by the officials if she went back, so he let the passenger ship leave first and stopped at Taoyuan Town upstream. Then he took Ah Xiu and secretly returned to Chuzhou to find her parents."
"Unexpectedly, when Ah Xiu returned, her father had already left Chuzhou with the others because he had offended the constable of the Chuzhou government."
"Ah Xiu was a weak woman, knowing she was unable to go to Tokyo. Fortunately, Brother Zhao was willing to take her in, so Ah Xiu went with him first. When they arrived at his..."
As Liu Huiniang spoke, she suddenly remembered...
My father had mentioned this uncle before.
They also praised him as a loyal and righteous man, who could not stand bandits and outlaws.
If my uncle finds out Zhao Yuan's true identity,
I'm afraid the two sides will soon be locked in a fierce battle in front of the Thunder God Temple.
Thinking of this, Liu Huiniang quickly changed her words,
"Ah Xiu followed this Brother Zhao to his manor and stayed there for more than a month."
"A few days ago, Brother Zhao was going to Bianliang City to visit a friend, so he brought Ah Xiu along to Tokyo as well."
Chapter 256 If one is loyal and righteous, one will not be a robber; if one is a robber, one cannot be considered loyal and righteous!
"Brother, that Miss Liu's uncle is such a scoundrel!"
Outside the Jade Immortal Temple, Jiao Ting said indignantly,
"My brother saved Lady Liu and even brought her all the way to Tokyo, but that fellow didn't even say a word of thanks."
"Alright, Ah Xiu has found her relatives, we should go back to the ship now,"
Zhao Yuan didn't seem to care about Chen Xizhen's attitude.
Judging from the situation just now, Chen Xizhen was clearly extremely dissatisfied with his close relationship with Liu Huiniang.
After all, Liu Huiniang was already engaged.
Although the social atmosphere at this time was still relatively open, it was not as outrageous as it became after the rise of Cheng-Zhu Neo-Confucianism.
However, the woman who was already engaged became intimate with other men.
Even hundreds of years later, people will still gossip about it, let alone now.
......
Zhao Yuan and Jiao Ting ("177") left Yuxian Temple and returned to the passenger ship at the dock.
Although Liu Huiniang also wanted to go back with them.
But now that she has found her family, she is naturally not as carefree as before.
Moreover, if Chen Xi really wanted to find someone to deliver a message to her parents,
Liu Huiniang also wanted to write a letter herself and send it over as well.
Chen Xizhen led the two girls to their guest room at Yuxian Temple.
He went to fetch the writing brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.
Chen Liqing, however, moved closer to Liu Huiniang and began to inquire about Zhao Yuan from her.
"Sister Ah Xiu, where does your sworn brother live? Once my martial arts skills improve, I will definitely go and ask him for guidance again!"
"this......"
Liu Huiniang was immediately at a loss.
Seeing Chen Liqing waiting expectantly for her reply,
Liu Huiniang had no choice but to say, "Brother Zhao lives in Yuncheng County, Jizhou."
"Jeju Yunseong..."
Chen Liqing repeated it once, then asked for Zhao Yuan's name.
Liu Huiniang could only make up another name, "Zhao Jiaming," to appease her.
At this moment, Chen Xizhen entered the guest room carrying some things.
I happened to overhear the conversation between the two girls.
Jeju Island...
Chen Xizhen pondered for a moment, then looked at Liu Huiniang and asked,
"I've heard that a band of thieves has gathered at Liangshan Marsh in Jizhou. They're extremely rampant. Ah Xiu once lived in Yuncheng. I wonder if you've ever heard of them?"
"Uncle, Ah Xiu has indeed heard of Liangshan,"
Liu Huiniang herself was practically a member of Liangshan, so naturally she wouldn't speak ill of Liangshan.
"Those on Liangshan Mountain, though they are outlaws, do not harm the poor. They only kill evil gentry and punish corrupt officials every day. Even the recent plague in Shandong was entirely due to Liangshan bringing in a divine physician from the south to treat the people free of charge..."
Before Liu Huiniang could finish speaking,
Then there was a loud "bang" as Chen Xizhen suddenly raised his hand and slammed it on the table.
"They've already been killing people indiscriminately, isn't that outrageous?"
Chen Xizhen angrily said, "Even those who offer free treatment for the plague to the people are probably harboring malicious intentions!"
"Uncle, you've misunderstood. Liangshan has an excellent reputation among the people of Shandong..."
Liu Huiniang had just said one sentence in defense of Liangshan,
Then Chen Xizhen sneered, "I knew it! How could those bandits be so kind as to offer free medical treatment to the common people?"
"Now that you've said this, Ah Xiu, it's clear that the Liangshan bandits are using the plague as a pretext to win over the hearts of the people of Shandong! If they grow too powerful, it will likely become another disaster!"
Seeing that Chen Xizhen had misunderstood her meaning, Liu Huiniang
He felt extremely wronged.
Although Chen Liqing and Liu Huiniang had only known each other for a short time...
But he had already developed feelings for his beautiful cousin.
Seeing that she looked somewhat aggrieved, he couldn't help but defend her.
“Father, nowadays corrupt officials are in power and wicked bureaucrats run rampant. These bandits on Liangshan Mountain may have been forced into this situation. Judging from their actions, they may actually be loyal and righteous men.”
"What do you know?"
Chen Xizhen glared at her daughter.
"If one is truly loyal and righteous, one will not become a robber; if one is a robber, one cannot be considered loyal and righteous! This gang of thieves has become outlaws; where is their loyalty and righteousness?"
Chen Liqing was scolded by her father, but being a resilient person, she didn't feel anything unusual.
Liu Huiniang, standing to the side, already had reddened eyes.
Chen Xizhen and Liu Guang were brothers-in-law, and their personalities were quite compatible.
Simply put, they were both the kind of people who were blindly loyal to the emperor.
Chen Xizhen's attitude towards Liang Shan was like this.
Liu Guang was about the same age as him.
Liu Huiniang recalled the worst possible fortune slip she had drawn in the Sanqing Hall, and her heart sank even further.
"Dad, why are you yelling so loudly? You scared little sister Xiu!" Chen Liqing complained.
Seeing her niece on the verge of tears, Chen Xizhen's heart softened for a moment.
“Ah Xiu, your uncle didn’t mean to scold you. But since you were born into an official’s family, you must understand the principles of loyalty to the emperor and patriotism. You must not be like those ignorant people and be fooled by those bandits.”
"Also, that man just now, although he is Ah Xiu's sworn brother, in my opinion, he is definitely not an ordinary commoner,"
Chen Xizhen looked at the two girls in front of her and warned them.
"These next few days, neither of you should go looking for him. After some time, once I have mastered the Five Thunder Engraving Technique, I will take you to Jingyang Town in Shandong so that Ah Xiu's family can be reunited."
"father......"
Chen Liqing had been planning to spar with Zhao Yuan in the next couple of days.
Upon hearing his father's words, he immediately wanted to object.
Liu Huiniang quietly tugged at her, then replied to Chen Xizhen,
"Ah Xiu has remembered her uncle's advice."
"Um,"
Chen Xizhen nodded in satisfaction, laid out the letter paper, and was about to pick up his pen to write a letter to Liu Guang.
Unexpectedly, a commotion suddenly broke out outside.
Through the doorway, one could see many Taoist priests frantically trying to escape.
"Fellow Daoist, what has happened?"
Chen Xizhen stood at the door of the guest room, stopping a Taoist priest to ask him questions.
"Brother Chen, you should also hide quickly,"
The Taoist priest said in a panic, "It was that Grand Commandant Gao Kan. I heard he was beaten up in a teahouse opposite the Jade Immortal Temple, and the assailant later went to the Jade Immortal Temple!"
"Right now, Grand Commandant Gao is leading a troop of imperial guards, searching ahead. Anyone who dares to resist is being brutally beaten! They're about to reach the back of the area!"
"Gao Kan? Isn't that Gao Qiu's adopted son? How dare this man be so arrogant!"
Chen Xizhen frowned and pondered for a moment, then suddenly turned around and glared at Chen Liqing, whose face was full of guilt.
"Did you hit Grand Commandant Gao?"
Chapter 257 Gao Qiu's Master
"Father, I didn't..."
Chen Liqing was about to deny it when she faced her father's stern gaze.
He could only lower his head sheepishly.
"I only stepped in to teach him a lesson because I saw injustice on the road."
"By the way, Father, the one who harassed Grand Commandant Gao back then was Ah Xiu,"
Chen Liqing quickly pushed Liu Huiniang forward.
"If it weren't for me, Ah Xiu might have been bullied by that scoundrel!"
"Ah Xiu, is this really true?" Chen Xizhen asked.