FH Chapter 54: 夜探秦府
Night exploration of Qin Residence
Ruan bought the compound, in the more prosperous area of the county, the last house in the lane, surrounded by peace and quiet, no one disturbed.
The county is different from Li Jia village, one house after another, between the two families, at most separated by courtyard walls and fences.
The small courtyard has two main rooms, and next to the main room, there is also a utility room, a stove and a latrine.
Ruan especially loves cleanliness, when she bought the yard, she found someone to make renovation, in the northwest corner, to get a small wooden house, the house was designed with heated kang; heated brick bed, no matter winter or summer, it can be used as a cleansing room, lock the door, you can take a bath in it.
“Jie, the things in the house are all prepared by our mother.”
Li Jin Hu said, couldn’t help but choke up, her mother was seriously ill, walking is difficult for their siblings later in life, and running around and working hard. Every place in this yard is their mother’s arrangement, for them to leave a way back (escape route).
Mother said, he is a little man, in the future he has to support the family business. If his eldest sister gets married, she must be clear-eyed and choose a good man.
Ruan had the foresight to know that the Li family’s group of people would definitely not find a good family for Li Haitang.
Their parent’s mercy and heart, Li Haitang’s body residual a little bit of the original owner’s emotions, followed by a few drops of tears, now it is only their siblings who depend on each other.
Xiao Lingchuan left the space for the siblings, silently went to the yard to harvest cabbages, piled up to the root of the wall, in order to prevent rain, the top and bottom are covered with a thick layer of linoleum cloth.
The stove room is clean and tidy, the rice and noodle tanks are full, there are peanuts, red beans, millet and cornmeal in the corner, oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar are complete, and there is a piece of bacon hanging in the corner of the eaves, enough to prepare a meal.
“Eat first, after eating and sleeping for a while, at night, I will take you to the Qin family.”
Xiao Lingchuan started to plan to act on his own, but he was afraid that Li Haitang would not feel at ease, after thinking about it, taking someone with him would be not a problem to him.
“Go to the Qin family?”
Li Haitang pointed at her nose, her face full of questions, for a moment she didn’t understand the meaning of the savage, she went to the Qin family and was discovered, it was equal to throwing herself into the net.
“That’s right.”
Xiao Lingchuan gave Li Jin Hu two chopsticks of food and pointed to the eaves of the house, this time, he is going to be the gentleman on the beam, but before that, there is a more complicated task, his eyes were slightly deeper, and he said in a cold voice, “First, go to your cousin Li Qiu Ju, get a death deed, and then replace it with the Counselor Qin’s side.”
As for the file on the Yamen side, Xiao Lingchuan had already sent a message to his former brother, and it would be done tomorrow.
The people who are always outside doing the armed escort, three religions (i.e. Confucianism, Taoism and Buddhism) and nine schools of thought (i.e. the Confucians, the Taoists, the Yin-Yang, the Legalists, the Logicians, the Mohists, the Political Strategists, the Eclectics, and the Agriculturists), always have to have some skills, Xiao LingChuan doing the life and death dart, had saved a person, known as the pickpocket.
Three hands is a middle-aged man, used to often stealing all kinds of treasures, Yamen issued a wanted notice bounty he could not avoid, so he took that trip to the northwest of the life and death dart.
“I don’t know where my female cousin lives ah.”
Li Haitang was confused, she only knew that Liu’s mother’s family was in the neighboring Liu Jia Village, exactly which family, she had never been there and didn’t know where.
Furthermore, she doesn’t know kung fu, following him around would be the same as multiple burdens, getting in the way.
“This matter of revenge must go personally, so that it can be satisfactory and great.”
Xiao Lingchuan stood up and went out, he still had to prepare two sets of night clothes, and move at Zi Hour [period of the night from 11 p. m. to 1 a. m].
Zi Hour, that is eleven o’clock at night to one o’clock in the morning, Li Haitang forced herself to sleep for an hour, probably because she had something in her heart, and she didn’t sleep peacefully for this hour.
Before departing, Xiao Lingchuan sent a set of tight black clothes, Li Haitang dressed properly, and coiled up all her hair, inside the small sheepskin boots she inserted a dagger.
Xiao Lingchuan’s line of sight fell on her boots, a rare stiffening of the corners of his mouth, not saying a word.
“This…”
Li Haitang smiled awkwardly, it’s not that she doesn’t believe in the ability of the savages, but she’s used to planning for the worst in everything, in case she’s discovered by the underlings of the Qin family, when she escapes, she has a weapon in her hand, and she has a sense of security in making an empty show of strength (bluff and bluster) and waving it a few times.
“Okay.”
The two just went out the door, Xiao Lingchuan, with a swift momentum, wrapped his arm around Li Haitang’s waist and said in a deep voice, “Offended.”
“Ah…”
Li Haitang only felt a blur in front of her eyes, on both sides of her ears was the sound of whistling wind, she let out a cry of surprise, and found herself being carried by the savage through the roof.
What kind of Kung fu is this, the legendary Kung fu?
After a brief moment of panic, Li Haitang regained her composure, her eyes shining brightly as she looked around at the scenery.
Not far away, is the county’s small city gate, around lit torches, such as a long dragon, above the vaguely visible a few dark shadows, should be the soldiers guarding the city.
Zi Hour, the stores on the street have long been closed, silent in the darkness, passing by the area where the people live, occasionally they can hear a few little baby cries and dogs barking.
Li Haitang wrapped her arms tightly around Xiao Lingchuan’s waist, her head leaning against his chest, finding the most comfortable position, the little bit of nervousness from before, not of it left anymore.
“In front is the Qin family.”
Xiao LingChuan’s body was tense, adjusted a few times, not so much as to fall from the house, the tip of his nose lingered with a faint aroma, making him sparkle.
The Qin family has mansions in He County or Hexian, a county in Ma’anshan Mǎ’ānshān and Master Qin moved back to the Qin family’s old mansion due to a recent lawsuit.
Master Qin deserves to be in the rice and grain business, the family is the biggest and the richest in the eastern part of the city, there is a three-entry courtyard, and not far away from the opposite side, there is the government office or Yamen.
“Didn’t you say that you went to find Li Qiu Ju first, why did you come to the Qin family first?”
Li Haitang landed smoothly, still holding Xiao Lingchuan’s waist and not letting go. Where they stood, not far from the second gate, the concierge had a light on, and a granny was leaning against the bed, sleeping soundly, snoring loudly.
“Li Qiu Ju is in the Qin family.”
Xiao Lingchuan backed up uncomfortably, Li Haitang’s hot breath that exhaled out made him feel his ears itch, very uncomfortable.
“Li Qiu Ju is privately engaged with Liu Fu, a servant of the Qin family, and the two live together.”
Xiao Lingchuan went out at night and inquired about the news, Li Qiu Ju was not in Liu Jia Village, and during this period of time, she was living in the Qin family.
Liu Fu is the small steward in charge of purchasing in the Qin family, the work is easy and there is oil and water, they live in the small courtyard behind the big kitchen.
“Li Qiu Ju claimed that I had a bad reputation and hooked up with a man, but it turns out that person was herself.”
Li Haitang sarcastically bristled (curl one’s lip), living together without being married, if this was rumored, along with everyone in the Li family, they would be disgraced. Thanks to the separation of the Li family, otherwise, as a female cousin, she would have been dragged into a bad reputation.
Inside the house, a fire candle is lit, reflecting on the Korean paper (white tissue paper of the kind made in Korea of mulberry bark), forming the imprint of the tongue of flame, by the window, there is a silhouette swaying, Liu Fu should still be awake.
“Follow me.”
Xiao Lingchuan pulled Li Haitang’s hand and realized that it was covered in wet cold sweat, he took out a handkerchief from his sleeve pocket and helped her wipe her hand, “Don’t worry, he won’t find us.”
“Okay.” Li Haitang took a deep breath, worrying that she had dropped the key when it mattered or was crucial. She wasn’t afraid now, it was exciting and thrilling. The first time she became a thief, there was always a sense of thrill, her heart beat abruptly.