Thief Emperor

Chapter 201 Sister-in-law and New Boss

A qualified system must be used to protect the weak, or at least to protect the majority of the weak.

For example, if you kill someone, you must pay with your life; if you owe a debt, you must pay it back.

If there were no rules of the imperial court, a strong man would not have to pay with his life for killing someone, and he would not even owe a debt.

A regime must first be able to use its own violent machine to ensure that most of the weak under the system can at least survive, so that there will not be too much turmoil in the world.

The so-called chaotic times means that this violent machine has lost its original function, that is to say...

Rules and systems no longer exist.

In this case, before the new power system is established, the strong can crush the weak with impunity without having to bear the blows of the punishment mechanism of the violent machine.

People like Magistrate Xue and the Xue family could normally live a good life relying on their status as scholars.

But once troubled times come, they and their family will become the undisputed weaklings.

People like Li Yun who master violence are the strong ones.

From this perspective, Yuezhou is of course relatively safer.

Xue Song seemed to understand what Li Yun meant, but he did not express his opinion. He just waved his hand and said, "Take care of yourself and Yun'er in the future. As for other things..."

Magistrate Xue shook his head and said, "This is my own business. You don't need to worry too much."

He looked up at Li Yun and said slowly, "I have been living in seclusion in the mountains. No matter who it is, no one will mess with an old man."

Li Yun shook his head slightly, wanting to say something, but after thinking about it, he shook his head again and clasped his fists and said, "Then my father-in-law, you are busy, I will go down first."

Xue Song said "hmm" and reminded: "Don't forget to go meet my wife."

Li Yun smiled and said, "Of course I won't forget to pay my respects to my mother-in-law."

Mr. Xue shook his head helplessly.

"Cheeky, cheeky."

Li Yun retreated with a smile and went to the back hall to meet Madam Xue. He was now the Sima of Yuezhou, one rank higher than Master Xue, and was also the person favored by Xue Yuner. In addition, Li Yun was thick-skinned and eloquent, so it didn't take long for him to coax Madam Xue into a state of laughter.

After staying at Madam Xue's place for more than half an hour, Li Yun left at Madam Xue's request. However, he did not leave the county government office directly, but found Dong'er.

"Dong'er Dong'er, where does Miss Liu live? I have something to do and I need to go see her."

Dong'er grew up with Xue Yun'er since childhood. If Li Yun marries Xue Yun'er in the future, she will most likely go with him and become his maid. At this moment, she seems to have heard some news. There is something wrong in the look in her eyes when she looks at Li Yun, and her face is flushed.

After Li Yun asked twice, she came back to her senses, pointed to a courtyard, and said, "Miss Liu lives there."

Li Yun looked at Dong'er with a strange look, then walked to the gate of the courtyard and knocked gently on the door: "Miss Liu, I am Li...Li Zhao."

He almost blurted out his real name.

"I need to see you girl for something."

After a while, the door slowly opened. Miss Liu, still in plain clothes but looking a little haggard, opened the door, glanced at Li Yun, and then bowed slightly.

"Meet Sima Li."

Li Yun coughed and said, "Shall we go in and talk?"

Miss Liu thought for a moment, lowered her head and whispered, "How about...let's just talk about it here."

Li Yun nodded, sighed and said, "I really didn't know where Miss Liu's hometown was before, let alone where Miss Liu's aunt was, so I took the liberty to ask that question."

"Later, Yun'er mentioned it to me, and then I realized that I had said something I shouldn't have said."

Li Yun bowed and clasped his fists, saying, "I'm really sorry."

"Yun'er said that Master Xue is ready to adopt Miss Liu as his adopted daughter. If that's the case, this is Miss Liu's home. There's chaos and turmoil outside right now, so Miss Liu must not run around."

"If anything happens, it will really be my fault."

Miss Liu looked at Li Yun who was seriously explaining himself. He was in a bad mood, but suddenly he felt happy again. After bowing to return the greeting, she said softly, "My aunt and sister's place have been occupied by the rebels. Especially my sister, she lives in Luoyang City."

She sighed softly and said, "When I said I wanted to leave earlier, it wasn't because I was angry with you... I really wanted to go to Henan Prefecture to look for my sister..."

Li Yun said sternly, "Miss Liu, at this time, even a strong man like me would not be safe to go to the Central Plains alone. Right now, the Jiangnan Road is barely peaceful. Miss Liu, please stay here and don't wander around."

"Even if you go, it won't help."

Miss Liu bit her lip and whispered, "Okay...Okay..."

Then, she looked up at Li Yun again and asked, "Sima Li, are you going to get engaged to Sister Xue?"

There is nothing to hide about this. Li Yun smiled and said, "Yes, I will ask a matchmaker to come to your house tomorrow to ask for marriage proposal." "Congratulations."

Miss Liu's expression dimmed for a moment, but soon returned to normal. She said softly, "Uncle Xue treats me very well, and I also intend to recognize Uncle Xue as my adoptive father."

She looked up at Li Yun, took a deep breath, suddenly smiled, and said something bravely.

"After the New Year, when I recognize him as my adoptive father, Sima Li will be my brother-in-law..."

Li Yun was stunned by this, but he was thick-skinned. After looking up at his future "sister-in-law", he smiled and said, "That's really the way it should be."

Miss Liu didn't know what she remembered, her face flushed, she bowed her head and saluted to Li Yun and said: "You must be very busy these two days, you...you go and get busy."

Li Yun said "hmm", waved to Miss Liu, grinned, turned around and left.

Miss Liu stood at the door, staring at Li Yun's back, lost in thought for a while, then she left her yard and found Xue Yun'er whispering to Dong'er in the backyard, with a smile on her face: "Sister Xue, congratulations."

Xue Yun'er blushed slightly and said softly, "What are you congratulating me for? They are not from a good family..."

"That's not good."

Miss Liu recalled the scene when she first met Li Yun, and there was some envy in her tone.

"Sister, I haven't seen him. Sima Li... He is very powerful."

"I…"

Xue Yun'er also recalled what happened in Cangshan Village, and the scene of Li Yun, shirtless under the moonlight, punching a sandbag and making it leak.

"He... that person."

Xue Yun'er murmured, "Sometimes it's quite powerful..."

…………

The next day, Li Yun invited a matchmaker to come to his house to propose marriage and began the process of three letters and six ceremonies, which lasted from morning until almost evening in the afternoon. The one-day engagement ceremony was finally over and Li Yun officially received his and Xue Yun'er's marriage certificate.

As for the wedding date, it is scheduled for May next year.

That evening, Li Yun was invited by the Xue family to have dinner at the county government office. Miss Liu was also invited to the table and sat at the same table with Miss Xue.

It’s a pity that the two elder brothers-in-law of the Xue family, the Xue Shou brothers, did not come, otherwise, this family dinner would have been complete.

At the dinner table, Mr. and Mrs. Xue asked Li Yun many questions. Finally, at the dinner table, it was decided that Mr. and Mrs. Xue would adopt Miss Liu as their goddaughter. They decided to hold a formal wedding banquet after the New Year to accept this daughter.

The atmosphere of this meal can be said to be quite harmonious.

When they were halfway through the meal, a runner from the front yamen of the county government ran in hurriedly, but he did not dare to get close. He just waved at Li Yun from a distance.

This yamen runner was also Li Yun's former subordinate, but he did not go to Yuezhou with Li Yun. Li Sima understood and stood up, apologized to Mr. Xue and Mrs. Xue, then left the table and came to the yamen runner, frowning and asked, "What's the matter?"

"Boss, there is a young man named Meng Qing at the gate of the county government office, and he wants to see you."

At this time, many people in Qingyang County Government already knew that Li Yun had been promoted to Sima of Yuezhou. However, in order to show closeness, they still addressed Li Yun as before and did not change the title.

Li Yun's expression changed slightly. After nodding, he said, "Brother, bring him to the back hall to see me."

The bailiff nodded quickly, turned around and led his men away.

Li Yun returned to the dining table and said with a smile, "Father-in-law and mother-in-law, there are some things in Yuezhou. I'll go take care of them. You guys eat first."

After that, he clasped his fists and bowed before leaving the table. Not long after he left, he saw Meng Qing who was taken to the back hall. After seeing Li Yun, Meng Qing quickly bowed his head and said, "General."

Li Yun nodded, took him to a pavilion in the back hall, and asked, "What's the matter that's so urgent that you were sent out?"

Li Yun knew very well that the fact that Yuezhou sent this "Hexi boy" to deliver the message showed that this matter was quite important.

Moreover, it must be kept relatively confidential.

After Meng Qing took a breath, he looked up at Li Yun and whispered, "General, Brother Nine asked me to come here to tell you that the master of Yuezhou has arrived."

Li Yun was startled, then realized what this meant. He touched his chin and asked, "How many people are here? How old are they?"

"He looks like he is only a few years older than the general. He brought a servant with him. There are two of them, the master and the servant. I think his surname is Du, and his name is Du Qian."

"I don't know anything else."

Li Yun nodded slightly, patted his shoulder, then looked in the direction of Yuezhou and smiled.

"That's interesting."

(End of this chapter)