good season

Chapter 48: Action in Progress (I) (Two Chapters in One)

When Zhao Shiqing came out of Mr. Bai's house, he didn't see the girl. By the way, she has a name, Xiao Yueyue.

Zhao Shiqing couldn't help laughing when she thought of the name. When she turned around, she saw Loach following behind her.

I almost forgot about this little loach.

"Boss, we agreed to give each of us one golden bean, but now that kid has taken them all. I only got one or two taels of silver. Boss, you can't go back on your word, Boss."

Well, this is my fault.

Zhao Shiqing is not a person who doesn't keep her word. What's more, she is attracted by this boy's slippery kung fu.

"Loach, besides your 80-year-old mother, are there other people in your family?"

Loach's face turned red. The boss must be teasing him!

He had previously said that he had an 80-year-old mother at home, but his boss ruthlessly slapped him in the face.

He scratched his head and said sheepishly, "I was picked up from a quagmire by my grandfather. I was almost dead. My grandfather had already retired from the underworld, but he returned to the underworld to support me.

My grandfather died two years ago, and my brother and I are the only ones left at home. My brother is only three years old.

Zhao Shiqing was confused: "Your brother was also picked up by your grandfather?"

"I picked up my brother. Grandpa had already passed away when I picked him up. When I first found my brother, he was only this small." Loach gestured with his hands to indicate the size of the swaddling clothes.

Zhao Shiqing nodded: "Did you learn this Kung Fu from your grandfather?"

"Yes, my grandfather used to be a big shot in the underworld, but he injured his leg and retired. When I was a child, I was too weak and needed ginseng, so my grandfather had no choice but to go back to his old ways. If it weren't for my grandfather, I would have died long ago." Tears welled up in Loach's eyes without him noticing.

Zhao Shiqing asked: "How old are you this year?"

Loach: "Fifteen, I am fifteen this year."

Loach's grandfather passed away two years ago when he was only twelve years old.

At the age of twelve, it might have been difficult for him to support himself, but he picked up a younger brother.

Zhao Shiqing remembered a saying: Those who are loyal are usually butchers, and those who are unfaithful are usually scholars.

"Come on, take me to your home and see your brother. For the next few days, you follow me and I'll pay you. Don't worry, after the job is done, I'll give you five gold beans."

Loach was startled at first, then he thought of something: "Boss, Loach is incompetent and timid, and can't do anything big. Boss, you don't have to use my brother as a hostage to threaten Loach. Loach is not worth it."

Zhao Shiqing: You people in the capital are really cunning.

"Don't worry, I'm just going to accompany you back to see your brother. I won't take him away, nor will I let you do anything dangerous."

As he spoke, Zhao Shiqing took out another piece of silver and said, "Use this to buy food for your brother."

What Loach was dreaming about was golden beans. Zhao Shiqing had golden beans on her, but why didn't she give them to him, but only gave him a piece of silver?

Because she didn't want Loach to think that the golden beans came too easily.

Many things will become habits once, twice, or the third time. If you don’t give him gold beans next time, he will think you are stingy.

Since Zhao Shiqing wanted to use loach, she would not take it lightly until she had complete trust in loach.

As for Xiao Yueyue, who had already given two golden beans, Zhao Shiqing said that these were two different matters.

Although Xiao Yueyue is not very old, she is more mature than Niuqiu in both mentality and behavior. Zhao Shiqing cannot see through such a child and dares not use him.

However, there is a chance for cooperation.

Just like treating Xiao Zhen.

Although Niu Qiu was still on guard, he took the silver and emphasized as he walked away: "Boss, my brother is not my biological brother. I just picked him up."

Voiceover: You're using him to threaten me, but you've got the wrong person.

Zhao Shiqing remained calm and urged him to lead the way.

Loach was extremely unwilling, but he didn't dare to provoke Zhao Shiqing. Although this girl was about the same age as him, it was obvious that she was not an ordinary person. Moreover, her skills were better than his. He could do nothing except running away.

Even the ability to escape was lost to this girl.

So he didn't dare to do anything wrong and could only bite the bullet and lead the way.

Passing by a dim sum shop, Loach went in and bought a few pieces of osmanthus cake.

I don't know how far I walked, but the houses on both sides became more and more dilapidated, and the road became bumpy and uneven. I couldn't see any carriages or sedan chairs. The people passing by were dressed in tattered clothes and looked poor.

If it weren't for Loach leading the way, Zhao Shijing really wouldn't have known that there was such a place in the magnificent and prosperous capital city.

Loach stopped in front of a dilapidated yard and said, "Boss, I live here."

The gate to the yard was open, and two stout women were chopping wood in the yard. When they saw them, one of them smiled and said, "Loach, why are you back so early today? The grocery store is closed so early?"

"The boss has something going on at home today, so we're closing early."

While answering, Niu Qiu glanced at Zhao Shiqing, fearing that Zhao Shiqing would say something that would expose his identity.

Zhao Shiqing kept her lips tightly shut and looked straight ahead, as if she didn't hear what they were saying.

Since Loach has never let the neighbors know his identity, why should she meddle in other people's business?

At this time, a woman saw Zhao Shiqing following behind Niu Qiu. Although Zhao Shiqing was wearing coarse cloth and a bamboo hat, she looked like a young girl.

"Loach, who is this girl? Is she your relative? Do you have any relatives?"

Loach opened his mouth, not knowing what to say, when Zhao Shiqing spoke up: "I just hired him to do some temporary work for me. He said he wanted to go home first, so I followed him here."

"What kind of temporary job is this?" asked an aunt.

"I came out to purchase goods and asked him to move things." Zhao Shiqing said.

People who live here don't wonder why a girl comes out to buy goods. Only the rich and powerful pay attention to things like staying at home and not stepping out of the front door. Ordinary people don't have so many rules. They don't show their faces in public, and they don't know what to eat and drink. If there were no women like them to take care of everything, and only men were responsible, this family would have fallen apart long ago.

Therefore, when Zhao Shiqing said this, the two women not only did not get suspicious, but became more friendly: "Loach is a really capable child. He wants to do odd jobs after work. I say, girls, do you still need help? I am very strong and can do all kinds of lifting and moving work."

Zhao Shiqing smiled: "We have enough manpower this time, I'll look for you next time."

The yard is very big, but it is not a square courtyard. Instead, it looks like a randomly enclosed yard. Some parts of the wall are made of bricks, and some parts are surrounded by old door panels. The houses in the yard are also varied, but they have one thing in common: they are dilapidated.

Loach took her to a house and stopped: "This is my home."

He did not open the door, but knocked on the door of the house next door: "Auntie, I'm back."

"It's Loach, the door is not closed, come in." A woman's voice came from the room. Loach pushed open the door and walked in with Zhao Shiqing.

The room was very simple but clean. A gray-haired woman was mending clothes. There was a straw mat on the floor. Two children were playing house. One girl was about five or six years old, and the other boy looked no more than three years old. This one should be Loach's younger brother.

"elder brother!"

When the little boy saw the loach, he rushed over with his little arms open. The loach picked him up and kissed him on his little face.

"Brother bought you some sweet-scented osmanthus cake. Take it and eat it with Sister Xiaohua."

When the woman saw Niuqiu taking out a whole bag of osmanthus cake, she quickly said, "That thing is so expensive, just give Xiaobao one piece, and save the rest for Xiaobao to eat slowly."

Niu Qiu took out a silver ingot from his arms, which was the small silver ingot that Zhao Shiqing had given him before. He also took out a dozen copper coins from his body, which were the change from the osmanthus cake he bought with the broken silver.

He put all these in front of the woman and said, "Auntie, I am going out with my boss. Please help me take care of Xiaobao for a few more days. This money is for you. Don't think it's too little, and don't save it. Use it to buy rice."

The woman was stunned and quickly declined: "Xiaobao can't eat much, and he won't need so much. You have to go out, and you can't be without money. Take this."

Loach smiled and said, "Aunt, I am going out this time to make money. The host provides food and accommodation, so I don't need to bring money myself. Besides, I still have money."

As he said this, he looked at Xiaobao, who nodded vigorously: "My brother is rich!"

The woman had no choice but to accept the money.

Niu Qiu picked up Xiaobao and whispered a few words in his ear. Xiaobao turned his head to look at Zhao Shiqing. Only then did Zhao Shiqing see the child's appearance clearly. He was white, plump, and as delicate as a piece of jade.

This child doesn't look like he was raised in a poor family at all.

Not only the child's biological parents are good-looking, but also thanks to Loach. It can be seen that the child has never suffered following Loach.

After leaving the compound, Zhao Shiqing joked, "If you follow me and never come back, what will happen to the silver you hid?"

Loach: "My brother knows where the silver is hidden."

After saying that, he glared at Zhao Shiqing and said, "Boss, I only have a few dozen taels of silver in my family, you don't think highly of it."

Zhao Shiqing suppressed her laughter and nodded: "My maid is called Lingbo. She told me the other day that she had saved two hundred taels of silver. Your family background is so small that even my Lingbo would not be interested in you, let alone me."

Loach: It’s really frustrating to compare yourself with others. Is it too late for him to sell himself now?
Zhao Shiqing looked Niuqiu up and down. While eating wontons, Niuqiu had already taken off his long gown, revealing a pair of coarse cloth shorts that had been washed so much that they looked bleached.

Niu Qiu felt uncomfortable when Zhao Shiqing looked at him. Although this girl was his current employer, she was still a young girl after all. He felt embarrassed to be looked at like this by a young girl.

The loach lowered its head and rubbed the corner of its clothes with its two paws, looking shy.

Zhao Shiqing couldn't bear to watch it anymore.

"Put on that gown of yours."

Loach didn't understand what was going on, so he put on the long gown that was rolled up on his back again.

In fact, loaches are not ugly, they are just not tall.

Zhao Shiqing took him to an inn, let him stay there, gave him five taels of silver, and asked him to wait for news in the inn.

After settling Niuqiu, Zhao Shiqing went to the grocery store again. The owner already knew her. There were no other customers in the store. Zhao Shiqing got straight to the point: "I need something related to the Imperial College. Test papers or homework with professors' annotations will do. I'll go to Wanfu Temple to pick it up tomorrow."

After leaving the grocery store, Zhao Shiqing felt that it would be necessary to bring Ling Bo over next time and introduce him to the boss, so that he wouldn't have to come in person every time.

When Zhao Shiqing returned to Youxiyingmen, she saw everyone gathered in her and Li Mu's room.

There were nine people who came to the capital with her this time, and Li Mu was the leader of them.

Zhao Shiqing had not returned since he went out in the morning. Everyone gathered together and were discussing whether to go out and look for him.

Everyone breathed a sigh of relief when they saw Zhao Shiqing coming back.

Ling Bo hugged her arms: "Second Miss, you are finally back."

meow~
The little demon sat on the windowsill with disdain on her face. These fools were just making a fuss. Only she knew that the master would definitely come back.

Zhao Shiqing said to everyone: "Since everyone is here, let's have a meeting. I have a few things that I need you to do now."

Nothing happened all night.

The next day, Zhao Shiqing came to Wanfu Temple again and was led to the monastery by the monk Tongda. It was Dengxin who opened the door again.

Just like yesterday, Old Man Han was there too, but this time he was not giving Zhao Tinghan acupuncture. Instead, he was taking his pulse.

Zhao Shiqing waited for a while, and then Mr. Han put away the pulse pillow and turned to leave.

Seeing him leave, Zhao Shiqing asked Zhao Tinghan: "Don't you need acupuncture today?"

Zhao Tinghan smiled and said, "There should be a three-day interval between acupuncture treatments, otherwise my body won't be able to bear it."

He handed the things he brought out from the palace to Zhao Shiqing: "I don't know what you want to do with this, do you think these are okay?"

Zhao Tinghan had been studying at the Imperial College, but due to his poor health, he had to take sick leave several times every month. In the past six months, he simply dropped out of school.

What he brought to Zhao Shiqing was the examination paper from the Imperial College.

Although he was on leave from school, he still asked someone to go to the Imperial College to get the test papers so that he could do them at home.

For these princes and grandchildren who study in the Imperial Academy, if their grades are good, it is icing on the cake; if their grades are not good, it is not a big deal.

The Imperial College examinations were the same with or without them.

If you do well in the exam, you will be ranked together.

If you don't do well in the exam, just treat it as if you had no reference.

Zhao Tinghan brought two test papers, one was blank and the other had the seal of a professor from the Imperial College on it.

The professors of the Imperial Academy were of the ninth rank, and were traditionally descendants of Confucius, Mencius, Zengzi, and Yan.

The seal on this test paper is Professor Meng's.

There were ready-made pens and ink in the academy. Zhao Shiqing used the pen to dip in ink and smeared Zhao Tinghan's name on the test paper. Zhao Tinghan was puzzled and asked, "Little sister, why is this?"

Zhao Shiqing then told him about the chance encounter yesterday and his plans. Zhao Tinghan's usually indifferent eyes gradually brightened.

"Little sister, I never thought that the two books I sent back to Liangdi could be used in such a wonderful way."

Mr. Fang Ying and Mr. Fang Er had both taught Zhao Tinghan, but given their status, they only came to give one or two classes a month at most.

However, Zhao Tinghan left a good impression on them.

　This is a big chapter with two chapters combined into one. There is another chapter later.
　　(End of this chapter)