Chapter 91 — Piercing Through (Pink Vote 750 Bonus Update)
Purple Streets of Chang'an · Page 2 of 4
"What could happen to them?" Before Dou Yan could answer, Suxin was already smiling. "Brother Chen and the others went to Tan Family Village in Lingshou County to offer birthday congratulations to the father of the Tan juren. It grew late, so they took a shortcut, and happened to see someone being robbed, and lent a hand. Is drawing a sword to help a stranger a crime now?"
"It's my fault," Sujuan murmured, looking ashamed.
"What fault is there to speak of?" Suxin smiled and took Sujuan's arm. "That was for the benefit of outsiders. At home, we sisters can say whatever we please."
Sujuan lowered her head in embarrassment and drew closer to Suxin.
In her past life, Sujuan had been just as honest, which was why Dou Yan had put her in charge of the clothes, jewelry, trunks, and storerooms in her own rooms.
In this life there was Suxin. It seemed she had gained someone capable of managing the inner household.
In the future she would have fewer worries.
Dou Yan smiled in satisfaction and asked Suxin in a low voice just who Uncle Duan was.
Suxin smiled and said, "Uncle Duan, whose given name is Gongyi, serves as a guard at the Lang residence together with Brother Chen. But Brother Chen is an ordinary guard, while Uncle Duan is the leader of them, and his skills are formidable."
"And what about that Tan juren?"
The excuse of offering birthday congratulations to the Tan juren's father had come from Duan Bing.
"The Tan juren of Tan Family Village in Lingshou County is named Qilin, styled Yunshen. Because his name sounds like 'qilin,' the mythical beast, and because he is powerfully built and openhearted in temper, people have given him the nickname 'Sitting Dragon,'" Suxin said. "The Tan family has lived in Lingshou for generations, and it is said that every son of the house is skilled in martial arts. In the last years of the previous dynasty, banditry ran rampant in Zhending, yet those who dared to rob the Tan family never came back. Tan Family Village was famous then, and men of the jianghu passing through Zhending all had to present their calling cards there. Later, when the realm was at peace, the village's name gradually faded, and only some of the old-school boxers of Zhending Prefecture still know of it. Uncle Duan's ancestors are said to have come from Tan Family Village, and every New Year's Day he goes there to pay his respects. This time, when the old master of the Tan family celebrated his birthday, he too received an invitation."
Dou Yan listened, dazed.
Tan Family Village was plainly a great clan a hundred years old, passing down its martial arts from generation to generation.
She was a native of Zhending, yet she had never heard of it.
It was clear that there was much a reborn person might not know.
Dou Yan thought of Ji Yong.
Just what would he encounter in the days to come?
A clamor rose outside the carriage.
Suxin lifted the curtain a crack.
"Miss," she said, her expression strange, "Uncle Chen has come over with the Dou Juan guards, escorting the Third Master and the Third Young Master..."
Dou Yan smiled faintly.
She might be wealthy, but her yearly allowance was only a thousand taels of silver. Never mind ten thousand taels in cash—she did not even have ten thousand taels in silver drafts, much less could Chen Yanzhou, that sham accountant, produce such a sum.
She did not trust the Dou Juan men, so she had sent Sulang and others to demand the ten-thousand-tael reward from Chen Yanzhou.
It was both a warning to Chen Yanzhou and a test of his resourcefulness and ability to get things done.
Now her third uncle and third cousin had appeared here, which at least confirmed one thing: the ten-thousand-tael reward was settled.
"Where is Fourth Sister? Where is Fourth Sister?"
Amid the clamor and din, her third cousin's voice rang out with particular shrillness.
Suxin drew back the carriage curtain: "Third Young Master Xiu, our miss is here!"