Chapter 279: Good and Not Good
As it neared dark, Li Xiaonan finally returned to the Li Residence in the city.
Li Wenliang was waiting in the doorman’s room. Hearing the commotion, he hurried out to meet her.
“Master Shi Gunshi Ye has been here three times,” Li Wenliang said first, mentioning the most important matter.
“His surname isn’t Shi,” Wan Jing quickly corrected.
“Then…”
Before Li Wenliang could finish his sentence, Shi Gun’s voice came from outside the main gate, “Is Miss Wan Jing here?”
“Yes! The young lady just returned, she just got out of the carriage. You’ve arrived at a very opportune moment!” Wan Jing hurried around the screen wall and welcomed Shi Gun in.
“How dare I presume to be opportune? I had people watching the city gate,” Shi Gun replied with a smile. He met Li Wenliang, who had come out to greet him, and quickly bowed deeply, “Elder Li.”
“Shi…” Li Wenliang’s voice caught after saying the first syllable of the surname.
Shi Gun’s surname wasn’t Shi, as Wan Jing had just pointed out. But if he called him Shi Gun, wouldn’t that be too presumptuous?
“Master Li can just call me Shi Gun,” Shi Gun quickly said, bowing slightly. He then looked at Wan Jing and said with a wry smile, “Miss Wan Jing, please explain to Master Li for me.”
“You can just call him Shi Gun; we all call him by his given name,” Wan Jing quickly added.
“Shi…” Li Wenliang cupped his hands, but the rest of the name, Gun, still stuck in his throat.
Li Xiaonan asked with a smile, “Is there something urgent?”
This question resolved Li Wenliang’s predicament. He breathed a sigh of relief and wiped his forehead.
Six months ago, he had bowed respectfully to the doorman at the Prince’s Estate Villa. Now, he was supposed to call Shi Gun, someone close to the Young Lord, by his given name. The logic was there, he understood it, but his heart was trembling, and he couldn’t bring himself to say it!
“It’s not exactly urgent. Regarding the invitation the young lady sent, the Master said it’s not worth the young lady’s trip. He asked me to tell the young lady that if Master Li and Master Hong are also invited, please have Master Li and Master Hong handle it.” Shi Gun quickly bowed and replied.
“I understand. Thank you for making several trips.” Li Xiaonan smiled and accepted.
“This is my duty. How can the young lady say such a thing? If the young lady has no other instructions, I will return to report to the Master,” Shi Gun said with a smile, hands at his sides.
“Wait a moment,” Wan Jing called out to Shi Gun. She took a small long box from the carriage and handed it to him, lowering her voice. “The young lady spent the whole day talking with Miss Shi. I was making incense with Yu Lan, and the scent is very good. Please take it for me to Xia Hua and the others.”
“How should I divide it?” Shi Gun asked.
“Just give it to Xia Hua. No need to divide it; they live in the same room. Tell Xia Hua: Yu Lan said their young lady always burns a stick of this incense before sleeping.”
“Don’t worry!” Shi Gun pocketed the box, bowed to Li Xiaonan and Li Wenliang, and quickly left.
…
Linhai Town.
Night had fallen deeply.
Huang Xianzhou, following the shadows of the alley, arrived opposite the back corner gate of Gang Leader Wu’s residence in the Cheng Zi Gang. He stood there for a moment, then took two steps to the corner gate across the alley. Just as he was about to knock, the small corner gate was pulled open from the inside. Wu Miaozhen pushed the door open and bowed, gesturing for Huang Xianzhou to enter.
Huang Xianzhou entered and closed the corner gate, looking around.
“It’s very quiet here, Master Huang, please rest assured,” Wu Miaozhen said respectfully in both demeanor and tone.
“That’s good, that’s good.” Huang Xianzhou walked about ten steps forward and stopped, looking at Wu Miaozhen, who was two or three steps behind him. “You, a woman…”
Wu Miaozhen looked up sharply at Huang Xianzhou. Startled by the sharp glint in her eyes, Huang Xianzhou then gave a wry smile. “I didn’t mean it like that. You… you are no ordinary person. I didn’t mean anything else.”
Wu Miaozhen said nothing, lowered her eyelids, and slightly curtsied.
“Logically, I shouldn’t be here.” Huang Xianzhou wiped his face. “But I saw that battle of yours. Afterwards, the dead, the wounded… Little Tiger was only thirteen, a mere boy, but he stepped in for his father at the wharf. A mere boy…”
Huang Xianzhou’s throat choked up.
Wu Miaozhen looked up at Huang Xianzhou, her gaze indifferent.
Poor families only have labor, not children.
“I was thinking,” Huang Xianzhou wiped his face again, “Alas, do you want to be the Foreman of the Linhai Wharf?”
Huang Xianzhou looked at Wu Miaozhen. She met his gaze, saying nothing.
“This Linhai Wharf cannot tolerate a monopoly. Not even two tigers on one mountain. It’s best to have three to five equally matched families,” Huang Xianzhou said with a wry smile. “Do you understand?”
Wu Miaozhen nodded.
“That’s good. I’m leaving.” Huang Xianzhou turned to leave.
“Master Huang,” Wu Miaozhen called out to him. “Did you come just to tell me this?”
“Yes,” Huang Xianzhou nodded.
“Are you only visiting me, Master Huang, or will you visit all the families at the wharf?”
Huang Xianzhou paused, looked at Wu Miaozhen, and after a moment of silence, said, “Just yours.”
“Why? Is there any connection between the Cheng Zi Gang and Master Huang?” Wu Miaozhen looked at Huang Xianzhou.
Huang Xianzhou looked at Wu Miaozhen, and after a moment of silence, said, “Miss Li asked me to look after you.”
Wu Miaozhen was stunned. “Miss Li… I understand. Thank you, Master Huang. Master Huang, please rest assured.” Wu Miaozhen bowed solemnly.
…
Zhao Simin, the President of the Pingjiang Guild Hall, saw off Li Wenliang and Hong Shi’an, then left through the back door to go to Mr. Dongxi’s residence.
Mr. Dongxi naturally would not see Zhao Simin. His disciple, Wu Jie, came out to receive Zhao Simin.
After seeing Zhao Simin off, Wu Jie hurried into the back hall.
“How was it?” Mr. Dongxi asked, meeting Wu Jie.
“Miss Li didn’t go. Zhao Simin said Li Wenliang and Hong Shi’an were very polite and courteous,” Wu Jie replied.
“Two insignificant people. Whether they are polite or not is useless!” Mr. Dongxi snorted coldly.
Wu Jie frowned and hummed in agreement.
“Look at this. It just arrived,” Mr. Dongxi handed a letter to Wu Jie.
Wu Jie took it, read it carefully, and looked at Mr. Dongxi with a frown.
“Ni Rush actually refused to join my sect. I didn’t expect that,” Mr. Dongxi said in a gentle voice. However, Wu Jie could hear the suppressed anger in his gentleness.
“Ni Rush is determined to make a name for himself. Logically, he shouldn’t refuse. Doesn’t he know about you, Teacher?” Wu Jie frowned tightly.
“Ni Rush naturally doesn’t know, but the Mr. Shao by his side and I met once. Back then, Shao begged to join my sect,” Mr. Dongxi snorted coldly. “Shao’s talent was far from enough to enter my doors, so I didn’t agree.”
“Could Mr. Shao be causing trouble?” Wu Jie asked, looking at Mr. Dongxi.
“I had people find Shao first and offered him the status of a Recommended Scholar, or a county magistrate in Jiangnan,” Mr. Dongxi’s face was grim.
Wu Jie fell silent.
If that was the case, then Ni Rush’s refusal was not just his own refusal, but a refusal from both him and Mr. Shao. This was indeed not good news.
“What do we do now?” Wu Jie asked, looking at Mr. Dongxi.
“I must go and see that Miss Li. I also need to let that Young Lord know that we in Jiangnan will not be bullied. You arrange for Miss Li’s matter; I will personally handle things in Jiangnan,” Mr. Dongxi said with a stern expression.
“Yes,” Wu Jie bowed in agreement.
