Chapter 208: Lancang Association
Dan Dajun: “……”
If he hadn’t seen Shang Wan beat people with his own eyes, he would have believed it.
Dan Dajun strongly suppressed the urge to say something and waved at his subordinates, “Take them away.”
Constables stepped forward and dragged the trio out of the cage, locking shackles on them.
They had gotten up early with morning grumpiness and had to come out to arrest people; the constables vented all their resentment on the trio.
The trio had been beaten up by Shang Wan; although no injuries were visible on their faces, their bodies were covered in bruises, truly hurting wherever they were touched.
The trio grimaced in pain, dying to curse out all the constables.
“Hold on!” People from the gambling house received the news and rushed over to stop them.
The black-clothed trio immediately felt hope and all turned to the steward for help.
The steward glared fiercely at the trio, then turned to Dan Dajun, nodding and bowing, asking him to step aside to talk.
Dan Dajun lifted his eyelids to look at him, showing no trace of his usual accommodating attitude, and refused to budge an inch.
“Say what you have to say right here, hurry up, don’t hinder me from taking people.”
The steward froze awkwardly in place; he had often sent bribes to this man, so why wouldn’t he even give him this bit of face?
He glanced at the pretty woman standing nearby; could it be because of her?
The steward’s mind raced as he pondered countermeasures, just about to speak when he saw a young servant come running.
“Steward Zhou, the owner orders you to return immediately.”
Steward Zhou was stunned, not daring to delay; he hiked up his robe and ran off at a speed as if chased by a dog.
The abandoned black-clothed trio: “???”
Shang Wan: “……”
And it was over just like that? What exactly had this Steward Zhou come for?
She turned to Dan Dajun and asked softly, “Who is the owner of Linglong Gambling House?”
Dan Dajun’s tone was surprised, “You don’t know?”
Shang Wan: “???”
Was she supposed to know?
Seeing that Shang Wan really didn’t know, Dan Dajun pointed at the shop, “Whose shop is this? The owner of Linglong Gambling House is the same.”
Shang Wan: “……”
Boss Zhong’s business was quite extensive.
“I thought you knew.” Dan Dajun looked at Shang Wan, “You’re opposing the gambling house people and publicly slapping Boss Zhong in the face; I thought you wanted to change shops.”
Shang Wan’s lip twitched, “I really don’t have that intention.”
If she had known earlier that the owner of Linglong Gambling House was Zhong Li, she would have… well, she definitely would have beaten them anyway.
No matter who you are, you can’t lose a fight.
The officials escorted the unlucky trio away, and the onlookers gradually dispersed.
Shang Wan raised her hand and stretched, then took the two children next door for breakfast.
The boss lady had already prepared the food, and the portions looked larger than those on other guests’ tables.
The boss lady sat smiling across from Shang Wan, “Younger sister, let me tell you some good news.”
Shang Wan nodded, drinking porridge while listening to her.
“Let me boldly ask: you’re raising two children on your own; is your man gone?”
“Pfft—” Shang Wan spat out a mouthful of porridge and coughed hard.
The boss lady called a shop assistant to clean up, then pushed the soy milk to Shang Wan’s hand, “Look at you, how did you choke? Quick, drink some soy milk to settle it.”
Shang Wan patted her chest and looked at her; don’t you know the reason?
“My husband is still alive.”
The boss lady eyed her, “Younger sister, don’t lie to me; I’m a widow too, I don’t discriminate.”
Shang Wan: “……”
The boss lady grasped Shang Wan’s hand, “Younger sister, tell me the truth.”
“My husband is perfectly fine.” Shang Wan pulled her hand back, “Tomorrow I’ll introduce him to you.”
The boss lady stared intently at Shang Wan’s face, unrelenting, “He’s really not dead?”
Shang Wan: “……”
No, how badly do you want me to be a widow?
Can’t you wish me some good?
“He’s really alive; perhaps you’ll see him today.”
Last night she and the two children hadn’t gone back, and since it was late, no one was sent home with a message; her family was probably worried and would likely enter the city to find her soon.
Hearing Shang Wan’s words, the boss lady’s expression was awkward, tinged with a bit of regret.
Shang Wan asked curiously, “What was the good news you mentioned earlier?”
“It’s not easy for women to do business outside. Niangzi Shu from the cloth shop took the lead to establish Lancang Association; it only accepts women members. Sisters in the association help each other; whoever runs into trouble just needs to say the word, and the sisters will rush over to help.”
The boss lady was thinking of Shang Wan, “Your shop provoked Linglong Gambling House people before even opening; there will be no end of trouble later. I was thinking of inviting you to join; with sisters to support, the Linglong Gambling House people would dread it a bit.”
“However, there’s a condition for joining: no husband, or husband dead, divorce is fine too.”
Shang Wan was puzzled, “Why?”
Did one have to sacrifice a husband first to do business?
“It wasn’t until the association was just established that some troublesome matters happened because of men, so they added this rule.” The boss lady seemed to think of something, a bit of gloom appearing between her brows.
She sighed, “Since your husband is fine, you don’t meet the association’s recruitment requirements; just pretend I never said anything.”
Shang Wan: “……”
She hated it most when people only said half of what they meant!
The boss lady didn’t want to reveal too much to people outside the association, so Shang Wan could only drop it; after the two children finished eating, she took her leave.
As Shang Wan expected, someone from home had indeed come into the city to look for her.
“Sister, as long as you’re fine.” Xiao Huan saw her and her worried heart settled.
Last night the one adult and two children hadn’t returned; the three of them at home had waited with necks stretched long.
Knowing that with Shang Wan’s skills nothing would happen was one thing; worrying was another.
Xiao Huan specially explained for Lu Chengjing, “Brother-in-law was going to come too, but this morning Uncle Wu and Brother Yuan came to find him to discuss processing herbs; he couldn’t get away.”
Shang Wan nodded, pulled Xiao Huan to sit, and poured her a tea cup.
“How did you get here?”
Xiao Huan said, “Zhang Er came into the city to sell vegetables; I hitched a ride on his cart.”
Shang Wan said, “You stay in the city today; we’ll go back together tonight.”
“Okay.” Xiao Huan held the tea cup, a bit curious, “Sister, what happened to you yesterday?”
Before Shang Wan could speak, Chu Xu beside them chattered on, recounting the whole story, emphasizing last night’s excitement and Shang Wan’s heroic figure.
Xiao Huan listened with wide eyes; she glanced at the fat, strong black dog and said to Shang Wan, “Gambling houses have all sorts of people; what if they pull dirty tricks again?”
No sooner had she spoken than the closed door was knocked on.
Wu Kai had brought his two nephews to start work.
Shang Wan stood up to introduce them to each other for simple acquaintance.
Xiao Huan took a few extra looks at the long scar on Wu Kai’s face.
The scar ran horizontally from the corner of his left eye to the right cheek, bulging ferociously like a writhing centipede, looking quite creepy.
Wu Kai was long accustomed to the shocked gazes others gave his scar; because of it, he was thirty-two and still unmarried.
Matchmakers had been hired countless times; his conditions weren’t bad, and plenty of young ladies were willing to marry him just hearing the terms.
Things would go well at first, but as soon as the young ladies saw the scar on his face, they either ran off scared or cried in fright; none succeeded. Gradually, Wu Kai gave up on the idea of marrying.
