CHAPTER 224: CHAPTER 224 YINGXIAN SQUARE

Li Erxi eyed Gu Jinli’s smiling face, always feeling that this country girl was up to no good: "Aren’t you trying to lure me there to knock me out too?"

Oh, quite smart, eh?

"Your Elder Li Si is right here, either drag him away or don’t," Gu Jinli said, stepping on Elder Li Si’s stomach, tilting her chin up and looking at Li Erxi.

Li Erxi had never seen such a cunning and fierce girl. Scared that she would hit him over the head, yet he couldn’t just leave Elder Li Si, he had no choice but to run over, grabbing Elder Li Si’s foot, dragging him back while saying, "Take your foot off him."

Bang! Gu Jinli knocked Li Erxi out cold with one blow.

Linyang Street was filled with homes of official families; unless they had a distinguished guest, each household’s main doors were typically shut tight. Servants making purchases would use the small alleys and corner gates, so very few people would pass by the main doors. Having knocked out two people, she wasn’t seen by anyone.

Li Anzi trembled as he saw Elder Li Si and Li Erxi knocked out, looking at Gu Jinli and saying, "Co-cousin, that is Elder Li Si, the Li Family People’s legitimate young master. Knocking him out, you’re going to suffer badly."

Gu Jinli rolled her eyes at him and said, "Get down here, what are you hiding in the carriage for? You’re no longer a servant of the Li Family, what do you have to fear from the Li Family People now?"

"Oh, oh," Li Anzi replied, shivering as he climbed down from the horse carriage.

Creak! The main gate of the Qi Mansion opened once again; the previous servant and a man who seemed to be a housekeeper appeared at the gate, asking, "Who is Second Master Jiang?"

Jiang Jiao replied, "I am the second son of Tianfu County Captain Jiang, Jiang Jiao."

The man chuckled, "I am an outside housekeeper of the Qi Mansion, surnamed Lin. Our Second Young Master is very pleased to hear that you have come in person and asked me to invite you in."

A few days ago, after the Second Young Master returned from Tianfu County, he threw a major tantrum. Lately, just hearing the words ’Tianfu County’ would set him off. What, then, could he be plotting today to meet the County Captain of Tianfu County’s second son?

"Thank you, Housekeeper Lin," said Jiang Jiao, taking out a pouch and slipping it into Housekeeper Lin’s sleeve, then pointing at Gu Dashan and the others behind him and saying, "These are my friends. The matters we’ve come to discuss are related to them, please allow them in as well."

Housekeeper Lin felt his sleeve, guessing that the pouch contained at least ten taels of Silver, his smile much warmer than before: "You are too kind, Second Master Jiang. Please come in."

Jiang Jiao led Gu Dashan and the others following Housekeeper Lin into the Qi Mansion.

As for Elder Li Si and his servant, the two were hidden behind the horse carriage — Housekeeper Lin did not see them, and with the Jiang Family’s four Protectors outside watching, no trouble would arise.

The Qi Mansion was sizable, a residence with five courtyards, and possessing such a large estate on Linyang Street in the Prefecture really was a sign of a noble family; mere wealth would not suffice to acquire a residence on Linyang Street.

It took Jiang Jiao and his party about fifteen minutes to walk through the Qi Mansion. After circling around a lotus pond, they arrived at a courtyard.

"This is the Second Young Master’s study; he is inside waiting for Second Master Jiang," Housekeeper Lin led them into the courtyard, across a path paved with bluestone slabs and stopped in front of a room, calling out, "Second Young Master, Second Master Jiang has arrived."

The person inside immediately came out with a laugh, "Brother Jiang, nice to meet you for the first time, I apologize for not being able to greet you from..."

He was about to say the next word when it got stuck in his throat.

Gu Jinli looked at Master Qi with a sweet smile, "Hello, Master Qi."

So this Qi Family really was Master Qi’s native home, and Elder Qi Er was the same Master Qi who had come with the Zou Yuzhen siblings to their workshop, wanting to buy their fragrance recipe.

The expression on Master Qi’s face was priceless — not sure whether to smile or to be afraid.

"Turns out it’s the young master from Gu’s Workshop, what a coincidence, please come in." Master Qi quickly recovered and welcomed Gu Jinli and his group into the study.

Master Qi met with Jiang Jiao, well aware of the relationship between Elder Lei Wu and County Captain Jiang, hoping to befriend Jiang Jiao first, and through him, get an introduction to join the Lei Family’s Trading Team.

Unexpectedly, people from Gu’s Workshop came along with Jiang Jiao, which disrupted his plans.

Jiang Jiao knew that the matter of finding someone couldn’t wait. Without even sitting down, he said to Master Qi, "Elder Qi Er, to be frank, we are here to find the Li Family, your distant relatives. Can you summon Old Master Li? We have urgent business with him."

Master Qi was taken aback and asked, "Brother Jiang, may I know what business you have with Old Master Li?"

He glanced at Gu Jinli, then at Qin San Lang by her side, and asked with some concern, "Has the Li Family done something undesirable?"

Jiang Jiao told him the truth: "Among the Li Family’s servants, there’s one named Li Guiyun, who is Brother Gu’s younger sister. We are here to find Li Guiyun and her family today."

Jiang Jiao pointed at Gu Dashan and said, "Brother Gu has been separated from his sister for over twenty years, and now that we finally have news, we have the opportunity for reunion. We hope Elder Qi Er can do a good deed and help Brother Gu."

Gu Dashan bowed to Master Qi and said, "Master Qi, please do us a favor and help us."

Master Qi, having lost face and been disadvantaged at Gu’s Workshop, was not fond of the Gu Family. But fearing the Lei Family’s Trading Team, when he suddenly saw the small copper plate from the Lei Family in Qin San Lang’s hand, he immediately became cautious. Although he originally wanted to make things difficult for Gu Dashan, he quickly said, "Such a coincidence indeed, naturally, I am obliged to help."

"Housekeeper Lin, go to the guesthouse and call for Cousin Li from the Li Family."

"Yes, I will go immediately." Housekeeper Lin hurried off to the guesthouse to find Old Master Li, and after a short while, he returned with Old Master Li.

"Cousin, you’re quite the busy man. It’s rare for you to summon me today. How about we have a couple of drinks?" Old Master Li shouted from outside the study door.

Master Qi frowned, feeling a strong displeasure towards Old Master Li.

The Li Family was his mother’s cousin’s husband’s family. When his maternal aunt married into the Li Family of Daliang Prefecture, the Li Family was at the height of its prosperity, with Old Master Li holding an official position. But by the generation of Old Master Li, not even a Scholar had been produced, and they had become merchants.

Moreover, Old Master Li was unambitious; not only was his learning inadequate, his business acumen was lacking, and his character was questionable. Master Qi saw himself as a scholar of refined taste, and not cut from the same cloth as Old Master Li.

Had it not been for his mother’s command, he would never have allowed Old Master Li to stay in their home.

"Cousin, this is the Second Master from the County Captain Jiang’s Family of Tianfu County. They have pressing matters to discuss with you. Let’s settle the issues first before talking about drinks," Master Qi told Old Master Li.

Old Master Li entered the study room and noticed there was a crowd inside. Among the crowd, there was a familiar face, "Li Anzi, what are you doing here?!"

"Old, Old Master," Li Anzi cowered and called out to Old Master Li.

Gu Dashan couldn’t wait any longer and asked Old Master Li, "Old Master Li, I am Li Guiyun’s elder brother, and I’ve come to find her and her family. I heard your family has sold them, where did you sell them to? Please tell us."

Hearing this, Old Master Li’s heart skipped a beat. Li Guiyun has an elder brother?

What should be done now?

Si’er had said that they had already sold Li Guiyun and her daughter to Yingxian Square.