CHAPTER 121: CHAPTER 119: TROUBLEMAKING

Xie Liangchen returned to Chen Family Village and went to the Familiar Medicine Institute to find Mr. Xu.

Hei Dan and a few others put down their bamboo baskets and went to the village entrance to find Chen Yongsheng.

Since the incident where Song Min framed Chen Family Village, Chen Yongsheng and Chen Yongyi have been training the young men in the village in martial arts, fearing that such a thing might happen again. This time they received help from Mr. Li, but what if next time there’s no one to help? They need to be able to protect themselves even if they don’t intend to harm others.

The children, including Hei Dan, although young, also joined in the training when they had time. Only with good training could they protect the villagers, their parents, elders, and Sister Chen.

When someone from the Su Family arrived, Old Mrs. Chen was in the courtyard airing out wool.

The servant accompanying Su Huaiqing handed the visiting card to Old Mrs. Chen: "Our master will come tomorrow to pay respects to Old Mrs. Chen."

Old Mrs. Chen nodded: "I understand. I will wait for Mr. Su at the village tomorrow." Miss Chen had already informed her of Su Huaiqing’s intended visit to the village upon her return.

The servant bowed and left.

Old Mrs. Chen casually placed the visiting card on the stone table in the courtyard and continued with her task of airing the wool.

Mrs. Gao looked at Old Mrs. Chen: "Is that the Mr. Su?"

Old Mrs. Chen naturally understood Mrs. Gao’s implication but was reluctant to say much: "Which one?"

Mrs. Gao brushed the wool stuck to her face: "The Mr. Su who broke off the engagement with Liangchen?"

Old Mrs. Chen remained silent. Although it was Miss Chen who didn’t want the engagement, the Su Family was of the same mind. It was fortunate that Miss Chen had her own ideas; otherwise, she would have been bullied by the Su Family and Xie Er.

Mrs. Gao noticed Old Mrs. Chen’s displeasure and quickly stepped forward: "Madam, I don’t mean anything by it. I just mean that not marrying Liangchen is their loss. If they come to the village to cause trouble tomorrow, I won’t let them off easily. Before, when Liangchen was with the Xie Family, we couldn’t help much.

Now it’s different. With so many people in Chen Family Village, no one should think of letting Liangchen suffer anymore. Tomorrow, I’ll wait outside the courtyard with people. If there’s any commotion inside, I’ll lead people in and make sure the Su Family doesn’t get any advantage."

Old Mrs. Chen couldn’t help but laugh: "Alright, alright. They have titles and names; do you really dare to act?"

Mrs. Gao didn’t back down at these words. She put her hands on her hips: "Why wouldn’t I dare? He’s coming to Chen Family Village, not the other way around. If he doesn’t care for his reputation, why should I, a village woman, care?

Moreover, although the Su Family has a few medicine shops, the Official Medicine Bureau purchases from Chen Family Village. Our village is better than the Su Family; how could our Liangchen marry into the Su Family? It wouldn’t work, not compatible."

With Mrs. Gao’s words, Old Mrs. Chen was thoroughly amused.

Chang Yue, who was behind the house, overheard this and wondered whether to report to the master. Having been with Miss Xie for so long, although not as clever as Chang An, Chang Yue had understood the situation. The master claimed to keep an eye on Miss Xie but was actually protecting her secretly, which Chang Yue had observed whenever the master visited Miss Xie.

Last time, the master accidentally dropped Miss Xie into a pile of herbs one night in Chen Family Village, and he seemed genuinely apologetic standing beside her.

"I didn’t do it on purpose."

He said it so... softly, full of regret.

Chang Yue, who had never heard the master speak like this before, felt as if he had ruined his own ears.

Now that Mr. Su is coming to Chen Family Village, they must inform the master to avoid any errors. He cannot bear such responsibility.

Chang Yue sent someone back to report while he continued to protect Chen Family Village in secret.

At the Familiar Medicine Institute, Xie Liangchen was naturally unaware, as she was discussing the detailed formulation of finished medicine with Xu Tingzhen. The previous dynasty already had pills, powders, tinctures, and washes...

But the pills were difficult to make, requiring precise amounts of medicinal ingredients. Moreover, the tools at the Familiar Medicine Institute were too rudimentary, and the grinding of medicinal ingredients was not fine enough.

To do this well, they would need to go to the blacksmith’s shop to forge new tools.

Xu Tingzhen looked at Xie Liangchen: "We’ve just made the familiar medicine, why so eager to try making pills? You can take your time."

Though the current situation seemed not to require urgency, Xie Liangchen feared the plague might arrive as it did in her past life.

...

Song Xian and Li You together interrogated the prisoners. Wang Jian continued to plead his innocence, refusing to confess even with the wooden teeth as evidence.

The people from the Wang Family were the same, not revealing a word despite harsh interrogations.

"Xiao Xingzong is in the new city," Song Xian said.

Li You frowned, knowing most of the Daqi’s captured Liao spies and traitors were connected to Xiao Xingzong.

"Looking back, I should have killed him back then," Li You said. "Zhao Xingzong’s father was also a capable general under the Emperor, but who would have thought his son would turn out like this? When Zhao Xingzong was kidnapped by the Liao, I had a chance to shoot him but hesitated, thinking he could be returned through negotiations, but he betrayed Daqi."

Thinking of General Zhao, Li You couldn’t help feeling uneasy. When General Zhao was alive, they believed Zhao Xingzong, being well-rounded in both culture and martial arts, could become a pillar of the state.

When General Zhao died on the battlefield, the Emperor, to comfort Zhao Xingzong, bestowed upon him the title of Guide Langjiang along with rewards, a horse, armor, and a sword, making him celebrated for a time.

After Zhao Xingzong went north, he won several battles, and his rank was promoted to General Ningyuan, gaining some reputation in the military despite not matching Song Qizheng.

Nine years ago, when the Emperor personally led a campaign, they forced the Liao to retreat step by step and were poised to drive them out of the Juma River, only to discover it was a Liao trap.

Li You and Song Qizheng fought desperately to protect the imperial carriage and break out of the encirclement, but Zhao Xingzong and Song Qizheng’s two children were captured by the Liao.

Afterward, the people sent by Song Yu and Song Min managed to rescue them, while Xiao Xingzong defected to the Liao, contributing to the chaos in the Northern Border for nine years.

Li You looked at Song Xian: "You were young then, right? Where were you?"

Song Xian replied: "In the military, but I didn’t follow the imperial carriage to the Juma River. I stayed in Dingzhou to help the household general prepare for military supplies."

Li You nodded: "This matter will rely on you in the future."

Song Xian acknowledged.

By the time they left the government office, darkness had fallen.

Chang An stepped forward and said: "There’s a message from Chang Yue."

Song Xian nodded but did not let Chang An continue immediately. Instead, he led the people away from the government office entrance, then signaled Chang An to continue.

Chang An said: "Mr. Su has come to Zhenzhou and delivered a visiting card to Chen Family Village. He is going to visit Old Mrs. Chen tomorrow."

While saying this, Chang An felt as if he was sitting on firearms, ready to explode at any moment.

Song Xian urged the horse forward, his demeanor calm and indistinguishable whether pleased or angry. After a while, he asked: "Finished talking?"

Chang An replied: "If you don’t want Mr. Su to meet Miss Xie, we can prevent it. I’ve thought about it and we could find a reason to summon Miss Xie away.

Just say you... aren’t feeling well, master?"

As soon as Chang An finished speaking, Song Xian snorted coldly: "You’ve got many ideas."

Chang An didn’t understand the master’s intent: "So, should I do that?"

Song Xian coldly replied: "You can stay in Chen Family Village and not come back."

Chang An stiffened completely.

Song Xian continued: "I had Chang Yue stand guard because there are important matters to report. What do the Su Family’s visits to Chen Family Village have to do with me? Whether Old Mrs. Chen and Xie Liangchen decide to see them is their affair. Do you need to offer your advice?

Meddlesome."