Chapter 222 Barriers of brother-sister love
“Oh?” He Danggui pretended to show a strong interest and said, “How much property does He Fu have? Childe Feng, how can you give it to me?”
Chang Nuo smiled and said, “My courtesy name is Zhoushi. You can call me Zhoushi later. I hope you will keep this secret and don’t mention to anyone that I’m not Feng Yang.”
“Zhoushi is a good name–disappearing by driving a ship and spending the rest of life on the nature.” He Danggui chuckled and said, “But it’s a pity that it doesn’t correspond with you. The name ‘Jianghai’ is suitable for you who is a competent man. You do not have to worry that I will leak the secret. On the one hand, you are more powerful than me in every aspect. You have known more secrets about me and arranged spies to keep a watch on me. How dare I expose you who have the tough material arts? On the other hand, no one is doubtful since you have become Feng Yang for many years by disguise skill. As an unfamiliar person, how can I question you? Who will believe? Who dares to believe? Vivid disguise skill is like a fairy tale in ordinary people’s minds.”
Chang Nuo nodded and said, “Your analysis is so reasonable and thorough. However, Sister He, it is harsh that you called my bodyguards as ‘spies’. I indeed arranged 4 people around you. But the major job of them is not to inform secretly on you. Instead, it is to protect you. You were always kind to help others, but left evidence to Sun Meiniang, your Second Aunt, because you often slipped out of Luo’s Mansion. Didn’t you feel that someone was helping you secretly? Girl, your friend is not only Pan Jingyang, but also me.”
His real soul seemed to be revealed since his mask was broken. Different from the shrewd Feng Yang, the actual Chang Nuo was calm and introverted. He was spirited and interested in being Feng Yang two years ago. But now, Chang Nuo felt tired and agonized when he became the man who he really was. In those years, he promised to help the true Feng Yang to revenge, killing his legitimate mother, Madam Feng. According to the words that the true Feng Yang said before he died, he had found out that the person who had killed his mother and arranged people to assassinate him was Madam Feng, who was unkind and grim.
However, since Chang Nuo had lived in the Feng’s Family for several years, he fell in love with his nominal Eleventh Sister who was the daughter of Mrs. Kong. Now, he couldn’t kill Mrs. Kong or restore his identity to marry the Eleventh Sister, because now it was time for him and Lord Ning to make a profit of the deploy of Caobang Organization. How could he hinder Lord Ning? But some matchmakers produced engagements to the Eleventh Sister who was growing up day by day, which made him anxious and angry. While the Eleventh Sister regarded him as her brother. Although she also liked him, she didn’t dare to say it out and was often jealous of women around him. The relationship between them was stagnant.
Chang Nuo quarreled with the Eleventh Sister again before coming to see He Danggui tonight. Therefore, he gave his vent to He Danggui at the beginning when he came to Luo’s Family angrily. He didn’t expect that he transferred Zhenqi to He Danggui all night without venting his anger, and now he was exposed that he wasn’t the true Feng Yang. Fortunately, she didn’t see his real face. Otherwise, he had to kill this intelligent girl no matter how much Lord Ning liked, in order to make Chang’s Mansion keep away from fighting for the throne.
He Danggui smiled beautifully, as if she didn’t know that she was dying nearly. She was still holding the bottle of “Skin Mask Remover”, and said slowly, “So, I have to thank you for helping me secretly? Actually, it’s not pejorative that I call them ‘spies’, because their master is you instead of me. Now they help me because of our good relationship, or they will kill me if we are conflicting. You must know that no king can bear the potential of depriving his authority.” There were 4 people to monitor her unexpectedly. She could not remember some suspicious people after thinking for a while.
Chang Nuo used his energy to impact some acupoints on his legs which were sealed by He Danggui, and smoke was appeared around him. Chang Nuo replied after the smoke cleared, “I understand, but those men can’t withdraw temporarily. They will always be your bodyguards and the most loyal and fearless warriors, as long as you don’t fight with me.”
If only they kept harmony and she listened to him? He Danggui felt a little grouchy. Listening to his spry voice, she guessed that he had relieved the acupoints thoroughly and was no longer restrained by her. Sure enough, he stretched out and laid on the ground laxly. He looked at the dark sky above and said, “Your courtesy name is Qingyi. Since you call me Zhoushi, I’ll call you Qingyi as you do. My condition is the same as what I said when my acupoints were sealed. I will secretly transfer all the property of He Fu to you, as long as you can stay with Lord Ning for 10 days. Okay? You must want to take those properties back, because they were given He Fu by your mother.”
He Danggui turned the bottle and bowed her head to think. Suddenly, the cork fell, and Chang Nuo immediately found that the cork was not very tight as she said. Obviously, it was a kind of powdered medicine, instead of “Skin Mask Remover”.
Chang Nuo seized the bottle. After he smelled and tasted for a while, he returned it to He Danggui and asked, “What’s this sweet thing? You don’t have the Skin Mask Remover, right? You just scared me.”
He Danggui picked up the cork and corked. She said with a smile, “I have lots of Skin Mask Remover, but I don’t carry it at all times. I didn’t expect that you were so gullible, but it seemed that we didn’t sign any unequal contract when your acupoints were sealed.” She took the bottle back to her armhole. Then she looked at him happily and said, “The medicine you have taken is a kind of effectual afrodyn that I have invented recently. I’m worrying about how to find someone to test it. However, you have taken it for yourself. You can tell me how you feel a few days later.”
“Afrodyn?” Chang Nuo was angry and said, “Why do you carry it at all times as a girl? Why does it say that every drop is aromatic?” Although he knew that He Danggui opened a shop to sell afrodyn which was called Quan Ji Tang, who would associate this lovely girl with afrodyn? It was detestable that she didn’t stop him when he took it! Was she in revenge for those impolite words he just said?
He Danggui appreciated his look and couldn’t help laughing. She said, “The words on the bottle were written by Qing’er for fun. I am sorry that you eat it casually because of those words.” She took out the bottle again from her armhole and put it into his hand. She comforted, “This afrodyn can strengthen your body. It is not adverse philter. You don’t have to reject it so much that it won’t be effectual in a short time. Take it gradually and remember to record the effect for me, because it is my most favorite invention. Well, let’s come to the point that I promise you to accompany Lord Ning for 10 days, but you must be present in these 10 days and stay with me all the time.” The bottle had been replaced with another one after some actions in her sleeve, while Chang Nuo didn’t notice it.
Chang Nuo held the bottle and felt it was intractable. He could neither take it nor put it aside. It was the first time for him to receive the gift from a Miss. It was also the first time to receive afrodyn as a gift. However, he was so strong. Did he need to take afrodyn?
He hesitated for a moment, and then asked, “Why should I stay with you and Lord Ning? He won’t like it.”
“He and you share the same bad habit of sealing others’ acupoints and then scaring others in your own way. I am puzzled by it as a little girl, instead of a lion or tiger.” He Danggui shrugged and answered.
After thinking about it for a moment, Chang Nuo promised, “I will not seal your acupoint in the future. As for Lord Ning, I will persuade him when he arrives in Yangzhou City that he can’t do it again and should keep a distance from you, in order to live in harmony. Okay?”
He Danggui nodded with a smile and said, “You are so kind. It is a deal. Now, I am interested in the property of He Fu and his family. Can you tell me in more details? Did he have an ordinary crime which is hurting people under drunkenness? Shouldn’t he be sentenced to 1 year according to his official identity? How could he lose his job and property?”
Chang Nuo said continuously, “He Fu was drunk and hurt people in the downtown area. His unruly behavior was watched by 2 censors who wore casual dress to stroll, and then they felt so abhorrent that they reported He Fu to the Emperor. As you know, the Emperor hated greedy officials and bullies very much. He Fu’s position was not high, while he put on quite a show. He was unpopular earlier and several people also blamed him, so the Emperor gave him a much heavier punishment on the spot. The imprisonment had changed from 2 months to 1 year, and he had been removed from office instead of declining rank.”
“How about the property? Only greedy officials will be confiscated, however, He Fu worked at Yamen which was short of pickings. He didn’t have ways of corruption, right?” He Danggui asked.
Chang Nuo nodded and said, “No one could find his evidence of corruption at first. Although the Emperor wanted to punish officials as lawless as He Fu, he could not convict one casually. During the stalemate, Lu Jiangbei who was the imperial guard suddenly offered the evidence that basal officials were exploited by He Fu in the past. It gave the Emperor the chance to confiscate the property of He Fu and accomplish this matter naturally.”
“Master Lu?” When He Danggui heard this name, what she thought firstly was that Zhu Quan, passing by the name of Ning Yuan, impersonated Lu Jiangbei, instead of the true Lu Jiangbei. Although sometimes she could hear the name of Lu Jiangbei when asking Gao Jue for martial arts, her impression of Lu Jiangbei was blurry because they hadn’t seen and contacted each other for more than 3 years.
Chang Nuo also felt strange about this. He had a puzzled look and mumbled, “Lu Jiangbei is the person that the Emperor can confide in. His duty is supervising the officials whose positions are higher than Fourth-Grade. And there are many low-level officials in the capital which are the same as He Fu. However, it is inconceivable that Lu Jiangbei noticed He Fu 3 years ago and knew all of He Fu’s crimes. I guess Lu Jiangbei either is a fortuneteller who can predict the case of He Fu, or he had conflicts with He Fu in private. Then Lu Jiangbei had planned to expose He Fu, while 2 censors forestalled. And then Lu Jiangbei made use of the opportunity to offer the evidence.”
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