Zhao Douan sat casually on the steps, slicing a lon with a knife, and asked with a smile, "You seem to know a lot and have quite so courage. Did you study with your father? I heard from the old broker that your dad used to be an official? What kind of official? Doesn’t quite look like it."
Du Shishi was baffled by his simple and innocent attitude; she thought this tenant seed like a pampered young master who hadn’t traveled far.
Well, considering there were no handmaidens or guards around, he probably wasn’t from a wealthy family, maybe with so small fortune at ho, unaware of dangers.
He had no sense of caution towards danger, acting like a "silly sweet."
A sense of helplessness welled up inside her, and she said irritably, "What kind of official was he? Just a clerk in the governnt office, not even enough salary to rent a nice house in the city. These two courtyard rooms are my mother’s. When Yunfu’s soldiers ca, the office changed hands, and my dad had nothing to do, at least he wasn’t taken to the military camp."
Hmm... working at the governnt office? Zhao Douan felt a stir inside and thought it might be worthwhile talking to that Du Ruhui.
After speaking, Du Shishi realized she’d said too much and shut her mouth, ignoring him, looking into the distance with a slightly changed expression. She turned her head with a sympathetic look, "The people from the Red Snail Gang are here; they are probably coming for you. I’m giving you one last chance; if you can give five taels of silver, I might be able to get rid of them."
This girl actually had the idea of doing business... No wonder she was watching him... reminding several tis... Zhao Douan asked curiously with a smile, "You? What do you have that can convince a bunch of ruffians?"
Du Shishi raised her chin, looking down at the common folk with the deanor of a Cultivator, unwilling to explain, "You don’t need to ask. Anyway, I can resolve it. Once they break in and extort you, you’ll lose far more than just five taels of silver."
Zhao Douan smiled, picked up two slices of red waterlon, and climbed the ladder onto the bamboo-covered wall. Sitting on the wall under the girl’s suspicious gaze, he handed her a slice, "I’m not in the habit of hiding behind a woman."
Well... except Zhenbao... he silently added to himself.
Du Shishi instinctively took the waterlon, with even more pity in her eyes: Finished, this tenant is an idiot.
At this mont, under the blazing clouds in the sky, outside Red Mud Lane, a large group of about twenty people approached fiercely.
Each person carried a stick, with a Red Snail Gang emblem—a pouch embroidered with a conch shell—hanging from their waists.
This gang was a small offshoot of the Cao Gang, mainly earning through canal shipping.
However, after the Vassal King raised troops, the canals were taken over by the rebel army, causing the Red Snail Gang to lose their livelihood. Recently, they’ve started fighting other gangs in the city for territory and business.
They are unwilling to miss any opportunities for money.
At this mont, a leading mber of the Red Snail Gang stepped into Red Mud Lane, and from a distance, he saw the two sitting on the wall and was stunned.
A sidekick beside him said, "That’s the house. The man is an outsider, very rich, went to Yunshao Garden this afternoon! He must have plenty of silver!"
The leader’s gaze, however, fell on Du Shishi, eyes brightening, "That woman too?"
The sidekick reminded, "The woman is local, better not touch her."
’A rabbit doesn’t eat the grass by its own burrow,’ even gangs prefer not to trouble locals unless necessary, fearing complications; outsiders don’t have such considerations.
The leader looked a bit displeased, sneering as he drew a shiny dagger from his coat, "Then we’ll rob the man first, if he dares to resist, beat him to death; the governnt doesn’t care now, at worst, we’ll throw the body into Yongjia River."
From the wall, Du Shishi spoke coldly, "Last chance, ten taels of silver, I help you solve this, or I’m not caring anymore."
Zhao Douan looked at her in surprise; this girl even knows how to raise the price...
He smiled, shook his head, "I think I can save this money."
As soon as he finished speaking, another group suddenly surged at the other end of Red Mud Lane, about thirty people, all carrying sticks.
Leading them was surprisingly the leader of the Night Fragrance Sect!
At this mont, the two gangs, who had been recently fighting for turf, confronted each other in the narrow Red Mud Lane.
Both sides were briefly stunned.
Disguised among the Night Fragrance Sect’s team, Song Jinxi secretly whispered to the puppet leader, "What are you waiting for, shout!"
The leader suddenly ca to his senses, pretended to shout with vigor, hands on his hips, waving, "It’s Red Snail Gang’s scum, give them a good beating!"
The next mont, mbers of the Night Fragrance Sect charged fiercely toward the opposite side.
Red Snail Gang was shocked and reflexively resisted, though fewer in number, they fought harder and dared to kill, so they weren’t afraid.
But this ti, in the blink of an eye, Red Snail Gang was beaten into a rout, their cries filled the air, shocked and angry, unable to understand how a group of dung stirrers suddenly beca so strong, could they have hired "foreign aid"?
Unsurprisingly, Red Snail Gang began to flee, leaving behind their scattered weapons, while mbers of the Night Fragrance Sect were ecstatic, though unaware of where the leader found these skilled fighters, their pent-up frustration from days of bullying was bursting out, roaring with a strong sense of retribution.
In the blink of an eye, both groups chased and ran far off, vanishing from sight. Residents of the lane closed their doors, not daring to peek outside.
Du Shishi stood there, stunned at the scene, nearly dropping the waterlon.
She widened her eyes, thinking, is it really this coincidental?
The gang fight saved this guy?
Zhao Douan continued eating his waterlon with a smile, "Looks like my luck isn’t bad, saved ten taels of silver."
Du Shishi looked at him deeply, trying to find anything unusual about this tenant, but with her cultivation, how could she see through Zhao Douan’s disguise?
"Sister, mom’s calling you ho for dinner!"
Suddenly, from behind the fence gate connecting the two courtyards, Little Treasure shouted at the top of his voice.
Under the fiery clouds, cooking smoke curled upwards.
Du Shishi was about to get down when she rembered her mother’s instructions, and said to Zhao Douan, "My mom said if you think eating outside is expensive, you can have als at our place for five taels a month. Well, my mom is a great cook. Tonight, you can eat for free once, but if you want to eat again, you have to pay."
Truly an industrious landlord aunt... On the wall, Zhao Douan vaguely saw the tigress Mrs. Du pricking her ears in the next-door courtyard, while the governnt scribe nad Du Ruhui remained silent, sighing constantly.
"Ugh." Zhao Douan bit the last piece of waterlon, spat out a few seeds, smiled, "Alright then."
anwhile, as he turned off the wall, his hand lightly flicked behind his back.
In the distance, Song Jinxi watched Zhao Douan’s figure disappear over the wall, his spirit lifted, whispering to the scholar and Hong Ye beside him, "The master’s orders, have co."
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