163 Scouting
Li Yu and Zhou Jia returned to Ten Families Alley. Zhou Jia said to Li Yu, “Yu’er, would you like t to walk around the streets? I’ll accompany you.”
Li Yu shook her head. “I don’t want to go. I’ll rest at home.”
“Alright, then rest at home. I’ll go to the Tongzhou Courier Station to look for Young Master Lin.”
“That’s fine. Go see them and exchange knowledge.”
Li Yu sent Zhou Jia to the door and Zhao Cai drove away. He Xiaoyu and Ah Wei returned with snacks and pastries.
When He Xiaoyu saw Li Yu, her eyes curved into crescents. “Young Madam, Ruyi and I just came back from the streets. The streets in the capital are even more lively than Tongzhou City. There are all kinds of things sold on the streets. There are even monkeys singing songs.”
Seeing Xiaoyu’s happy expression, Li Yu also smiled. “If it’s so fun, why don’t you guys play for a while longer?”
Xiaoyu glanced at Ruyi and complained, “Ruyi and Tiezhu said that their legs were sore. When I wanted to see the shops, Ah Wei will just eat. It’s too boring to shop with them.”
Ah Wei looked at Xiaoyu and shook his head. “Sister-in-law Xiaoyu, you want to touch everything on the streets. I won’t accompany you to shop next time.”
Xiaoyu raised the paper bag in her hand and threatened, “Then I won’t give you this delicious food.”
Li Yu smiled as she watched the two of them play. She entered the house and closed the courtyard door. The feeling of someone spying on her came again. Li Yu pulled the door open and saw an old woman opposite her. She had a guilty look and hurriedly closed the door.
Li Yu knew what was going on. It seemed that she was the one who had peeked at her house yesterday. Could it be that the Zhou family had sent people to monitor the house? If they knew that Zhou Jia had returned to the capital, they would probably have already begun to plan to deal with her family.
Li Yu immediately became vigilant and began to pay attention to the external environment.
Chang Gui, Jiang Shuncai, Qi Hu, and the others carried the firewood into the alley and shouted, “Selling firewood! Selling firewood…”
After shouting a few times, no one from the Zhou family came out. Qi Hu said to Jiang Shuncai, “Go knock on the door and ask.”
Jiang Shuncai picked up the firewood and walked to the Zhou family’s door. He knocked and said, “Do you want to buy firewood? Crisp firewood.”
“No.” A child’s voice came from inside. Jiang Shuncai picked up the firewood and turned to look for Chang Gui and Qi Hu. “Brother, I knocked on the door and asked. Only a child said that he wasn’t buying. He didn’t even open the door.”
Qi Hu thought for a moment and said to Chang Gui and Jiang Shuncai, “Give me the firewood. I’ll pick it back. The two of you take turns guarding here and see how many people enter and leave that house.”
Jiang Shuncai and Chang Gui looked at Qi Hu and replied in unison, “Brother Hu, don’t worry. Even a mosquito can’t escape my eyes.”
Li Yu listened to the voice peddling firewood; the peddler appeared to circle around the house as he shouted. She thought to herself, It’s already past midnight. Which firewood seller would come so late to sell firewood? There must be something wrong.
Li Yu took a few copper coins and handed them to Ah Wei. “Ah Wei, pretend to go out to buy candied fruits and walk around outside to see if anyone is peeping at our house.”
“Got it, Missus.” Ah Wei opened the yard door and skipped toward the alley.
Jiang Shuncai saw a child with small eyes and a garlic-shaped nose at the entrance of the alley. He opened the courtyard door and came out. He skipped over and walked across Ah Wei. When he walked past the Zhou family residence, he saw that no one was paying attention to him. He hurriedly took a few steps back and looked into the courtyard. He saw that there was no one in the courtyard.
Ah Wei ran to the alley entrance and looked at the man who had barged in opposite him. He kept looking furtively into his courtyard and wrinkled his nose. “Ugly freak, my young madam knows that you’re peeping at my house.”
Ah Wei looked around the alley and skipped back. He entered the courtyard and closed the door. He returned to the house and returned the copper coins to Li Yu. “Young Madam, I just ate candied hawthorn. I’ll buy it again in the future. When I went out just now, a man with two eyebrows that looked like two caterpillars had barged in opposite me. I hid in the alley and saw him walk over. He then retreated and hid there to peek at our house. I watched for a while before leaving.”
Li Yu looked at Ah Wei’s smart appearance and rubbed his head. “Yes! Ah Wei is very capable. When you have nothing to do, learn from Brother Ruyi and help Young Master in the future.”
Ah Wei looked at Li Yu happily. “Young Madam, I still want to learn martial arts from Brother Zhao Cai and protect you and Young Master when I grow up.”
Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, if you want to learn, I’ll get Brother Ruyi and the others to teach you. Go and play first.”
Jiang Shuncai looked around and didn’t see anything. He went back resentfully. Chang Gui squatted at the entrance of the alley. Ruyi and He Tiezhu drove the car back from the street. When Chang Gui saw Ruyi, he hurriedly buried his head. Ruyi glanced at Chang Gui and didn’t pay attention to him as he drove the car back to the courtyard.
Ah Wei ran to Ruyi and whispered to him, “Brother Ruyi, someone peeped at our house just now. Young Madam also knows.”
Ruyi’s eyes widened when he heard this. He looked at Ah Wei in shock. “Ah Wei, what kind of person is peeping at our house?”
Ah Wei told Ruyi about Jiang Shuncai’s eyebrows and asked, “Brother Ruyi, is it the same as in Phoenix Village? Is someone trying to steal from our house?”
It seemed that the people from the old residence had not given up! Young Master and Young Madam had just returned and they had already gotten someone to watch over them. Did they know that Young Master had already been promoted?
Ruyi nodded. “It’s possible. Don’t run around at home. If you see anything wrong, remember to tell Young Master and Young Madam, or the few of us.”
Ah Wei nodded smartly. “Got it. I’ll go play outside.”
At the entrance of the alley, Chang Gui saw Ah Wei come out of the house and play with a top in the alley. He thought to himself the child couldn’t be from Eldest Young Master’s family.
Ah Wei pumped the top and walked towards the alley. Seeing this, Chang Gui could only hide in the opposite street.
Haozi went to buy a handful of incense from Blind Wei and spent two taels of silver. He took it back to Qi Hu’s courtyard and looked at the things in his hand. His eyes ached as he rolled them around. “Brother Tiger, Blind Wei’s prices are getting steeper. I spent more than two taels of silver on such a small thing. Can’t we buy it elsewhere?”
Qi Hu patted his head and laughed. “You’re stingy. Blind Wei’s things are publicly acknowledged to be good. Think about it. If we buy those that don’t have good medicinal effects in order to save those two small sums of money, we won’t be able to keep our lives!”
“Yes, Brother Hu is right.” Haozi smiled obsequiously. “Brother Tiger, I wonder how Shuncai and Chang Gui are doing.”
Qi Hu rubbed his chin and walked back and forth in the courtyard. Haozi followed behind Qi Hu eagerly and listened to his plan. “It’s such a small family. We’ll figure it out in a day. Not many people know that they’re back and they wouldn’t expect to be targeted. Let’s attack tonight.”
163 Scouting
Li Yu and Zhou Jia returned to Ten Families Alley. Zhou Jia said to Li Yu, “Yu’er, would you like t to walk around the streets? I’ll accompany you.”
Li Yu shook her head. “I don’t want to go. I’ll rest at home.”
“Alright, then rest at home. I’ll go to the Tongzhou Courier Station to look for Young Master Lin.”
“That’s fine. Go see them and exchange knowledge.”
Li Yu sent Zhou Jia to the door and Zhao Cai drove away. He Xiaoyu and Ah Wei returned with snacks and pastries.
When He Xiaoyu saw Li Yu, her eyes curved into crescents. “Young Madam, Ruyi and I just came back from the streets. The streets in the capital are even more lively than Tongzhou City. There are all kinds of things sold on the streets. There are even monkeys singing songs.”
Seeing Xiaoyu’s happy expression, Li Yu also smiled. “If it’s so fun, why don’t you guys play for a while longer?”
Xiaoyu glanced at Ruyi and complained, “Ruyi and Tiezhu said that their legs were sore. When I wanted to see the shops, Ah Wei will just eat. It’s too boring to shop with them.”
Ah Wei looked at Xiaoyu and shook his head. “Sister-in-law Xiaoyu, you want to touch everything on the streets. I won’t accompany you to shop next time.”
Xiaoyu raised the paper bag in her hand and threatened, “Then I won’t give you this delicious food.”
Li Yu smiled as she watched the two of them play. She entered the house and closed the courtyard door. The feeling of someone spying on her came again. Li Yu pulled the door open and saw an old woman opposite her. She had a guilty look and hurriedly closed the door.
Li Yu knew what was going on. It seemed that she was the one who had peeked at her house yesterday. Could it be that the Zhou family had sent people to monitor the house? If they knew that Zhou Jia had returned to the capital, they would probably have already begun to plan to deal with her family.
Li Yu immediately became vigilant and began to pay attention to the external environment.
Chang Gui, Jiang Shuncai, Qi Hu, and the others carried the firewood into the alley and shouted, “Selling firewood! Selling firewood…”
After shouting a few times, no one from the Zhou family came out. Qi Hu said to Jiang Shuncai, “Go knock on the door and ask.”
Jiang Shuncai picked up the firewood and walked to the Zhou family’s door. He knocked and said, “Do you want to buy firewood? Crisp firewood.”
“No.” A child’s voice came from inside. Jiang Shuncai picked up the firewood and turned to look for Chang Gui and Qi Hu. “Brother, I knocked on the door and asked. Only a child said that he wasn’t buying. He didn’t even open the door.”
Qi Hu thought for a moment and said to Chang Gui and Jiang Shuncai, “Give me the firewood. I’ll pick it back. The two of you take turns guarding here and see how many people enter and leave that house.”
Jiang Shuncai and Chang Gui looked at Qi Hu and replied in unison, “Brother Hu, don’t worry. Even a mosquito can’t escape my eyes.”
Li Yu listened to the voice peddling firewood; the peddler appeared to circle around the house as he shouted. She thought to herself, It’s already past midnight. Which firewood seller would come so late to sell firewood? There must be something wrong.
Li Yu took a few copper coins and handed them to Ah Wei. “Ah Wei, pretend to go out to buy candied fruits and walk around outside to see if anyone is peeping at our house.”
“Got it, Missus.” Ah Wei opened the yard door and skipped toward the alley.
Jiang Shuncai saw a child with small eyes and a garlic-shaped nose at the entrance of the alley. He opened the courtyard door and came out. He skipped over and walked across Ah Wei. When he walked past the Zhou family residence, he saw that no one was paying attention to him. He hurriedly took a few steps back and looked into the courtyard. He saw that there was no one in the courtyard.
Ah Wei ran to the alley entrance and looked at the man who had barged in opposite him. He kept looking furtively into his courtyard and wrinkled his nose. “Ugly freak, my young madam knows that you’re peeping at my house.”
Ah Wei looked around the alley and skipped back. He entered the courtyard and closed the door. He returned to the house and returned the copper coins to Li Yu. “Young Madam, I just ate candied hawthorn. I’ll buy it again in the future. When I went out just now, a man with two eyebrows that looked like two caterpillars had barged in opposite me. I hid in the alley and saw him walk over. He then retreated and hid there to peek at our house. I watched for a while before leaving.”
Li Yu looked at Ah Wei’s smart appearance and rubbed his head. “Yes! Ah Wei is very capable. When you have nothing to do, learn from Brother Ruyi and help Young Master in the future.”
Ah Wei looked at Li Yu happily. “Young Madam, I still want to learn martial arts from Brother Zhao Cai and protect you and Young Master when I grow up.”
Li Yu smiled and said, “Alright, if you want to learn, I’ll get Brother Ruyi and the others to teach you. Go and play first.”
Jiang Shuncai looked around and didn’t see anything. He went back resentfully. Chang Gui squatted at the entrance of the alley. Ruyi and He Tiezhu drove the car back from the street. When Chang Gui saw Ruyi, he hurriedly buried his head. Ruyi glanced at Chang Gui and didn’t pay attention to him as he drove the car back to the courtyard.
Ah Wei ran to Ruyi and whispered to him, “Brother Ruyi, someone peeped at our house just now. Young Madam also knows.”
Ruyi’s eyes widened when he heard this. He looked at Ah Wei in shock. “Ah Wei, what kind of person is peeping at our house?”
Ah Wei told Ruyi about Jiang Shuncai’s eyebrows and asked, “Brother Ruyi, is it the same as in Phoenix Village? Is someone trying to steal from our house?”
It seemed that the people from the old residence had not given up! Young Master and Young Madam had just returned and they had already gotten someone to watch over them. Did they know that Young Master had already been promoted?
Ruyi nodded. “It’s possible. Don’t run around at home. If you see anything wrong, remember to tell Young Master and Young Madam, or the few of us.”
Ah Wei nodded smartly. “Got it. I’ll go play outside.”
At the entrance of the alley, Chang Gui saw Ah Wei come out of the house and play with a top in the alley. He thought to himself the child couldn’t be from Eldest Young Master’s family.
Ah Wei pumped the top and walked towards the alley. Seeing this, Chang Gui could only hide in the opposite street.
Haozi went to buy a handful of incense from Blind Wei and spent two taels of silver. He took it back to Qi Hu’s courtyard and looked at the things in his hand. His eyes ached as he rolled them around. “Brother Tiger, Blind Wei’s prices are getting steeper. I spent more than two taels of silver on such a small thing. Can’t we buy it elsewhere?”
Qi Hu patted his head and laughed. “You’re stingy. Blind Wei’s things are publicly acknowledged to be good. Think about it. If we buy those that don’t have good medicinal effects in order to save those two small sums of money, we won’t be able to keep our lives!”
“Yes, Brother Hu is right.” Haozi smiled obsequiously. “Brother Tiger, I wonder how Shuncai and Chang Gui are doing.”
Qi Hu rubbed his chin and walked back and forth in the courtyard. Haozi followed behind Qi Hu eagerly and listened to his plan. “It’s such a small family. We’ll figure it out in a day. Not many people know that they’re back and they wouldn’t expect to be targeted. Let’s attack tonight.”
