Chapter Nine, The Old House is Occupied

Since you have returned, being overly cautious may instead lead others to perceive you as easy to bully. Only by making a bigger fuss will you attract more attention, and in turn, ensure your own safety.

Mengrui Hutong, in front of a siheyuan

Whose residence is this, do you know? Ma Shun is certainly aware of the intricacies involved; such a cursed house poses little trouble.

Isn't that house from Lan Dou a bit unclean?" After hearing this, Ma Shun asked with slightly squinted eyes.

I am merely passing by and inquiring for directions, my apologies for the disturbance. Meng Yan decided to gather more information before making any plans, as he did not wish to engage in direct conflict at this time

It is I, the official, who is the master of this residence. Who are you, lingering outside my gate? Do you have some ulterior motive?

Meng Yan recognized at a glance that this person was a captain of the Jinyiwei. He had seen this uniform before; it was identical to that of Meng Xian, only newer.

A surprised shout from the young waiter came from behind.

Meng Yan swiftly dodged to the side

"Cousin, I also thought that kid would suddenly make a move, but I was caught off guard..." said Lan Dou, covering his chin.

The Chaoyangmen Guard Post of the Thousand Households

Come here, prepare the sedan chair, I am going to the palace

Did father sell the house before his passing

Since the guest has not eaten, let it be kept for now, the young shopkeeper said thoughtfully

What is going on? Even if Meng Xian is dead, this residence should belong to the Meng family, to him, Meng Yan.

Especially concerning the Emperor's guards, the most crucial among them being the Jinyiwei, which is even more significant

Lan Dou felt as if he had been insulted; with a clang, he drew the embroidered spring knife he carried with him and placed it against Meng Yan's neck

Is it your first day in the Jinyiwei?

Most of the residents in this alley are mid-level officers of the Twenty-Six Guards of the Emperor's personal army, so ordinary people do not dare to cause trouble here, let alone beat a hundred households of the Jinyiwei into a pulp and rob him of his official robe, weapons, and identity badge

This young man, this place used to be the home of the hundred households of the Jinyiwei, Meng Xian, right? Meng Yan must clarify whether his home, this residence, was sold or given away by Meng Xian, or if it was occupied by someone else

It seems to be called this name

Let him in! The commander of the Jinyiwei, Ma Shun, raised his head and gave the order. It is indeed exceedingly rare for a case to arise in the capital where the Jinyiwei has their official robes and badges stolen and is even knocked unconscious. He felt quite astonished; who is so bold as to act against the Jinyiwei? This matter has become a headache, and those who are not on good terms with him, as well as some of the civil officials in the court, are laughing at him.

Is this the home of Meng Xian, the hundred households of the Jinyiwei? Following the memories of his childhood, Meng Yan arrived at a familiar door, his heart filled with trepidation as he knocked on the door

"Who are you to me?" Meng Yan felt a surge of anger building within him

"Shunzi, come here to lead the horse?"

Do you still dare to hide

"Get lost, go back and reflect behind closed doors. This time, it seems you won't be able to keep your position as a hundred households!" Ma An said angrily

Upon raising my head, I noticed that the two large black characters "Mengfu" on the plaque had already been replaced with "Lanfang". It was evident that this residence had changed ownership.

It is and it is not, however, Commander, the area around Chaoyang Gate is predominantly inhabited by military families, and the public order has always been quite good. This time, it was Lan Dou who was caught off guard right at his doorstep

Who are you, and why are you in front of my house?

I am aware of this matter. If anyone inquires, you should only say that it was an attack by thieves with ulterior motives, and that you are not clear about anything else. Do you understand?" Ma Shun's gaze was restrained yet sharp, and he nodded slightly, giving a brief acknowledgment.

Immediately report to the lord...

Are you here to plead on behalf of Lan Dou?

"Uncle, you must take charge for me. I suspect that this person has stolen my official robe and badge, with ulterior motives!" A blue-clad man, whose jaw was swollen high and whose face was as swollen as a pig's head, wrapped up like a mummy, knelt at the feet of Qianhu Ma An at Chaoyang Gate, crying out in a pitiful manner.

"Yes, I, the humble servant stationed at Chaoyang Gate, Ma An, am here to report to the commanding officer!" Ma An respectfully saluted Ma Shun.

This is just the beginning; the experiences that follow are likely to be unforgettable for him throughout his life

The man who ruthlessly sent himself to the grasslands to go undercover for ten years has actually died

"Young man, you are quite sharp-tongued. However, I observe that your words and actions do not resemble those of a virtuous person. As an officer of the Jinyiwei, I have the responsibility to patrol and apprehend thieves. Present your identity pass." Lan Dou sneered.

Meng Xian!" Ma Shun suddenly widened his eyes slightly, a terrifying light flashing by, "Is this residence Meng Xian's?"

What is the situation? Tell me about it! Ma Shun's expression slightly brightened as he stood up and walked over to ask.

You insolent thing, dare you to defy this official? Come and fight!" With that, the captain of the Jinyiwei raised his hand and lashed a whip towards Meng Yan.

"Is your elder at home?" Meng Yan frowned slightly, a sense of foreboding rising from the depths of her heart

What kind of person are you, and what do you do

West side of Chengtian Gate, the Yamen of the Jinyiwei

"What do adults want?" Meng Yan raised his head and replied with a cold expression.

In fact, I do not have an identity pass at all

Why am I so unfortunate? Now it's all over, tomorrow the entire city of Beijing will know, and those officials who usually have a grudge against us will definitely take the opportunity to criticize us harshly in the court..." Ma An lamented, expressing his frustration.

Do adults really want to see my identity pass?

Less than an hour after the incident, the Jinyiwei mobilized throughout the city to apprehend the perpetrator "Meng Yan".

The shopkeeper came out upon hearing the voice and glanced at the departing Meng Yan, asking: "Have you paid?"

At that moment, a man in his thirties, dressed in a turquoise robe, wearing a pair of mandarin duck battle jackets underneath, with black boat-shaped official boots on his feet and a spring knife embroidered at his waist, dismounted from his horse

Sigh

No, my father said that this house was painstakingly accumulated by the Meng family and is meant to provide a stable livelihood for ourselves in the future

Do not call me uncle, this is not at home, address me by my official title

Ah, my lord, you have returned from your patrol!" The young servant in blue quickly ran over after opening the main door, leading the horse towards the side gate.

Are you the master of this place

Meng Xian, who died young, look up, this is the Blue Mansion!" The young servant in blue who opened the door sneered at Meng Yan.

Just after he fell to the ground, another punch struck his head, followed by a series of more than ten rounds, all aimed at his head

This time, Meng Yan did not dodge, allowing the other party to place the knife against his neck

Yes, I understand, Your Excellency

It is ! ''

What ... ...

Meng Yan swiftly raised his hand, seizing the right hand of Lan Dou that was gripping the knife, and then delivered a hook punch directly to Lan Dou's jaw. In pain, Lan Dou released his grip on the battle knife, his center of gravity unsteady, and he fell backward.

Bold! Perhaps he was used to being domineering and overbearing, and upon seeing Meng Yan's cold attitude towards him, he immediately felt displeased

The situation is as follows

It seems that there was a hundred-household surnamed Meng who drowned eight years ago due to a drunken accident

Indeed, this is in the capital, the prime area!

Yes, yes, uncle, I will return home immediately to reflect in solitude

Paid, five wen!

Sir, your noodles are not ready yet

If it is the latter, he must get it back at all costs

This can be considered a major case in the well-ordered capital city

Cousin, you must find that boy, preferably hand him over to me so that I can deal with him properly

"Not bad, who are you? Meng Xian has been dead for seven or eight years, and this residence now belongs to our family!" The young servant asked Meng Yan with a somewhat wary glare.

"Yes, Commander, Lan Dou is my nephew, and I also bear some responsibility in this matter for not managing my subordinates properly" Ma An said, bowing his head in acknowledgment of his mistake

The captain of the Jinyiwei was beaten and had his official robe and badge stolen; what audacity this person has

The Jinyiwei are the Emperor's personal troops, and every action they take represents the Emperor. I merely stood on the street and exchanged a few words with you, without any offense on my part, yet you hold a knife to my throat. If the censors of the Duzhiyuan were to learn of this, they would file a report against you. How can a small official like you, akin to a sesame seed or a mung bean, continue in your position

"Meng Xian, is he dead?" Although Meng Yan had mentally prepared himself for this answer, he still felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

"Scoundrel, how dare you disrespect me? Do you know who I am?" shouted the captain of the Jinyiwei.

At this moment, Meng Yan had no mood to eat noodles; he dashed out, running wildly towards the Meng Rui Alley where his home was located

"Lord Commander, Ma An from Chaoyang Gate requests an audience!"

Yes, Master Cao!

Understood, however, my lord the commander, I still have ... ...

Hmph, this is not a reason for trouble, but our Jinyiwei has always been despised by the people, and it is not easy for us to have an incident. This time, the officials will definitely not let it go, do you know that?

Of course, there must be a limit to this matter; once it exceeds the aforementioned tolerance, careful planning will be required for how to proceed.

"It is disgraceful. You, a dignified captain of the Jinyiwei, were actually beaten at your own doorstep, and your official robe and badge were taken from you. How can you not feel ashamed? If you were not a member of the Jinyiwei, you would have to report this incident. As your uncle, I feel embarrassed for you!" Ma An was extremely angry.

The owner of that residence was originally one of our Jinyiwei, but he has been dead for many years, and no one has lived there. I thought it was a waste for it to remain empty, so I let Lan Dou move in

"Enough of the nonsense, hurry up and hand it over, otherwise, I will have you taken to the North Town Punishment Office's prison. Once you get there, it will be difficult to get out!" Lan Dou said with a triumphant smile.

Uncle

East Investigation Factory

Originally, Meng Yan intended to leave temporarily and make plans after gathering more information. However, upon seeing Lan Dou dressed in the official uniform of the Jinyiwei, a spark of inspiration flashed in his mind, and he changed his mind