Chapter 10: Determination

Moreover, the door that two people had been pushing for a long time without success was easily pushed open halfway by Hu Laosan. Such strength must exceed a thousand pounds. No wonder Hu Laosan could throw a stool and smash someone into such a state.

This fairy! Hu Laosan spat in disdain, his heart yearning to pull Lianxiang out from that door, yet he dared not approach the courtyard gate no matter what.

When the two entered the courtyard, Lianxiang finally managed to struggle down.

Sister, please rest assured, I am certain that I did not see wrongly; otherwise, I would not have used means to have Hu San bring me here before the curfew. I was also afraid of being locked up by those soldiers. " After saying this, Lianxiang smiled and added, "However, I listened to you, and today in the courtyard, I did not let Hu San take any advantage of me.

How does that saying go? It's about looking at the Buddha's face rather than the monk's face

However, Hu Laosan was unaware that these two fools were not fierce dragons at all, but merely two young rascals from Nanjing. This time, having received orders from the royal mansion, they intended to come to this inn to abduct Su Jin.

Lianxiang immediately let out a few charming laughs, eagerly wanting to step forward to knock on the door, but was unexpectedly grabbed by Hu Laosan, who seized her wrist.

"Silly sister," Qinghe sighed lightly and said, "In this world, there are many who add flowers to the brocade, but few who provide timely help in times of need. Now that your husband is trapped in prison, if you and I can remain steadfast and not abandon each other, will we have to fear that he will forsake us in the future?"

This matter has finally been settled. As she pondered, Qinghe suddenly felt a wave of grievance, realizing that this happiness was truly hard-won, and had come with considerable hardship along the way

If Tan Zong were here at this moment, he could be told that love, when it reaches its depths, becomes hatred, and hatred, when it reaches its depths, is also love. Unfortunately, Tan Zong is currently languishing in the dungeon of the Nanjing government office, and there is someone holding a Sui knife against him, leaving him no time for such romantic guidance.

"If my lord needs to rely on external help even for this little hardship, how will he navigate the officialdom in the future?" Su Jin said, gradually revealing a smile at the corners of her mouth: "We sisters only need to quietly wait here in this inn. I fear that when the main hall opens tomorrow, our lord will return. At that time, I will discuss our relationship with him and allow you to enter. By then, we will all be wives of the Tan family"

Indeed, this is a serious matter. Now that we have the assurance from Sister Su, perhaps you and I can also fulfill our roles as proper wives for our husband. I have inquired with Sister Su, and it turns out that our husband does not have a marriage contract. Once Sister Su arrives, she will be the main wife in the household. Although you and I are currently only concubines, in the future, when our husband attains an official position, we may also be able to be recognized as equal wives.

Old Hu recognized one of them, who was indeed Su Jinsuo, the one his lord had been thinking about incessantly. The other, with a somewhat haggard appearance, was likely the elder sister Qinghe that Lianxiang had mentioned before.

Seeing that Hu Laosan's expression was gradually becoming unfavorable, Lianxiang, who had been laughing, finally shot a glance at the foolish man and cleverly remarked: "Although my sister is with others, she is not with a man. Not only is she not a man, but she is also an unparalleled beauty. I fear that you may not have the means to win over all three of us sisters."

He was well aware that if he truly committed such a rude act this time, it would not merely result in a few lessons; it was entirely possible that he could be expelled from the Prince's residence, or even worse, be killed and thrown into a mass grave. The lady named Su Jin from the Su family in the courtyard was favored by their prince. If he acted violently here, would it not be tantamount to slapping his own prince in the face?

Qinghe was indeed filled with a mix of joy and sorrow; after crying for a while, she had calmed down. When Lianxiang asked her in such a mysterious manner, she stopped her tears and retorted, "If you have something to say, just say it. No need to be so cryptic."

Oh?

Well, this item is called a half-leg chair, but in reality, it is a solid stool: it has a top made of jujube wood and four legs made of water cedar.

Hmph, I really don't understand why my sister is so anxious to deal with that Tan Menghua. I fear that at this moment, that bookworm is still sitting in the prison waiting for you and me to rescue him

Just as he was about to leave, the door to the master bedroom swung open, and two stunning beauties, like exquisite flowers, emerged from the living room

As Lianxiang was astonished into silence, the courtyard door suddenly swung open from the inside, revealing an angry yet childishly innocent face: "Who is talking outside? Do you not know it is nearly ten o'clock in the evening?"

Upon considering this, Old Hu San gazed at Qing He for a long while, feeling that she indeed resembled what that little enchantress had described. Although she was not exceptionally alluring, she was still a rare beauty. What was most precious, however, was that this beauty bore a trace of the spiritedness that could never emerge from the brothels, making her no less remarkable than Su Jin, who was beside her.

"This fool is truly not worth the trouble." Hu Laosan took two steps forward, kicked the two sharp knives away, then crouched down to check the breath of the unfortunate fellow. Seeing that although this guy was breathing unevenly, he was still alive, he pushed open the courtyard door and tossed the unfortunate fellow inside, leaving him aside without further concern. He then walked up to the stunned individual, patted his face, and mocked, "My friend, I wonder which path you took to encounter this river-crossing dragon. Are you here to seek wealth, or to take lives?"

Although Hu Laosan was resentful towards Lianxiang, at this moment, upon hearing her exclamation, he held his breath and was too lazy to intervene. However, Lianxiang had Su Jin backing her. If something happened to Lianxiang, Hu Laosan might still manage to harden his heart and step forward to spit a few times in indignation. But if something happened to Su Jin and he did not take action, it would not just be a matter of him spitting; he would likely be beaten to the point of spitting blood.

Qinghe found Lianxiang's words rather childish, and she was too lazy to explain the importance of a scholar's reputation. Instead, she took the hands of the silly younger sister and the bookish younger sister and walked up to Su Jin, softly saying: "Sister, I just heard Lianxiang mention that Hu San seems to be from the Cheng Wangfu in the capital. I wonder if this person could be of any help regarding the matter with the gentleman"

Therefore, what Hu Laosan mentioned earlier about bringing Lianxiang back to the capital was not mere words. However, after the recent incident, Hu Laosan inexplicably developed a hatred for Lianxiang.

In that case, apart from my own sister Qinghe, who is like a female Zhuge Liang, the only other notable person in this courtyard is Su, who is equally renowned in Nanjing.

What is it about the Nanjing Prefecture that such extraordinary individuals keep emerging? Even in the brothels, there are women of this caliber; it is truly remarkable

Although she did not know why, Lianxiang had noticed early on that the burly man carrying the Chengwang Mansion waist token seemed completely unwilling to approach this courtyard. To be more precise, he was entirely unwilling to come near Su Jin—just from the way he reacted when he heard that the two sisters would serve him together, Lianxiang could be certain that Hu Laosan's current demeanor was definitely not due to fear of her elder sister Qinghe.

Qinghe has expressed her gratitude to her sister here. Qinghe let out a soft sigh, and the weight in her heart finally lifted.

After a series of crackling sounds, the half-leg chair was utterly ruined—three of its four legs had broken, and the jujube wood board had split into two pieces. The man in black also fell to the ground without any surprise, now gasping for breath—though he was not dead, he was likely not far from it.

"What does it matter if there are other men? Are you afraid of him, my lord?" Seeing the inn calm and tranquil, Lianxiang, feeling reassured, couldn't help but chuckle lightly. She spun gracefully in the lobby, drifting away from Hu Laosan like a dark cloud.

Under normal circumstances, the two might have managed to get through, but they did not anticipate that the door was indeed too small for them to squeeze through. They could only threaten Lianxiang and Luzhu with a knife to open the door, but unexpectedly, Lianxiang let out a scream, which brought Hu Laosan back again.

The Cheng Wang Mansion! Qinghe was startled, turning her head to see Su Jin and Hu Laosan engaged in conversation. After a short while, she noticed Hu Laosan approaching the person tied to the pillar. After giving him a beating, the man lamented loudly. Unfortunately, Qinghe was too far away to hear him.

"Why is this door so difficult to open?" Lianxiang finally squeezed in, feeling drenched in fragrant sweat all over her body. Unable to help herself, she took out her embroidered handkerchief and fanned herself a few times, only to discover that Hu Laosan was still standing outside the courtyard with an awkward expression on his face. She couldn't help but ask, "Sir, what is the matter? My sister is inside."

"Cut it out, who have I ever feared in this capital over the years! Even if you little enchantresses come in droves, my big gun will take you all down! Anyone who dares to stop me, no matter who it is, I will knock you down without hesitation!" What man would admit to being inadequate in this regard? If someone were to say they had a night of three times, let alone seven times or even fourteen times in one night, that would certainly be something to "talk about." As a man among men, Hu Laosan is naturally no exception.

What is it? Are you perhaps afraid to enter this door? My sister is right inside; shall I call her for you? Lianxiang looked at the rough man before her, who suddenly displayed a look of fear, and her eyes revealed a playful expression.

On the other side, Hu Laosan looked at the courtyard gate and felt that he had truly encountered a streak of bad luck that he had not experienced in eight lifetimes, truly fearing that what he dreaded had come to pass! However, after pondering back and forth, he felt unwilling to accept this, so he tugged at Lianxiang's sleeve, pulled her close, and lowered his voice to ask, "Are you sure this is the place?"

Sister said, "Qinghe, I am very grateful to Brother Hu San for your help." As Qinghe spoke, she slightly bowed to Old Third Hu, but she did not know when a few tears had formed in her eyes: "Fortunately, my sister is safe; otherwise, I fear I would be unable to bear the blame even if I died a thousand times."

"What did my sister say? Isn't my younger sister fine?" Lianxiang, however, was unaware of the reason behind Qinghe's tears and felt quite puzzled. Yet, seeing Qinghe cry so sorrowfully made her heart ache as well. After pondering for a moment, she suddenly recalled something and quickly pulled Qinghe aside, whispering, "Sister, what kind of person do you think that Hu San is?"

Old Hu spat impatiently, not out of concern for the shiny silver—after all, it came easily and did not require him to bleed or sweat—but rather because he felt a natural conflict with this so-called Su family: "It's all this damned Su family's fault; even finding a woman leads to trouble! If I can't confront Old Hu, can I not avoid it? Bah!"

Such young rascals in Nanjing are merely living off the reputation of the Wang family, even though they have fought with others. However, they have never encountered someone like Hu Laosan, who is as fierce as a tiger, which left them utterly terrified. At this moment, when Hu Laosan questioned him, he suddenly jolted, and immediately there was a sound of dripping, as a patch of the ground became wet in an instant

After all is said and done, it is still as Hu Laosan thought earlier: Su Jin and he, Hu Laosan, are inherently at odds with each other

"So it is Hu Sange." Su Jin, upon seeing Hu Laosan tying someone up, was not the least bit surprised. She merely gave a slight bow and turned to Qinghe, saying, "What did I just say? Sister Lianxiang must have someone of importance assisting her; how could anything happen to her?"

Who would have thought that the courtyard gate felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds, as two people outside pushed for quite a while but could not move it at all. Just as they were considering whether to climb over the wall to get in, they noticed Hu Laosan arriving with Lianxiang, so they quickly hid to the side. Soon after, the gate opened by itself from the inside, and the two waited until Hu Laosan had walked far away before they sprang out from the shadows.

"You little rascal, today you have fallen into the hands of your Uncle Hu, and you shall not leave!" Turning around, he indeed saw two individuals dressed entirely in black attempting to break into the courtyard. Hu Laosan could not help but let out a furious shout, and without a second thought, he grabbed a half-leg chair that he did not even know who had left in the corridor and hurled it over.

"Pah, who would have thought he was just a fool!" At this moment, Hu Laosan was too lazy to ask more questions. He swiftly yanked off the fool's belt and expertly tied him to a pillar in the courtyard in just a few quick moves.

Holding a large hand, Hu Laosan scratched his messy head for a while and finally managed to utter a sentence: "Why don't we just casually ask the shopkeeper for a room, wash up early, and get some sleep..."

Ah?

With such an imposing presence, Lianxiang suddenly exuded an extremely alluring aura, leaving Hu Laosan momentarily stunned. He felt as if the large club between his legs had instantly sprung to life, stretching the thick fabric of his trousers into a large tent.

"Hehe, my sister knows me well." Lianxiang chuckled and then secretly pointed at the badge that was peeking out from Hu Laosan's belt, saying, "Do you see that badge? It's from the Chengwang Mansion. I spent a lot of silver today, otherwise that old hag wouldn't have let me come out with him."

At this point, Hu Laosan was indeed a decisive man; not only in military actions but also in matters of romance. Realizing that he could no longer indulge in pleasures, he felt no inclination to linger, and without even bothering to say goodbye, he turned to leave. Just as he reached the entrance to the main hall, about ten meters away from the courtyard gate, Hu Laosan suddenly heard a delicate cry, followed by a startled scream

Pointing to the only independent courtyard of the inn, Lianxiang smiled playfully and said, "Look, my sister is inside there. Not only my sister Qinghe, but the extraordinary one I mentioned is also inside."

Moreover, the reason this inn is located here is primarily to cater to the business of the young women in the brothels. On ordinary days, individuals like Hu Laosan have been seen here frequently. Therefore, although Lianxiang shyly called out, it did not attract much attention from others

So it was you, little girl Luzhu. When Lianxiang saw this person, her heart filled with even more joy, and she hurriedly stepped forward to help Luzhu push the door open

"Little fairy, where is your sister Qinghe? Could it be that she is with another man?" At the entrance of the inn, Hu Laosan embraced Lianxiang and asked.

This object is solid on the surface, but the legs are indeed not sturdy and can break upon impact. However, Hu Laosan, being the personal bodyguard of his lord, must possess considerable strength. As soon as he flung the half-legged chair, before the black-clad man on the other side could comprehend what he was saying, an unfortunate soul was struck squarely on the back by the half-legged chair.

To put it more seriously, it is akin to competing with one's own prince for a woman—even if it is for Lianxiang, it is still unacceptable; isn't that just asking for death

Just as they exerted their strength, they realized that the door felt as if it weighed a thousand pounds, making it extremely difficult to push open. Even with the combined effort of two people, they could only manage to create a gap just wide enough for one person to pass through. Moreover, it was only with Lianxiang's petite frame that she could squeeze through, while someone as large as Hu Laosan could not even fit half of his body through.

Su Jin glanced at Qing He, and a flash of brilliance suddenly flickered in her eyes, only to be quickly reined in. This sudden burst and swift withdrawal occurred so rapidly that no one noticed it.

"Did you see clearly, younger sister?" Qinghe still felt somewhat uneasy. Seeing that Hu Laosan seemed to have finished his questions and was about to leave with the two men in black, she hurriedly asked.

To speak frankly, at this moment, Hu Laosan still has considerable thoughts about the woman Lianxiang. After all, such a person who knows how to serve others is quite rare even in the capital, and even when he does see such individuals, they are usually under the control of some noble young master, leaving no opportunity for Hu Laosan to engage with them.

This voice is extremely familiar to Hu Laosan; who else could it be but Lianxiang? However, at this moment, Lianxiang's voice lacks that alluring tone and instead carries a hint of fear, which makes Hu Laosan's heart involuntarily tighten.

Hmph, how could there be none? I see in that storybook that such bookish people are the most ungrateful. Even the 'Dragon Strategist' from the previous dynasty wrote a story about Chen Shimei.

Suddenly, Hu Laosan hoisted Lianxiang onto his shoulder, disregarding the struggles of the enchantress, and walked straight inside

When she saw Lianxiang dressed in casual clothes, her small face suddenly changed to one of surprise: "So it's the Second Miss, please come in quickly, the Young Lady has been waiting for you anxiously." As she spoke, she rolled up her half sleeves and exerted herself to push the courtyard door open.

Fortunately, it is almost curfew now, and the guests in the lobby have all left. The innkeeper and a few attendants have been managing this inn in Nanjing for quite some time, so they have naturally seen their fair share of absurdities and are too lazy to pay them any mind, barely even lifting their eyelids. At most, they feel that the figure dressed in dark attire, Lianxiang, seems somewhat familiar.

Upon thinking of this Su family member, Lianxiang suddenly recalled her sister's warning, feeling an inexplicable restlessness in her heart, but more so a sense of injustice towards her sister: "I do not know what qualifications this Su Jin has to secure her position as the matriarch. My sister is unwilling to compete for it, so I shall fight for her, making that Tan Menghua aware of the benefits my sister and I share."

Another person, upon seeing Hu Laosan's fierce demeanor, felt an overwhelming fear in his heart; his legs trembled uncontrollably, and even the sharp knife he held clattered to the ground. He was on the verge of kneeling and pleading for mercy from the hero.

Previously, considering the thoughts of both individuals, even if they failed to capture anyone this time, they would at most be apprehended by the patrolling soldiers and end up in the prison. However, this time, the two were acting on behalf of the royal residence, and with the royal authority backing them, how could they possibly suffer any losses? Yet, who would have thought that when Hu Laosan threw that stool, it would leave the person half dead, barely clinging to life.

Turning back, seeing Hu Laosan's look of deep regret, Lianxiang felt an inexplicable sense of secret joy flash through her mind, though she could not understand why she felt this way no matter how much she pondered.

As she spoke, a glimmer of cunning suddenly flashed in Lianxiang's eyes