A Girl Traveling Through Troubled Times

Shopkeeper Liu said, "Sure, why not? Actually, we're not hiding our identities right now. Although we're running a small business, Shopkeeper Zhang and I also own a pharmacy and a showroom in Jiangcheng for over ten years. We're all street acquaintances. When Chief Song had injured patrolmen, they were often sent to us for treatment. Everyone knows about this, so it wouldn't be good to be secretive about it."

Not long after, Song Xichen came over.

But he came alone. He looked around before entering, then bowed and said to Shopkeeper Liu with a smile, "Shopkeeper Liu, I just ran into Shopkeeper Zhang on the road and learned that you've moved to this new place. Congratulations, and I wish you a very good opening!"

At this time, a few people came into the store to get medicine and see patients. Shopkeeper Liu looked up and said to him, "Oh, it's Director Song. Thank you for coming. I have a customer here. Please sit down and wait for a moment."

Song Xichen nodded, walked up to Gui'er, and said with a smile, "Why is your young apprentice gone? You have a new apprentice now."

Shopkeeper Liu smiled and said, "Something happened a while ago, so we closed the shop for a while. We just moved here recently. We didn't want to disrupt people's livelihoods while we were closed, so we asked them to find new jobs."

Song Xichen nodded, turned around and walked to the embroidery workshop next door, looked around, and found a stool to sit down.

As soon as he sat down, he found that the stool was made of several pieces of wood joined together by mortise and tenon joints. He smiled and said, "Your chairs are quite unique."

Shopkeeper Liu said: "This was made for us by a carpenter friend. In order to save money, they used a method that saved materials."

Song Xichen glanced at Gui'er and realized that it must have been done by her brothers, and smiled knowingly.

At this time, Shopkeeper Zhang also came back from outside, holding some vegetables and eggs in his hands to prepare some food for cooking.

Finally, after the customers had finished their prescriptions and left, Song Xichen said to Gui'er, "I was patrolling the streets just now and ran into Shopkeeper Zhang. She said something big had happened in your family, and the eldest lady wants you to bear a child for their young master. But I heard that Sha Yanyao is going to marry the daughter of Director Tian from Nanjing, isn't he?"

Gui'er sighed and said, "I don't know what happened. Yesterday, they suddenly took me to Guanyin Temple and told me that Miss Tian seemed to be unable to have children. They asked me to give birth to a child for the young master while I was in school in Nanjing. They also said that when the baby was about to come, I should pretend to be sick and ask for leave. After the birth, I should pretend that nothing happened and go back to school."

"I was afraid, so I asked the Second Young Master to reject it on my behalf. I originally thought that the matter was over once I rejected it, but then I heard from other servants that the two brothers seemed to have had a fierce argument. I was afraid that they would fall out. Who knows what would happen then. According to the servants in the mansion, the Second Young Master is now in power, and the Marshal is only busy eating, drinking and having fun all day, and has no longer been involved in business."

After listening to this, Song Xichen frowned and said, "Sha Yanyao, Sha Yanyao, you were so high-spirited when we were classmates. How come you've become like this now? But from what I know, he wouldn't be so shameless as to do this. I guess it was probably his mother's idea. Since Sha Yanxiao doesn't agree, he probably won't bother with it anymore."

Gui'er nodded and said, "I thought so too, but they were arguing so fiercely, and many servants were present at the time. I'm afraid that both sides will lose face and a conflict will break out. This will not be good for the political situation in Jiangcheng. Brother Xichen, do we need to intervene?"

Song Xichen thought for a moment and said, "Then I'll ask him to meet and have a chat later."

Gui'er quickly said, "Then you can't mention me."

Song Xichen said, "Don't worry, I know what to do."

At this time, Shopkeeper Liu said, "Actually, I'm more worried about Gui'er. She's been adopted by the Marshal's Mansion. Most daughters of wealthy families are betrothed at the age of fifteen or sixteen, and she's exactly that age now. Even if this ridiculous incident hadn't happened, who can guarantee what will happen next time? Don't just randomly match Gui'er up with someone."

At this time, Gui'er thought of Liang Guowei's matter and said it out loud.

Song Xichen frowned and asked, "You mean Lu Zhenhua is hanging out with the youngest son of Mr. Liang, the pawnshop owner?"

Gui'er nodded and said, "Is that Lu Zhenhua Miss Song's husband? I've met him once before, but I don't quite remember what he looked like."

Song Xichen nodded, sighed, and said, "This man is just a good-for-nothing with a nice face. Our whole family looks down on him, but my sister is particularly fond of him. She has asked us many times to pay for his business. My father is reluctant to give, but my mother can't bear to see my sister sad. She has already paid more than 1000 silver dollars. Not to mention losing money, in fact, I have no idea where he spends it. That's why she stopped paying. Now, he stays away from home all day, complaining and saying that our family looks down on him. I guess his marriage with my sister is almost over. I didn't expect him to go back to his old business and run away to the pile of rich wives again."

Gui'er said, "I don't have the heart to pay attention to these playboys. I'm just worried that Sha Yanxiao and Sha Yanyao will become enemies. When Sha Yanyao and Sha Yanxiao were fighting for power, Sha Yanxiao was almost assassinated. If he really died, the situation in Jiangcheng would be in chaos."

Song Xichen said, "Sha Yanyao now holds a position of some importance in Nanjing. I don't think he would go so far as to slaughter his brothers who could have been his supporters over such a small matter. I'll try to persuade him later." He paused and said, "I heard there's someone named Jinbao close to him."

Gui'er nodded and said, "When Madam wanted to push me out to deal with Director Zhou, I asked her to help. She was once sold to a brothel and is a pitiful person. But she has nowhere to go now, so she is a bit unscrupulous in her desire to stay with Sha Yanyao, right?"

Song Xichen thought for a moment and said, "If that's the case, then you could actually get closer to her and see what's going on. What you don't want might just be what she wants, isn't that perfect?"

Guier thought about it and realized that it was true. She could definitely learn a lot of things through Jinbao.

Song Xichen sat there and chatted with them for a long time, and Manager Liu even took his pulse.

Song Xichen smiled and asked, "There's nothing wrong with my health, but Old Liu, you have to take care of yourself."

Shopkeeper Liu smiled and said, "I'm fine too, but I'm afraid my leg will never recover to its original state."