Seeing that her husband had already made up his mind about this matter, Li Xiuling still felt that something was wrong, but as a stepmother, it was not easy for her to intervene in issues related to her stepson, so she changed the subject and asked:
"You guys have been discussing it so late today. Has the matter between the Sand Snake Gang and the Golden Dart Martial Arts Hall been resolved?"
As a concubine of the governor of Bingquan Town, a branch of the county magistrate Li family, Li Xiuling was no stranger to affairs in the world. She was even able to help her husband make suggestions on many issues because of her broader knowledge.
Zhao Song leaned on a soft couch, rubbing his forehead with his fingers, and nodded: "There are results... The Golden Dart Martial Arts School has withdrawn from two towns and one township. From now on, the Sand Snake Gang will dominate the Chijin Mountain area. It’s a gangster.”
Hearing this, Li Xiuling's eyes widened with a surprised expression. Then she moved closer to her husband, put her slender fingers on her husband's forehead and pressed it continuously, and asked doubtfully:
"How could it be? 'Golden Guardsman' Huang Xianjun has been a powerful figure in Chijin for more than ten years. Even if he loses in this competition, it is not something that can be decided at will. Can he agree to such a result?
"Moreover, the Sand Snakes gang has been defeated many times before but has not been exterminated... Could it be that Ye Liwang not only recruited the 'Yellow-shirted Gunslingers', but also roped in other forces?"
When Li Xiuling's fingers pressed on his forehead, Zhao Song's body trembled slightly at first, but he soon began to enjoy his wife's service. He narrowed his eyes slightly and raised the corners of his mouth:
"Xiu Ling, you are really smart... I don't know what means the 'Sand Snake' Ye Liwang used to get the support of Mayor He of Chijin Town and the Chen family of Jinwan Township, and even asked Old Hall Master Huang to ask his brother Only by kowtowing and admitting his mistake can he stay in Chijin...
"How could Mr. Huang be willing to accept such humiliation? After all, Ye Liwang's younger brother was beaten to death in a fair and just manner during a martial arts competition, and Mr. Huang did not accept the injustice.
"So the final result is that Jinbao Martial Arts School left two towns and one township within a seven-day deadline, but as compensation, the Chen Family of Jinwan Township provided a 'trade route' from Yumen County to Dunhuang as compensation."
The so-called "trade route" refers to the "tax-free license" or "tax reduction agreement" issued by the government between two places, which is a very precious item for merchants.
"A 'trade route'? The Chen family is actually willing to do so! Their family only has two or three trade routes at most... Why are they helping the 'Sand Snakes' like this?" Li Xiuling's eyebrows furrowed again.
"My father-in-law and I have not figured it out, but the 'Business Road' is indeed real, so we have no objection to the 'Sand Snake' proposal." Zhao Song paused here and then smiled, "After all, Mr. Huang I am not in business myself, so I can only find someone to form a partnership. Maybe our Bingquan wine can be sold directly to Dunhuang this time."
Li Xiuling rolled her eyes at her husband who was smiling smugly, rested her upper body on his shoulder, and asked with a pouted mouth, "Did you expect this a long time ago, so you sent Chen'er to the martial arts gym in advance to be Mr. Huang's apprentice?"
"How could it be possible? How could I have thought that Guanzhu Huang would lose?" Zhao Song shook his head. He glanced at his wife who was getting closer, hesitated and said, "Once the cooperation is negotiated, Chen'er, as a disciple, will have to go to Yuyu with Huang. Menjuncheng has become the person in charge of that 'trade route'... This involves his future future, so we should call him over and ask him what he thinks."
"It's time to talk to him, so as not to cause any rift between you and your son... Oh, your eldest son Zhao Angyuan is studying in Zhangye, the prefecture city, and now your second son is also going to Yumen... In the eyes of outsiders, it must be me, the stepmother, who cannot tolerate them. Ah!" Li Xiuling said angrily into her husband's ear, her tone sounding like coquettishness.
Zhao Song just shook her smooth palm apologetically, then nodded and said, "Then call Chen'er over now."
"Now?" Li Xiuling's voice rose and she straightened up.
She looked at the hands of the clock and said in disbelief: "It's so late at night, is there anything we can't talk about tomorrow?"
"Ahem, I have something to do tomorrow. I'm afraid I have to leave before dawn...and call him over to prevent him from continuing to sleep in that unpopular Feng Shui bureau." Zhao Song coughed.
Li Xiuling stared at the other party for a while, then ordered someone to call Zhao Chen over, and said to her husband in a rather resentful tone:
"Mian'er has been born for four months, and my body has recovered a long time ago... You can't always avoid me like this..."
Zhao Song picked up the teacup filled with wolfberry and took a sip. He solemnly nodded and said, "Definitely next time!"
…
Because he had just dreamed about some past experiences of the original owner, Zhao Chen was still in a daze when he was woken up by Xiaosi Fengqu.
He yawned, and while putting on the complicated coat with the help of the maid, he thought to himself:
"It seems that 'Fang Xuzi' sought his own death and avenged part of the original owner... So, 'Da Ri Xing Cha' will give me part of the pledged memory?"
"That's right, that evil spirit is probably the direct murderer of the original owner...
"As for the person behind the scenes, based on what I saw in my dream just now, I can probably guess who it is."
Thinking of this, Zhao Chen sighed slightly, and a very "kind" figure to the original owner flashed in his mind.
That was the original owner's Aunt Mei, his biological mother's maid in marriage, and the concubine of the original owner's father, Zhao Song.
The original owner's mother died of illness when he was still very young. Aunt Mei played the role of mother for a long time until Zhao Song's successor, Li, came into the house.
It was under Aunt Mei's seduction that the original Zhao Chen changed the layout of his bedroom, creating a feng shui situation that was not conducive to his own aura.
As for why she did that, in Zhao Chen's opinion, there were two possibilities.
First, she was also deceived. She really thought that the arrangement of the room was good for the original owner...
Second, her mind has been twisted, and she wants to achieve a certain purpose through the death of the original owner...such as making Zhao Song suspicious of Li!
After all, the stepmother had just given birth to her own son, and the original wife's son died inexplicably. Li's suspicion was indeed the greatest.
Of these two possibilities, Zhao Chen prefers the latter.
Because from the perspective of a bystander, he easily discovered Aunt Mei's hatred for Mrs. Li in the memory of the original owner.
"If my guess is correct, the original owner died in a house fight... This is too sad.
"In my memory, Aunt Mei was not so extreme before. Was she stimulated by Li's birth, or was she instigated by demons?
"If it's the latter, that demon may have another purpose...
"Hey, it's a pity that although Zhao Song is a rich man and has three teams of fire rifles at home, he has no defense against these devious methods.
"But my cheap dad called me over in the middle of the night and I don't know why."
While his thoughts were spinning, Zhao Chen had already put on his clothes, and then led by Feng Qu and several maids to the Bingling Courtyard where his stepmother lived.
After greeting Zhao Song and Li Xiuling according to the etiquette in his memory, Zhao Chen raised his head and looked at the bodies of his parents.
Zhao Song looks to be in his forties. He is tall, strong and powerful, with a square face, a pair of deep and lively brown eyes, a high nose bridge, and a thick beard.
He was wearing a dark silk double-breasted gown, a tall short-brimmed hat, and exquisitely crafted boots. He gave off a calm and authoritative feeling just by sitting on the couch.
Li Xiuling, on the other hand, is in her early twenties at most, with delicate appearance, clear contours, and soft facial features, showing a natural and elegant temperament, as if she is a work of art.
She has a slender figure, not at all like a woman who has given birth to two children, she looks like a young girl... and her clothes are very simple compared to her husband, with almost no extra decorations, but the combination is very tasteful.
This is a typical old cow eating young grass! Zhao Chen withdrew his gaze and cursed in his heart.
Although he knew very well that the combination of his father and his stepmother was the most typical bundle of interests... because the guardian who took office more than four years ago needed the support of his father, a local snake, to gain a foothold, and his father's business in Yumen and Zhangye also We need the backing of the Li family.
That's why the warden married his newly grown-up concubine to his middle-aged widowed father as a second marriage.
However, this Mrs. Li was an extremely smart and capable person. Not only did she quickly capture Zhao Song's heart with her beauty and beauty, she was also able to make suggestions on many matters and became a veritable mistress of the Zhao family. This was natural. This aroused Aunt Mei's jealousy and resentment.
But Mr. Li never responded directly to her various provocations, and didn't even take her seriously. This made her even more extreme because she had nowhere to vent.
At this time, Zhao Song had already briefly told the story about the Golden Dart Martial Arts School. He looked at his son, who had his eyebrows lowered and his head lowered, and asked:
"Chen'er, what do you think?"
After hearing what his "father" said, Zhao Chen responded directly without any hesitation: "I have already worshiped Guanzhu Huang as my master, so naturally I cannot abandon my master at this time."
This answer is in line with the original owner's "honest and honest character" and is also what Zhao Chen expected.
Although he has obtained some memories of the original owner, he is still very different from the original Zhao Chen. He wishes to stay away from those close to him to avoid being exposed.
For the time being, it is a good choice to go to the county to manage the "business route". After a period of time, even if the personality changes, it will only be regarded as the result of experience.
"Yes, this is the responsibility that a man should take!" Zhao Song nodded with satisfaction, and then said, "You can tell your master when you go to the martial arts gym tomorrow, and I will let a twelve-person firecracker team go with you. Yumen.
"Hey, I'm afraid your master will have to show off a trick or two to return this favor."
"Why?" Zhao Chen asked at a loss.
"If I didn't send the fire gun team to accompany me, do you think the 'Sand Snake Gang' would have allowed your master to reach the county safely?" Zhao Song asked with a smile. Seeing that his son finally nodded suddenly, he asked seemingly unintentionally. He said, "By the way, do you still carry that ink pen your mother left with you?"
Zhubi... Demon-sealing Zhubi? Zhao Chen's heart suddenly moved, and he lowered his head and replied: "I was about to report to my father, but the pen broke inexplicably yesterday morning and turned into dust."
…
After Zhao Chen withdrew, Zhao Song left home under the dissatisfied gaze of his wife, while thinking in his heart:
"Turn into dust... Is that pen just an ordinary item to defend against curses?
"Or, it's not it?"
