When the lights were turned on in the evening, the housekeeper came back and brought Nangong Qin good news. The new prefect Lin Menglong will summon some of the leading figures in Hangzhou Prefecture at the government office in seven days, including the two heads of the Weiyuan Escort Bureau.
After hearing the news, a smile appeared on Nangong Qin's face. After taking a few bites of food, he went to the study and wrote a letter to Minister Meng who was far away in the capital.
The next day, just after midnight, Su Qiqi and Zheng Miao pestered Nangong Ke to take them to Lebaozhai. Nangong Ke couldn't stand the bullying from his two younger sisters, so he had to put down the book and accompany his two younger sisters to this newly opened antique store located on the north side of Zhengyang Street.
"Sister, this decoration is so grand! Brother Nangong, that porcelain vase is very expensive..." As soon as Zheng Miao entered the store, she ran around like a happy little sparrow, looking here and touching there, her eyes full of novelty. .
The shopkeeper came out to greet him enthusiastically. When he saw three young people dressed in ordinary clothes, he smiled and went to greet other customers. Before leaving, he muttered: "Watch it, don't damage it." my darling!"
Zheng Miao curled her lips, rolled her eyes at the shopkeeper's back, and then continued to slowly look at the antique calligraphy and paintings in the room.
"Wanrou, be careful with this, it will be gone if you touch it and lose hundreds of taels of silver... This painting is "Spring Dawn in the West Lake" by Liu Songnian, one of the "Four Artists of the Southern Song Dynasty". The painting style is exquisite and beautiful. Rigorous..." Nangong Ke was like a knowledgeable and nagging elder, reminding the two sisters to handle it with care, and then talking about the origin and value of each antique...
Su Qiqi and Zheng Miao nodded perfunctorily, glanced a few times with some understanding, and then felt uninterested. They were about to ask their brother to go shopping elsewhere when they were suddenly attracted by a short sword hanging in the corner... …
This dagger is so special! Su Qiqi sighed while unconsciously reaching out to touch the simple-looking dagger. She stared at the dagger steadily and slowly pulled the blade out of the scabbard.
A beam of cold light blinded her. She quickly put the sword back into its scabbard and shouted to the shopkeeper who was standing in front of the counter fiddling with his abacus: "Shopkeeper, how do you sell this dagger?"
When the shopkeeper heard the voice, he hurried over and took a look at the sword in Su Qiqi's hand. His eyes lit up, his thick eyebrows raised, and he said with a smile: "Young girl is really discerning! This is a good sword, it costs 300 taels of silver!" "
"Ah? It's so expensive!" Su Qiqi was a little surprised, but she couldn't bear to part with the dagger. She quickly looked around with her eyes, looking for Nangong Ke and Zheng Miao, and shouted: "Brother, Wanrou, come here... …”
Nangong Ke and Zheng Miao heard Su Qiqi's call and hurried over. They looked at the dagger in Su Qiqi's hand and asked in unison: "You... want this sword?"
Su Qiqi nodded, then whispered in her elder brother's ear: "Brother, I like this sword very much, but it's a bit expensive. It costs 300 taels of silver. Can you help me negotiate the price?"
When Nangong Ke heard this, his expression suddenly changed, and he whispered: "Little sister, the last time I saved daddy and your second and third brothers, I spent most of the family's savings... In two years, the business of the escort agency will pick up. Big brother will buy you a better one..."
After hearing this, Su Qiqi silently hung the dagger back on the wall even though she was a little reluctant. Just as she let go, a thick arm suddenly appeared out of thin air and grabbed the dagger.
Su Qiqi couldn't help but turn around and saw a man with an unkind expression raising the dagger, squinting his triangular eyes, looking at her provocatively and saying: "If you can't afford it, don't waste your time here! Shopkeeper Yes, I want this dagger, here are three hundred taels of silver notes..." He took out a stack of banknotes from his arms, took three and threw them to the shopkeeper, and then he picked up the simple dagger. The sword flew away.
Seeing his arrogant look, Su Qiqi couldn't help but glare at his leaving figure and cursed a few words angrily.
Nangong Ke and Zheng Miao saw that she was in a bad mood and rushed over to comfort her. Su Qiqi sighed and said: "Actually, I don't have to fight for that sword, but I just can't stand that person's attitude..."
When Zheng Miao heard this, she couldn't help but cover her mouth and snicker. Then she took Su Qiqi to a nearby jewelry store. The two of them each bought a few exquisite headwear, and then they forgot about the unpleasantness just now.
When she returned to her mansion, Su Qiqi wanted to give her a surprise. When she walked under the window of her parents' room, she suddenly heard a low argument coming from the room, so she slowed down and approached the window to listen to the conversation in the room.
"Do you really want Su'er to take over the escort agency? Is it appropriate for a girl to run around escorting escorts and socializing?" The mother's voice was slightly angry, anxious and short.
"Su'er mentioned it herself... She has good martial arts skills, is calm and decisive, and is better than the second and third child..." Nangong's father was still trying to convince his wife.
A-niang seemed to sigh, but still said a little unwillingly: "Although Su'er has some abilities, she is still a girl, and it is not convenient to stay with a group of warriors all day long..."
"What you said makes sense. Hannian and I will discuss this matter. His daughter also wants to be a bodyguard..."
"What? That kid Wanrou wants to be a bodyguard even though she doesn't know Kung Fu... This, this is not a joke... You can't just let two kids mess around..."
Listening to the conversation between father and mother-in-law, Su Qiqi felt anxious and hurriedly said: "I'm not fooling around! I'm serious. I want to help father revive the escort agency!" After that, Su Qiqi ran into the room. Inside, he said to the two elders seriously.
"Su'er? Did you hear what your father and I said?" Mrs. Nangong was stunned for a moment and murmured.
Su Qiqi nodded and said with a smile: "I know mother is worried about my safety, but I am no longer a child, and my martial arts skills are on par with Brother Chuan, so you can rest assured and let me carry forward the Weiyuan Escort Bureau... "
"Hahaha, madam, you see our daughter's ambition is not small!" Nangong Qin said with a hearty laugh.
"You! Even if you indulge them...one by one, you won't worry..." Mrs. Nangong complained, but she felt a little relieved in her heart. Among the children I gave birth to, the eldest is a scholar, and of course has no chance of a career as a bodyguard; the second and third, although their martial arts skills are passable, are short-sighted and easy to be plotted; only this youngest daughter is not only He has strong martial arts skills and a flexible and thoughtful mind. If he is a man, he is naturally the best candidate to take over the escort agency... What a pity! Fortune plays tricks on people...
Nangong Qin saw his wife's hesitant expression and knew that she was still struggling, so he motioned to Su Qiqi to go back to the room first and he would find a way to convince his wife. Su Qiqi nodded knowingly, exited her parents' room with a happy face, and returned to the backyard.
After a few days, unable to withstand the repeated lobbying of Nangong Qin, Qin Hannian and their eldest son, Mrs. Nangong finally gave in and agreed to let Su Qiqi temporarily take over the escort agency and rectify all the affairs of the escort agency.
Su Qiqi was so excited when she heard Nangong's father personally announcing the decision. As soon as she left the main hall, she invited her three brothers, Zheng Miao, Qin Chuan, Ning'er, and Granny Cui to go to a nearby restaurant to celebrate.
After three rounds of drinking, the third brother Nangong Yue picked up the wine glass and said drunkenly: "Little sister, congratulations! But you are a girl, can you manage the escort agency well?"
Su Qiqi glared at Third Brother when he heard this, and said unconvinced: "Third Brother, you are too underestimated! Since ancient times, women have not necessarily been inferior to men in leading troops, let alone running a small escort agency!"
When the eldest brother saw his younger siblings bickering, he hurriedly smoothed things over and said, "You talk nonsense when you drink... Little sister, don't pay attention to what your third brother says, he just doesn't want you to work too hard..."
Su Qiqi snorted and stopped fighting with the third brother. The third brother didn't say anything anymore and fell asleep on the table. The second brother was also drunk, staring out the window in a daze, mumbling something to himself.
Seeing the naive expressions of the two brothers, Su Qiqi smiled helplessly, called the waiter to pay the bill, and then helped the second brother and third brother back to the escort agency with the eldest brother and Qin Chuan.
Zheng Miao and Granny Cui saw that it was still early, so they took Ning'er for a while, bought the windmill that Ning'er wanted, and prepared to return to the escort agency. When the three of them were about ten steps away from the Escort Bureau, they suddenly noticed someone sneaking around at the door of the Escort Bureau.
Huh? Isn't that man the sword-buying man I met at Lebaozhai this morning? How come he is here? Zheng Miao was filled with doubts. She quickly pulled Ning'er and Granny Cui around to the back door of the escort agency and rushed to Su Qiqi's residence.
