Chapter 479: Incident
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Mu Yangling didnât let them stay in the Qi Manor for too long. How could living here compare to living outside? Hence, the next day, she got someone to clean up the small residence on Qixia Street and let them move there on the third day.
As soon as Fan Zijin returned, heâd bought a large courtyard on Qixia Street to conduct business as well as facilitate the transmission of secret news After Mu Yangling took over his business in Jiangnan, she bought a small courtyard next door for convenience.
After all, the people coming in and out of the room next door were all unfamiliar men, so it was not convenient for Mu Yangling to handle matters there.
It was convenient for Teacher Liu and the rest to move to the small courtyard They could just move the things in her study next door and add some household items.
After making these arrangements, Teacher Liu would study in peace. From time to time, he would go to some teahouses where scholars gathered. Fan Zijin would give him some test papers and reference answers during his half-monthly break.
These things were hard to come by, so Teacher Liu was extremely grateful.
Qi Haoran felt that Fan Zijin treated Teacher Liu too well, so he asked Fan Zijin if he was up to no good again. Smiling, Fan Zijin said, âTeacher Liu is quite talented and has a good character. Besides, he worked with Ah Ling previously. What do you think about me completely turning him into Big Brotherâs man?â Qi Haoran thought for a moment and said, âLetâs be cautious.â
âDonât worry, Iâll grasp the rhythm. By the way, has the authentic item arrived?â Fan Zijin looked at Qi Haoran with bright eyes.
âNot yet, but itâll arrive in the next two days.â
Fan Zijinâs eyes darted around and he lowered his voice. âIf I replace it with a fake oneâŠâ
âIs there a counterfeit that can deceive the Chen family?â Qi Haoran asked curiously.
Fan Zijin choked and said faintly, âThen say that what Big Brother got is fake. You donât know anything about antiques, so itâs reasonable for you to receive a fakeâŠâ
Qi Haoran jumped up and roared, âNo, am I the kind of person who goes back
on my word and does these sort of sneaky things?â
âYouâre not, but I am, alright?â Fan Zijin shouted back. âAs long as you can leave behind the authentic piece, Iâll take the blame.â
Qi Haoranâs face flushed red. âIsnât it just a darned memorial? Is there a need to steal it like this? Other than that thing, tell me what else you want. Iâll get it for you.â
Fan Zijin looked up at him in disdain and said, âYou canât even see the value of good things. Do you know how to tell the authentic from the fake? If I say that I want the âSage Laoziâs Paintingâ, can you find it for me?â
âThe Sage Laoziâs Painting?â Qi Haoran tilted his head. âThe one drawn by Zhong Yao?â
Fan Zijin sat cross-legged on the brick bed and took a sip of tea. He snorted and said, âYup. Itâs been lost since Emperor Gaozongâs era. Can you find it for me? If you can find it, I wonât stop you from giving the Chen family ten real copies of the âEmperor Shizongâs Admonishment Memorialâ.â
However, Qi Haoran was already holding his head in distress. âThis thing sounds so familiar. I seem to have seen it before.â
Stunned, Fan Zijin hurriedly threw down the teacup in his hand and looked at Qi Haoran eagerly. âIâm in charge of your spoils of war. Did you see them at Big Brotherâs place? Think about it, think about it carefully.â
Qi Haoran frowned and thought about it carefully, but he could not recall anything for a long time. Fan Zijin was so angry that he could not help but kick him, thinking that Qi Haoran was just lying to him to make him stop pestering him about the âEmperor Shizongâs Admonishment Memorialâ.
In the end, Fan Zijin left angrily.
Qi Haoran returned home with a frown. He felt that he had indeed seen this before, but he did not have a deep impression of it.
Seeing that he was frowning, Mu Yangling asked, âWhatâs wrong with you?â
I m thinking about the Sage Laoziâs Painting.â
Mu Yangling blinked and asked, âWhy are you thinking about it?â
âI feel like Iâve seen it somewhere before, but why canât I remember?â
Mu Yangling coughed lightly and said, âIsnât that one of the betrothal gifts you gave me? Then, I moved it into the storeroom as a dowry? Why are you asking this?â
Qi Haoranâs mouth fell open. He finally remembered that when he was choosing a betrothal gift for Mu Yangling, he had almost emptied Big Brotherâs storeroom. In the end, although he had put the things back, Big Brother had included many items on the gift list later on. The Sage Laoziâs Painting was among them.
Qi Haoran swallowed his saliva and asked, âIs that the real thing?â
âIt should be real.â Mu Yangling was not very sure either. âThey were all snatched from the Jin Kingdomâs nobles. They wouldnât collect fake ones right?â
Qi Haoran touched his chin and felt that the possibility of it being authentic was higher. He smiled at Mu Yangling.
Mu Yangling waved her hand and pushed the face in front of her away. âIf you have something to say, say it. Donât try to get close to me.â
Qi Haoran touched his nose and said, âAh Ling, letâs give that thing to Zijin. Heâs going crazy thinking about that âEmperor Shizongâs Admonishment Memorialâ now. I wonder if it will affect his exam mood.â
Mu Yangling said nonchalantly, âSure, but the item is in Jingzhao Prefecture.â She wasnât obsessed with antiques. In her opinion, as long as these things didnât go overseas, they would probably be better in anyoneâs hands than hers because they loved it. Although she liked it, it wasnât to the point of love. Only by converting antiques into money would she know their value.
Qi Haoran obviously thought so too. He immediately wrote a letter to Fan Zijin happily and told him the good news. However, he also said in advance that this item was snatched back from the Jin people and he had yet to verify its authenticity.
Then, he asked Fei Bai to send the letter to the villa.
At this moment, a loud shout came from Eldest Master Chenâs study. Chen Cheng ran out barefooted with disheveled hair. Grabbing the old servantâs collar, he glared at him with widened eyes and an angry voice came from his throat. âTell me, who has entered my study?â
The moment Chen Qian entered, two servants grabbed his arms and sent him all the way to Chen Fangâs study. He knew that things were bad!
When Chen Sheng saw his son, he rushed forward as if he had seen an enemy.
He raised his hand and was about to hit him when he heard his son shout miserably, âFather, Iâm your son!â
Tears streamed down Chen Qianâs face. Chen Shengâs raised hand didnât lower.
In the end, he could only turn him around and kick his butt. He scolded, âAre you my son? Youâre an enemy whoâs here to collect debts from me! Whyâdid I give birth to such a prodigal son like you? Tell me, who bewitched you to steal my things? Iâm going to kill him, kill him!â
Chen Qian lay on the ground obediently with his butt sticking out. Now, his father was only kicking his butt. Anyway, his father couldnât bear to use too much strength. So be it.
After hitting him for a long time, Chen Sheng saw that his son was only howling and showed no signs of admitting his mistake. He was so angry that he paced around the house. In the end, he grabbed a feather duster and gestured at his back twice. In the end, he still couldnât bear to do it. He could only raise his hand and hit him. Chen Qian screamed.
In the end, Chen Qian didnât feel much pain. On the other hand, Chen Shengâs hand was swollen from the beating. He sat on the ground and saw that his son refused to tell him where the item was now. For a moment, he felt sad. He turned around and crawled over to hug his fatherâs leg. He cried, âFather, you have to stand up for your son. Look at your grandson. Heâs digging out my heart.â
Chen Fang looked at his son in disdain. He couldnât bear to beat his son up but he was willing to make things difficult for his father.
Frightened by his fatherâs loud cries, Chen Qian hurriedly crawled up on his knees and said, âFather, 1 didnât lose it. I took it to exchange for somethingâŠâ âProdigal son, can you exchange that thing? Tell me, which bastard fooled you?â