Second watch, asking for powder.
*****
"Lian Manman, I’m taking you to et my Sixth Brother." Shen Qian said as he saw Lian Manman staring blankly, then stretched out his hand and waved it in front of her.
"Oh." Lian Manman quickly responded.
"Manman." Lian Zhizhi, Wu Lang, and Xiao Qi all ca over. It wasn’t appropriate to say much in front of others, so the children simply communicated with each other through their eyes.
"It seems that the ’Master Shen Liu’ we just saw was an imposter; let’s follow and see," said Lian Manman to them.
"Second Sister, look." Xiao Qi suddenly moved close to Lian Manman, grabbed her hand and shook it, while pointing with his other hand in the direction behind them, "It’s those two bad guys who bullied us just now."
Lian Manman quickly turned her head to look in the direction Xiao Qi was pointing. She saw a group of five or six people erge from around the street corner, two of whom were carrying a covered sedan chair, with the others crowding around it, striding down the street with an aggressive air and shouting as they went, causing passersby to hurriedly make way for them.
Sitting atop that covered sedan chair was the squint-eyed "Master Shen Liu," and the hunchback called Old Xia who was walking with a strange gait right next to the sedan chair, being supported by others.
The group approached a side alley and was about to turn into it.
"It’s them, pretending to be your Sixth Brother," Lian Manman imdiately told Shen Qian, "Oh, they must be looking for us in the market and have brought so many people with them."
"Thirteen, you take people to go," soone instructed from upstairs. The voice was low yet extraordinarily clear and penetrating, making it very clear to hear. It was the sa person who had spoken before.
Very soon, a rather spirited young man of short stature led four people dressed identically, obviously household guards, out of the teahouse. The young man passed by Lian Manman, his glance seemingly casual yet quickly sizing her up, before he led the guards straight to the covered sedan chair.
"My Sixth Brother’s n have gone to catch them, Manman, you can rest assured. In a mont, I’ll make decisions on your behalf," Shen Qian said confidently, "Co with upstairs, I’ll take you to et my Sixth Brother."
"All right."
Since it was so, she definitely had to go upstairs for a look.
Lian Manman and the others followed Shen Qian into the teahouse. Once inside, Lian Manman found it strange—the teahouse had no custors, just the shopkeeper, with three hall-runners, all standing there properly.
"My Sixth Brother is upstairs."
The teahouse had two floors, and the upper floor had private rooms. Lifting his robe slightly, Shen Qian climbed the stairs with his plump legs, with Lian Manman following behind. At the top of the stairs, two very capable-looking young n stood guard. They nodded slightly to Shen Qian as he led the people upstairs, but other than that, they made no other movent or speech.
Along the corridor of the second floor, there were also a few attendants standing by. Shen Qian led Lian Manman to the doorway of a private room, where the attendant lifted the door curtain and reported their arrival inside.
"Co in," ca the clear voice.
Shen Qian then led Lian Manman into the private room.
As soon as Lian Manman entered the room, her first glance fell upon the person sitting by the window. Seen from the side, he had a high, straight nose, slightly upturned eyes, and sharply defined lips, as though he was a painting straight out of a young girl’s dream. He was wearing a moon-white brocade robe with wide sleeves instead of the usual tight ones.
"Sixth Brother," Shen Qian called out.
Only then did the man slowly turn his head, his phoenix eyes lingering on Lian Manman for a mont before turning away.
There was no mistake, there could not be another person who looked so exactly the sa in this world. Having seen only the side of his face from downstairs, Lian Manman had still been uncertain, but now standing in the private room, she was one hundred percent sure that this man was the sa one she had rescued behind Nanshan back then.
Unexpectedly, they were eting here, in these circumstances. Moreover, this man was a mber of the Shen Family, Shen Qian’s Sixth Brother.
But his appearance seed to suggest he didn’t recognize her at all.
"This is my Sixth Brother, you see him now, and he’s nothing like what you described," Shen Qian said to Lian Manman.
When Lian Manman had last seen Master Shen Liu, he had been seriously injured but refused to let her seek help for him. Now, he acted as if he didn’t recognize her. In that case, it was best for her to act as if she didn’t recognize him either.
"Master Shen Liu, I wish you all the best," Lian Manman said, greeting Master Shen Liu with a bow.
"Hmm," Shen Liu nodded slightly.
To Lian Manman, this seed extrely disdainful; however, the servants attending to them showed surprised expressions. Their master was always cold and distant, never falsely cordial to anyone. To respond this way to a young girl’s greeting was unprecedented.
"Have a seat please," Shen Liu ordered.
A servant by their side moved a few chairs over and invited Lian Manman and the children to sit. Shen Qian had his own seat, but he didn’t imdiately sit back down.
Lian Manman showed modesty and took a seat. She pondered that the teahouse seed to be reserved by Shen Liu, who, along with Shen Qian, was only accompanied by servants. And these servants seed to be divided into two categories. This was apparent not only from their attire but also from their deanor. So looked like they should be servants of a noble family, while others had an air about them that was unlike ordinary people. Such as a forr special forces soldier, even in plain clothes, could still stand out from ordinary folk.
Enforcers? Soldiers? Guards?
"Has soone been impersonating ?" Shen Liu suddenly asked, picking up the teacup from the table in front of him without drinking, as though he was rely savoring the tea’s aroma.
Shen Liu didn’t look at anyone as he asked.
"Sixth Brother, soone impersonating you even bullied Manman and the others," Shen Qian answered, "Manman is my friend."
"Hmm," Shen Liu humd again.
At that mont, noisy footsteps could be heard from downstairs, followed by the sound of footsteps on the stairs.
"My lord, we’ve brought the person," the short young man who had left earlier reported as he ca back in.
"Bring them in," Shen Liu instructed.
The youth went out and dragged in the fake Shen Liu and Xia Tuozi, dropping them on the ground.
"...They also had a few others with them, local ruffians. I’ve left them downstairs under watch. If my lord wishes to question them, it’s not too late to call them up," the youth said to Shen Liu.
Shen Liu nodded, looking at the fake Shen Liu and Xia Tuozi with a slight frown on his brow.
"Speak, what’s going on?"
The fake Shen Liu and Xia Tuozi had been caught before they even entered the market. On the way here, they had learned who had captured them and were already scared out of their wits. They could only quiver on the ground like chaff in the wind, their mouths opening and closing without being able to utter a word.
"My lord, the family retainers I brought with recognize them," the young man said tily in response.
*****
First, 260’s additional update, with Ruoyan working hard to type away. Rest assured in casting your votes. Ruoyan will only add more Chapters according to the number of votes, never fewer.
To the readers, if you vote generously, Ruoyan will be in high spirits. When in a good mood, typing goes smoothly, and it’s likely that a few extra Chapters might co out as well. (To be continued. If you like this work, please feel free to vote with recomndation tickets and monthly tickets at Qidian (qidian). Your support is my greatest motivation.)
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