Poor Lady Chapter 19: Yuan Xi

At this time, the nursing home and the child vendor came over with six boys ranging from eleven to fifteen years old.

Before Qi Surong made a sound, Manager Zhao had already stepped forward to inspect the goods. After looking at them for a while, he nodded and said, "These are pretty good, I want them all."

"Uh..." Yaban looked at Qi Surong on the other side, who made a gesture of "act as you please".

Qi Surong was born into a wealthy family and has a lot of knowledge. Just looking at Guanshi Zhao's attire and behavior style, he can tell that his master is either rich or noble. Given her current situation, it's best to avoid her edge and act in a low-key manner.

Zhao Guanshi followed Yaban's gaze, and found a young man standing not far away, watching quietly. He has a handsome appearance, smart eyes, and although he is dressed in ordinary clothes, it is difficult to hide his demeanor. His eyes lit up, compared to these little slaves in front of him, that young man was outstanding.

Just as he was about to say something, he saw a burly man stepping up behind the boy and staring at him intently.

The man was dressed as a nursing home, but he was different from ordinary nursing homes. He exuded the aura of having been killed. Manager Zhao withdrew his caution, it would be fine if the young man was just a child of the Yiping family, but now it seems that his background is not low, at least he is not something that a little manager like him can provoke.

Officer Zhao bowed slightly to Qi Surong, then asked the servants to complete the transaction with the tooth dealer, and left with a few boys.

"Young master, what do you think?" The tooth seller walked up to Qi Surong, smiling shyly.

"Then who is Guanshi Zhao?" Qi Surong interrupted him and asked.

"He is from Zheng Shida's family in Zheng County." The tooth dealer replied respectfully.

"County Boss?" County Boss is a four-rank noble, who has a feudal city but no authority. His surname is Zheng, could it be..."Concubine Zheng's younger brother?"

"Young master is really insightful."

Looks like he was right in not making a sound just now. It is rumored that Zheng Shida is sexually gay, regardless of gender. Not only because he has a sister who is a concubine, but also because he never provokes the rich and powerful, and rarely robs children from good families by force, and basically only picks people from the hands of nymphs. If you get tired of playing, give it to your servants, or resell it to someone else.

"Young master, these boys have already been bought, and there are still a few boys aged eighteen or nineteen left..."

"Isn't there another one here?" Qi Surong pointed at the boy who was just brought over by Manager Zhao.

The tooth seller hesitated and said: "Young master, are you sure you want him? He doesn't look easy to control."

"Eighteen or nine-year-old boys are too big, I just want a boy who is about my age." Qi Surong said.

"Okay then." The tooth dealer stopped talking, and said politely, "The villain will give you a resale price, thirty taels."

Qi Surong looked at him with a half-smile. Just now, Manager Zhao sold it to him at a price of ten taels, and he made a profit of twenty taels.

Yaban pretended not to see Qi Surong's expression, and asked, "What do you think, young master?"

"Okay, just thirty taels."

The tooth dealer happily responded.

Qi Surong asked the nursing home to pay, while he walked up to the boy and asked, "What's your name?"

The young man looked at him coldly, without saying a word.

After getting closer, Qi Surong found that his body was more injured than she thought. There were bruises on his arms that exposed his sleeves, his legs and feet were a little staggering, his back was arched, and it seemed that he couldn't straighten up because of the pain. Full of cold sweat.

"Young master, it's settled." The nurse handed the contract to Qi Surong.

Qi Surong took a few glances, and his eyes fell on the name of the contractor.

"Yuanxi?"

The young man remained motionless and unresponsive.

Surprise flashed in Qi Surong's eyes, it couldn't be such a coincidence, could it? Is this Yuanxi really the person she remembered from her last life? Yuan Xi's real name was Fan Ziyu, the son of Fan Gu, the Minister of Zhongshu, and his mother was Fan Guliang's concubine, who was half of the blood of the Western Regions.

Qi Surong looked at him intently, the outline of this young man in front of him was clearer than that of ordinary people from the Central Plains, his pupils were dark gray-blue, and he did have some characteristics of people from the Western Regions.

Is it really him?

The Fan family was also one of the dignitaries investigated by the emperor this time, but they were worse than the Qi family. Not only were they accused of corruption, they were also accused of hiding tributes and colluding with foreign thieves. Her mother's identity has become the target of criticism.

Fan's family was sealed up, Fan Gu was executed, his wives and concubines were exiled, and all immediate relatives within three generations were demoted to humble status.

Fan Gu has only one child, and that is Fan Ziyu.

Fan Ziyu was reduced from a famous son to a lowly slave in one night. In order to avoid violating taboos, he changed his name to "Yuanxi" from then on.

Fan Ziyu is the son of a concubine, Qi Surong before his rebirth disdain to make friends with him, naturally he has no impression of him. But after rebirth, Qi Surong remembered this person deeply.

The Fan family, like the Qi family, was ruined because of the crime they wanted to commit. But Fan Ziyu is stronger than Qi Surong. As a lowly slave, he travels among various families, enduring humiliation and suffering, like a beast with restrained breath, patiently lurking, waiting for the day of revenge until he meets King Jing.

King Jing is the younger brother of the Nine Emperors and the future new emperor of the Kingdom of Wei.

Fan Ziyu has excellent luck, so he chooses to be loyal to King Jing and advise him, which is deeply favored and trusted. Before Qi Surong died, he became King Jing's Minister of Humerus, ranking among the three princes.

Qi Surong's biggest advantage now is his prediction of the next thirty years. Making friends with dignitaries who have not yet been prominent is the best way for the Qi family to regain their prestige.

Qi Surong took Yuan Xi back to the newly bought house, first asked the maid to take him to freshen up, and then asked the doctor to clean his wound.

The doctor walked out of the room and said to Qi Surong: "Young master, his trauma is nothing to worry about, as long as the dressing is changed on time, he will be fine after a few days of recuperation. But..."

He hesitated to speak.

"But what?" Qi Surong said strangely: "Doctor, if you have something to say, just speak up."

"Uh, he, he was tortured before..." Seeing that the young man in front of him was only twelve or thirteen years old, the doctor was really embarrassed to speak.

Qi Surong was about to ask, but suddenly his heart moved, his expression became a bit serious, and he said: "Do not need to say too much, doctor, I think I know what you are going to say."

Qi Surong ordered the doctor to be sent away, looked at the room where Yuan Xi was, sighed slightly, turned and left.

On the second day, when Qi Surong appeared in the new house again in men's clothing, he immediately heard the nurse report to him: "I caught that kid trying to escape last night and he was locked in the woodshed."

Escape? Qi Surong was a little puzzled, where could he go if he escaped like this?

Qi Surong thought for a while, and said to the nurse: "Bring him to the study."

After a while, Yuan Xi was taken into the study by the nurse.

Qi Surong asked the nurse to leave, leaving only the two of them in the study.

Yuan Xi sat on the ground, put one hand on the chair beside him, and looked at Qi Surong coldly.

Qi Surong suddenly called out: "Fan Ziyu."

Yuan Xi's expression was shocked, and his body stiffened unconsciously.

"You don't want to be here, where do you want to go?" she asked.

Yuan Xi said nothing.

Qi Surong said again: "You should be aware of your current situation. You have been reduced to a lowly status. No matter where you go, it is difficult to find a way out. Rather than being bullied outside, it is better to stay in Xiuzhuang and help me."

"Who are you? How do you know I'm Fan Ziyu?" Yuan Xi finally spoke.

"My family, like yours, has been affected by the investigation."

A trace of surprise flashed in Yuan Xi's eyes, and he asked, "Are you..."

"Qi." Qi Surong spat out a word. The reason why she didn't hide it was not only because she wanted to gain Yuanxi's trust, but also because she was sure that Yuanxi would not betray her.

"So it's the Qi family." Yuan Xi looked at Qi Surong steadily, and suddenly said, "I see, you are..."

"Just be clear in your heart." Qi Surong interrupted him, and said again, "I want to know what your plan is? Why don't you want to stay here?"

Yuan Xi stood up and replied, "I thought this was just a small workshop."

Qi Surong thought for a moment, then guessed: "You want to join a powerful family?"

Yuan Xi was taken aback, surprised by Qi Surong's keenness, and nodded his head after a moment: "That's right."

"I understand." Qi Surong walked slowly to his side and said seriously, "Fan Ziyu, believe me, your goal is the same as mine, I will help you achieve your wish, and I hope you can help me. "

"How do you want me to help you?" Yuan Xi asked.

"Be my book boy for now, and help me take care of Xiuzhuang's affairs."

"What can you do with just one Xiuzhuang?"

"A Xiuzhuang really can't do much?" Qi Surong said calmly, "But I can use the name of Xiuzhuang to enter a big family and make friends with powerful people."

Yuan Xi looked at Qi Surong silently, and said word by word: "Sorry, I don't trust you."

He had met Qi Surong a few times and had heard of her reputation. A 15 or 16-year-old boudoir girl who has talent but is arrogant and ignorant of worldly affairs, how can it help him? It's better not to do something bad.

Qi Surong was not angry, and asked: "How can I convince you?"

Yuanxi thought for a moment, and replied: "I was bullied by Zheng Shida before, if you can help me avenge, I will serve you."

Yuan Xi asked Qi Surong a difficult problem, the original intention was to make him retreat, but he didn't expect that Qi Surong just thought for a while before nodding and agreeing: "Okay, I will avenge you."

This time it was Yuan Xi's turn to be in trouble, he said in a deep voice, "You have to think clearly, don't compromise yourself for a moment of pride."

"I know." Qi Surong smiled, "Do you think I look like a person who uses his emotions?"

Yuan Xi is silent, she is indeed different from the rumors. Although he is only fifteen or sixteen years old, his words and deeds are full of maturity, neither hasty nor impatient, and he has never shown the slightest disdain for him.

"Qi..." Yuan Xi paused, not knowing how to address her.

"Just call me 'little son'."

"Then you can call me 'Yuan Xi' from now on, and don't call me by my real name again." Yuan Xi said, "Your Qi family also received the reward from the former emperor more than ten years ago, and the emperor has a lot of concerns. , you must not take it lightly, fall into the shoes of others, and bring trouble again."

"A reward from the previous emperor more than ten years ago?" Qi Surong asked doubtfully, "What do you mean by that?"

Yuan Xi froze for a moment: "You don't know?"

"Please clarify."

"Since I don't know, it's inconvenient for me to say more." Yuan Xi closed his mouth.

"Yuanxi, now that we have all fallen to this point, why worry about others?"

"You must be cautious, otherwise you will be involved more."

Qi Surong thought about it for a while, her heart moved, and she tentatively whispered two words: "Secret letter."

Yuan Xi suddenly raised his head and stared at her closely.

It's really a secret letter! Qi Surong was also surprised. This letter is really unusual, it actually involves the current Holy Majesty.

Yuan Xi let out a breath, and said lightly: "Do you know how many dignitaries were investigated this time?"

Qi Surong counted them carefully, and replied: "There are more than 20 people above the fifth rank, and about fifty people below the fifth rank."

Yuan Xi nodded: "Yes, among these people, there are more than 30 people, all of whom received the reward from the late emperor at the celebration banquet twelve years ago."

"Twelve years ago... the border victory!" Qi Surong remembered that she had heard her father mention it, because it was his last battle. "But the great victory at the border should be rewarded based on merit. What's wrong with that?"

"If it's just an ordinary reward, there's nothing wrong with it, but..." Yuan Xi stared at Qi Surong, and said in a deep voice, "What if it involves a battle for the throne?"

"The battle for the throne?" Qi Surong whispered and asked, "What does the secret letter have to do with these rewards? What does it have to do with the battle for the throne?"

"It seems that your father didn't mention much to you." Yuan Xi said clearly, "I can only tell you that there are secret letters hidden in the items rewarded by the late emperor, and the secret letters are related to the throne. But I don't know how many secret letters there are, and presumably the current emperor doesn't know either."

"So, the emperor simply cleared out those who had received rewards more than ten years ago?" Qi Surong muttered to himself.

"Obviously." A cold light flashed in Yuan Xi's eyes.

The scope of this investigation is very wide, and there are many descendants of officials who have fallen outside. If they can be found out one by one and given corresponding funding and support, maybe they can become the future support of the Qi family.

But this matter must be done cautiously, and a slight mistake will lead to a fatal disaster.

However, she first had to subdue the rebellious young man in front of her.

Qi Surong's gaze gradually changed from doubt to clarity...