"Bie Gongyi used to be a teacher in Kyoto, after his wife's death..." Zhao Liangbi said tactfully, "He is from Zhending State, the house he lives in and the fields at home are all ancestral properties."
Rabbits do not eat grass near their burrows. No matter how arrogant they are outside, once they return to their hometown, they will become honest and down-to-earth, or else they will lose their foundation and be nothing but a floating duckweed.
Bie Gongyi would never do such a thing as destroying the Great Wall no matter what.
Perhaps it was the story of Bie Gangwei that also moved Zhao Liangbi, who sighed and said: "To think about it, Bie's sisters are also pitiful people. At a young age, their mother passed away, and Bie Gangwei is an unrefined person, afraid to wrong his daughters, so he didn't want to remarry. The two sisters had no one to take care of them, and they learned how to sew, mend, cook, and do chores all by themselves from the neighbors. When they grew up, they also had to take care of Bie Gangwei. Otherwise, why would Bie's older sister have caught the eye of Shan Jie?
Dong Zhao decided to intervene in this matter.
She nodded silently and finished her tea.
Zhao Liangbi should have retreated, but he stood there hesitantly with a uncertain expression.
Dòu Zhāo raised an eyebrow.
Zhao Liangbi hesitated for a moment, then spoke in a low voice: "I also heard something else... After Bie Jueyi had an accident, he specifically instructed to keep it from the eldest sister of the other family. But just a few days ago, the eldest sister found out and tied a lock of hair on her mother's memorial tablet, wanting to go as a concubine to that Sun Jie. Luckily, Chen Dage from next door saw something was off and forcibly kept Eldest Sister back... Fourth Miss, you..." He looked at Du Zhao with pleading eyes, hoping she could help.
Dòu Zhāo was shocked.
Unexpectedly, both sisters from another family are people who have their own opinions when encountering things.
"She said: 'Don't be in a hurry, I'll tell Grandmother and then go see Third Uncle.'"
Zhao Liangbi saw Du Zhaoluan rush to see Du Shixiang at night, and after being shocked and grateful, he said: "It's late, I'm going back to the East House anyway, I'll accompany you there!"
Fourteen-year-old Zhao Liangbi is still working in the accounting room of Dongdou. It wasn't until he was sixteen that he had the opportunity to be sent out as a second shopkeeper.
If he didn't know the outcome, I'm afraid he wouldn't be able to sleep tonight.
Dong Zhao smiled and replied, then went to report to his grandmother.
Grandma was furious when she heard about this and repeatedly urged Dan Jie: "Go quickly! Go quickly." She also said, "Saving a life is like building a seven-story pagoda. If your third uncle doesn't agree to vouch for Bie Genyi, you tell me, I still have some connections with the Lang family, and when the time comes, I'll ask someone from the Lang family to vouch for Bie Genyi."
Dong Zhao became more confident and repeatedly said "yes", then went to Dong Diao.
Dou Shi Bang had already fallen asleep, when he heard that Dou Zhao had come to see him. He was startled and hastily put on his clothes and shoes, rushing out and anxiously asking: "What's happened? What's happened?" This in turn startled Dou Zhao, who secretly regretted coming too late and disturbing Third Uncle's rest.
She told San Bo Fu about Bie Su Lan's interception, then asked: "Has the Shan family sent someone to greet us or spread any rumors?"
"That's not it. The first shot of Ya Wen's emotional words" Du Shibo knew the meaning of Du Zhao's words, took a deep breath and said, "It's just that Shan Jie has a narrow heart, a violent temper, and is reckless in his actions. It's better to do one thing less than to do one thing more."
"I used to think so too." Dou Zhao smiled and said, "However, since you've come to me for help, it's a good deed to save someone. It wouldn't be right to just ignore it. Since the Shan family didn't send anyone to greet us or spread any rumors, why don't Third Uncle step forward and vouch for that other family? Even if the Shan family asks about it, we can easily deny any involvement."
"The whole of Zhenzhou knows that Bie Gongyi was imprisoned because he offended Shan Jie," Dou Shibo said reluctantly, "We can find out with a little inquiry. To shirk responsibility afterwards is just like covering one's ears while stealing a bell, and the feud between us and the Shan family may be hard to avoid."
"If that's the case, then our Duan family should come forward even more. If not, when we encounter those who are nitpicky and like to find fault in everything, they will say that our Duan family is afraid of the Shan family, and that the Shan family has done such a despicable thing that our Duan family doesn't dare to show up; or they will say that our Duan family is just as bad as the Shan family, colluding with each other in wickedness. The good reputation that our Duan family has accumulated over several generations will be ruined like this."
Dòu Shìbǎng was seriously considering this matter.
Dong Zhao felt somewhat moved.
Family reputation, isn't it also a heavy burden. But sometimes, it will become an umbrella, sheltering those who take refuge under the umbrella from wind and rain.
Dong Shibang decided to discuss with Er Tai Furen and make another decision.
Dong Zhaodao said, "I heard that Bie Guangyi was seriously injured and won't live for many more days. If we try to save him but he ends up dying anyway, it would be a waste of our efforts and we'll have offended Shan Jie for nothing."
Dou Shi Bang listened and thought it made sense. He couldn't sit still anymore, so he changed his clothes and went with Dou Zhao to see the second madam.
The second lady's eyebrows were tightly furrowed as she asked Du Shi Bang: "What kind of person is Shan Jie?"
Dòu Shìbǎng repeated what he had just said in a rough and arrogant tone.
The second lady's eyebrows furrowed even tighter.
Dong Zhao understood the meaning of Er Tai Furen's words.
The Second Mistress was afraid that the Shan family would have outstanding descendants in the future, and when the time came, they would attribute this festival to the Duan family. If it was for a person who had no relatives or friends to offend someone as stubborn as him, it would be a loss.
She smiled and said: "I heard that Duan Jie is an only child, uneducated and untalented, relying on the former prestige of Old Man Duan to get by!"
The second lady said: "Shou Gu's words make sense. If we don't speak out, those who don't know will think that we are colluding with the Shan family!"
That is to agree to provide guarantee for another family.
Dong Zhaobusi quickly got up and paid his respects to the second lady, saying: "Thank you, madam, for your help!"
The second lady smiled and said: "Our family's Shou Gu will surely make this good reputation even more resounding!"
"This is also thanks to the lady's blessing." After exchanging a few pleasantries with Du Shao, Du Shibang stood up, "Then I'll arrange for someone to go and guarantee for another family tomorrow morning?"
The second lady nodded and Dou Shao and Dou Shi Bang then bid farewell and left the second lady's room.
Dong Zhao waited at the door, and Zhao Liangbi smiled and nodded.
Zhao Liangbi's mouth immediately reached his ears.
Grandma was also waiting for Dou Zhao and anxiously asked how he was doing.
Dong Zhao recounted the whole story. Only then did Grandma put her mind at ease.
The next day, just after dawn, the official sent by Dou Shiwen arrived at Zhending Prefecture. That afternoon, Bie Zhenyi was released.
Bie Sulan rushed over to thank him overnight: "...... Originally, my father and sister should have come, but my father was seriously injured, and my sister had to take care of him. So I came first, and after a few days, when my father's injury is better, we will come again to kowtow and thank you."
"I'm still young, but I don't deserve such a grand gift," said Du Zhao with a smile. "If you want me to live to be 100 years old, then don't make things difficult for me." Then he let Su Xiang hand over the 200 taels of silver that had been prepared beforehand to Bie Sulan, "Your family has just suffered a great calamity and there are many places where you need to use money. Don't be polite with me either, just return it to me when you have the money in the future."
Bie Sulan laughed repeatedly and said "yes". However, her eyes were filled with tears as she took the silver note in a dignified manner and hurried back to Zhending.
But two days later, Bie Sulan came to see her again, saying that Bie Gangyi had asked her to go to Zhending State: "...... I don't know what it's about." She said, with red-rimmed eyes, "Dad hasn't eaten a grain of rice for several days, and he has to be force-fed medicine. I'm so scared." After finishing speaking, she seemed to think of something, her lips turning pale.
Dong Zhao felt that he had done what he should do and did not want to have too much contact with other families, so he smiled and politely declined: "Let Haitang go with you! If there's anything, let her bring it back to me, it's the same."
Biesulan was very disappointed.
Grandma couldn't bear to look at her, pulled her aside and said: "You'd better go. Isn't Sulan saying that his father had to be fed medicine? Maybe there's something important he wants to entrust."
"I shouldn't go then," said Du Zhao. "If he wants me to help him take revenge, should I agree or not?"
"Then you should go even more - if he makes such a request. From now on, don't interfere with your sister's business again."
Dong Zhao sighed and said, "When a man is about to die, his words are good. I'm just afraid that when the time comes, I won't be able to escape!" Although he spoke like this, Grandmother's words also made sense. She still went to Zhending Prefecture.
Bie Shi Wuguan had already been sold to someone else, the buyer was a friend of Bie Gangyi. At that time, buying the martial arts hall was also an emergency rescue. After Bie Gangyi came out of prison, he still lived in Bie Shi Wuguan, but under his insistence, he moved from the main house to the backyard hut.
Bie Sulan's eyes were red as she explained to Duan Zhao.
Dòu Zhāo nodded and looked around at the Bi's Martial Arts Academy.
Although it's only two floors, the front yard is extremely spacious, paved with green bricks, and can easily accommodate over a hundred people, making it an ideal place to open a martial arts school.
The weather in September is already a bit cold, the ancestors of other families are kind and generous, when building the firewood house, they also use green bricks to build it, so although the firewood house is simple, it can block the wind and rain, and bless Bi Gangyi.
He lay on the bed made of door boards, his eyes tightly closed, his face as pale as gold paper, covered with a thick, dark blue coarse linen quilt, thin to the bone, his large skeleton faintly visible under his former robustness.
Jian Tingzhao walked in and the man sitting on the threshold immediately stood up.
Dou Zhaos gaze fell on the girl holding an empty bowl in front of the door.
She was only fifteen or sixteen years old, wearing a white padded jacket that had been washed until it was almost white, although her eyes were red and swollen, her complexion was pale, but her skin was fair and delicate, and her eyebrows and eyes were clear and beautiful, making it hard to conceal her beauty.
Dong Zhaocuo was shocked.
If this is Biesu Lan's sister, no wonder that Dun Jie has a crush on her.
But aren't these two sisters too different?
It seemed as if she knew Duan Zhao's feelings, so Bie Sulan took the girl's arm and said to Duan Zhao with a smile: "Fourth Miss, this is my sister Su Xin."
Bie Suxin had already guessed who the visitor was and hastily put down the empty bowl in her hand to pay respects to Diao Zhao.
Dong Zhao smiled and said "no need for formalities", walking away from Bao Zheng's bedside.
The man by the bed quietly moved aside.
Dong Zhaoglu gave the man a glance.
The man wore a worn-out coarse linen robe with patches on the cuffs, but it was very clean. His temples were flecked with white hair, and his eyes were bright and clear, surprisingly, he was an elegant elderly man.
Dòu Zhāo yī lèng.
Bie Su's heart had already gone forward, softly calling out "Dad".
He struggled to open his eyes with great difficulty.
"Miss Dòu." His voice was like a knife saw, and he forced a smile. "Thanks for saving my life."
Dou Zhao looked and his heart suddenly felt a pang of sadness, tears welling up in his eyes.
Bai Guangyi had already looked towards the man standing beside him and shouted "Old Man Chen".
Dong Zhao finally understood.
This old man was actually the one who directed Bie Sulan to find the Duan family and stopped Bie Su from selling herself.
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February 18 update.
Sisters, I'm working hard to adjust my state... Please vote for pink tickets...
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