Chapter 3: Righteous and Brave

  Liu Xin's hands moved swiftly and surely, covering Ma Yun's mouth as she said, "Don't make a sound, I'm doing something good."

  After finishing, Liu Xin pulled Ma Yun, who was still angry, and walked quickly forward. In a short while, they caught up with an old man in front of them. He patted the old man's shoulder and said, "Sir, please stop for a moment. Have you lost anything?"

  The old man was startled at first, then felt around and found that the bundle on his back was empty. He couldn't help but cry out: "Oh no, where did my things go? What am I going to do?"

  Liu Xin comforted: "Don't worry, old man, take a look and see if this is your thing."

  The old man saw the small package in Liu Xin's hand and let out a sigh of relief, saying: "Thank you so much, young man. If it wasn't for you picking it up, I wouldn't have even known that my things had fallen off. What a stroke of luck!"

  Ma Yun also understood and apologized to Liu Xin in a soft voice: "I was wrong to blame you just now."

  Liu Xin hadn't had time to speak, when the yellow-faced man heard the commotion behind him and also reacted, rushing over to shout: "What kind of wild bird are you, daring to ruin Master Digging Gold Mouse's good deed!"

  Liu Xin stretched out his hand to block Ma Yun and the old man behind him, looking at the yellow-faced man with disdain, and sneered: "Good fellow, you really look like a mouse. Haven't you heard of 'a rat crossing the street, everyone shouting to hit it'?"

  Passersby had already gathered around, and upon hearing Liu Xin's words, they burst into a loud guffaw. Liu Xin broke out in a cold sweat, realizing that the Chinese people's fondness for watching a commotion was already present in the Eastern Han dynasty!

  The best face in the Jianghu world, the Golden Mouse couldn't help but see this scene, reached into his waist and pulled out a sharp knife, coldly humming: "Today we'll see who beats who!"

  Digging gold mouse finished, rushed up a step, the sharp knife straight stabbed Liu Xin's chest. Liu Xin took a look at his stance and knew that this digging gold mouse was just a small mixed breed with no real skills. As the saying goes, "the capable one is not busy", Liu Xin lightly dodged the knife, let it pass, and before he could withdraw it, lightly stretched out his left hand to chop down on the digging gold mouse's right wrist. A loud "ah" cry was heard, the digging gold mouse held his right wrist with his left hand, cold sweat dripping down, while that cow ear sharp knife had already fallen into Liu Xin's hands. A gentle breeze blew by, and the digging gold mouse's hair actually fell off, it turned out that in a flash of lightning, Liu Xin not only took away his knife but also shaved off half of his hair. Liu Xin coldly stared at the digging gold mouse, sternly shouted: "Still don't hurry up and roll!"

  The mouse scurried away in the midst of the onlookers' cheers, without even daring to utter a harsh word. The crowd dispersed as soon as the mouse left, no longer having anything exciting to watch.

  The old man walked up to Liu Xin, bowed deeply and said: "Thank you for your help. The Golden Mouse will probably send someone to take revenge, please hurry up and leave."

  Ma Yun didn't wait for Liu Xin to respond, and instead said: "Don't worry, old man. I've seen many people like them before. They're the type who bully the weak and fear the strong. Now that they've witnessed Brother Xin's skills, they won't dare come again."

  Liu Xin's hair stood on end at her "Brother Xin" and he said in a low voice, "Mind your image, you're a police officer."

  Ma Yun whispered in his ear, her breath as fragrant as orchids: "I am also a woman."

  The old man saw this guy who looked more beautiful than a woman making such an affected expression, and he couldn't help but feel a wave of disgust - how could two men be like this?

  Liu Xin saw the old man's disgusted gaze and hastily explained: "Old sir, don't misunderstand, we are siblings, she is a girl disguised as a boy."

  Ma Yun secretly pinched Liu Xin and whispered in his ear: "Who is your brother or sister? I don't want to be your sister."

  The old man looked at their intimate appearance and smiled: "Brother and sister? I don't think so, hehe, they look more like a couple."

  Liu Xin thought to herself, "Hu Lai is an old rascal." Just as she was about to speak, Ma Yun interrupted and said, "To be honest with you, sir, we are not siblings. We grew up together like green plums and bamboo horses, but our parents looked down on him because he was an orphan with a low social status, so I eloped with him."

  "Run away! You're blind..." Liu Xin was almost scared to death by her, such words could also be made up, what era is this now, I'm afraid this old man will go to report to the authorities.

  "Haha, I thought so. This is nothing, who hasn't been through a reckless youth? " The old man interrupted Liu Xin's words and patted his shoulder, saying, "Young brother, this girl treats you well, you can't let her down. It's just that you don't have a good status, the old man will take you as a godson and give you a status, how about that?"

  "This... doesn't seem quite right." Liu Xin felt a pang of distress, having only arrived in Eastern Han for less than a day and already causing trouble by doing good deeds, with someone wanting to make him a father! In fact, the situation of acknowledging sons during the late Eastern Han period was not uncommon, such as Lü Bu who separately acknowledged Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo as his adoptive fathers, Liu Feng acknowledging Liu Bei as his adoptive father, and Guan Ping acknowledging Guan Yu as his adoptive father. However, Liu Xin came from modern times and wasn't quite used to this custom.

  "Hey, kid, I can tell you're quite skilled, but why do things in such a sloppy way? Follow me and I'll tell you a story. You'll see that having me as your godfather won't be a shame to you." The old man noticed Liu Xin's hesitation and without another word led them to his home.

  On the way, the old man told Liu Xin and Ma Yun a story. It turned out that Emperor Xuan of Han had a great-grandson named Liu Bian, who was enfeoffed as Marquis of Juqu. Liu Bian had two sons, the elder son Liu Kai and the younger son Liu Xian. Liu Bian loved his younger son dearly and had once made a will to pass on the marquisate to Liu Xian. After Liu Bian's death, according to regulations, the eldest son Liu Kai should have succeeded to the title, but in order to fulfill his father's wish, Liu Kai insisted that his younger brother Liu Xian succeed him, while he himself fled to a distant place. The official in charge petitioned to take back Liu Kai's fiefdom, but Emperor Zhang of Han praised Liu Kai's righteousness and specially allowed him not to take back the fiefdom, waiting for him to return. However, Liu Kai never returned, and more than ten years later, during the reign of Emperor He of Han, the official brought up the matter again. Emperor He thought that he should fulfill the wish of the deceased, and agreed to let Liu Xian succeed to the title. When Liu Kai left, Liu Xian had divided a box into two parts, with Liu Kai holding the lid and Liu Xian keeping the bottom, making an agreement that as long as Liu Kai's descendants held the lid and came forward, they would share the country together. Later, Liu Xian died, and the current Marquis of Juqu was his son Liu Chong. The old man was named Liu Jian, who was actually the only son of Liu Kai, who had been hiding in a remote village on the east side of the small town.

  Unconsciously, they had already arrived at Liu Jian's doorstep, and the story was over. Liu Jian smiled and said to Liu Xin: "Little brother, coincidentally you also have the surname Liu, this shows that we two still have a predestined relationship. My old partner passed away early, and didn't leave behind a son or daughter. If you are willing to acknowledge me as your godfather, I will add your name to the family tree, and from now on you will be a member of the Han clan. Wanting to marry Ma's daughter won't be considered a mismatch either."

  Liu Xin looked up at Liu Jian's home, but it was just three thatched cottages. He couldn't help but laugh and say: "Old fellow, I didn't expect you to be a descendant of the Han imperial family, unfortunately, it seems like you're not doing very well."

  Liu Jian's face sank upon hearing this, and he said: "I thought you had a chivalrous heart just now, but I didn't expect you to be someone who despises the poor and loves the rich!"

  "Old man, you misunderstood. Brother Xin wouldn't mind poverty or wealth, he just speaks without thinking and was a bit reckless. Don't take it to heart." Ma Yun actually hoped that Liu Xin would acknowledge this foster father, so that in this world he could have a place to settle down and not have to go back to being a thief. Seeing Liu Jian getting angry, she quickly said, "Liu Xin, hurry up and kneel down to pay respects to your foster father."

  Liu Xin was puzzled, and the old man's face changed quickly. Ma Yun pulled him hard from the side and knelt down first. Liu Xin wasn't strongly opposed to recognizing Liu Jian as his adoptive father, he just wasn't used to it for a moment. Now seeing Ma Yun being more anxious than him, he couldn't help but laugh, so he knelt beside Ma Yun and said with a smile: "The child greets Father."

  Liu Jian's anger turned to joy, and he helped the two of them up, saying: "Alright, alright, get up quickly. Let's go inside and talk. I, Liu Jian, can finally rest easy, and after I die, I'll have a face to show my ancestors."

  Liu Xin, having already acknowledged him as her godfather, said without any pretence: "Godfather, I see that you are in good health and will surely live to be a hundred years old."

  "Xin'er, I know my own body, and it's just a matter of days now." Liu Jian said as he took the small package that Liu Xin had retrieved from him, opened it, and pulled out a square piece of silk cloth. "Look, this is the box cover I was telling you about earlier. Knowing that my time is running out, I originally planned to go to the town today to find a courier to send this box cover to Ju Chao, but almost got robbed."

  Liu Jian handed the lid of the box to Liu Xin and continued: "This box was passed down from the palace in the early years, and now I'm giving you this lid. I know I won't make it through tonight, so after my funeral is arranged, go to Ju Chao to find Liu Zhong. He's your uncle, and your grandfather had an agreement with his that when the lid and box are reunited, half of the family property will be given to you. At that time, as a member of the Han royal family, you can formally marry Ma's daughter and bring her into our household, and I think her parents won't give you any trouble."

  Liu Xin was shocked and said: "Uncle, I think you're in good health, it's possible for you to live another 20 or 30 years, why are you talking like this?"

  Liu Jian calmly said, "Xin Er, your father was injured while hunting in the mountains when he was young. This injury flares up every night and has been getting worse day by day. I'm afraid my time is running out today, and I won't be able to hold my grandson. However, now that I have you as a good son, my wish has been fulfilled."

  At midnight, Liu Jian indeed suffered a relapse of his internal injury and was in unbearable pain. Liu Xin and Ma Yun kept watch by his bedside, but before dawn broke, he passed away. Liu Xin had not expected that the father figure she had just acknowledged would be separated from her by life and death after only one night, and she couldn't help but feel sorrowful and heartbroken. Ma Yun insisted on wearing mourning attire with Liu Xin to mourn Liu Jian for three days, and then buried him on a hill behind their house.

  "Liu Xin, what are your plans from now on?" Ma Yun asked cautiously as she looked at Liu Xin who was staring blankly at the box cover.

  "Ma Yun, look at this box cover. It should be a lacquerware, with various patterns drawn on the red lacquer ground with black lacquer. The color is bright and the decoration is fine and smooth. The workmanship is exquisite. Probably it's a jewelry box for a wealthy family. With this box cover and that genealogy book, Liu Chong should recognize me as his nephew. So I think I'll go to Ju Niao." Liu Xin handed the box cover to Ma Yun and took up the genealogy book to look at it. As he looked, he couldn't help but exclaim "Ah!"

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