Chapter Ten Little Sister Xian

  Lu Qi's elder brother was born to Cheng Yiyi, and his birth mother had sold herself into servitude as a concubine. For Lu Qi's elder brother, that was a heart-wrenching shame. Lu Qi spoke up, "Auntie, Xiaoqi just returned today and hasn't seen my brother yet."

  Cheng Yiyiyu cried painfully: "Aunt and your little sister are not free, can't go back to the Lu family to take a look, you should often advise your brother."

  Lu Qi's expression was heavy as he nodded, understanding that his brother would be ashamed to face their mother and sister for the rest of his life. Cheng Yiyi was also ashamed to face the Lu family. All this was a result of poverty, a fate brought about by selling children, wives, and daughters due to destitution. In this world, people were still relatively valuable commodities.

  "Xiao Qi, are you a military officer now?" Cheng Yiy asked in a soft voice, her expression much brighter.

  Lu Qi nodded and said: "Yes, I am now a Zhiguo Xiaowei, just an idle official with no use."

  "Zhi Guo Jiao Wei is a high-ranking official of the seventh grade, how can he be useless? Congratulations to you, Auntie, I hope you can revive the Lu family's reputation." Cheng Yiyuan said sincerely.

  Lu Qi nodded and said: "Xiao Qi will work hard."

  She stopped for a moment and asked, "Auntie, I have made military achievements and become a martial officer, and also received some reward silver. Xiaowu has come to redeem Auntie and Xiaoyan back home to reunite. Now Xiaowu asks, are Auntie and Xiaoyan willing to go back?"

  Lu Qi asked, and the man immediately looked at Cheng Yiyi with a tense expression, his eyes were very frightened. Cheng Yiyi lowered her head and said softly: "Xiaoqi, thank you, Auntie and Xiaoyan don't want to redeem themselves back."

  Lu Qi and Sheng said: "Auntie, even if you don't go back, you are still Xiao Qi's relative. If you want to go back in the future, just notify Xiao Qi, and Xiao Qi will definitely come to redeem Auntie."

  Cheng Yiyiyu cried and said: "Thank you."

  Lu Qi turned to face Xiao Yan with a serious expression and said, "Xiao Yan, you are my younger sister. I'll ask you one thing: do you want to redeem yourself and go back?"

  Xiao Yan's beautiful face was shocked, and she looked up at Cheng Yiyi, who said in a gentle voice: "Yan'er, you're all grown up now, this matter you have to take charge of yourself, make your own decision about what to say to Seventh Brother."

  Xiao Yan nodded, her beautiful eyes looking at Lu Qi, sincerely saying: "Thank you, Seventh Brother. Xiao Yan has grown up and already has her own path to follow. Fourth Miss is very good to Xiao Yan, Xiao Yan doesn't want to leave Fourth Miss."

  Lu Qi's calm nod, his own sister really grew up. He took two steps forward and stretched out both hands to hold his sister's shoulders, and said in a gentle voice: "Xiao Yan has grown up, I'm very happy as her brother. Xiao Yan made her own choice, Seventh Brother sincerely wishes you a lifetime of happiness. Please remember, no matter what time or place, you are the daughter of the Lu family. Life is unpredictable, if you encounter wind and rain with nowhere to hide, don't forget your Seventh Brother."

  Xiao Yan's beautiful eyes welled up with two lines of pearl-like tears, and she looked up at Lu Qi with a sobbing voice: "Thank you, Seventh Brother. Xiao Yan will always remember Seventh Brother."

  Lu Qi also shed tears, which were bitter tears filled with helplessness. As a man of the Lu family, he couldn't persuade his sister to return home, and the desolation in his heart was hard to express.

  "Xiao Yan, when you have time, go back to the Lu family and take a look. Seventh brother is gone." Lu Qi took back his hands and stepped back one step, saying as gently as possible.

  Cheng Yiyiyi was startled and hastily said: "Xiao Qi, Miss Xiao Si wants to see you."

  Lu Qi smiled faintly and said, "As a man entering Miss Xiao's boudoir, it would be bad for her reputation if word got out. There's nothing more to say after meeting the young lady, please thank Miss Xiao on my behalf, Aunt."

  Cheng Yiyiyu said urgently: "It's Miss Xiao Si who wants to see you, you can't not see her."

  Lu Qi ignored her and turned to bow to the man, saying: "Xiao Qi pays respects to Uncle."

  The man was indeed Li Tong, the flower craftsman mentioned by Xiao Ping. Lu Qi's respectful greeting startled Li Tong, who hastily waved his hand and stuttered: "I dare not, sir... sir." He became so flustered that he couldn't speak anymore.

  Lu Qi Li turned his head and gazed deeply at his sister for a moment before turning around and saying in a low voice, "Manager Yan, please escort me out of the mansion."

  Yan Zongguan hesitated for a moment and nodded, Lu Qi supported the knife with his left hand and followed Yan Zongguan without looking back. Cheng Yiyiy and her daughter stood in tears, staring at Lu Qi's majestic back until they couldn't see it anymore, then Li Tong sighed: "This Officer Lu is a good man."

  Lu Qi left the Xiao Mansion, and as he walked out the door, he exchanged a few more words with Xiao Ping. He then headed home with a heavy heart, feeling suppressed and in pain. This time, he had come with great fanfare and pride, but now he was returning defeated and disheartened. The fact that his loved one did not return had deeply hurt him, causing him to change many of his life choices.

  Back home, Lu Qi's older brother Lu Er had already rushed back. The brothers met and immediately became emotional, hugging each other in tears. Lu Qi saw that his brother's appearance had changed a lot. Lu Er, also known as Lu Tianhua, was 25 years old this year. Five years ago, Lu Er had fair skin, a refined and elegant demeanor, and was a talented scholar who excelled in poetry and literature, but unfortunately did not pass the imperial examination. Now, Lu Er looked like a farmer, wearing coarse and rough clothing, with a dark yellow complexion, thin face, sunken eyes with red threads, and at first glance, he looked like a 40-year-old man who had just recovered from a serious illness.

  Lu Qi looked at his brother's disheveled appearance and felt a pang in his heart, knowing that exhaustion and severe mental blows had defeated his brother. After the brothers parted ways, Lu Tianhua said with shame: "Little Seven, Brother has brought our family to ruin, not only have our loved ones scattered, but we also owe a huge debt."

  "Brother, don't say such depressing words anymore. It's the harsh world that has caused our family's poverty and separation. From now on, let's work together as brothers to revive the Lu family."

  Lu Tianhua nodded firmly and said seriously, "Xiao Qi, brother is a useless scholar, from now on the Lu family will rely on you, whatever you let brother do is fine."

  Lu Qi also said seriously: "If brother is willing to listen and follow Xiao Qi's arrangement, then Xiao Qi will not speak nonsense. From now on, we brothers will work together in business, brother will be in charge of accounting and goods records, and external affairs will be handled by Xiao Qi."

  Lu Tianhua nodded immediately: "Alright, I'll listen to you, brother."

  Lu Qiyan said seriously, "There's another important thing. I know brother sent his wife back to her parents' home. Sister-in-law is a virtuous and gentle woman. Brother should go find out immediately if sister-in-law has remarried or not. If she hasn't, please bring her back right away."

  Lu Tianhua's face was gloomy and uncertain, and he fell silent for a moment before sighing: "When your sister-in-law returned to her parents' home, she destroyed the divorce papers I had written. She has been waiting at her parents' home for me to come and fetch her. But brother sold our birth mother and younger sister, how can I have the face to go and bring my wife back home? Eldest aunt has always resented me for being partial to my wife and neglecting my birth mother's evil deeds, she will not agree to your sister-in-law returning."

  Lu Qi Zheng said, "Sister-in-law has indeed torn up the divorce papers and is waiting for brother to come and fetch her. This is sufficient proof of sister-in-law's chastity and kindness. Brother can just go and fetch her, I am the head of the household, mother will listen to me."

  Lu Tianhua shook his head despondently and stubbornly said: "My birth mother and sister have not returned, how can I have the face to welcome my wife home?"

  Lu Qi's face turned red with rage, his voice stern as he said: "What's with the 'no face' nonsense? My family member returning home is my family's business, what does it have to do with others? I'm now the master of the Lu household, and I order you to immediately go bring back my sister-in-law. Here are twenty taels of silver, take my horse and go right away. If you can't bring her back, then hang yourself outside."

  Lü Tianhua's hand had already been stuffed with two silver ingots, and when he saw Lü Qi's furious expression, he was shocked and terrified. He only then realized that his younger brother not only grew taller and matured, but also seemed to have a bloodthirsty aura that intimidated the soul when he got angry, scaring him so much that his hair stood on end. He took a big step back, clutching the silver ingots in shock, staring at Lü Qi.

  "What's going on? Get the horse quickly!" Lu Qi suddenly drew out his long knife, its tip pointing at Lu Tianhua. Lu Tianhua was startled and turned around to run towards the warhorse, hastily leading it out of the door.

  Lu Tianhua walked away, and Lu Qi flipped his right hand, the long knife flashed back into its scabbard. He raised his head and let out a long sigh, venting the depression in his heart. At this moment, he really wanted to find an enemy to fight with, but unfortunately, he had already left the battlefield, and the resentment in his chest could only be suppressed and endured by himself.

  Bang! A loud noise came into Lu Qi's ears, and he turned his head to look at the beautiful Li Niang standing in front of the right house door, looking at him with a frightened expression.

  Lu Qi's body and mind relaxed, the vigilance and ferocity cultivated on the battlefield were hard to eliminate for a while. He said with a smile: "Auntie, did Xiaoqi disturb you?"

  Aunt Li's expression calmed down, and she said softly: "Xiao Qi, don't point a knife at your brother in the future, that's too disrespectful."

  Lu Qi nodded and said in a gentle voice: "I will change."

  Li Yiniang smiled softly and turned back into the house. Lu Qi stretched his waist and walked towards the main house to see his mother.