Chapter Thirty-Seven: Promotion and Ennoblement

  The old man wants to see me!

  My first reaction was that there is a conspiracy, a plot to kill!

  At that moment, I had two plans. One was to take Liu Weimin with me, and the other was to sneak past Liu Weimin. I would quietly go see Old Man Huang, kneel down in front of him, knock my head on the ground, and as long as he let Wenjing go, I would do whatever he wanted.

  It's better to think carefully about it, neither of the two plans is reliable. Liu Weimin is not trustworthy, and Huang Lao is a complete stranger, I don't even know what kind of person he is, let alone give him the decision-making power!

  I told Third Sister-in-law to ask those two brothers to wait a moment, I'll wash up and go out.

  Tell You Wu to make a phone call and ask Liu Wei Min to come over through the window, don't let the Huang family in the corridor see him. A few minutes later, You Wu wore a pair of large pants, with sleepy eyes, but he came alone and knocked on the window.

  Pull him in, don't wait for me to ask, Yu Mo rubbed his eyes and said: "Can't find the old man, no one answers the phone, climbed up the window and looked around, there's no one in the house!"

  I'm so angry I'm grinding my teeth, that old man has disappeared again, looks like the scolding last night wasn't enough!

  I said to You Wu: "Let him be, he will die outside sooner or later." Then I told him about Huang Lao's summoning me to his home and asked what he thought.

  He furrowed his brow in thought, but suddenly let out a surprised cry, pointing at me and asking incredulously: "Where did you get another set of clothes? Have you been promoted or demoted?"

  Last night, I lay in bed thinking about things and fell asleep unknowingly. My clothes were not taken off, and I was still wearing that seven-product official robe covered with dust. At this moment, the position pointed to by You Yu is precisely the badge on the official robe.

  The official robe I wore out of the coffin was that of a seventh-rank military officer, with a large square patch on the chest embroidered with a rhinoceros.

  But after one night, the rhinoceros turned into a leopard.

  These are all explained to me by Xu Ji, the beasts embroidered on the Bu Zi represent the official rank of the officer. He said that tigers usually only give birth to two cubs, and in extremely rare cases, they will have a third cub, which is called Biao. Because of poor nutrition from birth, Biao's body shape is smaller than that of a tiger, and it does not have black stripes, nor does it possess the majesty of a tiger, but instead has the ferocity and cruelty of a wolf, so those who wear Biao are sixth-grade military officers.

  I don't know how my rhinoceros turned into a leopard, but deep down, although the official robe came from an unorthodox source, I still quite like it. Wearing it on my body makes me feel like a great general galloping across the battlefield. But now, suddenly discovering that the official robe is full of eerie and strange things everywhere, I feel uneasy all over, as if I had put on a layer of human skin, with a chill running all over my body.

  Tearing off the official robe, I want to burn it, but I still feel a little heartache. Someone says to me: "Anyway, the old master didn't say there was anything wrong with this official robe, so just keep it and sell it as an antique later to buy something good for Wenjing. The key issue is not about this official robe, but what does your sudden promotion mean?"

  Just as I was speaking, Liu Weimin pushed the door open and came in, holding two plastic bags in his hand. I had only one small underpants left on me, and Yu Mo was still grasping my hand, not letting me continue to tear off the official robe.

  Liu Weimin took a glance and hastily retreated, shaking his head and saying: "I didn't see anything, you all continue, tsk tsk, these young people nowadays..."

  Don't even think about bringing him back. I want to ask him, with a belly full of doubts, what kind of evil did he do behind my back after sneaking out early in the morning?

  Liu Weimin waved the breakfast in his hand and teased, "Last night, I was scolded by Wang Xiaoye, and I felt guilty. So, I bought this breakfast to coax Wang Xiaoye into a good mood!"

  A sixty-year-old old man ran out early in the morning to buy me breakfast, I have to say, Liu Weimin's move was too damn absolute, it made my face blush, and I hurriedly changed the subject, saying to him: "Did you see Huang Lao's son when you came in? Let me go to their house!"

  Liu Wei Min let out a sigh and put down the food he was holding, saying: "I know about this matter. Originally, Xu Qi had discussed it with the village chief, wanting to find a woman from the village to keep you here. Later, they decided on Kang Jiu Xiang. Last night I went to see the village chief and asked him to go to Huang Jin Bai's house this morning to propose on your behalf. Since you don't like me hiding in the shadows, I'll come out and urge him a bit, to quickly resolve the matter, lest you worry yourself sick."

  I asked him how he got in touch with the village head?

  Liu Weimin smiled and said, "I claim to be the uncle of Xu Daochang's senior fellow disciple, as well as an old partner on the path. The village head is already trying to curry favor with me, how could he still have doubts?"

  After saying this, Liu Weimin said seriously: "The origin of Kang Jiuxiang is very suspicious. It was almost four years ago that she suddenly appeared in the Huang family. The Huang family's explanation is that Huang Jibai's third son sent her to relatives for care, but that family encountered a disaster and only left Kang Jiuxiang this young widow, so she fled to Guanxi Village. The villagers are not interested in the broken affairs of their family, but I know that Huang Jibai doesn't have a third son at all."

  Several years ago, Liu Weimin had investigated Kang Jiuxiang, but it was like looking for a needle in a haystack, and nothing was found. Later, he secretly observed her for a period of time, and she seemed very ordinary, so Liu Weimin didn't pay much attention to it, thinking that Huang Jinbai had just picked up a woman on the side of the road. But this time, Kang Jiuxiang actively contacted us, which made Liu Weimin suspicious.

  My head is as big as a bucket, and I ask: "What's the relationship between you and their family? Is it a grudge of stealing a wife, a vendetta for killing a father, or is it hatred born from love?"

  Liu Weimin smiled and said, "You're thinking too much. In fact, I don't even know what he looks like. There's just something very important that I need to ask him about, but he doesn't want to tell me, so he's been avoiding me."

  I asked again: "You two have never met before, why could he find you on Wenmiao Street?"

  "Is this a contradiction?" Liu Wei Min retorted: "You think Huang Jinbai is some kind of Jianghu expert, and I'm either Xi Men Chui Xue or Ye Gu Cheng. He knows me, but I don't know him, isn't that easy to understand?" With a couple of chuckles, Liu Wei Min said as he was leaving: "Go wash your face and take Yu Wu with you. His two sons couldn't wait for you and have already left. Let San Shu lead the way. If Kang Jiu Xiang really has feelings for you, do whatever you want, I'll take responsibility even if the sky falls!"

  After I digested the meaning of Liu Weimin's words, I suddenly remembered that I hadn't asked about the official robes. I washed my face and brushed my teeth, and then went to ask him. A few minutes later, he came back and told me that Liu Weimin wanted to observe for a while, and we should go to Old Man Huang's house first and talk about it when we got back.

  I'm a bit surprised that Liu Weimin has been searching for Old Man Huang all along, but now that Old Man Huang is opening the door and inviting him in, he's not going?

  Do not convey Liu Weimin's meaning.

  The whole village is in trouble, and everyone is counting on Xu Qi to protect the village. The village chief thinks that Xu Qi has temporarily left, so he teaches me the method of keeping safe, and naturally treats me as a guest of honor. Otherwise, he would have dealt with his nephew's affairs long ago, how could he have the heart to help me make connections?

  Since the village chief can bear the pain, it is clear that the determination of the official to give the village is great. Moreover, Jiu Ge has just bullied Kang Jiuxiang and was bitten by a zombie in the blink of an eye. The village chief also resents the Huang family in his heart. At this time, the village chief went to put pressure on Huang Lao, and it depends on how Huang Lao chooses. Either he cleans up the trouble he caused himself, or he abandons Kang Jiuxiang. Otherwise, the village chief will label him as someone who doesn't care about the whole village, and he won't be able to stay in the village anymore.

  The old man Huang wouldn't bring a woman home for no reason, he should be reluctant to part with Kang Jiuxiang, and he can't move his whole family away from Guanxi Village, the reason why, Liu Weimin didn't tell You Wu, but just said that the coffin was originally under his ancestral home, that's the reason.

  This move will push Old Yellow into a desperate situation, let's see how he chooses.

  I said this isn't fishing, I'll just rush over and grab Old Man Huang. Then I'll tell the village chief that this is Xu Qi's intention, and everything will be settled, won't it?

  "Young Master said that Old Man Huang definitely won't show up. Let's go to the Huang residence later, Young Master will think of a way to find him!"

  The whole thing I don't understand anymore, since the village chief can find Old Huang, why didn't he let him take us there?

  Ke Liu said that won't work for the people, I also had no way, so I had to temporarily follow his orders, anyway, after a while, I'll see Old Man Huang and immediately betray him!

  After washing up, San Shu took me to the south of the village. On the way, all the villagers we met smiled and welcomed me. Some elderly ones even trembled with excitement as they approached me to shake hands, saying that the safety of the village was now in the care of Little Heavenly Master.

  The treatment of leading cadres going to the countryside is both proud and a little embarrassed, wondering what Liu Weimin and the village chief said, and what the village chief told the villagers.

  On the way, San Shu warned me that when we arrived at Huang's house, I must be polite, although she didn't know what background they had, but even the village head dared not to offend them easily. Moreover, every time Old Man Huang returned to the village, he would ride in a small car with very tall and majestic men following him, obviously big shots.

  I sneered inwardly and asked her, since Old Man Huang is so powerful, how dare Ninth Brother bully his daughter-in-law?

  Third sister patted me on the arm and said with a scolding tone: "Isn't it all because of you?"

  She explained that on that day, Kang Jiuxiang helped me out of the coffin and stayed in my house until dark. The whole village saw her intention, Xu Qi and the village chief inquired about her identity, wanting to make a match for me. The village chief was worried about offending the Huang family, but Xu Qi patted his chest and said that he would take care of everything.

  This sentence was heard by Jiuge, and it so happened that Jiuge had a sworn brother in Longhushan. This brother's father had a higher status than Xu Qi, and Jiuge had long been eyeing Kang Jiu Xiang, but he couldn't figure out Huang Lao Tou's background, so he had always been polite to him. If Xu Qi didn't put Huang Lao Tou in his eyes, he thought he wouldn't have any problems either, so he took people to rush to the reception room.

  After finishing speaking, San Shu squeezed her eyebrows and eyes, making me confess honestly, whether I thought of a way to get rid of Jiu Ge.

  Without picking up where she left off, I was considering whether the events of that day were a trap, everything was too coincidental. My return was overly timely, and Ninth Brother had committed evil deeds, only to be bitten to death by Old Ancestor that night. Then there was a ghost who made him into steamed meat and sent it for us to eat. If it was Kang Jiuxiang or Huang Lao Tou seeking revenge, it would make perfect sense. But this way, perhaps Kang Jiuxiang really had deceived me.

  The old man Huang's quadrangle courtyard had some years, high gate and high wall, it must have been a big family before. The two iron doors were closed, San Shu knocked on the door and shouted in a loud voice: "Old Man Huang, I brought your son-in-law home!"

  I'm so embarrassed I'd rather find a crack in the ground to crawl into.

  The door opened a crack, and a dark, big head poked out. It was a forty-year-old farmer, who grinned foolishly, with a string of saliva hanging from the corner of his mouth. He looked at me curiously. San Shu squeezed open the door, pointed to her own head and said to me: "This is Huang Cang, Jiu Xiang's older brother. There are some problems here."

  Just then, another head popped out, similar to Huang Cang's, but without drooling. However, a long, greenish-yellow nasal mucus was flowing from his nose. He glanced at me, snorted, and sucked it back into his nostrils with a "hiss" sound, covering his mouth with his hand, and dry-retching twice.

  Third Sister-in-law sneered: "This is Huang Song, he and his brother are twins. When their mother was pregnant with them, she got sick and it affected the brains of both sons."

  Huang Song flashed out from behind the door, he was much older than me, but at this moment he looked silly and naive like a five or six year old child, grabbed my hand and asked: "Are you Xiao Zhenzhen? Jiuxiang said you will be living with us in the future?"

  Third sister patted him on the head: "Go and have fun, of course Ninth Sister will follow him to the city, can't stay here taking care of you two for a lifetime?"

  As soon as the words fell, a voice came from the courtyard: "Xiao Cang Xiao Song, don't block the doorway, let the guests come in."