My Brother Can Become A Zhuangyuan

Jiang Yun, who had been watching from the sidelines as a spectator, felt a growing unease.

He watched Xu Xiaogang, Xu Suwen, and Qian Bochou walk towards him.

"Sister, why did you stop me just now? I could have taken Xiao Jingyuan down directly..."

Xu Suwen ignored Xu Xiaogang's words and calmly said, "That's enough, don't mention this again."

"Let's go upstairs to eat."

Upon reaching the third floor, Jiang Qiaoqiao was still obediently in Xu Suwen's room. She was leaning against the window, having seen everything that had happened below.

Seeing everyone return, she asked, "Brother, what happened just now?"

"It's nothing, let's eat first. Constable Qian is here, add a pair of chopsticks and bowls."

After everyone was seated, the food was quickly devoured.

Jiang Yun looked at Xu Suwen with a smile and said, "Miss Xu, I have another favor to ask of you..."

Xu Suwen seemed to guess what Jiang Yun was going to say. Her gaze fell on Jiang Qiaoqiao, and she smiled, "Qiaoqiao, I don't have any friends or family in Nanzhou Prefecture. Why don't you stay with me for a while longer?"

Xu Xiaogang coughed beside them, "Sister, I'm still here."

Xu Suwen glared at him, and he immediately fell silent.

Jiang Qiaoqiao eagerly shook her head upon hearing this. "I still have a lot of work to do at home. Besides, staying here must be quite expensive."

She glanced around the room and whispered, "I heard that staying here for a day costs quite a bit of silver."

Qian Bochou waved his hand upon hearing this and chuckled, "Don't worry, Lord Xu and the others are staying here, and it's all covered by public funds. It doesn't cost them a penny."

Why was Nanmanju Inn priced so high?

Because they hosted visiting officials, all of whom could claim reimbursement. They didn't mind the expensive prices.

Xu Suwen, being meticulous, guessed that Jiang Qiaoqiao wouldn't be comfortable staying there. She changed her approach and said, "In that case, how about this? I'll come to your home and stay with you for a while."

"Okay," Jiang Qiaoqiao nodded repeatedly upon hearing this.

Jiang Yun couldn't help but look at Xu Suwen, wondering. Logically, if Prince Su's Mansion was colluding with evil spirits, even if they were outnumbered and outmatched, they should report it to their superiors.

Yet, Xu Suwen's attitude was one of indifference.

As the sky grew darker, Xu Suwen quickly packed her belongings and followed Jiang Yun and Jiang Qiaoqiao to Jiayun Street.

Returning to their dilapidated courtyard, Jiang Qiaoqiao visibly relaxed.

Although Nanmanju Inn was luxurious, Jiang Qiaoqiao knew in her heart that it wasn't her life, and she didn't feel at ease there.

As soon as they returned to the small courtyard, Jiang Qiaoqiao became busy, chopping wood and boiling water.

"Sister Xu, please wait a moment. It's cold, I'll boil some hot water for your feet."

Jiang Yun took out two small stools from the house and placed them in the courtyard. Looking at Jiang Qiaoqiao busy in the kitchen, he couldn't help but sigh, "Jiang girl, you're not someone who can sit idle."

Xu Suwen turned and looked back, "What about you?"

Jiang Yun was slightly stunned. "Me?"

Xu Suwen's eyes sharpened as she asked, "I've seen your information, Jiang Yun. Before you met me, you were just an ordinary scholar."

"You spent your days eating and waiting to die with scholars like Liu Xudong."

"Not long ago, you fell into a river and fell gravely ill. After waking up, you seemed to have become a different person."

Listening to Xu Suwen's questioning, Jiang Yun's heart tightened. Could it be that she had seen through him?

In her eyes, someone like him was probably possessed by a demon? Or perhaps reincarnated.

Jiang Yun took a deep breath and slightly parted his lips, wondering how to explain.

Xu Suwen said calmly, "I understand. You must have secretly obtained some Daoist cultivation technique and used your scholar identity as a cover to cultivate in secret."

"If you hadn't been tricked by that evil entity and had no other choice, you wouldn't have easily used Daoist Arts."

Jiang Yun breathed a sigh of relief and quickly admitted, "Ah, yes, yes, yes. I didn't expect Miss Xu to guess correctly. Miss Xu is truly intelligent and quick-witted."

Xu Suwen smiled faintly. "Who do you think I am? Also, I must remind you that Daoist practitioners outside the Capital City are all considered heretical."

"They are all regarded as evil people."

Jiang Yun pondered for a moment, still unable to understand. He asked, "Miss Xu, I'm confused. Why is there such a strange rule?"

"If you stay in the Capital City, you're a Daoist priest; if you stay outside the Capital City, you're an evil person?"

Xu Suwen looked up at the stars above, her hands resting on her knees. "I don't understand the specifics either."

Jiang Yun was silent for a moment. "Is it that you can't say, or that you don't understand?"

Xu Suwen smiled faintly. "It's the same."

After a brief silence, Jiang Yun asked, "I have another question I'd like to ask Miss Xu."

"Your true purpose for coming to Nanzhou Prefecture this time is Prince Su's Mansion?"

Hearing Jiang Yun's words, Xu Suwen's eyes flickered slightly, and she asked in a deep voice, "Why do you think that?"

"It's simple. If your Imperial Guards discovered that a prince's mansion was colluding with evil people, even if they didn't intervene, they would at least report it." Jiang Yun paused. "But you showed no reaction, so I guessed that you already knew about the situation with Prince Su's Mansion."

"You promised me you'd help me achieve the true goal of this trip," Xu Suwen didn't refute Jiang Yun's words.

Seeing that he had guessed correctly, Jiang Yun felt no joy. Instead, he sighed inwardly.

That was the Prince's Estate, a hugely influential figure in Nanzhou Prefecture.

Deep down, he didn't want to get involved in this. He just wanted to cultivate peacefully and earn some money.

To live a better life with Jiang Qiaoqiao.

However, it seemed like he had no choice but to get involved now.

After all, it was them who had destroyed the Tang manor belonging to that wicked woman, Tang Wanxin.

She probably held a grudge in her heart.

Thinking this, Jiang Yun smiled and said, "Don't worry, I, Jiang Yun, am a man of my word. I will do as I promised you."

Soon, Jiang Qiaoqiao had boiled hot water. After soaking her feet in the hot water indoors, she felt much warmer all over.

Watching Jiang Qiaoqiao busy herself, he took out the eighty taels of silver he had earned from Qian Bochou and handed it over. "Qiaoqiao, look."

"Wow, brother, where did you earn so much money?" Jiang Qiaoqiao quickly wiped the water off her hands and took the money bag.

She couldn't help but take out a silver ingot and bite it.

Seeing Jiang Qiaoqiao's happy expression, Jiang Yun secretly thought that this trip was worth it. He said, "I earned it from Constable Qian. Starting tomorrow, you won't have to go out sewing and washing clothes anymore. We can even hire a teacher to teach you how to read and write."

"No, this money must be saved. We can't spend it carelessly," Jiang Qiaoqiao repeatedly shook her head. "You'll need money to pursue your official career later."

Jiang Qiaoqiao earnestly analyzed for Jiang Yun, "The job of a yamen runner is not a long-term solution. You are a scholar after all. You should focus your energy on your studies."

Jiang Yun: "But I'm not cut out for studying."

Xu Suwen, standing nearby, teased, "Why don't you ask Constable Qian how much silver it takes to become a Xiucai scholar?"

This sentence seemed to open up Jiang Qiaoqiao's train of thought. Her eyes lit up. "Yes! As long as there's enough money, my brother can become the top scholar!"

There's one more chapter. I'll write it after dinner.