Filial Ruonan, Trapping Dad Online
The carriage stopped at the entrance to Locust Tree Alley. Jian Zhang told the women to wait inside while he went to buy pastries himself.
There happened to be a pastry shop at the far end of the street. Walking from one end to the other would give Jian Zhang a chance to survey the entire street.
As Vice Minister of Justice, he judged countless cases every day and had a razor-sharp eye... but no matter how keen his eyes were, he could not tell from the gates alone which house Gao Yang had bought for his mistress.
He still had to rely on Jian Ruonan.
So when Jian Ruonan suggested going along to choose the pastries herself, both Min and Jian Zhang agreed.
Holding a young maid's hand, Jian Ruonan emerged from the carriage. Before her feet even touched the ground, that familiar notification sounded in her head again.
[Ding-] [Congratulations, host! The Fourth Prince's curiosity has increased again. Points +10]
Jian Ruonan: !!
Ten points! I can draw cards again. Sweet!
Having failed to draw toilet paper earlier, Jian Ruonan still could not let it go. Her hands were itching like mad.
But catching Gao Yang was the immediate priority. Drawing cards would have to wait until they got home.
[Ding-] [Congratulations, host! You have profoundly shocked the Fourth Prince. Points +20.]
Jian Ruonan: ???
What's going on??
Jian Ruonan wondered what she had even done. Why was the Fourth Prince acting like a three-and-a-half-year-old, curious one moment and shocked the next?
The system said, [Maybe he's shocked because you cured Madam Wang.]
Jian Ruonan replied, [Probably.]
After all, plenty of people present had been shocked, and plenty had been curious about her.
But could an icy hunk like the Fourth Prince, who seemed untouched by the smoke and fire of mortal life, really feel shock and curiosity like ordinary people?
Jian Ruonan had assumed the Fourth Prince was a cold, aloof, prideful hunk inside and out-the particularly unapproachable kind.
That contrast was rather cute.
Jian Ruonan warmed to the Fourth Prince a little. After all, who could dislike a points dispenser?
[Hurry up and catch the adulterer! Then we can go home and draw fifty times!]
The system said, [Ruonan, you only have thirty points. That's fifteen draws.]
The system peered into Jian Ruonan's mind. Was this little girl bad at math?
Jian Ruonan replied, [I know. Put the rest on credit.]
The system said, [...]
Since she could buy on credit, she might as well draw to her heart's content. Fifty draws were not enough-make it five hundred, Jian Ruonan thought. She did not have school or work now anyway. She could draw. All. Night!
The system said, [...]
[Ding-] [Card draws on credit are limited to ten per session.]
Jian Ruonan: *[!!]*
Trash system!!
Locust Tree Alley was spacious enough for two carriages to travel abreast. The neighborhood was quiet, and examination candidates visiting the capital generally liked renting rooms here to prepare.
There were few shops here, just a handful selling brushes and ink, and a few pastry shops.
Jian Zhang strolled along with his wife and daughters, browsing as they went.
Jian Ruonan could not tell which residence Gao Yang had bought for his mistress either, but she had a gossip system. As soon as she approached a house, the system would automatically report the gossip inside.
For instance, one house at the beginning of the street was shared by three examination candidates from out of town. One came from a wealthy family, while the other two were poorer. After failing the previous examination, the two poor students had stayed in the capital to continue studying, scraping by through writing documents for others. The wealthy one often helped them out.
The most explosive part was that the wealthy one liked men, and the other two had actually offered themselves up to share his pillow.
The two poorer ones had been reluctant at first, but later they had actually begun vying for his affection.
The rich merchant's son often soothed one during the first half of the night and comforted the other during the second. Eventually, he found that too troublesome, so all three simply slept together.
[Heavens, scholars really know how to play!!! It hasn't even been a month, and they're already having threesomes!!!]
[What's this? I kind of want to work hard and upgrade the system now. Once it upgrades, I'll be able to see the footage!]
Min: "..."
Jian Zhang: "..."
[The pregnant wife ate one extra egg, and this mother-in-law is threatening to beat and kill her. Her husband's a spineless shrimp too. He watches his mother berate his wife without letting out so much as a fart. Coward!]
[What kind of man can't even protect his own wife?!]
Min and Jian Xilu turned to glance at Jian Zhang.
At home, Min was often subjected to Madam Shi's harassment. The Great Xia placed immense importance on filial piety. Even knowing the old lady was deliberately making things difficult and favoring the second and third branches, Jian Zhang could do nothing.
As long as it was not too excessive, Jian Zhang always told Min to endure it.
Min had endured it for over a decade.
[Endure, my foot. Put plainly, the man's useless, so his wife has to suffer. Spineless!]
Jian Xilu nodded. If her father entered the Grand Secretariat and became chancellor, her grandmother certainly would not dare torment her mother behind the scenes.
As Jian Ruonan listened to the gossip, she even began singing in her head: [What kind of man are you, what kind of man? Your wife gets beaten and scolded, but you don't give a damn...]
Adapted from Jay Chou's "What Kind of Man," the song actually sounded quite good when Jian Ruonan sang it.
Jian Zhang: "..."
Nan Nan, please move on to the next house.
There's nothing worth hearing in this family's gossip.
Jian Xilu: My little sister is right, and her song is right too.
Min: My daughter is not only versed in medicine, but music as well.
[Ah, this family's nice. A loving father, filial children, a harmonious household. The father and mother are emotionally stable and never beat or scold their children. I hope my mother and father can be like that too.]
Jian Zhang and Min exchanged a glance.
[The mistress of this house is about to give birth, and her husband's as frantic as an ant on a hot pan... huh? Isn't that husband Gao Yang?!!!]
[This is the place!!!]
[Daddy!!! Charge!!!]
Though Jian Ruonan's inner world was rich and noisy, she remained composed on the surface, doing her best to play a shy little girl. Holding Min's hand, she walked slowly and pondered how to alert Jian Zhang.
The gates of this house were tightly shut. Two hitching posts stood on either side, their tops carved into qilin to symbolize good fortune.
A large chestnut horse was tethered to one post, its coat glossy and sleek, its body sturdy and well-fed.
The owner of this house must have been someone of considerable status, which suited Gao Yang's identity as the Duke of Ping's second legitimate son.
When Jian Ruonan stopped, Jian Zhang and Min stopped too.
But with the gates shut so tightly, knocking without warning would surely not get them past the gatekeeper.
Besides, with the lady of the house in labor, they were even less likely to admit unrelated visitors who might disturb her.
What excuse could they use to get inside?
Jian Ruonan was stumped too.
[How about I say I like this horse and ask Dad to go look at it? Horses hate strangers getting close and kick anyone who approaches. Once it kicks Dad, we'll have an excuse to knock and call someone out!]
Jian Zhang: "..."
You really are filial, aren't you?!
Could you come up with another plan?!
Jian Zhang certainly did not dare follow Jian Ruonan's rotten idea. A kick from a horse could kill him.
[Ta-da-da-daaa! I have a plan! System, get out that packet of potent aphrodisiac!!!]
Had she not drawn a packet of potent aphrodisiac earlier? Now it could finally come in handy!
The system said, [Host, what are you going to do? The Fourth Prince isn't even here?!! That stuff is incredibly rare and precious. There's only one packet in the entire points shop. Every bit you use is gone for good!]
Jian Ruonan replied, [Shut your mouth!!!]
You may withdraw, useless thing.
[This packet of potent aphrodisiac is for the horse. Once it goes wild and accidentally "hurts" us, we'll have a reason to enter the house.]
[But who's going to feed it to the horse?]
As Jian Ruonan's inner voice fell silent, Min, Jian Xilu, and Jian Ruonan all turned to look at Jian Zhang in unison.
Jian Zhang: "..."
When trouble comes, Daddy goes first.
Jian Zhang felt that if he did not step up, he really would not qualify as a man.
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