Who Would Take Them In?

Chen Ankang chuckled and said, "I'm afraid you'd be chased away before you even got hoisted up. My master isn't an ordinary person."

He didn't say another word.

At first, he thought Zhou Wanwan was just a simple girl, but the more he got to know her, the more he realized she was not simple at all.

He couldn't see through his master at all.

Of course, anyone who saw Zhou Wanwan sitting on the dragon throne would be terrified.

This is another emperor.

But who can know what he's really thinking?

He has no other thoughts now; having chosen this path, he can only continue on it diligently.

Since the Chen Family is already in this state, he has no choice but to give up now.

Besides, his master is incredibly magnanimous!

Last time, I rewarded him with a plate of gold and silver jewelry.

I guess they knew his family was poor.

This plate of gold and silver jewelry alone, roughly calculated, would be worth tens of thousands of taels, enough for him to buy a house in the capital.

His first plan upon returning to Beijing was to buy back the Chen Family's house. As soon as he arrived in the capital, he went to the Chen Family's old residence.

He knocked on the door and saw his nemesis Wu Jingfeng, come out from inside.

Huo Lingchuan saw him and smiled, "Oh! Isn't this Chen Ankang, the eldest son of the Chen Family?"

Chen Ankang looked at him and said, "Huo Lingchuan, what are you doing at my house?"

Huo Lingchuan laughed heartily:

"Your home? Are you sure this is your home?"

I heard you've now found a master and sold yourself into slavery? You've truly disgraced the Chen Family.

Chen Ankang sneered, "None of your business! You don't even have the chance to flatter my master!"

Huo Lingchuan laughed heartily:

"Chen Ankang, you're really getting worse as you get older. Could it be that your Chen Family has fallen on hard times, and you've fallen into depravity along with them?"

How pitiful! The Chen Family's old house has been sold. You and I used to be prominent figures in Beijing, but now you're just a rat in the street.

Do you think any girl would still want to marry you?

Many people used to want to marry Chen Ankang, but now that they know the Chen Family has fallen on hard times, they all avoid him like the plague.

Chen Ankang sneered, "What's it to you? If you don't want to stay here, then don't stay. I don't care anyway!"

Huo Lingchuan looked at him and said, "Let me put this here! You won't find a place to stay in the capital today. A mere servant, you think you can fight me?"

Chen Ankang smiled faintly and said, "Really? What if I can find a place to stay?"

Huo Lingchuan sneered, "If you can find a place to stay, I'll return the Chen Family's house to you. But what if you can't find a place to stay?"

Chen Ankang opened the bundle he was carrying, revealing all the gold and silver treasures inside.

Huo Lingchuan looked at the bag of gold and silver jewelry and said:

"Wow! I never knew you had so much gold and silver jewelry!"

Alright, with all this gold and silver jewelry, I'll take the bet.

I refuse to believe that anyone in the entire capital would dare to offend the Huo Family.

"Guards, go out and spread the word: Anyone who dares to harbor Chen Ankang is going against the Huo Family, and will face the consequences."

The Huo Family members left quickly.

Huo Lingchuan looked at him and said, "We need to make this clear in the agreement. Ordinary places won't do. Don't try to fool me with some beggar's den."

Chen Ankang smiled faintly and said, "I'm not that bad."

Huo Lingchuan looked at him and said, "Anyway, your place can't be too bad, otherwise our bet will be null and void."

They quickly signed the contract.

Looking at the plaque of the Huo Family, Chen Ankang felt quite sad. His Chen Family had once been glorious, but now they were truly in decline.

Madam Huo Family came out from inside and looked at Mother Chen, saying:

"Oh! Isn't this Madam Cheng? Why are you dressed like this? It's so shabby!"

I almost forgot, your family is poor now! I heard your son is working as a servant?

You should be content; not everyone is as outstanding as those in Lingchuan.

Madam Chen was so angry that her chest hurt.

"What was your Lingchuan like before? Don't you have any idea?"

How dare you say that you've never outperformed Ankang in any exam?

Our family's Ankang is the best.

Madam Huo laughed heartily:

"He was indeed quite outstanding, and now that he's become someone's servant, he's even more outstanding than before."

I must say, your house is quite comfortable to live in.

Madam Chen nearly fainted with anger; Madam Huo was doing this on purpose.

She and Madam Huo had never gotten along since childhood.

Later, they each married other, and seeing that Madam Chen was doing well, Madam Huo felt even more distressed.

After enduring so much hardship, the Chen Family had fallen to this state, and the first thing Madam Huo did was to take over the Chen Family's ancestral home.

The Chen Family's ancestral home was quite grand, a five-courtyard mansion, and all the wood used inside was the finest nanmu wood.

Madam Chen looked at Madam Huo, "Times change. A person's life can't always be smooth sailing, nor can it always be unlucky."

Madam Huo laughed heartily:

"Others might have a chance, but for your Chen Family to rely on Chen Ankang, that's definitely hopeless."

I heard her mistress is just a six-year-old girl. What can a six-year-old girl accomplish?

Madam Chen cursed Chen Ankang in her heart, wondering what had gotten into Chen Ankang that made him insist on finding a 6-year-old child to be his master.

Isn't that just plain stupid?

The Chen Family was already finding it difficult to move an inch in the capital, and now they have become the laughing stock of the entire Upper Capital.

Is there anyone willing to take them in?

She looked at Chen Ankang, Chen Ankang turned and led them away, saying, "Huo Lingchuan, you can't go back on your word."

Huo Lingchuan sneered, "What have I ever done wrong? Do you think your cronies would still listen to you?"

Chen Ankang did indeed plan to go to his cronies' houses first. He knocked on each door, but when his cronies saw him, they were so frightened that they immediately closed the doors.

Huo Lingchuan laughed heartily:

"How's Chen Ankang doing? It must feel terrible to be treated like a rat in the street, right?"

No one in the Upper Capital City will be willing to take you in; give up on that idea!

If I were you, I would go back to Dongshan Prefecture right now and serve your master well. I heard he's still drinking milk at six years old? Then you should serve him well while he drinks milk.

Being a wet nurse isn't so bad, is it? Wet nurses in Upper Capital City earn quite a bit!

The people around him burst into laughter. Chen Ankang clenched his fists and said, "Huo Lingchuan, there's no need to humiliate me like this. I'm just here to see what people are like. What does it matter whether they take me in or not?"

The pack of dogs around Huo Lingchuan laughed loudly, "Stop pretending! If you really have a place, then go there! Why are you wasting your time here with us?"

"You really think you're still the young master of the Chen Family you used to be? How laughable."

Let me tell you the truth! Even royalty wouldn't associate with a scoundrel like you.

Just then, a woman walked by not far away, and everyone's eyes lit up.

"Isn't this Miss Lin? She's so beautiful!"

I remember Miss Lin and Chen Ankang were engaged before, right?