Chapter Two Hundred
"Invite him over? Invite him over how? Now that he's a high official, he simply can't be bothered with you!" Xu Xiangren felt he had returned with a bellyful of anger from Li Tianyou's place.
He had gone with good intentions to invite him, but Li Tianyou hadn't given him the slightest bit of face.
Saying things like they weren't friends.
If it weren't for Li Tianyou now being a second-rank official, he wouldn't have bothered with him at all.
"Hmph, he's just a merchant who got lucky and managed to become an official. Who knows how long he'll last!" Thinking of this, Xu Xiangren's dissatisfaction welled up again.
How could that merchant become a second-rank official so easily?
Look at himself, having stayed in Xin'an County for three years, exhausting all his connections, only to finally get a minor post as a Grand Imperial Stables Assistant in the capital.
He wanted to climb higher, but he had no patrons above him, and no one paid him any attention.
Now, it seemed, he himself didn't know when his day of success would come.
"Master, that's not the way to put it. Look, that Lord Li, although he was a merchant before, that's true, but now he's different. He's a second-rank official." Niu Shi, however, did not agree with his view.
Xu Xiangren was already resentful, and now his own wife was speaking up for Li Tianyou, which made him even more displeased.
"What, are you blaming me for being incompetent?" Xu Xiangren said discontentedly, looking at Niu Shi.
"Master, if you had the ability, you'd buy a house in the capital for me to live in too, and buy a few servants for me to command! Look at this shabby courtyard we live in, it's still rented. Every day, I have to work non-stop. Otherwise, with just your meager monthly salary, would our whole family have to drink the northwest wind?" Niu Shi discontentedly stretched her calloused hands out in front of Xu Xiangren.
She felt deeply wronged.
Back in Xin'an County, she only had to be his Madam Xu properly.
The chores around her could be done with the help of servants; she didn't need to do everything herself.
But, in order to come to the capital, they sold off their property, all for a petty sixth-rank Grand Imperial Stables Assistant position!
In the capital, to put it nicely, he's a sixth-rank official; to put it bluntly, he's just a horse feeder.
And, because they had no money to buy servants, she not only had to do everything herself but also had to go out to find work.
The courtyard they lived in was rented.
Compared to before, their standard of living hadn't risen but had fallen.
This made Niu Shi feel extremely sour inside.
"That Li Tianyou, how come he can become a high official just because he wants to? Isn't it just because he has a good son-in-law? Do you think I want Jin'an to serve an old man? Wasn't it all for the sake of this family?" As Niu Shi spoke, she began to sob.
"Alright, alright, I didn't mean to blame you. Li Tianyou's side probably won't work. Look at other families for Jin'an." Xu Xiangren understood his wife's meaning. He also hoped his daughter could marry well and give him a helping hand.
But their social circle was just that small. The good families looked down on their daughter, and the poor families, they themselves looked down upon.
"Master, since you can't get through to him, why not let Jin'an take matters into her own hands? If Li Tianyou sees Jin'an, he might change his mind?" Niu Shi was still unwilling to let go of Li Tianyou as a potential powerful connection.
After all, the matches she could arrange for her daughter were only with children of officials similar to her own husband, or else merchants.
With a gem like Li Tianyou right there, Niu Shi didn't want to pick from the other flawed options.
"What if Li Tianyou pays no attention to Jin'an either?" Xu Xiangren said uncertainly.
"What's there to fear? As long as Li Tianyou speaks with Jin'an, I'll have people spread rumors in the marketplace that Li Tianyou has taken a fancy to our Jin'an, or that Li Tianyou acted improperly towards her. When that happens, Li Tianyou will have no choice but to marry our Jin'an, won't he? The Li family is so wealthy, we should ask for a lot. We must also have him buy a new three-section courtyard in the capital for our son. This courtyard is too small." Niu Shi said with a face full of dissatisfaction.
Li'an County
Xun Lang never expected to encounter Prince An again in Li'an County.
Seeing Prince An, he remembered the two ribs the prince had broken back then.
But, wasn't that matter already settled?
What was he looking for him for now?
"Xun Lang, long time no see!" Looking at the stunned Xun Lang, Xu Heming's lips curled into a smile. An old rival from the past.
"Wait, Prince An, wasn't that matter already in the past?" Xun Lang looked at Xu Heming with a puzzled expression.
"Then, think again. Have you recently provoked anyone under my protection?" Xu Heming's words made Xun Lang fall into deep thought.
He truly couldn't remember doing anything to offend this fiend.
Besides, he had been on his best behavior lately, not doing any bad deeds, and certainly not killing anyone he shouldn't have.
"Today on the county street, there was an assassination attempt on the Li family's young lady. Are you aware of it?" Xu Heming didn't beat around the bush with Xun Lang any longer and asked directly.
Hearing this, Xun Lang was taken aback. He hadn't done that.
"It wasn't me." After saying this, Xun Lang looked at Xu Heming again and asked puzzledly, "You came to find me because of Miss Li's matter?"
Xun Lang didn't know about the relationship between Li Zhiwei and Xu Heming. He was just somewhat puzzled that Xu Heming would make such a conspicuous effort to find him, all for a woman.
"My consort was attacked. Can't I seek justice for her?" Xu Heming said discontentedly.
"You? Married a daughter of the Li family? Don't joke." Xun Lang felt that in places like the capital, which emphasized pedigree, it was unlikely they would allow Xu Heming to marry the Li family's young lady.
"That's not important. Do you know who the assassin was?" Xu Heming asked, looking at Xun Lang.
"It wasn't me!" Xun Lang, afraid Xu Heming would suspect him again, quickly repeated.
"But I heard you sent a message to my consort, saying someone wanted her life. I want to know who that person is." Xu Heming stated bluntly.
"Your Highness Prince An, I kindly sent a message to your consort. As for who that person is, I beg your pardon, but I cannot say." Xun Lang also found it strange. Could it be that person had hired someone else?
Otherwise, why would Miss Li have nearly been in danger when he himself hadn't taken any action?
"Name your price, anything." Xu Heming tempted again.
"I don't know. You know people like us usually don't ask about origins." Xun Lang shook his head. He truly didn't know the identity of that person.
"However, I didn't take this job in Li'an County. It was in the capital. The person you're looking for should be in the capital." Out of regard for Li Tianyou, who had once saved him, Xun Lang added this.
As for whether Xu Heming could find that person, that would be up to his own ability.
"Have you seen that person?" Xu Heming frowned and asked.
Someone from the capital wants Li Zhiwei's life?
But weren't the Liu family already dealt with?
Could there be others who want Li Zhiwei dead?
