Chapter 265 - 261: Naughty Kid_1
“Do you know what you’re talking about?”
Xiao Mo was infuriated by his foolhardy younger brother.
He turned his head and gave an order: “Someone, go call for Nan Zhu! Bring the second young master’s guards as well!”
“Yes!” Someone at the door echoed as they left.
Upon hearing that his elder brother wanted to bring Nan Zhu in, Xiao Chengjun turned to leave. However, he was stopped by the guard at the door: “Second young master, please stay.”
Left with no choice, he returned to his seat, pouting with anger.
Xiao Mo ignored his brother, sitting in his round chair, massaging his temples.
Before long, Nan Zhu and a few guards were escorted in.
Xiao Mo ignored his little brother’s angry glare and asked Nan Zhu, “Where have Jiang Family’s trunks gone?”
Nan Zhu didn’t dare to look at the two young masters. He lowered his head and muttered incoherently, failing to answer their question.
Xiao Mo leaned back in his chair, coldly watching this teenage servant. He said lightly, “Speak one lie, and your tongue will be severed.”
Nan Zhu was frightened into kneeling and trembling on the spot. He managed to stutter, “Rep-reporting to the eldest young master… the trunk… it was sent… to the Wen Family.”
Xiao Mo glared at him with throbbing temples and said, “For failing to stop your master from making a mistake, go and take twenty military blows as a warning to others.”
“Yes!” Nan Zhu did not dare to lift his head to see the second young master’s expression. He scurried out of the study.
After questioning the guards, all their responses confirmed Nan Zhu’s account.
His brother Xiao Chengjun had genuinely given several trunks to the Wen Family’s mother and daughter.
Xiao Mo was lost for words. He pinched the bridge of his nose to calm himself down.
He had never noticed such naivety in his younger brother before. What had provoked him to act this foolishly?
“What do you have to say?” Xiao Mo asked.
Xiao Chengjun snorted: “There’s nothing to say.”
The items had already been given away; could they be retrieved? After all, he wouldn’t do it, and his elder brother would not either.
With his hand against his forehead, Xiao Mo looked coldly at his brother. “By the look of it, those old scholars have just been holding their positions without doing any actual teaching. They didn’t even teach you the barest manners. I will ask Father to find some people for you. You are still young. Read their books for a while. Once you fully understand Biography of Rites, then you may take up an official position in the Zhechong Prefecture.
Even though Xiao Chengjun wasn’t willing, he knew that his elder brother never went back on his word. The more he resisted, the longer he expected his learning would last.
“Yes, elder brother.” He lowered his head in consent.
Xiao Mo waved his hand, dismissing his brother.
He then called for his staff member, Chui Zhaochen, and handed him two lists.
“Mr. Chui, please purchase all items on these lists and send them to the Jiang Family in Chuanhe Town. Make sure there is no breach of etiquette.”
Chui Zhaochen took a glance at the list and laughed, “Oh, they’ve even listed sock supplies! And there’s a pack of needles and threads, and two silk threads… Whose gift list is this?”
Xiao Mo replied irritably, “Just buy according to the list. As for gold, silver and silk fabrics, take them first from my private storage.”
He would gradually pay back for the gold and silver he used out of his own pocket by deducting them from Xiao Chengjun’s monthly allowance, until everything was paid off.
Chui Zhaochen folded the lists and tucked them into his sleeve. Giving a bow to Xiao Mo, he went to the accounting room to get two hundred taels of silver, and then left Xiao Residence.
He hadn’t gone far when he saw Kang’an Pharmacy.
Thinking of the medicine case and the tools for making wax pills on the list, he put up the corner of his robe and walked into the pharmacy.
“Brother Wen.” Chui Zhaochen bowed towards the doctor sitting in the pharmacy. “Long time no see.”
Wen Yanmin quickly stood up to return the greeting, “You’re Brother Zhaochen! What brings you here?”
Chui Zhaochen smiled, “I’m here at your place to buy two things. Do you happen to sell them?”
“What items?”
“One is the tool for making the wax shell of medicinal pills, and the other is a type of medicinal case.”
Chui Zhaochen made a gesture: “The type of medicine case that you doctors carry on your back. The case should contain a set of silver needles – one hundred and eight in total, a set of various surgical instruments, emergency medicines, and a set of brush, ink, paper, and inkstone.”
Wen Yanmin nodded, “We do have the tools to make wax shells at home, but we don’t sell them. We also have only one medicine box, which is not for sale either.”
“Then do you know where Brother Wen can customize it?” Chui Zhaochen asked.
Wen Yanmin: “Not far from here is Zhang’s Woodwork Store, they should be able to make it.”
“Thank you, Brother Wen, for the information.” Chui Zhaochen bowed, took his leave and left.
A few days later, Chui Zhaochen finally purchased all items on the list and reported back to Xiao Mo.
Xiao Mo, looking at the six large boxes placed in the courtyard, was a bit puzzled.
“Wasn’t there supposed to be five boxes? Why is there an extra one? Did you not pack it correctly?”
Not only was there an extra box, there was also a wooden frame and a medicine box that had not been packed into the wooden box.
Chui Zhaochen: “Who said I didn’t pack it correctly? The boxes are packed tightly with no gaps at all.”
Xiao Mo picked up the checklist and compared it against the procurement list brought by Chui Zhaochen, finding no discrepancies.
“Oh well, you can take a few men to Qinchuan County tomorrow, oh right, Wei Zhan is also going, so you can take him along, to and fro quickly.”
“Alright, we’ll take the water route tomorrow, it’ll be faster.” Chui Zhaochen gathers the list and stands to leave.
The next morning, Chui Zhaochen has several guards load the boxes onto a horse-drawn carriage to the pier.
Later Wei Zhan arrived with four servants, two of them carrying another large box.
Once they were onboard, Wei Zhan instructed his servants to carry the large box into his cabin, closed the door, and not allow anyone in.
The large boat began to move, heading to Qinchuan County.
It’s just over six hundred li from Luzhou to Qinchuan County. With the boat going downstream, they arrived in a day and a night.
“Young Master, we’ve arrived at our destination. Come out quickly.”
The servant knocked on the door, straining to hear any movement within the cabin.
“Coming!”
The cabin door was opened, and the servant’s mouth fell open in surprise.
“Yo… Young Master, why is Young Master Xiao here?” The servant was so nervous he was on the verge of hyperventilating.
A head, adorned with a red silk braid, poked out from behind Wei Zhan, blinking the big eyes and said, “I’ve been here for a while! You’re really dumb!”
At this time, Chui Zhaochen also walked over. When he saw Xiao Chengyu behind Wei Zhan, he drew a breath of surprise. “What’s going on? Wei Zhan, why did you bring him too?”
Wei Zhan nonchalantly said, “He wanted to play with me, so I brought him along.”
Seeing Chui Zhaochen frown, he hurriedly said, “It’s okay, I left a letter for my aunt. She won’t blame you.”
Chui Zhaochen grunted, “Your words are lighter!”
Who in the Xiao residence didn’t know that Lord Xiao and his wife loved their five-year-old son the most?
Especially the lady of the house, who treated her son as her lifeblood – concerned of dropping him if held in her hand, and worried he might dissolve if held in her mouth.
This is too much! Wei Zhan had actually taken Lady’s lifeblood hundreds of li away to Qinchuan County.
But since the situation was already as such, there was no way to turn the boat around and take him back.
Chui Zhaochen turned to call a guard and asked him to pick up the young master Xiao to prepare for disembarking.
Wei Zhan looked pleased with himself and winked at Xiao Chengyu.
Xiao Chengyu also winked back at him. The two children had an unspoken understanding.
Chui Zhaochen entered Wei Zhan’s cabin and immediately understood the situation.
This rascal had hidden his young cousin in the large wooden box and had his servants carry over.
Wei Zhan even knew to drilled two holes, the size of eggs, into the box for air circulation and lined up a layer of cotton padding inside for his cousin to lie on.
Chui Zhaochen, shaking his head and sighing, knew there was going to be trouble.
The Mid-Autumn Festival was just around the corner, and the Xiao residence was bound to be turned upside down when they found the young master missing.