Chapter 171

After breakfast, Xu Ran and Gao Quan drove a carriage to the town. The two of them kept searching for Xu Cheng along the way but failed.

Xu Ran guessed that Liu Tiezhu was likely to be with Xu Cheng, who was injured on his foot. Thus they definitely couldn’t have gone too far.

Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, “Shall I stop halfway so that you can go to find them?”

Gao Quan shook his head. “No need. I’ll ask village head where he has sent them. I’m not familiar with any other places outside the village. Even if you ask me to look for them, I can’t. It’s best to look for them at night. They have to find a place to live at night, and very likely they might sneak back to Xu Village and get into the mountain.”

Gao Quan’s analysis made sense. Xu Ran nodded, “Well, then I’ll leave it to you.”

“Okay,” Gao Quan had no objections.

After they arrived at the town, their first thing to do was to send the goods to Mr. Chen’s restaurant.

The price of the cured meat was the same as the market one. Xu Ran didn’t demand a high price and Mr. Chen didn’t take advantage of him, either. As for sausages, this price was definitely higher than the preserved meat. Neither did Xu Ran demand much for it. Three pennies more for each jin.

This time, Mr. Chen paid without hesitation at the price Xu Ran demanded. Xu Ran told Mr. Chen that he was in a rush, so he didn’t request to cook some to taste.

After leaving the restaurant, Xu Ran asked Gao Quan to go shopping and he went to Zhuo Yun’s home.

When he arrived at Zhuo Yun’s home, he saw a bunch of things piling in the yard. Xu Ran went in and said with a smile, “Hey, are you making a move?”

Zhuo Yun was moving things with his servants. Seeing Xu Ran, he stopped and walked over, “I’m putting things out to air in the sun. You know that I will be out for a trip, and Shuwen will live in your home. As so many things will be left at home unattended, I dispose of them now. What brings you here? I am just thinking about looking for you tomorrow.”

Xu Ran said, “Something was up at home. I came to the town to do some shopping. By the way, when you were leaving? Have you contacted the caravan?”

The two walked into the house as they spoke. Zhuo Yun said, “Yes, I have. We’ll head out to the north on 20th of the first month of the lunar year. Tomorrow or the day after tomorrow, I will go to your place both to transport back the cured meat and sausages, and to send Shuwen to your home. By the way, what happened in your family?”

Xu Ran sighed and felt a little helpless, “I’ve offended some mean people. Someone fed croton seeds to my ewe to harm my little child. Fortunately, we found it in time, so nothing serious happened, but my ewe got killed.”

Zhuo Yun, who was sitting at first, suddenly stood up. “What’s going on? Someone actually wanted to harm Baozi? Was that person caught?

Xu Ran nodded. “Sit down first. I’ll tell you in details.”

Therefore, Xu Ran repeated the whole story again, and Zhuo Yun became even angrier after listening.

“Maybe this Xu Cheng is not your biological brother, is he? How was he capable of doing such a thing?” Zhuo Yun said angrily.

Xu Ran threw up his hand. “Who knows, but this is nothing. At the beginning, my dad and daddy treated me the similar way. The only reason I could forgive them is that they didn’t do anything to my children. However, Xu Cheng is different. He actually harmed a one-month-old baby, which I can’t tolerate.”

“That’s right. It can definitely not be tolerated. I will send people to find them. Then, you may decide how to deal with them,”  Yun said.

“Your people don’t know the two of them. How are you going to find them?”

Zhuo Yun clapped his hands. “This is very simple. Just draw their looks in pictures.”

Xu Ran rubbed his nose. “You think too highly of me. If I can draw pictures, I won’t be living on farming now.”

Then Zhuo Yun was stunned.

“You said you can’t draw, then how did you draw the Chinese chess pieces?”

“That is different. Chess pieces are a lot of circles. When Xu An made them, I just needed to tell him how, which didn’t require any drawing skills.” Xu Ran nodded as he said so.

Zhuo Yun felt a little upset. He had always thought that Xu Ran was omnipotent. This one matter had subverted Xu Ran’s image in his heart.

Then Zhuo Yun heard Xu Ran saying, “Xu Cheng’s foot is injured and he won’t have gone far away. As for Liu Tiezhu, I have an idea. He owes a lot of gambling debts in the town. We can find those creditors and ask them to find Liu Tiezhu. I originally planned to send Liu Tiezhu to those people after I found him, but I forgot that no one could tell me their whereabouts.

Xu Ran’s image was really totally ruined, but it didn’t matter. What mattered now was to find them first.

Zhuo Yun said, “Only a few guys in the town issue loans for people to gamble. I’ll send the butler to enquire and offer them some money to solve the problem. You don’t have to think about such troublesome things anymore.”

Xu Ran felt that in Zhuo Yun’s eyes, what could be solved with money was not a real matter, and it was true.

Xu Ran said, “Alright, I’ll leave that to you. I’ll send Gao Quan to find Xu Cheng. It’d be best if they are together. Remember that person’s name is Liu Tiezhu. You can come to my house tomorrow or the day after tomorrow to take the cured meat. I won’t stay any longer. I have to buy another ewe for Baozi. It’s won’t work only to feed him rice soup.”

“Hmm,” Zhuo Yun nodded. “Then you should go back quickly. Don’t go out for the next few days. The priority now is to get them caught and get rid of the potential danger.”

“I see. Don’t worry. Be careful when you go to my house. Xu Cheng might be able to recognize your carriage. Bring as many people with you as possible. Even if you encounter with them, you won’t be afraid.”

Zhuo Yun waved his hand. “Fine. Sounds as if how powerful he is. After all, I’ve made so many business trips. I’ve met many even more powerful people. How can I be afraid of him.”

“That’s not what I meant. Shuwen will be with you when you go there. Putting everything else aside, you need to take the safety of him and children into consideration. Do as I told you. Take more people with you.

Zhuo Yun knew that Xu Ran was considering for his good. He nodded and said, “Okay, I’ll do as you said, and be careful. You should be careful when you go back.”

“Sure.” Xu Ran responded, and left the room. Then he went to buy ewe in the place where Housekeeper Zhuo took him the last time.

The goat seller still remembered Xu Ran. When he saw him, he thought he was coming to sell the lamb.

“Childe, are you here to sell the lamb born by the ewe? It’s been two months now. It’s time to sell it.”

Xu Ran waved his hand. “No, I’m not going to sell that lamb. I’m here today to buy another ewe. I want one which has just given birth to a lamb and can produce milk.”

The man wanted to ask Xu Ran what happened to the ewe before, but seeing that Xu Ran didn’t intend to share anything, he gave up and picked up an ewe that could produce milk for Xu Ran.

There was no lamb this time, so the price was lower than that of previous time. Xu Ran could be counted as a regular customer. Not many people would come to buy two ewes within a few months, so the goat seller didn’t demand a high price.

After Xu Ran bought the ewe, he walked to the place where the carriage was parked. Gao Quan was already waiting for him. Xu Ran looked at the carriage and was stumped. “There was an ox cart last time, which made it easy to bring the ewe back. But this time the carriage can’t hold the ewe within. It’s really difficult to take it home.”

Gao Quan looked at the carriage and found that it was indeed a problem. He said, “In that case, tie the ewe behind it. Let the horse go slowly, as long as the ewe can keep up.”

After the two discussed, they tied the ewe behind the carriage. In order to prevent it from being kicked by Big Black, the rope was released quite long.

Xu Ran asked Gao Quan, “Have you bought everything? Are there enough iron nails and ceramics?

Gao Quan nodded. “Yes. But should we place these things directly on the wall?”

Xu Ran shook his head. “Definitely not. In that case, they will be swept away by people, and fail to work. You need to stick them to the wall. The material of brick-laying may work. There is still some remaining lime from the previous construction team. I have put it away.”

Xu Ran put it away in order to avoid wasting. Unexpectedly, it came in handy now.

Since they had bought everything they needed, the two got into the carriage and drove home.

Big Black, which wanted to run faster, was threatened by Xu Ran who tried to take care of the ewe behind it.

When they were about to get close to Xu Village, someone suddenly came out of the road and grabbed the ewe. Not only did he frighten Xu Ran and the others, even Big Black was given a start, which gave the man a kick. Xu Ran jumped off the carriage quickly to get back the ewe.

Big Black didn’t show any mercy by this kick. The man lay on the ground with the ewe in his arms. Fortunately,  Big Black didn’t kick the ewe, otherwise it would die directly.

When he saw the person lying on the ground, Xu Ran smiled. As the saying went, “Fancy finding by sheer luck what one has searched for far and wide”, which suits the scene perfectly!

The one who snatched the ewe was exactly Liu Tiezhu, who was chased out yesterday. Presumably he couldn’t find anything to eat and was too hungry, so he came to attack Xu Ran’s ewe.

Xu Ran thought of another saying. Success or failure, an ewe was always behind it.

Xu Ran walked over and said to Liu Tiezhu, “Are you hungry?! No food? So stealing an ewe? What a pity! You bumped into me, and it just so happens that I’m looking for you, too. There’s no one else here today.”

“You, you, you, what are you up to?” Liu Tiezhu retreated as he spoke, as if Xu Ran was about to attack him.

Xu Ran smiled, “What do I want to do? I don’t want to do anything. I remember that you still owe a lot of people’s debts.

At this time, Gao Quan also made Big Black calm down, and stopped by the side of the road. Then he walked over.

Xu Ran said to Gao Quan, “We’ve found him and it saved us some time. By the way, ask him where Xu Cheng is. I’ll attend to the carriage.” Xu Ran was worried that someone else would suddenly come out. If they robbed the carriage away, that loss would outweigh the gain.

Gao Quan nodded.