dognovel Chapter 120 9rd Brother
Chapter 120 9rd Brother
Nianyao last left the Dahe Gang when she was a child and fell ill. Everyone was very excited about her long-awaited return.
Nianyao removed the sign for Nanyuan and let Huzi and Bamei live there; they could choose the names themselves.
Tiger said, "It's called the Tiger's Den, because the Tiger's Den is majestic. If you don't enter the Tiger's Den, how can you catch the tiger cub..."
Eighth Sister protested: "I also live in this courtyard, why can only we use your name? To be fair, let's call you Eight Tigers."
Tiger said, "Eight Tigers thought it was his yard!"
Eighth Sister looked at him questioningly.
Qin Jiu explained, "Hu Zi is the captain, and Hu Erhu to Hu Shi are all his subordinates."
Eighth Sister looked Tiger up and down: "You're that strong?"
Tiger puffed out his chest proudly: "Of course."
Eighth Sister said, "Then, let's call him Tiger Eighth..."
Tiger agreed: "Ninth Brother, you write it."
Qin Jiu looked at Nian Yao: "Gang Leader?"
Nianyao refused: "Tiger Eight, Tiger Dad, whose dad do you want to be?"
Yan Zeyu suggested, "How about Tiger Girl? It sounds nice..."
Eighth Sister said, "No, no... My mother said that although our family is poor, we are an upright family with integrity."
Nianyao said, "Where is Tiger Sister being improper?"
Eighth Sister said, "Tiger Sister, vixen, that sounds shameless."
Nianyao called out, "Luo An, come here..."
Luo An came over with his book upon hearing the noise. Nian Yao pointed at Eighth Sister and said, "Chongming Island isn't a respectable place, and the Great River Gang isn't a respectable gang. They're not worthy of a respectable girl like Eighth Sister. You should send her back..."
Tiger was dumbfounded: "Master...Madam, the young master said she is your personal maid."
Nianyao said, "I can take care of myself and don't need a personal maid."
The atmosphere froze instantly. Luo An broke the silence: "Tiger Mountain. The Great River Gang is full of wolves and tigers, and Chongming Island is a thousand miles from home. Eighth Sister knows there are dangers in the mountains, yet she still chooses to go to Tiger Mountain. Her courage is commendable."
Before anyone could object, Qin Jiu waved his pen and said, "That's it."
The characters, true to his name, were bold and imposing. Tiger was very satisfied: "Thank you, Ninth Brother..."
Qin Jiu said, "Two taels of silver, deducted from your monthly allowance."
So expensive! Eighth Sister was so shocked she couldn't speak. Two taels of silver was enough for her whole family to live frugally for a month.
Nianyao asked Luo An, "What does 'Dahe Gang' mean, like jackals and tigers?"
Yan Zeyu shook his head and whispered to Qin Jiu, "Ajiu, women are such a hassle. Luckily, I don't get married..."
Qin Jiu said, "Chief, don't scare Xiao Yan."
"Little Yan?" Yan Zeyu said, "Ajiu, I'm the gang leader's bodyguard now, you have to call me Brother Yan."
Qin Jiu ignored Yan Zeyu and said, "Young Master, let's go play chess."
The two were playing chess in the tea room when Luo An took the initiative to start a conversation: "Qin Feng invited me to Hengshan. What do you think, should I go or not?"
Asking for his opinion on something like this? Qin Jiu couldn't figure Luo An out: "Young Master should... have refused?"
Luo An nodded: "He refused. Xue Yunting gave Nianyao a topographical map, which was marked in great detail..."
Qin Jiu guessed: "Does Young General Xue want the gang leader to go?"
Luo An said, "I don't want to get involved. If Xu Sheng and Xue Yunting use some underhanded tricks to lure Nianyao to Hengshan..."
Luo An naturally had to go along, but it would be better to go directly, at least Nian Yao would be safe.
Even an upright official doesn't concern himself with family matters. Luo An wouldn't simply be looking for a listener, much less engage in idle chatter for no reason. Qin Jiu cautiously replied, "Young General Xue wouldn't disregard the safety of the gang leader..."
“That makes sense.” Luo An raised his hand and placed a chess piece down: “Nianyao suspects that Yan Zeyi is the murderer who killed Liu Lin, and he may also want to harm Nianyao.”
Qin Jiu hesitated to make his move. Uncle Liu's death was sudden; of the two outsiders from Chongming Island that day, Yan Zeyu and Yuan Feng were the most suspicious.
Luo An didn't rush him: "When we returned from Yuezhou, the Jingwei sank. It wasn't Ji Kongming who tampered with it, but the people on board. Yan Zeyu happened to be there to help us..."
Qin Jiu frowned slightly: "Does the young master suspect me?"
Luo An stared at him: "Who do you think it is?"
Qin Jiu said, "None of Nanfei and the young master know, so how would I know?"
Luo An dropped the chess piece and said calmly, "The Great River Gang is indeed a mess, and has no reason to exist. Ninth Brother, you are so young and not wholeheartedly devoted to the Great River Gang, how can you accept Yao calling you Ninth Uncle with a clear conscience?"
Luo An left, and Qin Jiu stared at the chessboard for a long time without moving: he could accept Nian Yao calling him Uncle Jiu, but he couldn't accept Luo An calling him Brother Jiu.
Luo An stood under the acacia tree, gazing at Wudong County across the way, his brow furrowed. He hadn't worried about these things before, but now he couldn't help but think about them.
Nianyao came over to him: "Weren't we supposed to be playing chess? Why is Uncle Jiu sitting there all by himself?"
Luo An asked, "Doesn't the Great River Gang investigate the backgrounds of its council members and ship owners?"
Luo An is concerned about the affairs of the Great River Gang? Nian Yao said, "The Great River Gang is inherently complicated. Most of the brothers are here to make money, and the leadership of the council and the boat captains is based on merit. We can't investigate their entire families like government officials. If someone has a clean family background, they wouldn't need to come to the Great River Gang..."
Luo An glanced at her, and Nian Yao said, "You and Nan Fei are exceptions; you're here to be bodhisattvas."
Luo An asked, "Why do you call him Uncle Qin Jiu?"
Nianyao said, "My father was afraid he wouldn't live long, so he took me to patrol the river. On the banks of the Yingzhou River, he lay on a big rock with a full beard and tattered clothes, one hand dangling in the river playing with water. He looked both disheveled and carefree..."
Father said, "This man is no ordinary person," so he invited him to join the Great River Gang. He remained unmoved, which wasn't entirely unacceptable, but the young gang leader had to call him "uncle." Father told me, "Those who achieve great things must not be bound by convention in recruiting talent..."
Luo An said, "To subdue him, I made you call him 'uncle,' and to save the Great River Gang, I made you sell your body. I'm really going to put you through that..."
Selling your body? Meaning they get married? Nianyao realized what was happening: "You have body, I don't... By the way, why did you agree to marry me? Stop rambling, get serious."
Luo An laughed: "You understand me more and more..."
Nianyao nodded solemnly: "All that glitters is not gold; all that's inside is rotten cotton."
Luo An said, "You are beautiful on the outside and beautiful on the inside, how could you not have any physical beauty..."
Nianyao said seriously, "Speak—seriously—"
Luo An said, "Your father was kind to our family."
Nianyao didn't understand: "Isn't it a matter of course for the housekeeper to take care of the madam? My parents taking Xu Sheng with them doesn't count as doing you a favor..."
Luo An shook his head: "Back then, when something happened at the Luo family mansion, my father and all the servants left. Only your parents are still here. If it weren't for them, my mother and Xu Sheng would both be dead..."
Luo An doesn't need to remember or repay the favors his mother and Xu Sheng have done.
Luo An seemed to see through Nian Yao's thoughts: "We are family, and I have an obligation to repay the favors owed by family members."
Nianyao said, "Don't you have any ideas about balancing the power between Dongyang and Nanyue?"
Luo An shook his head: "Your father has that idea, but I don't."
Nianyao asked, "Why?"
Luo An said, "I'm just a doctor, I don't concern myself with world affairs. Nianyao, let's go back to Bianjing. In Bianjing, you can wear women's clothes and act coquettishly. The position of gang leader will go to Qin Jiu..."