The Empress's First Running Dog

Chapter 31 The Prodigal Son Returns Zhao Duan

The coin box was not empty.

For example, on the top layer, there was a stack of silver bills mixed with a land deed. According to his memory, it was the deposit that Wang Xian gave him.

In addition, there was also the deed to his house, a small amount of silver, the original owner's mother's jewelry and other miscellaneous items. For an ordinary family, this would be a large sum of money, but...

"Where is the money I embezzled?" Zhao Duan was a little dumbfounded.

As far as I can remember, although the original owner didn't dare to be greedy for fear of being caught, he still gained a lot of benefits, both openly and secretly.

But now, they have all disappeared.

"Stolen? Or was it taken by Eugene? No... Impossible."

Zhao Duan tried his best to squeeze out his brain power and try to search for his memory.

But it has been more than three days since the time travel, and the remaining memories of the original owner have gradually become blurred.

For many things, only impressions remain, and a lot of details have been lost.

Just as he could remember that there was an aunt and a stepsister in his family, but their appearances were not clear, and only by seeing them again could his memory be awakened.

He is like a person suffering from amnesia. He only has the impression that "the original owner made a lot of money", but he can't remember exactly how much, or the ins and outs of each transaction.

"It seems that I took it... myself."

Zhao Duan's face didn't look good. "But I forgot where the money went."

It's quite like:

It's like seeing the lottery winning numbers, which are exactly the same as the ones you bought, but you can't remember where you put the lottery ticket.

“This is such a bummer…” Zhao Duan’s mouth twitched.

What is the most painful thing?

The person is alive and the money is there, but I have forgotten where I put it.

"Calm down! Maybe we can try to ask Eugene Hua," Zhao Duan thought, "The memory is just vague. As long as I get reminded, maybe I can remember it."

Moreover, although the original owner was useless, he was not stupid. He had worked hard to earn a large sum of money, and it was impossible for him to just lose it.

After comforting himself for a moment, Zhao Duan took out the "deposit", put the nourishing spirit pill in, locked the "safe", sat cross-legged and breathed in and out to calm his qi.

He looked calm and composed just now, but his meridians were aching slightly from the excessive amount of Qi being transported through them.

"It was too tight the first time, so it's normal to feel a little painful. Do it a few more times and it will loosen up." Eunuch Hai's advice is still ringing in my ears.

Zhao Duan agreed with this.

It was not until the sun was setting that he was awakened by the sound of footsteps outside the door. He heard the maid knocking on the door and timidly saying:

"My dear, it's time to eat."

……

Inner hall.

When Zhao Duan arrived, he saw six dishes and a soup on the round table, but no sign of his aunt and sister.

"Where are the people?" I asked subconsciously.

The maid next to him looked strange and reminded quietly:

"My dear, have you forgotten that the ladies and young ladies are not allowed to sit at the table?"

Zhao Duan's vague memory was activated, and he remembered that after the original owner came to power, in order to humiliate the two girls, he would finish every meal at home first, and the remaining dishes would be brought to Eugene Hua and her daughter by the servants.

Awesome, you have learned all the bad things about respect and inferiority... Zhao Duan complained and said coldly:

"Go and ask them to come and eat together. I have something to ask you."

The maids and old women were a little surprised but didn't dare to ask.

Soon, the mother and daughter walked into the inner hall.

Zhao Pan had a stern face and said nothing, as if he had warned his mother before.

Eugene Hua spoke carefully and softly:

"Mr. Lang..."

"Sit down and eat." Zhao Duan said. Seeing that the two girls did not move, he had to pretend to be angry. Then You Jinhua hurriedly pulled her daughter to the table.

Zhao Duan did not say anything, his stomach rumbling. He finally understood why the empress was such a big eater... It seemed that one of the drawbacks of the royal martial arts was that one got hungry easily.

The mother and daughter were nervous and alert at first, not knowing what had gone wrong with Dalang today.

Seeing Zhao Duan concentrating on eating, Zhao Pan gritted his teeth, picked up the chopsticks first, picked up a piece of meat fiercely, and swallowed it. Seeing this, You Jinhua also hesitantly picked up some dishes.

As the hot meal entered her mouth, the beautiful woman almost wanted to cry. She had forgotten the last time the family of three sat together quietly to eat.

Has the evil wolf changed his nature?

Zhao Pan looked suspicious. She bravely and carefully picked up the dish she liked from the one in front of Zhao Duan. However, the latter did not get angry. He just glanced at her and moved his chopsticks away, as if...

Are you... being humble to her?

How is this possible! The girl was extremely alert, suspecting that this was the calm before the storm.

Finally, when Zhao Duan was about six-tenths full, he said casually:
"My aunt knows about my taking money out a few days ago, right?"

Eugene was stunned. Aunt? How long has it been since I last heard of this title?

"Ah, what's the matter?" Eugene Hua held the chopsticks, hiding her inner emotion.

Zhao Duan frowned and repeated the question.

The mother and daughter looked at each other, and Eugene said hesitantly:
"Hasn't Dalang always been in charge of the family's money? Apart from household expenses, where did the rest go? I don't know. Could it be that Dalang went out to eat and drink with some friends?"

Friends?

Zhao Duan got the key words and a light bulb lit up above his head.

After the original owner gained power, he did make a few playboy friends, all of whom were sons of some minor nobles in the capital, and he often enjoyed their compliments.

The reason why he fell so quickly was also due to this group of people.

Otherwise, even if a small imperial guard wanted to be corrupted, it would not be able to find the entrance to the big melting pot of society.

However, ever since Zhao Duan got into trouble, those friends who used to surround him and flatter him have all disappeared tacitly.

It's so real... Zhao Duan sneered in his heart, secretly memorized this clue, and prepared to investigate further when he had free time.

Eugene Hua was even more surprised when she saw Zhao Duan didn't ask any more questions. She thought that maybe he was in a good mood because he was pardoned today. She said carefully:
"Speaking of which, the remaining money in the family account is almost gone, and I wonder when Dalang will be able to pay for next month's money..."

The family's food, clothing, and daily expenses, as well as the wages for servants and maids, and the expenses for entertaining and seeing off guests... Considering the high prices in the capital, it is also a large amount of money every month.

Eugene lived a frugal life, saving money every month for fear of overspending.

Even so, he still felt uneasy when asking Zhao Duan for living expenses every month.

Although she has tried very hard to save money and support the whole family.

However, this time, Dalang did not curse her as a "spendthrift" or "freeloader" as he did in the past, and asked her whether her money was secretly spent.

The usually violent Zhao Duan was stunned for a moment, then he put down his bowl and chopsticks guiltily and said in a gentle voice:
"I was able to escape this time because I spent a lot of money. I will give it to you after I get my salary in a few days. Well, I'm fine now. You guys take your time to eat."

After saying that, he stood up and left the inner hall, feeling so embarrassed that he almost wanted to scrape out a three-bedroom apartment.

I was really embarrassed and said that I didn't know how I spent all the money in the family.

"Oh, who would have thought that a villain like me would be so poor that I can't even afford living expenses..."

Zhao Duan laughed at himself and felt that he had to hurry up to take down the Zhang brothers and make money.

Only the mother and daughter were left at the dinner table, staring blankly at his departing back, feeling that the sun had really risen from the west.

……

At night, outside the master bedroom.

Zhao Pan held the oil lamp, pushed open the door, and saw his mother sitting at the table.

The beautiful woman was only wearing pajamas, with her neck drooping and her temperament gentle.

In his hand was the skirt that the girl had worn during the day. There was a hole in it due to accidental scratching when she fell, so he was now concentrating on mending it.

After finishing the last stitch and biting off the thread with her silver teeth, Eugene looked at the delicately embroidered peach blossom at the hole with satisfaction, raised her head, and smiled at her daughter:

"Come and try it, see if it looks good."

Zhao Pan bit her lip, her eyes dancing in the light. She walked to her mother's side and put down the light. She clutched her mother's hand distressedly and complained:

"Why don't you sew it for the servants?"

Eugene Hua smiled and said, "The old woman's eyesight is not good. She will ruin the embroidery tonight."

Then he said with guilt:
"At your age, you should have new clothes, but I can't save money... I can only wear the ones I sew."

"Mother..." Zhao Pan's eyes turned red, and she said distressedly:
"I don't want new clothes. You haven't had new clothes for a long time."

The Zhao family was not short of money. Zhao Duan went out to eat and drink, and one meal was enough for them to buy a good outfit.

But the monthly living expenses given to them were barely enough to support the family. It was tight and they would be scolded if they had a penny less.

It is rare to see the family of the White Horse Guardian being so poor.

Eugene Hua was deeply moved, and the mother and daughter snuggled together for warmth.

After a long while, Eugene Hua suddenly said, "Brother, you are a little different today."

"He is not my brother," Zhao Pan said with a straight face, "He must have been beaten by the emperor, so he is keeping his tail between his legs for now, but he will show his fangs sooner or later."

Eugene Hua was speechless and just sighed. Wasn't she also guessing the same thing?

Just having unrealistic hopes.

"Maybe... Mom is saying maybe... maybe he has become a better person after this incident? Men need to be tempered before they can grow up... There was a prodigal son who returned home in ancient times..."

"I don't believe it. I only know that he bullies us since we were little!"

"Alas... when you were little, his mother had just passed away. It's reasonable that he didn't like being a mother..."

"Stop talking, I don't want to hear it!"

"Okay... go back to the house and sleep."

Outside.

Behind the corridor pillar, Zhao Duan listened to the end of the conversation in the house, and leaped silently to the roof with his lightness skill.

Watching Zhao Pan walk away with the lamp in his arms, he was silent for a long time. He looked up at a certain unknown tall building that stood out in the dark night sky of the capital, and seemed a little distracted.

……

The night sky is clear and dotted with stars.

The capital of Dayu is located in the main altar of the Taoist sect, namely the "Tianshi Mansion", with a towering bell tower on a protruding platform.

The starlight suddenly condensed, outlining a slender figure.

The night wind blew, and the sleeves of the sorcerer's robe with a black base and gold lines fluttered. On one corner of the robe, the emblem of the "Tianshi Mansion" was embroidered with gold lines.

It was the mysterious sorcerer who witnessed Zhao Duan driving away from a corner tower near Baima Prison late at night the day before yesterday.

No, according to the terminology in the Tianshi Temple, it should be a "priest".

At this moment, the wind blew away the clouds, revealing the bright moonlight, illuminating the face of the priest, who turned out to be a beautiful girl.

She has fair skin, slightly curly hair, and a pair of unfocused, dull eyes.

The temperament is mysterious and ethereal. If Zhao Duan were here, he would probably think of Senior Sister Luna in Harry Potter...

As soon as the female priestess appeared, she stepped on empty air, screamed, and fell straight down the stairs, then got up as if nothing had happened.

Pretend nothing happened.

"Ah, Senior Sister Jin Jian!"

"I've met Senior Sister!"

"Senior Sister, are you out playing again?"

"Bah, what do you mean by playing? Senior Sister is following the order of the Heavenly Master, patrolling the capital at night to protect the peace and prevent evil spirits from causing trouble..."

"Oh, yes, yes, yes... That's so true—"

Under the bell tower, a group of priests from the Tianshi Temple who were passing by gathered together and praised it highly.

The girl named Jin Jian enjoyed the flattery and focused her eyes on everyone: "You guys."

The priests were puzzled: "What do you want, Senior Sister?"

Jin Jian paused, then slowly said the second half of the sentence:
"Who can tell me about Zhao Duan?"

(End of this chapter)