Reborn: Revenge of the Concubine’s Daughter

Guan’s Family was influential in the Ming Dynasty, with famous members including Guan Jingze, the officer tutoring the Crown Prince, Guan Qingtang, the Deputy Chief of Taipu Administration (a department in charge of affairs related to horses), Guan Rangru, the Grand Scholar of Wen Hua Palace, and Guan Lin, the Zhaoyong General. Since people of Guan’s Family rarely participated in the factionalism, the Emperor always thought highly of them. Therefore, the Guan’s Family could be one of the seven great clans of the Ming Dynasty in every sense.

“Wu’s Family, Luo’s Family, Guan’s Family and Sun’s Family are rich and noble” was quite popular in Yangzhou City, but the Guan’s Family in Yangzhou City was only a collateral relative of the Guan’s Clan. In the past, sons of the Guan’s Family in Yangzhou City were almost officials. However, now most of them ran the family business like Luo’s Family in Yangzhou City. In addition to the well-known “Long Tao Weaving Factory” that they opened with the Wu’s Family, there was also a “Ren Shu Tang” especially for official medicine, which monopolized the market of medicinal material supply for officials in North Zhili Area and its northern area. In recent years, the Guan’s Family cooperated with Feng’s Family on the channels of Grand Canal and the Yangtze River. It not only found a good source of low-cost medicines from the Miao Territory, but also expanded the market of medicinal materials.

Covering a vast area, Guan’s Mansion stood at the foot of a mountain with the magnificent house, which encircled almost the entire mountain forest in their mansion where a variety of exotic animals were kept.

Two months ago, Madam Luo, First Mistress Luo (Ms. Zhao), and First Miss Luo Baiying were on their way to a banquet at the Guan’s Mansion. As they passed the garden of Qin Quan Yard, a fierce female monkey suddenly jumped from a rockery, scaring away several dozen servants and mammies. However, Madam Luo, Ms. Zhao and Luo Baiying were noble women with foot binding. They even seldom walked. How could they run in such a “dangerous” situation?

Fortunately, Shi Liu was a dutiful girl who dragged Madam Luo when she escaped. And Luo Baiying was a young miss, so she could also run very fast with small feet under this circumstance.

Whereas Ms. Zhao was unlucky. She had no loyal maids and was in an “old age” of 41 with no explosive power. Even worse, she was tall and plump when she was young. And now in her old age, she didn’t care about her figure anymore. Anyway, she had buxom body which was the symbol of the inner beauty in the Tang Dynasty… In short, somehow Ms. Zhao, who didn’t (couldn’t) take sedan but only (had to) take the gharry many years ago, attracted the attention of the female monkey. The agile female monkey jumped on Ms. Zhao’s shoulder, and then brushed away pearls and jades on her head with cheerful sound.

The cries and screams for help of Ms. Zhao in the garden were loud. However, the frightened people just wanted to get out of there. And even Luo Baiying was too busy escaping to look back and see her mother’s misery situation. Just when Ms. Zhao thought that “today my life is over”, a figure fell from the sky. Then the female monkey riding on Ms. Zhao’s neck was thrown out in a curve and flew away.

In the chaotic situation at that time, Madam Luo was surrounded by First Madam, Fourth Madam and Fifth Madam of Guan’s Family who rushed to apologize to and comfort her, she only saw the side face of the young man who had saved everyone from the trouble and the back of him with First Master of Guan’s Family, Guan Bai, and Second Master, Guan Mo.

Later at the banquet, Madam Luo didn’t see the young man too. Therefore, there was no way for her to find out his name to express her thanks. Because madams of Guan’s Family went there just too late, no one could see who had thrown the monkey high and far. First Madam Guan also comforted Madam Luo that this was the fault of Guan’s Family, so it was their duty to solve the matter. There was no need for Madam Luo to appreciate. Instead, Guan’s Family should apologize to her.

Looking at this “savior” and “old acquaintance” in front of her, Madam Luo said pleasantly, “I want to say thanks to you that day, but I don’t know your name. And afterwards, You, Guan Bai and Guan Mo didn’t show up at the banquet. My daughter-in-law was in shock, so we all left in the middle of the banquet… Yang, you have already saved me twice, counting this time. What’s more, your aunt is missing you very much. Therefore, whatever you say today, you must go back with me to Luo’s Mansion for a dinner!” Then she clutched Feng Yang’s sleeve tightly, being afraid of his leaving.

“But, Madam Luo, I said I once hit my head, so I can’t remember my aunt. Eh, I’m afraid I’ll let her down, so…” Feng Yang looked down at his sleeve held by Madam Luo. He smiled apologetically, “Moreover, I really have something urgent to do today. I will certainly visit you as soon as I’m free.”

Madam Luo still said: “What are you worrying about? In Yangzhou City, our Luo’s Mansion has the best doctors who can cure all kinds of amnesias. It doesn’t matter if you don’t know your aunt. She knows you. Besides, how could you such a little boy have big issues? It’s inappropriate for us to go to Feng’s Mansion to invite you directly! And we just meet by chance. It’s the fate because Jiugu has been missing you for more than a decade! Just go with me quickly!” With both hands, Madam Luo dragged Feng Yang who was a head taller than her towards her gharry.

Feng Yang showed a little bit of anxiety on his face. It was embarrassed to shake off an overzealous old madam’s arm. Under normal circumstances, he wouldn’t move half an inch even if 40 strong men dragged him together. Now, however, Madam Luo tried her best to pull him. He was afraid of hurting her waist, so he had to move forward one step and then back two steps with her in a stalemate. “Are you kidding me? Although I promised to help Feng Yang revenge, I didn’t want to cry with a strange ‘aunt’!” He thought.

He Danggui could see clearly from the side. The action of Madam Luo to hijack this Childe Feng could be only described as “an ant was trying to shake a giant tree”. They just kept in that stalemate with moving from Madam Luo’s gharry to Feng Yang’s gradually. And Madam Luo kept dragging unknowingly, even with a smile of triumph on her lips, as if she was thinking, “Jiugu, wait for me at home, and you will see what I get for you!”

In her previous and present lives, He Danggui had never dealt with Feng Yang, the young master of Caobang Organization. However, she was fascinated by Caobang Organization, the so-called “commercial octopus”.

Caobang Organization was same as the Wuying Tower she ran in her previous life. They all belonged to Jianghu, who raised thousands of warriors in Jianghu. However, as far as she knew, the Caobang Organization was the “winner takes all”. They cooperated with both the black and white sects and made a lot of money. Moreover, they almost had never failed in business. No matter which way they went, they would finally make a lot of money. By the time she died in her previous life, Caobang Organization had become the most powerful sect in Jianghu.

However, Wuying Tower took a shortcut. Zhu Quan created Wuying Tower to support the huge expenses for expanding the army. He Danggui came up with a lot of constructive business ideas at that time. Zhu Quan knew that if he put them into practice, it would probably be a huge profit and he didn’t have to worry about military spending. However, the minions of Dongchang Organization and Xichang Organization all hid behind with their eyes fixed upon the Wuying Tower. As a result, He Danggui’s proposals were shelved finally since Zhu Quan was wary of the Changye Tower and the prying eyes of the Armed Escort. He just let her focus on intelligence and assassination deals.

“Ah! Young Lord!” A loud voice interrupted He Danggui’s thoughts. She saw a boy who had just quarreled with Gui Banjiao jumped out of the gharry, shouting, “Oh, Childe Ning fainted!”

“Let’s find an inn to have a rest!” Another boy, who had just quarreled with Gui Banjiao, stuck his head out of the gharry, “Before he passed out, he said, ‘Don’t… don’t… don’t call a doctor.’ Are we going to call a doctor for him or not? If he died, it will be his last words!”

Madam Luo who gasped raised her head in surprise, “I’m a doctor. My family members are all doctors! Luo’s Mansion is not far from here, and it’s inappropriate for you to live in this dirty inn! Come with me to Luo’s Mansion, and I will let you go when you are cured!”

Hearing that his best friend had fainted, Feng Yang wanted to get into the gharry immediately to heal his friend. However, he could not throw away Madam Luo who was glued to his arm in the way he threw away that female monkey. He had to persuade, “I’m fine, Madam Luo. Actually, my amnesia is much better. I just happened to forget my aunt, and there was nothing I could do about it (since the real Feng Yang was killed). And just as you see, my friend is waiting for me, so please let me go. I want to have a look at him. I will pay a visit next time…”

“Don’t wait for the next time. Today, I must bring you back!” Madam Luo interrupted him firmly, “You’re a grown-up now, and your father won’t ask any question if you sleep out for a few days. My grandson Qian also doesn’t come home every day! Since the patient on the gharry is your friend, Luo’s Mansion will house him with medical treatment, and you can go when he becomes better!”

“But…” Feng Yang was also worried about the doctor because he had received a tip that the spies of the Armed Escort had moved into Yangzhou City. Although they might come here not for Ning Yuan, Yinma Town was not far from Yangzhou City. It was possible that those people received a message of tracking down a seriously injured juvenile from Lu Jiangbei of the Changye Tower. Besides, the relationship between him and Ning Yuan was the top secret. He couldn’t cover up Ning Yuan through Caobang Organization, and it was inappropriate to bring him back to Feng’s Family for curing injury. Now, Madam Luo said that she was willing to house Ning Yuan…

Feng Yang couldn’t help considering seriously that whether healing at Luo’s Mansion was the most correct way, and what mistakes would have.

Seeing the expression on Feng Yang’s face, Madam Luo thought he was impressed by the superior medical skills of Luo’s Family and wanted a good doctor who could not be invited easily. Therefore, she immediately added with a smile, “Everyone in our family can cure illness. Even my 10-year-old granddaughter can make pills. Look.” Holding on Feng Yang’s sleeve with her right hand, Madam Luo pointed with her left hand to He Danggui who was sitting in the opposite gharry and in a trance. She said, “I just passed out and almost couldn’t go back home. But after taking the pills made by Yi, I woke up right away. I just felt that I’m more vigorous than before. Yi!”

Madam Luo waved her left hand towards her gharry, interrupting He Danggui’s consideration about “how to deal with the 240 liang silver she had deposited in Tu’er Town.”

Seeing that He Danggui had already turned her head to their side, Madam Luo smiled and shouted: “Yi, take the three pills that you made to me quickly! Someone passed out here!” And then she turned her head to Feng Yang and recommended, “This kind of pill is for all kinds of headaches, fever, heart attacks, fainting from injuries and motion sickness. It will work quickly once you take it.”