Chapter 838

Several days later, the carriage entered the territory of Jiangzhou.

Tuan Tuan poked her little head out of the carriage window, sniffing hard: "Third Brother! Jiangzhou is still the same as before! It smells fragrant and damp!"

Xiao Ningxun laughed as he pulled her back and seated her properly: "Your little nose is really sharp."

Of course!' Tuan Tuan proudly shook her little head, 'I still remember last time when Sister Luo made me water chestnut cakes, they were so delicious!'

Xiao Ningyuan was resting with eyes closed; hearing this, he opened one eye: "Tuan Tuan, you really are a little glutton, always thinking about food."

Tuan Tuan giggled, and Xiao Ze affectionately ruffled her hair.

Lu Qi and Xiao Er exchanged a glance, never expecting to revisit the old place so soon,

I also don't know how those old acquaintances are doing now.

Xiao Er asked: "Third Young Master, where should we go first?"

Xiao Ningxun thought for a moment: "Let's go to the headquarters of the Bridge Head Gang first."

Sure!

The carriage proceeded along the bluestone road toward the Bridge Head Gang headquarters.

After walking a little less than half an hour, a rather imposing manor appeared ahead.

"Whoa—" Xiao Er halted the carriage, scrutinized it for a moment, furrowed his brows: "Did we take a wrong turn?"

Lu Qi also hesitated: "I remember it being right here, no mistake."

Xiao Ningxun lifted the carriage curtain to look: "The place is correct, but wasn't it a small bamboo building before?"

Xiao Ningyuan also poked his head out: "Wow! So impressive! Could it be a martial sect?"

If it weren't for you guiding the way, I would have thought this was the manor of some Jiangnan aristocratic family!

Hearing this, Xiao Ze said: "No problem, let's go down and check; if they've moved, we can also ask where they are now."

Everyone got off the carriage.

Tuan Tuan tilted her head to look at the plaque on the gate, tugging her brother's sleeve: "Does that say Bridge Head Gang? Third Brother?"

Xiao Ningxun sighed, lifting his sister: "Tuan Tuan, count how many characters there are."

Tuan Tuan pointed with her little finger one by one: "Oh, four characters."

I know, that's Bridge Head Gang! Isn't that four characters?

Everyone: "......"

Xiao Ningyuan shook his head: "Tuan Tuan, who would write a plaque like that!"

Tuan Tuan pursed her lips: "Then you tell me, what does it say? I won't have to guess anymore!"

"Jiangnan Righteous Bones," Xiao Ze softly read, "it is Father Emperor's own handwriting."

Everyone was startled.

With a "creak", the gate was pushed open from inside.

Several burly men escorted Luo Hongli out.

She still wore a water-red dress, her hair tied high, looking spirited and valiant.

Seeing the carriage at the gate and the large crowd standing there, she paused, her gaze sweeping over.

"Tuan Tuan!" her eyes lit up instantly, "I said this morning the magpies were chattering nonstop—turns out you've come!"

Tuan Tuan slipped from her brother's arms to the ground, kicked her little legs, and lunged forward: "Sister Luo!"

Luo Hongli scooped her up in one arm and planted several vigorous kisses on her little face.

Tuan Tuan wrapped her arms around her neck and asked: "Sister Luo, how did your place change? What happened to the bamboo building before?"

Luo Hongli didn't answer, nodding toward the three brothers and Xiao Er, Lu Qi: "Long time no see, everyone."

Xiao Ningxun smiled: "Young Chief Luo, your bearing remains as before."

Xiao Er and Lu Qi clasped their fists: "How is Elder Chief Luo?"

Luo Hongli replied: "Good, he's inside; come, I'll take you in."

She scanned the crowd again, seeing that Xiao Ran was indeed absent, a flicker of disappointment crossed her eyes.

She lifted Tuan Tuan up: "The bamboo building is long gone; come, let's go in with sister and have a look."

Everyone stepped through the gate.

The courtyard was spacious, paved with bluestone.

Lu Qi nudged Xiao Er: "What a huge residence!"

Xiao Er nodded: "Yeah, no wonder we didn't recognize it."

Passing through the courtyard, everyone entered the main hall.

Luo Zhenyue was seated in the hall.

"Father! Look who's here!" Luo Hongli exclaimed excitedly.

Tuan Tuan slipped from her arms and lunged forward: "Grandfather! I'm here!"

Luo Zhenyue hurriedly bent down to lift her up: "Little one has come? Let grandfather have a good look! Oh my, you're even lovelier than before!"

Tuan Tuan wrapped her arms around his neck: "Grandfather, you are too!"

Luo Zhenyue burst into laughter, the wrinkles on his face all smoothing out.

Luo Hongli ordered the several burly men: "Hurry, bring tea and water! Treat well the people they brought, and feed the livestock."

Yes!

Several people turned, just about to head outside.

"Wait!" Luo Hongli called them over, walked up and whispered an instruction; they nodded and headed out.

Luo Zhenyue held Tuan Tuan as he sat down: "Everyone, please take a seat."

Everyone took their seats.

Xiao Ningxun introduced the father and daughter: "This is the Seventh Prince."

Luo Zhenyue hurriedly stood up and placed Tuan Tuan on his own chair: "Be good, sit by yourself for a while."

Afterwards, he walked up to Xiao Ze: "Red Carp, come over, pay respects to the Seventh Prince."

The father and daughter knelt and kowtowed: "We, the common folk, pay respects to the Seventh Prince!"

Xiao Ze hastily rose and extended a hand to help: "Elder Sir, no need for much ceremony; please rise quickly, both of you."

The two rose, and Luo Zhenyue said: "Seventh Prince, please take the upper seat."

Xiao Ze waved his hand: "I've come from afar as a guest; how could I usurp the host? This is the martial world, not the capital; Elder Sir, please don't stand on ceremony, have a seat."

Tuan Tuan ran over and tugged at his sleeve: "Exactly! Grandpa, this is your home! How is my Third Elder Brother doing?"

Xiao Ze gave her a gentle smile, lifted her onto his lap, and sat her steadily in the chair.

Only then did Luo Zhenyue walk back to the main seat and sit down.

He looked full of gratitude: "This residence was ordered built by His Majesty; the plaque at the gate was also personally inscribed by His Majesty; I am truly grateful beyond words."

Furthermore, His Majesty issued an edict ordering that all cargo loading/unloading and porterage in the Jiangnan Region prefectures be priced and collected by our Bridgehead Gang; no outsiders may interfere, not even the officials may take a cut.

Those who previously participated in transporting grain were each granted a copper medal engraved with 'Righteous Citizen,' exempting them from corvée labor.

Luo Hongli's eye sockets reddened slightly: "His Majesty not only had our new headquarters built, but also ordered a row of 'Righteous Shelters' erected by the river for the elderly and children of our gang to reside in."

Moreover, each person can receive a dou of rice per month from the county granary!

Father often says, His Majesty's grace is too great; we could never repay it in several lifetimes.

"Why repay?" Xiao Ze smiled faintly: "You risked the danger of having your homes searched and families exterminated to transport grain for the Xibei Daying; this righteous deed ought to be remembered."

The 'Jiangnan Righteous Bones' inscribed by Father Emperor are worthy of the Bridgehead Gang.

He paused: "My Father Emperor is a wise ruler; he would never let loyal and righteous hearts grow cold."

Luo Zhenyue and his daughter nodded repeatedly.

Xiao Ze lowered his gaze to Xiao Tuanzi in his arms: "All of this is the karmic seed planted by Tuan Tuan."

Tuan Tuan stretched out a little finger and pointed at his own nose: "Me?"

Xiao Ze nodded: "Of course! It's precisely because you once helped the Bridgehead Gang that, when Father Emperor fell into trouble, they came to his aid."

Father Emperor returned to Jingcheng and issued another edict bestowing upon them everything they have now.

Such is kindness: it goes around and returns to where it began.

Tuan Tuan thought for a moment: "Then my kindness has run quite far, hasn't it?"

Everyone in the room laughed.

Xiao Ze was just about to speak again.

From the courtyard came a hearty laugh: "Little Tuan Tuan has arrived? Where is he?"