Reborn as a Landlord-Chapter 1704 - 869: At Death’s Door (Part 2)

Lian Manman was also puzzled about how Old Master Lian suddenly fell so gravely ill. She sent Xiao Hetao, Xiao Qi’s servant, back and forth for updates. Thus, the siblings soon learned the cause of Old Master Lian’s illness.

Old Master Lian’s illness was triggered by Si Lang.

Since Si Lang returned from Badao Miaozi, he told Lian Shouxin about going back to Jinyang County to work at the Paper Craft Shop, but he never returned to Thirty Mile Camp. The news Lian Shouxin got from Shopkeeper Chiang was that Si Lang, though a bit sullen, was doing alright at the shop.

At the old house, Old Master Lian, knowing that Si Lang was working steadily at the shop, almost wished to emulate Lady Zhou by lighting more incense and chanting more Buddhist prayers.

Just when everyone was gradually forgetting that incident, and Old Master Lian was even preparing to arrange a marriage for Si Lang, an unexpected change occurred.

Just yesterday evening, Old Master Lian, planning to find a matchmaker for Si Lang, asked Lady Zhou to take out the money box to check how much money the family still had. But when Lady Zhou opened the cabinet, she couldn’t find the money box anywhere.

Lady Zhou immediately panicked. She searched every nook and cranny possible in the house but still couldn’t find the money box.

Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou had to face the fact that the money box, containing the family’s savings and several pieces of jewelry Lady Zhou stored inside, had been stolen!

Suspicion first fell on Lian Shouyi and Lady He.

The couple, upon hearing about the lost money, also expressed great surprise. They swore they hadn’t stolen it, and after repeated questioning by Old Master Lian and Lady Zhou, and turning the east wing upside down, their suspicion was largely ruled out.

However, the money box didn’t grow wings and fly away on its own. The old house was always bustling with people, and outsiders wouldn’t even know where Lady Zhou hid the money. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

The Upper Room East Room showed no sign of being rummaged through, nor did any other parts of the old house show signs of a break-in. Moreover, being able to sneak the money box out so precisely without alerting anyone or being discovered was not something an outsider could accomplish.

The money box must have been stolen by someone within the house. This insider stole everything, leaving not a single Wen Money behind.

Just when the family was at a loss, a remark from Da Niuniu offered a clue.

Da Niuniu said that when she went to the backyard to use the toilet, she seemed to see someone hiding in a stack of firewood against the back wall.

"It seemed like Fourth Uncle." Da Niuniu told everyone.

"You saw someone; why didn’t you say anything? Why didn’t you tell me when you came back?" Lady Chiang hurriedly asked Da Niuniu.

Da Niuniu didn’t speak, just looked at Lian Duoduo beside her. Due to the magnitude of the incident at home, Lian Duoduo was also called to the East Room and was questioned by Lady Zhou.

"Duoduo, did you go to the backyard with Niuniu? What did you see?" Lady Chiang asked Lian Duoduo.

"I didn’t see anything. Niuniu saw wrong." Lian Duoduo coldly and rigidly said, "It was just a tree shadow, swaying and looking like a person."

Even though Lian Duoduo said that, Da Niuniu’s earlier words had already sparked suspicion among Old Master Lian and others. Old Master Lian had Lian Jizu take Lian Duoduo aside to thoroughly question Da Niuniu. The conclusion they reached was that it was highly likely Si Lang had indeed been back.

Afterward, Old Master Lian sent Lady Chiang out to indirectly inquire from the neighbors. Indeed, someone claimed to have possibly seen Si Lang in the village that day.

"...Outside your backyard wall, I saw a figure from behind; it looked like him. I even called out, but he didn’t answer and ran away, crouching."

At this point, Old Master Lian and others almost concluded that it was Si Lang who returned from the county and stole the family’s money.

Old Master Lian’s face was as blank as water, holding the transformed grandson in such high regard, only for him to do something like this out of the blue. The impact was huge. Meanwhile, Lady Zhou was wailing and cursing, naturally implicating Lian Shouyi and Lady He nearby.

However, even worse things were yet to come. Just as Lady Zhou was scolding, and others in the old house were discussing who to send to the county to retrieve Si Lang and recover the silver and Lady Zhou’s jewelry, Luo Baocai, Lian Lanlan, and their family suddenly arrived.

Lian Lanlan entered the village in tears, with the whole family appearing ragged and covered in soot, as if, to use Lady Zhou’s favorite phrase for chastising Lady He’s slovenliness, they had just crawled out of a chimney.

Seeing Lian Lanlan’s family, the old house’s crowd was naturally shocked, not knowing why.

Lian Lanlan cried as she entered the village and continued crying as she entered the old house’s gates. Along the way, she attracted quite a crowd, explaining, amidst her tears, what had happened. Once inside the old house, she cried even more dramatically.

Not only she cried, but also Luo Baocai, Jin Suo, Jin Suo’s Wife, and Yin Suo cried along with their cries.

Lian Lanlan’s family suffered from a fire, not the usual counter-seasonal mistake of a spark in this era, but an intentional act of arson. Their small courtyard, several rooms, and even the general store were burnt to the ground, leaving only ruined walls.

"It was that damned Si Lang!" Lian Lanlan shrieked while crying.

"Don’t slander us." Lian Shouyi immediately protested. Si Lang stealing the family’s money and running was one issue, but committing arson at Luo Baocai and Lian Lanlan’s home was another matter entirely.

The first issue could be resolved within the family; Old Master wouldn’t truly punish Si Lang. But the latter was enough to send Si Lang to prison or even the gallows. In this era, arson was a grave crime.

"Do you think I would make this up? Someone saw him, along with another person."

...

In pursuit of the pink. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)