In Search of Love

Translator: KongoIsamu

Editor: KongoIsamu

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Su Xiao Pei and Ran Fei Ze went back to the inn to discuss

The two of them were silent, Ran Fei Ze did not speak and Su Xiao Pei did not know what to say.

This matter is a good thing but after calming down, Su Xiao Pei realized that there is a big problem.

Head Constable Qin said that he would give her a house, send someone to take care of her needs and even give her a monthly salary. But what about Ran Fei Ze? Head Constable Qin did not mention Ran Fei Ze at all.

This is the problem that she is currently facing. Ran Fei Ze and her is a team.

Su Xiao Pei sneaked a peak at Ran Fei Ze and saw that he had no expression. Su Xiao Pei couldn’t guess what he was thinking.

At the inn, Su Xiao Pei silently followed Ran Fei Ze into the room, he sat down and did not speak. Su Xiao Pei couldn’t help and asked, “Soldier, what do you think about this?”

“How does Miss sees it?”

Su Xiao Pei pursed her lips, if she were to think about this objectively, this is a good thing.

“There is a stable place for me to live, a monthly salary and I am also able to use the government’s power to find the person I am looking for. This is really good.” Su Xiao Pei bites her lip, Head Constable Qin was willing to take her in but not Ran Fei Ze, the more she thinks about it the more awkward she feels.

“As what Miss said, this is indeed the best arrangement at the moment.”. This arrangement is better than her following him around everywhere, both of their intentions of travelling are different.

Su Xiao Pei looked at him and he looked back at her, smiling.

“Soldier.” Su Xiao Pei panicked, “Head Constable Qin said there were two rooms. We can each live in one room, five tales per month is enough for the both of us to survive…” What is she saying? When Su Xiao Pei realized what she was saying she shut her mouth. Soldier has his plan. He wants to find a disciple for him to pass down his Master skills.

Su Xiao Pei closed her mouth, She doesn’t understand how Jianghu operate but seeing how Bai Yu Lang admires Ran Fei Ze, seeing how Head Constable Qin treats him with respect, he definitely won’t accept what the government is offering. It is not that Head Constable does not want Ran Fei Ze to stay, it was that they could not afford Ran Fei Ze. Su Xiao Pei sighed and lowered her head.

Su Xiao Pei did not notice that Ran Fei Ze’s mouth was twitching upwards. Head Constable Qin offering such a good deal but it does not allowed her to stay with Ran Fei Ze, this made him really happy. She relies on him, she is willing to be him, this makes him happy. He blinked and said, “Miss is willing to share the house with me, many thanks.”

He saw Su Xiao Pei looked up at him and saw the surprised in her eyes. This made him unable to control himself and smiled, “I still want to live in Ning’an City. If Head Constable Qin no longer help me pay for this inn, I will find Miss.”

“Soldier is not leaving?” It is a lie to say that she is disappointed.

“Naturally, one day I will leave.” Ran Fei Ze smiled at her, “But since Miss was the one who brought me here, how can I leave Miss like this?”

Su Xiao Pe blinked her eyes, said want to leave and yet said that he does not want to leave her alone…

“I will make sure that Miss is safe before leaving”

He smiled, the smile made him look very handsome, Su Xiao Pei looked at him, and suddenly felt her nose being blocked.

Is this what Yue Lao meant? The person she met will take her to find Cheng Jiang Yi. Ran Fei Ze did not directly bring her to search but took her to the most powerful force to search. What could be more convenient to find someone other than using the government?

But, is it necessary to leave?

Su Xiao Pei blinked her eyes, sad to the point that tears are gathering at her eyes, the separation from Ran Fei Ze is far worse that the loss of her money

She looked at Ran Fei Ze, he also couldn’t resist the temptation to caress her head, but he manage to control himself, he called out, “Miss.”

Su Xiao Pei looked up at Ran Fei Ze.

He continued to smile, “There is no need for Miss to panic. Ning’an city is a good place, Miss will like it.”

What can Su Xiao Pei say? She could only smile back and nod.

This concludes their discussion.

Ran Fei  Ze is a person who keeps his promise, he starts to set up Su Xiao Pei’s matters for her.

He took Su Xiao Pei to see the house. the two rooms are not big, there is no courtyard but there are a porch in the front of the two rooms. There is just enough room to dry clothes or any other activities. There is a small kitchen with a stove and two people to move around. Ran Fei Ze looked and turned to look at Su Xiao Pei. Su Xiao Pei knew that he meant, she embarrassingly shook her head and said, “I do not know how.”

She doesn’t know how to cook in modern times, not to mention the difficulty of chopping wood in this world.

Ran Fei Ze nodded her head and said to her, “It’s always a necessity to pour hot tea and prepare some hot water.” He knows she likes cleanliness, every night she would clean herself and brush her teeth.

“En.” Su Xiao Pei nods her head and grits her teeth, “I can learn.”

The expression that she made caused Ran Fei Ze to laugh softly.

Later, Ran Fei Ze met the lady that was going to take care of Su Xiao Pei. The lady-in-waiting looked like she is around 40 years of age, she followed her husband surnamed, Liu.  Su Xiao Pei followed Ran Fei Ze and called the lady-in-waiting Aunty Liu.

Aunty Liu lived next door; her husband works in the Yamen. It was a low-ranked officer that guards the door. The couple had one son and one daughter, the daughter is married. They lived with their son. Aunty Liu usually stayed at home to take care of her grandson and do some housework. Sometimes she would cook meals for the officers in the Yamen. She was very happy to be able to work Su Xiao Pei. She was very happy to meet Su Xiao Pei and immediately asked what she needed to do.

Su Xiao Pei took her time to think, she does not want to let other people to wash her clothes. Though, it is not perfectly clean when she does it, she feels safer when it is done by her. Especially, after Aunty Liu had said that she sometimes had also washed clothes for Yamen. She was afraid that her clothes would be mixed with theirs. And she does not know if ancient people have the concept of separating the clothes to wash.

“I have to trouble Aunty Liu to make my meals.”

So simple? Aunty Liu smiled happily and promised her.

“What else?” Ran Fei Ze asked her.

Su Xiao Pei came up blank, she will wash her own clothes. The hardest thing for her is to cook her own meals. Ran Fei Ze looked at her and knew that she is loss. So, he helped her ask where was the well, the latrine. Aunty Liu brought them there. Winding around several streets, turning to a back street, several daughters-in-law were washing their clothes at the well, and the other side was the latrine.

Su Xiao Pei pursed her lips, realizing that it is not very convenient.

After they went back to the house, Ran Fei Ze began to speak, he said he will placed a water at the end of the corridor, near the kitchen, and asked that Aunty Liu to fill the water tank every day. In addition, Su Xiao Pei is to place the spittoon out every morning and let Aunty Liu settle it at the same time she settles hers, and is to send it back after washing it. And the kitchen stove is so small that it is useless, he will knock it down and make a charcoal stove and use it to boil water. Aunty Liu is to make three meals a day and is to send it over, there will be no cooking here.

He spoke a bunch of miscellaneous things. Aunty Liu listened, nodded and promised. Su Xiao Pei sighed and felt that she is worthless in this world. In the past, when they were staying at the wine shop, things were simple, the living conditions were convenient. Even when they were at the inn, she does not need to do things by herself. The result that after coming to this world for so long, not too mention life skills, even the concept of living, her knowledge was scarce.

Su Xiao pei secretly cheered for herself. It doesn’t matter, she is capable of learning. She is 27 not 70. It is not a problem to take care of herself.

The next day, Ran Fei Ze and Head Constable Qin were discussion about her situation. Head Constable Qin nodded and then found the officer incharge of storage and asked for some materials and money. He also pulled Bai Yu Lang and others to remodeled Su Xiao Pei’s small house. Several men knocked the stove down and rebuilt it to a charcoal stove. Burning charcoal is simpler than burning wood, which is more convenient for Su Xiao Pei.

The wall was raised a bit, Su Xiao Pei got a new bed, a new table, and a chair, as well as a water jar and others. Su Xiao Pei was running around, helping them clean the place, bringing them water and towels. Her heart was filled with emotions watching her house slowly being rebuilt.

Three days later, Su Xiao Pei moved from the inn to her new home. She had asked Ran Fei Ze to stay together with her but he refused.

“I know that Miss is kind, but it is not a good impression for me to stay with Miss. If I were to stay with Miss and once I leave, it will cause Miss’s reputation to be ruin, therefore, we must pay attention.”

Su Xiao Pei understood and nod her head, she then stood up, took her small bag and left.

Her room was small, there is only one bed and one table, the other room is a place for her to eat and write. There was a bookshelf for her to put her log book and a set of stationary which includes, paper, brush, ink stick and a ink stone. The small kitchen had changed into a washroom and a toilet was placed there. At night, Su Xiao Pei sat alone on her bed and suddenly, she felt empty. She realized that she that she was going to be alone and she felt lost.

She asked Ran Fei Ze who will pay for his room at the inn, he said, “Naturally, the Yamen will pay for it. Head Constable Qin is afraid that I will kidnap you, therefore, he paid for my stay here.”

In fact, Ran Fei Ze has not decided to leave her alone yet. All he said that this arrangement was indeed better than sending her to a nunnery, but he just doesn’t feel safe to leave her alone. Not only does he not feel reassured, he actually feels reluctant. He, himself, does not even know if it is reluctance or not. Anyway, he is just confused. He felt that he is getting soft. If it happened in the past, he would make sure that she is safe and then he would leave. But now, he doesn’t want to leave, he doesn’t want to leave her alone.

Su Xiao Pei’s mood is also very complicated. If Ran Fei Ze were to kidnap her, she would really leave with him.

But he did not, he wouldn’t ever tease her again. Su Xiao Pei lied on her bed and close her eyes. Both she and Ran Fei Ze understood that staying in Ning’an City was the best arrangement for her.

It was the best but it was not the happiest outcome.

She suddenly felt that there was something separating the both of them.

Su Xiao Pei sighed.

Late at night, Su Xiao Pei could not fall into a deep sleep. The bed was new, the bedding was new but she felt uncomfortable. She lied on her bed, listening to her heart beating and felt for the first time in the world – loneliness.

Su Xiao Pei lived in her new home and started working at the Yamen. Ran Fei Ze accompanied her and became familiar with the officials at the Yamen. Bai Yu Lang often rushed to join in the fun and was instructed by Ran Fei Ze to take care of Su Xiao Pei.

Bai Yu Lang was nagged till his ears was about to fall off, “Uncle Ran, pleased rest assured, I will treat Big sister as my biological sister.”

Su Xiao Pei was not reassured, this self-acclaimed brother is as reliable as Yue Lao, it is better for her to depend on herself. Well, Soldier is still around.

Soldier is indeed reliable.

The location of Su Xiao Pei’s office is the same room as the advisor, she does not understand the official letter. Even asking the advisors, she was able to understand 70-80% of it, and some of it is through guessing, but of course, since this letter is an important document, she can’t guess it. Ran Fei Ze and several advisors went out at night for business entertainment, after two or three times, they became good friends. From then on, the advisors will tell Su Xiao Pei the details of the letter, to ensure that she fully understand the letter. The task of writing the letters will be written by the advisors, SU Xiao Pei’s ugly handwriting is not allowed to be shown to other people.

Su Xiao Pei worked for a period of time, discussed old cases with the advisors, even the case of Ma Zheng Yuan and Sima Wan Qing. After everyone became familiar with each other, their communication became smoother.

The advisors also helped Su Xiao Pei write her letter for finding Cheng Jiang Yi, and painted a portrait of a short-haired man according to Su Xiao Pei’s words. Su Xiao Pei saw the portrait and felt that it was only 60-70% alike, but the description of Cheng Jiang Yi was similar. If someone really saw Cheng Jiang Yi, they would know immediately. Afterall, the characteristic are obviously weird since he is from modern times, as she has experienced it multiple times.

Qin De Zheng kept his promise and ordered his subordinates to copy the letter and send it to various places.

On the other hand, Both Luo Kui and Ma Zheng Yuan was sentenced to death after autum, both of them will be sentenced on the same day. The official letter has been handed over to the superior and is waiting for approval.

Su Xiao Pei struggled to adapt to the working life of the Yamen to earn money and wait for news about Cheng Jiang Yi. Ran Fei Ze never said when he would leave. At first, he would accompany her to work every day. Later on, he would stop, he would only visit her everyday but as time goes on, the days that he visited got less frequent. He never went to her residence once after it was rebuilt. Su Xiao Pei knows that he is kind and that he wants her to get used to being alone, as well as avoid any rumors being circulated so that her reputation will not be destroyed.

The more thoughtful he is, the more she knows that he is kind-hearted, how can she not lived up to his expectations? So, she concealed her uneasiness in her heart and worked hard every single day. In fact, there is no case at all to keep her busy, but yet she is still very busy. She flipped through a large number of old cases and she would ask if she could not understand anything. She would then reorganize the records herself. She explored the state of criminal psychology from these old cases as they are different from modern times. Since she was being paid a fixed salary, she was willing to work for it.

Bai Yu Lang, that young boy, told Su Xiao Pei that his Uncle Ran had ask him how his big sister had been. Bai Yu Lang replied that he would visit her everyday and said that she had been well.

Su Xiao Pei laughed and knew that this child is useful.

It’s just that if Ran Fei Ze is reassured that she is able to survive on her, does that mean that the day they would separate is getting closer?

Soon, half a month had passed, on the day that she would get her salary, Mr. treasurer gave Su Xiao Pei her five tales, said that it was ordered by their superior. Although she did not work for a full term, they gave her the whole money salary. Su Xiao Pei did not reject and said thank you. Mr Yang, the treasurer helped her changed one tale to broken pieces of silvers and copper coins. This was taught by Ran Fei Ze, the staff in the bank is very cunning, they are able to tell if the customer is experienced. They are not good person and Su Xiao Pei will be easily fooled. When they changed money for her, they will not give her the correct amount, so he told her to change her money at the treasurer, now she is doing it.

After taking the money, Su Xiao Pei went back home and placed four tales in a dark corner drawer of the bedroom table. The corner drawer was made by Ran Fei Ze, specially made to keep her money. Then, she took her broken silvers and copper coins, went to inn and brought a whole roast chicken and a jug of wine, to treat Ran Fei Ze to a meal.

“You have gotten your salary?” Ran Fei Ze opened the door and saw the things in her hand and smiled.

Su Xiao Pei also smiled, “I am treating Ah Ze to eat one roast chicken.”

Ran Fei Ze laughed out loud, and did not reject her offer, he asked a waiter to send up some dishes to compliment the wine.

The two of them sat around the table, each with a glass of wine, when Ran Fei Ze drank the wine, Su Xiao Pei didn’t dare to say that she does not drink alcohol, so she took a sip carefully. When the liquor went down her throat, it burned causing Su Xiao Pei to coughed for a long time.

Ran Fei Ze held her chin and watched her with a smile. Su Xiao Pei kept coughing and felt very embarrassed.

“How is Miss?” He asked.

Su Xiao Pei smiled, “Not bad.”

Ran Fei Ze smiled as well, Su Xiao Pei thinks that the meaning behind his smile was saying ‘I am relieved that you are doing well’.

This thought made Su Xiao Pei a little depressed. But he didn’t say that he was leaving, however, he told her that an interesting jug of wine adventure, teasing Su Xiao Pei.

Two of them were drinking and eating. Su Xiao Pei unconsciously drank two mouthfuls of wine, she was so excited that she told a few stories to Ran Fei Ze when she at the Yamen working. When the advisors praised her, she did not know how to deal with it, so she answer, ‘so so’ and whenever anybody praised her, she would only know how to reply, ‘so so’, Will they understand her modern way of speaking?

After she finished speaking, she started to think, why did say it in such a way?

Ran Fei Ze was laughing at her.

“Answering so so is also good. If Miss is missing in the future, in the description of the missing notice, they can write that Miss like to say so so.

Su Xiao Pei pursed her lips and thought about it, and then she thought that it was funny. Then she seriously asked, “Should I also praised the advisors, to get in their good graces? What should I praise them on?”

Ran Fei Ze seriously answered, “You can praise him after he praises you, or praise him for having a good eye.”

Su Xiao Pei wants to laugh but yet she also wants to glare at him. Soldier, has it been a long time since you cause trouble?

“Does Miss wants to praise me?” Ran Fei Ze raised his eyebrows and was looking forward to it.

Ke ke, Su Xiao Pei coughed, calmed herself down, “In order to avoid Soldier to refute, I will not praise you.”

The two of them smiled, but Su Xiao Pei felt a sense of sadness in her heart.

They said a bunch of nonsense, but in fact, how was it funny?

Su Xiao Pei really want to ask, “Soldier, can you don’t leave?”

But just as Ran Fei Ze knew what was best for her, she knows that this is hard for him as well. She can only laughed at him and let him caressed her head.

When Ran Fei Ze is going to leave, Su Xiao Pei does not know, and Ran Fei Ze didn’t say. What Su Xiao Pei didn’t know was that on this night, a person came knocking on Ran Fei Ze’s door, and reported a trouble, urging him to go to Wu Town.

The next day, Su Xiao Pei was reading a case file, frowning and reading, remembering a few questions that she needed to ask, when suddenly Bai Yu Lang came into the running, breathing heavily, “Big sister, there’s a case, the Magistrate is asking for you.”

Su Xiao Pei was stunned for a while, before quickly getting up and following Bai Yu Lang.

The case was a small case, a family surnamed Ceng, their daughter-in-law stole a jade pendant of the mother-in-law, and this time, the mother-in-law caught her red-handed and wants her son to divorced her daughter-in-law. But the daughter-in-law refused to admit it, she insisted that the jade pendant was in the mother-in law’s jewelry box. The son is trying to mediate the matter but his mother insist on pursuing the matter. But the daughter-in-law does not agree on divorcing, and now, since the matter could not be resolved within the family, the mother-in-law is suing the daughter-in-law.

The case that the Magistrate is most unwilling to handle is this type of family matters, the whole family gather every single person to find the jade pendant but was unable to find it, it should be stolen by someone, otherwise, how could it be gone? There was no outsiders the whole day, only the two of them were at home.

Su Xiao Pei came over and asked, “Does Magistrate want to recognize the authenticity of their speech?”

“You are the same gender as them, please persuade them, why do they have to fight and argue over this?” The Magistrate meant to settle this matter. In the division, only Su Xiao Pei is a woman, maybe a woman talking to them, will settle the matter. The mother-in-law accuse the daughter-in-law of stealing, but she did not find the evidence, how were they suppose to prove it? The daughter-in-law said that she did not steal it, but the pendant is indeed gone, how were to prove that she stole it?

Su Xiao Pei nodded and look at her side, then remember that Ran Fei Ze was standing beside her. she pursed her lips and nodded again, letting the Magistrate arrange the room and she will talk to the mother-in-law alone.