In the evening, twilight falls early, and the sky is filled with dark clouds.
Lao Tong and Zhi Changle were sitting in the hall of Qingque Pavilion, looking at the lights lighting up one by one outside the window.
"Why hasn't Ah Li come out yet?" Zhi Changle said boredly, holding his chin.
"I don't know." Lao Tong said. He was peeling walnuts, holding them firmly with tongs, and then using chopsticks to pick out the kernels and put them aside.
There were many diners eating in the hall, the waiters were very busy, and the streets were deserted. The vendors left with their carts, and the streets suddenly became empty.
After a long time, a little maid came from the inner hall and bowed beside them: "Two knights, please come in."
"Can we go in?" the branch leader said happily and stood up hurriedly.
"Yes." The little maid smiled and nodded.
"Okay!" Lao Tong said, quickly put the clips away and started packing things.
In the extra room by the lake in the backyard, Xia Zhaoyi was writing on paper, and Mr. Yan Hui was sitting opposite her, with one small scroll after another in his hand.
The lights outside the eaves swayed in the evening breeze, and the lights in the other hall were bright, reflecting the lake water, giving it an extra layer of tranquility.
Hearing the commotion, Xia Zhaoyi looked up and saw Zhi Changle and Lao Tong, curling his lips and smiling.
"Ah Li!" Zhi Changle shouted happily.
Lao Tong pushed him: "Stop yelling!"
"Oh, right!" Zhi Changle said to himself.
The two of them ran over and took a few steps up the wooden steps: "Ah Li!"
"Ah Li, you have misled us!"
The girl was dressed in luxurious brocade clothes, sitting quietly on the square mat on the floor, with her hair in a clean and delicate bun. Her little face was white and smooth, her features were clear and her eyes were clear, as if she had changed into a different person.
"Ah Li, you have become more beautiful!" Zhi Changle said with a smile.
"Hahaha," Mr. Yan Hui laughed and looked over and said, "It seems that you really know each other."
"We know each other, we really know each other." Zhi Chang was overjoyed.
"Wait a minute," Xia Zhaoyi said, "it will be soon."
After speaking, continue writing on the paper.
After she finished writing, she handed it to Li Yan to reply.
Li Yanhui glanced briefly, nodded with satisfaction, rolled the paper into a tube, sealed it with a silver stone and gold seal, and put it together with other scrolls into a wooden box beside it.
Then he took out a wooden box and handed it over: "Ah Li, it's the same old rules."
"Okay." Xia Zhaoyi took the wooden box, which was very heavy.
Li Yanhui stood up holding the wooden box in his hand, and said with a smile: "You guys are reunited after a long absence, so just sit here and say whatever you want to eat and drink. We are the ones running the restaurant here..."
"We won't be polite to Mr. Yan Hui's treat," Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile.
"Hahaha, okay!" Li Yan replied, "No need to disturb me, I'll take my leave first."
Xia Zhaoyi nodded.
After Li Yanhui left, Zhi Changle and Lao Tong hurriedly sat down next to the plan: "Ali, what's going on?"
"After we entered Beijing, we discovered that something was wrong. Many people were scolding you. You are wanted on the street!"
"It's a long story, so let's not talk about it for now," Xia Zhaoyi said, "When did you come?"
"I came here yesterday before the city gate closed," the branch chief said. "After much thought, we decided it would be better to come here to find you."
"Ah Li, look," Lao Tong said hurriedly, "this."
He put down the baggage in his hand, put down the freshly peeled walnut kernels, and took out the warm plum blossom cake from his arms: "Ah Li, here it is."
Xia Zhaoyi smiled, reached out and picked up a walnut kernel, put it into his mouth, and looked at the baggage: "What is this?"
"Open it and take a look!" Zhi Changle said expectantly.
Xia Zhaoyi untied the bundle. Inside were three small boxes and several packages of clothing.
The clothes were very luxurious, the material was first-grade Mingyue silk, and the ribbons and shawls were of the finest Xianbaiqing. She opened a small box to display exquisite and gorgeous jewelry, and the other two boxes contained jewelry and jade.
Xia Zhaoyi raised his eyes and said, "Old Tong, these are..."
"We have made a lot of money using your methods along the way," Zhi Changle said impatiently, "We specialize in collecting those difficult-to-gather medicines, and a rich gentleman paid a lot of money to buy them from us! And there are more
, we were lucky and saved another rich man in Mingxi Mountain. He thanked us and gave us a full five hundred taels!"
"We thought we had to buy something for you when we came to the capital, so we bought these. We don't know if they look good or not. Is the store trying to trick us? Ah Li, look, do you like them?" Lao Tong said.
Xia Zhaoyi didn't say anything. He looked away from the old clothes that were almost turning white. He looked back at these clothes and nodded: "Yes, I like them."
"But looking at your appearance now," Zhi Changle said, "Ah Li, have you found your family?"
"No," Xia Zhaoyi shook his head, "My family is no longer here, they passed away."
"Ah?" Lao Tong was stunned, "How could this happen?"
Xia Zhaoyi smiled, opened the bag of plum blossom cake, and said, "It smells so good."
"Then...don't be too sad. By the way, we still have some money left. We are going to do some small business in Beijing this time. If you have no place to go, why don't you come with us?" Zhi Changle said.
"Okay," Xia Zhaoyi took out a plum blossom cake and said, "I can come and play with you then."
"Is it safe here?" Lao Tong raised his eyes and looked around, "Ah Li, you are wanted now, and people here know you, how about we leave first?"
"Let's have something to eat," Xia Zhaoyi said with a smile, "Mr. Yan Hui said that if you don't eat his treat, you won't get it for free."
"But this place..."
"It doesn't matter, this is the only place where I am the safest." Xia Zhaoyi took a bite of the plum blossom cake, and it was still warm.
"It's delicious," she said, handing the bag over, "Do you want it?"
Zhi Changle stretched out his hand to take it, paused, frowned and looked at Lao Tong: "Why do I feel that something is not settled?"
"What's going on?" Lao Tong asked.
Xia Zhaoyi also looked curiously.
Zhi Changle thought hard for a while and shook his head: "I can't think of it. I'm so stunned that I can't say it."
Lao Tong was troubled by him and frowned: "When you say this, I seem to feel that something is empty."
After thinking for a long time, Old Tong suddenly said: "Oh! It's Pang Yi!"
Zhi Chang smiled and said hurriedly: "Yes, yes! Where is Pang Yi!"
"Pang Yi?" Xia Zhaoyi looked at them.
"Yes, Pang Yi also came to the capital with us. He left for something before and said he would come to see us in half an hour. How long has it been and he hasn't come yet," said Lao Tong.
"Is something going to happen?" Zhi Changle was a little worried.
Lao Tong thought for a while and said, "Why don't you go back to the inn first? Maybe you can go to the inn to find us."
"Where did he go?" Xia Zhaoyi stood up, "What happened?"
