The sun is getting stronger and stronger, and Congxin becomes extremely hot and humid after the water has been cleared away.
The government's control was not as strict as before, so the number of people in the city's major theaters gradually increased, and some masters brought barbering tools and young apprentices to make a living here.
It was almost past time when several groups of soldiers and horses came out of Xinfu Yamen and went in all directions along the main road of Congxinfu.
Notices, large and small, were plastered all over the streets and alleys of Congxinfu. In the content of the notices, the three words "He Yanpo" attracted special attention.
Both literate and illiterate people flocked to the signboard. Many people did not recognize "He Yanpo", but the four characters "Beiyuan Counselor" on the label exploded in the crowd like a detonating seed.
While they were cursing and cursing, someone became concerned about the person who put up the notice: "Aren't those government guards?"
"Those are General Nie's personal soldiers!" Someone whispered, "Don't you know, something happened to the government's Yamen Guards!"
A group of people asked what happened.
The man quickly shut up and refused to tell me in a mysterious manner.
But once the curiosity is opened, someone will always be able to find out what happened.
Two hours later, almost most of the followers knew that Chen Yongming's suicide was related to Mrs. Xinyu of Jingyun Pavilion. He was also responsible for the old woman who died in front of the Yamen, and he also sent Yamen guards to assassinate Huang Xinyue.
In the evening, another shocking news came out, saying that all the government guards detained in the Military Town Division were poisoned to death at noon. This was Chen Yongming's arrangement before committing suicide.
For a time, Chen Yongming was reviled by thousands of people and his reputation was ruined.
The Chen Mansion has been surrounded by officers and soldiers since noon, and the whole house is under strict control. Chen Yongming has no concubines, only a wife and a daughter, and they are currently under house arrest.
The night was getting darker and darker. Xia Zhaoyi, who had slept all day, woke up in a simple inn. The waiter brought a bowl of hot porridge. There were not many grains of rice in the bowl, and it was ridiculously expensive.
Zhi Changle was talking about what happened outside today. There were two wanted posters on the table, and it was her and Zhi Changle who were pictured.
Xia Zhaoyi slowly put the porridge into his mouth with a spoon, his eyes calmly falling on the portrait.
"I also went to inquire about the chambers of commerce in the city. Several major chambers of commerce are now pro-government. These big business owners have only been helped by the government in the past two years and are suffering from no chance to express themselves. The old-school merchant alliance is in a miserable situation.
, either died of assassination or retired, and many people were forced to donate money to save their lives."
Xia Zhaoyi said lightly: "I didn't expect that Tian Dayao's plan in Congxin would actually go deeper than that of Youzhou Capital. Maybe it was to deal with Weiping Mansion."
"As a result, Weiping Mansion was directly flooded by Wenlang." Zhi Changle sighed.
The sound of clappers is heard outside.
Xia Zhaoyi said: "Brother Zhi, you go back to sleep, it's time for me to go out."
Zhi Changle nodded. Before leaving, he felt uneasy and whispered: "Ah Li, they know you are following the letter, so be careful tonight."
"Um."
After changing into his night clothes, Xia Zhaoyi went to the table to blow out the candles, took the portrait in a roll, and took it away with him.
The moon and stars are sparse, the sea of clouds is deep in the sky in the west, and the sound of clappers is ringing all the way, creating a unique and cold feeling in the long silent night.
Xia Zhaoyi shuttled lightly and silently over the roof tiles. Half an hour later, she climbed over a high wall and landed in a two-entry house.
The lights in the courtyard were dim, the candles in the master bedroom were extinguished, and in the outer courtyard only the servant woman and the maid were waiting for the master to get up at night, both of whom were drowsy.
Xia Zhaoyi gently knocked on the door of the master bedroom. After a while, there was a sound of turning around in the room, and a hazy voice said: "Who is it?"
"But the painter Tai Zicang?" Xia Zhaoyi said, "I am a descendant of Dingguo Gongfu, A Li."
The room was quiet for a moment.
After a pause, Tai Zicang got up from the bed, and his wife pulled him: "Don't go!"
Tai Zicang took off the lady's hand and said softly: "Since she is looking for me, she has something to do. Since she is knocking on the door, she must be polite first. You can sleep peacefully and don't make any noise later."
"But……"
"I believe in Duke Ding's government," Tai Zicang said.
The lady sighed softly and then stood up: "I will light a lamp for you and wait for you to come back."
"good."
Tai Zicang approved the clothes and opened the door with a candle.
The girl standing outside the door was delicate and graceful, her eyes dyed with moonlight, an aura that he could not describe with all his ink.
"Please forgive me for disturbing you late at night, sir," Xia Zhaoyi said.
"If Miss Ah Li came to me because of those portraits, Tai really didn't know about it at the time."
"My husband is very good at painting. He has never met me before, but he painted me almost the same," Xia Zhaoyi smiled. "That's why I came here because of his fame and wanted to ask him to help me make two paintings."
"draw?"
"Yes," Xia Zhaoyi nodded, "It's also a man and a woman."
"A man and a woman," Tai Zicang paused, "could it be that they are the man and woman wanted by the government?"
Xia Zhaoyi smiled: "Then Mr. Lao is here."
Tai Zicang's study is next door, even twice as big as the master bedroom.
Tai Zicang went back to the house first, spoke to his wife, and then led Xia Zhaoyi inside.
The four walls of the study were covered with paintings, and the fragrance of ink was strong. Tai Zicang brightened several candlesticks, carefully put on the lampshades, and then went to grind and spread the paper.
When the lights came on, illuminating the whole room, Xia Zhaoyi looked at the calligraphy and paintings on the wall, and finally stopped at a piece of "Spring Breeze Entering the Drinking Song".
This painting is unsigned, and its lines and structure make Xia Zhaoyi feel familiar, and his painting skills are better than other paintings.
"This is an ink autumn painting." Xia Zhaoyi said.
Tai Zicang raised his eyes, nodded and said, "It's exactly what the master painted."
"Shui Moqiu is your master?" Xia Zhaoyi looked at him, "Then who is your master?"
"My master's surname is Lu, and his courtesy name is Dongxin."
Tai Zicang smiled: "It's a coincidence that I am also Master's eighth disciple."
Xia Zhaoyi looked back at the painting, her eyes a little distant.
The reason why she recognized Shui Mo Qiu's paintings at first sight was because there were too many of them in her home back then.
She is an outstanding ink and wash Qiu painter. Among all the ink and wash Qiu paintings, her favorite is called "Hunting in Spring and Autumn Period". That painting can be said to be the one with the strongest ink and wash Qiu painting skills.
However, she had only seen it twice. That picture had always been in Emperor Xuan Yan's hands and was also Emperor Xuan Yan's favorite.
After the Dingguo Duke's mansion was ransacked, all of Shui Moqiu's paintings should have flowed to the court. However, after the court's dramatic upheaval after the events of Ji Chou and Geng Yinnian, the whereabouts of these portraits are unknown.
Maybe it would be taken to Hejing by Li Ju, or maybe it would be left in the palace to be snatched away by the common people, or maybe it would be possessed by Song Zhiyi when he opened the palace gate.
Xia Zhaoyi's eyes looked at other paintings, and suddenly he fell on a painting called "Misty Rain and Black Clothes Alley". This painting also had no signature.
"Mr. Tai," Xia Zhaoyi said, "Who painted this painting?"
Tai Zicang looked at it, thought for a while, and said, "It seems to be one of my uncles. His surname is Tang. What is his name?"
"...Tang Xiangsi?" Xia Zhaoyi said.
"Ah, yes!" Tai Zicang nodded, "He is the disciple that my master took before he became famous, ranking third."
