In the dead of night, people are covered with light veils.
Jiang Wuji and Cao Li took advantage of the bright moonlight and strode towards the priest's square.
In fact, there was one thing that Jiang Wuji had never figured out before, and that was that the Chief Qiu he knew was not a good official who cared about the country and the people. His behavior along the way was more like a flattering, self-interested and traitorous official.
But why did his appearance change drastically when he arrived in Lecheng?
Cao Li gave the answer to this question.
That's the bottom line.
Everyone has his own bottom line. Lord Qiu is greedy for profit but does not harm the country. He is greedy for money but does not abuse the people. Those 300,000 people are his bottom line.
He may not be a good official, but he is definitely not a bad official who preys on the common people.
…
On the way to Jiaofangsi, Cao Li suddenly asked: "Little Taoist Master, didn't Miss Xiaoyu not let you go?"
Jiang Wuji asked strangely: "What do you mean, she won't let me go?"
Cao Li: "Then..."
Jiang Wuji: "I told her that I have something to do tonight and I need to get some information. It's not convenient for her to follow me."
Cao Li frowned, "So you asked me to do some work, so why don't we go to the Jiaosi Square?"
"Of course I want to go!"
"But Master Dao, didn't you say that you never go to the land of fireworks?"
"What kind of fireworks place? That's called Yingxue Pavilion!"
…
Originally Jiang Wuji thought that Jiaofangsi was just bigger and more advanced than ordinary brothels, but it turned out that Jiaofangsi was bigger than Qingyu Village!
Here you can see a vulgar scene, and you can also see literati reciting poems and painting to make beautiful women smile.
The so-called small pavilion is a special courtyard built for courtesans. There are eight such small pavilions in Jiaofangsi.
The most popular one now is Yingxue Xiaoge.
First of all, this is the courtyard of the new oiran, and Liu Yingxue has never let anyone stay overnight.
Secondly, Liu Yingxue has extraordinary charm. Both her figure and appearance are fascinating. Coupled with her superb piano skills, she is even more addictive.
"What?! Ten taels of silver?! Why don't you go grab it?!"
Outside the Yingxue Pavilion, two maids stopped Jiang Wuji and Cao Li.
One of the maids showed displeasure and said: "How can you enter the Oiran Pavilion if you want? Master, please don't let others see the joke. Besides, my sister is now the number one Oiran in Lecheng. What's wrong with a mere ten taels of silver?"
Not long ago, someone spent a lot of money to have a drink with my sister, but my sister didn’t even agree!"
"Um, Xiaodao...Brother Jiang, you have to pay money to enter the Oiran Pavilion. It's always been like this." Cao Li said in a low voice.
Jiang Wuji's current wealth is only a hundred taels, and it's all with his sister. How can he get ten taels of silver?
Even if there is, it is impossible to give it! The ticket fee is only ten taels, so only the unjust would give it!
"I won't hand it over to you. I don't care if you can't enter Yingxue's pavilion for ten taels of silver!" Jiang Wuji rolled up his sleeves and was about to walk back when a harsh sneer sounded out at this moment.
"Where does this vulgar person come from? You can't even spare ten taels of silver, and yet you dare to talk nonsense here."
"Oh, it turns out it's you."
Jiang Wuji frowned, and Cao Li on the side quickly bent down and bowed: "Cao Li has met Mr. Zhang."
The person who was ridiculing Jiang Wuji at this time was none other than Mr. Zhang Ming, the bearded man last night.
"Your words last night made me and other colleagues feel ashamed! I just didn't expect that such a majestic person would come to this land of romance, and in the end, I couldn't get out ten taels of silver. Hahaha... It's really embarrassing.
Show your eyes!"
Master Zhang laughed loudly, threw ten taels of silver to the maid, and looked at Jiang Wuji with disdain.
But Jiang Wuji came here tonight for an appointment, not to have fun, let alone to have a story with the oiran, but to get some news.
Since Liu Yingxue was invited to Murong Yue's house and talked about the plague in front of her, her identity must be more than just an oiran.
Maybe you can learn something from her that you don't know.
For example, the plague, or Tiandao Temple, Qingxuanzi...
But it's a pity that for ten taels of silver, we should wait for the news from Murong Wanfeng.
What does this picture mean when it pops up?
Just when Jiang Wuji was considering whether to go up and give Master Zhang a slap in the face, or squat on his waist outside, a girl with a better face and more gorgeous clothes than the two maids hurried over
Come.
The other party nodded and saluted, and said in a faint voice, "Xiao Li has met the young master."
"Are you talking to me?" Jiang Wuji asked.
"Young Master, Miss Yingxue has been waiting for you for a long time..."
"Sister Xiaoli, he hasn't paid the money yet!" the maid just shouted.
Who would have thought that this seemingly obedient Xiao Li would slap him with his backhand!
"Shut up! This is the person the girl wants to see. How dare you ask for money?!"
The two maids quickly knelt on the ground, crying and begging for mercy.
Xiao Li: "Young Master, please forgive me. Young Master, come with me quickly."
Jiang Wuji glanced at Master Zhang, who was stunned.
Jiang Wuji followed Xiao Li into the Yingxue Pavilion openly and took Cao Li with him, leaving only Mr. Zhang, who had paid ten taels of silver, messy in the wind.
…
The decoration in Yingxue Pavilion is mainly simple and elegant. You can't see those silks and satins, which are resplendent. Instead, there are orchids, pines and cypresses, sandalwood and green bamboos.
At this time, warblers and swallows were dancing gracefully on the stage, and the audience was full of seats, drinking and chatting happily.
Jiang Wuji sat in his seat and looked around. He didn't see Liu Yingxue. Instead, all the "adults" from last night were there, even Chief Qiu.
However, everyone else was in groups. Only Chief Qiu was alone, and he seemed out of place.
At this time, Cao Li on the side whispered: "Brother Jiang, don't look at it. This oiran is different from the vulgar fans outside. Sometimes he may not come out!"
Jiang Wuji: "So they are all willing to pay ten taels of silver?"
Cao Li pointed to the drinks and cakes on the table and said, "Because these cakes are all made by Miss Yingxue herself!"
"..." Although he could understand what Cao Li meant, Jiang Wuji was still speechless for a while.
Sure enough, no matter where you are, dog lickers are a great injustice and do not deserve sympathy.
"Look who that is." Jiang Wuji raised his chin in the direction of Chief Qiu.
"Master Qiu?! Why is Master Qiu here too?!" Cao Li said in surprise.
Jiang Wuji: "Maybe I'm drowning my sorrows in wine."
Cao Li: "Then should I go over and give you a toast?"
"It's up to you, but I think he doesn't want to talk now." Jiang Wuji shook his head.
Cao Li scratched his scalp, but in the end he didn't go to Qiu Weiliang.
After a while, Cao Li started to shake his head like everyone else, eating snacks and drinking wine, admiring the graceful figures on the stage.
I can't tell that this vulgar martial artist actually knows how to enjoy himself.
After the dance on the stage, Xiaoli came over and said with a smile: "Tonight the moonlight is sultry, the night breeze caresses my heart, and Miss Yingxue plays the piano. I hope you don't dislike it."
After the words fell, the audience was in an uproar.
After the uproar calmed down, the faint sound of the piano came from the attic.
The sound of the piano is overwhelming, washing the night sky, like drizzle hitting the plantains, and like a clear spring flowing in the mountains, soft and continuous, crisp and elegant.
Jiang Wuji didn't have any musical talent. He just thought it sounded good and was not as intoxicated as others.
But while the music was playing, I accidentally saw the sword-browed man sitting not far away, the same sword-browed man from Fengtiansi last night.
At the same time, the other party also saw Jiang Wuji.
The two of them nodded and did not exchange any more words.
The sound of the piano had faded, but everyone was still intoxicated by it. Chief Qiu, who had been silent all this time, suddenly clapped his hands and cheered, "Okay! Good!!!"
Since Chief Qiu screamed, everyone in the room looked at him.
The blushing Master Qiu stood up unsteadily, waved his hand, and said: "In the year of the great epidemic, people are in dire straits, but they can still hear such wonderful sounds and eat such delicious food, good! Good.
!”
"Qiu Weiliang! Don't lose your grace!" Mr. Zhang scolded in a deep voice.
"Demeanor? Hahaha... Mr. Zhang, you actually told me about demeanor?" Chief Qiu laughed.
"You paid ten taels of silver, right? Everyone here paid ten taels of silver, right?"
"I just did a rough count, there are about a hundred people tonight!"
"One person has ten taels, and a hundred people have a thousand taels. This Jiaofang Division is really profitable!"
"Qiu Weiliang! What nonsense are you talking about! I'm so embarrassed to be in your company!" Zhang Daren's face turned red with anger.
"Are you ashamed to be with me?"
"I bother!"
Master Qiu spat on Mr. Zhang, completely ignoring the fact that the latter was furious and shouted loudly:
"At the end of Jihai and the beginning of Gengzi, there was a great epidemic in Qi. Thousands of people were infected with the disease! Everyone was terrified, and every house was closed! There were no boats or cars on the streets, and there were no people in the lanes!"
"At that time, the whole country was united, everyone with black hair and white hair took the lead! Commoners and merchants all rushed to donate their money first!"
"Political, medical, and military personnel fight bravely despite carrying the cauldron and acting against the will. Those who are capable will do their best!"
"The great epidemic will finally be cured, and the lanterns will begin to shine!"
"At the end of Gengzi and the beginning of Xin Chou, a great epidemic spread in Beimang, spreading to tens of thousands! The people were terrified, the alleys were deserted, and they could not leave their homes. Cars and horses were safe, and people and animals were safe! However, the brave men of the country, dressed in white, calmed the people's hearts and fought bravely against the enemy.
Let’s work together!”
"Yes."
"In the year of Renyin, there was a great epidemic in Leping! The imperial court ignored it, and the bureaucrats' corpses were vegetarians! For themselves, they were romantic! Spending a lot of money! For the people, they lost soldiers to save cars! Putting 300,000 people in a desperate situation!"
"The imperial court is corrupt! The national destiny is sluggish! Natural and man-made disasters! The people are in dire straits!"
"I am the one who has run out of energy..."
"I, Dali! I have run out of energy!!"
"How presumptuous! Qiu Weiliang! Are you going to rebel?" Mr. Zhang shouted loudly.
"Nonsense! This beast is rebellious and should be punished!"
"Thieves who harm the country should be punished!"
"You should be punished if you use evil words to deceive the public!"
Those bureaucrats have become a faction, and they are all very angry and want to kill Master Qiu!
However, Chief Qiu laughed even louder.
Jiang Wuji knew that before Chief Qiu said these words, he no longer cared about his life or death.
It might be better if he just complained, but in the last few words, he shouldn't mention the court, let alone say that Dali has run out of energy...
"Little Taoist Master, what, what should I do?" Cao Li was sweating profusely. He hadn't even seen the oiran yet, so why did something happen again!
Jiang Wuji said expressionlessly: "If you take action now, you will be regarded as Master Qiu's accomplice."
"Accomplice? What accomplice?"
"An associate of the rebels."
"What?! This! This!..."
"Don't worry, now is not the time to save him, first..."
Before Jiang Wuji could finish speaking, a tongue of fire suddenly emerged from Master Qiu's body without any warning!
In the blink of an eye, there was a burst of fire!
The dense tongues of fire tore open the flesh and skin, and the suffocating flames instantly swallowed Master Qiu!
By the time everyone came to their senses, Master Qiu, who had turned into a burning man, had fallen straight down, and the fire was spreading like the bottom line he was holding on to, collapsing and disintegrating.
"What, what's going on?"
"This person is fine, why did he catch on fire?"
Everyone was frightened and their faces were ashen.
But at this moment, Master Zhang stood up.
Looking at Qiu Weiliang, who had been burned into a charred corpse, he shouted loudly:
"God's punishment! This is God's punishment!"
"The thieves are trying to deceive the public with their evil words and are trying to shake the destiny of our country, Li!"
"Sacred fire descends from heaven! Kill the traitors!"
"This is a divine punishment! You deserve to die!"
