The night was quiet, and the faint fragrance of Lingshuang flowers came from Yanmiao Garden, drifting and dense, like cups of drunken wine.
The chopsticks tapped lightly on the plate, and most of the food on the plate was gone. The two of them were almost full. Jian Xin suddenly remembered that incident, "The businessman who came this afternoon seemed to be really in a hurry.
, it doesn’t look like you’re begging for an official position at all.”
Shao Kefan put the last bite of barley he picked up with his chopsticks into his mouth and slowly chewed it into his belly. He vaguely recalled that in the afternoon, in the confusion of consciousness, he did refuse an audience with a businessman. Due to the wild and wild nature of the previous visit to the palace,
Wealthy businessmen or noble families are probably just spending money to buy an official position. Although he has no prejudice against businessmen or rich people, he has also formed a repulsive mentality.
But since it was Jian Xin who brought it up, he didn't care and asked, "What does it look like? Maybe I know him."
Jian Xin read what Da Qing said, "Well, he has a Chinese character face, triangular eyes, a dark yellow forehead protector with a dark blue gemstone in the middle, a big and high nose, slightly thick lips, and a short beard.
Wearing a sapphire blue gown and a light yellow middle shirt." He also added some features from his own memories, "The belly is a bit big, and he wears a sword with dark blue gold thread on his waist, but he doesn't seem to know how to do martial arts."
Shao Kefan's heart tightened slightly, "It's actually Zhou Bingye, the richest businessman in the wilderness."
Jian Xin wondered why his tone was a bit heavy, but pretended to be relaxed and teased, "Why, what a pity, regret? It's you who turned people away."
Shao Kefan frowned and said, "That's not what I meant. Zhou Bingye focused on business and had no interest in official career. Although he was a little afraid of things, he was shrewd and knowledgeable. When his mother was still alive, he had intentionally appointed
He had an important official position, but he refused to take it."
"Then why did he come? He looked too anxious this afternoon..." Jian Xin raised her face and recalled the situation in the afternoon. She felt that Shao Kefan was too unreasonable, and she did not take the monarch out of the bed.
When I was disappointed, I was kicked out by Daqing. I felt very sorry.
A figure flashed through his mind, and Shao Kefan was shocked, "Oops!" Of course he knew that Zhou Bingye was Wan Jia's father, but someone like Zhou Bingye, who was far away from the officialdom and the palace, actually came to his door in person. He also walked around the shopping mall.
In ten years, he should have developed a calm, cautious and prudent character, but he couldn't help but reveal his anxiety. It couldn't be, it couldn't be that something happened to Wanjia. If that was the case, it was probably Zheng Xiaohan who noticed her movements.
So, the most important thing is, is Eagle Zhi about to implement any plan?
"Ta!" The chopsticks hit the dish heavily. Shao Kefan stood up suddenly, walked quickly to the window, and opened the three-color curtain covering the window coffin with one hand: off-white, light blue, and dark purple.
Gazing at the scenery outside through the carved wooden window, I saw that the night was dark and the bright moon was blocked by the dark clouds in the sky, not letting out any brilliance.
It has been six hours since Zhou Bingye left. Even if he does not know martial arts and cannot reach Yingzhi quickly, however, as long as he expresses his willingness, everything will become quick and easy. The decision he made casually in a daze
, how will we miss him?
Jian Xin stared at his back in confusion, wondering why his reaction was so big, but guessing that the matter must not be simple, she could only comfort him, "It's okay, I'll just summon him to the palace tomorrow."
Shao Kefan's eyes were as deep as the night, and his voice was a little difficult, "I'm afraid it's too late, Jian Xin."
Jian Xin knew that he wouldn't say anything if asked, and for a moment he didn't know how to answer the question. He just asked Daqing, who was standing in the hall, to lead the maids in to clean up. Soon, Daqing had deliberately left the four people outside the hall door.
The maid walked in respectfully, and a symphony of dishes and dishes sounded in the study, which made the handsome man wearing only white underwear by the window feel even more lonely.
Jian Xin stood in front of the window and was silent with him. Seeing that he didn't speak for a long time, she knew that he was thinking about countermeasures, "It's already dark now, do you plan to...?"
As if he had made up his mind, Shao Kefan tapped his finger bones on the window coffin, but his voice was low, "Go to Zhou Bingye's house." When he turned to her, his face was already soft, "Jian Xin, I will definitely come back tonight, you
Keep this secret."
"I..." Jian Xin blurted out hastily, originally wanting to say, "I'll go too." However, knowing that he would speak proactively and resolutely if he wanted to take her with him, she pushed back and changed her words to, "I'll wait for you."
." After a pause, "I'll be waiting for you in the study."
She actually used some scheming... Shao Kefan felt a little fresh. He put his hand on her shoulder and pulled her into his arms with a slight force. A playful smile appeared at the corner of his mouth, "Actually, sleep when it's time to sleep.
If you don’t sleep when you shouldn’t, it will be natural and you won’t make people suspicious.”
After finally being smart, Jian Xin was able to see through it easily. Jian Xin was a little embarrassed and muttered, "It's better to just care about me sleeping on time."
Shao Kefan's eyes became darker and darker. He turned his face sideways and looked out the window into the vast darkness. "Jian Xin, I will be back as soon as possible. You can go to bed on time."
Just when Jian Xin was about to say something, her arms were empty, and the person holding her had used invisibility and disappeared without a trace. Only then did she suddenly realize that he had been so pale before and even vomited blood. Although Yang Yaoshi, the wizard Mie Zhou
, Warlock Fang Xiu worked together and there was no problem in curing him, but it may still be difficult to recover immediately.
She originally planned to go to bed on time as he wished, but now she felt a little anxious, fearing that she would be as "scheming" as she thought she was and would not be able to sleep until he came back.
Jigan, the capital of Cangteng, is only two hundred miles away from the palace. In only about half a quarter of an hour, Shao Kefan's figure appeared outside the Zhou family's thousand-year-old residence. He stopped in mid-air and looked down, only to see Guidianlan Palace.
, carved beams and embroidered pillars, scattered and stretched over a large area, with lanterns hanging high on the eaves, making the bright red glazed tiles shine brightly, illuminating the courtyards like daylight. The scenery has its own characteristics, some are flat and flat, and the sky and earth are open to the eye, and some
The twists and turns at the screen and rockery separate the space into several layers, creating endless charm.
In addition to different varieties of flower trees, lush green creeping vines pull out from somewhere on the paving tiles, extending their light yellow tips and growing along the cracks of the bricks. The leaves sway gently in the breeze. Many courtyards are inlaid with
The small lake is small, with ripples on the water slowly pushing back and forth, and the waves are crystal clear.
Most of the mansions are connected by long corridors, winding like a belt, leading to the tallest and most luxurious six-story mansion in the center, which is brightly lit, just like holding the brightest pearl.
The Zhou family's construction foundation can be said to be a large-scale palace, which is very eye-catching in the vast Jiqian capital. The Zhou family's affairs are run by various parties, and any business that is linked to money, whether it is overt or covert,
They all have close ties with the Zhou family. The Zhou family controls eleven of the twenty large teahouses and restaurants in the center of the capital. In addition to the countless wealth in the Cang Teng Palace treasury, the Zhou family can be said to control the Cang Teng economy.
Lifeline, he pays taxes every year very diligently.
When the Queen was still alive, she expressed her willingness to confer high-ranking titles on Zhou Bingye and Zhou Bingye's father, Zhou Tingze, which must have some meaning. However, the father and son had no intention of having an official career and were unwilling to be controlled by the royal family, so they politely rejected the Queen's offer.
It's just that when it comes to paying taxes, they take the initiative to pay twice as much as before. However, this has little impact on the extremely wealthy Zhou family.
If something really happened to Wanjia and Zheng Xiaohan found out her identity, we can imagine how things would develop and how serious they would be. That's why Shao Kefan was so anxious. I hope, I hope it's not too late.
In the main hall on the third floor of the mansion, there are about five or six tables of people, all dressed in brocade and satin robes, looking gorgeous, toasting each other frequently, ordering chopsticks and plates, chatting and laughing, the atmosphere is very lively, the Zhou family has a wine table to entertain every day
, this is a normal phenomenon. The only difference from the past is that under Zhou Bingye's forced smile, there is indescribable pain and anxiety.
Shao Kefan flicked his two fingers together, and a tiny stream of air hit Zhou Bingye's eyebrows. He raised his hand slightly and withdrew the air stream. The surprised Zhou Bingye raised his head uncontrollably and looked into the air guided by the air stream.
He opened his eyes wide in disbelief. The person suspended in the air under the dense branches and leaves of the frost hibiscus tree was, wasn't he, wasn't he...
He stood up, said a few simple words to the people present with an apologetic face, then picked up his clothes, lowered his head, and hurriedly got off the ladder on the side of the lobby.
Shao Kefan keenly noticed that Zhou Bingye's expression concealed retreat. It was a foregone conclusion and irreversible sadness. His heart sank again. When the wealthy businessman hurriedly walked into the shadow of the frost hibiscus tree with his back to the yard, he was also light-hearted.
It fell to the ground and stood firmly, making no sound.
Zhou Bingye's face was hidden in the night and could not be seen clearly, but he could feel a sense of decadence. He bowed his hands twice and was about to ask the monarch the purpose of his trip. Shao Kefan spoke first and said lightly, "About this afternoon.
The thing... no matter what the result is, you first tell the whole story."
Zhou Bingye sighed softly and replied with lingering fear, "Yesterday, the grassroots received a letter from the Lord of Eagles, saying that Wanjia's identity as Cang Teng's spy has been discovered, and asked the grassroots to temporarily protect her from death at the cost of half of the family wealth. From now on, the little girl
She will be imprisoned in the Eagle's Prison forever for the rest of her life, and the common people have to pay 20% tax to the Eagle every year to keep their daughter alive, otherwise, the family will be ruined." After saying this, his body softened, he knelt down, and his voice was very low,
But he was trembling slightly, "The common people were worried about Wanjia, and they asked to see the monarch but could not. They were so heartbroken that they had no choice but to agree to Zheng Xiaohan's conditions."
Shao Kefan did not scold the kneeling people as he did in the past. He stood up, nodded and stared at the whirling leaves in the transition zone of Youming. Regret, unwillingness, anger, hatred, many complex emotions were intertwined. The reason why Zheng Xiaohan did not ask Zhou Bingye to dissipate his family wealth
, because she knew that even if she left half of the Zhou family's property, with the strength and foundation of the Zhou family, they could still prosper for a long time with half of the property. In this way, she paid 20% of the tax to Eagle every year, and the proportion remained unchanged, but the amount remained.
With the increase, Yingzhi's treasury has a stable source of income. And the half of the Zhou family's property currently obtained can greatly enhance Yingzhi's economic and military strength.
Shao Kefan's voice was a little hoarse. He expected the result, but he still asked unnecessarily, "Has half of the property requested by Zheng Xiaohan been divided?"
Zhou Bingye lowered his head even lower, "The King of Eagles requested that the golden tickets be delivered to the King of Eagles as quickly as possible. Wanjia's life was in danger. The common people really did not dare to neglect, but they still held on to hope and went to find the King, intending to send them to him. That half of the property was donated to the national treasury, hoping that the monarch would think of ways to save Wanjia for the sake of her service to Cang Teng. Unexpectedly, the monarch was busy with affairs and had no time to meet with the people, so the people had to return as quickly as possible. , we invited a top-notch Qinggong expert to hurriedly deliver the golden coupons and tax payment guarantee."
Shao Kefan knew Zhou Bingye's plans for the safety of his family, so he had no choice but to put all the blame on him tactfully, but this was indeed the case. Moreover, the Zhou family had lost half of their property and would have to pay taxes to the enemy country of Cangteng in the future. He didn't know what outsiders would say, and he really couldn't bear any more blows. So he just raised his hand lightly, "Get up and run a good life. I don't blame you."
Zhou Bingye said a few words of gratitude, and then paused, wondering whether to speak.
Shao Kefan saw his thoughts and nodded, "Wanjia serves Cang Teng after all, and I will try my best to rescue her."
Zhou Bingye almost knelt down again, a passionate desire arose in his heart, but he didn't know how heavy the heart of the man wearing a white undershirt was feeling late at night.