That afternoon, two female customers came to Wang's Noodle House in Sesame Lane in the north of the city. Both were wearing ordinary common clothes. The widow Wang Jiang knew that they were unusual when she saw them. One was Chen Ruijin, whom she recognized; the other looked like a woman.
She was bright and charming, and her bearing was extraordinary. Wang Jiang just stood up and did not greet her.
Chen Ruijin stepped forward and said a blessing: "Sister Jiang."
Wang Jiangshi said: "It's you. I heard that you have great fortune."
Chen Ruijin said: "Not bad." Then he pointed at the woman and said, "This is Mrs. Jiang, Mrs. Xue. I am accompanying her today to discuss business with Sister Jiang."
Mrs. Wang Jiang first bowed to Xue Baochai, thought for a moment, and closed the door. Although the shop was shabby, the three of them were still seated separately.
He is a messenger, and such important matters must be decided by the Queen Mother."
Chen Ruijin said: "Can I trouble Sister Jiang to give me a few pointers? Anyway, you have to report what we said."
Wang Jiang said: "Uncle Jiang, that matter is easy to handle."
Xue Baochai said: "A common girl knows her brother's side. The problem is only because of my sister-in-law's identity. But he has also made meritorious deeds."
Wang Jiang said: "Mrs. Jiang doesn't know something. Everyone knows about Liu's contribution. It would be a shame if he stopped singing from that year on. But he still sang for these years, and more and more fans not only respected him like crazy.
, and also did many good deeds. Every day he was not giving out meals or building bridges and building roads..." She stopped and looked at Xue Baochai.
Xue Baochai said: "I don't understand what the shopkeeper means. Wouldn't it be good to do more good deeds?"
Wang Jiang said: "It is good for others to do more good deeds. For example," she looked at Chen Ruijin, "the Second Grandma Bao from the Rongguo Mansion is now taking the lead in leading many ladies and grandmothers to do good deeds."
Chen Ruijin said leisurely at the side: "Mrs. Jiang, Liu's good deeds are done with too little effort."
Xue Baochai asked: "What is the meaning of this statement?"
Chen Ruijin said: "Secret Bao's charity work is done by many high-status ladies and grandmothers, and she often has to take the lead. However, Liu's charity work is that she does not take the lead and only goes to Tingxi Opera when the show has finished singing and the curtain call.
Fans say something, and the fans spontaneously do it. However, he has many fans and they are obedient, and his words are followed... It's like an imperial edict."
Xue Baochai nodded: "The civilian girl understands. But he has no intention of becoming an official, so what does he have to do with the court?"
Wang Jiang said softly: "I have always heard that Mrs. Chiang is extremely intelligent, so why bother pretending to be confused? If one day Liu Aiyun's intention is contrary to the government, I don't know whether his fans will listen to him or the officials."
Chen Ruijin shook his head: "This sounds very depressing. Sister Jiang, why don't you think that if one day the Yan and Qi armies confront each other, and the Qi army general Liu Aiyun is a fan, will Liu Aiyun be in front of the battle to persuade him to surrender? There are all kinds of people.
Ability is like a surging river, it cannot be guarded against."
Wang Jiang thought for a moment after hearing this and said, "There is some truth in this statement."
Chen Ruijin said: "Looking back, if the court has to guard against even an actor, and even an actor with a broken sleeve... then who among the many loyal ministers and good generals cannot be guarded against? Which great scholar is not more famous than him? Which one is not more famous than him?
Isn’t the general more capable than him?”
Wang Jiangshi said: "But he has the power to cause trouble among the people, and he doesn't know where those 'people' are. There are three religions and nine streams, high and low families, everywhere. Furthermore, he is an actor after all. If you can be an actor's son,
Who can’t get the title? I’m afraid the people who buy the title will be in chaos.”
Xue Baochai said with a half-smile but not a smile: "Isn't it true that if an actor doesn't get a title, then those who buy a title won't be in trouble?"
Chen Ruijin said: "If the Empress Dowager and the Empress Dowager are afraid that the Liu family can respond to everything at once, wouldn't it be more appropriate for the Tian family if the Xue family gets this title?"
Wang Jiang said: "How do you say this?"
Chen Ruijin said: "First of all, the Liu family has always had uncertainties, with a man's body and a daughter's heart. Once Mr. Xue got the title, he was definitely a 'wife' who was mistakenly reborn as a boy. The world can regard him and Baoer's sister-in-law together.
"
Xue Baochai looked at her and said with a smile: "The four words 'Sister-in-law Bao Er' can be said very smoothly."
Chen Ruijin looked at the two of them: "Does anyone think it's inappropriate for me to say these four words?"
Xue Baochai waved his hand: "No." He secretly wondered in his heart that she didn't blush at all. The girl Jia Cong fell in love with was indeed strange. Wang Jiang also smiled and shook his head.
Chen Ruijin continued: "Secondly, the title is given by the imperial court. After receiving the title, the Liu family are no longer 'people'." Nai sneered and said, "The Empress Dowager is just worried that all the good things are not done by officials.
That's all. She can't stop others from doing good deeds, and she's afraid that they'll win the hearts of the people, and she doesn't look down on her as an actor. It's just that she owed her a huge favor in the early years and hasn't repaid her."
Xue Baochai couldn't help laughing and said: "Why bother to explain it so clearly?"
Chen Ruijin also smiled and said: "You don't know, the people in the palace are weird and put their face more seriously than their lives. If we don't explain it clearly, Sister Jiang may not be able to be ruthless enough to help us coax the Queen Mother."
Wang Jiang said: "How can I coax the Empress Dowager? I'm just passing on a message to you."
Chen Ruijin said: "There are different ways to convey words. Now that my sister is out of the palace, she should know how different the outside is from the inside. The people in the palace are really pitiful. They only seek face because they have nothing else to do.
Please ask; people outside the palace can get anything, and their face is just like a piece of paper."
Wang Jiangshi said: "Hezhu, are you here to tease me?"
Chen Ruijin said with a smile: "I'm obviously here to persuade my sister to form a partnership. If this business is successful, the two of us will have other things to do. Sister Jiang, if the business is good, not one party will benefit, but many parties will benefit. Too much
Empress Dowager, people who buy titles, me, you—we won’t do it, but Eunuch Dai will do it.”
Wang Jiang said: "Eunuch Dai is doing this now."
Chen Ruijin said: "It's hard for him to leave the palace. My sister runs a noodle shop here. Isn't that what she does?"
Wang Jiang said: "It's really not the case. It has other uses."
Chen Ruijin said "Oh": "Anyway, there are not many people who come here to eat noodles. It doesn't hurt to do some business on the side. Eunuch Dai is in the back section and Sister Jiang is in the front section. Wouldn't it be cheaper and smoother? I want to come to the one in the palace.
I would also agree."
Wang Jiangshi is now alone outside without any restraints. Hearing this, it is inevitable that his heart will be moved. He thought for a long time and said: "I have to report this matter to the Empress Dowager before making any plans."
"Of course." Chen Ruijin smiled, picked up the teapot on the table and sifted about a cup of boiled water into the large noodle bowl in front of him, "Sister Jiang, I hope we can have a happy cooperation in the future."
Wang Jiang hesitated for a long time, but in the end he did not raise the bowl to touch her, but only hugged her fists in return. Chen Ruijin smiled brightly, raised the bowl to drink, and took Xue Baochai to leave.
After leaving the door, Xue Baochai asked softly: "Sister Chen, do you think this is possible?"
Chen Ruijin said: "It will happen sooner or later." He blinked and said, "I just have to wait a little longer." The Empress Dowager was not willing to live in the harem, so she could just use a little temptation; as for Wang Jiang, even wine, sex and wealth could not move her.
, power, love, and freedom, sooner or later one of these three things can move her.
On the other side, there was a clue about the missing Mr. Gao. Two idle men came to the Liguo Mansion and said that they had seen him in a dark kiln in the west of the city on the day he disappeared. Liu Xiaoqi rushed over after hearing the news, but saw that the man had gone missing.
Ah Hei, who captured him in Rongguo Mansion, was sitting inside drinking wine and suddenly became suspicious.
Ah Hei was also surprised and waved: "Xiao Qi, why is it you? Come and sit together." He then said to Fantou, "This is Mr. Liu Qi." Fantou hurriedly stepped forward to greet him and pulled him.
Liu Xiaoqi sat down. Ah Hei asked again, "Are you also in a hurry?"
Liu Xiaoqi asked: "What's new?"
Ah Hei said: "Their store has just opened less than a month ago. Didn't you rush here?" Nai smiled and said to Fantou, "This child is young, don't tease him."
When the two fans heard this, they immediately leaned against Liu Xiaoqi and joked with him. Liu Xiaoqi was seven years old. Although he had seen these things since he was a child, he had never experienced them before. Hei suddenly became stiff. Ah Hei asked the old madam to add more wine.
Come. Liu Xiaoqi closed her eyes, used a little strength to break away from the two pink heads, and jumped up from between them! Ah Hei burst into laughter. Liu Xiaoqi turned over and landed behind Ah Hei and said: "
I'm here to check something out."
"Huh?" Ah Hei turned his head, "What are you checking?"
"Mr. Gao."
Ah Hei touched his nose: "Has he been here?" Liu Xiaoqi nodded. Ah Hei turned around and looked at Liu Xiaoqi for a while and said, "You still don't know how to investigate. You can't find out like this.
"Sit down and have a glass of wine. Don't worry, their wine is pretty good." Liu Xiaoqi said nothing.
Ah Hei then asked: "Have you ever had a young master named Gao come here? His father is Gao Hanlin, and his grandfather is Li Guogong Liu Biao." The fans looked at each other and said they did not remember such a person.
He then called their old bustard to come.
The old madam thought for a long time and said: "That night, a wealthy man's son from out of town held a banquet in our courtyard and invited a dozen young men. They were all of that age and dressed in the same appearance."
Ah Hei asked: "Who is that rich young master?"
The old bustard said: "My surname is Wang, and I came to the capital from the south to study."
Ah Hei raised his eyebrows at Liu Xiaoqi and said, "Here, you ask yourself about your errand."
Liu Xiaoqi then asked the various people in this dark brothel carefully, such as the madam, the fan, the maids, the servants who kept watch at night, etc. None of them could tell whether the young master Gao was here or not, and they couldn't figure out who the young master Wang was.
Who? Ah Hei ignored everything and just watched the excitement. Liu Xiaoqi spent half a day trying to find any useful information. Ah Hei then coughed and asked, "Aren't there more than a dozen young masters? There is not one of them."
Do you recognize it?"
A fan immediately said: "Yes! Uncle Xiong comes here often."
Ah Hei said: "Who is Uncle Xiong?"
Fantou said: "Uncle Xiong is less than twenty years old and lives in the south of the city. Because the family is very strict, he doesn't dare to go to the flower house for fear of being seen by adults, so he often sneaks in here."
Ah Hei sneered, "What's the point of taking care of this kind of thing? Can you manage it?" He then asked, "Do you know where he lives?" Fan Tou didn't know, and only said that he would come every few days. Ah Hei
Nodding, he said to Liu Xiaoqi, "It seems that you can only come here and wait."
Liu Xiaoqi didn't know whether to believe that he came here by chance. However, everything he said and did was fair and honest, and he couldn't fault him. He was really helping himself. He was full of doubts and had to keep it in his stomach. Ah Hei ordered.
Fantou sang some songs. After Fantou sang two songs, he said that he was not excited, so he took the pipa and started singing. I guess his singing was not bad, the music was fresh, and the lyrics were interesting.
The bosses all listened.
After a while, Ah Hei had eaten and drank enough, and was a little drunk, so he went to sleep in the back. He was a little heavy, and Pink Tou couldn't help him, so Liu Xiaoqi said, "I'll help him," and gave Ah Hei a ride.
Hei's arms were held behind his head.
This is not a time when there are many customers in the brothel. It is a dark brothel and it has recently opened. There are no other customers except the two of them. Liu Xiaoqi saw Ah Hei fall down on the kang, turned over and fell asleep.
, so he didn't go out. While he was snoring, he quietly touched his body to see if there was anything. Ah Hei didn't notice at all, and someone had already emptied his arms.
Liu Xiaoqi clicked: There are three purses. The largest one contains two ingots of gold and two ingots of silver, and a dozen silver notes totaling five hundred and seventy taels; the half-sized one contains fried pine nuts; the smallest one contains a
There is a seal with two words engraved on it, "Eagle Eye". There are four concealed weapon pouches, which are extremely complete, including concealed weapons of various colors. There is one sleeve quiver, which is light and delicate. There is also an ordinary small linen bag with some hidden weapons in it.
There were more than a dozen small paper bags. Liu Xiaoqi picked up a few and smelled them. They had everything from sweat medicine to aphrodisiacs to laxatives. A very small Western-style fire gun, the body of the gun was oily and attractive. It was also
There are two books, one is the latest volume published by Zhonghua Book Company, which is very expensive, three hundred taels of silver each; the other is the first volume of the commentary "Chu Liuxiang: The Fragrance of the Sea of Blood", the author's name is Gu Long. Liu Xiao
Qi searched him carefully again, and found a short dagger on his waist. Although he didn’t know the name, it was a good weapon. Then he found a note in his boots, with a couplet written on it: It’s snowing all over the sky.
Shooting the white deer, the laughing book hero leans on the blue mandarin duck.
Liu Xiaoqi looked at it for a long time, but couldn't figure out what the pair meant. He flipped through the book again, but there was no such thing as an insert. Looking at the comment again, he saw three red seals on the title page, which read "
"Collected by the Rongguo Mansion", "Lixiangyuan Library" and "Jia Cong". The co-author of this commentary is Jia Cong's. Looking through the book, there are some annotations.
There are few families these days who are not curious about Rong Guo Mansion and Jia Cong. Liu Xiaoqi then gently put all these things back to their original places, leaving only the commentary on Rong Guo Mansion in his hand, and sat under the window sill to read
He got up. Until Liu Xiaoqi finished reading this comment, Ah Hei still didn't wake up. The comment was really interesting, it was about the story of a strong martial artist in the green forest, and it was obviously endless, which made Liu Xiaoqi feel a little worried about it.
Ah Hei only brought this first volume with him. He thought for a while, put the book next to Ah Hei's pillow, got up and went outside to ask those pink-headed madams again.
It was getting dark, and a guest arrived in the yard. Unfortunately, there was no Uncle Bear. Ah Hei finally woke up. It wasn't that he had slept enough, but he was hungry.
The old madam sent someone outside to tell Liu Xiaoqi, and Liu Xiaoqi returned to Ah Hei's house and told him: "When I sent Brother Hei over first, this commentary fell on you. I'm bored, and I didn't get Brother Hei."
I’ll read it with permission.”
Ah Hei yawned and said, "It's just a comment. Is it worth saying?"
Liu Xiaoqi smiled and said: "I haven't finished this comment yet, does Brother Hei have anything else to say?"
"Yes!" Ah Hei said, "I have all the complete works of Gu Long from Lixiangyuan. Unfortunately, they are not the original works by Mr. Gu. They were written by later generations based on the stories. Look, go to my place and get them." (..