The weather gradually turned cold. In the current situation, Ning Yi's daily life was almost the same as before.
Every morning, he would run to the Qinhuai River and meet Nie Yunzhu. Occasionally, he would talk about the arrangements for the day. In the afternoon, he would go to Takeshi's headquarters, or come here to have a cup of tea and listen to the piano. Recently, there was always a third wheel between him and Nie Yunzhu when they were together. Of course, to be precise, Yuan Jin'er, who seemed to have nothing to do, would always sit next to him and accompany him to listen to Yunzhu play the piano and sing. Originally, the relationship between Ning Yi and Yunzhu had been made clear. Perhaps it could develop in a very impure direction. Under such circumstances, Ning Yi and Yunzhu had to be pure, which made Ning Yi feel very regretful.
Of course, taking a step back and looking at it from another perspective, it was not something an ordinary person could enjoy having two beauties sitting next to them. Yun Zhu's playing and singing were top-notch. If Yuan Jin 'er were to dance or something when she was free, she would definitely enjoy it. But Yuan Jin'er did not let him take advantage of this. She sat cross-legged beside Ning Yi and held her chin like a boy, listening with relish. It seemed that she was enjoying herself like a little monk. If Yunzhu left to get some tea and snacks, she would not follow her. She would just sit beside Ning Yi with a serious face. She was so hateful.
Because of this, after a few exchanges of sarcasm and ridicule, the two of them had a few open and honest conversations. Most of them were when Nie Yunzhu left, and the two of them stared at each other.
"Let's go down and dance later, chick." Ning Yi did not get along well with this guy anyway, so he did not need to choose good words.
"No, I'm just sitting here and listening to Sister Yunzhu sing … You should be content. Do you know how much it cost to have me accompany you in Golden Wind Restaurant?"
Ning Yi rolled his eyes. He didn't want to lower himself to her level. Recently, Su Tan'er had given him a key. He had become a pretty boy who could take money at will, so it was not easy for him to take money. Therefore, he had been poor recently and did not talk about money. "Tsk, you can't do this. You're ruining marriage …"
"There's no such thing as a bad marriage. Aren't you friends with Sister Yunzhu? Then you can be like this, but if you want to do bad things, I won't allow it. You're not a good person. You have a wife at home. Can you abandon Su Tan'er and be with Sister Yunzhu? "
"To be honest, this is very difficult." Ning Yi thought for a while, then looked at the river and muttered to himself, "There are many problems, and men are not good things. They always eat from the bowl and look at the pot …"
Originally, Yuan Jin'er wanted to say this. Seeing that Ning Yi was so shameless, she glared at him angrily. However, she was also a person who had experienced many trials, so she immediately returned to normal. She curled her lips and said, "Look at it, look at it. It's just that you can't eat it because you look at it."
Ning Yi also looked at her lazily. "I didn't really want to eat it, but when you remind me all day, I suddenly want to eat it. What should I do …"
"Then let's see who is more powerful …" Yuan Jin'er winked at Ning Yi. She was very cute. Ning Yi laughed. "You can only be a thief for a thousand days. How can you guard against a thief for a thousand days?"
"Hmph." Yuan Jin'er didn't listen to this and turned her face to the side. After that, she accompanied Ning Yi to listen to songs. Anyway, she was like a dead pig that was not afraid of boiling water, so Yun Zhu also thought that it was interesting and didn't chase her away. Instead, when Ning Yi left, she pestered Yun Zhu and desperately complained. However, under the current situation, Yun Zhu wouldn't be angry about such things. Even when Jin'er mentioned Ning Yi's face of eating from the bowl and looking at the pot, Yun Zhu only smiled and didn't say anything. She even asked him with interest if he really said that. It was as if he really wanted to eat it, and Jin'er was slightly discouraged.
In fact, Ning Yi didn't care much about this kind of things. As a man, he naturally thought about it, and it was impossible for him not to think about it. Nie Yunzhu was beautiful, gentle, and her tenacious side was also very attractive to him. Everyone had already reached this step, and Yun Zhu was already very willing to do these things. If Jin'er hadn't suddenly appeared that day, he would have pushed the boat along with the current and continued to develop.
But on the other hand, his heart didn't occupy much of these things. On the other hand, Yun Zhu was more enjoying the feeling of interacting with Ning Yi. To be fair, in this era, although there were some romantic and praised love stories or legends of unwavering loyalty, the way men and women interacted with each other couldn't be true equality or respect. Even if many men cherished women, it was actually based on the model of this era.
Perhaps what Ning Yi could really make some people feel was his extremely "eccentric" and "maverick" style of doing things. When he saved Nie Yunzhu and was slapped in the face, he could walk away without a care. Later, he could also chat with her casually. He could sleep for an entire afternoon while listening to Nie Yunzhu's music, and he was too lazy to show off his powerful or talented side. Just like when he was bored, he could sit on the balcony with Su Tan'er for an entire night, and he could make random jokes about asking for a mistress.
Although it was casual, Ning Yi didn't act like a rascal or immoral. He always had his own temperament and demeanor, it was just casual. These things were mixed with true calmness and equal feelings, or to them, the elements of love. It was probably something that women in this era would never be able to experience. Of course, whether one liked it or not depended on the person. For example, a girl named Zhou Pei always felt that Ning Yi, this teacher, was too undignified and undignified.
The mockery between Ning Yi and Yuan Jin'er, both overt and covert, often made Yunzhu a little flustered. When everyone was together, she seemed to have returned to the days when she was a singer. When she had nothing to do, she would hold the zither and sing a song to liven things up. Jin'er, who was only an audience member who refused to help, was very shameful. Although Yunzhu felt a little happy at this time, Ning Yi, who was equally shameful as Jin'er, would occasionally take out his moral integrity to wipe it away. When Jin'er disappeared, he would ask a few questions, and Yunzhu would only smile and say, "I'm happy." She often shared the contents of Jin'er's secret with Ning Yi. Of course, she was not too sensitive, like eating from the bowl while looking at the pot.
Of course, they didn't have much time to go to the small building in the afternoon. After school in the morning, they either taught more things in the laboratory next to the Academy, such as studying physics and chemistry, or walked around and ate with Xiaochan. Sometimes they went to Elder Qin's house to chat and play chess, and sometimes they went to Takeshi's restaurant. The city gate had been opened, and the impact of the flood had entered the stage of rehabilitation. Once the prohibition of alcohol was lifted, Takeshi would sell high-alcohol liquor.
Occasionally, they would meet people they knew in the shopping mall, such as the Wu Family, the Xue family, or other friends or enemies of the Su family. They would also meet some shopkeepers of the Su family. It seemed that Jiangning City was not big, but they had nothing to talk about. As for Ning Yi, these people either laughed at or disdained him. Ning Yi roughly understood and didn't bother to pay attention to them.
However, when he was in the Su family, there were often messy things. For example, not long ago, a young shopkeeper who was more or less related to the Su family accused him of not managing the cloth formula well, which led to the problem of the royal merchant. If he had not been inexperienced and didn't pay enough attention to this aspect, the royal merchant's problem would have been in the bag.
Similar things would not be rare. He had enough psychological preparation in advance. Whether it was some contradictions within the first branch of the Su family, or the power of the second branch and the third branch, they had all emerged at this time. As long as he could spare no effort to attack people related to Su Tan'er, it might be a kind of victory. Although Ning Yi was now married into the Su family, and he had opened up his business affairs, he was Su Tan'er's husband after all. As long as he could be forced to leave the Su family by any means, it would obviously be the most powerful blow to Su Tan'er.
Of course, whether he could really do it was another matter, but pressure from all aspects was inevitable. Naturally, Ning Yi's current response could only be regarded as adopting a cowardly attitude. He was in the wrong, so he could only do this. But the grievance in his heart would not lessen. One day, it would burst out and create a bigger flaw. Everyone was waiting for this day. If anything were to happen to Ning Yi, Su Tan'er, who was already in a terrible predicament, would be in an even worse state. But in recent days, the situation seemed to have become a little strange.
"Recently, Fifth Uncle and Seventh Uncle have agreed to hold a clan meeting in half a month. They will formally discuss the problems that have arisen in the family recently. At that time, they will also raise the issue of Tan 'er's involvement in the family business as a woman. The matter of the first branch should be decided within this year. "
In the afternoon, in the courtyard where Su Zhongkan stayed, several shopkeepers and cousins who were close to the second branch, including Su Chonghua, were sitting in the room with Su Zhongkan drinking tea and casually talking about some recent family matters. In the past two and a half months, the Su family had been in turmoil, and the business of the second and third branches had also been greatly affected. But as members of the second branch, they did not show much depression at this time. As Su Zhongkan was talking about this, a cousin on the other side opened his mouth.
"I'm just afraid that Third Uncle will still not change his mind at that time. With the situation of our Su family, even if the other uncles are on our side, I'm afraid that the old man will continue to drag on like this."
Su Yu ranked third among the older generation. At this time, the Third Uncle mentioned by this person was also referring to him. Su Zhongkan shook his head.
"Father should not say anything more. If he really would say something about the situation of the family in the past month, I'm afraid he would have come forward. The first branch, the second branch, and the third branch will eventually have a result. He also understands that. The old man seeks stability and hopes that the family and everything will prosper. I'm afraid that he is really angry about what happened to Brother Yu. But Big Brother is like this now, and Tan'Er has made such a mistake. I think he will also feel that it is not good for the first branch to continue to stand in the eye of the storm. If he really retreats, it will also ensure that Niece Tan'Er can live a good life in the future. "
"That should be the case." A cousin nodded, "Now in the family, everyone probably has such an understanding of this matter. These days, I have contacted several shopkeepers of the first branch and asked about their intentions. Most of them also said that if they are removed from the first branch, they are willing to come to our side. It's a pity that the most important ones have not expressed their position yet. Shopkeeper Xi is young and impetuous. He said that he wants to live and die with the first branch. Oh, many people in the family also know his feelings for the second girl. In addition, Liao Kaitai is also unwilling to express his position … "
"If Manager Liao says something, I believe many people will change their minds." One of the shopkeepers said, "But he is really loyal to the First Master. After that thing happened, he still did not complain about the first branch … Oh, it's just that a few nights after the Spring Festival, he said that Ning Liheng is too bookish and willful. Otherwise, there would be a chance … Recently, I can't find him, so there is no way to start from this aspect …"
"Oh, Ning Liheng …" Someone laughed.
Su Chonghua also smiled and leaned back in the chair, "He is talented, but unfortunately he knows nothing about business …"
"But Manager Liao, I heard that he was sent to the capital by Niece Tan'Er?"
Su Zhongkan nodded, "It's hard to say what exactly he did, but he did report to the family to the capital. I also laughed that day. Niece Tan'Er must have lost her mind. Knowing that the relationship in Jiangning could not work, she wanted to go to the capital to complain? But I'm afraid she has other ideas. When it comes to complaining, there is no real evidence. We don't have a good way to go in Tokyo. She should also know that it is impossible. "
"Recently, she seems to be watching the Wu Family to make arrangements, wanting to disrupt the market with low prices. Maybe she really lost her mind and wants to stake everything on one throw?"
"Selling goods at low prices, that is pushing the entire Su Family into the fire pit. Even a fool knows what the result will be. The entire Cloth Line will unite to fight against us." Su Zhongkan laughed, "Even if she wants to do it, the family will not allow it. The first day this order is issued, I'm afraid that the family will hold a meeting that night. We can save ourselves some trouble."
"But … there are some strange rumors outside these two days." While talking, a shopkeeper surnamed Ren thought and said.
"Huh? What rumors? "
"The situation of the Wu Family seems to be a bit strange. The situation these two days is somewhat different from before when they were adjusting supply and demand, drawing the New Year's cloth, and making bold and decisive discussions with the other merchants about development. There are rumors that they seem to have some problems with the Brilliant Gold Brocade. In short, these two days, Wu Cheng Hou and the others seem to be somewhat absent-minded when discussing business. There are even rumors from the Weaving Bureau that they are discussing with Dong Decheng about delaying the delivery of the first batch of Brilliant Gold Brocade. It is just that it is not confirmed yet. "
"Then what's going on?" Su Zhongkan frowned.
"I'm afraid there is really some small problem. This kind of thing happens often. Yesterday, I heard that their family's Qin Zhongnan, who is in charge of the imperial merchant's batch of cloth, suddenly fell ill. Because of this and that, there will always be some people who spread it to be mysterious. "A shopkeeper shook his head and said.
The shopkeeper who spoke earlier also shook his head and laughed, "It should be. I think it should be the Xue family spreading the news. This afternoon, I even heard someone say that the Wu Family has fallen into our Su family's trap on the imperial merchant's matter. Second Miss is secretly plotting against them. Now there is a problem or something. "
"Fell into a trap?" Su Zhongkan was stunned, then he looked up and laughed, "This must be a rumor spread by the Xue family without a doubt. If they really fell into a trap, it is either Eldest Brother's or Chuunibyou's. However, Eldest Brother's consciousness was not clear these days. As for Chuunibyou, if she pretended to be ill, it might really be a trap. However, last time she really fell ill from overwork and suddenly fell ill. Doctor Sun also said that she was under too much pressure and suddenly fell ill … There is no doubt about this. If they really fell into a trap, I heard that the matter was handled by Liheng at that time. Could it be that they fell into Liheng's trap? "
When he said this, everyone smiled helplessly. To be honest, it was not good to laugh at one's own family. However, they were already familiar with Ning Yi. Others might say that this person was mysterious and incomprehensible. They were all people in a big house. Everyone in the family knew what he did every day.
All day long, he taught a group of children, told inappropriate stories, and it was said that he also did some unorthodox little experiments. He played Go, walked around, and ate. Before Su Tan 'er fell ill, he almost never touched the business, and after that day's annual meeting, he did not set foot in the cloth industry. If such a person, who had nothing to do all day, had really done something in that one month, and had been leisurely until now to be discovered, and had endured all kinds of disgust and insults all day without moving, then he simply did not seem like a human at all. What's more, if he really did something, all kinds of unforeseen events might happen in the next one and a half months. It was impossible to completely ignore it.
Everyone drank tea and laughed for a while. After a moment, a cousin frowned, "But … what if it is true?"
"Uh …" Su Zhongkan was slightly stunned, and the atmosphere in the room became a little cold. They looked at each other. That cousin thought for a while.
"Now that I think about it, it is really strange. Ning Liheng did not care about the business before. After Er Ya fell ill, he did try his best to fix it. But after August 25th, Er Ya took over the business, and he suddenly withdrew. It is possible that he was hit on that day. But … wasn't it a little too thorough? From then on, he didn't care about the business at all. When others scolded him, he acted as if nothing had happened. It was as if he didn't care about it at all … If he was really that angry, shouldn't he feel guilty or care about it in the future? Could it be that his cultivation is really that powerful?
As he said this, a strange feeling rose in everyone's heart. Indeed, in the past one and a half months, the family had been fighting openly and secretly, rising and falling. Inside and outside, they were fighting for many things, and everyone had spent a lot of effort. Many people fixed their eyes on the scholar, treating him as a part of the battle. They tried to make him angry and displeased so that he would be kicked out of the Su family. At the very least, they wanted to disrupt Su Tan 'er. But of this couple, one was stubbornly doing silly things that others couldn't quite understand in the center of the vortex, while the other … seemed to be living a normal life as if he didn't care about these things at all. Everyone had always thought that he was enduring, but to be able to endure to this extent was indeed a bit too much.
But after all, this was just a casual guess. After a moment, everyone shook their heads and laughed.
"That scholar is not so good …"
Su Chonghua probably knew the most about Ning Yi, and at this time, he also laughed the most amusingly, "You think too much. The Wu Family only had some small problems, and you also took hearsay seriously. If Liheng was really so good, then he would not be the Ning Liheng that you and I know, but Zhuge Wolong. Receiving orders in the face of danger, doing some things that should be done, and then leaving after doing it, not caring about anything … Do you know such a person? But he does have some literary cultivation, and his temperament is also different from others. In the past, he was questioned by everyone because of his poetry, but he was too lazy to defend himself. Now that he is being abused, it is not a problem for him to bear with it … "
"Hehe, Chonghua is right. You really think too much …"
In the midst of talking and laughing, everyone immediately put these things to the back of their minds. But maybe because they talked about these things in the afternoon, when they met with Ning Yi that evening, when they met him on his way home, Su Zhongkan could not help but look at him a few more times. A young man dressed in a green robe was holding an old book in his hand. No one knew where he had bought it from. As he walked, he looked at the sunset in the western sky. No one knew what he was thinking. Noticing his gaze, he turned his head and smiled at him, "Second Uncle."
The two sides greeted each other and passed each other. Su Zhongkan shook his head slightly. Indeed, he was too young. He could see the calmness that belonged to a young man, but not too much of a schemer. And such calmness, if it was on a young man, was mostly faked. For more than a month, he had suffered so many supercilious looks and abuse, and he was probably holding it in in his heart, but he had no choice but to act like this …
As he thought of this, he then put his mind on how to persuade the youngest of his uncles, Ninth Uncle, tonight, and no longer thought about these things about Ning Liheng.
Small things were always the affairs of the younger generation, and he did not need to get involved.
*****
In the same evening, Wu Qilong and Xi Junyu met in a room of a restaurant on the bank of the Qinhuai River. The two of them met by chance that day, and each had their own things to do. For example, Xi Junyu had been coming and going with many people from the Su family and the shopkeepers of the first branch, trying to guide and lay out some things. At the moment, there was already an effect. Tonight, he also made an appointment with several people from the Su family to have dinner nearby, so there was not much time left.
"Brother Xi, how have you been recently?"
"Everything is fine, but did something happen to your Wu Family in the past two days?"
Wu Qilong looked at him for a while, then took a sip of tea, "Nothing, I just wanted to ask you about the matter we talked about before. Have you considered it? Over the past month and a half, you've been working hard to make the Su Family blame Ning Yi for the imperial merchant's matter. I've also gotten people to help you spread the word. At this time, the biggest problem with the imperial merchant's matter is that Ning Yi didn't keep the taint recipe well. However, it seems that the effect is limited. What do you think now? "
"Who said the effect is limited?" Xi Junyu smiled, "Who knows what will happen before things reach the final step? Now, with the situation of the Su family, whether it is Su Tan'er or Ning Yi, they must be holding back their dissatisfaction in their hearts. Su Tan'er can't even take care of herself now, and she wants to seize the last chance, so she has no time to deal with these feelings. Ning Liheng … he has been holding back, and one day he will not be able to bear it anymore … Once he loses the first branch in Su Tan'er's hands, she will remember what happened before, and then she will remember that everyone is saying that it is Ning Liheng's fault … "
"What if that is not the case?"
Xi Junyu shook his head, "That is not what I need to think about now."
"Oh, it really is your character …" Wu Qilong laughed, then leaned back in the chair, "As I said, the door of the Wu Family is always open for you. When it is necessary, please consider it."
Xi Junyu looked at him silently, nodded, then thought for a while and said, "You are not quite right. Is there really something wrong with you?"
"There is indeed a problem. There have been several accidents in the workshop, and Uncle Qin suddenly fell ill. After all, things happened too fast, and the pressure is too great. We are now considering negotiating with the weaving bureau to postpone the contract. It is not a big problem, but it is not a good thing. Too many people know about it, so I am thinking that it would be good if there are more people in the family … "
"Mind your own business." With that, Xi Junyu turned and left.
Wu Qilong watched him go out, then drank a cup of tea and sat quietly in the room. It was evening, and when the lights became clear, a figure knocked on the door and came in. If there were people from the Su family here, they would definitely recognize the person in front of them. This middle-aged man was also a steward of the Su family. His surname was Qi, and his name was Guangzu. After closing the door, he said hello to Wu Qilong, then sat down at a seat on the side, frowning.
"Uncle Qi, how is it?"
Qi Guangzu looked at Wu Qilong, "Young Master, is there really something wrong with the Wu Family?"
Wu Qilong smiled and lowered his head to take a sip of tea, "Uncle Qi, if something really happens to the Wu Family, it will not be good for you, right?"
"I talked with Shopkeeper Zhou yesterday." Qi Guangzu frowned, "Shopkeeper Zhou and Shopkeeper Bai are the most low-key and cautious among the shopkeepers of the first branch of the Su family, so Second Miss put them in charge of the development of the Ranfang. After the incident with the imperial merchant, the Su Family was also investigating. During this period of time, the two of them were also extremely neglected. However, after receiving your message, I was drinking with that Shopkeeper Zhou the night before yesterday. It really gave me a fright … Eldest Young Master, what exactly happened? "
Wu Qilong's expression became serious, "What happened? Shouldn't I be the one asking you? Uncle Qi, what did Shopkeeper Zhou say? "
"He … he basically didn't say much." Wu Qilong refused to say, so Manager Qi took a deep breath, "But during the whole process of getting drunk, I didn't see him worry at all. I only noticed it yesterday, he seemed … not only was he not worried about the investigation of the Su family, he didn't even worry about the whole situation of the Su family. This is clearly something that he and Shopkeeper Bai should be responsible for. Young Master, there is only one sentence that I remember the most clearly."
Qi Guangzu paused, "He was drunk at that time, and said … in the whole Su family, besides the old grandfather, the one he most admires is …"
"Oh, your Second Miss …" Wu Qilong could almost guess what was going to happen next. At this time, he raised his teacup and sneered. Qi Guangzu looked at him with some embarrassment, "No … it's … Young Master Ning."
Wu Qilong was stunned. He moved the teacup away from his mouth, and after a moment, his eyes turned, as if he didn't know where to put the teacup. He took a deep breath, then opened his mouth and let out a long breath, turning his eyes back to Qi Guangzu.
"What … did you say?"
*****
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