"Get out of the way, get out of the way, don't squeeze me …"
"Keep your voice down."
"It doesn't matter, they can't hear us over there …"
There was a faint sound. The boy and the little girl hid behind the pillars of the corridor on the third floor and looked down. It was afternoon.
The street on the Dongji side was considered a relatively leisurely street in Jiangning City, suitable for leisure, but there were not many brothels in this area. Teahouses and restaurants stood in great numbers, and the shops had overhanging eaves and arched eaves. The street below was not wide, and there were often vendors selling all kinds of special snacks. There were also many opera singers and storytellers gathering in the taverns and teahouses. The Fragrant Warm Teahouse was the largest and most famous teahouse in the vicinity. From the third floor, one could see the roofs of many nearby teahouses and the scenery of pedestrians. However, the third floor was a private room, and the price was also very high. At this time, two children appeared by the railing of this corridor at this time. Their clothes and hats were gorgeous, and their temperament was far more noble than the children of ordinary families. At this time, no one knew what they had discovered, but they were hiding here stealthily.
"Ah ah ah ah … He actually poured tea for people, he must not be saying anything good …"
"That guy's face is so strange, suddenly red, then white …"
"Smiling tiger, he must be pretending to be stupid again. That person from the Wu Family is going to die of anger …"
"Sister, you are often angered by the teacher … Okay, I won't say it, I was wrong …"
The little girl stared hard at the boy.
On the opposite side of the street, in the teahouse called Jing Zhu Lin, two men seemed to be sitting by the window on the second floor, drinking tea and chatting. Not long after, one of the men left, and the other began to lower his head to read, write, and draw. The two siblings in the restaurant began to discuss whether they should run over to say hello.
"Maybe he is writing something interesting …" The little boy held his chin by the railing and said so.
The little girl did not speak, but a voice came from behind, "Oh? Who is that? "
The two children hurriedly turned around and saw that many people had silently appeared behind them. At this time, a middle-aged man in his forties was leaning over them. He had a square face and a beard that was nearly three inches long. He looked dignified and wealthy, and there was a smile on his face. The little girl named Zhou Pei blinked her eyes and mumbled, as if she didn't want to tell the truth. The boy named Zhou Junwu, on the other hand, suddenly pursed his lips and quickly shook his head. The middle-aged man was slightly startled.
"Oh, I can't say …"
"No, we don't know each other," said Jun Wu with a grin. His sister's eyes suddenly stopped darting around. The middle-aged man nodded and glanced at the second floor of the teahouse. "However, I see that this person is young and talented. I would like to make friends with him." As he spoke to this point, he suddenly thought of something. Bending down, he whispered into the girl's ear, "Speaking of which, Pei 'er is about to turn 15 in two years. Just now, there were so many scholars chatting and you didn't want to go in. Could it be that you and Junwu are here …"
"How is that possible!" Zhou Pei abruptly opened her mouth, then froze for a moment before turning her face to the side in annoyance and slapping her forehead. The middle-aged man laughed and looked at the people beside him. "In that case, I really don't know who that person is. Does anyone know?"
"Your Highness, that person is the son-in-law of the Su mansion, Ning Yi, Ning Liheng." An old man in his fifties smiled and cupped his hands.
"Oh? The number one scholar? " The middle-aged man who was addressed as "Prince" was taken aback as well. Then, he turned to look in that direction. However, no matter how he looked at it, the figure with the bandages on his hand seemed a little too young. Of course, this was only in comparison to the title of "Number One Scholar". He glanced at his son and daughter beside him. There was a look of understanding in his eyes, but there was also a hint of doubt in his eyes.
"I've long heard that this person has amazing poetry talent, but I've never met him. Everyone here is also a learned scholar, I wonder if anyone knows him …" He wanted to say that if so, he could introduce Xiao Wang to him, but when he saw the attitude of his son and daughter, he changed his mind, "I wonder … Is this person's name real?"
The middle-aged man in front of him was indeed the father of Zhou Pei and Zhou Junwu. He was also one of the few idlers from the royal family who lived in Jiangning, Prince Kang, Zhou Yong. Although he had the title of "Prince", he didn't have much in the way of making money like his aunt Zhou Xuan and uncle Kang Xian. In fact, he wasn't good at poetry. He liked to wander around and listen to plays. He was also skilled in things like fighting chickens and dogs. When he had nothing to do, he would go out to hunt and occasionally shoot one or two rabbits.
Of course, things like poetry had always been a popular pastime for all people. Every once in a while, he would show up to be cultured. With this identity, when he wanted to be cultured, he would be cultured. This time, the people following behind him were basically all talented scholars in Jiangning. When he asked, one of them smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Ning Yi is indeed talented." This was a compliment. If there were several playboys from the Su family here, they would be shocked, because the person in front of them turned out to be Liu Qingdi, who had some conflicts with him before. But after saying this, he also smiled and said, "But recently, uh … Oh, this has nothing to do with poetry. Let's not talk about it. I have always admired Ning Yi's poetry talent."
"Oh? Did something happen to Ning Yi? Qingdi, there's no harm in telling us. Everyone should also listen … "Zhou Yong looked at him with a smile.
Liu Qingdi's expression changed. After hesitating for a while, he nodded and said, "If that's the case, then … in fact, this is nothing new. It's just that Your Highness, Prince Kang, has not heard of it. This matter has to start from two months ago. At that time, the cloth merchant, the Su family, had an accident …"
In these two months, the struggle that happened in the cloth merchant area of Jiangning really had a good story. First, the Su family was assassinated, which was revealed to be a trap set up by some enemies. Then, the Su family became stronger and stronger. They built up momentum and bravely seized the imperial merchant, but at the last moment, they were still overturned. Although it was really immoral to steal other people's formulas, because of the twists and turns of this matter, at this time, everyone was amazed at the open and secret struggle in all aspects. However, after Liu Qingdi finished speaking, everyone realized that the role that Ning Yi played in this matter was really not much.
Perhaps the first scholar was good at poetry, but if he was mediocre in other aspects, it would make people feel that he was only good at boasting, which would inevitably be a little dispirited. Looking at the young man over there, this was also true. This kind of person, even if he was good at poetry, it was because he was talented. Therefore, he was worried about composing new poems. After all, his experience was still not enough. And in the teahouse over there, the figure of Ning Yi had already collected the things and went to pay the bill. Then, he disappeared from everyone's sight.
"Oh, what a pity …"
Zhou Yong sighed. No one knew whether he was talking about the loss of the opportunity to meet with Ning Yi or the struggle between the Su and Wu families. But as he spoke, he looked at the pair of disapproving children next to him. His gaze was slightly complicated. While his attendants were greeting people, he lowered his head and pondered.
Liu Qingdi then looked in the direction where Ning Yi disappeared. A trace of pride and hatred flashed in his eyes.
On the side, the pair of siblings pursed their lips and exchanged a somewhat sly look.
*****
When the driver lifted the curtain to tell him that they had arrived home, Wu Qilong lifted the curtain. It was close to dusk. The sun began to tilt and looked less dazzling. It poured the golden light from the other end of the Wu Family's mansion. The magnificent and grand door of the mansion looked particularly solemn. Every time he saw this scene, he couldn't help but think of the family's … sense of dignity or sense of honor.
He remembered that when he was young, he went back and asked his mother why their yard was especially big and why their door was different from other people's. His mother would say that it was because the Wu Family was the number one cloth merchant in Jiangning.
The Wu Family was the number one cloth merchant in Jiangning …
In fact, especially in the recent period of time, after being busy for more than a month, this feeling in his heart would become particularly clear. He would recall the scenes from when he was young when his parents and the people around him taught him these things.
Jiangning, the number one cloth merchant.
This was a position that many people had worked hard to reach. Ever since he was young, he had been thinking about how to turn this knowledge into not only the number one cloth merchant in Jiangning. Ever since he was young, he had been very confident that he would definitely be able to do this. In fact, during this period of time, he had even felt that he had already seen success.
All of this, that light, suddenly darkened this afternoon.
At this moment, his body was cold.
He was almost not sure what he had been thinking during this period of time in the carriage. He could barely remember how he had gotten down the stairs and into the carriage. His footsteps and body were somewhat unsteady, as if he was floating.
All of this would no longer exist …
With this thought in mind, he walked towards where his family might be.
He didn't even know how to tell his father or other people about these things. But some things, indeed, couldn't be left unsaid …
*****
When Wu Qihao returned home, the lights had already begun to be turned on. The atmosphere in the house was somewhat strange. A servant told him to go to the main hall. When he passed by the square, he saw Fifth Uncle Gong Zheng, who hadn't come out for a long time, being supported by two servant girls. The lights in the Wu Family were a little brighter.
He knew that something big had finally happened. In the past few days in the warehouse, the bright gold brocade continued to fade. He knew that one day it might develop into this situation. But when it came, his heart suddenly sank. For a moment, it was already too late for him to say anything to the slow Fifth Uncle. He broke into a run and ran towards the main hall.
His father, elder brother, First Uncle Wu Chengjian, Third Uncle Wu Chengyuan, and even two of his closest cousins had all arrived. These two also had a considerable share of the family's participation and dividends, but none of the shopkeepers, such as Luo Minzhi, who were involved in important decisions, had come. At this time, the people who had rushed over might not have eaten yet. Everyone had a simple meal beside them, but no one was in the mood to eat. Wu Qihao glanced at them and walked forward.
The matter was more serious than he had imagined. If it was just a matter of the cloth fading, everyone should have been mentally prepared a few days ago. But at this time, his father's expression was obviously not right. Because not everyone had arrived, he was sitting on a chair at the side. Although he still subconsciously maintained a dignified and calm appearance on the surface, there was something wrong with his eyes. Wu Qihao walked closer to him before he reacted. He only heard his father sneer subconsciously.
"… Great ancestors laugh at the crown … The White Emperor knows that he still presses his sword … Ha …" That sneer was not a smile full of hostility. It sounded a little tired. He looked at his second son in front of him and shook his head.
"Everyone was fooled by him … He didn't take us seriously at all … Oh, Qihao …"
"Father, what's wrong?"
"Have you eaten?"
"Call someone to bring some food. Eat some first. Something happened, ask your eldest brother … "
Wu Qihao saw his father close his eyes and rub his forehead. When he opened them again, his gaze had already stabilized, erasing the moment of absent-mindedness. He had changed back to the reserved and fierce look that belonged to the head of the cloth industry, the head of the first cloth merchant family in Jiangning. But after a moment, he looked at the corner of the room and let out a long breath.
That was not a good signal.
Wu Qihao turned and walked towards his elder brother who was sitting near the door. At this moment, the figure was a little quiet, but his gaze was a little cold. Fortunately, his elder brother was calm at this time. He was thinking of countermeasures.
"Brother."
"Sit." Wu Qilong glanced at him and patted the seat next to him. His panic period had passed, and he could now control his emotions. After his younger brother sat down, he said calmly, "The colors of the cloth in the warehouse are still fading. This afternoon, I met Ning Liheng outside, and then …" He paused as he saw his elderly Fifth Great Uncle come in from the door and stand up with everyone else. "Then we talked for a while, and then I found out about the whole thing …"
The light in the day had completely faded. The brighter the lights, the darker the night. In the Wu Family's mansion, the wind swayed a little bit of fire. People who held important positions in the Wu Family began to gather in the main hall.
Like Wu Chenghou's brothers who managed the family together with him and had the qualifications to participate in important matters, or the cousins who truly participated in the business of the family, or the younger generation who were truly placed in an important position and could already enter the family, or the Wu Qilong, Wu Qihao and the others, or the Wu Family's seniors who once competed with Su Yu in the business world. The Wu Family, the number one cloth merchant in Jiangning, and these participants who were now or had been in the business world, were all alarmed by the crisis at this time. They had to gather together and work together to discuss a response.
More than two months ago, even during the fight for the imperial business, the Wu Family did not even gather a quarter of the people here, especially the elders of the Wu Family like the fifth great uncle and the eighth great uncle. They used to be people who could shake the Jiangning weaving world with a stomp of their feet. At this time, they had retired to enjoy their old age, but at this time, they had no choice but to come out again to deal with this crisis.
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