Yang Fan left the palace and walked along the imperial road. In his heart, he was still thinking about whether or not he should do something in such a complicated situation. As he crossed the Tianjin Bridge, there was a sudden commotion in front of him. A man in his fifties wearing two pieces of clothing called out in panic, "My raccoon, my raccoon. Aiyo, my dear friend, be careful with your carriage. Don't run over it."
Yang Fan looked up and saw a carriage parked on the side of the road. There was a cage on the carriage. The cage's mouth had been opened for some reason and a few raccoons had escaped from the cage and were scurrying around on the ground.
The man and his two assistants chased after the raccoon in a flurry. The raccoon was very nimble and weaved in and out of the crowd. The three of them were so tired that they were gasping for breath and were in a sorry state. The three of them spent a lot of effort to catch a few raccoons with the help of passersby. However, one raccoon had scurried to the roof of a house on the side of the road. The three of them were so anxious that they jumped up and down but were helpless.
Yang Fan had wanted to ride past them when he suddenly saw that the man in two pieces of clothing looked somewhat familiar. He couldn't help but rein in his horse.
Seeing that the raccoon had jumped onto the roof and was about to escape along the roof, the man was so anxious that he stamped his feet and shouted. However, he didn't have the ability to run up the roof. In his anger, he couldn't help but pounce over and viciously grab one of the assistants by the collar. He shouted, "Trash! You really are trash! You can't even lock the cage door properly. What else can you do? If you can't catch the raccoon, I'll deduct three months of your salary! "
Yang Fan looked at the man's exasperated expression and felt a sense of déjà vu. Suddenly, a scene flashed through his mind. He remembered that he had seen this man in two pieces of clothing at the lantern festival two years ago. At the time, this man was selling firecrackers. Because Maqiao and the female guards had a quarrel, this man had accidentally set off a few carriages of firecrackers and caused a big fire on Ding Ding Street.
Yang Fan's ability to remember people was not strong, but what happened that night was really not easy to forget. Especially that night, on top of the hundred-foot tall flowering tree, he and Li Lingyue, the flower of Luoyang, had an extremely fragrant taste. That was the first time in his life that he had tasted a woman's lips.
How could he forget everything that happened that night? That day, this man had also pounced on him like a hungry dog trying to snatch food, angrily grabbing his collar and demanding him to pay up. Now, seeing the same action and the same expression, Yang Fan couldn't help but laugh, his mood suddenly becoming somewhat agitated.
At that time, his only desire was to sneak into the palace, capture Shanghai Wan'er, and force her to reveal the whereabouts of Miao Shenke. His only goal in life was revenge. Who would have thought that in just two years, there would be such a huge change?
This person was Lu Mo, a small businessman who wanted to make a fortune by selling firecrackers at the lantern festival two years ago. That night, he suffered heavy losses. The person who caused the trouble escaped, and he was worried that he would be caught by the officials to take the blame. Seeing that the situation was out of control, he could only run away.
Although his firecrackers became famous because of this, not all of the firecrackers scattered on the street that night were ignited. Some were trampled by the fleeing tourists, revealing the saltpeter stuffed inside. This secret was discovered by other merchants who sold firecrackers, and they immediately followed suit. In Luoyang, Lu Mo wasn't the only one who sold firecrackers.
In the next few days, although he also made a small profit, in the end, he couldn't recover his losses. Firecrackers were seasonal goods. After that, Lu Mo changed to helping people buy and sell pets. In the past two years, his business gradually grew. Although he still couldn't be considered one of the top pet merchants in Luoyang, he had already made a name for himself.
Today, he had bought a few precious cat breeds, but he didn't expect that before they could be shipped home, something like this would happen. Ordinary house cats weren't worth much, but these mutant breeds trained by mountain cats, once they met a suitable customer, they could be sold for a good price. How could Lu Mo not be anxious?
Yang Fan turned his head to look at the leopard cat on the roof. Suddenly, he leaped up and stepped onto the horse's back. Using the horse's back as leverage, he leaped up like a roc. In one step, he flashed to the top of the wall. His toes tapped on the top of the wall again, and he shot up like an arrow to the roof. His movements were swift and agile.
The green tiles on the roof were quite old, and a light step could easily shatter them. However, when Yang Fan leaped into the air and landed on the roof, he didn't break a single tile. This level of kung fu was truly impressive. When the people on the street saw this scene, they couldn't help but cheer, and they all gathered around to watch the show.
The leopard cat with gold patterns all over its body stood on the ridge of the roof and yawned lazily. It arched its back and took light cat-like steps, walking along the long ridge into the distance. It didn't notice that there were already so many people watching in front of the house, nor did it notice Yang Fan who had leaped onto the roof. Yang Fan bent his body and quietly approached it.
This leopard cat was nimble and agile. In this kind of terrain, it would be very difficult to catch it without a net. The people on the street all held their breaths and watched curiously. Yang Fan stepped on the roof tiles and quietly approached. The leopard cat with gold patterns suddenly sensed him and suddenly leaped, flying into the distance.
The surrounding people immediately hushed, thinking that he wouldn't be able to catch the cat. Lu Mo's face was even more dejected. When Yang Fan saw that the leopard cat was already vigilant, he suddenly leaped onto the ridge of the roof and quickly chased after it.
The roof tiles were semi-circular and covered the ridge, making it slippery to step on. Moreover, the roof tiles formed by the roof tiles were only the width of a palm. Even if one carefully walked on it, it would be very difficult to reach the end. However, Yang Fan actually ran as if he was flying, his movements even more agile than the leopard cat.
This was the house of a wealthy family. It was a row of five rooms, and the roof was more than 30 meters high. Yang Fan crept behind the leopard cat, as agile as a cheetah, and in an instant, he had caught up. The leopard cat realized that someone was trying to catch it and ran to the wall of the house. Suddenly, it let out a "meow" and its tail straightened as it leaped off the roof.
When the surrounding people saw Yang Fan's skills, they couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. Unexpectedly, just as he was about to succeed, he fell short at the last moment. They couldn't help but exclaim, feeling sorry for him. At this time, Yang Fan had already chased to the end of the house. He also leaped, pouncing out like an arrow released from a bow.
In midair, Yang Fan grabbed the leopard cat's neck and flipped twice in the air before landing firmly on the ground. The surrounding people immediately started to clamor. Lu Mo was overjoyed and quickly rushed in front of Yang Fan. He bowed and said, "Thank you, Langjun, for your help, thank you, Langjun!"
Yang Fan smiled and handed the cat back to him. He said, "You're welcome, it was nothing."
Lu Mo handed the cat back to his shop assistant and told him to put it back in the cage. He then thanked Yang Fan profusely.
Yang Fan looked at the few leopard cats in his cage and asked, "Are you a cat dealer?"
Lu Mo said, "I specialize in small pets in Luo Jing, but I don't just sell cats. I spent a lot of money to buy these leopard cats. It's a small business. If one of them ran away, it would be a big loss to me. Thank you, Langjun, for your help. "
Yang Fan waved his hand and smiled. Suddenly, his eyes were fixed on a cat. He clicked his tongue and praised, "This cat looks so mighty. It's as mighty as a big worm!"
Lu Mo said, "Langjun, you have a good eye. This cat is called Black Eye Golden Silk, and it's a very famous breed. Look at its black body, it's as black as charcoal and as bright as silk. What's special is that from its eyes to its back to the tip of its tail, there's a gold coin hidden in its black hair. You can only see it if you look carefully under the sun. "
Yang Fan said with a smile, "I'm a layman when it comes to leopard cats. I'm just watching the fun, but after listening to you, I've learned a lot. Does this white cat have anything to say about it? "
Lu Mo said, "This one is called the Crossing Water Gourd. Its hair is as white as snow, its beard is golden, its head is round, its claws are short, and its body is as fat as a ball. This kind of cat is the best at swimming. Even if there's a big river with huge waves, it can easily swim across it. Because of its cute fat body, it's most loved by the ladies in the capital."
When Yang Fan heard that he was very popular with court ladies, he suddenly thought of Xiao Man at home. After being married for so long, other than not fulfilling the duties of a wife in bed, Xiao Man couldn't be blamed in other aspects. She took care of the house, took care of the shop, and served him. She was worthy of the title of a good wife. But other than a title, what had he given her?
The two of them had been respectful to each other up until now. Although Xiao Man had some quirks, he might not be completely free of responsibility. Thinking of this, Yang Fan couldn't help but think and looked carefully.
Lu Mo was a businessman. After observing his expression, he couldn't help but ask, "Langjun, you like cats too?"
Yang Fan said, "I'm a government official and busy, so I can't always be at home with my wife. This cat is very cute, so I want to buy one for my wife to relieve her loneliness."
Lu Mo heard this and quickly said, "In that case, what do you think of this Golden Jade Slave? There are naturally yellow and white spots on its fur. The yellow spots are like real gold, and the white spots are like beautiful jade. Its fur is smooth, and its eyes are bright and full of spirit. Since the Han Dynasty, this Golden Jade Slave has been a treasure among cats. "
"Golden Jade Slave?"
Hearing the word slave, Yang Fan suddenly thought of Tin Aino. A cat with the same name as Tin Aino, Yang Fan felt very uncomfortable. He shook his head, and his eyes suddenly focused on the leopard cat with gold patterns that he had just caught. He asked, "What's this cat called?"
Lu Mo complimented, "Langjun, you have a good eye. This cat's name is Qian Qian, and it attracts wealth and treasures. It's an auspicious thing."
Yang Fan smiled and thought, "Qian Qian, this cat has such a beautiful name, it must suit that little miser's taste." So he said, "Okay! I'll take this one! "
Lu Mo said, "Langjun, you helped me just now, and I don't know how to thank you. Since you like it, I'll sell it to you at the purchase price. You only need one coin. "
While the two of them were talking, a cat with a huge face in the cage opened its two strange eyes, one yellow and one blue. It looked at Yang Fan in a daze and yawned lazily. This strange cat's head was strangely big, but its body was small. Its disproportionate appearance was very interesting. Yang Fan found it funny and couldn't help but ask, "What kind of cat is this?"
Lu Mo smiled and said, "This type of cat is called Long-faced Luohan. It was born with the temperament of a Buddha. It's extremely gentle and never gets angry. I'm a businessman. If other people think this cat is cute and want to buy it, I'll just sell it and won't say anything. But Langjun, I owe you a favor, so there are some things I have to say first. This cat has a problem, it doesn't bark. "
Yang Fan asked curiously, "How can a cat not bark? Is it a mute cat? "
Lu Mo said, "It's not that this cat is mute, it's that this type of cat doesn't bark. It's not true that it never barks, but it's rare to hear it bark all year round. It's said that this cat is born with a vision that foretells good and bad things. If it opens its mouth, it must be warning its owner that something bad is about to happen. "
Yang Fan found it funny and shook his head. "I haven't traveled the world, but I've traveled thousands of miles. I've never heard of a spiritual beast that can foretell good and bad things. I want this cat too, how much is it? "
Lu Mo said, "Everyone is willing to report good news, no one is willing to report bad news. Who would like this kind of strange cat that only knows how to report bad news? The seller also caught it in passing and didn't release it. He gave it to me for free. If Langjun likes it, you can take it. It's free."
Yang Fan said, "You're a businessman, how can you do that?"
Lu Mo looked around and lowered his voice. "I won't hide it from Langjun. I thought that there are very few people in Luoyang who know this kind of strange cat. If someone likes its strange look, I can sell it for some money, so I brought it back. Langjun is different from others. I got it for free, so I'll just give it to Langjun. How can I take money?"
Yang Fan shook his head and still didn't think much of it. He said, "This kind of saying is absurd. I definitely don't believe it. If this cat is really that magical, it's just a prediction of bad things to let its owner be prepared. It's not like it caused a disaster, so why do you have to treat it so badly? I don't have that much money on me. Come with me to Nanshan, I'll get the money for you. "
When they arrived at Nanshan, Yang Fan went into one of his own shops and took some money from the shopkeeper to pay Lu Mo. He didn't give him one or two strings of coins, but a full 20 strings of coins. When Yang Fan bought the cat, he already had the intention to compensate Lu Mo.
Lu Mo didn't know that the bastard who burned a few of his carts of firecrackers at the Shang Yuan Lantern Festival was this person's friend. Lu Mo held the 20 strings of coins and was dumbfounded. He had seen many customers with strange tempers in his business, but he had never seen a buyer like this customer who liked to raise the price himself.
…
In Bo Gu Zhai, the song "The Wind Enters the Pines" was like the gentle autumn wind.
A couch, a table, and a stove. Two beauties sat facing each other.
The inchworm sitting on the stove had just begun to boil, and the water was covered with tiny bubbles. A graceful, elegant, and beautiful woman was sitting on her knees on the couch. She used a silver tongs to pick up a piece of tea cake, which she warmed over the charcoal fire. She placed it in a tea roller and crushed it evenly. Then she poured it into a sieve and sifted the crushed tea into a saucer.
Xiao Man, dressed in white, knelt on the opposite side and watched her actions with great interest.
The beautiful woman smiled and explained, "When the water first boils, it's called 'Slight Sound'. When other people boil soup, they would add salt, onions, pepper, and other ingredients. My father likes light flavors and only likes to add some salt powder to taste. He doesn't use anything else. My taste is even lighter than my father's, I only like the fragrance of tea. Therefore, other than this cup of clear water, I don't add any other ingredients. Why don't you try it? The tea brewed this way will have a different flavor. "
Xiao Man put her hands on her knees and smiled, "Xiao Man has seen some noble people use the way of drinking tea. Xiao Man has only tasted it once and really can't stand the taste of that medicinal soup. Although other people say that this thing dispels greasy and refreshes the mind, I still don't want to taste it again. Xiao Man has never tried the way Madam is drinking tea. Today, I must have a taste. "
At this time, the water was already flowing like a pearl spring. The woman used a small and delicate ladle to scoop out a ladle of water and gently put it to the side. She picked up the porcelain plate with the tea powder and used the silver clip to gracefully stir it in the inchworm until the water flowed in one direction and a deep whirlpool appeared in the middle. Only then did she pour the tea powder into the whirlpool.
The woman smiled and said, "When the water boils three times, then add this ladle of water back and you can taste it."
This woman was the daughter of the Wang family of Taiyuan that Lai Junchen had forcefully married. She usually liked to walk around Nanshi and go shopping. Bo Gu Zhai specialized in selling antiques. Madam Wang was quite knowledgeable about antiques and especially liked to collect them. She used to often come to the shop. Later, she found that the shop had been renovated and the mood was more elegant than before, so she became a frequent customer.
Over time, Madam Wang, this generous customer, became acquainted with the owner of Bo Gu Zhai, Xiao Man. Madam Wang was very lonely in the fu. She was too lazy to interact with the family members of Lai Junchen's gang of scoundrels, and Lai Junchen was a lonely official in the court. The noble matrons that she really wanted to befriend were not willing to interact with her. Now that she had a friend like Xiao Man, when she was not shopping, she liked to come and sit here.
When the water boiled, Madam Wang poured the ladle of water back into the inchworm. She took a towel and wrapped it around the arm of the inchworm and moved it to the metal rack on the side. She used the ladle to scoop out the tea and gracefully divided the tea. She said with a faint sense of desolation between her brows, "As a general of the Imperial Army, your husband rarely comes home. It is fortunate that he trusts you so much that he has handed over such a large family business to you to manage. Otherwise, he would be trapped in the fu all day like a bird in a cage. It is very boring."
Xiao Man blinked and said, "Xiao Man is his wife. He has no time to care about these things. Isn't it only right that he leaves it to me to manage?"
Madam Wang glanced at her and said with a smile, "Your husband dotes on you so much, it is only right that you do so."
She made a gesture of inviting Xiao Man to have tea. She picked up the teacup, blew on it, and took a small sip. She closed her eyes and savored the taste. She said, "In the hot summer, drinking some other drinks, although it feels cool at the time, later on it will feel even more unbearably hot. But this tea is different. It can disperse the heat of the body from the inside to the outside, using heat to dissipate the heat. It is very miraculous. Please! "
Xiao Man also picked up the cup. Madam Wang continued the previous topic. She sighed faintly and said, "Some men like to control everything in their own hands. How can they let women make decisions? Some men don't want their wives to show their faces in public, especially businessmen. They are afraid that they will lose their identity. Some men, even though they are husband and wife, are wary of their wives. There are also some men who are very jealous and are deeply afraid that their wives will interact with all kinds of people and do things that will let him down. Listening to what you said just now, your husband not only believes in your ability to do business, but he also believes in your character.
What makes people especially envious is that he left this shop to you to manage. It is not because there is no one to use it, but because he is worried that you will stay in the mansion all day with nothing to do. You will be bored and depressed. Such a good match, it really makes people envious. If a man is guarding against you like a thief, then no matter how much he loves you, he will only see you as a rare bird in a cage. He will not be happy. "
Xiao Man took a sip of this tea without any seasoning. She carefully tasted it. There was indeed a special fragrance that made people feel relaxed and happy. She was about to praise it when she suddenly heard Madam Wang's words. She couldn't help but be startled and thought about it. The two chatted for a while. A servant girl came over and said, "Madam, it is getting late, we should return to the mansion."
Madam Wang indifferently responded and said to Xiao Man, "I should go, this tea set is for you. Tomorrow afternoon, if I have time, I will come find you again for tea. "
Xiao Man stood up to send her off. She returned to her original seat and sat down. She picked up the teacup and brought it to her lips. Thinking of what Madam Wang had said, she suddenly became a little absent-minded, "Is it really like what Madam Wang said? Yesterday, I even laughed at myself for being his free worker. Now that I think about it, all this money has only passed through my hands, but he has never asked about it. He really thinks of me as his most trusted family member. Am I not aware of my good fortune? "
Just as Xiaoman was lost in her thoughts, Yang Fan found out from the shopkeeper of a shop that Xiaoman was currently in Bo Gu Zhai, so he carried the two kittens into the shop. When he saw Xiaoman sitting there in a daze, he couldn't help but laugh. "Wife!"
"Ah! Langjun! You … how did you manage to come back? I thought it would be a few more days! "
When Xiao Man saw Yang Fan, she immediately stood up, her heart full of joy. Yang Fan smiled bitterly and said, "You already know about these things in the court? With my status, how could I leave at this time? It's just a temporary change of guard, and I still have to stay in the barracks to wait for orders. I was worried about you, so I asked for leave to come back and have a look. I will be leaving in a while. "
When Xiao Man heard this, the joy in her heart was swept away. She responded in a low voice and turned to see the two cats in Yang Fan's arms. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Langjun, where did you get these two leopard cats?"
Yang Fan said, "Oh, I saw someone selling cats on the road. I thought that you were alone at home and might be bored, so I bought two for you to relieve your boredom."
If it was any other time, Xiao Man wouldn't think too deeply about it. But today, with Madam Wang's emotional words, and hearing Yang Fan's words, she suddenly felt that Yang Fan cared about her. If he doesn't have me in his heart, would he ask for leave at this time just to see me? If he doesn't care about me, as a man, would he have the thought to buy cats to make me happy?
Xiao Man's heart was filled with a kind of warmth, but she couldn't tell what kind of feeling it was. At this time, the "Human-Faced Arhat" yawned lazily and meowed.
Yang Fan said with a smile, "Look, this cat has seen its mistress and is greeting you …"
Yang Fan looked down, and his smile suddenly froze. He thought that the cat that meowed was the "Thousand Wen Qian", but he didn't expect it to be the "Thousand-Faced Arhat" who was said to never meow and would always be fierce when it meowed.
Xiao Man saw Yang Fan's strange expression and couldn't help but ask with concern, "Langjun, what's wrong with you?"
Yang Fan stared at the "Thousand-Faced Arhat" and said, "No wonder it doesn't like it. Even I, although I don't believe this nonsense, I still feel uncomfortable when I hear you meowing!"
Xiao Man was amused and said, "Langjun, why are you talking to this cat?"
Yang Fan said with a smile, "Nothing, I suddenly thought of something." As he said that, he handed the two cats to a servant to take away.
Xiao Man carefully looked at his face and said with some distress, "Langjun, you must have been working day and night for the past few days. It's rare for you to rest, and your face is full of fatigue …"
Yang Fan touched his cheek and said blankly, "Really? I think it's okay … "As soon as he said that, he suddenly felt a little sleepy and actually yawned.
Xiao Man suddenly remembered the refreshing tea and quickly sat down behind the table. She poured a cup of tea and said softly, "Langjun, this is a tea that I have just learned from a lady. It is the most refreshing thing. Langjun, try a cup!"
Yang Fan walked over and sat down on the soft cushion opposite her. Xiao Man blew away the floating tea foam on the surface of the water and gently handed the cup to him with both hands. Yang Fan reached out to take it, and when he touched Xiao Man's fingers, he couldn't help but look at her. Their eyes met, and Xiao Man couldn't help but lower her head and eyebrows, just like a water lotus that couldn't withstand the cold wind.
This situation and this scene really had the flavor of raising a case to meet eyebrows.
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
