Who said that a woman's hand strength was small? Under Gao Wenxin's slap, Tang Bohu's left cheek immediately glowed like a peach blossom. Not only was he hit, he was also scolded as a refined scum. Even if he was the number one scholar of Jiangnan, he was still hit silly.
Seeing his appearance, Yang Ling couldn't help but secretly rejoice: luckily, at that time, Wen Xin had hit my buttocks. If my face had also received such a slap, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to see anyone for three days!
Nothing saddened Gao Wenxin more than to be humiliated by the person she cared about the most. With tears streaming down her face, she rushed to the lakeside, wanting nothing more than to throw herself into the vast expanse of mist and end all her troubles.
On the lakeside, there were a few boatmen pulling a small boat over. Half of them were foreigners from the Inner Factory. As soon as they saw the Factory Supervisor's inseparable maidservant, they covered their faces and ran over. Imperial envoy Yang shouted for help as he followed closely behind. Immediately, two men dressed as fishermen stepped forward shoulder to shoulder to block her way. They smiled apologetically and said: "Miss, please wait."
Gao Wenxin angrily said: "Get out of my way." As she spoke, she stretched out her hand and pushed. Before her hand could touch the two foreigners' chests, her slender waist tightened and she was lifted up by someone.
Gao Wenxin was both shocked and angry. She struggled and shouted: "Let go of me, let go of me." She turned her head and saw that it was Yang Ling who had his arm around her waist and lifted her up. The strength of her body twisting immediately weakened. Her legs, which had been kicking backwards, also softened.
Yang Ling took advantage of the situation and rushed forward a few steps. He circled around to the back of a short and twisted willow tree and put Gao Wenxin down. He anxiously said: "My eldest miss, what are you doing? It's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding!"
Mo Qinghe, Wu Jiyuan, the Four Great Scholars and the others stood in the pavilion and looked at the willow tree. They saw the shrewish beauty suddenly poke her head out, as if she wanted to escape. Immediately after, a pair of hands suddenly stretched out, grabbed her waist and pulled her back.
Then, separated by the willow tree, they could only see half of the two people's backs. They saw the back of the Imperial Envoy Mister Yang, the supervisor of the Inner Factory, the commander of the Personal Guards, who was ordered to patrol the country, suddenly straight and then bent, as if he was bowing with his hands held in front, continuously begging for mercy. The crowd of Inner Factory officials saw this and their hearts withered. Immediately, as if they had a tacit understanding, they turned around and walked away, pretending not to see.
Big Beard Zhu did not even bother to drink his wine, he stroked his long beard and stretched his neck to look. He saw the two shadows behind the tree were pushing and shoving at first, but then they got closer and closer, until finally other than a pair of heels, he could not even see their shadows.
Suddenly there was a gust of wind and they saw a piece of silk ribbon fluttering behind the tree. The hem of Yang Ling's robe was fluttering. His eyebrows and eyelids twitched uncontrollably. He winked and said: "Top Scorer Tang, quickly pick up your brush. Old Zhu looks like he's about to put on a live erotic show."
Wen Zhengming elbowed him and scolded in a low voice: "Go and drink your yellow soup. Old Weng and his honored guest are also here."
Xu Zhenqing also laughed dryly and said: "That servant girl may not be the daughter of a rich family, but she seems to respect herself very much. Old Zhu, please watch your mouth, otherwise you will end up like Brother Tang …"
As Tang Bohu listened, he stroked his burning cheeks and smiled bitterly. He had suffered this slap for nothing. He was afraid that these heartless, big-mouthed friends would spread the news. But they were used to being uninhibited, so they treated it as a romantic affair and did not feel that they had lost face.
Yang Ling explained and coaxed her. In the end, it was unknown whether Gao Wenxin was still angry or she still wanted to enjoy the feeling of snuggling in his arms. She was hugged tightly by Yang Ling's waist and snuggled in his arms like a little bird. After sobbing for a while, she said in an aggrieved voice: "Even if they hit it off with Master, there is no reason … to show off your private drawing.
That Miss Lian 'er came from a brothel, should they show her to others without the slightest scruple? If you say they are uninhibited, isn't that the same as humiliating others? They are not successful in their careers, so they use the name of being romantic to resent the world. In the end, they are frivolous and do not follow the rules of etiquette. I don't know how many people in court are watching Master, trying to find fault with you. Master really should not interact with them too much. "
What Gao Wenxin said made a lot of sense. The debauchery of these scholars, if placed in the future, would be seen as a rebellion against feudal ethics. People only talked about their romantic affairs, thinking that it was because the heavens were jealous of their talents and that their fate was unfair. But they did not know that their self-abandonment was also talked about and interesting in the eyes of the people of the time. However, they also cut off their careers. With all these kinds of things, how could they still be seen in court?
To put it bluntly, their behavior was just for show, not elegant. People would talk about these interesting things after a meal, but they would not treat these 'stars' as pillars of society.
The excitement Yang Ling had felt when he first met the Four Great Scholars had calmed down a little. He suddenly realized that if he were to be obsessed with their reputations in the future and hang out with them, wouldn't he be giving those who wanted him dead a chance to do so?
Yang Ling sighed and tightened his grip on her wrist. He sincerely said, "Wen Xin, you are right. No matter what, with my status, openly discussing these things with them is a bit frivolous. In the time I've been in Jiangnan, I've avoided the open and secret struggles of the court. I've really been a bit careless."
Gao Wenxin was coaxed and persuaded by him. She knew that she had misunderstood and the anger in her heart had long dissipated. Hearing his sincere tone, she instead felt a bit apologetic. She struggled with a blushing face and lightly said, "It hurts to be grabbed by you. It's not like I'm planning on jumping into the lake, why are you still holding me?"
Yang Ling laughed and let go of her hand. He said, "Let's go back. Master Mo and Sir Wu must be very worried."
Gao Wenxin lowered her head. Her embroidered shoes lightly scratched the ground. She bashfully said, "I … I'm too embarrassed to go. Master wants to go to the lake. I'll wait here for you."
Yang Ling smiled. "That small boat can only carry two people. Today, I'll row the boat and let you have fun for the day. How about that?"
Gao Wenxin raised her head and looked at him with surprise. She then hesitantly said, "Master, I'm just a servant. You … you don't need to be so polite to me."
Yang Ling sighed and teased, "Miss Gao, ever since I brought you into the household, tell me, have I really treated you as a servant? If you use these words against me again, you'll feel guilty. "
Gao Wenxin's pretty face reddened. She opened her mouth but didn't say anything. Yang Ling smiled and turned towards the pavilion.
Yang Ling walked into the pavilion with his head held high. Wu Jiyuan nervously stepped forward and asked, "Young … Young Master Yang, uh … Miss Gao's anger has subsided?"
Yang Ling waved his hand disapprovingly. "Women are really strange. After being reprimanded by me, she's much more well-behaved now."
Mo Qinggu hurriedly coughed twice to suppress his laughter. He then turned his head to the side of Lake Tai and clasped his hands behind his back, pretending to enjoy the scenery.
Yang Ling still didn't know that his bowing appearance behind the tree had already been seen by others. He smiled apologetically at Tang Bohu. "Brother Tang, I'm really sorry. Little Brother's discipline was not strict enough. That maidservant actually injured Brother Tang. I'm really ashamed."
Tang Bohu laughed dryly. "It's nothing. If it wasn't for this palm, how could this Tang see such a touching scene?"
Yang Ling was surprised. "What scene? Did Brother Tang make another painting? "
Tang Bohu quickly waved his hand and smiled. "I don't dare, I don't dare. No, no, uh … But this painting, I have a new idea. I need to make some changes. I'm afraid I won't be able to finish it today …"
Yang Ling hurriedly said, "There's no hurry. I don't know how much Brother Tang's painting will cost? You can go back to your residence and paint it. I'll call someone over later. It's not a penny less. "
Tang Bohu hurriedly said, "Young Master Yang, although this painting was taken from your residence's maidservant, this painting is mine. I will definitely not sell this painting alone. I hope Young Master can understand."
At that time, there was no portrait rights law. Tang Bohu's words were bold and confident. Yang Ling didn't think there was anything wrong with it. However, in his heart, Tang Bohu's painting was priceless. If it was a complete set of ten beauties, he didn't know how much money it would cost. However, he didn't want Gao Wenxin's portrait to be taken by someone else.
Yang Ling couldn't help but hesitate. "Then this painting, how much does Brother Tang want to sell it?"
Tang Bohu looked at Wu Jiyuan's respectful attitude towards him and concluded that this person must be a noble young master with a very high status. To be able to make the richest man in Suzhou act so respectfully, he might even be from a noble family in the capital. Therefore, he wanted to extort a large sum of money from him. He stared at Yang Ling's expression as he hesitantly said, "This … Collecting all ten beauties is not easy. This Tang spent nearly a year, so the price is a bit more expensive than a single painting. At least five … five …"
Tang Bohu's painstaking paintings only cost twenty taels of silver. Although ten beauties were hard to come by, asking for five hundred taels of silver was a bit too much.
But it was rare for him to meet a master who was willing to spend money. Seeing how much Yang Shan doted on that beautiful servant, he must be a wealthy young master who had tender and protective feelings for the fairer sex. This was a rare opportunity.
He hesitated and was about to say his price. Wu Jiyuan heard this and understood. Recently, he had been pushed around by that upstart Li Gui. Unfortunately, the administrative commissioner and the magistrate of Suzhou, who usually spent a lot of money on him, had ignored him. If he climbed onto Yang Ling's high branch, who would dare to bully the Wu household?
If Tang Bohu's price was too low, he wouldn't be able to show his sincerity by buying it and giving it to Yang Ling. Therefore, he hurriedly said, "Five thousand taels of silver? Fine, Tang Bohu, hurry up and finish the ten beauties. I will buy it for five thousand taels of silver. "
Finishing, he smiled apologetically at Yang Ling and said, "Wait until I have this ten beauties painting. I will immediately send someone to deliver it to your residence."
Hearing this, Tang Bohu was overjoyed. He raised the drawing board in his hand and said, "Good, then I will give you this' Moonlit Night Harem Flower 'for free. When the time comes, I will send it to your residence."
Hearing this, Yang Ling didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He rubbed his nose and glanced at the painting. "Brother Tang, this painting is … is it a harem flower? Haha, the dear friend in the painting is covering it up tightly. I really couldn't tell. "
Hearing Yang Ling pick on his painting, Tang Bohu became a little anxious. He said seriously, "When it comes to painting, one must pay attention to the beauty of restraint and the subtlety of the artistic conception. Didn't you see that the beauty's hand is covering her private parts? Then when fishermen ask about it, where is the paradise? Don't you know it clearly? "
Zhu Zhishan and the other two lecherous men laughed together. They shook their heads and said, "Exactly, exactly. Moreover, there is this sentence, 'When you turn back, warn me to be softer, it is not like the ordinary …'. It is the finishing touch."
Yang Ling felt a chill in his heart when he heard this. So these are the great scholars in my heart, the great idols. You guys are too … too … No wonder you guys can't become officials. To think that all of your talents are used on this.
* * *
The waves of the green lotus. Near and far, there were several small boats rowing on the water. The lotus leaves were knee-high. If one didn't stand up, it would be difficult to see each other.
Zheng Baihu and more than twenty foreigners rowed a small boat and surrounded the area from afar to prevent tourists from trespassing. The Tian brothers and sister were in one boat, while Mo Qinghe and Wu Jiyuan were in another. Yang Ling really fulfilled his promise. He and Gao Wenxin rowed a small boat alone in the lotus waves.
Gao Wenxin happily sat at the bow of the boat. She splashed the clear lake water on the green lotus leaves. The lake water overflowed and gradually condensed into small water droplets. The boat moved forward gently. The dense water chestnut leaves were squeezed by the water and automatically separated to two sides.
Small and exquisite white water chestnut flowers dotted the green leaves and red lotus, elegant and fresh. Gao Wenxin flipped the water chestnut roots and happily searched for the red fruits. She put the plucked water chestnuts on her skirt. She had already collected two big handfuls of them.
Suddenly, a startled big fish jumped out of the water. It drew an arc under Gao Wenxin's eyelids and smashed into the water with a splash, startling her. Yang Ling couldn't help but laugh when he saw this.
Gao Wenxin rolled her eyes at him. Her expression was extremely moving. Her glossy black hair was a little messy in front of her forehead. Crystal clear water droplets stuck to her fair and beautiful face, as if they were seeping out from under her skin. Yang Ling's eyes lit up when he saw that. He was just about to praise her when he held his tongue.
Gao Wenxin saw his expression and a trace of bitterness flashed in her eyes. She picked up a red water chestnut, lowered her head and softly recited, "Ling 'er, we are all dependent on each other. The autumn water always feels cold." As she recited the poem, she secretly glanced at Yang Ling from the corner of her eyes.
Grand Master Yang was really cooperative. He quickly clapped twice and said, "Good poem, good poem …" Gao Wenxin was a little discouraged, "Master, are you pretending to be stupid or do you really not understand? Didn't he become the top scholar of the Xuan Prefecture at the age of 16? "
Yang Ling didn't know that Gao Wenxin was using a poem to flirt with him. He clapped twice and saw that Gao Wenxin was still a little unhappy. He embarrassedly let go of the oar and said, "After rowing for a while, I'm a little hungry. Come, let's eat something first."
Gao Wenxin made a sound of agreement. She gathered up the water chestnut and walked back to the cabin to sit down. She reached out and took the shiny food box. There were four layers in the box. She took out the dishes one by one and placed them on the small table in the middle of the room.
The bottom of the food box in the Wu household was made of iron. There was a charcoal fire inside and there was a layer of water insulation on top. So even after such a long time, the food in the box was still warm. The southerners were particular about delicacies. There weren't many dishes in the box, probably only enough for a few bites. However, there were many different types. The first dish was a cube of meat. It was thick and plump, moist and plump. The skin of the meat was even more dazzling. It was a piece of Dong Po meat.
The second dish was Dong Ting shrimp. It was a specialty of the Dong Ting Lake, 'Frightening Human Fragrance', cooked together with river shrimp. It looked and smelled great. Other dishes such as osmanthus taro, quick-boiled spring rolls, deep-fried gold bricks, soup dumplings, braised duck, fried eel, all of them showed the essence, elegance, delicacy and ingenuity of the Dong Wu culture.
Boating in the lotus pond, picking lotuses among the flowers, delicious food and wine, and with the fragrance of red sleeves, one would be drunk even if one didn't drink. What's more, there were lotus leaves poking out of the water all around them. In the middle, there was only a beautiful woman with a sweet smile.
Yang Ling remembered how Gao Wenxin threw a tantrum just now. He secretly had an evil thought. He wanted to teach her a little lesson. So he put on the airs of a master and asked her to drink a few cups.
Gao Wenxin couldn't refuse, so she also drank a few cups. When the wine entered her stomach, her cheeks immediately turned bright red. Yang Ling was secretly proud of himself. But when he asked others to drink, he couldn't help but drink. In the end, the wine in the tin pot was completely drunk. Yang Ling felt his head was heavy and his feet light. Miss Gao Wenxin's complexion was like a layer of rouge, but her eyes were getting brighter and brighter. She didn't look drunk at all. Only now did Yang Ling realize that Miss Gao Wenxin had a good capacity for alcohol. He couldn't help but secretly complain.
This was the first time Gao Wenxin was alone with Yang Ling. It was the first time they drank together. It was the first time he hugged her and it was also the first time he gently coaxed her. She couldn't describe the feeling of being a young girl. After drinking, she was even happier.
She smiled and picked up the empty tin pot. She said to Yang Ling sweetly, "Master received an official title at the age of sixteen. You are a talent from the north. Now that the wine has been drunk, why don't servant and master go against each other and drink together?
Servant has a couplet here. Master, please match it: Carrying a tin pot, touring the West Lake. The tin pot falls on the West Lake. Unfortunately, the tin pot! Master, please answer it correctly. "
When Yang Ling heard that she was going to match couplets, he was shocked. How many people in the modern world have learned that? When he heard her say something about tin pot, West Lake, and unfortunately, he was even more confused. Although he had never heard of this couplet, he could tell that the difficulty of this couplet was that the three words were the same sound as the West Lake.
He didn't know that this couplet was used by someone in the past to make things difficult for the Grand Scholar Su Dongpo. At that time, Su Dongpo was also stumped by this couplet. He thought that it was Gao Wenxin who came up with this couplet, so he was filled with admiration.
He pondered for a while and finally came up with three words that were similar in sound. He could barely make a pair. He said to Gao Wenxin, "Uh … I have thought of a couplet. But compared to your couplet, it's really a far cry. I'll say it, but you can't laugh at me."
When Gao Wenxin heard this, she couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise. This couplet had been around for hundreds of years. Who knew how many talents had painstakingly tried to match it. In the end, they could only try to find the same pronunciation. They could barely come up with a second couplet. There was actually not a single person who could come up with a couplet as beautiful as the first couplet.
Her master was able to come up with a second couplet in such a short time. That was already very rare. What's there to talk about?
Gao Wenxin was surprised and happy. She quickly said, "Master, quickly say it. I'm all ears."
Yang Ling gritted his teeth and said, "Good Brother-in-law, marry a chaste wife. Brother-in-law lost his chaste wife. Sigh, Brother-in-law."
Gao Wenxin's eyes widened. Her small mouth was slightly open. She looked at him in shock for a while, but didn't say a word. Yang Ling couldn't help but say in embarrassment, "You see, you see. I said, the concept is too far away …"
Gao Wenxin suddenly twisted her body and leaned on the side of the boat, using her sleeves to cover her face. Her shoulders kept shaking, and the little boat also began to shake. Finally, this young lady, who had always been very particular about her manners, began to laugh loudly without caring about her image.
Yang Ling looked at her. His face alternated between red and white. After a while, he angrily said, "You see, you're drinking wine and you want to match couplets. You're really spoiling the mood."
Gao Wenxin saw that he was angry and hurriedly sat up. She bit her lower lip, trying her best to hold back her laughter. There were two pools of tears in her eyes, her body trembling non-stop. Yang Ling couldn't help but stand up in anger, saying, "Laugh all you want, laugh all you want. I don't care if I laugh myself to death."
Gao Wenxin saw that he was angry and didn't dare to laugh anymore. She quickly stood up and softly said, "Master, it's your servant's fault. Don't be angry."
The boat was already shaking left and right. When Yang Ling suddenly stood up, the boat tilted to the left. Gao Wenxin quickly stood up and lost her footing. She almost fell into the river.
Although Yang Ling was angry, it was because his couplets were not good enough. Just now, he thought that it was rare for him to think of three similar couplets. One of them was an interjection that was similar to 'Xi'.
When he saw Gao Wenxin laughing, he felt that he had lost face. At this time, he saw that Gao Wenxin was so anxious that she lost her footing and almost fell into the river. He quickly reached out to support her. Gao Wenxin fearfully threw herself into his arms. It wasn't until the boat slowly stabilized that she blushed and left his arms.
At this time, Gao Wenxin had just drunk some wine. Her jade face was red and her hair was disheveled. Her eyebrows were like a willow and her eyes were like the moon in the autumn waters. Yang Ling was stunned for a moment.
Gao Wenxin stood up and saw his gaze. She couldn't help but frown and shyly hang her head down. But she couldn't help but quickly raise her eyes to glance at him.
Her eyebrows were raised in an indescribable manner. Her words were even more enchanting. She secretly raised her eyebrows, hinting at Tan Lang. It was such a soul-stirring charm. Yang Ling knew that he shouldn't do it, but he couldn't help himself and quickly kissed her.
Gao Wenxin's rosy lips were plump and soft. With just a light kiss from him, her lips immediately became moist and moist. Her pair of bright eyes suddenly seemed to have turned into two jars of incomparably rich wine.
The black canopy of the boat was leisurely sailing. The wind carried the fragrance of the lotus. The female Godly Doctor, who had not been drunk all this time, had a hazy and intoxicated look on her face. It was as if she was sending out a deep invitation to Yang Ling.
As soon as Yang Ling kissed her, he seemed to have woken up from his beauty. He hurriedly let go and said, "Wen Xin, it's my fault. We can't … I shouldn't have done that."
When he was drunk, he couldn't control his feelings. Now that he had kissed her passionately, he suddenly realized that he had made a big mistake. He had long understood the feelings that Gao Wenxin had for him. He kept reminding himself not to fall too deep. But on this journey to the South, unknowingly, her endless web of love had already wrapped around him.
It wasn't until now that Yang Ling realized that his heart had already fallen in love with her. But because of his own illness, he could only struggle like a fish in a net, bitterly escaping …
Yang Ling sat back down heavily. He grabbed the wine glass, but found that it was empty. He didn't dare to raise his head to look at Gao Wenxin, who was sitting across from him. Her eyes were filled with hidden bitterness and disappointment. He only thought in his heart, "I can't get involved in love debt anymore. Wen Xin is more sensible than Yu'Er and the others. I … might as well reveal some of my own things to her and cut off her thoughts."
Thinking of this, Yang Ling raised his head and was about to speak when a delicate voice suddenly came from the front. "Hey, I just saw someone standing nearby. Brother, row a little further. Hey, hey, where are you?"
Yang Ling heard the sound of the water beside him. The Taoist master Zhang and his sister had already rowed the boat and floated over. He swallowed his words again. He saw Gao Wenxin's head drooping and her clothes twisting in self-pity. He hurriedly said to her, "Wen Xin, I have my own difficulties. I'm not taking advantage of your identity. Alas … when we get back to Hangzhou, I'll tell you my secret. You'll understand everything then. "
※ ※ ※
Courtesy demands reciprocity. The group of people returned in high spirits. Mo Qinghe also warmly invited the brother and sister to visit Hangzhou. The brother and sister were only greeted by the people of the Taoist temple in Hangzhou. Then they took the Wu family's carriage to Suzhou. They had never visited West Lake, so they came happily.
There was nothing on the way. The Taoist master Zhang and Eunuch Mo played Go in the cabin. Don't look at Taoist master Zhang's chess skills. His Go was very brilliant. Yang Ling didn't understand Go. After watching for a while, he felt bored. He looked at the scenery in front of the cabin for a while and then returned to his cabin.
Gao Wenxin was sitting alone in the cabin thinking about something. When she saw him coming back, she quickly stood up. Since returning from Lake Tai, the two had been a little uncomfortable when they were alone. Yang Ling smiled and said, "I've been sitting outside for a long time. I'm a little tired. I want to go into the cabin to rest for a while."
Gao Wenxin always had doubts in her heart. She didn't know what secret he had. Since he could accept Yu'Er and Cher, and he had feelings for her, but he refused to accept her. She wanted to ask him now, but as a girl, she was embarrassed to show too much eagerness. Seeing that Yang Ling had lifted the curtain and was about to enter the cabin, she couldn't help but say, "Master …"
Yang Ling stopped, turned around and asked, "Well? What's the matter? "
Gao Wenxin blushed and said hesitantly, "Ah … nothing. Are we … are we going back to Hangzhou directly?"
Yang Ling shook his head and said, "No, it'll be late by the time we get back to Hangzhou. We'll stop halfway and go to Haining first. We'll stay there for a night and go back to Hangzhou tomorrow."
"Oh …" Gao Wenxin heard that she couldn't hear the secret she desperately wanted to know tonight. She couldn't help but be disappointed and said, "Master, are you going to Haining to see the famous Haining Tide?"
Yang Ling asked curiously, "Is there a tide in Haining to see? I've only heard of the Qiantang Tide. "
The corner of Gao Wenxin's mouth curled up, but she didn't dare to laugh again. She just said in a low voice, "Haining Tide … is the Qiantang Tide …"
Yang Ling was startled and said dejectedly, "Forget it. I've lost face in front of you. The Qiantang Tide should be called the Qiantang Tide. It's really shameful."
Although Gao Wenxin had a lot on her mind, she still giggled at his teasing. She hurriedly said, "Master is from the north. When you're in the capital, you don't have time to ask about other people's business. What's so shameful about not knowing? But the Qiantang Tide is spectacular if you go to see it on the 18th of August every year. Although there is a tide now, it's much inferior. "
Yang Ling said, "I'll just look around. I'm going mainly to visit Lord Min. He's my old boss. When I came to Jiangnan, he already came to see me. If I don't go and see him, I'll be letting down my old friend."
Speaking to this point, he paused and gently looked at Gao Wenxin. In a soft voice he said, "I'm going to sleep. I don't need anyone to wait on me. If you're tired, you should also rest."
Gao Wenxin suddenly remembered something. She wanted to tell Yang Ling, but then she thought that this matter had nothing to do with her and Yang Ling. Besides, it was difficult for a girl to talk about these things, so she nodded and watched Yang Ling return to his room. She also laid down on the bed, her eyes staring at the cabin ceiling. Unexpectedly, she thought of that strange matter again.
Today, when Madam Mo came back from the Administrative Commissioner's yamen, her expression and gait were somewhat different. Ordinary people couldn't see the difference, but Gao Wenxin saw some clues. She saw that Madam Mo's cheeks were red, her eyebrows were like water, and her gait was somewhat soft and gentle. She couldn't help but be secretly shocked.
With her medical knowledge and understanding of the human body, she knew that for a woman's expression and gait to suddenly have this kind of abnormality, it must be because she had just walked the clouds and summoned the rain, and had the fate of having a body with someone.
Eunuch Mo was a eunuch, and he accompanied Yang Ling on a trip to Lake Tai. Madam Mo came back from the Administrative Commissioner's yamen alone, but her eyebrows and eyes were unexpectedly lustful, as if she had just had intercourse with someone. Could it be that she didn't abide by the etiquette of a woman and cheated on her husband?
Gao Wenxin used her arms as a pillow and thought for a long time. Then she faintly sighed and said, "Forget it. Although this matter caused me to catch a cold, it is after all someone else's private matter. If I had to tell Master, I would also be ashamed to say it. I can't even worry about my own matters, why would I care about other people's business?"
"Ah … Master clearly … clearly has affection for me. Why won't he accept me? Because I am a servant? No! No, he is not that kind of person. He said he has a secret. What kind of secret does he have that he actually won't accept me? "
Gao Wenxin lay on the bed, listening to the surging river, her heart rising and falling. She tossed and turned, constantly thinking about this question. Unexpectedly, it was difficult for her to sleep.
* * *
In the Tide-viewing Pavilion under the Zhenhai Tower in Yanguan Town of Haining, Yang Ling stood in the pavilion in a black cloak, and Gao Wenxin stood behind him. Mo Qinghe, Madam Mo, the Taoist master Zhang and his sister, as well as the Salt Transport Commissioner Min, the local garrison Qianhu, and several local salt merchants were also accompanying him.
Min Wenjian faced the wind and waves and laughed and said, "Mr. Yang, the tide in Haining in August was several feet high, and the sound of the waves was like thunder. It was very magnificent. Looking at it now, it is a little inferior. But it is rare for you to come here. No matter what, you have to take a look."
Although Min Wenjian did not have the idea of clinging to the rich and powerful, the friendship between the two was not shallow. Now that his old friend became such a high official in the capital and specially came to see him, it was normal for him to feel honored and happy. So he looked very happy.
In fact, in addition to visiting County Magistrate Min, Yang Ling came to visit him this time, he had another plan in mind. He had sent someone back to the capital to report the illegal behavior of Longshan Guards Commander Si Bichun and the Tariff Guard Yuan Xiong to the emperor.
He had seen Bi Chun in the past at Fiming Inn, and he knew that this person was not so easy to deal with, especially his nearly 200 bodyguards, all of whom were brave and good at fighting, and loyal to Bi Chun. As for Yuan Xiong, he opened tax cards everywhere and had a group of outlaws under him. He would not be a person who would wait for death. Once these two people's crimes were confirmed, they would be beheaded. He had to be on guard against them.
Before Yang Ling left the capital, he heard from Wu Jie that there was a general who had committed a capital crime in Jiangzhe who simply led his bodyguards to kill officials and rebel. They seized the ordnance and fled to the sea to join the pirates. If the emperor ordered him to arrest them, he did not know whether the generals of the nearby guards were in cahoots with Bi Chun. In order not to leak the news, he must not use their people.
If he only brought his 300 bodyguards and charged into Bi Chun's camp, which still had nearly 3,000 people, and if Bi Chun made up his mind, he would not be able to suppress him and would probably suffer a backlash. Therefore, when he heard that Min Wenjian had a salt guard here, about 300 people, and that their combat power was higher than that of the ordinary guards, Yang Ling became concerned.
He sent Liu Biao to inquire and found out that there was also a Qianhu stationed here. Although it was called a Qianhu, it actually only had about 500 people, and half of the soldiers were missing. However, at a critical moment, he could ask for an imperial edict to seize the commander and take over his army. Min Wenjian would also control this army and cooperate with him to capture Bi Chun and Yuan Xiong.
This time, Yang Ling used the military review as an excuse to ask Min Wenjian and Qianhu Zhong to transfer all 300 salt guards and 500 guards to the riverside. He wanted to let them practice after watching the tide and see their combat power.
Yang Ling had the responsibility of supervising the civil and military officials and was also the commander of the emperor's bodyguards. Although he did not ask for an imperial edict, such a small-scale inspection of the combat power of the army was not out of line.
Eunuch Mo rubbed his sleeves and stood by the side, a little disinterested. He was a little displeased that Yang Ling had suddenly changed his destination to visit Haining without letting him know beforehand. Furthermore, the tide in October was much weaker than in August, and he had no interest in watching it. Thus, he stood at the back to avoid the wind and did not move forward.
The few big salt merchants were under his jurisdiction, so they could not help but accompany Master Mo by his side. Master Mo kept flattering him, and Mo Qinghe was just pretending to deal with it.
The locals were not very interested in the early tide in October, but this time there were nearly 1,000 officers and soldiers standing upright by the riverside waiting for the inspection. This was a rare sight, so many people and rich families in the town also came to the riverside to join in the fun. For a moment, the atmosphere was really like watching the tide in August.
The wind gradually became stronger. Min Wenjian pulled himself together and said, "Sir, look, the tide is coming."
Yang Ling squinted his eyes and looked into the distance. The river was vast, and in the eastern horizon, there was a faint sound of rushing. There was a white line as far as the eye could see. As the roaring sound became louder, the silver line became thicker and thicker, turning into a white chain across the river. The roaring sound was like continuous thunder.
Min Wenjian raised his voice to cover the sound of the river tide and said loudly, "Master Yang, Celestial Master Zhang, the 'pagoda tide line' here at the Salt Officer is extremely spectacular. It's a pity that the tide today is a little smaller, it's not spectacular enough."
He said that today's tide was a little smaller, but in a moment, the river water rose sharply, and the vast waves instantly became a white chain, turning into a towering wall of water several meters high. The sound of the tide was like ten thousand horses galloping, piercing the ears like thunder. Yang Ling and Taoist master Zhang, who had never seen such a spectacle, were relaxed and happy, and sighed endlessly.
The peak of the tide suddenly collided, and the top of the wave was snow-white, like the peak of an iceberg. It was hair-raising. When the tide rushed to the dam, there was a thunderous roar, and the head of the tide suddenly stood up. In a split second, the sky was filled with spray and mist, and the wind brought a wave of refreshing air. Zhang Fubao, who had rushed to the front, was hit by the water vapor, and could not help but retreat in a sorry state, causing Yang Ling and Taoist master Zhang to laugh.
Zhang Fubao snorted resentfully, and pulled his brother's sleeve to wipe his face, but his interest in watching the tide did not diminish. Once the front wave retreated, it became an obstacle for the back wave. The waves collided with each other, the front wave was blocked, and the back wave rose again, each wave higher than the last. Although it was not as shocking as the first wave, it was still a steep peak, surging violently.
Yang Ling saw that although the waves were not very high, the wind was strong today, and the wind always brought a mist, so he deliberately stood in front of Gao Wenxin to block the mist for her. Gao Wenxin noticed his intention, and could not help but feel sweet as honey in her heart.
Although the tide came quickly, it also left quickly. Yang Ling and the others who had never seen the Qiantang tide had not seen enough, and the tide began to show signs of retreating.
Zhang Fubao then turned around and said with a smile, "Mr Yang, I remember when we were in Shanghai, you said that the White Snake could summon the wind and rain, and the water would flood Jinshan. At that time, I could not imagine what kind of spectacular scene it would be, but after seeing this tide today, I finally have some idea."
Yang Ling listened and laughed, "Not only that, that wave can drown Jinshan Temple, isn't the peak of the wave higher than the mountain? Think about it again, there are many shrimp soldiers and crab generals of the Dragon Palace on top of the wave, some holding spears, some holding hammers, standing on top of the wave … "
He pointed at the tide and laughed at the same time. Just as he was talking excitedly, the smile on his face suddenly froze, and he pointed to the distance in surprise, "What is that?"
Everyone looked at where he was pointing, and saw that at the end of the continuous tide, there were some indistinct black spots. Zhang Fubao was surprised and said with a smile, "Strange, strange, could it be that shrimp soldiers and crab soldiers are really coming?"
With the tide and the strong wind, the black spots moved very quickly. In a moment, they could see that the black spots were actually a sailboat. The boat had a somewhat square feeling, and there were huge black sails hanging on the boat.
Mo Qinghe was shocked, and said with surprise and anger, "Damn it, the flag of the Eight Banners Great Bodhisattva, that's the Wokou people's ship, quickly escort Daren away."
At this time, Min Wenjian also clearly saw the insignia on the boat, and exclaimed, "It really is the Wokou pirates. Damn it, there are actually so many people this time, quickly, quickly, protect the Imperial Envoy and the Heavenly Master and leave!"
They were standing high up and could see far away, so the people standing on the dam below could only see that there were more than 20 boats coming from afar. Some of them could not clearly see the insignia on the boats, and were still standing calmly by the river.
How could Yang Ling be willing to escape by himself? Moreover, today he had coincidentally transferred the officers and soldiers of the City Guards Office and the Salt Transport Office here for a military parade, and everyone was armed. Although 200 of his own 300 personal soldiers followed the official ship back to Hangzhou, he also brought 100 elite soldiers, and now his battle power was close to a thousand people. The other side's 20 boats were of different sizes, the big ones could carry 300 people, the small ones could only carry 40 to 50 people, and he estimated that the total number of people would not be too many, so he might have the ability to fight.
Yang Ling immediately shouted, "Don't panic, all the salt merchants and commoners in the pavilion retreat. Official Min, Qianhu Zhong, please immediately restrain your troops and prepare for the enemy. Baihu Zheng, immediately evacuate the commoners by the river."
That Qianhu Zhong was wearing a shiny suit of armor, originally he wanted to show his face in front of the Imperial Envoy today, but who would have thought that he would end up in this kind of trouble. In the past, those Wokou pirates would only come to the river to plunder three hundred or five hundred people, which was already considered an extremely large number of people. This time, it looked like there were actually more than a thousand people. He was so scared that his face turned deathly white, but he did not dare to show any fear. Hearing Yang Ling's orders, he hurriedly complied and went down to the pavilion to organize his troops.
Min Wenjian was a crazy soldier personally trained by Madman Du, the commander-in-chief of the Datong Army. As soon as he saw a battle, he was indescribably excited. In the past, he had single-handedly killed his way into the Tatar army and chopped their young prince in half. Why would he care about these little fools?
He laughed loudly and said, "Damn it, I was just about to demonstrate my martial arts for the Imperial Envoy to see, and now it has become a real saber and real spear. I will go down immediately. Sir Yang, watch the power of my saber! "
As he spoke, he stomped down the stairs. Mo Qinghe's face was ashen, he tightened his cheeks and said, "Eliminating the Wokou pirates is not daren's responsibility. Daren should quickly get out of the way. If daren has an accident, this lowly one absolutely cannot bear the responsibility."
Yang Ling looked at Gao Wenxin and said, "Wen Xin, accompany Mo Furen and Miss Zhang to quickly return to town. If we cannot defend, immediately leave on horseback."
Gao Wenxin puffed out her chest and said, "Wherever master is, I will be there. I will not leave!"
Yang Ling stamped his feet and scolded, "Senseless action, pure scoundrel. What is the use of you staying? Can you go into battle and kill the enemy? "
Gao Wenxin boldly said, "Daren is a refined man, how can you go into battle and kill the enemy? You did not retreat in the face of battle because you wanted to stabilize the morale of the army. I am a woman, I did not retreat in the face of battle because … because I want to live and die with daren! "
Yang Ling listened and was stunned. For a moment, he did not know how to answer. Although Zhang Fubao's pretty face was pale, she heard what she said and saw that although her brother looked nervous, he did not have any intention of running away. She summoned up her courage and said, "If you don't go, I won't go either. There are many believers of the Celestial Master Taoism in this town. They came to the town last night and worshipped the Celestial Master. They are very respectful. If we retreat today, do we still have the face to see them?"
At this time, the people by the river knew what had happened under the shouts of the inner factory. They began to support the old and the young, calling for their father and mother. They cried and screamed all the way down the dam and fled for their lives to the town.
Zhong Qianhu gathered his troops and gathered them on the right side of the dam. Min Wenjian was still dressed as a civil official, but he carried his trademark broadsword on his shoulder. Leading a group of salt soldiers in messy clothes, he stood on the left side of the dam.
The Wokou boats sailed along the river to the shore. With a whistle, they jumped off the boats and rushed ashore in groups of three to five. Yang Ling saw that the Wokou people's clothes were very messy. Some were wearing Wokou clothes, some were wearing Han clothes, some were wearing scholar's robes, but they were tucked in at the waist. There were even a few who wore women's clothes. It could be seen that these Wokou people did not have a good life at sea.
But these miscellaneous pirates, although their clothes were different and the weapons in their hands were also different, each one of them was fierce and their movements were incomparably agile.
There were only a hundred inner factory soldiers, among them only twenty archers. They all surrounded the Tide-viewing Pavilion and did not dare to leave. After all, the important people were all on the pavilion. If there was a mishap, they would all lose their heads. Even though there were regular guards here, they were happy to retreat to the back to protect daren.
Unexpectedly, just as the Wokou soldiers rushed ashore, one of the guards shouted and retreated instead of charging, turning tail and running away.
Yang Ling watched from the pavilion and his nose almost went crooked from anger. At this time, not many Wokou people had disembarked from the boats. As long as they waited for them with a flurry of arrows, or directly led the troops to attack, they would definitely be able to seize the initiative. How could they not understand such simple logic? What kind of soldiers and officials were they?
Yang Ling could not restrain his anger. He slammed the railing and sternly shouted towards the pavilion, "Deserters will be killed without mercy!"
"Yes! Deserters will be killed without mercy! " Commander Zheng waved his hand and several soldiers immediately nocked their arrows and shot towards the escaping guards. These people were using the Soul Frightening Arrows, which Yang Ling obtained from the Imperial Bodyguard when he was training his personal guards. When the arrows were shot, they emitted a sharp whistle and had the effect of frightening people's souls.
These archers were one in a hundred sharpshooters, their arrows hit their targets and they fell down. The Imperial Guards officers and men who were running away with them were all stunned. When they heard the Inner Guards shouting at them with a ferocious voice, "Those who run away in the face of battle will be killed without mercy!" they had no choice but to run back in fear.
At this time, Min Wenjian had already led the salt soldiers forward. His salt soldiers did not have bows and arrows, so they could only fight the Wokou at close range. The Wokou soldiers were in groups of three to five and cooperated well with each other. As they moved, they would often take the enemy by surprise and suddenly attack.
It was a good thing that these salt soldiers were escorting the salt convoys and often fought with river robbers and mountain bandits. They were also good at group fighting. Although their murderous aura was weaker than the enemy's, there was a ferocious tiger wielding a large machete that weighed tens of kilograms in front of them. Their morale was very high and they were able to hold on and not retreat.
Yang Ling saw that although the guards had retreated, they were all cowering in fear, not daring to advance. He couldn't help but fume from his seven orifices. This was not the time to reorganize the troops. He could only helplessly shout to Commander Zheng, "Commander Zheng, lead your men and charge forward. Tell Commander Zhong to cover them with arrows!"
Hearing this, Commander Zheng hurriedly said, "Your Excellency, my duty is to protect Your Excellency. Right now, Your Excellency only has these hundred or so soldiers with you. I dare not leave!"
Yang Ling was furious and said, "If you don't go, I will go myself!"
Commander Zheng was helpless. He angrily stomped his feet and left the twenty archers to protect the Tide-viewing Pavilion. He pulled out his machete and led the eighty soldiers forward.
Commander Zhong stood there dumbfounded. When he heard Yang Ling give the order to shoot, he seemed to wake up from a dream and ordered the soldiers to shoot.
They were lined up on the right side of the formation. There were a few large rocks in the water and the river was relatively shallow. The Wokou's warships had not docked near them. In addition, they had not taken the initiative to attack. The Wokou that had managed to get ashore were only attacking Min Wenjian's salt soldiers and Yang Ling's personal soldiers.
This gave them more than enough time to prepare. They watched as the group of soldiers drew their bows, nocked their arrows, pulled the bowstrings, and fired. With a "weng" sound, a row of arrows rained down on the Wokou pirates who were jumping off the ship.
Yang Ling saw this from the pavilion and laughed. This rain of arrows could at least kill or injure a hundred or so Wokou. This could be considered a 'timely rain of arrows'.
He saw that the rain of arrows landed on the ship and below the ship. At least half of the arrows hit the Wokou pirates, but as soon as the arrows made contact with their bodies, they slid off their clothes. A few of the arrows hit the Wokou pirates' bamboo hats, but they didn't hurt anyone. Looking around, it seemed that not a single Wokou pirate had fallen to the ground from the rain of arrows.
Yang Ling and the Taoist master Zhang were standing on the pavilion, dumbfounded. Their mouths were wide open as they stared at this strange scene. After a while, they looked at each other and jumped up as if their butts were on fire. They shouted, "This is outrageous! Are all Wokou people invulnerable? "
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