The ground of Jinling was paved with large bluestone and looked very clean. The streets were well planned and the merchants on the streets were orderly. It was bustling but restrained.
In terms of prosperity, Jinling was better than the capital.
The Black Cloth Alley that Yang Ling lived in was where Sun Quan used to guard the Stone City Imperial Guard Camp. It got its name because the soldiers all wore black uniforms. Since the Eastern Jin Dynasty's famous ministers Xie An and Director Wang lived there, many aristocrats lived there. Tall buildings rose one after another, and Black Cloth Alley became famous all over the world.
However, the alley itself was not spacious. Because the people who lived there were all high-ranking officials and noble families, even though no one prohibited it, the common people consciously avoided it. As a result, there were even fewer people in the long and narrow alley.
Yang Ling and Han Wu walked out of the alley side by side. On the bank of the Qinhuai River, in front of the Confucius Temple, Yang Ling recounted in detail what happened during his trip to Jiangnan.
Han Wu's eyebrows danced as he listened to the highlights. When he heard about Haining fighting against the Japanese, he couldn't help but sigh. "What a pity. If only I could have shown my skills at the Qiantang Tide."
Yang Ling laughed. "You're an official in a rich place like Jinling. Now you're already a Baihu. What's wrong with that? I'm in a high position now. I don't know how many people have designs on me. Moving you away will allow you to settle down elsewhere. If something happens, I'll be at ease. "
Han Wu frowned. "I know the dangers of an official career. But at worst, I'll just lose my position. How many people will really exterminate their families? It's good to be prepared for danger in times of peace. But you're always worried. All you think about is what if this happens and what if that happens. Will your sister be happy? If it's always like this, I'd rather see you live happily as the Deputy of the Chicken Crow Inn without any rank. "
Yang Ling sighed. "That's right. When I was at the Chicken Crow Inn, even if I ate wild vegetables dipped in sauce and plain food, I didn't have so many things to worry about. When I was free, I'd brew a pot of tea and hold Young-niang on my knees. The two of them would rub against each other and talk about family trifles. How warm those days were. But now? "
Yang Ling stopped in front of the Vermillion Bird Bridge and looked down at the flowing water under the bridge. Was it still possible for him to retreat now?
When he was very young, he had heard the saying, "When you are poor, you should take care of yourself. When you are rich, you should help the world." However, he had never felt it as deeply as it did now. If he never had the chance to leave the Chicken Crow Post Station, perhaps he would have stayed in the mountain city and lived his life with the woman he loved. Now that he was standing in this position, he had a chance to change history. How could he just give up and retreat?
Yang Ling sighed and said guiltily, "That's right. Ever since I came to the capital, I've been spending less and less time with Young-niang. Hopefully, after I return to the capital, I won't have to run around anymore."
Han Wei saw that he was a little depressed and reached out to pat him on the shoulder. He said with a smile, "I just want you to look on the bright side. In fact, you're doing pretty well now. Do you think Young-niang won't be happy when she hears about these sensational events when they return to the capital?
Women are like that. If you stay by her side every day, she'll think that her man isn't capable and can't make a name for himself. When you become an official, she'll blame you for being busy with work and neglecting her.
If you're successful, will Young-niang be unhappy? Tell me, in Young-niang's heart, which one makes her more proud, you or a scholar who has always stayed in the Yang Family? "
Yang Ling laughed and said, "Second brother, don't always talk about others. Now that you've settled down, when are you going to marry a wife? Jiangnan is full of beauties. Is there not a single one that catches your eye? "
Han Wu smiled and said, "I'm still interested in fighting on the battlefield and making a name for myself. Women … how can they be as cute as treasured swords and sabers? As for finding a wife, let's wait until I want a son."
As he spoke, he patted the sword at his waist and said, "To be honest, think of a way to transfer me to the nine borders or the coast. As long as there's a war, it's fine. Staying here will make my bones rusty."
Hearing this, Yang Ling's heart was moved. He said, "Fine, since you have this intention, I'll help you. But there's no need to rush. We'll talk about this matter after I return to the capital. "
Yang Ling suddenly remembered that after he returned to the capital, if he asked the Emperor to lift the ban on the sea and trade with foreign countries, then he would need a powerful navy. Han Wu was well-versed in both literature and martial arts. It shouldn't be difficult for him to learn naval warfare. If he was transferred to the navy and trained well, he might become a famous naval general in the future.
However, the Emperor was easy to talk to. The difficult part was how to get the officials to agree. The officials in the court saw the sea, which they didn't understand, as dispensable. They saw the face of the Celestial Empire as more important than anything else. Looking down on the sea and looking down on trade was a principle that everyone in later generations understood. Given the ideas and consciousness of the current civil and military officials, how many people could understand and accept it?
Many things weren't difficult to do. The difficult part was that no one could think of doing it. Even if someone thought of it, those who followed the rules would use all means to prevent you from doing it. And in his heart, he still believed he was upholding justice and doing a good deed for the country and the people. Thinking of the situation he would face when he returned to the capital, Yang Ling couldn't help feeling a sense of helplessness.
He was quietly surrounded by a few foreigners in casual clothes. In front of him, Liu Biao, dressed like a scholar, suddenly appeared and quietly gestured to him. Yang Ling understood and nodded slightly to him.
He was now living in the private residence of Feng Chengzhi, the eunuch guarding Jinling. Although Feng Chengzhi was very respectful to him, Eunuch Feng was nominally directly under the capital's Department of Rites. He could be considered Wang Yue's trusted aide, so Yang Ling had to be wary of him.
Originally, he didn't have anything important to do in Jinling this time and didn't need to hide anything from him. However, the arrival of the Imperial Bodyguard, Magistrate Shao, gave him some hope of forming an alliance with the Imperial Bodyguard.
If the Imperial Bodyguard wanted to contact him, they would have to avoid Eunuch Feng. Therefore, he made the excuse of meeting his brother-in-law again and sent him so far away alone, just to have a chance to contact the Imperial Bodyguard.
If the Imperial Bodyguard really wanted to form an alliance with him, they must have sent someone to secretly pay attention to his whereabouts and get in touch with him. Just now, Liu Biao's gesture had confirmed his judgment.
After Yang Ling sent Han Wu across the Vermilion Bird Bridge, Liu Biao approached him and said, "Your Excellency, Magistrate Shao sent someone to see me. I have checked his waist token. His identity is reliable."
Yang Ling nodded slightly and asked, "Where is Magistrate Shao?"
Liu Biao smiled and pointed the handle of the fan in his hand to a red boat in the river under the bridge. Yang Ling understood and smiled, "It is said that Qinhuai is a romantic place. Let's go and see."
* * *
Changganli was located in the south of the city. It was a place where officials and commoners lived together. At the same time, it was the last stop for the gentry and celebrities of Jin Ling City to welcome and see off guests. Therefore, several hotels and inns were opened at the entrance of the alley, and the business was quite good.
There were some small peddlers selling Jin Ling specialties in the alley. There were many merchants coming and going in Jin Ling City, so they always brought some specialties with them. Therefore, the peddlers here lived a good life.
In short, this place was a complicated mix of good and bad people. At the entrance of the alley, there was a shallow dead end. The courtyard gate with white walls, grey tiles, red paint and vermilion railings seemed to belong to a relatively rich family.
Old Zhang, who had a stall selling stones, was sitting at the entrance of the alley. It seemed that there had not been any customers for a long time. He was lazily leaning against the wall and basking in the sun. Suddenly, two graceful women in red clothes walked over. Their pretty appearance immediately attracted his attention.
They were a master and a servant girl. The madam in front had a beautiful face and black hair. Her skin was as fair as snow. She wore a delicate red dress and a white cloak with a light plum blossom pattern. Her gait was graceful and graceful, like a fairy.
Old Zhang couldn't help but swallow a mouthful of saliva, "Tsk, tsk, tsk, who is this little lady who sets up a stall in this alley every day. She is like a fairy descending to the world. If my wife is half as beautiful as she is, I will be happier than a fairy!"
The peddler didn't dare to stare at the madam's face. He reluctantly lowered his eyes and stared at the pair of light moving bow shoes. The skirt was fluttering, and the lotus feet lightly passed in front of his eyes.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Old Zhang raised his eyes and quickly glanced at the pretty face. He only saw that the skin on the pretty face was crystal clear and pink. It was even more translucent than the rain flower stones in his box. That kind of beauty, especially that kind of charm, was something he had never seen in his life. Thinking about it, only Miss Ma from Changting Restaurant could compete with this peerless beauty …
The two women in red walked to the front of the green brick house. The house seemed to be quite old. There was green moss growing in the shadows under the horse's head wall.
The servant dressed in red stepped forward and knocked on the door a few times. Immediately after, a servant opened the door and poked his head out. Old Zhang looked from afar and saw that the servant said a few words to the servant, and then the two beauties entered the door.
Dai Lou 'er, who introduced herself as Cheng Qiyun, stood in front of the screen wall calmly and waited for her family to report. From the outside, the courtyard seemed to be made of green bricks, small tiles, low walls, and narrow courtyard. It didn't seem to be big inside. But standing on the patio, one could see that the courtyard was deep. There seemed to be a few courtyards connected to the back, forming a long courtyard.
The servant in red was Chu Ling. She looked around worriedly and said softly, "Miss, this house seems to be quite old. Is this Old Master Peng really the Shark King who roamed the four seas?"
Cheng Qiyun said confidently, "It's easy to prove it. As long as he listens to my made-up name and is willing to come out and see me, then it can't be wrong."
Chu Ling shrank back and said a little timidly, "Miss, we … didn't we come too rashly? If … if we asked Mr Yang to send people over, then it would be safer. These are all heroes who have fled Jianghu. We … we don't have anyone to rely on. "
Cheng Qiyun smiled faintly and said, "Yang Ling can return to the capital at any time. We don't have time to plan. You don't have to worry. Even if you don't have anyone to rely on, it is still someone to rely on. This shark now has children and grandchildren. He has a family to take care of. Do you think that he will be willing to abandon this place and wander away from home after painstakingly managing it? Without knowing where we came from, he won't dare to do anything to us.
My plan requires the help of this Pirate King. Although he may not trust a woman like me, he has something on me. He has to sit down and talk to me. When the time comes, I will raise Yang Ling's tiger flag. Even if I am a little fox, this shark will have to obediently cooperate with me. "
She saw the servant hurriedly run back with a respectful expression. Cheng Qiyun wrinkled her nose and smiled lightly. Her smile was really like a little fox.
Old Master Peng had a very vulgar name, Peng Fugui.
It was said that he was originally from Jinling. Before he was born, he moved to Dali with his father. In a flash, seventy years had passed. Relying on the tea and horse business, he made a fortune. Therefore, he brought his entire family of children and grandchildren back to their hometown and bought this house in Changgan.
Having been away from home for so long, Old Master Peng naturally had no friends or neighbors. Thus, he lived in seclusion as a wealthy man and rarely interacted with his neighbors.
Great-grandfather Peng was teasing his little grandson with a bunch of grapes in the backyard. When he heard the servant say that two female guests had come to visit him, he couldn't help but frown and say, "How can a decent woman casually visit someone else's house? Did Fourth Brother provoke some wild flowers and weeds outside and come looking for us?"
The servant said, "That madam said … she was entrusted by a distant relative of Old Master Peng to hand a letter to Old Master Peng."
"Huh?" Peng Fugui threw the grapes back on the plate and handed the child to the family member. His eyes flashed with coldness, "Distant relative? What distant relative?"
Old Master Peng had white hair and beard. He was about seventy years old and had a red face. His body was thick and strong, and his hands and feet were unusually large. When he stood up, his movements were very nimble. His tall stature actually gave off a mighty aura.
Although the family member saw Old Master Peng every day and night, he still involuntarily took a step back and said embarrassedly, "That madam said that he's your distant nephew called King Pengsha."
Old Master Peng's red face twitched. Suddenly, he revealed an expression of sudden realization and said with a pleasantly surprised expression, "Ah! … Ah, so it's him. I haven't heard from him for many years. I didn't expect that my nephew would actually find out where I live. Quick, invite that distinguished guest to my study. "
Old Master Peng didn't read books. There were only a dozen or so beautiful and rare coral and butterfly trees on the bookshelf. The extremely beautiful woman in red walked lightly into the room and fixed her eyes on Old Master Peng. After staring at him for a moment, she smiled sweetly and gracefully saluted, "Lowly concubine Cheng Qiyun greets Old Master Peng."
Old Master Peng looked at her in surprise. Although he had heard that she was a woman, he didn't expect that she would be such a delicate beauty. Was there any young woman in the underworld who could meet this condition?
He waved his hand, signaling for the servant to leave before walking over to close the door. When he turned around again, his gaze suddenly became exceptionally fierce as he coldly stared at the uninvited guest.
Cheng Qiyun looked calm with a faint smile on her lips. Her eyes didn't show any timidity under the cold gaze of the Pirate King whose hands were stained with blood. She even playfully winked at him.
Old Master Peng looked her up and down and suddenly laughed. He walked back to the table and sat down, saying, "Miss, please sit down. Since you know my background, we don't need to hide it anymore. We are all Jianghu people and should help each other.
Miss, are you short of travel expenses? It's just three or five hundred taels of silver. This old man can still afford it. If I demand an exorbitant price, hehe, Miss, do you think you can find evidence to prove that I'm the Shark King? "
Cheng Qiyun smiled and shook her head, saying, "Old Master, do you think I look like someone who comes to ask for money? I'm not here to take your money. On the contrary, I'm here to give you money. As long as you do me a favor, perhaps … in the near future, the old man will become the richest man in Jinling. Is this gift big enough?
Old Master Peng looked at her in surprise and doubt for a long time before he sneered, "Which path are you on? This old man is old and just wants to live a few days of comfort. The bigger the business, the higher the price. I won't ask what big business you want to do. This old man won't ask about your background. Please go back. "
Cheng Qiyun retracted her smile and said indifferently, "Old Master is too careful. Don't worry, there is no risk in this matter. This lowly concubine has come with sincerity. Are you going to chase me away without listening to my intentions? Hehe, if I wasn't going north soon, I wouldn't be in such a hurry to see you … "
"North?" Old Master Peng was startled. He looked at Cheng Qiyun's attire. She was dressed in a fiery red robe with a white cloak. Her voluptuous figure was curvy and alluring, and she had a charming smile on her face. She looked to be at least twenty years old. He suddenly thought of someone and couldn't help but stand up and sternly ask: "Were you sent by that surnamed Yang?"
Cheng Qiyun was about to mention her purpose of coming here, but she didn't react for a moment after hearing this. She also jumped up and said in astonishment, "What did you say? How did you know that I came with him? "
Hearing this, Old Master Peng looked up to the sky and laughed. He stretched out his giant palm and slammed it heavily on the table. With a bang, the table flipped over and a pair of sharp tiger claws appeared. He sneered and said, "Young lady of the Yang Family, this old man roams the sea just to make a living. I'll mind my own business with you heroes of the Underworld who want to change the dynasty and start a rebellion!
I'll say one last thing. You go your own way and I'll go my own way. Let's pretend we never met today. Otherwise, let's fight and let me, the Shark King, experience the real kung fu of the Red Lady Yang Chuhu! "
Cheng Qiyun was stunned for a moment. She had already set up an excuse and was sure that Old Master Peng wouldn't dare to hurt her. Her generous conditions would certainly be able to persuade this pirate leader.
But looking at his current appearance, he seemed to be ready to fight at any moment. She couldn't help but ask in surprise, "What Yang family's wife? Who the hell do you think I am? "
* * *
She was like the moon, with a pair of snow-white wrists, willowy eyebrows and a peach blossom face.
Who didn't know that the most beautiful woman in Changgan was Ma Lian'er of the Changting Restaurant?
The Changting Restaurant was the outermost restaurant in Changgan. Not far from the door, there was a long pavilion in the green grass. The restaurant's business was good because of its good location.
Since a few months ago, Boss Ma's niece returned to her hometown from the north and often came to the restaurant to help, the Ma family's business had been getting better and better.
Wasn't it said that beauty was a feast for the eyes? Even if a beauty with an apricot face and peachy cheeks, a body as slender as the moon, even if she was wearing plain clothes and a long skirt, she was still pretty and lovely, extremely charming, and pleasing to the eye. With beauty accompanying the wine, the wine seemed to be even more fragrant, how could the customers not flock like ducks?
The people of Jin Ling loved duck. The Osmanthus Duck had white skin and tender meat. It was fat but not greasy. Almost every restaurant had its own unique marinated Osmanthus Duck. It was delicious when it was cut into thin slices.
At this time, Ma Lian 'er was wearing a light green dress with a blue apron tied around her slender waist. She held a bright knife in her white and delicate hand. She stood in front of the cabinet and was skillfully cutting off pieces of duck meat. The pieces landed on the plate with blue flowers on it.
Her beautiful eyes only stared at the gradually shrinking salted duck in her hand. The knife flew quickly. It seemed that she regarded the duck as the man in front of her, the elegant and handsome scholar in white.
"Lian'er, long time no see." The man coughed and spoke embarrassedly.
"Sorry, my surname is Ma. Please call me Miss Ma."
"Uh … Miss Ma, we … haven't seen each other for a long time."
"Has it been a long time? Why don't I think so? "
"Of course, of course, I … I … I haven't seen you for a day, it feels like three years."
Her laughter was like the first blooming of a peach blossom. The young master in front of her felt his heart move and couldn't help but want to touch her hand. However, that pair of eyes that were curved like crescent moons only glanced at him lightly and he immediately pulled his hand back. He said embarrassedly, "Lian 'er, I … … I … …"
"Hum ~ ~" The sharp knife landed on the wooden table with a hum. The young master in front of her trembled in fright and couldn't help but take two steps back. Ma Lian'er's face was stern. She said coldly, "Young master Guan, I said, don't call me Lian'er. If anyone calls me Lian'er again, I'll teach them a lesson!"
Just as Ma Lian'er finished speaking, a person wearing a lotus colored robe and black boots walked in. He called softly to her, "Lian'er, long time no see!"
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