The ship had already stopped at its usual position. The two of them followed behind a few other guests who were also boarding the ship and quickly went up to the deck.
"Young Master Song, it's been a few days since we last met. Your complexion is much rosier." The boat mistress welcomed him with a smile. "Jun 'er is still dressing up. Why don't you take a seat and listen to some songs to relieve your boredom? We have a few new singers here and they're all very skilled. "
Song Zhenguo's expression was solemn and he did not smile at her.
"I'd like to ask about a friend I brought with me two nights ago, the Young Master Wang Ziquan. I heard that he came to the pleasure boat again. Could I trouble you to call out the lady who accompanied him two nights ago? I have something to ask." He casually stuffed a few taels of silver into the boat mistress's hands.
This casual gesture was equivalent to throwing away a few thousand yuan. If one was not from a wealthy family, one would not dare to spend money so carelessly.
"You're talking about Die 'er. Mm, I'll call her over now. Young Master can rest in a side room while you wait." Seeing Song Zhenguo and Lu Sheng's solemn expression, the boat mistress did not dare to delay. Among these young masters, there were not many guests who were as generous as Song Zhenguo. Although the sons of officials had powerful backgrounds, they were not as generous as Song Zhenguo.
Lu Sheng and Die 'er were led to a side room to rest and wait. Soon, Die 'er was called in.
Die 'er looked delicate and pitiful. She wore a light green dress with a slim waist and held a flute in her hand, as if preparing to perform for the guests. Now that she was called in, she was also confused.
"Young Master Song, may I know why you called Die 'er here?" she asked softly.
"Let me ask you. Do you know where the Young Master Wang Ziquan whom you accompanied two nights ago is now?" Song Zhenguo asked in a low voice.
Die 'er was confused.
"Young Master Wang Ziquan? Oh … I remember now. Didn't I go back with you, Young Master Song? Die 'er was very tired. After you left, I disembarked and went home to rest. "
"Went home to rest?" Song Zhenguo was stunned.
"Yes. At that time, Die 'er received three guests in a row and was very tired. I told the boat mistress the moment I was done and was one of the first few to disembark," Die' er replied softly. "What's wrong? Could it be that … something happened to Young Master Ziquan? "She was a little uneasy.
Lu Sheng stared at her, his eyes sharp, but no matter how he looked at it, he couldn't tell that Die 'er was lying.
"Let me ask you, did your ship close after we left?"
Die 'er hurriedly nodded. Being stared at by Lu Sheng made her feel uneasy.
"Yes, yes. Once the three young masters left, the boat mistress closed for the day."
"Then let me ask you again! After closing, does this ship usually hang red lanterns? "Lu Sheng asked again.
"Red lanterns?" Butterfly was confused, "What red lanterns? Every day after closing, our ship would sail directly into the nearby shipyard for maintenance. During the maintenance, we weren't allowed to light the ship's lights. Only the people who repaired the ship were allowed to light the lamps. It was the same yesterday. "
"Drive into the dock? Didn't it stop here? "Lu Sheng was shocked.
"That's not it. We only sail it here temporarily when we're doing business. The waves here are occasionally very strong. Wouldn't it be easy to be blown away by the wind if it stopped here? "Die 'er looked at Lu Sheng strangely.
Lu Sheng was faintly worried. Wang Ziquan was probably the same as him, boarding the pleasure boat that was hung with red lanterns.
"Brother Lu …" Song Zhenguo was getting more and more curious as he listened. He didn't know why Lu Sheng was asking these questions. In his opinion, Lu Sheng must have boarded the boat with red lanterns by mistake. But at this moment, he still listened patiently.
"Don't tell me that you don't have a pleasure boat that is hung with red lanterns at night and has no one on board? The style is exactly the same as your ship. "Lu Sheng was unwilling to give up and continued to ask.
Die 'er blinked her eyes.
"Young Master, where did you hear about a boat with red lanterns? Do you know under what circumstances we would only hang red lanterns here? Only when a lady on the boat has passed away will we hang three red lanterns outside and inside her room. One at the door represents the guide. Two in the room represent the memorial and rest. "
Lu Sheng's body trembled when he heard this.
He thought back to that strange pleasure boat. The boat was filled with red lanterns. Every room and every wing was hung with red lanterns!
And the way they were hung was exactly what Die 'er had said. One at the door and two in the room!!
"Aiya, that's scary. Young Master, don't tell me you heard a ghost story somewhere and came here to scare Die 'er?" Die' er was also a little scared. Goosebumps broke out all over her body.
"Yue Sheng … are you really dreaming?" Song Zhenguo also looked at Lu Sheng worriedly. Lu Sheng's character was split from the character Sheng, so he called him Yue Sheng.
In Nine Links City, Lu Sheng rarely used this character. Everyone there called him Young Master Sheng or Brother Sheng. But here, he was here to study. Calling him by his character represented intimacy and was more formal.
"It's nothing … I just …" Lu Sheng hesitated. He didn't say that he encountered the locked door of the red boat. Even if he said it, Song Zhenguo might not believe him. And even if he did, it would be useless.
"But since Purple Spring didn't come to this pleasure boat, where would he go?" Song Zhenguo said worriedly. "The Annual Examinations are coming up. If he breaks the academy's rules and doesn't get registered, he'll be ruining his future!"
"If there's nothing else, Die 'er will go play a flute for the guests," Die' er said softly.
"It's fine. Thank you, Die 'er. This is your reward. "Song Zhenguo took out a few pieces of silver and gave them to her.
Die 'er was instantly happy. This was her own income, apart from the pleasure boat. She carefully put the silver into her waist pouch and turned to walk towards the door. Halfway through, she suddenly thought of something and turned around to say.
"That's right, Young Master, Die 'er heard of a ghost story that was spread among the girls on the boat. It was said that there used to be a red boat on Cypress Pine River called the Red House. Later on, there was a big fire, and none of the girls on the boat escaped. Then, the legend of the red boat spread on Cypress Pine River … It was said that the boat was filled with red lanterns, and no one who boarded the red boat ever came down. "
Lu Sheng's spirits rose, and he hurriedly called out to Die 'er.
"Miss, please stay. Can you tell us the story of this boat painted with the Red House?"
"Eh … Die 'er hasn't been in this business for long, so I don't know much. But isn't Young Master Song close with Miss Jun' er? Sister Jun 'er misses Young Master Song every day. She's been on the boat for a long time, so she should know, "Die' er said softly.
"Understood." Lu Sheng nodded. "Go."
After Die 'er left the room, Lu Sheng and Song Zhenguo remained silent, each thinking about their own matters.
Soon, Jun 'er walked in leisurely in a plain white low-cut skirt. Her beautiful eyes lit up the moment she saw Song Zhenguo.
"Young Master Song!" Her eyes unconsciously revealed a trace of affection.
"Jun 'er!" Song Zhenguo took a step forward and gently embraced Jun' er. "I haven't seen you for a few days. How are you? The money I gave to the head of the boat is enough. No one else can order you except me. "
Jun 'er nodded lightly, her face revealing a trace of happiness. "Jun 'er knows that Young Master treats Jun' er well …"
"I've been waiting, waiting for Jun 'er to agree to redeem your freedom," Song Zhenguo said gently. "Alright, we're here to ask about that Young Master Wang Ziquan who came with us the night before. Does Jun 'er know if that Young Master Wang returned to this boat the night after we left? "
"Young Master Wang Ziquan?" Jun 'er recalled. "It was already very late that night. Didn't that Young Master Wang disembark with you? What did he come back for? "
"Are you sure he didn't come back?" Lu Sheng pressed.
Jun 'er nodded. "I'm sure. Because that night, I managed to drag things out and only left the boat at the very last minute. Based on my calculations, he came back in the time it took for a joss stick to burn after you left. "
"Is that so … That's strange …" Lu Sheng muttered to himself.
Song Zhenguo asked a few more questions, and Jun 'er answered them one by one. Everything was the same as what Die' er had said. Unable to find any clues, the two had no choice but to disembark.
"I'm afraid we'll have to report this to the authorities," Song Zhenguo sighed.
Lu Sheng shook his head. "What I'm afraid of is that there's no point in reporting it to the authorities …"
Song Zhenguo glanced at Lu Sheng in confusion.
"Brother Song, you should go back first. Let's call it a day. It's getting late," Lu Sheng reminded. "We still have to participate in the preliminary examination tomorrow."
"Alright, I'll go back first. Yue Sheng, if you have any clues, remember to inform me." Song Zhenguo sighed again and parted ways with Lu Sheng.
He watched as Song Zhenguo boarded the carriage and gradually left. Lu Sheng recalled every single one of his conversations with Die 'er and Jun' er. Their reactions were flawless.
'Looks like they weren't lying. But if that red ship wasn't the one we were on, how did my money pouch end up on it?' Lu Sheng was puzzled.
He had a faint premonition that he might have gotten himself into a new trouble.
…
Song Zhenguo sat in the carriage, sighing.
He was a man who valued relationships and loyalty. Wang Ziquan had met with an accident after they were together, and there had been no news of him until now. No matter what, he had to give the Wang family an explanation.
Moreover, Ziquan was his good friend and brother. He disappeared just like that, right by Cypress Pine Riverside.
'Could it be …' He suddenly thought of a possibility. 'Could it be that he slipped and fell into the river!?' At the thought of this, he shuddered all over.
'No way! If he's alive, I want to see him. If he's dead, I want to see his corpse! ' I was the one who brought Ziquan out. If something really happens to him, it'll be my responsibility! 'Song Zhenguo steeled his heart and steeled his heart. 'If something really happens to Ziquan, I'll report it to the authorities!'
He had already made up his mind.
'But if that's the case, what about Jun' er? 'He thought of Jun' er, whom he bitterly loved. Just this alone cost him thousands of taels of silver every month. It was all to protect Jun 'er and prevent other customers from ordering from her. Because of this, his old father had quarreled with him no less than ten times.
Song Zhenguo's head began to ache again at the thought of this.
He hurried home, got off the carriage, paid the fare, entered the courtyard, and rushed to his room. He did not want to see anyone at home for even a second.
A few maids and servants saw him and were about to greet him, but he was nowhere to be seen in the blink of an eye.
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