"I was ordered by the emperor to buy.
You're still negotiating with me? All the land under the heavens belongs to the emperor. "
Xue Pan grimaced.
He kicked the white-haired old shopkeeper in front of him.
The old shopkeeper ignored the tightness in his chest and hurriedly hugged Xue Pan's boots and begged, "Sir, sir.
Please do me a favor.
This price.
It really won't work! My family is small.
In order to get this batch of cloth,
I also spent a lot of money. If I buy it at the price you mentioned, I won't even be able to earn back a third of my capital. I have old people and young people. If I can't earn back my money with this batch of goods,
Then the whole family won't have anything to eat or drink … "
Xue Pan ignored him.
He just rubbed his chin and glanced at a pair of sharp embroidered shoes behind the curtain. "Do you have a daughter at home? I heard that she's quite good-looking … "
The old shopkeeper was shocked.
Then, he gritted his teeth. "My daughter is already engaged …"
"Then I'll leave." Xue Pan squatted down.
His big yellow teeth were exposed.
He spoke elegantly.
The breath in his mouth was minty. He had the demeanor of a young master of an aristocratic family. "You're from a small family.
What can you have? I'll carry her in. My family still lacks a lovely person to carry my boots for me. "
Xue Pan walked out of the cloth shop smugly.
The servant hurriedly went up to him. "Sir.
Is that okay? "
He was kicked in the heart.
"You can't even do such a small thing."
"I still have to do it personally."
However, Xue Pan did not get the person. The next day, the shopkeeper's beloved daughter hanged herself. Only a coffin was sent to the shopkeeper.
The shopkeeper cried until the sky turned dark. He kept shouting, "Son, it's daddy's a bastard. He killed you!"
Xue Pan smacked his lips twice. He felt that it was a pity, but also a little guilty.
He was afraid that this matter would blow up. His wife, Xia Jingui, would be jealous and stir up trouble.
Bah, he hurriedly spurned this thought of his. He wasn't afraid.
Ever since he helped the Emperor, he handed over the list of those who wanted to rebel in the Industrial and Commercial Bank and raided the houses of those unscrupulous merchants. His family became more and more complacent, and the Emperor personally bestowed him with the title of "House of Good Deeds". The palace purchases that were originally given to other families were given back to Family Xue.
What was the Xia Family? Hmph, in the past, that tigress took advantage of the fact that her family was rich and her Family Xue was in decline, so she needed to rely on his family's connections. She dared to use sex and tortured his beloved servant Xiang Ling to death.
Now, if he wanted to hit her, it would only be a matter of moving his little finger.
Thinking of this, Xue Pan felt proud. Seeing the coffin that was delivered, he asked the servant to pass on a message to his uncle's family, who had also been promoted because of the suppression and suppression of the industrial and commercial renegade. "Someone died here. Tell Uncle to send that old man away. "
Who would have thought that he would be so complacent that he accidentally dropped a jade pendant and broke it. He called out and remembered that this jade pendant was given to him by Bao Chai. Afraid that Bao Chai would expose him, he called the servant again, "Come back, come back! That's not important, we'll talk about it later. You go to the important thing first. Buy me an identical jade pendant! "
Because this matter had ruined his mood to play, Xue Pan stopped strolling around and went home.
When he got home, he saw his mother and sister sitting together, holding a tabloid about the South Xunnan and discussing it. "It's really something. They actually dared to investigate this kind of human relations case. How can they be so disgraceful?"
Xue Pan walked over casually, "Ma, Bao Chai, you're lagging behind. Why are you still reading this issue? I received news today that the Blue Silk Army and the Sedan Bearers have split off in the south. "
Aunt Xue was startled. She rebuked, "Why didn't you make a sound when you came in?!"
Bao Chai put down the tabloid without batting an eyelid. She smiled and said, "Brother, why did you come home so early today?"
Xue Pan said, "I was so worried about your marriage that I didn't even have the time to look at the shop. Look at you, you're already nineteen years old … "
"You evil creature! How can you talk about your own sister like that? If it weren't for you, a good-for-nothing, who gave our family today's rejuvenation, your sister wouldn't have been delayed to this age. "
Bao Chai smiled faintly. She didn't show her anger on her face. She said calmly, "As long as our family is good, I won't have to worry about marriage even if I drag it out until I'm twenty. Ma, you don't have to blame Brother. He's just like a father. He's just worried.
"My child, it's been hard on you." Aunt Xue hugged her daughter. Her heart ached. She yelled at Xue Pan, "Hurry up and apologize to your sister."
Only then did Xue Pan realize that something was amiss. With a mischievous smile, he went over and said, "Good sister" again and again. In order to appease his mother and sister, he hurriedly brought out his latest news as if he was presenting a treasure.
"There's a big rumor going around. Have you heard of it?"
"Don't play tricks. Tell me earlier."
He lowered his voice mysteriously. "It's said that Xiaoxiang Gentleman is actually a woman! What's more, she's a young and beautiful woman! "
Xue Pan was a despicable person. Originally, he wasn't interested in these literati. However, because people kept talking about Xiaoxiang Gentleman's beauty, he remembered it.
"Hehe, but I think that Xiaoxiang Gentleman, no matter how beautiful, can beat Bao Chai?"
"Bah!" Bao Chai finally couldn't hold back. She stood up. Her eyes were red. She flicked her sleeves and was about to leave.
Aunt Xue was so angry that she twisted Xue Pan's ear. "You unambitious thing. You've insulted your sister time and time again. Do you want to anger me to death? How dare you compare your younger sister with that lowly person who came from who knows where to write evil books! "
Xue Pan saw that his sister's eyes were red. He apologized again and again. Only then did he manage to hold back Bao Chai.
"I don't dare. I don't dare. If I say this again, I'll call a tortoise to bite me! "
After apologizing for a long time, she finally calmed down. Xue Pan didn't dare to say anything else. He only said honestly, "In the northern part of Jiangnan, I don't know where the rumor came from. It's said that Xiaoxiang Gentleman is a woman. It's said with great detail. Even her appearance and age are mentioned. "
Aunt Xue didn't think it was possible. "The saints forbade Xiaoxiang Gentleman from acting. I've seen a few of them. That woman is experienced and ruthless. How can a woman from the boudoir compare to her?"
"That's not necessarily true. Mother, you don't know. That short-haired thief is entrenched in the south. Under their rule, there are no human relations. The short-haired thief openly declared, 'There are many men in the world, and they are all brothers. There are many women in the world, and they are all sisters. There is no need to be selfish. There is no need for you to swallow us.' We have a Zhejiang merchant here. He secretly said that he saw with his own eyes that there were female soldiers and female generals in the rebel army. Those female soldiers and generals were all 'barefoot and covered their heads. They climbed rocky valleys. They were braver than men.' He also saw women in the city roaming the streets, riding horses or donkeys. They galloped back and forth like men. They did not hide from people. "
Xue Pan said, "I heard that Xiaoxiang Gentleman's literary works mostly came from the south. The Xunnan tabloid, which is in cahoots with the short-haired thief, has repeatedly published his novels. Didn't they have a debate several months ago? In my opinion, if what that merchant said is true, that Xiaoxiang Gentleman is really a woman under the short-haired thief's rule, then it's possible that she wrote those kind of things. "
Family Xue, mother and daughter, were lost in thought for a while.
Bao Chai repeated the line 'There are many men in the world, and they are all brothers. There is many women in the world, and they are all sisters. There is no need for you to be selfish. There is no need for you to swallow us.' She rolled the sentence several times in her mouth. Unexpectedly she felt disappointed and frustrated. But her face did not show any emotion. She calmly said, "Indeed the world is big, nothing is too strange. Then I think there is a basis for this rumor. "
Aunt Xue murmured, "There is actually such a rebellious place …" When she was young, she was also a heroine in her boudoir. She believed that she would not lose to men. At this moment, it was hard to tell if she was more envious or surprised.
Xue Pan was still proud of himself, "Ma, Mei, don't tell anyone. I am the only one who has this information. Ever since the incident in the south, the Emperor has not only banned the Xunnan tabloid, but also kept a close eye on the merchants and craftsmen. I even took advantage of my identity. "
While the women were talking, suddenly they heard the manservant outside did not realize that the womenfolk were inside; unexpectedly he shouted, "Ye, Ye, Jiu Laoye said that the old man you sent away hit a pillar in the courtroom and died!"
Xue Pan glanced at his mother and sister's expressions. He was furious and went out to slap the servant, "You stupid thing, who told you to barge in like a fool? Sooner or later I will feed you to the big worm! "
Aunt Xue said, "Why do you have to hit him? He was just following your orders. He was born and raised by his parents. He worked hard and got hit. How can there be such a way to control his subordinates? " As she spoke, she ordered Xue Pan to come in, "Tell me, what 'old man', what 'dead'? What did you ask your uncle to clean up your mess?"
"This … I wanted to bring in a concubine. Who told that old man to not know what was good for him? His daughter hanged herself and blamed it on me. I didn't take her by force. I had to carry her in properly. "
Aunt Xue was so angry that she covered her chest and said, "You modern treasure! You have to ask your uncle to clean up your mess for you in this kind of thing! Do you think your uncle doesn't have enough problems? You can just send him away with money. Why do you have to make a fuss like this? Watch out for your shrewish wife! "
Bao Chai softly advised, "Since things have come to this, then let's bury him. After all, it's two lives." Because she had something on her mind, she didn't have the patience to listen to her brother's usual dirty things. After saying this, she went around the screen and returned to her room.
Ying 'er saw her expression and smiled, "Miss, don't listen to this prince's nonsense. This isn't the first time that this prince doesn't listen to advice. Miss, you've done your best."
"I'm not doing it for my brother." Bao Chai focused for a moment and suddenly said softly, "That year, when Miss Lin was still with us in the Jia Manor, do you still remember where she lived?"
"How can I not remember? It was called Xiaoxiang Hall. "
Bao Chai thought, 'Yes.' Xiaoxiang Hall.
For some reason, when she heard the name Xiaoxiang Gentleman, she always thought of Pin 'er. That year in the Grand View Garden, she lived in Xiaoxiang Hall. When the poetry club was formed, her title was Xiaoxiang Imperial Concubine.
She privately flipped through Xiaoxiang Gentleman's works. Although they were very different, the words were like the person, and the works were like the person. Between the lines, she always felt that they were familiar.
A person's character could change greatly, and their style of writing could also change greatly, but there were always some things that couldn't be changed.
Ying 'er had always been clever and said, "Miss, because of that literary thief Xiaoxiang Gentleman, did you think of Miss Lin? How could this be! Miss Lin is from a noble family. How could she be so willing to degrade herself? "
Bao Chai was awakened by the word "literary thief." Her heart was alert. She suddenly smiled with a bit of self-mockery, "You're right. It's just that I'm old and can't help but miss old friends. Little sister Lin has been gone for many years without any news. For a moment, I had an absurd thought. You can spare your family's Miss. "
She then threw the matter to the back of her mind.
However, in the end, a thought flashed through her mind. She and Pin 'er back then could not be considered very close. She suddenly had this thought. Then, what about the one who was really intimate with Pin 'er?
The Jia manor was currently in a state of chaos because of Baoyu's refusal of marriage.
Old madam cried until her hair was in a mess. She beat the couch and called out to her darling, "You want my old life! Your Family Xue's cousin, you said you only treated her as an older sister and didn't want to be married. Your Shi family's little sister has always been close to you? You're acting like this again! How many more years can this old woman live? At your Xian Zhu dage's age, your sister-in-law has already married! "
Furen Wang's indifferent face was so anxious that it turned red. She clutched her Buddhist prayer beads and said, "Son, earlier you said that my family had declined. I'm afraid I've delayed the work of other girls. Now, your eldest sister has the final say in the palace. Because of the family's efforts in collecting evidence and putting down the thieves, the Emperor treats us with favor. There's no need to talk about this wealth. What about you?
Baoyu hung his head and didn't say anything.
Previously, the Jia, Wang, Shi, and Xue families had contributed in putting down the thieves. The Wang family had also relied on their sudden attack to kill the businessmen who were in cahoots with the short-haired thief. This contribution was personally rewarded by the Emperor. There was no need to talk about gold, silver, and jewels. There were also things stolen from the unscrupulous merchants. Each family also received some. In an instant, the originally declining family seemed to have recovered some of its former glory.
Ignoring how happy the others were, only Baoyu only had his older sister and younger sister in his heart. The Family Xue and Shi families had their own fate and didn't need him to worry. The first thing he thought of was his second sister, Yingchun.
He had loathed Sun Shaozu for a long time, so he thought, 'This time spring has returned to the family, I must persuade Da Laoye to return the five thousand taels, and then teach that wolf-like brother-in-law of mine a lesson, that Yingchun is also a Miss of a noble family.' From now on, he won't dare to treat her harshly.
Unexpectedly, just as he stepped into the Sun family's door, the servant at the door didn't even have time to report when he heard a commotion inside. A servant's wife shouted, "Not good, Grandma is not breathing!"
It was as if the world darkened in an instant. Baoyu's heart was completely cold.
Tanchun was dead.
This weak and pure girl had resigned herself to adversity her whole life, enduring all the injustice and neglect. As long as people were willing to give her a place to live, she would be grateful.
She had always been like an invisible person in the fu. When people looked down on her, she didn't care. She still treated everyone with tolerance. Silently, she accompanied her chessboard.
However, this kind of person who stood aloof from worldly affairs, the most gentle and obedient person, was dead.
Baoyu stood blankly at the door. He saw several servant girls roll up a brocade quilt and wrap Yingchun's corpse in it as they hurriedly came out from the main room. Her exposed snow-white arms and the hands that were used to play chess were covered in Qingqing's purple whip marks and traces of beatings.
She was beaten to death by Sun Shaozu.
No one knew what kind of shock Baoyu received.
The servant of the Sun family later said that he saw Second Master Bao madly rush forward and grab the servant girl who was carrying the young mistress's body. His grip was so strong that she couldn't pull him away. He absentmindedly asked, "What did Second Sister say in the end?"
The servant girl was frightened and replied, "Grandma kept saying that she wanted to go back to Ziling Continent." When the servant returned to the Jia family, he said,
"When Second Master Bao heard this, he went crazy and rushed in to beat Master. Then he fainted."
From then on, Baoyu rarely spoke to people. He didn't even allow people to get close to him. He always stayed alone in a daze. At most, he would walk around Xiaoxiang Hall.
Sister Feng glanced at Baoyu's expression. She had always been astute, so she said, "Baoyu, don't always think about Yingchun. Her fate wasn't good. If she was a few days later, that beast surnamed Sun would have no choice but to treat her with a smile. "
Baoyu suddenly raised his head. "When Second Sister was engaged to that Zhongshan Wolf, the whole family scolded her. They could only sigh that it was fate. Second Sister returned home crying. Mother advised her. Everyone advised her to go back to that wolf's den. They didn't urge her to stay, only saying that it was fate. She died, only saying that it was fate. Then, what wasn't 'fate'?
He always remembered that when Second Sister returned home crying, his mother and sisters-in-law advised her that it was fate. Endure it. A man beating a woman, although vulgar, what could a wife do if she encountered it? She could only endure it.
Sister Feng knew that this was the knot in his heart. She hurriedly advised, "What are you saying? Look again, that Sun Shaozu harmed my family's girl, but he didn't end up well. He was beaten. After my family's Huichun used their connections, they made him lose his position and had to pay a large sum of money. Now he's been transferred to a remote and desolate wilderness. "
Who would have thought that these words would be even worse. Baoyu actually sneered and suddenly stood up. "Second Sister's life is like gold and jade, but it's only worth a few stinky coins. She only suffered a few beatings and had to eat less meat and wine! When the family's Huichun remembered that their daughter died, they told the murderer to teach him a lesson that was neither light nor heavy. They transferred him to another place, and he could still eat meat and drink wine and play with women. If the family continued to decline day by day like before, wouldn't they be scared out of their wits? Would they just treat it as a cat or a dog that died in vain? "
"Pa!" Madam Wang was so angry that she slapped him. However, she felt sorry for herself and burst into tears. "What kind of heart-wrenching words are these? If your father knew, would I be able to stop him from beating you to death again? "
Sister Feng saw that the situation was not good and hurriedly advised, "How can you blame the family? This is how he was sentenced to kill his wife. Besides, Sun Shaozu insisted that he accidentally killed Yingchun. "
When Baoyu heard this, he felt even more disheartened. He pursed his lips. After a while, he said, "Qingwen died, that's fate. Second Sister died, that's fate. Then I won't marry for the rest of my life. I'll be a monk. That's fate too. "
After saying this, he actually turned around and left. The women looked at each other in dismay.
They hurriedly chased after him.
They heard him singing sorrowfully, "'There's no way to find happiness in the world, where can I find freedom in the human world' —" Suddenly, he burst into tears and shouted, "Younger Sister Lin."
.....
It was September. After the autumn rain and the cool weather, the heat gradually dissipated and the wind also became comfortable.
Lin Daiyu leaned against the silk gauze window and was reading ten lines at a glance. She read the words of the volunteer army's female general, Luo Hongfei, 'Children are also people, not the private property of their parents. Murder should be judged as murder '. She stopped and read it carefully. Then she sighed and said, "It's really good."
The judgment of this case was very pleasant. For a moment, she imagined this Rakshasa's appearance. She picked up a pen and circled this sentence with cinnabar.
These days, she was moved by this overturned heaven and earth. She wanted to pick up the pen and write something. But she also felt that her knowledge was shallow and her writing was weak. Unexpectedly, she did not dare to write a heroic overturn.
Every day, she paid attention to the excited reports of the volunteer army's progress. She circled and pointed it out as material for her novel.
Suddenly, she heard the wind blowing outside the window and the sound of the flute.
The sound of the flute was like an eagle flying high up in the sky. In an instant, it swooped down into the deep valley. It took a sharp turn and flipped dangerously.
Like the ocean, suddenly rolling up ten thousand feet of blue waves, sweeping toward the human world.
Like a sudden clap of thunder, patrolling the horizon, vowing to split the dark clouds.
The autumn wind was blown by this aggressive sound of the flute. It was bleak and bleak.
Lin Daiyu put away the pen and listened quietly.
The sound of the flute suddenly stopped.
Lin Ruoshan put away the flute and came in.
He was gentle and elegant. He came in with a slight smile. Daiyu could clearly see that there was no smile in his eyes.
Under the scorching sun of August, that day's negotiation ended with Ding Shihao's straightforward 'heatstroke'. They parted on bad terms.
But the tense atmosphere did not end.
After that, Li Yulang and the others went to visit many times, but the Ding family's door was closed.
The Ding family and the others did not agree to give up the right to purchase.
After that, the conflict became more and more intense. The Chamber of Commerce became increasingly disunited. They were clearly divided into two factions.
One faction was led by the Ding family. In the past, they had close relations with the imperial family. They were the feelers of the big families in the imperial court. They were the owners of monopoly rights. They were powerful merchants.
Instead of being called merchants, they should be called 'rich families'.
Because when they went out, even if it was just a short journey, they had to be carried by servants. So they were jokingly called 'Sedan Bearers'.
The other faction was led by Li Yulang, Chen Yudao, A 'Kun, and the others. They were made up of scattered factory owners, wealthy mid-level merchants, small merchants who were not very well off, and craftsmen who were above average in the guilds.
Most of the Chamber of Commerce's blue silk were from this faction. So they were directly called 'Blue silk school'.
Lin Ruoshan clearly stood on the side of the Blue silk school.
The Sedan Bearers dominated the market today. They were the emperor's power and did not allow the merchants to open for business.
The Blue silk school would go all out tomorrow. They would mobilize all the merchants to gather in front of the Ding family's shop. They would wear mourning clothes and put out the Bai family's memorial tablet. They would curse the evil deeds of the rich families.
Like this, the two factions made a lot of noise every day. Lin Ruoshan, who played the jade flute in the dark and was a dissolute disciple and a veteran of the Jianghu, could not help but add a bit of killing intent.
"Uncle, are the negotiations still at a standstill?"
Lin Ruoshan smiled and said, "How can it not be at a standstill? In the beginning, we wanted to open this lid and not be prisoners of the dynasty. However, the Ding family and the others did not want to go with us. If the governor did not join the revolutionary army, I'm afraid they would still be obedient. "
As the uncle and nephew were talking, they suddenly heard the servant outside call out, "Master, Miss, not good, the yamen is calling for you to go to the court!"
Daiyu felt that it was strange and smiled, "Calling me too? Ah Fu, you are still young, and you are also deaf. "
Afo anxiously stomped her feet, "Miss, this is a matter of life and death. Don't laugh. They are calling for you! Even the master is just a bonus! "
"What is it?"
"They said that the second young master of the Ding family made the yamen go to the revolutionary army and cried that the gentleman Xiaoxiang wrote a lewd book and killed his wife. I don't know which bastard said that Miss was that gentleman Xiaoxiang. Aiya, the yamen is calling for you now! "
What? This was really like a bolt of lightning. Lin Daiyu's body shook and her expression changed. She raised her head and looked at Lin Ruoshan. Lin Ruoshan said, "Afo, you go back first, we will be there soon."
After sending Afo away, Daiyu said sadly, "Uncle, tell me, who leaked this?"
Lin Ruoshan saw that her face was white and knocked her with his flute, "Don't panic. How did he teach you? Needless to say, he has no evidence. Even if he did, so what? We can just admit it, so what? "
"Time has changed and this place is not under the rule of the dynasty anymore. His Ding family is not the imperial merchant that can cover the sky with one hand. "
Lin Daiyu was still very worried.
She thought to herself, Although I am not who I used to be, I am still a girl with the surname Lin. Three generations of my family are from a scholarly family. My father, grandfather, and great-grandfather were all beloved officials of the previous emperor. If people knew that the author of the novel, Xiaoxiang Gentleman, was Lin Hai's daughter and a descendant of the Lin family, would it be a disgrace to the name of the previous emperor?
All of a sudden, she thought to herself, I am honest and write about the emotions of people. What disgrace is there? It is the emperor's officials who did not do good things. If the previous emperor was still alive, I, Lin Daiyu, would have a clear conscience.
She followed the yamen with such a strong feeling of conflict in her heart.
.....
In the court, the generals of the volunteer army were looking at each other and at the second young master of the Ding family who was crying.
Li Qingqing heard the news and came over. Because of the Business League and the volunteer army, she stood beside the generals and looked at them impatiently.
The others were waiting to hear this' strange case '.
Not long later, the 'defendant' walked over. In the court, one was not allowed to cover their face, so she did not wear a hat. Two curved eyebrows and a pair of eyes that seemed to be happy but not happy. She was as quiet as a beautiful flower shining on the water, and her movements were as weak as a willow branch swaying in the wind.
She was in the prime of her youth and walked over with delicate steps. Her appearance was peerless and she was exceptionally handsome. She was like a pearl in the deep sea, brightening up the entire court.
Other than Li Qingqing and the others, everyone in the court, including the second young master of the Ding family, was stunned and exclaimed softly.
The leader of the volunteer army was a scholar. His surname was Shou, his name was Yulou, and his courtesy name was Zhu Ting. It was said that he had just returned from the frontlines of the volunteer army. He was tall and burly, like a warrior from Shandong. He was handsome and spoke gently and elegantly, like a scholar from Jiangnan.
He was very polite and did not look like he was here to hear the case at all. He only said, "Miss, what is your name?"
The woman below the stage replied softly, "I am Daiyu of the Lin family."
"Do you know why I summoned you here today?"
"I know." She still spoke softly.
"Then, the accuser, Ding Dezhi, please come forward and tell us clearly."
Ding Dezhi was Ding Shihao's second son. He stepped forward and said angrily, "My wife has always been virtuous, but she read Xiaoxiang gentleman's casual books. She read so much that she could not take in a single drop of water. She would often cry and call out 'Chang Lang'. This kind of literary thief kills people without leaving a trace! "
He turned to Daiyu and shouted, "Woman, why didn't you abide by the virtue of a woman and write such a perverted book to kill my wife!"
"Hey, accuser, the case is not clear yet. You have to be reasonable. Don't shout like this for no reason." Shou Yulou stopped him.
Li Qingqing also stared at him. If he dared to take another step forward, she would not care about anything else and hit him.
Shou Yulou asked, "Lin Daiyu, is his accusation true? Are you really Xiaoxiang gentleman? "
Li Qingqing quickly winked, hinting that Daiyu did not have any evidence and she could just deny it.
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