[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 27

page views:1 Publication date:2023-07-23

In Chapter Four

, the group split into four groups. Qin Hui and Xiao Yaoyi led Xiao Wuyi to Zhongwazi, a gathering place for brothels. Lin Qingpu, Xiang Ya, Qiu Shaojun, and others headed to Beiwazi, observing the bustling prosperity of Lin'an. Lu Jing, Cui Mao, Kuang Zhongyu, and some veterans from the Xingyue Lake camp went to watch their own polo match.

Among Yue Shuang's group were many former members of the Snow Falcon Troupe. Reunited with their companions from the Lin'an branch, they were overjoyed and, led by Feng Yuan, went to the city for drinks. Only Yue Shuang stayed at Cuiwei Garden to rest. With

everyone going their separate ways, safety was a major concern. Fortunately, the external threats had subsided, and their relationship with the Imperial City Guard was exceptional. As long as no one actively sought trouble, he had ways to protect them. Cheng Zongyang gave a few instructions and then let everyone leave.

Li Shishi, holding the account book, asked, "Where should I put these?"

"I'll handle them," Cheng Zongyang said, taking the account book. He smiled, "It's my fault for letting such a beautiful woman like you become tainted by money."

Li Shishi blushed slightly and replied, "A gentleman is not a vessel."

Hearing Li Shishi's slip of the tongue, Cheng Zongyang immediately said straightforwardly, "I admit defeat! What I meant was that you're injured, so it's best not to overwork yourself. By the way, keep an eye on Eunuch Guo. I owe him a huge favor; if he dies, I'll be so sorry."

"Eunuch Guo is in slightly better spirits today. I fed him some porridge this morning," Li Shishi paused for a moment, "but his injuries are too severe. I'm afraid only Master Ming can cure him. My medical skills can only do my best to barely keep him alive."

“Ming Jingxue? How can we persuade her?”

Li Shishi shook her head. “Sect Master Ming spends half the year traveling the world, her whereabouts are unpredictable. The other half of her time is spent in seclusion in the mountains, and she is rarely seen.”

Cheng Zongyang asked, “What about Yan Jiaoran?”

“Uncle Yan has been teaching the inner disciples in the Bright Hall, and she specializes in the art of treating epidemics. Unless there is a major epidemic that endangers the common people, she rarely takes action to treat them.”

Hearing the title “Uncle,” Cheng Zongyang recalled that in orthodox sects, elders, regardless of gender, are addressed as “Uncle-Master” or “Master-Uncle,” while titles like “Aunt-Master” or “Master-Aunt” are mostly family traditions.

“Is your Uncle-Master male or female?”

“Of course, she’s a woman.” Li Shishi laughed in astonishment, “Where did the Bright Hall get a man?”

He loved the bold and unrestrained poetry of the Great Su Shi, was a heavy drinker, and was always drunk. He even performed abdominal surgery on himself—Cheng Zongyang could only say that he admired this female doctor from the Bright Hall to the point of prostration. Fortunately, it wasn't the girl she taught, Le Ya; otherwise, having such a carefree little drunkard would be a real headache.

Guo Huai's injuries showed no improvement after returning from the imperial mausoleum. Although Cheng Zongyang had a bellyful of questions, he could only wait until Guo Huai's condition stabilized.

Li Shishi returned to the inner courtyard to change Guo Huai's bandages, while Cheng Zongyang walked around looking at the account books. The cement workshop had already produced a batch of cement as soon as the war ended. It was snapped up by merchants from all over the country as soon as it came out of the kiln, selling for as high as fifty silver coins per shi (a unit of dry measure). Shi Chao, relying on his shareholder status, managed to secure two thousand shi of

cement with great difficulty. Those merchants buying cement weren't just selling it; nine out of ten wanted to understand how it was made so they could make a fortune. Guo Sheng had also mentioned in their earlier conversation that as soon as the war ended, many boats appeared on the waters near Jiangzhou, all dredging the riverbed. Xingyuehu and the others ignored this, but unexpectedly, Shanghou, using the banner of the Jiangzhou garrison, fined them one by one, extorting a hefty sum. This finally prompted the shipowner to complain to Ningzhou, and only then did the old man restrain himself somewhat.

The method of making cement couldn't be kept secret forever, but Cheng Zongyang believed that at least until these die-hard Xingyuehu veterans passed away, the secret of cement wouldn't be revealed. Several decades were enough for him to count money until his hands were sore. At that time, he wouldn't need anyone to beg him; he would voluntarily reveal the method—he couldn't be like other transmigrators, hoarding their inventions that could benefit the world and taking them to their graves.

Cheng Zongyang's heart suddenly stirred, and he turned to look at the courtyard next door. Yue Shuang looked at him coldly, then turned and went back into the courtyard.

Cheng Zongyang was inwardly puzzled, but his feet involuntarily followed Yue Shuang into the courtyard, forcing a smile as he said, "Miss Yue, hello."

Yue Shuang coldly asked, "Who is that woman?"

Cheng Zongyang was taken aback. "Which one?" Then he realized, "Oh, you mean Miss Shishi! She's a disciple of the Bright Temple..."

"Bright Temple?"

Seeing Yue Shuang's anger, Cheng Zongyang quickly said, "She doesn't plan to return to her sect!"

Yue Shuang angrily said, "She actually left her sect without permission? Are all disciples of the Bright Temple such shameless scoundrels who disrespect their teachers?"

A few words popped into Cheng Zongyang's mind: Yue girl, jealous!

Cheng Zongyang chuckled and said, "You seem to have lost weight."

Yue Shuang realized her lapse in composure, turned and went into the room, slamming the door shut.

"Ouch! My foot..." Cheng Zongyang quickly shoved his foot in, then immediately screamed in pain.

Yue Shuang angrily released her grip, "Get out!"

Cheng Zongyang seized the opportunity to squeeze into the room, laughing, "This room was specially decorated by me. What do you think? Does it suit your taste?"

Yue Shuang looked disdainful, "Such gaudy colors, it's laughable!"

"You're right," Cheng Zongyang whispered in her ear, "This is decorated like the boudoir of a popular courtesan in Lin'an. See that boudoir bench? Use it and you'll know its wonders... Ouch!"

Yue Shuang stomped on his foot hard, angrily saying, "Get out!"

Cheng Zongyang leered and moved closer to Yue Shuang. Yue Shuang raised her hand and struck, her palm strike as sharp as a blade. Clearly, she had made great progress during her time at the Xingyue Lake camp. It would be difficult for him to withstand such a move. Cheng

Zongyang also had a plan. He raised the account book and hurriedly shouted, "Be careful of the account book! The entire camp depends on it!"

Yue Shuang hesitated for a moment, then withdrew her palm and changed her move. Cheng Zongyang seized the opportunity and pounced, grabbing Yue Shuang's slender waist. Yue Shuang raised her knee to kick, but Cheng Zongyang handed her the account book in his right hand, blocking her way, and shouted, "Watch out! It's all money!"

Yue Shuang reluctantly withdrew her knee, but Cheng Zongyang took the opportunity to push her, stretching his leg between her legs.

Yue Shuang gritted her teeth and said, "You scoundrel!" She raised her hand and slapped him.

"Here you go!"

Cheng Zongyang shoved the account book into Yue Shuang's hand, and taking advantage of her inability to hold it, he pushed her down with his leg and body, like Mount Tai pressing down on her, pressing her down onto the bench, while smiling and saying, "That's because you don't understand me. If you did, you would know that I'm not only a scoundrel, but also very shameless..."

As he spoke, he straightened his waist, pressing against Yue Shuang's body through her clothes in an ambiguous way. Yue Shuang's jade face immediately turned red. She bit her lip and glared hatefully at this hateful man.

Cheng Zongyang frowned, "Has the cold poison flared up again?"

Yue Shuang nodded reluctantly.

"When?"

After a while, Yue Shuang said, "Fifty-seven days after you left."

Cheng Zongyang estimated that it happened exactly when the Song army retreated.

"Two months?" Cheng Zongyang said, "Is your period normal?"

Yue Shuang said angrily, "Get out!"

Cheng Zongyang grabbed her sash and threatened, "If you don't tell me, I'll see for myself!"

Yue Shuang had no choice but to say, "I just finished two days ago."

Cheng Zongyang pulled open her sash and said seriously, "I'd rather see for myself..."

"You scoundrel—um..."

Cheng Zongyang kissed her red lips while unbuttoning her undergarments. Yue Shuang's lips were as cold as ice, her teeth clenched tightly, refusing his tongue's entry, but her eyes were wide open, not avoiding his gaze at all.

…………………………………………………………………………………

The light filtering through the pink gauze curtains turned an ambiguous fleshy red, the air filled with the faint scent of sweat.

Cheng Zongyang's bare shoulders bore several bloody scratches from his fingernails, revealing a helpless expression. Yue Shuang turned her back to him, her delicate body wrapped tightly in the sheet like a rice dumpling, clearly indicating that he hadn't taken advantage of her.

"...Grain prices rose from 600 copper coins per shi to 2,400 copper coins, a fourfold increase in three months. Coupled with the implementation of the Fangtian Equal Tax Law last year, Song suffered a massive crop failure. The reserves in local granaries were already insufficient, and this spring, during the lean season, stored grain flowed out like water. Adding to this, a series of defeats occurred at the front. If the fighting continued, Song's finances would inevitably go bankrupt." "

...So, I used paper money to exchange for a batch of urgently needed grain for the Song government. Song then decisively withdrew its troops before the war deteriorated beyond control, avoiding a major military and political collapse."

Yue Shuang frowned. "You printed your own paper money, used your own assets as collateral, gave it to the Song government for use, and then used the paper money to buy up your own grain at high prices—where exactly did you make your money? Didn't you just get a pile of paper in return?"

"To understand this, we first need to understand one thing—what kind of money?" Cheng Zongyang said, "Let me give you an example. If you sell one shi of grain, and someone offers you ten sheepskins in exchange, would you accept?"

“Of course we’ll trade. A sheepskin can sell for two hundred copper coins, so ten sheepskins would be two strings of cash.”

“What if someone offered ten seashells for your grain?”

“Seashells?” Yue Shuang replied decisively, “Of course not.”

“They’re all money, but the Six Dynasties used gold coins, silver coins, and copper coins. The nomadic tribes of the north used sheepskin, and the people of the South China Sea used seashells. If we look at it from another angle, imagine you live in the South China Sea. If copper coins don’t circulate there at all, and all transactions are priced in seashells, and you catch a fish and someone offers ten copper coins, would you sell it?”

Yue Shuang hesitated for a moment. “No. Copper coins are useless there.”

“Exactly. So the medium of currency isn’t the most important thing. What’s truly important is what the currency can buy, that is, the credit of the currency. If everyone could use seashells to buy everything they wanted, then seashells would be real money.”

Yue Shuang questioned, “What about gold? Even in the South China Sea, gold is a valuable commodity. They wouldn’t accept copper coins, but they would definitely accept gold coins.”

“So I said the medium of currency isn’t the most important thing, but it’s not entirely unimportant either. The value inherent in currency itself is one of the foundations of credit. In fact, the tribes of the South China Sea also accepted copper coins, and a single copper coin in the South China Sea was even more valuable than during the Six Dynasties. But sufficient credit can completely transcend the value of the currency itself, making paper more valuable than gold.”

Yue Shuang thought for a long time. “I don’t understand.”

Cheng Zongyang laughed. “It’s okay if you don’t understand. Now I’ll answer your first question: where exactly do I make money? It’s very simple. I turn the official credit of the Song Dynasty into money. As long as the Song Dynasty officially recognizes the value of paper money, and as long as paper money can be used to offset taxes, the paper money I earn is money. Do you understand?”

Yue Shuang raised her eyebrows. “I think you’re lying.”

“Alright, alright, just pretend I’m lying. But… it absolutely won’t lie!”

Cheng Zongyang flipped over and pinned Yue Shuang down. “The lesson is over! Time for your medicine!”

Yue Shuang protested. “You didn’t explain it clearly at all!”

"I haven't even asked you for the medicine money yet!"

Just then, a loud shout came from afar, "Master! A guest is looking for you!"

Looking at Cheng Zongyang's face, which was as red as the bottom of a pot, Yue Shuang couldn't help but smile slightly, then her face hardened again.

Cheng Zongyang gritted his teeth and said, "I'm busy! Whoever comes, tell them I'm not here!"

Leopard Head said in a loud voice, "Old eunuch! The master says he's not here! Hurry up and leave!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cheng Zongyang came running out like his pants were on fire. He put on a smile from afar and cupped his hands, saying, "So it's Mr. Chen! Old Leopard! Are you blind! Where did this eunuch come from!"

Leopard Head said unconvinced, "This old guy doesn't have a beard, isn't he castrated?"

Cheng Zongyang roared, "Take the sheep!"

Leopard Head immediately shut his mouth tightly, afraid that his master would take the sheep out of his mouth.

Chen Lin was dressed in plain clothes, wearing a blue robe and a small hat, obviously not wanting to be recognized. But Leopard Head's loud voice could be heard clearly throughout half of Cuiwei Garden. However, he was very well-mannered. Even when a servant called him a eunuch to his face, he remained unfazed, only bowing and saying, "The old lady is waiting for the young master."

Cheng Zongyang slapped his forehead. He had been busy receiving shareholders of the Cheng's Chamber of Commerce these past few days and had completely forgotten about his promise. Only now did he remember that he had arranged to bring Ruan Xianglin to meet the Empress Dowager today. Fortunately, he hadn't gone to the brothels in Zhongwazi with the little fox, otherwise the Empress Dowager would have been waiting in vain at Yuntao Temple.

"Mr. Chen, please wait a moment while I go in and give some instructions."

Cheng Zongyang darted into the Tianxiang Pavilion and summoned Zhuo Yunjun. "Go to Weiyuan Escort Agency immediately and call Ruan Xianglin over! Tell her to be at Yuntao Temple within half an hour!"

It usually takes an hour to get from Cuiwei Garden to Weiyuan Escort Agency in the city, but Zhuo Yunjun wasn't in a hurry at all, only smiling and saying, "Master is so busy that she's forgotten about her own affairs."

"Whatever it is! Just call her over! There can't be any delay!"

Zhuo Yunjun called out, "Lin'er!"

As soon as she finished speaking, Ruan Xianglin came out from the inner room.

Zhuo Yunjun then said, "She's been waiting for Master at the pavilion since early this morning, saying she has something to discuss."

Cheng Zongyang breathed a sigh of relief. He had promised yesterday to find a way for Ruan Xianglin to arrange an official position for Li Yinchen. He hadn't expected Ruan Xianglin to be so eager, waiting in the garden so early in the morning, saving him the trouble of making another trip. He pulled Ruan Xianglin away, instructing, "Don't ask anything. When you leave the garden, there's a carriage outside; wait for me there."

The garden was crowded and inconvenient; he couldn't openly travel with Ruan Xianglin. Zhuo Yunjun, however, supported Ruan Xianglin, saying, "This servant will go with Lin'er."

Cheng Zongyang said as they walked, "See her out, but don't get in the carriage. Go do what you need to do yourself. There are many people in the temple today; be careful not to reveal your whereabouts."

Zhuo Yunjun had come to Lin'an on orders, and her first task was to visit Yuntao Temple. Although he hadn't asked for details, she had visited Yuntao Temple several times in recent days, so it couldn't be just for relaxation. As for what she was doing, she wouldn't say, and he had no interest in digging into it.

………

...

Ruan Xianglin twirled a strand of hair between her fingers, momentarily at a loss.

Yuntao Temple was located at the foot of Nanping Mountain, nestled against the mountain and beside the water, its scenery even surpassing that of Cuiwei Garden. Due to Yuntao Temple's special status, ordinary carriages and horses would stop a mile in front of the temple and walk in to pay their respects. This time, however, the carriage drove directly into the temple, passing through many gates and finally stopping in front of a side hall.

"Greetings to Aunt!" Cheng Zongyang bowed and said with a grin, "This must be the Ruan family I mentioned last time."

Liu E had already put away her phoenix crown and gorgeous robes, changing into the attire of an ordinary wealthy family. She looked like a kind-faced old lady, but years of being highly respected in the palace had given her an air of elegance and nobility that ordinary women lacked.

Ruan Xianglin was initially seven-tenths unwilling, but after being swept over by Liu E's gaze, she couldn't help but feel a little timid.

"Is this the girl?"

Ruan Xianglin's own daughter was old enough to marry, yet she was being treated like a junior and called a "girl." She couldn't help but blush. Seeing Cheng Zongyang wink at her, she could only lower her head and say, "This servant greets Aunt."

Liu E said, "Come closer, let this old woman take a good look."

Ruan Xianglin moved a few steps closer and knelt before Liu E.

Chen Lin handed over a pair of tortoiseshell-framed monocles of crystal reading glasses. Liu E held the lens in one hand and lifted Ruan Xianglin's chin with the other, carefully examining her. Then she nodded and smiled, "Although you're a bit older, your appearance is still quite outstanding."

She put down the tortoiseshell crystal glasses and said to Ruan Xianglin, "This old woman heard that you have a daughter living in my nephew's house?"

Ruan Xianglin and her husband had been managing the escort agency for many years. Although they had dealt with many wealthy families, they had mostly met stewards and accountants. The lady before him wore a slightly worn silk dress, lacking the overbearing air of wealth typical of wealthy families. Yet, both her attire and the utensils she used were exquisitely elegant, making Ruan Xianglin feel a pang of self-consciousness. Seeing the lady's question, she whispered, "Yes."

"If your daughter is fortunate enough to be taken as a concubine by my nephew in the future, you and your daughter must serve him with one heart and one mind," Liu E said earnestly, patting her hand. "Never be like those from humble families, whose concubines fight and quarrel, causing unrest in the household."

Cheng Zongyang was astonished; his aunt was truly uninhibited, even uttering such words.

Ruan Xianglin blushed deeply, wanting to storm off, but ultimately dared not. After a long while, she said, "This servant will remember."

Liu E said, "As a concubine, one's role is to please others with one's looks. Although you are somewhat beautiful, to gain favor, it's not enough to just be pretty. Managing the household is the responsibility of the principal wife. Making the husband happy in bed is the way for a concubine to secure his favor." (Advertisement: Still relying on your hands? How can that be satisfying? Forum reputation guaranteed! Healthy anti-premature ejaculation masturbation exerciser, real oral sex pleasure experience, hot recommendation! Maintain the feeling of ejaculation for 30 minutes, so pleasurable you'll faint! Fully automated masturbation with 12 different sexual positions and vibration frequencies. Click to enter.)

“…Yes.”

Liu E said, “I heard you are already married. It’s rare that my nephew has taken a liking to you and made you his concubine. In my opinion, your husband should write a divorce decree so you can enter our family cleanly. But my nephew is afraid that it will damage his reputation if it gets out, so he can only take a concubine in private. Now you are married to two men. I wonder if this is unfair to you?”

Ruan Xianglin could only say, “I dare not.”

“Since you have agreed, I will say a few more words.” Liu E said, “As a married woman, it is already wrong of you to lose your virginity. Now that you are my nephew’s concubine, you must remember your place. No matter who your husband is, from now on, your husband will only be my nephew. Do not tarnish your family’s reputation.”

Ruan Xianglin was stunned for a moment before she understood. She was actually asking her to remain chaste for Cheng Zongyang, while her own husband became an outsider who could not touch her.

As Ruan Xianglin hesitated, she saw the woman lift her sleeve, take off a gold bracelet from her wrist, and kindly place it on her own wrist. She then smiled and said, "This bracelet has been with me for many years. Since my nephew is taking a concubine, I'll give it to you as a gift."

Ruan Xianglin felt a slight weight on her wrist. Upon closer inspection, she saw that the bracelet was not only pure gold but also inlaid with a ruby the size of a longan—the ruby alone was quite valuable. Her heart skipped a beat, and she felt a warm sensation on her wrist. Any resistance she felt vanished instantly. She bowed and said, "This servant understands."

Liu E smiled slightly, "Pour the tea."

This was the proper etiquette for taking a wife or concubine; the new bride had to serve tea to the elders before she was considered to have officially entered the household. Although Ruan Xianglin had poured tea for Huang Shi before, that was only because she had been teased. Now, receiving the teacup, she felt both ashamed and pleased. Ashamed because she, the wife of the main wife, was secretly being taken as a concubine. What pleased her was the Cheng family's generosity; wealth and prosperity seemed within reach.

She carefully poured tea, then knelt, holding the teacup in both hands, and presented it to Liu E. "Please have some tea, Aunt."

Liu E took a small sip, then put down the teacup and smiled, "Get up."

"Thank you, Aunt."

"Now you've officially entered the Cheng family," Liu E said with a smile. "Go and offer your husband a cup of tea as well."

Ruan Xianglin blushed and poured a cup of tea. "Please have some tea, my lord."

Cheng Zongyang found it amusing. He had neither understood nor been interested in the etiquette of the Six Dynasties; all the tedious formalities were nothing compared to the thrill of real action. But now, seeing Ruan Xianglin's submissive demeanor, like a shy newcomer, he found it somewhat amusing.

Cheng Zongyang drank his tea and placed the empty cup on the table. Seeing Ruan Xianglin's awkward expression, Liu E turned around and smiled, "This girl is new here and doesn't know the rules yet."

Chen Lin bowed slightly and said to Ruan Xianglin, "After serving tea, you should pay your respects to your husband."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Isn't it the husband and wife bowing to each other?"

"If she were the principal wife, the young master should return the greeting. If she is a concubine, the young master only needs to sit and let her pay her respects."

Ruan Xianglin had no choice but to kneel down and bow to Cheng Zongyang, "This servant greets your husband."

Liu E smiled and said, "You should call yourself this

humble concubine." "... This humble concubine greets

your husband." "Things are different now than before, so it's better to keep it simple." Liu E said to Chen Lin, "Go and explain the rules of being a concubine to her."

Chen Lin bowed and said, "Young lady, this way please."

Ruan Xianglin secretly glanced at Cheng Zongyang, and seeing him nod, she followed Chen Lin to the back hall with a flushed face.

Cheng Zongyang laughed, "Thanks to you, Aunt, otherwise I wouldn't know any manners at all."

Liu E glanced at him with a smile, "This woman is quite vain. When she marries a proper wife, she'll have to keep her in check."

"It's fine as long as you keep an eye on me, Aunt," Cheng Zongyang said. "Aunt, you just said things are different now than before—did you also arrange for someone to take concubines before?"

Liu E laughed and spat, "Wasn't that A-Ju's doing? Back in the palace, he took both my mother-in-law and me as concubines. At that time, we concubines had to follow the rules: first, we had to be cleansed and examined, then we had to change clothes and enter the palace, then there was serving tea, kneeling, bowing, face-opening... and finally, we could enter the bridal chamber and enjoy the pleasure."

This Yue birdman is too domineering! Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but ask, "The late emperor—that is, your son—wouldn't he do something about it?"

Liu E's expression darkened, and after a long while, she sighed softly, "Many outsiders don't know about this, but there's no need to hide it from you—when I was pregnant, I was ambushed and mistakenly took an abortifacient. Although I was lucky enough to give birth to this child, he was poisoned in the womb, so he walks and talks more slowly than ordinary people. Although he is lustful, he doesn't even know how many concubines he has, and he has even done the absurd thing of sleeping with thirty women in one night. The only people he trusts are A-Ju, Xiao Liangzi, the Jia family boy, and Gao Qiu."

Cheng Zongyang suddenly understood. No wonder Yue Fei was able to control everything; with such a Song emperor, it would be difficult for him not to be so powerful. If it were the current dashing Song emperor, Yue Fei would probably be finished long ago.

“No wonder General Yue treats the palace like his own home,” Cheng Zongyang said with a wry smile. “But taking mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law as concubines, isn’t that a bit too chaotic?”

Liu E raised one eyebrow and chuckled softly, “Doesn’t my lord know the charm of it? This is what A-Ju likes the most.”

Cheng Zongyang chuckled dryly, “I really didn’t know…”

“A-Ju once said that the most tempting taste in the world is not mutual affection, but challenging taboos. Without taboos, it’s like bland soup, tasteless. He’s been in the palace for a long time, what kind of beauties hasn’t he seen? What can arouse his interest is nothing more than the taboos of mother and daughter, mother-in-law and daughter-in-law, sisters…”

Liu E recounted the past with a nostalgic expression. Cheng Zongyang’s cheeks twitched a few times. Yue birdman… you’re really a pervert…

Chapter 5

When they returned to Cuiwei Garden, the door to Hancui Courtyard was tightly closed. No matter how much they knocked, Yue Shuang ignored them. Cheng Zongyang had no choice; he was too busy with his own affairs, so he had to let her off this time. He arranged to meet Liao Qunyu and hurriedly went to Banxian Hall in Geling to pay his respects to Jia Shixian.

Jia Shixian looked well. After Cheng Zongyang explained his purpose, he told him to discuss it with Liao Qunyu themselves, and that as long as they reached an agreement, he would agree to anything.

Cheng Zongyang and Liao Qunyu talked until late at night, and when they returned, the entire garden was silent. He had no choice but to sleep haphazardly in the waterside pavilion for the night, and then went out to run errands again the next day.

Lu Jing and Cui Mao only caught a glimpse of him when he arrived, and then did not show up for two days. They had originally said they would return in one day, but Guo Sheng returned early in the morning, took a look around, and said that he had not finished his business and would not be back until tomorrow. Cheng Zongyang wanted to ask Lu Jing about the things that happened in the Song Palace back then, but he couldn't even find a trace of him.

The little fox was even more straightforward; she simply stayed at Yulu Tower, spending her days indulging in pleasure and having a great time. Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but admire the confidence the men in charge of Xingyue Lake had in the safety of Cuiwei Garden.

Qiu Shaojun was probably the happiest person in the entire garden. No longer needing to constantly protect Yue Shuang, Qiu was like a bird released from its cage, happily flying into Lin'an City before dawn and returning happily at midnight. While others went to the entertainment district to relax, Qiu spent his time watching people train insects by the roadside. He could watch a lazy donkey rolling around for two hours with great interest, and if he encountered someone training ants, that was something else entirely—he'd sit by the roadside watching without blinking an eye all day. Fortunately, his "beard" covered half his face, and after two days of watching, he didn't run into any trouble from the Taiyi Zhenzong sect.

So when Cheng Zongyang finished his day's work and returned to Cuiwei Garden, he found it even more deserted than the day before. Except for a few who were truly unable to leave, everyone else was nowhere to be seen. Even Li Shishi had temporarily left the injured Guo Huai and gone out for a walk with Wang Hui.

Cheng Zongyang paced around the room twice before finally making up his mind and asking, "Who's on duty tonight?"

Lin Qingpu replied, "Ten in total, led by Han Yu tonight."

"Have them remove the hidden agents inside the garden and move them all to the outer courtyard,"

Lin Qingpu said. "Young Master, this would leave the garden's defenses weak on the outside but not on the inside, which I'm afraid isn't appropriate."

"You don't understand," Cheng Zongyang said seriously. "Security is most vulnerable to stagnation. If someone figures out the patterns, it's dangerous. It needs to be changed every now and then."

Lin Qingpu suddenly realized, "Young Master is right! I'll go arrange it right away." As

soon as Lin Qingpu left, Cheng Zongyang excitedly rubbed his hands, planning how to steal a kiss from Ruan Xianglin at Hancui Pavilion tonight.

He was about to do something good yesterday, but was interrupted by Ruan Xianglin's matter. Now Lu Jing wasn't there, Cui Mao wasn't there, and Little Fox, Guo Sheng, and Qiu Xiaozi weren't there either! If he missed such a good opportunity, it would be an injustice!

Cheng Zongyang couldn't wait until the night was deep and quiet. Right after dinner, he changed into his nighttime camouflage uniform, scaled the wall between the inner and outer courtyards, and slipped into Hancui Courtyard with practiced ease.

Yue Shuang was intently wiping her longsword with a piece of silk. Under the lamplight, the girl's icy face resembled a begonia blossom.

Cheng Zongyang was prepared. He took a rabbit from his pocket and tossed it lightly under the window. Taking advantage of Yue Shuang's attention being drawn to the rabbit, he quietly pushed open a window he had tampered with. His feet glided as lightly as if on water, and he silently slipped into the room.

A soft click of a mechanism sounded, followed by a flash of dark light. Cheng Zongyang had intended to use the cute little white rabbit to distract Yue Shuang, but upon hearing the sound, Yue Shuang, without thinking, raised her hand and fired a hidden arrow, pinning the unfortunate rabbit to the ground. The splattered blood made Cheng Zongyang gasp. In just a few days, Yue Shuang had become increasingly violent.

Yue Shuang glanced at it, then sheathed the Zhenwu Sword and adjusted the candlelight with one hand. Rabbits often roamed the Cuiwei Garden, but she never paid them any attention. Cheng Zongyang was about to take a step when he suddenly stopped. Yue Shuang opened her backpack and took out a gleaming silver halberd.

It was the long weapon Yue Shuang used in the army: the Fangtian Halberd. Because the whole weapon was too conspicuous, she had removed the halberd head with its two crescent-shaped prows and carried it with her. Now, having nothing else to do, she took it out to polish it.

Cheng Zongyang held his breath and walked step by step toward Yue Shuang, who was concentrating on polishing her weapon. When he was about ten feet away, he pounced on her from behind, grabbing her waist and grinning maliciously, "Little Yue, now there's no one to save you, hahaha—uh!"

Suddenly, he felt a chill under his ribs, a coldness piercing through his clothes, and a sharp blade pressed against his lower abdomen.

The Zhenwu Sword that Yue had been sheathing was now in her hand, its gleaming blade pressed against her vitals. A slight thrust would be enough to kill her.

"Don't do anything rash," Cheng Zongyang said. "I just came to see you!"

Yue turned and glared at him, spitting, "Is this how you sneak in?"

"I was actually checking the security, seeing if anyone could get in, so I was walking quietly." "

Is that so?" Yue said coldly. "What were the results of the check?"

Cheng Zongyang said sadly, "It's a complete sham! I think we need to really clean it up! Tsk tsk! Miss Yue's quick wit far exceeded my expectations. She truly is a daughter of a military family!"

Cheng Zongyang praised her haphazardly. Taking advantage of Yue's distraction, he suddenly bent backward, as if about to lie down, dodging the sword. Then, he raised his knee and struck Yue's wrist, knocking the Zhenwu Sword out of her hand.

Yue Shuang, who had been sitting on a round stool, kicked Cheng Zongyang in the stomach the moment she released the Zhenwu Sword. The sound of the kick sent chills down Cheng Zongyang's spine; if she landed, his manhood would be turned into foie gras.

Cheng Zongyang rolled to the side, risking the kick, and leaped away to create distance. Yue Shuang, however, displayed the significant improvement she had made after the Jiangzhou battle. Simply put, her attacks were direct, sharp, and adept at close combat, and extremely deadly!

In terms of cultivation, Cheng Zongyang, if he performed normally, would definitely have the upper hand over Yue Shuang. But he had initially only intended to steal her affections, never considering taking a risk. As a result, one mistake led to a series of setbacks. Not only was his normal performance reduced, but even his off-peak performance was halved, leaving him unsurprisingly at a disadvantage, forced to retreat step by step by Yue Shuang.

Seeing that he was about to be cornered by Yue Shuang, Cheng Zongyang realized that failing to steal her affections and getting beaten up was a minor matter compared to the possibility that Yue Shuang might act foolishly and actually catch him like a thief, then call everyone else. He would lose face terribly.

Cheng Zongyang shouted, "Behold my treasured sword!" He didn't dare use the coral dagger, but instead drew the hilt of his laser sword, pretending to slash at Yue Shuang, hoping to scare her and turn the tide.

Unexpectedly, Yue Shuang was even more ferocious, grabbing her halberd and slashing at him.

Cheng Zongyang nearly fainted. The halberd head was over two feet long, a standard three-pointed, double-edged blade. If it were to pierce his body, it would definitely cause three serious injuries, saving him the trouble of bandaging.

Cheng Zongyang desperately fell backward, his back slamming heavily against a wooden board with a "thud"—it was the balustrade bench. Then, the halberd, flashing silver, cleaved down and pierced the ground with a "clang."

Cheng Zongyang was covered in cold sweat. This balustrade bench was originally meant for Yue'er, but now the roles were reversed. He was lying stiffly on it, the halberd firmly pinned to the ground, its branch wedged into his arm.

Cheng Zongyang's posture was incredibly awkward. The bench was higher in the front and lower in the back, and lying on it, his waist and abdomen naturally arched upward, making his features particularly prominent.

Yue Shuang's jade-like face flushed slightly. "Close your eyes!"

Cheng Zongyang, still shaken, had only intended to flirt, but things had turned out so violently. His anger surged. "No!"

Yue Shuang grabbed a pillow and smashed it against Cheng Zongyang's face, then ripped open his belt.

Cheng Zongyang felt as if his old face had been shattered like porcelain falling from the sky, his manly dignity utterly destroyed. He must have been sexually assaulted by Yue Shuang, right?

He heard rustling sounds, and after a while, he felt a cool sensation on his waist, the smooth, jade-like skin of Yue Shuang.

Just as Yue Shuang's hands pressed against his chest, Cheng Zongyang suddenly flipped over, leaping off the bench like a carp. Yue Shuang missed her target and fell back onto the bench. Cheng Zongyang grabbed a halberd and stabbed it down at Yue Shuang's hands with a loud thud.

Yue Shuang cried out in surprise as her hands were caught between the spearhead and the serrated edges of the halberd. She frantically tried to pull it out, but the halberd was made of excellent material, and she couldn't get it off in time.

Cheng Zongyang didn't give her a chance to turn the tables. He slapped his hand, sealing Yue Shuang's pressure points. Seeing that Yue Shuang had lost all her strength, he laughed triumphantly, "Haha! Yue girl! I won after all!"

Yue Shuang said angrily, "Despicable!"

"How is it despicable? Did I take off your pants?"

"Ah—" Yue Shuang's face immediately turned bright red when he reminded her.

Yue Shuang's upper body clothing was intact, but her pants had been pulled down to her knees. Now she was lying on the halberd, her hands caught above her head by the serrated edge, her snow-white buttocks directly exposed.

"Don't look!" Yue Shuang cried out.

"Did someone just call me despicable?"

Yue Shuang gritted her teeth. "Fine, I take it back!"

"Why take it back? I think you're pretty accurate. Looks like you know me quite well." Cheng Zongyang said with a smile, "It's just that I don't know you very well..."

"You... what are you going to do!"

"Of course, I'm going to get to know you..."

Yue Shuang suddenly closed her eyes and gritted her teeth, "Let go..."

"You stingy girl, can't I even take a look? Oh, what's this? It looks... so soft..."

"Don't look..."

"Beg me."

Yue Shuang bit her lip, struggling desperately with both hands, but the halberd remained unmoved.

"Little Yue, you ride horses all day, how come your butt is still so white and tender? Cool, smooth and elastic... Wow, your flower bud is getting more and more beautiful! And this little bean..."

Yue Shuang's body trembled. She bit her lip, her round, snowy buttocks were spread open by that hateful man, revealing the delicate organs inside.

Cheng Zongyang leaned closer to her and said seriously, "I think it's best to get to know them better."

Yue Shuang gritted her teeth and said, "Hurry up! If they come back and find out you're here, I'll kill you!"

"Don't worry, they definitely won't," Cheng Zongyang said. "Brother Lu Wu and Brother Cui Liu used to follow you around like they were twelve hours a day, but once we got to Lin'an, they disappeared without a trace. And Little Fox, he usually hides in the Jade Dew Pavilion and never even shows his face. Isn't that creating opportunities for you?"

"What opportunities?

" "Of course, it's the opportunity for you to take the medicine.

" Yue Shuang blushed and said, " You're talking nonsense!" "

Okay. I'll take it as nonsense." "What are you doing!" "Get to know them better... " "Ah! " "No!" " Call me husband! " "No!" "Let's see what's fun inside!" "... Husband. " "Hey! Wife! " "I'm going to kill you !" "Don't worry! You'll make me feel like I 'm in heaven soon !" "Ah..." ……… ... Exhausted, Yue Shuang lay in Cheng Zongyang's arms, a hint of anger still lingering in her brows, but her cheeks were flushed with embarrassment. Seeing Cheng Zongyang's smug look, Yue Shuang felt a surge of embarrassment and kicked him, "What are you humming?" Cheng Zongyang perked up and turned to her, saying, "A song about war, want to learn it?" Yue Shuang raised an eyebrow, "A war song?" Cheng Zongyang grinned broadly, "That's right, a war song! I'll teach you! Hey, you can't even sing a song, can you?" Yue Shuang retorted, annoyed, "Of course I can!" "Then I'll sing a line, and you repeat—" Cheng Zongyang cleared his throat, "Finally, you've found a way to decide the winner..." Yue Shuang, questioned about her singing ability, widened her eyes like an angry kitten. As soon as Cheng Zongyang finished singing, she immediately repeated the melody—as soon as the song began, Cheng Zongyang couldn't help but look at Yue Shuang with newfound respect, not expecting this girl to have such a talent for singing. Cheng Zongyang taught her line by line, “The price of victory or defeat is mutual destruction. You, outwardly healthy, bear countless wounds in your heart, while I, stubborn as I am, am a prisoner of this battle…” Yue Shuang sang line by line, not to be outdone, until she reached the line, “Just like that, I was conquered by you—” where her singing stopped abruptly, and she glared at him with shame and indignation. Cheng Zongyang clapped and said, “You sang so well! Do it again!” “Shameless scoundrel!” The two wrestled on the bed for a long time, until Cheng Zongyang gave way half a move, and Yue Shuang finally managed to stop by twisting his arm with a grappling technique. Yue Shuang’s half-naked body pressed against his chest, her breath carrying the sweet fragrance of a young girl. Her smooth skin, no longer cold, became soft and fragrant, leaving Cheng Zongyang momentarily stunned. Yue Shuang nestled against his chest and asked, “Was what you just said true?” “What?” “They all know.” Cheng Zongyang shrugged. “Do you think Boss Meng is stupid?” Yue Shuang shook her head. “What about Second Brother Hou?” Yue Shuang shook her head again. "Where are Fourth Brother, Fifth Brother, Sixth Brother, Seventh Brother, and Little Fox?" "What does this have to do with intelligence?" Yue Shuang said angrily, "Did you tell the outsiders?"

"Hey! Use your brain! Even your master couldn't cure your cold poison, yet it suddenly disappeared, and your cultivation level even increased significantly. Anyone with eyes would find that strange, right?" Cheng Zongyang said. "Besides, Jiangzhou just finished a war, and there are countless things to deal with. Boss Meng is focused on cultivating you, yet he neglected so many matters and sent you to Lin'an to attend the shareholders' meeting. Don't you find that strange?"

Yue Shuang's anger was tinged with a hint of embarrassment. According to this despicable man, Meng Feiqing had sent her to Lin'an specifically to have him "cure" her illness.

Cheng Zongyang quickly said, "I've calculated that the day before Boss Meng decided to send you was exactly when your cold poison flared up, right?"

Yue Shuang was silent for a moment. "That day, Brother Meng suppressed the cold poison for me. He even asked me what medicine I had taken before."

He wasn't sure how high Meng Feiqing's cultivation level was, but he dared to guarantee it for him—with Boss Meng's discerning eye, he could guess seven or eight tenths of it just by looking at Yue Shuang's meridians.

Cheng Zongyang sighed, "Boss Meng definitely wants to beat me up."

"Why?"

"Because he thinks it would be too easy for a kid like me if you married me."

"Dream on! I won't marry you!" Yue Shuang paused, then repeated, "Absolutely not!"

Cheng Zongyang wasn't surprised; he knew what Yue Shuang was thinking. She might have a thousand reasons for not marrying him, but the most important reason she would never say aloud—Xiao Zi. Yue

Shuang released his arm, "The shareholders' meeting…what exactly does it do?" "A lot." Cheng Zongyang sighed, "

So much that I don't even know where to begin."

……… ... Perhaps due to his heightened mood, Cheng Zongyang lay on the bamboo couch, unable to fall asleep. He got up and lit the candle. The flickering candlelight cast a golden glow on Cheng Zongyang's muscular physique. He unfolded a roll of plain paper, smoothed it out, and then placed a black jade paperweight on top. Hearing the sound, Zhuo Yunjun gathered her hair, rose from the couch, slipped on her ivory shoes, walked to the table, breathed into the inkstone, and carefully ground the ink with her jade-like hand. Cheng Zongyang didn't sit down, but stood by the table, dipping his brush in ink as he said, "You did this on purpose, didn't you?" "This servant was afraid Ningnu would disturb her mistress, so I pressed her acupoints to put her to sleep." "That's not it." Cheng Zongyang wrote the four characters "Panjiang Cheng Clan" on the paper, saying, "That day I asked you to pour Ruan Xianglin a cup of tea, but I didn't ask you to put any aphrodisiac in it." Zhuo Yunjun chuckled, "That harlot was already wanton enough without any aphrodisiac. Who knew she'd become so wanton after drinking the tea?" "You think I can't see through you? You suffered a loss at Li Shishi's hands, and you're taking the opportunity to get revenge." Cheng Zongyang said, "I'm warning you, if Miss Shishi loses a single hair, you'd better pray for good fortune." Zhuo Yunjun said sourly, "Yes." "You already know that the old thief Lin has become the leader of the Taiyi True Sect, right?" Zhuo Yunjun was silent for a moment, "This servant has heard." "To be honest, with Lin Caiquan's methods, let alone you, even if you, Qiu, and that Lin Zhilan all joined forces, you still couldn't defeat him." Zhuo Yunjun remained silent. Ever since the news spread that Lin Caiquan had received the Nine Yang Divine Skill, she knew that her master had reached a private agreement with Lin Caiquan, making her revenge seem even more distant. "But don't worry, as long as you are still my servant, I will never let you suffer in silence." Cheng Zongyang wrote the two characters "Panjiang" on the paper as he said, "Once I have the time, I'll make that old scoundrel Lin pay. He'll have to spit out everything he deserves." After saying that, Cheng Zongyang ignored Zhuo Yunjun and wrote on the paper: Panjiang Cheng Group. Total shares: 20 shares. First batch of 10 shares: Shang Hou: 1 share. Su Li, Wu Er : 1 share. Qi Yuan: 0.5 shares. Wu Zhanwei: 0.5 shares. Yun Cangfeng: 0.5 shares. Yi Biao: 0.5 shares. Ning Yu: 0.5 shares. Le Mingzhu: Half a share. Cheng Zongyang: Five shares. Second batch of ten shares: Xingyue Lake Camp: Four and a half shares. (Each of the nine camps holds half a share) Jiankang Family: Five shares. (Each of the ten families holds half a share, including Xiao and Cheng) Cheng Zongyang: Half a share. Since three camps of Xingyue Lake Camp belong to him, and the Jiankang Family also has half a share, in total, he owns seven and a half shares out of the twenty shares, which is more than one-third of the total shares. If the shares of Ningyu, Qi Yuan, and others are added, he owns exactly half. Cheng Zongyang thought about this and continued writing. I. Jin State Merchant Guild. Main business: Shengyin Weaving Workshop. Secondary business: Linjiang Tower, Jewelry. Manager: Qi Yuan. II. Jiangzhou Merchant Guild. Main business: Cement. Secondary business: Commerce in Jiangning and Ningzhou. Manager: To be determined. III. Song State Merchant Guild. Main business: Money Exchange. Secondary business: Grain, Real Estate. "Master Manager: Qin Hui..." Zhuo Yunjun gazed at his retreating figure with a complex expression, her mind still reeling from his earlier promise. On the vast grasslands, she had thought this young man was an insignificant small merchant, a lucky nobody; in Jiankang, she had thought him a ruthless and cunning businessman, a wicked lecher; in Muyu City, she had thought him an ambitious adventurer, a speculator profiting from war; in Jiangzhou, she had thought him a deeply hidden schemer... But now, Zhuo Yunjun realized she had never truly understood this young man. She had watched him rise from nothing to a position of immense power, yet she found herself increasingly unable to see through him. The resources he possessed, and the methods he employed, far exceeded her comprehension. Even though Zhuo Yunjun had once been a renowned instructor, the longer she stayed by this young man's side, the more insignificant she felt. Like a newly initiated apprentice, gazing at the backs of grandmasters in the halls of power, filled with admiration. She believed this young man could easily deal with Lin Caiquan, the powerful sect leader, and that he would avenge her. Perhaps she could truly rely on his arm, nestled under his wing, and think of nothing, like being immersed in intoxicating wine, neither fully awake nor waking up. In the sixth chapter , Zhang Zongyang entrusted the affairs of the shareholders' meeting to Qin Hui and others, while he himself spent days traveling in Lin'an, visiting powerful officials and future powerful figures in the court, such as Jia Shixian, Cai Yuanchang, Han Jiefu, and Shi Tongshu. However, he never revealed the content of his conversations.

On April 24th, the Jin delegation, which had been on its journey for over a month, finally arrived in Lin'an after sightseeing along the way. Zhang Shaohuang, the chief envoy, was greeted by officials from the Song Dynasty's Court of State Ceremonies and escorted to the guesthouse for state guests. The treatment he received was not exactly meager, but it wasn't particularly grand either; clearly, the Song officials, having suffered losses on the battlefield, wanted to create an atmosphere of neither servility nor arrogance.

However, this was none of Cheng Zongyang's concern. Before entering the city, Huan Xin and his group separated from the delegation, ignoring the Song officials' reception, and directly joined Xiao Yaoyi and his group.

Led by Xie Wuyi, Huan Xin, Shi Chao, Ruan Yaoji, Ruan Xuanzi, Liu Jiezhi, and others arrived in Lin'an together. Despite the long journey, these noble youths showed no signs of fatigue; on the contrary, they were full of energy.

Huan Xin feigned anger, saying, "Brother Xiao, you're so disloyal! You came to Lin'an without a word! You don't care about us brothers at all!"

Xiao Yaoyi shouted, "Third Brother Huan! Have you lost your conscience? You made a scene in Jiangzhou and then just walked away! If I hadn't stayed in Jiangzhou, who would have cleaned up your mess? I left later than you, but arrived earlier, just to scout out the best spot for the brothers!"

Xie Wuyi raised his hand and shook it. Once everyone quieted down, he closed his eyes and said, "Why bother with these pointless things? Hmm, the weather here is fine. I bet there's plenty of good grass within ten steps!"

Everyone laughed. Xiao Yaoyi gave a thumbs up, "Old Xie is so sensible!"

Huan Xin said, "We've all been looking forward to Lin'an. Let's see what kind of excitement it is!"

"You've got yours! Zhongwazi, Yululou!" Xiao Yaoyi patted Cheng Zongyang's shoulder and said, "Brother Cheng booked them all a day in advance."

Xie Wuyi nodded slightly, "Brother Cheng is thoughtful."

Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "This is all thanks to the young marquis. I've been here for two months, and I'm not as familiar with the connections as he was after just two days."

Everyone mounted their horses, but Shi Chao quietly pulled Cheng Zongyang aside, "Brother Cheng, I've already arranged all the shops in Tang Kingdom. Who do you think should take over?"

"There's no rush to take over. Didn't you already get the cement that just came out?"

"Three thousand shi isn't enough! We need at least twenty thousand shi every month, and right now we've barely reached twenty percent. Brother Cheng..."

"No need to rush, you'll get your share." Cheng Zongyang smiled and said, "Let's not talk business tonight, let's have some fun."

Everyone mounted their horses, and Cheng Zongyang had just breathed a sigh of relief when he heard a voice behind him, "Boss Cheng!"

Hearing this voice, Cheng Zongyang felt a sense of relief, as if the burden on his shoulders had been halved. In terms of skill, this man couldn't even compare to an ordinary guard, but in the Cheng family of Panjiang, this inconspicuous figure was an indispensable right-hand man.

Cheng Zongyang turned around, then strode over and gave Qi Yuan a big bear hug. "Fourth brother! You've finally arrived!"

Qi Yuan grinned and was about to bow when Cheng Zongyang stopped him. "Come on, everyone's gone. Who are you trying to impress? Ha, you look great, Manager Qi!"

Qi Yuan's face, which had been pale and sallow, had become much darker from the sun, and his skin now had a healthy glow, making him look ten years younger. He laughed and said, "Thanks to Chief Cheng..."

Just then, a thunderous roar rang in his ears, "Uncle!"

The blue-faced beast knelt down like a mountain of flesh with a "thud," kowtowed, then raised his head, grinning widely.

Cheng Zongyang then noticed an old beastman behind Qi Yuan. He was blind in one eye, and most of the beast spots on his face and neck were bald. He leaned on a wooden cane, and although emaciated, his imposing presence remained, like a one-eyed old wolf, made even more dangerous by his age.

Qi Yuan said, "This Uncle Ha heard that some of our clansmen were following Chief Cheng in Lin'an, and insisted on coming along. Old Qi couldn't dissuade him." "

Uncle Ha?"

The blue-faced beastman patted his chest and exclaimed, "Uncle Ha! Our clan's greatest sorcerer! Ha Michi!"

Cheng Zongyang, who had been smiling in greeting, froze upon hearing the last three words.

Ha Michi was short for a beastman, but still half a head taller than Cheng Zongyang. A huge copper ring hung from one of his ears, covered with sharp beast teeth. His only remaining eye had drooping eyelids, and when he occasionally raised it, his sharp gaze was like that of a wolf. This old man and Jin Wuzhu, working together, are as destructive as a perfect match of Qin Huizhi and Wang Shi.

Seeing the atmosphere turning awkward, Qi Yuan quickly gave a thumbs-up, "Uncle Ha has been a great help to me all this way! It's all thanks to Uncle Ha's homemade herbs that I've been able to detoxify and cleanse my lungs. If it weren't for Chief Cheng sending me to pick them up, I wouldn't have had the luck to clear away the miasma."

Cheng Zongyang composed himself, clasped his hands, and sincerely said, "Thank you, Uncle Ha!"

Ha Michi's single eye scrutinized him from head to toe, paying particular attention to his forehead and the corners of his eyes. After a while, the old beastman coughed a few times, then spat a mouthful of phlegm onto Cheng Zongyang's face.

Cheng Zongyang was stunned, and his anger flared instantly. The blue-faced beast, however, beamed with joy, excitedly shouting, "My lord! Uncle has already acknowledged your identity. Give Uncle a gift, and you'll gain the respect of our clan!"

Is your Uncle Ha from the Beggars' Sect?! There's such a ridiculous rule? Cheng Zongyang inwardly grumbled, but chuckled dryly, "Thank you for thinking so highly of me, Uncle Ha. What kind of gift should I prepare?"

"A little gold!" The blue-faced beast held up two fingers, "Just ten catties will do!"

Why don't you just rob someone! Ten catties of gold is nearly five hundred gold coins; even in Lin'an, an ordinary family's entire fortune wouldn't amount to that. However, compared to an entire beast-barbarian tribe, this price was still within his acceptable range.

Qin Hui was exchanging pleasantries and laughter with the others. Lin Qingpu and Kuang Zhongyu shouldn't show themselves; only Feng Yuan accompanied them. Cheng Zongyang said, "Feng Dafa! Go to the treasury and fetch twenty catties of gold! Deliver it to the garden! Also, prepare two sheep!"

"Alright!" Feng Yuan replied.

Hami Chi nodded in satisfaction, closing his intact eye.

Feng Yuan was easygoing and had a good relationship with the beast-barbarians. He immediately gave the order and went to carry out the task with two guards.

Cheng Zongyang wiped the phlegm off his face with a wry smile, then asked, "Where is Lan Gu?"

Lan Gu lifted the carriage curtain and smiled, "Greetings, young master."

"Lan Gu, you too," Cheng Zongyang said with a smile. "You must be tired from your journey. I'll have someone take you to the garden."

"I'd like to see the Jade Dew Pavilion,"

Cheng Zongyang said with a smile. "Lan Gu, you seem to be in high spirits."

Lan Gu gave him a flirtatious wink. "Since we've come to Lin'an, we should certainly learn from those in the pleasure quarters."

Cheng Zongyang laughed loudly, "Alright! Let's go together!"

The young men from the aristocratic families of Jiankang had been eagerly anticipating their arrival. Now that they had finally arrived in Lin'an, Cheng Zongyang and Xiao Yaoyi, the two brothers, led the group, dressed in fine clothes and riding spirited horses, to Zhongwazi in Taipingfang.

Zhongwazi was located in the center of Lin'an, not far from the palace. It was a prime location, so the Jade Dew Pavilion wasn't very large, but its layout was extremely ingenious. In the garden, a clear pond, like a jade ribbon, stretched out beside it, a rockery winding along the terrain, dividing the pond in two. Three buildings stood scattered around, each connected by covered walkways. Flowers and bamboo complemented each other, and the dense woods formed several interconnected yet separate spaces.

Upon entering the garden, dozens of beautifully dressed courtesans greeted visitors in the corridors. These women were in their prime, each with pearly white teeth and red lips, their beauty breathtaking. Although Cheng Zongyang had been in Lin'an for some time, this was his first time visiting a brothel, and seeing so many girls at once made him feel somewhat dizzy.

Xiao Yaoyi, having only been in Lin'an for two days, was already a regular at the brothels. He dismounted, tossed the reins to Xiao Wu, and gracefully entered the Jade Dew Pavilion.

Upon seeing Xiao Yaoyi enter, the women's eyes lit up, their expressions filled with joy. They swarmed around him, saying, "Young Master, why are you only arriving now?"

"We've been waiting for you since early this morning..."

Xiao Yaoyi chatted and laughed with the courtesans for a few moments, then nudged Cheng Zongyang with his elbow, chuckling teasingly, "Brother Saint, what are you daydreaming about?"

Cheng Zongyang scoffed, "Well, I guess I'm just a country bumpkin. I've never been to such a nice place before."

The madam of Yulu Tower was a beautiful woman of considerable charm. Having seen the entire brothel booked out yesterday, she knew that today's guests were all distinguished. She personally came out to greet them.

Meanwhile, the young men from Jiankang's aristocratic families also arrived one after another. Xie Wuyi and the others were seasoned veterans of the pleasure quarters; they were completely at ease in the brothel, as if they were in their own home. Before long, they were already getting intimate with the madam.

Inside Yulu Tower, a banquet had already been prepared. The cuisine of the Song Dynasty was even more refined than that of the Jin Dynasty, and Lin'an boasted a plethora of fine wines. Various delicacies and renowned spirits were served in a continuous stream. Two rows of musicians sat under the eaves, playing the phoenix flute, while more than ten dancers in splendid costumes performed. Even before the wine was tasted, the atmosphere was intoxicating

. Cheng Zongyang, indulging his drinking capacity, first raised his cup to toast everyone, drinking with each of them. During the meal, they recounted amusing anecdotes from their journey, laughing and joking, creating a lively atmosphere. Coupled with the various novel entertainments around them, it wasn't long before everyone was carefree and happy.

Midway through the meal, Cheng Zongyang gave Xiao Yaoyi a meaningful look. Xiao Yaoyi smiled knowingly, then picked up a silver cup and tapped it with a "ding," attracting everyone's attention before saying, "Brother Cheng, that's a rough man's way of drinking! Brothers, let me give you a more refined drink!"

As he spoke, he untied the brocade ribbon that bound his hair and handed it to the beautiful Yu Ying, the top courtesan of Yu Lu Lou, next to him, "Blindfold him!"

Yu Ying curiously took the ribbon and blindfolded Xiao Yaoyi. Then, the young master waved his hand, "Pour the wine!"

A maid poured the wine, and Xiao Yaoyi raised the cup to his nose, swirled it slightly, and said, "Blue Bridge Romance!"

The maid picked up the silver pot, and the vermilion label on it was indeed "Blue Bridge Romance."

A cheer erupted from the crowd. Yu Ying was both surprised and impressed. "Young Master is so amazing!"

Xiao Yaoyi pulled off the blindfold and said smugly, "It's just a trivial skill!"

Yu Ying said sweetly, "There are no fewer than a hundred kinds of famous wines in Lin'an, and there are at least thirty-six kinds at the banquet today. You can taste that you can distinguish each one. I don't believe it."

"Do you dare to make a bet with me?" Xiao Yaoyi said, "If I guess wrong, I'll drink the whole jar of wine."

"And if I lose?"

Huan Xin and the others cheered, "Of course you'll drink the whole jar of wine too!"

Yu Ying pleaded, "I can't drink much."

Xiao Yaoyi said generously, "You don't have to drink it yourself. Every girl in the brothel will do. Do you dare to bet?"

Everyone laughed and said, "We'll bet! We'll bet!"

There were ten noble young men in the brothel, but more than twenty beautiful courtesans were present. Hearing that they could drink on behalf of the guests, the courtesans were also eager to try.

Yu Ying picked up the brocade ribbon, but another beautiful courtesan laughed, "I'll do it!" She leaned over and covered Xiao Yaoyi's eyes with her slender hands.

Emerald green wine poured into the silver cup like silken threads, and the courtesan raised the cup to Xiao Yaoyi's lips.

Xiao Yaoyi took a sip and said without hesitation, "Yi Ci Bi Xiang!"

The maid revealed the label, and everyone cheered; it was indeed Yi Ci Bi Xiang. The courtesans, having lost their bet, had to share a jar of Yi Ci Bi Xiang.

"Snowy Dew!"

"Palace Phoenix Spring!"

"Ten Continents Spring!"

"Qi Yun Clear Dew!"

"Pure as Emptiness!"

"Inner Treasury Fragrance!"

Xiao Yaoyi won every round, changing seven or eight different wines without a single mistake. Although the courtesans shared the wine, the seven or eight jars of fine wine made their cheeks flush red, and they were struggling to keep up. The courtesan Rui'er, who had blindfolded Xiao Yaoyi, leaned against his back, her eyes seemingly dripping with honey.

Xie Wuyi and the others grew increasingly excited, feeling that the young marquis had brought honor to their cause, and their cheers grew louder and louder.

Xiao Yaoyi remained composed, though unable to drink alcohol due to his injury. He only lightly touched each type of wine to his lips, which only made him appear more confident, and no one suspected that he was using a trick to avoid drinking.

Another type of wine was placed in the cup. Xiao Yaoyi opened his mouth, and suddenly his lips felt soft. Instead of a silver cup, a fragrant little mouth offered his lips. Yu Ying drank a mouthful of wine to him, then extended her fragrant tongue, lingering in his mouth for a long time before reluctantly releasing it.

Xiao Yaoyi laughed, "What a fine 'Floating Jade Spring'!"

Xie Wuyi and Huan Xin roared with approval, while Shi Chao almost clapped his hands raw. The surrounding courtesans, however, all cried out in unison, realizing he had guessed correctly once again.

Yu Ying pinched his arm and said in a sweet voice, "My darling... I really can't drink anymore."

Xiao Yaoyi chuckled and said, "If you can't drink anymore, you can take off a piece of clothing as payment."

Yu Ying immediately took off her outer garment. Xiao Yaoyi said, "You can't be the only one. Everyone here has a share of this 'Floating Jade Spring Wine.' If you can't finish it, take off a piece of clothing to pay for it!"

The young masters from noble families cheered loudly, and the women laughed and scolded, filling the building with laughter and chatter. After

Xiao Yaoyi finished his first cup of wine, Cheng Zongyang had already quietly left his seat and gone to the adjacent small building alone.

Lan Gu was being chatted with by the madam, and there was only Qi Yuan as a guest in the entire building; there weren't even any beautiful courtesans to accompany the drinks.

“Magistrate Teng left for his post last month,” Qi Yuan said. “He didn’t accept any of the gifts I gave him before he left, nor did he take any money. Instead, he left several books for you, young master, to study carefully.”

Cheng Zongyang took the books, flipped through the pages, and then handed them back to Qi Yuan. “Keep them safe. If you encounter a promising student in the future, pass them on to him. That way

, Magistrate Teng’s kindness will not have been in vain.” Qi Yuan knew that he and Teng Fu’s studies were not the same. Although they respected each other, they were ultimately not on the same path. He put away the books and said, “Master Lu and Instructor Lin have arrived in Yunzhou.”

Lu Zhishen and Lin Chong had been missing for a long time. Qi Yuan had sent several messages saying that he had not met them. Now, suddenly, he said that they had arrived in Yunzhou. There must be something fishy about this. Cheng Zongyang immediately asked, "What happened?"

Qi Yuan whispered, "Someone is chasing them."

"Who?"

"Master Lu wouldn't say. We only heard the opponent is very strong, and Master Lu instructed us not to use any magic to send a message."

"They can intercept the Shadow Moon Sect's Water Mirror Technique?"

Qi Yuan nodded. "Instructor Lin's exile to Jiangzhou isn't exactly a secret. Master Lu guessed the opponent would intercept them at Lieshan, so he turned south, heading from Fuling River to Muyu City, detouring to Jiangzhou."

Lu Zhishen's ability to escape the pursuit of the monks of the Ten Directions Forest until now certainly demonstrates his own methods. Gathering people so close to Jiangzhou and then taking a detour south was partly to avoid conflict with his former fellow disciples, and partly to avoid trouble for himself. This Flower Monk is kind-hearted; he may not have the petty tricks of a clever person, but he possesses great wisdom in dealing with people—truly worth befriending.

"The business in Junzhou..."

Cheng Zongyang shook his head, "I trust you with business matters. Let's not talk about that tonight." He laughed as he spoke, "I found two people I like. You can relax tonight."

Qi Yuan chuckled twice, "No, no. I heard Biaozi is here. We haven't seen each other in a while, we should have a good chat."

"Alright." Cheng Zongyang said seriously, "You two should also discuss when to get things done."

"Boss Cheng! Don't talk nonsense!"

"You've got the wrong idea, Fourth Brother!" Cheng Zongyang chuckled. "I meant you two should get married. Your Xiaojin is still with the Biling tribe, and Biaozi wants to visit his brother in Baiyi before getting married. You two should quickly discuss going to the Southern Wilderness together, don't let important matters get in the way."

Qi Yuan grinned and said, "Alright! I've already arranged the business in Junzhou. After finishing things in Lin'an, I'll go to the Southern Wilderness with Biaozi, and then return to Jiankang!"

Cheng Zongyang called two guards to escort Qi Yuan back to Cuiwei Garden. He washed his face by the pond to clear his head, and then headed towards Yulu Tower.

From afar, one could hear the sounds of music and laughter filling Yulu Tower. Cheng Zongyang smiled and shook his head. For these young masters from noble families, such days could be described as peaceful and tranquil.

More than twenty kinds of drinking games had already been played inside the building. Huan Xin, itching to try his hand, gambled a few times for Xiao Yaoyi, only to lose twice out of three. Xie Wuyi and the others drank two jars of wine amidst laughter and curses, and the remaining half was drunk by the beautiful courtesans of Yulu Tower, with the other half paid for by stripping off their clothes. At this moment, most of the courtesans in the building were half-naked, and two young courtesans were completely naked, being embraced by guests.

Suddenly, there was a commotion outside the building, and then a group of young men rushed in. The one in the lead was more than five feet tall and four feet wide, round like a ball. He was furious, his nose and eyes bulging, and he yelled, "Where did this scoundrel come from! Daring to steal a courtesan from our Thirteen Protectors!"

Huan Xin spat out a mouthful of wine, "Fatty Shi, is this your brother?"

Shi Chao waved his hands repeatedly, "No, no!"

A beautiful courtesan hurried over and said softly, "So it's Gao Yanei..."

Gao Yanei slapped the courtesan across the face, knocking her to the ground, and roared furiously, "Where's the madam! How dare you stop my horse! Which brothel in Lin'an dares to stop us from entering!"

Xiao Yaoyi didn't take the furious Gao Yanei seriously at all, and only casually put his arm around the young courtesan Rui'er behind him, smiling at her, "How about..." "Want to gamble with me again?"

Liang Shijie squeezed through, angrily saying, "Get them all out of my way! How dare they spoil my fun! Make your madam come and apologize! Or we'll just tear down your Jade Dew Pavilion!"

The Ruan brothers, disheveled and slumped on the table, heard the commotion and Ruan Xuanzi barely managed to lift his head, drooling as he said, "Good...good...noisy..."

Xie Wuyi remained calm, though missing two front teeth and speaking with a lisp, he possessed a unique charm. "Stop talking nonsense! Beat them!"

This immediately caused an uproar. Guards from both sides shouted and cursed, each wielding sticks and clubs, engaging in a chaotic brawl. The young nobles from Jiankang, having traveled to the Song Dynasty, brought with them elite guards from their own units. The young masters from Lin'an were no pushovers either, especially Gao Zhishen's guards, several of whom were skilled members of the Imperial Guard.

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[Fantasy] The Song of the Six Dynasties (Complete) - 27

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