Brocade Robe

"Linjiangxian"
(a poem titled "Linjiangxian: A poem by He Ning" ) is a beautiful poem from the Five Dynasties and Ten Kingdoms period, exquisitely beautiful , a
masterpiece
of ancient beauty. The lines about shyness particularly capture the indescribable scene. The story in this book tells of this exquisite springtime event. March is the rainy season in the south. The fine spring rain sprinkles on the carved wooden windows and mottled brick walls by the roadside , like a veil, drifting and swaying in the gentle breeze of willow branches. Along the Suzhou Creek, the stone-built docks, polished smooth by the river's flow over centuries, reveal a few women squatting by the water's edge in the morning mist. They laboriously wield wooden mallets, patting down clothes half-submerged in the water. A small, three-tiered awning boat creaks and groans as it glides slowly along the river, the oars at the stern handled with the nimbleness of chopsticks by the old boatman in his black felt hat and black coat. Suddenly, a wooden window on the bank bursts open, splashing a bucket of dirty water that nearly spills onto the passengers, eliciting a tirade of curses from the boatman. At the mouth of the Wild Fragrance Creek in Bantang, near Tiger Hill, stands a three-story building. Early in the morning, a waiter dressed in a simple blue cloth hastily removes the door panels and opens it to welcome guests. A white cloth draped over his shoulder, he smiles amiably, diligently greeting and seeing off the coming and going customers. Occasionally, a scholar entering or leaving nods slightly to him, and his smile becomes even more obsequious. This three-story building sits between Bantang Bridge and Puji Bridge, facing Tiger Hill across the river. The mountains and water blend harmoniously, creating a beautiful scene . Above the front of the building hangs a plaque inscribed with the three characters "Deyue Tower." Inside the main hall, a white wall displays a calligraphy scroll: "A seven-mile-long embankment forms a painted screen, pavilions are faintly visible amidst green willow branches, the Mountain Master sits in a haphazard manner, the Water Melody is heard intermittently, flowers fly across the bank as riders throng, at the door, wine-selling boats stop, I often come here to be like the Mountain Master, drunk, lying down by the wine shop, unwilling to wake up." It was "Deyuelou" that was given to him by Mr. Lingxu, Zhang Fengyi.It wasn't just that Mr. Lingxu's poem was exceptionally well-written, or that Zhang Boqi's reputation was too great; in fact, immediately after the poem was written, "Deyuelou" became a popular Even early this morning, it was already bustling with activity. Just then, a man swayed as he approached. He appeared to be about twenty-five or twenty-six years old, with a dignified build, eyes that shone like cold stars, and eyebrows as dark as if painted with lacquer. He possessed an air of authority without anger, seemingly impetuous, yet he wore a woolen hat and a black Taoist robe, dressed just like a clerk in a small hat and blue robe. The waiter, seeing him, immediately went to greet him, his face beaming with smiles, and bowed, saying, "Brother Yuan, it's been a while Are you as usual?" The man called Brother Yuan ignored him, simply nodded, and went upstairs to find a seat by the window on the second floor. Before long, someone brought out wine and drinks: a half-jin jar of Shaoxing rice wine, a plate of braised duck, a plate of honey-glazed ham, and a dish of boiled broad beans and peanuts . He then began to drink alone. Some people curiously observed him, noting his clerk's attire and that he must be on duty. They wondered how this man was able to drink at Deyue Tower, since ever since Master Lingxu wrote his poem, Deyue Tower had become inaccessible to ordinary people. A keen-eyed person noticed an octagonal copper plaque hanging from the man's waist, decorated with cloud and floral patterns. In the center were the large, vertically engraved characters " Jinyiwei Xiaoqi" (锦衣卫小旗, Embroidered Uniform Guard Small Flag), and on the left was the vertically engraved number "Jinzi 15,897." A curious person would immediately recognize that the back of the plaque must also bear the inscription This was none other than a captain of the Imperial Guard of Suzhou Prefecture, the emperor's personal guard. It should be noted that since Emperor Chongzhen ascended the throne, he tightened control over the Imperial Guard and the Embroidered Uniform Guard, which were no longer as arrogant as before. However, in Suzhou Prefecture, seven or eight out of ten people knew this man named Zheng Yuan. Although he was only a minor officer in the Embroidered Uniform Guard, he was a local tyrant in Suzhou. The Zheng family was a prominent family in Suzhou Prefecture, owning thousands of acres of fertile land and mulberry trees, hundreds of looms, and several silk shops. While not as wealthy as a country, they were certainly very rich. The patriarch of the Zheng family had eight sons and three daughters. His eldest son, Chongqing, and second son, Chongwen, helped their father manage the family business. His third son, Chongming, was studying under Fang Mingshan of Tongcheng. His fifth son, Chongyan, and sixth son, Chongjun, were both studying. As for the seventh and eighth sons, one was just over twenty, and the other was still an infant. Logically , the Zheng family should have been developing into a scholarly family. However, the fourth son, Zheng Yuan, was born to a lowly maidservant in the kitchen, a child the master had concocted while drunk . Therefore, among the six sons, he was the only one without the character "Chong" in his name. Although he was called the Fourth Young Master in the mansion, he had no real status. Zheng Yuan was plain-looking, which was fine, but because the master disliked him, he disliked studying from a young age and could only play with weapons, getting into fights and causing trouble. Given his background, he would have been beaten to death in the street within . Unexpectedly, several years ago, news came from his wet nurse brother, who had been in the palace for more than ten years, that he had become the adopted son of Wu Jun, the current eunuch of the Imperial Horse Administration. This made him even more fearless and lawless. Logically speaking, among the twelve inner palace bureaus, there were four bureaus before the Directorate of Ceremonial, the Directorate of Palace Attendants, the Directorate of Imperial Supplies, and the Directorate of Imperial Furnishings, before the Directorate of Imperial Horses. Their status was not very high. However, Wu Jun was not only skilled in martial arts but also cautious and strict. He was a rare practical eunuch and was highly valued by the emperor. Because of this relationship, ordinary people dared not provoke him. Zheng Yuan relied on this close relationship and his martial arts skills. His wet nurse used some connections to give him a small flag of the Embroidered Uniform Guard. In addition, he was generous and lavish. No one in Suzhou could question him. He bullied men and women everywhere and was known as the scourge of Suzhou. (1) Background At this time, Zheng Yuan was leaning on the railing on the second floor, drinking wine and looking out the window. As far as the eye could see, there were only snow-white walls and dark blue tiles, stretching endlessly, framed in the misty sky like a delicate ink painting. He gradually became mesmerized by the sight. Not far from him sat two young men in white robes. They wore wide-sleeved, straight-cut, diagonally collared shirts with slanted collars, and scholar's caps on their heads—the attire of scholars. Their appearances were stunning: delicate and beautiful, their faces more radiant than flowers, their fingers like slender scallions, their lips like cinnabar. Every smile and frown was captivating, truly possessing a soft, alluring charm. At first , they looked less like scholars and more like a pair of exquisitely beautiful women, especially the one on the left, who exuded a mature elegance in her gaze. However, the Suzhou tyrant, who would normally have been over there to tease them, paid no attention to the young men, his eyes fixed intently on the window. After a long while, he turned back, downed another bowl of rice wine, and...

A surge of pleasure rose from his abdomen, causing him to let out a loud, crude burp, which drew a wrinkle of disapproval
from the young gentleman beside him.
The fellow, however, seemed oblivious, holding his wine bowl, clearly somewhat drunk. Anyone
would have gotten intoxicated after a few bowls of wine like that. After the crude burp, the burly man swayed his head and recited a line of poetry:
"Who feels the chill of the west wind alone? Rustling yellow leaves close the sparse window, lost in thought of the past, I stand in the setting sun. Do not be startled by my deep spring sleep after drinking; betting on books
dispels the lingering fragrance of spilled tea, At the time, I thought it was just ordinary." This poem, which should have been written a century later,
was recited unconsciously by this boorish man in his drunken state. It unexpectedly caught the eye of the young gentleman at the next table, who had
previously looked down on him, but by the time he realized what was happening, the man had already stomped down the stairs.
"Senior sister, isn't this the fellow?" Seeing him leave, the young man sitting there, looking rather young, asked softly.
Indeed was a beautiful young woman; no wonder she was so lovely.
The senior sister, even more charming than her junior sister, nodded slightly as she watched Zheng Yuan's retreating figure.
"Then, should we…?" The junior sister lightly picked up the longsword that had been tapped on the table.
"Let's take another look." The senior sister shook her head.
Reeking of alcohol, Zheng Yuan emerged from the Moon Pavilion and walked straight up the Looking Mountain Bridge. She plopped down on
the stone railing , transforming into a vagrant once more, her thieving eyes darting around, looking everything in a lecherous gleam.
"Damn it, I didn't steal or rob, how did a bolt of lightning send me from the 21st century to this godforsaken
era?" Zheng Yuan muttered to himself. His physical body remained, but his soul had been
replaced by Yang Yuan, a white-collar worker from the 21st century. Fortunately, the original Zheng Yuan's memories remained, which left Zheng
Yuan quite depressed for days: Was he Zheng Yuan now, or Yang Yuan, the 21st-century white-collar worker? Or was it
like Zhuangzi's dream of the butterfly, where he was Zheng Yuan and Zheng Yuan was him? After thinking about it for
so long without finding a solution, he decided to stop thinking about it. He figured he was in a new company, and besides, he was a rich second-generation heir, with no worries about food or
clothing, which suited his lazy nature perfectly. It was just a pity about his parents; they would have to rely on his sister to care for them in their old age.
Thinking of his parents hundreds of years in the future, he couldn't help but feel melancholy and sighed heavily.
It's quite frustrating, really. Yang Yuan was walking down the street in the bright sunshine when a bolt of lightning
struck him squarely on the head. When he woke up, he found himself in this ridiculous place. Even stranger, he still had Zheng
Yuan's memories when he woke up, though Yang Yuan's soul was more deeply ingrained in him. When he tried to get out of bed
, he felt dizzy and saw that his hands and feet were wrapped in burlap. He then realized that Zheng Yuan had been severely injured,
which gave him the opportunity to take over her body. It turned out that Zheng Yuan, used to being arrogant in Suzhou,
had brought to Nanchang. He had become blinded by greed and, while on official business in Nanchang, had even tried to steal a
courtesan from Zhu Quan, the young master of the Ning Prince's mansion. He ended up getting a beating, and if it weren't for Zhu Quan's Imperial Guard badge, he probably would have been killed on the spot. This
allowed Yang Yuan to take over his body.
Zheng Yuan spent over twenty days recuperating in Nanchang before his injuries had finally begun to heal. His travel expenses were nearly exhausted,
so he had no choice but to drag himself back to Suzhou. After finally returning and reporting his duties at the Hundred Household Office,
he found himself with nothing to do and sat on the bridge, lost in thought.
It was still early, and he didn't know where to go. Zheng Yuan hesitated, unsure whether to
go home . Despite his seemingly rough appearance, Zheng Yuan was acutely aware of how the Zheng family had treated him. Although
he still lived in the Zheng family compound these past few years, he had actually earned ninety percent of his living expenses himself. If it weren't for
the shade and the small courtyard they provided, he would likely have already established his own household. While matters within the family were manageable,
another matter weighed heavily on his mind, like a fishbone stuck in his throat: he had awoke on the ninth day of the third month of the eleventh year of the Chongzhen reign.
The name "Chongzhen" made his heart feel adrift, like a floating duckweed. As someone from a later era, how could he not know that
in six years, the Ming Dynasty, like a broken ship, would sink completely, surrounded by foreign invaders and peasant armies, with the Donglin Party court only seeking to enrich themselves
? Zheng Yuan didn't harbor much ill will towards the Qing Dynasty, after all, much of China's later territory
was left by the Manchus, a substantial legacy. However, the thought of the "Ten Days of Yangzhou" and the "Three
Massacres of Jiading" six years later sent chills down his spine. Although he didn't know how history books described Suzhou at that time,
the feeling was still unpleasant.
Yet, in Jiangnan today, textile manufacturing was thriving, and so-called capitalism was beginning to take shape. Even ordinary people,
those who could endure hardship, lived relatively peaceful lives. Who could have imagined that this period of prosperity would only last a few years?
He was left with only six years of peace. Faced with the impending chaos, what should he do? Zheng Yuan
couldn't help but feel lost.
As she pondered, she saw several men hurrying towards her from afar. These were the most notorious ruffians on the streets of Suzhou. The leader,
a man with a dark face and a bushy beard, wore an open shirt that revealed a patch of chest hair the size of a palm. His name was Liu Sui, a man
of superhuman strength, the leader of Suzhou's chivalrous heroes. Because he was the third son in his family, he was known in the neighborhood as Brother Liu the Third
. He was a close friend of Zheng Yuan.
"Brother Yuan! Brother Yuan!" Liu the Third saw Zheng Yuan from afar and happily trotted over.
"Brother Third," Zheng Yuan greeted him with a faint smile.
"I heard earlier that Brother Yuan got into trouble with the Prince of Ning's mansion, and we were terrified. Luckily, you're a
lucky guy. As soon as you entered the Hundred Household Office, a brother came to tell me, so I rushed over. Come on,
let's go have some drinks to welcome you back." Liu San was clearly a hearty man, rattling off
a long speech in one breath. Without giving Zheng Yuan a chance to explain, he pulled Zheng Yuan away and, after calling over a dozen men,
found an ordinary tavern. Wine and meat were served, and they drank from large bowls and ate large chunks of meat. By the time they finished drinking,
it was almost dark.
After finally saying goodbye to Liu San, Zheng Yuan was drunk. He couldn't walk more than a few steps before he leaned against the wall and vomited all over the ground.
After vomiting violently, Zheng Yuan felt a little better and staggered towards his home in this life.
The Zheng family home wasn't far away, just on Suijin Street in front of Xuanmiao Temple.
Passing through two narrow alleys, a large mansion comes into view in the distance, with a north-facing gate
adorned with golden pillars, lanterns above, and benches below. A pair of stone lions stand guard on either side of the entrance. The two black-lacquered doors are decorated
with a pair of bat-shaped door knockers, symbolizing wealth and luxury. A wooden plaque hangs above the doorway, inscribed with the four seal characters "带草流芳" (meaning "fragrant grass flows with the wind"). Inside the gate, on either side, are two round stone drums carved
with "竹梅双喜" (meaning "double happiness of bamboo and plum blossoms").The design, though not explicitly featuring carved dragons and phoenixes, subtly exuded an air of wealth.
Zheng Yuan swayed to the door, pulled on the door knocker, and knocked lightly. After a moment, she heard footsteps coming from inside.
A doorman carefully opened the door a crack and saw his fourth young master had returned. However, the doorman was not
as attentive as usual; he simply called out "Young Master" and then remained silent, only opening the door.
Entering the door, one saw a massive screen wall, ten zhang in length, carved with a pine and crane motif symbolizing longevity.
Walking around the screen wall for about a hundred steps, through a flower garden, one reached the hanging flower gate, where another doorman
opened it upon hearing the call. Entering, one turned right through a covered corridor to the east wing. Though called the east wing, it only had rooms on the left and right sides; the middle
was actually a corridor leading to another alleyway, about a hundred meters long, branching into five doors.
Following the last door led to Zheng Yuan's house.
As Zheng Yuan was about to enter the east wing, she saw a cluster of lights illuminate the depths of the main hall's corridor. Two
maids, their hair styled in double buns and dressed in blue jackets and skirts with white collars, led the way, carrying lanterns adorned with fish, birds, vases, and flowers, followed by a
woman .
"Is Fourth Uncle back?" the woman asked from afar upon seeing Zheng Yuan.
Hearing the voice, Zheng Yuan knew it was her third sister-in-law, Xu Jinyu. She quickly stood up, bowed her head, and clasped her hands in greeting.
Soon, a large red, round-necked jacket came into view, and Zheng Yuan dared not raise her head, lowering it even
further.
"Why are you drunk like this again?" the woman scolded upon seeing Zheng Yuan's drunken state, her voice
inexplicably sweet and delicate, enough to send shivers down one's spine.
"I came back today, and the brothers invited me out for drinks, so it got a little late," Zheng Yuan answered softly, a rare occurrence for her.
This was because the woman before her held real power in the household. Although they didn't have much interaction, she didn't want to antagonize her,
especially since her mother still lived there.
"Did you send someone to get some hangover soup?" the woman asked again.
"No, sister-in-law, I just got back." "Someone!" Before Zheng Yuan could explain further, the woman
ordered in a sweet voice, "Go and bring the hangover soup to Fourth Master. You servants, are you all too idle? Are you itching for a beating?
You can't even serve Fourth Master properly?!"
A maidservant hurried off to the kitchen amidst the scolding.
In the Zheng family compound, Old Madam Zheng was a devout Buddhist, with her second sister-in-law attending to her every need. The eldest sister-in-law managed the household expenses,
so all other matters, large and small, were handled by the third sister-in-law, Xu Jinyu. Xu Jinyu showed some
compassion , and because of this, Zheng Yuan and his mother's lives in the mansion were much better than before.
"Thank you, sister-in-law," Zheng Yuan said, bowing sincerely.
Xu Jinyu looked at him quietly, sighed softly, and said, "Uncle wasn't born a scholar,
but fortunately, my elder brother helped him. He shouldn't give up on himself. Even if he's not a genius, he should at least accomplish something to repay my elder brother's kindness.
" "Sister-in-law is right," the third young mistress said, looking at him, hesitant to speak, but ultimately saying nothing more. "It's late
today , you should go back and rest early." With that, she turned and left.
Zheng Yuan stared blankly as the beautiful young woman gracefully walked away, somewhat mesmerized .
Only after being reminded by the maid who had led the way did she snap out of her daze, noticing a hint of disdain in the maid's eyes, as if she were a toad
lusting .
Zheng Yuan coughed awkwardly a few times and began to walk towards her own home.
Seeing Zheng Yuan return, a maid on night duty rushed to inform her. Just as Zheng Yuan arrived at her courtyard,
the gate opened, and a young woman stood to greet her.
She moved with delicate steps, her slender waist graceful, revealing her fair wrists beneath a light veil. Her eyes held the clear, flowing light of spring water, her hair styled in a low
bun adorned with a jade dragon and phoenix hairpin. Her fingers were like slender scallions, her lips like vermilion, her eyes like spring water, her face like solidified cream. She wore a white peony-patterned soft gauze,
and a flowing white skirt with plum blossom patterns trailing on the ground, her body draped in soft silk. She truly possessed a delicate, alluring charm.
Yang Yuan had long known that Zheng Yuan had a beautiful wife, but he never imagined she would be such a stunningly beautiful woman, especially
her breasts, which were full and rounded, a truly exquisite sight. Under the influence of alcohol, he quickly became aroused
.
"My lord," the beautiful woman gracefully half-squatted and gave Yang Yuan (Zheng Yuan) a deep bow.
"Ah, Madam," Yang Yuan, startled and flustered, didn't recall Zheng Yuan's usual form of address and
gave a hasty reply, which surprised the beautiful woman with its somewhat polite tone.
Entering the courtyard, Yang Yuan saw a unique courtyard, covering five or six acres. While it lacked
pavilions and towers, it had ponds and artificial hills, and a pavilion was built atop the artificial hill in the inner courtyard. The garden
was built around a pond. The front yard had servants' quarters and a main hall. After passing through paths on both sides, one could reach the master bedroom, a
two-story building. Only Zheng Yuan and his wife
, along with Xiao Tao, the lady's personal maid who had accompanied them as dowry, lived on the second floor. The first floor served as a study. Originally, Zheng Yuan's personal servant, Zheng Qing, also lived in this building, but because his wife, Fang Qitong, was quiet, Zheng Yuan, in order to please
her, sent Zheng Qing to the front yard.
Led by Xiao Tao's lotus lantern, they entered the room. Yang Yuan already felt burning with desire and was somewhat
impatient .
"Madam, it's getting late. Let's rest." His breathing was a little rapid, and although he spoke politely,
his actions betrayed his true intentions. Poor Yang Yuan, who had never been intimate with a woman in his previous life,
was now unexpectedly blessed with a beautiful and charming woman. How could he suppress the turmoil in his heart? Especially since it was
the night he returned, his wife had already fallen asleep. Upon seeing him return, she hurriedly put on a dress and came out, half-revealing her pink and white
undergarment . Her two full breasts, turned upside down, seemed about to burst out from under it, appearing even more alluring in the dim candlelight. He
couldn't wait to send Xiao Tao out immediately and take up his weapon.
The lady, clearly aware of his thoughts, was somewhat frightened: "My lord, you just returned from drinking today. Have Xiao Tao fetch water
to wash you first..." "No need, no need, I just washed during the day," Zheng Yuan said impatiently. "It's late, Xiao Tao, you
should go and rest too." Without another word, he pushed Xiao Tao out, closed the door, and
pounced on ...
The next day, Zheng Yuan woke up groggily, only to find his beloved was gone. Thinking back to the previous day, he had
been drinking all day and was quite drunk. With his beloved in his arms, he was even more aroused. Upon waking, he recalled that in his previous life
he was a virgin who had never been in love. Having transmigrated to this life, he didn't know what kind of blissful experience this first time was like.
He only vaguely remembered that he had just taken up arms, and after a few hundred rounds of battle, he had ejaculated, and then fell into a deep sleep.Thinking back on it now, she felt a bit frustrated, both amused and exasperated. Hearing movement inside, Xiao Tao quickly lifted the curtain and came in. "Where is Madam?" Zheng Yuantou asked in a low voice.

"Madam is reading in the study." Xiao Tao brought in a basin of water, her head bowed. Since it was the inner courtyard, her clothes weren't particularly
elaborate; she wore only a green robe, revealing her undergarments underneath, which, like her mistress's, were bulging
. Zheng Yuan felt his lips dry at the sight. Although he knew that in ancient times, maids who accompanied their masters were essentially their concubines,
at this moment, the master hadn't had his fill of pleasure, so why would he have any designs on this little girl?
"What time is it?" he asked while washing his face.
"Almost past Si Shi," Xiao Tao replied, standing nearby.
Zheng Yuan understood this; in ancient times, Si Shi referred to 9 to 11 am, so almost past Si Shi meant close to 11
am. Thinking that he hadn't seen the centurion yesterday, he decided to go again today. Since he had nothing else to do,
he might as well just check in.
Zheng Yuan hurriedly ate some snacks, but hadn't yet seen his wife, which made him somewhat embarrassed. However, he understood
that his wife was someone he had practically taken back, and she had never shown him any affection. He could only
accept that .
Regarding the origins of his wife, Fang Qitong, Zheng Yuan felt somewhat guilty. He had once seen Fang Qitong by chance at the Lantern Festival on the fifteenth
of the first lunar month and was instantly captivated by her beauty. After inquiring around, he learned that Fang Qitong was not only
a renowned beauty in Suzhou, but also a famously talented woman. Countless talented men were infatuated with her. Although her family had long since
fallen on hard times , even if powerful men coveted her beauty, they dared not act rashly. This was because her ancestors were a scholarly family,
and her great-grandfather had even served as a principal officer in the Ministry of Revenue. By her father's generation, only a scholar remained. Despite being from a scholarly family, he had failed the imperial examinations
and was physically unable to carry heavy loads. The family's original wealth had long since been squandered. Having learned of this, Zheng Yuan
set up a trap. First, she sent someone to Fang's door, urging him to do some business together. Poor Fang's father, seeing
no hope , originally wanted to find some small business to help support his family. He borrowed some money to buy some silk to sell in the north.
Before he had gone far, he encountered a bandit gang, and his goods were confiscated, leaving him with nothing. Fortunately, his family was kind and lent
him a lot of money. He went north a second time, but encountered a group of bandits. In the end, he owed a thousand taels of silver.
Just when he was desperate, Zheng Yuan appeared with a halo, not only paying off his debts but also giving him 500 taels of silver. He then
half-bought and half-robbed Fang's eldest daughter into his household.
Of course, Zheng Yuan would never dare to speak of these behind-the-scenes dealings, but it's true that he spent a considerable amount of money. Furthermore,
from a scholar's perspective, the Fang family's daughter marrying into the Zheng family was a step down, which brought honor to the Zheng family. The Zheng family
patriarch was overjoyed, and everything needed in the mansion was provided for him—an unexpected gain for Zheng Yuan. However,
the Fang family's daughter, born into a scholarly family and well-versed in classical learning since childhood, was already nearing the age of maturity. The reason she remained unmarried
was because she was extremely picky; she wanted to marry not only a hero but also someone exceptional. Yet, this scoundrel
had snatched her away—how could she not be angry? Therefore, the Fang family's daughter and Zheng Yuan's wife had no real affection for each other.
On the contrary, because Zheng Yuan disliked studying, she looked down on him somewhat, though she couldn't say it to outsiders. Thinking back,
even last night, besides a bit of fear, the wife's eyes held more distance and indifference.
Recalling this, Zheng Yuan couldn't help but smile bitterly. He was a modern man, and although he had never been in love, he
still possessed a certain pride. If others didn't like him, he didn't need to shamelessly fawn over them.
Just as he was pondering this, a Jinyiwei (Imperial Guard) guard hurried over. It was his subordinate, Zhou Wei. Zheng Yuan
was different from other Jinyiwei officers. Most of the other officers held hereditary positions, some merely holding the title
and without any real power. Zheng Yuan, however, was a fully-fledged officer, a proper seventh-rank official. He not only
managed people but also performed specific duties. Of course, the Jinyiwei were military officers, and their prestige was
vastly different . Although the Jinyiwei were military officers, they didn't require roll call like other guards. They were only called when the garrison remembered them,
or at most once every ten days or half a month. Seeing Zhou Wei approach, he knew it must be a summons from the centurion.
Speaking of the Suzhou Embroidered Uniform Guard, due to its thriving textile industry, it only had one hundred-household units, directly under
the jurisdiction of the Southern Zhili Thousand-Household Unit. During the Wanli era, silk weaving in the Jiangnan region was already highly developed, and by the Chongzhen era, commerce had flourished
even more, with countless wealthy individuals. Therefore, the position of centurion in the Suzhou Embroidered Uniform Guard was truly a lucrative one;
without sufficient backing, one would likely be dismissed before even warming their seat. The current centurion was such a person;
his maternal uncle was none other than Luo Yangxing, the current commander of the Embroidered Uniform Guard.
Rushing to the centurion's office, Zheng Yuan found several captains standing at the entrance with swords drawn, the atmosphere strange. Looking up at the hall, he saw that
several captains were already there. Zheng Yuan quickly apologized and found a seat. He was a junior officer, and
normally didn't have a seat in the hall, but because of his wet nurse brother, and because many of the city's ruffians obeyed his call and were well-
informed , he was always given a seat at the end of the hall for important matters, allowing him to participate in discussions.
Centurion Li Yiquan, sitting high in the hall, didn't seem to mind, only nodding at him.
"Everyone's finally here." Li Yiquan was in his forties, with a broad face and long ears, handsome in appearance, but
those who knew him knew he was a ruthless man who would devour people without a trace.
"I have always treated you brothers well. Not to mention the regular allowances from each ward and market, I
always take care of you during festivals and when any of you brothers in the unit have a problem. I have never been negligent in the slightest." Li Yiquan's words were
true. Although he was cunning, he was kind to his own people.
As soon as he finished speaking, the captains all bowed and said in unison, "We are fortunate to have received your kindness, sir. We are willing to serve you.
"
Li Yiquan pressed his hands down slightly, and his face showed some satisfaction. "Normally, in Suzhou Prefecture,
we only need to collect the regular allowances. Other matters are handled by the prefectural government and the textile bureau. It is a peaceful and comfortable place.
But yesterday, the Southern Zhili Thousand-Household Office assigned us a very troublesome task, so I called you all here to discuss it.
" He waved his hand, and a captain brought up a red silk cloth.
Several captains received the edict and passed it around. Those who couldn't read were explained to them by others. Li Yiquan calmly
picked up a teacup, lifted the lid, and gently blew away the tea leaves floating on the surface. His seemingly casual
glance swept over everyone, taking in their expressions. Some were surprised, some were puzzled, and some slammed their fists on the table in anger.
He used the lid to brush away the floating tea leaves, about to bring it to his lips, when suddenly he let
out It was Zheng Yuan, who was usually illiterate. Today, not only did she not need any guidance, but after reading it
, she appeared calm and thoughtful.
The Southern Zhili commander spoke of only one thing: On the twelfth day of the first month of last year, an imperial edict was issued ordering Zhejiang, which was in arrears on its tax quotas...
Officials in Jiangxi and Huguang provinces were suspended from their posts and ordered to complete their duties within a specified timeframe (meaning they were suspended from their posts for investigation and required to collect taxes within a set period).
More than a year has passed, and all other prefectures have completed their duties, except for Suzhou Prefecture, which remains unresponsive. Despite pressure from higher authorities, Suzhou Prefect
Chen Hongmi refuses to comply, even jokingly saying, "Would I risk the lives of the people for
an official position?" The Emperor is furious and intends to imprison him, but fortunately, Junior Chamberlain Huang Daozhou intervenes, sparing him
imprisonment , though the relevant officials are ordered to urge the collection of taxes. This matter is unrelated to the Embroidered Uniform Guard, and it's unclear whether the Southern Zhili Command Guard
is overly ambitious or something else, but they insist on involving the Suzhou Hundred-Household Office in the matter.
While the matter itself is minor, it has troubled Li Yiquan, who summons several subordinates to discuss it. However, the
Embroidered Uniform Guard members are generally poorly educated, and they struggle to explain these indirect matters. The room erupts into a noisy commotion, resembling a bustling marketplace
.
Li Yiquan frowned, but wasn't annoyed. He simply took a few more sips of tea and said, "Alright."
His voice wasn't loud, but it immediately silenced the room, demonstrating his usual authority.
"Zheng Yuan, what do you think?" The group of Imperial Guards looked at Zheng Yuan with some surprise. This guy was usually carefree and had caused the centurion a lot of trouble. They wondered what was wrong with him today, that the centurion had called him out
first . "Me?" Zheng Yuan smiled, somewhat surprised and helpless. "You know I'm not well-educated..." "Don't talk nonsense!" Li Yiquan interrupted him, but his words revealed a hint of intimacy. "I 'm asking you about your plans. Don't try to fool me with your lack of education." "Yes, yes." Zheng Yuan lowered his head and admitted his mistake, realizing that he hadn't felt any fear at all. It was clear that this guy had a close relationship with the centurion in private. "Logically speaking, although the Embroidered Uniform Guard is the Emperor's personal army, its duties are only to guard the Emperor, patrol and arrest, and suppress counter-revolutionaries and corrupt officials, not to collect taxes." He spoke carefully, observing Li Yiquan's expression. "Hmm." Li Yiquan nodded thoughtfully. "Continue." "Our Suzhou Hundred-Household Office may not be of high rank, but it carries considerable weight with the Commander's Office." Everyone nodded in agreement. Besides Li Yiquan's status, the amount of silver the Suzhou Hundred-Household Office sent to the Commander's Office each year held more weight. "Collecting taxes is inherently thankless and difficult; other government offices avoid it like the plague, and the Emperor has not decreed that the Embroidered Uniform Guard be involved. I think the Commander would certainly not have such intentions," Zheng Yuan said. "That's right," Li Yiquan nodded. "The tax collection began last year, and this year, only Suzhou remains unrecovered. Why? Everyone knows." Everyone nodded. "This Chen Hongmi has an excellent reputation in Suzhou. When the Wujiang uprising occurred, he went there alone by boat. The people of the city, fearing for his safety, sent hundreds of boats to protect him, but he sent them all back, single-handedly quelling the rebellion. Speaking of what has happened over the years, even I, a roughneck , have to give him a thumbs up (Note)." "Yes, yes." "Absolutely right." A chorus of agreement rang out from below, showing that even though the Imperial Guards were the emperor's personal troops, they had a natural affinity for this good official in Suzhou . "Indeed." Li Yiquan stroked his beard and nodded. "Although Chen Hongmi usually disregards our personal guards, which is truly infuriating , he and this Magistrate Ni Changgan are both known for their integrity. Although I am at odds with him, I still respect him greatly. That is why I am troubled." "You are right, sir." Zheng Yuan cupped his hands and said, "Let alone respect, even without that respect, if the Emperor's personal guards were to intervene, I fear that a slight misstep could incite a popular uprising. I'm afraid that you, sir..." "I also have this concern." "That's strange. Why would the Thousand-Household Office send someone down to the Hundred-Household Office for something that the Commander-in-Chief has remained silent about and that all departments in the court are avoiding like the plague? I'm afraid there's some consideration for the Commander-in-Chief involved." Zheng Yuan picked up the edict and came to Li Yiquan's side. "My lord, forgive my bluntness, but although Commander Luo comes from a prestigious family, he is of honest . The Imperial Guard is likely no longer a monolithic entity; there are people from the Eastern Depot and the Grand Secretariat, and even our own ranks have been corrupted by outsiders. Under these circumstances, even if Commander Luo has a thousand thoughts, he cannot speak them directly. Otherwise, if we received this edict today, I fear tomorrow the same edict would be placed before the Prefect and the heads of the Imperial Textile Bureau ." "That makes sense." Li Yiquan agreed wholeheartedly. "Damn it, our Imperial Guard is supposed to supervise all officials, and now we have to worry about being monitored ourselves." He rarely swore. "Then tell me, what is the purpose of this edict?" "Under these circumstances, it's inevitable that some people will have some thoughts." He paused, looking around. Li Yiquan waved his hand and said, "It's alright, we're all brothers, just speak." Zheng Yuan saw that after Li Yiquan said this, the faces of the several captains below all showed gratitude. "Yes, sir," Zheng Yuan said, "Although the Commander is kind-hearted, he is, after all, from a prestigious family. If someone wants to overthrow him, they will inevitably have to break ties with the old master behind him. They don't want the situation of the clam and the heron fighting while the fisherman benefits, so they certainly won't take that risk and will only take a roundabout approach. Therefore, I'm certain that the one who fired the first shot at the Commander will not be someone from the court, but someone from the local area." "Fire the first shot? What do you mean?" Li Yiquan noticed the strangeness in his words. Zheng Yuan awkwardly touched his nose: "Um, I misused the word; it meant to shoot the first arrow." "Oh." Li Yiquan didn't dwell on his choice of words. "So?" "So the meaning of this edict is revealed." "What does it mean?" Li Yiquan still didn't understand. "The edict doesn't come from the Commandery. If it succeeds, it will be a great achievement for Southern Zhili and those who follow; if something happens, don't ...""I forgot, the Commander is the lord's maternal uncle." "Damn it!" Li Yiquan exclaimed, suddenly realizing, "No matter the outcome, I'll be the scapegoat. " Li Yiquan's words drew a barrage of curses from several captains, some genuinely, some flattering him. Li Yiquan lowered his head and pondered for a long time: "What do you think we should do about this?" They were treating him like an advisor. "Simple." Zheng Yuan said confidently, "We need to urge them, and urge them in a big way, but not to the point of exhaustion When we get there, we'll just sit in the yamen. What happens in the yamen is none of our business. Just treat it like we're having tea at the prefect's yamen." Li Yiquan thought for a moment: "That's how it'll be done. You handle this."

"Huh?" Zheng Yuan was taken aback. "Me? Isn't this rank too low..."
"Isn't it just a junior officer? I've promoted you. From today onwards, you're a senior officer. I'll report it to your superiors." As soon as
Li Yiquan spoke, there was an uproar among the people below, attracting envious or jealous glances. However, Li Yiquan
was usually decisive and ruthless, so no one dared to speak.
"This..." Zheng Yuan hadn't expected that with just a few simple words, he'd been promoted from a junior officer to a senior officer, a
proper seventh-rank military officer. He was somewhat amused and exasperated
. "As long as it's a good deed, I'm not stingy," Li Yiquan said. "Someone, go and fetch another five hundred
taels of silver . I've heard that Chen Hongmi is an honest official, so his family probably isn't very well-off. Take the silver to see him.
Damn it, it's always been others who give silver to our Embroidered Uniform Guard; today we have to give silver
to appease others." This drew a burst of laughter from below.
"We are willing to serve you faithfully, sir," Zheng Yuan said, clasping his hands in a respectful gesture.
He turned and sat down, pondering to himself. This was indeed an opportunity. Although his personality was
somewhat , perhaps he would be content to live a peaceful life as a young master in these tranquil times, finding contentment in a life without trouble. As for
the grand ideals and history-altering tales in transmigration novels, to be honest, he had no such ambitions. He was just an ordinary person with a bit more historical knowledge,
no more wise than the ancients. Always having the upper hand, always thinking things through more thoroughly than others, and claiming everyone was
smarter that was in novels. In this real history, everyone in the imperial court was shrewd and calculating. With his
meager cleverness, trying to outmaneuver others would only lead to him being played to death without even realizing it. Of course, people strive for higher positions, just as water flows downhill.
He was very willing to climb the social ladder if given the opportunity. Even if one wanted to be a wealthy man, without power and background, it was just a pipe
dream. Take Shen Wansan, for example; he was richer than a country, yet he was still beheaded and his property confiscated. Therefore, a wealthy man must
have power behind him, making others wary and afraid to act. Only then can he be truly worry-free. Moreover, facing the impending chaos,
the faster one climbs, the more capital one has to protect oneself.
After finishing the discussion, Li Yiquan invited a few trusted confidants out for a drink. Zheng Yuan returned home late at night.
As he walked along the long, secluded corridor, he suddenly saw a maid in a green dress and skirt turn away furtively and
enter the courtyard ahead. Just as he was wondering about this, he saw his fifth brother, Chongshan, also sneaking into the courtyard. He
couldn't help but feel disgusted. This Chongyan had just turned fifteen and was already doing this kind of thing. Just as he was about to laugh it off,
he suddenly remembered that the maid he had just seen was Bi Chun, the maid who had accompanied the Third Mistress. He felt a chill in his heart and quickly slipped
into the side courtyard. He did have some martial arts skills, so he wouldn't let anyone notice.
When he peeked through the paper window, he saw a scene of spring in full bloom. Chong Yan and Bi Chun were passionately embracing and
kissing. Despite being only a young man, Chong Yan seemed incredibly familiar with the pleasures
of love. He held Bi Chun's lips in his mouth, sucking them as if they were honey, and Bi Chun, her eyes also filled with desire, wrapped her arms around
Chong Yan's neck and turned her head to thrust her tongue into his mouth. Chong Yan took it in
and sucked . Bi Chun's clothes were now open, revealing her bright red waist. Chong Yan reached inside,
grabbed her breasts, and squeezed them hard, causing the deformed flesh to be constantly pressed between his palms. However, being young,
he couldn't resist after a few moments of this entanglement. He pushed Bi Chun down, lifted her skirt, and revealed her
smooth, white buttocks.
"Gulp." Chong Yan swallowed hard. "You shameless hussy, you're not even wearing underwear."
"Isn't that inconvenient, sir?" Bi Chun turned her head back, her eyes full of desire.
Chong Yan slapped her buttocks hard, leaving a handprint on her white skin.
Bi Chun was clearly in pain, letting out a soft moan, but her face showed a mixture of pain and pleasure, with a hint of enjoyment.
Chong Yan seemed stimulated by Bi Chun's moan and kissed her neck hard.
"Ah...don't suck...don't suck...someone will see..." Bi Chun was somewhat intoxicated and flustered, hugging his
head back and rubbing against him. She felt a hot, hard object pressed against her cool buttocks,
as if her body was getting even itchier and hotter. A hot current involuntarily squeezed through her flesh and flowed down to her inner thighs.
"Ah!" she gasped softly. The engorged member seemed to push her own heat back in,
the fullness making her almost unable to stand, nearly collapsing. Fortunately, Chong Yan caught her buttocks, allowing her to barely stand.
"Ah... Fifth Master, you're so strong..." The engorged member, as if soaked in honey, entered the depths of her honeyed crevice and
began a storm of thrusts without the slightest pause, driving Bi Chun's eyes to glaze over, her legs trembling.
She couldn't help but moan softly, her face shifting between pain, pleasure, and excitement.
"I'll fuck you to death!" Chong Yan gritted his teeth, "You little slut, I'll fuck you to death!" "Ah, faster, I'm going to die...
I'm going to die..." Bi Chun rose and fell with the boy's thrusts from behind.
"You slut, you slut." Chong Yan gritted his teeth, looking down at himself thrusting in and out between her thighs, his hand caressing her
pink and white buttocks, seemingly reluctant to let go. "Your fat ass is truly irresistible."
"Then why don't you cherish me..." Bi Chun, provoked by his words, involuntarily raised her buttocks a little more to facilitate his
entry and exit.
"Slap—!" Chong Yan slapped her white buttocks hard again, the pink and white flesh rippling with waves
.
"You know what?" Chong Yan gripped her waist, maintaining rapid and powerful thrusts from behind, panting as he
said, "What I love most is your ass, though it's not quite as good as Fourth Madam's, it's still top-notch."
"You... ah... when have you ever seen Fourth Madam..."
"I have indeed seen her." Chong Yan was smug, but the mention of Fourth Madam seemed to excite him even more, his body
twisting noticeably more forcefully.
"Ah...you...you actually with the Fourth Young Mistress..."
"I'd like to," Chong Yan swallowed, "I only caught a glimpse through the window, that beautiful buttocks, full and
round, plump and juicy, just being able to touch them would be enough to make me drunk.
""Ah... I knew it... Ah... You've always been after... Ah... Fourth Madam..."
"I not only want to get after Fourth Madam, but also Third Madam, so will you help me or not?!"
Chong Yan grinned lewdly and thrust hard.
"Do whatever you want, ah... It feels so good..." Bi Chun was almost babbling incoherently.
Zheng Yuan, hiding outside the window, was excited watching this live sex show. Hearing these words, she felt a surge of anger and...
The fire had burned him to the ground, leaving him utterly devastated. His wife had been spied on, and his sister-in-law
had been the object of his lustful desires. How could he not be furious? Especially his sister-in-law. Although he admired her, he held her in high esteem. Now, seeing someone trying to take advantage of her
,
he nearly kicked the door open in a fit of rage. Strangely, however, he felt no anger at the fact that his wife had been spied on. He figured it was because he only coveted Fang Qitong's beauty and had little affection for her. As he was about to burst through the door, he stopped, his eyes darting around
before he made a plan.
Inside the room, the two were secretly plotting their schemes against the Third and Fourth Young Mistresses when they suddenly heard
a crashing sound of falling timber outside the door. Terrified, Chong Yan shrank back, but he remained relatively
calm . He hurriedly put on his trousers and whispered to Bi Chun, "Get dressed and hide. Don't come out.
"
This courtyard was originally a temporary one, but the Zheng family had brought over a dozen large timbers for temporary storage during their planned renovation of the east wing next month.
Now, these timbers were collapsing violently, quickly alerting everyone in the other courtyard. Even the head steward, Zheng Yu, came
to investigate. Upon crossing the courtyard, he saw the Fifth Young Master standing there and quickly came over to greet him.
"These woodcutters have even alerted the Fifth Young Master! They deserve to die!"
"It's alright, I just happened to be passing by and came to see," Chong Yan said, feigning composure.
Just then, a servant who had investigated reported, "Steward, the collapse of this large tree must have been caused by someone."
"Why?" Zheng Yu asked, unaware that the Fifth Young Master's face had turned deathly pale upon hearing this. Zheng Yuan,
hiding in the shadows, found it amusing and didn't bother listening to the commotion in the courtyard any longer. As for whether his philandering fifth brother would
suffer a serious illness as a result, that was beyond his concern; in fact, he secretly hoped he would get sick. However, as
a son of the Zheng family, this was all he could do. After all, the Fifth Young Master, Zheng Chongyan, was the most beloved
grandson .
Leaving aside what happened afterward that day, and ignoring Zheng Yuan's sneaking home, just a few days later, the official badge
arrived, making him sigh with admiration—having connections in the court was indeed advantageous.
[The End]

URL 1:https://www.sexlove5.com/htmlBlog/191004.html

URL 2:/Blog.aspx?id=191004&aspx=1

Previous Page : Yu Xuan's Legend of the Condor Heroes

Next Page : The nurse's aunt

增加

comment Open a new window to view comments

Contact Information

Brocade Robe

comment Open a new window to view comments