The Hook of Flowing Water and Flowers

During the Taiping period of the Southern Qi Dynasty, a game called "Tibetan hook" suddenly became popular among the people.

Different from the traditional Tibetan hook, generally more than six people sit in a circle to play the game.

Before the game starts, the main player will randomly place gold, silver, copper, and wood hooks on four positions, and each position is covered by a red cloth, so players do not know which positions are placed with hooks before taking their seats .Depending on the number of players, the number of hooks can be reduced.

After all the players are seated, the musicians will play the music, and all players, regardless of whether they have hooks in their hands, need to make a gesture of passing to the next player.

The player with the hook in his hand can choose to pass the hook to the next player, or he can choose not to pass it.However, each player may not hold two hooks at the same time.

When the musicians stop playing, the delivery session ends.

At this time, starting from the position designated by the master player, all players speak in turn.The content of the speech can indicate whether you have a hook in your hand, or you can give your own information to help people on the field analyze which player has a hook in your hand.

After a round of speeches, all the players wrote down the holders of the four hooks in their hearts based on known information and their own speculations.

Whoever guesses the most wins.

Instead, the person who gets the most guesses will be punished.

Those wealthy sons linger in Goulan House, playing this game of luck and deceit with their friends and prostitutes every day, and they are addicted to it, unable to extricate themselves.

Over time, the current emperor became curious about this, and gathered a group of close ministers to set up a game every two days in the palace, which became another entertainment item besides dance and music performances.

All of a sudden, everyone in Kyoto did not know "Tibetan Hook", and everyone played "Tibetan Hook".

Yan Zhan is a scholar from a small village in the southwest.

The county where he was born is called Qiong County. There are only 500 people in the county, and more than half of them are named Yan. In fact, the Yan family village has been enclosed in a small county.After coming to a county magistrate, he finally got on track with the central government.

The new official of Xinzhi County took office three fires, one of which was ignited to the school.Fortunately, Yan Zhan became the first student of the school.

He was thin and weak when he was young, and his parents thought he couldn't do anything in the fields, so they were very happy to send him to study. After all, the superiors said that if he entered the school, he would be exempted from paying the head tax, and everyone was eager to send their children. go in.What's more, the people in the village look at the magistrate's scenery, and the houses they live in are several grades higher than their own broken thatched huts. At least the houses are not exposed to the wind. The Yan family and his wife have even raised their expectations for this thin son.Ever since Yan Zhan entered the school, he could feel the earnest eyes from his parents looking forward to his son Jackie Chan every day.

He didn't care about it himself, he was born with a good memory and high comprehension, which was just the stuff for reading.In less than a month, he could memorize the "Book of Songs" thoroughly, and in three months he could casually recite "The Analects of Confucius", "Book of Rites" and "Spring and Autumn". My husband liked it very much, and everyone said that this child will become a great talent in the future.

The magistrate was also very happy to see such a promising person in the village.If Qiong County under his administration had a number one scholar... Thinking of this, he could laugh out loud in his dreams.

So when Yan Zhan was sixteen years old, the county magistrate immediately asked him to sign up for the imperial examination.

16 years old, Xie Yuan.

19 years old, Huiyuan.

At the age of 22, he went to Beijing to participate in the imperial examination.

However, Yan Zhan is still a typical bookworm who "keeps his ears off the outside world and only reads sage books".This flamboyant world in the capital is too unfamiliar to him.Although he came once during the examination, he didn't miss it at all.

With his luggage on his back, he shuttled through this bustling metropolis that he had been away for three years, holding a map drawn from memory in his hand.

Not long after going around, he realized that he was lost.

Where he thought it should be a main road stood an imposing restaurant, and a group of people sat around, arguing with each other.

"I gave him the golden hook. It's best if you don't believe me. I'll accept the stewed crab noodles with a smile."

"Fuck, don't trust him, he didn't even give me hair, you see how stiff his face is, he must hold it by himself and it's too late to give it away."

"Pull it down, aren't you afraid of spending money to treat our brothers to dinner?"

……

Yan Zhan was confused, of course he didn't know what a "hidden hook" was.

He looked down at the map in his hand, even though the ghostly talisman really couldn't be called a "map".

When he was turning left and right to face the direction, he accidentally bumped into a person.

"Sorry." Apologizing habitually, a panicked face greeted her.

That man was thinner and weaker than Yan Zhan, and he looked like he was underage. The collision just knocked him to the ground.

Yan Zhan had never been stared at in such horror, his brows were twisted into a knot, he opened his mouth, gave up, and still stretched out his hand to help him up.

Before Yan Zhan's hand was in front of him, the panicked boy jumped up and hugged his arm. His nails dug deep into Yan Zhan's flesh, causing him to hiss. Twice.

"Sir, save my father!" The boy blinked his big watery eyes, looked at Yan Zhan pitifully, and cried in his voice.

Yan Zhan's heart softened, and he said, "Let go first, and speak slowly."

The boy let go, choked a few times, and said: "My father was arrested by the bad guys. They asked me for money, but I didn't have any money. They killed my father if they refused to pay...I..."

Yan Zhan caressed the young man's back: "Why didn't you report to the police?"

The boy sobbed and said, "They said that they would kill my father immediately when they saw officers and soldiers."

"But, I don't have so much money on me." Yan Zhan wondered.

The young man seemed to get up his spirits: "Sir, if you are willing to help this favor, I will definitely repay you as a cow and a horse for the rest of my life!"

Yan Zhan, a young man from the countryside, has a simple mind. How could he think so much when standing in front of such a lovely and pitiful guy, saying a few words and crying twice."What can I do?" he asked.

The boy's black eyes rolled around, and he got a little closer to Yan Zhan, and whispered mysteriously: "Huahaoyueyuan has a board that wins a round of 1000 taels. This board depends not only on luck, but also on brains. The villain doesn't With this skill, please trouble me to win the next game for the villain? The villain only needs 500 taels."

Yan Zhan felt strange, and couldn't hold back his curiosity. When he hesitated, he was already dragged away by the boy.

The flower is full and the moon is full, it is a big gambling house in Kyoto, before entering the door, the noise from inside the door rushes towards the face.

The inside of the house was surprisingly bright, and there were several round tables in the spacious lobby. The owner was in the manor, and there was a lot of hawking, and there were various ecstatic exclamations and mournful sighs one after another.

The costumes of the guests are luxurious, and the gold, stone and silver ornaments can almost blind people's eyes.There are also accompanying girls, all of whom are gorgeous and charming.It is completely different from those damp and gloomy casinos. It seems to say "poor people do not enter" on the facade, and it is a great place for entertainment for the rich and powerful.

The boy held Yan Zhan's hand tightly, as if he was afraid that he would run away.

The two walked through the lobby and entered the innermost room.

As soon as Yan Zhan stepped into the door, the door behind was closed with a "bang".

Yan Zhan's heart sank, knowing that it was a trick, but the people in front of him, including the young man who led him in, all stared at him with malicious intent, making him dare not take a step, sweat dripping down his face.Could it be that he is going to die here today?This voice suddenly sounded in his head, and he panicked again.

The water in Kyoto is as deep as the sea.

What Yan Zhan was thinking at this time was that even if he got an honor in the future, he would definitely not stay in the capital.There are still many other states and counties that are still in dire straits, and there are also powerful enemies outside the country, but what is going on in this capital?Beneath the prosperous appearance is this kind of luxury.What was the current emperor doing? !

A wealthy woman stepped forward to greet her and said, "Guests are welcome. Hidden hook game, a game rewards 1000 taels of silver. You can place any bets, even zero bets, but if you lose, the penalty will be doubled."

"What is a hidden hook?" Yan Zhan asked.

There was a burst of laughter in the hall, today's Yang Zizi is really a complete stranger.

The leading woman narrowed her eyes and looked Yan Zhan from head to toe, back and forth several times, with an ambiguous arc on her mouth.Although she didn't seem to have much money, but with this good looks, her Fengqilou business will explode again.She gave the boy a satisfied look.Turn back and Yan Zhan explained the rules of "hidden hook".

This "Hidden Hook" game is no different from the normal game. The player who gets all the hits still wins, and the player who gets the most guesses loses.

But different from the lottery when playing casually, everyone has the right to bet before the start of this "Hidden Hook".When a holder is finally guessed correctly, the original amount of chips will be returned.When two holders are guessed correctly, the chip will be doubled, for three, the chip will be tripled, and if all the winners are doubled, the chip will be quadrupled and there will be an additional reward of 1000 taels of silver.

On the contrary, if one person guesses correctly, one chip will be deducted, and so on.If the person has no chips in his hand, the standard discount of 10 taels per chip will be deducted.If everyone on the field guesses correctly, the fine will be ten times the silver reward.

There are not too many complicated places in the rules, and Yan Zhan can understand after listening to them.

"Start?" The arrow is on the string, what's the use of showing weakness and begging for mercy?It's better to take a quick gamble.

The woman smiled slightly: "Wait a minute, there is still one person short."

Yan Zhan counted the other people in the room in detail.

The teenager who brought him into the house was whispering to another middle-aged man.The man has shrewd eyes, and there is a faint smile on the corner of his mouth, which seems to be covered with a mask.

The two were chatting, and the other hand was on the young man's shoulder. He was a gentle young man. He lowered his head and said a few words in the young man's ear. The young man immediately blushed, but there was a smile on his face.When the boy didn't notice, Brother Gongzi and the shrewd man exchanged glances seriously.

In the corner of the room, a man and a woman are playing a small game together. The woman has a pretty face and smiles shyly at the man, which is unique.The man's peach blossom eyes are bent into a line, teasing the woman, enjoying himself.Looking at this man's attire, he is different from those materialistic stinky businessmen outside. He has an elegant long gown and a fine jade on his waist. The color is pure and it is considered a good product.Yan Zhan thought that this should be a son of a high-ranking official.Another basis for this inference is the warrior standing behind the man.He was tall, forward-looking, and stern-faced, alert to his surroundings.

Looking to the right, Yan Zhan met the eyes of a man who nodded and smiled at him, then turned his head and said a few words to another man who was sitting quietly.The sitting man's face was cold, but the corners of his mouth were slightly turned up, whether it was intentional or unintentional.He was playing with two dice in his hands, his hands were fast, and he knew that he was often in the gambling houses.After listening to the words, he gave the other party a look without opening his mouth.

And there was a young man sitting on a seat a little distance from the crowd, with his legs crossed and his whole body leaning against the back of the chair, making those two long legs particularly eye-catching.His sharp eyes swept across the room, but did not stay on Yan Zhan for too long, as if everything in this room had nothing to do with him, and he was just a cold bystander.

Also distanced from the crowd was a woman, who looked about twenty-nine years old, with an exquisite bun on her head, a row of gold hairpins shining in her hair, and a tassel hairpin hanging down slightly swinging.Against the background of the rouge, the small melon-seeded face was flushed, making it even more charming.Holding a pipa in her hand, she fiddled with it lightly, producing crisp harmonies, turning Xi Suo's whispers into a beautiful melody.

Ten-player game, the number of people in the room has exceeded ten, who are you waiting for?

"What happened to Boss Yang?" The man who smiled at Yan Zhan was the first to speak.

The woman glanced at the closed door, but she didn't know what was going on.Make an appointment at this point to start the game today, and he will usually not be late.

The man who asked the question was bored, walked up to Yan Zhan, and said with a smile: "Boss Yang is our leader, and our brothers usually come here to play, and there is a vacant seat today, so please come here, sir." Play with me and relax. My name is Hua Tian, ​​what's your name, sir?"

Yan Zhan replied politely: "Xiaosheng Yan Zhan."

"Brother Yan," the acquaintance picked up after a while, and introduced the people in the room to Yan Zhan on his own.

The woman in the main bureau always called her Miss Cai, but no one knew her real name.

The man who had just communicated with Huatian was called Bai Yiqian, as Yan Zhan thought, he was indeed a frequent visitor to the casino.

A man and a woman playing games in the corner are named Ling Yi and Hong Yu respectively.Mr. Ling is indeed the young master of a high official in Kyoto. He is the youngest son of Ling Zhao, the prime minister of the dynasty, and he is only eighteen this year.It is said that the young master has a bad personality, idles around every day, hangs around various entertainment venues, covets many brothel girls, and this Hongyu is his current favorite.The red feather is a popular commodity in the Fengqi Building run by Sister Cai. After Mr. Ling took a fancy to it, he enjoyed the exclusive privileges of the Ling family.

As for the trio there, the shrewd middle-aged man's name is Lu Da, and the boy's name is Lu Xiao. They are a father and son.The son next to them is named Han Xiao, and his background is not as big as Ling Yi. His father, Han Qing, was a military general who died in the war against the northern barbarians a few years ago. As a reward, Han Xiao also received a seventh-rank official to do odd jobs in the household department.

The man left in the house is called Quan Quan, and the woman is called Ying Ying, both of whom work for Sister Cai.

When Hua Tian introduced the people in the house to Yan Zhan one by one, those who were introduced didn't pay any attention to their side, as if they had already gotten used to Hua Tian's familiarity and nonsense.

This round of introductions is over, but the person who should appear has not appeared for a long time, and it has passed the time of half a stick of incense.

"Isn't Yang Laomo scared?" Han Xiao said coldly, his tone full of sarcasm.

Sister Cai disapproved: "What are you afraid of? Can I still eat him?"

Hua Tian sneaked into Yan Zhan's ear, and explained: "Sister Cai and Boss Yang are the one." As he spoke, he hooked his two little fingers together, expressing this shady relationship.

Yan Zhan complained in his heart, this is really a master who will die if he doesn't speak.

"Sister Cai, what did you do to Boss Yang last night? He was so tormented that he couldn't get out of bed?" The boy named Lu Xiao followed suit, and Sister Cai hit him on the head with a hand knife: "It's terrible, you brat, how dare you make fun of your old lady?" gone?"

Just when they were thinking about starting first, the door was knocked open with a "bang".

A man stumbled in from outside the door. His long hair was loose, covering half of his face, and he smelled heavily of alcohol.He was still holding a jug in his left hand, and when he saw Hua Tian happily rushed over.

"Xiao Tiantian!" The man choked out a cry, which sounded extremely ambiguous.

Hua Tian was so embarrassed that he stretched out his hand to catch the man who rushed over: "Brother Su, it's not dark yet, why are you so drunk?"

The man holding Huatian raised the jug and took another gulp, hiccupped contentedly, and mumbled: "You... hiccup... what are you playing? Hiccup, play with me."

Hua Tian looked at Sister Cai with a little embarrassment, "My friend, since Boss Yang is not here for a long time, why not take him to play?"

Sister Cai was a little hesitant. She stared at the man for a while, but couldn't let go.

Probably seeing Sister Cai's doubts, Hua Tian winked at her: "Su Ming, you are on the same path as me, absolutely no problem."

Sister Cai pondered for a long time before agreeing hesitantly.

"Please take your seats now." As she spoke, she walked up to Yan Zhan, stretched out her right hand and pointed to a seat, "Sir, please take a seat."

Before the words were finished, a figure bumped into him, it was the uninvited guest, he shouted: "This seat is good, I like it! Just sit here!" Then he nailed his ass on the seat reserved for Yan Zhan by Sister Cai , and looked at Yan Zhan with a smile, and waved to him: "Little brother, you are so beautiful, come, sit next to the master!" As he spoke, he pulled Yan Zhan and dragged him to the seat on his left.

Hua Tian couldn't stop apologizing to Sister Cai, and whispered softly in her ear.Sister Cai gave the uninvited guest an unpleasant look, and didn't say anything after hearing Hua Tian's words.

After the two sat down, the rest of the people also took their seats one by one.The woman named Yingying was still in her original position and hadn't moved.

Aware of Yan Zhan's gaze, Hua Tian explained in time: "Yingying is our musician."

It turned out to be the case.

He saw the burly man still standing behind Mr. Ling, and he understood the number of people.

Before the hidden hook game starts, four kinds of hooks of gold, silver, copper and wood will be placed on the four seats.

Yan Zhan was pulled to sit down, there was nothing under his buttocks, and the hook was not with him.

The drunk man on the right rushed towards him, and Yan Zhan caught his body with his arms in a panic.

The smell of alcohol was really heavy, Yan Zhan couldn't help but hold his breath and frowned.But... no.There was no alcohol on the man's breath.

Just as he was thinking about it, the man leaned on his shoulder and whispered in his ear: "Su Ming, the wooden hook is here with me, don't worry."

Sure enough, I was not drunk.