Lei Yue Longmen

Because she was too calm, Yun Zai became uneasy instead.After eating, I helped her to change clothes and wash up. Seeing her idly flipping through a few pages of books in front of the desk, and opening and reading the mansion newspaper, there was nothing unusual. lingering here.Li Jingchen watched her cut and cut the candle wick, sighed and said: "If you really like this candlestick, you can take it to your room and fine-tune it."

Yun Zai choked for a moment and stopped cutting.Li Jingchen turned to face her, and said: "I have heard your conversation outside." Yun Zai froze for a moment, his heart beating like a drum.

But she smiled and said, "Do you think I will seek life and death for someone who is not worth it?"

"No, it's not..."

"Don't worry, if I am a person who is willing to turn back, I will not die standing here today. There are still many things to do tomorrow, so you can go to sleep with peace of mind! Remember to call me at Maoshi.

It's no wonder Yun Zai can feel at ease.But the matter has come to this, what can she do?Seeing His Highness lying down peacefully and resting his pillow calmly, she suddenly had an illusion, as if, in the past few years, she had really completely forgotten about that man.

I don't know why, but it's a pity.

In the past, such deep feelings and such strong hatred could not last for time.

When did you meet Cen Zhuo for the first time?Yun Zai doesn't remember much anymore, but she only remembers that when she held the soil in her hand, it seemed that a flower could bloom from the palm of her hand.It's good to see that His Highness often does nothing for an hour, just looking at her.Watch her cultivate flowers and plants, watch her play the piano and paint, watch her go up the tree and cut the redundant branches, watch her pick the fruit under the tree.She has no distractions, no eyes, as if everything she does is the most interesting thing in the world.

Because I can't see it from time to time, I can't get enough of it.

Her Highness was only 17 years old that year, and she had been the Crown Princess for five years. Due to her status as a woman, her position was not as strong as the outside world thought.After several half-brothers grew up, the voice that women are not suitable to pass on the country appeared again in the court.Xifeng helped the evil, and His Highness fell into isolation and helplessness.

In order to consolidate her position, she followed Taifu Tan's suggestion, married the most prestigious Tu family in the frontier, and married herself out without hesitation.The son-in-law who was favored by luck was called Tu Yunkai, who guarded the frontier with his father all the year round, and never saw each other several times throughout the year.It was exactly what she wanted.

They were a political marriage in the true sense. The Tu family climbed up the big tree of the Eastern Palace to consolidate their power, and the Eastern Palace also used the Tu family's prestige in the army to stabilize their position.The two sides use each other, and no one can blame the other.

Naturally, His Highness didn't have much affection for the son-in-law. She completed her wedding as if she had completed a task, and that night she replaced Feng Guanxia and returned to the East Palace to handle official duties, leaving the drunk son-in-law alone in the son-in-law's mansion.

Later, it was said that the Tu family was dissatisfied and wanted a child who could strengthen the relationship between the two parties.She resolutely laid herself flat on the bed and let the son-in-law work alone. She closed her eyes and did not move, ignoring that she could read a book by lighting a lamp in the tent.It is said that the son-in-law was very injured that night, and the child was naturally not born.

In the six months after marriage, His Highness basically lived his life like this, without sorrow or joy, without love or hatred, just like a puppet being manipulated into strings.

When Yunzai looked at the cold blood on the quilt, he secretly wiped his tears.But she acted like she was okay: "It's not like you're going to die. I didn't see you so sad when I had my menstruation."

"How can it be the same! A woman's first time should be reserved for the person she likes the most."

Yun Zai covered her face and cried bitterly, but she said indifferently: "Why is it different? If there is no Tu Yunkai, there will be Tu Wusan. I only blame the person I like for being late."

Yun Zai was so choked that she couldn't refute, but she said: "To put it bluntly, I don't care who it is. It's just a stone without emotion. It's a bit rough on the road, and some don't. But it's enough to let me walk over it. Now that I have chosen this path, I will keep going. And these stepping stones are just stepping stones after all. One day, I will go to a position that no one can see."

Yun Zai was still young at that time, and he didn't understand His Highness's conceit, unwillingness and indifference at that time.Later, seeing that she really didn't take it to heart, she was gradually relieved.

Later, because the Zhuohe River was flooded year after year, the famine in the north was severe, and the court could not make ends meet, so His Highness asked the emperor to go to the south of the Yangtze River to raise food.It was in that year that she met Cen Zhuo, the person who made her life like stagnant water, briefly exposed to the sun, and made golden ripples appear.

It's just that at that time, her name was not Cen Zhuo.She is a well-known oiran lady in Kangyang City, which is known as the small capital in the south of the Yangtze River. She is also the concubine of Qin Daguan, a magnate in the south of the Yangtze River.

The two people who were supposed to have no intersection were finally bound together by fate because of all kinds of erroneous coincidences.

That was the 19th year of Qinghe.

Li Jingchen, who first arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, did not go well in raising food.Those Jiangnan grain merchants with surplus rice warehouses deceived her because she was young and had no power in Jiangnan, so they openly formed a group to resist the imperial court's grain requisition.And the small capital is the pension place of many veterans, and the relationship with the grain merchants is intricate and intertwined, which affects the whole body. Therefore, the empress dowager's grain raising was hindered at every step, and she wasted for half a month, but still got nothing.

As a last resort, after listening to Mr. Gu's suggestion, he decided to conquer the top grain merchant in the south of the Yangtze River, Mr. Qin.He wanted to use his influence to pry open the door of the Jiangnan grain business community.

Who knew that this official Qin was also very naughty, he smeared the soles of his feet with oil the first day he heard the news, and slipped away.According to the past temperament of the emperor's daughter, she would have to go to sea to arrest documents and send him to jail for punishment, but the court's loss of control at the local level and the current situation that the strong dragon does not suppress the local snake made her have to restrain her heart and deal with her.Everything is for the sake of raising food, and if you can bear it, you will endure it.When you can't bear it, you should be courteous first and then soldier.

But the cunning of this official Qin was beyond her imagination.Let alone arresting someone, it was not easy to even meet him.

First of all, his whereabouts are very secretive. He only shows his face at the Jiangnan Grain Merchant Conference every autumn, and he doesn't even have a fixed residence.Or live in a friend's house, or linger in Fireworks Lane, even the government office doesn't know where he is.

Secondly, both of his parents died since he was a child, and he was alone.Even friendships are mostly as thin as water.There is only one oiran lady from Konggulou, who usually hangs out a lot.Other than that, there is no other connection.

In desperation, the empress dowager had no choice but to set her sights on Mrs. Qin's concubine Hua Kui.He wanted to get news about Qin from her mouth.

Clinker, this oiran lady is also very difficult to serve.Never meet guests easily.Qin Daguan spent a lot of money to support her in the empty valley building, which gave her the confidence to openly refuse customers.Unless she herself is willing, it is more difficult for outsiders to see her than to go to heaven.

Yun Zhong went to the wall several times, but he couldn't reveal the details, so as not to damage the reputation of the East Palace.After asking people, I found out that the Huakui lady has always only recognized people but not money, and the richer and richer merchants are, the easier it is to be turned away.And those poor scholars with a little talent can win her favor.

So, the next day, Li Jingchen dressed up as a white-clothed scholar, and went to pay a visit to Konggu Tower in person.

"The two gentlemen are looking for Mrs. Huakui? It's a coincidence. Mrs. Huakui has just gone to the place of Daguan Qin, and there are other girls in the building. Why don't I call some of them and have a good time with the two young gentlemen?" The old bustard He was about thirty years old, quite handsome, and immediately fell in love with Li Jingbai's appearance. He said he wanted to find a girl to accompany him, but he kept leaning towards Li Jingbai, as if he was going to fight in person and resume his old career.Li Jingchen didn't expect such a Cheng Yaojin to come out halfway, he didn't spare her any time to prepare a strategy beforehand, so he was deadlocked.His expression gradually became like the calm before the rainstorm, ready to go.Seeing this, Yun Zhong was sweating profusely on his forehead, so he hurriedly supported the old bustard, took out a silver ingot and threw it to her, "This is a deposit of 100 taels. My son wants to see Mrs. Hua Kui, whether she is here or not, you have to send a message. We Come back tomorrow."

The bustard didn't seem to care when she saw Yin Zi, "Lady Oiran is the signboard of our building, even if a high-ranking official wants to meet her, she would pay a thousand dollars. However, if this young master asks, I can accommodate you~"

Li Jingchen choked on the powder in her handkerchief, and immediately took a few steps back.Enduring the discomfort, he turned and went downstairs.

Afterwards, a turtle slave ran up the stairs, handed a sachet to the old bustard, winked and said, "The young man in white took it off his clothes just now, mother's eyes are really high." They were all soft, hanging on the railing like water plants, sniffing the sachet and beckoning: "Young master, don't worry, I promise to convey your heart."

Yun Zhong blushed and hurried downstairs.However, the next day, when the two came again, the bustard had a very decent face, "I'm sorry, you two, just as the two of you left yesterday, someone from the Qin official sent a message. The oiran If the lady wants to stay with him for a few more days, I'm afraid she won't be able to come back for ten days and a half months. If the two of you want to stay, there are other girls in the building to serve you, no worse than the oiran lady! If you don't want to stay, the 100 taels Return the money intact to the two of you. Even though it is a business in the field, we also respect credibility, and we will not charge money if the business cannot be completed!" After speaking, he stood aside politely, without twisting his waist, and Pa also Don't dump it, don't even look at it more than once.

Li Jingchen didn't say anything else, turned around and left, Yun Zhong followed behind, chasing and saying: "Your Highness, the bustard's attitude and rhetoric are inconsistent, it is obvious that someone has dealt with it. Next, let's see this oiran lady again." , I'm afraid it will be more difficult."

Li Jingchen said "En", walked to a secluded alley, concealed himself, and said to Yun Zhong: "Tonight, send some capable people to set a small fire for me outside the building."

Yun Zhong let out an "ah" and then understood, "Your Highness wants to drive the snake out of its hole."

"Well, if my guess is correct, Mrs. Hua Kui and Qin Daguan are upstairs at the moment. When they come out, don't startle them, follow them all the way, and report to me immediately if there is anything."

Yun Zhong acted according to his plan, and before dawn the next day, he rushed to the palace to report, "Your Highness expected well, the Qin official and the lady Hua Kui were indeed upstairs. My brothers and I waited downstairs for a long time. They hurriedly boarded a carriage and sent someone to follow them all the way. Finally, they found the residence of the official Qin."

"You did a good job." Li Jingxuan immediately gathered his men and horses, and rushed to the residence of the high official Qin.

"Are you sure they live here?"

Li Jingchen hid himself in a small alley, frowning as he looked at the simple house with irregular tiles, he couldn't believe that a wealthy Qin official would live in such a place.

"Yes, we tracked it down here last night, and saw the oiran lady enter the gate with our own eyes."

"Could this lady Huakui have other lovers?" Yun Zai asked.

"No, I asked the neighbors around. The owner of this house is indeed surnamed Qin, and when the guy went out this morning, I carefully observed that his age and figure were consistent with the person in the portrait. And there is a big piece on the back of his hand. Lotus sashimi, this is the hallmark of Qin Daguan."

"Why do you want to get a lotus sashimi for yourself, doesn't he have parents?" Yun Zai asked.

"The lotus flower is a symbol of Buddha. He was an orphan since he was a child. It is said that he was raised by a monk."

"Being raised by a monk is still so flirtatious?" Yun Zai looked disgusted.

Li Jingxuan interrupted her and asked: "You said he went out in the morning?"

Yun Zhong said: "Don't worry, Your Highness, I have sent people to follow the whole process."

Li Jingchen nodded, "Wait for him to come back later, don't be in a hurry to claim it, and surround the house. Let's do the courtesy first and then the soldiers."

"Yes."

Everyone continued to squat in the alley.

Yun Zai suddenly asked: "Brother, have you seen what that Huakui lady looks like?"

"What are you asking about this?"

"I'm curious. I heard that this lady is very famous in the whole small capital. What does she look like?"

Yun Zhong said: "I've never seen this before. This oiran lady wears a veil all the year round. I heard that almost no one has seen her real face, whether it's meeting guests or performing arts."

Yun Zai was surprised, "I haven't seen her real face, so how did she get the title of No. [-] Huakui in the south of the Yangtze River?"

Yun Zhong smiled and said, "You don't understand that. It's hard for an oiran who is favored by the richest businessman in the south of the Yangtze River and spends huge sums of money to support him.

Yun Zai curled his lips and said, "I guess she's probably an ugly girl."

"How is this possible?" Thinking of the faint figure he saw last night, General Xiao Mu couldn't help but think about it, "Even if the name is not worthy of the name, it won't be much worse. Are you blind when you are a senior Qin official?" ? At least he has a better figure than you."

Yun Zai was furious, and stepped forward to pinch him: "How dare you compare me with prostitutes."