No, gentlemen also guard against

Chapter 502 Two Poor Men
Hearing the title of "Thirteenth Mother", Lin Cheng raised his eyebrows slightly, raised his hand and subconsciously touched a certain file of Huang Xuan's case in his arms.

He looked back at the gate of the house.

He nodded slightly, as if he remembered something.

A lady wearing a purple lotus silk was directing the people in the main hall.

There was a lot of noise inside and outside the house, with the bumping and squeaking of wood and furniture being moved everywhere.

There were many servants responsible for moving furniture. People were coming and going in the corridor where Lin Cheng was.
Coupled with his ordinary appearance, neither the servants nor the ladies in the hall noticed him for a while.

Lin Cheng looked at Pei Shisanniang and raised his feet to step forward.

"Get out of the way."

At this moment, a rude man scolded him from behind, and a big dark hand patted Lin Cheng's shoulder.

However, the next moment, the owner of this big dark hand was stunned.

Shot empty.

In other words, it was captured, because the fat young man who was originally facing away from them and blocking the middle of the road did move aside with his palm.

But there was no feedback about the touch from his palm, and the experience was like slapping away a light cloud.

This big dark hand belonged to a fierce-looking man in green.

There were several men dressed like him beside him. They were just like him at the moment, pushing and shoving to clear the way of the slaves and servants in front, clearing the way for the master behind.

"what."

The fierce-looking man in green looked at Lin Cheng, who was looking down, in surprise, but he had no time to think about it at the moment. He passed him and continued to push him out of the way.

"Give it all, let it go...don't be so damn blind..."

"Where is Mrs. Pei? My master is looking for her..."

The men in green clothes scolded impatiently.

Lin Cheng tilted his head and glanced away.

I saw these tall men in Tsing Yi, guarding a short and fat businessman in the middle.

The short, fat merchant was about forty years old, wearing an official's hat and a black cloak.

His skin had a weathered tan.

At this moment, his face was gloomy, one hand was placed in front of his abdomen, he took out the black cloak, and he was playing with a pure gold ring on his thumb.

Lin Cheng's eyes were immediately attracted to this pure gold ring.

I saw that the main body of the ring adopts the Chilong pattern popular in the Dazhou Dynasty. The dragon is lifelike, coiled around it, and the dragon's head is held high.

The two eyes of Chilong are inlaid with two rubies, which are dazzling.

Lin Cheng withdrew his gaze and looked calm.

In fact, according to the etiquette and regulations of the Zhou Dynasty, ordinary people were not allowed to wear rings with dragon patterns casually.

This is exclusive to the royal family or high-ranking officials. Of course, in actual folk life, some wealthy people or businessmen with higher status privately pursue luxury and may imitate the styles of the royal family in making and wearing jewelry.

But this is an illegal act and the risk is extremely high.

If he were placed at the feet of the Emperor of Luoyang, he would be reported and beheaded by the people of Luoyang in minutes.

But in the south of Jiangnan Road, the sky is high and the emperor is far away, and it is close to the barren mountains and rivers of Lingnan. The wind of commerce is prosperous, coupled with some conservative and sturdy folk customs that respect clan autonomy... No one cares about the Empress of Zhou.

The short and fat merchant wearing a pure gold chilong ring passed by Lin Cheng and others without saying a word, strode into the hall, nodded to Pei Shisanniang and said:
"Thirteenth Niang, I believed your words, sold all the hard goods in Yangzhou, took the money to move to Xunyang, and followed your advice, and spent half of it to buy these shabby houses in Xingzifang... As a result Now, you have made me lose 30% of my fortune and left them all, Thirteenth Mother, you are playing with me, right?"

"Vice President Shen, please calm down. Why did you bring so many people here? Could it be that you are afraid that I will run away? Didn't I invest a lot of money in it? We are all from the same hometown, how can I run away?"

Pei Shisanniang laughed angrily, frowned and glanced at the men in green with unkind expressions behind the short, fat merchant.

"We agreed to come to Jiangzhou to make a living together and advance and retreat together. Why didn't you praise me when I made money in the past, but now I make a fuss about it when I lose a little bit. I made you the vice president of the Chamber of Commerce, so I should be more calm. You're right, what do the other shopkeepers below think of this eagerness for quick success?"

"I did make a bit of money before. If it weren't for the endorsement of my previous friendship, I wouldn't have followed Thirteen Niangs to Xunyang City and invested so much. But now, I, the so-called vice-president, can hardly afford it anymore. , If I continue to lose money, I will become a beggar. Why don't I open my mouth? How can I have more money and not be afraid of losing money? Haha, I am indeed the president of our Yangzhou Merchant Gang. No wonder I can only be a deputy. ”

"Okay, it's useless to say these angry words. You should take people back first and don't make trouble in the city. There are many noble people in Xunyang City recently, and we can't afford to offend them."

Pei Shisanniang waved her hand and prepared to drive people away.

"Okay, then tell me something useful."

Shen Bingqiang refused to leave and sneered:
"Does President Pei know that all the merchants in Xunyang City are watching our excitement? He knows that we people have a lot of houses and are selling them out. They are maliciously lowering the price and taking advantage of us."

Pei Shisanniang pursed her lips and said seriously:

"Vice President Shen, I am not being alarmist, nor do I mean to deceive you. The situation is that if you don't leave now, it will be even harder to leave later. When the Donglin Giant Buddha is built, the house in Xingzifang will no longer be worth anything. It’s the general trend.”

"But you didn't say that a few months ago. You were still swearing by it at that time."

"In the past, it was because the current Changshi had not come to Xunyang City yet, let alone the Shuangfengjian and Xunyang Grottoes... At that time, Xingzifang was the most promising area in Xunyang City, which could attract rich people from the south of the Yangtze River.

"But now the construction of the Xunyang Grottoes has begun, and a new ferry has been built at the Shuangfeng Peak. In the future, Xunyang City will definitely be expanded there. That is the Xinfang, and the status of Xingzifang is not so important. Continued Ren Guanfu has no motivation to work with us to rebuild Xingzifang..."

Shen Bingqiang suddenly said loudly:

"So is that man named Ouyang sick? He is not making good money. Xunyangdu is in the city. It is not good for him to build a giant Buddha in the city, but he wants to go to that poor ravine to build a statue! What a fucking bunch of people Stupid foreign businessmen are investing money and doing nonsense with him.”

"Boss Shen, please be careful what you say." Pei Shisanniang frowned and looked around.

"A thief...be careful what you say, if this Ouyang man has the ability, he will arrest me!"

Shen Bingqiang clenched his fist and grasped the pure gold Chilong ring on his thumb, cursing:
"It's easy to travel so far to build a statue. From my opinion, 80% of it is for profit. This man named Ouyang must have embezzled the money of those foreign businessmen to build the double peak statue. I don't believe it. The imperial court saved it. His money has never passed through his hands, and there is no official who is not greedy. I saw a lot of them when I was selling salt..."

"Okay, okay, if you have any questions, let's talk about it at the Chamber of Commerce dinner tonight..."

Pei Shisanniang kept comforting her.

At the same time, on the other side, in the crowd outside the corridor, Lin Cheng listened quietly for a while. He suddenly turned his head and looked at a crowd not far behind him.

I saw a handsome young man wearing a felt hat, holding a piano case in his arms, standing behind the crowd, watching the show silently like him.

At this moment, as if he felt Lin Cheng's gaze, the young man in the felt hat looked away from the hall in front.

Their eyes met in the air.

Immediately, they turned around almost simultaneously and left the house.

Came to the street outside the house.

Lin Cheng turned his head and looked at Ouyang Rong curiously:

"Why is Ouyang Changshi here too? How long have you been here just now?"

"Not long after I arrived, I happened to hear someone greeting me cordially." Ouyang Rong shook his head, and under Lin Cheng's somewhat suspicious gaze, he explained:

"During lunch, I heard Brother Huaimin say that Lin Lingtai is here. I happened to be free in the afternoon, so I was going to meet Brother Huaimin to play the piano and drink tea. I happened to pass by, thinking that you might still be investigating the case at Huang Xuan's old courtyard, so I came here specially. Come and take a look. I heard the noise here and came in to take a look. I didn’t expect Lin Lingtai Lang to be there. "

Lin Cheng smiled and asked:

"Ouyang Changshi was scolded just now, why don't you stand up and take care of it? Even if you say a few words, that's fine."

"What do you care about? What are you talking about? Others just have grievances. Shouldn't they be allowed to curse? If they have to control their private remarks... there is no need."

Ouyang Rong shook his head lightly.

"Ouyang Changshi is really massive."

Lin Cheng looked at him and the piano case in his arms, and asked directly:

"What does Ouyang Changshi think about Huang Xuan stabbing you?"

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "I don't think so."

"Ouyang Changshi is kind-hearted and loves the people, but the other party repays kindness with hatred. Isn't it heartbreaking?"

Ouyang Rong thought for a while and asked:

"Don't you stop doing good deeds because of your cold heart? Then this kind heart is just like that. It is just an attempt to repay others. I suggest you do good deeds with a clear price tag in the future, rather than a tacit moral kidnapping hinted by your eyes."

"Makes sense."

Lin Cheng nodded:

"By the way, this house was originally offered to Huang Xuan's family by Pei Shisanniang, but they didn't accept it later?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "Probably."

Lin Cheng laughed again and said:
"Looking at it this way, Ouyang Changshi and Yuan Sima are very familiar."

"He is quite familiar with Dongmei, but I... am not very familiar with him." Ouyang Rong said with a straight face.

"Dongmei?" Lin Cheng was stunned, took out a scroll from his arms, glanced at it, and the corner of his mouth twitched:
"A big jujube... red horse?"

Ouyang Rong nodded: "It's Aiju."

"You two... have a very special relationship." Lin Cheng sighed and asked again:
"Then Ouyang Changshi knows that local officials who are demoted from Beijing officials to state ministers like this will generally not have much contact with them, because such demoted officials must have committed serious crimes. If they do, If someone catches you again, you may be dismissed from your job.

"So, Ouyang Changshi has a bright future, so why did he put himself in danger and come to him repeatedly to appreciate the piano..."

Ouyang Rong asked curiously:
"Mr. Lin Lingtai, have you forgotten that I was also demoted from the imperial government?"

He nodded seriously:

"Besides, Brother Huaimin's crime may not be as serious as mine. He should be more careful."

Lin Cheng was slightly startled and laughed dumbly:

"Okay, it seems that I have to stay away from Ouyang Changshi."

"Lang Lingtai is joking."

"It's a joke. Ouyang Changshi's experience can be said to be a legend in our Zhou Dynasty. In the Jinshi Department of that year, until now, there should be no more famous hero than Ouyang Changshi.

"Speaking of which, Ouyang Changshi's official position is considered to be the highest in this field. It seems that there is only one person of the same year and fifth rank, and he is just an idle official in the capital. How can there be such a powerful official like Ouyang Changshi."

"Really? I didn't pay much attention, but Lin Lingtailang knows quite a lot."

"To be honest, Chang Shi, Si Tianjian has a copy of your file." Lin Cheng said softly: "Actually, I am very envious of Ouyang Chang Shi."

"Why are you envious?"

"Speaking of which, I am from a poor family. It is really difficult for us poor men to climb up. I am not as lucky as Ouyang Changshi."

"Don't like the word crawl."

Ouyang Rong shook his head: "And I heard from people that Xia Guan Lingtailang is not an ordinary official. He has a bright future in Sitian Prison. Brother Lin is still modest."

"Different."

Lin Cheng shook his head: "Those of us who are in charge of the Tianjian, no matter how promoted we are, we are just inner court officials, specializing in serving saints. How can there be a long history like Ouyang, who has a bright official career. When he retires, he can become a high official in the border area, and when he enters, he can become a king and prime minister. …

"It is impossible to say that before the age of forty, he can enter the political hall, wear red and purple, and become a young prince known to the whole court. After his death, he can easily be buried in Beimang Mountain, where only princes and generals can be buried."

Lin Cheng counted his fingers carefully:
"Enter a scholar, marry a girl with the fifth surname, and be buried in Beimang. Of the three things that a man in the Zhou Dynasty dreams of doing, Ouyang Changshi has already accomplished two."

"is it?"

Ouyang Rong looked thoughtful. After a moment, he asked seriously: "Can you have more? Three seems not enough."

"..."

Lin Cheng shook his head, moved his eyes downward, and pointed at the piano case in Ouyang Rong's arms:

"I heard Yuan Sima mentioned that Ouyang Changshi often comes to him with a piano case. Your Excellency loves the piano, can you take a look at it?"

Ouyang Rong didn't say anything. He opened the piano case in his arms with a calm expression.

Lin Cheng glanced.

I saw an ordinary and simple long piano lying quietly inside the box.

Lin Cheng bent his fingers to hook the strings, tried the sound of the piano, and sighed: "It's a good piano."

Of course it belongs to Hao Qin, a certain little princess with plum blossom makeup.

Ouyang Rong smiled, put away the piano case, hugged his arms again, lowered his felt hat, and asked Lin Cheng casually:

"When will Mr. Lin Lingtai return to Beijing?"

Lin Cheng didn't answer, but suddenly asked: "Does Ouyang Changshi know that Rong Nushi attaches great importance to you?"

"What do you mean?"

"It's a big favor to write a letter to help you intercede for an extension."

"Why."

"Because the person who most hopes that the Donglin Buddha will be completed soon, apart from Your Majesty, should be Rong Zhen. For her, the sooner the better, but now in order to cooperate with Ouyang Changshi, she helped to file a letter to postpone this matter... Everyone in Si Tian Prison who knew about it was surprised. "

Ouyang Rong glanced at Lin Cheng, then lowered his eyes and said:
"Really? She has never told me this, and she doesn't talk much about the Buddha. She just asked me to watch it."

Lin Cheng leisurely said:
"So I am very curious about how Ouyang Changshi persuaded Rong Nushi to help."

Ouyang Rong raised his eyebrows slightly.

(End of this chapter)