Under the sky

Chapter 351 Side Story: The Send of Salt and Plum Blossoms

Kunlun eighty-seventh year, March, spring

The dark green waves hit the shore and turned into white foam.

"I always thought the sea was blue." Wen Ruoshan looked into the distance. The sand farther away was blue, but the shore was emerald green. This was probably related to the depth. He was carrying his shoes and socks. Stepping on the sea sand felt similar to stepping on mud, but it didn't have the sinking feeling of soft mud, and it was cleaner than mud.

"You said you've seen the sea in Yancheng before?" Wen Ruoshan turned around and asked, "The sea there is also green?"

"Dark blue, with a little black." As usual, Xie Gubai answered casually, as usual, but answered carefully, "I was standing on the rock cliff and looked down. The waves seemed to be rougher near the reef."

"Standing on the cliff? You didn't come down?"

“The mud and sand getting into the soles of the feet is very uncomfortable.”

"But you've come to the beach, shouldn't you step on the sand on the beach?" Wen Ruoshan said, "Just take off your shoes."

"Judging from the size of the gravel, it should be similar to that near an oasis, or somewhere between mud and desert after rain."

"But there must be no smell of salt there, and the coolness of the sea water lapping at your feet."

"I once put my feet in the pond on the sandbank and I felt the same way. I can smell the salt right here."

"You want to say that you had a childlike innocence before?" Wen Ruoshan teased, "You must have been very young at that time, maybe less than ten years old."

"I can figure it out, and I can guess what it feels like to stand where you are."

"Can you figure out how I feel?"

Xie Gubai nodded: "I guess you want to go to sea, but I suggest not. Small boats are very rocky, and big ships are very ostentatious."

Xie Gubai was right. Even if he held the boots in his hands, the breeze would still bring sand into the soles of the boots and rub his feet. There would always be annoying sand stains on his clothes. Moreover, the boat was really rocking. He was lying on the edge of the boat. Give the day's food back to the sea.

He wiped the dirt from the corner of his mouth with a handkerchief. He wanted to go further away from the shore until he could no longer see the land. It would feel more like a mayfly in the sky and earth. He had such an experience in the Yangtze River, but at that time he could still use the upstream and downstream Distinguish the directions between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait and know where you are. How does it feel to feel at a loss when the sea and sky are truly the same color?
"What will happen if we cross the sea and keep walking?" Wen Ruoshan asked. Even if he was as smart as Xie Gubai, he believed there was no definite answer.

"I don't know, but I think we will find land in the end." Xie Gubai was sitting in the cabin, his face pale. Although he didn't vomit like himself, he was definitely enduring the discomfort of seasickness.

"Where could it be?" Wen Ruoshan asked again.

"Everywhere with people is the same in the end. At most, the words they say are different and the words they write are different." Xie Gubai replied.

"Go to a close place, and the ditches and nests will close together and open up." The boatman interjected in a strong local accent, "Where there is nest water, there are nest dwellers."

Wen Ruoshan asked several times before she understood what he meant: "Where there is tide, there are Chaodian people." The coastal areas of Guangdong are not wealthy, and many people cross the sea to find land for cultivation. When they get there, they start families and start businesses and form gangs, so Chaodian The local people boast that no matter how far away from the sea, as long as there is tide, you can find fellow villagers who can speak Teochew dialect.

Wen Ruoshan had never heard of such an anecdote. When he was in Longdi, he was in the territory of the barbarians after leaving the pass. Even if he had to move, he would always go to Huashan or Tangmen. I heard from the boatman that the descendants of those who left the sea would occasionally return to their hometowns to worship their ancestors. , at least three generations. After three generations, they will gradually become silent.

Wen Ruoshan wanted to go further, but the boatman refused because he was afraid of encountering pirates, fear of heavy rain, and the small boat could not withstand the wind and waves.

After some ups and downs on the sea, Wen Ruoshan felt dizzy when he stepped onto plain land.

"We are going to Duanzhou next." Wen Ruoshan raised his head and asked Xie Gubai, "How do you plan to go?"

"If you love taking boats so much, just take a boat."

The water route is still faster than the land route, and surveying the terrain is cumbersome and difficult. It takes at least more than ten years to record the roads and mountains and rivers in one place. To write the Long Yushan Notes, I first refer to the notes and maps of the predecessors, and record them in all directions. If there are any contradictions, we conduct on-site inspections, fill in the gaps, and interview local people. Only then do we complete the Longdi style. But to be complete, there are always hidden places that are inaccessible and unknown to us.

Wen Ruoshan knew that time was short, and ten years would not be enough to carefully survey the terrain. Waterways were indispensable for fighting, and surveying key areas along waterways was the most useful. During this period of travel with Xie Gubai, most of them were along rivers. Firstly, it is convenient, and secondly, it is practical. The Guangdong River water system is the most important meridian in the south, so it must be taken.

However, in the past, when taking a boat, most of them were with merchant ships. This time, the two of them encountered difficulties. Guangdong was remote. Before the barbarians entered the customs, Guangdong was a barbaric place. There were not many merchant ships, so the two of them missed the boat. Period, you have to wait at least seven or eight days. The south is hot and humid, and it's the rainy season. Wen Ruoshan is not used to living in the north. Although Xie Gubai doesn't say it, looking at his messy look with his head covered in mosquito bites, he probably doesn't want to stay too long.

They hired a boat, which could accommodate horses and luggage, as well as two rooms. This was a huge expense, so they had to thank Gubai for his help.

After going through Wudang, he knew that Xie Gubai was rich, and his wealth was not a sign of extravagance and lust. Of course he had the ability to spend a lot of money, after all, he could afford to hire a night guard as a bodyguard. He is not frugal, but he is not extravagant either. What makes Wen Ruoshan feel weird is - where does his money come from? It's not a matter of how he earned it, it's a matter of how the money got to him.

Speaking for myself, after this trip for many years, I have already run out of money to bring with me. After all, no one would go out with hundreds of taels of silver. Many people in the Wen family in my hometown also regard the Wen family as having "endless money." Wen Ruoshan was a wealthy family, but if Wen Ruoshan wanted to ask for money, he had to write a letter home, telling him where he was going, and asking his family to send a banknote to the local post station. Wen Ruoshan had to delay for a few days. He felt that he was not involved in the birth. It was unfilial to travel far away while his parents were still alive. It was even more embarrassing to write to his family asking for travel expenses. He always felt like a dandy, asking for money from his father and brother every day, so he also He never wrote how much he wanted. I guess my second brother figured out what he was thinking, so the money he sent each time was not much. He asked me to write more letters home, which was a way of saying he was safe.

When Wudang was robbed, Wen Ruoshan knew how much money Xie Gubai had on him. Not to mention how much money he had paid so far, he would have run out of money in three months after leaving Wudang. However, he had never seen Xie Gubai write a letter to his home. It doesn't make sense to always take out banknotes, as if you can get money anywhere.

Asked about Xie Gubai, he replied: "If I pass by my family's property on the way, I will take some pocket change."

It sounds like a perfunctory excuse.

The only suspicious thing is that Xie Gubai occasionally walks alone. Wen Ruoshan tried to follow him secretly a few times, but unfortunately, every time he would bump into things and be delayed, and Xie Gubai was lost.

Wen Ruoshan lay beside the boat and pondered, where did Xie Gubai get the money? Seeing him in a daze, Xie Gubai asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"What do you think of the third son of the Xu family?" He responded casually, but he really wanted to ask.

"Xu Shaoyun?" Xie Gubai immediately shook his head, "He is a good man, and he is said to be very talented. Many people praise him, except the locals in Pu County."

"Gang Leader Xu's son will definitely be talented. After all, he has more opportunities than others to correct his mistakes, but he still made a big mistake that even Gang Leader Xu can't fix."

"The boat owner was benevolent when he came ashore. Everyone makes mistakes. He is still young."

"If he is prepared to inherit the position of Gang Leader Xu, he will be more cautious. He has no ambition, and is discouraged. He will give up the gang affairs after getting married. At present, it seems that he is only outstanding in martial arts. Some people think that he is in the Nine Families The best martial arts among the younger generation."

Wen Ruoshan did not continue the discussion with Xie Gubai. After all, the nine families had not visited all the places. However, when it came to the boat owners, Wen Ruoshan asked: "I thought you would want to explore the conditions of the boat owners. They are an overseas group." "

"Boat owners are also divided into different groups. The fleet led by Chen Haihao is the oldest, largest, and most notorious. If they can avenge Xu Shaoyun's kindness, then it would be too risky to meet them."

And it is difficult to drive. Wen Ruoshan also guessed the reason. The boat owners are not the nine big families, and their power is weak. However, they rely on the vast sea and are familiar with the sea properties, so it is difficult to hunt down. The good people among them are very good. They fish and gather oysters, and use the fishing goods with People on the shore trade daily necessities. These people will be bullied and robbed by fishermen. They are also the best targets for coastal sects who want to claim war glory. The other group is pirates, which in turn bullies coastal fishermen, robs fish catch, and even goes ashore to rob. Robbery of village women. It is really too risky to interact with these people without finding a safe place.

This is a dead end. If a boat owner wants to be a good citizen, he will be bullied. The bullied boat owner becomes angry and becomes a pirate, and they go into groups to bully the kind people. When the kind people are bullied, they let the sect go to suppress the pirates. The sect wants to To avoid casualties, they would only round up innocent boat owners and avoid the real large team.

After thinking about it, it seems that only good people are bullied, while those who do bad things are protected. Wen Ruoshan vaguely felt that one day, all boat owners would be forced to become pirates, and then fight to the death with the people along the coast. An idiom that unexpectedly aptly describes this situation.

Several painted boats followed their boat up the river. There were carvings on the sides of the boats and outside the cabins. Some were even decorated with gold threads or pearls, which could not help but attract Wen Ruoshan's attention.

After nightfall, the lanterns hung on these boats were particularly eye-catching, and you could tell at a glance what kind of business they were doing. For two days in a row, Wen Ruoshan had seen six boats. It would not be strange for so many boats to gather outside the pier of the big city. On the water Strange things happen on the road.

"What's interesting in Duanzhou?" he asked the boatman. He felt that there must be something interesting about the local customs.

"Rich people are looking for bitches." The boatman said with a strong local accent, "Choose the pretty one and attack your mother-in-law. You can pay a few hundred taels for a good deal, but the rich man is lazy and happy."

Wen Ruoshan only understood Pu Niangmu, which was a local swear word. Agreeing with Fuck his mother, the first thing to learn in any dialect must be the local swear words. Wen Ruoshan turned to Xie Gubai and asked: "You Do you understand what he said?"

"It means Zhaoqing chooses courtesans, and rich people will spend hundreds of taels of silver to marry her." Xie Gubai closed the travel notes he bought locally, seeming to see through his intentions, and reminded Wen Ruoshan, "Let's go to Hengyang in a hurry."

"We will pass through Zhaoqing and spend at least a few days there."

Wen Ruoshan saw Xie Gubai looking at him, as if he was guessing what he was planning, and then he opened the book and continued reading.

Being able to read on a boat without getting dizzy is a skill.

There are more than ten painted boats parked on the Zhaoqing River. Each boat has a string of lanterns hung on its capital. The willow trees along the bank are covered with colorful ribbons and flowers. At least hundreds of lanterns are arranged along the streets, which are brightly lit at night. I heard that a ring was set up on the shore, where heroes and beauties commended each other.

Even though he knew that famous prostitutes in Hengshan were worth a lot, the ostentation was too extravagant. Wen Ruoshan knew that this was the sect's way of attracting businesses and people. Zhaoqing was not a big city, but there were at least dozens of passenger ships parked at the pier. The shore was covered with people and there were countless people who wanted to see the beauty.

"I don't think you have to rush ashore yet. It's hot and crowded." Wen Ruoshan said, "And I guess there are no vacancies in the inn right now."

Xie Gubai did not refute, that is, he agreed. Wen Ruoshan asked the boatman to go to the shore to buy some food and wait until sunset. The lights on the shore were all bright, making the river red. Wen Ruoshan turned around and looked. On the other side, the bow of the boat was painted. Red lanterns were also lit up, but before it reached Youzheng, more than ten torches and lanterns were lit here and there on the pier, and more than ten small boats were rowing towards different boats like fireflies chasing fire.

This aroused Wen Ruoshan's curiosity. These small boats seemed to know exactly which boat they were going to. They seemed to be paired up. Almost all of them were running towards one boat. There were a few exceptions. He saw two boats. The boats were sailing towards the same boat, and there was a sense of speed. The two boats got too close, and the boatman swung the boat pole, and they actually started fighting?

There were guests on every boat. Wen Ruoshan was interesting and curious. Looking closer, he saw a pair of dim pink lanterns in the boat full of red lanterns. He immediately called the boatman, pointed at the pink lanterns and said: " Go up there."

"The people digging in the ground don't know the rules, and they don't attract customers by pressing dirty lights."

Wen Ruoshan stroked his forehead: "Just go."

He looked towards the cabin, and Xie Gubai was also looking at the pair of pink lanterns.

"You are looking for trouble again." Xie Gubai stood up and walked over.

"I think it's interesting to choose an oiran, but I don't know how to choose one. I want to find someone to ask. I can't get to the shore now. All the oirans have their owners, so this is the only place I can ask."

"This boatman must know the rules."

"I can't even understand what he said, so why should he explain the rules?" Wen Ruoshan complained, "Go and ask. If you understand, explain to me."

Xie Gubai was noncommittal, and Wen Ruoshan continued: "Actually, you are also curious. After all, you will also put your feet into the pond when you are a child."

"I can't tell anything from that."

"According to what you said two days ago, what is the difference between putting your feet in a pond and a bucket?" Wen Ruoshan said, "You must have questions when you are a child, what is the difference between the water in the pond and the water in the bucket? That's why Put your feet in the pond."

"You also said that was when I was very young."

"The water in the pond is colder than the bucket. Let me put it this way. There are pieces of wood and stones in the mud, and the sea sand is not so crunchy when you step on it. You have to walk through it to know."

"Are you sure you can tell the difference?" Xie Gubai asked.

"Yes." Wen Ruoshan answered confidently.

"I can't verify it. It's too far away from the sea now and I can't find the sand." Xie Gubai shook his head.

When he got close to the boat, Wen Ruoshancai noticed how simple the boat was under the dim lights and moonlight. He had seen many boats in Hengshan, especially the boats on the river this morning. Most of them were unique and exquisitely decorated. This boat... looks like an old ship. The half-decayed ship carvings are barely decorated with flowers, and the old window panes are pasted with fresh window paper, which is awkward.

The maid on the boat was quite young, only fourteen or fifteen years old. She held a lantern and shouted: "Which young master is asking for a visit?"

"The following is Ruoshan. This is Mr. Xie Gubai. I am lonely in the middle of the night and want to find a tea companion."

The maid was quite surprised and turned around and shouted: "Girl, we have a guest."

A female voice came from inside the boat: "Master, please come on board."

Huafang held out the plank, Wen Ruoshan stepped over, and Xie Gubai followed behind.

"My concubine's surname is Zhao and her maiden name is Hua Rong. Mr. Wen and Mr. Xie, please take a seat." The oil lamp was lit in the boat and the girl sitting in the guest seat replied softly.

This girl who is competing for the oiran is about sixteen or seventeen years old. She has beautiful eyebrows and willowy eyes, red lips and white teeth. She is pretty, but not the kind of stunning beauty, especially her black hair, which is dark but rough and messy. She only has an old woman at her disposal. A wife and a maid, almost the shabbiest brothel is so simple, and the name of the flower... is a bit random.

Wen Ruoshan gave three coins to make tea, and the maid brought tea, which was poor wild tea. Zhao Huarong seemed to sense the neglect and muttered: "I don't want to have distinguished guests come to visit. The tea is rough, so please Haihan."

"Girl, you don't need to be polite." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile, "Wen is from the North. He travels around the world and passes through Duanzhou. It coincides with the oiran event. I can't help but wonder, how are Zhaoqing oirans selected? What kind of notarization is there? Calligraphy, painting, embroidery?”

Zhao Huarong smiled and said: "Young master, I don't know how to choose an oiran? How did you choose my ship?"

"Other ships are soliciting passengers, but the girl is the only one who doesn't accept them, so I'm presumptuous."

Zhao Huarong pondered for a moment and sighed: "I am unknown, with no talent or virtue, vulgar appearance, and no familiar guests. I just heard that Zhaoqing is choosing an oiran, so I came to join in the fun. As for the rules for choosing oirans that the young master said , it is not complicated at all. Every year at the end of March, Zhaoqing begins to select oirans, which is hosted by the Seven Star Gang and local businesses. If a girl wants to choose an oiran, she comes here and registers with the Seven Star Gang. It lasts seven days. On the first day of April, It is called Chuzhuang. The girls will stop the painting boat on the river without getting off the boat. Three days later, the girls will go ashore to buy rouge, which is called Zhelu, for the people to see. In three days' time, it will be the Buddha's birthday. The girls will go to Hong Kong. The national temple prays for blessings and peace for the local area, which is called a prayer. After three days, the girls will show up at inns, teahouses, and guesthouses in various places to entertain guests with songs, dances, paintings, or poems. "

"Then how do you choose an oiran?"

"When praying, the Qixing sect will send flower boxes to the praying girls. Zhaoqing sells ticket lots and red and blue plum blossoms. Tickets cost ten cents a piece, red plums cost a hundred cents, and blue plums cost one tael each. You can buy them and put them in the box. After that, the sect and the girl will split the score 50-50, and whoever gets the most reward will be the oiran, and the sect will give another reward."

"I see, it doesn't sound too complicated." Wen Ruoshan asked again, "What's going on with those visiting ships?"

Xie Gubai was drinking tea when he suddenly said: "Those are regular customers brought by the girls themselves."

Wen Ruoshan was stunned for a moment, but he understood the truth and said with a smile: "There are people who are willing to spend a lot of money just to win a beautiful woman's smile."

There are oirans everywhere. Zhaoqing has a history of more than 20 years and has a good reputation. For famous brothel actresses, winning the title of oiran is worth twice as much. For the rich man of that family, the girl he knows well Winning the title of oiran will also bring honor to one's appearance. Rich men value face the most and often spend large sums of money to fight for their own will. Most of the young men who board the ship come specially to cheer for the girl and buy flowers to reward her.

Zhaoqing has put on such a big show, firstly to attract tourists, secondly to attract rich businessmen and nobles, and thirdly, a group of wealthy young men are throwing all their money here. Isn't Qixing Sect making a lot of money? In addition, there is also a ring to add to the fun. This is just like Fuzhou's Hundred Chicken Feast, which is a means to attract tourists.

"Girl, don't you know any young master?" Wen Ruoshan asked.

Zhao Huarong shook his head.

This girl can't be an oiran, Wen Ruoshan thought, not to mention appearance, the choice of oiran, appearance is secondary, more important is the means, which requires dressing up and eloquence, but sleeping with him is inferior to the inferior. This girl speaks concisely, There is no hint of romantic tricks at all, so it’s no wonder that there are no regular customers.

Xie Gubai suddenly said: "Thank you very much, Miss, for clarifying my doubts. It's still early. I wonder if I would like to reward you by playing the piano for me?"

Zhao Huarong's face turned red and purple. After a while, she said, "I don't know how to play the piano."

"What musical instrument do you play?"

"If you don't abandon me, I will know how to play the flute."

"That's okay." Xie Gubai took out a five-tael silver note and said, "Add some rouge to the girl."

Wen Ruoshan didn't expect that Xie Gubai, who had been silent all this time, would be so interested, so he also echoed: "Please give me a favor, girl."

Zhao Huarong shied away twice more, and then said: "You're showing off your shame, little Yu'er, bring me the flute."

This display of embarrassment is really not self-effacing. The flute music played by Zhao Huarong... is mediocre. I can only say that I can do it, and I can only play it very rarely.

"Can that girl play chess?" Xie Gubai asked again.

Zhao Huarong still shook his head: "I'm not good at this."

After a while, Zhao Huarong sighed quietly: "Actually, the slave family doesn't know anything... I came here to choose the oiran, just to earn some silver to make a living." After saying this, her eyes turned red and she was about to shed tears.

Seeing her sadness, Wen Ruoshan asked hurriedly: "What's going on?"

Zhao Huarong told the story in a leisurely manner. It turned out that she was not taken a fancy to by her stepmother until she was fourteen years old. Her stepmother was also a prostitute and was not yet forty. She planned to rely on Zhao Huarong for her old age, so she spent a lot of money to buy her from her parents and took her in as a stepdaughter. However, her stepmother died of a serious illness in less than half a year. Zhao Huarong learned nothing about music, chess, calligraphy and painting, but inherited a house and a nanny and maid from her stepmother. However, living off the wealth was not a solution, and she was afraid of marrying into the wrong family. As for going home, her parents treated her badly to begin with, and they were afraid that their property would be robbed, so they had to send her family away, leaving a nanny and maid to take care of her. Her stepmother had warned her that she could not make money by selling her body, and she was helpless. She heard that Zhaoqing was selecting a courtesan and could share the profits with the sects 70% to 70%. She thought that even if she could not win the courtesan, she could at least earn some reward money.

"If we don't open the business, my house will have to be sold." Zhao Huarong sighed, "I don't know who is willing to take in the central media."

This girl is also in a difficult situation. No wonder she doesn't know how to do anything. If this continues, it won't be long before the mansion is sold... Wen Ruoshan unexpectedly became worried about this girl, but...

"Maybe I can help the girl a little bit," Wen Ruoshan said suddenly.

"Help me?" Zhao Huarong was surprised, "How do you want to help?"

"I'll discuss it with Mr. Xie first and ask the girl to wait a moment." Wen Ruoshan said, pulled Xie Gubai up and walked out of the cabin.

"Do you know what stupid things men shouldn't do?" Xie Gubai stood on the edge of the boat and looked at the bottom of the boat.

"Which?"

"Save the prostitute and seduce the chaste woman." Xie Gubai said, "This ship is old and outdated, and no one is paying attention to it. Miss Zhao does not have the unique beauty, and she does not understand the style. Even if she becomes an oiran, she cannot run it. Save There are many ways to help someone alone, but you just want to prove that you are capable.”

"You're half right. I wanted to test my abilities, but I didn't want to save Feng Chen." Wen Ruoshan shook his head and said, "I want to make money."

"Are you short of money?"

"It's not good to beg for money from my family every time, at least to earn some travel expenses."

"I can hire you. You will carry my luggage from now on, and I will pay for your food and accommodation. At the end of the month, I can also give you a tael of pocket money."

Wen Ruoshan said dissatisfied: "My salary as a teacher in a private school is more than one or two silver dollars."

"The private school is opened for you by your father. Tell me, what can I help you with?" Xie Gubai got to the point neatly.

"Lend me two hundred taels of silver."

"Two hundred taels of silver?" Xie Gubai raised his eyebrows in a rare move. This sentence really surprised him, "You have two hundred taels of silver, and you still need to earn travel expenses?"

"Doing business requires capital." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile, "The capital is huge and the profit is huge."

"I suggest not, but I don't think you will listen." Xie Gubai asked, "What are you going to do?"

Wen Ruoshan returned to the cabin and said to Zhao Huarong: "I can help you make money, but I have to share half of all rewards. How much is the Oiran's reward?"

"I heard there are three hundred taels."

"Okay." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile, "The first thing is to tidy up your ship. It must be conspicuous."

Xie Gubai walked to the window, stretched out his fingers to dig at the window frame, and unexpectedly pulled out a small piece of wood. Xie Gubai looked at the rotten wood in his hand and asked: "It takes at least several months to organize a ship. This Although the boat is not broken, it is old.”

"That's why I want to borrow money from you." Wen Ruoshan asked, "Do you have so much silver?"

Xie Gubai thought for a while and said, "What do you want to buy?"

"Buy all the purple brocade in Zhaoqing and wrap it on this ship. As long as it is pure purple and not mixed with other colors."

Xie Gubai thought for a while, as if he had seen through his own plan: "What else do you want? I will help you deal with it."

Wen Ruoshan wanted to know how he was going to deal with it. He knew that Xie Gubai definitely didn't have two hundred taels on him, and he was determined to see where Xie Gubai would turn out silver notes.

The next day, Wen Ruoshan got up early, and the boat landed in front of the pier before the crowds gathered. Xie Gubai said, "I'll buy the purple brocade you want."

Wen Ruoshan asked: "Do you really have two hundred taels with you?"

Xie Gubai asked back: "If not, will this matter be dropped?"

"You promised me, of course you can go back on your promise."

Of course Xie Gubai would not regret it. He left immediately after landing. Wen Ruoshan followed him cautiously. As soon as the morning market opened, Zhaoqing was filled with people. It turned out that the arena had already started on the first day of April. Wen Ruoshan was worried about the crowds. He walked away, looking only at Xie Gubai's back. Not long after walking, he saw Xie Gubai enter the cloth village.

Do you really want to buy cloth? Purple brocade is expensive, with one piece costing at least three taels of silver. If it is Shu brocade, it can cost ten taels per piece. Wen Ruoshan hid in the crowd and looked around, only to see Xie Gubai talking to the shopkeeper. He walked out soon after, turned two alleys, found a tavern and sat down, ordered a pot of tea, two steamed buns and three After finishing the dishes, I took out the book from my arms and just looked at it.

He actually read a book? Don't go to other cloth shops? Wen Ruoshan frowned. Xie Gubai sat there for almost two hours. Wen Ruoshan waited for him for two hours. He was suspicious but did not dare to leave. He was afraid that Xie Gubai would run away. Fortunately, Xie Gubai Bai finally stood up, and Wen Ruoshan had just followed, but Xie Gubai was on his way back to the dock.

When he returned to the dock, Wen Ruoshan was startled again. He saw a dozen boats surrounding Zhao Huarong's boat and starting to arrange them.

"How did you do it?" Wen Ruoshan couldn't help but ask, "Where did you get the money? Why do you have these ships and cloth?"

"On credit." Xie Gubai replied, "Do you really think I can buy fabrics from one cloth shop? I asked the owner of the cloth shop to buy cloth for me. He has more connections."

"How much silver?"

"I haven't settled the bill with the shopkeeper yet."

Wen Ruoshan didn't believe that Xie Gubai could really get so much purple brocade on credit. No cloth shop was willing to risk such a large amount of money on credit and even help him decorate it.

The painted boat was quickly covered by purple brocade. The color was drab and tacky, and it could even be said to be ugly, but it was eye-catching and so ugly that it attracted the people on the shore to point at it.

This is Wen Ruoshan's purpose. Not everyone can appreciate the fine carvings on the boat, but everyone knows the price of purple brocade. Just like a dark green emerald finger, those who know it are worth a hundred gold, and those who don't know it are worth a hundred gold. In the eyes of the people, a twelve-pound golden lock is even more dazzling.

"Go see Miss Zhao and tell her about the future." Xie Gubai said.

When Wen Ruoshan returned to the boat, there was another small boat parked next to the boat, with more than ten large boxes piled on the boat. Is it possible that Buzhuang even prepared this for Xie Gubai?
When he saw Zhao Huarong again, a woman was painting her eyebrows. Xie Gubai even asked someone to dress Zhao Huarong. After Wen Ruoshan asked, the woman's surname was Zhang. She had served other girls in a brothel before, so she was good at dressing up.

After hearing this, Wen Ruoshan always felt that it was a bit strange, but he didn't know what was wrong. He turned to Xie Gubai and asked, "Is this also on credit?"

"Please ask the owner of Buzhuang to look for you." He found Xie Gubai staring at him. He had known him for more than a year. This look... How should I say, it was a good show? No, Xie Gubai is selling a flaw, waiting for him to find out.

Wen Ruoshan didn't think it through, he looked at the small boat next to the painting boat.

After nightfall, bursts of fireworks rose next to Zhao Huarong's boat, shining brightly on the river. Almost all the people in Zhaoqing saw the fireworks, and naturally they also noticed the fireworks.

Through the fireworks, Wen Ruoshan could still see the furious look of the maid on the other house's boat.

Wen Ruoshan set off fireworks for two nights in a row. Those girls were self-conscious about their status. Although they knew it was useful, they didn't bother to imitate it, for fear of being ridiculed for learning to walk in Handan. After all this trouble, the people in Zhaoqing were all talking about the Zijin Painted Boat. Wen Ruoshan was not going to compete with those wealthy young men for expenses, so unless he relied on Xie Gubai to spend money, he would definitely not win. He had to let those ten Wen people compete with each other. Each plum blossom fell into Zhao Huarong's flower box.

Gotta work harder.

The first makeup is to display the boat on the river, and the dew is when these girls appear. The purple brocade covers up the oldness of the boat. Wen Ruoshan specially asked Zhao Huarong to be the last one to go ashore. Girls who usually compete for the oiran are not willing to be the last one to go ashore. , unless you can really stand out from the crowd, you will feel tired after seeing so many beautiful girls walking by one by one.

Wen Ruoshan asked Zhao Huarong to wear a veil. No matter how beautiful the girl is, she is also a carrot and green vegetable. Everyone has their own preferences and it is difficult to agree with everyone, so it is better to cover it up. Zhao Huarong has excellent eyebrows and makeup, and her waist is slender, making her especially graceful. Captivating.

After being exposed for three days, in addition to showing off their beauty, it was all about pomp and circumstance. The girls with their benefactors, surrounded by maids and bodyguards, bought rouge, pollen, cloth and accessories, and had to change into two sets of clothes every day.

Wen Ruoshan couldn't afford it, so he had already spent more than a hundred taels of silver on purple brocade and fireworks. He asked Zhao Huarong to stay at the inn without leaving the house. Wen Ruoshan was snooping around on the street, mostly talking about Zhao Huarong, suspecting that she was too ugly to see people. Some people said that they saw him taking off his hairpin in the inn, and the lower half of his face was covered with hair. It was a burn, and it was frighteningly ugly. Some people say that she looks like a fairy, but of course some knowledgeable people sneer at her.

"This girl is just being mysterious. When the day of prayer comes, she will declare that she will never show her face unless she becomes the Oiran. She deceives people into voting. It is an old trick of charlatans, but it is nothing more than grandstanding."

This person's guess was half correct, but so what if he saw through it? It is useful, Wen Ruoshan thought, even if a thousand years pass, sensationalism will still be useful.

In the inn, Zhao Huarong thanked him profusely, but she was worried: "Those girls are out and about. Is it really useful for me to hide here for three days?"

Wen Ruoshan was also a little worried, but he couldn't show his timidity. He just said, "Just do what you do."

"You don't have any ideas?" After returning to the room, Wen Ruoshan felt uneasy. In the past few days, Xie Gubai was either reading books or surveying the terrain by himself, saying nothing about what Wen Ruoshan was doing.

"You have your own opinions, and you want to make money, so I can't say much."

"This is not like you." Wen Ruoshan poured a cup of tea and drank it. "Usually at this point, if you feel something is wrong, you will make a few remarks, or else you will be sarcastic."

"You did a great job, I'm speechless." Xie Gubai raised his head and glanced at him, then lowered his head and continued reading.

"That's the tone." Wen Ruoshan lowered her face, "You must have some weird idea."

"When I first met you, everyone called you crazy, but you were still full of arrogance. It's only been more than a year, and you have to ask people to praise you to be confident?"

"It's your own affairs. Please have a clear conscience and help others..." "You are not helping others. You are making money and doing business. If you use your capital to make profits, you will lose money at most." Xie Gubai raised his head again, " Two hundred taels, you can afford it sooner or later, I’m not in a hurry.”

"How much is left?"

"The shopkeeper of Buzhuang came to report the account. After including the fireworks, there are still thirty-two or seven cents left."

"You don't have that much money on you."

"My family sent money, and I just picked up the money at the post station. It's enough."

He had never met Xie Gubai's family, nor had he seen him take money. Wen Ruoshan knew that Xie Gubai didn't tell the truth, and he couldn't find out anyway, so he had to suppress his curiosity.

The next troublesome thing is that after praying, she has to perform for three days. This is a real show of her skills. Zhao Huarong doesn't know music, is not good at singing and dancing, and doesn't know anything about music, chess, calligraphy and painting. These are the most difficult three days.

On the day of the prayer, Zhao Huarong received the flower box, and the maid Xiaoyu announced in public that she would play chess in the chess hall for three days. If anyone could break the beauty profile of her young lady, the young lady would be willing to sacrifice her life for him. Otherwise, unless Be elected oiran, otherwise Miss Zhao will have no face to show to others.

As soon as these words came out, the people were in an uproar.

There was a huge crowd in front of the chess hall. People queuing up to play against Miss Zhao were queuing from the street to the end of the street and turned three corners. At least half of the people here couldn't read the chess records, but they just wanted to know. Is the "beautiful face" displayed by Miss Zhao really so powerful? Is it true that someone can sleep with a girl who chooses an oiran in vain?

"Do you think this endgame can last three days?" Wen Ruoshan asked in a low voice. This Huarongpu was played by Xie Gubai when he was traveling before. , there are only more than ten moves left, the black and white stones are stacked on top of each other, surrounded by each other, and the victory is only between one stone. Wen Ruoshan thinks that his chess skills are superb, but he has not been able to come up with a solution for seven or eight days.

"This remnant score is a Zhenlong created by an elder of mine. No one knows it." Xie Gubai fell into deep thought, as if recalling memories and thinking of familiar old friends, "If you meet a powerful national player, you may be able to solve it, but in three days Time... I don’t think anyone in Zhaoqing can break it. If we do encounter it, I can only blame you for your bad luck. "

Zhao Huarong has not been idle these days. She can't even play chess. Wen Ruoshan explained simple chess principles to her and gave her an almost full endgame. Explaining the endgame is not difficult for those who know how to play chess. For Zhao Huarong, it was almost a matter of rote memorization.

The first day is the most difficult. Xie Gubai reminded Wen Ruoshan that most people who know chess will attack according to the law, and there will not be many changes. Zhao Huarong can cope with it by memorizing it by heart, but if the opponent is too weak and plays randomly, Zhao Huarong will be able to deal with it. The girl has to fight back according to the rules of chess, but she may make mistakes.

As expected, most of the people who took the lead were frivolous people, making wild moves and playing tricks, even at the point where they were bound to lose. Zhao Huarong did not hesitate to give in too much, and showed some bad moves. People around him shook their heads and ridiculed such chess skills, but he dared to risk his own life. , Wen Ruoshan broke into a cold sweat for several times. Fortunately, Zhao Huarong studied the chess game for several days and became familiar with more changes. In the end, he was able to win by luck. By the afternoon, most of the team dispersed, and the remaining more experienced ones were watching closely. , in the evening, there were many onlookers, but the queue was short. On this day alone, Zhao Huarong defeated more than twenty opponents.

The next day, Zhao Huarong had just dealt with several opponents when she suddenly heard someone shouting: "Master Ge is here."

Wen Ruoshan raised his eyes and saw that Mr. Ge was dressed luxuriously. He recognized him as the financial sponsor of a certain girl. He didn't know whether he was curious about Miss Zhao's appearance, wanted to eliminate powerful enemies for his own girl, or had some other agenda. Listen to him: "Miss Zhao came to choose the oiran, but she was secretive. Is she looking down on the elders of Zhaoqing, or mocking the oiran event?"

Zhao Huarong was neither sullen nor angry, she just said softly: "Master Ge, please."

Mr. Ge played several moves in succession, all of which were correct. It seemed that he had spent a lot of time studying. Zhao Huarong chuckled lightly and looked at Wen Ruoshan. His eyes were full of smiles. He followed the recited chess records one by one. He ridiculed the Oiran yesterday. People who are skilled in chess are all amazed at this, they feel that these six moves are amazing and exquisite. It turns out that Miss Zhao's nonsense yesterday was just for fun.

After only six moves, Ge Gongzi's seventh son had no place to stay. He came with full confidence and lost faster than those people yesterday. He had to blush, surrender, stood up and said angrily: "Miss Zhao , It’s okay if you lose to me, but if you lose to someone else, I’m afraid I’ll wrong you.”

Wen Ruoshan heard something in his words and shouted, "What do you mean, Mr. Ge?"

Mr. Ge didn't even explain, just rolled up his sleeves and left. Most of the people who went into battle on the second day were experts. After a day of study, they thought they could solve the chess game. However, the more expert they were, the less afraid Zhao Huarong was. When he got seven or eight, they all lost their armor and were completely defeated. By the afternoon, no one dared to challenge again.

On the third day, although the crowd outside the door was thinner than the previous two days, it was still crowded. However, only one person dared to challenge him throughout the morning. Everyone seemed to realize that it was not easy to defeat the girl in front of him.

At this point, Wen Ruoshan finally breathed a sigh of relief. According to this situation, as long as he survives the afternoon, it will be the day to choose the oiran.

Suddenly someone outside shouted: "Make way, give way! Someone is coming to challenge Miss Zhao."

Wen Ruoshan looked up and saw a carriage in the distance, rushing straight to the door of the inn. The carriage was driving in a hurry, but it moved steadily. The groom who drove the horse was skilled in horsemanship. He was not a hired groom at random. He must win. He comes from a wealthy family and has been familiar with driving carriages for many years.

The carriage rushed to the front of the inn. Suddenly it rolled sideways and stopped. The carriage door was facing the inn door. The coachman got off the horse and opened the door. In the carriage sat an old man in yellow straight clothes with white hair and bald head. He was over seventy years old and had a bag on his lap. Holding a cane, he closed his eyes to rest.

"Mr. Wu, we're here."

Wen Ruoshan gasped, no matter how good the old man was at chess, this pomp alone... must have been the result of the girl's family's financial backer spending a lot of money to hire a master who could deal with Zhao Huarong.

The old Mr. Wu stood on crutches and dismounted shakily. He was not in a hurry and was calm and collected. The coachman supported his arm and pointed to the chessboard in the inn and said: "Mr. Wu, the chess game is over there."

Mr. Wu responded: "I know." His tone was calm, and he immediately walked to the chess game with his cane on his back.

Zhao Huarong was also shocked by his momentum and did not dare to speak for a while. After a while, she said: "Mr. Wu, please sit down."

Mr. Wu neither nodded nor replied. He glanced at the chessboard, breathed a sigh of relief, walked to the side with his cane on his back, and asked, "Is there a chair? The old man can't stand for a long time."

At this time, the inn was full of onlookers. Where were the chairs? The coachman hurriedly went to the inn to make arrangements. Maybe he used some money to bring Zhang Taishi's chair.

"After running around all night, let me take a rest first. Which of you wants to get off first? The old man will come later."

He wanted to think through the chess game before taking action. It would be best for someone to go up and try Zhao Huarong's chess skills first. With this demeanor, this preparation, and this unhurried look, Wen Ruoshan was already in a state of confusion. When Yan went to see Miss Zhao, he saw cold sweat on his forehead, so he turned to look at Xie Gubai.

Xie Gubai didn't mind at all and just muttered lukewarmly: "The big tree attracts the wind."

Being attention-grabbing, she naturally becomes the target of other girls. Even if those girls don't take action, those gold owners who hold the money also want to please the beauties.

Mr. Wu sat for a full hour, sometimes closing his eyes to meditate. During this time, Zhao Huarong defeated two more chess players. Wen Ruoshan understood that the longer he sat, the more cramped and anxious Zhao Huarong felt, and his momentum deteriorated. Lost.

An hour later, the old man finally stood up and came to the chessboard, cupping his hands and saying, "Miss Zhao, please."

His first son was the correct solution. Wen Ruoshan's expression changed. Zhao Huarong immediately responded with one son. Mr. Wu lost another son. It was still the correct solution. Zhao Huarong responded quickly with the third son. The fourth son, Mr. Wu They are all correct answers. The sixth move is also the most common move for ordinary masters to make mistakes. Previously, Mr. Ge and most of the other chess players failed here. Mr. Wu pondered for a moment, and the sixth move was still the correct answer.

As soon as this wonderful move was made, there was a huge uproar and exclamation all around. Zhao Huarong's face turned even paler. She remembered that she was proficient and responded with one move. Mr. Wu's seventh move, and then the eighth move, two consecutive moves were still correct. This was already It was a place that no one had reached before, and even Xie Gubai stood up with interest.

If all twelve moves in a row are correct, then Zhenlong is solved and Zhao Huarong is hopelessly defeated.

Zhao Huarong pondered for a long time, but she didn't dare to make a move. The solution to the endgame was that every step was a fixed formula. How to play, how to respond, there was no room for error. Zhao Huarong was the person who set up the game. It was logical that there was no need to think about it. Why did she dare not make a move? Wen Ruoshan was doubting himself. Looking at Zhao Huarong's pale face, he suddenly thought of a possibility.

Miss Zhao forgot how to do it!

Go is complicated and mysterious. When a piece falls, there are at least three or five ways to deal with it, excluding impossible moves. And after the piece is dropped, there are three to five kinds of changes. Although you can remember the general idea based on the trend between the black and white pieces, it is hard to memorize it by rote. It is still extremely difficult to carry. Zhao Huarong has never followed someone to the eighth position without making a mistake.

Zhao Huarong's weirdness also caught the attention of Mr. Wu. He raised his head, looked at Zhao Huarong and asked: "Girl, is this a fragment of the music you created?"

Zhao Huarong seemed to be in a hurry and hurriedly responded. Wen Ruoshan hurriedly looked at it and breathed a sigh of relief. Zhao Huarong made the right move.

In the ninth move, Mr. Wu pondered again for a long time before answering.

wrong! Mr. Wu finally made the wrong ninth move. Wen Ruoshan was so happy that he almost jumped up. But then he thought, no, it won't help. Now the two pieces are equally powerful. With Mr. Wu's chess skills, if Zhao Huarong can't remember the chess records, , I don’t know how to fight back, and if I continue, I will definitely lose.

Zhao Huarong's head was covered with sweat. She stretched out her hand to wipe away the sweat. Suddenly she crossed her legs and looked at Mr. Wu with a pair of charming eyes. She said in a tired voice: "Mr. Wu's chess skills are really great. You said you can't even stand firmly. If you win, After staying here all night, can you still get up? If you can't get up, I won't be tired from all the tossing."

Wen Ruoshan was stunned. Such flirtatious words would not be surprising if they came from another brothel. However, famous prostitutes in Hengshan are most concerned about their reputation. How could any oiran say something so explicit?

He thought about it and immediately understood that this was Zhao Huarong's retaliation, deliberately teasing Mr. Wu and causing him to have misguided thoughts and make mistakes. Although this plan was clever, it faced an ancient old man and was a Go player. Holy hand, I'm afraid it's useless.

While he was anxious, he heard a loud roar, and a strong man rushed towards Zhao Huarong, shouting angrily: "Mother Pu, you have died after playing chess. Are you born with a triangle and six points, so you can't judge others?"

With this pounce, he was about to lift Zhao Huarong's veil. Zhao Huarong screamed, overturned the chair, and shrank into Wen Ruoshan's arms. The strong man missed the pounce, knocked over the chessboard, and tried to charge back. Wen Ruoshan was afraid that he would be hurt. Zhao Huarong rolled to the ground and used his back to protect him. Suddenly he shouted again. It turned out that someone stopped him and shouted: "What are you doing!"

The two got together in the inn.

Wen Ruoshan was about to turn around and take a look when he suddenly thought of such a great opportunity and couldn't let it go. He hurriedly whispered: "Nine, fourteen, fifteen, fourteen."

The strong man missed one blow, made two feints, turned around and ran away. Wen Ruoshan hurriedly helped Zhao Huarong up. Zhao Huarong was so frightened that she trembled while holding Wen Ruoshan. Wen Ruoshan knew it must be the rich man, so he specially bought someone to lift Zhao Huarong's veil, and comforted him in a low voice: "Don't be afraid, go play chess. You know how to play."

Zhao Huarong hummed softly, sat down again, tapped with her fingers, and counted in her mind, settling on the nine or fourteenth position.

Mr. Wu exclaimed, pondered for a long time, and couldn't make a move. Zhao Huarong said: "Mr. Wu, no matter which move you make, I will answer this one first. You think about it slowly." After that, on the fifteenth and tenth Four positions.

The two men suddenly regained their momentum. Mr. Wu stared at it for a long time, shook his head and said: "I have never seen this spectrum before. Can you let me try again?"

Zhao Huarong smiled and said: "Mr. Wu, you will definitely be able to break it next time. I don't dare to take risks."

Mr. Wu laughed, turned to the coachman and said, "Tell me, sir, Wu can't earn these fifty taels of silver. On the way back, Wu will hire a car by himself." After that, he propped up his cane and walked step by step. go.

Wen Ruoshan admired his superb chess skills and said hurriedly: "Mr. Wu, wait a minute, let me hire a car for you." After saying that, he quickly stepped forward, took Mr. Wu's arm and walked out of the inn.

By the time Wen Ruoshan returned to the inn, the crowd had already dispersed, and Mr. Wu was no longer challenged. During this half hour, Wen Ruoshan was alternately happy and worried, and his heart was in a state of turmoil. Only then did he really feel relieved. He was as tired as if he had done physical work all day.

"Mr. Wen, will you win tomorrow?" Zhao Huarong suddenly asked before sending Zhao Huarong back to her room.

"do not know."

I finally got through these ten days, and tomorrow is the day to choose the oiran. Regardless of victory or defeat, I finally tried my best.

"Although we are trying to be mysterious, eye-catching, and sensational, not everyone believes you. In the past few days, those girls are both beautiful and beautiful, and some people will like them. However, this time, seventeen or eight girls came to choose the oiran. , Those blue plums will have to be snatched by more than a dozen people, and they will not be taken over by one person. "

Zhao Huarong nodded.

"10%." Wen Ruoshan said, "As long as 10% of people want to see what Miss Zhao looks like, we have a chance of winning."

"Mr. Wen, after you finish choosing the oiran, can you accompany me home?"

"Go home?" Wen Ruoshan was confused, "What to do?"

"My home is in Xiang County. When you get there, teach me music, chess, calligraphy and painting. Once I learn it, I can attract customers. Otherwise, why don't you just sit back and have nothing?"

"You can just find a few teachers. Besides, you have to open a business? With a few hundred taels of silver, you can buy a few acres of land and rent it out, which is enough to live comfortably."

Damn it? Isn't this just saving Feng Chen? As soon as Wen Ruoshan finished speaking, he realized that he had been spoken of by Xie Gubai again.

"What can bring in money faster than eating, drinking, whoring and gambling? And the further you go, the faster the money will come in."

Wen Ruoshan frowned and said, "That's all not doing your job properly."

Zhao Huarong giggled and said: "Isn't traveling around the mountains and rivers not doing your proper job?"

Wen Ruoshan laughed.

On the second day, a dozen five-foot-square flower boxes were piled in front of the inn, and a long queue formed in front of the inn. The Seven Star Gang separated the inns where the girls were staying far enough away to avoid congestion, but they deliberately kept them from time to time. Someone was sent to call for reports, but someone kept shouting: "Report, Mr. Hou bought fifty blue plums." "Mr. Zhang bought fifty blue plums."

Although Zhao Huarong has a large number of people, her income is almost all cheap tickets and red plums. As for the blue plums, there are only a few.

Wen Ruoshan was shocked when he heard this and said worriedly: "One blue plum can be worth a hundred tickets. Do you think there is a chance to win?"

"Do you think the whole of Zhaoqing can pick a thousand blue plums?" Xie Gubai shook his head, "Those young masters can only help with a hundred taels at most. You just need seven thousand more votes than them."

"Seven thousand? Not ten thousand?"

"Reporter, Mr. Wen purchased thirty-two blue plums."

Wen Ruoshan was stunned when he heard the sound and turned to look at Xie Gubai.

"You have thirty-two taels left of the two hundred taels you borrowed, and you have to pay them back." Xie Gubai said.

With these thirty-two more taels, I felt much more at ease. Soon, no one came to report the number of blue plums. The rich young men had already snapped up all the blue plums.

One flower box after another was filled. Wen Ruoshan wanted to calculate how many tickets a box could hold, but he couldn't figure it out. It must be at least a thousand. Not long after, even the red plums were gone, and they were probably all gone.

The final decision was made by the ticket lots, which had the most tickets. Wen Ruoshan saw many people rolling up a dozen or even dozens of ticket lots and putting them into the flower box. Although it was only worth a hundred coins, it was still a red plum. price.

"Zhaoqing people are quite happy to choose oiran." Wen Ruoshan looked at it and saw that there were far more people than he imagined. This is inevitable. The selection of oiran is the most lively time of the year in Zhaoqing. If you choose not to be enthusiastic, you will have to stay silent. As for those who come here to set up stalls and sell jade and powder, they are not stingy. After all, this is a big business once a year, so they can't be left alone.

In the afternoon, there was a crowd outside the inn. Until dusk, someone suddenly came to report: "Congratulations! Miss Zhao Huarong, there are fifty-two blue plums, nine hundred and fourteen red plums, and 16,442 tickets." , the one who comes out on top is the oiran.”

Zhao Huarong swayed and almost fell down. She hurriedly reached out and grabbed Wen Ruoshan's sleeves, and then screamed and jumped. Wen Ruoshan was also overjoyed, and her chest felt like it was exploding with joy.

"Not counting fractions, the total is 310 taels. After converting the commission, we get 155 taels. In addition to the reward of 300 taels, you and Miss Zhao will rate it and get back 227 taels." Xie Gu Bai shook his head, "Withholding two hundred taels from me, I only made twenty-seven-seven taels."

"It's tacky to talk about money at this time." Wen Ruoshan said with a smile.

Xie Gubai looked at Wen Ruoshan and suddenly burst into laughter. Wen Ruoshan had never seen him smile like this before and said with a smile: "Are you happy too?"

Xie Gubai covered his mouth, suppressed a smile, and said, "It's interesting."

"When will you get the money?" Zhao Huarong asked, "You won't make me wait."

The messenger replied: "Tomorrow, the oiran will parade through the streets, and the head of the oiran will personally deliver the title of oiran, along with the banknotes."

"That's not possible." Zhao Huarong shook his head, "Please help me discuss with the boss and send the money first, otherwise I won't go to the oiran parade tomorrow."

The messenger's face changed greatly: "Oiran girl, don't embarrass us servants."

Wen Ruoshan advised: "Yes, why rush."

Zhao Huarong said: "I am afraid of being short of money, and I don't feel at ease if I don't put it in my pocket. The Seven Star Gang collected so many silver taels today, so it won't be difficult to break out four hundred or dozens of taels. You tell the boss, take it If I don't go out without the money, I'll replace him with someone else. I'll give him a reward of one hundred taels a time, and I don't have to show my face."

Zhaoqing selects courtesans every year to make money, and does not dare to offend, so the messenger has no choice but to say: "I'll report it to the boss."

After the crowd dispersed, Wen Ruoshan complained: "Miss Zhao, you are too stingy."

Zhao Huarong said: "Mr. Wen, I consider myself to be vulgar in talent and appearance. None of those girls are prettier than me. I will have to take off my veil when I go out tomorrow, which will inevitably disappoint people. They may even call me a fraud. I have to accept the money before I can feel at ease."

Wen Ruo's good intentions probably didn't mean this, but he had no intention of arguing. Anyway, he helped her win the oiran, which made him happier than anything else. He was in a happy mood. That night, the sect sent a banquet, and the inn also served good wine, and dragged Xie Gubai to drink it. After several drinks, I was tipsy and then went back to my room to sleep.

He fell asleep, and suddenly felt dizzy. Then he dreamed that he was wandering on the sea, with the tide rising and falling. He was about to reach out to paddle, but felt that his hands and feet could not move. The waves surged up, covering his mouth and nose, and he choked. Excited, he woke up.

When he woke up, he found that his hands and feet were tied and could not move. He was shocked and shouted: "Where is this?" When he looked up, he saw purple brocade hanging down by the window in the moonlight.

Is it Zhao Huarong's ship? Could it be that one of the girls who lost the election was seeking revenge and captured him and Zhao Huarong, shouting loudly: "Who? Who caught me? Miss Zhao, Miss Zhao, are you here?"

A torch lit up, and the person holding the torch was none other than Zhao Huarong. In addition to the maid named Xiaoyu and her nanny, she was followed by seven or eight strong men, two of whom looked familiar.

"Are you awake?" Zhao Huarong said with a smile, "I'm afraid the Menghan medicine was too heavy and would poison you."

Why did Zhao Huarong want to arrest him? Could it be that she was repaying kindness with a grudge and wanted to keep the money for herself? Wen Ruoshan's anger welled up and he said angrily: "Why did you arrest me?"

"Don't be angry!" Zhao Huarong hurriedly advised, "I have no intention of harming you. I swear I will never hurt a fingernail of yours."

"Then why did you catch me?"

"I want to take you home."

"Take me home? Xiang County?" Wen Ruoshan was puzzled, "These people..."

Wen Ruoshan looked up and suddenly remembered that the two familiar people were the same people who attacked Zhao Huarong and rescued Zhao Huarong during the chess game yesterday?
"Are you in the same group?"

Zhao Huarong pulled a big box and sat on it. The eight strong men seemed to be his subordinates.

"It's true that my home is in Xiang County, but it's a little further south."

To the south of Xiang County is the sea. Wen Ruoshan immediately woke up: "Are you a boat owner?"

Zhao Huarong smiled and said, "Young Master Wen is really smart."

"Why did you catch me?"

Zhao Huarong sighed and whispered: "I really don't want to harm you. Don't lose your temper. Listen to me first."

"You said."

"Originally, when I returned to Zhaoqing, I wanted to make a big deal by selecting courtesans. Those girls were wearing jewelry and clothes, which were worth hundreds or even thousands of taels. I originally wanted to wait for the girls to go ashore, and then go to the boat to get the things. But you came in and said you wanted to help me choose the oiran. I didn't care much at first. I just didn't want you to be suspicious and wanted you to be the scapegoat. Who knows, you were chosen. "

"Those girls didn't choose the oiran, and they will leave tomorrow morning. I have to take action tonight. Fortunately, the Seven Star Gang didn't want to offend the new oiran, so they sent the silver. The more than four hundred taels of silver notes are also a lot of money."

"What does this have to do with you tying me up? Do you want to kill me and silence me?"

"I'm saving you." Zhao Huarong shook his head, "If you stay in Zhaoqing, and tomorrow the Seven Star Gang discovers that the girls' boat was stolen, who will be blamed?"

Wen Ruoshan was silent for a moment and then said, "Then you can let me go now."

Zhao Huarong shook his head: "Master Wen knows, what is the most difficult thing about being a boat owner?"

"Floating on the sea with no fixed place to live?"

"That is the life of a boat owner." Zhao Huarong still shook his head, "The most difficult thing for a boat owner is reading and literacy. Those who are elegant in playing music, chess, calligraphy and painting can not learn it, but if they don't learn calligraphy and reading, the boat owner will never be able to turn over."

Wen Ruoshan finally understood: "You want to take me to the sea and let me teach?"

Damn it, when he was in Longdi, no students were willing to listen to his teachings. How could he leave Longdi and everyone was trying to catch him teaching?
"My father sent me ashore secretly, just to teach me to read and write. I can read and write. I see Mr. Wen that I know that knowing a few words is useless. I need a great talent like you, someone as knowledgeable and smart as you." , only useful for boat owners.”

"Did I agree?"

Zhao Huarong spread her hands and said: "It is common for boat owners to go ashore and snatch women. My mother was snatched away by my father. Otherwise, how could my skin be so white? If you can snatch women, why can't you snatch men? Once you enter the sea, you will be on your own Is there any way to escape?"

Wen Ruoshan was speechless.

Zhao Huarong bent down and touched Wen Ruoshan's back, sighed, and comforted: "I will definitely treat you well. Do you believe that when you enter the sea, everyone will respect you and get what you want, no matter what the fish or shrimp is?" Oysters, I’ll let you choose the fattest and sweetest ones.”

Wen Ruoshan felt like crying but had no tears. Could it be that his good intentions were not rewarded.

"What about my friend? Xie Gubai?"

"I'm not interested in him." Zhao Huarong stood up, "He was left in Zhaoqing, so he had to keep a scapegoat."

"Let me go back." Wen Ruoshan roared.

Zhao Huarong sighed: "That won't work."

"Let him go."

Everyone turned to look, and saw a strong man standing at the door of the cabin, carrying a Miao knife. He was so strong that it almost blocked all the moonlight at the door, so that his appearance could not be clearly seen.

"My name is Miao Tiechang." The strong man said coldly, "Whoever stops me will be killed."

■

"In fact, at that time, I really thought I could be an oiran, but I'm not. I'm a boatman who knows nothing about music, chess, calligraphy, painting, poetry, or songs."

This was the last thing Zhao Huarong said when she left, and there was that helpless smile. For a moment, Wen Ruoshan really wanted to teach in Funado for her.

But it was only for a short moment.

Wen Ruoshan sighed.

"I'm not telling you not to save Feng Chen."

"Strictly speaking, she is a thief and has nothing to do with Feng Chen." Wen Ruoshan held his wrist, but Zhao Huarong's grip was not tight enough and did not hurt him.

"When did you find out?"

"I wonder why you didn't notice it?" Xie Gubai threw out a piece of wood, which was the rotten wood he broke off the window on the boat. Wen Ruoshan sniffed it and didn't notice anything strange.

"Lick it." Xie Gubai said.

The taste is salty and bitter, with the taste of sea salt... This ship comes from the sea.

"because this?"

"She said that his adoptive mother adopted him. The name Zhao Huarong is too tacky for a flower name. Her hair is frizzy and dry because she has been exposed to too much sea breeze. These are all suspicious. The most suspicious thing is...she said that he dismissed the maids and mammies. But I don’t know how to dress up.”

Wen Ruoshan finally remembered the reason why he felt something was wrong before: "At least a few of the maids in the brothel can help dress up. If he dismisses everyone, at least one should leave one to teach her how to make up. Otherwise, how can we make a living?"

"And how she talks. If she is really a farmer's daughter who has only been adopted for half a year, her conversation will not be so elegant. But if you want to say that she was taught by her adoptive mother, she doesn't know etiquette when going back and forth. She doesn't even know how to receive guests. This Isn’t there something wrong everywhere? I was suspicious first and then removed the piece of wood to check.”

Wen Ruoshan thought of Xie Gubai's weird smile again: "Did you laugh at me before?"

Xie Gubai raised the corners of his lips slightly: "I just find it interesting."

Wen Ruoshan took out the banknote from his pocket, which was returned to him by Zhao Huarong. It was two hundred and twenty-seven taels. "I'll pay you back these two hundred taels, at least this time I'll earn twenty-seven taels."

"You didn't count the people I hired to rescue you, it cost a hundred taels."

"What does it have to do with me if you spend money to save your friend?" Wen Ruoshan said, "If I spend money for you, it is my willingness. Also, the thirty-odd taels were spent by you on my behalf, not my own idea. ”

They can't go back to Zhaoqing, and they can't go to Hengyang for the time being. They have to hide for a while so that the matter won't cause a big fuss. The Qixing Sect will probably compensate the girls for their losses to avoid publicity. Besides, choosing a boat owner as the oiran won't cause a big fuss. joke?
"Why don't you help me carry my luggage, and I'll get a tael of monthly salary." Xie Gubai pulled the horse and got on it.

Two horses rode side by side, their backs fading away in the morning light.

"I haven't asked you yet. Since you've seen through it a long time ago, why didn't you remind me?"

"I want to ask them for help. It's not easy to expose."

"Help?" Wen Ruoshan was puzzled, "What are you doing?"

■

Zhao Huarong held a letter in her hand, signed by Chen Haihao personally, and handed to her by the assassin named Miao Tiechang.

"Thank you for your greetings, Master. Please pass it on."

The painting boat is about to sail into the sea.

(End of this chapter)