Meet you in the most beautiful years

Chapter 21
Ever since he discovered that Pan Zanhua's eyes were drawn to the fireworks girl, Zhang Yuliang became a pawn of the chamber of commerce.

After Pan Zanhua took office, he was determined to enforce customs laws and regulations and recover tax evasion. Some business owners who used to be busy with business were very panicked.Therefore, bribery, which is a common tactic, became the first move to win over customs officers.Shrewd businessmen can also naturally see that this new customs supervisor is different from other officials.Pan Zanhua was in a trance for a moment at the banquet, and finally they found a way to open their joints: instead of bribes with money, it is better to do what they like.

However, in the first round, they were in disarray: Pan Zanhua refused the door-to-door gift.Fortunately, he didn't reject it completely, so he invited Zhang Yuliang to accompany him on a tour of the city.

No one wanted to give up such an opportunity, even Zhang Yuliang himself.

Both the chamber of commerce and the Yichun Court gave her an ultimatum: a girl from a brothel was sent back to the door by the customers, it's a joke!Besides, this guest is such an important role.So this time, no matter what, we must make the guests "satisfied", otherwise come back and follow the rules!
Of course Zhang Yuliang understands that the word "rule" means that life is worse than death.The girls in Yichunyuan also advised her that it is rare to meet a powerful gentleman, be smart, seize the opportunity to entangle him, and at least find a backer for herself.

In all fairness, she does not reject this man.In the past three years, she had never seen any other man with his elegant demeanor and calm demeanor.Intuition told her that this was someone she could rely on.Fate gave her such an opportunity, which was a result of her cultivation in her previous life, so she told herself to cherish it, and to successfully stay and become his woman.

As long as she can jump out of this fire pit cage, no matter how mundane or embarrassing it is, she will admit it.

The next day, she accompanied Pan Zanhua to enjoy the scenery of Wuhu as agreed.Sitting in the carriage, the ten-mile long street passed by in front of you, the bustling street scene.She was a little uncomfortable, and the more she cared, the more reserved she became.She quietly looked at the man beside her. He was still the calm Master Pan at the banquet that day, with a smile on his face, gentle and easy-going, enjoying the scenery along the way leisurely.

Although he has just arrived in Wuhu, he is no stranger to the history of the city.When the car passed by the Taotang with Bihe Painting Boat, he told her the past about Zhang Xiaoxiang’s donation of Tiancheng Lake; when the car passed by the riverside, he told her the allusion of the Jiang Tower in "Furong on the Water" and the origin of the Catholic Church; and Li Bai's sentence " The Tianmen Mountains referred to by "Tianmen breaks the Chu River open" are the Dongliang Mountains and Xiliang Mountains five kilometers ahead of the river.She was dazzled by what she saw and dumbfounded by what she heard.She has lived in Jiangcheng for three years, and she is used to the sensuality and entertainment of the small town, but no one has ever told her about the past of this city, and she never knew that this city is so profound and charming.

The voices of people in the market are gradually blurred, and in sight, the river is mighty, and the Zheshan Mountain is faint.Get out of the car, facing the beautiful and charming natural scenery like a picture scroll, she is like a bird out of the cage, releasing the girlish nature that has been closed for a long time. She seems to have returned to Yangzhou City when she was a child. Lively joy that cannot be concealed.

Pan Zanhua was infected by her happiness, and he looked at her gently.At that moment, he seemed to have forgotten what kind of woman she was and why she came to him.He is a supporter of democracy and freedom. He has always asked others to call him "Sir" instead of "Master". Moreover, the times have changed. Mr. Sun Yat-sen has issued an order to cut the braids and switch to the Gregorian calendar. The purpose is to eliminate feudal customs.Therefore, he didn't feel that she was humble at all. He only felt that all evils had only one source, which was the oppression and destruction of the dark society.

The happy time is always short, when the night falls, Zhang Yuliang knows that whether she stays or not tonight will determine her fate.

She luckily thought that Master Pan would keep her after this day of happy time together.He should know that this is the rule in the industry, and it's only natural for her to stay with him when she comes out.

But—he said to the servant: Send Miss Zhang back!

She almost lost her mind.His feet softened, and he knelt down with a "plop".

"My lord," she begged sadly, "leave me, my lord."

He frowned slightly, stared at her for a few seconds, and asked a little impatiently, "What are you going to do here?"

She wiped her tears and said with a choked voice: "But if I don't stay, they will definitely not spare me, and I will die. Let me stay, my lord. Even if I am a servant of your family, I will be a cow and a horse I am willing."

He reached out to lift her up.He understood who the "they" this woman was referring to, and he had to think about her safety. A weak woman couldn't resist this intricate and invisible dark force.He put himself in her shoes to understand her difficulties, and finally, shaken by the tears on her face, he agreed to let her live in the apartment temporarily.

This decision was a bit difficult for him, because keeping this woman would be like falling into the trap of the chamber of commerce. If he dared to collect taxes from them in the future, then the negative news about Pan Zanhua, the customs supervisor, who was promiscuous and staying with prostitutes, would be a big hit. Like a mighty river, it will rise up and submerge him.

However, once he chooses, he is ready to take on everything.

He likes this woman's freshness and pleasantness. From the moment she sang "Bu Suanzi" with her pipa in her arms that night, there was a vague and warm connection in his heart.He married early and had already married his cousin in his hometown.Like almost all men in that era, marriage was arranged by their parents, and it was a ritual and task to continue the incense. Therefore, in such a marriage, it would be too extravagant to expect love at first sight.

He could see the intelligence and spirituality of this woman, but it was a pity that she did not go to school.Pan Zanhua thought, since she met him, he couldn't just let this spring bud wither in front of him. No matter whether she followed him or returned to her hometown to live, he had the responsibility to save her from the fire pit, otherwise, this regret and Regret will follow him for the rest of his life.

He decided to redeem her body and send her back to her hometown in Yangzhou.Unexpectedly, Zhang Yuliang rejected his kind arrangement.With tears in her eyes, she shook her head vigorously, she didn't want to go anywhere, she just wanted to follow Master Pan.

At that time, Zhang Yuliang had a family-like attachment and an inseparable affection for the man in front of him.The memory left by her parents has been long and blurred. In her more than ten years of life, except for beatings, scolding and mocking, no one has ever treated her so gently and kindly, even her own uncle.

The lonely and helpless childhood and the traumatic growth experience made her attachment so turbulent at the moment.

Reminds me of Chiyoko from the movie Memoirs of a Geisha.When she was ten years old, little Chiyoko met the president on a bridge.At that time, that clean and elegant man was walking side by side with an elegant geisha.To comfort the weeping little girl who had never met him before, he bought her a cherry blossom ice tube, looked into her eyes and said gently, "Why do you have such amazing eyes?"

"Mother gave them to me, just like you did to me," Chiyoko said.This man hit her little heart.She painted her lips red with the dessert on the cherry blossom ice cone, raised her face and smiled brightly: "Now, I am also a geisha." Prayer bell, she begged God to let her become a geisha, she knew that only in this way, she could meet him again in some form.

Zhang Yuliang at this moment is also like Chiyoko in the movie, as long as she can be with the person she likes, she is willing to stay by his side even if she gives up the only chance to escape the fire pit.

The servant tidied up a bedroom, and she temporarily settled down in Mrs. Pan's apartment.If it is said that her fate has taken an amazing turn since then, then this man is Zhang Yuliang's god.What makes Pan Zanhua valuable is that he not only recognizes uncut jade in the dust and gives her a chance to shine, he is also a rare jade carver.

He is a man deeply influenced by new ideas and full of positive yearning for life. He does not want a woman living in his apartment to waste time doing nothing all day long, so he prepared a simple elementary school textbook, taught Zhang Yuliang to read at night, and taught Zhang Yuliang to read during the day. When he went to work, she read and reviewed the textbooks.

She became literate and began to use a pen.She has a natural sensitivity to color and line.Every time she finishes her handwriting practice, she casually smears on the paper, outlines with a few strokes, and it becomes a branch of orchid and a few water lilies, which are vivid and natural.Although simple and immature, it always makes Pan Zanhua gasp in amazement.

She never seriously explored whether her sensitivity to art was inherited from her parents.There are vague traces of her childhood in her memory.When I was a child, the hut in the ancient city of Yangzhou was always full of colorful felt hats. The men who made felt hats and the women who embroidered on felt hats left only busy figures, which were her parents.Mother drew outlines on the felt hat, and then put it on and off with multicolored embroidery thread. In an instant, dark green leaves, bright red petals, and bright yellow stamens appeared brilliantly in front of her eyes one by one.She remembered those colors, those patterns, which were the colorful rain flowers in her mind, her gorgeous palace and peaceful world.

Pan Zanhua's psychological emotions gradually underwent subtle changes.He is more and more fond of this spiritual woman. The literary and artistic temperament permeating her body fits perfectly with his elegant and reserved character. He has received more than ten years of cultural influence and education, while she is completely born.He knew that only by allowing her to study and be educated, this uncut jade in the rough could bloom brilliantly.

The days were warm and hasty, and two months passed in a blink of an eye.In Jiangcheng at this time, there are rumors about him everywhere: the brothel girl of Yichunyuan was brought to the apartment by Pan Zanhua, the supervisor of the customs, and stayed behind closed doors, and did not return for several months!Such negative news made Pan Zanhua extremely passive.Although in those days, it was not a bad deed for high-ranking officials and dignitaries to hang out, but as an important customs officer, he had the weakness of being tongue-tied.If you don't have enough confidence, how can you convince the public?Why impartiality?
Although Pan Zanhua was mentally prepared enough, the disturbance still confused him.He thought, the only way to prove that he is not the floating person that people say, and stop the rumors, is to take action and marry Zhang Yuliang, but he has a wife in his hometown, and although he has no love, he has family affection, and he can't bear to leave. Then, the only way to wrong Zhang Yuliang is to be his Ru wife.After much thought, he decided to seek Zhang Yuliang's opinion. He asked, "Pan Zanhua wants to redeem you and marry you as a concubine. Do you feel wronged?"

Will she feel wronged?of course not.She is only grateful for such a blessing of fate.This sudden joy made her feel mixed.Wuhu, a river city, is her hell as well as her paradise.

The moment he bowed his head, he whispered in her ear, "No matter how far you go, I will wait for you to come home!"

(End of this chapter)