In Zhen's house——
"Godfather." Shui Xin looked at the young man who was walking quickly from the corridor, with a joyful expression on his face. The petite girl rushed into Jia Heng's arms like a butterfly.
Jia Heng said "Hey" and hugged Shui Xin. Suddenly the little loli burst out with a cute giggle and said with a chuckle: "Xinxin, do you want to be your godfather?"
Because Shui Xin was his goddaughter, he had a reason to meet the Zhen sisters, so he didn't have to worry about others becoming suspicious.
"I think so." Xinxin whispered, kissing Jia Heng on the cheek, with a smile on her rosy face.
Jia Heng was also a little impressed by Shui Xin's cuteness, and said softly: "My godfather's face is covered with sweat, and you still kiss him."
Playing with Shui Xin, holding the little Loli in his arms, he walked closer and raised his eyes to look at the young woman Hua Xin who was standing under the eaves of the corridor.
Princess Zhen Qing of Chu is wearing a vermilion embroidered dress, with green silk as beautiful as clouds, and a woman's heart-shaped bun. However, it is not the kind of graceful and beautiful face makeup, but coquettish and charming, like a thorny poppy.
Under Zhen Qing's curved willow-leaf eyebrows, her long and clear phoenix eyes shimmered with clear light. She was cold and charming, even with a bit of a mean face. She looked at the young man with a half-smile, and her delicate lips opened like rose petals. , asked: "Brother Heng, when did you come here?"
Zhen Xue's jade face paused slightly, and she pursed her pink and shiny lips. She raised her eyes and looked at Jia Heng who was holding Shui Xin. Seeing the closeness between father and daughter, she couldn't help but feel an unspeakable joy in her heart.
Jia Heng looked at Chu Princess Zhen Qing, the smile on his face disappeared, his eyes were as calm as an abyss, and asked: "We just arrived, why did the two princesses also go south?"
He came down by boat on this trip, not only did he not hide it from the salt merchants, but he also didn't hide it from the Princess of Chu Zhen Qing. Of course, unless he disguised himself in disguise and paid a private visit incognito, it would be difficult to keep the secrets secret.
However, Zhen Qing immediately caught up with him, and she didn't know what she had planned.
"The old lady is not feeling well in Jinling. My sister and I plan to go home and take a look." Princess Chu Zhen Qing said, sighing softly, and the smile on her face gradually faded away.
When the two met again, since there were nannies and female officials around them, the conversation was very ordinary, but they did not go straight to the topic.
Zhen Xue was wearing a dark blue long flowing skirt with wide sleeves. She stood elegantly, with a calm expression on her face as beautiful as snow. She pursed her lips tightly at the moment, and her soft eyebrows were like a pool of clear water. She looked at the young man quietly, but she also No answer.
Jia Heng walked in with Shui Xin in his arms and asked, "Have you invited the imperial doctor?"
Although he kept his distance from the Zhen family, there was nothing taboo about this kind of courtesy greeting.
"I've seen it all. It's because the old lady is getting older. People in their seventies have been rare since ancient times. The old lady is already in her eighties. She suffered a lot in the early years and left some root causes. Later she fled and went to the palace to serve the nobles. ." Chu Princess Zhen Qing said softly.
Hearing this, Jia Heng whispered: "It's not easy for the old man."
The Zhen family's fortune began with Mrs. Zhen, or in other words, there was Mrs. Zhen first, and then the Zhen family. Then the relationship with the royal family gradually became inseparable, and eventually they became white gloves.
"The old lady also mentioned Brother Heng in her letter, saying that she was unable to meet him when he was in Huai'an Mansion. She is getting older and may not be able to see her in the future." Princess Zhen Qing of Chu ordered the female officer Serve tea to Jia Heng.
Jia Heng put down the water bottle, spread his hands, and saw a rattle, shaking it gently.
"Godfather, I want this." Shui Xin stretched out her white hand with a smile on her face.
Jia Heng smiled and said, "It was originally given to my Xinxin."
He gave the rattle to Shui Xin and rubbed the bangs on the little Loli's forehead. At this time, seeing the two of them talking, the grandma hugged the little Loli over.
"Mom, this is the rattle my godfather gave me." At this time, Shui Xin came to Zhen Xue with a bright smile on her pink face.
Zhen Xue raised her beautiful eyes and couldn't help but glance at the young man with sharp eyebrows and warm eyes. When she saw the young man looking over at her, she felt upset for a while and turned to look at her daughter, with her beautiful eyebrows. Seeing the warm smile, he whispered: "Xinxin, go and play."
Princess Chu Zhen Qing looked at Jia Heng and asked: "When this trip is over, Brother Heng will go to Jinling. Will he meet the old lady?"
Jia Heng nodded and said, "If I stay in Jinling, I will pay a visit."
A decrepit old man, let's meet him and listen to what he can say. It is said that when a person is about to die, his words are also good.
"Zi Yu, haven't you had dinner yet?" Zhen Qing's beautiful brows were filled with a smile, and her round and crisp millstone left the pear wood chair.
Jia Heng smiled and said softly: "I came here in a hurry to see Xinxin, but I didn't even use the food."
As he said that, he turned to look at Xinxin... the beauty next to her was Zhen Xue. The beauty had a demure posture, like an angry little daughter-in-law. She remained silent and her eyes caught the ring on the beauty's slender hand.
Zhen Xue was pursing her pink lips, and the jade hand with the ring on her right hand quickly retracted into her sleeve. Under Liu Ye's slender eyebrows, her eyes were caught off guard, and she met the pair of eyes that were as calm as the abyss, with a bit of amusement. Colorful eyes.
The young woman Hua Xin's heart skipped a beat, she averted her eyes and looked out the window.
But I don't know when, the late summer sun shone on the carved bedside table, and my originally panicked mind calmed down, but I couldn't help but feel a joy that I didn't even realize was in my heart.
Princess Chu Zhen Qing said: "Mommy, go and call Chun'er over."
This time, Zhen Qing also brought a son, Chen Chun, with her. Because Zhen Qing has a strong temperament, although she is a bit elegant, she does not dare to be too naughty.
Zhen Qing said: "Brother Heng, this is Chun'er, Chun'er, this is your uncle Heng."
The child seemed a little afraid of Jia Heng, so he called "Uncle Heng", then glanced at Jia Heng timidly, and lowered his head again.
Looking at her son who was afraid of strangers, Zhen Qing frowned and felt unhappy, so she could only explain: "I am usually very naughty and mischievous, but I may be a little seasick and the ride is not very comfortable."
Jia Heng glanced at Chen Chun and said softly: "The child is not accustomed to the local environment. The princess should pay close attention to it."
The child mortality rate is relatively high at this time.
Zhen Qing glanced at the young man and felt extremely annoyed. What was the look in his eyes? Sure enough, he looked at Xinxin and her son with two different faces.
Zhen Xue said softly: "Sister, do you want to rest here for two more days?"
Zhen Qing whispered: "You can rest for a day first."
After several people had a meal together, Chu Princess Zhen Qing let her nanny take Shui Xin away, and immediately went into a study room to drink tea and talk, sitting across from each other.
Jia Heng looked at Zhen Qing, who was dressed in scarlet and emerald green. He stood up from his seat, came closer, took Zhen Qing's hand, smiled and said, "Princess, long time no see."
Seeing this, Zhen Qing stretched out her hand to break away from Jia Heng's hand. She stood on her head with her willow eyebrows, her eyes almost filled with shame and anger. She lowered her voice and scolded: "Let me go, you bastard!"
Jia Heng said in a low voice: "You've helped to expel people, and you're still pretending?"
Zhen Qing: "..."
I just wanted to know whether this person went to Yangzhou to investigate the salt affairs and what his next move would be. It was not convenient for him at all.
Jia Heng said: "If you talk like this, don't you think the princess can hear you more clearly?"
Not much to say, the shadows are approaching.
Zhen Qing snorted coldly, then stretched out her hand to gently push Jia Heng's shoulder, but her strength was no match for Jia Heng. After a slight struggle, Xue Ni's cheeks were as red as blood, and she almost collapsed on Jia Heng's body, clear and cold. His narrow phoenix eyes showed an angry look, and he cursed angrily, but he still couldn't help but ask: "Asshole, what are you doing in Yangzhou?"
Jia Heng whispered: "The princess may have asked too much."
Zhen Qing looked gloomy and said coldly: "I know even if you don't tell me, it's just to check the salt affairs."
After all, we have a close relationship, and we talk about everything. Except for some other things, we don't avoid anything else.
Jia Heng looked at Zhen Qing's face that was full of shame and anger, and asked with a bit of scrutiny, "Princess, do you know something?"
"What can I know?" Zhen Qing frowned slightly, her eyes averted for a moment, and she whispered: "The salt affairs matter is a muddy water, and there are many people involved. What are you going to do?"
With how ruthless this person is, he is afraid of using such thunderous methods.
Jia Heng said: "The princess is trying to trick me?"
As he spoke, he held Princess Chu Zhen Qing and sat on his lap.
Princess Chu pinched Jia Heng's leg, frowned, and whispered: "You bastard, let people see it."
Zhen Xue looked at the two people who were making love to each other. At some point, the jade hands hidden in the sleeves clenched their fists. Her sister and he were becoming more and more unscrupulous, and now they were in front of her.
Although it's not like it has never happened before, it was detoxification at that time. What is going on between the two of them now?
Jia Heng whispered, "The Zhen family must be involved."
The spice on Zhen Qing's body was a kind of spice that was given as tribute to the palace, and it had a strong smell.
"Our family is on palace errands." Zhen Qing was shocked when she heard this and said quickly.
Jia Heng said: "Princess, it's best to do this. If it involves the Zhen family, don't blame me for being ruthless."
"Are you... cruel? Our two families are family friends, and you bullied us like this. Why are you so heartless, unkind and unjust?" Zhen Qing said angrily. This bastard was still restless in her arms, so he just said this Waiting for words that threaten her.
Jia Heng said in a low voice: "It is precisely because we are family friends and have such a friendship that I tell you not to be unprepared. Now the imperial court has to do big things, and it cannot be separated from money. These insects were greedy for money when the Han Dynasty was prosperous, and the imperial court It can still be tolerated. The current national affairs are very difficult and money is needed everywhere. How can we allow them to run rampant? It is best for the princess to take the overall situation into consideration. Tell me how much you know about the salt affairs."
Princess Chu Zhen Qing narrowed her beautiful eyes, and felt a chill in her heart, as if she was on pins and needles. This bastard really went after the salt affairs, and said: "Only you? Do you know that the salt affairs are a big deal from top to bottom?" Bad debts are so intricate that you don’t want to be used as a weapon, especially if you don’t know it.”
Jia Heng whispered: "The princess is using me as a gunman too?"
Princess Chu Zhen Qing narrowed her beautiful eyes and said angrily: "You are so rude again."
Jia Heng looked solemn and said in a low voice: "The honor of a gentleman is to be killed in the fifth generation. Not only Mrs. Zhen is old, but some people are also in their prime."
There are some things that are difficult to say directly, but Zhen Qing is a smart person with a delicate mind and can tell everything clearly.
In fact, it is useless to say this. The Zhen family can no longer look back. In other words, even if they sell the pot and sell it, they will not be at a loss, but they can save some flesh and blood, so they will not be like the Niu family and the Jia family in the original work.
Zhen Qing's delicate body trembled, and a cold light flashed through her beautiful eyes. She clearly understood the implication of Jia Heng's words, and her voice trembled perhaps because of fear: "You...you want to touch the Zhen family?"
Jia Heng said: "No one wants to touch the Zhen family. You are the Princess of Chu. If you stay in peace, you can keep your wealth for several generations. Why bother?"
Zhen Qing said: "Shut up..."
"Okay, let's not talk about this anymore. You always want to trick me. I'll let you trick me enough later." Jia Heng said in a low voice.
Princess Chu Zhen Qing came back from the fear just now, frowned slightly, snorted, her beautiful snow-skinned jade face turned red with blush, and spat: "Asshole, why don't you die!"
This man is used to bullying their sisters, and now he is even more proficient at it than his own wife. Is she being too nice to him?
Zhen Xue glanced at the two people hugging each other, frowned her beautiful eyebrows, and really couldn't stand it. Yingying stood up and said, "Sister, I'm going to see Xinxin."
"Sister, don't leave." Zhen Qing stood up quickly, came closer, took Zhen Xue's arm, and whispered: "If sister leaves, how can I still be here?"
If the two princesses chatted with Jia Heng together, it would be a reunion of old friends of the Zhen and Jia families.
Jia Heng came forward, took the other arm, looked at Zhen Xue, who had a bright appearance and soft eyebrows. He was silent for a moment and said, "Stay."
Zhen Xue's delicate body trembled slightly, her side face facing Jia Heng, still without saying a word, but she stopped moving under her skirt.
Jia Heng came closer, stretched out his hand to caress Zhen Xue's face, looked at the beauty with a complexion as pale as the sun, and whispered: "Xue'er has become less clear recently, and she has a gloomy look on her face."
Under Zhen Xue's beautiful eyebrows, her eyelashes were covered with panic. She closed her beautiful eyes slightly and whispered: "I don't care, Uncle Yong Ning."
Jia Heng didn't say much, and stretched out his hand to hug Zhen Xue gently, but saw the beauty whisper: "No more relations."
As soon as Zhen Xue said this, she was stunned for a moment, but she felt that the young man's hand had been withdrawn, and the beauty's beautiful face paused slightly. She couldn't help but feel an unspeakable resentment in her heart. She bullied her again and again, and she had to look at her. Do you look like a woman? Why can't you understand her difficulties? Time and time again, when had she ever escaped?
Jia Heng stared at Zhen Xue who was biting her lower lip, but saw the beauty closing her eyes slightly, with tears overflowing from the corners of her eyes.
In fact, compared to Zhen Qing's sharp edge, Zhen Xue is soft on the outside and strong on the inside. She has a stubbornness in her heart. She is clearly waiting for him to give in. She shouldn't have been too pushy before. She was silent for a moment and whispered: "Even though there is no relationship, but It’s also possible that...the connection is broken, right?”
"You... um~" Zhen Xue heard this, but before she could say anything, she saw a shadow approaching, its warm breath approaching.
After coming over for a while, Jia Heng hugged Zhen Xue, whose delicate body was weak, and whispered: "Xue'er, if you feel guilty, you still hate your sister, a poisonous woman, because she is the one who harmed you!"
Zhen Qing: "???"
No, this bastard! The first time I complained about her, how could I still blame her the last time? And this time, can you still blame her? It was again provoking a relationship between her and her sister.
However, this is okay, the two of them are already in love, and they are inseparable. It will be easier to handle it later, preferably if they have a son and a half, then it will be easier to handle this bastard.
But this Jia Heng married the Qin family someday, but still had no heirs. Is there something wrong with him?
Jia Heng hugged Zhen Xue to the bed in the back room and whispered: "Xue'er, if it really doesn't work, just think that I am forcing it on you. Okay, don't cry."
Zhen Xue just closed her beautiful eyes and said nothing. The tears accumulated in her bright eyes burst out, and the tears flowed down Ruxue's face.
Jia Heng looked at Zhen Qing, who was stunned on the spot, her face changed, and she looked like a "vicious second-girl", and frowned: "Hey, who is that? His eyes are as cold as a poisonous snake, what kind of evil is coming? Come here and give it to your sister. Apologize."
Zhen Qing: "..."
No, her eyes are as cold as a poisonous snake? Will she show her worries on her face? This person who killed a thousand swords said she was risking bad water? He also said that she was a poisonous snake and she would poison him sooner or later!
Zhen Qing snorted coldly, her eyes filled with evil, and asked: "Jia Ziyu, last time I could say it was detoxification, what else are you going to say this time?"
"If you hadn't been like a snake and plotting against me and your sister, how would you be today?" Jia Heng looked at Princess Chu Zhen Qing coldly, pulled the beauty's arm involuntarily, and whispered: "I see You have lingering poison that hasn’t been eliminated yet, come here.”
After saying that, he suddenly stood up, looked down from a high position, looked directly into Zhen Qing's eyes, and whispered: "You humble servant, kneel down!"
"You, you bastard! Who are you calling a cheap maid? You shameless person!" Zhen Qing cursed angrily, her jade face turned red like a peach, and her heart was filled with embarrassment and embarrassment.
I just felt humiliation and anger intertwined in my heart. When they were mixed together, they seemed to give rise to an indescribable sense of joy. Just like the words "You maid, kneel down!", this respected princess was so shaken that she couldn't help but feel sad. Self-sustained.
But after all, he was a man of strong character. He did not succumb to the evil spell that deceived people's hearts, and the strangeness was dispersed in a moment. Instead, he glared at Jia Heng angrily.
Under Jia Heng's brows, his eyes were a little condensed, and he thought to himself, Zhen Qing's self-awareness is really strong, but there is indeed an unspeakable trait hidden in it. It can only be said that Yao Ying really did not change overnight.
Maybe it might work better if you wait a little while?
Zhen Xue looked at her sister who was gnashing her teeth at the man, sighed quietly, and ignored the two people who were bickering and quarreling, quietly waiting for the gift and judgment of fate.
…
…
The next day, Jia Heng, who felt refreshed, accompanied Daiyu around the entire city of Kaifeng, visited several places of interest, and then took a boat south the next day. As for the Zhen sisters' boat, it was not a big deal. Slowly following Jia Heng's fleet, the ships stopped at two places in Xuzhou to replenish fruits, vegetables and fresh water.
Yangzhou
After more than ten days of Yang Fan's boat trip, Jia Heng met with Guan Shou Fang and other officials from the river yamen in Huai'an Prefecture. The boat did not stop, and Jia Heng returned to the prosperous and noisy Yangzhou again.
It was mid-afternoon, the land of Jianghuai River was covered with light rain, and the sky and the earth were vast. Although the Yangzhou local government was not notified in writing in advance, it is unknown where the Yangzhou magistrate Yuan Jichong got the news of his going south, and he led the officials and gentry of Yangzhou to greet him at the ferry. , completely black.
Jia Heng looked at the crowd of people holding umbrellas at the ferry crossing, waiting for officials and people who were obviously local gentry in Yangzhou. It was impossible to say that there were eight major salt merchants in Yangzhou among them.
His expression turned gloomy, he glanced at Liu Jixian who was holding an umbrella to protect him, and asked, "What's going on?"
Liu Jixian whispered: "Captain, we will enter Xuzhou and Huai'an Mansion and stay for one day. Maybe Yangzhou will receive the news."
Jia Heng: "..."
Well, this is Zhen Qing's fault, it's not a big deal after all.
Under the watchful eyes of Yangzhou Magistrate Yuan Jichong and others, Jia Heng, escorted by brocade robes, got off the boat and looked at the officials gathered around to greet them. His eyes fell on the fat and fair-skinned Yangzhou Magistrate Yuan Jichong, and he said: "Master Yuan is really well-informed."
Previously, when I came to Yangzhou to mobilize soldiers and horses due to river floods, I had met Yuan Jichong, the former Nanyang prefect and now Yangzhou prefect, in Yangzhou.
"When Uncle Yongning was staying in Huai'an Mansion, the lower official heard the news and his heart was overjoyed. He was thinking about it day and night and was waiting eagerly." Yuan Jichong smiled and complimented: "The reputation of Uncle Yongning is known all over the world. The folks in Yangzhou Prefecture have long been looking forward to seeing your majesty."
