In the blink of an eye, it was Laba, and Liyanaza had been gone for a few days.
This morning, Zhao Tong finally left Zhuangzi.
After Lianaza left, he locked himself in the villa and didn't go anywhere.
Even some palace and court matters were passed back and forth to Yao Pingzhong and done on his behalf.
At this moment, he looked a little indifferent and lonely, and the yellow horse carried him slowly through the streets of Tokyo.
The Tokyo city of Laba was actually very lively. The palace rewarded Laba porridge to courtiers, and some big shops also set up large pots in front of their doors to cook it. Today, Laba porridge is the staple food in the temples and in the homes of ordinary people.
The aroma of rice crackers cooking porridge filled the sky over the capital. The New Year was approaching, and everyone's face was filled with joy, as if they were in a trance of peace and prosperity.
Zhao Tong went to Suiyulou. A large group of people were drinking porridge around a big pot in the backyard. When they saw him coming, they all stood up and saluted.
Zhao Tong asked Jian Suyi to serve him a large bowl with more dates.
After finishing the porridge, he called Ouyang Bei into the secret room. At this time, Ouyang Bei had ended his miserable singing career, and Ouyang Renzhi had to be replaced by someone else.
Zhao Tong handed a letter to Ouyang Bei and asked him to set off for Longyou immediately and deliver the letter to Liu Suiyun.
Ouyang Bei was granted amnesty. He didn't want to stay in Tokyo for a moment since he left the theater. It was difficult to even go out, let alone go to Goulan to listen to music. There were few people in Tokyo who didn't recognize him as an "evil person". As for chasing him, he was always pointing fingers from behind, making him unable to lift his head.
Then Zhao Tong returned to his house. There was also Laba porridge as a reward from the palace. After sharing it with others to drink, he dove into the study and did not come out until it was almost dark...
Taihu Lake in winter is peaceful and calm, and there is no ice on the lake. Although it snowed a few times, it was not cold enough and it slowly melted.
The sky is blue, mixed with some goose-feather white clouds, and the water surface is like a mirror, cold and dazzling.
On the shore, the cold winter wind blew away the flowers and fell the leaves, but it blew open the reeds, and the reeds swayed in various styles.
Overwintering waterbirds come and go, looking for food, chasing and playing among the reed flowers.
The lonely green pines and withered fallen leaves in the distance, together with the ancient temples, form a moving scenery in this bleak season.
Just above the lake, there was a large ship floating slowly.
The boat is a painted boat, with lanterns hanging on it, yellow paint on the top, and carved beams and phoenixes on the pillars. As you get closer, you will find that even the lanterns are painted with various characters and styles, and the depictions are lifelike and ready to be called out.
Painted boats like this are very rare even on the Bian River in the capital city.
The eldest young master Zhu Ruxian is sitting in the painting boat. He is now thirty years old. He has a beard under his chin. He is white, plump and rich, but his expression has disappeared. More than ten years ago, he lived in Qingxi Village, Qingxi County. , the frivolous and frivolous feeling when cutting down the sacred tree that protects the village.
In front of him sat Wang Zhonghong, the commander of the Yingfeng Bureau. This Zhu Meng's right-hand man, although his face was also old, his two temples were bulging high, and the muscles on his face were stiff, making him seem as strong and powerful as his arms.
Zhu Ruxian stretched out his hand to touch his beard and asked the sailor to lift up the curtain to watch the scenery on the lake. After a moment, he couldn't help but nodded slightly. Taihu Lake in winter naturally has a unique flavor, which is completely different from spring, summer and autumn.
At this time, the waiter began to serve the wine. After a while, dozens of fresh fruits and delicacies from the Lingnan area were laid out. He also took a jar of Jiangnan's famous wine, Jiangchun, opened the mud seal, and filled it for the two of them.
Then Zhu Ruxian ordered his attendants to go to the back and call for people. He asked two maids in red to accompany him on the left and right, serving wine under his shoulders, and five singing girls in green skirts played the piano, sang and danced in the front to add to the fun.
After three glasses of wine and two sets of dishes, Zhu Ruxian sighed quietly to Wang Zhonghong: "Although you and I drink at the right time, we can't listen to such music or drink such little wine. Usually when I'm at home, my little kids Concubine, not to mention the beauty of the country and the fragrance of heaven, she is also nine points of beauty, that's all. The most rare thing is a singing voice that makes people lose their soul."
After hearing this, the geishas in front all turned their faces down in shame, blushing and saying nothing, holding the corners of their skirts with their hands, feeling a little at a loss.
Wang Zhonghong smiled and said helpfully: "These camp prostitutes are all newly sent here, and they have not been touched by anyone. Although they have also been taught some pink songs and wild tunes, there is no eldest son at home who still seems to be drinking songs in the morning and evening. It’s fun to play tricks, no wonder the eldest son can’t bear it.”
Zhu Ruxian nodded. These singing girls are all Taihu camp prostitutes. Most of the camp prostitutes are the family members of some criminals. Some are petty officials, some are squires and landlords. Naturally, there are more poor families. They are the sins of the whole family. That's why she became a camp prostitute.
Ying prostitutes are different from Jiaofangsi. Ying prostitutes have an extremely low status and have little freedom. They usually have to do all kinds of work. They are very different from the elegant places like Jiaofangsi.
Moreover, since Zhu Meng took charge of Yingfeng Bureau, the scale of the prostitutes in Taihu Lake has been expanding day by day. Whenever they go down there to look for flowers and stones, and encounter people who resist, they not only demolish the houses and push down the walls, but also bring the people to trial, even taking their wives and daughters with them. Let's go and enter the Taihu camp.
This has become more common in recent years, and flowers and stones are hard to come by. In the name of doing laundry, the camp has lured the daughters of fishermen and farmers from the Taihu Lake into the camp, and then never returned. prostitute.
And these common people had no way to complain. If they went to look for them, they would be beaten severely. If they were beaten to death, they would be tied up with stones and sunk to the bottom of Taihu Lake.
There are also water thieves and heroes in the plains above Taihu Lake, but this place is not as dangerous as Liangshan. Although there are some islands, these islands have been almost demolished in order to dig out Taihu stones in recent years.
It was difficult for the heroes of the water thieves to gather together, so they could only live by the lake. There once was a water thieves named Hu Da, and his business was mostly in the Xunyang River.
But this water thief had a family, and once he went out to do some unprofitable business on the lake, a soldier from the Fengfeng Bureau entered the house, and his daughter was raped and killed. His wife asked him to avenge his daughter, but he said: "I don't dare. "
The wife said angrily: "Don't you kill many people on the water? Why don't you dare to take revenge!"
He said: "I dare to kill anyone, but I don't dare to kill people who are serving the task."
His wife quarreled with him. When the quarrel got too much, they started to yell at each other and hit her. She also hit her to death.
Hu Da was so stimulated that he went to the camp brandishing a steel knife the next night, but was shot to death by random arrows before he even got close.
Not to mention the Taihu Lake area in Suzhou, it is the Liangzhe Road, but everyone knows that it should be fiercer than the tiger.
Zhu Ruxian was used to enjoying himself at home. Even though he was drinking with prostitutes, he couldn't be as happy as at home. He turned to a woman in a red dress and said, "My dear, what's your name?" ?”
The girl in the red dress whispered: "The slave family is called Lingxin."
Zhu Ruxian took a look at her appearance: "You are the best born, with a good name, and a spiritual heart. Sing the music you are good at. If you sing well, I will reward you with all my heart."
This soul was born with a well-behaved heart. At this moment, he put on a very smiling face. He stood up and saluted Zhu and Wang each with a ten thousand blessings. He said: "I have learned a few words since I was a child, and I listened to some more words in the camp. When the singing is not pleasing to the ear, please forgive me." After that, he walked to the brocade felt in front.
After a while, the planting board was tapped lightly, the silk strings were slowly picked, and the soul began to sing a double tune in a melodious manner. The title of the song is "Chaoyuan Song", and the lyrics are:
You are a born young man who used to be romantic, ruthless and affectionate. I only look at your smiling face to ask questions. I am also smart at heart, pretending to be cruel on the face, and pretending to be tough on the mouth. When he was about to agree, how could he respond to this shame? I was hypocritical when I saw him, and often worried about him when I said goodbye. I looked at the shadows of these flowers and the moon, which looked desolate and cold, illuminating his loneliness and my loneliness.
At this point, Shui Xin saw that Zhu Ruxian and Wang Zhonghong were both happy, so he straightened his hair and continued to sing with more vigor:
How can you ruin your youth with the sad and melodious sound of your piano music? What's more, the jade is soft and fragrant, what's the love and affection that's not moving? She takes care of the Yaoqin by herself, and I am independent. God, God! The young Qin and Jin achieved success early, and the young Qin and Jin achieved success early.
After hearing this, Zhu Ruxian and Wang Zhonghong clapped their hands and laughed, "What a young Qin Jin." Then they ordered their attendants to take two pieces of red silk to reward the soul.
The song and wine in this boat were drunk from noon until the cold sun turned west, and the boat was already in the center of Taihu Lake.
Zhu Ruxian was a little drunk. He looked at the figure in front of him and picked up a glass of wine, but he didn't even reach his mouth and poured it directly into his arms.
He couldn't help but laugh and said: "When you're drunk, you go and have a rest."
Wang Zhonghong asked: "How are you, eldest son?"
Zhu Ruxian reached out and hugged Lingxin next to him: "It's okay. Ask Lingxin to serve me."
After saying that, he stood up unsteadily, and two more followers came to help him, and he went to the private room at the back of the ship.
The elegant room has a large wooden bed, satin quilts and brocade, and a prosperous charcoal basin.
After Zhu Ruxian sat down, he reached out to untie Lingxin's dress in a daze, and said: "Little lady, come to bed with me and rest!
When the dress was half untied, revealing the bellyband of a mandarin duck playing in the water, Lingxin's face turned pink, half pushing and half withdrawing, and said: "Young Master, please take your time, Young Master."
Zhu Ruxian smiled and said: "Don't be slow, otherwise I'm afraid the little lady will run away."
Lingxin smiled sweetly and said: "On this lake in winter, where can the slaves run? If they don't drown, they will freeze to death." As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, and his cheek was half an inch closer to Zhu Ruxian.
Zhu Ruxian felt his breath was like blue, and he felt even more dizzy for a moment. He wanted to say a few words to make fun of him, but at this moment, Lingxintan's mouth opened slightly, and there was a flash of silver light inside, and a cold light shot out.
Zhu Ruxian also learned boxing. When he suddenly saw the cold light, he immediately woke up from the wine and subconsciously wanted to avoid it.
Unfortunately, the distance between the two of them was too close at this moment. Although the speed of the cold light was not as fast as the arrow, it was still not slow. This time, it shot straight into his throat.
He only felt that his whole body was weak, his eyes widened, and he made a "wuwu" sound in his throat. He reluctantly raised a finger and pointed at the spiritual heart in front, with a look of shock and disbelief.
Lingxin took a step back at this moment, with a smile on her face, and said: "My eldest son, can I use this silver needle of the slave family?"
At this moment, Zhu Ruxian's throat was sealed by a silver needle. He was out of breath and his face turned purple from holding back. How could he be willing to die like this? He couldn't help but muster up the remaining strength and shouted in a unclear voice: "Come on, come on..."
Lingxin saw that he still had the strength to call someone after his acupuncture point was sealed with his own angry silver needle. His face turned cold and he opened his mouth again, and another silver needle shot out. This time, it hit Zhu Ruxian directly between the eyebrows. , then she pushed out with another palm, hitting Zhu Ruxian in the chest. Zhu Ruxian immediately spat out blood, fell on his back and died on the bed.
At this moment, something seemed to be heard outside, and someone asked, "Master, what are your orders?"
Lingxin glanced at the wooden door, tied her dress in a hurry, then retrieved two silver needles, and walked towards the door.
When she got on the boat, her body had been searched, and she couldn't bring any weapons with her. She only had seven Qi-haired silver needles hidden in her mouth, but this was enough for her. After all, except for Wang Zhonghong, the entire Huafang was a master. She didn't care about anyone else.
At this moment, there was a knock on the door, and when there was no response from inside, the wooden door was pushed open with a bang, and then Wang Zhonghong appeared in front of the door.
Lingxin opened his mouth and spat out, and two silver needles shot out. Wang Zhonghong was immediately horrified and hurriedly dodged to the side. Taking advantage of this opportunity, Lingxin's figure was like a ghost, and he just flashed out of the room.
Wang Zhonghong was caught off guard. When he regained consciousness, he looked into the room and saw Zhu Ruxian lying on the bed with a pool of blood under his neck and chest. His eyes were about to burst and he shouted: "You little bitch, how vicious you are! Harm the eldest son’s life! Come on, come on, catch this little bitch!”
Although Lingxin escaped from Yashe at this time, the soldiers outside had already drawn their swords and surrounded her. Lingxin breathed out the Qi needle again, injuring three people, grabbed a steel knife, and ran towards the cabin door. .
When they arrived at the cabin door, a group of Xiang troops outside who were supposed to be serving the bureau blocked their way, but their spirit, mind, and body skills were erratic, and they killed a few more people with only three or five moves.
At this time, Wang Zhonghong had already caught up with him. In his desperation, he didn't use any weapon, but punched Ling Xin's body with one punch.
His punches are powerful and powerful, and if he hits the body, the bones will be broken and the tendons will be broken.
Ling Xin's expression was solemn. The person she was most afraid of in order to assassinate Zhu Ruxian this time was Wang Zhonghong, who was famous for his proficiency in martial arts and was known as the best in boxing and kicking in Yingfeng Bureau.
Her feet slipped lightly and she managed to avoid the punch, but the wind from the punch caused her skin to ache, and another officer and soldier slashed at her with a knife in front of her.
At this moment, there was sudden chaos outside the cabin, and a loud voice shouted: "Miss Shui, I'm here to pick you up."
Lingxin was immediately overjoyed when he heard this. After dodging a few swords, he saw that the hatch had been broken, and many officers and soldiers were chopped to the ground by a group of men outside.
A torch was lit outside, and under the torch stood a big man, seven-foot-five-six tall, in his mid-twenties, with a slight beard covered with three locks, wearing a bamboo hat on his head and a set of white coarse cloth clothes. He wears a raw silk woven belt around his waist and a pair of green and white thick linen shoes.
Lingxin said happily: "Brother Shi!"
Wang Zhonghong could see clearly in the cabin at this time and couldn't help shouting: "Shi Sheng, do you want to rebel? Don't forget that your family members are all in Suzhou City!"
The man sneered: "Commander Wang, are you trying to accuse me of rebelling?"
Wang Zhonghong was as big as two people at the moment. This Shi Sheng was a heroic hero from Suzhou, who was in the green forest. He was not comparable to ordinary thieves. Even his fists and kicks were very good.
This person has always lived in Suzhou, but he has never had any conflicts with Ying Feng Bureau. Zhu Meng had sent someone to monitor him for a while before, but he was afraid of the people he associates with, who were high-ranking and unknown. , as long as he doesn't mess up the affairs that should be served, let him go.
Zhu Ruxian was assassinated today. Unexpectedly, it was this person who was outside to take care of him. Wang Zhonghong couldn't help but feel furious: "Shi Sheng, the eldest son was assassinated by this female thief. You and her are accomplices. What if it's not rebellion?"
Shi Sheng glanced at him without saying a word, but used his eyes to signal Lingxin to come over quickly.
Wang Zhonghong hadn't seen him move yet. At this moment, he saw another soldier approaching from the stern of the boat. He couldn't help but shout: "Get them all, life or death!"
As he spoke, the soldiers in the cabin also attacked outside and immediately started fighting together.
Although Shi Sheng only brought seven or eight people outside, they were all brave. Although some were already in trouble, they fought for their lives and retreated while fighting. After a while, they came to the bow of the ship and saw two small boats below. Shi Sheng shouted: "Don't be obsessed with fighting, get on the boat and leave quickly."
Everyone jumped on the boat one after another, and Wang Zhonghong chased after him. He saw two small boats rowing away quickly, and they couldn't help but beat their chests and stamp their feet. Although there were soldiers on the boat, they did not have bows and arrows, so they could not attack from a distance. At this moment, they could only order the big boats. Swing your head to chase.
But at this moment, it was no better than during the day, and the boat was not a warship. It was dark and difficult to see above the lake, so there was no way they could pursue him.
Just a short while later, not even a shadow of the boat could be seen, as if it had never appeared from the beginning to the end...
(End of chapter)
