(9)
The old street is far away from the palace, almost along the edge of the city wall, in the northwest of Jinyang, where old streets take root. They are not as simple and plain as the villages outside the city, nor are they as orderly as the downtown area of Jinyang City.
The architectural styles here basically run the gamut. Walking in the middle of the street, you can see dilapidated slums to the left, luxurious casinos and restaurants to the right... All of this is not uncommon in the old streets.
The vast majority of people living in the old streets are "poor people" who are in debt and have no choice but to live in the gap between luxury and poverty, surrounded by a real and false sense of disillusionment all day long.
On one side is the unattainable glory and wealth, on the other side is the miserable and indifferent reality. It cannot be denied that they once fanatically chased their dreams, but when they were about to be within reach, they suddenly realized that they had exhausted everything they could get, but they were just nobles. Just a daily pastime.
In the end, they had neither the motivation to live nor the courage to leave Jinyang. They could only rent in a dilapidated old house with other similar people. When they had money to spare, they went to casinos and restaurants to spend their money and do whatever they wanted all day long. With the dream of getting rich overnight, they are immersed in the seemingly endless sensual carnival day after day. When they really run out of money, the brokers in every corner of the city will instantly become their reborn parents.
Those who are lucky may be able to find odd jobs such as moving goods and delivering goods, making handicrafts, and copying letters and official documents; but in fact, most people cannot find legitimate jobs such as abducting women and children, hiring murderers, robbing, and stealing... ... As long as it is profitable, they will not hesitate to do it in order to continue to entertain themselves for the rest of their lives.
Bai Feng originally chose to settle down on this old street because there were enough people here and there were no secrets at all. For a foreigner like him, a place without secrets is the safest place. Although This place is very dangerous in the eyes of the locals in Jinyang, but Bai Feng is proficient in swordsmanship and has the help of experts like Fu Wentao, so he has nothing to fear.
Back on this old street, Bai Feng followed the instructions of Lin Xi, the owner of Xiyinzhai, and first went to the gambling house to find him, but no one was there. Then he went to the restaurant where Fang Qiuyan often visited, and sure enough, he was found here.
At that time, Fang Qiuyan booked a private room, hired a girl, and had a few drinks. Unexpectedly, Bai Feng and others suddenly visited, completely destroying his careful preparation and leisure.
"Who are you!" Fang Qiuyan drove Qin Ji out of the house, closed the door and window, and continued: "Brothers, if you give me a few more days, I will definitely be able to get it together! I just received a few big jobs, I'm sure Make money."
Fu Wentao threw his sword on the table and shouted sharply: "I heard that you are Fang Qiuyan? I have a letter here, please see if it is written by you..."
"Okay, let me take a look." Fang Qiuyan was very thin, with disheveled hair and a headband. She was dressed casually and almost exposed her chest. The moment such a bohemian man approached Yu Ke, she aroused her vigilance.
"Brother, take a look, is it you who wrote it?" Yu Ke finished speaking and handed over the letter.
Fang Qiuyan looked left and right, and couldn't come to a conclusion for a long time. However, after observing the visitor repeatedly, she decided to reply: "I didn't write it."
"It wasn't written by you?" Fu Wentao said with a smile: "But the people in Xiyinzhai said it was written by a guy named 'Fang Qiuyan'. It is said that he is the only one who can copy Wang Xizhi's calligraphy."
Fang Qiuyan said: "Oh! Boss Lin is really flattering. There are many people in the world who can copy Wang Xizhi's calligraphy. I am just an unknown person. This must be a misunderstanding... Besides, who are you? Since you are not here, If you want to collect debts, then leave quickly!”
Ayu immediately saw through his thoughts and couldn't help but sarcastically said: "You are looking forward to us leaving like this. Could it be that this letter involves something that can ruin your job?"
"This girl doesn't want to be slanderous!" Fang Qiuyan still denied: "I didn't write this letter."
Fu Wentao, Ayu, and Yu Ke all had no clue, and they all looked at Bai Feng, who had been silent, in a tacit understanding.
"Let's sit down and talk." Bai Feng spread his hands and invited Fang Qiuyan to sit down. They each took a seat and talked face to face: "Mr. Fang, does he want silver or a life?"
Fang Qiuyan said: "What do you mean by this? No matter how much money you gave me, it was not a letter written by me. Even if you kill me, it will not be written by me? Master, do you think I am right?"
"Wang Xizhi is a person." Bai Feng changed the topic and suddenly talked about calligraphy: "I heard that his calligraphy is unparalleled in the world. No one can match him. He is called the 'Sage of Calligraphy'. He can write the same calligraphy as him. , he must also be a great person, right?"
Fang Qiuyan looked at Bai Feng thoughtfully, and suddenly sneered: "Young master, I don't understand a little bit. It's not difficult to imitate someone's handwriting. The difficult part is how to surpass the predecessors. This is something that many people in ancient and modern times have not been able to do." What happened? But Wang Xizhi was able to do it, so he became a 'saint'."
"Don't Brother Fang want to become a saint?" Bai Feng said: "Look at the unnatural blackness on your fingers, which looks like traces of being stained by ink all year round. How much effort do you have to put in to be able to write well?"
Fang Qiuyan sneered at herself and said: "How can I be a saint? I just make a living by writing. I will be satisfied if I can just live in Jinyang City in this life. How can I dare to pray for more?"
"You really haven't thought about it, not even the slightest thought?" Bai Feng continued to ask: "Then why do people copy Wang Xizhi's calligraphy? What is the significance of this kind of thing?"
Fang Qiuyan was a little dazed, and spoke a few words intermittently with a trembling body: "Of course... of course it is to practice calligraphy... The world respects Wang Xizhi... After you practice Wang Xizhi's calligraphy well, you will become famous and make money... Becoming a saint, for me, For the scum of the world, it’s just a joke.”
"Okay, I probably know." Bai Feng stood up and bowed his hands in respect: "If Brother Fang knows who wrote this letter, please tell him, please tell him that the little girl Yu Ke in the letter is in Jinyang City, I hope he can Show up and meet your biological daughter.”
Fang Qiuyan saw that the other party was so decent, and she was filled with respect in her heart. She replied: "Young master has traveled thousands of miles to find his relatives. If I know who wrote the letter, I will definitely tell him. It can be regarded as a good thing."
After hearing this, Yu Ke immediately presented the letter and half of the jade pendant left by his mother, and said, "This is what my mother left behind. If anyone knows it, please tell us, Brother Fang!"
"Jade pendant? Where did you get this jade pendant?" Fang Qiuyan suddenly became emotional.
"It was left by my mother." Yu Ke answered truthfully.
"Mother? Are you Yu Ke?" Fang Qiuyan picked up the jade pendant and walked back and forth, murmuring: "Yu Ke... Yu Ke, Yu Ke!"
Bai Feng asked: "Brother Fang, what's wrong with you?"
"No, no, no, this matter can't be explained for a while." Fang Qiuyan privately accepted the jade pendant and the letter, and replied: "Tomorrow, in this wing, I will bring the person who wrote this letter. , everything will be clear.”
After speaking, he immediately came to Yu Ke, his lips trembling, unable to hide the throbbing in his heart: "Yu Ke, how have you been in these years?"
"I...I don't know." Yu Ke looked at Bai Feng and smiled: "At least I'm living a good life now."
"Yes, it seems that you have met a truly good person." After Fang Qiuyan said this, she said goodbye to everyone and left in a hurry.
