Wang Chonghua greeted Su Xiaolou and then left.
Su Xiaolou watched as Wang Chonghua's carriage entered the area where Liubu Yamen was located. He didn't know what position Old Man Tong had been transferred to. He felt it was necessary to ask Master Zhang, and told Master Zhang that they had made an appointment to meet at Xiangjiu Restaurant at noon.
Su Xiaolou came to the teahouse run by Master Zhang alone and sat in front of the counter.
"I have already said hello to Xiao Bangchui. We will meet at Xiang Restaurant at noon."
Master Zhang poured him a cup of tea, smiled and said, "Thank you."
"I just got out of the Yamen and met an old acquaintance."
"who is it?"
"Wang Chonghua, the former magistrate of Yanzhou, Shandong."
Master Zhang immediately replied: "Wang Chonghua has just arrived in Nanjing. He is here to replace Doctor Liu's position."
Replace Liu Langzhong? Su Xiaolou lamented that the world is so big, why do we always meet enemies? In an era when talents are scarce, every Jinshi is particularly valuable. As long as they do not commit serious crimes, most people can hold their posts again. The position of a doctor in the household department is not easy to find, so Wang Chonghua took on the crime and came to Nanjing to take up the position. Although it was a bit unexpected, it was also reasonable.
"I once saved Wang Chonghua's life, but the old man didn't seem very grateful."
Master Zhang said in a dumbfounded voice: "You put him in jail, do you still expect him to be grateful to you?"
Su Xiaolou sneered and said, "If I hadn't caught him, Prince Ning would have put him to death long ago."
"Does Prince Ning really dare to kill a prefect?"
Su Xiaolou replied calmly: "Of course I wouldn't dare if no one takes the blame for him, but if someone is willing to take the blame, would you dare?"
"Who wants to take the blame?"
"Who else could be there besides us who were on patrol with the imperial envoy at that time?" The scapegoat prince smiled helplessly, "This kind of responsibility is best suited for us, the Jinyi Guards, to bear."
"hehe."
Su Xiaolou then asked: "How many of the arrested officials were transferred to Nanjing?"
Master Zhang replied: "Currently there is only Wang Chonghua."
Wang Chonghua sat in the carriage, his heart filled with complicated emotions. He has been in Nanjing for a while, but he still feels a little unfamiliar with this new position. Wang Chonghua served as the magistrate of Yanzhou, Shandong for many years, and the people there established a deep relationship with him. However, due to some reasons, he was transferred to Nanjing to replace Liu Langzhong. The importance of this position is self-evident.
As the carriage passed through the bustling streets, Wang Chonghua looked at the pedestrians and shops on the roadside and couldn't help but have a lot of thoughts in his heart. He recalled the encounter he had just had with Su Xiaolou. Although Su Xiaolou had saved his life, Su Xiaolou had always been arrogant about it and thought that he should be grateful to him. Wang Chonghua knew very well that his predicament was not entirely caused by Su Xiaolou, but more by historical accidents and changes of the times.
The carriage slowly stopped in front of the Liubu Yamen. Wang Chonghua got off the car and stepped into the Yamen. This is a solemn place, with various official documents, documents and case files piled up in mountains. The officials in the yamen are busy rushing back and forth, making him feel the busyness and pressure of officialdom.
Wang Chonghua walked into his new office and looked at the various documents piled on the table. He couldn't help but sigh. He knows that taking on this position means facing a variety of challenges and responsibilities. Liu Langzhong used to be an important pillar here. As his successor, Wang Chonghua must assume this role.
His thoughts returned to the previous meeting, and Wang Chonghua recalled what Su Xiaolou had said about Prince Ning. Prince Ning had considerable power in Nanjing, and Wang Chonghua had also heard of his reputation. This made Wang Chonghua more vigilant about his situation. He must act cautiously and try his best to avoid conflict with King Ning.
In the office, Wang Chonghua spent a lot of time getting familiar with various affairs and personnel. He not only has to handle government affairs, but also coordinate and communicate with other officials. Among them, Wang Chonghua found that a person named Zhang Shi had given him attention and help, for which he was grateful.
Soon after, Wang Chonghua stepped into Xiangjiu Restaurant, which was the agreed place with Su Xiaolou. He saw Su Xiaolou sitting at a table, waiting for his arrival. Wang Chonghua walked over, nodded to Su Xiaolou and expressed his gratitude.
After the two sat down, Wang Chonghua asked Su Xiaolou about the situation in Nanjing and the rules of the officialdom game. Su Xiaolou shared his insights without reservation and provided some useful information without reservation. Wang Chonghua felt gratified for Su Xiaolou's previous help, which made him realize how important it is to make friends in a strange environment.
The two of them chatted about some things in the restaurant, and before they knew it, they had spent an entire afternoon. Finally, Wang Chonghua said with emotion: "Su Xiaolou, thank you for your help and support. Although we have had some misunderstandings, I hope we can become friends."
Su Xiaolou smiled and nodded, and said: "Wang Chonghua, I have made some mistakes, but we all live in a special era and many things are ambiguous. I also hope that we can become friends. , help each other and jointly face the challenges of this officialdom.”
After they toasted each other and blessed each other, Su Xiaolou and Wang Chonghua decided to face this new environment together, support and make progress for each other. They know that the situation in Nanjing's officialdom is changing, and they must remain vigilant and move forward courageously.
…
A large number of curious spectators gathered outside the door of Jin Sanniang's room. They couldn't wait to see this lively event.
On weekdays, it would take a lot of money to meet the Qinghuer of Jinmei Building, but now so many people showed up, Lu Datong felt a little unbelievable.
There was a lot of confusion, and the crowd gradually gathered...
The native dog ordered the onlookers to disperse and shouted loudly: "Okay, okay, eldest sister and I have to do something, everyone please disperse."
Lu Datong turned his head, looked at Liu curiously, and asked, "When did they start falling in love?"
Six answered mysteriously: "They started a long time ago."
"Why don't I know anything?"
"Who dares to disclose Sister Hua's affairs?"
Lu Datong fell into confusion: "People like me who can't even chase women, how come they got together?"
"..."
Liu added quietly: "Everything starts from the Mid-Autumn Festival the year before last."
After a while, Jin Sanniang opened the door and walked out. Her hair was spread out, the buttons of her clothes were loosened, and she was still holding a bellyband tightly in her hand...
The eyes of Tugou and others were dull. Is it over so soon?
Lu Datong sighed and finally understood why he hadn't seen Jin Sanniang visiting the brothel for such a long time. It turned out to be because of his poor health.
Jin Sanniang blushed and cursed: "What are you looking at?"
Tugou and the others were frightened and did not dare to speak. Apparently, Jin Sanniang was angry because she owed food.
Liu shook his head silently. Sister Hua was a dedicated person, but she was deceived by a disloyal person. Everyone hopes that Sister Hua can find her own happiness. Fortunately, she has found a man who is willing to get close to her. It is a pity that he cannot give her even a moment of happiness...
"I didn't expect that I would be such a fast-moving person."
Lu Datong couldn't help laughing: "Don't let him hear this."
Liu slapped himself in self-reproach: "That's really a slip of the tongue."
Jin Sanniang drove a group of girls who came to watch the fun back to the attic, where they will continue to learn piano, chess, calligraphy and painting. Jin Sanniang ordered the nursing staff to try their best to drive Su Xiaolou out.
Following Jin Sanniang's order, the nursing staff took action and tried every means to drive Su Xiaolou out of Jinmei Building. While they were secretly investigating the details of Su Xiaolou, they were looking for opportunities to expel him from this fireworks-filled pavilion.
However, despite the best efforts of the nursing staff, Su Xiaolou showed outstanding wisdom and scheming. He seemed to have already anticipated that someone was plotting behind the scenes, so he was very wary of himself. Every time the nursing staff tried to approach him, he was always able to notice and avoid them in time, leaving no opportunity for them to take advantage of.
In this situation, Jin Sanniang became a little anxious and powerless. She originally thought she could rely on the nursing staff to get rid of Su Xiaolou completely, but the reality made her feel powerless. She began to doubt her own judgment and wondered if there was a better way to solve this problem.
At the same time, Lu Datong and Liu gradually became aware of the hesitation and helplessness of the nursing homes. They understood that the nursing staff alone might not be able to defeat Su Xiaolou, and they had to find other solutions.
Lu Datong began to ask around for information about Su Xiaolou, trying to find out his weaknesses. He visited many regular customers of Jinmei Building and talked with them, trying to get some clues about Su Xiaolou from them. Liu also threw himself into it, asking his friends and acquaintances, hoping to find some useful information.
After some hard work, they finally heard something about Su Xiaolou's past from a frequent visitor to Jinmei Building who also hated Su Xiaolou. It turned out that Su Xiaolou once worked in a herbal medicine shop and had an unusual relationship with the shop owner. Upon hearing the news, Lu Datong and Liu immediately knew that they had found Su Xiaolou's weakness.
They decided to find the herbal medicine shop and talk to the owner. From the shopkeeper's testimony, Lu Datong and Liu learned that Su Xiaolou had betrayed his trust, stole a sum of money from the herbal shop and fled. Although the shop owner has long forgiven Su Xiaolou, the secret of this past has always troubled Su Xiaolou.
Lu Datong and Liu Xin came up with a plan. They decided to expose this secret and let everyone know Su Xiaolou's true face. They quietly spread the news throughout Jinmeilou, which aroused widespread attention and discussion. Gradually, people began to doubt Su Xiaolou's character, and they began to doubt this once highly respected person.
Su Xiaolou felt the cynicism from everyone, and his reputation began to decline. He became angry and inferior, but could not resist the pressure of public opinion. In the end, he could only choose to leave Jinmeilou sadly and fade out of people's sight.
Jin Sanniang finally breathed a sigh of relief. She was grateful to Lu Datong and Liu for their efforts on her behalf. This incident made her realize that she is no longer alone and how important it is to have the support and help of friends. She does not regret establishing this special relationship with Lu Datong and Liu. The friendship between them is more solid and reliable than the so-called love between her and Su Xiaolou.
Since then, Jin Sanniang mustered up the courage to continue running Jinmei Building, providing warmth and happiness to many guests. She also took in many people, helped them get back on their feet and gave them a new start in life.
They went through many difficult moments together, but also shared a lot of joy and laughter. Their story continues, and looking to the future, they will continue to pursue the path of happiness and growth.
