In the evening, Li Chouxin took the jade abacus bought by Zhu Wei to the Zhang Mansion for a banquet.
When he arrived at the gate of Zhang Mansion, he met Xu Sanqiu. There was another person beside Xu Sanqiu. This person was someone Li Chouxin had never seen before, and he was definitely not from the second or second floor.
Because the person in front of me is so popular, with a figure as tall and straight as a pine tree. He is about thirty years old, but he looks heroic, with an aura like the scorching sun, and his facial features are straight. The pair of eyes like cold stars under the sword eyebrows are very heroic, and he is even more solemn in a long black dress. .
When Xu Sanqiu saw Li Chouxin from a distance, he greeted him warmly, "Brother Chouxin, things have been booming these past two days. My deeds are being spread throughout Eling. As expected, heroes come from young, but today Xu is going to Let me introduce another hero to Brother Chouxin, who was also a once glorious young man and is now a general guarding the border."
After saying that, Xu Sanqiu turned to the man next to him and introduced to Li Chouxin: "The man next to me is Luo Dafu, the current guard of Xifeng Pass. He is also the Qingchao Captain of the imperial court. He is both civil and military. He has the same relationship with Brother Chouxin. Pin, I came here recently on official business, and I am a good friend of mine, and I also know the Zhang family, so we came to the banquet together."
"It turns out that your Excellency is Luo Dafu. In the early years, I heard that General Luo was famous for his outstanding talents. Now he is guarding the country's border under the stars. I really admire him." After speaking, Li Chouxin saluted Luo Dafu.
When Luo Dafu saw Li Chouxin, he felt like an old friend at first sight. The young man in front of him was really just like when he was a boy, full of high spirits, so he said: "Young master Li, there is no need to be polite. You and I feel like old friends as soon as we meet, so you might as well be more casual and don't stick to small details. We were just on the way. Brother Xu has told you all the way, and now it seems that it is indeed the case."
Li Chouxin said: "Brother Luo, this is what I like. Why don't we come in together?"
So the three of them chatted with each other and walked into the Zhang Mansion.
However, Li Chouxin was very curious as to why a scholar like Xu Sanqiu, who hung out in restaurants, met Luo Dafu. Seeing that Luo Dafu was considered a heroic man, how could he become brothers with Xu Sanqiu? There must be some reasons, but Li Chouxin He didn't ask any more questions, he just agreed and went in with the two of them.
When Zhang Rao saw Li Chouxin and his party, he hurriedly stepped forward to greet him. When he saw Li Chouxin walking with Xu Sanqiu and Luo Dafu, he was a little curious, but he still walked towards the three of them happily, "Brother Chouxin, I finally have you." Here you go, I thought you wouldn’t come if you didn’t like this kind of scene, so be sure to drink a few more glasses of the vintage wine I specially prepared for you tonight.”
"Master Zhang is joking. Since I, Li Chouxin, have become friends with Master Zhang, how could I not come if my friend invites me?" Li Chouxin said and handed the gift box to Zhang Rao.
Zhang Rao looked at Li Chouxin's gift and couldn't wait to open it. When he saw a jade abacus pendant inside, he looked at Li Chouxin with joy and confusion.
Li Chouxin explained: "There are no rare things in Mr. Zhang's house, let alone priceless treasures. Although this gift is not expensive, I carefully selected it. This jade abacus is also suitable for Mr. Zhang's status as a businessman. , Of course, you must be able to do math, and this jade abacus pendant is perfect, so I give it as a gift to express my feelings."
After Li Chouxin finished speaking, Zhang Rao happily hung the jade abacus pendant around his waist.
Zhang Rao smiled happily, turned to Xu Sanqiu and Luo Dafu, and said, "I didn't expect Mr. Xu to be traveling with General Luo. This is something I didn't expect."
Xu Sanqiu said slowly: "I have been friends with General Luo in my early years. We met by chance on the road today, so we came to the banquet together. That's all."
"I see, then let's sit down together and have a few more drinks with General Luo tonight." Zhang Rao said and led the three of them to the hall to sit down at the table.
While everyone was talking and laughing, Zhang Rao's father Zhang Shu and the two wealthy men came in from the door while complimenting each other. Everyone stood up and saluted the three people who were entering.
From the names of the people, Li Chouxin knew that the visitors were Hu Jin, the governor of Eling, and Sima Yan Zefa, and that the man dressed in the portrait of a businessman was Zhang Rao's father, Zhang Shu.
Hu Jin glanced at the banquet and recognized Luo Dafu at the table. Then his expression showed a trace of doubt, but he still walked towards Luo Dafu, "General Luo, how come you arrived at the border of Eling without telling this history?" May I ask General Luo what business he has in Eling this time?"
Lodav smiled and replied: "Chief Hu usually has a high position and a lot of work, so it is really inconvenient to disturb him. This time he is in Eling just to meet friends and has no official business."
Hu Jin looked at the calm Luo Dafu and did not ask any more questions. He just said, "In this case, General Luo will drink a few more drinks. After all, it is rare to come back from the border." After that, he met Zhang Shu and Zhang Shu. Yan Zefa walked to the upper position and sat down.
"Everyone, Zhang is hosting a banquet today. You all come here to welcome me. Zhang is very happy. Come! Let's raise a glass together!" After Zhang Shu sat down, he picked up the cup and invited everyone in the hall to drink.
After complimenting each other for a while, everyone raised their glasses and drank together.
"Today, I would like to express my special thanks to Mr. Hu and Mr. Yan for being generous to Zhang. In the past, thanks to the care of Mr. Hu and Mr. Yan, Zhang was able to establish a firm foothold in Eling. Today, the Zhang family relies on these two adults. Come here !Two adults, Zhang Mou would like to toast you two adults." After Zhang Shu finished speaking, the three of them picked up the wine glasses and drank the wine in the glasses under the gaze of everyone.
After the three of them sat down, Zhang Rao picked up his wine glass and walked to the front of the hall and said loudly: "The people who came today are all friends of my Zhang family. They are all good business partners and relatives of the Zhang family. My nephew is here." Here’s a drink to you all. I hope you will continue to support the Zhang family in the future. Please drink, eat and have fun tonight.”
Zhang Rao returned to his seat after drinking and sat side by side with Li Chouxin. He introduced to Li Chouxin that everyone attending the banquet tonight was all well-known people in Eling City and those who interacted with the Zhang family on daily basis.
Li Chouxin listened patiently to Zhang Rao's introduction, and then said curiously: "Master Zhang, everyone else can understand that they are either officials or businessmen, but Xu Sanqiu is neither, so why are you here?"
Zhang Rao said: "Xu Sanqiu is also considered a leader among literati in Eling. In addition to making friends with people who are beneficial to the Zhang family's business, our Zhang family also likes to make friends with some talented people. Xu Sanqiu is one of them. , of course, the same is true for Brother Chouxin."
After listening to Zhang Rao's answer, Li Chouxin seemed to understand and stopped asking further questions. However, I was still curious about Xu Sanqiu and Luo Dafu, and I always felt that these two people had an ulterior side, so I decided to find an opportunity to test them out.
The music and songs are harmonious and the dancers are dancing in the hall. The scene is very luxurious and spectacular. Everyone was chatting or watching the dancer's performance, and the hall was filled with laughter and laughter.
At this time, Luo Dafu came towards Li Chou Xin with a wine glass and a flask. Li Chou Xin did not get up when he saw this, and nodded towards Luo Dafu.
Luo Dafu walked up to Li Chouxin and said, "I am very impressed by what happened to Mr. Li today. Can I have a drink with Da Fu?"
Li Chouxin looked at Luo Dafu and felt that the man in front of him seemed to be upright and not a cunning person, so he agreed, "Brother Luo, please give me a thumbs up. Chouxin sees that Brother Luo is full of heroic spirit, so he should drink with Brother Luo, but one cup is not enough." If it’s not enough, how about three cups?”
Seeing that Li Chou was so generous, Luo Dafu readily agreed.
At this time, Zhang Shu, who was sitting in the seat, signaled the dancers and musicians to step back and said, "It's rare for you all to get together today. There are many talented scholars in our Guanzhi Hall. Why don't we ask Mr. Hu to come up with a question and how about you write poems to answer it?" ?It also adds some elegance to this vulgar scene."
"It's very good, it's very good. It has singing and dancing as well as elegance, so it's worthy of tonight's feelings and scenes." Hu Jin was the first to say it, and everyone agreed.
"Then please ask Mr. Hu to come up with a question, so that we can have a taste of Eling's talent as a scholar." After Zhang Shu finished speaking, the hall fell silent, everyone was waiting for Hu to come in and out of the question.
After Hu Jin looked around, he stopped at Luo Dafu and said, "General Luo is also here tonight. How about using the title 'General' and everyone showing off their talents to pay tribute to the soldiers guarding the border?"
Everyone in the hall expressed their agreement, and then began to think deeply.
After three glasses of wine, Zhang Shu said: "Everyone, our famous talented scholar Xu Sanqiu Xu is also here. Why don't we first see how Mr. Xu solves the problem."
Xu Sanqiu heard the words, stood up to greet him, then walked up to the hall and chanted step by step:
Pegasus over the mountains
Biting west wind and cold
Pound all the Huns' holes
Still haven’t returned home
After the preface Sanqiu finished reciting, there was a burst of applause in the hall, and everyone praised it.
Hu Jin even said bluntly, "Tonight I read Mr. Youxian's poem here, and I'm afraid it will be difficult for others to shake this poem."
But Xu Sanqiu said: "Thank you Sir Hu for the commendation, but General Luo was also very talented in his early years. How about seeing how the general himself solves the problem with 'general'?"
After hearing this, everyone turned their attention to Luo Dafu. Li Chouxin was also particularly curious about Luo Dafu. Seeing everyone's performance, Hu Jin said, "In that case, please ask General Luo to compose a poem."
After hearing this, Lodav sat on the banquet, picked up the wine glass, and opened his mouth:
Many teenagers are tired of Xiguan Xue
Long spear and thin iron coat in the desert
Not to pity the blood on my chest
The barbarians are eyeing me, the rivers and mountains are vast
As soon as Lodav's poem came out, there was silence in the hall at first, and then everyone clapped their hands and praised: "As expected of a general, he wrote so vividly about the situation of the soldiers guarding the border. Without the hard work of the soldiers guarding the border, the barbarians would have broken through the city gates long ago. And entered."
Everyone on the scene was lamenting the difficulty of the soldiers at the border. Only Hu Jin and Yan Zefa were indifferent and just drank in their seats.
After listening to Luo Dafu's poem, Li Chouxin was filled with admiration, "Indeed, no young soldier likes the flying snow at the border, let alone the cold spears and thin iron clothes. This is not because he is afraid of spilling blood, but because of the barbarians. Coveting my vast mountains and rivers with eager eyes."
After listening to Li Chouxin's explanation, everyone felt that Luo Dafu's poetry was much better than that of Xu Sanqiu, and they all paid tribute to Luo Dafu.
At this time, Zhang Rao came out and introduced to Zhang Shu: "Father, although the poems written by Mr. Xu and General Luo just now are amazing, the children's friends must not be inferior. Father, please see, this is the person that the children have made friends with recently." My good friend Li Chouxin is not only outstanding in literary talent, but also in martial arts. How about asking father and you to listen to his poems?"
"You are Li Chouxin. You are the one who has been making a lot of news in Eling recently. You are indeed a talented person. Since you are on good terms with Quanzi and Quanzi recommends you so much, you might as well write a poem." Zhang Shu said to Li Chouxin.
Li Chou saw everyone looking at him and looked at Luo Dafu. He was still thinking about the poem Luo Dafu had just written. He drank three glasses of wine in a row, stood up and chanted:
The blood of hundreds of battlefields melts into the snow
The spear is still strong and the iron clothes are decayed
Kill all the Xiongnu generals directly
Riding his wounded horse back under the moonlight
"Good poem, good poem. This poem from Chou Xin is exactly what Dafu wants in his heart. One day, he will kill all the enemies and fly back on his horse." Luo Dafu looked at Li Chouxin with shock.
When everyone nearby heard this poem, they praised it very well, as if they didn't know anything except praise.
Hu Jin, who was sitting in the seat, saw the people in front of him talking more and more intimately, and felt unhappy. He said a few words casually: "I think these three people are writing poems here tonight, and the others are just doing their own thing, so why not stop here."
Hu Jin then took Yan Zefa and Zhang Shu to drink a few drinks and left the banquet on the grounds of official business.
Li Chouxin and Luo Dafu slowly began to get closer through dialogue in poetry, and even started drinking at the same table.
Li Chouxin also took this opportunity to test Luo Dafu: "The general's return this time must be for the soldiers at the border. I just heard that there seemed to be a sense of dissatisfaction in the general's poems."
Lodav was speechless and smiled bitterly. Then he picked up the wine glass and drank it all. He said: "My sad brother, don't ask any more questions. What I said in the poem just now is just the real situation of the soldiers at the border. There is indeed something important when I come back this time. But if Brother Chouxin knows too much, it will be bad for you, so let’s drink, it’s not a wasted acquaintance.”
They didn't know how many drinks they had drank. Li Chouxin saw that they were almost done drinking and wanted to ask Luo Dafu. Just when he was about to speak, Luo Dafu asked back: "Listen to what Brother Xu said, Brother Chouxin is more than just a scholar." How could you, who is so skilled in martial arts, be willing to settle down here and join the ranks of these merchants? I don’t think my worried brother is someone who is willing to hide in the market."
Li Chouxin was asked this question, so she held back her own question, thought for a moment and replied: "In today's world, great aspirations are hard to come by. It's better to wander around the market and be free and easy." After that, he drank a cup alone.
The two looked at each other and smiled knowingly, but said nothing more because they both knew that there would be no results if they continued to ask.
Not long after, the banquet broke up. Both of them left Zhang Mansion with questions.
Li Chouxin left Zhang's house and disappeared on the street corner under Zhang Rao's watch.
After tonight's banquet, Li Chouxin had a preliminary understanding of the people the Zhang family interacted with on weekdays. He was convinced that there must be collusion between the Zhang family, Hu Jin, and Yan Zefa, but he had to start with Zhang Rao.
Li Chouxin happened to see Luo Dafu and Xu Sanqiu passing by at the intersection at this time, so she thought of following them secretly to find out. After all, these two people did not seem to be just good friends.
Li Chouxin followed and saw that Xu Sanqiu did not go back to the second and second floors, but followed Luo Dafu straight to the direction of Eling Ferry.
But just before arriving at the Eling Ferry, Lodav suddenly stopped and said behind him: "Come out, Brother Chouxin, we are all following you."
Li Chou was secretly frightened, thinking that Luo Dafu must be extremely skilled in martial arts, otherwise he would never find out that he was following him, so he slowly walked out of the corner.
"Brother Chou Xin, why are you following us?" Xu Sanqiu asked first.
Li Chouxin looked at the two people in front of her and knew that it would be difficult to prevaricate, so she said: "Chouxin saw Mr. Xu and General Luo walking together today. She was curious and felt that the two of them were more than just friends, so she wanted to find out in secret."
Seeing that Li Chou was calm, Luo Dafu said: "Brother Chouxin is really transparent. Since I can't hide it from you, I will tell you clearly. I think brother Chouxin is definitely not the same person as those people tonight. In fact, Brother Xu is not the same. It's not that I was demoted here. Brother Xu has been here for so many years. He only committed himself to the second and second floors to facilitate the investigation of the case. Recently, Brother Xu suddenly received a letter saying that he had some clues. I just rushed back from the border. To be honest, it has been the same for all these years. I’ve wronged Brother Xu.”
"Investigating a case? What case to investigate? Could it be related to Hu Jin and Yan Zefa? Otherwise, how could Mr. Xu have made no progress for so many years." As soon as Li Chouxin finished speaking, the two of them looked at him in surprise.
"Chou Xin knows that the two of you are doubtful and doesn't hide it from each other. Chou Xin is here to help others and to find out the truth and help innocent victims, so she stopped in Eling." Li Chou Xin continued to explain.
"You must be talking about the Ling family, right? The Ling family is the only one who has been framed recently. It seems that the Ling family has been saved by my brother," Xu Sanqiu asked.
"Exactly, it was a coincidence that day when the Seven Hegemons of Eling were trying to do something against the Ling family, so they rescued them and promised to help them," Li Chouxin replied.
"I think Brother Chouxin has fallen in love with someone else's daughter, right? The two daughters of the Ling family are very pretty." Xu Sanqiu said with a smirk on his face.
"Stop being ridiculous. Since we all have the same purpose, to find out the truth, can we high-five today and work together to investigate the case so that the truth can come to light as soon as possible, which will not only relieve the suffering at the border but also save the innocent victims. Lodav said righteously.
Li Chouxin and Xu Sanqiu looked at the serious Luo Dafu and nodded in agreement, so the three of them formally high-fived themselves into an alliance.
It turns out that eight years ago, Luo Dafu and Xu Sanqiu knew about the shortage of military supplies in Xifeng Pass when they were still officials in the capital. So the imperial court secretly sent Xu Sanqiu to investigate and sent Luo Dafu to Xifeng Pass. The truth is that on the one hand, it allowed the scattered border troops to regroup and the situation improved at first, but then it became more serious. However, in the past few years, we have known that the problem lies in Eling, but due to lack of evidence and many obstacles, it has not been solved. , this has become the current situation that Xu Sanqiu has been undercover on the second and second floors for eight years, and Luo Dafu has been guarding Xifeng Pass for eight years.
After Li Chouxin learned about the situation, he admired the two people in front of him, so the three of them continued to Eling Ferry.
However, Li Chou knew clearly that Zhang Rao's line could not be broken. After all, with Zhang Rao, he could get closer to the truth in the circle.
Li Chouxin and the two of them came to the outside of the ferry and found a secret place to hide. This place was directly opposite the ferry and they could clearly see every move on it. Xu Sanqiu must have been here long ago.
Li Chou didn't ask any more questions. The three of them continued to observe the ferry in secret. Sure enough, not long after, a merchant ship sailed into the ferry.
