Chapter 19: Red Plum in the Snow

Xiao Xiao Jindong drove the carriage to the side of the road early to make way for Zhou Zhou Junxing's team.

The street they passed through was not spacious, and there were many vendors on both sides, taking up a lot of the road surface, which slowed down the team's speed.

Those ten or so sword-wielding guards drove away the vendors on both sides of the street who couldn't retreat in time. For a while, the street was in chaos.

Pushed by a guard, a bloated old woman accidentally fell to the ground and stumbled as she tried to crawl up. This scene caused some passersby to curse in low voices.

Jia Cong also frowned. Seeing the arrogant actions of these guards, he knew that this Zhou Zhou Junxing was not a good bird either. No wonder he had been impeached by so many people back then.

Jia Cong was sitting in the carriage, his position much higher than the pedestrians on the road. When the old woman fell, his gaze through the carriage window was attracted to her.

He saw the old woman supporting herself with her hands, about to stand up with difficulty. When she lowered her head, she inadvertently revealed a piece of skin on the back of her neck.

The skin was as delicate as snow, and there was a small, petal-shaped bright red blood mole the size of a fingertip, like a red plum in the snow, which was stunningly beautiful.

When the old woman raised her head and straightened her body with difficulty, the collar on the back of her neck moved, completely covering the red plum in the snow. No one on the street noticed this scene.

But Jia Cong, sitting high in the carriage, saw it clearly. Although it was only for a moment, that touch of stunning beauty seemed to be carved into his mind.

By comparison, the Xicheng was built during the reign of the Retired Emperor because the Dongcheng of the Love Shenjing could not accommodate more people. Houses were built on Lei Street in the Xicheng to expand the map of the entire Love Shenjing.

Chunhua Tower was in the west of the Love Shenjing and was not the most prosperous place in the Love Shenjing. The noise and wealth of the Love Shenjing were all in the Dongcheng, where every inch of land was worth an inch of gold.

The shopkeeper of Chunhua Tower, Xu Chunhua, was a businessman with foresight. Nine years ago, he spent a very small price to buy a large piece of land in the core area of the Xicheng and built a six-story Chunhua Tower, which was the tallest building in the Xicheng. Standing on the top floor, one could overlook the entire Xicheng of the Love Shenjing.

Xiao Xiao Jindong pointed to the middle-aged scholar and said: "This is He He Jizhen. Mr. He is famous in the Love Shenjing for his bamboo paintings, and people call him He He Qingzhu."

A middle-aged scholar of about forty stepped forward and said: "Xiao Jindong, you've finally arrived. We've been waiting for a while. Who is this child?"

After Xiao Xiao Jindong and Jia Cong arrived at the place, they saw that three people were already sitting in the private room, leaning against the window, looking at the scenery of the Xicheng while chatting about something.

Don't look at Liu Bi as the youngest; he was a scholar who had just passed the provincial examination. At this age, passing the provincial examination could be considered early in the imperial examination path.

But this had nothing to do with him, so after thinking for a while, he let it go.

Xiao Xiao Jindong smiled: "This is Jia Cong, the author of those calligraphy works. Didn't you always want to see him? Today I have invited Brother Cong here."

The land there had been snatched up and divided by wealthy people with vision and wealth decades ago. Even if the wealthiest giants wanted to take root and do business in the Dongcheng now, they had to obediently rent houses, and half of the silver they earned had to be fed to those local tigers who held the land deeds.

In the past ten years, one could buy a large piece of land in the Xicheng for less than half the price of the Dongcheng, which was unimaginable in the Dongcheng where a needle couldn't be inserted.

When Jia Cong looked again, the old woman had already staggered to the side of the road. In the surging crowd, she disappeared instantly, and Jia Cong didn't even see her appearance clearly.

The last one was the youngest, looking just over twenty, named Liu Bi, who was good at painting lotuses and was famous among scholars. In his spare time, he also sent paintings to Xiao Xiao Jindong's shop for consignment, just as a pastime.

The other two, one was a scholar in his thirties named Zhou Zhou Xizhe, who was good at landscape painting and also had quite a reputation in the calligraphy and painting circles of the Love Shenjing.

Jia Cong remembered that when the old woman supported herself with her hands, the skin on her hands was like the dry, withered bark of a tree. How could the skin on the back of her neck be so delicate and fair? This was strange.

He He Jizhen was worldly-wise. Seeing that the author of those calligraphy works was indeed a ten-year-old child, he kept saying that the younger generation was formidable.

Zhou Zhou Xizhe was in his prime, meticulous and steady. Seeing that Jia Cong had such calligraphy cultivation at this age, he also sighed in secret.

Liu Bi was young and vigorous, successful in the imperial examinations, and high-spirited. He was one of the few talents in the Xicheng. He had been very impressed by Jia Cong's calligraphy works. Now seeing that he was excessively young, he was amazed, but his face didn't show it at all.

"Everyone, Brother Cong and I were delayed on the road, so we are late. I will punish myself with three cups to apologize."

After Xiao Xiao Jindong finished speaking, he poured three cups for himself and drank them in one gulp.

Seeing Xiao Xiao Jindong's generosity, several people cheered. Jia Cong was still young, so naturally, no one would let him be punished with a cup. He He Jizhen was even very thoughtful and asked the waiter for a pot of fruit jam water for him.

Zhou Zhou Xizhe asked: "What delayed you on the road, Xiao Jindong?"

Xiao Xiao Jindong smiled: "It's a coincidence. We happened to run into Zhou Zhou Junxing's team returning to the capital. As commoners, we naturally had to make way."

Liu Bi raised his eyebrows and said: "That Yama Zhou has really returned to the capital? This person rose to power by framing others and engaging in shady dealings. He is cruel, lacks virtue, and is despicable. His Majesty is always wise; how could he employ such a treacherous and cruel official?"

Zhou Zhou Xizhe was steady and cautious by nature, so he hurriedly advised: "Brother Liu, don't be impatient. His Majesty has his reasons for using such people."

"I heard that Zhou Zhou Junxing wiped out the remnants of the Hidden Sect in Dezhou, and the bandit nest of the Hidden Sect in Dezhou was swept away. Hundreds of bandits were almost all killed."

"The imperial court highly praised this matter, and it was because of this that His Majesty promoted him from the position of Military Commandant in Dezhou."

"Now that this person is in the limelight, Brother Liu, you need to be cautious in your words. It's crowded here, and if it spreads, it will cause trouble."

Liu Bi felt a chill in his heart. This year he was going to take the metropolitan examination, which was a matter related to his lifelong future.

This Yama Zhou was used to fabricating charges and was omnipresent. If someone spread his words and they reached his ears, and this villain caused some trouble to delay his imperial examination, then everything would be over!

Thinking of this, he felt cold. He was young after all. At this juncture, he had to guard his tongue. After he passed the examination and took his title, it wouldn't be too late to resist the thieves for the country.

He He Jizhen was gentle and had wide social connections. Knowing many rumors, he said: "I heard that His Majesty transferred him to take charge of the Investigation Court to curb the Hidden Sect's disaster."

"In recent years, the Hidden Sect has shown signs of a comeback, and the formation of societies and gatherings among the people has become more frequent. The imperial court is worried that the Hidden Sect will cause disaster again, and His Majesty is also very concerned about this."

Zhou Zhou Xizhe suddenly said: "The Hidden Sect has always been bizarre and unpredictable, and it is difficult for ordinary officials to deal with it. Letting a cruel official like Yama Zhou curb it is a method of letting two evils fight each other."

Jia Cong's eyes lit up when he heard this. This Zhou Zhou Xizhe actually had some insight.

Xiao Xiao Jindong saw Jia Cong silent and smiled: "Brother Cong, listening to us talk about these idle things, do you find it boring?"

Jia Cong smiled: "I find it interesting too. I once read some historical records of this dynasty, saying that when the Founding Emperor pacified the world, he once helped the Hidden Sect. Why did they later become like fire and water?"

The history books Jia Cong read were all taken from Tan Chun. The historical facts about this period in them were somewhat inaccurate or incomplete, probably because the authors also had concerns.

Xiao Xiao Jindong ran a bookstore and had read many miscellaneous books, so he could naturally connect and verify them. He knew more about these miscellaneous anecdotes than ordinary people.

"The master who founded the Hidden Sect back then was said to be a hero like the Founding Emperor; otherwise, he couldn't have done those great things."

"It is said that the Founding Emperor pacified the world and established the Great Zhou. That Hidden Sect master relied on his merits and actually had the intention of coveting the country, which led to the disaster of his sect being wiped out..."

He He Jizhen waved his hand: "We came out today to have fun. Why talk about these brainless things? Drink, Brother Cong, drink the fruit jam water."

(End of Chapter) ===== CHAPTER 20 =====

He He Jizhen laughed on the side: "We came out today to have a good time together; why talk about these mindless things? Drink, Brother Cong, have some fruit jam."

(End of chapter)