Chapter 385: Night Voyage Accompanied by Heartbreak

The night was heavy, there was no moon in the sky, only the stars were flickering.

The passenger ship passed through Zhenjiang, the night had deepened, and the river was surging, gently slapping the hull.

The monotonous and fragmented sound of the river waves rose and fell, like a surging and tangled heart, which would never stop.

Jiang Liu took two guards and retreated to the rear cabin to rest, leaving the front cabin alone for Jia Cong and Zou Min'er to sleep.

The front cabin only had a small table, two stools, and a sleeping couch wide enough for two people, and nothing else could be placed.

Although the rear cabin was larger, with the boatman and Jiang Liu and others, there were already six people squeezed in, and even their feet couldn't be inserted.

Jiang Liu knew that Jia Cong had been very close to this Lady Zhou since he arrived in Jin Ling, so naturally he wouldn't let Jia Cong squeeze into the rear cabin with him.

Zou Min'er said nothing, her expression was a bit uncomfortable, and Jia Cong also realized the problem. An awkward atmosphere flowed in the narrow cabin.

When he and Zhi Shao went from Yangzhou to Gusu, although they also lived in the same cabin and even slept on the same couch, their status had been determined, and they hadn't consummated the marriage, so it was considered normal.

But Zou Min'er was completely different to Jia Cong, and even to him, because of the past resentment, there was hidden and uncertain defense and danger between them.

Jia Cong was used to life in the mansion. If he were to squeeze with six men, he would rather blow the wind at the bow of the ship until dawn.

He saw that Zou Min'er was unhappy, but she didn't say anything, and didn't drive him out of the cabin, so he pretended not to know and closed his eyes to doze off on the table.

He didn't have the thick skin and courage to sleep on a sleeping couch with Zou Min'er.

Zou Min'er leaned on the sleeping couch, not daring to move her body.

There was the breathing of another person in the room, and she had fallen to this point, and she was inextricably linked to this person.

For a while, her heart was surging, and she couldn't sleep at all.

In a daze, chaotic scenes kept appearing in her mind.

In the spacious and luxurious inner mansion, she lived in a high embroidery building, with fine clothes and food, loved by her parents, and even her dreams were full of sweetness and beauty.

Overnight, all this was crushed into powder. Her father committed suicide due to guilt, her mother died of worry in prison, and she was demoted to the lowly status of the Music Bureau and pushed onto a carriage heading north.

She used the only gold-inlaid hairpin on her body to exchange for a hard copper hairpin with a female prisoner in the same carriage.

She secretly sharpened the copper hairpin until it could easily end her life.

This copper hairpin became her only reliance, giving her the weak right to say no to her tragic fate, accompanying her through the nightmare-like days.

She was demoted to the lowly status of the Shenjing Music Bureau. Because she knew how to read and write, she was not sent to the Sixteen Buildings to receive guests, but was arranged to the Music Department of the Music Bureau.

But this was not the beginning of luck. The female relatives of the convicted officials who were demoted to the Music Bureau had their families broken and died, and had no reliance. They were the lowest people in the world.

No matter where they were assigned, they couldn't escape the fate of being trampled by others. Perhaps this was the humiliation and punishment of imperial power for convicted officials.

Her youthful beauty was soon coveted by the nobles who frequented the Music Bureau. Some officials in the Music Bureau began to use words to tempt and threaten her, but they didn't succeed.

She naively thought that the Music Bureau was under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Rites, and this was not a brothel. Although the officials threatened her with words, they didn't dare to use force.

But when the desires of the nobles burned to the extreme, and the officials received enough benefits, her temporary luck became vulnerable.

Finally, one day, she was forced by two strong men to be carried to a strange room in the Music Bureau.

That person with a noble status, the disgusting smile on his face, made her twitch and vomit.

That scene would have been unforgettable for her, but it was very strange that she still couldn't remember the man's face. Perhaps she didn't dare to remember it at all.

Just when she was about to use the copper hairpin on her hair bun to end herself, at the critical moment, Du Qingniang suddenly appeared and saved her.

Du Qingniang also took her as an entry-level disciple, giving her a protective amulet in the Music Bureau.

Various chaotic scenes flashed in Zou Min'er's mind, making her consciousness a bit chaotic, in a dazed state of being asleep and awake.

In a trance, she thought, why did Du Qingniang appear so timely that day? Even if she was a moment late, that sharp copper hairpin would have pierced her throat.

She suddenly thought again that such a coincidence made her feel familiar. Did Jia Cong also meet her by coincidence in the Ziyun Pavilion back then?

She felt a sting of realization in her heart.

That was the first time she saw Jia Cong, and she still kept that tiger-pattern jade belt...

Suddenly, in a daze, she felt someone approaching. The invisible shadow seemed to make her unable to breathe, a male breath that was both familiar and strange.

She suddenly remembered the scene where she was carried to a strange room by two strong men that day.

She woke up suddenly, quickly pulled out the sharp copper hairpin from her hair bun, raised her jade arm high, and used all her strength to stab at the person's throat!

At the critical moment, she found that her wrist was held by a powerful and warm hand.

The strong hand force erupted, making Zou Min'er's delicate wrist ache, and the hand holding the hairpin was forced to loosen.

That sharp copper hairpin was not taken away by anyone...

……

By the second half of the night, the temperature on the river had dropped significantly. Jia Cong had been practicing Qi and practicing the saber with Qu Hongxiu since he was a child, so his blood was strong, and naturally there would be no problem.

He noticed that Zou Min'er on the sleeping couch was only pretending to sleep at first, which was not strange. In this situation, it was normal for a woman to have concerns.

But as time passed, the ship swayed, and Zou Min'er gradually fell into a deep sleep.

After a while, he saw Zou Min'er's cheeks were red, her brows were slightly furrowed, and even her forehead was sweating, as if she were trapped in a nightmare, isolated and helpless, making people feel pity.

He noticed that the wooden window of the cabin was not closed tightly, and the river wind kept pouring into the cabin, blowing Zou Min'er's hair on her temples.

Jia Cong got up to close the wooden window tightly, looked at Zou Min'er on the sleeping couch a few times, and took off his outer robe to cover her.

But he didn't expect Zou Min'er to wake up suddenly, pull out the hairpin on her head and attack him...

……

Zou Min'er held her aching wrist and saw clearly that it was Jia Cong who had just approached her.

Seeing that he was holding her copper hairpin in his right hand, the edge of his palm had been cut by the copper hairpin and was dripping blood, and she was still covered with his robe.

She suddenly understood, her heart couldn't help but soften, she wanted to say an apology, but suddenly remembered the dream just now.

Her heart sank slightly, but the words she said became: "What did you just do!"

Jia Cong said coldly: "The river wind is too strong, I'm afraid you will catch a cold. We are going to Gusu to handle official business. If you are sick, it will delay my business."

"Also, I, Jia Cong, have not seen any women, you think too much!"

Zou Min'er: "..."

Jia Cong walked to the place where clean water was stored in the cabin and washed the wound on the edge of his palm.

Zou Min'er thought for a while, took out a clean silk handkerchief from her body, walked up to help him bandage his hand.

She said faintly: "When I was demoted to the Shenjing Music Bureau, it was very difficult to live. There were always some people who were powerful and full of obscenity."

"I have developed a habit. As long as a man approaches me, I will give him a hairpin. Either he dies or I die!"

Jia Cong heard her fierce words, and could probably imagine that a beautiful daughter of an official family was demoted to the Music Bureau and could be slaughtered by others.

How much covetousness of obscene power would be aroused, thinking that she could live to this day, it should also be very difficult...

If it weren't for him finding out Zou Huaiyi's guilt, perhaps she wouldn't have ended up like this.

But there is cause and effect in the world, so there will be right and wrong. He and she seem to have no mistakes.

Jia Cong saw Zou Min'er carefully bandaging him with a silk handkerchief. This woman, who was originally chilling and cold, seemed to rarely reveal a trace of warmth.

His heart also relaxed, and he said half-jokingly: "A girl is so fierce, it will be hard to find a husband in the future."

Zou Min'er heard this, her pretty face turned red, her eyes were red, a layer of anger floated, and she pushed his hand away.

She said angrily: "I am no longer the daughter of an official family. I am a lowly musician in the Music Bureau. Do people like me deserve to say such things!"

Jia Cong saw that she was moody, and was a bit helpless for a while.

But he also understood that his unintentional words hurt people, and he regretted his slip of the tongue.

Zou Min'er walked back to the sleeping couch angrily, grabbed Jia Cong's robe and wanted to throw it on the ground, but in the end, she didn't throw it away.

She covered herself with the robe, turned her back and lay down, closing her eyes and pretending to sleep, ignoring Jia Cong.

……

Jin Ling, Xianghe Lane.

At the entrance of a small courtyard, three men came.

The leader had exquisite clothes, a proper appearance, and a calm demeanor, revealing a shrewd and capable look.

Another person wore a Lan robe, a square scarf on his head, and held a folding fan. He was a scholar with merit, but he had a Western pocket watch hanging on his chest, which he often took out to look at the time. The shape was a bit strange.

The third person was dressed in coarse cloth, carrying a wooden box, with rough hands and many scars, looking like a craftsman.

The leader knocked on the door ring, and it took a long time for someone to open the door.

But the person who opened the door was not an ordinary Zhou person, but a Western barbarian with golden hair and blue eyes.

The leader and the scholar were not surprised.

Only the craftsman was startled by the appearance of this Western barbarian, and was full of doubts.

The scholar with the Western pocket watch was actually an interpreter who was proficient in foreign languages. He said a lot of gibberish to the Western barbarian, and the man invited the three into the courtyard.

The three entered the courtyard and sat down. Under the instruction of the leader, the craftsman placed the wooden box he was carrying in front of the Western barbarian, and then opened the box lid for him.

A piece of silver light flashed in the box, and the Western barbarian's eyes were full of surprise...

It took about half a meal's time for the three to leave the Western barbarian's courtyard, and the craftsman kept shaking his head with disdain.

The leader first said goodbye to the scholar interpreter, and then took a carriage with the craftsman.

……

The carriage ran for a cup of tea's time and stopped in front of a courtyard in the east of Jin Ling City. The two people in the carriage got off and entered the courtyard.

In the main hall of the courtyard, a young man was already waiting here, sixteen or seventeen years old, wearing a single-colored green shirt, with light clothes and a gentle appearance, simple and unadorned.

His features were exquisite, handsome and elegant, his bearing was beautiful, and his appearance was excellent, but his gestures had a bit of feminine air.

The two entered the hall, and the young man asked: "Uncle Xian, how did the matter go?"

The middle-aged man with a shrewd and capable demeanor was Liu Xian, the steward of the second branch of the Zhen family, and the capable assistant of Miss Zhen San's father, Zhen Yingquan, before his death.

Liu Xian said: "Young Master, that person was arranged by the Third Master in a mansion in Xianghe Lane. It is not difficult to find. Just now I have taken Master Chen there to see it. He said this person is not a silversmith."

The young man looked at the craftsman named Master Chen, with a questioning look in his eyes.

Liu Xian said: "Master Chen, you are the most famous silversmith in Jin Ling City. You say this person is not a silversmith. Tell my young master the reason, and your reward will not be less."

Master Chen's face showed joy, and he said: "Young Master Zhen, I, old Liu, have been a silversmith for a lifetime, and I don't know how many apprentices I have taught in Jin Ling City."

"To say whether a person has silversmith skills, he doesn't need to do it. I only need to say a few words to him, and then look at his pair of hands, and he will never be able to hide from my eyes."

"This time, I specially brought a box of silver utensils. Xian Ye told that barbarian that I heard he was a famous silversmith from the outer sea, so I came to visit."

"I also said that our silver shop lacks a master craftsman, and I want to invite him to stay in the shop. The silver salary can be mentioned by himself, but the barbarian refused without thinking."

"I saw it clearly on the side. His expression was extremely uncomfortable. I took out the box of silver utensils and asked him to take a look, and asked him to point out which ones were the best."

"As a result, the few that the barbarian chose were not the best, and there were even a few that were made by my two one-year apprentices."

"I chatted with him about silver utensils again, and the barbarian said a lot of gibberish. The scholar interpreter told me, and I knew that this barbarian was a layman who knew nothing."

"Young Master Zhen, based on my vision as a silversmith for a lifetime, I dare to guarantee that he is definitely not a silversmith, and those hands are also a bit strange."

Miss Zhen San asked: "What is strange about his hands?"

Master Chen said: "His right thumb, index finger, and middle finger all have black scorch marks. That is soaked into the skin and flesh, and cannot be washed clean."

"I, as a silversmith, do fine work every day and have practiced a pair of good eyes, so I can see it clearly. A silversmith will never leave such traces on his hands."

"My brother-in-law is a blacksmith. He has been a blacksmith by the fire for many years, so his fingers have such scorch marks. So I think he might be a blacksmith."

Master Chen was quite proud of his extensive knowledge, but the delicate Young Master Zhen in front of him didn't seem to be very interested in the blacksmith's statement.

Just said to Liu Xian: "Uncle Xian, you send Master Chen out."

Liu Xian took out two hundred-tael silver notes and handed them to Master Chen, saying: "Master Chen, only we know about the help you gave me. No one can say it after going out."

Master Chen took the silver notes with a smile on his face, and swore to keep the secret.

Miss Zhen San walked back and forth in the main hall habitually. This was her habit when she couldn't figure things out.

Liu Xian sent Master Chen away and returned. Miss Zhen San said: "Uncle Xian, do you believe that the Englishman is a blacksmith? The Third Master invited a blacksmith from England from far away. This is not reasonable."

"This matter is too strange. Uncle Xian, you arrange for people to watch this Englishman to see what his background is. I am worried that the Third Master of the big house will cause trouble again." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 386 =====