Chapter 422: The flower girl chants the golden fan

Jin Ling, Xing Long Ward, Jia Family Old Residence, Jia Cong's Courtyard.

In the afternoon, the scorching sun was spitting out intensity, projecting swaying light spots on the desk through the dense branches and leaves of the parasol trees in the garden.

Dou Qi Guan was sleeping soundly on the couch in the study, and Ling Qi Guan was practicing calligraphy at the desk, facing the copybook left by Jia Cong.

Ling Qi Guan's crow-black hair was shining in the sun, and on her snow-white tender earlobes, she wore that pair of gold-threaded earrings inlaid with eastern pearls.

With the turning of her slender wrist, the eastern pearls on the earrings swayed gently, flashing with the moist milky white treasure light.

The light spots projected from the window seemed to shake her vision, so she put down the brush and got up to the windowsill, tiptoed to lower the sun-shading bamboo curtain.

The slender and delicate body that stretched and pulled up had already revealed slightly undulating curves, like the buds waiting to be released on the branches of the cardamom, which was indescribably slender and beautiful.

She returned to the desk, picked up the brush and wrote a few strokes, then put it down somewhat listlessly.

Sitting at the desk, supporting her small face with both hands, she was somewhat bored and dazed.

Jia Cong hadn't returned to the mansion for several days. Ling Qi Guan had practiced the new characters taught by Jia Cong until she was familiar with them, and even the "Story of the Western Wing" that Jia Cong bought for her to read and relieve boredom had been read repeatedly many times.

It seemed that there was really nothing new to do.

Ever since she came back from the Zhen Mansion birthday banquet, Jia Cong had never returned to the mansion, and Ling Qi Guan was very worried in her heart.

Two days ago, Jiang Liu came back to report the news, saying that Cong Sanye had important matters outside and would return to the mansion after he was busy.

Although she got Jia Cong's word, time passed day by day, but she never saw Jia Cong return, which made Ling Qi Guan worry every day.

Ever since she left Gu Su with Jia Cong, she had become accustomed to Jia Cong's existence.

She thought that when she returned to the Love Shenjing in the future, she would have to sing operas with the sisters of the opera troupe in the Teaching Music Division.

She could no longer be by his side like this, reading, writing, and singing songs, wouldn't that be suffocating to death.

Unlike Ling Qi Guan's worry, Dou Qi Guan had no taboos about Jia Cong leaving the mansion for many days. She ate, slept, and practiced opera as usual, and her days were still happy and simple.

Ling Qi Guan glanced at Dou Qi Guan, who was curled up on the sleeping couch and snoring soundly, and wrinkled her nose with some envy.

Suddenly, she noticed light footsteps behind her, as well as a slender figure.

She was intelligent, and Jia Cong's courtyard was inside the second gate. Except for her and Dou Qi Guan, as well as the two maids arranged by the Jia Mansion, who else would walk around.

Her heart was full of joy and excitement, and she turned around prettily, calling out: "Cong Sanye, you are back. You have been out for so many days, and I haven't seen your figure."

Jia Cong saw Ling Qi Guan full of excitement and smiles, still pretty and lovely after not seeing her for a few days, and couldn't help but blurt out: "Did you miss me?"

He was used to saying these joking words to the girls around him like Zhi Shao, and it was natural to blurt them out after not seeing Ling Qi Guan for a few days.

Only after saying it did he feel somewhat strange. After all, Ling Qi Guan was different from Zhi Shao and Wu'er, and it seemed somewhat abrupt.

But he didn't expect that Ling Qi Guan was still young and somewhat ignorant, and she didn't care at all, slightly complaining: "Knowing that I miss you, you didn't come back earlier."

Jia Cong was slightly stunned after hearing this, but he was somewhat surprised by her straightforward temper, and she really had a bit of Dai Yu's temperament.

"Didn't I come back? I also brought you something."

Jia Cong opened the package in his hand. Inside was a blue book box cover. Opening the ivory box signature, there were five neatly stacked blue-covered books.

On the cover was written "The Story of the Western Wing Waiting for the Moon", which is the Western Wing Story by Wang Master often said in later generations.

Ling Qi Guan had been reading and writing with Jia Cong for a period of time. Although there were some rare characters she didn't recognize, she recognized the words on the cover.

Seeing those five brand-new Western Wing miscellaneous drama books, a joyful and admiring expression appeared in her eyes.

Jia Cong smiled and said: "You said before that your master didn't know characters either. She taught you opera scripts, all of which were recited by your ancestors since childhood. You also said that you learned characters and must read the opera scripts yourself.

So I bought you this set of Western Wing miscellaneous drama books. You have sung many songs before, and you can find them all on this."

Ling Qi Guan took the book happily and flipped through it. Suddenly, she thought of something and asked: "Cong Sanye, are you busy with things outside? Stay in the mansion today."

Jia Cong replied: "The matter is not over yet. I came back to see you and Dou Qi Guan, and I have to go later."

Ling Qi Guan heard this, her small face collapsed, and she frowned and said: "Going out again? How many days will it be before you come back? I have learned all the characters you taught, and I am waiting for you to teach me new ones."

Jia Cong smiled: "There will be time for reading and writing in the future. However, I came here this time to take you with me."

Ling Qi Guan heard this, and a look of joy appeared on her small face, asking with a smile: "Where is Cong Sanye taking me?"

Jia Cong had been in the old residence in Ming Ze Lane for five days in order to take care of Zou Min'er.

He was still holding the errand of the Ministry of Works Firearm Division after all. If he didn't show up for many days, he could say he was handling Zou Min'er's funeral.

If the time dragged on for too long, it would definitely make the people around him suspicious, so it was time to go out and show his face.

Moreover, Zou Min'er's injury was stable now, and she didn't need him to watch day and night, but he couldn't be in Ming Ze Lane all the time. Zou Min'er needed someone to accompany and protect her.

But Zou Min'er wanted to fake death and escape, which involved the Jin Ling Central Vehicle Division, and Jia Cong didn't dare to hire a strange woman to serve her, so as not to leak the news.

So he thought of taking Ling Qi Guan there to look after Zou Min'er, which was the most reassuring and stable.

……

Gu Su, Tie Ling Pass Wharf.

Afternoon, the scorching sun was like fire.

Every morning, many cargo ships would dock. That time was the peak of wharf handling.

The bitter laborers who relied on selling strength in the city would grab business at this time. As long as they worked hard for a morning, they would have a place to eat for the day.

By the time the sun was in the middle of the sky, the handling of cargo ships docking in the morning had passed its peak, ushering in the most idle time of the day at the wharf.

The bitter laborers who had been busy for half a day gathered in groups of three or five, picked a shaded place on the wharf, or drank tea and gambled, or slept soundly, to relieve the fatigue of half a day of labor.

On the east side of the wharf, there was a large banyan tree. The shade there was the coolest, and it was the coolest place on the wharf.

However, the bitter laborers on the wharf avoided this best place, preferring to find a place that was not very shaded rather than go under the tree to find bad luck.

Some time ago, some foreign bitter laborers came, each of them strong and powerful. As soon as they came to the wharf, they grabbed a lot of business.

As a result, some local old bitter laborers were very unconvinced and went up to provoke them, wanting to scare these outsiders away.

But they didn't expect that these outsiders were not only strong, but also very capable of fighting.

They beat the provocateurs severely in a few moments. Since then, no one on the wharf dared to provoke these outsiders again.

The bitter laborers who moved goods on the wharf sold their strength for money, so they naturally advocated serving people with strength. If others have more brute force than you, they naturally have to be submissive and admit defeat, which is also the hidden rule of this line of work.

Under the big banyan tree on the wharf, six people sat scattered, occupying this piece of shade.

Four of them were strong men, looking like the kind of characters who were powerful.

The fifth person was a lean man, but he looked energetic, with a pair of eyes shining brightly.

Except for these five, the appearance of the sixth person under the tree was somewhat different. He was neither strong nor lean.

Compared to the other five, he was much older, already over thirty years old, wearing a gray short jacket, thin figure, and ordinary features.

In short, this person, whether it was age or appearance, didn't look like someone who could do the work of a wharf bitter laborer.

And in fact, he was the head of this group of foreign bitter laborers, responsible for helping them solicit business from ship owners, settling and counting the money for handling, etc.

……

The lean man walked to the middle-aged man's side and sat down, asking: "Zhang Wu Ge, where did you ask Yu Yu Xiuzhu to go early in the morning? He looked mysterious, and he wouldn't tell me when I asked him."

The man called Zhang Wu Ge smiled slightly and said: "I asked him to go to the flower building."

The lean man was startled by these words, his mouth wide open, and he couldn't close it, asking: "You asked him to go to the brothel, Zhang Wu Ge, what is this?"

Cong Sanye asked us to go to Gu Su to find that person's whereabouts. You asked us to carry big bags, and asked Yu Xiuzhu to go to the brothel...."

That Zhang Wu Ge smiled slightly. This time, the Count of Lord Weiyuan didn't know where he drew fifty people, let four Jin Ling Central Vehicle Division personnel lead them, and divided them into various prefectures along the river to investigate the news.

Because Gu Su is a big city in Jiang Nan, merchants gather, water and land are developed, and it is one of the few places in Jiang Nan where people and wealth gather.

Moreover, Gu Su and Songjiang are the main ports for entering the sea among the prefectures along the river. If Zhou Zhou Zhengyang wants to escape by sea, he will mostly pass through these two places.

So among the fifty people, half of them were sent to these two places to investigate the news. Zhang Wu alone brought twelve people to Gu Su.

Although Zhang Wu received instructions from above not to inquire about the origin of these people at will, through the contact of these people, he still guessed the identity of these people.

These people privately mentioned that Count of Lord Weiyuan, and they would respectfully call him General or Count, so they were mostly subordinates and comrades of the Count of Lord Weiyuan in the army.

The military atmosphere revealed in these people's behavior also proved Zhang Wu's guess.

And among these people, only this Jiang Xiao Liu would occasionally blurt out and call the Count of Lord Weiyuan Cong Sanye.

Zhang Wu is an old man of the Jin Ling Central Vehicle Division and a veteran spy. He knows very well about the prominent figures who attract attention in the Love Shenjing and Jin Ling.

Naturally, he knows the past of such figures as Jia Cong, not to mention that Jia Cong is currently temporarily holding the position of Central Vehicle Division manager and supervisor, which counts as his immediate superior.

He knows that Jia Cong was born in the Lady Rongguo Mansion in the Love Shenjing and is a local person from the Love Shenjing, and this Jiang Xiao Liu is also from the Love Shenjing.

Looking at his familiar manner when mentioning Jia Cong, he must have been a confidant under Jia Cong in Liaodong back then. I'm afraid they were already familiar with each other before this.

……

Zhang Wu smiled and said: "Jiang brother doesn't know. The reason why I asked Yu Xiuzhu to go to the flower building is not to ask him to go for pleasure, but to ask him to go to inquire about the news."

Jiang Xiao Liu was startled by this, and whispered with a smile: "Zhang Wu Ge, you have such a beautiful job, why don't you let us go and do it for you? Yu Xiuzhu's literary and weak appearance can't do anything."

Zhang Wu smiled: "What I want is his literary and weak energy. People like him look like they are in the flower building.

You guys are full of strong energy, and the military style is heavy. Going to that kind of place where sound and color are dogs and horses is too eye-catching, and it is easy for people to see flaws.

Only by staying at the wharf where blood and strength are sold will you not be so conspicuous.

Other people are not as conspicuous as you, so I arranged for them to enter the marketplace to investigate."

Jiang Xiao Liu whispered with a smile: "Zhang Wu Ge, you have so many ways, inquiring about news and going to brothels have so many stresses.

But you asked Yu Xiuzhu to go to the brothel to inquire about the news. Do you think you can find Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's whereabouts in those places?"

Zhang Wu said: "We have Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's case file. Zhou Zhou Zhengyang is lustful. Although he has a beautiful wife and concubines at home, he still wanders in brothels and is used to seeking flowers and asking willows.

People like him, even if they are in hiding and escaping, will mostly not be able to bear going to the flower building to relax. This is a common problem of lustful people.

Moreover, the flower building has complex flow of people, which may not be a good place to hide."

Jiang Xiao Liu looked strange and said: "Zhang Wu Ge, how many brothels are there in Gu Su City? If you ask Yu Xiuzhu to look for them one by one, he will be exhausted."

Zhang Wu smiled: "Zhou Zhou Zhengyang was a Grade 3 military official in Jin Ling, with high rank and heavy weight. People like him will never go to that kind of private dark house, and will definitely go to the most luxurious flower building in the local area.

There are only three or four such places in Gu Su. I told him the specific places, and Yu Xiuzhu only needs half a day."

Jiang Xiao Liu listened to this, muttering in his mouth: "Three or four families are not few. Yu Xiuzhu, this kid has small arms and legs, can he handle it...."

……

The two were talking when a young man suddenly walked from the wharf, wearing a moon-white thin silk long gown, a square scarf on his head, a folding fan inserted diagonally behind his collar, his steps swaying, with a romantic appearance.

As soon as Zhang Wu saw this person, he whispered with a smile: "Yu Xiuzhu is only a big-headed soldier, which is a bit of a waste. Maybe he is more suitable for our line of work."

The young man walked to the big banyan tree and shouted: "Zhang, how much of that ship's cargo is left to be unloaded? I'll say the ugly words first. If it's not unloaded before sunset.

You won't get a single penny!"

The young man's arrogant words attracted the local bitter laborers resting near the wharf. They even saw the head Zhang Wu nodding and bowing, asking the young man to sit down and rest and drink tea.

So these people guessed that it must be this group of villagers who didn't know the heights of the sky and the earth, grabbed too much business, and couldn't unload the goods in time, and were going to be cheated out of a sum of silver by the ship owner.

This kind of thing is common on the wharf. The local bitter laborers didn't care when they heard it, and mostly cast gloating eyes, so no one paid attention to this side.

After the young man sat down, he glanced around twice before whispering: "Zhang Wu Ge, I went to those brothels you mentioned this morning. I didn't hear any useful news from the first few.

Later, I went to that Pan Xiang Building in the north of the city. According to the method you said, I called the red girl who is best at singing songs in the building. That girl is named Hua Niang and is a famous golden voice in the Gu Su flower building.

I listened to her sing a little tune and chatted with her, and I really found out useful news."

Jiang Xiao Liu, who was standing to the side, was confused and asked: "Zhang Wu Ge, why did you ask Yu Xiuzhu to call the red girl who is best at singing songs when he entered the brothel? What kind of mystery is this?"

Zhang Wu smiled slightly: "This Zhou Zhou Zhengyang is not only lustful, but also has a strange habit. Every time he enters the brothel, he picks the top card who is good at singing songs.

And before doing things every time, he will let the other party sing the romantic little tune of the brothel to listen to."

Jiang Xiao Liu looked strange and said: "This dog official really has many tricks."

Zhang Wu said again: "We didn't know about this secret matter originally. Later, the Supreme Court arrested Zhou Zhou Zhengyang and failed, and even Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's wife and son escaped in advance.

But they caught Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's concubine. That Supreme Court official Yang Yang Hongbin is proficient in interrogation, and his methods are very clever.

Actually interrogated that Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's concubine, who was the head courtesan of the Hong Chun Building in Jin Ling ten years ago. This concubine was not only beautiful when she was young, but also a natural golden voice.

She is best at singing romantic little tunes of the brothel, which pleased Zhou Zhou Zhengyang, so he spent a lot of money to redeem her and also entered his door as a concubine.

However, later this concubine gave birth to a daughter and gradually became old and faded, but Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's illness was left behind. Every time he goes to the brothel, he will act according to the rules."

Jiang Xiao Liu listened to this strange story and had a strange expression again, holding back for a long time and still saying: "This dog official really has many tricks!"

Yu Yu Xiuzhu, standing to the side, also giggled after hearing this strange story.

He continued: "Hua Niang said that some time ago, there was a guest who came like me, and when he came, he called the red girl who is proficient in singing songs. It was her who received the guest.

That guest also especially liked to listen to a song called... what's the name... right, it's called 'Sprinkling Gold Fan', a little tune of the brothel.

Because Hua Niang has a natural good voice, singing that 'Sprinkling Gold Fan' was very pleasing to that guest, and he has patronized her several times.

It's just that he hasn't come for the past seven or eight days, and every time he comes, he brings followers and attendants. It looks like he is an unusual character.

I rewarded Hua Niang with five taels of silver to buy rouge and asked her about that person's appearance. According to Hua Niang's description, that person looks very much like Zhou Zhou Zhengyang in the portrait.

It's just that I was afraid she would be suspicious, so I didn't dare to take out the portrait for her to identify."

Zhang Wu's eyes shone brightly, and his expression was slightly agitated, saying: "This is Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's unique strange habit. Very few people have this problem.

This person must be Zhou Zhou Zhengyang, at least it shows that he was in Gu Su seven or eight days ago, and perhaps he is still there!"

Jiang Xiao Liu asked: "Since he is a lustful ghost and has patronized that Hua Niang several times, why hasn't he come for the past seven or eight days?"

Wang Yu Xiuzhu said: "Because seven days ago, the Supreme Court issued Zhou Zhou Zhengyang's latest portrait, replacing the old map of the Ministry of War. It is said that the new portrait is very similar to Zhou Zhou Zhengyang himself.

Now the streets and alleys are posted everywhere, so Zhou Zhou Zhengyang doesn't dare to come out and show his face."

Zhang Wu looked at Wang Yu Xiuzhu, and he was somewhat appreciative of his sensitivity.

He said: "Today is a big harvest. I will write a letter immediately and send it to Jin Ling overnight, waiting for the instructions of the Count of Lord Weiyuan and Zou Miss." (End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 423 =====