Chapter 125: Camera

Jinling City, by the Qinhuai River.

The many yamen runners with nervous expressions loudly shouted and drove the commoners on the street away.

At nearby intersections, even soldiers from the various guards were blocking the roads, forbidding commoners from passing.

One luxurious horse cart after another drove along the riverside road and stopped at the roadside in succession.

Large batches of attendants and guards stepped forward, clustering around their respective masters as they got off the carriages and boarded the boats.

All who came were powerful figures within Jinling City, the kind who make the ground shake three times with a single stomp.

If the visitors were ladies, this would be the moment for maids and nannies to step forward and draw the curtains.

How could noble ladies of such status be seen by commoners.

Commoners wanting to see a noble lady could only do so in chaotic times inside a cooking pot, or upon a bed.

The madam of Meixiang Fang smiled until the pearl powder on her face fell off.

There was no helping it; too many powerful figures had come today, even the garrison eunuch had come.

Their master behind the scenes was mixed among them, utterly inconspicuous.

These big shots could only be entertained enthusiastically; they had to bend their knees and smile like slaves in return.

Inside the vast boat cabin, all the screen partitions had been removed, two rows of glass wind lamps hung above, and it was brightly lit everywhere.

The garrison eunuch arrived last, and the crowd of powerful nobles and famous scholars all stepped forward to pay their respects to him.

Han Zanzhou exchanged pleasantries with everyone with a face full of smiles, enthusiastic and sincere.

Within Jinling City, he was the biggest; these words were not wrong.

But in essence he was a circulating official; this was only a few years of glory.

Once he retired and returned to his hometown, he would just be someone honored in retirement and that was it.

These meritorious nobles seemed low-key and inconspicuous.

But they held hereditary titles, able to remain glorious generation after generation.

Under normal circumstances, the two sides kept to themselves like well water and river water.

Many meritorious nobles had come today.

A few truly big figures did not come; they sent their heirs or important family members instead.

Someone of the Duke of Wei's status certainly would not come, but he also dispatched his heir Xu Wenjue to attend.

Recently, the famous scholars and high officials staying in Jinling City.

Such as Qian Qianyi, Ruan Dacheng, Ma Shiying, and others were all present.

The younger generation like Chen Zhenhui were completely pushed to the side.

They relied entirely on Lin Dao's proactive invitation to have the qualifications to appear here.

By the time the garrison eunuch took his seat, everyone who should come had arrived.

But Lin Dao, the host himself, had not shown his face.

Without a doubt, this drew everyone's dissatisfaction.

He really doesn't understand the rules!

It wasn't that Lin Dao didn't understand the rules; he truly had an unexpected situation and dealt with it urgently.

Fortunately, he soon appeared inside the boat cabin.

There was no punishment of three cups of wine.

The powerful eunuchs wouldn't go so far as to give him, a man of merchant origin, that much face.

They came today mainly to give the garrison eunuch face.

It was an invitation Lin Dao sent to everyone through the garrison eunuch.

The main purpose was to introduce that he had a national treasure in his possession that had appeared in the world.

Lin Dao didn't waste words and directly took out the national treasure.

"This object is called a Camera."

"It is a strange and precious thing I found overseas."

"As for the specifics, one use and you'll know."

Everyone's gazes all fell upon the small box in Lin Dao's hand, which was slightly flat but had a round ring protruding from its middle.

What could be so remarkable about such a tiny object.

Huaiyuan Marquis Heir Chang Yanling laughed and said to Xu Wenjue beside him, "It's nothing more than a music box; open the lid and a little figurine comes out to dance."

"At first sight, it is astonishing."

"But after playing with it for a long time, it's just exquisite craftsmanship and nothing more."

Xu Wenjue smiled in agreement and nodded.

These things might indeed be rare, but in their circles, the newest and strangest toys are always played with by them first!

Don't underestimate the power of the powerful nobles.

Even in the era of the Wild Boar Skins, known for ignorance, their nobles were deeply aware of world affairs.

The world's most advanced technology, they actually know about it too.

It's simply that they are bad; to keep the people foolish, they forbid its use.

"Lord Han."

Lin Dao stepped forward a few paces, raised the camera in his hand, and signaled to Han Zanzhou, "Please sit properly."

Once Han Zanzhou was seated, Lin Dao raised the camera, and with a 'Click!'

He lowered his head to check it, then stepped forward and held the screen up before the doubtful and confused Han Zanzhou.

"Lord Han, please look."

Lin Dao had arrived late before because he was busy swapping the memory card.

That card held many behavioral art photos of Lin Dao, Xie Daoyun, and the others.

He only discovered it when he went to use it, and hurriedly went back to find a new memory card to swap in.

Those behavioral art photos were all his private collection; they absolutely could not be seen by others.

Anyway, he would absolutely not go repair the camera.

Hiss~~~

Being able to reach the position of Jinling Guard Commander, Han Zanzhou's personal mindset was naturally cultivated to perfection.

Yet seeing himself on the screen, he was still startled.

"Who painted this? It's actually this fast?!"

However, an even more shocking thing appeared.

With Lin Dao's series of selections and operations, amid strange sounds, this peculiar little box actually spat out a piece of stiff paper from its bottom!

Lin Dao took the photo, shook it, and handed it to Han Zanzhou.

The Guard Commander directly stood up, his hands holding the photo trembling.

"Th- th- this~~~"

The surroundings instantly erupted in an uproar.

The Guard Commander's behavior was too astonishing.

Even many people stood up, looking over this way.

Just what thing was it, to actually make the Guard Commander lose his composure so.

Hu~~~

Han Zanzhou forcibly steadied his mindset.

He stared dead at the Polaroid in Lin Dao's hand. "Zihou, what exactly is this thing?"

"Could it be able to capture souls?!"

The clamor around them grew even louder; most people stood up.

Chen Zhenhui and the others couldn't help but step forward wanting to see for themselves, but were stopped by Qian Qianyi.

It wasn't their turn to get close yet.

The meritorious nobles also dropped their pretenses, rising one after another to crowd around.

Looking at the clear Han Zanzhou in the photo, then looking at Han Zanzhou himself, each and every one of them hollered like they'd never seen the world.

Marquis Xincheng subconsciously shouted, "Could it have been painted in advance?"

Lin Dao immediately raised the camera, pointing it at him.

"Ah?" Marquis Xincheng subconsciously raised his hand, turned his side face to dodge, but there came a click sound.

As another photo spat out, everyone craned their necks.

Seeing Marquis Xincheng in the photo with a fearful expression raising both hands to cover his face, no one doubted anymore.

Many people asked him, "Nothing wrong?"

Marquis Xincheng felt himself up and down, seeming to be missing nothing.

"Just some heart palpitations; could it be my soul was captured?"

"You're just scared." Lin Dao rudely said, "Drink a cup of wine to calm the shock."

People who had never come into contact with it, never even heard of related knowledge.

The first time they come into contact, fear and dread are inevitable, completely understandable.

Lin Dao held up the Polaroid, scanning the surroundings. "Who else wants a picture taken?"

Personal portraits are nothing rare.

This painting, that painting, Wei Nv Tu and such, there are plenty.

But even master brushwork, painting masters.

Absolutely could not paint something so vividly lifelike, looking exactly like it was copied out moment by moment.

It's really too alike, the exactly-the-same kind.

And it's such a small thing, click once and it comes out.

This completely overturned everyone's understanding.

Reverence for the unknown brings longing.

Pair after pair of eyes looked at the camera in Lin Dao's hand, full of greedy color.

Great Ming's merchants, if targeted by these people, just wait for ruin.

But Lin Dao feared not, even greeting them with interest.

"If you gentlemen have interest, bid now."

Without doubt, the bidding was extremely fierce.

Because Lin Dao didn't want silver, at the start the bids were all gold.

Later it became all kinds of rare treasures.

After a round of competition, only Chang Yanling and Xu Wenjue were left contending.

The Guard Commander didn't join the bidding.

Because he knew, this Lin Zihou was a belly full of bad water.

Such a miraculous thing, there definitely wasn't just one.

"Shixiong, don't compete anymore; I'll offer a piece of South Sea Dragon Saliva Incense!"

"You yield to me; Bai Hua Lou's Meiniang, I won't fight you for her, I'll offer a three-hundred-year-old ginseng root!"

"I spit! Meiniang was already mine; I'll add another Great Eastern Pearl!"

"You don't know yet, I've already combed Meiniang's hair several times; I'll add another Four Hundred Year Gold Silk Sandalwood!"

"You're heartless~~~"

The two sides grappled together, and the ship cabin instantly became lively.

Lin Dao, smiling, slowly retreated out of the ship cabin.

Standing on the deck, he gazed toward Street End in the distance.

The cover is already set; next it depends on whether the young bodyguards can succeed.

If they fail, then it's time for him to act personally.

Chang Yanling and Xu Wenjue's statuses are enough for them to appear here to vie for treasures.

But the heirs of the Count's mansions are not qualified to attend today's gathering.

They are playing in several streets away, in more luxurious buildings with larger areas.

As for precautions, they are also much more lax.

As the hour grew late, the group of noble young masters who had to return home walked out chatting and laughing.

A group of beggars rushed out from the alley and collided with the Ningjin Marquis Heir's carriage.

The coachman, attendants, and servants were greatly angered, chasing and cursing while grappling.

Everyone's attention was drawn over there, happily watching the excitement.

A thin figure, close to the ground, rushed out like a civet cat.

Lunging forward, it rushed under the Ningjin Marquis Heir's carriage.

The figure quickly climbed onto the bottom of the carriage, taking out something like a brick from his bosom.

He unwrapped the oil package, stuck the thing inside onto the bottom of the carriage, and fixed it with hooked ropes.

He propped up his body with both hands and feet, pressing as tightly as possible against the bottom of the carriage.

The Ningjin Marquis Heir, face red and ears flushed, his fine clothes stained with rouge and perfume scent, got on the carriage with the support of his attendants.

In the dark alley mouth not far away, several figures stared fixedly at the carriage.

Once a companion is discovered, they will rush up as a backup plan.

Fortunately, the coachman did not circle the carriage once; after the heir got on, he drove the carriage back to the mansion.

After traveling two street blocks, apart from the night watchmen and patrollers on the road, there was no one else.

Unexpectedly, that group of beggars who had previously collided with the carriage suddenly appeared from the darkness, wildly mocking and provoking.

If there were someone with rich military unit experience present, perhaps they could sense something was wrong.

But these mansion noble slaves were used to being arrogant; where would they think so much.

The attendants and servants rushed up to fight and grab, and the coachman also looked around watching.

The figure under the carriage took out a lighter to ignite the fuse.

Seeing the fuse hissing and burning, the thin figure immediately rolled out from under the carriage and ran into the alley not far away in a puff of smoke.

The beggars who caused trouble also ran away, and the Ningjin Marquis Heir's people returned cursing.

Inside the carriage, the drunken heir vaguely seemed to smell a strange scent.

"What's burning?"

The next moment.

"Boom!!!"

End of Chapter