Li Mansion in Ningzhou City, at this moment, a murderous aura filled the entire sky.

In a courtyard in the far corner, an old man with gray hair was dozing off in a wheelchair, his legs were covered with a woolen blanket, the vicissitudes of time had climbed up his face, and under the sun, some old age spots stood out, reminding the old man that he was old. With the slight sound of breathing, the surroundings were peaceful, and if you saw this old man for the first time, you would feel that he was amiable and not in any danger.

But he is the old lady of the Li family in Ningzhou! You can't despise him at any time!

After decades of crisscrossing Ningzhou, he has occupied a foothold in this ferocious place by thunderbolt means, and a wrong step is a wrong step! Old lady Li in Ningzhou knows very well that his neck is hanging on the net worth and life of the whole clan, so he will never do too much when he acts, and always leave a trace of life for others.

Some people are grateful and grateful to Dade for this move, while others are ashamed and feel that it is just too contrived.

But Mrs. Li in Ningzhou doesn't care, as the head of the Li family, what she thinks about is how to protect the family, as for whether she can take another step, it all depends on their own creation. Although there are several juniors in the family who have gone to the capital, it is difficult to become a giant in terms of business; or they have entered the temple, decades have passed, and they are still small officials, and there is no hope of promotion; if they say that there is no real martial arts practitioner in the battlefield, it is even more delusional, and the most talented person in the family is judged to be the way to go, so although the old lady Li of Ningzhou is old, he still has to meet and deal with everything.

In recent years, Chen Youde of Ningzhou has accumulated a lot of money, seeing that the Li family in Ningzhou is declining, and the younger generations have no people who can get the cards, so they unite with other families in Ningzhou, and are polite to Mrs. Li on the surface, and the well water does not violate the river water, but secretly seize the freight terminal, and compete for the business of restaurants, gambling houses, and Quyuan, only last year, the Li family in Ningzhou is enough to lose fifty percent of the silver, and many young masters and aunts in the family sigh sighing, the days of brocade clothes and jade food are too much, how can they endure the suffering of these no money.

robbed the family business, thinking that it was nothing more than a hard life, so what's the matter, but the other party was still secretly doing it, and many distant relatives or guys were taken away on the way home in the dark and never came back, which made the Li family in Ningzhou panic.

If there was no Mr. Zuo to control him, it is estimated that Chen Youde would not even have the surface skills, and he would come directly to the door.

The old lady Li supported her elderly body, ran to the official family she knew, asked for circumference, begged her to come forward to Nantianju, discuss with Chen Youde and others, worship a bowl of toast, eat a bowl of Yangchun noodles, think about the total amount of the big guy, put what should be said, put it on the bright side, divide the territory that should be divided, and only seek to protect the glory of the Li family in Ningzhou for several years.

But this official who has known each other for decades also made a verbal promise, and never really came forward, I heard that he often went in and out of Chen Youde's banquets, and some people saw that he was still drinking and talking in the middle of the night, this is not a simple relationship.

After many inquiries, I learned that it turned out to be the business in which the official family occupied the lion's share, and as for why he completely ignored the decades-old friendship, it was self-evident at this moment.

Old Mrs. Li couldn't help but sigh that she was old after all, and in terms of physical strength, she couldn't consume those young cubs; in terms of strategy, she couldn't count those dog-headed military advisors; in terms of family juniors, the others were probably eating and waiting to die, lingering in the Red Mansion. How can he compete with Chen Youde's little son, Chen Xiangyuan, who is known as the young military teacher.

In addition to Li Xiuyan, who has both ability and political integrity, there is also some hope.

It's just that this Li Xiuyan, Mrs. Li brought it up with one hand, naturally he knows his temperament, not ruthless enough, not scheming enough, for him, although he can't walk the road of martial arts, then he doesn't have to worry about a good way to enter the temple.

However, he is old, and now he has to be out of breath when he takes a few more steps, since the autumn, he is even more cold, and can only rest in this courtyard, many junior protégés are not as diligent as before, according to this day, I am afraid that I will not be able to catch up with that day. I have also taken a lot of so-called panacea, and I have also tried home remedies in the rivers and lakes, but I have not seen any improvement.

Dozens of years of swords and rivers and lakes are just a dream of prosperity.

However, it is also a quick thing to see Li Xiuyan get married, and when Li Xiuyan gets married and starts a business, through the relationship of the capital, he will be sent to the pavilion, even if there is no relationship, he can be familiar, if he can be looked at by that person, even if Li Xiuyan is the only one in the Li family in Ningzhou, he will be able to make a comeback one day.

Thinking of Li Xiuyan, Mrs. Li woke up suddenly, it stands to reason that she should have arrived at noon today, why is she still nowhere to be seen.

"Someone's coming", Mrs. Li said behind her back, and immediately a person came out to answer. This person is the chief butler of the Li Mansion in Ningzhou, named Huang Jiu, who has taken care of Li Lao Tian for decades, and has won his trust, and many secret matters have been handed over to him to handle.

"Master, are you awake", Butler Huang walked over with a teapot. Mrs. Li is fond of tea, and every time she wakes up, she has to take a few sips.

This teapot has been used for decades, and the surface is overflowing yellow tea stains, and the lion-shaped spout is very unique.

Old Lady Li took the teapot and poured a big sip, and a lot of tea flowed onto his beard, but he asked completely disregarded: "Li Xiuyan should arrive today, why is there no one at this time?" Although Old Lady Li is old, he still has a feeling of not being angry but threatening, ordinary words, but have different meanings.

Steward Huang stepped forward and said: "Back to the master, Miss Zhang's convoy has stopped and rested in Anmin Lane next to it, but for some reason, the young master did not follow along, according to the horseman, the young master was afraid of encountering bandits when crossing the deep mountains and dense forests, so he divided into two roads, and stayed in Ningzhou City to turn again." It's just past noon, and it stands to reason that it should have arrived. ”

Hearing the housekeeper's words, Mrs. Li was furious, and the teapot produced in Junyao was also slammed to the ground and shattered to the ground: "It's just nonsense! With Mr. Zuo's guard, what can happen?"

Some are used to seeing Old Lady Li angry, and Steward Huang did not panic and said: "According to the inquiries of his subordinates, Chen Youde's son, Chen Xiangyuan, also went to Qingzhou, which is probably not a coincidence." ”

Old lady Li glanced at the trees in the courtyard, all of them were yellow leaves, a gust of wind blew, and several fallen leaves fell on the blanket, Steward Huang was about to step forward to take it off, Old lady Li waved his hand and said: " I am like this fallen leaves, I have long known the destiny of heaven, I worked hard when I was young, and I saved a family business, and now I am sad when I am old, I only hope that future generations of talents will come out and protect the family, Li Xiuyan I will bring it up, if the Li family in Ningzhou can have a character in the future, it can only be him, so this time I went back to Qingzhou to marry, the road is difficult, in case of accidents, I sent a lot of good guards in the family, even Mr. Zuo, who lives in a simple place, voluntarily went, it stands to reason that it should be safe and sound, but at this moment I have not seen Li Xiuyan, I am uneasy. ”

"Don't worry, master, there will definitely be nothing wrong with the young master, with Mr. Zuo's comprehensive protection, not to mention Qingzhou City, even if the entire Ningzhou City is not hurt in the slightest. Steward Huang replied neither humbly nor arrogantly.

"Ordinary people, etc., naturally can't hurt half of them, but I'm afraid that some sects will not follow the rules. Old Lady Li picked up a leaf and carefully looked at the veins of the leaf.

Steward Huang has served Mrs. Li for many years, so he naturally knows what he is worried about: "There are rules between sects and temples, if they are broken, the temple will come to the door, and if ordinary sects can't explain clearly, it will be quite troublesome." Ningzhou Temple is small, except for those few, no one has the courage to invite the sect, I have sent someone to keep an eye on it, and I have not found the whereabouts of the sect. ”

"An old friend of decades, turn around and want to eat my territory, how can there be any rules that can't be broken, when the time comes, I can only swallow it in my stomach, helpless, only to increase my troubles, usually in Ningzhou City is ready to move, if you don't watch it closely, I don't know how many times I died, this time to Qingzhou City, the variables are extremely great. The old lady gently flicked the fallen leaves away, and the clouds were light and the wind was light.

I have seen the ebb and flow of the tide, and some things are naturally very light.

"Don't be impatient, sir, it is expected that they don't have the guts of the dog, and all the brothers on the dock here have been sent out to keep an eye on them, so I'll go and inquire about it." After the yellow steward saluted, he turned around and went out, and after a while, a maid in a cloth dress came in to clean the teapot fragments, and saw that the old lady Li was asleep again, so he trembled and changed a clean woolen blanket to cover it.

......

In the Fengxue Building, not far from Ningzhou Li Mansion, there are several middle-aged men sitting together to eat, on the table are squirrel osmanthus fish, money shrimp cakes, ivory chicken strips and sunflower chopped meat and other dishes, it is really full of fragrant rice, and there are many young women beside him, each holding a green glazed wine jug in their hands and pouring wine from time to time.

Fengxue Building, is the famous romantic place of Ningzhou City, many poor people live in poverty, they will sell their young daughters to the old bustard, spend a lot of effort to cultivate, the young and beautiful people can become the top brand, and the face of Ningzhou City to push the cup and change the lamp, the wine and talk happily, if you get ten thousand love, you can also be redeemed as a concubine, this is much better for the old man every day; 。

One of the men was dressed in brocade, with a jade pendant hanging around his waist, and he was holding a girl who was about sixteen years old, who was already drunk and blushing and said: "Li Xiuyan went to Qingzhou to welcome his relatives, and Chen Xiangyuan also followed, you say, can he come back alive?" After saying that, he drank another glass of wine, and the young woman next to him hurriedly handed over a grape to the entrance.

Li Xiuyan is a concubine, a side lineage, but the most deeply loved by Mrs. Li, at the time of the annual family sacrifice, Mrs. Li always asks Li Xiuyan to burn incense, which is obviously to pass on the position of the head of the family to Li Xiuyan, which makes other concubines quite dissatisfied, and secretly many people make stumbling blocks for Li Xiuyan.

If a concubine becomes the head of the family, who else in Ningzhou City can afford the Li family?

A big man on the table, born with thick eyebrows and big eyes, with a fierce face, a scar crossed the left side of his face, obviously a person begging for a life on the tip of the knife, hearing the man's words, patted his ass and said: "Second master, don't say it, this Ningzhou Li family, except for you, I don't accept it, let's walk on the dock with our heads on our heads, so many scars on our bodies, it is not easy to fight this family business, recently we have been chased by the Chen family tightly, and we have lost a lot of territory on the dock, and we have less money, if we continue like this, we will be hungry." This Li Xiuyan is even more strict with us, if Li Xiuyan is allowed to become the head of the family, he eats meat, and we don't have to drink the soup. ”

"Yes, Liu said it well, recently I don't know why there are a lot of people in this gambling house, just caught, when I was ready to do it, the official family came to take it away, and it was released within a few hours, standing at the door of the gambling house and jumping, is this obvious that someone is secretly doing it?" A thin man with sharp ears and monkey cheeks complained next to him, and after speaking, he hugged a girl by the way, which made him laugh.

The second master in Liu Jiangtou's mouth is the second eldest of the Li family in Ningzhou, Li Nianguang, the main house, just indulged in lust, did not ask about family affairs, and obtained money from the family every month, most of which was spent in this wind and rain building.

And Liu is the manager of the Li family in Ningzhou at the freight terminal, Liu Datou, and this sharp-eared monkey cheek is the manager of the gambling house, waiting to make a fortune, these two business stalls occupy one-third of the annual harvest of the Li family in Ningzhou, many times, the second child of the Li family of the Ning family does not have enough money every month, and often asks for it from the two, so the relationship between the three is very good.

Since Chen Youde and several other families encroached on the territory of the Li family, these three people have deeply felt the crisis, and the relationship between the government and the government cannot be counted on; God is not in good health, it seems that it has also been a matter of the past few years, and the next head of the family is very likely to be Li Xiuyan, which is a difficult thing to do.

Li Xiuyan has long known that these three people are full of private pockets, but because of their feelings, they have never talked about it in front of Old Lady Li, I am afraid that when Old Lady Li lets go, it will be the time to settle accounts after the autumn, and there must be less money in hand at that time, not to mention coming to Fengxue Building, even if Nantianju can't afford to eat a few meals, so it seems that what is the meaning of life?

Previously, Chen Youde sent people over to discuss that after the death of Mrs. Li, he wanted to get a piece of the wharf, wine shop, gambling house and other family properties, which was to share the profits of these places in exchange for supporting Li Nianguang as the head of the Li family in Ningzhou.

Wanting Chen Xiangyuan to go to Qingzhou on this trip, Li Nianguang felt that things should be done, and when there was no Li Xiuyan, the next head of the family would definitely be himself, after all, the other brothers had come to this Fengyulou more times than him, and they knew less about the livelihood of the head of the family. Thinking of this, Li Nianguang was in a good mood, raised his glass and said: "We can't control other people's livelihoods, we just need to take care of what we have." As for the rest, someone will definitely help us out. ”

When Liu Datou and Hou Facai heard this, they also laughed, and the girl in their arms hugged them tighter.

Suddenly, there was a noisy voice on the street, and the doorman standing outside the window said anxiously: "Second master, it seems to be Li Xiuyan, Li Xiuyan is back." ”

"What? Li Xiuyan, can you see clearly?" Li Nianguang almost squirted out the wine, his temper was in a hurry, and he held the hand of the young girl in his arms so painfully that tears swirled in his eyes, and he almost cried.

"It's Li Xiuyan, and I recognize Zhang Wuli next to me. The doorman standing by the window stared at him for a long time.

Hearing this, Li Nianguang hurriedly picked up his robe and ran out, although the two never dealt with each other, but on the day of Li Xiuyan's marriage, if he said that he would not show up, it would indeed be unreasonable.

Seeing this, Liu Datou and Hou Facai also hurriedly followed.

The street is very lively, Li Xiuyan rode a high-headed horse, greeted both sides of the road, eight sedan chairmen carried a big red sedan chair, strode to follow, and the porter behind him, two of them, carrying the dowry, looking at the formation, Miss Zhang is also quite rich.