He drank and laughed uninvited, and the kabuki in the room were already trembling with shock.

This woman is Zhao Jiuniang, the four masters of Qingwa Village, who was arrested by the government a few years ago with a reward of fifteen bonuses and has been "dead" once.

On a snowy night more than ten days ago, she caught a glimpse of Shang Cheng's guard Duan Si in the post station in Xiaoluo Town, and she was so frightened that she didn't even dare to go back to pick up the painting cards and parcels in the temporary residence. She ran in a panic, in addition to the four big pearls hidden close to her, she hardly took advantage of any cash, and lost her painting card and lost her identity, not to mention staying in the store to rest her feet, even if she wanted to beg for a hot meal, she was afraid of being questioned, so she didn't dare to go far at all. Hungry and starving, she hid outside the town for two days, and it was not until Shang Cheng and his party left Xiaoluo that she sneaked into the town quietly at night. She still had a fantasy in her heart at that time, hoping that the officers and soldiers of Yanshan were just passing by, but in fact, they did not find any trace of her. After two or three years, when the rumors have passed, she will find another opportunity to exchange the pearl for a large sum of money, find a place where she will never meet a blind businessman in her life to settle a household registration, or find a down-to-earth and reliable man to entrust her life, or buy some family business by herself to recruit a good man to enter the door, and from then on live a peaceful life that she has envied for a long time, and have children, husbands and children...... No matter how beautiful the fantasy is, it is always a fantasy, they will always be smashed on the south wall of reality, the blind man is gone, but her residence has also been searched inside and out of the government, and not even a needle or thread has been left for her......

This time she is desperate. Zhenzhu is too eye-catching, she doesn't dare to take it out and sell it casually, she has no money and no identity, she can't go anywhere else, and she can't hide around Xiaoluo Town, is it possible that she is just waiting for the government to arrest people? After thinking about it, she finally put her heart sideways, stepped on the snow and entered the capital, made up a nonsense that she couldn't get married and lost her luggage, and signed a one-year deed of sale in this Xu Ji Xiaoge shop, and did a private trick. She thought, how can she save six or seven yuan of money when she works in the song shop for a year, and when the contract expires and she gets back the deed paper, she is not only a free body, but also can get a real identity in the official, and then she will use the money to make a plate and go to the south, uninhibited Quanzhou Yangzhou, as long as it is a lively and prosperous place to settle down, and then secretly sell one or two real pearls, just buy a small manor outside the city and live incognito, after three years and five years, who is still impatient to ask whether she is Zhao Jiuniang or Jin Niangzi?

I can't help but say that her calculations are quite shrewd. But Tiansuan is always inferior to people, and General Shang, who can't hide from her, actually has the leisure to come to this cold Xu Ji!

Now, in the face of Admiral Yanshan, who was sitting on the side of a few cases and laughing all the time, she was trembling with her upper and lower teeth, where could she still say half a word?

Shang Cheng saw that she was so frightened that she almost collapsed to the ground, drank all the turbid wine in the bowl in one gulp, laughed and said, "I'll find here, you probably didn't expect it, right?" To be honest, I didn't expect that there would be a saying that 'no coincidence makes no book'? You say, is this a coincidence? ”

At this moment, Zhao Jiuniang lost two souls among the three souls, and only two souls were left in the seven souls.

Seeing that Zhao Jiuniang agreed with her statement, Shang Cheng was also a little surprised. But he still said happily: "I just said that the two of us are destined." When I go to Quzhou, you will go to Quzhou; If I go to Beizheng, you will follow you to Beizheng; I went to Yanzhou, and you ran to Yanzhou; Even if I enter Beijing this time, you are not far behind! He picked up the wine jug, poured himself another glass of wine, and added most of the cup in front of Zhao Jiuniang. They told me that the two of us passed by in Xiaoluoyi, and I regretted that after a long time, I specially asked them to look for you in the town for two days, but they couldn't find anyone left and right, and they couldn't fulfill this wish after all. I thought you were trying to avoid me. Who knew that there was such a coincidence in the world, I was about to forget about it, and suddenly we met one by one, this is 'stepping on iron shoes and finding nowhere to go, and it takes no effort to get it'! Come on, come on, you also pick up the cup one by one, we can be regarded as old acquaintances, Jiuniang can't fall in my affection......"

While he was talking, there was already a mess outside. Looking out of the cracks in the cotton curtains, the lanterns and torches in the courtyard, the chains clinking and clanging, some people shouted "Don't let the thieves run away", and some people shouted "copy the back road to prevent the thieves from jumping out of the window", and then I heard someone shouting and asking, "Are the people patrolling the street camp coming?" Listening to the creaking of the backyard door and the chaotic sound of footsteps, someone shouted loudly, "The catcher of the Plains Yamen is here!" ”

Zhao Jiuniang is now like ashes. At present, this courtyard has been surrounded by four doughs, and if she wants to run, she will definitely not be able to run away, and she will desperately fight with Admiral Yanshan with the idea of ending up together, although she has a little martial arts, and ordinary two or three men can't get close, but if she wants to fight for the life of the blind man who is a living man with a blade, she doesn't have the courage at all. She didn't have the heart to fight...... That's it, that's it! Just resign yourself to your fate! This day is long overdue!

Thinking that she would never have to live this kind of hiding and hiding day again, she suddenly felt a sense of relief, and the strength that had just run without a trace suddenly returned to her stiff hands and feet. She sat down on the drum stool, reached out and stroked her slightly messy sideburns, straightened her skirt, raised her cup, and said with a smile: "To be treated so favorably by the Shang Gong, I, a little woman from Pingcheng, should also be content." One by one, please! After that, he raised his neck, drank half a cup of wine, turned his wrist and shook the bottom of the bowl towards Shang Cheng.

"Jiu Niangzi is really a bold person!" Shang Cheng held the bowl and praised loudly, drank the wine in the bowl and threw it at a few cases, grabbed the blindfold and stood up, and said with a smile, "Then let's go." ”

"Humph!" The young scribe, who had not spoken a word since Shang Cheng entered the house, suddenly let out a sneer, "After arriving at such a field, do you think you are still sure that you can leave?" "This man's voice is low and magnetic when he speaks, but it is definitely not the rough and atmospheric voice of ordinary men, nor is it like the softness and weakness of the slender boy and brother when he speaks; Sounds more like a woman.

Shang Cheng didn't pay attention to this young man when he entered the room, and he only felt that this person's eyebrows and facial features seemed to be a little too delicate under the light. But when he sat down, he just cared about sarcastically teasing Jiu Niangzi, and he didn't think about anything else at all, and now when he heard this person speak, he realized that he had looked away and looked away, where was a good son, obviously a fake boy dressed as a man!

He couldn't help but twist his face in surprise and carefully look at this female son. Eyebrows are trimmed, big eyes, the contour lines of the face are very distinct, and the skin on the face is also a little rough, obviously not a lady who stays at home for a long time. No wonder he couldn't tell at first glance that it was a woman! He knows that in this era, it is a very popular fashion for women to dress up as men, such as Chen Pu, Liao Pheasant, Da Ya Erya, and Lu Jidixu, their unmarried daughters, usually like to dress up as scholars, which is not only a symbol of family status, these women are all from official families with quite a background without exception, and they also represent their identities are all single......

The son-in-law sat on the side of a few cases, his eyes were calm and calm on Shang Cheng's face and then moved away, and he listened to the east longitude outside the house, and the corners of his mouth brought a hint of a sneering smile, and said slowly: "At this time, you still have the courage to coerce the people's daughters, you really take the royal law as a child's play!" If I were you, I would be thinking about how I would survive the torture and indefinite hard labor of the court, if you hadn't done any serious crimes before. Perhaps you should beg this woman to be kind now, and she will be willing to go to the court to say two kind words for you, and maybe you can help you to reduce your guilt. ”

Shang Cheng knew that this was a woman from a wealthy family, so he didn't want to entangle with her, so he nodded casually to say hello, and was about to explain that this was actually a misunderstanding, Jiu Niangzi, who had been keeping her head down and silent, suddenly stepped over, and jumped behind the son-in-law in two steps around a few cases, one arm wrapped around her shoulder, and the other hand turned over the wrist, and the tip of a dagger with cold light was pressed against her neck. Jiu Niangzi whispered to Shang Cheng in a hoarse voice: "Don't move!" If you dare to move, she will die! ”

This sudden change occurred, not to mention that Shang Cheng, who had always thought that the grimace was a vicious and vicious son-in-law, was unexpected, and even Shang Cheng, who had always been wary of the Nine Niangzi, was also stunned. By the time he reacted, the son-in-law had already become a hostage in the hands of Jiu Niangzi.

He immediately raised his hands to show that he would not move, and said, "Nine Niangzi, don't do stupid things!" ”

"You, don't come!" Jiu Niangzi's dagger pointed at Shang Cheng, and immediately retracted it, and the blade was against the bottom of the female son-in-law's jaw, forcing her to raise her head. "Go back! One more step, and you'll collect her body! ”

Shang Cheng had no choice but to retract the leg that had stepped out. He sat down with a wry smile, tilted his face slightly, and said to the Nine Niangzi, who was not much taller than him when he was standing, "Why bother? Speaking of which are all acquaintances, if you have something, just say it, you will rob it with a knife at every turn, doesn't this hurt our feelings? ”

Jiu Niangzi swallowed her saliva and didn't dare to say a word. Although her life is short and she doesn't have much knowledge, he has basically suffered all the hardships in the world, and she has also suffered the sins she deserves. Taking the son-in-law as a hostage is also his helpless move, not forced to be cornered, she didn't have the courage to desperately take risks in front of the blind man, although she was lucky, but until now her hands and feet are still trembling disobediently, and her close-fitting upper and lower clothes are soaked in cold sweat, and they are wet and uncomfortable......

"Jiu Niang, listen to my advice, it's not interesting to do this, it's better for you to ......" Shang Cheng was still trying to persuade him, and the son-in-law suddenly held one of Jiu Niangzi's arms with both hands and used force, and was smashed into the shoulder socket by Jiu Niangzi's knife handle, and her hands were soft. She took two breaths of cool air in her mouth, and suddenly shouted loudly: "Listen to the people outside! One by one, I am the right observer of Zhiliyuan, the deputy secretary of Xijing Chi County, and a professor of Dacheng Palace! Come in and catch the thief! ”

When she shouted, not only the people outside and the nine ladies who were holding her were taken aback, but even Shang Cheng was a little stunned. He thought that this was an official eunuch woman who had nothing to do and wandered around, who knew that this woman was still an official! Although the people who observe the deputy book of Chixian County on the right are all eight-rank petty officials who are not in the stream, and they may still be fictitious positions with no real power, but this woman can have such a series of titles, which obviously has a great background.

Hearing that there were still officials in the house, the people outside didn't dare to rub it any longer, there were a few clanging sounds, the doors were opened, and the windows were broken, and a dozen or so people suddenly poured in with lanterns, torches, waist knives, and iron rulers. Taking a look at the suddenly bright lights, seven or eight weapons surrounded Shang Cheng first, and shouted in their mouths: "Thief! On your knees! "Take the thief!" There are also sharp-eyed clever people who saw that Jiu Niangzi came from the wrong way, and immediately warned him: "It's not good, someone is coerced by thieves!" ”……

Jiu Niangzi shouted: "Whoever dares to go further, I will let her blood splash five steps!" ”

Shang Cheng frowned and said dissatisfiedly, "Can't you make it clearer? Also blood spattered five steps. If they don't understand and have to take two steps, do you kill her first, or do you let them chop me? Don't be busy, adults, I've got something for you to see. The first two sentences were said to the Nine Niangzi, but the latter sentence was said to several officials around him. Under the nervous gaze of the servant, his hand slowly reached into his arms, and when he took it out again, he was already holding a piece of jade in his hand. He took the silk ribbon from the jade pendant and handed him to a messenger who looked like a leader.

The poor man sneered, pouted and said, "You man is a little calm. It's a pity, just with this broken stone, you want to buy back your life? He glanced at the jade pendant upside down a few times, and said, "Don't dream of the damn Spring and Autumn Festival." If you dare to take the official as a hostage, it will be a matter of losing your head, let alone a stone, even ten loads of gold will not save you! ”

Shang Cheng could say anything other than a wry smile? He neither brought an official certificate nor an official seal, let alone an official robe, and even his boots were ordinary thin-soled leather boots. But there are not many people in the border towns of Xuntian, and of course it is extremely rare in the hinterland of the Central Plains, and these yamen officials may not even have seen Xuntian Yupei, of course, it is impossible to believe his identity. He shook his head. There was no way, he didn't want to alarm the place, but things got to this point, and he couldn't do it without alarming him...... He said, "Go and ...... pottery."

"Wangtou, show me that piece of jade." A man behind the head of the government said suddenly.

The leader lifted the jade pendant to his shoulder without thinking about it, and the man reached out and took it, leaned under the light to look at it, and suddenly took a breath of cool air. He rubbed his eyes, turned the jade pendant over and over several times, and looked Shang Cheng up and down several times with the lantern held high, and hurried to the ear of the leader to mutter.

"What?!" The leader jumped up as if he had been stung by a wasp, and the jade pendant stuffed back was more like a piece of red-hot coal, and he was so hot that he didn't dare to handle it. He looked back at the man, swallowed his breath and asked, "You, you, you can't be mistaken, right?" The man nodded firmly. The leader swallowed his spit, as if he had made a great determination, and then handed the knife in his hand to the person next to him, holding the piece of jade that he called a "broken stone" in both hands, bent down and approached Shang Cheng, who was sitting on the drum bench at the end of the big lama, respectfully presented the jade pendant, and said with a smile: "This, this, this ......" He really didn't know what to call Shang Cheng who held the cloud pattern unicorn Xuntian jade pendant. He has never seen the Xuntian jade pendant, let alone this kind of cloud-patterned unicorn jade pendant representing three acres of Xuntian, and even the subordinate just now has only seen the cloud-patterned jade pendant in the Poyang Marquis family, and he is already a marquis. He couldn't imagine what the origin of this big man was. He didn't dare to take a breath of air, with incomparable apprehension and reverence, respectfully and humbly waiting for Shang Cheng's fate to him.

"You all go out." Shang Cheng took the jade back into his arms and said, "Stay away, I have something to do." ”

The leader of the officials didn't ask him what he was going to do, but turned around and immediately threw everyone out of the house like ducks, and shouted in a loud voice: "Let's go, let's go!" All out, all out! All out! ”

After the yamen had all withdrawn from the house, Shang Cheng asked Jiu Niangzi: "What conditions do you want to let this ...... This son-in-law? ”

"I want you to revoke my sea fishing paperwork!" Jiu Niangzi blurted out. This thing is like a maggot attached to the bone, so that she can't eat or sleep well, and even dreams of the moment she is caught. After a pause, she said a little weakly, "Can you not?" ”

Shang Cheng shook his head and said, "You also know that this can't be done. You can change the conditions. ”

"That, that...... You don't allow, don't chase me! ”

"Not this time."

"It's not a business!" Jiu Niangzi said hatefully, "You can't bargain with me!" ”

Shang Cheng chuckled lightly and said, "Negotiating, of course, is to negotiate slowly." If you make a price, of course I will have to make a counteroffer. You see, you are arresting an eight-rank official, and her price code can't be too high; If you were holding me in your hand, you would naturally be able to ask for a price. ”

Jiu Niangzi hesitated. But she immediately realized that she was not out of danger, and what she was most afraid of at this time was that she had a lot of dreams at night, so she said: "Okay, then don't chase this time!" One by one, but I still have conditions! ”

"You say."

"I still want money!" She needs to be entangled when she goes to the south.

Shang Cheng took out his purse and poured the few ingots of small silver left in the bag on a few cases: "You want to use cash for travel expenses, these should be enough." This is official silver, light in weight, easy to carry, and can be exchanged at will, and the government can't catch you if it wants to follow this clue. ”

"I still want an identity. Get an official identity! ”

Shang Cheng couldn't help but smile and said, "The identity can also be given to you." However, Jiu Niangzi, for the sake of acquaintances, I will give you a reminder, I can give you an identity, and I can also climb this identity to send a new sea fishing proclamation, and when the time comes, you will go to the edge of the sky, and I can also find you out. He looked at the woman and asked with a teasing taste, "Do you want such an identity?" He put away his smile and said coldly, "Jiu Niangzi, I know that those four Dongzhu must still be by your side, you have such a thing, and you are afraid that you will not be able to buy an identity?" Find a prosperous place, find a greedy Hu merchant to exchange one or two beads privately, use the money to buy an identity, and then find a remote place to buy a manor, and go to live in peace. You're lucky this time, and you're not lucky the next time......"

Jiu Niangzi also knew that what he said was the truth, and without the hostages in his hands, he would not be able to escape no matter what. She took the dagger and said to the son-in-law first: "This guest, I really can't help it. The woman seemed to be a little ignorant, caressing her neck and not speaking immediately, her cold gaze just wandering back and forth between her and Shang Cheng. Jiu Niangzi said to Shang Cheng again: "You are a big man with a lot of words, I can trust you." However, I have to ask you to give it to me, or I won't even be able to get out of this yard. ”

Jiu Niangzi is agitating with words, and Shang Cheng is not unable to hear it. He snorted and didn't answer, just said, "You follow me," and walked out first. Jiu Niangzi hurriedly followed. The son-in-law took a deep look at his back in the room, and said softly: "Lu Youtian Xiu, thank you Mr. for saving your kindness." What is your last name? ”

Shang Cheng didn't seem to hear the words of the son-in-law, he didn't stop at his feet, and led the nine ladies through a group of servants and sent people away......

By the time he sent Jiu Niangzi out of the city and then turned back to the post house, the eastern sky had already turned white. He didn't return from the night, and they didn't necessarily panic at all, and they didn't inquire about where he had gone and what he had done that night, but only told him that General Chen Pu had sent someone to inform him yesterday evening and invited him to the princess's mansion as a guest after his dismissal this afternoon.