Approaching the Spring Festival, Binh Duong is even colder, but fortunately, the streets and alleys are full of joy, and the New Year's goods prepared for the festival are hung everywhere. A cold wind blew, and Li Songran shrank his neck.

The Nangong clan relied on the resources of the twenty-three halls of the Central Plains to cooperate with several families, but these old foxes only fancied the passage of the four halls in the north, and the uncle made it clear that they were just looking for someone to take the blame in case of an accident, after all, the smuggling business was profitable, but the risk was huge.

In the past month or so, he has traveled all over the Jin merchants to deliver letters. Because, news came from Lubeitang and Qianlitang one after another, and there were ordnance in the goods of several families. Originally, this matter had been there for a long time, and it was okay to bring a few pieces, but if I really found out, I said that it was for self-defense of the caravan. However, in the past six months, the cooperating Guo and Fan have shipped a large number of ordnance, and if they are found, it will be the crime of killing the head.

In Nangong Dingkang's letter, he asked everyone not to bring weapons out of the customs again, but no one seemed to listen. Even if Li Songran explained it more tactfully, if they ended the cooperation, it would be ineffective. knew that the Nangong clan had no one in the court and a low status in their eyes, but they didn't know that they were completely inappropriate. Presumably my uncle knows, so in the past few years, I have been thinking about ending the cooperation with these families.

Uncle accompanied the aunt to Fenzhou Wang's house to see Sister Wan, Sister Wan's legs were disabled since childhood, back then, the Wang family was willing to marry as a son-in-law to continue the string, in the final analysis, it was greedy for money, but at the beginning, the Nangong family was not for fame and fortune. As a result, for ten years, Sister Wan has nothing to do, and she said that she would divorce her wife a few years ago, but fortunately, in the past few years, the Nangong family has gained a foothold in the Jin merchants, and it is the turn of the aunt to persuade Sister Wan to leave. However, no matter how difficult it was in the Wang family, Sister Wan always refused. Alas, Li Songran sometimes thinks that if he has a daughter, he will not trade her anyway.

There is another thing that must be dealt with when my uncle comes back. Yulin Weiliu Jintang, which has been stable, was robbed, which is the last link in the shipping line. In short, I can't handle this matter on my own.

I wanted to go back to the room and sleep well, but my cousin called me to the study.

Nangong Pu's study is very elegant.

When Li Songran entered the door, he saw his eldest cousin Nangong Pu, who was discussing the matter of salt introduction with the steward, and when he saw him come in, he hurriedly ordered: "This year's grain and rice are not as good as in previous years, see if you can transfer some from several halls in Jiangnan." Binh Duong's salt introduction next year will still be according to the regulations of previous years. The cost of increasing ...... is to calculate how much it will increase first. ”

The steward nodded and retired.

Nangong Pu motioned for Li Songran to sit down, and asked with a smile, "Why did you come back?" ”

Li Songran shook his head helplessly and smiled bitterly, "Run for nothing." ”

Nangong Pu personally poured him a glass of water, and said with a smile: "I also have something here that I need your help with." ”

"Big cousin said that's it." Li Songran took the tea and took a sip.

"I told you last time, this year's family grain and rice harvest is insufficient, Huai'an Zhuangzi under your name has collected a lot of grain and rice, do you think I will make salt with my family, or will I collect it at market price?"

Li Songran smiled, "This matter, the eldest cousin just looks at it." ”

"Why do you say that? The last time my eldest cousin mentioned it to you, I just wanted you to check how much there was, and then make a decision. Nangong Pu was not very satisfied with his disapproving attitude.

"Big cousin, actually, I still mean that last time, can I directly accept the Huai'an industry and set up a hall." Li Songran doesn't care, after all, he has lived in Pingyang since he was four years old, and he was brought up by his aunt and uncle, and he has long regarded this place as his home.

Nangong Pu sighed softly, "Songran, you are the only one in the Huai'an Li family, and you must take the responsibility of the head of the family." Seeing that Songran still has an attitude set by you, he said helplessly: "In this way, you will also participate in the matter of salt introduction in the future, and the grain and rice collected here in Huai'an should be shared with the family." ”

Since the adoption of Li Songran, the properties under the name of Huai'an Li have been entrusted by the Nangong family, however, after he was eighteen years old, the Nangong family slowly returned the property to Li Songran, but who knows, Li Songran didn't care at all, and wanted to merge Huai'an's industry into the Nangong family.

"Okay, listen to my eldest cousin."

Nangong Pu looked at him, shook his head, put away a painting spread out on the table, and handed it to Li Songran.

Li Songran took it and looked at it, a little surprised. There were a few strokes on the paper, a horse was drawn, the handwriting was very clumsy, and what was even more strange was that it was actually painted royal blue. "What is this? Is there a blue horse in the world? ”

Nangong Pu laughed, "Your father said this eighteen years ago. After a pause, he said with a little nostalgia: "Eighteen years ago, he told his father that he wanted a horse like this as a gift, and I was also on the side. It was just over two months before his ninth birthday, hehe. I wanted to pick a white horse and paint it blue for his ......, but I struggled with whether it was light blue or dark blue. ”

Li Songran hesitated for a long time and asked softly, "He? Although he has never stopped looking for him for eighteen years, his name is tacitly agreed by everyone at home. The funny thing is that in Pingyang, as long as he claims to be Nangong Ershao, he must be a liar, and he has never broken it in the past 18 years. When I entered the city just now, I also saw a man who claimed to be the second young master of Nangong and was thrown out of the noodle shop.

Nangong Pu tilted his head, pondered for a long time, looked at the painting in Li Songran's hand, and said: "There are not many people in the family who know this allusion, me, my father, and the little girl who was serving in his room at the time." That little girl later followed A-Yao and got married many years ago. ”

"Is it him?"

"This painting was sent three days ago. The person who sent the painting claimed to be surnamed Ding, and the painting was painted by himself. In terms of age, it's about the same. He said that he was bitten by a snake when he was a child, and although the scar was very light, when it rained, there was still some itching on the inside of his left calf. ”

Li Songran put down the painting, very suspicious, "The old people in the house knew that he had been bitten by a snake." Although there are not many people who know the specific location, it will not be less. In this way, the little girl back then should be the most suspicious. ”

Nangong Pu laughed, "You don't think so." ”

"After so many years, it is inevitable that it will ......."

"I asked Xue Ying to go and explore quietly, it's not that little girl."

Li Songran became anxious, "Big cousin......." ”

"Don't worry. Although that Ding Gongzi has always hinted that he is, he is definitely not. Because, Ah Jin's martial arts were taught by me, and he has been very talented since he was a child, even if he has been abandoned for eighteen years, he can't be vain, not at all. What's more, Ah Jin didn't leave home until she was eight years old, no matter how much she changes, her appearance will not look like it at all. ”

Li Songran let out a long breath, "Another liar." ”

"But," Nangong Pu pointed to the painting, "the one who can know this detail cannot rule out that it is really him." ”

"What does the eldest cousin mean that Ding Gongzi knows him?"

"Since you're back, why don't you go to the Guiyun Inn in the west of the city to meet that Ding Gongzi."

Li Songran didn't act immediately, he planned to sleep well for two days, but he was constantly called by Nangong Pu to check Huai'an's accounts and listen to the affairs of the family. As for that Ding Gongzi, since the other party has an attempt, he is not afraid of leaving.

**********

Guiyun Inn, located in the west of the city, on the surrounding streets, there are not many people at ordinary times, because the festival is approaching, and there are many people coming and going.

No matter how good the weather was, Ding Bohai couldn't arouse the slightest interest, and he had already moved from the upper room to the general guest room. It's been almost ten days, and no matter how careful you are, the money in your pocket won't last long. What's more, the shopkeeper informed him that he would close the door for three days during the festival and return to his hometown for the New Year, so that he could make plans early.

That painting, those words, isn't that right? In the past few days, he has recalled it repeatedly, and he feels that he has completely said what he is asked to say. So why is there no movement at all? Is it trapped? But the man gave him five taels of silver. Ding Bohai regretted a little, why didn't he ask for more at that time. Wait another day, just one day! If you can't be the second young master of Nangong, do you still want to be a beggar?

Ding Bohai, who was restless, almost jumped up when he heard the knock on the door. "Who?"

"Under the Nangong Gate, Li Songran."

It's finally here! Ding Bohai took a deep breath, calmed down, and slowly opened the door. The man standing at the door, in his early twenties, dressed in fine clothes and smiling, can make people feel intimate even if they don't know each other.

"This one, but Ding Bohai Ding's son?" As he spoke, Li Songran looked at him and frowned slightly. The person in front of him has slightly dark skin, a slightly curved back, an ordinary face, and a marketable and obscene atmosphere. It's just that the entire Nangong clan is not like this. At that time, Nangong Pu, who was more than ten years old, was already famous for his handsomeness.

"Yes." Ding Bohai responded, and quickly let go of half of his body, "Young Master Li, please come in, please come in." ”

The room is not big, except for the bed, only two chairs are placed by the window, Li Songran looked at the open window, and did not plan to sit down. Outside the street, it was close to noon, and there wasn't much of a voice.

"Ding Gongzi, has it been some time since you arrived in Pingyang?"

Ding Bohai saw that Li Songran was not sitting, a little cramped, and wanted to pour a cup of tea, but there was only cold water in the room, "Yes, yes." ”

"Been here before?" Li Songran was still smiling and asked casually.

"Yes, it was a long time ago." Ding Bohai didn't dare to look up at him, and he didn't know where to put his hands.

"Pingyang has still changed a lot over the years, why don't you be a host and take Ding Gongzi to visit Pingyang City?"

Ding Bohai hesitated and nodded, "This, of course, is good." Ding is respectful and might as well obey his fate. ”

Shopping with Ding Bohai is boring, from the slightly deserted West Street to the bustling Lingyufang. Ding Bohai was anxious to prove something, and kept talking about the old things in Pingyang City, but unfortunately, Li Songran had long lost interest.

"Danjing, emptiness is not clear, nothing is done, the pulse is self-open, the light is not real, and the reality is not open." Li Songran suddenly interrupted Ding Bohai, who was still talking about the most nostalgic for Hongshenglong Jade Siu Mai.

Ding Bohai was stunned, and asked cautiously: "Young Master Li, ...... you." ”

Li Songran sighed and looked at Ding Bohai, "What's the next sentence?" ”

"What, what? That, Ding, no, I didn't hear clearly. ”

Li Songran smiled slightly and shook his head, "Alas, everyone only saw the rich side of the Pingyang Nangong clan, and they all seemed to have forgotten something. Do you know what the Nangong clan has been famous for for a hundred years? Without waiting for Ding Bohai to answer, he replied: "It's martial arts." The sentence just now is the most basic internal strength method, and every Nangong disciple has been reciting the rolling melon since he was six years old. Okay, why don't I ask Brother Ding to repay Hongshenglong's jade siu mai, and Brother Ding tells him the truth, okay? Suddenly, he grabbed Ding Bohai's vein and lightly took it.

Ding Bohai only felt that he had lost control of his body in an instant, and unconsciously walked into Hongshenglong with Li Songran.