Chapter 38: Rivalry (2)
The carriage was bumpy, and Shen Yanbai sat quietly in the second place, holding his chin with one hand and frowning.
Li Jingwen folded the secret letter he had just received in his hand and looked up at him, it was the first time he had seen Shen Yanbai for so long to see him like this, and he was usually very noisy.
"After a while, we will cross the dock and we will arrive in Huzhou." Li Jingwen looked sideways and said.
"Oh." Shen Yanbai didn't even raise his head, and responded very perfunctorily.
Li Jingwen tucked the secret letter into his sleeve, and it was rare that he was willing to talk to him.
"Do you have something on your mind? Is it because I am afraid that if I can't find a miracle doctor, my father will be held accountable? ”
"Brother Mu, you are more familiar with the situation in Huzhou than me, and it is not my turn to worry."
"Then why are you sullen?"
Shen Yanbai pursed his lips, waved his hand at him and said, "It's nothing."
Li Jingwen rolled his eyes and shook his head.
The carriage soon arrived at the dock, Qin Song took the lead in walking to the boatman's house to inquire about the situation, and after Li Jingwen lifted the curtain of the carriage, he walked a few steps to report.
"Your Highness, these boats, lobbyists and goods are full of empty ships for us to go to Huzhou today."
"Why are they moored here when they're full?"
"It looks like the goods haven't arrived yet."
Li Jingwen glanced at the dock and had a plan, and immediately ordered: "Qin Song, go find a few helpers and let them transfer some goods, and we will also bring the goods on the ship." ”
Qin Song was about to answer, but was stopped by Shen Yanbai in the carriage.
"Why bother, look at me."
With that, he immediately got up and jumped out of the carriage and walked towards the docks. Qin Song and Li Jingwen glanced at each other and watched Shen Yanbai swaggering towards a boatman, and they didn't know what to say, but they just looked at the boatman and kept raising his eyes to glance at their carriage, and his attitude was very respectful.
It didn't take long for Shen Yanbai to stand in place and beckoned Li Jingwen and the others to come over.
After entering the ship and setting off, several people were arranged to rest in the same cabin. During this period, not only did there be good wine and good food, but no one came to disturb it, so it was strange.
Li Jingwen looked at Shen Yanbai, who was eating deliciously, and finally couldn't help but ask.
"What the hell did you tell them, why did you suddenly let us go on the boat again?"
Shen Yanbai stuffed a handful of vegetables into his mouth, quickly wiped the oil from the corner of his mouth, and disagreed: "I just told them that the imperial court borrowed a boat to handle the case." ”
"And they believed?"
"No, so I borrowed your token."
Hearing this, Li Jingwen seemed to realize something, and immediately reached out to touch his waist. As soon as he raised his head to question Shen Yanbai, a heavy pure gold token was thrown into his arms
"Shen Zhixing!" Li Jingwen was a little annoyed.
Shen Yanbai took a few bites of rice and explained very carelessly, "Brother Zimu, don't be angry, as long as we get on the boat, why do you care what I do." ”
"Do you know that this trip needs to be low-key, and you just make our identities public, what if we encounter danger?"
Shen Yanbai knew that Li Jingwen was really angry, and hurriedly made amends.
"Brother Zimu, this time I didn't think it through, next time I will definitely make amends to you."
Li Jingwen lowered his head and hung up the token again, and as soon as he looked up at Shen Yanbai's eyes, there was a touch of calculation.
"Don't do it next time, you can check the Huzhou grain draft. This king believes that with the wisdom and wisdom of Brother Zhixing, he will definitely be able to find out about this matter. ”
Shen Yanbai was stunned, and he didn't even have time to instigate the green vegetables that were hanging on his lips.
Li Jingwen looked proud, turned around with Qin Song and left the cabin.
Changfu, who was guarding the door, saw Li Jingwen walking away and immediately ran in.
"Your Highness, Your Highness! What's wrong? His Royal Highness King Yong didn't blame you, did he? ”
Shen Yanbai took a bite of the green vegetables into his mouth, pursed his lips and looked out of the door angrily.
"There really isn't a good thing in the East Palace! Just know to squeeze me! ”
"What's wrong, Your Highness?" Changfu immediately began to get nervous.
"What else could I do! Li Jingwen shook his hand and handed over the grain draft to me to check! ”
"Huh? That...... So what's the difference between that and killing you! “
Shen Yanbai sniffed, and immediately picked up a plate of white-cut chicken and poured it all into his bowl, complaining again.
"He can't wait for me to finish this meal! I don't have any appetite at all now! ”
After saying that, he picked up a big chicken leg and took a hard bite. Seeing this, Changfu immediately poured him a cup of tea.
"Your Highness, aren't you unable to eat?"
Shen Yanbai slowly raised his head with a chicken leg in his mouth, and his complaining gaze locked on him.
Changfu's heart thumped, and he saw the opportunity to cook for him, "You eat!" You eat! This dish is delicious, so you can try it too. ”
……
Huzhou City, far away to the Dao Inn.
Zhou Zhenzhen sat in the private room by the window on the second floor, looking down and seeing the door of the inn and even the first floor.
The delicate face under the purple hood is unpredictable. She sat quietly like this, and the tea on the table was cold and she didn't know how many pots to change.
Finally, the man she was waiting for came.
The moment Shen Yanbai stepped into the inn, her eyes didn't move, and she kept staring at his every move. She had some expectations that Shen Yanbai would raise her head in the next moment, and it was best to notice herself at a glance.
The innkeeper smiled and stepped forward to greet a few people, and Li Jingwen talked to him. Shen Yanbai subconsciously looked left and right, and when he looked around, he didn't find anything wrong.
He raised his eyes, and a crisp bell sound came into his ears, but a pair of eyes only caught a shadow.
He immediately realized something, and rushed to the private room on the second floor.
Pushing open the door, the room was already empty, with only a pot of warm tea on the stove and a string of bells on the table.
Shen Yanbai picked up the bell and looked at it carefully, and it was exactly the same as the previous string.
On the stairs on the right hand side of the inn, Zhou Zhenzhen had already walked down. Li Jingwen was still standing in place, looking up at Shen Yanbai, who hurriedly went upstairs.
Zhou Zhenzhen did not shy away from it at all, and walked out of the inn calmly with him.
Outside the inn, Zhou Zhenzhen had only walked a street away, and Eleven followed, and the two walked side by side through the bustling crowd.
"Landlord, it's all confirmed that you can do it tonight."
"Don't worry, they're already here."
"Shen Yanbai and Li Jingwen?"
"I'll go see Shen Yanbai tonight, and you take Liang to find Li Jingwen truthfully. Remember, put the mask on and don't be recognized by him. ”
"Okay."
……
By night, the door of the inn was already closed. Zhou Zhenzhen jumped in from the high wall in the backyard of the inn and came to Shen Yanbai's room in the dark.
Changfu came back from going to the toilet with Hatche, and as soon as he walked to the door, he was slashed by Zhou Zhenzhen from behind and fell to the ground.
Inside the house, Shen Yanbai was not sleeping deeply, and he was immediately awakened when he heard the movement outside the door. He rolled over and got out of bed, blew out the candle at the head of the bed, pulled out the half of the candle that was still burning very hot, pinned the bare candlestick behind him, and slowly touched the door.
With a creak, the door was pushed open. Shen Yanbai hid at the door and stared at the figure that appeared on the ground after the door opened, and he didn't hold up the candlestick until Zhou Zhenzhen had completely walked into the pitch-black room. But the bad thing is that the shadow on the ground betrays him.
Zhou Zhenzhen made a beautiful turn that made Shen Yanbai pounce directly at this time. She lifted her right foot and hooked left and right, and the half-hidden door was closed tightly by her at the moment.
Shen Yanbai will react, but before he turns around, Zhou Zhenzhen has already hooked his clothes belt and pulled off his coat with a force.
Shen Yanbai screamed, his center of gravity was unstable, and the candlestick fell to the ground with a clanging sound.
Zhou Zhenzhen saw that he was about to fall, so she turned her wrist, and the clothes belt took Shen Yanbai around with the force in her hand, and the coat was put back on him intact. Shen Yanbai saw the opportunity and grabbed Zhou Zhenzhen's arm, and Zhou Zhenzhen quickly stretched out her other hand and grabbed his arm.
The two of them crossed their arms and clenched their sleeves tightly, and at the same time made a circle of force, untying their crossed arms. Zhou Zhenzhen took the opportunity to raise a kick and kicked Shen Yanbai out directly, Shen Yanbai didn't have time to scream in pain and was kicked back to the bed by her, holding her chest and coughing.
Zhou Zhenzhen lifted her front robe, her purple clothes flew over, she jumped on the bed in a few steps, pressed on Shen Yanbai's body and raised a punch to hit her. Shen Yanbai hurriedly shouted to stop and covered his face with his arms.
"Wait, wait, wait!!"
A gust of wind hit, and Zhou Zhenzhen's fist almost landed on his face.
"Throw in the towel?" Zhou Zhenzhen asked deliberately.
Shen Yanbai wanted to cry without tears, "The heroine is on top!" The little one has eyes but no beads, begging the heroine to raise her noble hand...... Don't slap your face! ”
Zhou Zhenzhen chuckled, "Okay, let you go." ”
She immediately withdrew her fist and turned over to get out of bed, Shen Yanbai hurriedly tightened her clothes and re-lit the candles in the room, only then did she see the person in front of her clearly.
Zhou Zhenzhen's clothes were not stained, and she sat on the stool as if nothing had happened, leaving Shen Yanbai alone with a futon, guarding her like a thief.
"I heard you've been looking for me." Zhou Zhenzhen suddenly spoke.
"I, I'm looking for you! But you can't break into my room at night and take off my clothes. I haven't married a wife and had children, and I haven't even had a concubine, but I didn't expect to be stripped of my clothes by you, a woman from the rivers and lakes. Shen Yanbai opened his mouth aggrievedly.
Zhou Zhenzhen was wearing a hat, but her eyes were about to turn to the sky.
"Without further ado, I'm going to work with you."
"Cooperation? What to work with? What do you have to cooperate with the imperial court? ”
"It seems that His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince has no sincerity, so I'd better go to King Yong to talk about cooperation, and don't leave it at that."
"Wait a minute!" Shen Yanbai immediately jumped out of bed and walked to her with a futon, blocking her way.
"Since you want to cooperate, you have to let me know your purpose and bargaining chips."
"So you have to talk about it?"
"Talk! Talk now! ”
Shen Yanbai shook off the futon on his body, but Zhou Zhenzhen reached out to him when he re-seated.
"My token also asks His Royal Highness the Fourth Prince to return."
Shen Yanbai understood what the token she was talking about, and immediately turned around and took out two strings of bells from under the pillow.
"I'll keep it for you."
Zhou Zhenzhen saw that he took out two strings of bells at once, and knew that he was trying to test himself.
"I'm talking about my token, did Your Highness put two strings of bells in one place to let me guess and take it?"
"You said it was your token, how could you not recognize it if it was your own thing."
She looked up, and although Shen Yanbai couldn't see her face clearly, he could guess what kind of expression she had at this moment. He just wanted to test her identity and whether the two strings of bells belonged to the same owner.
Zhou Zhenzhen did not panic at all, but explained: "My bell rings for hundreds of miles, crisp and crisp, and it is a unique treasure in the world." ”
After speaking, she picked up a string of bells casually and shook them gently, and the sound was crisp. Shen Yanbai looked at her silently. Zhou Zhenzhen picked up another string of bells and shook them.
Shen Yanbai's face changed, and it was obvious that the sound of the second string of bells was more crisp and moving.
Zhou Zhenzhen put away the bell and hung it on her waist, and said, "Thank you, Your Royal Highness the Fourth Prince, for helping me keep it." ”
Shen Yanbai looked at the bell in his hand and fell into self-doubt, seeing her so calm, it was obvious that she and Zhou Lingli were not the same person. It's just that how could Zhou Lingli have such a standard thing?
Zhou Zhenzhen was not surprised when she looked at Shen Yanbai, who had fallen into silence.
When she was Zhou Lingli, she hung a child bell on her body, and when she was Mingyue, the owner of Jinyu Building, she hung a mother bell on her body, in order to make Shen Yanbai unable to recognize her true identity.