In the early morning of the next day, Zhang Tou'er was full of alcohol, staggered back to the house, and fell asleep, but he was already snoring like thunder for a long time, presumably he went to the bank of the Qinhuai River last night.

Jinling is still Jinling, but after leaving for more than two years, Li Chengcheng is familiar with this city and unfamiliar, familiar is the streets, and what is unfamiliar is things and people. This time he came back, and he needed to have more information in order to take the lead in the upcoming open and secret battles.

Early in the morning, Li Chengcheng took Xiao Jinyan to the Beicheng Drum Tower to have breakfast, and after a long time, he came to a small shop, the store was not big, the meal had passed, and there were not many people in the store. Most of the people living in the north of the city are ordinary people, Li Chengcheng often came here to eat in the past, he is very famous in Jinling City, but it is limited to the upper class, except for the grass, no one knows that he likes to come here, and he is not afraid to be recognized by others.

When the shopkeeper saw Li Chengcheng, he smiled and said, "Little brother, I haven't been here for a long time." ”

"I went out on a long trip and just came back. Li Tingcheng picked a seat at random, "It's still the same as the old three, two portions of a plate of champion beans, duck blood vermicelli soup, and assorted tofu." ”

After a while, the meal comes up, and the aroma is tangy. The champion bean is the spiced broad bean. The shopkeeper introduced Xiao Jinyan, "This champion bean is different from ordinary five-spice beans, you know the Li family in Jinling, this recipe is a recipe handed down by Master Li, and people later became the champion of high school, so they have this title." The little brother is knowledgeable, he only eats it once, and he can tell the recipe of the champion bean. If he starts trading, the old man is afraid that he will close the door. ”

Li Chengcheng said with a smile, "I found this place from the notes left by my ancestors, but those stupid people in the mansion are too delicate to make the taste of the past." ”

As soon as the shopkeeper's chatterbox was opened, he began to talk endlessly, from the price of salt rising from 30 wen a pound to 50 wen, to the two gangs in the city fighting for business on a street a few days ago, two people died, and the government did not pay attention to it, etc., all of which were trivial things. Li Chengcheng was also patient, and chatted for half an hour before asking about the recent ancestor worship of the Li family in Jinling.

"Don't mention this, you get angry when you say it. The shopkeeper looked angry.

"The more people in Jinling City are at this time, the better your business is. Li Chengcheng said.

The shopkeeper sighed, "Just because of this ancestor worship, since the beginning of the year, the monthly money on this street has increased by five cents of silver." Their Li family worships their ancestors, and they don't worship our ancestors, so this money is infuriating. ”

Li Chengcheng looked embarrassed.

There are several major gangs in Jinling City, the Heat Gang and the Raptors Tang control the street business in the city, and the Evil Jiao Gang controls the hard laborers on the water transportation docks. Like this street in the north of the city, all under the management of the Dragon Hall, this year the Li family worships the ancestors, and the expenses in the family will inevitably increase, although the descendants of the clan have money from the house, but it is difficult to keep the people below, take this opportunity to take the opportunity to make money, but the people at the bottom are suffering.

In this regard, Li Chengcheng was powerless, at least for now, so he had to listen to the old man's complaints. If he can take the position of head of the family in the future, maybe he will make some changes.

After eating, the two met the money and returned to the street.

Xiao Jinyan said that there was no useful news, but Li Chengcheng said, "There is still a lot of news, some things are hidden between the branches and leaves, such as the price of salt, thirty-one catties two years ago, and now fifty, but the salt bureau in Jinling City is controlled by the people of the three rooms, and the annual profit is about one hundred thousand taels, and now after the price increases, this income will also increase. ”

Xiao Jinyan sighed, "Suddenly, I don't want to be rich. ”

"Why?"

"It's too tiring to live like you. ”

Li Chengcheng said disdainfully, "It's not that you don't want to have money, but you just want to get something for nothing." ”

Xiao Jinyan nodded vigorously in approval, "Those who know me, Li Chengcheng also." In fact, if you have too much money, it's useless, just spend it. ”

Li Chengcheng asked, "How much is enough to spend?"

"How do I know? When I was the leader of the Martial Arts Alliance, the money was spent like flowing water, and I didn't think it was enough to spend. ”

The answer is never-ending. How much money there is, how much money to live. ”

The two had an in-depth discussion of esoteric philosophical issues, and unconsciously, they came to Swallow Street, as Li Changfu said that day, there is a red tile house on Swallow Street.

Fu Lu Shou's three major sword servants, was left to Li Xiaohua by Li Chengcheng's grandfather, nominally a servant in the clan, but his status in the house is extremely high, according to the rules of the clan, they serve the family and kendo all their lives, and they are not allowed to marry, once they violate, they will be punished the most severely in the family.

Li Chengcheng stepped forward and knocked on the door.

"This is Li Changfu's house, right?"

The door was opened by a middle-aged lady, her face was full of astonishment, "Who are you?"

"I'm one of his juniors. “

The middle-aged lady said, "He went out to run errands last year, and he hasn't come back yet." Really, I didn't even ask anyone to bring back a letter from home. ”

Li Chengcheng was gloomy in her heart, Li Changfu's suicide, presumably she didn't know about it. After all, he was sent out by someone in the family to assassinate him, and when the matter was revealed, the news would naturally be covered up.

"Can you go in and sit for a while?"

The middle-aged lady said, "I am a woman, and there is no male in the family, so it is not convenient to come in, if you have anything to say, just say it here, so as not to provoke the neighbors to gossip." ”

Li Chengcheng asked, "Do you know what he went to do?"

"It seems that Master Li in the second room asked him to go out, I don't know what to do, I just said that it will be half a year soon,

More than two or three years. ”

Li Tingcheng nodded, said a few more casual words, and withdrew.

Xiao Jinyan said, "That woman is lying. ”

"How so?"

Xiao Jinyan analyzed, "First, this woman looks to be in her thirties, and Li Changfu is nearly fifty, so she doesn't look like a husband and wife. ”

"Old husbands and young wives are very common in large families. ”

"Second, although the woman is hiding her breath, the strings in my body can sense the internal strength fluctuations in her body, which is not an ordinary woman. ”

"He is a sword servant of the Li family, and it is not too much to find a woman from the rivers and lakes as his wife. ”

The most important thing is this third point. I don't know if you've noticed, but in front of this courtyard, there is a stick. ”

Li Chengcheng said, "See, what's wrong?"

"This kind of stick, called the soul stick, only the dead in the family, will put a willow stick at the door, to commemorate the deceased, it is said that the soul of the deceased, when floating in the sky, see this stick, can find a home. Xiao Jinyan said, "This kind of commemoration is very common in the north. And this lady kept saying that she didn't know Li Changfu's whereabouts, so the story of the soul conjuring stick didn't make sense again. ”

Li Chengcheng also said, "I saw that there were children's clothes in their yard, but the lady said that she was the only one in the house, so it is indeed a little suspicious." ”

The two turned back the same way, knocked on the door again, but no one answered, and when they climbed over the wall, they smelled a smell of blood coming from the inner room, pushed the door in, and saw two corpses lying on the ground.

Li Changfu served the Li family all his life, but he ended up like this.

On the same day, Li Changfu said that he had a last resort to assassinate Li Chengcheng, and his family must have been threatened, right?

Just to kill him, innocent people took their lives for it.

Li Chengcheng was cold, and his heart was full of anger.

Xiao Jinyan said, "The killer just now said that the person from the second room sent him to kill you, in this way, can the second room be ruled out, and the person who wants to kill you is the third room?"

Li Qingcheng said, "That's also unknown. Whoever it is, if I find out, I will teach him that life and death are not as good as death. ”

Li Chengcheng turned and walked out.

"Where next?"

"Qinhuai River, drink flower wine. ”

Xiao Jinyan persuaded, "I know you're in a bad mood, let's get down to business first." ”

Li Chengcheng said, "It's just to do business." ”

Xiao Jinyan looked up at the sun, "It's just past noon, even if you go to the Qinglou, you have to wait for someone to open the door, besides, I have Yu Wenshuang, you have a little master, we can't do anything to be sorry for them." ”

"Less nonsense, to go or not to go?"

"Don't take it as an example!"

......

The green building, no matter which place it is, is extremely beautiful. The Qinglou on the Qinhuai River is different, and for thousands of years, a unique Qinglou culture has been formed.

In other places, the green buildings are built on land. Only the Qinhuai River, formed a unique painting boat culture, it is noon, on the Qinhuai River, docked a number of painting boats, carved dragons and phoenixes, colorful, and the size of the painting boat, decoration and a flag on the boat, also determines the identity of these Qinglou women.

Qin Huai Bayan, each with its own merits.

Xiao Jinyan suddenly remembered that it was here that he met Li Chengcheng.

At that time, when he was young, he came to visit Zhao Ya, the head of Qinhuai Bayan, Li Chengcheng was a Jinling gentleman, and he was also the "leader of the martial arts alliance", because of this woman, the two fought.

This fight was turned upside down, and I don't know how many painting boats were dismantled, and the winner was not distinguished, and in the end, the two made a bet on whether there was a mole on Zhao Ya's buttocks, and Xiao Jinyan lost 1,000 taels of silver.

Now, it's been years.

The Qinhuai River is still a thousand customs, but the Yiren have already changed over and over again, the famous Qinhuai dragon and phoenix is no longer there, and Guanghanqiu Zhao Ya, it is said that she met true love, scattered her family wealth, ransomed herself, and followed a scholar to Beijing to catch the exam.

In its place, there are one more ornate painting boats and taller building ships.

A woman stopped in front of the two of them, scratched her head and said, "Two sons, why don't you come and have fun?" ”

The woman was wearing a half-new green dress, which looked well-textured, but there were obvious traces of repair at the corners of the clothes, and her figure was acceptable, and her face was covered with heavy makeup, but she couldn't stop a faint scar. Originally, she just saw a guest looking on the bank of the Qinhuai River and tried to come over to see if there was any business, but when she saw Xiao Jinyan and Li Chengcheng, her face immediately froze, and she turned around and left.

Xiao Jinyan and Li Chengcheng said in unison, "Zhao Ya!"

The woman said, "You recognized the wrong person!"

The two stopped in front of her, who was Zhao Ya at that time? It's just that the lovely person who was beautiful and graceful at that time has now become cheesy.

Zhao Ya sighed and said, "If you are looking for fun, the old lady is willing to accompany you, if there is nothing else, let it go, don't delay the old lady to do business." ”

Unexpectedly, I met the old man here.

The last time Xiao Jinyan saw Zhao Ya, it was at the Hundred Flowers Feast outside Yangzhou City, but at that time he was fighting wits with Yu Wenshuang and did not talk to her.

The three of them found a place, asked for a cup of tea, and sat down.

"Didn't you say that after you redeemed it, you went to Beijing with a scholar to catch the exam?"

Hearing this, Zhao Ya's eyes showed a sense of hatred, "It's just another Chen Shimei, any mountain alliance and sea oath are all lies." What red sleeves add fragrance, what is unswerving, he went to the capital, won the jinshi, there are so many powerful people in the capital, they are all vying for him, with a house

Yin's daughter got better, and in front of that woman, she kicked me out of the door with her own hands, and sent someone to stab me in the face. ”

Between the words, Zhao Ya's forehead was exposed, and she gritted her teeth.

Time is like a knife, and life is like a play. No, it's even more bizarre than what is written in the playbook, who would have expected that the Qin Huai Oiran who was charming and proficient in piano, chess, calligraphy and painting, and everyone wanted to meet each other, and they had to spend a lot of money, has now become a woman who relies on heavy makeup to solicit customers on the long street?

Li Chengcheng said, "You can find me, or go to my scholar Qingcao." ”

The corners of Zhao Ya's mouth showed a hint of disdain, and said, "What are you looking for? Please pity me? Now that I am a broken flower and a willow, but I can also make money to support myself, who can scarce your sympathy? Of course, if you want to take care of my business, the two of you will go together, old acquaintances, a discount, three hundred Wen!"

Xiao Jinyan also sighed.

This Zhao Ya has now become like a street shrew, but after thinking about it, this line of food is the rice of youth, once the youth is gone, she will be abandoned like a shoe, and she does not know other means of making a living, and only by becoming like this can she survive in an environment like a wolf and a tiger.

Li Chengcheng said, "If you give up on yourself, no one can save you." ”

Zhao Ya said, "Who is rare for you to save?" The old lady saved her own money, and when she saved enough 1,000 taels, she went to the Red Star Hall to hire a wooden card killer and went to the capital to kill that bastard!"

Xiao Jinyan was speechless, "It turns out that the price of the wooden card killer is so high!"

Li Chengcheng thought for a moment, and said with a solemn expression, "Zhao Ya, if you want to take revenge, I'll give you a chance, but I want you to do something for me." ”

"Why does the old lady believe you?"

"Could it be that the three words Li Chengcheng have become so worthless in Jinling City now?"

Zhao Ya listened to this sentence and was silent for a long time before slowly asking, "What do you want me to do?"

Li Chengcheng said, "I want news, I need intelligence, and the Qinhuai River is mixed, which is the place where news gathers and disperses." ”

"In the past, it would have been easy to do this kind of thing, but now, the old lady no longer has that ability. ”

Chief Li Tingcheng laughed, "Li Tingcheng said that if you have it, you will have it." ”

After that, he stood up, looked at the boats coming and going on the Qinhuai River, and said, "I figured it out, what the hell is hiding your identity, making Lao Tzu afraid, isn't someone trying to kill me? Then come at me." I'll let them see what is called the first gentleman in Jinling!"

Xiao Jinyan said, "The way you say this is a little similar to Zhao Lanjiang. ”

Li Chengcheng held Xiao Jinyan's hand and said, "Old Xiao, you must help me." Just like you, I'll give you my full support!"

Xiao Jinyan said, "I never seem to have rejected you, right?"

The two have similar personalities and have known each other for many years, although they have disputes, they have never turned their faces. As for the investigation of his life experience, in view of the unknown master in the palace, he also decided to put it aside for the time being, and help Li Tingcheng get through the difficulties first.

Li Chengcheng took out a gold ingot from his bosom and threw it to Zhao Ya, "Hit a basin of water, wash your face, and then go buy a decent set of clothes, and come here to see me in half an hour." ”

After Zhao Ya left, Xiao Jinyan asked, "What are your plans?"

"Find someone. ”

"Who?"

"Li Changsheng. ”

It was getting evening, and the painting boats began to dock one after another, and those who were famous were naturally rushed up, and those who were slightly less famous, so some people took the initiative to ask.

Xiao Jinyan asked, "Is this time a little early?"

"With Li Changsheng's temper, he has been on the Qinhuai River all year round longer than at his home in Shanhefang, maybe he hasn't sobered up at the moment!"

"On the Qinhuai River, there are hundreds of painting boats, if we ask one family, where can we find them?"

Li Qingcheng said lightly, "Why do you need to ask, just look at which ship is the biggest, the most gorgeous, and the most expensive, and go to which one." ”

"You're a clear man. ”

"It's just someone who came here. ”

Half an hour later, Zhao Ya returned.

At this time, she was wearing a light blue plain dress, with a red silk girdle around her waist, lining her waist so that she could hold it, and she didn't have too much makeup on her face, only some light makeup, and the scar on her face, against the background of the blush, was not particularly abrupt. Although Zhao Ya is not as good as Li Jinghong as an immortal in the world, not as heroic as Yuwenshuang, and not as sick and shy as Dongfang Nuannuan, but she is also born delicate, I feel sorry for her.

In terms of age, Zhao Ya is only in her early twenties, but in Fengyue Field, this is already considered "advanced age", she used to be beautiful, after going through some hardships, she understands more about how rare the opportunity Li Chengcheng gave her, so she knows how to measure, knows her status better, and her expression is full of respect.

Li Chengcheng asked, "On the Qinhuai River today, which painting boat is the most expensive and famous?"

Zhao Ya looked at the river for a moment, and pointed to a pleasure boat in the middle of the river bank not far away, "That one is called Jinyu Mantang, which is divided into three floors up and down, and it is the property of Du Chonglou, the son of Du Yi, the servant of the Ministry of Small Rites. Among them, the most famous is the Jinling Twelve Hairpins, which are the best in the world from the Qinglou snares all over the south of the Yangtze River, however, this ship is not open to the public, and only those who are invited can board the ship. ”

From the beginning of the new month, the lights are on.

In the golden and jade painting boat, there was the sound of silk and bamboo funding, and the rest of the painting boats passed here, and they also avoided it one after another, not daring to come forward to disturb.

"The name is too cheesy to be worthy of you. Li Qingcheng said lightly, "From tonight onwards, this ship will be called the Dragon and the Phoenix." ”