Xiebai lived outside, it was almost evening.

It didn't take much time for Wei Liang to go in. He was full of plans to plant something when he returned to the field, and when he came out, the hired carriage was still waiting outside.

But at this time there was an extra carriage outside.

He raised his head and was slightly startled.

It is not a very luxurious carriage, but the wood used to build the carriage is all excellent, the lacquer work is fine, the wood is hard, there are carved window panes on both sides, but a curtain is added inside.

The handlebar style of driving is also strong and strong.

When he glanced at other people, there was a sharp light in his eyes, and the muscles on his arms were knotted, and he could tell at a glance that he was someone with some martial arts skills.

Wei Liang felt a little curious in his heart, and looked at the carriage twice more.

It was also a coincidence that someone was getting out of the car.

She was wearing a pleated skirt with turmeric white butterflies and gold flowers, and she was actually very young, with a delicate appearance and a calm face, but her brows were slightly furrowed as if she had encountered something. When he glanced around, he also saw Wei Liang.

Wei Liang didn't know each other.

The other party didn't know Wei Liang either.

The two glanced at each other without saying hello, only guessing the relationship between the other party and the owner of Xiebai House, each nodded, then one got into his carriage, and the other walked towards the other courtyard.

It wasn't until the carriage went out of Bird Clothes Lane again, and went to the street outside, that Wei Liang had a flash of light in his head when he heard the bustling conversations around him again, and suddenly remembered: "Master Ren in the middle of Shu!"

Although there is no obvious mark on the carriage of the carriage, there are on the horse.

There was a snowflake-like pattern printed on the top of the bridle.

That is the sign of Ziliujing Salt Merchant Guild Hall.

— It was none other than You Fangyin who came.

Emperor Shen Lang made a decision in the court two months ago to tour the south next year, going all the way to Jiangning along the Grand Canal.

Who doesn't know that Tianjiao has always been deeply rooted in the south?

Everyone guessed that this time it was to use the opportunity of the southern tour to attack the Tianjiao, so as to show Tianwei's power and let the people in the south of the Yangtze River see the beauty of Tianjiao. But in recent years, although the national treasury is not considered empty, it is not abundant either. A trip to the south to mobilize the troops will cost a lot of money. If the treasury can't afford the money, it is natural to ask the people.

All the government offices along the canal who want to pick up the holy driver have their own methods.

Either levy additional taxes on the people, or seek recruitment from the squires.

The richest people in this part of the south of the Yangtze River are the salt merchants, followed by the big merchants of rice, cloth and other industries. Those people in the government are too lazy to think about it, so they sent a letter half a month ago with a swipe of a pen, asking all the major merchants Those involved in the chamber of commerce gathered in Jinling to discuss how to pay for it. The euphemistic name was "determined for next year's Yanyin".

Although the Ren's Salt Farm is located in the middle of Sichuan, after Jiang Xuening arrived two years ago, she began to invest the surplus money in the Jiangnan area where it is easiest to get rich, or to the merchant ships traveling between the north and the south, or to annex some small and medium-sized salt merchants in Yangzhou , And also entered the raw silk and cloth business by virtue of the relationship established with the silk merchants.

Therefore, although the foundation of the Ren family is still in the middle of Sichuan, most of the territory has expanded to the south of the Yangtze River.

With money in hand, money comes faster.

Jiang Xuening personally taught them what is meant by "money makes money faster, and money makes money easier". The money invested is not worth the money if it loses, but there are more successes than failures, and more money than losses. With more money, the wealth in their hands will continue to grow.

The government in this area of ​​the south of the Yangtze River wants to take over, build a palace, and ask salt merchants to pay for it. If you give up, you will definitely be crowded out of the business.

So You Fangyin and Ren Weizhi both came.

It's just that the reason why she visited Xiebaiju today was not just to discuss this matter.

After sending Wei Liang away, Jiang Xuening flipped through the ledger, then went to pick up the fishing rod she had put on the railing.

When the line was pulled up, the fish had already eaten up the bait.

There is only a bare hook left on the other end of the fishing line, shining brightly in the light and shadow of the setting sun.

You Fangyin's footsteps were a little messy, and before she reached the water pavilion, she called out: "Second Miss!"

Jiang Xuening turned around and saw her, startled: "Why is Fang Yin here?"

After You Fangyin "married" to Sichuan, even though she and Ren Weizhi were a fake couple, the other party claimed that since they acted, they wanted to act more realistically. She really dared to entrust all the affairs of the Ren family to her, internally and externally. Don't ask others to gossip.

In this way, the cowardice in the uncle's mansion was gradually washed away.

Being able to handle common affairs and shoulder responsibilities, even talking about business with people is no longer as jerky as it was before. Although he still looks reticent, he is already a bit more sophisticated.

She came here for this matter, when she came in front of Jiang Xuening, she saw the bright smiling face of the second girl, but she stopped for some reason, and after a moment of silence, she said: "Just now we talked with the people from the Huishang Guild Hall. thing, met..."

Jiang Xuening's heart skipped a beat: "Who did you meet?"

You Fangyin fixed her gaze on her face, and slowly said: "The one from Youhuang Pavilion, Boss Lu."

Lu Xian!

It's true that an ominous chill crawled up her back. It's not like Jiang Xuening has never heard of this name in the past two years. After all, Lu Zhaoyin has a big business, and also holds a large amount of silver shares in Ren's Salt Plant, which pays dividends at the end of the year. He is indispensable at all times.

But the two sides can say that the water in the well does not violate the water in the river.

She had the right to pretend that she didn't know Lu Xian, and Lu Xian never troubled her.

now…

For no reason, what kind of business would require a busy man like him to come to Jinling in person?

Others don't know, but she knows better than anyone—

This person is Xie Wei's confidant, right-hand man.

In the past two years, it has been said that Shen Lang relies heavily on Monk Yuanji, the national teacher, but his treatment of Xie Wei, the emperor's teacher, is not as good as before.

But Jiang Xuening didn't think so.

The common people outside felt that Monk Yuanji had a profound family because of the dispute between Monk Yuanji and Wan Xiuzi, the leader of the Tianjiao. However, Xie Wei's fame and power, one in the court, and the other in Shilin, met with Monk Yuanji The ratio is simply out of reach, and it's all levels that ordinary people can't touch. How do ordinary people know how this person secretly plans?

Being left out in the cold, placed away, far away from the center of power, and even went to Mount Wutai and Sanqing Temple to practice Buddhism and find immortals...

She didn't believe any of these words!

Jiang Xuening folded her arms and pondered, feeling a little annoyed, and only frowned, "The Emperor will tour the south next year, and there must be a lot of business opportunities in the south of the Yangtze River. Lu Zhaoyin can't afford it early, so it's reasonable to come here in person. In previous years, there was nothing wrong with it." There is no need to worry too much about the action."

You Fangyin bit her lip.

Jiang Xuening caught a glimpse and sensed that something was wrong, and asked, "Isn't it right?"

You Fangyin recalled what happened on the cruise ship just now, and said word by word: "When we met Lu Xian in the past, we would at most say hello; but this time when we met on the Qinhuai River, he asked me about the girl's recent situation."

Jiang Xuening's fingertips trembled slightly.

If so...

That is indeed very unusual.

As the night gradually fell, the fishing boats on the Qinhuai River were taken away, but the beautifully decorated painting boats lit up the bright lanterns that glowed with fat and greasy fragrance, which were reflected on the water surface and swayed gently with the swaying ripples.

There are arty poems recited on board, and there are also unbearable vulgarities of fist fighting and drinking.

The sound of silk and bamboo confuses the ears, and the red scarf and emerald sleeves confuse the heart.

Lu Xian hadn't been back to Jinling for a long time, and when he revisited Qinhuai, he was still full of the same gorgeous fragrance, and although his face was not like the old year, the expression on his brows and eyes and the thoughts hidden in his smile were unmistakable. even change.

The thin horses seem to be reserved, but they are actually up for sale;

Wealthy businessmen embrace beauties, but they think about business in their hearts.

The merchants in Huizhou are famous all over the world, and they have a certain style. But when they come to this city where Jinling and the Six Dynasties have been nourished, and this boat on the Qinhuai River that has drifted through the ages, the wind has died down and the bones have softened.

The person on the opposite side raised a glass to him sleepily.

Lu Xian also drank one with a smile, and was about to take this opportunity to win the cloth business this time, and bid another price, when he saw a small boat breaking through the ripples and approaching the painting boat, and boarded a fast boat board to the bow.

A clever young man in rough clothes and linen came up on the board of the boat and said something to the waiter who was guarding outside the bead curtain.

The waiter nodded and opened the curtain to come in.

He walked to Lu Xian's side silently, and said in a low voice, "Boss Lu, someone came outside and said there was an urgent letter from you."

This time back to Jinling, Lu Xian didn't bring many people with him.

Although he couldn't see the person outside very clearly, he could roughly distinguish it by his body shape. Who is that kid if it's not Xiaobao?

He apologized to the people around him, got up and walked out.

On the river in autumn, the wind brought a cool breeze, blowing towards his face, which dispelled the dizzying fragrance of cosmetic powder that he brought out from the boat.

Lu Xian said, "What letter?"

Xiaobao has grown taller now, with a leather belt tied around his waist, looking very energetic, he just handed the letter to him and said: "The secret letter from the border is sealed with wax, and no one else dares to open it first." dismantle."

From the border?

Lu Xian's eyelids twitched, he didn't even bother to say anything, he removed the sealant first, and took out the letter paper to read.

A thin page.

But what was written on it really surprised him!

Xiao Bao sized him up: "Is there going to be a war?"

But Lu Xian didn't care about answering him, instead he hurriedly asked: "Has this letter reached the capital?"

Xiaobao said: "The letter is divided into three parts and sent to Jiangnan, Huangzhou and the capital at the same time. The sir should have received it as well."

Lu Xian's eyes flickered, but his expression was not at all relaxed. He read the words on the paper again, thinking of the behavior and behavior of that person in the past two years that were the same as in previous years, but his heart was covered with a cloud of worry.

He folded the letter paper and handed it back to Xiaobao.

Xiao Bao asked, "Is there anything to explain?"

Lu Xian was silent for a long time, and said, "We'll find out when someone comes."

People?

Xiaobao froze for a moment.

Autumn nights in the capital are much colder than those in the south of the Yangtze River and Qinhuai River.

The autumn wind is rustling in the palace.

The flapping of the doors that have not been closed properly sometimes makes people feel ghostly.

In the side hall of Fengchen Hall, only the copper crane leaning on the pillar held two lamps. The light and shadow flickered and cast the shadow of the person on the window, but the shape was blurred.

There is a qin hanging on the east wall.

In the teacup by the table, the tea had already cooled completely, reflecting half of a silent face.

In the distance, there was laughter and music coming from outside the window. It was the sound of concubines and concubines in the imperial garden accompanying the emperor to feast and have fun.

Xie Wei rolled his eyes.

On the desk in front of him was the "criminal evidence" brought by the imperial doctor of the imperial hospital to denounce the alchemists in the palace. Five cracked porcelain bowls contained five kinds of broken stones. In the corner of the lacquer tray, a small pile of mixed medicine powder was scattered on the front sheet of paper.

The head of the Tai Hospital blushed and said words with anger, as if they were still in his ears: "Wu Shi San, also known as Han Shi San, is originally used to treat patients, but it can be eaten without disease. The body is dry and hot, and the heart has dreams. , although it makes people go to the fairyland in a fluttering manner, and all their troubles disappear, but it is hard to quit the addiction, which is harmful to the body and makes people stop the wild waves! These alchemists in the rivers and lakes, it is ridiculous to offer this thing to the sage, and it is simply a shame. !"

Dreams come out of the heart, and the troubles disappear.

Xie Wei stared at them for too long, and gradually felt a strange sense of dizziness, as if these bowls were distorted and turned into mouths and eyes growing in the dark, conveying something to him, talking about something .

He hasn't had a good night's sleep in a long time.

A wall stands a thousand feet high, and one can be strong without desire.

There is no hindrance in the heart, no fear, far away from upside-down dreams, and Nirvana in the end.

…

Daoist, Tibetan, Buddhist and Confucian classics have been read over and over again, but there is no way of liberation in the sea of ​​suffering. Life in the world seems to be a painful test that has gone through catastrophe, but I don't know if I forget myself, if this body perishes, can I be relieved?

No one knows that this imperial master has been wandering on the edge of the bottomless abyss for a long, long time...

His pale fingers were stained yellow by the shaking flames, Xie Wei stretched towards the paper in front of the lacquer tray, the ground five-color powders were mixed together, making it difficult to distinguish.

Pull it to the front, light and weightless.

He paused for another moment, finally dipped a little with his ring finger, and stared at it for a long time.

There was a knock on the door outside.

The little **** reported from the outside: "Your Excellency, the secret letter from the border has come here urgently."

Xie Wei shook his head.

Only then did he wake up from a dream, grabbed a brocade handkerchief beside him, wiped his hands, and said calmly, "Come in."