Ning Yi ultimately did not knock on the door to intrude when Xiao Chan and Yun Zhu met – he wanted to see what kind of trouble they could stir up. Search: \(?Complete?Book?God?Station) to read high-quality literature for free.

As he left the large boat where Yun Zhu and Jin'er were, the sky had already turned gloomy, and the brightly lit theatrical performances and acrobatics were below. Ning Yi stood by and watched for a while. Soon after, the sound of an argument came from not far away. He saw the Deputy General Chen and the steward accompanying the Prince Consort's residence on the deck of the main ship, arguing as they walked down.

"...Now that Little Marquis hasn't been found yet, and the constables in Xuyi are unreliable, Mr. He, I, Chen Jingu, am responsible for the safety of this trip north. If we miss the deadline, I will naturally be held accountable. We are not in a hurry now, so why can't we stay for a day or two longer..."

"...If the robbers' goal is really to steal the Birthday Tribute, can you bear the consequences if something goes wrong! They want to drag us here and waste manpower in an uncertain way, which is obviously a conspiracy. General Chen, are you going to be led by the nose by the robbers?...As long as the goods arrive in Huai'an, everything will be easy. You can stay here for a month if you want..."

"What robbers would be so bold? Steward He, when has there ever been a case of robbers daring to rob the Birthday Tribute on this route! You're just guessing..."

"I want to be absolutely sure!"

"If you let one or two boats go first, wouldn't we be divided, which would fall right into the robbers' trap!"

"General Chen, you said that the robbers wouldn't dare to attack directly, and I've asked others about it too. If someone really wants to steal the Birthday Tribute, the strategy they come up with will definitely not be a direct attack. Anyway, I'm not comfortable with the goods just staying in Xuyi...I want a boat, a boat of soldiers, and I can also transfer people from here to accompany them. It will only take half a day to get to Huai'an! Then you can look for Little Marquis Lu, and I will fully cooperate with you when I come back...What else do you want..."

The two argued endlessly. Chen Jingu naturally didn't want to have his troops thinned out at this time. In the past day or so, he had already felt that the bandits who kidnapped Little Marquis Lu seemed to be intentionally leading them in circles, constantly shifting the focus of attention here. But if you just say that someone wants to rob the Birthday Tribute, it's too much of a suspicion after all.

As for Steward He, as long as he was sure that the other party wouldn't just snatch it outright, everything would be safe once the goods were delivered to Huai'an. The government there knows the importance, and will of course send people to guard it closely. Even if someone really wants to play some tricks, it will be much easier to deal with in a big city like Huai'an. Princess Chengguo's businesses are all over the place. In Xuyi, you can find some connections and mobilize dozens or hundreds of people to follow the boats to Huai'an. Even if their combat power is not strong, it's still a large crowd.

When passing by here, Steward He and Ning Yi exchanged glances, and then continued to argue with Chen Jingu as they left.

That night, around Hai hour (9-11 PM), the boatmen and laborers on the main boat began to move, carrying out large boxes to the boat behind, directed by Steward He. In the end, Chen Jingu probably couldn't dissuade him, so he had to agree to his idea. At this time, those gathered at the dock below watching the show were mostly officials, gentry, and relatives of the imperial family with some status, and they didn't pay much attention to this matter, watching the excitement with a smile.

However, when half of the things were moved, it started to rain. At first, the rain wasn't heavy, but suddenly, there was chaos below. Ning Yi stood on the boat and watched the people running around below, and the servants were in a mess, which was a bit funny. Although it was not yet Zi hour (11 PM-1 AM), it was already late, and the noble children below gathered their carriages to sleep in some nearby inns. After a long period of chaos, things finally cleared up. Then, those moving things continued to move, and the actors and acrobats below, or people from the restaurants and inns who had been called over, also began to dismantle the stage and move away the tables and chairs to clear the area.

Xiao Chan peeked out from the boat over there for a while, and then ran back with an umbrella. Ning Yi smiled and hid at this time. Then he returned to the room and asked the servants to bring water to prepare for a bath. At this time, many people in the aisle were moving things, and it was quite lively with people coming and going. After Xiao Chan came back, Ning Yi dragged her along. Although Xiao Chan said she wanted to tidy things up and then come and scrub his back, she could never resist when Ning Yi insisted on these kinds of things. Seeing that she couldn't refuse, she had to lower her head and take off her clothes by the edge of the tub while Ning Yi was undressing. Although she was already Ning Yi's concubine, she probably still regarded herself as a maid. Although it was justifiable for Ning Yi to take off her clothes, if she could take them off herself, it was of course better than letting her husband do it.

After that, the room was filled with tenderness, and no more needs to be said. Xiao Chan didn't talk much at this time. Ning Yi hugged her, her bare body close to Ning Yi, covered with a thin blanket. The two listened to the sounds outside gradually subsiding. The boat swayed gently with the waves. When the things were almost finished moving, there was a soft footstep that stopped for a moment outside the door. Not long after, it went to the room next door. It was the Little Princess who had just returned at this time, probably thinking that Ning Yi and Xiao Chan were already asleep, or were doing something shameful, so she didn't want to come over and disturb them.

In the sound of the rain, Ning Yi and Xiao Chan fell into a deep sleep. But after midnight, the sound of footsteps on the boat rang out again for a while, with some dense and lively talking. This was a group of official children who went to the brothel but didn't stay overnight returning. Ning Yi woke up for a moment, hearing them discussing and cheering outside, some probably drunk, reciting poetry and laughing loudly, not knowing what interesting things they had experienced.

"...Kunshan jade breaks and the phoenix cries, hibiscus weeps dew and fragrant orchids smile. Cold light melts before the twelve gates, twenty-three strings move the purple emperor...Wonderful, wonderful, only the ghost talent Li Changji's poem can describe it...A single konghou can startle ghosts and gods..."

"Although it's in this small place of Xuyi...It will surely become a legend..."

"Only small places have spiritual energy...Like Huai'an, Jiangning, and Tokyo, it's lively, but it's all wine and meat, no wonder..."

"...The person who sang and responded to her today was also very impressive..."

Everyone was noisy, and some even became poetic and wanted to write poems on the spot. Ning Yi heard a voice coming from near the window next door: "Can't you sleep in the middle of the night?" The voice wasn't loud, low and quiet, but the person who walked by the window was probably drunk, and then those people shouted, "Don't pull me, who is it, who is it..."

"Do you know who I am..."

"Come out, come out, what did you say just now..."

As they spoke, they began to knock on the window next door. The Little Princess rustled as she put on her clothes and opened the window. After a moment, there was another commotion, with some people recognizing her and others being incoherent. Then the window slammed shut. Ning Yi found it funny and then hugged Xiao Chan and went back to sleep.

Perhaps because of this commotion, Zhou Pei didn't wake up until late the next morning. It was still raining outside. Since she announced her identity yesterday, a maid from a royal family was already waiting outside the door this morning. She washed up in a daze, and when she went to the ship's side to get some air, she saw the rain was misty, and the large boat that had been parked behind was gone.

At this time, Zhuo Yunfeng came over to greet her, but she stood there stunned, remembering what she wanted to say to Ning Yi yesterday. At this time, she asked Zhuo Yunfeng how long the boat had been gone, and learned that it had only left recently, so she quickly ran towards the cabin: "Don't follow me, I have important business."

The girl was already wearing an expensive dress today. She lifted her skirt and ran very fast. Zhuo Yunfeng followed behind: "What's the matter? Have you had breakfast yet?"

"Don't follow me!" The girl in front, still holding her skirt with one hand, suddenly turned around and stopped, pointing at him. Zhuo Yunfeng was stunned, and then saw her running towards Ning Yi's room.

Ning Yi was still in the room sorting out some things he had written, and welcomed Zhou Pei in, not being polite: "Have you had breakfast? Pour your own tea, why are you so rushed?"

"Teacher, why do you think it's okay to let that boat go first?"

"Huh?" Ning Yi held a writing brush in one hand and waved a piece of Xuan paper he had just finished writing a few times, looking at her with some doubt.

"The situation in the world is different from usual now. In the past, perhaps no one would dare to take the risk to steal this Birthday Tribute, but now it's not certain. I know Steward He has gathered hundreds of shop assistants or security guards to follow, these are the people the Princess's residence can mobilize, but what's the use of having a lot of people, if there's a water battle, they will only hold us back!"

Zhou Pei walked over and put her hands on the table, her almond-shaped eyes wide open, looking at him seriously. Ning Yi looked at this serious little girl and gradually smiled, then turned around and dipped the brush in ink and continued writing: "You also think someone will rob the Birthday Tribute?"

"I...it's what you teachers think is possible..." Zhou Pei was stunned, looked at Ning Yi for a while, "I wanted to talk to you yesterday, even if you don't want the Birthday Tribute to have problems, you shouldn't send a boat to Huai'an, what's the use of having a lot of people, if someone really wants to rob..."

"Steward He doesn't want to follow the bandits' rhythm, right? The boat is fast, it will only take half a day to get to Huai'an, they won't be able to react."

Ning Yi replied casually. Zhou Pei thought about it: "What if they've been prepared for a long time, what if someone has been watching here for a long time!"

"How would they watch?"

"There are many ways, look, they hired so many actors and acrobats below yesterday, and set up so much food and drink, wouldn't it be very easy to sneak in! Uh..." The Little Princess thought about this, and her face gradually darkened, "These guys, at this time, they will ruin things, if it were me, I would scold them one by one, Teacher..."

As she was speaking, a low knock came from outside the door. Ning Yi got up and walked towards the door, smiling and pointing at Zhou Pei: "What you said makes sense." He opened the door, and Zhou Pei peeked her head over here, but was immediately confused, because it was Chen Jingu outside. The Deputy General said a few words to Ning Yi in a low voice, looking at the room, and when he saw Zhou Pei, his expression suddenly became complicated and evasive. Then he smiled and handed Ning Yi a post, and quickly left. Ning Yi looked at the post and turned back: "You haven't had breakfast yet, go eat quickly, I have some things to go out."

Ning Yi picked up the umbrella by the door, and Zhou Pei ran out with some doubts. When Ning Yi locked the door and left, she followed all the way: "What's going on, Teacher, you and this Deputy General Chen don't know each other, right? Steward He definitely listens to you, this Deputy General Chen should be your opponent."

Ning Yi laughed, and hit Zhou Pei on the head with the post in his hand: "You're so young, why are you thinking so much?"

Zhou Pei covered her head, her face suddenly flushed, and stood there. Ning Yi took a few steps, then turned back: "But you're quite smart." Zhou Pei quickly followed again, her face flushed with a bit of excitement, almost jumping up and down: "Then what exactly is going on?" She had been thinking about doing something big, and now she finally felt that she was in the midst of a conspiracy, and she was extremely excited.

"Go get something to eat first, I'll tell you in a while." After Ning Yi finished speaking, Zhou Pei nodded frantically like a chick pecking at rice, and ran to the side to eat breakfast. Not far away, Zhuo Yunfeng frowned as he looked at the lively Little Princess, scratching his head in distress. He saw Ning Yi walking outside, so he followed.

It was still raining outside. He followed to the ship's side, watching Ning Yi holding an umbrella and got off the boat, meeting two women wearing bamboo hats and veiled faces at the gate of the dock. The leading woman looked a bit familiar. Zhuo Yunfeng stared for a long time, and finally recognized her. She should be the courtesan Li Shishi who was temporarily staying in the West Garden these days. She is the number one courtesan in the capital, and Zhuo Yunfeng also liked and admired her very much. He saw her in the West Garden the day before yesterday. It is said that last night, this Miss Li played a konghou in the West Garden, clear and ethereal, sad and moving. Later, a man sang with her, and his art amazed the audience and was praised as a good story. However, Zhuo Yunfeng had to accompany Zhou Pei and couldn't go there. He heard about it this morning and was very regretful.

Although he had seen Miss Li the day before, she had only shown her face for a short time, and only a few friends who knew her in Jiangning chatted with her a few more words, but this Li Shishi was also extraordinary in temperament, which was admirable, but he didn't expect her to come out today and meet Ning Yi alone. Zhuo Yunfeng thought about it, and then understood that Ning Yi's poetry was good, and he was the number one talent in Jiangning. This is how the saying of talented scholars and beautiful women came about, so this Li Shishi came to see him.

Looking at this Li Shishi, and thinking of the Little Princess, he couldn't help but feel a little jealous. But what's the use of good poetry, most of the famous courtesans in brothels, in the end, don't they all marry into wealthy families? If there is an opportunity to let myself show that I am better than this Ning Yi in other aspects, that would be great - he also knows in his heart that he can't beat him in poetry for the time being, and if he overestimates himself, it will only make people laugh. Usually, if he could use power to suppress him, let others realize that this guy is ultimately a son-in-law without any status, but Zhou Pei is here, and he also knows that power can't suppress Ning Yi, thinking like this, he can't help but feel a little depressed.

At the same time, the big boat was moving forward in the wind and rain. Surrounded by a few small boats, it gradually approached the Hongze Lake entrance. In the woods by the lake entrance, some people were riding horses and wearing straw raincoats, watching from a distance.

"In this kind of weather, the steward and the deputy general had a fight. They finally couldn't save face and had to go to Huai'an even in the rain. I said long ago that in the imperial court, even if there are some capable people, when they gather together, they can't do anything well, hahaha...Let's go, we'll follow them!"

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Recommend an urban supernatural novel, 《类神》 (Lei Shen - Roughly translates to "Similar to God"), I recommended it after reading it, I think it's very good ^_^

Also, I have received everyone's birthday wishes, thank you. (To be continued. Vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my biggest motivation.)

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