Yangzhou city gradually became lively.

After the city gate opened at Mao hour, merchants and traveling farmers rushed in and out of the city gate.

The ship that arrived yesterday was unloading its cargo at the pier and took this opportunity to bring it into the city. There was a lot of noise and bustle among the carriages and horses.

From Yangzhou east to the Yangtze River, you can go to the sea to Japan, Ryukyu and other places in Southeast Asia. Therefore, Yangzhou has become one of the most important transshipment stations for foreign countries in the country, busier and more tense than any other city.

However, the atmosphere today is a bit strange. There are a large number of officers and soldiers in the city and outside the city, and the customs inspection is much stricter. There are long queues. However, although everyone is anxious, no one dares to complain, because

Anyone who is used to traveling around the world can see that there are many big men in imperial guard uniforms among the local officers and soldiers. No one dares to offend the most domineering imperial guards from the capital unless they risk their lives.

There are five markets in the city, among which the Nanmen Market facing the Yangtze River is the most prosperous. There are at least dozens of stalls offering various kinds of food, ranging in size. It is suitable for tourists who are preparing to take a boat ride on the river.

The ideal location for restoration.

In addition to being a transportation hub, Yangzhou is also a famous fireworks destination since ancient times. Whether it is a wealthy businessman with a fortune, a celebrity who claims to be a literary and elegant man, or a swinger who is a swordsman and a knight, it is not considered a trip if he does not visit here.

A hero in the romantic field.

Therefore, the situation is prosperous and we can meet each other.

Among the food stalls at the south gate, Lao Feng's vegetable and meat steamed buns are the most famous. In addition, Lao Feng's concubine Zhensao, who specializes in selling steamed buns, has a beautiful face and has become a living sign to attract business.

When Lao Feng entered the kitchen from the inside and handed a steaming plate of vegetable and meat buns to the front of the shop for Mrs. Zhen to sell, impatient customers rushed to hand over their money.

Sister-in-law Zhen was so busy that she was dripping with sweat when suddenly a young man with a big head emerged from the crowd and said with a wide smile: "Eight vegetable and meat buns, hello, Sister-in-law Zhen!"

This man was none other than Xu Ziling. Because he was afraid of being seen by Old Feng, he deliberately hunched over and was half shorter than the others. His appearance made people laugh.

Fortunately, his appearance is very lovable, with long and elegant eyes, a high nose bridge, a broad forehead, and a smile like sunshine hanging from the corner of his mouth. If it weren't for his oily face, ragged clothes, and the slap in the face from Boss Yan,

She has swollen blue lips and looks really good. Now! I don’t dare to compliment you very much.

When Sister-in-law Zhen saw him, she looked back worriedly at Old Feng and Doctor Evil who were busy in the kitchen. She felt relieved when she saw that they couldn't see what was going on here.

While dealing with other customers, she pretended to be coquettish and said: "If you don't have money, what kind of buns can you buy like others?"

Xu Ziling smiled and said, "Nothing is owed, I will pay you back tomorrow."

Sister-in-law Zhen took the four buns as quickly as possible, hesitated for a moment and took two more, wrapped them in paper, stuffed them into his hands, and cursed in a low voice: "This is the last trip, alas! Look at you.

What was the beating like?"

Xu Ziling cheered and stepped out of the crowd. He straightened his waist and immediately felt more confident.

It turns out that although he is young, he is already as tall as an adult man, with broad shoulders and narrow waist, but he is thinner due to malnutrition.

After squeezing through a row of fruit and vegetable stalls, Hengli Kou Zhong grabbed it, grabbed a bun, stuffed it into his mouth, and asked vaguely: "Is this the last trip again?"

Kou Zhong was one year older than him, but half an inch shorter, with broad shoulders and thick arms, making him quite stout.

Although he owes Xu Ziling's handsomeness, he has a big face and large ears, and his profile has a strong and manly look. His expression is nonchalant, which is very attractive. His eyes are deep and agile, and they are by no means inferior to Xu Ziling, which makes people feel that this son is destined to have a bright future.

Not in the pool.

However, his clothes were patched here and there, making him filthier than Xu Ziling, and not much better than a little beggar.

Xu Ziling was already eating his third bun and frowned: "Don't talk about Sister Zhen's appearance, okay? How many kind-hearted people like her are there in Yangzhou now? It's a pity that her family owes money, and her father values ​​​​money.

As fate would have it, I sold her to stinky old Feng as my concubine. God must be blind."

The two of them walked out of the market at this time and came to the street. They squeezed in the flow of people leaving the city and walked towards the south gate.

Kou Zhong filled his stomach, put his head on Xu Ziling's shoulder and looked around: "There are so many fat sheep today, it's best to find someone who is older, has gorgeous clothes, is single, and is full of worries, and won't even know if he loses his money bag."

Planting old fools."

Xu Ziling smiled bitterly and said, "That time, you were the bastard who wanted to attack the old man. Later, when he saw someone snatching him, he pretended to have found the money bag and returned it to him. I was so tired that I was beaten up by the bad-mouthed boss."

Kou Zhongshan said: "Don't forget that I was only going to pay back half of the money to the old man. It was you who wanted to please the old man and insisted that I pay back the whole amount intact. Now you are talking about me. Hey! But we stole.

A true good man is also a Taoist.

Ha! Look!"

Xu Ziling followed his gaze and happened to catch a glimpse of an old Confucian scholar in his fifties, walking towards the city gate.

This gentleman was dressed gorgeously, had a hurried expression, and walked quickly with his head lowered. He fully met all the conditions proposed by Kou Zhong.

What a coincidence.

Both of them were stunned, their eyes falling on the slight bulge of his clothes behind his back. Of course, he had hidden his money bag on his lower back.

Kou Zhong leaned into Xu Ziling's ear and said, "Whether we can have good luck or not depends on whether this guy is just showing off."

Xu Ziling said anxiously: "I must pay back Sister Zhen's money first."

As the two men were chasing after them, suddenly a group of officers and soldiers came towards them. They were startled, turned around, and rushed to the other end of the cross alley, where there was another parallel street in the south of Yucheng.

The two of them sat down slumped against the wall.

After sighing for a while, Kou Zhong thought about his misfortune and said: "How about we try to apply for the imperial examination. Although our materials are obtained from eavesdropping on Old Master Bai's lectures, at least they are better than those useless people who paid enough silver to listen to the lectures."

, if you are named on the list, you will be able to become a high official without having to travel long distances or take the risk of traveling long distances."

Xu Ziling said angrily: "You said you were going to join the rebel army, and now you changed your mind and wanted to take the imperial examination. You said it was as easy as going to peek at those girls in Chunfeng Yuan taking a bath. After all..."

Kou Zhong punched him in the ribs and winked.

Xu Ziling looked at the way he came and saw the old Confucian scholar imitating them and walking hastily, turning a blind eye to them and running towards the street.

The two of them were overjoyed, jumped up, and chased after the old Confucian scholar.

The time for action has come.

The old Confucian scholar hurried on his way, unaware that there was a crack in his clothes behind him.

Just now he was heading out of the city through the south gate, but he was so frightened by the tight security that he shrank back. He knew that it was not appropriate to go out at this time, and he did not dare to return home. He was even more afraid of disturbing others when he was looking for friends. He was wandering in his heart when a figure flashed and someone blocked his way.

.

When the old Confucian scholar was shocked and shocked, he was already being held hostage by people from left to right, unable to move.

The person blocking the road was none other than Yu Wenhuaji and his subordinates. This master of the Yuwen clan came to the old Confucian scholar with a smile. After looking at him up and down for a few times, he said calmly: "This is not Tian who is famous in Jiangdu for his poetry."

Teacher Wen? I heard that the teacher is a close friend of Master Shilong. Just now we took the liberty to visit Teacher Tian in your mansion, but we unintentionally fished out Master Shi’s body from the bottom of the well. Now Teacher Tian is in a hurry and doesn’t know where he is.

Why?"

Tian Wen's expression changed drastically, but he could still speak.

At this time, passers-by noticed something was wrong. Among the people surrounding Tian Wen, they saw that there were senior guards from the city. Who dared to intervene.

The hands of the two big men holding Tian Wen were not idle. They searched Tian Wen's body, but could not find the book that should be on him.

Zhang Shihe took action personally. After a while, he found that the clothes on Tian Wen's back were cut with a sharp weapon, and his expression changed: "No! The book was taken away."

Yu Wenhua and his eyes flashed with cold light, and he said in a deep voice: "Chen Shou Bei!"

Chen Shoubei, who was usually domineering, stepped forward hurriedly, and when he made eye contact with Yu Wenhuaji, his legs immediately became weak, and he knelt down and said in a trembling voice: "I'm here!"

Yu Wenhuaji said coldly: "Immediately seal the city gate, and at the same time catch all the thieves and ruffians. If they can't hand over what the Lord wants, they will have no chance of surviving."

Xu Ziling and Kou Zhong sat side by side in a quiet alley in the east of the city, staring blankly at the open book.

Xu Ziling said disappointedly: "Next time you pick up something, don't run into these people who look like teachers. This strange book like ghost drawings is more difficult to understand than the Book of Heaven. Don't you, Master Zhong, often boast that you are rich in knowledge? Tell me.

What is written on it?"

Kou Zhong said proudly: "How could I be as ignorant and incompetent as you? This must be a martial arts secret book from the Three Sovereigns and Five Emperors era. Once you practice it, you will be invincible in the world. Even Master Shi will be willing to be defeated. Just look at these human figures.

The image is the secret to the circulation of qi through the meridians. Ha! I found a treasure this time. Look! Have you ever seen this kind of strange paper?"

Xu Ziling laughed and said, "Stop boasting. Read these two words for me and see how you can learn them skillfully."

Kou Zhong was very angry and said with bright eyes: "As long as someone can write it, there will be someone who can read it. Let us find the most knowledgeable old scholar and ask him to translate these strange words, while we, Yangzhou Shuanglong, are responsible for practicing.

This is called division of labor and cooperation, everyone gets what he deserves, do you understand?"

Xu Ziling said dejectedly: "Do you think you are the general manager of Yangzhou? Who is willing to obey our instructions so obediently? Now that our Yangzhou twin snakes have trouble eating even one meal, it seems that we have to take out the hidden food and exchange it for two steamed buns."

It's more practical to have a full stomach."

Kou Zhong laughed, stood up, covered his book with his clothes, and stretched: "I, Master Zhong, will be in charge of lunch. Come on! Let's go home first, collect the silver coins, and then go to the pier outside the city to do the damn thing."

We have no capital to buy and sell two orders, and then we run away immediately, otherwise it will be terrible if the smelly boss finds out that we are pregnant with treasures."

Xu Ziling still felt frightened when he thought of yesterday's severe beating. He jumped up and followed Kou Zhong to sneak to his "home" in the abandoned garden.

Yu Wenhuaji was sitting in the lobby of the General Manager's Mansion, drinking hot tea. Accompanying him was Yuchi Sheng, the General Manager of Yangzhou.

Not only are the two acquainted, but their relationship is also extraordinary.

Before Yang Jian established the Sui Dynasty, he was a minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty. Later, after Emperor Xuan of Zhou Dynasty Yuwen Yun died of illness, Yang Jian colluded with Zheng Yi, an internal historian, and Liu Fang, an imperial official.

The emperor took power. A year later, Yang Jian forced Emperor Jing to abdicate and proclaimed himself emperor.

The surname Yuwen of the Northern Zhou Dynasty was replaced by the surname Yang.

However, due to the deep-rooted power of the Yuwen surname, even though Yang Jian became emperor, he was still unable to uproot the Yuwen fighting clan. When his son Yang Guang became emperor, the Yuwen surname became stronger again.

Strictly speaking, although Yuwen seemed to serve the Sui Dynasty loyally, in fact he only buried hatred deep in his heart.

After Yang Jian seized the position, three ministers who supported the Yuwen family of the Northern Zhou Dynasty rebelled. They were Wei Chizhou, the governor of Xiangzhou, Sima Xiaonan, the governor of Zhengzhou, and Wang Qian, the governor of Yizhou. These people were either related to the Yuwen family or were loyal to the royal family of the Northern Zhou Dynasty.
To be continued...