"Taibai Ju Restaurant" is the largest restaurant in Putai County. It is located in the most prosperous market in the east city of Putai County. It is a three-story restaurant with magnificent style. The city wall of Putai County is three feet high. Standing on the "Taibai Ju Restaurant"
From the top floor of the residence, you can have a panoramic view of the mountains and rivers outside the city, which shows how tall and majestic this building is.
Taibaiju Restaurant has a grand scene, great style, good food taste, and reasonable prices. There is a constant flow of diners coming and going every day, and the seats are packed. The business is booming. The owner of Taibaiju Restaurant is Lin Yuqi, who is in his early thirties this year.
, it is the time when one is in the prime of life.
The winter before last, Mr. Lin, the old boss of Taibaiju, had an asthma attack, and a mouthful of phlegm blocked his throat. He couldn't be cured, so he left Hexi. Lin Yuqi took over the family business. Mr. Lin was a low-key person, and
Lin Yuqi is different. He is young. Young people always have higher ambitions and more ideas. Since he took over the Taibaiju Restaurant, under his management, Taibaiju's business has become more prosperous, and the Lin family's reputation has become more prominent in Puzhou.
Taixian County is also getting higher and higher, and it can be called a big tycoon.
The Lin family's house is in the back courtyard of Taibaiju Restaurant, but there is another door. The whole building spans two streets. The left street is the front entrance of Taibaiju Restaurant, and the right street has a red door with white walls and two lions sitting on it.
The door through which the Lin family enters and exits.
When Xia Xun, Ji Gang and others were discussing important matters in the inn's own small hotel, Tang Yaoju asked Wang Hongguang and Yang Cai to carry him, and Luo Li led the way. They had arrived in front of the Lin Mansion. Luo Li looked back and said,
Tang Yaoju nodded to him, gritted his teeth and sat up on the door panel. Luo Li sighed, stepped up the stairs, and clicked the copper ring on the door.
"Who is it?" The door creaked and opened a crack. A family member stuck his head out to look at them and asked lazily: "Who are you?"
Luo Li said in a deep voice: "We want to see your old shopkeeper."
The waiter glanced at him casually and said, "We've found the wrong person. There's no old shopkeeper here." He stretched out his hand to close the door.
"Slow!" Luo Li held the door, his arm was made of iron, but the servant didn't push it, he couldn't help but change his color and said: "What's the matter, come to our Lin family to find trouble? I can call out more than a dozen with just one roar.
A strong man, plus seven or eight vicious dogs, are you three enough to bite the bullet? Hmph!"
Tang Yaoju reluctantly said: "Luo Li, don't talk nonsense, report it to the court."
Luo Li suppressed his anger and said in a low voice: "The mud comes from Chaos Qi."
The servant was startled and subconsciously responded: "When the white lotus appears, it will bring prosperity to the world."
Luo Li made a gesture, and the servant's expression softened and he asked: "Where do brothers come from?"
"Huaixi."
The servant's expression changed slightly and he said, "There are thousands of white lotuses blooming, but I don't know which one will grow from them?"
While the two were talking, their hands were constantly changing gestures, as if a tantric monk was practicing Mahamudra. Luo Li tied lotus flowers on his hands and said in a deep voice: "I don't dare to say my father's name at home, and I don't dare to say my teacher's surname when I go out. Since
When my brother asked, I didn't dare to hide anything. My surname is Tang."
The servant looked at them again, opened the door, and waved hastily inside. Wang Hongguang and Yang Cai carried Tang Yaoju and flashed into the courtyard. When Luo Li also flashed through the door, the servant walked towards the door alertly.
He looked outside and quickly closed the door.
"Tang has met Mr. Lin, the shopkeeper!"
As soon as he saw Lin Yuqi coming out of the back hall, Tang Yaoju reluctantly stood up and tremblingly raised his hands in greeting.
Lin Yuqi is not old, but "old shopkeeper" does not refer to his age, but the name the boss of the Tangkou is called in the Northern Mingjiao, while the boss of the Tangkou is called the boss in the Southern Mingjiao. There are many branches of the White Lotus Sect, and some
The sect calls its leader "ancestor", "master", "eldest brother", "marshal in charge", etc., and the Northern and Southern Mingjiao are the two largest branches of the White Lotus Sect.
Lin Yuqi hurriedly stepped forward to help him up, and said in surprise: "Master Tang, please don't be too polite. What are you...what is going on?"
Tang Yao Zhong sighed heavily and said sadly: "It's hard to explain. Brothers are here to seek help from the old shopkeeper."
Lin Yuqi quickly helped him to the edge of the chair, pulled the cushions on the other chairs, put them together for him to sit down, and said: "Brother Tang, don't worry, we all share the same blood, and we are like branches.
Wherever it is useful to get a brother, Brother Tang just opens his mouth."
Tang Yaoju went out to do business, and someone came to his door on a rainy night. He pretended that someone was giving birth at home and lured his wife away. The county magistrate was unfair and he was beaten with forty sticks while beating drums to complain. Finally,
Said: "Old shopkeeper, this gangster is clearly from Putai County, but my brother's eyes are blank and he is nowhere to be found. Zhuo Jing was kidnapped last night and there is no news so far. Brothers are all in ruins."
Lin Yuqi just pondered, but Tang Yaoju couldn't bear it anymore and asked: "Old shopkeeper, is this matter... very difficult?"
Lin Yuqi's face was uncertain, and he said after a while: "To be honest with Brother Tang, in fact, in the past few years, there have been several cases of girls from good families being abducted in our Putai County and neighboring counties. In the end, they all
It became a deadlock case. The families who lost their people were either too poor to file a lawsuit, or the family was not prosperous and could not afford to file a lawsuit. In the end, the matter was settled.
Brother, I felt that something was fishy at the beginning, but it was none of my business. I also expected that the person behind the scenes must be a powerful person with a high profile. In order to avoid conflicts, I always ordered my disciples to avoid it. I didn’t expect that now this matter would fall to you.
I'm afraid it's hard to offend this person, especially since he must have a good background in the government. Brothers have families and businesses, and there are so many disciples here to hang out, so you can't be careless in every move...
"
Tang Yaoju had long expected that the power of the real culprit behind the scenes would not be small. The northern and southern Mingjiao were said to have the same origin, but in fact they were just sympathizing with each other under the attack of the imperial court. Looking back a few decades ago, the northern and southern Mingjiao were life and death enemies.
, if Lin Yuqi was asked to abandon his family and career for him, an unrelated disciple of the Southern Sect, of course he would not agree.
However, Tang Yaoju had already made up his mind. When he heard what he said, Tang Yaoju put his hands on the armrests, bent his legs, knelt on the ground, and said, "Old shopkeeper..."
Lin Yuqi was taken aback and quickly ducked out of the way, saying anxiously: "Master Tang, what are you doing?"
Tang Yaoju said sadly: "I also know that this matter is difficult for the old shopkeeper. The old shopkeeper wants to take such a big risk for me, a foreigner, and even the brothers in your circle will not agree. I..."
He bit it, leaned down, and said in a deep voice: "I am willing to agree to what the old shopkeeper mentioned before, and lead this group...all the disciples in this group to move north to join the old shopkeeper's door."
Lin Yuqi was at a loss and said: "This... this..., Master Tang, aren't you making Lin a villain? Lin is not the kind of person who takes advantage of others, but..."
Tang Yaoju said resolutely: "I know that the old shopkeeper controls such a large family business. Every word, deed, and move should be based on your words and actions. You can't act on impulse and break the rules. Tang also has a resounding rule.
Man, if you can't even protect your own wife, how can you have the dignity to start teaching disciples? Tang X voluntarily led all the brothers in this circle to join the old shopkeeper. We all became a family, and it was natural for the old shopkeeper to help me."
"good!"
Lin Yuqi gritted his teeth, stepped forward to help Tang Yaoju up, and said sincerely: "Brother Tang, I promise you, no matter what background this person has or how powerful he is, I, Lin Yuqi, will fight him."
Come on, as brothers, we will naturally share our blessings and our share of hardships!"
On the bank of the North Yellow River in Putai County, there is a guard station stationed at the Qianhu Station. The commander of the Qianhu Station is named Du Minglong. Du Qianhu is in his early forties and in his prime. This Qianhu officer has been fighting for half his life.
, with his bravery and prowess in battle, his fearlessness in death, and his accumulation of military merits, he was promoted to the rank of Qianhu and became the garrison general of this place of thousands of households.
It was easy for Du Qianhu to be an official. Going north, there were two fierce tigers, King Ning and King Yan, guarding the north gate of the Ming Dynasty. As long as the Mongols showed their heads, they would be beaten in the face. Although Shandong is close to the outside of the pass, the Mongols are not at all
He didn't have the guts to come over, so besides taking care of the daily chores of the Yellow River Road, there was basically nothing important to do in his guard station.
Du Qianhu had nothing else to do every day except military training. For someone like him who had been fighting all his life, it was really hard to be idle. However, he did not dare to leave the military camp to have fun, so he had to do it every day.
Du Qianhu enjoyed fighting with the more skilled soldiers in the army every day. Du Qianhu was a brave and ruthless character, and he was also good at martial arts. Competing with each other every day gradually became his only entertainment activity. Some of the more skilled masters were gradually
He was promoted and brought to his side as a personal soldier so that he could spend time with him.
On this day, Du Qianhu defeated six martial arts masters one after another, and he felt very happy. He returned to his residence triumphantly, sat down on the kang with his bare arms and bare feet, and took out half a jar of fine wine from his private collection.
When I was about to have a nice drink, someone suddenly came to report that a master named Yang wanted to see Mr. Qianhu.
In the early Ming Dynasty, the actual power of military commanders in the court was much greater than that of civil servants. However, although Zhu Yuanzhang emphasized military force, he never despised civility. The thirty years of civil rule in the early Ming Dynasty laid a solid foundation for the entire Ming Dynasty.
It was the result of his combined use of civil and military affairs, so civil servants and military generals rarely had a tendency to look down upon each other.
Xia Xun had a great reputation, and a big-headed soldier would not dare to be insulted. He was let into the sentry tower at the entrance of the military camp, and a large bowl of tea was served to him, and then he hurriedly came to report to thousands of households.
"Hmm? A living being..."
Du Long rubbed the back of his head and wondered: "I don't know a single person's calligraphy. How can I recognize a scholar who can read Chinese calligraphy? What do these scholars do when they see me as a rough guy?"
Du Long thought for a long time and couldn't think of a reason, so he waved his hand and said: "Tell him to come in." After saying that, like a greedy cat, he took a sip of wine and narrowed his eyes.
"Master Qianhu, bring all the students to Yang Xu."
"Well, please come in."
Du Long quickly threw the empty bowl to the end of the kang, covered the wine jar and stuffed it under the quilt, sat cross-legged on the kang, pinched his feet vigorously, and put on a majestic look.
As soon as Xia Xun entered the room, he smelled a smell of sweat and alcohol mixed with the strange smell of smelly feet. It almost knocked him over. Xia Xun frowned slightly, quickly held his breath, bowed and saluted: "
Student Yang Xu has met Mr. Qianhu."
"Um, ah, Officer Yang Sheng, what do you... have to do with me?" Du Long asked while grinning and squeezing his feet.
Xia Xun said: "I would like to ask you to step back, the students have something important to report."
"Left and right, there is no such thing as left and right, front and back are pretty much the same."
Du Long squeezed his feet, with an expression on his face that seemed both painful and comfortable. He waved to the soldiers behind Xia Xun nonchalantly: "You can go out, Yang Sheng, you can talk now."
"Yes!" Xia Xun took out the ivory sign from his arms and handed it over, saying in a deep voice: "Student, please ask Mr. Qianhu to take a look at this sign first."
"Huh?" Du Qianhu grabbed the ivory sign. As soon as he took it in his hand, his expression moved, and the nonchalant look on his face disappeared immediately. When he saw the sign clearly, Du Long jumped down from the kang in a flash.
He said in confusion: "Yang Shengyu, you... you are..."
Civil and military officials all have waist badges, with different quality and workmanship. Although Du Qianhu is illiterate, it does not mean that he cannot recognize the waist badges, so as soon as he got the badge, he immediately knew that the person coming was something special, because the military attache used
Gold medals, the so-called gold medals, refer to being made of hardware, not necessarily gold. The quality of waist medals used by civil servants is even more different. There are only three types of people who can use ivory waist medals: one is senior civil servants;
In the imperial palace, he is a confidant of the royal family; in Sanmo, he is an alternative among the military attachés - the senior military attaché of the Jin Yiwei.
The military camp where Du Qianhu was located was a guard post under the Qingzhou Capital Commandery Division. How could he not recognize the badge of Prince Qi's palace? So when he saw this badge, he knew that he belonged to His Highness Prince Qi.
This person is not something that a small Qianhu like him can sit there cross-legged to receive. Although Du Qianhu is a rough person, his heart is not rough, so he immediately jumped down to the ground.
Xia Xun calmly said: "Master Qianhu, the student is doing some things for Prince Qi, and I am passing by here. I saw an injustice on the way, and I would like to ask Master Qianhu for a favor."
Du Qianhu said with emotion: "As a nobleman of Prince Qi's palace, if anything happens, I should do my best to help. But I don't know what Mr. Yang... Young Master Yang needs my help with?"
Xia Xun told the story of the rape of a civilian girl that happened in Putai County, and then said: "The students are worried that the Putai County magistrate has secretly colluded with the kidnappers. This place is still under the jurisdiction of Qingzhou, but it belongs to Prince Qi."
If something like this happened within the territory of the vassal state, the reputation of the prince would be damaged. Because the matter was urgent and there was no time to go back to Qingzhou to ask the prince for instructions, the student thought of Master Qianhu. The student also knew that the military camp had its own rules.
I dare not ask Master Qianhu to mobilize the army, but... sending thirty or fifty strong men in civilian clothes to help catch the thieves will certainly not make it too difficult for Master Qianhu."
"It's not difficult, of course it's not difficult."
Du Qianhu was very cheerful. He patted his chest as a guarantee and handed the sign back: "Mr. Yang, please rest assured. I will pick someone up right away and go with him to Putai County in person."
"So, thank you, Lord Qianhu."
Xia Xun thanked him with a smile, then calmly stretched out his two fingers, like the Buddha holding flowers, gently picked up the ivory waistband, threw it elegantly into the pocket of his sleeve, took the opportunity to hide his hand in his sleeve, and rubbed his fingers vigorously
.
Du Qianhu saw Xia Xun's expressions and movements, and couldn't help but secretly praise in his heart: "You are a scholar after all, look at her style, she is more of a girl than a girl, I, Old Du, would die to learn from it..."
