Brother and sister Zhang Hongdao and Zhang Wenjing sat by the window so that passers-by on the long street could see them.
There were not many people waiting in the entire restaurant, and there were no guards from the Zhang family.
Occasionally, customers who came to have a drink were persuaded to leave by the store owner.
"This building is occupied by Wulang of the Zhang family today. If you are not Wulang's guest, please come back..."
Zhang Hongdao ate some side dishes for a while when he saw Yang Guo's carriage passing downstairs.
"Mr. Taining has already followed Li Xia's request. He should be able to see that I have no ill intentions."
Zhang Wenjing straightened her hat and stopped eating. She just looked out the window with some expectation.
Zhang Hongdao thought for a while and suddenly said: "Li Xia is getting married. I'm not lying to you. It's true..."
"It's just a lie."
"Perhaps the person he wants to marry is the Gao family of Dali."
"I do not believe."
Zhang Hongdao shook his head and said no more.
In fact, he didn't pay much attention to this small problem. Even if Li Xia planned to marry the Gao family, after all, they were not married yet.
How could a down-and-out Dali noble family compare to the Zhang family at its peak? What's more, with his sister's appearance and talent, is there any point in thinking about Li Xia's choice?
Under the window, the carriage carrying Yang Guo's family had passed by and gradually disappeared at the end of the long street.
"Li Xia should be here soon." Zhang Hongdao put down his chopsticks, poured a glass of wine and drank, gradually becoming more confident again.
After chasing for so long, I finally got to meet that person...
Li Xia leaned close to the window paper and saw the Zhang brothers and sisters through the holes in the window paper.
He wrapped himself in a thick coat and put on thick clothes to cover his figure. He went downstairs and walked around the long street to make sure that there were no guards from the Zhang family around.
Then it became clear what Zhang Hongdao meant, and he wanted to talk.
But this time the transaction between the two parties was very simple. The Zhang family let Yang Guo go, and Li Xia blamed the Liu family. There was very little to do between the two parties, and there was no need to continue contacting each other.
For Li Xia, it was time to leave after rescuing Yang Guo and laying some hidden dangers for the princes in the north.
He hesitated for a while, walked through the alley, and disappeared into the crowd...
The sun sets in the west.
"Let's go, he won't come."
Zhang Hongdao raised his eyes to look at the red clouds on the horizon and murmured: "Maybe he has left the city."
Zhang Wenjing was obviously very disappointed, but she asked: "Could it be that Fifth Brother secretly sent someone to capture him?"
"That's what you said." Zhang Hongdao stood up and added, "I don't have the ability."
"Yes, Fifth Brother really doesn't have this ability...but he is the only one in the world who can make Fifth Brother so helpless. Don't worry."
"It's my turn to comfort you, not you to comfort me."
"What comfort do I have?"
"Li Xia doesn't even come to see you, so give up."
"He just didn't see us. I already knew this was a bad idea..."
As the brother and sister walked through the long street, Zhang Wenjing couldn't help but turn back and look at the window on Jinlou.
The disappointment she tried so hard to hide couldn't help but show up in her eyes when she looked back, making her eyes red...
Three days later, the news came back from Kaifeng, and Alan Daer found Shi Zhang at Liu's house.
Yang Guo has arrived in Shouzhou and will probably be transported across the Huaihe River soon.
Jingjie returned from Luyi, destroyed some evidence, bribed the people sent by Liu Zhongzhi to Luyi, told them that Liu Zhongzhi had been convicted, and let them escape to the Song Dynasty.
This matter seems to have passed like this...
In the evening, Zhang Hongdao had just finished arranging things, when the concierge suddenly came forward and handed over a letter of greeting.
"Who sent it?"
"A small official, very noble-looking..."
There was no name on the greeting card, but Zhang Hongdao's expression became solemn when he saw the handwriting.
He didn't say anything, just went back to the backyard to eat, talked with his wife and children, and went to bed early.
Late at night, Zhang Hongdao opened his eyes, got up and left the mansion alone.
The guards guarding the door quickly followed.
"Wu Lang wants to go out? I'll call someone right now."
"I'm just strolling around, you don't have to follow me..."
That night was October 17th, and the moonlight was very bright. Zhang Hongdao walked through the long streets and alleys, walked all the way to the outside of the Shuangta Temple, and stood in the open space under the pagoda.
After a while, someone came out of the shadows and walked into the moonlight.
Zhang Hongdao turned around. This was his first time seeing Li Xia, so he scanned him up and down for a while, his eyes even more relieved.
"No wonder eldest sister likes you."
"Come with me."
Li Xia turned around and walked away, keeping a distance from Zhang Hongdao, all the way to a small house.
Zhang Hongdao walked into the room and sneered: "They say you are courageous, but tonight it seems that you are acting as timid as a mouse."
"I promised my fiancée that I would go back safely to get married, so it's best to be careful." Li Xia picked up the teapot and poured two cups of warm water.
"No wine?"
"No."
"Boring." Zhang Hongdao shook his head, picked up the cup on the broken table, and said, "I thought you left Bozhou."
"There is no rush. Yang Gong's carriage and horses are slow. It is not advisable to escape immediately when we first arrive in Shouzhou. I will make arrangements slowly." Li Xia asked, "Have you found Shi Zhang?"
"I found it. Thanks to you for hiding the person in the Liu family's pigsty, Liu Taiping has nothing to do with it."
"Are my people okay?"
"Oh, I haven't seen it yet." Zhang Hongdao said calmly: "You came to me just to ask about this matter? Then you might as well ask Mr. Taining."
Li Xia was silent for a while and asked: "Is someone in your house sick? I saw several doctors coming in and out yesterday."
"Yes, my eldest sister is sick. How are you doing?"
Li Xia was silent again, but this time he didn't speak for a long time.
Zhang Hongdao took a sip of warm water, but found it tasteless. He put the cup aside and said, "You saw us in Jinlou at that time? Why didn't you come?"
"If I can't give Zhang Wenjing an explanation, I won't do it."
"Then why did you come to see me again?"
Li Xia said calmly: "I don't feel relieved when I know she is sick."
"so what?"
"I want to see her and give her an explanation." Li Xia said, "Maybe we should talk."
Zhang Hongdao couldn't help laughing, and asked Youyou: "Do you like my eldest sister?"
"Um."
"Want to marry her?"
"Um."
"bride price?"
"What does the Zhang family want?"
"I don't need anything, I don't even need you to marry me. As long as you are loyal to the Zhang family, I will have a good talk with my father." After Zhang Hongdao said this, he said slowly: "Remember, you are loyal to the Zhang family."
Li Xia sighed imperceptibly and said, "Before I came here, I knew that I couldn't meet the conditions you proposed."
"This condition is not difficult. To be honest, Zhao Song's little magistrate is not worthy of your nostalgia, so throw it away. As for the Gao family in Dali, it is in decline, so it is not the best choice for marriage..."
"I know your attitude." Li Xia said: "You will probably not agree with my proposal, but let me mention it."
Zhang Hongdao sneered and said: "Then you don't have to say it. We can't let the eldest sister go with you, it's absolutely impossible. I have already taken a step back, and it's time for you to give in."
"Not only that." Li Xia didn't listen to him at all and said, "I like both her and Mrs. Gao and want to marry them both."
Zhang Hongdao thought he heard wrongly and opened his mouth.
Then, his face froze, and his eyes seemed to glow with fire.
With a "bang", Zhang Hongdao stood up, slapped the table and roared: "Li Xia! Don't bully others too much!"
"Just speaking frankly." Li Xia looked directly into Zhang Hongdao's angry eyes and said seriously: "Let me tell you from the bottom of my heart, I like Gao Mingyue and I also like Zhang Wenjing. I can't help laughing when I see her, but I can't help but laugh when I don't see her.
Regretful, knowing that she would be concerned if she was ill..."
Zhang Hongdao was still furious.
But through Li Xia's sincere eyes, he actually felt that he understood him. Although Zhang Hongdao loved his wife Zhou, he also had five concubines...
However, the Zhang family is such a noble family that they cannot tolerate such humiliation.
"If you don't want to die, just shut up." Zhang Hongdao gritted his teeth and said word by word.
"You can't kill me."
"..."
"With the current power of the Zhang family, I know that saying this is tantamount to humiliating the Zhang family." Li Xia said: "But I believe that I will have such qualifications sooner or later. Does Wulang believe it?"
"What's the point of believing or not believing?" Zhang Hongdao tried again and said slowly: "It is impossible for the Zhang family to agree to this request."
"Ok, I know."
"Then why did you come to me?"
"In any case, let me express my attitude first." Li Xia said: "To be honest, I have thought about taking her away again... But if she breaks with the family, she may not be happy."
"you dare?!"
"I dare, but I don't want to. I know that Zhang Rou loves her the most. Without Zhang Rou's consent, she will not be happy if she follows me." Li Xia said: "Relationships are a matter of two people, but marriage is a matter of two families.
Things, so let’s talk about it.”
"impossible."
"Not necessarily? You know, I have some abilities."
"It's ridiculous. Sister said you are a gentleman, but I think you are a lunatic."
Zhang Hongdao poured another glass of warm water and drank it all. The lack of taste in his mouth made him even more depressed.
But he understood that Li Xia had many ways to try to see Zhang Wenjing first and coax her to let him go. A young girl who has just started to have a love affair, who knows the importance...
On the other hand, this may be Li Xia's respect for Zhang Wenjing and the Zhang family.
"My eldest sister is seventeen. She is a big girl. We can't afford to delay her."
"I know."
"Since you can't marry her, don't let her go."
After Zhang Hongdao said that, he threw down the cup in his hand and turned around and walked out of the broken house.
He felt angry, but also felt happy.
I'm glad I came here tonight, and I'm glad Li Xia didn't kidnap Zhang Wenjing.
There was even a faint appreciation in my heart for Li Xia's honesty and responsibility.
But impossible is impossible...
Li Xia knew that he should leave immediately, otherwise Zhang Hongdao might not send someone to arrest him when he returns.
But he still sat there alone and thought for a while.
He is no longer the kind of fiery, desperate young man. He is rational, restrained, and very realistic when it comes to relationships.
Finally, Li Xia muttered to himself and walked out of the room.
"In the final analysis, there is still not enough strength..."