The entire city of Nanjing, whose current political status is equivalent to the capital, has two inner and outer walls, eighteen gates in the outer city and thirteen gates in the inner city. It is the longest in the world.
Usually, Nanjing City in the narrow sense refers to the inner city, which is called the capital city. For city dwellers, the suburbs are beyond the Thirteenth Gate of the inner city.
Mochou Lake is located just outside Sanshan Gate, which is the most important gate in the west of Nanjing City and the gate with the highest commercial value in Nanjing City.
It is no exaggeration to say that in the entire city of Nanjing, probably more than half of the flow of people and foreign goods enter and exit through Sanshan Gate.
If you understand this, you can understand why the Sanshan Gatekeeper was entertained by several merchants in a gold-selling cave like Nanshilou Street a few days ago.
Although he is a hot-blooded military attache who doesn't collect taxes, can't help make money, and has no power to judge and convict, he can block your goods for several days and prevent you from entering the city!
It can also be understood why a third-grade world official who has made meritorious deeds, and a fellow commander, does not feel aggrieved at all when he is the gatekeeper of a city.
Under the commander-in-chief, there are still several members of the fifth rank and thousands of households leading troops to guard the city gate. There is no other way, there is nothing else in the Southern Capital of the Ming Dynasty. There are as many officials of the Wu family as dogs, which is comparable to a specialty of salted duck.
The Xu family is going on a trip today, and Sanshan Gate has sent a few experienced soldiers to follow them. At this time, everyone has not arrived yet, so everyone is standing around casually in twos and threes waiting.
Qin Dewei and his maidservant stood slightly near the roadside. Xu Shi'an knew who Qin Dewei had invited, so he followed closely.
Mr. Zeng thought for a while and came over to talk to Qin Dewei, so a small group formed around Qin Dewei.
Qin Dewei looked back and chatted: "I heard that only Xu Miaojing is not coming?" As the only top student in the Xu Family School, he did not actively participate in extracurricular activities.
Mr. Zeng nodded and said: "This boy has always been devoted to his studies and ignored foreign affairs..."
"Tch!" Xu Shi'an snorted disdainfully: "It's just that he still has his sister and he doesn't like us. If you don't believe me, just wait and see whether they will go to the meeting in Dongyuan at the end of the month!"
It looked like everyone was here, but Qin Dewei, Xu Shi'an, and a certain maid had a tacit understanding and didn't move, and they didn't know what they were waiting for. This made Mr. Zeng very strange.
While he was talking, a carriage drove out from the city gate.
The horse is a tall horse, and the carriage is decorated with brocade and carvings. A thin silk curtain hangs from the gilded roof, and it moves slightly with the wind, and the figures in the carriage are vaguely visible.
The servant pulled the reins and stopped the carriage steadily in front of Qin Dewei. Then, from behind the curtain, a face as beautiful as a flower demon flashed out, as well as a dazzling phoenix hairpin and treasure.
"What a coincidence. I didn't expect to meet the Qin family's little brother here." The beauty was very surprised and took the initiative to strike up a conversation.
Qin Dewei replied: "We are going to Mochou Lake, do you want to leave the city too?"
The beauty was even more surprised, "It's true that we are destined to meet each other thousands of miles away! The slave family is also going to Mochou Lake, but there are few people to accompany..."
Xu Shi'an looked at Qin Dewei, then at the beauty, and said doubtfully: "Didn't Brother Qin write a letter to Sister Wang yesterday and make an appointment to come together today?"
An awkward conversation has come to an abrupt end, and it would be really awkward to talk again.
Wang Lianqing got out of the carriage with the support of her maid. Qin Dewei asked: "Why did you come so late?
Wang Lianqing raised her hands to hold her face and said with a smile: "I spent a lot of time dressing up early. Let me see if my family is beautiful today..."
As she was talking, Beauty Wang suddenly noticed the beautiful girl standing behind Qin Dewei, and asked alertly: "Who is this?"
Qin Dewei didn't take it seriously, "This is my maid, the one who sent you the letter yesterday."
Come on, you are the only one who can afford to support a woman? A woman can’t do enough to support you! Beauty Wang didn’t believe it in her heart and said:
"Oh, that's not what was said in the oath between you and the Nu family. How can there be another woman?"
Qin Dewei rolled his eyes: "You think too much, she is just a maid!"
Although the contract stipulates that "the only designated opposite-sex partner", a person with the status of a maidservant does not have a competitive relationship with you, Miss Wang!
Xu Shian finally found another opportunity to interrupt, and quickly said: "Yes, I testify! She is a maid, given to Brother Qin by our family!"
Wang Meiren picked up the round fan, covered her mouth and said with a smile: "Haha, I am a maid at home, but since I follow the male master out, I have only one identity, that of a woman."
Xu Shian was at a loss, what difference does this make?
Wang Meiren smiled and said nothing. Among the gentlemen at the literary gathering, apart from the host who needed to arrange the scene, who was accompanied by a woman from the family and not surrounded by servants?
Liu Yue bowed to Beauty Wang and said, "Actually, the little slave is not a human being, just a toy. This sister, please don't care about the little slave, let alone argue with Mr. Qin."
Wang Lianqing's smile gradually disappeared. Her original intention was to act coquettishly, but Liu Yue's behavior made her instantly smell the scent of the same kind.
Humph, as expected, a genius prodigy like Brother Qin can always attract women with ulterior motives!
As soon as I got off the carriage, I was suddenly challenged. Do you really think that all the beauties on the famous beauty list are just in vain? Who didn't go through many battles to get on the list?
You can do whatever you want at home, but in this scene outside, this is not where the women in your family should appear!
Beauty Wang walked up to Qin Dewei, put her arm on Qin Dewei's shoulders affectionately and said, "Haha, let me guess, is little brother Qin afraid that no one will serve him, so he brought a little slave out? Don't worry, today the slave family will serve you personally!"
"Then Mr. Qin will leave it to Sister Wang. I was tired from running errands and delivering letters yesterday," Liu Yue replied.
Then she walked to the maid brought by Wang Lianqing and said, "Young slave, just stay with me and talk to this sister."
Mr. Zeng, who had not spoken for a long time, was stunned. Are young people today so majestic?
It was judged that the enemy army had been driven back with all their strength, and after the victory, Meiren Wang began to taste the fruits of victory, but she was a little confused after looking around.
He pointed at Mr. Zeng secretly and couldn't help but whisper in Qin Dewei's ear and complained: "Brother, your literary friends are too unorganized. Why are there only one here so far? How long will it take for this to happen?"
While Qin Dewei was greeting people, he said to Wang Lianqing: "Is there anyone who is late? Everyone is here, let's go!"
Then Wang Lianqing saw Qin Dewei leading him towards a group of half-grown kids, only as tall as his own shoulders.
What happened? Wang Lianqing was confused.
Xu Laosan took the lead and boasted to his classmates: "Look, as I said, I can invite the most popular beauties! Do you think I am bragging when I say I went to Nanshi Street to play?"
The young men from the Xu Family School had been secretly observing for a long time. When they saw Beauty Wang coming over on her own initiative, they cheered and gathered around her, starting to chat with each other.
It's like a group of little sparrows surrounding the colorful phoenix, chirping non-stop.
Even Wang Lianqing, who was accustomed to seeing scenes, couldn't help but feel confused. Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?