Celebrities and beauties from all walks of life need to be associated with celebrities to embellish their appearance and status, while Qin Dewei needs to continue to publish works to maintain his reputation in the literary world.
Since the purpose of both parties is so clear and sincere, let's omit the procedures and go straight to the results. This way everyone gets what they need and saves time and energy.
Let Xu Laosan take more than a dozen poems written by Qin Zhuangyuan and go to the boat to distribute them to the beauties. This is what he means.
Qin Dewei's decision brought Xu Shian to the pinnacle of his life. All the beauties attending the meeting that night tried their best to please and flatter him.
Every beauty wants to get the right to first select Qin Zhuangyuan's poems from Xu Laosan, or the right to choose a few more poems.
Although Xu Laosan is a character that not many people dare to mess with in the city of Nanjing, he is not a famous scholar, nor is he a wealthy celebrity, so he does not add much to the beauty's value.
Therefore, in the past, although the beauties in the flower world were polite and considerate to Xu Laosan, they were not very fawning.
But it was different tonight. The power of Qin Zhuangyuan in Nanjing was so great. Even Xu Shi'an, who had the power of a fox and a tiger, also experienced the unprecedented pleasure of being surrounded by stars.
In the end, Xu Laosan didn’t know when he fell asleep, or how he fell asleep, let alone where he slept, or even who he slept with.
When he woke up, Xu Shi'an felt like his whole body was falling apart and he had a splitting headache. At the same time, his body seemed to be shaking constantly, which made Xu Shi'an feel nauseous and wanted to vomit.
After reluctantly opening his eyes, Xu Shian felt that no part of his body was comfortable, and what caught his eyes were a few pieces of wood.
"Third Master, wake up!" someone yelled next to him.
Xu Shian turned his head with difficulty, only to find himself in a small, simple and shabby room.
Then I saw several servants standing next to me, all of them male domestic servants. Then there was a one-eyed fat man who I just saw yesterday.
A servant came forward and said, "It seems to be already afternoon. The third master is finally awake."
Xu Shian: "???"
What's going on? I was surrounded by flowers last night, and I slept in an embroidered room. Why did I find myself in this situation when I woke up?
It’s okay that the environment is so bad, but why are all the people around me male? Could it be that last night’s experience was a dream?
Fortunately, there were still familiar slaves around, otherwise Xu Laosan would have been really worried that he had been kidnapped. He shouted, "What's going on? Where am I?"
The servant replied: "Third Master, don't be surprised, we are on a boat, sailing down the river!"
Xu Shian:......
Could it be that last night was really a nightmare?
The servant's knowledge was limited, so he replied: "Last night, the master suddenly ordered you to pack your luggage, and then mobilized the servants to prepare for a long journey. This morning, I sent someone to pick up the sleeping third master on the ship, and then set off.
Okay, now the ship has been setting off for more than two hours!"
The master the servants of the Xu family mentioned was, of course, the commander of Xu Laosan's father, Mr. Xu.
Xu Shi'an was still dazed and still didn't react. What on earth was going on? What was his father going to do?
At this time, the one-eyed fat man who was the only one who was not a slave of the Xu family spoke up: "You still can't understand this?"
It must be that your good brother surnamed Qin couldn't trust you, so he informed your father-in-law, and then your father-in-law immediately sent you on your way!
Only then did Xu Laosan, who was groggy, finally understood. Was he sending himself to Ningbo and then to Shuangyu Island?
Then Xu Shian rubbed his forehead and asked: "Why are you here, Yan!"
Who could this one-eyed fat man be but Yan Shifan? He replied angrily: "I don't want to be here, but I was kidnapped here!"
In the city of Nanjing, except for your brother Qin, who can care about me so much? So the work you are on the ship must also be the work of brother Qin!"
Xu Shian was stunned for a while, regained his energy a little, and then asked again: "Do you have a son?"
Yan Shifan didn't understand what the problem was, but he had to lower his head when he was under the eaves.
, and replied truthfully: "I already have a son."
Xu Laosan said: "Then your Yan family will not be extinct, and I will not commit evil."
Yan Shifan said in astonishment: "What do you mean?"
Then I heard Xu Laosan ordering the servants: "Tie up this man surnamed Yan and throw him into the river! This will save him from fighting against Brother Qin later!"
"Wait a minute! Calm down!" Yan Shifan shouted hurriedly: "You are hurting your brother Qin by doing this!
Just think about it, if Qin Dewei really wants to take action, doesn't Qin Dewei have the ability to do it? He certainly has his reasons for not taking action!
Even if you kill me, others will think it was Qin Dewei who instigated it! At that time, how will others view Qin Dewei?"
Xu Laosan said with disgust: "Then what's the use of carrying you as a burden? It's better to just kill them all!"
Yan Shifan almost vomited blood. In his heart, he thought he was the smartest person in the world except Qin Dewei, but he was treated like garbage by this guy! It's really like a tiger falling in peace and a dragon swimming in shallow water!
But the most frustrating thing is that I have to explain my "role" to this dude, so as not to really be "killed"
After taking a deep breath, Yan Shifan smiled and said: "I am actually a hostage.
Xu Laosan was still very disgusted and said: "Then what do I want you as a hostage to do? I might as well kill you!"
Yan Shifan explained: "How can hostages be useless? If Qin Dewei goes to Zhejiang and suffers a setback and falls into crisis, how should he explain to the court? How can he avoid being held accountable?
At that time, I may be useful as a hostage! After all, my father is the ruling bachelor of the current government!"
Regardless of the rocking of the ship, Xu Laosan suddenly sat up and shouted: "That's nonsense! How could my brother Qin, who is invincible in the world, suffer a defeat!"
Yan Shifan shouted: "What do you think of the King of Chu back then? Wasn't he invincible? Wasn't Gaixia defeated in the end?"
Xu Shian refuted: "Since ten years ago, some people have always said that Brother Qin will be so public that he will eventually be defeated! But until now, he has never really been defeated!"
Yan Shifan retorted: "I understand Qin Dewei better than you! If he can only follow the rules and just want to be a mediocre minister, I dare not say that he will start well and end well, but it will be easy to maintain his integrity for decades!
But judging from Qin Dewei's usual style of doing things, he always likes to set up new rules and start over with new ideas! He is definitely not a person who sticks to the rules! This time he is willing to go to Zhejiang, he must not be willing to be mediocre, and must make big moves! Such a result is personally harmful.
In other words, there are ups and downs! I don’t know if you have read the history books. How many of those who implemented the New Deal were able to start well and end well?"
Xu Laosan still didn't believe it: "The defeated people must have encountered powerful opponents! Who can be the opponent of Brother Qin in Zhejiang?"
Yan Shifan asked back: "Don't you really know how powerful the local tycoons are? You, Mr. Xu, might as well think about it for yourself. How can officials who come to Nanjing from other places do anything to get rid of you, Mr. Xu, a local tycoon?"
Qin Dewei went to Zhejiang for the same reason. As long as he wants to implement the New Deal, he must touch the interests of local wealthy families!
How could he, an outsider, fight on someone else's territory against a wealthy family that controlled almost all local resources?
From ancient times to the present, for thousands of years, no one has been able to completely eradicate the local forces in the countryside! What’s more, these powerful clans are not isolated from the local area. There are always people in the court and they are connected up and down!"
Xu Shian was not feeling well, and he sounded heavy-headed. He waved his hand and said, "I'll spare you for today! From now on, you'll just have to listen to my brother Qin!"
Yan Shifan breathed a sigh of relief. He was really afraid that this Xu Laosan was a fool and couldn't make any sense.
Although the status of "hostage" doesn't sound good, saving your life is the most important thing! Even your own father can't take care of you, so you can only save yourself!
Anyone who can be used as a "hostage" is at least a useful person and will not be thrown into the rivers and seas!
"The hostage should look like a hostage!" Xu Shi'an said, "Tie up this guy named Yan and stuff him into the cargo hold!"
Yan Shifan said angrily: "A scholar can be killed but not humiliated. Are you still worried that I won't run away?"
Xu Shian was stunned for a moment and suddenly came to his senses, "It seems like Brother Qin has never been worried about you escaping, and is even eager for you to escape?"
Then he told the servants and slaves: "There is no need to restrain Master Yan. If he wants to escape, just let him escape! If he jumps into the water, just send him to the shore!"
Yan Shifan was extremely sad. If it weren't for his father's incompetence, Qin Dewei was completely at a disadvantage, and had to make various compromises, how could he have ended up like this!
Even Qin Dewei, a naughty brother, can yell at me, shout and kill him!
There was no more conversation all the way. When the boat drifted to Jingkou Station where the Yangtze River and the canal meet, Xu Shi'an couldn't bear it anymore and insisted on going ashore to rest.
Jingkou Station can be regarded as one of the most important stations on the waterway. After all, it is the Jingkou of "Jingkou Guazhou and Water". Needless to say, it is connected to the Grand Canal from the north to the south. You can also go west along the river to reach Nanjing.
Only heading east is slightly deserted, because not far to the east is the outlet of the river. Except for those going to Taicang Prefecture and Shanghai County, there are very few people heading east from here.
There are many dignitaries passing by Jingkou Station. With Xu Laosan's appearance, it is impossible to expect to get a good official reception here.
A third young master who stayed on the right guard in Nanjing City, with a fifth rank and a thousand households, was nothing at all outside. He would not be ranked in such a busy post station.
But Xu Shian still lived in an independent courtyard at the inn, which was even the best independent courtyard.
For no other reason, Xu Laosan had a nanny named Qin Dewei, and this nanny was about to cross the border.
This made Xu Laosan, who was moved to the boat after being hungover and bumped around on the boat, finally feel a little comfortable.
At this time, Xu Laosan was mentally exhausted and had no intention of going out to have fun. He only asked Yi Cheng to bring the food into the house, and after a few bites, he fell asleep.
As for the hostage named Yan, if the killing is "unlucky", then do whatever you want and it doesn't matter if you escape!
But unlike Xu Shi'an, Yan Shifan was not sleepy at all, tossing and turning and sighing.
Although he temporarily deceived Xu Shi'an and there was no problem in the short term, in the long run, his predicament was still not resolved.
Ever since Qin Dewei recruited him, he seemed to have drawn an invisible cage, trapping him in it.
Although the cage is invisible and seems to have no obstacles, he cannot move out and take a step outside.
Yan Shifan can be sure that Qin Dewei is waiting for him to cross the line!
But until now, Yan Shifan still has not figured out a way to break the cage.
All he can do is stand in the cage and try his best to do everything well so that Qin Dewei can't find an excuse to reach out to him again.
Yan Shifan, who couldn't sleep, simply got up and wandered alone under the moon, feeling desolate. As the saying goes: If you have few close friends, who will listen when your string is broken?
There seemed to be no guard at the courtyard gate, but Yan Shifan still did not dare to go out for fear of being treated as a "deserter."
At this moment, Yan Shifan suddenly came up with the idea that it would be nice if a few robbers broke in and robbed him.
In this way, he will be forced to leave instead of escaping on his own initiative!
Then, by convincing a few robbers with his sharp tongue, he can escape from the invisible cage set by Qin Dewei.
Then Yan Shifan smiled bitterly. Although the idea was good, how could it be possible?
Jingkou is not a wilderness or a remote and secluded place. How can a bandit come to Jingkou Station and specifically come to rob me?
Seeing that the night was getting dark, Yan Shifan was about to go back to his room when suddenly a few black shadows fell from the wall in front of him, and then these black shadows immediately rushed over.
Before Yan Shifan could recover, two steel knives that looked sharp in the dark appeared in front of him and were already placed on his neck.
Then a deep voice sounded: "Very good, you didn't scream and cooperated with us, otherwise the steel knife will be ruthless! We have no intention of taking your lives!"
Yan Shifan: Could it be that when you prayed to God just now, something happened immediately?
What a thief! I obviously prayed
Heaven has punished Qin Dewei many times, but why doesn’t his spirit appear?
The voice asked again: "In which room is the leading figure in your group sleeping?"
The leading figure should be Xu Shi'an? Yan Shifan pointed to the second courtyard and whispered: "The main east side room.
Then a dark figure went to the courtyard gate, opened the wooden door from the inside, and then about twenty people poured in.
Yan Shifan was shocked. Although he didn't quite understand the purpose of these people, the scale was definitely not small.
There are definitely more people than just those who came in. There must be a large number of guards or spare manpower outside!
So Yan Shifan was even more puzzled. How did this bandit gang of dozens of people escape and rush to Jingkou Station, and how did they get into this courtyard with such an eye-catching appearance?
This place is located in the hinterland of the southeast and on a waterway hub. Generally, bandits who are just looking for money will not approach here.
What's more, what Yan Shifan can't figure out is, what are these bandits rushing here for? They don't have any important political or economic goals.
To put it bluntly, neither Yan Shifan nor Xu Laosan is worthy of such a big battle.
Just when Yan Shifan was puzzled, Xu Shian and his servants were searched out and driven to the front yard together under the threat of a steel knife.
Suddenly there was the sound of fighting outside. Perhaps the officers and soldiers guarding the inn finally discovered this group of robbers.
Before Yan Shifan was overjoyed, he saw someone standing at the door and saying, "We have repulsed this wave of government troops. Leave quickly to avoid a long night and many dreams!"
Xu Shi'an, who was arrested in his sleep, couldn't bear it anymore and glared at Yan Shifan a few times. Because of his bad mouth, he really became a hostage!