The seventh day of the eleventh month of the first year of Dalong Taiping.
Hundreds of thousands of troops who returned to the DPRK rushed to the cities in Dalong's northern border one after another. According to Liu Mingzhi's previous arrangement, they each stationed themselves in six major cities.
Not only did the snow fall suddenly on the grassland, but on the way back to the army, the northern frontier of Dalong also received its first snowfall since the beginning of winter.
After various troops and horses entered the city one after another, the entire northern border was already covered in silver.
With the troops and horses of the battalions properly arranged, Liu Mingzhi ordered the Song and Qing Dynasties to command the imperial army, and An Gouer commanded the navy to rush back to Beijing. After staying in the palace for a few days, he also abandoned the carriage and took the queen with him.
The others hurriedly set off on their journey back to Beijing with ease and ease.
November 15th.
Liu Mingzhi and his party braved the wind and snow all the way, and finally crossed Xinzhou Fengyundu and entered Mingzhou.
It is only a few days away from the capital.
In Mingzhou Station, Liu Mingzhi took a hot bath, put on a simple light white Confucian robe, then put on a big cloak and a bamboo hat, and quietly slipped out of the back door of Mingzhou Station.
Liu Mingzhi didn’t know that his sneaky behavior had been clearly seen by the Queen who was standing in front of the window on the third floor of the station admiring the view.
Gazing at Liu Mingzhi's thief-like figure with narrowed eyes, the Queen murmured to herself with a hint of curiosity hidden in her eyes.
“How come it’s like stealing? I just want to go out and say something, but how can I do it so secretly?
In my impression, this heartless person didn’t seem to have incurred any romantic debts in Mingzhou!
Besides, besides the little goblin next door, what other woman can he go to in Mingzhou for sex?
Could it be that I’m afraid that I’ll feel bad and secretly go out to live in the world of you and me?”
The Queen frowned slightly and subconsciously glanced at the next door.
If you have no conscience and went out to have a secret meeting with the goblin somewhere else, how can you explain the sound of the shower next door?
Seeing Liu Mingzhi's figure disappearing at the corner of the street, the Queen hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked toward the door. She stopped in front of the door of the upper room next door and raised her hand to knock.
“Little goblin, are you here?”
“Zaizai, what’s going on?”
“Can I come in, please?”
“Wait a minute, I’ll put on my clothes and open the door for you.”
Hearing the familiar voice of Hu Yanjunyao and the rustling movements of her clothes in the room, the Queen's eyes couldn't help but look strange, and she shook her head with a sneer.
“What a strange thing!”
About time for tea, the door opened wide and Huyan Junyao wiped her wet hair and walked towards the room.
“Old sister, what do you want to do when you come here?”
The queen looked up and down at Huyan Yunyao's pretty face, which was flushed with heat.
“Tell me the truth to my sister, did that heartless guy touch you?”
"ah?"
“Ah what? Don’t tell me that you are still a perfect young lady?”
Huyan Yunyao finally understood the meaning of the Queen's question, and her pretty face became even redder due to the bath.
Not daring to look directly at the Queen's curious eyes, Huyan Yunyao entwined their fingers together, and the shyness in her eyes was obvious.
“I touched it, but I didn’t touch it either!”
“What does it mean to have touched but not touched?”
“Except for the wedding night, there’s nothing else.”
Senior brother said that after returning to Beijing, he would make up for the weddings of all the sisters before taking the younger sister’s body.”
The Queen shook her head with narrow eyes and walked towards the door.
“It took a long time, but you just got blown away.”
"Huh? What does that mean?"
The queen looked at Huyan Yunyao's curvy body with a smile, and gently closed the door: "It's not interesting, you will understand later!"
The queen left Huyan Yunyao who was confused and returned to her room with light steps.
He glanced at the cute little girl who was sleeping soundly on the bed, wrapped in a brocade quilt, and looked curiously in the direction where Liu Dashao disappeared.
“What on earth did you do?”
Songyang Restaurant in Mingzhou City,
Liu Mingzhi is not sure whether Songyang Restaurant is a property of the Liu family, but Songyang Restaurant is one of the best in Mingzhou City in terms of scale.
Liu Mingzhi pressed down his bamboo hat and walked towards the bustling Songyang Restaurant.
It is the end of the year, and it is rare for both dignitaries and ordinary people to relax and gather in small groups. This period of time before the year is also the busiest time for business in restaurants, wine shops, brothels, and gambling houses.
Liu Mingzhi walked to the counter, gently placed half of the Pisces pendant on the counter and pushed it in front of the restaurant manager.
“Keep the appointment!”
The old shopkeeper, who was about sixty years old, was stunned for a moment. He picked up half of the Pisces pendant and looked at it. He glanced at Liu Mingzhi, took out another half of the Pisces pendant from the drawer and compared it with the one in Liu Mingzhi's hand. They found that they fit perfectly.
Together.
The old shopkeeper hurriedly walked out of the counter holding the Pisces pendant: "I am blind, it turns out that a distinguished guest has arrived.
The distinguished guest who booked the fourth floor is waiting for your arrival at Tianzihao.
He has already told the old man in advance that as soon as your distinguished guest arrives, he will just take you up.
Liu Mingzhi looked around at the guests drinking and fist-fighting on the first floor, and then followed the old shopkeeper directly towards the stairs.
It was about time to drink tea, and the old shopkeeper stopped respectfully in front of the Tianzihao wing.
“Dear guest, that guest is waiting in the room, please put your jade pendant away!”
Liu Mingzhi silently took a pair of Pisces pendants, took out a fifty-tael silver note from his sleeve and stuffed it into the old shopkeeper's hand.
“Don’t let anyone bother you.”
"No, no, that guest has already booked the fourth floor. I can't collect money twice. This is against the rules."
“The old man is kind and righteous, so I won’t be polite.”
“Don’t dare, I’m a distinguished guest, I’ll take my leave.”
Looking at the old shopkeeper disappearing at the top of the stairs, Liu Mingzhi directly opened the Tianzihao door and walked in.
A beautiful figure sitting in the room with her back to the door heard the sound of the door opening, and her body trembled involuntarily.
Liu Mingzhi raised his hand and took off his bamboo hat, and walked towards the handsome figure dressed as a scholar.
“I thought you wouldn’t come to the appointment even after receiving the letter. How are you doing during this period?”
Qianying trembled slightly when she heard Liu Mingzhi's words. She turned her stiff body and looked at Liu Mingzhi, who was slowly approaching her. The sadness in her eyes was self-evident.
“We agreed that we would not owe each other anything, so why would you invite Aijia out?
You promised the Aijia not to harm Tao'er, so you won't go back on your promise, right?"
Liu Mingzhi looked at He Shu's panic reaction, pulled out his chair and sat next to the beauty.
“Back on my word? In your eyes, am I just such a person who doesn’t abide by my promise at all?
Since I promised you not to touch Li Tao, I will definitely not touch Li Tao at all."
He Shu's tense heart suddenly relaxed and he breathed out softly.
“Then why did you invite Aijia to the date?”
Liu Mingzhi picked up the pot and poured a cup of tea, took a sip, then raised his hand and gently placed it on the back of He Shu's hand.
He Shu subconsciously retracted, but Liu Mingzhi grabbed him in the palm of his hand.
“What are you going to do? Let me go!”
“If you are so afraid of me, why were you so proactive in the carriage?
Having had skin-to-skin contact, why would you react so much?"
"You and I"
Liu Mingzhi gently patted the back of He Shu's hand: "Li Tao is thinking about his mistakes in the Zongren Mansion, and the child Jingyao also lives in the Princess Mansion in the capital.
It is not convenient for you to stay alone in Mingzhou. If something happens, there will be no one to help each other.
It’s better not to count on this kid like Ming Wang Li Ting to help you!
You are a weak woman with no strength and you are alone in Mingzhou. I am not worried. Come back to Beijing with me.
I will properly arrange your status and find you a comfortable place to settle down."
He Shu looked blankly at Liu Mingzhi's soft eyes: "Will I come back to Beijing to settle down with you?"
“Yes, your son and daughter are all in the capital, so what’s the use of living alone in Mingzhou?
It’s hard to even meet him, so come back to Beijing with me!”
He Shu gradually came back to his senses and shook his head hurriedly.
“No, no, Aijia can’t go back to the capital with you.
In order to save Tao'er's life, it is already unchaste for the Ai family to have an affair with you in private. How can we continue to insult the face of the late Emperor Wuzong and the Li family?
Ai Jia cannot go back, even if he dies in a foreign land and ends up alone, Ai Jia cannot go back."
Looking at He Shu's pretty face that suddenly turned pale, Liu Mingzhi sighed and shook his head.
“I didn’t say that I would make things between us public openly, but I would arrange your life privately. Why should you be so panicked?
Don’t worry, I won’t announce anything that will cause you any loss of face as long as you don’t want to.
Be obedient and come back with me.
How can I rest assured that you, a weak woman, are a stranger in a foreign land?"
Listening to Liu Mingzhi's soft voice, He Shu couldn't help but think of the sad life of living under the shelter of others these days, and two lines of tears fell involuntarily from his beautiful eyes.
Lihua looked at Liu Mingzhi who looked at her with pity, and shook her head helplessly.
“I have been unfaithful to my husband, and I have no shame in going back.
As long as you can spare Tao'er's life, I have nothing else to ask for in this life.
Stop coming to me again, okay? I really don’t have the shame to go back.”
Liu Mingzhi shook his head firmly: "No, if nothing had happened between us before, I wouldn't have bothered with it.
But since you and I are already close to each other, I can't just sit back and ignore you.
No matter what, you must go back with me."
“No, no, don’t force me.”
Liu Mingzhi stood up directly and looked down at He Shu, who was crying with pear flowers and rain.
“Since you’ve come to keep your appointment, it’s not up to you whether you come back or not!”
After finishing speaking, Liu Mingzhi bent down and hugged the beautiful lady.
“Yeah! Put me down quickly!”
Liu Mingzhi paused, looked down at the struggling He Shu, and licked his lips at the bed behind the screen.
“Go back with me and I will put you down. If you don’t go back with me, I will have to continue to persuade you until you agree to return to Beijing.”
He Shu looked anxiously and shyly at Liu Mingzhi’s narrow eyes with a smile.
"You! You are shameless, put Aijia down quickly!"
Liu Mingzhi chuckled, shook his head, and walked directly towards the bed: "Tsk, tsk, you're so stubborn. It seems like it's not okay if you don't continue to persuade me."
“Liu Mingzhi, you are shameless, Aijia orders you to put Aijia down!”
Young Master Liu rolled directly onto the bed, and with a smile, he held down He Shu who was about to escape and leaned over.
“You’re domineering enough, I like it.”
ify
The Aijia promised to go back to Beijing with you, and the Aijia promised to go back to the capital with you. Isn’t that okay?
Let me go quickly!”
“Really going back?”
“I’m going back! But you have to swear not to spread the stupid things that happened before.”
“Okay! As long as you don’t want others to know, I promise it won’t spread.”
“It’s a deal, I’ve agreed, please get up quickly!”
He Shu suddenly let out a cry and looked at Young Master Liu who was pressing towards him with shame and anger.
“You don’t keep your word.”
“Having fought for half a lifetime, it’s time for me to enjoy being drunk and lying on the lap of a beautiful woman!”
“You are so presumptuous…”
His arm was thrown away as he picked up the brocade, and the sudden darkness in front of his eyes interrupted He Shu's subsequent words.
The fourth floor of the empty Songyang Restaurant was hosting a lively scene that was completely different from the one downstairs.