As an ancient capital, Bianjing is divided into the outer city, the inner city, and the imperial city, with four major canals running through it. The prosperity of a single market place is second to none.
After driving the carriage to the inn, Liu Ruyan and his party changed out of their Taoist robes and entered the market lightly.
Along the thoroughfare of the main street, you can see the rushing Bian River and the roar of the waves. People are coming and going on the bridge, red buildings on both sides are lined with stars, and the sound of sheng music is continuous.
Liu Ruyan found a foot shop by the bridge, and the waiter served him a pot of Dukang wine and sang: "Is this your first time back to the capital?"
Liu Ruyan took a sip and said, "She has a sharp eye."
The waiter presented a few more dishes to go with the wine, "Because handsome guests like our guests usually go to South Street, where there are boats, singing houses, wine concubines, and beautiful scenery. You can play under the moon while enjoying the moon. The scenery is excellent. The young masters of the aristocratic family are here."
That's good. Anyone who can come to our foot shop must be a newbie. I don't know where the customer wants to go, but I am familiar with this area."
Turning the wine glass, she said casually: "I've heard for a long time that Bianjing has beautiful scenery. When I saw it today, it really deserves its reputation."
"That's it." The young man raised his hand and pointed into the distance, "On the streets of South Street, there is a Mingyue Tower. When you climb up to the tower and look out, you can see the entire city of Bianjing. Guests may wish to go and take a look."
Liu Ruyan nodded and asked again: "I heard that in addition to the Eight Scenic Spots of Bianjing, there are also some unique crafts in this city."
"What do you mean by guest?"
Liu Ruyan put down her cup and looked at the boy, "I don't know who the most famous craftsman in the city is. I want to make a lock."
The boy thought for a while and then said: "There is indeed such a famous figure in Beijing. It is said that he is the descendant of Gongshuzi. He is obsessed with mechanism skills and his whereabouts are hard to find. But his apprentice has a shop at the end of this alley.
You can go over and ask about it."
After coming out of the foot shop, Liu Ruyan went straight to that store.
There was an old man with gray hair in the shop. He was very neatly dressed in coarse cloth, and he didn't look like an ordinary craftsman at all.
Before she could speak, Shen Yanchu picked up a square box and looked at the old man: "The inheritance comes from Gongshuzi. Are you the one who made all the items in the store?"
The so-called Gongshuzi was a native of the Lu state during the Spring and Autumn Period. His family name was Gongshu, and he was a famous class, commonly known as "Lu Ban".
The old man approached him and said humbly: "My master is a descendant of the family. I don't have much knowledge and I can't get on the stage."
"It's still eye-catching." Shen Yanchu said calmly, handing the square box in his hand to Liu Ruyan, "Buy this thousand strands to protect yourself."
Liu Ruyan opened the box and saw a net made of silkworm silk inside, which could not be broken. "How can I sell this?"
The old man smiled with a smile on his face, "Your Majesty, you have good eyesight. This piece of thread is my proud work. I only charge you seven ounces of copper coins."
Liu Ruyan's hand holding the box shook and she quickly put it back where it belonged.
"I heard that the store also sells a kind of mechanical box. The lock on it is very special. The lock can only be unlocked by solving the correct words."
The old man nodded in agreement, "That's true, but this kind of machine box can only be made by masters, so it must be ordered in advance."
Looks like you've found the right place.
Liu Ruyan took out a manuscript and handed it to the old man, "I wonder if seniors have seen this thing, or maybe someone asked you to unlock it."
The old man unfolded the drawing and saw that the iron box depicted inside had the mark of their father and mother. He nodded, "This item does come from our shop."
Liu Ruyan's face changed slightly and asked: "Where is the person holding the box?"
The old man returned the manuscript to her, "My master made two mechanical boxes last year. Anyone who has paid the money will never touch the boxes again, let alone open the lock for the guest."
He said, turned around and walked towards the inner room, "Please come back, there is no one you are looking for in the shop."
Seeing that the old man issued an order to expel the guests, Bai Zhi whispered to her: "Those who can use the machine box must be valuables. The identity of the buyer is unusual and he will not reveal too much to others."
Liu Ruyan sighed and walked out of the store.
Looking at the vast sea of people on the street, I suddenly felt that my future was bleak.
Directly opposite her was the Mingyue Tower that the boy had mentioned. It had five floors. She felt melancholy in her heart and unconsciously followed the crowd towards the tower.
Mingyue Tower was originally a teahouse. Later, two floors were added during renovation. Whenever visitors climb up and look far, they can see the entire Bianjing city.
Liu Ruyan found a table and sat down.
Looking at the streets and alleys in the distance, all the busy people in the capital can be seen.
Since all clues point to Bianjing, where should she go next?
Glancing at the man sitting opposite, Shen Yanchu was wearing a round-collared robe. His face was like a crown of jade, and his eyes were as deep as ink. Suddenly, his thin lips slightly opened: "The thing in the woman's hand is a machine box."
Liu Ruyan immediately went to look and saw a woman walking out of the store holding a square box covered with silk. Just as she was getting into the carriage, a corner of the silk was lifted by the wind, revealing the iron box inside. .
Machine box?
The wind came just in time. Liu Ruyan turned around and caught a glimpse of Shen Yanchu mobilizing his inner energy, which was how the strange wind just happened.
"Thank you." She said slightly, but her tone became calm as she spoke.
Shen Yanchu didn't care, "They just left, let's follow them."
Not long after the three people followed Che Yu away, on the roof of Mingyue Tower, a man in black clothes tied a secret letter to the white pigeon's feet and stood in front of him.
"The Prisoner Niu Seal appears in this world, take the decision!"
The white dove flew up into the sky, passed through the bustling streets, passed the bustling market, soared in the wind, and finally came to a small private courtyard far away from the busy city, standing on the wall.
Inside the wall, peach blossoms began to bloom, and the dark breeze brought fragrance.
Under the flowers, the clothes are like water and the people are like paintings.
The man's lips were slightly raised, and the smile was shallow, as bright as the first ray of sunshine in early spring, with the heat of melting ice and snow, warm but not blazing. The meandering green silk brushed the table, and the strings on the table were lightly plucked, and the fairy sound It's faint, like the sound of water in the green fields of the valley.
The white dove fluttered its wings, fluttered, and flew to the table. It probably disturbed the person in the painting, and the sound of the piano gradually disappeared.
The man then turned his face sideways, and the afterglow of the setting sun dropped bits of gold, reflecting on his hair like flowing light, as poetic as poetry. He looked at the white dove beside the piano from a distance, his eyes turned like glass, and he opened his palms to it.
"Gu Gu, Gu..." The white pigeon jumped into the man's hand, revealing the bamboo tubes on its feet.
The man took out the secret letter and was silent for a moment when he read the contents. He slowly stood up and walked into the depths of the courtyard...
Several miles away, Liu Ruyan and others followed the carriage all the way to the vicinity of the imperial city.
This place is sparsely populated and mostly houses the residences of the officials of the current dynasty. There are also city and east guards patrolling along the road. In order not to be discovered, Shen Yanchu caught up with Che Yu alone.
After a stick of incense, he turned back the way he came. Liu Ruyan and Bai Zhi had been waiting on the roadside for a long time.
"How's the situation?" she stepped forward and asked.
"Che Yu entered the Taishi Mansion."
Liu Ruyan showed a look of surprise. As far as she knew, Qi Lin, the grand master of the dynasty, was a powerful scholar and a famous scholar. He was originally the prime minister of the previous dynasty, but Emperor Zhou regarded him as the grand master, so that he became a great scholar in one hundred years. The head of the family.
Could the Qi family be related to the missing iron box?