Chapter four hundred and eighty first beauty favor
Although Hua Bushi and Sima Rulan had been getting along for a long time and were very familiar with each other, he knew that there was something inappropriate about breaking off the engagement in front of the girl.
Sima Rulan saw Hua Bushi entering the door, but she was generous. She stood up and said, "Mr. Hua, hasn't he already made arrangements for the distribution of food and the resettlement of the indigenous villagers? Come here now, but there are other things."
Hua Bushi looked a little embarrassed and said: "Actually, there is nothing important. Xiaoke came here hoping to have something to say to Patriarch Chai and Elder Yao. Since they are not here, I will go back and come back another day. "
As he spoke, he was about to turn around and go out, but Sima Rulan said: "Wait a minute, it's already dark! Mr. Hua hasn't had dinner yet. Lan'er has prepared the food and wine. Why don't Mr. Hua finish his meal before leaving?"
Hua Bushi was about to ask for help, but only heard Sima Rulan say again: "After these few days of busy work, you will not come to the City Lord's Mansion often again. This meal is Lan'er's way of thanking Mr. Hua for his help these days." Thank you for your kindness, sir, please don’t resign, okay.”[
Hearing what the eldest lady of the city said, Hua Bushi could only say: "Okay, then Hua Bushi will be troubled a lot."
When Sima Rulan saw that he had agreed, she immediately beamed with joy. She stretched out Rouyi and took the young master's arm and walked towards the back hall.
When the pirates besieged the city, Hua Bushi stayed in the palace for many days to help Sima Rulan handle various affairs. It was normal to have dinner with her, but this time it was a little different from before. Sima Rulan took her with him. Hua Bushi's hand left the front hall and walked along the corridor to the backyard.
Hua Bushi asked: "Aren't we going to the kitchen to eat? Where will Miss Lan'er take me?"
Sima Rulan smiled and said: "Mr. Hua is usually busy with work, so it is more convenient and faster to eat in the kitchen. Tonight, Lan'er is treating Mr. Hua to dinner. I have the final say where to eat. Don't you dare to go?"
Of course Hua Bushi wouldn't dare to go, and even if he didn't dare, now that Sima Rulan was holding his arm, the young master had no choice but to follow. The two of them passed through the corridor and came to the back garden. It turned out that Sima Rulan's food and drinks were placed in the small building where she lived.
This is not Hua Bushi's first visit to Sima Rulan's boudoir. Back then, Xiong Bailing planned to use poison to murder Sima Rulan in order to plot Okura City. Hai Hongzhu had brought him here before, and this time, he came here again. The small building with blue bricks and green tiles remains the same.
On the round table in the small hall downstairs, there were seven or eight dishes and a jar of opened wine. The maid Xiaohong was standing next to it, waiting. Hua Bushi sat down on the chair in front of the table, thinking in his heart But thinking that Sima Rulan seemed to have expected that he would come, she prepared to order this table of food and wine, otherwise how could she eat so much by herself.
Although it is not sumptuous, they are all home-cooked dishes, but the taste is good, and the jar of wine is authentic aged Nerhong. In a place like Okura Castle, which is famous overseas, you can drink the fine wine of Shaoxing, China. It is indeed rare.
Hua Bushi had not eaten since noon today. He was indeed a little hungry now, so he stopped being polite. Before long, half of the dishes on the table went into his stomach, and the wine also went into his stomach. After drinking several glasses of wine, Hua Bushi didn't have much capacity for alcohol, so he soon started to feel a little tipsy.
Sima Rulan kept asking for food and toasts, but she didn't eat much, but she drank a lot of wine, and her cheeks turned a little red.
When the young master had had enough wine and food, Sima Rulan said to Xiao Hong: "You go out first, and don't come in without my instructions."
The maid responded: "Yes, Xiaohong resigned."
Xiaohong left, and only Hua Bushi and Sima Rulan were left in the hall. Sima Rulan stared at Hua Bushi's face with her beautiful eyes, and suddenly said: "Take it out."
Hua Bushi said in astonishment: "What did you take out?"
Sima Rulan said: "Panlong Jue, aren't you here to cancel the engagement?"
Hua Bushi was immediately embarrassed and speechless. He took out half a piece of jade from his arms and held it in his hand but didn't know what to do.
He really didn't expect that the young lady of the city lord in front of him would already know his purpose of coming to the city lord's mansion.
Sima Rulan, however, was very generous. She put her palm in front of Hua Bushi and said, "Give it to me."[
Hua Bushi had no choice but to put Yujue on her jade palm and said: "Although dad agreed to the marriage to the Chai family yesterday, it's just this... this..."
He was usually very eloquent, but at this time he was speechless and didn't know how to explain. He wanted to say something nice to apologize, but he didn't know how to speak.
Sima Rulan took the jade device and said, "Uncle Chai and Elder Yao proposed marriage to Uncle Hua. Lan'er didn't know about it beforehand, otherwise I would have stopped them. Mr. Hua doesn't need to worry about it. It's Lan'er's fault for talking about it. I have to apologize to you."
Hua Bushi looked embarrassed and said, "This matter is all Hua Bushi's fault. Please forgive me, Miss Lan'er."
Sima Rulan said: "This afternoon, Uncle Chai told Uncle Hua about the proposal of marriage to Uncle Hua. Lan'er knew that Mr. Hua would definitely come to cancel the engagement, so she kept waiting in the front hall. When it got dark, Mr. Hua was still there. Before coming, Lan'er had some luck in her heart, thinking that Mr. Hua might agree to the marriage, but that was just Lan'er's fantasy, and you came anyway."
When she said these words, her beautiful eyes were still staring at Hua Bushi, but there was a little confusion in her eyes. Sima Rulan was originally a beautiful and lovely beauty, and she spoke her thoughts so pitifully, even if Hua Bushi Although he has a heart of stone, he can't help but feel a little excited.
Just when Hua Bushi was at a loss and was about to say some comforting words, Sima Rulan had already retracted her gaze, reached out and took out something from her arms, but it was another Panlongjue.
The two Panlongjue pieces were both semicircular in shape and looked very similar in appearance. When they were joined together in Sima Rulan's hands, they turned into a complete jade ball.
The diameter of this jade ball is three inches long. Two dragons with heads raised and claws are coiled around the ball. The carving is lifelike. It emits a bright yellow light under the candlelight, as if it is about to soar from the jade.
Sima Rulan put the jade ball on the table and said foolishly: "Dad once promised to find a good husband for Lan'er. He said that the man must have both talent and virtue, and be enough to take on the important task of the Lord of Okura City. OK, Lan'er also often fantasizes about what kind of heroic man the husband dad finds for Lan'er will be. Alas, although dad has found her now, it's a pity that Lan'er has no fate with him."
Hua Bushi lowered his head, barely daring to raise his eyes to look at Sima Rulan, and even couldn't say a word in his mouth. The words of comfort he had planned to say suddenly became out of place and could not be used at all. Say it in front of Sima Rulan.
It is most difficult to accept the kindness of a beautiful woman. Sometimes the tenderness of a beautiful woman is not happiness, but an unbearable burden.
The two of them sat opposite each other at the table, only a few feet apart, but their eyes intertwined with each other's, and they were both talking in silence for a moment.
After a long time, Sima Rulan finally said, "Mr. Hua, are we still friends?"
This was what Hua Bushi had asked Sima Rulan when he came to this small building before, but now Sima Rulan asked the young master in return.
Hua Bushi immediately replied: "Of course we are good friends."
Sima Rulan said: "The pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace' have just retreated, and everything in Okura City is waiting to be revitalized. Now that my father is gone, Lan'er is really more than capable of reviving Okura City and 'Wanjintang'." No, since we are friends, Lan'er would like to ask Mr. Hua to stay in the city for a little longer and help Lan'er manage the city, okay?"
Hua Bushi said: "Miss Lan'er, although you can rest assured that Hua Bushi has no plans to leave for the time being, he will do his best to revive Okura City."
The topic turned to Okura City. Hua Bushi finally breathed a sigh of relief, and the embarrassment in his heart was much lessened. He said: "In the past few days, I have made all arrangements for the food and indigenous people in the city. When the food arrives and the ocean-going trade at the port resumes, the city will surely return to its former prosperity, but Okura Castle still has a major problem that must be solved."
Sima Rulan said: "The big trouble Mr. Hua mentioned is the pirates of the Black Dragon Palace."
Hua Bushi said: "Exactly, although the Dragon Palace tribe was defeated this time, it did not damage the foundation. Since they have a plot against Okura City, they will definitely come back after their vitality is restored. If we If we don’t prepare now, it will be even more difficult than this time.”
Sima Rulan said: "Yes, I have been thinking about this matter these days, but I didn't think of any good solution."[
Hua Bushi's eyes fell on the Panlong Jue on the table and said: "The assassination of Sima Island Master that day was actually the secret instigation of the 'Black Dragon Palace', and what they did made Hua Bushi I feel that these pirates are very afraid of Panlong Jue and are trying every possible means to destroy it, but they don’t know what secrets are hidden in this Jue. Can Miss Laner tell me?"
In fact, Hua Bushi had never guessed this. In the forest of steles at the Seven Stars Temple in Nan'ao, Liang Wude, one of the "Kowloon Sons", appeared to rob him, and then outside Wanyi Island, a giant shark ship suddenly appeared and bombarded him. "Qing Chi" is obviously all for Panlong Jue.
The treasures hidden in Tunwhale Island have been used by Sima Zhuma to build the city. Panlong Jue should have no practical use. However, the "Black Dragon Palace" attaches great importance to this jade jue, and even betrayed it in order to destroy it. There must be a reason why Cao Muyun was at odds with the Ming Dynasty.
Sima Rulan said: "There is indeed a secret. Mr. Hua asks, and Lan'er should tell him frankly."
She paused and said: "The pirates of the 'Black Dragon Palace' specialize in plundering large-cargo merchant ships at sea. They are the formidable enemies of Okura City. We, the 'Wanjintang', have been fighting with them in the South China Sea for many years. Both sides have their own problems." In victory or defeat, our sect also sacrificed many people and lost a lot of ships. Later, dad finally found a way. If it can be implemented, this group of pirates may be able to be eliminated."