"Hanyang City, Tang Era are called Mianzhou City. They were destroyed by war during the Daxing period. In the second year after the founding of this dynasty, Governor Lu ZhiKai ordered them to be renovated..."
"With a hundred years of development, the city wall now has a circumference of eight hundred feet, with four gates Chaozong, Fengshan, Nanji, Chaoyuan..."
Patriarch Tian introduced me all the way and was very enthusiastic.
Li Yan and Sha LiFei were also very interested and asked about the local customs from time to time. After all, this pier is also very famous in the world.
Because of the developed trade, even after noon, there was still a long queue at the city gate, including merchants and people from the surrounding area. The mules and horses were neighing, and there was a lot of people.
The soldiers guarding the city carefully investigated and were very careful.
Patriarch Tian saw this, shook his head and explained, "Due to the war in the southwest, entering the city is a bit more complicated, so please be patient."
Li Yan was not in a hurry, and glanced sideways at the reward notice posted at the city gate.
This is incredible.
There are numerous reward notices, at least dozens of them.
"Good guy!"
Sha LiFei said happily, "As expected of Hanyang, it's quite lively."
Li Yan also nodded in agreement.
On the rivers and lakes, it is common for people to engage in deceit and deceit between black and white, and those who work in the green forest to kill people and steal goods, violating the laws of the court.
But not every case can be wanted.
There is no simple thing that can go up there.
Li Yan squinted his eyes and looked carefully, and soon saw something fishy.
The cases on the list are mainly divided into three categories.
One is to rob merchant ships and commit murderous crimes on the Yangtze River. The names "River-Mixing Dragon" and "Night Ghost" are just water bandits.
The second is fraud. Business here is booming, and there are many scammers of all kinds, including Bee, Hemp, Swallow, Sparrow, and most of them only have names and no specific portraits.
Third, there were some lone travelers, some of whom stole the houses of government officials and merchants, and some of whom committed murders in the street, with bad natures, and there were even two flower-picking thieves.
Li Yan looked at it and shook his head.
Outsiders watch the fun, insiders watch the door.
From the wanted notices all over the wall, he could tell that in this Hanyang City, various forces were mixed together, and when there were more people, the rules would naturally become chaotic.
After waiting for a stick of incense, it was finally their turn.
Originally, Li Yan and his group were quite eye-catching and were the focus of the search. However, when he took out the black ultimatum and showed the general documents given by Commandery Commandant Office, he was immediately out of trouble.
Banner Officer, who was guarding the city, even looked flattering and asked if he needed to send someone to help them lead the way.
After all, whether it is a black ultimatum representing Orthodox Xuan Gate or a document Commandery Commandant Office, you can ask the local government to send someone to assist.
Li Yan naturally refused.
When everyone entered the city, they saw bluestone roads under their feet, a wide street with numerous shops on both sides and well-proportioned houses.
Perhaps due to the city's redevelopment after the founding of the Daxuan Dynasty, and the development of commerce, most of the shops here have spacious fronts, high-hanging signboards, open doors, and mountains of goods in the stores.
Silks and satins, porcelain antiques, pens, inks, paper and inkstones... the collection is dazzling.
There are many teahouses and restaurants along the street.
"Three Delicacies Bean Curd, it's full of fillings!"
"Mianwo, Mianwo, it smells so good!"
"Happy Dumplings, sweet but not greasy!"
"Osmanthus sugar-Fat cake!"
Li Yan and others had not eaten at noon, and they were immediately hungry when they heard this.
Patriarch Tian is a spirited person. When he saw this, he smiled and said, "Everyone, I have prepared a banquet at my house to welcome you. The newly built house is just two blocks away."
At this moment, there was a sudden noise ahead.
"Hey, look, it's going to be exciting!"
"Who is it? Lowly Third Master is helping people to settle things again!"
The huge flow of people quickly blocked the street.
Patriarch Tian Seeing this, a hint of helplessness flashed in his eyes, and he smiled at a few people and said, "This is the folk custom of Hanyang. They like to watch the excitement and never see anything happening."
Sha LiFei asked, "Who is this Lowly Third Master?"
Patriarch Tian stroked his beard and said, "This man can be regarded as a hero in the market. His real surname is Jian. Because he is the third oldest child, he is called 'Lowly Third Master'."
"Originally, my family was considered wealthy, and I was both civilized and military at a young age. Later my family fell into decline, and I became a member of Gelaohui. I like to help people fight injustices, and I have great skills and connections. I am quite Reputation for Chivalry in Hanyang City."
While he was talking, everyone was already approaching.
Li Yan and others are all riding tall horses, so even if the crowd surrounds the inner and outer three floors, the situation inside can be seen clearly.
I saw two groups of people confronting each other outside a restaurant.
A group of people were standing on the steps of the tavern. They were all tall, round-waisted men, all of them had eyebrows raised and eyes raised, and they were full of momentum.
The leader was a one-eyed old man, dressed luxuriously, playing with walnuts in his hands, and looking gloomy.
Opposite them, on the street outside the tavern, stood two people.
One of them was wearing a coarse cloth warrior robe, with his arms folded, standing still, with a rather cheerful Eight Characters eyebrows, and a reed hanging from his mouth, looking carefree.
Next to him stood a lame young man, with shabby clothes and a bitter face. He looked at the people on the steps with fear in his eyes.
"Lowly Third Master."
The one-eyed man slightly cupped his hands, obviously suppressing his anger, and said in a cold voice, "We are all fellow Jianghu people. It's a bit unethical for them to block my door for a trivial matter, isn't it?"
The one holding a thin reed pole is obviously "Lowly Third Master".
He Eight Characters raised his eyebrows and said jokingly, "Wang the Blind, you still have the nerve to say the word 'authentic'. Besides, this batch of old wine is a trivial matter to you, but to others it means life and fortune."
"If you take something and still don't give me money, that's called 'unauthentic'!"
The one-eyed man said calmly, "Why didn't you pay me? The evidence was written in black and white. If you have the ability, go to the Yamen and file a complaint."
"Lowly Third Master" joked, "You really want to go to the Yamen? You can hide it from others, but you can't hide it from me. You used insect juice 'Hidden Word Method' and wiped it with some Yellow Wine and it was gone."
"The imperial court is very strict about the forgery of documents. Besides, you can be tough-talking. How many of the rotten fish and shrimps under your command can withstand the punishment?"
The one-eyed man's face stiffened and he became angry, "Stop talking nonsense, what do you want to do?"
"Lowly Third Master" spread his hands and said, "Now that I'm here, what else can I do? Naturally, I'll do it according to Jianghu Rules. You can come with any skill or skills. If you don't obey me, not only will you have to pay for the drink, but you will also have to pay for the medical expenses of the beating!"
"Okay!"
The one-eyed man snorted, looked around, saw the door couplet, and immediately sneered, "I only have the first couplet. Anyone who can match it will be exempted from drinking money. After hanging up for a long time, no one can give the second couplet."
"I heard that you have studied for a few days, why not give it a try?"
"Bah!"
"Lowly Third Master" laughed and scolded, "Wenjin Academy is nearby and has a prosperous cultural background. A broken couplet can't stump others. But everyone knows that your tricks, no matter how good or bad you are, can't be done. You can trick people into drinking at your door. It's very despicable!"
"But since you said it, I will convince you."
"Okay!"
"Lowly Third Master Give him something to show you!"
The crowd around him immediately started cheering.
Li Yan Several people looked up and saw the first couplet that read "White dragons crossing the river, with a red sun above their heads".
Patriarch Tian whispered, "This kid belongs to White Dragon Gang. He deliberately released this couplet. Those who know how to do it don't want to provoke him. Those who are fooled are all outsiders."
In the field, Lowly Third Master also took a look, raised his eyebrows, and said, "Listen up, 'Oolong is lying on the wall, wearing ten thousand gold stars', how about it?"
The one-eyed man was about to deny it when Lowly Third Master said impatiently, "Don't play tricks on me. If you think it's not possible, just follow me to the Wenjin Academy and ask someone to comment."
The one-eyed man snorted, then looked at the sloping young man next to Lowly Third Master, and sneered, "The lame chicken jumps into the dustpan, and the dustpan covers the lame chicken."
Lowly Third Master spat and said, "One-eyed dragon, light the lantern, and the lantern will shine on the one-eyed dragon."
Outside the crowd, Sha LiFei was happy, "This Hanyang Jianghu Road is just for fun. It's not just fists and kicks, but pairs."
"Fists and feet can't compare."
Li Yan shook his head and said with a smile, "Look at that bastard's feet."
Sha LiFei took a deep breath when he saw it.
But I saw that cheap fool standing there, but there were cracks in the masonry under his feet. He had obviously used advanced Hidden Strength Kung Fu to warn him.
This is because I don't want to break up and get into a fight.
Sure enough, the one-eyed man had also seen it, and his face turned ugly, but he still said stubbornly, "Give me money! Don't let this Death Star block the door and affect the business."
After saying that, he snorted and turned around to enter the restaurant.
Soon, the shopkeeper ran out with a few banknotes, stuffed them into Lowly Third Master's hands, cupped his fists and said to please, "Third Master Chen, you have a huge amount, we still have to open for business."
"Okay!"
"Okay!"
The people around him kept cheering.
The reputation of this store has long been ruined. Although the people who were deceived were all foreign businessmen, they couldn't stand it.
Lowly Third Master shook his head with a smile and said, "If you open a business, if you do this, you will get dirty sooner or later, and it will ruin my reputation in Hanyang."
Even so, he didn't bother anymore and put all the banknotes into the hands of the lame young man.
The young man's face was full of surprise, and he was hurriedly trying to take out half of it, but Lowly Third Master pushed him away, "It's just a small matter, no need."
"Third Master Chen, this..."
The young man was not good at words and was immediately at a loss.
"Eh~"
Lowly Third Master blinked, "I heard that your father still left a jar of old wine. If you feel sorry for it..."
The young man said quickly, "I asked my humble wife to cook a few dishes. Third Master Chen, please come with me."
"Hahaha, okay."
Lowly Third Master laughed, put his arm around the young man's shoulders, and strode away.
"Tsk, tsk, he is a good man."
Sha LiFei's eyes lit up, "I'll come and make friends with you another day."
Patriarch Tian pondered for a while, "This Lowly Third Master likes to help the poor to fight injustices. He has annoyed a lot of people in the city, but he also has a wide network of contacts. If you want to inquire about the affairs of the world, you can find him."
While he was talking, the crowd had already dispersed.
Li Yan and others continued to move forward, bypassing two streets, and a street with unique scenery suddenly appeared in front of them.
A small river runs through it, with wooden fences built on both sides. The streets are lined with tall houses and courtyards, shaded by green trees. Under the sunset, it looks quite peaceful.
After passing through two houses, we arrived at Patriarch Tian's house.
What Patriarch Tian said was obviously modest.
The walls of his house are made of large stones.
Judging from the appearance, it is a clever fusion of Huizhou architectural style and Jingchu architectural features. The pink wall, tiles, and horse head wall were rebuilt above the main entrance. Like the mythical beast that guards the house, it is called the animal head wall.
The hard top of the mountain, the raised eaves, and the forehead of the eaves are all painted, which is extremely delicate.
Wang Dao Xuan also took out the compass at this time, took a few glances, and stroked his beard and said, "This place faces north and faces south, and is surrounded by a jade belt in front of the door. It is obviously planned by an expert, and Feng Shui should be fine."
"Who says it isn't?"
Patriarch Tian shook his head and said, "I also invited a few people to look at it, and they all said it was fine. However, my family members got sick one after another, and even when I went to bed at night, I felt chest tightness for no reason."
"I only slept peacefully after being away for a while. There must be something wrong!"
"Daoist Master, don't be anxious. Let's settle down first and then take our time."
While they were talking, they had arrived at the door of the mansion.
There are already servants waiting outside the door, busy moving boxes of various sizes into the yard prepared for Li Yan and others.
Entering the house, you can even see its Prosperity.
The front hall, middle hall, and back house have a clear layout, as well as a small garden and a library. Even the underground masonry has been carved with bricks, and every detail is exquisite.
Of course, I still didn't see anything.
Li Yan pinched Mystical Gestures, took a deep breath, and immediately shook his head slightly at Wang Dao Xuan, indicating that he had not noticed it.
This situation has been expected by everyone.
If it could be easily seen, how could this Patriarch Tian not be invited?
Prosperity family, the banquet is naturally not ordinary.
The dishes are local Chu cuisine, with fine knife skills and attention to heat.
There is Steamed Wuchang Fish, only served with green onions and ginger, cooked over high heat, the fish meat is tender and delicate, and melts in your mouth...
There is Spare Rib and Lotus Root Soup, slow-cooked in an earthen pot, the soup is as rich as amber...
There are Huangpi Three Delicacies and Mianyang Three Steams, both of which are famous local dishes.
As for the drink, it was "Mulan Jade Nectar". According to Patriarch Tian, it was General Hua Mulan who joined the army for her father and returned home with honor after twelve years of fighting.
The imperial court showed its merit and changed the name of the original Huangpi tribute wine "Coiled Dragon Distillery" to "Mulan Jade Nectar".
The mouth is mellow and soft, with a fragrant wine aroma.
Patriarch Tian will accompany you, and everyone will have a good time with wine and meat.
Sha LiFei was a little drunk. He couldn't help but look around and said, "Patriarch Tian, don't blame Old Sha for my talkativeness. Your house is so big, but it's not very popular."
Patriarch Tian sighed, motioned for the servants to leave, and then said, "I'm not afraid of your jokes. My Tian family was originally a wealthy family, but after my father passed away, there was a quarrel between the brothers because of business matters."
"I have a biological brother who lives over there at Hankou. He has been in trouble with me several times. Now he is a stranger to me and we don't even interact with him during the Chinese New Year."
"I still have two sons, but the eldest son is studying at the Wenjin Academy. He travels around with his classmates all year round. When he sees that it's time to get married, he hides outside and never comes back."
"This second son is even more irritating. He has been fond of Buddhism since he was a child, and he never said a word. He went to a temple and became a monk. He made his mother so angry that she couldn't even get sick."
"Only my daughter comes to visit me often, but after all, she is married, so how can she be with her all the time? This huge house..."
"Alas, I have a fortune, but I still look like this. I don't know what evil I have done!"
"Every family has its own sutras that are difficult to recite."
Several people quickly comforted him, but Patriarch Tian sighed, drank a few more drinks, and soon became drunk.
As for Li Yan and others, they were led back to the small courtyard by the servants, washed up, and went back to their rooms to rest.
Li Yan Although he was a little tired, he regained his composure and became much more energetic. He simply lit a candle and took out a booklet to read.
It is the secret tips of "Living Underworld Messenger" given by Liu Gang...