Chapter 13 Chapter Twelve Withering Flowers

If Jialan City, the imperial capital, is the heart of Yunhuang, then Yecheng is the eye of Yunhuang. However, this is an eye that never closes day and night. For hundreds of years, Yecheng, located at the mouth of Jinghu Lake in the south, has been the most prosperous city in Yunhuang, with 200,000 households, convenient water and land, and prosperous commerce. Brightly lit, day and night. As the business center of Yunhuang, Yecheng had two cities in the east and west in the Menghua Dynasty, and expanded into four cities in the East, West, and North and South during the Guangming Dynasty: the East City was the largest, and most of them were merchants from Zhongzhou; Cargo ships from various countries come by sea; Nanshi is the exclusive market of the three major shipping lords of Yunhuang; Beishi is exclusively for the imperial capital Ouchi to purchase, so it is called "Miyashi".

For a hundred years, Yunhuang has been peaceful and the people have been prosperous. Those Zhongzhou merchants who came to Yunhuang from thousands of miles away can often make ten times or even a hundred times the profit after selling their goods in Yecheng. Drinking, gambling, buying, laughing and chasing after pleasure.All industries in Yecheng prospered from this, and it has always been known as "three thousand buildings with emerald sleeves, one hundred thousand gold and water things".And Luozhu Port, which is connected to the blue sea in the south of Yecheng, is the largest deep-water port in Yunhuang, which can accommodate more than 1,000 huge ships at the same time.

It is now night, and the masts are like forests.The waves lapped softly against the shore, and the harbor was dotted with fishing fires.All the ships were at anchor, rocking with the waves in the night. "Father, mother said that dinner is ready!" A seven or eight-year-old child ran out from the bank and shouted in the twilight. "Come on!" The fisherman sitting on the pier answered, and was about to throw down the fishing rod in his hand and get up, but found that the float suddenly sank, as if something was caught on the bottom of the water. Sitting down, "There's a big guy! I'll talk about it after I catch it first!"

The strong shirtless man used all his strength to retrieve the rod vigorously, and the fishing rod was bent deeply and tightened.After a moment of stalemate, there was only a "crash", and the water splashed several feet high, fascinating the sight.For some reason, as soon as he got out of the water, the weight on the fishing rod suddenly lightened. The fisherman couldn't stop his castration, and fell heavily on the ground. The moment the fishhook was thrown out, the sea broke up in an uproar.In the water, air and waves, one can only vaguely see something jumping out of the air like a dragon, and disappearing in the night.

"Damn it! Gone?" the fisherman blurted out and couldn't believe his eyes: there was nothing on the fishing rod, and there was only a piece of something hooked on it - when he pulled the fishing line, it turned out to be a piece of thin fabric. "No way?" The fisherman took off the piece, looked at it over and over again, recognized that it was a piece of cloth newly torn from the skirt, and couldn't help gasping, "Could it be that someone was caught?" He raised his head and looked around, but there was no sign of anyone on the pier. He could only vaguely see a thin line of water passing over his head, spilling all the way, quickly extending forward, and disappearing into the twilight.

——What exactly was it that jumped out from the depths of the sea just now? "Father! Look!" There was a joyful exclamation from behind, and the little girl who came out to call herself home for dinner raised her hand and pointed to the tall Wanghai Tower, "Over there! The fairy, the blue-haired Immortals! - flew up from the water, and flew over there like a dragon!" "Where?" Following the little daughter's finger, the fisherman looked at Wanghailou in the twilight. In the deep twilight, the lights lit up little by little like pearls, reflecting the city's incomparable brilliance.In such gorgeous light and shadow, the fisherman could only vaguely see a faint pearl-gray figure at the corner of the eaves of the high-rise building. After a fright, it passed through the overlapping eaves like the wind and disappeared into the dense rain curtain.

"The blue-haired one?" the fisherman murmured. "Is it a shark?" "What are sharks?" The youngest daughter raised her head innocently and asked. "Hmm... a bit like a human, and a bit like a fish. Although they look a little male and female, they are all beautiful." The fisherman put away the fishing rod, took his daughter's hand and walked into the twilight, telling stories along the way, "They live in the sea, they have blue hair and blue eyes, and the tears they shed will turn into pearls—here, your favorite Sea King Soma is a mermaid!"

"Oh! Is Lord Sumo a mermaid?" The youngest daughter clapped her hands and laughed, "No wonder he is so beautiful!" "That's right... In the 'Age of Gods' hundreds of years ago, there were still many mermaids living in the Yunhuang Continent. However, when Emperor Guanghua ended the troubled times, all the mermaids returned to the sea. "The father held his daughter's hand and told the story carefully, "Do you know why this place is called Luozhu Port? Because nine hundred years ago, those mermaids set off from here to return to their homeland. Before leaving, they were excited here." I have to cry—until now, occasionally someone can pick up those shark pearls from the bottom of the port!"

The youngest daughter listened fascinatedly, and asked: "Then, if we want to see the sharks now, do we have to go to their country?" "Yes!" The fisherman raised his hand and pointed to the giant Mulan boats with the flags of the three major ships, Wang Shijia, "Look, many of these boats parked in the harbor are going to pass by the Xuanji Islands in the Biluohai Sea. ——There is the kingdom of mermen, and Haishi Island is also the business center of Qihai, which is as lively as Yecheng." The youngest daughter was fascinated by it, and clapped her hands: "Then when I grow up, I will go to sea to see the sharks!"

"Stupid words. Women are not allowed to board the boat!" The father patted his daughter on the head. "why?" "It's been a custom since ancient times. It's unlucky for a woman to be on a boat..." A father and daughter carry fishing rods and baskets, laughing and walking away in the twilight. At the head of the Wanghai Building, in a deep-sinking eaves corner, a person stopped, turned around and glanced at the ordinary father and daughter holding hands and walking away—his long blue hair was blown by the night breeze , There was a scratch mark on his shoulder, he silently turned his hand and covered the shoulder, blood oozed from the wound, staining his fingers red.

Ever since he forced Garuda to stop with all his strength on the Yuanzhiyuan, he has traveled thousands of miles and has not had a moment to recuperate. It can be seen that his body is getting more and more overdrawn.Otherwise, just now it wouldn't be impossible to avoid even a single fishing hook. However, it is already October 13th, and the footsteps of fate are close to my ears, and the time is not waiting for me. He hid in the shadows, stood on the roof with double eaves, and saw Yecheng in his eyes—where was the person he was looking for in the lights of the city?And where is the most critical sixth man? He raised his head and silently looked at the white tower in the center of Mirror Lake. Is the final answer there? On the top of the White Tower, the wind and rain are blowing.The door of the dusty temple was closed tightly and there was no sound. Since Tianguan Canghua was expelled from the White Pagoda, the place has become even more deserted. Except for Princess Yueyi who would come to greet her through the window every day, there was no more popularity.Priestess Kongsang sat facing the empty water mirror for an unknown how long.Suddenly a wind blew through the temple in the dark night, and the old witch woke up from her contemplation. She flicked her fingers vigilantly, and a ray of light bloomed from her fingertips, and the talisman quickly expanded and covered her whole body. She scolded: "Who?" "Fenghuang, it's me." Someone answered in the dark night, and the slight voice made her body shake like thunder.She subconsciously looked at the empty water surface again, but suddenly found a pair of blue eyes floating on the water mirror! "You..." Priestess Kongsang lost her voice and raised her head, "You are——!" The doors and windows of the temple were still tightly closed, and there was no sign of being damaged at all—however, there was already a person in the dark temple at some point.He penetrated the enchantment she set up so easily, sat safely on the beam above the water mirror, embraced a black sword, quietly looked down, his eyes were indifferent and quiet, his long blue hair slightly flying. Such a cold side face and outline are as handsome as a demon, just like before. "Dragon?" The priestess murmured after a while, "Is that you?" The merman nodded, jumped off the roof silently, and replied lightly: "The fifth one is in Yecheng. The target is obvious. It's just that people from all walks of life have gathered here recently, so it's not easy to attack. I'm going to find someone Do it at the right time, so as not to disturb the Kongsang court—this time I want to ask you again: Who is the sixth person?" "Ah." The priestess of Kongsang sighed softly, "There is no trace of the missing sixth person in that list..." Withered fingers slid across the calm water, "I pray and wait day and night. But In the water mirror, I still can't see the slightest omen..." "Does the Star Lord still have no oracle?" Su Guang was silent for a while, "It seems that we really encountered difficulties." "This kind of thing has never happened before," the priestess of Kongsang sighed softly, "Even Star Master is not sure about the sixth person." "Well... it seems that's the only way. I'll deal with the fifth person first, and then I'll think of a way." Su Guang stood up from the darkness, turned around with his sword in his hand, "Goodbye, Phoenix." "Wait a minute." Priestess Kongsang suddenly stopped him. Looking back at the light, he looked at the old woman inquiringly: "What else is there?" "It's nothing." Priestess Kongsang hesitated for a moment, her eyes changed, and she murmured in a low voice, "You...you are still exactly the same as you were sixty years ago, Dragon." "A mermaid's life is too long, sometimes it may not be a good thing." He smiled quietly, and there was a silent brilliance in his smile, which seemed to be able to illuminate this dark temple, and his voice was also warm and empty. Yes, looking at this companion who may only meet twice in a lifetime: "Actually, I envy you humans on land, who can live and die together." "Really?" Priestess Kongsang laughed in a low voice, "Human life is sometimes just nothingness... In one year, I didn't even go down this white tower." "Thank you for your hard work," he said, "I just watched Minghe die with my own eyes a few days ago. I'm so glad to see that you are still fine." After saying this, he fell silent again, as if he didn't know what to say—he had lived alone on the North Sea ice sheet for more than a hundred years, and he seemed to have forgotten how to communicate smoothly with others, let alone A companion whom he only met once sixty years ago? In the short silence, it seems that the voice of fleeting darkness can be heard, like the wind and rain outside the window. "I will continue to pray to the Star Lord and wait for a new oracle." After a moment of silence, the old priestess whispered, "Dragon, you go... It's another 300-year deadline, and you must be extra careful in this trip." "You have to take care too." Su Guang didn't say much, turned to leave, suddenly remembered something, and turned back: "By the way, Minghe has passed away, and a new person needs to be sent to take her place. Has anyone chosen from Qilin?" ?” "I don't know why, but I haven't been able to contact Qilin in the past few years. I never got a reply after the paper crane flew to Yunyin Villa." The priestess sighed, "I will try to contact him again as soon as possible, after all, he is in charge of organizing The selection and training of rookies." "Okay, please." Su Guang nodded, turned and left. I don't see how he swept up, the shadow is like a very light smoke, passing through the curtain of the temple and the oath tablet on the top of the white tower, and disappearing in the dark night-the dragon's skill seems to be stronger than six. The action ten years ago was even more unpredictable... Human life is only a hundred years. From the perspective of cultivation, they will never be able to surpass the mermaids, right? In today's Yunhuang, the dragon should be invincible. Priestess Kongsang looked at the back of the shark leaving, and sighed sadly. I remember when we met for the first time, she was just a girl in her early twenties. She became a priestess and came to this closed temple on the top of the White Tower for only a few years. The most mysterious plan - when she met for the first time, when she was a girl, she was awed by the peerless appearance of this merman, dazzled and fascinated. How could there be such a man?Is it the legendary Neptune Somo reappearing in the world?But this person in front of him is so gentle and quiet, with a vain and warm smile, completely different from the evil sea emperor Sumo. The operation that time was quite smooth, and after the six clones were pulled out one by one, he left Yunhuang immediately.From the beginning to the end, the words between them did not exceed ten sentences.The meeting sixty years ago passed by in a hurry, and they went their separate ways in an instant. He returned to the distant North Sea, and she also returned to the uninhabited temple on the top of the mountain, counting the fleeting years in the dark, day by day. old age. In a blink of an eye, it was a red face with a bright head, blue silk and white hair. What a lonely time... Before Yueyi was sent to the top of the pagoda eight years ago, she had been living silently and silently for so many years, guarding a great secret that was not known to the world.Year after year, only the handwriting floating in the empty water mirror conveyed the message from the mysterious star master, and only paper cranes flew from her palm to convey the message to her companions. Among them, naturally some of them were passed on to him, but he never replied once. She is just waiting in loneliness, waiting for the darkness of fleeting years, waiting for the shifting stars above her head, or is she still secretly waiting for the day when the doom will come?She has been waiting here, not just for the belief in her heart and the original intention of guarding. Finally, sixty years later, at an octogenarian age, she saw him. ——In just a short moment, the sudden ecstasy flooded her calm heart after years of penance, and she suddenly understood why Fang Caiyue couldn't control herself.Because some feelings cannot be erased no matter how many years of practice, they will always be as fresh as new. There is no cold or heat in the immortal bones of Zhijun, and it is as if we meet each other for thousands of years.In the cycle of sixty years, he returned from the darkness is still as handsome as a god, as secluded as a fairy, not only his face is the same as before, even his eyes and smile have not changed, as if he just left yesterday and met again today. ——However, her face has withered like a flower in the endless waiting in the dark night. In the sixty years of being alone in the temple, she had imagined countless times what it would be like to meet him again one day, but he appeared so suddenly that she didn't even have the chance to use illusion to cover up her old face—— Bai The gray-haired and haggard witch welcomed the arrival of the only man she had admired in her heart for many years in the dark.However, what made her feel cool was that he didn't even pay attention to the change in her appearance, his eyes were as indifferent as before, passing across her face without any surprise or nostalgia. His heart has always been lost in the catastrophe one hundred and twenty years ago, right? The person he loves is the woman named Zi Yan in the legend, and she is also her predecessor in the life wheel--that woman has always lived in his memory and never left.Therefore, her silent waiting all her life can only wither into mud in the dark night. Priestess Kongsang silently rolled up a corner of the heavy curtain in the darkness, watching the shadow slip down the white tower and disappear into the night. The time has come again.The Ming crane died in battle, the peacock descended from the mountain, the dragon had already gone out to sea, and the unicorn must have appeared—this rich and peaceful land of cloud and desert was once again full of wind and clouds, and one after another strange people came rushing from all over the world, and were captured Involved in the torrent of fate. In the meeting of wind and cloud, dragons fight against tigers. The rainy night was deep, but Yecheng was still noisy and brightly lit. Listening to the endless laughter and singing outside, in the most magnificent mansion in Yecheng, the young man who poured himself a drink raised his drunken eyes, looked at the city outside the window, and murmured to himself: "It's true! It's hilarious..." ——This is a city that belongs to him.However, the hustle and bustle in this city always seems to have nothing to do with him. There was the sound of wine being gurgled into a glass, and then the sound of wine being poured down one's throat—only these two sounds alternated in the silence, which had lasted most of the night.The visiting Zaifu Suwen had just been sent away, and there were still two hours before the next party, and the noisy hall was finally quiet. Since inheriting the title of Lord Zhen Guo and becoming the Lord of Ye City, his drinking capacity has really improved. There was a patter of rain outside.It is already October, the long winter has begun, and the weather is getting colder. The yellow leaves are still wind and rain, and the brothel has its own orchestra.The raindrops hit the glazed gold tiles, long and short, in the dark night it sounded like a voice whispering in a distant place—the voice was so sad and familiar, as if imprinted on his heart, repeating mumbling something. "Everyone in the world licks honey with the knife's edge in courtship. At the first taste, it is close to cutting their tongues. The gain is small, but the loss is great. "To be loved in the world is like entering a house on fire. Afflictions arise naturally, and coolness is no longer there. Their steps are firm, and their retreat is difficult. "The world..." With a "snap", he smashed the wine glass to the ground heavily.The luminous cup was torn apart, and the crisp cracking sound temporarily covered the weird sound in the hallucination, waking him up from the hazy drunkenness. It's just nonsense.How can the future be predetermined? "My lord?" A low voice came from outside the door, it was the voice of Mrs. Feng, the chief manager of the mansion. "I'm here, I'm not drunk." He murmured heavily, breathed out alcohol, and propped his forehead with his hands, "I have to go to King Xuan's side to attend the banquet later, so let's talk quickly if you have anything to do!" "Going so late?" Mrs. Feng was surprised, "Isn't the young master not going to sleep again today?" "Prince Xuanlin has always been good at drinking for a long night. As the owner of this place, why don't I go?" The Lord of Yecheng chuckled, "Just now he sent someone to say: After the fourth watch drum beats, everyone I'm about to go to the table, and if I'm a moment late, I'll be punished with a jug of wine. I've already told Ximen to prepare the horse, and I have to set off later." "..." Mrs. Feng was silent for a while outside the door, and said in a low voice, "My lord has already drunk a lot today." "It's okay. I've been good at drinking recently, and I can't get drunk after a thousand cups. This time, in the Sea Emperor Festival, it is estimated that none of the six vassal kings will be my opponent!" Yecheng City Lord laughed loudly, "Last year, I was tricked by several of them together. It made me drunk for three days, and it was miserable. This year it's my turn to take revenge." Madam Feng didn't answer, but just sighed softly: "Drinking like this is always bad for your health." "Body? Only you, Aunt Feng, are still worried about this." The young man in the dark smiled and patted his desk. "Now that six feudal lords are gathering in Yecheng, each one of them must socialize perfectly—I invite you Having a banquet together would be worthy of you—if you don’t eat a toast, are you still waiting for a fine wine?” "..." Mrs. Feng couldn't speak, she could only sigh. "Okay, let's not talk about this," the Lord of Yecheng changed the subject, "Why is Aunt Feng looking for me?" "My lord, the King Guangmo and his party have already stayed in Qiushui Garden yesterday." Mrs. Feng said in a low voice, "I sent fifty maids and fifty attendants to make arrangements. As for the specifications for hospitality, He is taller than the chiefs of the four major tribes in Xihuang, and slightly lower than the six vassal kings of Kongsang—what do you think, my lord?" He said aloud: "King Guangmo is fine, but that girl in his family is very difficult to deal with. Be careful." "Yes." Mrs. Feng paused, "Do you have any other orders, Master?" "By the way, send this to King Guangmo for me!" The man in the darkness raised his hand and threw the jade box at hand, "Inside are the marriage letter and the list of betrothal gifts—if King Guangmo is interested, I will send you another day." I will personally visit the door with a heavy gift, and hope that he will not reject people for thousands of miles." The jade box was heavy, but Mrs. Feng caught it calmly and steadily, opened it for a look, and a complicated expression flashed in her eyes: "Master, you want to use this pair of water beads as a meeting gift? A treasure handed down from generation to generation by the Murong family." "Where can ordinary treasures enter the eyes of King Guangmo?" The city lord of Yecheng poured a glass of wine in the dark, and replied lightly, "Only the water-dispelling orb taken out of Zhuyin by the Sword Master of Xijing nine hundred years ago can It is worthy of the identities of our Murong and Carlomon families—otherwise you will be underestimated, so how can this marriage be possible?" Mrs. Feng was speechless, and she sighed after a long time: "My lord really intends to propose to Princess Nine?" "Of course," the Lord of Yecheng said in a deep voice, "When will Aunt Feng see that I've made up my mind and change it?" Mrs. Feng was silent for a moment, and said: "But the ninth princess doesn't seem to be willing to accept this marriage. Her father dotes on her, and I'm afraid he won't go against her wishes—why does the young master have to marry such a person who doesn't know what to do? " "Oh, that girl naturally has the confidence to show off—" the young man laughed in the dark, with a calm tone, "You must know that she is the only daughter of King Guangmo, the heir of the Copper Palace, and the future queen of the desert... A woman like this is always wanted by a man. It's good to let her put on airs to enjoy herself, anyway, sooner or later she will be mine." He spoke contemptuously, but his tone was unquestionable, as if the girl was already in his pocket. "I know that your son's methods are supernatural," Mrs. Feng sighed softly, "It's just that I have wronged you too much." "Don't be wronged, I must marry the only daughter of King Guangmo." He put down his wine glass and whispered to the chief executive outside the door, "All these years, the six vassal kings have regarded us as dissidents from Zhongzhou. Overt and covert exclusion—if it wasn’t for the covenant on the oath tablet, I’m afraid the Murong family would have been completely wiped out from Yunhuang. We must seek an alliance and stand firm.” "..." Mrs. Feng was silent and sighed softly. Over the years, although the hereditary Murong family, which is based in Yecheng, is rich in the world, they have always been excluded from the power core of the Kongsang people because of their Zhongzhou blood.Since the unrest of the Zhongzhou people was suppressed two hundred years ago, the Murong family's situation in Yunhuang has become more subtle and embarrassing. The previous city lords have been cautiously seeking balance among the six kings, and spent a lot of money to manage the top and bottom of the family. Opportunity to continue. In recent years, because the imperial capital has restricted business exchanges in Zhongzhou, Yecheng's tax revenue has been declining.And Kongsang fought against Bingyi again, and the army went on an expedition to the West Sea, which cost a lot of money. As Kongsang's "treasury", the Murong family's situation was even more difficult. Every year, the accounts were a shocking deficit—as the chief steward of the Zhenguo government Well, she didn't even know how many methods and scheming the young master had used in the past few years to sustain such a huge empty shell. The Lord of Yecheng drank a glass of wine and asked again: "Has everything been arranged for the Sea Emperor Festival?" "It's all arranged," Mrs. Feng replied in detail, "Banquet, silk and bamboo, song blowing, lottery, theater, dragon boat... everything is done according to the rules of previous years, and the gift list for the six vassal kings and emperors It's exactly the same as last year, and it hasn't lost the face of our Murong family." "The rules of previous years are not enough! Every specification should be better than last year's!" Ye City's mayor frowned, "Aunt Feng, it's not that I want to make a show—don't you know these feudal lords Nobles, have you been looking forward to making a fortune from our Murong family in Yecheng this time? How can we let them go away disappointed?" "But," Mrs. Feng was a little surprised, "the money in the treasury has already..." "Don't worry, just do it to perfection." He sneered, "If you can't get the money together, try to go to the bank to borrow some first - in the name of the town government, there is no merchant who refuses to borrow it. ?” Mrs. Feng's face turned pale: "Master, do you want to borrow money to hold the Sea Emperor Festival?" "Just make arrangements for the time being," Ye Cheng City Lord smiled, "As for how to pay back, I naturally have a way." "Is this wrong?" Mrs. Feng couldn't believe it, and whispered, "The treasury has been running low for several years, and even the monthly money for the maids and servants in each room cannot be paid out as scheduled. Even if it is borrowed for a while, how can there be money to repay it? If you can't repay it on time, the reputation of the town government..." "Aunt Feng, I've said it before: just do it and don't worry about anything else." The tone of the young man in the darkness suddenly changed to chilling, and for the first time he put on the majesty of the city lord, "I'll take care of these things, you Don't ask any more!" Mrs. Feng trembled, but she didn't dare to ask any more questions, and whispered: "Yes." "All the arrangements must be perfect—a gift list must be prepared according to the preferences of the six kings, and everything must be at least 10% richer than last year!" The city lord of Yecheng paused, and then added, "In addition to the six kings, the gift list for Guang Mo Remember to add the jade box and marriage certificate I just gave you to the share of Wang Carlomon's family." "Yes." Madam Feng couldn't ask any more questions and could only accept orders. "Go ahead, bring generous gifts and humble resignations to curry favor with those people, and use all means to please the Kongsang royal family. In this way, they will feel that it is useful to keep this foreign clan, the Murong family." With a sneer, he murmured, "Also tell King Guangmo that I am very much looking forward to meeting the Ninth Princess again at the Sea Emperor Festival." He turned the jade cup in his hand in the dark, lowered his eyes, and there was a strange smile in his voice: "Even if I was bitten by her golden scales again, I would be willing." "Get out of the way! ——The city lord drives! The idlers avoid!" The night in Yecheng is bustling and noisy, although it is midnight, there are still a lot of people, and the lights are feasting.So when Murong Juan, Lord of Ye City and Lord of the State of the Town, was speeding past, there was a continuous sound of shouting, and passers-by all over the street gave way one after another, causing people in the karaoke and tavern to look around and chatter. "Hey, so majestic!" Someone said sarcastically from the Hongxiu Building, "I'm still rushing to meet the guests in the middle of the night, I think this kid is really busier than the number one oiran in your Hongxiu Building." The person who spoke was a merchant in brocade clothes, flipping through the account book in front of him with his plump and short fingers, squinting at the downstairs, and making a sarcasm.As soon as the words came out, the surroundings burst into smiles, and the dozen or so beauties surrounding him all covered their mouths. The merchant was about forty years old, with a fat body and a big belly, and he could barely see his toes when he sat down.He was dressed gorgeously, and six of his ten fingers wore huge gemstone rings, no different from the wealthy businessmen that can be seen everywhere in Yecheng.Hongxiulou is the leader in Yecheng's fireworks field, it is not surprising that he spent a hundred gold overnight, but he bought the entire top floor by himself, surrounded by more than a dozen singing girls and dancing girls, surrounded by red and green, singing and singing, swallows and dancing, How lively. "Jiuye is really mean, even the city lord will not let go." "What is the city owner?" The man called Jiu Ye slapped his stomach and sneered, "If you have money in Yecheng, you are the master!" He held a small silver scale in his hand, and used the scale to turn over an account book spread out in front of him, looking at it absently—the scale was of a strange shape, no more than one foot long, with a small red gold weight hanging from one end.The weighing mound is not in the shape of a square column as usual, but a smooth golden ball, with a dazzling precious light. After spending half the night looking at the accounts, Jiu Ye lost his patience and was impatient. "Why can't you always be right!" He cursed angrily and dropped his pen, "How did those guys in Yuxing Bank manage their accounts! Damn, a bunch of trash!" "Jiu Ye, why don't you rest for a while?" Zhu Yili, who was leaning on his arms, was a veteran in Fengyue Field. She was very understanding, and put a bowl of soup on the table in time, and said with a smile, "Tian Shen Bao The tripod soup is good, drink it while it's hot!" "Yeah." The brocade-clothed merchant named Jiuye replied in a muffled voice, threw the scale in his hand aside, took the spoon from the beauty, bowed his head and drank.However, as soon as he lowered his head, the blue silk ribbon that tied his hair slipped down and fell into the bowl all at once.He frowned, impatiently took the scallop out of the bowl with a spoon, and continued to drink. But after taking a few sips, the strap slipped off on its own, and fell into it again with a snap. Zhu Yili hurriedly leaned over, trying to help the benefactor fasten the hair tie. At that moment, Master Jiu cursed and tore the tie off forcefully, and fell into the bowl! "If you love soup so much, it's good enough to drink it!" He pointed at the soaked blue silk ribbon and cursed, his hair disheveled like a fat lion angry, "Damn it, drink you to death!" Zhu Yili couldn't help but let out a chuckle - after another year of absence, Master Jiu not only got bigger and bigger in business, became more and more handsome, and even became more irritable.This is true for dead things, not to mention living people. No wonder all the brothel sisters in Yecheng sighed that they couldn't bear it. "Why do you need to be angry?" Seeing him losing his temper, a seductive singer who had never had time to talk came up next to her, smiled and posted it, taking the opportunity to show her courtesy, "I will take it down and wash it for you." "Put it down!" Jiu Ye suddenly knocked down the hand of the flattering woman, and pointed at the innocent belt angrily, "That disobedient thing, just let it rot in the soup bowl! He Damn, listen, no one is allowed to wash!" The singer covered her aching hand and dodged in horror.The beautiful woman in Zhu Yi hurriedly came up to smooth things over: "Yes, yes, no washing——Zhuzhu has just arrived, don't take offense to Master Jiu, Fu Shou will not be able to accompany her here." "It's so troublesome," Jiu Ye cast a sidelong glance at the enchanting singer who was full of grievances, "Get out of here!" "Go down first, Zhuzhu," Fu Shou whispered to her, "Master Jiu lost his temper." Staying with her in the middle of the night, the reward that was about to arrive was gone. The young diva gave the rich businessman a big belly, bit the corner of her mouth, lifted her skirt and turned to leave, saying something in a low voice.Although her voice was low, Master Jiu's expression suddenly changed, and he kicked the diva so loudly that he rolled down the stairs with a cry of pain. "You still dare to scold me?" He was furious, "Get lost!" The singer stood up crying, not daring to say a word.The faces of all the female fans upstairs changed, and none of them dared to show their aura—this Ninth Master has a mysterious identity, but he has always been known for his bold shots, so every year when he comes, all the sisters in the building rush to serve.However, this benefactor's temper is notoriously bad, and he would throw a fit at every turn. Except for Miss Fu Shou, almost everyone in the building has been scolded by him. "Jiuye!" Fu Shou is the oldest singer here. Seeing this situation, he quickly came up to persuade him softly, "Zhuzhu is new here and ignorant, why should I get so angry with a girl?" Master Jiu's anger still persisted: "Damn it, I hate people calling me a fat man the most!" Fu Shou was not afraid of him, he just looked at his big belly and burst out laughing. "Have I gained weight again?" Master Jiu asked dejectedly, and patted his belly, "I haven't put down two hundred catties in the past ten years." "I heard that drinking tea can reduce weight," Fu Shou smiled, "Master Jiu, do you want to take some high-quality Pu'er back from the building?" Master Jiu shook his head: "Drinking is okay, let's forget about tea! Birds fade out of your mouth after drinking." A turmoil suddenly broke out, and the singing in the building stopped for a while. Jiu Ye turned around and looked at the group of Yingying and Yanyan who had lost their colors, and was even more angry, "Why are you dumb all of a sudden? What a disappointment Get out of here!" The lively banquet broke up in a rush, leaving only the red-clothed woman in the building. "Shou'er, don't go," Jiu Ye caught a glimpse and hurriedly said, "I didn't yell at you just now." "I know," Fu Shou covered his mouth with a smile, "Master Jiu has always had a hot temper, and I'm used to it." "Hey, Shou'er still understands me. From now on, he won't let these wordy girls serve me anymore, as long as you come and accompany me." After the attack, he seemed to know that he had lost his composure just now, and Master Jiu seemed to cover it up. Changed the subject abruptly, looked at the street under the railings, and muttered, "I haven't been here for a year, and nothing seems to have changed here." It is already the third watch now, and Yecheng is still very lively. The whole street is lit with lanterns covered with red gauze, and the people passing by are full of joy.There is a lot of traffic under the lights, and there is no sign of being left out because of the late night. The silk and bamboo are full of ears, and the noise is very loud. It is really a city that never sleeps. "Some people say that this place should be renamed 'Night City'." Fu Shou smiled and looked side by side, "People in this city mostly hibernate in their rooms during the day, and they all come out at night—just like Like Master Jiu, I don’t know which beauty’s skirt I’m under during the day, but in the middle of the night, I only think of coming to Hongxiulou from somewhere else.” "Haha," Master Jiu laughed, pinching the beauty's chin, "Look, my Shou'er is jealous!" Fu Shoujiao said: "How dare I be jealous of my master, who doesn't know that Jiuye is someone who can't be kept? Even Tianxiang, the oiran who has been so popular for a long time, isn't just dumped by the master? I heard that now people It’s as if you’re so sad—my lord can’t bear it.” "Heh, I'm not a person without self-knowledge. How can Tianxiang really value these two hundred catties of fat? Just like the group of people just now, they just love me with a lot of gold in their pockets." Master Jiu She patted her poopy belly and chuckled, "It's just that she thinks too highly of herself, and always thinks that all men in the world should be her servants, so I went there to sleep for a few nights and then stopped going, instead of waiting She kicked me off after she had a new love, which made her feel embarrassed. Why do you think she is crying?" "Master Jiu is really mean." Fu Shou covered his mouth and laughed. "Hey. Alright, let's not talk about it - one pack of these gold bahts will be given to you, and the other will be distributed to the girls who will accompany me tonight for me, so as not to keep them busy all night." Master Jiu sat back on the couch上，大剌剌地扔了两包金铢扔过去，对傅寿勾了勾手指，“寿儿唱歌是出了名的好，今日就来个新鲜的——听说你祖上是从中州楚地过来的，那么就唱给我一个你家乡那边的曲子，如何？” 傅寿脸色微微一变，强笑，“中州的东西难登大雅之堂，别污了爷的耳朵。” “什么话？”九爷不以为然，“尽管唱来。” 傅寿迟疑了片刻，低声：“乐坊不许。” “嗯？”九爷倒是一怔，“为什么？” “十二律里面有规定，不许唱中州曲子。”傅寿非常为难，“即便是青楼里的中州姐妹，接客时都要用空桑官话。若是违反了，老鸨便要罚钱呢。” “什么？”九爷骂了一句：“这也忒不讲理了！” “只怪中州人来得太多，给空桑人添了麻烦。”傅寿却并无怨尤，说着不知道是真心还是假意的话，“云荒毕竟是你们空桑人的天下，我们中州人能来借个地方、吃一口饱饭便已经足够，哪里还敢怨恨什么。” “什么'你们''我们'的！”九爷蹙眉，“这天下还不都是给人活的？” 九百年前，当光华皇帝真岚平定乱世时，大难过后的云荒一片荒芜。 从那场浩劫里存活下来的空桑人只有十余万——废墟上百废待兴，而子民人丁稀少，根本无法承担重建家园的重任。在这样的局面下，光华皇帝显露出了超越一个时代的明君心态：他下令打通了中州通往云荒的道路，鼓励移民迁徙，在慕士塔格、天阙、桃源郡一线上驱除僵尸猛兽，沿路设驿站，以方便那些翻山越岭来到新大陆的流浪者。 这一举措令原本九死一生的道路变成了坦途，数年之内，从中州来到云荒的流民数量从每年一两百人，骤增到了每数万乃至十数万人。 那些万里迁徙而来的中州人在新土地上繁衍，勤恳经营，很快成为了空桑复兴的一支重要力量，逐渐掌握了大量的财富和土地，势力逐渐扩大，其中叶、马、薛、安四大家族更是一时翘楚，每家掌握的土地都超过一万顷，在东泽十二郡中的四个郡里富甲一方。 事态渐渐变化，偏出了空桑人原先的预料。 数百多年后，蜂拥来到云荒的中州人越来越多，已经远远超出了本地空桑人的数量。那些移民在东方泽之国一带抱团聚居，并没有如统治者预期的那样融入当地，反而固守着中州的习俗，以宗族观念为凝聚力，渐渐形成了国中之国。 在光明历六百五十三年，中州人的势力发展到了顶点。与此同时，空桑人对与异族人在自己领地上扩张的忍耐力也到了极点——风调雨顺过了几十年后，一次突如其来的干旱袭击了云荒大半的土地。为了调集粮食，玄帝下令在中州人聚居的东泽四郡收取比往年高两倍的税赋，聚集财力和粮食，调往空桑人居多的其他地区。然而这一次，自身也受干旱只害的中州人却并未顺从地听命，开始反抗这些苛捐杂税。 矛盾终于集中的爆发了。 玄帝飞霜在伽蓝城白塔顶上燃起烽火，召集了六部藩王入京，以中州人聚众谋反、对抗朝廷为由，出动了军队开入泽之国。 一场内乱由此开始，持续了两年的时间。 那一次牵涉极广，东泽十二郡里有八个郡都卷入了动乱，几乎波及半个云荒。然而，中州人多年来在云荒只从事商贸和农耕，财富虽多，却不曾建立起真正的军事力量。不出两年，动乱被迅速地平息，四大家族被连根拔起，财产充归国库，子女被没为官奴。 内乱过后，空桑人在朝堂上进行了清算：凡有中州血统的官员都被革除了职位，为了保护空桑人的利益，玄帝下令关闭了慕士塔格雪山上通往云荒的道路，拒绝中州人继续向云荒大陆迁移——若不是六部藩王顾忌着当年西恭帝在誓碑上立下的第三条法典，同为中州人后裔的叶城慕容世家只怕也难逃此劫。 与之相应的，是一系列苛刻律法的制定，限定了中州人在云荒的种种行为：比如不得说中州话、不得使用中州文字，不能出现三十人以上的无故聚会，甚至必须在圈定的某些区域居住。到后来，限制扩大到商贸方面：帝都每年只发放一百张铁券，中州商贾必须凭丹书铁券才能携带货物进入云荒，而且每次都必须上缴高额的税赋。 那些律法非常庞杂，涵盖了各行各业，被简称为“十二律”。 十二律一出，中州人在云荒的生活也渐渐陷于困顿，很多人生活窘迫，流落街头。连叶城青楼里的女子也基本没有空桑人，几乎清一色是来自中州。比如昔年著名的“六美”里，倒有五个都是中州人。 然而，虽然中州人的生存空间被一再压缩，但这些外来者的性格温顺而忍耐，在故土难以生存，历经艰辛来到云荒，更知道立足之处的可贵，不到山穷水尽从未有反抗之心。而空桑人也吸取了昔年冰族苛酷镇压异族以至于失去国家的教训，也给这些外来者留下了一条活路，虽不断加重税赋，倒也不至于真的闹到官逼民反。 所以，多年来双方虽然一直对立，却也不至于再度引发流血动乱。 但是中州人移居往云荒已有数百年的历史，中州的文明和云荒本土文化交融，早已难以剥离，如今十二律扩大到了这一面，的确是越来越严苛。 “也罢。”听到傅寿搬出了十二律，九爷没有强人所难，“那你另外唱一首来。” “多谢爷。”傅寿这才拿了红牙板，婷婷地站在卷起的珠帘下，轻启檀口，“镜湖柳畔雨初晴，水风清，晚霞明。一朵芙蕖，开过尚盈盈……” 她才唱了半阕，商贾却已经听得不耐烦起来，一挥手：“停停！什么风啊雨啊花啊，听着牙酸——换一首热闹点的来！颤声娇啊眼儿媚的都行。” 他说的粗俗，傅寿嗤的一笑，转口便唱起了另一首《红芍药》： “人生百岁，七十稀少。更除十年孩童小，又十年昏老。都来五十载，一半被、睡魔分了。那二十五载之中，宁无些个烦恼？ 仔细思量，好追欢及早。遇酒追朋笑傲。任玉山摧倒。沉醉且沉醉，人生似、露垂芳草。幸矾楼、有酒如渑，结千秋欢笑。” 歌喉婉转，柔媚如丝，直听得人欲醉。 “好个'结千秋欢笑'，好一个'追欢及早'！”九爷拍案大笑，仰头又猛喝了一杯，已经有几分醉醺醺，“深得我心，痛快啊痛快！有赏！” 他摘下了拇指上一个碧绿的翡翠扳指，一甩手又扔了出去。 傅寿欢欢喜喜地行了个礼，刚要俯身去捡起，然而只听楼梯上脚步声山响，砰的一声，水晶云母的屏风被推倒在地，砸得粉碎。有一行人踏过屏风气势汹汹地闯了进来，竟有十数人之多，个个敞着怀，臂上纹着刺青，显然是叶城市井常见的无赖人物，只是衣衫华贵，却又似乎是豪家奴仆。 为首的一个彪形大汉吼声如雷：“兀那九爷在不在？” “我就是。”九爷挑起了眉头，看着来人，“大呼小叫的，有什么事？” “不知好歹的家伙！教训教训你！”领头的大汉一个箭步冲过来，从腰里抽出一柄剑，迎头便劈——剑不长，却很厚，剑脊足有一寸，劈下来时隐隐有风雷之声，气势夺人。 傅寿失声尖叫起来，连忙逃开，九爷彷佛也被吓住了，下意识地往后跳开，然而身体沉重动作不便，居然被凳子绊了一跤，重重摔倒。剑风擦着他屁股落下，砍了个空，把对方面前的案几斫出一条深深的刻痕来——那把重剑一下子刺穿了花梨木的案几，被卡在了那里。剑脊上有一个五芒星的刻印，剑身上还有绵延的闪电状纹路。 那个九爷狼狈地爬起，看了一眼那把剑，失声：“啊？剑圣门下？” 大汉没有料到这一个貌不惊人的胖子还有点见识，倒是颇为得意，倒转手腕将剑拔出来，在空中舞了个剑花：“有点眼色嘛！居然还认得大爷这把剑？——不错，大爷正是剑圣清欢门下得意弟子，人称'重剑无锋大巧不工'的再传弟子烈雄是也！” “烈雄大侠？”九爷汗颜不已，连忙抱拳，“失敬失敬！不知今夜所为何事而来？” “所为何事？”大汉厉声扬眉，踏上一步，“受命教训你一顿！” 一语未毕，他又一剑劈下。这一剑在对方面前不到一寸之处急斩而下，将头发都截断了好几根——他声色虽厉，却不曾想真的取人性命，反而只是炫耀剑技。九爷一个踉跄，又往后不自禁退了几步，瘫坐在地上，连忙讨饶：“别别……兄弟们出来混不过是求财而已是吧？这里……” 他将随身带的金铢袋子全都扔了出来，金币在地上铮然作响。 “大哥，他看起来真挺有钱的。”旁边有小弟垂涎三尺，低声附耳，“不如……” “闭嘴！今天至少要废了他一只胳膊！”然而烈熊却不为所动，把钱袋踢开，恶狠狠，“公子的交待不办好，你们还想在叶城混么？” “这位大侠……手下留情！”傅寿见得情况危急，拦在了面前，脸上堆起了笑，“算是给傅寿一个面子，别在红袖楼里……” “滚！”她软语未毕，对方却是一个巴掌过来，“别挡着大爷！” 傅寿被那一巴掌打得连退几步，跌靠在了身边的地上，嘴角顿时沁出了一丝血。 “寿儿？”九爷大惊，连忙连滚带牌的过来查看。 “没事，”傅寿没有喊痛，只是对着他连连摇手，低声，“快逃！” 看得两人窃窃私语，烈雄忍不住嗤笑：“青楼婊子还有这样的义气啊？真是难得……” “一群王八羔子！”九爷显然本来只想用钱息事宁人，然而此刻眼见傅寿挨打，登时一股气从脚底心直冲上来，忍不住跳了起来劈手就夺过了面前的剑，一把折成了两段，咆哮如雷：“连女人都打？还是不是男人？他娘的还配用剑？还配用剑？！” 方才一直怯懦躲闪的人忽然间做狮子吼，反而让气势汹汹的来人都怔住了。 那个烈雄看着自己空空的双手，一时间竟回不过神来。 ——他方才根本看不清这个人做了什么，手里的剑居然就凭空断了！ “大家给我上！”他一时间有些愤怒，又有些心虚，再不敢一个人上前，便唤了一声，身后十几个青皮登时应了一声，齐齐逼过来。 “一群孬种！怎么，还想群殴来着？”九爷一看这阵势，拍拍屁股跳了起来，纵声长笑，“得，别在这里砸坏了人家东西，到后巷里再分个高下吧！” 他身手利落地从案上卷起那一堆金铢宝贝，看也不看地跃下楼扬长而去，抬手手在勾栏上一搭一按，胖胖的身形皮球般弹了几下，沿着后巷奔去，转瞬不见——看身法，竟是快如闪电。 众位青皮无赖面面相觑，不知道该不该追下去。 “他娘的，怎么个个都变兔子了？都随我去！”烈雄一声厉喝，往楼下疾奔，“我不信他一个人还能把我们十三个人全料理了！今晚事情办不好，大家也就别想在叶城混了！” 那些无赖少年起了一声哄，便如一阵风般卷下楼去了。 一时间楼内散得干干净净，只剩下惊魂未定的美姬，一地杯盘狼藉。楼下的护院们这时候才纷纷上来查看。然而傅寿的心思却不在这里，随便应付了几句，打发了那些人离开，便提了裙裾急急跑到了后面的楼阁，趴在窗台上看着那条后巷。 那里还是一片漆黑，什么都看不见。 不会出事情吧？美人蹙眉，扶栏而望。然而，一刻钟过去了，底下还是什么动静都没有。她渐渐有些焦急，几乎忍不住要下楼去看个究竟。然而帘幕一卷，一片纷杂的脚步声向着楼上急促而来，却是那群无赖打手又去而复返。 “操！也不在这儿？”领头的烈雄迅速打量了一圈，骂了一句，“他娘的兔崽子！” “怎么了？”傅寿急忙迎上去，“九爷他人呢？” “跑了！”烈雄脸露不屑，走进走出地细细看了一圈，发现真的没人，才开始肆无忌惮地大骂，“没卵子的缩头乌龟一个，给人下了战书，居然还开溜了！” “什么？”傅寿有些不相信，再度扑到了窗台上看下去，只见后门的巷子里一片漆黑，什么也看不见，只有两只红灯笼在门口晃着，哪里有丝毫人影？ 难道……真的是逃了？她不自禁地略微失望，却又舒了口气。 “他娘的！听着，替我告诉那个什么九爷，”烈雄顿了一顿脚，震得楼阁一颤，“慕容公子放了话，让他立刻从叶城滚出去！三天内还敢留在这里，见一次就砍他一条腿，说到做到，绝不手软。” “慕容公子？”傅寿脸色微微一变。 叶城的慕容世家与铜宫的卡洛蒙世家一样，虽非空桑人，却是当今可以与六藩王一较高下的巨族。其先祖慕容修本是来云荒贩货的中州商人，然而巨眼识人，在乱世中毅然弃商从政，转而谋国，辅佐光华皇帝平定乱世。在乱世结束后，慕容修封镇国公，位极人臣，与大将西京并称文武双柱石。而他和紫族公主之子朔望，更是成了光明王朝的第二任皇帝西恭帝。如今在这个叶城里，慕容家是无冕之王，谁也不敢轻易得罪。 她小心翼翼地问：“不知道九爷什么地方得罪了慕容公子？” “还不是因为女人？”烈雄冷笑，啐了一口，“他娘的，一个外地来的商人，仗着有一点钱，居然敢和大公子抢天香姑娘！真是不要命了，不知道这里是谁家地盘么？” “啊？是大公子？”傅寿一怔，松了口气，“幸好！” 如今执掌叶城的是慕容家二公子慕容隽，今年二十九岁，虽然是次子，却是慕容氏年轻一代里出挑的一个。慕容老城主临死前权衡再三，为了挽救滑向颓败的家族，最终还是顾不得中州人长幼有序的浓厚观念，毅然废黜长子，转立了二儿子为继承人。 在两年前成为叶城城主后，慕容隽礼贤下士，广结门客，将这个鱼龙混杂的叶城管理得井井有条，可谓是白道黑道都罩得住的人物——在叶城，如果得罪大公子也罢了，得罪了二公子，谁都知道绝不是玩笑的事。 “什么幸好？”烈雄眼睛一瞪，“你敢不把大公子放在眼里么？” “小女子怎么敢？”傅寿连忙陪笑，“各位放心，见了九爷一定我把话带到，让他脚不沾地的就出城去，免得让大公子见了心烦。” “知道就好！”烈雄恶狠狠道，“否则见一次打一次！” 等那一行人没了踪影，她脸上笑容收敛，立刻啐了一口，转头唤：“小蝶！” “小姐。”小丫鬟一直躲在帘后，看到那群人走了才怯怯出来，“你没事么？” “我没事，”傅寿低声道，“你赶紧去星海云庭看看，九爷是不是去了那儿？” 小蝶有些惊诧：“原来小姐知道九爷去了哪儿？” “九成九是。”傅寿幽幽叹了口气：“九爷每年来叶城都必会去找殷仙子。” 小蝶迟疑了一下：“如果九爷在那儿，要叫他回这里来么？” “怎么不长脑子啊？”傅寿又气又笑，掐了一下丫鬟的胳膊，“殷仙子的客谁敢抢？除非不要在叶城混了！青楼是吃人不吐骨头的行当，殷仙子她入行早，如今整个叶城青楼里的姐妹十有八九倒都受过她照顾，谁敢和她争？” “可是……”小蝶却是不解：“殷仙子和九爷又是什么关系？” “听说是他的妹子，也不知道是真是假……呵，不过青楼里的，哪个不叫哥哥妹妹呢？”傅寿抚摩着热辣辣的脸颊，笑了一笑，“九爷一贯薄情，却唯独对殷姑娘念念不忘。不但每年必去，而且去了也听说只是说说话而已，从不留下来过夜——呵，听起来，倒还真的像是亲妹子似的！” “不是真的吧？他们两个可长得一点也不像呀！”小蝶睁大了眼睛，不敢相信，“而且九爷那么有钱，怎会让自己的亲妹子留在这种地方？早该赎身带了出去吧？” “谁知道呢？”傅寿笑了笑，“风月场里，谁会问这些？” 她不耐烦再多说，挥了挥手：“快去吧！去了星海云庭，记得和九爷说一声：慕容家的大公子正到处派人找他的麻烦，让他千万小心。”