Chapter 31 Bleak foreign field (2-2)

"Ying Chun," Wu Xin asked, "Is there a reason for you to ask this?" "Of course, that's why I came here. Go, I'm afraid I won't be able to hand in silk at that time, maybe there will be a lawsuit, and there will be a "teaching case". Foreigners who do business in a good manner don't like making teaching cases. If they want to take Dingyang back, the interest doesn't have to be counted. .I am here to handle this matter on behalf of Yihe.” "Difficult! He is preparing to make a teaching case, and he deliberately cheats. I'm afraid you can't do it." "He can't be unreasonable, right?"

Wu Xin pondered for a while and said: "You go and try it first, and then talk about it if you can't agree." Looking at the situation, Wu Xin seemed to be able to help, so Gu Yingchun was relieved: he said to Lei Guiqing: "We will talk about it tomorrow." Go to the city early in the morning; it's best to have a good talk, if he doesn't go on the road, we'll discuss it when we come back." "Okay!" Wu Xin said, "Today the old Buddha is not in the nunnery, tomorrow I will ask her to cook some vegetarian dishes, Mr. Lei." Having said that, the vegetarian meal prepared by Xiaoyu's kitchen is quite exquisite and delicious; with the self-brewed mince wine, the color and aroma are very good, and Lei Guiqing is very interested in drinking a glass.Gu Yingchun was afraid that he would lose his temper after drinking, so he didn't let him drink too much; after eating in a hurry, he left and went back to the boat.

In the early morning of the next day, when I was about to set off to enter the city, I saw two small sedan chairs stopping in front of the gangway, and two white-faced scholars came out of the sedan chairs. When I looked carefully, I realized that they were Wu Xin and Xiaoyu. Since they came here in disguise, Gu Yingchun thought it better not to greet them openly. Gu Yingchun was only worried that they would have trouble walking through the swaying springboard wearing cotton-filled boots, so he personally helped the ship and kept them safe. The penny stretched out on the bank as a handrail, and at the same time kept warning: "Go slowly, go slowly, be careful!"

When their master and apprentice tremblingly boarded the boat and welcomed them into the cabin, Gu Yingchun began to ask: "Are you going to the city too?" "Yes!" Wu Xin twitched, "This boat is so beautiful, it's a blessing to sit on it once. Xiaoyu, you pull up the gauze curtain." There are two layers of curtains on the ship's windows, one is white patterned foreign gauze, the other is purple velvet. When the gauze is pulled up, the cabin is still bright, but the shore and other ships cannot clearly see what is going on in the cabin. So Wu Xin took off the green satin melon skin hat with a fake braid on the back, shook his head twice, and the long hair hidden in the hat fell loose; then he sat down, took off his boots, and gently Squeeze your toes.

Such behavior can't help giving people the feeling of flirtatiousness.Gu Yingchun didn't think it was surprising, but Lei Guiqing saw it for the first time, and some thoughts inevitably arose in his heart. "Do you know what I'm going to do in the city?" Wu Xin asked. "I was going to ask you this question too." Gu Yingchun replied, "It depends on where you are going. I will ask the boat boss to see you off first." "I'm not going anywhere, wait a minute, I'll wait for you on the boat." Wu Xin replied, "It's best if you make a deal with Zhao Baolu, otherwise, I'll find a friend for you." Lei Guiqing felt more and more that Wuxin was different from ordinary people, so she couldn't help saying: "Master Wuxin, it's really rare for you to be so enthusiastic as a monk."

"I'm not considered a monk, even if I become a monk, the worldly ways are always the same." "Yes, yes." Lei Guiqing clasped his hands together and said, "My Buddha is merciful!" That was a bit funny, and everyone laughed. After talking and joking, Gu Yingchun asked; "What kind of friend do you want to find for me?" "Not necessarily, I will find which friend is useful to you." As soon as this remark came out, not only Lei Guiqing, but also Gu Yingchun couldn't help being surprised, it seems that Wuxin has a wide range of friends and supernatural powers, but how did this relationship come about?

Lei Guiqing also had the same question in her heart, but it was inconvenient to say it out; Wu Xin was very generous, seeing their hearts from their faces, smiled and said: "You must be wondering, I am not from Huzhou, how can I know you?" All kinds of people? To put it bluntly, it’s not surprising, I know a lot of wives, and I get along well with them, and I even know their masters.” "Oh, I remembered now. Gu Yingchun asked: "You went to Mrs. Huang's place yesterday? " "Yes." Wu Xin replied, "Maybe Master Huang can help you. This Master Huang is——"

This Mr. Huang is just Yi, he is an alternate county magistrate, and he was sent to collect bamboo and wood tax in Huzhou.When Zeng Guofan sent young children to the United States in the early years of Tongzhi, he was a general servant who accompanied him. He had lived in the United States for half a year, and he was also well versed in Western affairs. Therefore, when the Huzhou government had anything to do with foreigners, no matter the magistrate or the county magistrate, they would look for him. ; In the city of Huzhou, he is also a well-known figure. "That's great." Gu Yingchun said happily: "Since he is helping the Huzhou government with foreign affairs, he must be familiar with the situation in the church. Zhao Baolu can't help but agree with him. Wu Xin, you've been of great help. "

When we arrived in the city of Huzhou, we asked where Zhao Baolu's church was, and picked a quiet place nearby to moor our boat.Gu Yingchun and Lei Guiqing went ashore with a follower; Wu Xin was waiting on the boat, she brought a food box, ready-made vegetarian dishes, which can be eaten after heating on the boat, and they are being cleaned up and have not been used yet. Chun and his party have already returned to the ship. "Why so fast?" "Things are going well. But too well." "How do you say that?" Wu Xin said again: "I always treat you as if you are going to go out to the restaurant after finishing your work, and I will take care of myself to eat. It looks like you haven't eaten yet. Do you want to just let it go?"

"We still have some boat dishes, so we don't need to go ashore again. I want to tell you what happened, and see if there is any way to prevent Zhao Baolu from playing tricks." It turned out that when Gu Yingchun came to the church and saw Zhao Baolu, he explained why he came, and thought he must be hesitating a lot, but he never knew that he had any attempt to cheat. "To be a man, you have to be trustworthy, which is especially important for foreigners. I have been taught for many years, and of course I understand this truth very well. Please rest assured, I have accepted Jardine Matheson's Dingyang, and Si has also made an appointment. When the time comes, everyone will follow the agreement. Experts, there is absolutely no mistake." "But," Gu Yingchun said inquiringly, "I heard that Mr. Zhao has something to do with his fellow believers?"

"What's the matter?" Zhao Baolu didn't wait for Gu Yingchun to answer, and said by himself: "It's just that I forced the church members to donate. It must be voluntary. Ask me again, it’s still early.” Knowing that he is perfunctory, and knowing that he will play tricks in the future, but he can't use any energy, it's really helpless.Gu Yingchun had never encountered such an opponent before, so he looked quite depressed. "Don't worry!" Wu Xin said consolingly, "There must be a solution. You can talk about it after you finish eating." Gu Yingchun couldn't appetite, but couldn't bear Wu Xin's earnest persuasion, so he made rice with tea and hurriedly swallowed a bowl of braised bamboo shoots in spicy oil brought by Wu Xin; Lei Guiqing didn't eat much, Both of them put down their chopsticks, and saw that Wuxin was holding three inlaid ebony chopsticks, slowly picking the weeds in the meal, and took a long time to take a bite. "This rice is not good, the boss of the boat bought it here." Gu Yingchun said apologetically, "I knew it earlier, I brought the rice myself." Wu Xin also realized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry." She said: "I eat slowly, you two don't need to accompany me, please sit down and have tea." Lei Guiqing was reluctant to leave, especially when Wu Xin lowered her eyelids and stared at the bowl, it was a good opportunity to greedily look at it, so she said: "It doesn't matter, it doesn't matter, just use it slowly." Wu Xin smiled sweetly, stopped being too picky about her food, and ate quickly. When Xiaoyu came to clear the table, the water boiled.A pot of tea was brewed, and there was a scent of apricots in the nostrils. Lei Guiqing had to ask again. "There is no trick." Wu Xin replied: "Pick unripe apricots, wrap them in parchment paper and put them in a tea pot. After two days, they will have a fragrance. Not only apricots, but other fruits can also be cooked in the same way. .” "Master Wuxin," Lei Guiqing said with a smile, "You really know how to enjoy life." Wuxin smiled silently, turned to Gu Yingchun and asked, "How are you thinking?" Gu Yingchun was really thinking about something, he brought the official document of the feudal government office, he could go to the prefect of Huzhou to ask for help; but if Zhao Baolu was reported to the case, and he still said this way, it would not help the matter, but also It's not worth it to have a reputation of being a bully. When he said what was on his mind, Wu Xin turned his face away again: "Mr. Lei, I want to ask you to do something." "Yes, yes." Lei Guiqing agreed repeatedly, "You say, you say." "I'll write an address, please find a Master Yang; when I meet, say I invite him to come, Ask him if you need something." Wu Xin added: "He is a famous criminal master in Wucheng County." To be a state magistrate, you must invite at least two friends, one in charge of punishment and one in charge of money and valley, with great power.Ask the famous criminal master of Wucheng County to handle the case, I am not afraid that Zhao Baolu will not submit.Lei Guiqing said happily: "Master Wuxin, you really have a way! Inviting this Master Yang to deal with Zhao Baolu is more effective than anything else." "Not necessarily, we can discuss it after we invite you." So Wuxin dictated the address, and asked Gu Yingchun to write it down, and the boss of the boat went ashore and hired a sedan chair to carry away the happy Lei Guiqing. "Do you want to take a nap?" Wu Xin said, "Mr. Lei will be back in a long time." "What? Master Yang lives far away, doesn't he?" "Not only live far away, but also go to two places." "why?" Wu Xin smiled secretly and said, "This Mr. Lei is a bit crooked, I want him to suffer a little bit." "What trouble?" Gu Yingchun was a little uneasy, "It's my friend, if you make him miserable, he will scold me." "He will never know that I punished him on purpose." It turned out that Mr. Yang lived in the county yamen, but he rented another house for private litigation. In order to avoid people's eyes and ears, he rented the house in a very remote place, and because of the remoteness, he raised a very vicious dog.If Lei Guiqing came to her door, she would definitely miss out and be frightened. "How could it be empty?" Wu Xin explained: "Unless Master Yang takes care of himself and makes an appointment to meet somewhere, otherwise even if he is there, the servants will say that he is not there, and go to the yamen to meet if there is something to do. " "Why would it come second, what if the dog bites you?" "No! That dog has been taught. It's enough to scare people away when it comes so aggressively. It never bites people." Hearing this, Gu Yingchun was relieved; he knew that Wu Xin had the habit of taking a nap, so he immediately said: "I'm not sleepy, you go and take a nap." "Okay!" Wu Xin asked: " Which one is your shop?" "follow me." There is a large bunk in the back cabin, separated by mahogany wood into two bunks, with a foreign-style mattress on top, which is moderately soft and firm. Wuxin pressed the mattress with his hands, and looked at the surrounding furnishings, and couldn't help but admire: "The God of Fortune's house Things are different." "This is my bunk." Gu Yingchun pointed to the left and said, "Go to sleep, I'm outside. Pull this rope for something." Wu Yu pulled a red string, and the silver bell in the front cabin rang loudly; Xiaoyu just entered the front cabin, heard the sound and found it, and she was also surprised when she saw it. "It's really exquisite!" Xiaoyu stroked the mahogany and said: "It can be moved." ~*zi pushes aside.Gu Yingchun also withdrew, drank tea in the middle cabin and looked at it, thinking in his mind, Master Yang is here, if the talk goes well, there is still time to go back to the nunnery; if there is a long-term plan to discuss, should we go back to the nunnery to talk?They kept talking, and went ashore late at night to find an inn for lodging, so that Wuxin and his apprentice could live on the boat.Before she could make up her mind, she heard the ringing of the curtain hooks, and it was Xiaoyu who came out, "Old Master," she said, "Please go in, my master has something to discuss." Arriving at the back cabin, I saw Wu Xin lying on his side in his bunk with his clothes on, half covered with an embroidered silk quilt, his long hair covered most of the pillow; The fragrance of Nanxiang bracelets is very fragrant. "Do you have something to do?" Gu Yingchun sat down on a mahogany domino stool in front of the shop. "Master Yang came back very late." Wu Xin said, "I'm afraid I'm going to keep him for dinner, it seems like I need to make preparations." "There are vegetables." Gu Yingchun said, "The boatman went ashore early in the morning to buy vegetables. He thought he was eating in the city at noon. You brought vegetables, so you didn't get them out. Smell!" Wu Xin smelled it, it was the smell of stewed chicken with ham, "You have attracted my heart." She smiled and said, "Where's the wine?" "That's even more ready-made. A vase of flower carvings was opened after boarding the boat. I still have white wine, and you can drink it too." Gu Yingchun said: "There is something that needs to be prepared early. Tonight you and Xiaoyu Sleeping on the boat, Lei Guiqing and I will stay in a hotel, so we have to book it earlier." "No!" Wu Xin said, "It's not appropriate to sleep on the boat, I'll go back to the nunnery; but the boatman will have to work hard." "That's nothing. Well, it's settled, you go to sleep!" "I'm not sleepy yet, talk to me." Wu Xin patted the empty bunk and signaled him to sleep. Gu Yingchun hesitated a little, but finally decided to test his concentration, and lay down on Lei Guiqing's bunk, less than a foot away from each other. "How is Mrs. Gu's illness? Is it better?" "It's still the same. After all, it's sick and prolonging life." "Then, what about you?" Wu Xin said quietly, "It's not convenient to have no one around." Gu Yingchun wanted to tell her about Ruixiang, but after thinking about it, Wuxin must be looking for the bottom line and asking endlessly, so it's better not to mention it. "It's not inconvenient either. It's better to have one thing less than one more thing." "Everything is easy to save, but this matter can't be saved, unless—" Wu Xin suddenly laughed. This smile is really secretive, Gu Yingchun couldn't help but ask: "Say a word, laugh for no reason, what kind of trick? Unless what?" "Unless you also see through the world of mortals and become a monk, you can save that matter, otherwise you can't save it." "There's nothing funny about that!" "I laugh at myself." "You're talking about me, why are you laughing at yourself all of a sudden." Gu Yingchun slipped his tongue, trying not to say anything.Or did he say: "Is it always related to me?" "Yes, it has something to do with you. I was thinking, if you became a monk, what would you look like? It's funny to think about it." "I want to become a monk and become a dhutanga, just like you." "What is Toutuo?" "It's a shame that you are still a monk, and you don't even understand Toutuo." Gu Yingchun replied, "A monk who has not shaved his hair. Those who practice with hair are called Toutuo; aren't they the same as you." "Oh, I understand, it's full Messy hair, get a brass ring around it, like Wu Song's dress?" "that is." "That's called 'Xing Zhe'! It's not called Toutuo. I have a copy of "Shishi Yaoxian" that makes it clear." It turns out that she understands, and deliberately teases each other, this is Wu Xin's nature; Gu Yingchun smiled wryly and sighed, having nothing to say. "Ying Chun, we really hope that you are a monk." "why?" "Then, aren't you alone?" Gu Yingchun's heart skipped a beat, and he deliberately asked, "What's wrong with being alone?" "You don't understand?" "I really don't understand." "I won't tell you anymore." Wu Xin turned over suddenly, turning her back to Gu Yingchun. Gu Yingchun thought to himself, this is the time to test his concentration, he wanted to stretch out his hand several times to pull her body, but he still hesitated.Finally, he couldn't help stretching out his hand, and his hand was almost touching Wu Xin's body. Suddenly, he heard a splash, the sound of a heavy object falling into the water. In the river!" Wu Xin also sat up in fright, pushed Gu Yingchun and said, "Go and see." When he went out to see, a half-grown child who fell into the water had been rescued.It was a false alarm. Returning to the rear cabin, after a short talk, Wu Xin's eyes were clear and his face was calm, and he said calmly, "The 'plop' just now was like a blow to the head." Gu Yingchun, who had lost all his thoughts, also felt this way, but when Wuxin lay down "facing the wall", he was surprised that he was also as happy as him. "I'm thinking that if a person can avoid doing bad things, it depends on luck." Wu Xin turned over and opened the velvet curtains, pointed to a chastity archway that could be vaguely seen through the screen window, and said, "I don't believe in widowhood. People who have lived for decades are really pure and pure from beginning to end, and have never had any unscrupulous thoughts, but there is no chance, or there is some unexpected accident that interrupts the "good thing". If it is because of this, I think it is something great, According to me, I have a guilty conscience.” Gu Yingchun felt ashamed of his words, and said with a smile: “Go to sleep! I won’t accompany you to ‘study Zen’.” Lei Guiqing didn't return to the boat until sunset, looking a bit embarrassed, with a lot of mud splashed on his boots.Gu Yingchun knew the reason in his heart, and he was a little funny, but he didn't dare to show it. He just said consolingly: "It's hard work, hard work." "It's okay, it's okay!" Lei Guiqing raised his foot and said: "The road is so difficult Let's go, get off the sedan chair, cross a single-plank bridge, and another section of muddy road, I finally found it, and said Master Yang is in the county yamen." "So, you went to the county government again?" "Of course." Lei Guiqing said, "Fortunately, this time I didn't miss out. The person was very polite, and asked me if Wu Xin needed anything from him? I said: I'll know when you come. He said yes I have an official business, and I will come as soon as the cooking is done. It will probably be here soon." While they were talking, Wu Xin appeared lightly, the blush from just waking up was still on his face, his starry eyes were slightly bright, and he had a unique coquettish attitude.When Lei Guiqing saw it, his expression was different again. "Business, business. He was very enthusiastic, but complained: "Master Wuxin, you should have told me earlier that the Yang family has a big dog—" "What?" Wu Xin pretended to be surprised, "You were bitten by a dog?" When I called the door, I suddenly found that there seemed to be two hands on my shoulders behind me. I looked back and saw, darling, it’s a big dog, with its tongue stretched out, and it was panting at me. This scare really made my soul go out of my body.” "Hey, yo, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" Wu Xin apologized, "I knew there was a dog in his family, but I didn't know how powerful it was. What happened next?" "Later, a person was kicked out and kept apologizing to me, asking me if I was scared? I had to pretend to be a 'good guy', and I said: It's nothing, I used to have a dog that was bigger than your dog." "Okay!" Gu Yingchun laughed loudly, "That's a good bragging rights." Wu Xin also laughed so hard that she fell on the table, unable to lift her head; Lei Guiqing was quite proud, thinking that a false alarm would bring them joy, and it was worth it. "Look!" He pointed to a sedan chair coming from a distance, "Maybe Master Yang is here." Sure enough, the sedan chair stopped, and when a servant was inquiring, Lei Guiqing went out of the cabin and went to the bow to answer the question. "Is it Master Yang?" So Master Yang got off the sedan chair, Gu Yingchun went to the bow of the boat to meet him, entered the cabin, and Wu Xin formally introduced him.That master is from Shaoxing, he is not very old, only thirty-four or five years old, but Shaoxing master has always looked old-fashioned and old-fashioned, so he looks like a half-centenarian at first glance. They asked each other for names, and Master Yang's name was Lianpo, so Gu Yingchun called him "Lian Weng". After exchanging greetings for a while, Wu Xin said: "You guys have a drink! Talk while drinking." So set up cups and plates, and invite Yang Lianpo to sit on the slope; Wu Xin does not sit at the table, but sits beside him. Of course, she should start the topic, "Old Yang!" She said, "Master Lei is my first acquaintance; Ying Chun is an acquaintance for many years. He has something to ask for your help. His business is my business." "I know." Yang Lianpo replied: "We are brothers all over the world, so don't tell me, I will do my best to make friends." "Thank you, thank you!" Gu Yingchun toasted a glass of wine, and talked in detail about the purpose of this trip and the process of meeting Zhao Baolu. Yang Lianpo drank his wine, listened quietly, and asked, "What is Ying Weng going to do now?" "I have to ask you!" Wu Xin interjected, "I just want to find a solution." "There are two kinds of so-called whereabouts. One is to ask him to act according to the agreement in the future, and the other is to have a settlement now. I don't know which one Ying Weng wants?" "This person is difficult to deal with, and there will definitely be troubles in the future. Why don't we just end it now." Gu Yingchun said, "I don't know if I can or can't do it if I want him to refund the money now." Afraid of being poor in debt. If he has already used up the money, there is no way to get it back.”