Chapter 449: Meeting an old friend

Chapter 449: Meeting an old friend

Chapter 449: Meeting an old friend
The two handsome "gentlemen" got on the carriage as they wished.

The carriage was very spacious and four people could sit inside without feeling crowded at all. There was a copper stove filled with ice in the carriage, which was very cool.

Lu Yunyi sat facing the front, Liu Heying sat on his left, and the two young masters sat on their right.

Lu Yunyi looked normal, with a smile on his face.

I admire Liu Heiying's ability to play hard to get.

Not only him, but Feng Yunfang, who was driving outside the car, also admired it to the extreme and took note of it secretly.

As the carriage swayed, the atmosphere was unexpectedly not dull or awkward, but instead filled with joy and happiness.

It can be seen that the young man named Qin in green is very fond of poetry and can chat well with Liu Heiying.

After Liu Heiying spoke a lot and talked about the history of Qinhuai River and Yingtian,

The young man in blue had his eyes curled up and was smiling.

Lu Yunyi had a smile on his face and sat there quietly listening, just like the young man in white.

When talking about funny things, the two of them would look at each other and exchange smiles in their eyes.

Liu Heiying sat against the wall of the carriage, his body swaying with the carriage, laughing and saying:

"Ever since His Majesty entered Yingtian City, there have been many rumors about His Majesty on the Qinhuai River, and they are very vivid."

"What? Is there anyone who dares to make up stories about Your Majesty?" Qin Qing showed curiosity.

Liu Heiying curled his lips and said, "What's the big deal? There are countless people among the people who curse the officials of the imperial court. How can they all be arrested?"

"Is that the truth? What have they planned?" Qin Qing was filled with curiosity.

Liu Heiying kept it a secret and raised his chin towards him:

“I can tell from the looks of it that you are a good son at home, and you hardly go out of the house much throughout the year.

Well, bring over an ounce of silver and I'll treat you to a drink tonight.

If it's not funny, I'll return it to you, so you won't lose out either way."

Qin Qing was stunned, but still took out a tael of silver from her purse and handed it over.

Lu Yunyi's eyes flickered and the corners of his mouth curled up.

This is called the "sunk cost effect" in psychology, which means that when people decide whether to do something, they not only consider whether it is good for them, but also whether they have already invested in it in the past.

When time, energy and other costs are paid first, sunk costs are generated.

If you negotiate conditions at this time, the other party will be more willing to consider accepting the conditions in the hope of getting something in return in order not to waste their previous efforts, thereby increasing the possibility of success and bringing the two parties closer together to a certain extent.

That's the case today.

Liu Heiying weighed the silver in his hand, smiled, and spoke in a rhythmic manner:
"One day, Your Majesty was walking along the Qinhuai River and saw a minister fall into the water. However, no matter how the minister begged for help, Your Majesty pretended not to see it.

The minister shouted, "I know where Wang Baobao is." His Majesty ignored him.

The minister said again: "I know how many troops Ming Yuzhen has." His Majesty still ignored him.

Finally, the minister shouted, "I have taken a bunch of copper coins!"

Upon hearing this, His Majesty immediately jumped into the water, dragged the minister out of the water and put him in prison.

No matter how tight Qin Qing's face was, she couldn't stop smiling, and her smile got wider.
Soon there was a "puff" sound.
She couldn't hold it in anymore and burst into laughter.

The young man in white, Song Wan'er, also lowered his head, pursed his lips, and his shoulders shook back and forth.

They finally understood why the Jinyiwei and Jingzhao Prefecture did not care.
Lu Yunyi was also laughing, while Liu Heying was weighing the silver in his hand with a proud look on his face.

The carriage was suddenly filled with a cheerful atmosphere.

"This brother is not handsome, but he is very interesting!"

Qin Qing laughed so hard that tears came out, and her voice was a little hoarse, as if her nose was blocked.

Liu Heiying curled his lips in disdain, saying sarcastically:

"What does a baby with barely grown hair know? Hasn't he ever heard a saying?
Beautiful appearances are all the same, but interesting souls are rare. Although I am big and strong, I am also a thoughtful and considerate person. "

Qin Qing looked up and down at the black-faced young man, feeling a little strange. Suddenly, she felt that what he said was absolutely right.

But Qin Qing wanted to get back her face, so she joked:

"I see you're not that old, are you thirty?"

Liu Heiying's face froze.

"Hahahahaha!"

Qin Qing suddenly laughed, full of generosity, and kept patting Song Wan'er's thigh beside her.

At this time, Song Wan'er ignored the pain in her thigh and asked Lu Yunyi instead, with stars in her eyes:
"Where are you planning to go for fun tonight, Brother Yun?"

Lu Yunyi was stunned, then replied with a smile: "I won't be in Beijing for a long time, let's find a place to have a drink."

Qin Qing naturally wouldn't believe such words.

But when Song Wan'er saw Lu Yunyi's reserved and free smile, she believed it instantly.

"Brother Yun, are you a scholar from the North? None of us are as tall as you."

"I am indeed from the north. This is the first time I have seen such a scene of Qinhuai River. I am very happy."

Lu Yunyi looked out the window and saw scattered carriages on the official road.
You can see many prominent family emblems and surnames on it.

Qin Qing was outspoken and pouted:
"I heard that it's not this lively on ordinary days. Today, the adults are holding a banquet at Zuixianlou, which is why it's so lively."

Song Wan'er nodded repeatedly and said in a low voice:

“Some merchants heard about this and rushed here, wanting to try their luck and see if they could get the attention of the big shots.”

Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying looked at each other quietly, with strange expressions on their faces.
These two women look either rich or noble, could it be that they are also going to the banquet?

Liu Heiying's eyes flashed with brilliance, and he asked:

"What's the point of attending a banquet for an important person? It's so boring. You guys don't want to go. How about we go drink together?"

"This"

Qin Qing showed some hesitation and hadn't figured out how to refuse politely.

Song Wan'er on the side was smarter and answered:
"Brother Liu, we have made an appointment with our friends. Let's meet again another day."

"That's a pity. Which big shot is hosting the banquet?" Liu Heiying asked nonchalantly.

Qin Qing on the side answered: "It's a welcoming banquet that the Duke of Liang arranged for the Beijing Army, hey~"

She suddenly thought of something and said excitedly:

"Brother Liu, have you ever heard of a couplet, the first line of which is [The dancing autumn maples reflect the prosperous Hongwu era, and the elegant people in the pavilion enjoy the fireworks of the world], and the second line is [The bright moon in the sky illuminates the prosperity of the nine provinces, and the water town of Hezhou is intoxicated by the ancient and modern elegance]?"

Liu Heiying looked strange and hesitated: "I think I've heard of it."

Qin Qing spoke with great interest:
"That is the couplet left by a general of the Beijing Army in Hezhou. It was brought to the capital last year and has become very famous.

I heard that the Qinhuai River also prepared some couplets at that time, copying them and making it quite lively.

By the way, that person’s surname is also Liu, and he is a relative of Brother Liu. It seems that he is the only one who will be at the reception today.”

"It is indeed a good couplet. It is rare to see such literary talent among soldiers.

I think that man must be very romantic and elegant." Liu Heiying praised him generously.

Lu Yunyi lowered his head and dug his toes into the floor, unable to hold on any longer.

He didn't understand why Liu Heiying was so shameless.

Qin Qing curled her lips and said, "How can a rough soldier in the army be so romantic?"

As he spoke, he flicked his folding fan and said, "People like us who study are the right path in the world."

Song Wan'er, who was standing by, also felt the same way. Thinking of Deng Lingyun crying, she was furious. She nodded repeatedly, "That's right!"

She raised her head and glanced at Lu Yunyi, her cheeks slightly red, a little embarrassed:
“There are many women in the capital who like generals who join the army and fight in battles.

In my opinion, it was all a momentary impulse.
It is still the gentle and refined scholars like us who are suitable to be husbands."

Lu Yunyi noticed her staring at him and felt a little strange.

But since it was just a chance meeting, there was no need to cause unpleasantness, so he nodded:

"Mr. Song is absolutely right."

Song Wan'er felt her cheeks getting hot and her fists clenched when she was recognized.

Yingtian City is not far from the Qinhuai River.

Even though the carriage was moving very slowly, it was almost there despite its wobbling pace.

Liu Heiying and Qin Qing were still talking quickly, not sparingly criticizing the vulgarity of the soldiers, and the two seemed to be of the same kind.

Seeing that she could hear the noise of commotion, Song Wan'er became more and more anxious.

Finally, she found an opportunity and said what she had been thinking for a long time. She looked at Lu Yunyi and asked:

"I wonder where Brother Yun lives? If we can't have a drink today, we can have it another day."

As she spoke, Song Wan'er felt that her voice was trembling.

"Uh" Lu Yunyi hesitated for a moment, thinking that these two people were Jinyiwei.

"We two lived at the intersection of Zhongzheng Street and Zhuque Street.
Brother Liu has opened a business selling fruits and vegetables, and is planning to bring his family business to Yingtian, so that we can have something to do while we farm and study in Yingtian."

Song Wan'er quickly took note of it. Qin Qing, who was standing by, was helpless about her friend's disappointment.

Looking at Liu Heiying, he waved his hand generously, very generously:

"Brother Liu, it's getting late. It's time to say goodbye. I've written down the address. I'll treat you to a drink later!"

Liu Heiying smiled and nodded, then ordered Feng Yunfang to stop the carriage.
The two of them got off the carriage quickly.
The hustle and bustle almost drowned them, and the air was filled with a faint fragrance.

After another round of greetings, Lu Yunyi's carriage slowly left.

Qin Qing and Song Wan'er were left behind.

Qin Qing glanced at Song Wan'er somewhat unconvincingly, and her voice was no longer low and returned to normal, but still had some heroic spirit:
"You little girl, how come you can't walk when you see a handsome man?"

Song Wan'er was still looking at the carriage, as if she wanted to remember everything about it. She murmured:

“He is handsome and masculine, calm yet a bit free and uninhibited, which is rare in the capital.

I have been to the Imperial Examination Hall. The students there are handsome, but they seem a bit artificial.

Although Mr. Yun looks young, he gives me a different feeling.
Just like a rock, I stand there, unmoved by the wind and rain."

The more she spoke, the more excited Song Wan'er became. Her face flushed and her eyes sparkled with longing.

"Okay, okay, it's just a chance meeting, but I can still make two friends, which is quite interesting."

The corners of Qin Qing's mouth curled up, and her heroic face showed a little more smile.

Song Wan'er moved her eyes and glanced at her:
"Qing'er, Mr. Liu is also very interesting and talkative, which is rare in Beijing."

Qin Qing did not refute, her eyes rolled around:

"Next time we want to hang out, let's invite them to have a drink together!"

At this time, a gentle voice sounded from the carriage in front, and a small head half appeared. It was Deng Lingyun, who was dressed as a young master.
"How did you get into that carriage?"

Qin Qing didn't care: "I made two friends. I'll take Sister Lingyun to meet them some other day."

Deng Lingyun was a little stunned, but then she saw the men's clothes they were wearing and a hint of curiosity flashed through her mind.

However, she thought about it carefully, her bright eyes widened, and added:
"Let's hurry up, it's almost time."

Phew——

Song Wan'er laughed out loud and looked at Qin Qing who was looking a little gloomy:

"Let's go quickly. Sister Lingyun is thinking about her crude soldiers and won't like scholars."

She added, “Sister Lingyun, you have never seen a handsome man, and you mistakenly regard those crude soldiers as treasures.

I'm almost there at Mr. Yun's residence. I'll take you to see him some other day."

Deng Lingyun ignored them, rolled her eyes at them and retracted her head.

The carriage that Lu Yunyi and the other person were riding in swayed and soon entered the "commercial street" on both sides of the Qinhuai River. Here, there were bright lights and wine, and restaurants were everywhere.
The first to be affected were the ten large restaurants headed by Zuixianlou, followed by brothels.

When they arrived here, the carriage could not enter, so the two men jumped off the carriage.

Lu Yunyi glanced at Liu Heiying and joked:

"Did the two of them figure out anything?"

Liu Heiying laughed.
"A lady from a noble family disguised herself as a man to meet the world.

Brother Yun'er, the one in white has been looking at you."

"Really? Maybe you recognized him?"

Liu Heiying shook his head and looked at the two people rushing to greet him and said:

"No, I guess I didn't recognize him.
That person must have thought you were handsome, and even though I tried so hard to liven up the atmosphere, she barely even glanced at me. "

Lu Yunyi agreed deeply and nodded.

"You're right. There's an old saying that goes, beauty is justice."

Liu Heiying's face turned dark and he quickly understood the meaning of these strange words.

Lu Yunyi laughed loudly, and seeing the people coming to greet him getting closer, he quickly added:

"But the woman in green is quite interesting. She must be from the military. She speaks boldly and without reservation. She is similar to you."

Liu Hei Ying didn't have a chance to speak. The two waiters bent down from a distance, looking respectful.
One of them said:
"General Lu, General Liu, you are finally here. The banquet is ready."

Lu Yunyi nodded: "Have the Dukes arrived?"

"Not yet, the Duke of Liang, the Duke of Wei, and the Duke of Cao have already set out.
Marquis Xiongwu, Marquis Jingchuan, Marquis Quanning, Marquis Dongping, and Lord Geng have all arrived."

"Then let's go quickly. We can't let the adults wait for us."

Soon, two receptionists led Lu Yunyi and Liu Heiying to Zuixianlou.
As you step into Zuixianlou, a strong smell of alcohol and noisy sounds hit you in the face.

Big red lanterns are hung high among the carved beams and painted buildings.

The warm yellow light poured down, illuminating the bustling crowd in the building.

The wooden floor under my feet feels firm and springy, and makes a slight "creaking" sound with every step.

There are several sturdy wooden tables and chairs in the hall, and beautiful murals are painted along the walls.

On the railing on the second floor, there are several pots of gorgeous flowers. When the breeze blows, the fragrance of flowers and the aroma of wine intertwine, making people intoxicated.

At this moment, people were coming and going in the lobby, gathering in groups of three or five, and suppressed laughter could be heard from time to time.

Lu Yunyi could tell from a glance that these people were wearing jewels and precious stones.

Judging from the clothes they were wearing and their wealthy appearance, they looked like businessmen.

At this time, an older man in a Chinese robe came over and bowed slightly:

"Greetings, General Lu and General Liu. I am Fang Hanheng, the owner of Zuixianlou.

The two generals are here today, and Zuixianlou is really honored."

Fang Hanheng smiled as he finished speaking.

Several men in bright red clothes at the door shouted loudly:
"The Crown Prince's guest, Lord Lu, has arrived—"

"General Liu, the assistant commander of the Xinchengwei Command Room, has arrived—"

The voice rose and fell, and in an instant it echoed throughout the Zuixian Tower.

shhhhh--

The thirty or forty people standing around on the first floor all looked over at once.

Each one of them had an expression of strange excitement on his face, bowed repeatedly, and whispered respectfully.

Fang Hanheng stood beside Lu Yunyi and explained with a bow:

"Sir Lu, these are all the wealthy merchants in the capital.

The general's intention is to let them join in the fun so that you can get to know them.
It will be convenient for you to do anything in the future, just ask me to do it."

Lu Yunyi nodded after hearing this, looked at the people in front of him, and spoke loudly:
"Thank you all for coming here to support us. I am a border resident of the northern region.
If there is anything I have done inappropriately, please forgive me."

As soon as these words were spoken, the atmosphere in the room changed noticeably.

Surprise and excitement flashed in the eyes of many merchants present, and they looked at each other.

They didn't expect that Lu Yunyi, who was rumored to be a god of death, was actually so young and kind.

For a moment, the atmosphere in the hall was extremely harmonious.

At this time, Lu Yunyi saw two people appear at the fence on the second floor.

One of them was Jingchuan Hou Cao Zhen, who was still as dark-skinned as before and had a silly smile on his face.

The person next to him was also an acquaintance, over fifty years old, with a gray beard, a thin build, and wearing a black suit.

Geng Zhong, the Left Lieutenant General and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Left Army in the Northern Expedition, has benefited from the victory of the Northern Expedition and is now the First-Rank Commander-in-Chief of the Left Army.

When he saw Lu Yunyi, a smile appeared on his serious face and he waved his hand downwards.

Soon, another person appeared, also an acquaintance.
Sun Ke, the right lieutenant general of the Northern Expedition Army, is now the Marquis of Quanning.

He was also in his fifties, standing at the head with his hands on his hips, looking at Lu Yunyi and laughing:

"Why don't you come up, kid? What are you doing down there?"

At this time, there was a rhythmic shout from behind.
"Duke Liang has arrived—"

"Duke Wei has arrived—"

"Duke Cao has arrived—"

Three loud shouts with ups and downs made the originally brisk Zuixianlou suddenly become solemn.

Especially the many merchants on the first floor, they straightened their robes, stood up straight, and looked as respectful as possible, some of them even had trembling legs.

Three dukes, where else can you see such a scene?
(End of this chapter)