In Daliang, Jiangnan is just a general name for the region. "Jiangnan" actually includes three prefectures: Anqing Prefecture, Gusu Prefecture and Qiantang Prefecture.

Haozhou, which we arrived in Qiu Sanji, is located in the northwest of Anqing Prefecture, and is a pass that must be passed from the capital to Anqing Prefecture.

Because of the previous banditry incident, Qiu Sanji observed for a long time when he entered the city, but was surprised to find that the city gate was peaceful, with no possible refugees and even very few beggars.

This prosperous scene made Qiu Sanji feel suspicious again, making him wonder if he had been too sensitive before.

He led everyone forward, and the city gate guards did not give him any trouble. After checking the route, they were allowed to enter the city smoothly.

The people in the city live and work in peace and contentment, the shouts of vendors are endless, the streets are lined with shops on both floors, and the moat winds around the city, protecting the people.

I booked an inn in Qiu Sanji, planning to renovate in Haozhou, visit for a few days, and then set off.

He asked his servants to pack their luggage, while he took a few taels of silver and went to a wonton stall next to the inn to order a bowl of fresh meat wontons.

"Old man," he chatted with the stall owner while eating wontons, "I think the business of your wonton stall is pretty good."

The old man smiled and said: "It's just making a living, it's nothing."

He looked at Qiu Sanji's attire and said, "My guest is a businessman from other places."

Qiu Sanji said "Huh", a little surprised: "I have a good eye. But it's not easy to do business these days. I just encountered bandits outside the city. Fortunately, I ran fast and saved my life."

The face of the old man selling wontons changed again and again. He wanted to say something, but he suppressed it. Finally, he shook his head and sighed: "Those... they are all common people like us."

Qiu Sanji paused while eating the wontons. He stirred the wontons with a spoon and asked tentatively: "Old man, where do you start talking about this?"

The old man carefully looked around and lowered his voice and whispered: "I heard that they did that because their fields at home had been robbed by the Fang family and they couldn't survive."

Four words suddenly appeared in Qiu Sanji's mind: land annexation.

"Thank you very much, husband," he said without changing his expression and settled the bill neatly. "The extra money will be used to buy candies for my grandson."

He returned to the inn and told his confidants about the incident. The confidants were shocked and quickly said that they wanted to leave the place.

The shadow of local tyrants is indispensable behind the land annexation, and it also represents the incompetence of the parents and officials here - or in other words, they have already colluded with the tyrants.

Under such circumstances, there is no guarantee that they will not target wealthy foreign businessmen and do evil things.

The group of people quickly picked up their packed luggage and prepared to hit the road again. Unexpectedly, there was a knock on the door and a voice sounded——

"My master invites you to come over for a banquet."

*

This dinner in autumn went very smoothly. The people who received them were warm and generous. The banquet was held in a flower boat and many singing girls were invited to accompany them.

His fellow guests were all foreign businessmen, and the short Qiu Sanji was not conspicuous among them.

After three rounds of drinking, the atmosphere among everyone became heated. The people hosting the banquet finally came to their senses and revealed their true purpose.

"I hope you all know that," the speaker said, "No one in the entire Anqing Prefecture dares to touch our Fang family."

In the eyes of everyone who looked either surprised or suspicious, he continued: "No matter what you hear or see in Anqing Mansion in the future, you are not allowed to spread it to the outside world. If you dare to spread the news randomly -"

The strong man suddenly pulled out a dagger. The dagger came out of its sheath, and the cold light illuminated the ferocious smile on his face.

"when--"

The dagger was firmly placed on the table. No one could or dared to pull it out. This was not only a dagger, but also represented the uprightness and emboldened threat of the person behind it.

The businessmen's faces turned pale. Whether they knew the meaning of his words or not, they all hurriedly responded, fearing that they would lose their heads today.

Qiu Sanji was also among the people fawning over him, but he was smiling happily, but his heart felt like he was falling into an ice cave.

When he returned to the inn in the evening, he hurriedly informed his confidants and asked them to leave Haozhou early tomorrow morning.

"Governments and businessmen collude, and officials protect each other." He was talking to his confidants while counting his luggage. "Although they didn't ask for money, this Haozhou is no longer Daliang's Haozhou. It belongs to his Fang family."

Qiu Sanji thought of something and stopped moving his hands, but he laughed at himself. Although his master was the princess, how could any noble person in the world care about the affairs of common people?

*

Minhui Bookstore is the largest bookstore in Beijing, with a very rich collection of books.

The owner of the bookstore is a benevolent businessman. Not only will he hire poor students to copy books (the price given is very reasonable), but he also allows them to read books for free in the bookstore.

Lin Chonghan and Lin Wushuang were walking among countless books. Lin Wushuang had already spotted the newly published storybook with sharp eyes, so he decisively let go of his cousin's hand and stepped forward to read the storybook.

Lin Chonghan could only smile helplessly at this and went to find a book to read on his own.

She didn't take a few steps when she found a copy of "Collection of Poems by Li He" written by Li Shangyin. Lin Chonghan stretched out his hand to take it, but unexpectedly, his other hand happened to be placed on the book at this time.

Lu Tingxuan retracted his hand in panic, and he said nervously: "I'm sorry for offending you, girl."

Lin Chonghan recognized him and said with a smile: "So it's you."

"I don't want to see the girl again," Lu Tingxuan raised his head and glanced at her quickly, obviously recognizing her, "Does the girl also like Li He's poems?"

Lin Chonghan: "It's okay. I like Li Shangyin's poetry, so I will also read some of Li He's poems."

Lu Tingxuan's heartbeat suddenly accelerated, and his ears turned red: "Yes, Li Shangyin's best poems in his life are Li He's. I am a young man who has read several of Li He's poems."

There was nothing to do, so Lin Chonghan saw that the scholar had a dignified appearance and a sense of righteousness in his brows, so he simply stopped and chatted with him.

"I don't know which song is your favorite? I like "Li Ping Kong Hou Yin" the best."

"This poem is magnificent and romantic, and it is good at quoting allusions," Lu Tingxuan said with a straight face when talking about the poems and songs, "It is indeed excellent. But I like "Bitter Days Are Short" the best."

Lin Chonghan looked surprised. He didn't expect that he would like this poem, but it was understandable considering that scholars always hate evil and act out of spite.

At this moment, a faint voice suddenly came from behind the two of them: "My favorite sentence is: Please come to Lingyan Pavilion for a while, like a scholar and a marquis of ten thousand households."
Chapter completed!