[R18] Will drink wine – “About Wine” Chapter 42 [English]

Chapter 42 Red Plum (Part 1)

Xiao Chiye set the table before the banquet of hundreds of officials. The post Chen Yang went to deliver was the one Ge Qingqing came to pick up.

“Lan Zhou has been on errands in front of the emperor recently and has no free time, so I will pick him up for him.” Ge Qingqing accepted the post and just exchanged greetings with Chen Yang before saying, “The Forbidden Army is now very prosperous. Lieutenant General Chen is also busy, right?”

“The governor is tired of writing papers day by day. We are here to serve him, so there is no saying that we are busy.” Chen Yang ate his tea and said, “Brother Ge is a blessing in disguise this time. He has been promoted to governor and has a bright future. This is the real glory.”

The two of them were arrogant and conciliatory, and they spoke in a gentle and calm manner, trying not to look so ugly.Recently, there have been a lot of frictions between the Jin Yiwei and the Forbidden Army, and there has been some discord. It is the time when they are disgusted with each other.

After the tea was replaced, Chen Yang stood up and said goodbye.Ge Qingqing sent people out, and Shen Zechuan inside lifted the curtain and came out.

“This post comes at a really bad time,” Ge Qingqing handed the post to him, “Do you really want to go?”

“Why don’t you go?” Shen Zechuan opened the post and saw Xiao Chiye’s bold and bold handwriting.

“Xiao Er has recently gained the momentum to suppress the Jin Yiwei. Our mission has been intercepted by the Forbidden Army. He is also receiving the favor of the Holy Grace. If you want to do anything now…” Ge Qingqing gradually stopped speaking.

“What he wants to do is very obvious.” Shen Zechuan closed the post, “He wants to suppress the Jin Yiwei and turn Qidu into a sky that he can cover with only one hand, so that the emperor can only rely on his imperial army. As expected, he will give the Jin Yiwei a few more kicks.”

“That’s right. It would be too risky to take Uncle Ji to the banquet at this moment.” Ge Qingqing said.

Shen Zechuan threw the post on the table and said, “It concerns Zuo Qianqiu, and he will not set any trap on it.”

Ge Qingqing was still a little worried.

Shen Zechuan’s lip injury has healed. He put on his cloak and said, “I’m going out.”

Shen Zechuan went out through the snow. It didn’t snow heavily today, but the wind was strong.He arrived at Donglong Street and entered the Ouhua Building on the opposite corner of Xiangyun Square.

Xi Hongxuan recently composed some lyrics and music for the girls on Donglong Street to sing, and it turned out to be a grand event.The best thing is that he hollowed out the bottom of the Ouhualou stage and filled it with an open copper vat, with only a layer of wooden boards on top. He also bought a batch of new chicks from Juexi. After training for many days, he tied bells around his ankles. When he danced on the stage, he stepped on his clogs and the sound of the bells merged into the copper vat, which was ethereal and beautiful.

At this moment, he’s lyrics were still being sung on the stage, and he was leaning on a wicker chair on the third floor with his folding fan in hand, closing his eyes and listening.The maid, wearing only plain socks, made no sound when she stepped on the gauze. She knelt outside the bead curtain and said in a soft voice: “Second Master, we have a visitor.”

Xi Hongxuan closed his fan without opening his eyes.

The maid then stood up and lifted the curtain for Shen Zechuan.

When Shen Zechuan entered, he saw a girl kneeling at Xi Hongxuan’s feet, rubbing his legs.

“Master Shen, please sit down.” Xi Hongxuan was still tapping his feet lightly, focusing on singing.

The kneeling girl came over and wanted to take off Shen Zechuan’s shoes.Shen Zechuan raised his hand to stop it and sat on the chair.

Xi Hongxuan waited until the song ended, then sat up. While drinking tea, he tapped the girl with his fan and said, “This person is new, not dirty.”

Shen Zechuan didn’t look.

Xi Hongxuan smiled instead, looked at he and said, “You really followed Xiao Er, right? What’s the matter, do you have to keep your integrity for he?”

Shen Zechuan’s temples looked like they were soaked in ink, but in this warm room, his eyebrows and eyebrows were sparse, and he really didn’t like fireworks.He said: “Ask me to come and stop gossiping.”

Xi Hongxuan opened the folding fan, his fat body crowded into the wicker chair, and he said: “We are brothers. Seeing that you have suffered by staying with Xiao Er, today I want you to have fun. If you want to be pitiful, you, Shen Lanzhou, are pitiful. Xiao Er kicked you in the past, which caused the root cause of the disease, and now you have to deal with him with false intentions. He is really your magic star.”

“Yeah,” Shen Zechuan didn’t shy away from it, as if he had no choice but to say, “He’s just such a bastard.”

“But I don’t think he intends to leave room for Jin Yiwei,” Xi Hongxuan said, “Lan Zhou, the pillow wind didn’t blow in either.”

“You are an infatuated person.” Shen Zechuan took the hot handkerchief presented by the girl and wiped his hands. He turned his eyes and smiled. The coolness when he entered the door disappeared without a trace, and unknowingly turned into his usual expression. “I have been thinking about my sister-in-law for several years. After sleeping with her once, I fell in love with her and fell in love with her. But Xiao Er and I were just in love, how can we be considered to be in love?”

“Listen,” Xi Hongxuan picked up the chopsticks, “Are you just playing for fun?”

“There is something important about playing,” Shen Zechuan said. “Everyone has a roll on the bed. Everyone has their own needs. When you are happy, you can pass it by. If you think about it every day, wouldn’t it be less pure?”

Xi Hongxuan clasped his hands and laughed, and said: “Okay! Good Lanzhou, I’m afraid that you will be caught in the weak point and forget that we are brothers in the same boat. Come on, come on, try this dish. This is a wild vegetable sent by Qinzhou at high speed. It is a good thing that even the imperial kitchen does not have.”

The two picked up the vegetables and used some.

Xi Hongxuan said: “Xiao Er is a ruthless character. He didn’t pay attention in the past, and he showed his talents in the autumn hunting. Now that he can’t hide it, he simply has to fight with others. He took over the military affairs of the Eighth Battalion, but gave all important positions to his cronies. No one in the Eighth Camp has real power, heHe also makes every effort to preserve his reputation so that people can’t handle it at all.Do you think he’s angry or annoying?”

Shen Zechuan saw a piece of cucumber shreds on the table, he didn’t touch a chopstick, and said: “Xiao Er was desperate at the Nanlin Hunting Ground, betting that the emperor would remember the friendship and let him go, but this hope was in vain, and in the end he was closely watched by the six departments. Now he can’t go back, heWe can only ensure that we have solid military power in Qidu.Compared with the Eight Battalions, such as Liuying and Haoyue, he has finally gained the upper hand, so he will not let go of the opportunity.”

“In the past, there was Pan Rugui in the Twenty-Four Yamen, and Dongchang could do anything to dampen he’s spirit. But now that Pan Rugui is dead, Dongchang has also declined. Well, in this huge capital, no one can really defeat he.Xiao Ce’an’s character!” Xi Hongxuan took a bite and said, “I haven’t been so favored recently.Now that the emperor has heard Hai Liangyi’s words, he has made up his mind to be a prosperous king and is not so willing to play with me.”

After Shen Zechuan finished eating, he said calmly: “A person who has lived for more than twenty years has already determined his character. If he can change his past with just a few words, then nothing will be difficult in the world.”

Xi Hongxuan paused his chopsticks and said, “What do you mean…”

“Hai Liangyi is a gentleman among gentlemen,” Shen Zechuan put down his chopsticks, “it is crystal clear water. When he meets the current emperor, it is like water next to hot oil. Sooner or later, it will explode and splash. Xue Xiuzhuo has already reached this position, why is he unwilling to go further? In the cabinet, he is not unqualified. What the central government lacks at the moment is talent.”

Xi Hongxuan was silent.

Shen Zechuan said: “Now that there are foreign enemies, how can the eight families be separated and do their own thing? You have become the master of the Xi family. The so-called wind and water are turning, and the opportunity has come to you. Do you want to let it go?”

Xi Hongxuan also put down his chopsticks, wiped his sweat with a handkerchief, looked at Shen Zechuan, and said, “You want me to connect the eight families and deal with Xiao Er together?”

Shen Zechuan said: “Xiao Er is just one of them. Now that civil servants are favored, even the Imperial College is in a state of prosperity. In a few years, the sons of poor families will join the officialdom one after another. What will happen to the noble sons of the eight great families who are used to living in a mixed life? If the poor family becomes popular, the new rich rise, and the second young master, the eight great families will no longer be the ‘eight’ great families.”

Xi Hongxuan said: “Even so… it’s too tricky. Not to mention anything else, Yao Wenyu will never agree. He is Hai Liangyi’s direct student. He has traveled all over the country over the years and has made countless friends with talented people. He is determined not to ally with us.”

Shen Zechuan smiled and said: “The Eight Families, just say the Eight Families, it makes no sense that they are the Eight Families. If the Yao family fails, just change it.”

Xi Hongxuan stopped eating, he pushed the chair away, walked around the room, and after a while, looked at Shen Zechuan: “But what can you do to keep Xiao Er from moving? If he wants to protect the emperor, he will not sit idly by. If he is the only one, then I am not afraid, but behind him is the Libei Iron Cavalry. With Xiao Jiming here, Xiao Ce’an can neither touch nor hurt him. It is too difficult to deal with!”

“Xiao Jiming is powerful, but he’s majesty is at the border.” Shen Zechuan held his head, his eyes hidden in the shadows could not be seen clearly, he gave Xi Hongxuan the last fire, “This is your place, the so-called strong dragon cannot suppress the local snake. If you want Xiao Er to take care of himself, there are many ways.”

Xi Hongxuan was so deep in thought that he didn’t realize that Shen Zechuan said “you” instead of “us”.he asked: “What method?”

Shen Zechuan laughed silently and said: “Xiao Er’s power depends entirely on the trust of the emperor. We brothers have been drinking so happily for many years, and we have life-saving grace, so there is really nothing we can do for a while. But friendship is like autumn dew hanging on a branch, it will disappear as soon as the sun shines.”

Xi Hongxuan looked at Shen Zechuan and remembered Ji Lei on a rainy night. The mountain delicacy he had just swallowed was stirring in his stomach.He forced himself not to show his appearance, and said with a smile: “Since you are confident, just say it.”

After Shen Zechuan left, Xi Hongxuan lay back on the wicker chair and had the table removed.He had a hard time turning over and had to be helped by someone. At this moment, he felt stuffy and panicked for no reason, so he asked someone to open the window.

Xue Xiuzhuo came out of the cubicle, and Xi Hongxuan sighed: “Are you listening? Fortunately, he was born as Shen Wei’s son. If he gains power, he will be even more difficult to deal with than Xiao Er.”

“You must use the right method when employing people.” Xue Xiuzhuo poured tea, “No one in this world has desires and desires. Shen Lanzhou also has weaknesses. As long as he is aware of them, there is nothing to be afraid of, no matter how ruthless a dog is.”

“I just can’t find it.” Xi Hongxuan tapped his eyebrows with a fan, “I see that he is also cold-hearted towards Xiao Er. He clearly turned his back on him after getting out of bed. Such a monster, humiliating him and praising him are all useless. You can’t even threaten him.”

Xue Xiuzhuo swallowed his tea, smiled, and said gently: “Why are you in a hurry? Just do what he said. Whether it succeeds or not is Xiao Er’s fault. When the time comes, he will always reveal his purpose.”

Shen Zechuan went downstairs, not in a hurry to leave.The old bustard greeted him, only knowing that he was Xi Hongxuan’s distinguished guest, and said flatteringly: “What do you want me to do? It’s better to try it myself than just take a look.”

Shen Zechuan looked at the beautiful sister and said, “Are there any minor officials?”

The old bustard turned around and said to the people behind him: “Send me up and ask a few young and clean-faced people to wait on you.”

Shen Zechuan sat in the room for a while, and then three petty officials came in.He took a quick glance and found everything was neatly tidied up.

The madam was very sensible and knew how to choose looks. Even though she had gone through several buildings, she couldn’t choose anyone more colorful than Shen Zechuan, so she went off the beaten path and chose all the handsome young men.

The junior official wanted to come up and take off Shen Zechuan’s shoes. Shen Zechuan moved his feet slightly, and they knelt down and did not dare to move any more.

Shen Zechuan looked out the window. After a while, he said, “Take off your clothes.”

The three of them took off their clothes obediently, halfway through. Shen Zechuan looked at the white shoulders, still feeling calm.He looked at their hands again. They all looked like daughters, as if they had never been touched by spring water.

They don’t wear cocoons and don’t wear spanners.

Shen Zechuan sighed slowly, stood up and didn’t even bother to say hello. He opened the door and left, leaving the three junior officials looking at each other in confusion.

Ding Tao followed Shen Zechuan and saw he finally walked out of Ouhua Building, so he wrote it down one by one in the crumpled notebook.When he finished writing, he saw that Shen Zechuan had already entered the crowd.Ding Tao didn’t dare to be too big, so he quickly chased after him, not far or close.

Shen Zechuan didn’t walk very fast, but in a blink of an eye, he disappeared.

Ding Tao said “Hey” and stepped forward quickly, but was blocked by a burly man wearing a bamboo hat.As soon as he is next to the opponent, he will know that he has skills!

There were crowds of people around, and Ding Tao didn’t want to hurt anyone, so she endured the attack and asked Shen Zechuan to get rid of him.He swung his fist, but he could recall a familiar feeling from the burly man just now.

As soon as it gets dark, the snow gets heavier.

The burly man walked for a while with his bamboo hat on his shoulders. When he turned around, he entered a dead end alley.

Shen Zechuan stood behind him, glanced at him, and said, “You’ve been following me for half a month. What’s going on?”

The burly man lowered his bamboo hat, but laughed out loud and said, “You’re so sharp, did you notice it earlier?”

“Your ability to hide is very impressive,” Shen Zechuan said, “Didn’t you teach me some tricks? You disappeared after coming out of prison, and you also took great pains to get them to chase him out of the capital.”