The prince is very fierce

The next day, the weather cleared up, and the warm winter sun shone on thousands of miles of snowy fields. Next to us was the majestic Yellow River. The vast and empty scenery made people feel relaxed and happy.

Xu Buling held a riding whip and sat against the door of the carriage, looking at the clouds in the sky. He felt that the white clouds were like tender and juicy white steamed buns...

Xu Bu Ling frowned, feeling that something was wrong with him and sat up a little straighter, but he still felt unfinished.

Last night, Xiao Wan seduced her confidently, and he definitely couldn't resist it. Although he was worried about Xiao Wan's body and didn't make any real moves, he couldn't help but show off his words and get a taste of it.

It sounds similar to Dabai, but at that time, Dabai was always coy and shy, wishing to find a hole in the ground to crawl into.

Xiaowan was different. She didn't know what shyness meant at all. She cooperated openly and would bite her lower lip and look at him. Occasionally she would ask, "Isn't it sweet?" The contrast and impact are not ordinary.

However, Xiaowan is an untouched woman after all. No matter how special her personality is, her body is still weak. In the end, she was tortured so much that she fell asleep and has not gotten up until now.

The weather was excellent in the early morning, and the snowfield was very quiet. It was so quiet that it was a bit strange. After thinking about it carefully, I realized that Manzhi and Chen Sining had forgotten to talk about cross talk.

The two of them didn't chat, not because they had nothing to say, but because Manzhi always went to bed late and got up late. When Chen Sining pulled him out of the tent, he didn't wake up at all. He got on the horse and lay down with his face spread out. There was also a bamboo hat covering it to block the light. The little sparrow found a good place, lying among the branches of clothes, eating pine nuts comfortably.

Without Zhu Manzhi's head, Chen Sining naturally had nothing to say and rode ahead, paying careful attention to the surrounding situation. The two little snakes no longer had to dance, they were as happy as the Chinese New Year, and they rubbed Chen Sining's little face gratefully. They were so stupid that Xu Buling was quite amused.

A few people just walked on the snowy plains. The horses ran very fast on the endless straight roads. At about noon, they arrived at Guiyan City located on the bank of Yangshu Lake.

The majestic city rises from the ground, and the majestic city walls can be seen from more than ten miles away. The surrounding official roads extend in all directions, and there are more and more car and horse teams. There are all kinds of caravans from the Western Regions, the Central Plains, and Mobei, but the number is smaller during the New Year period. Or the Northern Qi people entering and leaving the city.

Xu Buling found a place outside the city to place three wind-chasing horses, replaced them with ordinary horses pulling the carriage, and then blended into the caravan entering the city and entered the city.

As soon as he stepped into the city gate, the scene he entered suddenly changed. Thousands of streets, hundreds of squares, numerous high-rise buildings, endless carriages and horses, and crowds of scholars. If it weren't for the fact that all the men on the streets had their hair down, Xu Buring would have thought he was back in Chang'an. Zhuque Street in the city.

Chen Sining has seen cities in the Central Plains all the way here, but this is the first time he has seen one with such a large scale and neat planning. Compared with the majestic Guiyan City, it is no problem to say that Nanyue Kingdom is an urban-rural junction.

After all, she is also a princess of the same country. When Chen Sining saw the prosperous scene in front of her that far surpassed her hometown, her beautiful eyes showed a bit of envy. She walked in front of Xu Buling and asked:

"Mr. Xu, is Chang'an City more impressive than this?"

Xu Buling led the carriage, glanced at the buildings with cornices that were quickly forming, and said with a smile:

"That's natural. Chang'an City has been the capital of past dynasties. It has been expanded for nearly a thousand years. It has a permanent population of over one million. In terms of prosperity, it is comparable to Hangzhou. In terms of style, no city in the world can match it. The expansion of Guiyan City cannot be compared to Jiazi. Although the scale is It’s quite big, but the population is still small, and it still needs time to settle.”

Zhu Manzhi was still a little sleepy, so he spoke to Ha Qie:

"Yeah, despite the size of the place here, Northern Qi is short of supplies and there is basically nothing good to eat. Chang'an City is different. Just the delicacies from all over the world, if you change them one meal a day, it will not be the same throughout the year, so you don't have to play. As I said, I’ve been here for more than a year and haven’t even finished visiting all the fun places in One Hundred and Eight Squares.”

Chen Sining had never seen Dayue's super-large city with her own eyes, so she couldn't imagine that kind of scene. She thought for a moment:

"If that's the case, I definitely have to go and see it if I get the chance."

Xu Buling said with a smile: "Your father's royal fiefdom is not far from Chang'an. After you go back this time, you can go shopping. There is a Sun's shop over there, brewing the best wine in the world. You must go there. One trip.”

When Chen Sining heard this, her interest in admiring the street scene faded a little. She turned to look at Xu Buring and hesitated for a moment:

"Master, you've finished your business here and aren't going back to Chang'an? It doesn't seem like it would be interesting for me to go shopping alone."

Xu Buling thought for a while: "Spring will start soon when we get back. We have to fight in Jiangnan, so I probably won't have time to go back to Chang'an. If Miss Chen doesn't want to accompany her father to join the vassal so early, she can also accompany Manzhi to Jiangnan first. Anyway, Manzhi I can chat with you, it’s good to take a walk while I’m young.”

Zhu Manzhi thought the same way: "Yes, it's so lively on the boat. I also want to take you to see the Xiao family in Huainan. Does the head of the Xiao family in Huainan know? Mr. Xiao Tingxiao, please call me aunt according to my seniority." .”? ?

Xu Buling was stunned for a moment, and after careful calculation, it seemed that it was true.

Chen Sining originally wanted to broaden her horizons in the Central Plains, but now she naturally raised her lips and smiled:

"Well...that's what I have in mind, as long as Mr. Xu doesn't find it troublesome."

Inside the carriage, Cui Xiaowan had already woken up, opened the window, and said with a smile:

"Sining, he wants you to follow him, why would he find it troublesome?"

Xu Bu Ling's expression froze.

Zhu Manzhi thought so too, but didn't dare to say it.

Chen Si Ning blushed, pretending she heard nothing, slowed down the horse and came to the window, changing the subject:

"Aunt, why did you get up so late today? Are you feeling unwell?"

Cui Xiaowan's face was rosy and she was in great spirits, not looking uncomfortable at all. She shook her head and said:

"Yesterday Xu Buling helped me regulate my blood circulation, and I feel much better. Let him do the same to you when he has time, you will definitely like it."

Xu Buling was speechless and couldn't interrupt, so he could only pat Manzhi'er's buttocks who was laughing secretly, called Xiao Maque over to arrange the task, and then found an inn in the city to stay for the time being... ——

The sun was setting in the west, and the streets were filled with people.

Near the carriage and horse shop in the south of the city, where all kinds of people gathered, merchants gathered here, and people from all walks of life from all over the country also gathered here, selling martial arts, or renting cars and buying horses, preparing for the journey of the new year.

The crowd was bustling, and although they were going in different directions, they all had their own destinations. Only Liu Wuye was walking aimlessly on the street, not knowing where to go next.

Liu Wuye watched the battle of Ma Zongling all the way. From that day on, he found that the knife he was proud of on his waist was not sharp anymore.

He could numb himself by practicing the knife with concentration, and wanted to practice to be the best in the world and practice to be unrestrained; but the life-and-death fight of nine masters was enough to destroy the confidence and pride of ordinary warriors.

Liu Wuye realized from then on that even if he practiced for a lifetime, he could not catch up with the strongest warriors in Ma Zong Town. The martial arts in front of him were out of reach, so it was difficult to bring up the arrogance of "who else but me".

People who practice martial arts rely on this breath to support themselves. Once this breath is dissipated, even if they are geniuses, they can never reach the top of the world again.

But if he doesn't practice the knife, what will be left?

Liu Wuye took Xu Buling and Chen Si Ning's words to heart, and wanted to find a quiet place to think carefully, and come out when he figured it out. In fact, he was tired of the present life and wanted to find a place to be quiet.

But it was not so easy to let go of the past. After wandering around in the snow, he still walked to Guiyan City.

He came and wanted to leave, but he didn't know where to go, and he wanted to say goodbye before leaving.

He walked from the beginning to the end of the street, and from the end of the street to the beginning of the street.

Liu Wuye didn't know how long he walked in a daze, and suddenly a shout came into his ears:

"Calculate good and bad luck, calculate misfortune and fortune..."

The voice was a little familiar.

Liu Wuye came back to his senses, hesitated, turned into a small street, and saw the familiar girl outside a small fur shop. Inside the fur shop, there was also a middle-aged woman, also greeting customers.

The shop was crowded with customers, and the fortune-telling stall was empty.

Liu Wuye stopped for a moment, walked to the fortune-telling stall, and showed that sunny smile:

"Girl, what a coincidence."

Xiao Taohua was worried about the lack of customers, and when she saw the young swordsman in front of her, she was even more worried. She quickly hugged the fortune-telling box on the table and said seriously:

"Why are you here again? I told you that I can't tell the fortune accurately. I won't tell it for you, otherwise it will ruin my reputation."

Liu Wuye sat down in front of the fortune-telling stall and picked up his hat:

"This time it's not about marriage, it's about future."

Xiao Taohua shook her head: "It doesn't work for anything. You only shake the bad fortune for yourself. How can I tell it for you? If you have nothing to do, I'll kick you out if you don't do anything. "

Liu Wuye really didn't know what to do this time. He wanted to see what God would do, so he didn't get up and leave. He continued:

"How about I don't touch the fortune stick tube, and you shake it for me? Whatever comes out is what it comes out. "

Xiao Taohua blinked her eyes and thought it was a good idea. She put the fortune stick tube back on the table:

"Then it's settled. I'll shake it, and you'll take your own consequences. "

"Okay. "

"Calculate your future... You're going to travel far away, right?"

"Yes. "

Xiao Taohua nodded after asking, picked up the fortune stick tube, and shook it a few times in a serious manner. Soon, a bamboo stick fell on the table.

There are 108 fortune sticks, and the best fortune stick is 106. How could it be possible to shake out anything else?

After looking down, Xiao Taohua was delighted:

"Wow! A very good fortune. Congratulations, sir. No matter where you go this time, you will definitely have smooth sailing. You will get money and your wishes will come true."

The words were not perfunctory at all. They sounded like the real thing. I don't know how many times he practiced.

Liu Wuye looked at the bamboo sticks on the table and smiled softly: "Thank you, little Taoist priest, for your good words." After saying that, he took out a silver ingot and put it on the table, and stood up.

Xiao Taohua took the silver with a clear conscience. She put it in her arms like a little money-grubber, said "Goodbye, sir!", and prepared to go back to the shop to show off to her mother.

But before Xiao Taohua entered the fur shop, she saw Liu Wuye walking in the opposite direction of the carriage and horse shop, heading towards the center of Guiyan City.

Xiao Taohua was stunned, and ran out quickly, asking:

"Aren't you going on a long journey? The door is over there, you're going the wrong way."

Liu Wuye paused, turned back and smiled:

"Didn't the girl say that wherever you go, everything will go smoothly and all your wishes will come true?" ? ?

Xiao Taohua was speechless for a moment, and it was really hard to change what she had just said.

Liu Wuye didn't say anything more, pulled down his bamboo hat, and walked quickly into the city, no longer hesitating.

Xiao Taohua saw this and felt something was wrong.

Although she was young, she was good at observing people's words and expressions. Just now, she clearly saw that the young swordsman was about to leave, but didn't know where to go, so she said those auspicious words to cheer up the young swordsman, but he turned around and walked back.

Being able to travel far away but aimlessly, it was obvious that there was something going on in Guiyan City and he couldn't stay any longer before leaving. Thinking of the marriage last time, a bold guess appeared in Xiao Taohua's mind.

The young swordsman liked a girl, but for some reason he couldn't get her, so he was ready to go away and forget about this sad incident. As a result, she gave blind encouragement and gave the young swordsman confidence to go back and try again.

People are already discouraged. Isn’t this leading people to a dead end?

If a hot-blooded Jianghu person takes risks and gets into trouble, won't she become an unscrupulous Taoist priest who tells fortunes?

This young swordsman seems to be out of his mind, and there is a high chance of causing trouble.

Although Xiao Taohua was not a Taoist priest, she could not destroy the signboard of the fortune-telling stall, and she did not want to leave a knot in her heart because of her words. When the master found out, he had to punish her by not eating candied haws for three months.

Little Taohua stood at the door and thought for a moment, then turned and walked towards the street:

"Mom, I'm going to find Master. I'll be back in a few days."

"Well, listen to your master carefully, but don't eat what you want every day. What will you do if you get fat and can't get married? Mother is still thinking of asking you to find a son from a prince's family to be your husband. If you can't succeed in martial arts, you should still be a rich man. Madam Comfortable.”

"Oh, I know, I know..."

……——

On Xuanwu Street, the Crown Prince Jiang Kai changed into a prince's robe and walked out of the palace.

The carriage stopped outside the gate, and more than a dozen guards stood on both sides. When they saw Jiang Kai coming out, one of the guards quickly stepped forward and bowed to report:

"His Royal Highness, you just went to the Imperial Preceptor's Mansion. Mr. Zuo said that there is something going on at home, so he will not drink with His Highness today. Please forgive me."

Jiang Kai frowned when he heard this.

As the son of a feudal lord, he certainly doesn't have many close friends. After all, there are not many people who are well-matched in the world. Jiang Kai came to Chang'an to seek refuge. He didn't really want to go out, but he didn't go out in the first month of the year. There were poetry gatherings, flower gatherings and other occasions in the city every day. When he was in the city, it was impossible for outsiders not to send messages, and some could refuse, but Guiyan City's top election must not be missed.

Originally, Zuo Zhan was bound to come to such an occasion, and the two of them could sit in a private room and make comments. Without Zuo Zhan, it would obviously be much boring to be alone.

Jiang Kai hesitated and asked, "Who else is going to Chunhua Tower today?"

The guard responded seriously: "Basically all the young men in the city are here, and Prince Zuo is also here. I heard that he has prepared ten thousand taels of silver to make the barbarian women from the Western Regions in the Black City the oiran. Look, Your Highness..."

When Jiang Kai heard this, his temper suddenly boiled.

There were only two vassal kings with real power in the Northern Qi Dynasty, both of whom held heavy troops. According to the king's check and balance technique, it was impossible for both parties to live in harmony. After all, if the left and right princes wore the same pair of trousers, the monarch would be directly ignored.

Although the princes on the left and right put the overall situation first, they had many disputes in private. Especially the last time Jiang Kai was captured, the one who scolded him the most was Prince Zuo. He lamented his misfortune and hated him for not fighting, so he was still there. Jiang Kai, who was a prisoner in Chang'an, told him to commit suicide in Chang'an and die.

Of course, last time Prince Zuo lost Wang Nanguan, Prince Right scolded him a lot. This time when he went south into the Central Plains, Prince Zuo didn't dare to say anything because he almost lost Yuanzhou last time and couldn't hold his head up.

Now that both parties have suffered a big loss, it can be considered even. Jiang Kai is also planning to take Yu'er, the girl from Guiyan City, as the oiran. How can he bear it when he hears Prince Zuo and his son coming to stir up trouble?

"Let's go and call Zuo Zhan again. You can't miss this opportunity today. I've never been able to play with Xu Buling, and I can't play with him like Jiang Rui. I really think that my heir apparent is a piece of paper."

Jiang Kai flicked his sleeves and strode onto the carriage. Just as he was about to enter the carriage, he looked up and saw a plump little sparrow standing on the top of the carriage, looking at him.

"Oh, this sparrow is really fat. Come, I'll reward you with two handfuls of melon seeds."

"promise!"

Little Sparrow:? ?

Am I fat? ——

The sky is getting dark, and the red sun sinks into the horizon, bringing up the lights of thousands of houses and the sky full of stars.

In the inn in Fangshijian, Xu Buling stood on the terrace at the top of the high-rise building, looking at the city with a sea of ​​lights, his eyes showed a little surprise, and he changed his mind when he first arrived.

Guiyan City may have insufficient foundation and a smaller population, but its almost obsessive-compulsive planning ability still allowed Xu Buling to see some shadows of the prosperous Qi Dynasty back then.

Daqi is most famous for its foundry and infrastructure. Even though it has been reduced to a wanderer outside the Great Wall, its architectural attainments are still meticulous.

During the day, I only saw that this city looked a bit like Chang'an. At night, I realized that the layout of the entire city was seamlessly integrated. The watchtowers, drum towers, corners, etc. were all closely spaced. They were decorated with lamps. The colors of the lampstands in each place were particular, making the entire city look like one. The city looks radiant and dazzling, not losing the majesty and solemnity of Chang'an City, but not as gloomy as Chang'an City, and even a bit dreamy.

Cui Xiaowan liked this neat and beautiful scenery very much. She stood next to Xu Buling and looked through the telescope, and said crisply:

"According to records in the book, Chang'an, the capital of Da Qi, is 'like a coiled dragon during the day and like a heavenly palace at night'. I used to think it was an exaggeration, but now it seems to be true. It's not that Chang'an City doesn't look good at night, it's because it was badly damaged during the previous wars. , This is what Chang’an City should look like.”

"Yes, when we invade Northern Qi, we have to bring back all the craftsmen. Then we can renovate Chang'an City and make it look like this."

Chen Sining and Zhu Manzhi felt the same way. They were so attracted by the beautiful night scene that they forgot to even chat.

The four of them admired the night view for a while, and then there was a sound of wings flapping in the sky, and then the little sparrow landed on the fence, jumping around and chirping, looking like it was 'pissed off'.

Xu Buling thought the little sparrow had suffered a loss, so he hurried over to pick it up, carefully looked it up and down, and after making sure that no hair had fallen off, he breathed a sigh of relief and asked:

"What's wrong with Yiyi? Did someone hit you with a slingshot?"

"Chirp chirp chirp chirp"

The little sparrow couldn't talk, so naturally it couldn't tell Xu Buling that someone said it was 'fat', it was just fat because of its hair in winter.

Xu Buling could see that the little sparrow was very annoyed, and even refused to eat pine nuts. He patiently coaxed it for a long time before it calmed down, and then asked:

"Have you found any clues? Is the defense of the imperial city strict?"

The little sparrow still knew how to express whether the guards were strict. It chirped a few times, indicating that it was very strict, and pointed outside with its beak, asking Xu Buling to follow it out.

Xu Buling knew that he had made a discovery, and he did not hesitate to take the weapon wrapped in black cloth from the room.

Chen Si Ning actually wanted to follow Xu Buling to do things, but as a half-thug, she had to protect Xiao Wan's safety, so she obviously couldn't go out.

Xu Buling was unfamiliar with the place, and it was his first time going out. He didn't know the specific situation, and he didn't bring Manzhi with him. After changing into a robe commonly seen in the market, he left the inn alone and followed the little sparrow to the city.

The little sparrow came back at night, so naturally he followed all the way. After flying above the house for a while, he came to a large high-rise building.

The high-rise building was brightly lit, and outside there were many cars and horses, almost blocking the wide long street. The sound of stringed instruments and the cheers of men came from the high-rise building, and scenes of brothers greeting each other could be seen everywhere.

Xu Buling looked at the sign, but saw the three words "Chunhuatang" written on it. Just looking at this scene, you can tell that it is a brothel.

The little sparrow would definitely not bring him to whorehouses. After taking a few glances, Xu Buling entered Chunhua Hall through the window.

A stage was built in the grand high-rise building, with many singers playing piano and dancing on it. The seats below were full and the sound of rewarding was endless.

Since leaving Chang'an City, Xu Buling has not participated in such occasions for a long time, and he watched with interest. But the little sparrow was anxious, hiding in his collar, pecking at his neck, signaling him to walk faster.

Following the guidance of the little sparrow, Xu Buling walked a little in the corridor. Before he went upstairs, the bead curtain on the third floor was lifted, and Jiang Kai's figure appeared in the window, looking at the opposite side.

The little sparrow suddenly became excited and called twice, as if saying, "It's him, he just said I was fat, beat him up again", like a bullied younger brother calling his elder brother.

Xu Buling looked up and his eyes lit up slightly.

I was just worrying about how to get into the imperial city to get the agarwood, but unfortunately, a ready-made guide showed up at my doorstep...