Zhang Shixun was startled and quickly stopped him, saying, "Yanei, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want. What makes you say that people like me?"

"Need I tell you that? You can tell from what happened to Sun Sansi."

"What can you see?"

"You understand so well. I've been the one handling the Sun Sansi matter from beginning to end, and you're just a Taiping boxer. Logically, I'm the one they should thank the most and should invite me directly. But they didn't look for me, but came to you in a roundabout way." Gao Yanei said sourly.

"They have never dealt with you, and they don't have any friendship with you, so of course it's not convenient for them to come to you directly." Zhang Shixun saw that this guy was really jealous of him.

Gao Yanei touched his chin and said, "Anyway, they have a little bit of feelings towards you... hehe!"

"You're thinking too much. Don't bring up normal interactions. Stop it." Zhang Shixun said seriously.

"Okay, I won't say any more. I just can't figure it out. In terms of looks, you're not much better than me. In terms of family background...don't think I'm being harsh, you're just a homeless dog returning from overseas. In terms of wealth, you only have this shabby yard. If I'm guessing correctly, there won't be much left of the ten thousand strings of cash you got from me. It's not an exaggeration to say that you're a pauper."

"It's not an exaggeration. I'm just a poor man." Zhang Shixun said nonchalantly.

"I don't know what's wrong with the beauties nowadays. They don't love a high-ranking official's son like me, but instead like a poor guy like you. It's really hard to understand." Gao Yanei muttered repeatedly.

"You're here again. I told you the truth two days ago. Your gate is too high. They don't want to climb up the ladder."

"Oh! I want to find a concubine, but I can't find a suitable one." Gao Yanei sighed.

Zhang Shixun didn't want to waste time talking to him. He glanced at the sky outside and said, "It's almost dusk. Let's walk slowly towards Fanlou. Don't let them wait for us."

Gao Yanei picked up a corner of his clothes, put it under his nose and sniffed it, saying, "I have to go home. I was at the restaurant last night and I smelled of alcohol and powder. I need to go back and change my clothes."

Zhang Shixun waved his hand and said, "The old cow has been trapped. If it doesn't poop, it will pee... Go quickly and come back soon. I'll wait for you at the Zhouqiao Bridge."

After Gao Yanei left, Zhang Shixun washed his face, went to the back to say hello to Wang Dong, and then slowly walked out.

Zhouqiao is located on the central axis of Tokyo City, spanning the Bian River. To the north is the Imperial Street, which is hundreds of meters wide and leads directly to Xuande Gate. To the south are Zhuque Gate and Nanxun Gate.

Over the following hundreds of years, Zhouqiao experienced wind, frost, snow, rain and several floods of the Yellow River, and was gradually buried several meters underground. It was not until the end of the 20th century that it was dug out during a road construction. Unfortunately, because it was buried too deep and was located on the main road of Kaifeng, it had to be refilled.

Although it cannot be brought back to people's sight, future generations at least know the specific location of Zhou Bridge, and thus understand that the main road in Kaifeng City has not changed for a thousand years!

Zhang Shixun stood at the bridge head, looking at the people coming and going on the bridge, and sighed in his heart.

The hawkers selling groceries on the bridge were shouting loudly, making a lot of noise. But to Zhang Shixun, it sounded very familiar, as if he was in a bustling city in the future.

Looking north along the Imperial Street, the tall and majestic Xuande Tower appears and disappears in the twilight, giving people a dreamlike feeling.

Gao Yanei came, riding a white horse, with his hands on the saddle bridge, looking left and right. He was wearing a light blue soft-footed fu with flowers on his head, a pink flower as big as a bowl stuck in his temples, a light blue straight shirt, a red ribbon around his waist, and deerskin boots on his feet. He looked as flashy as he could be.

When Gao Yanei saw Zhang Shixun, he raised his hand and greeted him from a distance: "Brother Zhang, I'm sorry to have kept you waiting. Here comes my younger brother."

"Yanei, your outfit is too eye-catching. It almost blinded my eyes." Zhang Shixun looked the guy up and down with a sarcastic tone.

Gao Yanei grinned and said, "Brother, this outfit is okay, isn't it?"

Zhang Shixun gave a thumbs up and said, "Nothing much to say, he is handsome and charming."

Gao Yanei laughed heartily, his mouth wide open, and waved his hand: "Gao Liu, bring the horse over to Mr. Zhang. We're going to meet the beautiful lady at Fanlou!"

Zhang Shixun took the reins from Gao Liu and leaped onto his horse. Suddenly, he smelled a strong fragrance. He sniffed and asked Gao Yanei, who was standing beside him, "Yanei, why do I smell a fragrance?"

"You smell it too?" Gao Yanei shook his clothes and said proudly, "It's from incense. Hehe! I bought it from a Hu merchant from the Kingdom of Daqin. This kind of incense is extremely precious and ordinary people can't get it. Smell it, it smells delicious."

Applying powder and burning incense, is this what men should do?

Zhang Shixun was completely defeated by this guy. He loosened the reins and let the horse go forward, staying away from this guy to avoid being suffocated.

On the way, Zhang Shixun asked, "Yanei, I don't quite understand. Can a woman show her face in public and invite people to a restaurant?"

Gao Yanei looked at him and said, "Not just any woman can treat guests in a restaurant. If my wife dared to do so, she would be laughed at and I would break her legs and divorce her with a letter of divorce. As for Li Shishi, of course she can. She is the top performer in Fanlou. There, she can treat guests without any taboos and can invite anyone she wants. However, it is not easy to get her to treat guests. I have never heard of her treating anyone. It is always others who treat her."

Fanlou is located in Jingmingfang outside Donghuamen. It has a total of five three-story buildings, and there are sky bridges connecting the buildings.

When we arrived at Fan Tower, it was already time for lighting. The lanterns hanging on the tower had been lit, and the candles were all bright and brilliant. Compared with the neon lights of later generations, it was a unique sight.

As usual, the open space in front of Fanlou was filled with many carriages, mules and horses, forming a large black mass.

Many people dressed as servants were squatting or standing, chatting quietly while waiting for their masters.

Zhang Shixun and the other man dismounted, handed the reins to Gao Wu and Gao Liu, and walked side by side into Fanlou. As soon as they entered the hall, two waiters immediately came up to greet them, nodding and bowing. "Excuse me, gentlemen, have you booked a room?"

"Yes! Madam Li Shishi invited us here." Gao Yanei raised his chin and didn't even look at the waiter.

When the waiter heard this, he bowed even lower and said, "Please follow me, my two great gentlemen."

The two followed the waiter inside. Zhang Shixun looked around the hall and found that it was already full of diners.

"Young Master, if you come late, you might not be able to find a seat in the hall." Zhang Shixun asked in a low voice.

"Of course. Not only here, but also the pavilion behind is the same. If you want to come here for a drink, you must make a reservation in advance."

The corridors on both sides leading to the back were filled with heavily made-up women standing under the big red lanterns. At a glance, there were hundreds of them, which was astonishing.

Having experienced this kind of scene before, Zhang Shixun remained calm and followed the waiter inside.