Old Stories
Lin Yi certainly didn't assume that this suddenly appearing young man in golden robes was Xie Chengnan's brother. In the original book, Xie Chengnan's only remaining blood relative was Xie Chengfeng. He wasn't a key figure, and the author had no need to elaborate on his complicated background. Besides, this young master had just said that he was from the Feng family of Lingnan.
Located at the border of Da'an and Nanjiang, Lingnan Border was a vital transportation hub for trade between various countries. The Feng family of Lingnan Border was the wealthiest merchant family among them, with a wide range of businesses, among which medicinal herbs were their most successful. The name Qiancaotang was known to all, and its branches were located throughout Da'an.
Therefore, this person should be the outside help Xie Chengnan invited, but it's unclear who these two are...
Lin Yi's gaze shifted suspiciously between the two. This young master of the Feng family did seem rather unserious, but Xie Chengnan, though sometimes a bit carefree, didn't seem like someone with any strange hobbies.
Perhaps sensing the absurd speculation in her eyes, Xie Chengnan explained impatiently, "What are you thinking? He's just a smart aleck. He's only three months older than me, but he always manages to get the upper hand with his words."
"oh."
Feng Zhengxian not only had a high opinion of himself, but he was also very outgoing. He leaned closer to Lin Yi and said suddenly, "Oh, I know, this must be—your sister-in-law!"
He spoke to Lin Yipin with the utmost care, as if a bride's family were choosing a son-in-law, saying, "He's really good-looking." Then he put his arm around Xie Chengnan's shoulder, adding, "I have to say, you're quite the ladies' man."
Xie Chengnan gave him a light elbow strike, just enough to push him away. "Let's get down to business. Where's the goods?"
"Mingzhu, go and see if you've seen it."
While Mingzhu went to check the medicinal herbs, Lin Yi bowed gracefully to Feng Zhengxian and said, "So it's Young Master Feng. Thank you for your help."
"You're welcome, please inspect the goods first."
The carriages lined up at the back gate, completely blocking the alley behind the street.
As soon as the cargo box, covered with straw and tarpaulin, was opened, a rich aroma of herbs filled the air.
The leaves are neat and brightly colored, clearly made from the finest medicinal herbs that have been naturally sun-dried.
Lin Yi's heart, which had been pounding, finally settled down completely. "I will pay for these medicinal herbs according to Qiancaotang's pricing, including the batch that was previously discarded. In addition, the travel expenses from Lingnan to Mingzhou by express horse will also be settled with you."
Feng Zhengxian exaggeratedly clutched his chest, "Don't talk to me about money, I don't need that."
Xie Chengnan slapped him on the back of the head, reminding him, "She's older than you."
"Really? Your wife is young, you can't tell at all." He chuckled, then finally became a little serious. "Cheng Nan and I already agreed that this batch of medicinal herbs would be paid for at market price. As for the previous batch, it was my fault for not supervising it properly, so it's on me. As for the travel expenses, don't be stingy with me. I mainly came to visit my brother, and delivering the medicine was just a side thing."
Lin smiled and readily accepted, "Then thank you very much, Young Master Feng."
Feng Zhengxian was stunned by the smile and pulled Xie Chengnan back while saying, "Since there's no problem with the medicinal herbs, let my men help you unload the goods. I'm new to Mingzhou, so let Chengnan show me around—see you later, sister-in-law."
Feng Zhengxian pulled the person out onto the street, and under the cover of the noise, asked, "Is this really your fiancé—Qiu Qingye?"
"It's not quite like what I heard; it looks rather..."
He struggled for a long time but couldn't come up with a conclusion, so he could only give Xie Chengnan a thumbs up.
Feng Zhengxian, who was far away in Lingnan, had heard of Qiu Qingye's infamous reputation, which further suggested that something was amiss here. Xie Chengnan gave him a meaningful look and said, "There are too many people around here, let's find somewhere else to talk."
Wanmu Spring was a famous music hall in Mingzhou City. Even though it was still broad daylight, all the colorful lanterns were already lit, and colorful curtains hung from the dome, with melodious music lingering in the air. The proprietress stood in the lobby waiting for customers, greeting everyone with a smile.
Yao Niang is nearly forty years old. Even though she takes great care of herself, the signs of time still make her beautiful face look slightly less attractive than the young girls in the neighborhood.
When she smiled, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes were difficult to conceal with makeup. Those delicate wrinkles became even more pronounced upon seeing the person approaching. Yao Niang greeted him with a smile: "Young Marquis, it's been several days since you last visited!"
Xie Chengnan nodded to her almost imperceptibly.
Feng Zhengxian, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed as he looked Wan Muchun up and down in the inner hall. He then glanced at his good brother with a complicated expression before finally bursting into laughter: "Well done, Xie Chengnan. I never would have guessed. I remember when you were in Lingnan, you wouldn't even glance at a place like this. Once, I dragged you to the door, but you clung to a pillar and refused to go in. Now, how come you've suddenly become so enlightened?"
"Just speak, can you please stop calling me by my name? Do you want everyone in Mingzhou City to know I'm here?"
Feng Zhengxian scoffed at this: "You're already here, why are you afraid of being recognized? Besides, all the owners here know you. This is definitely not the first time. Given how well-informed Mingzhou City is, this news has already spread far and wide."
Feng Zhengxian leaned closer to his ear and whispered, "But I'm still curious, does your partner know you're coming to a place like this?"
Xie Chengnan ignored him and went upstairs to the second floor.
A maid was already waiting in front of the innermost private room on the second floor. When she saw them arrive, she opened the door for them and said with a smile, "Young Master Xie, this is the room you usually stay in. The person is next door. Please feel free to ask if you need anything."
"Are you a regular here?" Feng Zhengxian asked curiously. It was truly a case of "a scholar who has been away for many days needs no introduction." However, the decor here was different from downstairs.
Wanmuchun is a music hall, but its business extends beyond just music.
Most of the people who came to listen to the music were from wealthy families. In this city of Mingzhou, there were even more powerful and noble people. People with power, wealth, and leisure time were bound to seek some entertainment.
Therefore, besides listening to songs and enjoying music, there are also some extremely elegant and extravagant activities, such as composing poems, playing archery and throwing arrows, and drinking tea and wine. If interested, one can even book a room for a night of passion. Everyone tacitly understands this.
The decor of Wanmu Spring has a touch of the extravagance of Mingzhou City. The warm tents and the fragrance of goose pears are enough to make anyone's heart flutter upon entering.
This one, however, was different. It looked more like an ordinary inn for rest, still luxurious in style, but without anything outrageous.
This left Feng Zhengxian slightly disappointed. Although he joked about it, he knew in his heart that this person was probably just putting on a show of being a spoiled brat, and was still the same as when he was a child.
Xie Chengnan sat down on the soft couch first, bending one leg. A set of celadon tea set was placed on the couch table. He poured two cups of tea, pushed one cup to the opposite side, and picked up the other cup and took a sip.
"The tea here is quite good, you should try it."
Feng Zhengxian sat opposite him suspiciously, staring at the warm teacup, and suddenly smiled, "You need something from me."
Xie Chengnan remained noncommittal: "It's not really a request, I just want to ask you a few questions."
Feng Zhengxian tilted his head back and drank it down with gusto, the bottom of the cup hitting the table with a dull thud: "Speak, I'm all ears."
Xie Chengnan carefully considered his words, seemingly uncertain, and asked, "Is there a kind of Gu worm that can change a person's temperament?"
The Southern Frontier is known for its abundance of Gu poison, a fact known to everyone in the world. However, the Lingnan region is located on the border between the Southern Frontier and Anguo, so most people in the Lingnan region also have some understanding of Gu worms.
Unfortunately, the man from Lingnan in front of me knew nothing about Gu poison.
Feng Zhengxian found it amusing, "Are you asking me? I don't know any witchcraft!"
"What about the medicine?" Xie Chengnan pressed.
"Medicine... as far as I know, there isn't any. Temperament is a basic characteristic we are born with, and it's very difficult to change unless we experience some major upheaval later in life. Even if there were medicine, poison, or venom as you mentioned, it would quickly reveal its true nature and wouldn't last long. What, is it that your newlywed wife's temperament doesn't suit your taste, and you want to change it for her?"
Xie Chengnan glanced at him: "When are you going to get rid of this frivolous habit of yours?"
"Oh my, things are definitely different after marriage. Did I hear that right? You, a young master from a noble family who often comes to places like this, are actually making me serious."
Xie Chengnan seemed lost in thought, and surprisingly refrained from continuing to argue with him.
Seeing that the atmosphere was getting a bit awkward, Feng Zhengxian changed the subject again: "Didn't you say in your letter that you wanted live spiders? I brought them for you, and I also included some snakes, rats, and poisonous insects from the Five Poisons Hall. But what do you need these things for? Are you really going to make Gu poison?"
"Yes," Xie Chengnan replied casually, as if he had simply acknowledged that he had already eaten breakfast.
"No way, Xiao Nanzi, I thought you were just saying that." Feng Zhengxian lowered his voice. "You finally couldn't stand being controlled by a married man and decided to turn her into a puppet so she would obey you, didn't you?"
Xie Chengnan turned the cup upside down and then right-side up again, repeating this several times, and said, "I stumbled upon a Gu formula by chance, and since I had nothing else to do, I thought I'd give it a try."
Feng Zhengxian was speechless.
The city of Mingzhou prohibits the use of Gu poison, so there's no chance he could just happen to find the Gu formula.
After a long silence, he asked softly, "Cheng Nan, are you still investigating what happened back then?" It was clearly a question, but he said it in an extremely calm tone, as if afraid of disturbing something.
Xie Chengnan did not answer.
So he knew that his friend had never given up on him all these years.
Feng Zhengxian wanted to persuade him to let go, but he didn't know whether he should or how to do so. "What happened back then..."
Xie Chengnan interrupted him, "The facts of that year are suspicious. The dignified Marquis of Yong'an was summoned away from the capital and appeared on the southern border, where he fought alongside the people of the southern border to defend Da'an. Yet the current emperor has kept quiet about this, allowing rumors to circulate freely among the people. Why did he leave the capital? What is the truth? Were there other forces involved? And what role did they play... No matter how deep the water is, I must know."
Feng Zhengxian sighed silently. His good friend, though seemingly lazy, was actually the most stubborn at heart. Even if taking another step would lead to an abyss, he would never turn back.
"If you want to investigate, I will definitely help you. Just send me a message if you need anything. I can get you anything more precious than the Imperial Seal of the State."
The solemnity on Xie Chengnan's face vanished in an instant. He raised his teacup, lightly clinked it against Xie's, and said with a smile, "Thanks."
Feng Zhengxian looked at the two men's teacups with considerable displeasure: "Speaking of which, are you really that afraid of your wife? Coming to a brothel and not ordering any girls is one thing, but you don't even drink any wine?"
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