There was a heavy downpour in the evening, and Guo Hongxuan and others were soaked like drowned rats, so they hurriedly stayed in an inn.
After nightfall, the rain continued to fall.
In a remote town, the inn was simple but clean. Suddenly, pleasant piano music came from a room on the second floor.
The window was half open, and a moist, cool breeze blew in, causing the gauze curtains to flutter and the courtesan's plain white long skirt to flutter as well.
Under the dim candlelight, Tian Susu was bare-faced, with her brows furrowed and eyes lowered, a look of sadness hidden in the corners of her eyes and eyebrows. She was concentrating on playing the piano, her slender fingers skillfully stroking the strings, and the sound of the piano was like weeping and complaining, mournful and moving.
The rain kept falling, the wind kept blowing, the candlelight flickered, and shadows swayed all over the room.
The journey was boring, so when they stopped at night, as usual, they played a few games of chess, then talked about poetry, and then listened to a few songs.
Guo Hongxuan was relaxed and comfortable, sitting nearby and enjoying the show quietly.
On the table stood a large pot of ginger wine and several dishes of snacks. Before he knew it, he had drunk one cup after another, until he was drunk, the wine warming his face, flushing, and sweat on his forehead.
After a moment, the soft hand slid across the string, pressed it, and slowly lifted the finger, and the sound of the piano stopped.
"Great!" Guo Hongxuan immediately put down his wine glass, clapped his hands, and praised, "This piece of music should only exist in heaven, rarely heard in the world. The girl's piano skills are becoming more and more superb!"
Tian Susu smiled and said modestly, "No, sir, you are too kind. Because I was busy with my mother's affairs, Susu didn't practice seriously for a long time and I am not so good at it." After she finished speaking, she turned her head, her white and slender neck staring at the rainy night outside the window and sighed.
Guo Hongxuan asked with concern: "Why are you sighing again when all is well?"
Tian Susu stood up and walked slowly to the window. She leaned out halfway, holding out her hand to catch the raindrops. She replied worriedly, "It's been raining constantly these past few days, delaying our journey. It's much later than expected. I wonder when we'll get to Qinzhou. Sigh, I'm really worried that you won't be able to make it to the exam."
——When she leaned forward, her body tilted forward, and when the strong wind blew, her plain clothes fluttered left and right, sometimes highlighting her slender waist, sometimes highlighting her perky buttocks.
Guo Hongxuan was a normal man, and he was quite drunk. He stared intently, his eyes widening for a moment, swallowing hard, his Adam's apple rolling.
Tian Susu didn't wait for a response. She turned her head in confusion, and glanced at him with her upturned peach blossom eyes. She understood and was secretly proud. She continued to worry and suggested, "If it really doesn't work out, please go back to Heqin to take the exam first. Susu will find a way to handle the burial."
"Uh, huh?" Guo Hongxuan came back to his senses and turned away in embarrassment. "What did you just say? You told me to go back to Heqin first?"
Tian Susu sighed, looking weak and helpless. She leaned against the windowsill and clenched her fingers. "Susu sees that the continuous rain will delay the trip. I'm afraid you won't be able to get back to Heqin in time for the exam. So... you go back first. The exam is more important. Susu would never dare to affect your benefactor's future."
"So this is what you're worried about!"
"Hey, what are you worried about? I know what I'm doing. I should be able to make it back in time to take the exam. Don't, don't stand by the window. It's windy and rainy. Be careful not to catch a cold." Guo Hongxuan tilted his head back, drank it all in one gulp, supported himself on the table and stood up. He thought to himself: If I miss it, it means it's God's will. God is stopping me. I might as well not take the exam. There's always next time, hehe.
Unexpectedly, the ginger wine was strong and he drank too much, his legs became weak and he stumbled as soon as he stood up.
"Be careful!" Tian Susu wanted to take the opportunity to help, but when she moved her feet, her body was pulled and she screamed "Ouch" in fright.
Guo Hongxuan asked in surprise: "What's wrong?"
Tian Susu twisted her waist and found that the back of her dress was caught on the wooden splinters of the dilapidated windowsill. She cried out to herself, "God help me!" She frowned and tugged at it while answering in frustration, "My dress is caught on the windowsill."
"Let me see." Guo Hongxuan's breath was full of alcohol. He steadied his pace and moved closer to help. "Don't move. I'll help you untie it."
"Um."
The windowsill of the small inn was not spacious and two people were squeezed in.
Guo Hongxuan bent down and tried to pull out the loose hem of his plain clothes; Tian Susu lowered her head, motionless and obedient, almost nestling in his arms.
When the wind blew, raindrops hit my face, and the courtesan who was in the upwind position emitted a faint fragrance.
Guo Hongxuan had a normal alcohol tolerance and was about 60% drunk. When he smelled the fragrance while feeling dizzy and his head was spinning, he stopped pulling at his clothes and blurted out, "What a nice smell."
"What?" Tian Susu looked up and their eyes met.
"You, you..." Guo Hongxuan couldn't help but stare at the other person's slightly open collar that exuded a faint fragrance. "It smells so good. What kind of fragrance is this?"
Tian Susu blinked her eyes and replied with a faint smile: "I haven't used perfume powder recently. This must be because the clothes were stained with the fumigant when they were placed in the box."
"Oh!" Guo Hongxuan nodded suddenly, scratched his head, and continued to help her pull the hem of her clothes.
Seeing this, Tian Susu covered his forehead with her left hand and said, "Oh, the rain is getting heavier." She also started to pull with her right hand, "Come on, let me try it myself."
"No, no need, I'll help you!" Although Guo Hongxuan was drunk, it's not that he couldn't pull the clothes, but he was cautious because he was afraid of tearing the clothes.
But Tian Susu had already made up her mind. In order to hold on to the life-saving driftwood tightly, she made up her mind and pulled hard!
With a "swish", the clothes were torn into a big hole by the three hands of the two men.
"Ah!" Tian Susu screamed, and she hardened her heart again. She covered it quickly, and when she stepped back to avoid it, she exerted more force. After a "swish" sound, the hole became wider, her belt was hooked by the wooden thorn, and her clothes slipped off.
"Wait—" Guo Hongxuan was stunned, speechless, standing there awkwardly. He knew rationally that he should turn away, but he couldn't help but instinctively look at the other person:
Under the loose plain clothes, she wore a light green bellyband. The thin, close-fitting embroidered silk fabric wrapped her curvy body.
Her skin was whiter than snow, her plump breasts were towering, and the scallion green made them look even whiter. When she shyly hid away, her snow-white plumpness trembled—
"Ah!" Tian Susu blushed and quickly raised her hands to cover her ears, fumbling with her clothes.
Guo Hongxuan shuddered, as if waking from a dream. He quickly turned his face away, staggered around, and said with a thick tongue, "I'm sorry, I'm really sorry. I, I didn't mean to do that. Please, hurry up and clean yourself up."
In a blink of an eye, he hurriedly stepped on the other person's skirt. They both screamed at the same time and finally fell down in a mess. The hot and sweaty drunk man was panting and pressed on her.
Although Mr. Guo was not outstanding, he was from a wealthy family, honest and kind, and could be relied upon. Tian Susu was very calm in her heart, but on the surface she was embarrassed and at a loss, struggling to get up.
Skin to skin, soft jade in his arms, how could a drunken man not be moved? Besides, Guo Hongxuan had already been moved.
He gasped and held the other person down, "Don't, don't move, don't move. Well, I, I won't do anything to you." However, he couldn't help but lean over, the smell of alcohol sprayed on her face, and he moved closer and closer until their lips touched.
Forget it, forget it, I’ll rely on him for the rest of my life. Tian Susu bit her lip and slowly closed her eyes.
In early May, the weather is getting hotter.
Early in the morning, in the Tuning County government office, officials gathered in the meeting hall to discuss official business.
Jiang Yushu lowered her head and flipped through the book, slowly turning the pages.
The chief clerk sat behind the county magistrate, and Wen Xi was worried that the female official would not be satisfied with the candidate he recommended.
After a while, Jiang Yushu closed the document, took a sip of tea, and frowned as she asked, "These two merchants, one originally dealt in leather materials, and the other in tea. If they join forces, do they have the strength to build a workshop?"
"Yes, there are." Wen Xi, always respectful in front of the magistrate, explained, "Tuning pioneered the sericulture industry, attracting many far-sighted businessmen. I and others have carefully selected them. The leather merchant you saw is a wealthy local businessman, and the tea merchant is from Ling County. They are both powerful. If they join forces, they are definitely capable of running a workshop!"
Jiang Yushu rubbed her solar plexus, "As long as you have the strength. Now that you have verified it, I will disappear. Give them the third order."
Wen Xi was immediately overjoyed, "Yes."
Just as Li Qigong was secretly delighted, he suddenly heard his superior ask, "Li Dianshi, is there any progress in the case of Jing Jiaoyu?"
"I'm ashamed of my incompetence." Li Qigong bowed, his hands hanging down as he stood by, embarrassed. "I've led people to search the entire city, practically turning upside down the riverbank grass where the crime scene took place, but still haven't found any useful clues. But don't worry, I'll do my best to get to the bottom of this!"
Jiang Yushu sternly ordered: "The Instructor is an official appointed by the imperial court. We must not hastily close the case. We must conduct a thorough investigation."
"I understand."
Jiang Yushu stood up, walked around the desk and said, "It's been raining heavily lately. I wonder how the riverbank is doing? I haven't been out of the city for over a month. Today is a sunny day, so I'm going to go out of the city to check out the Run River embankment and the mulberry trees. The county magistrate will stay here. If there's anything urgent, send someone out of the city to report it."
Huang Yichun nodded and stood up to see him off. "Then be careful. It's best to return to the city early. The roads will be difficult to travel after dark."
Jiang Yushu nodded, led a team of yamen runners and her own guards, and quickly walked out of the yamen.
"Sir," Li Qigong, who was in charge of the escort, stood beside the horse and asked hesitantly, "You... don't want to take a carriage or a sedan chair?"
"It rained heavily the day before yesterday. There are many puddles on the road, making it difficult for the carriage to pass. It would be better to ride a horse." After saying this, Jiang Yushu touched the horse's neck, took the whip handed to her by the guard, stepped on the stirrups, sat firmly, skillfully turned the horse's head, took the lead, and said loudly:
"Let's go, while it's still early and not too hot."
Several guards surrounded her, and with the sound of horses' hooves, they galloped towards the city gate.
Li Qigong jumped on his horse, stared at the lady-in-waiting's back, and urged his horse to catch up, thinking: "She is extraordinary, so extraordinary." But it's a pity that he can only look at her, not touch her.
Soon, the group passed through the busy city. Jiang Yushu reined in her horse and walked slowly. When she passed the grain workshop, she reined in her horse, looked into the distance, nodded with satisfaction, and said happily, "It's almost half built. It should be finished before the summer harvest."
"Yes." Li Qigong continued the conversation through the guards, "However, I heard from the chief clerk that the flour-making equipment will not be completed until August."
The corrupt clerks must be removed. Once the workshop is completed, we can prepare to settle the accounts... Jiang Yushu has been patient for a long time, secretly collecting evidence. She smiled and said, "It takes time to make iron tools. No problem, build a workshop first, and when the tools are ready, we can directly transport them in! Then recruit a group of powder craftsmen and train them for a few months. By next year, they should be proficient."
The petty officials either echoed or complimented, "Everything will surely go smoothly."
Leaving the downtown area and exiting the city gate, the road was wide and open. The group galloped at full speed and arrived at a fork in the road in the suburbs after more than half an hour.
To the east are the Run River and Sangshu Mountain; to the west is the camp of Tuning Guard.
As the sun rose higher, Jiang Yushu rode her horse, gradually approaching the fork in the road. From afar, she saw a group of armored soldiers and horses running towards her from the west. There were about fifty of them, and they were rushing towards her with the sound of horse hooves.
"The soldiers guarding the border may be in a hurry to deal with military information." She reined in her horse and pulled to the side of the road, saying, "Everyone, please give way and let them pass first."
"Yes." The people of the border fortress deeply hated the enemy soldiers and the flames of war, and were happy to make way for the soldiers, moving out of the way. Fortunately, the road was wide, so there was no need to retreat to the fields.
After a while, the other party was several feet away.
Because her husband was in the army, Jiang Yushu subconsciously looked at the newcomers, scanning the group of uniformed soldiers. Just as she was wondering if Honglei was among them, the enemy team approached. As they passed by, someone suddenly shouted:
"drive!"
The man cracked his whip and clamped his legs against the horse's belly, causing the horse to charge sideways.
Jiang Yushu was caught off guard. Her horse was hit in the ear by the opponent's whip, which instantly cracked and bled. The horse neighed in pain, raised its neck in fear, and raised its front hooves high.
"grown ups!"
"careful!"
The incident happened suddenly, and the followers were unable to come to her rescue. They watched helplessly as Jiang Yushu fell backwards as the horse fell.
The author has something to say: It’s been a long time since I last updated (＾－＾) V
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