Chapter 67
"What nonsense are you talking about?" Zhou Li raised his hand and stroked Tang Jing's head, just like patting Xiaoyuan, patting him twice, "We won't die."
She came here to save Tang Jing, so how could she let her die?
Tang Jing twitched the corners of his lips slightly, buried his head in Zhou Li's arms, obviously not believing it.
Zhou Li knew her worries. Few people in this line of work could have a good ending. She lay on her back on the bed, staring at the dark ceiling, and stroked Tang Jing's head with her hands, sometimes hard and sometimes light, like she was petting a cat. Tang Jing rubbed Zhou Li, and his head shook under her hands.
Zhou Li was amused by her actions. Her restless little appearance looked like a field mouse digging a hole in the ground.
Zhou Li patted her head as if to determine whether the melon was ripe.
The sweet smell in the room slowly dissipated, and eventually no trace was left in the house, with only the ash from the incense burner as a little evidence.
Zhou Li talked a lot with Tang Jing that night. Tang Jing was still very tight-lipped, but he still told Zhou Li some less confidential information, such as that the provincial capital where they came from had been captured, and their troops were temporarily repairing in the provincial capital.
Tang Jing told Zhou Li everything he knew, but he kept silent about her appearance in the prince's mansion. Zhou Li did not ask further. She was not the kind of person who would rack her brains to find out other people's secrets, but Tang Jing knew exactly what he was thinking about the Ranger Hall.
She rode on Zhou Li's waist and said to him, "If you want to choose the Northern Government, why not choose us? It's just an application for regularization. Zhang Mei will agree. He is eager for talents from all over the world. If he knew you would come, he would definitely welcome you."
Zhou Li raised an eyebrow, pinched Tang Jing's waist and said, "Are you trying to drag me onto your pirate ship?"
Tang Jing was tickled by Zhou Li. The waist is the most sensitive part for people who practice martial arts. She was already enduring enough to let Zhou Li get close to her. Tang Jing said, "Of course I want to. I dream about it. If you can get on my pirate ship, I'm afraid I will never let you go in my life."
Zhou Li thought Tang Jing was joking again. She was open-minded and didn't take it to heart. She let go of his hand and said, "I can't make the decision on this matter, but I don't like the Northern Government."
Qianqian expressed her likes and dislikes in one sentence. Tang Jing's lips curled up with joy when she heard it. She bent down as if to encourage Zhou Li and wanted to kiss her again. Zhou Li tilted her head back, and Tang Jing kissed her chin.
Zhou Li said, "It's late, let's go to bed early." She wanted to get up, but Tang Jing pulled her back, not letting her go. Zhou Li sat up and faced Tang Jing. She sighed and said, "I have a performance tomorrow, so I'd better go back. Otherwise, I won't be able to sleep tonight."
Tang Jing let go, and Zhou Li could feel the low pressure on her body. Thinking about it carefully, it was indeed inhumane for her to leave just after they had made love. Since entering the room, Zhou Li took the initiative to kiss the corner of Tang Jing's mouth for the first time.
"Next time, I'll accompany you."
Tang Jing finally smiled again.
After seeing Zhou Li off, Tang Jing poured the ashes from the incense burner in the house into the flower bed outside the house. She buried the ashes with a stick and turned to go into the room.
The servants in the adjacent wing didn't dare to come out when they heard the noise. Tang Jing had only been here for a few days, but he had already made these servants obedient. As for the methods he used, it can only be said that they cannot be told to outsiders.
The next day, the gates of the prince's mansion were wide open, and the servants set up the stage. When the people of the capital heard that the old prince was going to have fun with the people, they were happy to come and watch the fun.
On the birthdays of such distinguished people, people would give alms to ensure good luck, whether it be fruits, snacks or copper coins, whoever gets them is a profit.
Dapeng looked outside the mansion with envy: "How much is there among the scattered coins!" He almost wanted to go out and grab those handfuls of copper coins.
Zhou Li was in great shape today, looking radiant. She tapped Dapeng on the head and said, "It's time to go on stage."
Performing outside does not require as much restraint as performing inside the mansion. The lyrics will always be praising the achievements of the emperor, but compared to performing inside the mansion, Zhou Li prefers performing outside the mansion because it is freer and less restrained.
She came on stage in her costume, looking very energetic. The people in the audience had never seen such a fairy concubine before, and they stared at the stage with wide eyes. Zhou Li flicked her sleeves and sang leisurely, and Dapeng followed along.
The wedding money was distributed to the people below. Everyone took the money, ate fruit and listened quietly to Zhou Li singing.
Zhou Li flicked her sleeves lightly, like a flower blooming on the stage, and cheers came from the audience. Zhou Li was already accustomed to such grand scenes, and sang her own lyrics directly. Dapeng almost made a fool of himself, but fortunately Zhou Li had rich stage experience and kept his composure.
After the daytime performance, the three-day show was finally over. Zhou Li was removing her makeup in front of the mirror when the housekeeper came in and said, "Excuse me, everyone." Dapeng took out the money for the three-day show from his sleeve. He looked at Zhou Li, who nodded. Dapeng took it. Zhou Li smiled at the housekeeper and said, "Excuse me, please."
"No trouble, no trouble." The housekeeper waved his hands repeatedly and said, "It is a great honor for me to hear Mr. Feihua's performance. I just don't know where he will go after the performance."
Zhou Li smiled and said, "I plan to rest in the capital for half a month. I'm a little tired from the hassle of traveling so fast this time."
The housekeeper's eyes lit up. "I wonder where you're staying, sir? If you don't have a place, I have a good place here. I can recommend you there."
The person who could be the steward of the prince's mansion was no ordinary person. Zhou Li nodded and said, "We can live in the post station for the time being, but there are so many of us, so it's not a long-term solution. If you have a good place, I'm definitely all ears."
The housekeeper said, "It's nothing worth mentioning. I have a distant relative who opened a restaurant in the capital. I can provide accommodation and food for you and everyone else. It's just..."
The housekeeper paused for a moment, and Zhou Li continued sympathetically, "You might as well speak frankly."
The housekeeper smiled and said, "Sir, you are a straightforward person, so I will speak frankly."
"Sir, your reputation has grown rapidly in the capital recently, and many people have asked me to invite you. I have put these visiting cards away. I will have someone take them to you when you leave."
Zhou Li nodded.
The housekeeper continued, "My distant relative said that if you are willing to go on stage to perform, he will cover all the food and drinks."
Zhou Li raised her eyebrows. She was trying to use her fame to attract customers.
If she had been invited without a purpose, Zhou Li would have had some concerns. But after the purpose was made clear, Zhou Li felt relieved. She didn't say yes, but just said she wanted to go and take a look first.
The housekeeper clapped his hands, thinking that this was probably feasible.
In fact, it was said to be a restaurant owned by his distant relative, but in the capital, if a brick fell and killed ten people, nine out of ten might be related to high-ranking officials from all sides. The northern government required high-ranking officials not to have private property, so everyone sent their subordinates to do business secretly, so this restaurant was also the property of the old prince's mansion.
Zhou Li just wanted to stay in the capital for a while to observe whether the old prince was worthy of cooperation. She had a mission from the Ranger Hall, and she completely changed her mind without listening to Tang Jing's words, so she hit it off with the housekeeper.
Dapeng was very happy to know that he could stay in the capital for a while. Although he had been to many prosperous cities, the prosperity of the capital was still very different. It had a luxurious atmosphere, and its world was incomparable to other cities. The only city with comparable strength was the capital governed by Zhang Mei, but the two cities had different styles.
After taking the money and loading her food into the carriage, Zhou Li took off her stage makeup. Her face was plain and not as dazzling as on the stage. She looked towards the Prince's Mansion with her plain face, squinting her eyes slightly. Thinking of Tang Jing, Zhou Li was not surprised that Tang Jing did not come to see her off. She looked deeply at the plaque of the Prince's Mansion, turned around, got on the carriage and left.
Tang Jing sat in the room drinking tea. The servant in the room placed a gorgeous lotus in the pot. The pink and white looked very delicate in the twilight. She picked up the white porcelain teacup. Her fingers were three points whiter than the porcelain. She raised her slender white fingers, and her big sleeves fell on her legs. Tang Jing drank the tea gracefully, her black pupils deep.
"She and Mr. will see each other again."
Thinking of this, Tang Jing licked his lips, feeling a little addicted to it.
Arriving at the post station, where there was no one, Zhou Li stretched out. She had always been casual, but she had suppressed her temper in the past three days in someone else's house. She had to be careful in everything she said and did. There were many people coming and going in the prince's house, and there were many people talking. Zhou Li had repeatedly restrained the people in the troupe, and everyone in the troupe was also very uncomfortable. Now that they were at the post station, it was like coming home. Someone whistled, and everyone laughed at the same time.
Dapeng asked everyone to move their luggage into the room, and Zhou Li watched from the side.
Seeing that everyone was busy, she went to the post station to buy a pot of tea, and served it to everyone in covered bowls. Whoever was ready could come and take it.
The money was settled at the Prince's Mansion today. The Prince's Mansion gave a lot. Zhou Li was not a stingy person. He divided the money among everyone and ordered two tables to eat with everyone.
Although the food was delicious in the prince's mansion, people did not dare to be too unrestrained and could not eat and drink to their heart's content. When everyone saw that the troupe owner was treating them, they did not hesitate to eat meat and drink wine with big mouthfuls.
While eating, Dapeng told Zhou Li the news he had heard from outside.
Dapeng: "That restaurant is okay in the capital, but it doesn't have any special features. The dishes can't compare to the one next to it. As for the songs, the restaurant to the east specially invited people to sing Huaiyang songs. Everything about this restaurant is mediocre, so naturally the business is not good."
Zhou Li nodded, "What else did you find out?"
Dapeng shook his head.
Zhou Li frowned slightly, thinking that the Prince's business would naturally cater to those who curry favor with him, so how could business be bad? The housekeeper had already said that he was a distant relative, so no one should be able to guess this.
It seems that we have to go and see the actual situation to know.
Living in the post station always costs money. Zhou Li had previously thought of renting a small courtyard in the capital, but the actual housing prices in the capital were very high, far beyond their affordability. Zhou Li had also previously thought of making money by performing arts, and now that a suitable opportunity had come to her, she would not refuse.
They made an appointment to go to the restaurant the next day. Zhou Li gave everyone a day off. Now that everyone had money in their hands, they naturally wanted to go shopping in the capital. Zhou Li took Dapeng to the restaurant at noon the next day to check out the situation.
The restaurant was located in the downtown area, and its location was one of the best in the capital. The sign was also very impressive, and it was called Guiyitang. Zhou Li frowned when he looked up at the sign. If someone else had obtained the sign, it would be fine, but if the old prince had obtained it himself, then his intentions were truly terrifying.
It’s no wonder Zhou Li thought too much. When all comes down to it, this one is the current emperor.
As Zhou Li and Dapeng arrived at the door of the restaurant, the waiter was very enthusiastic and came over to greet them as soon as they stood at the door. Zhou Li explained his purpose. He found a clean table for Zhou Li and Dapeng to sit down, poured them some tea, and immediately went to find the manager.
The shopkeeper wasn't in the front hall, but had come from the kitchen. Zhou Li could smell the aroma of food coming from him, but the restaurant had just opened. Who was the meal being prepared for? Could it be for the waiters?
Zhou Li was just thinking about it when the shopkeeper came over and said warmly, "You must be Mr. Feihua, right? Yu Xie has already asked someone to tell me that I welcome you to come."
He showed Zhou Li around their shop. The first floor was the lobby, the second floor was the private rooms, and there was a stage in the middle. It wasn't big, but it was big enough for performances. Zhou Li asked, "What kind of performances were performed here before?"
The shopkeeper said, "In the past, we just hired some entertainers to play the piano or something."
Zhou Li understood the situation and thought the environment was good. He negotiated terms with the shopkeeper. Zhou Li planned to move in tomorrow and try singing a concert the day after tomorrow.
The shopkeeper saw them off and when they reached the door, someone brought them noodles. Zhou Li glanced at him and said goodbye to the shopkeeper. On the way back, she suddenly frowned.
That side is not right. Judging from the ruts, they should be very deep, but the amount of flour on the cart is not right.
Zhou Li manages a large opera troupe, and her biggest worry used to be food, so she is particularly sensitive to logistical matters.
There is indeed something wrong with this restaurant!
After knowing that there was a problem, Zhou Li was no longer in a hurry. She went back to eat when it was time to eat, sleep when it was time to sleep, and went out for a walk in the evening. Dapeng was worried that the class owner was alone, so he accompanied her to several stores. When he came back, he just cried that he couldn't stand it. He was also a martial artist, and he was tired after accompanying the class owner shopping. The damage was so great that Dapeng felt sympathetic.
It was a windy night. The wind whistled against the window frames. The house was hot and stuffy, but the windows could not be opened. Zhou Li was too stuffy to sleep, so he got up to drink tea. He had just put on his shoes and walked a few steps in the house when he was suddenly startled to find that there was someone sitting at the table.
As she mentioned her heart, someone in the room laughed and said, "Sir, you are so defenseless when you sleep. If I were a killer, you would probably be dead."
It’s Tang Jing.
Zhou Li rolled her eyes in annoyance. She lit a candle and saw Tang Jing holding a teacup. He walked over and snatched the cup from her hand, then poured himself a glass of water. After drinking the water, she felt the stuffiness subsided a little. Then Zhou Li asked, "What are you doing here?"
Tang Jing said, "I heard you went to Guiyitang."
"Huh?" Zhou Li asked back, "Can't I go?"
Tang Jing said in a gentle voice, "Sir, I didn't mean that."
Zhou Li was just frightened and a little annoyed. She lifted her collar to fan herself, but seeing Tang Jing looking cool, she became even more annoyed and snorted coldly.
Tang Jing looked innocent: "Sir, are you in a bad mood today?"
Zhou Li sighed: "It's hot, and I'm upset."
Tang Jing nodded in understanding and opened the window. The wind from outside rushed in wildly, making the ornaments on the table whistle. The damp sweat on Zhou Li's body disappeared immediately.
Feeling more comfortable, and looking at Tang Jing with a more agreeable look, Zhou Li said lazily, "Tell me, what's the matter?"
Tang Jing's face became more serious. "Guiyi Hall, sir, you can't go."
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