Chapter 19 The Missing Lady
Lu Jinfeng's greatest love in his life was the knife at his waist, and he admired those heroes with great talent and ambition the most.
Listening to this poem now, he seemed to see the many heroes of the so-called "Three Kingdoms" period at a glance, and his blood boiled with excitement.
Chu Jiubian felt the burning gaze upon him, but he didn't care. Instead, he turned his head to look at Bai Gongjin beside him and slowly recited the next line of poetry: "Thinking back to Gongjin in his prime, when Xiao Qiao had just married him, he was heroic and dashing. With a feather fan and a silk turban, he talked and laughed, and the enemy's ships and towers were reduced to ashes."
Zhou Gongjin was not a Confucian scholar who was driven by the powerful and wealthy and only knew how to write poetry.
His talents extended far beyond literary and military prowess; his battlefields were not intrigue and power struggles, but in the distant Three Kingdoms period, where heroes vied for supremacy.
Bai Gongjin's eyes were blank, and his hands were trembling slightly.
At that moment, he felt a sense of unease, wondering how he could be worthy of being called "Gongjin".
good!
Lu Jinfeng, in a private room on the second floor, slammed his palm heavily on the railing, nearly breaking it.
What a perfect description of "annihilating enemy ships and forts in the midst of laughter and conversation"!
What a brilliant Zhou Yu!
If he could, he would love to have a proper sparring session with the other party.
Chu Jiubian's gaze swept over Lu Jinfeng, whose face was flushed with excitement, then slowly passed over Xiao Yao, whose eyes were deep and dark, the civil and military officials who were shocked, the female relatives who were clutching their handkerchiefs and trying to suppress their excitement, and finally landed on Wang Huanzhi, whose face was ugly.
The look in this person's eyes was the most unpleasant.
Chu Jiubian looked at him and recited the last two lines: "My thoughts wander to my homeland; those who are sentimental should laugh at me, for my hair has turned white so early. Life is but a dream; let me offer a cup to the moon over the river."
These two lines elevate the entire poem's imagery and the magnanimous emotions it expresses to a whole new level.
This also drew everyone's attention away from the heroic Zhou Yu and back to Su Shi himself.
Life is like a dream; the past is gone. So let's raise a glass to the moon over the river and live life to the fullest.
The muse.
Is this the work of that poet?
Such open-mindedness and expansiveness evoke the same sense of comfort and exhilaration as the line "There will be times when the wind and waves will be broken, and the sails will be hoisted to cross the vast ocean."
"Poetry God, Poet Immortal." Zhen Fu, the Vice Minister of the Court of Judicial Review, murmured as he sat in a seat near the front on the first floor. "No wonder he could become a god or an immortal. His mind is beyond the reach of us mortals."
The crowd was still reeling from the shock.
Wang Huanzhi and Wang Zhang, who both considered themselves to be of high moral character, remained silent for a long time, their hearts filled with lingering emotions.
Since we've already installed it, we might as well make it even bigger.
Chu Jiubian looked at Bai Gongjin again and said, "Your poem just now was indeed good, but the first line, 'A fast horse treads on the clouds and dust,' reminded me of a line from the poet Li Bai: 'A silver saddle shines on a white horse, swift as a shooting star.'"
To everyone's utter surprise, Chu Jiubian continued reciting poetry, and the amount of information revealed in that short sentence was outrageously large.
Previously, people thought that Li Bai could only write one excellent poem, but now Chu Jiubian casually said that although they could not fully understand the meaning, they could tell from just one sentence that the poem must be quite good.
However, Chu Jiubian did not finish reciting the poem.
"And your line, 'Gains and losses follow the seagulls, actions and whereabouts are determined by the wine cup,' has a similar sentiment to a poem once written by the Muse."
Bai Gongjin was completely stunned at this moment. He asked blankly, "What poem?"
"We are but mayflies in the vastness of the universe, a grain of millet in the boundless ocean. I lament the brevity of my life, and envy the endless flow of the Yangtze River."
The entire building was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
Amidst all the seemingly tangible gazes, Chu Jiubian's voice was calm: "To ride the flying immortals and roam freely, to embrace the bright moon and live forever. Knowing that this cannot be achieved in an instant, I entrust my lingering thoughts to the mournful wind."
Another masterpiece.
The people in the building were completely speechless, unable to recover for a long time.
It wasn't until Chu Jiubian stepped down from the stands and headed to the second floor that someone finally let out a sigh.
The place was instantly filled with noise.
Bai Gongjin stood there blankly, his mind filled with the verses he had just heard.
Every word and every sentence seemed to be a giant standing in front of him, clearly telling him: Kid, you're still young, don't get cocky.
Perhaps he had overdone it, but as Chu Jiubian walked up to the second floor, not a single person dared to approach him and start a conversation.
Even after he reached the second floor, no powerful or influential person came to see him, not even the two family heads.
I don't know if they didn't realize it yet, or if they had other plans.
Chu Jiubian leaned more towards the latter.
These powerful and influential people have seen far too many storms to be stunned by his few lines of poetry; they are more likely to be bewildered by the wealth of information implied in his words.
Chu Jiubian had already discerned the attitudes of the major powers in the capital towards him from Qin Xiao's words.
These people didn't think he was a god; they just felt that there must be a mysterious and powerful force behind him.
The Li Bai and Li Qingzhao he initially mentioned were also categorized by them as the people behind him.
Since that's the case, Chu Jiubian naturally wants to solidify this identity, so that even if these people don't think he's a god, they won't dare to attack him casually because they're afraid of the power behind him.
However, having only two poets behind him would not be enough, so he took the opportunity today to bring up new figures.
For example, there was the poet Su Shi, the brilliant strategist Zhou Yu, and many other heroes who, though not named, "truly existed."
The power of imagination is immense.
With just a little guidance, Chu Jiubian would have someone automatically fill in the rest for him.
As a result, the conditions that the powerful and wealthy had previously prepared to recruit Chu Jiubian were no longer sufficient, which is why none of them came to him.
Chu Jiubian glanced at his system interface, and couldn't help but smile.
What a great day!
Not only did he make those powerful and influential people who didn't believe he was a god wary of him and reassess their standards for cooperating with him, but he also convinced those who were easily swayed of his "godly" identity, who contributed a large amount of faith points to him.
His accumulated points have now exceeded two hundred and are about to break three hundred.
He is now able to "summon" another believer!
The surprise and shock that Chu Jiubian brought to everyone was too great, and it was clear that the auction could not continue.
Presumably, these people in the building will leave soon, but many of them will definitely not be able to sleep.
Chu Jiubian was thinking about the new believers and didn't want to waste time here.
But Qin Chaoyang hadn't returned yet, so he could only wait here for the time being.
Even if Qin Chaoyang can't come back for a while, Qin Xiao will.
Chu Jiubian glanced at the time; only half of the hour Qin Xiao had given him had passed.
It seems he'll have to wait another hour for Qin Xiao to arrive.
Chu Jiubian walked to the door of the private room and was about to push it open when he found that the door was not closed properly.
He paused for two breaths intentionally. If no guards appeared to stop him, then the private room must be safe.
Having a guess in his mind, he didn't hesitate any longer and pushed open the door.
With the sound of the door opening, Chu Jiubian's gaze fell upon the room.
Qin Xiao, dressed in black, leaned against the railing. The flickering light of the oil lamp behind him cast a hazy shadow over his figure, and the firelight softened the sharp features of his face.
"You're back?" Qin Xiao asked with a smile.
It really was him.
Chu Jiubian entered the private room and closed the door behind him.
Qin Xiao didn't stop at the two seats by the railing, but instead walked to another round table in the middle of the room and poured two cups of tea.
"You must be thirsty after talking so much?" he said.
Chu Jiubian walked over.
Just as I reached out to take the teacup, a mechanical voice sounded in my mind: [Pure Longjing tea, non-toxic and drug-free. Please drink with confidence. (One point of faith has been automatically deducted.)]
Chu Jiubian: "..."
I know it's not poisonous!
Damn it, can't we just turn off the automatic billing for this semi-automatic system?!
Seeing the strange look on his face, Qin Xiao smiled and took a sip of tea, saying, "Don't worry, there's no medicine in it."
I already told you I know it's not poisonous!
Chu Jiubian sat down on the round stool by the table and downed a small cup of tea.
Qin Xiao was taken aback, then poured him another cup: "Are you really thirsty?"
"Why are you here so early, sir?" Chu Jiubian asked instead of answering.
They agreed on an hour, but they've already appeared after only half an hour.
Prince Ning truly has no credibility whatsoever.
"I'm not sure what to do." Qin Xiao sat down nearby and sighed, seemingly genuinely, "I'm really worried that this 'love tribulation' of mine won't be able to keep you, young master."
Chu Jiubian chuckled softly: "So the dignified Prince Ning condescended to serve as my bodyguard for half an hour?"
From the very beginning, Qin Xiao remained hidden in the shadows, constantly following Chu Jiubian.
So when Chu Jiubian asked Qin Chaoyang to chase after those two girls, the other party obeyed so readily and left. It was probably not because the so-called "secret guards were very strong," but because the secret guard was Qin Xiao himself.
Qin Chaoyang left so decisively only after obtaining Qin Xiao's consent.
"Nothing escapes your notice." Qin Xiao chuckled, his gaze lingering on Chu Jiubian's neck. "Didn't you use the medicine I gave you?"
The marks left by pinching a few days ago are still somewhat bluish-purple.
Chu Jiubian raised his hand to touch his neck. He could no longer feel any pain. Moreover, the medicine Qin Xiao gave him was indeed very effective. It was just that his skin was delicate and he was prone to scarring, so the bruises had not completely disappeared.
He looked at the culprit in front of him and smiled, saying, "Maybe it's because I'm still angry that I can't get better."
"It was my fault." Qin Xiao took out a dagger from his sleeve and handed the hilt to Chu Jiubian.
Chu Jiubian took it.
What does this mean?
Surely you're not suggesting he stab him twice to vent his anger?
As his hand was grasped, Chu Jiubian felt the man's warm, rough palm completely enveloping his hand.
Qin Xiao held his hand, pressed the tip of the dagger against his shoulder, and then with a little force, the sharp blade pierced through his clothes and flesh.
The bloodstains slowly seeped into his dark clothes and also dampened Chu Jiubian's fingertips.
Depend on.
That's insane.
Chu Jiubian's heartbeat quickened little by little, then suddenly returned to calm at a certain moment.
He released the dagger, pulled his blood-stained hand back, rinsed it with tea from his cup, and then wiped it with a handkerchief.
Qin Xiao smiled, casually pulled out a dagger, wiped it on his sleeve, and said, "If you feel it's not enough, young master, you can take two more blows."
Chu Jiubian paused in wiping his hands, a surge of anger rising within him.
He snatched the dagger from Qin Xiao's hand and, without hesitation, plunged the tip of the blade into the other man's shoulder again, even in the same spot as the previous stab.
Qin Xiao looked at him with some surprise.
The young man's eyes were indifferent, showing no emotion, yet his expression seemed to carry a hint of a smile.
What a contradiction.
Qin Xiao suddenly became curious: what kind of person was Chu Jiubian?
Chu Jiubian cursed inwardly, then withdrew his hand and wiped it again.
You bastard, you think I wouldn't dare?
If I could kill you now, I would have stabbed you in the heart with this knife.
"Is the young master calmed down?" Qin Xiao asked with a smile.
Chu Jiubian initially thought the other person was teasing him, but after their eyes met, he found that Qin Xiao's eyes were sincere, as if he was genuinely worried that he would continue to be angry.
Chu Jiubian paused in his hand-wiping motion.
Qin Xiao was actually trying to find a way to calm him down.
Why?
Just to keep him, this rare asset?
Is it necessary to go to this extent?
Chu Jiubian didn't quite understand, but he vaguely felt as if he had glimpsed the real Qin Xiao.
Suddenly, a commotion arose downstairs, unlike the lively discussions about the poems just now; instead, it was a chaotic scene of fighting.
Chu Jiubian frowned, got up, walked to the railing, and looked down.
Qin Xiao also drew his dagger and put it away, then walked to his side.
A number of people, mostly acquaintances, had gathered at the entrance to the lobby on the first floor.
It was a dozen or so Imperial Guards with swords at their waists and wearing soft armor, along with the Imperial Guards' Commander-in-Chief—An Wuji.
Chu Jiubian looked at Qin Xiao and found that he was also frowning slightly, probably unaware of what was happening below.
An Wuji stepped onto the auction stage, his sharp gaze sweeping over the crowd. He said coldly, "The second young lady of Minister Su's family is currently missing. Has anyone here seen her?"
Su Sheng had gone downstairs at some point and was now standing with the Imperial Guards, his face extremely grim.
After An Wuji finished asking his question, he hurriedly bowed to everyone and said, "Fellow colleagues, if anyone has seen my daughter, please let me know. I will repay your great kindness tenfold!"
Those present were all powerful and influential figures of the court, and everyone knew that Minister Su had one son and two daughters, with his youngest daughter being his most beloved.
He brought his wife and daughter Su Xier to the auction today, but unexpectedly, the second Miss Su got lost.
Madam Su was sobbing uncontrollably. Supported by her nanny, she reached for Su Sheng's hand and pleaded in a low voice, "Master, how can you tell anyone about this? What about a young lady's reputation?!"
It's so late at night, and a woman has gone missing and can't be found. Who knows what might have happened to her?
"Is reputation more important than life!" Su Sheng was both angry and anxious, and said to the nanny beside him, "Quickly take your mistress back to the manor."
Madam Su was helped out of the Treasure Pavilion by her nanny, and closed her eyes in despair.
In the Great Ning Dynasty, reputation is life itself.
The ladies in the private rooms on the second floor were also getting restless and eager to return to their residences. They all seemed quite frightened by this sudden accident.
However, at this moment, a sweet female voice suddenly exclaimed in surprise, "Why is General An here? Didn't he send Xi'er out?"
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