Jiaohua

On the road, in order to speed up the journey and avoid the troops that might pass by, Xia Zhaoyi did not take the previously set route, but temporarily changed the route, wading through the wasteland.

The time to arrive at Hengxiang was two days earlier than the appointment with Wang Fengnian in the letter. It was only after entering the country that Xia Zhaoyi learned that Guo Guan had died when he was resting in a teahouse outside the city.

The tea drinkers at the adjacent table chattered endlessly, but their table was silent.

Zhan Ning and Shi Guoxin looked away from the tea guests and looked at the girl in surprise.

"Second Miss," Zhan Ning whispered, "Who would do it?"

Xia Zhaoyi shook his head after listening to the tea guest who was talking, "I don't know."

But I feel that Guo Guan's own people can be excluded first. If they want to kill Guo Guan to silence them, they have already killed them, and they won't wait until now.

The tea leaves clear the mouth, and the aftertaste lingers on the tongue. When the tea drinkers finally got tired of talking about this topic, they changed to something else. Xia Zhaoyi put down the money for tea and prepared to enter the city with Zhan Ning Shi Guoxin.

There is still a need to pass the customs to enter the city. A row of big bamboo poles taller than carbine guns stands in front of the city.

For military efficiency, soldiers did not have to line up. Xia Zhaoyi asked Zhan Ning and Shi Guoxin to lead the horses back first. She took a bamboo hat and lined up in the long line.

There are all kinds of voices around, people talking about the harvest, the house, the river, and some people covered their mouths and shouted that they had a toothache and wanted to go to the city to see a doctor.

The long line slowly moved forward, Xia Zhaoyi raised his head, and saw a thin figure sitting behind the long line of guns, her slender eyebrows raised lightly, a little surprised, and a smile appeared in her eyes.

When it was her turn, she handed over the pass, and the soldier who picked it up was shocked after opening it, and was about to speak, Xia Zhaoyi said softly, "Shh..."

The soldier's eyes became solemn and respectful, his voice suppressed his excitement, and said softly: "Miss Ali, it's really you!"

Xia Zhaoyi smiled and said, "Thanks for your hard work."

Behind the soldiers was a row of long desks, sitting seven or eight plainly dressed scholars and a young woman.

Tu Xiaoxi was writing at his desk, and the tip of the pen moved quickly. While writing, he compared the names on the book next to him.

A slender black shadow came with a light scent of flowers. Tu Xiaoxi sniffed lightly, raised his head, and bumped into Xia Zhaoyi's smiling clear eyes. Tu Xiaoxi was overjoyed: "Miss Ali!"

Xia Zhaoyi looked at her writing and said with a smile, "It's so beautifully written."

Compared to what he did when he was in Qingxiang Village, Tu Xiaoxi has made rapid progress.

Tu Xiaoxi was very happy, put down his pen and got up: "Miss Ali, you are back early."

She has a plain face, and she doesn't like to smile very much, but such a smile is bright and beautiful, quite vivid.

Xia Zhaoyi said: "Keep busy, I'll go into the city."

"Ok!"

Before leaving, Xia Zhaoyi glanced at the calluses on Tu Xiaoxi's fingers, and turned his gaze back into the city.

Zhan Ning and Shi Guoxin were waiting in the city. On a hot day, they hid in a group of porters in the corner to watch them play cards.

The pole leaned against half of the wall, like a forest of young trees. Seeing Xia Zhaoyi, Zhan Ning grabbed the bamboo hat and called Shi Guoxin to go there together.

"Second Miss, we found out something, let's talk about it as we walked." Zhan Ning said softly.

The most talked about inside and outside the city is about Mr. Youjian's death in Dongping Academy. Zhan Ning has heard about two new things. One is the massacre in the ancient temple outside Hengxiang North City, and the other is that several porters mysteriously disappeared after helping people pick up goods.

According to the small details of the employer's behavior and actions described by other porters, Zhan Ning suspected that it was probably Bei Yuan's person.

They walked and talked, and unknowingly walked to Cuipingfang.

Cuiping Fang is Hengxiang's newly established Fangshi. The word "Cuiping" was decided by Zhao Ning. The name comes from the woman who is recognized as the most capable woman in the neighborhood where Fangshi is located.

Zhao Ning asked people to go door-to-door to ask about this recognized ability, and when asking people's names, he didn't mention the fact that Fangshi would be named in the future.

Zhao Ning said in a letter to Xia Zhaoyi that in the future, a few more women's names should be used to name the city or geography, which is much better than those memorial archways that eat women one after another.

Xia Zhaoyi stopped and looked up at the big poplar wooden sign erected by the roadside. The three characters Cuipingfang on it were carved in a fine and grand manner, with gold and black, shining brightly in the sunlight.

"Huh?" Zhan Ning also stopped, followed Xia Zhaoyi's gaze, and read, "Cuipingfang."

"Does this name sound nice?" Xia Zhaoyi asked.

"Cuiping Fang?"

Xia Zhaoyi smiled, asked himself and answered, "It sounds good."

"Second miss, you..."

Are you a bit stupid, but Zhan Ning and Shi Guoxin dare not say it.

"Zhao Ning is really amazing," Xia Zhaoyi laughed again, "She really knows what the world wants."

Those who need tea, she sells tea.

She sells porcelain to those who need it.

Needing food for survival, she sells low-grade japonica rice at a low price, earning only a penny per bucket.

Now, Zhao Ning is crowned as the most capable woman in this newly established workshop. This kind of encouragement and honor will undoubtedly make other women yearn for it and be full of struggle and hard work.

The smile on Xia Zhaoyi's lips became brighter, she turned her head to look at the way she came from, her eyes seemed to be able to look as far as the long street, and cast her eyes on the girl who was lying at the desk outside the city.

Zhan Ning and Shi Guoxin had no idea what their second lady was thinking, but they were all too familiar with the light in her eyes.

But at this moment, Xia Zhaoyi's eyes moved slightly, and he looked sideways at a person on the street.

A familiar figure passed by and stepped into a dark alley.

Behind that figure, two men and a woman in plain clothes followed from afar, describing them as sneaky, and making a very natural appearance.

Zhan Ning frowned: "Second Miss, the person being followed seems somewhat familiar."

"It's Zhuge Pan."

"Zhuge Pan? Who, the name seems familiar..."

Xia Zhaoyi looked at the direction in which the man and the woman disappeared, and said: "I was surveying the terrain of Youzhou, and I traveled all over Youzhou with Zhi Changle, and met him at the Qingshan Forest Waterfall on Wenxing Official Road. Later, he encountered The plundering of Bei Yuan's secret agents, the tragic death of his subordinates, and the lack of money, he wandered and bumped all the way to Hengxiang. Now, he works as a small account book in Ning'an Tower."

Shi Guoxin said: "It sounds really bumpy, so this man and woman followed him, could it be because of Ning'an Building?"

Xia Zhaoyi thought for a while and said, "Zhan Ning."

Zhan Ning immediately said: "Okay, Second Miss, I'll follow them!"

Xia Zhaoyi smiled: "I haven't spoken yet."

Zhan Ning grinned: "Second Miss, I don't understand you yet, and I was born as a scout. You are thin and slender, so recognizable. I am the one who can hide in the city. With this outfit, you It would be best for me to follow."

"Proceed with caution."

"no problem!"

Zhan Ning left as soon as he said, and quickly chased a man and a woman away.