Joy of Life: Starting from Teacher Fan Xian

Chapter 156 His Majesty also likes this
Today is the annual martial arts conference in Suzhou. Lin Ruo calculated the time accurately and headed south on time, naturally wanting to take a look.

The martial arts conference was held on the bank of the lake that runs through the city of Suzhou. Coincidentally, this lake is called West Lake, but it is in Suzhou, not Hangzhou.

Walking along the lakeside and listening to the discussions of all kinds of people, we can roughly determine several popular candidates for the competition. There is a swordsman from Longhu Mountain in the east of Jiangnan, and a boxer from Song Mountain, both of whom are from famous families in the south.

Since Emperor Qing implemented the new policy, his attitude towards the people in the martial arts world has not been very good, so it is rare to see a gathering of heroes in the north, but in the south, far away from Kyoto, they can be found everywhere.

Business is well developed in the south, and accordingly, there are many robbers and bandits, so the business people have to rely on some gangsters to clear the way.

The opening of martial arts conferences is very similar to talent shows, allowing the wealthy businessmen in Jiangnan to see who is the most suitable hero in the world to take on their business. It can be said that they can gain both fame and fortune.

I just wonder how many of these martial artists have joined the Junshan Society.

A small platform was simply built on the bank of West Lake, where some officials from the imperial court came, and especially many wealthy businessmen.

The most prominent among them were undoubtedly Xia Qifei, the boss of Jiangnan Water Fort, and Ming Lanshi, the grandson of the Ming family.

Xia Qifei wore a mask and never showed his true face to anyone. He sat in the small shed built by his subordinates and drank tea.

Unexpectedly, Ming Lanshi, the young master of the Ming family, who was at odds with the Jiangnan Water Fort, was also sitting there.

Although the two had never spoken to each other, to outsiders, it seemed unrealistic no matter how you looked at it.

The merchants who were on good terms with the Ming family and the water forts were in a dilemma. Some of them sat in the sheds with a shameless face, while others would rather stay outside than come in and cause trouble.

The banks of the West Lake were crowded with people who came to watch the fun.

Lin Ruo naturally wanted to watch the fun, but it was impossible for him to squeeze in with these people as a wealthy businessman.

In a restaurant by the West Lake, a waiter in blue clothes was serving while a courtesan was singing. Lin Ruo was sitting by the railing. A fight on the pillar downstairs was clearly visible. It was between two seventh-rank warriors.

There was only one table in the compartment, next to the railing, for viewing the scenery. However, at this moment, the shady green trees outside the building and the spring breeze on the West Lake were certainly not more eye-catching than the martial arts conference.

When the song ended and everyone left, the courtesans and waiters retreated. Secret agents from Department 6 disguised as servants continued to serve in the compartment, and tiger guards were guarding the building outside the door.

Guests who had just arrived at the restaurant could not help but feel panic, wondering which rich young man was so generous as to book the entire building.

They wanted to use the building to overlook the martial arts conference, but it was obviously unrealistic, so they had to leave in disappointment.

The waiters in the restaurant had received a lot of rewards, and at this moment they were working harder than the tiger guards, driving away the guests who wanted to enter the restaurant.

Soon, the news spread and people around heard that the person who came upstairs was the wealthy tea merchant from Kyoto.

The merchants along the river bank cast their eyes over here one after another, and Minglanshi in the shed also glanced over here inadvertently, making some calculations in his mind.

Xia Qifei bowed from a distance.

"Does Master Xia recognize this person?" Ming Lanshi couldn't help but ask.

"I'm a tea merchant from Beijing. I've met him in Yingzhou before." Xia Qifei replied casually.

The two of them said something and then fell into silence as they watched the show.

Although the Ming family and the Water Village do not get along, it is impossible for them to fall out openly. When they meet normally, they still have to maintain the rules of harmony.

"So Lord Lin likes this kind of friendship." Cheers surged upstairs. After finishing the delicious food at the table, Haitang Duoduo drank a few sips of Suzhou wine generously, and then said jokingly. Fan Ruoruo sat next to him and explained: "We can pretend to be rich tea merchants from Beijing, so we have to be more ostentatious."

After hearing this, Haitang Duoduo said, "Oh, who does Lord Lin want to bring up?"

"Anyone who wants to come up can come up." Lin Ruo answered in a general way, his eyes always on the martial arts conference below.

After a while, he took it back and sat back at the table and said, "Miss Duoduo, haven't you told me why you came to Jiangnan yet?"

Haitang Duoduo replied, "This business is not owned by the Supervisory Council alone. We from Northern Qi have also invested money in it. I am here as a witness to prevent any accidents from happening to the business."

"Are you really just taking a look? Trade changes still require a lot of manpower. Miss Duoduo doesn't want to contribute?" Lin Ruoyi asked.

Haitang Duoduo waved her hand frankly: "No, I am from Northern Qi and I dare not interfere in the affairs of Southern Qing."

"Besides, with Lord Lin helping me, I don't have to worry about any problems."

"Northern Qi really shouldn't interfere in Southern Qing's affairs. It will only cause immeasurable trouble." Mu Peng also said.

Lin Ruo smiled and said, "Whatever you want to do, Northern Qi has already intervened, and the whole world will know about this in the future."

"What do you mean?" Mu Peng paused.

"It's very simple. The current business is called smuggling, and the business in the future will be called trade between two countries. Naturally, everyone will know that Northern Qi is doing business with our Qing Kingdom." Lin Ruo answered.

Mu Peng couldn't help but be surprised: "Master Lin's idea is really beyond my expectations."

Haitang Duoduo also put down her chopsticks and said, "I don't know whether His Majesty will agree."

"Since the Emperor of Qing has agreed, the Emperor of Beiqi will naturally agree as well." Lin Ruo said confidently.

"How does the Ming family plan to deal with it? How does your Princess of Nanqing plan to deal with it?" Haitang Duoduo said. In fact, this is the most important thing to consider.

If the Ming family falls, the eldest princess will also fall. There will be inevitable open and covert struggles. This is a battle for survival.

Lin Ruo looked out of the building again, staring at the merchants sitting in the hall, and said slowly: "If the big families in this world are attacked from outside, they will always be like centipedes and will not die easily. But if they start a commotion from within, they will face real difficulties."

Haitang Duoduo seemed to have heard such words somewhere before, and said with enlightenment: "This is the truth in the Red Mansion."

Fan Ruoruo raised her eyebrows and smiled softly. She naturally heard it: "So Miss Duoduo also reads Dream of the Red Chamber."

"All the women in the world who can read and write seem to be obsessed with the Dream of the Red Chamber. Lord Lin is really capable. He has captured the hearts of women all over the world with just one book." Haitang Duoduo sighed with admiration.

Mu Peng looked over with a strange look.

Haitang Duoduo coughed and said, "Don't get me wrong. A crude country girl like me naturally can't appreciate the elegance of the Red Mansion."

"How come Miss Duoduo is so familiar with the contents of the Dream of the Red Chamber?" Ruoruo asked.

Haitang Duoduo seemed a little embarrassed: "To be honest, my Majesty likes this."

(End of this chapter)