Uncle from a poor family

Chapter 514 Benefited a lot
Li Zisheng never expected that his meeting with Zhang Luan would go so smoothly.

It was as if he didn't need to say anything, Zhang Luan understood what he was thinking, and could even arrange everything for him in advance, formulate a special response strategy for him, and even paved the way for him to take next.

Even though the two of them were drinking tea, they drank a bellyful of tea, as if they were drinking with close friends and never could get enough.

Li Zisheng had to go to the bathroom several times. After finishing his meal and coming out of Zhang Luan's house, he couldn't help but want to find a place to relieve himself.

Pang Qing waited outside for a long while, and finally waited for Li Zisheng to come out. He saw that Li Zisheng looked very uncomfortable. He was curious, looked around, and came forward to ask in a low voice: "Master Dao, you don't seem to be in a good state...Did you drink too much?"

Li Zisheng laughed and scolded, "You bastard, you always like to speculate about others without reason. I didn't even drink any wine, how could I drink too much? But when you meet a bosom friend, a thousand cups are enough. Even though we were just drinking tea and chatting in Zhang's house, I felt like I was drunk, confused..."

"Hey, you said you weren't drunk?"

Pang Qing couldn't help but frown slightly.

You're clearly starting to talk nonsense!
"Get out of the way, find me a place where there's no one, keep watch on the road, and don't let anyone get close, I need to go to the bathroom..."

Li Zisheng instructed.

Pang Qing frowned even more when he heard this. How much did he drink to be so unrestrained? He quickly reminded him, "Master, it's not a good idea to pee here. You just walked out of the door and..."

Li Zisheng said disdainfully: "With my good relationship with Lai Zhan, what can I do if I choose a place in front of his house to relieve myself? Besides, I will go to the next place with Lai Zhan soon, and I may have a few drinks then... He will leave the house soon, please make way for me, I really need to relieve myself."

"Ah? There's another place?"

Pang Qing became more and more puzzled.

You've been discussing this in there for so long, and you haven't finished yet?

Need a temporary change of venue and a date for the second half?
Li Zisheng glanced at Pang Qing smugly and shouted, "What's wrong? Can't you understand? You can enjoy drinking tea. Why not try it in another place? While sipping tea and drinking wine, you can appreciate the beauty of the world. What's wrong with that?"

Pang Qing thought, okay, no need to continue.

It seems like you can't move freely at home, so you plan to go to a private residence where you can keep your mistress secret, so you can indulge yourself more and get to know each other better, right?
Pang Qingxin said, I was just young and ignorant!
……

……

As he was talking, Li Zisheng really went to find a place to relieve himself.

Pang Qingxin said, are you born in the year of the dog?
You know that this is Zhang Luan's residence, but you still have to come here to cause trouble for him?
Just as he was thinking about something, Zhang Luan came out of the gate on a crutch, followed by his youngest son Zhang Yanling.

"Don't worry, your father is fine. Go back." Zhang Luan didn't want his youngest son to follow him, so he shouted at Zhang Yanling to turn back quickly and not disturb his good deeds.

When Pang Qing saw Zhang Luan coming out, he hurried forward to pay his respects.

Zhang Luan greeted with a smile: "It turns out to be Mr. Pang. I asked Minister Li about you earlier."

"Thank you for your concern."

Pang Qing said respectfully.

Zhang Luan looked around and asked, "Where are Minister Li and his men?"

"Oh him……"

Pang Qing said embarrassedly, "He has something to do and will be here soon. You this way..."

"I have a carriage here. Did he come in a sedan chair? It's not like his usual low-key style, but at this critical moment, it doesn't matter."

Zhang Luan waved his hand and said, "You know where I'm going, right? I'll go ahead and you guys follow behind."

"Yes Yes."

Pang Qing responded quickly.

……

……

After Li Zisheng came back, he took a sedan chair to chase after him.

"Are you sure you're in the right place?"

Li Zisheng glanced out the window and asked curiously, "Didn't Lai Zhan say he was ahead? How come we haven't caught up with him after chasing for so long?"

"After all, Zhang Butang is riding in a carriage, while we rely entirely on human leg strength. There is no comparison!" Pang Qing trotted along beside the sedan chair, and answered breathlessly, "We'll know when we get there."

Soon the sedan chair arrived in front of the luxurious house inside Chongwenmen, which was once intended to be built as the temporary residence of Emperor Chenghua. After it stopped, Li Zisheng lifted the curtain and got out. After standing still, he looked around, but did not see Zhang Luan.

Pang Qing looked puzzled and asked, "Did Zhang Butang really come as he said?"

"Could it be possible that it's fake?"

Li Zisheng said confidently, "We agreed to meet here. I'll go to the yard and take a look first."

Pang Qing tried to stop him, saying in a hurry, "Master Dao, this place is no longer yours. Is it really okay to force your way in?"

Li Zisheng suddenly realized, tapped his forehead and shook his head: "That's right, quickly find someone to knock on the door and call Qi Niang out. I just happened to have something to tell her."

……

……

About an incense stick of time later, Pang Qing and Qi Niang appeared beside the sedan chair.

At this time, Li Zisheng was dozing off against the wooden frame of the sedan chair, not showing any of the demeanor of a powerful official of the dynasty.

"Master Dao, the people are here."

Pang Qing said.

Li Zisheng opened his eyes, sniffed his nose, looked up and saw Qi Niang. He couldn't help but smile, stood up and greeted her: "We meet again."

Qi Niang quickly bowed to Li Zisheng and said, "Greetings, Master."

"Don't call me Master, just call me Mr. Li." Li Zisheng said, "You have been separated and are no longer a member of my family, so there is no need to be so polite to me. I am just here to tell you to come and see him in a while... The Master of the Zhang Family will be here soon, so you should make proper arrangements."

"arrange?"

Upon hearing this, Qi Niang frowned and looked at Pang Qing in embarrassment.

Pang Qing quickly explained: "Master Dao, you asked me to tell Qi Niang that this is not a place for banquets and receptions, and that Lai Zhan should not bring guests here."

"Why, I'm an outsider, so I can't come in, right?"

Li Zisheng looked displeased when he heard this.

Qi Niang bowed hurriedly and said, "Sir Li, that's not what I meant." She was even more resentful in her heart, wasn't this your rule?
Why do you disobey when it happens to you?
Li Zisheng said, "Okay, okay, we each serve our own master, right? Understand, I am here on behalf of Zhang Guozhang to inform you in advance so that you can make arrangements. That should be fine now, right? It's not that I have to come here, it's Laizhan who invited me here. There is an essential difference between the two."

Pang Qing consoled him, "Master Dao, please don't get angry. How about... sending someone to look for him? What if he doesn't come?"

"Who said they couldn't come?"

Li Zisheng asked angrily.

Pang Qing was a little embarrassed: "He left before us, and he took a carriage, so it shouldn't make sense for him to be later than us."

"Maybe he was delayed on the way?"

Li Zisheng said angrily, "Qi Niang, what do you mean? Just say whether you are welcome or not!"

Qi Niang said, "Master Li, you are a distinguished guest and have been invited by my master, so you can come in... but you have to wait in the front hall."

"Look, it's Qi Niang who really knows etiquette... Bingkun, don't you need to reflect on what you are saying now?"

Li Zisheng complained.

Pang Qing looked unhappy.

I thought to myself, is there any essential difference between what Qi Niang said and what I said?

Are you just listening to this woman?
"Mother Qi, I'm telling you, you have to make good arrangements for tonight." Li Zisheng showed his social side and said with a smile, "The show has to be especially good, and it would be best if you perform in person."

"I'm afraid I can't..."

Qi Niang thought, you're here to call on me? Who is the master of this yard?

Pang Qing quickly reminded: "Master Dao, your request..."

"What do I ask for? I just remind her and ask her to make arrangements."

Li Zisheng said, "It's true that I'm no longer Qi Niang's boss, but I'm still an official after all, right? What's wrong with giving her a few words of advice? Besides, Qi Niang and I have always had a good relationship."

Qi Niang thought to herself, you must not do that.

You are a powerful person in the government, how can I afford to offend you?
Besides, I just want to do my job well around Zhang Guozhang, gain his trust, and even become the person in charge of his outer house.

She does not ask for marriage or status, but she must be the most powerful and influential one among the women without status, so as to prepare for her future aging and fading beauty.

When you come...

It is very likely that I will completely lose the trust of Zhang Guozhang, and then I will be picking up sesame seeds and losing watermelons.

Li Zisheng turned around and asked, "Qi Niang, can you do it?"

Qi Niang was startled and said hurriedly: "I will make arrangements as soon as I go in."

"Look at what you said. Of course you are the one who makes the arrangements. What else can I do?" Li Zisheng smiled and twirled his beard. "I am a Taoist who values ​​tranquility and inaction. Do you think I am as lustful as Lai Zhan?"

"Ahem, Taoist, you've had too much to drink. I don't think Qi Niang heard it, right?"

Pang Qing quickly spoke out to remind him.

He also looked at Qi Niang fiercely, meaning that even if you heard it now, you have to pretend that you didn't hear it, and you must not leak the news.

"It doesn't matter!"

Li Zisheng waved his hand and said, "Even if Lai Zhan was here, I would say the same thing. I met him when we were little, and I value friendship and loyalty. I regard him as my only confidant in my life. We have known each other for less than a year, but it feels like I have known him for a lifetime..."

Pang Qing quickly supported Li Zisheng and walked inside, still apologetically saying to Qi Niang: "I did drink too much at Zhang's house earlier. Please bear with me and make arrangements quickly. I won't do anything to you."

When Qi Niang saw this scene, she felt a little relieved.

If Li Zisheng really wanted to do something to her, she had neither the power to resist nor the confidence.

If it really comes to that, then the rest of her life will probably be over. She has finally gotten out of the world of pleasure, but now she will probably have to go back to her old ways.

And if I go back, my life will be completely plunged into darkness, and there will be no chance of recovery.

……

……

Not long after, Li Zisheng, who was drinking tea in the front hall, saw Zhang Luan appear in front of the door.

"Please bear with me, please bear with me..."

When Zhang Luan came in, his arms were bulging, as if he was hiding something.

Li Zisheng asked curiously, "Laizhan, where did you go? You left earlier than me, but you came back later than me? Don't you know that without you as the host, I would be scolded even if I wanted to enter the door."

Zhang Luan asked in surprise, "Didn't you say I invited you here?"

"I told you, it's useless."

Li Zisheng had a feeling of looking back at the past, "I don't have to come to your place. You invited me here, so you should have arrived earlier than me... I only told you this because we are familiar with each other. This is basic courtesy."

Zhang Luan said helplessly: "On the way here, I went to the pharmacy to get some medicine... There is nothing I can do about it. I need to take care of my body. Otherwise, I am afraid that my injury... will not heal for a while."

Li Zisheng laughed and said, "You went to buy medicine yourself? Why can't you ask someone else to go? Is it really just for healing? You broke your leg, and you still need to take medicine orally?"

"Cough cough."

Zhang Luan coughed awkwardly twice and said, "Just know it in your heart... We are all experienced people, Minister Li, you should understand my situation, right?"

Li Zisheng said: "I am not like you. I don't have... those problems. Who made you so greedy? Lai Zhan, I have to remind you to be moderate.

"Although wine, sex, money and anger are good, you can't squander your body endlessly. You don't love money, which is good, but other aspects... really... if you want to gain a foothold in the court in the future, you still have to restrain yourself in this aspect."

Zhang Luan leaned on his cane and walked to the side. After sitting down, he said, "I have been poor for most of my life and have not enjoyed any blessings. Now that I am half dead, I suddenly become rich. Should I restrain myself? If I don't seize the time to enjoy myself, I might as well stay poor forever!"

Li Zisheng smiled and shook his head: "I've already told you, it's up to you what you choose. I just asked Bingkun to talk to Qi Niang and let her make the arrangements."

"Why didn't I see her?"

Zhang Luan asked curiously.

Li Zisheng smiled and said, "They are probably afraid of me. I am already hated by everyone in the officialdom, but in the eyes of the common people, I am still a demon. For someone like Qi Niang who has come out of the dust, she is even more afraid that I will ruin her reputation...

"Laizhan, I have to remind you that Qi Niang is a smart woman. I have never done anything to her. You have to treat her well. She will repay you and you will definitely benefit a lot."

(End of this chapter)