Film and Television World Life Record

Su Tan'er smiled faintly and said, "How could I dare? A man of your talent, my lord, should certainly go. I've heard that a courtesan named Qi Lan is quite fond of you! For several nights now, she's been reciting your 'Shuidiao Getou' every night. Perhaps, you and she will even have a beautiful romance..."

Then she changed the subject: "However, when you go, please take Xiao Chan with you. If you don't bring enough money, I will pay the bill for you."

Li Mu smiled helplessly and patted her pert buttocks a few times: "You little vixen, you're not honest at all."

Su Tan'er's face flushed instantly: "Husband..."

Li Mu scooped her up in his arms: "Watch how your husband punishes you..."

……

March passed quietly, the days were peaceful and steady. Then, Li Mu led Xiao Chan to a teahouse for tea, and the conversation of several scholars nearby reached their ears.

"Brother Liu, have you heard? Brother Gu is back."

"That Brother Gu?"

"It's Gu Yanzhen, who was quite famous in Jiangning a few years ago! I heard he's already in high school in Tokyo, filled a real vacancy, and recently came back to Jiangning."

Gu Yanzhen's name stirred Li Mu's heart. This man was also a ruthless character. Because he liked Nie Yunzhu, he found out that Ning Yi was helping Nie Yunzhu and suspected that the two were having an affair. So he hired someone to kidnap Ning Yi, intending to humiliate him and then kill him.

Fortunately, Ning Yi was calm enough and lucky enough to find an opportunity to kill all of them.

Otherwise, most people really wouldn't be able to escape.

Not only targeting Ning Yi, but also using many methods against Nie Yunzhu, such as imitating preserved eggs, and hiring people to imitate Zhu Ji's food cart to sell snacks, with prices much lower than Zhu Ji's, the purpose of which was to squeeze out Zhu Ji and leave Nie Yunzhu with nowhere to go, making her easier to control.

He's a smart man, too bad. A cold glint flashed in Li Mu's eyes. He didn't like playing the saint and waiting for others to make a move before retaliating...

Two days later, Gu Yanzhen had just finished attending a party and was a little drunk. On his way home, he was suddenly bumped into and felt a chill penetrate his body, but then he couldn't feel it anymore.

He assumed it was because he was drunk and sensed something was wrong. He glanced back and saw a tall, burly scholar. He cursed a couple of times but didn't pay much attention, and staggered back to the inn.

His hometown is not in Jiangning, so he has no place to stay here.

Li Mu glanced at his departing figure. Although this man's character was not good and he was ruthless, he was still a talented person, much better than those scholars who only knew how to talk big.

Unfortunately, they insisted on kicking a steel plate.

He's courting death; Li Mu can only see him off.

This time, unlike dealing with Xue Jin, the symptoms only appeared after two or three months. Although he could only eat, drink, and relieve himself in bed and was completely immobile, he could still live a few more years.

Gu Yanzhen! Giving him time will only lead to trouble. It will flare up within three to five days. It won't kill him in the short term, but he'll be completely ruined.

Three days later, at Chunyi Tower, another small gathering of scholars took place. Gu Yanzhen smiled and said, "Dexin and Xishen, it's been a long time."

“Yan Zhen!” Li Pin stood up with a smile: “I heard that Brother Gu had returned long ago, but I only met him today. He deserves to be punished.”

Many people chimed in, "He should be punished...he should be punished!"

"Drink a penalty!"

These people were quite familiar with Gu Yanzhen. A few years ago in Jiangning, Gu Yanzhen was a figure on par with Li Pin and Cao Guancai. Three years ago, he went to the capital, passed the imperial examination with high honors, and secured a real position through connections. Now he has returned home in glory.

"Yan Zhen, I wonder what you have seen and heard during your three years in Tokyo? Could you tell me in detail?"

Gu Yanzhen laughed heartily and began to recount his experiences in the capital.

"As you all may not know, the most discussed topic in Tokyo right now is the war between Liao and Jin. The court is in high spirits. If I'm not mistaken, Liao and Jin will definitely have a war in three to five months, or at most a year and a half."

"When the time comes, the imperial court should form an alliance with the Jin dynasty by befriending distant states and attacking nearby ones. Taking advantage of this opportunity, the nation will surely be able to shake off the morale that has been low since the Battle of Chanyuan, and the recovery of Yan and Yun will be just around the corner!"

The group was filled with excitement. Li Pin slammed his hand on the table and exclaimed, "This is wonderful! Sixty years of Tanyuan, six years of Heishui, a century of oppression—we finally have a chance to avenge ourselves! I wish I could throw down my pen and join the army, march out of Yanmen Pass, take Yanyun, and restore the glory of the Tang Dynasty!"

His words ignited the passion of everyone present, who were eager to conquer Yanyun the very next day.

Finally, Gu Yanzhen revealed the purpose of his trip to Jiangning.

"This time in Tokyo, I was favored by Lord Qinsou and appointed as the magistrate of Leping County, Raozhou, a substantive post of the seventh rank. I will take office in July. There is still some time before I arrive. I remembered that I still have some regrets in Jiangning, so I came here."

One of them asked, "Brother Gu, what regrets do you have?"

Gu Yanzhen asked, "Has any of you ever been to the Golden Phoenix Pavilion?"

Li Channel: "I haven't been to Jin Feng Lou much, but I remember Yan Zhen used to go there quite often."

Gu Yanzhen sighed and said, "To be honest, before I went to Tokyo three years ago, I met a woman at the Golden Phoenix Pavilion. I used to be a womanizer and have met many women, but this woman is different from others. She is pure and untainted by the mud, and her literary talent and temperament are admirable."

"It's a pity... Three years have passed, and she is no longer at Jin Feng Lou... I asked my mother, and she said that she redeemed herself and does not know where she went. I have asked around, and I should have news soon."

Li Pin thought for a moment: "Three years ago... Yuan Jin'er, the most beautiful courtesan at Jin Feng Lou, was formerly Pan Shi. Hmm, I heard she redeemed herself and got married..."

Gu Yanzhen raised an eyebrow dismissively. "Pan Shi is nothing but a vulgar woman; how could it be her? I'm referring to Miss Yunzhu. She's always been low-key; if she weren't unwilling to compete for fame, how could Pan Shi have gotten a chance to stand out in the Golden Wind Pavilion..."

Li Pin pondered for a moment: "Yunzhu... I seem to have heard that name before..."

Just as he was about to continue speaking, he suddenly noticed that Gu Yanzhen's face had turned as white as paper and he was swaying unsteadily. He quickly went over to him and asked with concern, "Brother Gu, what's wrong?"

Gu Yanzhen was about to say that she was fine when she spat out a mouthful of blood and fainted.

The scene immediately descended into chaos, with some calling for a doctor and others rushing forward to check on the situation.

Chapter 600 Courtesan Contest

Li Mu heard news of Gu Yanzhen again several days later.

Still in the teahouse, he sipped his tea while listening to several scholars nearby discussing Gu Yanzhen with great interest. Their expressions were hard to decipher—whether it was regret or schadenfreude.

One person said, "It's a pity about Gu Yanzhen. He passed the imperial examination the year before last and was appointed to a substantive post this year. I never expected him to suddenly end up like this."

Another person whispered, "I heard that his joy turned to sorrow. He passed the imperial examination and became an official. A few days ago, he was so arrogant, drinking and partying with people everywhere without any restraint. It is said that he drank so much that he vomited blood."

Another person said, "You can't drink like this, can you? Even if you vomit blood, you won't be paralyzed or have all your organs fail!"

"In my opinion, he must have some hidden illness. He returned in triumph this time, and in his excitement, it triggered his illness."

Another person chimed in, "That's a real pity. I've also heard that he's been unconscious from vomiting blood for seven or eight days now. Although he's woken up, he can't move at all, not even speak. He's lost a lot of weight, and he can't eat, drink, or relieve himself in bed. The doctors they've called in can't find the cause, they just say his internal organs are failing, and they've prescribed some medicine, but it hasn't helped much."

"It is said that his family has already come to take him home to care for him and see if he can pull through."

"As the saying goes, 'The weather is unpredictable, and misfortune can strike at any moment!'"

The scholars spoke and sighed.

Li Mu listened silently, his heart unmoved. After finishing the pot of tea, he put down the money and left the teahouse.

We followed the Qinhuai River to Nie Yunzhu's residence.

"Young Master, you've arrived." Nie Yunzhu was somewhat pleased.

Li Mu said, "Well, if you're free today, come with me for a bit later."

Nie Yunzhu exclaimed in surprise, "The location has been chosen."

Li Mu nodded: "The brokerage firm has chosen a good location this time. Let's go take a look first, and if it's suitable, we'll make a decision."

Nie Yunzhu smiled and said, "Alright, I'm also curious. After half a month of selection, where did you finally choose?"

Li Mu smiled faintly and said, "This time, it will be beyond your expectations."

……

The place Li Mu wanted to buy was indeed beyond Nie Yunzhu's expectations; it was located in a valley commonly known as Hulu Valley, more than thirty miles outside Jiangning City.

The two rode their horses to the place and, led by the broker, toured around. This valley truly lived up to its name, Gourd Valley, as it was shaped like a gourd, with a small exit and a large interior, covering a considerable area. Some of the flat areas inside the valley had been cultivated into farmland.

It is said that decades or even centuries ago, due to its easily defensible terrain, a band of bandits once occupied this place. Later, the bandit stronghold was breached, and the place was bought by a wealthy family. After some reclamation, although the land was somewhat barren, there were now 800 acres of farmland in the valley.

In fact, the interior of Hulu Valley is very large. The 800 mu of farmland only accounts for a part of it. Many places are full of gravel and uneven hillsides, making it impossible to cultivate crops. They can only be left to lie fallow.

Li Mu roughly estimated that, including the mudflats, gravel, slopes, and open spaces in the valley, there were at least three thousand acres.

Although it can't be used for farming, developing it into a workshop as a production base for future products is still a good idea.

After circling around the valley several times and being quite satisfied, they inquired with the broker and learned that there was a river and a small dock two miles away that led directly to the Yangtze River.

Therefore, future transportation will not be a problem.

Over the next few days, after much bargaining, the 800 mu of farmland was valued at 6,000 taels of silver, and the entire valley was valued at 2,000 taels of silver.

Li Mu spent eight thousand taels of silver to buy all the land in Hulu Valley. In order to avoid attracting attention, Hulu Valley was registered under the name of Zhu Ji, and most of Zhu Ji's production for the foreseeable future would be carried out here.

Seeing Li Mu's extravagant spending, Nie Yunzhu was shocked and knew that he was serious this time. Although she was worried about how Zhuji would develop after taking over such a large valley, she was also concerned.

However, seeing that Li Mu was full of confidence, she wholeheartedly assisted him in handling various matters.

The exit of Calabash Valley is extremely narrow, only a dozen or so feet wide. Once the exit is blocked, outsiders can no longer enter or spy on it. It is a rare and secluded place, and it is perfect for workshops that need to be kept secret to be built here.

Li Mu spent several more days creating a design and planning sketch for the entire valley, outlining the accommodation, production, warehouse, and training areas.

If his prediction is correct, in about two months, in mid-to-late June, there will be a major flood in the Yangtze River basin. Countless disaster victims will flock to the large city of Jiangning. Jiangning will have no choice but to close its city gates, set up soup kitchens outside the city, and call on wealthy families to go outside the city to provide disaster relief.

Even so, it was a drop in the ocean; many people starved or died of disease, and once the floods passed, another group of displaced people were left.

Li Mu planned to take advantage of the flood when the gates of Jiangning were closed, causing countless refugees to gather nearby. Among them would be literate people and various craftsmen. He could select a group of people to work in his workshops, or select some with martial arts aptitude to train as guards.

Of course, all of this requires money.

Li Mu was indeed not short of money. The writing fees alone had made him quite wealthy. He spent eight thousand taels to buy Gourd Valley and still had more than eighteen thousand taels left.

He took out 15,000 taels and put them into Zhuji. Next, he would hire people to build a batch of houses, workshops and warehouses in the valley, and a walled fortress would also be built at the entrance of the valley to increase security.

The remaining silver was used to purchase another batch of grain and store it in the valley in preparation for future floods, in order to recruit disaster victims.

Time passed by little by little, and the construction in Calabash Valley was progressing quite well, with a lot of money being poured in.