Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

"If I don't marry her, am I supposed to marry you? If you're willing to marry me, I'd be happy to marry you too."

Gao Hui suddenly said frankly that as she spent more time with the man in front of her, her feelings for him would naturally increase.

To be honest, she didn't have deep feelings for Ouyang Xu, especially after learning that he had been engaged and then rudely abandoned Zhao Pan'er, which made her, as a woman, particularly uncomfortable.

Su Li surpasses Ouyang Xu in every way, and she is wholeheartedly willing to marry her. Her father is also strongly advocating for it.

Looking into the woman's glistening eyes, Su Li pondered for a moment and then smiled, "Marrying you isn't out of the question, but you can only be my secondary wife."

There has been a saying since ancient times that a family could have one primary wife, two secondary wives, and four concubines, which is roughly the same as the Song Dynasty. Otherwise, how could the family have been so prosperous?

As for women other than concubines, they were essentially toys, and it was common for them to be given away.

Gao Hui puffed out her cheeks, biting her specially applied, thin, moist lips, and asked, "Who is your legal wife? Could it be that the Duke of Ningguo found you a daughter of a respectable official?"

The son of the Duke of Ningguo was destined for a noble status. He was either the daughter of a distinguished scholar or the daughter of a royal prince. Only these people could become the principal wife, forming an alliance of interests through marriage. This is an unchanging principle throughout the ages.

As for the daughters of military generals, their status in the Song Dynasty was far inferior to that of the daughters of other nobles. Some even believed that women only needed to be virtuous, and that practicing martial arts was a completely perverse trend.

"Not for now." Su Li shook his head. The other person he wanted to marry was Zhao Pan'er, but he himself was not sure if the latter was willing to become a secondary wife.

Although that girl is the descendant of a disgraced official, she is still proud. You can't win her heart without using tricks on her a few times. As for becoming her wife, that's absolutely impossible. No matter how much Zhao Pan'er does, she doesn't have that qualification.

In ancient times, the concepts of superiority and inferiority were not just empty words. If he were to marry Zhao Pan'er as his principal wife, the entire Ningguo Duke's mansion would be disgraced.

"A concubine is fine, as long as the principal wife is of high status, I... won't say anything."

Gao Hui pouted and said that she was just the daughter of a fifth-rank deputy commander. There were many people more noble than her. It was already a lucky thing to be able to get in touch with the young master of the Duke's mansion.

After listening to her, Su Li took her slender, fair hand and rubbed it against his face, looking at her intently: "When you enter my home, you must be humble, gentle, and never fight with anyone, or I will not forgive you, understand?"

"You're already lecturing me before I've even stepped inside." Gao Hui was a little uncomfortable, but she still said, "As long as no one else bothers me, it's fine."

"That's right, harmony brings prosperity to the family."

Su Li naturally pulled her into his arms, and after a moment's caresses of her slender waist and figure, seeing the blush spreading across her face, he couldn't help but lower his head and bite her fragrant lips.

"No, the maid is watching."

Gao Hui was extremely embarrassed. As a young lady from a wealthy family, she had never been so close to anyone before, not even Ouyang Xu, with whom she was engaged.

She didn't dare to look.

As Su Li spoke, her lips moved swiftly, leaving behind specks of strawberry.

"Miss, Young Master Su, someone has arrived. It's one of our household's young servants."

The maid, who had her back to the two men, saw the figure riding a horse in the distance and quickly greeted them.

Gao Hui pushed Su Li up with both hands, hurriedly straightened her clothes, regained her dignified and elegant demeanor, glared at the man, and then asked loudly:

"What's wrong? Why are you in such a panic?"

After the young boy finished bowing, he hurriedly said, "Miss, Young Master Ouyang Xu has passed away. Master told me to call you back immediately."

"What?"

Gao Hui suddenly stood up, her pretty face filled with astonishment. She parted her red lips slightly and asked, "How exactly did she die?"

The engagement hadn't been dissolved yet, but she died. If word got out, wouldn't people say she was a jinx to her husbands?

"The news I heard is that he accidentally fell to his death..."

Gao Hui composed herself, looked at Su Li, her beautiful face full of helplessness, and gritted her teeth, saying, "Ouyang Xu was personally appointed as the deputy envoy by the Emperor. His death may cause some problems, and I must go back."

"Go ahead, and come to me anytime you encounter any problems."

Su Li walked over and helped him smooth his hair from his forehead, then kissed his fair forehead in front of the maid and the boy.

Gao Hui blushed, gave a soft "hmm," turned around, walked a short distance, got into the carriage, and left. Just before disappearing from sight, she lifted the curtain and gazed at the handsome man on the hill.

She gripped her sleeve tightly, biting her lip with her pearly teeth: "Ouyang Xu, you really couldn't have died at the worst possible time."

……

Ouyang Xu's death did indeed have a significant impact on the Tokyo court. He was a big fan of Taoist magic, and some superstitious emperors believed that this was a warning from heaven.

As for what kind of warning it was, he would have to ask the Taoist priest to find out.

The emperor's every move attracted attention. When he tried to answer this question, countless sycophants immediately rushed to his aid.

The Qingliu faction and the Empress's faction were once again engaged in open and covert struggles. As one of the pawns of the Qingliu faction, Gu Qianfan naturally could not avoid clashing with others, especially Qi Mu, one of the representatives of the Qingliu faction, who made him even more irritable when he secretly pushed for the discovery of evidence that Xiao Qinyan was bewitching the emperor.

It's quite interesting to bring down one's own father. If it were a deep-seated hatred, it would be one thing, but their relationship has improved, and they have developed a father-son bond. It's hard to act against his conscience and emotions. Sometimes he even regrets joining the Imperial City Guard.

Gu Qianfan was taken to a teahouse by his subordinates to relax and unwind. The latter excitedly chattered on and on, saying, "Commander, you don't know that the tea at this Banzhemian Teahouse is currently the best in the capital. In particular, the best pipa player from Jiangnan plays music here, and the pastries are famous throughout Qiantang. They taste absolutely delicious."

The name "Half-Covered Face Tea House" is a new name for Zhao's Tea House. It originated from the story of Song Yinzhang covering half of his face while playing the pipa in the tea house, and sometimes even wearing a light veil.

"If it's not as good as you say, I'll make you work the night shift tonight."

Gu Qianfan stepped into the teahouse, and when he saw the beautiful women bustling around, he was stunned... Zhao Pan'er, what was she doing here?

Since their last encounter with the black-clad assassin in Qiantang, the two had not seen each other since that night of the raging fire. Nearly three months had passed in the blink of an eye, and the other's image in his mind had faded. He never expected to run into him again.

Zhao Pan'er naturally saw Gu Qianfan as well, and stopped holding the tea in her hand.

"Madam Zhao, it's been a long time. How have you been?" Gu Qianfan took the initiative to walk over and strike up a conversation. He actually felt guilty towards the woman in front of him. If it weren't for him, that huge teahouse wouldn't have been burned to ashes, and she wouldn't have been hunted down.

"It's good that Lord Gu has been promoted. I congratulate you on your promotion."

Zhao Pan'er said in a nonchalant tone that she didn't have a good impression of Gu Qianfan. She said that if it weren't for Su Li, the teahouse might have been hijacked by bandits when they first met, although that was a bit far-fetched.

But the second time, she was held to the neck with a knife, and afterwards, she was reduced to ashes overnight in a teahouse in Qiantang. She was also chased by a group of assassins in black and almost lost her life. She didn't curse them, which shows she has a good temper.

Gu Qianfan nodded slightly, looked at her, hesitated for a moment, and said, "If Madam Zhao encounters any difficulties in Tokyo, you can come to the Imperial City Guard to find me."

"No need. My teahouse has a partnership with the young Duke of Ningguo, so I doubt anyone would dare to cause trouble."

Zhao Pan'er was both reminding and implying that she had powerful backers and didn't want to have anything to do with you, a noble person from the Imperial City Guard.

"Very well... With Young Master Su here, the teahouse has nothing to worry about."

Gu Qianfan found a seat and sat down, his fingers clenched tightly, feeling a sense of loss for some reason.

"Commander... Commander, is it time to serve tea?" The subordinate opposite him looked surprised, astonished that this famous living Yama would show such an emotion.

"Oh, okay, then bring a pot of Qingfeng Marrow and a plate of peach blossom pastries."

This was also the first time he visited Zhao's Tea House when he went to Qiantang. It was ordered by his subordinate, Lao Jia, and he seemed to remember the old man's vague evaluation of Zhao Pan'er's beauty.

As his thoughts drifted through his mind, Gu Qianfan said to his subordinate, "Have someone investigate what this teahouse has been doing since it arrived in Tokyo. Be detailed."

"Are you suspicious of me, Commander?" The subordinate's expression turned hostile.

"Don't overthink it, just investigate the details," Gu Qianfan said.

Unbeknownst to him, his actions had attracted the attention of those within the Imperial City Guard who harbored hostility towards him, and Su Li had also received the message.

Others might not know what Gu Qianfan was planning, but he certainly did; he was clearly interested.

"We must nip danger in the bud."

Su Li immediately ordered people to investigate Gu Qianfan's adversaries within the Imperial City Guard. He wanted to completely extinguish any potential budding romance between the two and then win Zhao Pan'er's heart once again with a heroic rescue.

Is this behavior shameless?

Somewhat, but how many things in this world are truly just? If everything is judged by right and wrong, how many can truly stand the test of time? Which leader hasn't indirectly or directly done many things that can't be said?

He said, with a touch of hypocrisy, that he was simply trying to win over his love.

"There are quite a few people in the Imperial City Guard who are jealous of Gu Qianfan, among whom Yu Zhongquan is the most prominent. He has had many conflicts with Gu Qianfan and was even punished by being forced to clean the corridors for several days. However, he is afraid of Xiao Qinyan behind Gu Qianfan, so he dares not make any rash moves," the guard said slowly.

"If that's the case, then let's go with him."

Su Li remembered this person; he was one of the unlucky guys in the drama who brought the two of them together, and his fate was truly tragic. He fiddled with the folding fan in his hand and said calmly.

The task was simple: inform Yu Zhongquan that Zhao Pan'er, the owner of Zhao's Tea House, might be in Tongliao and was very likely a spy, and then connect this to Gu Qianfan's actions of arranging people to investigate the case.

Yu Zhongquan was immediately excited. He felt he had to act immediately, arrest Zhao Pan'er without delay, and steal this great credit.

As for the rumors circulating that Zhao's Tea House was protected by the young master of the Ningguo Duke's Mansion, he simply didn't believe it... How could a young master of the Duke's Mansion be involved with the tea house owner? It must be false.

This kind of trick is common in Tokyo. After all, it's difficult to do any business in the capital without a powerful backer. Some people will deliberately make exaggerated claims about who their powerful backer is, so that others will hesitate to act against them.

To prevent Gu Qianfan from interfering with his investigation, Yu Zhongquan devised a plan to lure the latter out of the city for a day, and then brought his men to the teahouse.

"Zhao Pan'er, you are suspected of colluding with the Liao Kingdom. Come with me to the Imperial City Guard to find out the truth."

The busy people in the shop were visibly shocked and surprised when they heard what he said.

Zhao Pan'er frowned and slowly approached: "My lord, I grew up in the Song Dynasty and don't even know the Liao script. How could I possibly be fluent in Liao? Is there some misunderstanding?"

"Misunderstanding?" Yu Zhongquan sneered twice, waved his hand to signal his men to lead the people forward, "Let's talk about it when I get to the Imperial City Guard."

Faced with the officials, Zhao Pan'er naturally had no choice but to be taken into the Imperial City Guard. Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang felt that disaster was imminent. Why were there so many calamities? They had only been at peace for a short time, and now someone was coming to their door again. Faced with this critical situation, they could only ask Su Li for help.

"What? Pan'er was taken away by the Imperial City Guard?" Su Li said, feigning shock. He found himself becoming more and more cunning, his acting skills were worthy of an Oscar, and doing this kind of thing so often had become instinctive.

"Yes, you must go and save her quickly, otherwise..." Sun San Niang and Song Yin Zhang were anxious. They never imagined that all of this was orchestrated by the man in front of them.

"I'm coming right away, you don't need to rush."

Su Li's words reassured the two women. After he left, he found his elder brother, Su Xiuyan, who was on leave at home. The latter served as a secretary in the Imperial Secretariat, responsible for drafting imperial edicts, and was a confidant of the current emperor.

The Imperial City Guard isn't some dangerous den, but for someone without any official position to go in, his title as the son of the Duke of Ningguo alone probably won't be enough to get him released. It would be better to bring his elder brother along.

"What's the rush? You didn't even wait for me to change my clothes."

Su Xiuyan was gentle and refined, with the demeanor of an elder, and looked at his younger brother with a helpless expression.

"This is a matter of life and death; we must get there immediately. This time, it's your sister-in-law we need to save," Su Li said loudly. "If we're late, it'll be too late!"

"Stop tugging at my sleeve. Tell me exactly what happened..."

……

Imperial City Guard, interrogation room.

Yu Zhongquan held the red-hot branding iron, turning it over and over the charcoal fire. He glanced at Zhao Pan'er out of the corner of his eye and asked, word by word, "Speak. If you don't want to suffer, tell us about your time in Tongliao."

"I know nothing of what you mean, my lord. Why do you think I am from Tongliao? I was born in Tokyo, then lived in Qiantang, and only returned to the capital a few months ago. Please, my lord, understand!"

Zhao Pan'er stared in horror at the branding iron in the other person's hand. If that thing were to fall on her, it would definitely leave a noticeable scar. She was not afraid of death, but she was afraid of her appearance being damaged.

"Bullshit! Then why did Gu Qianfan investigate you in secret?" Yu Zhongquan questioned. Even though he disliked that guy, he had to admit that he was indeed extremely capable.

"Gu Qianfan?"

It was him who brought this disaster again. Zhao Pan'er gritted her teeth in hatred. Nothing good ever came of meeting that guy.

"My lord, I first met Gu Qianfan in Qiantang, and afterwards..."

In order to extricate herself, she had no choice but to recount their two encounters, her fair and delicate face turning red with anger by the end.

"That's all?"

"It's true, everything I've said is true."

Yu Zhongquan felt that he might have misunderstood something. Gu Qianfan's abuse of power was not for investigating the case, but because he had designs on the stunning young woman in front of him.

"Damn it, Gu Qianfan, you've ruined my life!" he roared inwardly, hesitating whether to release the woman in front of him. But then he thought of the countless mocking rumors his colleagues would spread when they found out he had arrested the wrong person.

Yu Zhongquan's eyes turned cold. He decided to make this case airtight, so that Gu Qianfan's return would be of no use.

"Since you won't tell the truth, then I'll have no choice but to resort to torture. I want to see if you're really a tough nut to crack."

Seeing the other person approaching step by step with a branding iron in hand, their fierce expression as terrifying as a vicious dog, Zhao Pan'er suppressed her screams. Her graceful and delicate body trembled continuously, and tears streamed down her face.

Memories flooded her mind: Ouyang Xu, Sun San Niang, Song Yin Zhang… Su Li knew that the man would come to save her, but whether he could arrive in time was unknown.

"Sulli..." she blurted out the word in fear.

"It's no use calling anyone," Yu Zhongquan sneered.

"You bastard, stop right now!"

A series of hurried footsteps came from outside. Lei Jing, the commander of the Imperial City Guard, roared furiously. He hated his subordinate for daring to provoke the Ningguo Duke's family.

"Master...Master Si?"

When Yu Zhongquan saw everyone enter, Lei Jing's almost murderous gaze, and Su Xiuyan, the leader of the group, a high-ranking official and the emperor's confidant, his face turned deathly pale. He couldn't even hold the branding iron in his hand, and it clattered to the ground, sparks flying.

"Lord Lei, is this how your Imperial City Guard handles cases? Torturing confessions? I must speak to His Majesty on this matter another day and rectify this practice."

Su Xiuyan spoke slowly, her face expressionless.