The setting sun shines on the water, and the setting sun melts gold. The corners of her skirt embroidered with gold threads are reflected in the glow.

Gu Changjin looked at the girl walking in the dusk. His heart was beating very fast, but it was not as fast as before when he was suffering from heart disease.

Strangely, as he dreamed more and more, the heart palpitations that made him want to burst out of his chest gradually became less and less. In other words, as he liked her more and more, his heart became more and more at ease.

It seemed that liking her was what his heart desperately wanted him to do.

Gu Changjin slowly put down his hand on his chest and opened the door for her himself.

Rong Shu got on the carriage and said straight to the point: "I wonder what you are looking for, sir?"

Gu Changjin's gaze paused on her slightly blue lower eyelids and said: "Gu has something to ask Miss Rong for help."

Rong Shu subconsciously said He said: "Your Excellency, are you here for Lady Feng?"

"The matter of Lady Feng is not urgent yet." Gu Changjin said warmly: "There is a know-it-all in Yangzhou, and I would like to ask him to be a go-between. I'm going to Chunyue Tower, and I have to ask the girl to help with this matter."

Rong Shu understood that Gu Changjin came to find her to get acquainted with Uncle Shi Yi.

Thinking about it, it makes sense. He was secretly investigating Pan Xueliang's case. Uncle Shiyi had many connections in Yangzhou. If he could get Uncle Shiyi's help, he would be able to get twice the result with half the effort.

"How did you know that I knew Uncle Shiyi?"

"When I first arrived in Yangzhou, I originally wanted to go to Ciying Lane to visit Lu Shiyi." Gu Changjin looked at her, raised his lips and smiled, saying, "But Not wanting to be caught first by Miss Rong, Gu went to Chunyue Tower to investigate the case. "

Rong Shu was a little surprised, so they separated at the ferry that day and met again in Ciying Lane?

This is really too much of a coincidence.

Uncle Shiyi is a loyal and courageous man, and he is willing to help Gu Changjin if he wants to.

She didn't hesitate and said cheerfully: "Okay, I'll take you to Ciying Lane."

After exchanging a few words with Luoyan, Rong Shu took Gu Changjin's carriage to Ciying Lane.

Wisps of dusk light passed through the car window.

The sound of the wheels rolling across the mud made the carriage become even quieter.

Rong Shu was still thinking about Shen Zhi, his dark eyebrows frowning unconsciously.

Although Gu Changjin was looking out the window, all he could see in his peripheral vision was her.

After being silent for a while, he finally asked, "What's troubling Miss Rong?"

Hearing this, Rong Shu's gaze, which was scattered somewhere, raised slightly and met Gu Changjin's dark eyes.

In the past, when this man asked her questions, she could feel the pressure in his eyes. At this moment, strangely enough, she didn't feel the overwhelming pressure at all.

Without such pressure, and meeting his eyes at this moment, her mind, which had been tense for several days, suddenly relaxed.

This man knew how to find clues in the minutiae. For a moment, Rong Shu almost spoke to him about Shen Zhi, but when the words reached his lips, he felt it was inappropriate. He hesitated for a moment, and finally shook his head. He shook his head and said, "It's nothing."

Gu Changjin looked at her quietly for a long time, then lightly lowered his eyes.

The entire journey was speechless.

When he arrived at Ciying Lane, Lu Shiyi happened to be returning from abroad. When he saw Rong Shu leading a tall and handsome man out of the carriage, he almost choked on his breath.

Deliberately suppressing his arrogance, he solemnized his face, said calmly, and said seriously: "Zhaozhao, who is this?"

Seeing Lu Shiyi's expression, Rong Shu knew that he must have thought wrong, and hurriedly said: " Uncle Shiyi, let's talk after we go inside."

Lu Shiyi glanced at Gu Changjin, snorted from his nose, and said, "Come in quickly."

He was afraid that Lu Shiyi would say something rude to Gu Changjin. As soon as Rong Shu entered the room, he explained: "Uncle Shiyi, this is Mr. Gu, the censor of the capital, the right minister of the Metropolitan Procuratorate. He came to Ciying Lane to ask for your help." When

Lu Shiyi heard this, he was extremely surprised. His serious face froze slightly, and then he thought of something and said to Rong Shu: "Come here."

He called the person to the window and lowered his voice: "Is this the number one scholar you had to marry, Gu Changjin?"

Rong Shu said "hmm" and said in a voice like a mosquito: "But we have reconciled and we no longer like him."

Lu Shiyi nodded thoughtfully, not knowing whether to put on a red face or a white face. good.

This is a good official.

He had heard of what Gu Changjin had done in the cases he handled in Beijing, even as far away as Yangzhou. Lu Shiyi admired such a person from the bottom of his heart, so he should be given a blushing face.

If a good girl like Zhao Zhao is forced to take the initiative to reconcile with him, then he must have done something wrong and should be given a white face.

After struggling for a while, it was justice that outweighed personal feelings. Lu Shiyi straightened his face, cupped his hands and said, "I wonder what Yushi Gu wants to do with me?"

Gu Changjin said, "Gu was ordered by the emperor to come here specially. I came to Yangzhou Mansion to investigate Liao Rao. I heard that Lu Yi, the courtesan of Chunyue Tower, was Liao Rao's lover, so I wanted to find out something from Lu Yi. I just went to Chunyue Tower for several days but didn't get a chance to see him. Be a middleman and let me see her."

Gu Changjin's words were as shocking as spring thunder in Lu Shiyi's ears.

Then he saw his eyes gleaming and said: "Master Gu came to Yangzhou this time to investigate Liao Rao's dealings with the pirates?"

Gu Changjin did not answer, but said warmly: "What does Mr. Lu know?" It is indeed one of Gu's goals for this trip. "

"To be honest, I don't know whether Liao Rao is loyal or traitorous," Lu Shiyi said, "Liao Rao has been the governor of Jiangsu and Zhejiang for more than ten years. In the past few years, he has taken the lead in winning several battles. In the past five years, although Liao Rao has won many battles, the number of pirates he killed is getting smaller and smaller each year, while the losses in the coastal cities are increasing year by year. It's been a miserable year."

Lu Shiyi paused as he said this, his expression becoming more solemn.

Gu Changjin said: "Lu Baotou has something to say, but it's okay to say it."

Lu Shiyi said: "The pirate forces in the waters south of the Yangtze River mainly come from several pirate groups from the Diluo and Mi countries. Among them, the Diluo pirates are the most powerful. . These pirates use Sifang Island as their stronghold. Every time they attack Dayin, they are mostly led by the Diluo pirates. However, in recent years, I have discovered that the Mi State pirates have gradually become more powerful on Sifang Island, and the Diluo pirates are no longer a single force. Big. I see that these pirates on Sifang Island are at odds with each other and are secretly fighting for Sifang Island."

Lu Shiyi spoke cryptically, and after Gu Changjin pondered for a moment, he said: "Lu Baotou. It is suspected that Liao Rao colluded with the Mi State pirates and supported the Mi State pirates and the Di Luo pirates to check and balance."

Lu Shiyi touched his chin and nodded: "Liao Rao has enough troops and is an experienced general who can fight with him. Those battles with Mi Guo's pirates always felt light and did not hit the ground, which was completely different from his previous fighting style -"

Lu Shiyi paused as he said this and looked at Rong Shu. , "I have some clues about the 'Feng Niangzi' you asked me to check earlier."

Rong Shu and Gu Changjin looked at each other and said, "Who is 'Feng Niangzi'?"

Lu Shiyi didn't show off, and said : "There are very few people who dare to use the word 'phoenix' as their name. In the past two years, a famous woman appeared in the waters south of the Yangtze River. Her name contains the word 'phoenix'. This woman was once the concubine of a pirate leader." Feng."

He said and looked at Rong Shu with a smile, "I once told you about the pirate leader. Just like your mother, you like to hear these Jianghu things."

When Lu Shiyi said this, Rong Shu remembered it.

"But that Water Dragon King who was born in the Mi Kingdom? That person is the leader of the pirates in the Mi Kingdom."

"It's him. I have always suspected that Liao Rao and the Water Dragon King have a secret relationship." Lu Shiyi said: "That's all. The famous 'Water Dragon King' on Sifang Island died mysteriously the year before last, and many people speculated that it was the Diluo people who did it. "

Rong Shu was really impressed by this Water Dragon King. She had heard many stories about the Water Dragon King when she was a child. .

The Water Dragon King's father was a pirate from the Mi Kingdom, but his mother was a kidnapped Dayin native. The Water Dragon Prince inherited his father's legacy and was ruthless. He quickly became one of the most notorious pirate leaders in the waters, specializing in plundering at sea.

Later, after Emperor Jiande implemented a sea ban, the Water Dragon King could not grab the goods at sea, so he turned his attention to the inland, colluded with the pirates of the Diluo Kingdom, and invaded the coastal counties of Dayin. After that, he sold the stolen goods on Sifang Island. To other countries.

Such a notorious person actually died?

Rong Shu asked curiously: "Then who is his concubine?"

"The origin of Jiao Feng is unknown, I only know that she is a Dayin woman. As soon as the Water Dragon King died, she quickly took over the position of the Water Dragon King with thunderous power. Now the Water Dragon King People seem to look up to her. This woman is really a character, I don't know if she is the 'Feng Lady' you mentioned."

Rong Shu subconsciously looked at Gu Changjin and saw a hint of surprise in his eyes.

"Gu asked Miss Rong to inquire about this matter. I'm sorry to hear that." Gu Changjin solemnly thanked Mr. Lu and said, "The 'Jiao Feng' that Mr. Lu mentioned should be the 'Feng Lady' that Gu is looking for." ."

After hearing this, Lu Shiyi couldn't help but look between Rong Shu and Gu Changjin.

That being said, why does something seem wrong?

Rong Shu ignored Changjin's keenness and didn't notice the deep meaning in Lu Shiyi's eyes at all.

At this moment, her heart was stirred up by Gu Changjin's words.

Subconsciously he said to Gu Changjin: "Master Gu, I thought you came to Yangzhou to investigate Pan Xueliang's fraud case."

At this point, he paused again.

After the death of Pan Xueliang in his previous life, Gu Changjin made a special trip to the palace to see the emperor. Not long after, he secretly left Shangjing until winter was approaching before he returned with injuries all over his body.

Also in August of this year, enemy invaders from the Jiangnan waters invaded Yangzhou with such ferocity that Governor Liao Rao died in battle and General Liang, who was guarding the capital, was seriously injured.

Gu Changjin, the supervisor Liu Yuan, and countless Yangzhou people turned the tide and defended Yangzhou Mansion.

Rong Shu always thought that Gu Changjin secretly came to Yangzhou to investigate the fraud case in order to clear Pan Xueliang's name. But now it seems that he came to Yangzhou not just for the fraud case.

He was investigating the enemy invaders and those Dayin people who collaborated with the enemy and treason.

Rong Shu's heart skipped a beat: "Is that scientific examination fraud case related to these enemies? There are also Jiao Feng and Pan Xueliang, but what does it have to do with it?"

Gu Changjin's usually calm face was slightly startled at first, and then He slowly raised his lips.

She is really a very smart girl.

"Yes. The old minister said that he was entrusted by an old friend, so he was inscribed on Pan Xueliang. The old friend here, I guess, is Liao Rao. Liao Rao once sent a letter to the old minister, clearly asking the old minister to help him."

Rong Rong Shu finally understood the meaning of what Gu Changjin said in his previous life.

In his previous life, Liao Rao died in battle, and many people in Yangzhou erected a tomb in his honor. They all said that Governor Liao died for the country. I only listened to my uncle's wishes now, and it seemed that Governor Liao and the Water Dragon King had some contacts in private.

After learning that Gu Changjin was also investigating Liao Rao, Rong Shu's heart was pounding.

In the previous life, the Shen family and the Rong family were charged with collaborating with the enemy and treason, and the enemies here were the pirates in the outer seas.

Is it possible that the collaborating case between Liao Rao and the Shen family is also related?

Could Shen Zhi and Liao Rao have a personal connection?

She wanted to check Shen Zhi with the help of Gu Changjin.

Thinking of this, Rong Shu said to Lu Shiyi: "Uncle Shiyi, I just want to see Aunt Guo. Let me take Mr. Gu to Chunyue Tower."

...

Where in the world is this? The most popular gossips are gambling houses and brothels.

Lu Shiyi is familiar with the old bustards of all the major Qin buildings and Chu houses in Yangzhou Prefecture, and there are many people working as thugs in Ciying Lane. If there is a way to these places, many secrets that cannot be seen in the light can be found out.

The "Aunt Guo" in Rong Shu's mouth is Guo Jiuniang, the owner of Chunyue Tower, the first romantic place in Wujia Brick Bridge.

The reason why Rong Shu met Guo Jiuniang was because of her.

The real owner of Chunyue Tower is actually A Niang.

Chunyue Tower is one of the secret properties left by my grandfather to my mother-in-law.

Before she became the Madam of Chunyue Tower, Guo Jiuniang was a very useful maid beside her. She had an astonishing capacity for drinking. When she dressed in men's clothing and discussed business with others at the banquet, Guo Jiuniang was the one responsible for getting her drunk.

When Aniang married into the Hou Mansion, she only took Aunt Zhou with her.

She didn't want to trap Aunt Guo and the others in the compound, so she returned the deed of betrayal to them and gave them a large sum of money so that they could live the life they wanted.

However, Guo Jiuniang refused to leave and stayed in Yangzhou Mansion to take care of her business.

It was in her hands that Chunyue Tower became famous in Yangzhou Prefecture step by step.

"Aunt Guo is my grandma's good sister. I was lost once when I was a child. It was Aunt Guo who went to look for my adopted uncle and found me back. Only then did I know that Chunyue Tower turned out to be my grandma's. Damn it. The girls in Chunyue Tower are also homeless girls. They would rather stay with Aunt Guo than go and get married. Aunt Guo is a good person like my mother. "

Go . On the way to Chunyue Tower, Rong Shu chatted all the way.

Gu Changjin didn't interrupt her, just listened to her quietly.

He was always a very thoughtful person, so he understood what she wanted to say.

It is said that when the nest is overturned, there are no complete eggs.

If Liao Rao commits the crime of collaborating with the enemy and treason, there is no guarantee that the people around him will suffer disaster even if they are innocent.

The courtesan Lu Yi who attracted Liao Rao's soul came from Chunyue Tower. Rong Shu told him this just because she wanted to tell him that Chunyue Tower would not help the tyrants, at least Guo Jiuniang would not.

Gu Changjin knew that she said this not because she wanted to talk to him, but because of Guo Jiuniang.

He just wanted to hear her talk and say anything.

Whatever he ate, where he went, and what he did, he would listen to it happily.

The letter about her from Mae Shiiun lasted nine pages.

At that time, I still felt that Zhuiyun was verbose and talked about nonsense. Now I think back to every word in that letter, but I feel it is not enough.

A little girl's past nine years can probably be described in countless pieces of paper.

The letter never mentioned that she had been abducted, never mentioned her relationship with Guo Jiuniang, and never said that she had been so lonely and helpless.

Being sent away without a father or mother at a young age is truly an unbearable trauma for a child who is about to be four years old.

Now following her, listening to her talk about Guo Jiuniang and Lu Shiyi, her past in Yangzhou was unfolding in front of him bit by bit.

Suddenly, she remembered the sentence she had repeatedly murmured in her dream -

[Aniang can't forget Zhaozhao, Aniang is coming back to pick up Zhaozhao. 】

At that time, it was normal to hear such words in sleep. When I think about it again, dense pain fills my heart.

Perhaps his long silence made her feel uneasy.

The girl stopped in the lively and intoxicating light of Chunyue Tower and looked back at him.

Looking at her calm eyes, Gu Changjin suddenly realized what it was about her that had always attracted him.

The man's eyes, as cold as a pool of water, were as cold as the sea.

With a little bit of willingness to admit defeat.

His Adam's apple rolled slightly, and he said: "Well, I know that the person you can trust is also Gu." As

soon as he finished speaking, a graceful and graceful woman hurriedly walked from the end of the corridor and saw Rong Shu. He said, "You heartless girl, you finally remembered Aunt Guo!"

Guo Jiuniang glanced behind Rong Shu as she spoke. When she caught a glimpse of Gu Changjin's stiffness, her delicately made-up face froze.

Isn't this Mr. Yun who has been coming to Chunyue Tower for several days?

Guo Jiuniang was deeply impressed by this person.

Without him, this husband is really too handsome and his bearing is extraordinary.

You don't see many men like this all year round. The girls in Chunyue Tower are all in love with each other, and they look forward to having sex with this husband and sleeping together in their dreams.

Unexpectedly, this person came for Lu Yi.

Who in Yangzhou Prefecture doesn’t know that Lu Yi is Governor Liao’s favorite person? Who dares to touch her?

Guo Jiuniang was still rejoicing yesterday. Fortunately, Lu Yi was not here these days. Otherwise, if she had met such a handsome and handsome husband, she might not be able to keep her heart.

The most important thing for people in their profession is to keep their hearts.

It is best not to love anyone but yourself.

Guo Jiuniang couldn't figure out the purpose of Gu Changjin's visit, so she led the two of them into a room and said, "Mr. Lang has been here for several days in a row for Lu Yi. Are you here too for Lu Yi today?"

Gu Changjin looked subconsciously. He glanced at Rong Shu and saw that her expression was normal, so he said softly: "It would be best if I could see Miss Lu Yi. If not, Mother Guo is in charge of Chunyue Tower. I might ask Mother Guo about something." It can also clear up confusion."

As soon as she said this, Guo Jiuniang's eyes suddenly changed when she looked at Gu Changjin.

She glanced at Rong Shu and said, "You brought me here, why don't you introduce this husband? I guess this husband's surname is not Yun."

Zhui Yun changed his name to Yun Zhi in Yangzhou and gave it to Gu The identity arranged by Chang Jin is his elder brother Yun Jin.

Rong Shu held Guo Jiuniang's hand and said again what she had said to Lu Shiyi before with a smile.

Guo Jiuniang's reaction was exactly the same as Lu Shiyi's.

The first reaction was that this was Zhaozhao's newly divorced husband, and then came Nalaoshizi's censor.

After knowing who Gu Changjin was, Guo Jiuniang more or less guessed Gu Changjin's intention.

"Is the court going to investigate Liao Rao?" Guo Jiuniang smiled with an unclear expression, "Liao Rao is a lecherous person, and it is common for him and his colleagues to come to Wujiaqiao for fun. He is the only one who is very cautious and never goes there together. It's rare for a girl in the same brothel to be obsessed with her. It's because of Lu Yi that we have him come here from time to time." When

Guo Jiuniang said this, her voice became serious. He said solemnly, "Let me tell you something first. Our family, Lu Yi, doesn't look down on this governor at all. One time, while he was drunk, he broke a tendon in his hand."

Gu Changjin frowned slightly. Ning asked, "When did this happen?"

"Last September. I probably drank too much yellow soup that day. In order to make Bo Luyi smile, Liao Rao picked up a sword and insisted on teaching Lu Yi how to dance." Guo Jiuniang said with a smile. : "Lu Yi has a bad temper. When he gets angry, he will hit him."

Seriously speaking, Liao Rao really has some true feelings for Lu Yi. That day Lu Yi hurt his hand, and Guo Jiuniang thought it would not end well. Unexpectedly, Lu Yi shed a few tears, and Liao Rao actually revealed the matter.

A military general was injured on the hand by a brothel girl in Yanhualiu Lane. It would not be nice to tell anyone about it. Not many people knew about it, and no one dared to spread the word. However, the accident was kept very tight, even Governor Liao No one in the family knew why his hand was injured.

Seeing that Rong Shu didn't have to ask himself, Guo Jiuniang talked about Liao Rao's injured hand and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

There is something wrong with the letter Liao Rao wrote to Lao Shangshu.

With Gu Changjin's astuteness, he had probably noticed something was wrong.