I am a prince in Zhutian Films

Chapter 348 Zhao Pan'er

Three days later.

That afternoon, Zhao Wei was practicing martial arts in the palace's martial arts arena when Zhao Huai'en, the palace's chief steward, came in a hurry.

"Master, there is a rumor in Tokyo City."

Zhao Wei threw the spear in his hand back onto the weapon rack, and said calmly while washing his hands: "But Taibai appeared in the daytime, the female master Chang, the female master Chang, learning from the King of Martial Arts?"

"Master, do you know?" Zhao Huai'en was a little surprised.

You know, all the news from the palace would pass through his hands, and he just found out, how did the head of the family know it?
Zhao Wei naturally had no way to explain the source of the news, so he said casually: "I heard a little bit, what is the specific situation, please tell me in detail."

"The specific situation is still under investigation. Now we only know that the rumor came from Jiangnan. It is said that..." Zhao Huai'en looked embarrassed and did not continue.

"say what."

"She said that the Queen had deceived the Emperor for twenty years, and that you, the Master, are not His Majesty's biological son."

"what?"

Zhao Wei was completely dumbfounded.

If she said that his mother had deceived his father for twenty years, he would believe it, but if she said that he was not Zhao Heng's biological son, even a fool would not believe it.

He now looks like a younger version of Zhao Heng.

The only difference is their temperament. Zhao Heng's temperament is a mixture of elegance and dignity, with a hint of cowardice, while Zhao Wei's temperament is a mixture of three parts nobility and seven parts heroism.

The father and son are very different, but their appearance is as if they were carved from the same mold.

"This rumor is made up... I can only say that it has no quality at all."

Zhao Huai'en nodded in agreement: "Who says it's not true? But the news says that there is a painting of a night banquet in Jiangnan that can prove it."

Zhao Wei laughed and said, "Well, I'll go to the palace first. When I come back, we'll set off for Jiangnan. You guys get ready."

"It's the head of the family."

By the time Zhao Wei returned from the palace and left the prince's mansion, night had already fallen. However, the banks of the Bian River were still bustling with singing and music. There were many cruise ships on the water, and the reflections were rippling in various colors. Vendors and geishas were hawking their wares in an endless stream. The streets were crowded with people and brightly lit, creating a prosperous and lively scene.

The crying of a child became a discordant note among the sound of stringed instruments. The young mother tried to persuade him in every way but to no avail. In desperation, she shouted, "If you cry again, I will let the living devil of the Imperial City Bureau take you away."

The crying stopped abruptly, and the merchant geisha seemed to be frozen in place.

For a moment, there was no sound in this bustling city.

Seeing this, Zhao Wei and his party, who were preparing to board the ship to leave Beijing, were stunned for a moment.

Zhao Wei glanced around and couldn't help but laugh: "This Gu Qianfan is quite intimidating."

"Indeed, he has a big reputation in Tokyo City. Most of the children of officials don't want to mess with him, but he is a little stupid and was deceived by Qi Mu." Zhao Huai'en said with a smile.

Zhao Wei smiled faintly: "Let's go to Qiantang."

At this moment, a cry of a night owl was heard across the sky. The owl flew over the colorful night scene of Bianjing, over the Imperial Street where carved carriages were racing, and finally landed in front of a deep and dark building without a plaque.

The torches outside the door flickered, illuminating the inscriptions on the lion-head horse-tying stone, on which were clearly engraved the three words "Imperial City Administration".

In the dark torture room of the Imperial City, there was a row of horrifying torture instruments.

The entire torture room was filled with a lingering smell of blood, and several bailiffs were constantly pulling the hanging suspect up and down from the bucket.

In the corner of the execution room, there was a man with black boots and arrows on his sleeves, playing chess with great concentration, and he seemed not to be disturbed by the sound of the execution at all.

The man had cold features and looked young, perhaps twenty years old. He was quite handsome. If you only looked at his appearance, no one would have thought that he was the commander of the Imperial City Investigation Division who could stop children from crying, Gu Qianfan, also known as the living devil.

The suspect was hung upside down and pulled out of the bucket, with blood gushing out of his mouth and nose and in great pain.

The yamen runner held up a piece of paper with the words "When Taibai appears in the daytime, the female ruler will prosper; when the female ruler prospers, she will learn from the King of Martial Arts" written on it, and asked sternly, "Tell me! Who told you to make up these outrageous rumors?"

The suspect had no time to answer and was spitting out water in large gulps. The bailiff simply loosened the rope and he was immersed in the water again.

Gu Qianfan looked up and continued to make his move.

The suspect was hung up by the guards again, and finally shouted, "I confess, I confess everything!"

The bailiff pulled the rope, and the suspect was able to catch his breath for a moment. He said weakly, "It was... it was the Renhe County Magistrate Wei Ying who ordered it. He said that the queen had lost her virginity a long time ago and had deceived the emperor for more than ten years. The King of Han is not the emperor's son, and that painting is the evidence..."

Gu Qianfan paused while holding the chess piece, his eyes were sharp: "What painting? Where is it?"

"Commander Gu, if I confess everything, it will be considered a meritorious service. Could you please show some mercy and give me a chance to live..."

"If you tell the truth, I will let you out of prison at noon tomorrow." Gu Qianfan's tone was solemn, which made it easy to convince people.

The suspect's eyes were suddenly filled with hope, and he told everything he knew.

Noon the next day.

A corpse wrapped in a straw mat was carried out of the Imperial City and thrown from a high place onto a small boat. Gu Qianfan watched indifferently as the boatman rowed away.

It’s noon when he says it’s noon. Gu Qianfan, the living devil, really keeps his word.

Just as the men behind Gu Qianfan were thinking this, the sounds of gongs and bullets suddenly came from a distance.

"The results are out, the results are out. The emperor has personally selected fifty-eight successful candidates for the imperial examination!"

……

……

Early spring, the second year of Tianxi in the Song Dynasty

On the Qiantang River, a merchant ship was sailing slowly. On the bow stood several tall figures. They were Zhao Wei and his party who had just arrived.

Qiantang is a long way from Tokyo, and with inconvenient transportation, they took a boat, rode a horse, and then took another boat, traveling at a leisurely pace. It took them nearly half a month to reach Qiantang County, and most of the time they spent floating on rivers.

The Qiantang River is still the same Qiantang River, and its flowing water has not changed much over thousands of years, but the scenery on both sides of the river is completely different from what Zhao Wei remembered.

"The southeast is a beautiful place, the capital of the Three Wus, and Qiantang has been prosperous since ancient times. There are willows and painted bridges, wind curtains and green curtains, and hundreds of thousands of houses. Clouds and trees surround the embankment, and the raging waves roll up frost and snow, with no moat and no limit. The world is full of pearls and jade, and every household is filled with silk and satin, which is luxurious."

Listening to Zhao Wei reciting the poem, Shuangxi immediately flattered him: "Sir, what a good poem, what a good poem."

"This is a poem." Zhao Wei rolled his eyes: "What else is good about it?"

Shuangxi was stunned at first, then he replied: "I don't understand poetry, but it sounds like a good poem. In my opinion, your poem is not inferior to Liu Jiulang, and may even be better than his."

Liu Jiulang, actually the same person as Liu Yong in the official history, was very famous in Tokyo City. Everyone from the elderly in their eighties and nineties to children as young as three knew his name.

Liu Sheng glanced at Shuangxi and said, "Liu Jiulang is just a playboy, how can he be compared with our young master?" "That's right, Liu Jiulang is not worthy of being compared with our young master."

Zhao Wei was speechless. "Read more when you have nothing to do. This poem is called "Looking at the Sea Tide - Southeast Scenery". It was originally written by Liu Jiulang, and it was written fifteen years ago."

Shuangxi was startled, then smiled awkwardly and said, "Young Master, do you also like Liu Jiulang's lyrics?"

"His poems are good. Throughout history, there are not many people who can compare with him in literary achievements. But he is... too arrogant. He has some bad habits of writers. He is destined not to go too far." Zhao Wei did not say more about Liu Jiulang's intention. He turned to look at Zhao Huai'en: "Huai'en, how long will it take to reach the shore?"

"We'll reach the dock in another cup of tea." Zhao Huai'en replied.

After a cup of tea.

Zhao Wei and his companions got off the boat and stepped onto solid land.

The waves are sparkling, the breeze is blowing gently, willows are drooping on both sides of the dock in Qiantang County, and peach blossoms are lush. Although this place is not as prosperous and bustling as Tokyo, it more reflects the elegance and sophistication of the misty Jiangnan region.

Looking at the quaint wooden buildings full of the charm of the Jiangnan water towns, Zhao Wei, who came from Tokyo, felt as if he had come to a different world.

They found an inn and stayed there.

This time, Zhao Wei did not bring many people with him. Apart from Zhao Huai'en, who was quite familiar with Jiangnan, there were only Liu Sheng, two personal guards, and Shuangxi, who insisted on coming with him.

"I heard that the tea in Jiangnan is good, Shuangxi, go ask around for famous teahouses nearby."

Shuangxi said without hesitation, "Please wait a moment, sir. I will go and ask."

After a while, Shuangxi came back.

"Sir, I have already found out that there are not many famous teahouses and tea shops in Qiantang County. The most famous one is a teahouse called 'Zhao's Tea House'. I heard that the owner of the teahouse is a stunning beauty. Sir, shall we go now?"

Zhao Wei nodded first, then shook his head: "It's getting late today, and we've been running around all day, so I won't go for now. I'll go check it out tomorrow morning and have someone serve the food so that we can try some Jiangnan delicacies."

The food and wine were good, but it was a pity that the famous West Lake Vinegar Fish was not there.

I've always heard that it tastes terrible, so Zhao Wei actually wants to try it.

After dinner, the group went out for a walk before returning to the inn to rest.

The next morning, after Zhao Wei had breakfast, he prepared to go to Zhao’s Tea Shop.

"Liu Sheng, the three of you stay at the inn. I'll take Shuangxi with me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Sheng hurriedly said, "How can this be possible? Sir, we are your guards and are responsible for your safety. Wherever you go, we will follow you. This is our duty."

"Then I'll give you a day off today. This is Qiantang, and no one knows me. Could anyone do anything bad to me? Even if someone does something bad to me, I can handle it. That's it. If you're really bored, go help Huai En."

"Master, I can't use you here." Zhao Huai'en was responsible for investigating the rumors and the Night Banquet Map. It seemed that he was the only one, but in fact, he could mobilize more forces in Jiangnan than the prefect, and he didn't need the help of three people at all.

Zhao Wei nodded: "In that case, then you can go and have fun."

"Brother Liu, don't worry, I will protect the young master." Shuangxi continued.

Liu Sheng and the other two wanted to say something, but were silenced by Zhao Wei's indifferent look.

However, Liu Sheng was not an inflexible person. After Zhao Wei left, he asked the other two guards to follow him secretly and protect Zhao Wei from a distance, while he followed Zhao Huai'en to find out the news.

Unfortunately, there was no way his little strategy could be hidden from Zhao Wei. Shortly after leaving the inn, Zhao Wei discovered the bodyguards following him. He shook his head and smiled, but did not say much, and let them follow him.

As the river breeze blows gently, the fresh air is filled with the scent of grass and soil, which seems to make people relax instantly.

Qiantang is just a small county town, which certainly cannot be compared with the prosperous Tokyo. But along the way, it is much more peaceful and tranquil than Tokyo City, and everywhere is filled with the unique ease and leisure of the Jiangnan water town.

After passing the dock where I got off the boat yesterday and walking about a hundred feet, I saw a courtyard surrounded by a wooden fence and hidden among several trees. On the door was written the words "Zhao's Tea Shop".

Although Zhao Wei had known about Zhao Pan'er's Zhao's Tea Shop for a long time, that was only in a TV drama after all. Now that he was standing here in real life, the feeling was still a little different.

The teahouse is semi-open and not covered by high walls. It was specially designed by the owner to make it easier for tea drinkers to enjoy the river view.

"Sir, this is the Zhao's Tea House. I heard that not only is the tea delicious, but the cakes and fruits are also delicious." Shuangxi saw Zhao Wei stop and hurriedly introduced: "Zhao's Tea House also has morning tea. Now the door is open, I think it is open for business."

Zhao Wei nodded and walked in. Shuangxi hurriedly followed him in small steps and also walked into Zhao’s Tea Shop.

There are two wooden buildings in the courtyard. They are not magnificent at all, but just simple pavilions overlooking the river. However, there are many flowers and plants planted in the courtyard, which are filled with fragrance, making people feel refreshed.

Walking up the wooden ladder to the attic, Zhao Wei brought Shuangxi in.

In the kitchen on the west side of the house, two women were busy. When they heard the footsteps, they looked up.

Then, the two of them showed some surprise.

After all, there would be no customers coming at this time in the past, but I never expected that today, as soon as I opened the door, there would be customers coming.

The younger woman among them, Zhao Paner, immediately put down the tools in her hands and quickly came to the main hall.

Although the woman in front of him was only wearing ordinary cloth, her elegant and refined appearance could not be concealed. She looked like a fairy who had descended from the earth, making Zhao Wei a little flustered for a moment.

It’s not that he has never seen beautiful women, but the woman in front of him is different from others. This is Liu Tianxian.

Although I have seen her in TV dramas, I have to say that she is more beautiful in person than in the TV dramas.

This is equivalent to Liu Tianxian with full makeup + skin smoothing + filters + retouching. Can that man remain calm when facing her at such a close distance?
Didn’t you see that the eunuch Shuangxi was completely stunned?
Zhao Pan'er was probably already accustomed to guests like them. If they had just come to the teahouse, it would have been strange if they were not moved by her beauty.

However, the two people in front of me, although their eyes are fiery, they are different from the lustful eyes of others. Instead, they are eyes that appreciate beauty. Their eyes are clear and can't help but make people feel a little favorable towards them.

There is no such thing as a beautiful woman who doesn't know it.

Zhao Paner, who had been up and down in an environment like Qiantang Leying for several years, would definitely know this.

Because only beautiful women know that, relying on their beauty, they have an easier life in this world than ordinary women.

Her tea, combined with Sanniang's snacks, was indeed extraordinary and could attract many customers, but she was also very clear that most of the customers who came to the tea shop came for their reputation, and drinking tea and eating snacks were just incidental.

Zhao Wei quickly came to his senses and kicked Shuangxi.

"God back."

"Oh, sir, she is so beautiful."

Zhao Wei was speechless and said unhappily, "I'm not blind, I can see."

Double Happiness: "..."

"Dear guests, please come in." Zhao Pan'er said with a smile.

Her smile perfectly illustrates the meaning of "a charming smile brings out all the beauties in the palace, making them pale in comparison."

(End of this chapter)