Madam, don't do this!

Chapter 269 Sun Wukong freezes the seven fairies (6,000 words)
The sun is tilted.

Just past noon, perhaps the hottest time of the day, the streets became lively, with even more people than before. Not far away, Fangcui Tower had reopened.

There's no way around it; brothels are always a necessity, no matter the time.

Although it had just been plundered by the Jurchens and then cleansed by Song Yan, Pingyang City was still a prefectural city, and there were still quite a few wealthy people.

For these people, after months of being cooped up, they finally had the chance to go out and have some fun, and when it came to spending money, they were naturally even more extravagant. In the dead of winter, in a warm room, watching the snow scene outside the window, tasting pastries and snacks, and listening to courtesans playing the zither and singing, there was a unique kind of enjoyment to it.

The Jurchens ultimately failed to conquer Pingyang.

Most of the prostitutes in Fangcui Tower would not leave the city.

The madam used her money again, and when the women were arrested and sent to Haixi, the prostitutes in Fangcui Tower were not implicated. Some customers, upon seeing their former lovers, were moved to tears, speechless with emotion. Of course, after the initial emotion subsided, they still needed to go to their private rooms for some activities to relax and rejuvenate, but these were things they couldn't tell outsiders.

The streets weren't particularly crowded, though there were many people coming and going. Even so, the line of six carriages stood out quite conspicuously. However, upon seeing the Kong family's banner on the convoy, everyone wisely looked away.

That's the Kong family.

The Kong family's stronghold wasn't in Pingyang, but in the surrounding area, their banners were often more effective than official flags; even if they encountered bandits on the road, they mostly wouldn't dare to stop them.

"Master Zhang, guess what they're transporting in their carriage?" Song Yan asked with a smile from the window on the second floor of Xue Lou. Zhang Ci glanced at it casually and chuckled, "Who knows? Look at those earthenware jars, they're probably wine, but the seals aren't very good."

"Also, this carriage is a bit overloaded; look how badly it's damaged the road..."

"Heh, you cunning old fox."

"I'm over seventy years old. If others hear this, they'll probably say that you, sir, don't respect your elders."

The caravan finally stopped at Fangcui Tower. Six carriages were parked on either side, and then two young men dressed in brocade robes and wearing animal skin cloaks stepped out of one of the carriages. They glanced at each other and then stepped into Fangcui Tower.

The journey was boring.

It would be nice to spend some time at Fangcui Tower.

As for the other nearly one hundred men, they stood guard beside the carriage, preventing anyone from approaching.

Just then, the waiter brought out the dishes, and Song Yan and Zhang Ci returned to their seats. Zhang Yan, who had left earlier, also returned. The little girl was still timid, but her face was no longer as pale as before; it had a bit more color, and she looked much more natural and pleasing to the eye.

Even when pouring wine for Song Yan, she no longer trembled as before.

Looking at the dishes on the table, Song Yan fell into deep thought.

Grandpa Zhang ordered eight dishes.

Three people, eight dishes—that's a bit extravagant.

However, for someone of Mr. Zhang's stature, hosting a dinner party is not simply about having enough to eat or eating well; it's about making the guests feel valued and respected.

Let alone eight dishes, eighteen or even twenty-eight would be possible. Eight dishes were already quite stingy... but when the dishes were served, Song Yan suddenly felt that this old man still valued him quite a bit. The huge round table was piled high with food, and in the center of the table was a porcelain basin containing something that looked like a small deer or a muntjac. Song Yan couldn't quite recognize it, but he knew that if he had eaten this thing in his past life, he might have been imprisoned for several years.

The sauce was thick and glossy, a dark red color that immediately whets the appetite.

Beside the porcelain basin were grouse, snow rabbit, and even bear paws. In addition, there were some meats that Song Yan couldn't even name, probably the kind that were very cruel.

The only familiar dish was lion's head meatballs... However, in Songzhou, lion's head meatballs are usually served in plates of four, or even three or two, while here at Xuelou, they come in eight, each the size of a fist. Song Yan estimated that even without any other dishes, these eight lion's head meatballs alone would be enough to fill the stomachs of the three of them.

This is probably the unique generosity of Liaodong. If there is less food on the plate, it means you are being disrespected. Zhang Yan moved closer to Song Yan without her noticing, and used long chopsticks to serve the food.

Song Yan actually looked down on the food in this world. The bitterness of coarse salt and the lack of seasonings always made the dishes lack flavor. However, he ate until his belly was round and full.

On the one hand, Xue Lou's cooking skills are indeed quite good.

All kinds of wild game were tender, juicy, and flavorful, even the bitterness of coarse salt was masked.

On the other hand, it's also because of Zhang Yan.

Those little hands were quite nimble; the meat in the bowl never broke.

After they had eaten and drunk their fill, Song Yan stood by the window again. The cold wind dispelled the effects of the alcohol, and even his slightly dazed mind cleared up. Looking out, he saw that the Kong family's carriage was still parked at Fangcui Tower.

"Master Zhang..."

"What is the relationship between the Kong family and the Duke Yansheng?"

There were two prominent Kong families in the Central Plains.

One is the Kong family, one of the eight great families of Jin, and the other is the Kong family of the Duke Yansheng.

The title of Duke Yansheng is a hereditary title for the direct descendants of Confucius. "Yan" means inheritance and "Sheng" refers to Confucius. Together, it means "the descendants of the sage continue to multiply".

Its core function is to represent the national ritual system and preside over the sacrificial rites at the Confucius Temple in Qufu.

The suppression of all other schools of thought and the exclusive veneration of Confucianism has happened before in this world... It's like a kind of historical inevitability; the various schools of thought eventually faded from the historical stage, leaving only Confucianism in the end.

This is actually quite understandable. After all, the Legalists advocated strict laws and severe punishments, and that the emperor should be punished the same as the common people. Such a doctrine was naturally rejected by the emperor, who was high above him. The strategists were a group of people who feared nothing more than a peaceful world, and the Mohists were a bunch of stubborn fools...

In comparison, Confucianism, which advocates loyalty to the emperor, benevolence and filial piety, rule by rites, and rule by virtue, is the most suitable ideology for governing the people. It doesn't even require the ruler to do much. As long as they show a slight liking for Confucianism and slightly favor Confucian scholars when rewarding officials, it won't be long before Confucianism flourishes and other schools of thought quietly decline.

Conferring the title of Duke Yansheng upon a descendant of Confucius was a way of winning over Confucianism. At the same time, as the orthodox inheritors of Confucianism, the Confucius family also needed to provide legitimacy endorsement for the rulers.

If the Kong family, one of the eight great families of Jin, represented wealth, then the Kong family of the Duke Yansheng represented status and was a sacred place in the hearts of scholars throughout the land.

Zhang Ci smiled and shook his head: "Who knows?"

“Some say that the Kong family in Jin is a branch of the lineage of the Duke Yansheng, while others say no. The Kong family in Jin and the lineage of the Duke Yansheng never respond to such rumors, neither denying nor confirming them, so there are all sorts of speculations.” Zhang Ci also glanced at the convoy, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes: “However, there should be some connection, right?”

"After all, the lineage of the Duke Yansheng attaches great importance to the surname Kong. They wish that only their family in the whole world could have the surname Kong. If there really was no connection, they would have come out to refute the rumors long ago."

Song Yan smiled, understanding the gist of it.

To put it bluntly, the Duke Yansheng held an extremely high position, practically the embodiment of a saint in the hearts of countless scholars. For someone of his stature to be tainted by the ways of commerce would be a stain on his saintly image, something the Confucius family would absolutely not tolerate. The Confucius family in Jin was very likely a branch deliberately separated from the Duke Yansheng's lineage long ago; they were essentially his front men, with the sole purpose of… making money.

Stopping thinking about these messy things, and seeing that it was almost time, Song Yan got up to say goodbye. Zhang Gong saw her all the way to the door and even wanted Zhang Yan to see her off a little further, but Song Yan refused.

"Yan'er, give your grandfather a straight answer. What do you really think of Song Yan?" As Song Yan's figure disappeared into the crowd, the smile on Zhang Gong's face gradually faded. His face twitched slightly. He had maintained a smile for almost an hour, and the flesh on his face was stiff, as if he couldn't control it. "Although I want the Zhang family to be associated with Song Yan, it ultimately depends on your own decision."

"If you are really scared, then forget it. There are other women in the family. You can always find a suitable one if you keep looking."

"If you have even a little bit of affection for me, I'll risk all my pride and go to Her Highness the Princess to ask for your help. I'm sure I'll get what I want."

A hint of disdain flashed in Zhang Gong's cloudy old eyes.

They're all a bunch of idiots.

With Song Yan being granted the title of Earl and temporarily appointed as the Prefect of Pingyang, countless people rushed to curry favor with him, and many even offered their daughters and granddaughters to him.

Song Yan ignored all of these people.

Although Zhang Ci was doing the same thing, he never told Song Yan that he wanted his granddaughter to be his concubine. It was just that his granddaughter happened to be there when he met Song Yan. Everyone else thought that Song Yan, as a son-in-law, must have suffered terribly in the Princess's mansion, but according to the information he had, the situation was completely the opposite. The Princess doted on Song Yan, and Song Yan also respected the Princess very much.

If you want to marry Song Yan, going through Song Yan's side is useless. As long as the Princess agrees, Song Yan will not refuse even if he doesn't like it. If the Princess disagrees, then even if you strip a woman naked and put her on Song Yan's bed, it will be useless.

The reason he brought Zhang Yan along was simply to see what his granddaughter thought.

Perhaps Zhang Gong's words were too blunt, because Zhang Yan was only a fifteen or sixteen-year-old girl, and her pretty face flushed. She had been a little afraid of Song Yan before, but now she didn't feel so scared anymore.

Seeing his granddaughter's expression, Grandpa Zhang understood immediately and couldn't help but burst into laughter.

……

"Brother-in-law!" On the other side, Song Yan was strolling through the streets of Pingyang City when he encountered patrolling soldiers and black-armored warriors. He waved to them and gave them some careful instructions.

Just then, a familiar, crisp voice rang out.

Just as I turned around, I saw a figure rushing towards me.

boom.

The little head bumped into my arms.

Song Yan was somewhat taken aback. Looking up, he saw Gu Banxia, ​​Kong Chan, and Bu Yu not far away. Just in front of them was a girl who looked exactly like the little girl in his arms, staring at him with bright, watery eyes. He instinctively raised his hand and gently patted the little girl's head: "Qingyi!" Then, he looked at the girl opposite him: "Caiyi, what brings you here?"

This is quite a pleasant surprise!

These two little girls are Song Yan's younger sister-in-law and younger sister-in-law.

Because of the cold weather here, the two sisters-in-law were bundled up in thick clothes, wearing what looked like mink coats. They were wrapped up like round, fluffy balls, and with their delicate little faces, they looked exceptionally cute.

These two little girls have always stayed in Ningping, so why have they come to Liaodong?

"It was Her Highness the Eldest Princess who sent them," Gu Banxia explained softly with a smile.

Song Yan understood roughly what was going on. It was just that the two younger sisters-in-law were a bit mischievous. When their mother was still alive, she could keep them in check, but after the Princess came to Liaodong, the tutors in the Luo family couldn't discipline them.

Coincidentally, Ningping had just produced a considerable amount of armor, and Luo Tianshu decided to allocate a batch to arm the soldiers in Liaodong. Liaodong borders the Jurchens, and war could break out at any time, so the more armored soldiers the better. Conversely, the anti-Japanese pirate troops in Ningping County, whose pirates had been almost completely wiped out, didn't need armor as urgently. Luo Yuheng then had two young maids arrange for a large number of guards to protect the troops during the transport of military supplies, along with many maids to serve them, and deliver the armor along the way.

Yes, there were also two thousand Japanese soldiers escorting the weapons. They were all fully armed in black armor, so their safety was guaranteed.

After arriving in Liaodong, these soldiers will likely stay here and won't go back... As for Luo Tianshu's side, they will continue to recruit, and the number of Japanese pirate guards will always be five thousand, never exceeding the limit.

It's clear that Luo Yuheng is preparing to take command in Liaodong.

The imperial edict issued by Emperor Ninghe previously conveyed the same meaning.

I wonder if this counts as a family reunion?
No, I forgot about the brothers Luo Tianchu and Luo Tianquan.

Pingyang City is now entirely under the control of Song Yan and Luo Yuheng, so transferring Luo Tianshu and Luo Tianquan here would not make much sense. On the contrary, the two brothers, one a county magistrate and the other a county assistant, have finally gained control of Ningping County, so they will naturally not give it up easily.

"The convoy arrived in Pingyang at noon." Gu Banxia's soft voice continued, "There are a total of two thousand sets of armor and weapons. Under the arrangement of the Princess, they have been sent to the military camp of the Fubing (military garrison) to equip the strong and skilled soldiers selected from among the Fubing. When the Fubing commander Zhang Zhen saw these armors, he burst into tears, saying that he had never seen such good weapons and armor in his life."

Gu Banxia covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

Song Yan could roughly imagine how comical Zhang Zhen, a veteran general in his fifties, would be when he saw these suits of armor… probably bursting into tears. But Song Yan, who had also been on the battlefield, could understand Zhang Zhen's feelings very well. Because the Ningguo court was corrupt and rampant with bribery, those corrupt officials dared to reach out their claws to anywhere.

Disaster relief funds, military pay, and arms expenses—wherever there's money to be made, those corrupt officials will be there.

Throughout Liaodong, whether it was the garrison troops in Pingyang City or the border troops in Xinhou County, their military pay had been in arrears, and their weapons and armor had not been replaced for years, and were already covered in rust.

Moreover, even the old weapons were crudely made.

Such weapons and armor were extremely devastating against the Jurchen cavalry; the armor was easily cleaved, and the weapons would break in half after only a few collisions. A large portion of the heavy casualties suffered by the border troops of Xinhou County did not come from the Jurchen cavalry, but rather from their own equipment.

Let alone black armor and steel swords, even if they had met Ningguo's requirements for standard armor and weapons, the border army might not have suffered such a crushing defeat. They might even have been able to intercept the Jurchen cavalry outside Xinhou County.

That's why Zhang Zhen was so excited. The old general knew very well how many soldiers' casualties such weapons and equipment could reduce.

As for Luo Yuheng's decision to hand over the black armor and steel swords to the Pingyang Prefecture soldiers, Song Yan had no objection. Although in terms of loyalty, it was naturally better to recruit and train soldiers himself; however, Zhang Zhen had, after all, defected, and this batch of weapons and armor could also serve to win people's hearts.

Originally four thousand, plus two thousand more, plus two thousand garrison soldiers, that makes eight thousand black-armored warriors.

With his forces growing stronger, Song Yan couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation. He hoped that Zhang Gong's caravan could successfully obtain useful intelligence from the Jurchens, and he couldn't wait to visit Jurchen territory again.

"As for the two young ladies, they couldn't stay in the governor's mansion. Before long, they were clamoring to come to Pingyang City for a visit and to find their brother-in-law."

As she spoke, the little girl in her arms finally raised her head and looked at Song Yan with obvious delight. Her happiness was undeniable. Luo Caiyi also came over, and the two girls, one on each side, held Song Yan's hands.

Song Yan was very happy to see the two little girls. Luo Qingyi and Luo Caiyi were playful and cute, Gu Banxia was gentle and tender, Kong Chan was youthful and invincible, and Bu Yu, the widow, had a graceful and charming temperament. The group walked on the streets of Pingyang City, which was like a beautiful landscape, attracting attention from people.

Occasionally, you can hear the clear, crisp voices of two little girls:
"Brother-in-law, brother-in-law, the story of Journey to the West is not finished yet."

"Yes, yes, so what exactly did Sun Wukong do after he immobilized the seven fairies?"

"Also, could Xu Xian really have a baby with a snake?"

Although they didn't know each other, some passersby still cast reproachful glances at Song Yan. What kind of filthy knowledge was this young man imparting to two very cute little girls?
Really abominable.

……

Fangcui Tower.

The second floor.

A private room facing the street.

Two young men who looked somewhat alike were enjoying snacks and dishes, each with a beautiful woman behind them. However, the women did not do anything inappropriate for children; they simply stood behind the two young men and massaged their shoulders.

It's mainly because it's too cold.

Even though there was a charcoal brazier inside, it didn't arouse much interest.

Kong Lingchen.

Kong Lingyun!
They were two young masters from the Kong family, one of the eight great families of Shanxi.

They frequently traveled this trade route, and each time they passed through Pingyang City, they would choose to rest briefly at Fangcui Tower. It wasn't to find women for entertainment, but purely to fill their stomachs. There was no other way; although Pingyang City had many restaurants and taverns, if you ordered a bowl of noodles, they would most likely bring you a whole pot instead. Taverns were even worse—they were simply too crude.

On the contrary, although Fangcui Tower is a brothel, the drinks, pastries and food it provides are very exquisite and more in line with the status of the two of them... As for the guards outside, there is no need to worry, they have dry rations.

Compared to the various major events that have occurred in Pingyang Prefecture recently—the Jurchens breaking through the pass, leaving corpses strewn across the fields, Song Yan conquering Pingyang City and killing 133 officials, and the Huang family being wiped out—the Kong family, whose stronghold is not in Pingyang, has been fortunate enough to avoid all the crises.

At present, the relationship between the Jurchens and Ningguo is very tense, but business still needs to be done.

After all, the profits are just too high.

However, some recent events have revealed something unusual. Most aristocratic families and clans are detached from worldly affairs, remaining steadfast despite the changing dynasties.

In recent months, the Fan family's branch in Dingzhou was inexplicably wiped out. It is said that the enemies were the three brothers Yang Lie, Yang Xiong, and Yang Fei, who were known as the "Township of the East," and they have not been found since.

That's probably just a way to fool people.

After all, not only were corpses strewn all over the Fan family mansion, but many of the bodies had obviously been shot to death by military crossbows. Even the gold and silver treasures buried underground by the Fan family had been looted clean. The Fan family was furious and wanted to go to the governor of Dingzhou to demand an explanation, but in the end, for some reason, nothing came of it.

I heard from a tidbit that the governor of Dingzhou had laid out a pile of blood-stained military crossbows, which seemed to have been found in the Fan family's possession.

Then, half a month ago, Song Yan wiped out a century-old family in Pingyang City.

The identity of a powerful and influential family no longer seems so secure.

However, this is also a good thing for the Kong family.

Originally, the business with the Jurchens was mainly done by the Fan, Kong, and Huang families. Now that two competitors have been eliminated, the Zhang family and those backpackers are no longer a concern. Therefore, the price of the goods can be raised.

Of course, before that, there was one more thing to do, which was to smooth things over with Song Yan.

The Kong family's goods are quite special; it's impossible to travel over mountains and along back roads. Currently, the entire Pingyang Prefecture is under Song Yan's actual control, and without Song Yan's approval, this business naturally cannot be done.

Thinking this, Kong Lingyun ate about 80% full before she knew it. She picked up her teacup and took a sip. The spicy tea stimulated her spirit, and her previous weariness dissipated. She looked out the window and saw the pedestrians in coarse linen clothes. She shook her head slightly. After all, it was a remote little place. The people here were really too coarse. The linen was really too ugly. Why didn't they wear silk?
Before Kong Lingyun knew it, two fluffy little girls wearing mink coats appeared in front of her. Even from a distance, she could tell that the two little girls were clever and cute. Kong Lingyun's eyes lit up: "What beautiful girls."

(End of this chapter)