Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

Qiantang, which is now Hangzhou, has been a place of beautiful scenery since ancient times and is known as a paradise on earth. There are countless poems praising and describing Qiantang.

A large government ship was sailing towards the dock, its rolling waves resembling those of a beluga whale...

Above, in the pavilion corresponding to the sail of the ship, a girl with hair as white as clouds and skin as white as snow is admiring the scenery.

As the official boat was about to reach the shore, she spoke with a hint of anxiety.

"understood."

Su Li said with a smile on her lips.

After a long while, Zhang Haohao, her legs weak, ran into the bathroom that had been prepared in advance to wash up.

Su Li sipped tea by the window. After about half an hour, the speed of the large ship could be seen to be getting slower and slower. Finally, with a whoosh, it steered into the reserved berth at the dock. The guards and boatmen on the official ship began to get busy, unloading boxes of goods from Tokyo.

The Ningguo Duke's Mansion also controlled many businesses, trading silk, porcelain, tea and other goods between the north and south year after year. Otherwise, how could they possibly support such a large family with the emperor's rewards and salary?

"Young master, it's time to disembark. Tonight, you'll stay at one of the Duke's residences in Qiantang," Shui Ning said, knocking on the door from outside.

"A group of people will go to the house, while another group will accompany me to wander around Qiantang..."

Su Li emerged, holding a folding fan. Dressed in brocade robes and wearing a jade crown, his face was as handsome as jade, exuding a dashing and debonair air.

"Okay, okay, why aren't you coming out yet?"

Shui Ning suppressed the urge to roll her eyes. You and she have been through so much, she deserves a good rest.

Sure enough, after hearing his words, Zhang Haohao, dressed in a pale yellow apricot-colored dress, gracefully pushed open the door and came out.

"Let's go, let's set off, I'll take you to meet the best pipa player in Jiangnan."

After disembarking and boarding the carriage, they took more than ten guards and rushed to the famous Huayulou in Qiantang... In fact, it was the Jiaofangsi, a place where some criminals of low social status lived. Huayulou was a group of singers and dancers selected from these criminals of low social status to perform for profit.

The difference between these women and those in brothels is that these women belong to the imperial court and can only be admired, not played with. They are not freed from their lowly status and may not even be allowed to leave the area within a hundred miles.

Of course, that applies to ordinary people. If Su Li wants to remove a woman's household registration, it's quite simple; he just needs to mention the name of the Duke's Mansion.

Surrounded by apricot trees and peach blossoms, the courtyard, with its pink walls and black tiles, is built along the lake. Elegant painted boats and exquisite pavilions are interspersed among the surrounding buildings.

"Oh my, this distinguished guest looks unfamiliar. Are you from Tokyo?"

The arrival of Su Li and her group immediately caught the attention of the manager of Huayuelou, who hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

The burly, imposing guard leader, with an iron-willed and cold demeanor, casually tossed him a piece of silver: "I've heard you have the best pipa player in Jiangnan here. My lord wants to see him. Lead the way."

The steward happily put the loose silver into his pocket, bowing and scraping repeatedly, saying, "Honorable sir, this way please!"

They were talking about Song Yinzhang, the best pipa player in Jiangnan. He was currently performing the pipa in the pavilion, and the music was melodious, like the tinkling of a stream. There were dozens of guests in the hall swaying their heads and admiring him.

The fact that Su Li and the others entered didn't attract much attention, which shows how focused they were.

The steward wiped the stool with his sleeve and said with a hint of apprehension, "Please forgive us, sir, our small building has no private rooms. We apologize for the inconvenience."

"Go ahead."

Su Li sat down steadily, looking at the woman behind the screen who was playing the pipa. Her face was not clear, but her exquisite and beautiful aura was visible. Her skin was as white as frost, and her hair was as black as ink. She wore a light red gauze long dress, which partially concealed her slender figure, but her hot curves were still visible to the naked eye.

Zhang Haohao, sitting behind him, was slightly jealous. She reached out and touched his arm, saying, "Su Lang, the music of this top pipa player in Jiangnan is nothing special. Let's not listen to it."

She could easily see the man's gaze lingering on the woman behind the screen; he was clearly drooling with desire.

Zhang Haohao was extremely unhappy. Although she knew that this young master liked beautiful women, he had only been in the same room with her for a short time and had already taken a fancy to someone else. Even though she was very magnanimous, she was still a little jealous!

"You're lying to me. I've listened to your music many times. While Song Yinzhang may not be as good as you, he's not that much worse." Su Li held the woman's slender hand, amused. "You're afraid that if I have her, I'll neglect you. You don't need to have that thought. You've felt my strength these past few days."

Zhang Haohao's beautiful face turned bright red in an instant, and she stammered and said something shyly.

As the two conversed, the pipa music gradually ceased, and a graceful, slender maid in a thin white dress stepped out from behind them. She said, "Ladies and gentlemen, today's performance has come to an end. The next performance will be in three days. On behalf of my master, I thank you all."

"Master Song always rests for three days after each performance. Can't this rule be changed?"

"Yes, waiting for three days is really boring..."

"Everyone, Master Song is hailed as the best pipa player in Jiangnan. To be able to play such heavenly music, she must have prepared for a long time. It is normal that playing a piece like this takes a lot of mental and physical exertion. Please don't make things difficult for her."

At the front of the crowd, a handsome man with slicked-back hair and dressed in light blue gentleman's attire spoke up in a clear voice to defuse the situation.

"Young Master Zhou is practically family with Master Song, so it's really unfair of him to say that."

"That's right. The thought that Master Song would fall for Brother Zhou makes my heart ache unbearably."

Zhou Shechong and the others repeatedly bowed to express their apologies. After exchanging a few pleasantries, everyone in the hall disappeared one by one, leaving only Su Li and the others.

"Who is this distinguished guest?"

The guards carried swords, and the women accompanying them were exceptionally beautiful. The young man at the head of the table possessed an outstanding demeanor, and his undeniable air of nobility was awe-inspiring.

"Your name is Zhou She?" the nobleman asked him.

"I am Zhou She, and you are...?" Zhou She cupped his hands in greeting, took two steps forward, and, eager to establish a rapport, asked, "If you have any business to discuss, please feel free to give your instructions."

Su Li shook her head, toying with her folding fan in her hand, and led her people away amidst his astonished gaze.

Zhou She was puzzled. Although this young man was of noble birth, his personality was too arrogant, even more so than Zhou She's.

"Never mind, our immediate target is still Song Yinzhang..."

The thought of the vast wealth the woman behind the screen possessed filled him with a burning desire.

……

Zhou She, a native of Huating County, was a greedy and treacherous gambler. He had once been quite wealthy, but he squandered it all on gambling and incurred a lot of debt.

His purpose in coming to Qiantang was to find "rich people," and he quickly set his sights on Song Yinzhang, who came from a wealthy family and was naive.

With his good looks and sweet talk, Zhou She boasted about his family's wealth and extensive connections, successfully deepening his relationship with the top pipa player in Jiangnan.

He felt he could succeed in less than a month, and then both the money and the woman would be his...

Zhou She was in a good mood. After leaving Huayu Tower that evening, he found a place to have some drinks. He walked back to his residence drunkenly with two or three attendants, but unexpectedly, seven or eight burly men in black came out of the alley.

In just a few moves, he knocked his henchmen to the ground, stuffed them into a sack, and tied them up before they even had a chance to cry for help.

"Didn't they say there were no bandits in Qiantang? Why are they targeting me?"

With a rag stuffed in his mouth and his eyes wide open, Zhou She was being jostled around so much that he almost vomited up the food he had just eaten.

Finally, after an unknown amount of time, the sack was removed, and the view before them brightened. The carved beams and painted rafters were exquisite and magnificent, and guards stood on both sides with their hands on their swords. The young man who had met them once before was sitting at the head of the table.

"Is it you?"

Zhou She exclaimed in surprise, his face filled with doubt and confusion as he asked, "My lord, I have not offended you, have I?"

Su Li waved his hand, and a guard stepped forward, holding a dossier and recounting Zhou She's detailed information word by word. The content was so rich that even Zhou She himself did not know it.

He felt a chill run through his body, a fear that penetrated to his very bones. His throat was hoarse as he asked, "My lord, what exactly do you want me to do?"

Su Li did not answer his question, but took the dossier from the guard and threw it on the ground in front of him.

"Based on the following information, it can be determined that you are committing a fraud. At Huayulou, you left an impression on everyone and Song Yinzhang that you were wealthy and had a wide network of connections. In fact, it seems that this is not the case. You are just a thug."

Zhou She remained silent; in truth, he had nothing to say, because it was simply the truth.

"If you don't speak, that means you've already made a decision. So, should I chop you into pieces and feed you to the dogs, or hand you over to the authorities?" Su Li picked up a cup of fragrant tea from the table, took two sips, and said.

"I feel that the important person needs me. If any method were to force me to sacrifice myself, I would not be kneeling here."

Zhou She was a shrewd man; he slammed his hand down and prostrated himself on the ground.

"I am willing to serve a noble person."

"Not bad, you're quite smart. I just need a dog... Get up."

This Zhou She is just a merchant, only slightly famous in the small place of Huating County. If he wants the other party to die, it's just a matter of a word or a flick of his finger.

However, even waste has its value. Wouldn't it be better to squeeze the scum out of the body and then grind it into dust?

When Zhou She heard himself being called a dog, his fair face not only did not turn angry, but he became even more respectful and humble. Serving as a dog for a noble person is a privilege that some people don't even have the chance to have.

"Do you know who I am?" Su Li got up from her seat, opened her folding fan and walked through the middle.

After looking him over for a while, Zhou She shook his head: "I guess you are from Tokyo, but I know nothing else."

The guard leader sneered, "Are you blind? This gentleman before you is Su Li, the third young master of the Ningguo Duke's Mansion in Tokyo... the young duke!"

Pfft!

Zhou She's legs went weak upon hearing this, and he almost collapsed to the ground. What kind of status did the young master of the Duke's mansion have?

Apart from the group of people at the very top of the Northern Song Dynasty pyramid, no one can compare to them.

The Ningguo Duke's Mansion was the best among them, descendants of founding heroes, top nobles whose positions were hereditary, while he was just a merchant from a small county, not even in the top tier.

He was more than willing to be a dog for the young duke.

Zhou She, his face flushed with excitement, quickly said, "This humble servant is willing to die for the Duke!"

Su Li waved his finger, and after all the guards left, he gestured for Zhou She to sit down and talk. The latter sat down respectfully, barely touching the chair with his bottom.

"I am also very interested in Song Yinzhang..."

Zhou She suddenly realized why he had become the target, but he wasn't angry at all. Instead, he was excited to have this opportunity to connect with the Duke of Ningguo's mansion.

"I will immediately sever ties with Song Yinzhang. With my status as a minor duke, I will have no problem winning her over."

Without Su Li needing to remind him, he fawned over her and pledged his loyalty.

"I appreciate your kindness, but you've already completed so many strategy missions, it would be a shame to waste them."

Zhou She didn't quite understand what Su Li was saying. He wondered what the strategy mission was, but dared not ask.

"You continue to curry favor with Song Yinzhang. When things have calmed down enough, it won't be too late for me to step in."

A woman's heart cannot hold two men; once it does, it's a sign of infidelity. If Su Li were to tell Song Yinzhang to his face that Zhou She was bad, she would more than half believe it.

He has no interest in going to great lengths to please someone; it would be a waste of time and make him look like a sycophant.

It would be better to let Zhou She send Song Yinzhang to bed, so that she can see the former's true nature and face in person. The happiest moment is the most desperate moment. Wouldn't that be quite interesting?

After hearing Su Li's words, Zhou She thought to himself that the nobleman knew how to play the game. He repeatedly cupped his hands in agreement, promising to do his best to satisfy the young master.

If you ask him if he, as a man, is angry, don't forget that this is ancient times. Women of low social status are not considered human beings, but merely commodities. If they can be used to befriend a top-level powerful figure.

In the Northern Song Dynasty, almost everyone was willing to do so, and there were even cases of people offering their own concubines for others to enjoy.

And modern times... haha!

After finishing his important business, Su Li ordered six guards to come in and said, "From today onwards, these six will follow you, serving as your bodyguards and protecting your safety."

"Greetings, six older brothers!"

Zhou She bowed respectfully to the six men. He was sensible, knowing that he was new to the place and had only recently gained the trust of the noblemen, and was far inferior to the status of these confidants.

"Go ahead, I hope to hear good news from you soon."

"I will certainly do my utmost..."

Zhou She led his men away, and Su Li turned around and returned to the backyard. Inside the house, a slender, curvaceous woman was tidying the bed and bedding. He tiptoed closer and quickly put his arm around her waist.

"Ah...Young master."

"It's water condensation, isn't it great?" Su Li asked, her hands still moving.

Shui Ning blushed crimson and said, "I'm taking a bath... Young Master hasn't finished getting ready yet."

"It's bound to get chaotic sooner or later, no rush. Look at this beautiful night view, with the stars like diamonds. Why don't we do something else first?"

Su Li used a folding fan to lift her personal maid's chin, revealing her pink cherry lips, pearly teeth, almond-shaped eyes that were watery, and a beauty mark under her eye that exuded charm.

Shui Ning clutched the corner of her dress with her small hands, too shy to utter a sound.

Seeing this, Su Li stepped forward...