Film and Television: The Collector Who Rampages Across the Heavens

Last night, two orioles sang in the green willows...

Two beauties were resting on his arms, Shui Ning and Zhang Haohao. Just by looking at the lingering charm on their faces, one could tell what had happened last night.

Shui Ning alone could not withstand the attack, so Zhang Haohao was naturally pulled into the fray, but unfortunately, they all ended up losing miserably.

Gently withdrawing her arm, Su Li dressed and ate breakfast with the help of other maids before leaving with a group of guards.

The Qiantang River is often rainy and humid, with frequent light rain. The soil is fertile, and the people living here have fair skin. Most of them carry an umbrella when they live far from home.

"Young master has already inquired and found out that there is indeed a well-known Zhao's Tea House at the end of the riverbank, whose tea and pastries have a great reputation for miles around," the guard reported, bowing.

"Let's go take a look..."

The group rode their horses and soon arrived at the end of the lake. The teahouse was built by the lake, surrounded by beautiful mountain scenery. A continuous wooden railing surrounded the teahouse, and morning dew dripped from the thatched doors.

"Fu Zifang, this is what you call being a bad influence! You secretly took money to buy things... and you even dared to run away! Stop right there!"

A child in a gray shirt was run over and scattered in all directions, followed angrily by a simple, plain-looking young woman in linen clothes. Her skin was as white as snow, her face was delicate, and her figure was full and curvaceous. Although she was past her youthful prime, she had a mature charm that ordinary girls did not possess.

"Stop right now, or I'm running away!"

The little boy Fu Zifang ran very fast on his short legs, and he even had time to make a face at the back.

"You're driving me crazy! I'll beat you to death if I catch you!" Sun Sanniang shouted from behind. The next second, she saw the knight appear at the end of the road, and her beautiful face changed: "Stop running! Stop right now..."

"Only a fool wouldn't run away. Come and chase me if you dare."

Upon hearing this, Fu Zifang not only didn't stop but actually sped up. Turning his head, he heard the thunderous sound of hooves and saw the approaching steed. The rider on it was tall and burly, with a long sword at his waist, exuding a menacing aura.

He was so frightened that he froze on the spot, standing motionless in the middle of the road.

Sun San Niang immediately panicked and shouted, "Watch out, wait..."

She ran over quickly, pulled Fu Zifang to the side of the road ahead and shielded him behind her, her eyes scanning the knights who had slowed their horses.

With a quick glance, she knew that these were all outsiders, and from the families of high-ranking officials.

"Is that Zhao's Tea House up ahead?"

In the center, riding a magnificent black horse, a young and handsome official's son cast a questioning glance his way, inquiring about her.

"Indeed... My son was rude, please forgive him, sir." Sun San Niang replied, and even offered a small apology.

"It's nothing!"

Su Li's gaze lingered on Sun San Niang for a while. This woman could be described as charming and beautiful. Her coarse linen clothes could not conceal her inner beauty, which was as peony-like as a flower.

"Let's go to the teahouse in front and rest."

Su Li waved his hand and led several riders away. Only then did Sun San Niang breathe a sigh of relief, grabbing Fu Zifang by the collar and giving him a lecture.

"You better watch yourself! Luckily nothing happened just now. What if you'd offended someone important and been captured and made a government slave?"

Her full chest heaved, and she was still shaken.

……

A faint aroma of tea wafted through Zhao's Tea House, clearly the result of years of tea production. Fruit trees and tea fields lined both sides of a road leading to the tea shop.

Seeing a group of knights tethering their horses outside the gate, escorting the young noblewoman in single file, Zhao Pan'er quickly stepped forward to greet them.

"This humble woman, Zhao Pan'er, greets Your Excellency."

"I'm only here for tea, no need for formalities!"

Su Li nodded to her. The woman in front of him was the female lead in the play. She had a face as pure and beautiful as a lotus flower, dressed in a pink and white cloth dress, with few pieces of jewelry. Her snow-white neck and graceful figure exuded an air of elegance.

Zhao Pan'er stepped aside to let her pass, gesturing for her to proceed: "Honorable guest, this way please!"

There were only six tables in the teahouse, and no one was there at the moment. Su Li chose one by the lake, and several guards stood guard around it with their swords drawn.

"What kind of tea would you like, sir?"

Zhao Pan'er brought over a plate of freshly picked fruits and asked questions with graceful manners.

"That depends on what kind of tea you have here?" Su Li asked her.

Zhao Pan'er replied calmly, "There are teas such as Perilla Drink, Dragon and Phoenix Tea, and Green Phoenix Marrow... My specialty is Perilla Drink. If you are not in a hurry, I can prepare a pot."

"I have plenty of time today, so please go ahead and prepare."

Su Li glanced at Sun San Niang who had just entered and said, "Also, bring me some of your pastries..."

Zhao Pan'er smiled and agreed. The process of making truly good tea involves many steps, such as brewing, grinding, heating the cup, whisking, and watermarking. Good tea has the effect of nourishing the body, regulating temperament, and promoting blood circulation.

It can be said that the tea ceremony has been passed down from ancient times to the present day for a reason. Most people do not understand tea because they cannot drink good tea.

"Please enjoy your meal, sir. This is peach blossom pastry, this is hawthorn cake, and this is bean cake."

Sun San Niang placed three rows of pastries on the table and thoughtfully explained them to everyone.

Su Li picked up a peach blossom pastry in front of her, tasted it, and praised it, saying, "It's lightly sweet, fragrant, and crispy, and tastes like peach blossoms. The name 'Peach Blossom Pastry' is truly fitting."

"Thank you for your kind words, Your Excellency... These pastries are all handmade by me. I dare not say they are famous in Qiantang, but they are definitely the best in this area. Many passing merchants have even taken them home as gifts."

A faint smile appeared on Sun San Niang's beautiful face. This skill was the foundation of her family's livelihood, and praising this was better than praising anything else.

Su Li nodded, taking small bites of the hawthorn cake, and continued, "You should take your skills to Tokyo. Tokyo has thriving department stores and countless folk crafts. If you can develop and become famous there, this pastry might even be passed down through the ages."

"You are quite the smooth talker, sir. I would be more than satisfied if these pastries could become famous throughout Qiantang. I would never even dare to dream of them being remembered for generations."

Sun San Niang giggled, and her large breasts, which were tightly bound, trembled several times.

"A person must have dreams to live. Maybe you really can reach the level I'm talking about." Su Li withdrew her admiring gaze and noticed Zhao Pan'er coming over with a teapot.

Sun San Niang was pondering the word "dream," as it was the first time she had ever heard it.

Zhao Pan'er then began to demonstrate her skills on the spot. She clearly had a deep understanding of the art of tea, and her flowing, graceful movements were extremely beautiful.

She explained gently, "Before the Song Dynasty, perilla drink was called 'perilla boiled water,' which was used to treat fever and irritability, suppress heat toxins, and taste sweet and amber in color when it was ready."

After several steps of the process, Zhao Pan'er slowly withdrew her hand: "Honorable guest, please!"

Su Li picked up the cup, brought it to his lips, and took a sip, savoring it slowly. He didn't really know much about tea, but he could still tell whether it tasted good or not.

"Excellent tea. Although using the word 'generous reward' might be an understatement of the shopkeeper's skill, I still have to say... a generous reward is necessary."

Su Li casually placed an ounce of gold on the table and then pushed it over with a folding fan.

"I dare not refuse such a generous gift from a noble person, so I will accept it."

Zhao Pan'er returned to the tea room with the gold. Next to her, Sun San Niang, who was kneading dough, came over as she rolled up her sleeves to reveal her slender arms like lotus roots.

"Pan'er, have you figured out what these people are really like?"

"I reckon he's from Tokyo. The silk he's wearing is all from the finest Sichuan and Chongqing silks. This kind of silk is only available to royalty and nobility. I think he might be a member of some powerful family."

Zhao Pan'er glanced at the young people drinking tea and eating pastries out of the corner of her eye and said softly.

Sun San Niang gave a thumbs-up and smiled: "Just what I guessed..."

"Manager, a customer has arrived! Come out quickly!"

The two men who arrived were Gu Qianfan, the "Living Yama" of the Tokyo Imperial City Guard, and his subordinate Lao Jia. As soon as they entered the teahouse, they saw guards with cold noodles and knives all around.

Old Jia quickly whispered, "Commander, what about these people?"

"The one from Tokyo is from the Ningguo Duke's mansion. The one drinking tea by the lake is Su Li, the youngest son of the current Ningguo Duke."

Gu Qianfan recognized him at a glance. He worked in Tokyo and had a firm grasp on the names of all the high-ranking officials and nobles.

A doubt arose in his mind. Why was this young duke not in Tokyo? What was he doing here? Could it be that he was also after the Night Banquet?

No... that shouldn't be possible. Even if the Duke of Ningguo wanted to get involved, he wouldn't send his youngest son over.

Old Jia didn't think too much about it. In his eyes, the commander in front of him was already a big shot, and the son of the Duke of Ningguo was even more unworthy of his attention.

"Manager Zhao, bring us a pot of Qingfeng Marrow and a plate of Peach Blossom Pastries."

"Just a moment, it'll be ready soon."

Old Jia turned to Gu Qianfan and chuckled, "Commander, what do you think? Both Manager Zhao and Sun San Niang are undeniably stunning beauties."

Gu Qianfan stared at the tea room for a while, and only after Zhao Pan'er came over and brought out the fragrant tea and pastries did he give his evaluation.

"She's considered a beauty among rural women, but once I transfer you to Tokyo, you'll know what a stunningly beautiful woman who could topple cities and kingdoms truly is."

Old Jia clasped his hands in a salute and smiled helplessly: "What the commander sees as a rustic countrywoman is, in my humble opinion, an angelic beauty. If I could marry any one of them, I would gladly give up twenty years of my lifespan."

The two were not only indifferent, but also arrogant enough to completely ignore Zhao Pan'er, who was serving tea to Su Li, and clearly heard what they said.

Zhao Pan'er's slender hand holding the teapot suddenly clenched, her face turning extremely ugly. She glanced at Gu Qianfan and Lao Jia with a knife-like look before returning to the tea room.

As the early morning dawned, guests came from time to time to drink tea, and gradually all six tables in the teahouse were filled with people.

Business was booming, and Sun San Niang couldn't stop smiling. Zhao Pan'er's depression at being told that her looks were average also lessened a little.

Suddenly, a commotion of shouts and killing erupted outside the teahouse. A gang of bandits was being chased by government troops. The bandit leader saw that there was a river in front of him and a large number of government troops behind him.

The quick-witted man spotted the group of people in the teahouse and immediately waved and shouted, "Come with me, grab those people and take them hostage!"

"Big brother, is there a horse?" one of the henchmen asked excitedly, pointing to the horse tied outside.

The bandit leader shouted, "There's no time to mount the horse, grab the men first..."

"robber?"

"Run!"

"Why are you running? There's a river behind us."

"Why am I so unlucky? I ran into a robber first thing in the morning."

The tea drinkers huddled together in a panic, like ants on a hot plate, while Gu Qianfan and Lao Jia sat calmly to one side and continued to enjoy their tea.

Zhao Pan'er and Sun San Niang exchanged a glance, both looking helpless.

"Pan'er, what should we do?"

"Wait and see. If those people don't make a move, then we'll have to watch my signals later."

Zhao Pan'er was referring to Su Li's guards. As soon as she finished speaking, the outermost guards drew their long swords and charged out of the teahouse like wolves and tigers, fighting with the bandits.

These bandits were just ordinary people who went up the mountain to become outlaws. Their martial arts skills were mediocre, and they were no match for the well-trained guards.

Two bandits were cut down as soon as they met. When the soldiers arrived, the remaining three bandits looked at each other in dismay, then quickly dropped their weapons and squatted down to surrender.

After the officers and soldiers subdued the bandits, they spoke with the guards for a while. The leading officer approached Su Li, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "Greetings, Young Duke!"

"No need, what's the deal with these robbers?"

He ate all the pastries on the plate, and Su Li took out a woman's silk handkerchief to wipe her hands.

The officers and soldiers explained that these people had fled from the north and had repeatedly committed petty thefts without being caught. It was only through a scheme devised by the government that they were lured out.

Su Li didn't think much of it; he had just asked casually.

After the soldiers escorted the robbers away, the teahouse returned to calm, but the tea drinkers lost their appetite. They bowed to Su Li to thank her, paid their bills, and left, leaving only Su Li and Gu Qianfan's tables.

"This humble woman thanks Duke Xiaoguo for his help. If it weren't for your guards' assistance, my teahouse would probably have been smashed to pieces."

Zhao Pan'er, wearing embroidered little shoes, came over and gave a graceful bow, sincerely thanking her.

"You're welcome. With your skills alone, I had to lend a hand." Su Li pointed to the gleaming plate and asked with a smile, "Are there any more pastries?"

"Of course, Third Sister, bring over some more pastries."

Seeing this distinguished guest acting so childlike, like a child asking for candy, Zhao Pan'er smiled and called out to the tea room.

Sun San Niang brought over the pastries, glanced at Gu Qianfan and the other person, and muttered to herself as if she couldn't help but feel indignant: "Some people are really shameless. They saved you, and you just sat there like a block of wood without even saying thank you."

Everyone present knew who she was talking about. Old Jia was about to speak when Gu Qianfan grabbed his arm and placed a few pieces of silver on the table.

"Shopkeeper, the bill has been paid."

After saying that, the two left quickly. Gu Qianfan had come to Qiantang with an important mission, and he didn't have time to waste on a country bumpkin.

"Tch, how rude of them," Sun San Niang muttered as she watched their retreating figures.

"Third Sister, please say less." Zhao Pan'er coughed lightly twice. In her opinion, those two men were not simple either. She smiled apologetically at Su Li: "Third Sister is just a bit outspoken. Please don't mind, Young Duke."

"It's alright, and you don't need to call me Young Duke anymore. I have a name. My surname is Su, and my given name is Li."

Su Li's approachable attitude greatly increased their goodwill towards her.

Just then, a clear and melodious voice called out from outside the teahouse. Two women and a man came over the stone arch bridge. The one who spoke was Song Yinzhang, the best pipa player in Jiangnan.

She came with her maid and lover to find Zhao Pan'er, whom she considered like a sister, to ask for her blessings.

"It's Yin Zhang..." Zhao Pan'er descended the steps to greet them, looking at them: "And who is this young master?"

Song Yinzhang didn't answer immediately. Her beautiful eyes darted around nervously as she asked, "I heard that some bad guys have come to the teahouse. Are you alright?"

"It's all resolved. Aren't you going to introduce this young master to me?" Zhao Pan'er smiled gently, her gaze fixed on the man beside her.

"This is Zhou She, Zhou Lang. He specially brought me here."

Song Yinzhang glanced at Zhou She with tender affection, smiled shyly, her eyes brimming with tenderness.

Zhao Pan'er looked at the two of them thoughtfully, nodded, and smiled, "Zhou Lang, it seems your relationship is quite special. Come... let's talk inside."

The group entered the tea room. After looking at Su Li, Zhou She wondered why this important person was here, but he pretended not to know him.

Su Li smiled knowingly, stood up, and said to Zhao Pan'er in the tea room, "Madam Zhao, I'm leaving now. No need to see me off."