long night fire

"My father wants to see you."

Chapter 20 曲意奉承

Shang Jian Yao said "Oh":

"Your dad dances well, you shouldn't be judged by appearances."

He didn't seem to understand what Zhao Yide said.

Seeing that Xue Shiyue and others were also noncommittal, Zhao Yide had no choice but to repeat:

"My father wants to ask you for help. I wonder if you would like to see him."

Jiang Baimian changed his mind and said narrowly:

"As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.

"It's okay to meet, but it can't be in the Zhao Mansion. We have to find a place where everyone can feel at ease."

Zhao Yide felt that this was reasonable, so he nodded and agreed:

"it is good."

He was about to propose a meeting place when suddenly Shang Jianyao patted him on the shoulder:

"Eat first, talk about it later, it won't taste good when it's cold."

Zhao Yide turned his head slowly, looked at Shang Jianyao, and saw his sincerity and seriousness.

Withdrawing his gaze, Zhao Yide picked up the small spoon and struggled to finish the potato stew.

This made him almost burst into tears.

"If you don't like meat, I can help you." Shang Jianyao glanced at him and made a timely suggestion.

Zhao Yide hurriedly replied like Feng Lun's voice:

"it is good!"

Jiang Baimian quietly pursed his lips.

……

After the sun went down, in the central square of Wild Grass City.

Wearing an autumn hat and a loose robe, Zhao Zhengqi was sitting on the sidewalk chair, blowing the cool night breeze, watching the bodyguards around him trying to prevent the citizens of the city and the relic hunters from approaching, with a slightly numb expression .

This is the place Jiang Baimian chose to meet.

When she and Shang Jianyao walked towards Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen consciously dispersed and monitored their surroundings.

Their focus is on the surrounding tall buildings, mainly to prevent being sniped.

As for the square area, most of it is within the scope of Shang Jianyao's "lack of hand movement" ability of the awakened, so there is no need to pay too much attention.

"Both, long time no see." Zhao Zhengqi saw Xue Shiyue and Zhang Qubing approaching, and stood up with a smile.

Shang Jian Yao opened his arms, making a gesture of hugging him.

Fat and fat Zhao Zhengqi stroked his gray beard, put on a smile, and accepted a warm hug.

"I'm impressed by your dancing posture." During the hug, Shang Jianyao patted Zhao Zhengqi's back.

Zhao Zhengqi quickly retracted his hand, stood up straight, and sighed with a smile:

"When I was a child, everyone's life was very difficult, and they often relied on singing and dancing to adjust their mood."

While speaking, he reached out and shook Jiang Baimian's hand.

After the four of them took their seats, Jiang Baimian asked straight to the point:

"Mr. Zhao, I don't know why you want to see us?"

Zhao Zhengqi glanced at his eldest son, Zhao Yide, and thought about his words:

"Forgive me for asking first, where are you going to go next, and what are your arrangements? You can't delay your business because of my request."

His posture is very low, very low.

Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:

"We are going to go to several big forces to try our luck, hoping to have a better development."

Zhao Zhengqi showed a knowing expression:

"Then I would like to invite some of you to go to the original city first, er, the real city."

"Are you in trouble?" Shang Jianyao asked with concern.

Zhao Zhengqi took advantage of the situation and said:

"Our Zhao family is on the outskirts of the original city, on the south bank of the Red River, and has several manors."

Seeing Jiang Baimian showing a half-smile expression, he hastily explained:

"We gray earth people have an old saying: You can't put all your eggs in one basket."

Jiang Baimian nodded lightly, Zhao Zhengqi continued:

"Those manors had some problems some time ago, and they failed to hand over last year's income as scheduled, saying that it was due to the weather, which caused a serious reduction in production.

"I sent the steward, and he reported that it was indeed the case, and I sent Yide's younger brother, and he also sent a telegram to say that there was no abnormality.

"I believed that at first, until a friend of mine in the original city happened to pass by those manors and found unidentified people coming in and out.

"I secretly found a team of relic hunters in the original city. They monitored the manors for a week and confirmed that unknown people often appeared there.

"I found another team of relic hunters and asked them to enter the manor to investigate, and they reported that there were no strangers."

"Sounds weird." Shang Jianyao touched his chin thoughtfully.

Zhao Zhengqi looked like he had found a savior:

"Yes, I was very worried about my child, and I still had a few confidantes. I was thinking about asking the guild's 'advanced hunter' to take action, but Yide told me that you are back.

"In my mind, your strength is stronger than that of 'advanced hunters'."

He remembered that Odick had also become Zhang Qubing's "friend".

Shang Jianyao entered the mode of contemplation, and Jiang Baimian looked at Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide with a smile, but did not speak.

Zhao Zhengqi gritted his teeth and said:

"I know I'm not too trustworthy in your hearts, and I'd like to be influenced by that ability again to 'become' your friend.

"That way you'll know if I'm lying."

There's really nothing wrong with this attitude... Jiang Baimian was about to reply when Shang Jianyao's eyes suddenly lit up:

"Can my brother inherit the Zhao family's property?"

"..." Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide were stunned for a moment, and then regret emerged.

Since the ability of the awakened person can "make friends", it will definitely allow both parties to become half-brothers or biological father and son who have no genetic relationship.

In the imagination of the two of them, the "father" is of course Zhang Qubing, and they can only be the "son".

"He's just joking." Jiang Baimian agreed, "There's no need to do that, as long as we promise to give up the mission at any time without paying any price, that's fine."

"Are you willing to take over?" Zhao Yide asked in surprise.

Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:

"It depends on what price you can offer."

Zhao Zhengqi thought for a while and said:

"I don't know what you are interested in. Why don't you make an offer, as long as the Zhao family can afford it, it's fine."

This attitude...Jiang Baimian couldn't help secretly applauding.

She still remembered how arrogant and ruthless Zhao Zhengqi was when he was in the aristocratic meeting hall, but now, he completely pulled down his body, making people feel like a spring breeze.

One person has such two completely different faces.

It is not easy to gain a certain status and become a nobleman in the early days of the new calendar... Jiang Baimian is not very clear about Zhao Zhengqi's age, and has no way of knowing whether he has experience in the chaotic era, so he can only sigh with emotion.

After pondering for seven or eight seconds, Jiang Baimian said the answer he had considered long ago:

"A sum of money, and using the Zhao family's power network in the original city to do us a favor."

It was precisely because of the inextricable relationship between the nobles of Wild Grass City and the "Original City" that she was willing to meet Zhao Zhengqi.

"About how much Ole? What kind of help do you need?" Zhao Zhengqi asked.

Jiang Baimian smiled:

"I can't say how much Ole is. After all, we haven't figured out how dangerous this matter is. Don't worry, it won't be too much. You can bear it, because once the danger exceeds our expectations, we will Just give up.

"The help is also, in short, it will not put the Zhao family in danger."

It sounds good now, how to set the price will not be up to you alone... Zhao Yide muttered in his heart.

He really had the feeling of seeking skin from a tiger.

Zhao Zhengqi recalled what Qian Bai's team had done in Wild Grass City and every word and deed he knew, and said after deliberation:

"no problem."

"Congratulations." Shang Jianyao stretched out his hand to him.

What is congratulations?Zhao Zhengqi shook hands with him hesitantly.

"If you can often help refugees, then we can be true friends." Shang Jianyao said truthfully.

To this, Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide could only respond with smiles, not daring to say anything.

"Remember to tell us the situation of the Zhao family's liaison officer in the initial city." Jiang Baimian looked up at the moon hanging in the sky, and stood up slowly.

Zhao Zhengqi stood up and stretched out his right hand:

"It's fine now, happy cooperation."

Shang Jianyao replaced Jiang Baimian, shook hands with him, and said with a smile:

"Since the cooperation is happy, why don't we dance to celebrate?"

Zhao Zhengqi's expression froze at first, then he smiled and said:

"Okay, go dance at my house."

Shang Jian Yao shook his head:

"Then you have to wait a while, right here."

With a sunny smile, he pointed to the central square where people come and go.

At the same time, he took off his tactical backpack and prepared to take out a small speaker.

Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide imagined themselves and others dancing in the square, and their expressions became a little ugly.

Jiang Baimian slapped Shang Jianyao's hand away:

"Don't disturb the people!"

She turned to Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide with a smile:

"Don't listen to him."

Zhao Zhengqi breathed a sigh of relief, and quickly told Jiang Baimian about the Zhao family's liaison officer in the original city.

Then, under Shang Jianyao's disappointed eyes, he pulled Zhao Yide, surrounded by bodyguards, and hurriedly left the central square.

The group of four from the "Old Tune Group" then walked back to South Street in a walking posture.

At this time, the lanterns have been turned on, and the streets are bright and dark, either dim or gloomy.

Some people huddled in the corner of the street, wrapped in torn and dirty quilts, brewing drowsiness, and some people gathered on the side of the street, looking at the passers-by, and reaching out to get relief.

"There are more beggars in the city than before..." Long Yuehong looked around and sighed.

Bai Chen looked ahead and said calmly:

"Most of those who slept outside in winter died."

Long Yuehong thought of those wilderness wanderers outside the city, and fell silent. Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao also did not speak, and walked forward quietly.