The bear child of the Red Chamber, Jia Cong

It is said that the special envoy of the state of Chu told Liu Xiaoqi that he wanted to hire a "back-up man" to protect the king of Chu.Liu Xiaoqi immediately asked after hearing the words: "Do you want to protect the King of Chu for a very long time, or just protect him until one thing is done? This person is very busy."

The envoy thought for a while and said, "It must be quite a while."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "My lord wants to hire a professional bodyguard, how about our bureau send you another one? The price is fair."

The special envoy said angrily: "How can you be such a middle-of-the-road person, always thinking of using your own people to take the business of a single person."

Liu Xiaoqi said sternly: "Our shop is customer-oriented and considers the customers most. The 'back-up man' won't accept business that is too long."

The special envoy wondered: "Why is this? It's not that our prince doesn't give money."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "The price has always been rising. Since he came to us to take the first business, the price of a bodyguard has increased by more than seven times, and the price of a murder has increased by more than ten times. If it is in a business The delay is too long, and it will be a loss for him and the store. Besides, protecting the prince is not just about having bodyguards." A smirk appeared on the corner of his mouth, "Ming people don't speak secretly. I am very clear about the appearance. There are at least a dozen people who want to kill the king of Chu so that they can sit in his chair. Bodyguards can block open spears, but they may not be able to imitate hidden arrows. What kind of poison, medicine, fire, gun Ah, if you don’t pay attention, I’m afraid you’re really going to take the blame for someone else. Not to mention the damage to his reputation, but also the reputation of our shop.” He said in a low voice, “I don’t know why the king of Chu died earlier. I know some news. The Bai family in Lingnan is just the remnant party of the Yizhong Prince, who later became merchants. If there is no help in the Chu Kingdom, they can kill the King of Chu alone, I don’t believe it.”

The special envoy's eyes jumped, and he forced a smile and said: "Yin Qiye, you can eat things indiscriminately, but you can't talk nonsense."

Liu Xiaoqi chuckled twice: "Did I say anything?"

The special envoy glanced at him and said: "Since that's the case, why did Yin Qiye recommend someone from his family to do this business for him?"

Liu Xiaoqi said: "This 'Back-Up Man' - listen to the code name he proposed for himself: Back-Up Man - is a bright, white, person who does not hesitate to take the blame and take the blame. Such a person, even though he is doing illegal business , but he has a conscience." Nai stared at the special envoy and said slowly, "He may not be competent for such an errand as protecting the prince."

The special envoy shuddered suddenly, and said slowly: "Yin Qiye, why don't you explain it more clearly."

Liu Xiaoqi lowered his eyes and said, "Have you ever seen a prince who is clean under his hands?"

The special envoy smiled wryly and said: "To tell the truth, our prince is really clean. If there is a clean prince in the world, it is him." Liu Xiaoqi smiled, picked up the teacup to drink tea, obviously disbelieving.The special envoy sighed, "The first prince left early and abruptly. There are many things that I can't teach him. Besides...their fathers succeeded to the throne very smoothly."

Liu Xiaoqi took a sip of tea, held the teacup in his hand and said, "Forget it, my lord, what do I do? The officials and bandits in Chu State are more rampant than anyone else."

The special envoy was stunned, then smiled wryly: "You guys even know this." After a moment of silence, "It's not surprising that there are so many people talking about it. The prince kept that matter from him. If he knew, he would definitely not allow it."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "If he doesn't even allow officials and bandits, then he won't be able to accept your business." Nai put down the teacup and said solemnly, "There is a rabbit living among wolves, how long can he live? You guys No matter how loyal a courtier is, it will be in vain."

The special envoy sighed: "You can't just watch the prince being killed by a traitor."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "It's better to teach him well."

The special envoy shook his head: "Natural nature is fixed, I'm afraid there is nothing we can do." Nai said, "Don't delay that blame man for too long, just trouble him to protect our prince until his wedding." Liu Xiaoqi glanced at him.The special envoy said solemnly, "Our prince will get married in April this year. We just need to protect him until after the wedding."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "I know about this, she married the daughter of one of your generals. As long as that time comes?" The special envoy nodded.Liu Xiaoqi smiled and said, "This business is easy to talk about." Then he ordered Liu Zhuang to bring a pen and paper, and began to calculate the price carefully.

The two of them were discussing business, Liu Mingyi came to play with Liu Zhuang.The special envoy of the King of Chu saw her imposing appearance at such a young age, and praised her, "The little girl is so angry."

Liu Xiaoqi said with a smile: "Don't think she is young, she is the most ambitious." But Liu Mingyi heard it, and turned her head to her uncle with a bright smile, smiling so much that Liu Xiaoqi wanted a daughter.Then he laughed unconsciously, his expression soft.

The special envoy looked at Liu Xiaoqi, then looked at Liu Zhuang who lightly brushed the dust off Liu Mingyi's sleeves, and took her little hand to go out. He suddenly had a thought: Could it be that the young master of the Yin family treated the young girl of the Pan family? interesting?Nai tentatively said: "That girl has an extraordinary bearing, she doesn't seem to come from an ordinary family. Could it be that she has some background?"

Liu Xiaoqi said casually: "It's just that the family is spoiled, what's the origin?" The special envoy looked at him and laughed.After inquiring about who the "back-up man" was, Liu Xiaoqi said: "The rules in our business never ask about cause and effect, origin, or purpose, and only recognize money."

The envoy nodded: "Alright."

That night, Liu Xiaoqi went to Rongguo Mansion to meet with Jia Cong and others, and told what happened today.At the end, he said: "The expression of the special envoy of the king of Chu should be sure that Ming Yi has a background."

Jia Cong said: "Outsiders, who knows that there is such a wonderful family as your Liu family in the palace? Mingyi's age was not hidden from the neighbors, so it is very easy to deduce that her mother had not left the palace when she was pregnant; Although there are many, there is only one who can make a woman pregnant. The special envoy concluded that Ming Yi is the emperor's bead. He tempted you, and you covered it up with false words, and he became more and more sure that you knew."

Liu Xiaoqi said: "Miss Chen asked me to say that."

Jia Cong hurriedly said: "You did the right thing! I praise you. When others are guessing wildly, it is a smart person to give him an answer that makes him think he guessed it right."

Liu Xiaoqi gave him a sideways look, and said, "I took over the business, but I'm not sure it's the second brother who will do it."

Jia Cong said: "Could it be that they are worried about what will happen to King Chu's wedding?"

"This time the concubine the king of Chu is going to marry is to win over the army envoys, and the girl's father holds the military power in his hands. Naturally, her uncle and brothers are unwilling. Once the marriage is completed, the throne will be much more secure. "Liu Xiaoqi laughed suddenly, "If something goes wrong, maybe the King of Chu himself is involved. He likes a side concubine he married the year before last. Last year, the Queen Mother of Chu and Wen Wusai gave him four or five side concubines. Don't take it seriously."

Chen Ruijin thought about it: "Then it's better to say what he wants." Then he glanced at Liu Xiaoqi, "Don't let your second brother go, get someone else from S.H.I.E.L.D.."

Liu Xiaoqi asked, "What are you doing?"

Chen Ruijin said leisurely: "We'll talk about it when the time comes. Those who go anyway will be capable enough. Apart from being good at martial arts, they also need to have the ability to observe people's words, and the eloquence to persuade people. Your second brother is more honest." Jia Cong immediately guessed a thing or two , looked at her and smiled.

Liu Xiaoqi said: "It's just that the special envoy identified my second brother."

Chen Ruijin thought for a while: "If the customer specifies that you are the second elder brother Liu, then let him go with him. Come and meet me before leaving. I have something to tell you." Liu Xiaoqi glanced at her and didn't ask any questions. .

That night Liu Er was not idle, and went to the Zhen Guo Mansion again.This time even Niu Jicheng's study was searched, but he still found nothing, sitting on the roof and worrying.He still didn't realize that there were seven or eight people staring at him in the dark.After worrying for a long time, he suddenly remembered something, and went back to Niu Jizong's study, knocked on the wall for a long time, but left without finding a secret compartment or a secret room.Nai unhurriedly walked through half of the capital, arrived at the back of a tall building, climbed up to the roof, took out something from his bosom and tied it to the collar of the beast on the roof, and climbed down the wall like an ape.

Those who followed him all wanted to know what he had tied around the neck of the beast. Besides, they all knew that this guy was so good at his feet. They couldn't keep up with him yesterday, and they felt that he might come to the Zhenguo Mansion to look for things tomorrow. They did not follow him.When Liu Er was far away, one of them jumped on the roof to check.It turned out that he was only wearing an ordinary red silk handkerchief loosely tied, which was square and had nothing on it.The man took off the veil and looked at it for a long time, then tied it back loosely.After he left, another person jumped out of the dark to inspect the veil.

After reading the veil, several people went down to look at the place: this building is a restaurant, called Demenglou.This building is not unusual.The unusual thing is that, I don’t know how many people have checked it many times, it is indeed an ordinary restaurant; the unusual thing is that Huo Xuan, the king of Nan’an County, was conspired here in the early years and lost his face and broke his leg. , His vitality was broken, and Situ Yan, the second son of King Yan Situ Pan, was assassinated and died here a few years ago.However, Situ Yan's death has not been ascertained so far. It is only known that someone hired the Green Forest Bandit to do it.

The next night, Liu Er did not go to Zhen Guo Mansion again.Except for those who followed Liu Er, no one touched the red kerchief on the top of Demenglou.Two days later, when the night wind blew, it floated away from the beast's neck.The spies watching around suddenly realized: the man in the straw hat was just sending a signal, and the red color was the signal, and the thin silk veil was loosely tied, so that he could be blown away by the wind for a few days.

Feng Ziying then found an excuse to go to Zhen Guo Mansion to tell Mr. Niu what to say, but he didn't get anything out of it; he invited Niu Jizong out to drink and got drunk, but still didn't get anything out of it.But Liu Er has disappeared.

The special envoy of King Chu went to Falcon Bookstore again, and asked if the "Back-up Man" was free, and whether he could accept their prince's business.Liu Xiaoqi sighed, "He's been in a bad mood for the past few days, and he just lost a big deal."

The special envoy smiled, and said in his mouth, "How did you lose the big deal?"

Liu Xiaoqi said: "Not all transactions can be completed."

The special envoy said: "If it doesn't work out, what will happen to you?"

Liu Xiaoqi frowned and said, "Return the deposit, what else can I do."

The special envoy said: "Can't you go with another person?"

Liu Xiaoqi twitched her lips and said, "The guests don't trust us, they only trust him. I don't even know what kind of business they are doing until now."

The special envoy wondered: "You don't even know what business is, how can you negotiate the price?"

Liu Xiaoqi said: "I was wrong. I don't know the truth..." After thinking for a long time, he waved his hands and said, "Knowing the general idea but not knowing the truth, that's what it means anyway." He sighed again, "Forget it, money can't be earned, I don’t want what shouldn’t be mine.”

The special envoy laughed straight away, guessing that he knew that the guest asked Liu Er to go to the Zhen Guo Mansion to find something, but he didn't know what he was looking for.Nai said: "It can be seen that honest people have the advantages of being honest." Then he became more and more determined, and he had to do it with Liu Er.

At the end of the first month of this year, Mu's end was ready.Jia Cong then went to see Jia Zheng and said, "Uncle Wang Ziteng has a lot of new things there. Brother Baoyu has a lot to learn, and he won't be back for a while. Should I let Second Sister Bao come and see him?" The old ancestor's filial piety seems to be two years old, so he must have a son." Jia Zheng had already ignored everything, but when he heard this, he suddenly remembered that Jia Cong had a saying of "send a son" when he was young, and thought there was something in it Xuanji immediately agreed.Jia Congbai prepared a full belly of arguments, but none of them came in handy.

At the beginning of February, Shi Xiangyun went out of the city with Mu's chariot and horses.Mu's father gave her a man's name, called Mu Jian.Shi Li put down the things in his hands, and quietly guarded him nearby.

Xiangyang Marquis Mansion still organizes the funeral for the old Marquis, but they don't go to the west of the city to find a beating.Qi has been worrying about these days, seeing that her brother, sister-in-law and the family are no longer bothering her, she is also relieved.

One day, Pan Xigui was waiting for work on the street, when a gentleman in Confucian robes came over and said with a smile, "Master, take Wansheng to meet a friend." This person is the Third Master Cong of Rongguo Mansion, and he hurriedly bowed his waist to say hello.Jia Cong waved his hand, got into the car with a smile on his face, and said, "Your money will not be lost, just rest assured."

Pan Xigui laughed and said, "Where do you keep talking? It's only right for a villain to drag the third master for a while." Then he asked him where he was going.Jia Cong gave an address.Pan Xigui wanted to ask him about the errand he mentioned last time, but he didn't dare to ask him, so he just whipped his horse and drove away.

On the way, Jia Cong told him: "It was a misunderstanding that the Xiangyang Marquis went looking for you. They thought you knew an important person they were looking for. But they have already found that person elsewhere, so you are useless." Pan Xigui recited the Buddha.

Not long after arriving at the place, Jia Cong got off the carriageway: "You come in too. Remember what I said last time?" Pan Xigui saw that it was a house with green bricks and green tiles. Wipe hands on body.

Jia Cong stepped forward to knock on the door, a boy opened the door and came out to salute, "Master."

Jia Cong asked, "Is Qiusheng here?"

"Mr. Shi is here."

"Where are the mandarin ducks?"

"Mrs. Jin is here too."

Jia Cong nodded, turned around and waved to Pan Xigui, and the two went in together.The house is very quiet, there is no one in the front yard and no one in the main hall.Turning a corner to the study room, I saw Shi Qiusheng and Jin Yuanyang sitting face to face, the case was covered with books and papers.Jia Cong smiled and clapped his hands: "Comrades, I have brought a new comrade here." The two of them hurriedly stood up.Jia Cong pointed to Pan Xigui and said, "This is the Master Pan I mentioned last time."

Seeing that they were all scholars, Pan Xigui was somewhat at a loss for what to do.Shi Qiusheng had already walked over, stretched out his right hand to him, and said solemnly: "Comrade Pan Xigui, welcome to join the Revolutionary Freemasonry."