The first time in history

Xiao Wuzi had already run over and said breathlessly, "Sir, they are soldiers from the Imperial Court."

"Is this prisoner the former chief steward of the palace?" asked a man who looked like a junior officer.

"Yes, sir." Xiao Wuzi saw Qian Mingduo looking at him coldly. He really couldn't understand why Qian Mingduo had such an attitude, so he said on behalf of Qian Mingduo: "This prisoner is the former chief steward of the palace and a spy of the Kingdom of Yue."

"We are ordered to take this prisoner to the court for detention." After the young officer said this, he ordered his soldiers to untie the old man from the stone pillar. Then they tied him up tightly, dragged the old man away, and marched away.

Qian Mingduo stared at the two long bloodstains on the ground in silence, and an indescribable feeling surged in his heart. He widened his eyes, as if he couldn't believe what he saw, as if everything had become unreal.

He slowly squatted down, stretched out his trembling fingers and gently touched the bloodstain. The cold and sticky touch made him shudder. The bloodstain exuded a faint fishy smell, reminding him of what had just happened.

The next morning, Qian Mingduo, who had not slept all night, left the palace early. After identifying the direction, he headed towards the East City.

Gusu, the capital of Wu, was more prosperous than Qian Mingduo had imagined. The city walls were tall and solid, and the atmosphere was magnificent. The streets in the city were crisscrossed and neatly laid out. The market was bustling and crowded with merchants.

Qian Mingduo walked to a street corner and found a sign among the colorful signs on the street with a big word "Tao" written in bronze characters.

Walking to the door of the store, Qian Mingduo saw the shelves full of pots, bowls, jars and other items made of clay. He nodded silently, "It seems to be this store."

Qian Mingduo did not go into the store, but walked around the entire street. When he confirmed that there was only this pottery shop, he slowly walked into the store.

Qian Mingduo saw that there was only a young man in his twenties in the store, who was introducing a pottery jar to a couple. He pretended to choose something and looked at the shelves slowly.

After the waiter sent the two customers away, he hurried over to Qian Mingduo and said, "What do you want to buy? I can explain it to you."

"Oh!" Qian Mingduo said, "Just take a look. If you find anything useful, I'll ask you to explain it to me."

"Well," the waiter bowed and said, "Please make yourself at your own convenience. If you need me, please call me."

Qian Mingduo walked around the shelves for several times. Apart from the young man, there was no one else in the store. He took a long breath, picked up a ceramic bowl, and said softly, "Little brother."

"What do you want, sir?" The waiter came over quickly and asked, "Do you like this bowl?"

"No." Qian Mingduo glanced at the door and asked, "I wonder if your boss is here?"

Seeing the young man looking at him in confusion, Qian Mingduo then remembered that in the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period, business owners were called "Jia Ren". In modern times, some famous opera actors were called "Lao Ban", and the term "Lao Ban" gradually came into being.

"Oh!" Qian Mingduo pretended to be casual and said, "I want to see your Jia family."

"This..." The waiter looked at Qian Mingduo and asked, "What does the distinguished guest want to see my Jia?"

"I have something important to discuss with your Jia Ren." Qian Mingduo placed the ceramic bowl on the shelf. "Go and ask your Jia Ren to come."

"Okay, please wait a moment, sir." The waiter said, then turned and walked to a small door on the side of the counter and said, "Miss Tian, ​​there is a sir who wants to see you, please come out for a moment!"

"Miss Tian?" Qian Mingduo thought to himself, "Could it be that the owner of this shop is a woman?"

"Which distinguished guest wants to see me?" A capable and beautiful woman stepped out of the small door and looked around the shop.

"Miss." Qian Mingduo bowed slightly and said, "My name is Ling Fei, and I would like to meet the owner of this shop."

"I am the owner of this shop." The young lady approached Qian Mingduo, looked him up and down, and asked, "What do you want from me, sir?"

"I want to ask the girl to buy something."

"What is it?"

"An ordinary yet unusual thing." Qian Mingduo looked at the boy intentionally or unintentionally.

"Feng Dong." Miss Tian frowned and looked at Qian Mingduo. She thought for a moment, then turned to the waiter and said, "Go to the back warehouse and get some wine cans. Don't you see that the wine cans on the shelf are almost gone?"

Seeing the waiter put the rag on the counter and walked out of the small door, Miss Tian nodded and said, "I wonder what the ordinary yet unusual thing you just mentioned is?"

"I want the most useless cup you have here," Qian Mingduo said slowly, "I want to drink from this cup."

"Oh?" Miss Tian's eyes flashed with surprise, but a professional smile immediately appeared on her face, and she asked softly, "I wonder what kind of wine you want to drink with this most useless cup?"

"Hmm?" Qian Mingduo looked puzzled. "Didn't the old man tell me this yesterday? Could this also be a secret code for contact?"

"I want to drink osmanthus wine, I want to drink osmanthus wine." Qian Mingduo suddenly remembered that the old man had been murmuring this sentence when he was tied up by the officers and soldiers of the Supreme Court yesterday.

The old man didn't have time to explain the secret code to himself at that time, and could only murmur it when he was about to leave Qian Mingduo's sight.

"I want to drink osmanthus wine." Qian Mingduo turned his head and closed his eyes. He didn't want Miss Tian to see the tears in his eyes.

At this time, the young man returned to the store carrying two large wine jugs.

"Dear guest, please follow me," said Miss Tian as she walked towards the small door next to the counter, with Qian Mingduo following closely behind her.

After exiting this small door, there is a small room with only a table and a chair. There is a narrow door on the west wall of the room. After Qian Mingduo and Miss Tian walked out of this narrow door, they saw a large courtyard. The courtyard was neatly stacked with pottery pots and jars.

There were several gray-tiled houses on the north side of the courtyard. Miss Tian led Qian Mingduo to the innermost room. She gently closed the door and turned to look at Qian Mingduo. Tears of excitement flashed in her eyes.

"You are finally here," Miss Tian said softly, "I have been looking forward to it for a long time."

"Yes." Qian Mingduo didn't know what to say at this time, he could only nod with a smile.

"Is my father okay?" asked Miss Tian.

"The girl's father?" Qian Mingduo asked uncertainly, "But...but the steward?"

"Yes?" Miss Tian said with a smile, "My father is the steward you just mentioned."

"This..." Qian Mingduo's heart tightened. He wanted to say something but stopped. Looking at the beautiful woman in front of him with eyes full of expectation, he really couldn't bear to talk to her about the old man.