The prince is not doing his job [traveling]

The Chen family in Luozhou, a family that is not rich but very famous in Luozhou, because the Chen family is one of the few merchants in Luozhou who made their fortunes next to the officials.

It is said that the ancestral home of the Chen family is in Xizhou in the south of the Yangtze River. The wife of the patriarch Chen Zhongliang is the daughter of a local official in Xizhou. He has been promoted all the way, and now he has gone to Chang'an to become an official, and Chen Zhongliang took his business from Jiangnan to Luozhou by the side of this father-in-law. It is said that he has already planned to go to Chang'an for development.

Chen Zhongliang was indeed planning to go to Chang'an.

When Chen Zhongliang was in Xizhou, he opened a cloth village. The scale was small, but the money he earned was enough to make him a respected person in the local area. However, Chen Zhongliang started from scratch and had no support in his family. That small place in Xizhou should be a person of status.

But men always wanted to do something big, and Chen Zhongliang didn't want to stay in Xizhou for the rest of his life, so as soon as he heard the news of his father-in-law's promotion, Chen Zhongliang immediately sold the cloth shop in Xizhou, and followed his father-in-law to Jingzhou first.

When he first arrived in Jingzhou, Chen Zhongliang didn't know what to do in Jingzhou, so he opened a cabinet shop in a very casual manner, specializing in saving money for others, earning only a little rent and storage fees.

But what surprised Chen Zhongliang was that the business of this cabinet shop was better than that of the cloth shop, and it didn’t take much effort, and it was easy to make money just by preparing enough places to place things. With Yue Zhang as an official to rely on, the local government was not very good at looking for him. Trouble, this moved Chen Zhongliang, so he carefully managed the cabinet shop.

This business is getting more and more prosperous, especially after joining forces with other colleagues in the Tang Dynasty, the business has grown to a higher level, and Chen Zhongliang's ambitions have become even greater. Therefore, in the past few years, whenever his father-in-law is promoted, Chen Zhongliang has to move with him, and then To build a semicolon, move it, move it to Luozhou.

In Chen's mansion, Chen Zhongliang was thinking about which Chang'an merchants he would visit first after going to Chang'an to make connections, when he looked up by chance, he saw his disciples running over in a panic.

"My lord, my lord, Shu, the king of Shu is here!" The doorman pointed in the direction of the gate, looking as if he was still in shock.

However, Chen Zhongliang's eyes lit up, and he said, "The King of Shu has come to Luozhou? Where is he staying? Go to the warehouse and pick out the most valuable things, I want to visit in person!"

If he can get the support of the king of Shu, it will be much safer than relying on his father-in-law, and maybe he can do a great job!

"No!" The doorman breathed a sigh of relief, "The king of Shu has come to see the lord, and he is at the gate of the mansion! Also, King Wu Cheng is also here!"

Now Chen Zhongliang was dumbfounded.

King Shu and King Wucheng came to see him?Why?He had never seen these two people before!Could it be that Yuezhang has contact with King Shu and King Wucheng?But even so, why did these two princes condescend to come to Luozhou to find him?

There were many doubts in his heart, but Chen Zhongliang didn't dare to delay. He tidied up his clothes and walked out quickly: "I'll meet people at the door, and you can inform Madam to let the kitchen prepare food and drinks... No! Go book a table in Baifulou ! Order the best and have them delivered right away!"

"Yes!" Seeing that Chen Zhongliang was so happy, the disciple felt that something great was about to happen in their house, so he happily ran to Mrs. Chen and told Mrs. Chen what Chen Zhongliang had explained to her verbatim. listen.

When Mrs. Chen heard that the two princes were coming, she was also very happy.

"Father must have asked for these two giant Buddhas! Go, send someone to Baifulou quickly! Change! I want to change! Choose the best clothes for me!"

Unexpectedly, she would still be able to see the prince in her lifetime, and she was a pair at the first sight, so beautiful!

Mrs. Chen was busy dressing up, while Chen Zhongliang over there had already seen Pei Ze and Xiao Yanzhi in the wheelchair in front of the Chen residence.

Unable to tell which is the King of Shu and which is the King of Wucheng, Chen Zhongliang just knelt down and kowtowed: "Chen Zhongliang, a grass-roots man, pays homage to the King of Shu and King Wucheng. .”

Xiao Yanzhi lowered his eyes and looked down at Chen Zhongliang, who was about to put his face on the ground, and said with a gentle smile, "Patriarch Chen, you are being polite. It's the king and his sworn brother who made an abrupt visit. I hope you didn't disturb Patriarch Chen."

"Don't disturb, don't disturb!" Chen Zhongliang raised his head to look at Xiao Yanzhi and Pei Ze and giggled, then realized that he shouldn't be looking directly at him, and lowered his head in a panic, this time he really put his face on the ground.

Xiao Yanzhi raised his eyes to look into the Chen mansion, and asked teasingly: "Master Chen, won't the king invite me to sit in?"

"Please! Ah... no," Chen Zhongliang got up from the ground, and smiled awkwardly, "The two lords invite each other, the grass-roots lost their composure."

Xiao Yanzhi smiled, looked up at Pei Ze, and was pushed into the Chen residence by Pei Ze. When he went up the steps, Pei Ze even carried the wheelchair up.

After putting down Xiao Yan, Pei Ze complained in a low voice: "I said earlier that I would hug you, but you insist on sitting on this crap."

Xiao Yanzhi pursed his lips, and replied in a low voice: "I'm already very imposing when I'm sitting, what does it look like being hugged by you?"

Pei Ze was silent.

In front of ordinary people like Chen Zhongliang, they can scare people no matter what they look like, because of their status.

But Pei Ze also knew that Xiao Yanzhi didn't feel that the King of Shu was any different from ordinary people from the day he became King of Shu. If Xiao Yanzhi wanted to use his aura to overwhelm others, it must be his own aura, not "" The momentum of the word "King of Shu".

Entering the Chen residence, Xiao Yanzhi looked around curiously.

"Patriarch Chen's house is really exquisitely furnished."

Luozhou is as prosperous as Chang'an. Many wealthy businessmen live here. If I remember correctly, Yansheng also has a house here. Because it is not at the foot of the imperial city, there is no need to worry about construction regulations, so it was built in Luozhou. The house will be more luxurious and refined than the ones in Chang'an City, and although the Chen family's house is not comparable to the Wang's Mansion in terms of scale, the meticulous carvings and paintings are definitely not inferior to any Wang's Mansion in Chang'an City.

Chen Zhongliang has really made a lot of money these years.

Chen Zhongliang bowed his waist but said proudly: "The king of Shu has won the award, it's just a small house for common people."

Entering the main room of the Chen Mansion, Xiao Yanzhi looked left and right for a while, then held the teacup and stopped talking.

Pei Ze originally came here today to help Xiao Yanzhi push the wheelchair, and the Chen family's affairs had nothing to do with him, so he didn't open his mouth.

This is really hard for Chen Zhongliang, seeing Pei Ze and Xiao Yan holding a cup of tea calmly and leisurely, Chen Zhongliang really can't figure out what these two people are here for.

Before Xiao Yanzhi finished his cup of tea, Mrs. Chen came out from the backyard, her steps were light and her smile was like a flower.

"The women have met the two princes." Blessed gracefully, the smile on Madam Chen's face was a little more charming than usual.

Glancing at Mrs. Chen, Xiao Yanzhi acted as if he hadn't heard what Mrs. Chen said. He still held the tea bowl, blew on the tea soup lightly, took a sip, thought for a moment, then picked up the tea bowl and repeated the words. sets of actions.

Mrs. Chen maintained a knee-bending posture and didn't hear anyone speak for a long time. She raised her eyes and glanced at Pei Ze and Xiao Yanzhi secretly, but saw that their movements were very consistent.

Mrs. Chen frowned suspiciously, and then tried her best to wink at Chen Zhongliang.

Chen Zhongliang saw that Mrs. Chen had been squatting for too long and had started to sway from side to side, so he said bravely, "My lords, this is Zhuo Jing."

Hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi put down the tea bowl, and said calmly: "I am not blind, there are suddenly many people in front of me, I must have seen it."

"Ah...that's right...haha..." Chen Zhongliang laughed dryly.

Looking at Mrs. Chen again, Xiao Yanzhi said again: "Sit down, it seems that the king is rude to always let the master stand."

"Don't dare dare," Chen Zhongliang shook his head hastily, "Caomin...Caomin and Zhuojing just stand, just stand."

Mrs. Chen also stood up with the help of the maidservant, and echoed: "Yes, yes, we can just stand."

Seeing someone now, why does she think that these two princes are not kind?Could it be that father got into trouble in Chang'an city?

Thinking that the frightened look of the couple was very interesting, Xiao Yanzhi said: "This king is here today because he wants to see someone."

"A person?" Chen Zhongliang looked puzzled, "Who is it, please? If it's someone from the Chen residence, Caomin will immediately bring someone to the prince's eyes!"

Xiao Yanzhi smiled and said: "Since the king has come to the Chen residence in person, this person is naturally in the Chen residence. It is a concubine of the master of the Chen family. I don't know if it is convenient for Fang to bring it out so that the king can meet."

Concubine?Hearing what Xiao Yanzhi said, Chen Zhongliang was even more confused.

There are not many concubines in his mansion, and there were more when he was in Xizhou, but in the past few years, because of his father-in-law, his wife either gave away or sold the concubine's room, and he also refused because he wanted to please his father-in-law. I stopped him, and now there are probably only three or five concubines left in his backyard, all of whom entered the house earlier than his wife, and now they dare not see him all year round.

"I don't know which one the lord is talking about?"

Xiao Yanzhi looked at Chen Zhongliang with a smile, and said, "Xiao Chunyue, I want to see Xiao Chunyue."

When they heard this name, Chen Zhongliang and his wife really couldn't remember who it was for a moment. There were too many women who came and went around Chen Zhongliang these years, and the same number of women were sold elsewhere by Mrs. Chen.

Seeing the couple lost in confusion at the same time, Xiao Yanzhi was furious, but smiled even brighter on his face: "What? Patriarch Chen has too many concubines, can't you remember which one it is?"

"That..." Mrs. Chen bit her head and said, "Can I ask the King of Shu to explain in more detail?"

"More details?" Xiao Yanzhi lowered his eyes, "That woman was bought by the head of the Chen family from a hunter's family when the Chen family was still in Xizhou. She was only a teenager when she first entered the Chen family. Speaking of it, it was seventeen or eighteen years ago."

When Xiao Yanzhi said this, Chen Zhongliang and his wife suddenly thought of a woman, a little girl bought from the countryside. When they first met, they thought they were delicate and pretty, but after a few years, they grew more and more charming. Chen Zhongliang and his wife often quarreled over this woman. At that time, Chen Zhongliang really liked that woman, so he protected her tightly.After all, Mrs. Chen's father was promoted, and Chen Zhongliang had no choice but to curry favor with Mrs. Chen if he wanted to rely on his father-in-law's power, so Mrs. Chen took the opportunity to sell the woman to a brothel.

It's just that I didn't expect that after all these years, someone would come looking for that woman, and it was the king of Shu who came.

Mrs. Chen smiled guiltyly and said: "Oh, it's rare that the King of Shu came to look for him in person. He must be someone who is extremely important to the King of Shu, but we really don't have such a number one person in our mansion. Why don't the King of Shu go to the backyard with the women to see for himself? ?”

"No?" Xiao Yanzhi raised his eyebrows, "That's really weird. Back then, I watched her being taken away by Master Chen, and Master Chen did receive the money for buying her. Why? Are you no longer in the Chen residence?"

Chen Zhongliang swallowed his saliva, and said with a dry smile: "You, King of Shu...are you joking? Cao Min bought the girl back from a mountain village in the south of the Yangtze River. How could the King of Shu receive the money?"

Xiao Yanzhi said coldly: "Patriarch Chen also said that you bought this person back, so where is she now?"

Hearing Xiao Yanzhi's question, Chen Zhongliang realized that he had made a slip of the tongue, and Mrs. Chen gave Chen Zhongliang a sideways look in hatred.

Chen Zhongliang could only continue to make up lies and said: "Because of, because of the business relationship, the grassroots moved their families several times. Some of the weaker concubines in the mansion died of illness on the way, and some good-looking concubines were killed by local powerful people. After taking it back, he must be living a prosperous life without worrying about food and clothing, and the person the prince wants is indeed no longer in the mansion."

Xiao Yanzhi raised his eyes to look at Chen Zhongliang again, and said with a sneer: "It seems that Patriarch Chen really didn't recognize this king. It's true, back then, this king was only an eight-year-old child, and now that he's grown up, his appearance has changed. , and this king and his elder sister Xiao Chunyue are not half alike, so it is reasonable for Patriarch Chen not to recognize her."

"Sister, sister?" This word terrified Chen Zhongliang and his wife, they stared at Xiao Yanzhi dumbfounded.

"That's right," Xiao Yanzhi said with a chuckle, "She is the only sister in this world, so I will ask again, where is she?"

Chen Zhongliang's legs softened, and he knelt down on the ground with a plop: "Cao, Caomin really don't know anything... Cao, Caomin's concubines are handled by this woman, and only this woman knows where they are sent !"

Chen Zhongliang pointed at Mrs. Chen, and looked at Xiao Yanzhi sincerely.

"You!" Unexpectedly, Chen Zhongliang would say this, Mrs. Chen looked at Chen Zhongliang in astonishment.

Chen Zhongliang didn't dare to look at Mrs. Chen, he lowered his head after speaking, and didn't dare to take a breath.

"Oh?" Xiao Yanzhi turned to look at Mrs. Chen, "Then Mrs. Chen, where is she? Don't tell me that you don't know anymore. I feel a little impatient now."

"That, that woman is, is... Lord, spare me! The woman really doesn't know! The woman sold her at the beginning, but she doesn't know what happened after that!" Mrs. Chen was so frightened that she trembled all over. , kneeling on the ground crying.

"Sold?" Xiao Yanzhi's face turned cold, and even his voice became much lower, "Where did you sell it?"

Mrs. Chen swallowed her saliva, and replied fearfully: "Sell it, sell it to a brothel."

"What did you say?!" Hearing this, Chen Zhongliang yelled out in shock, "Didn't you say you sold her to a rich family? How could it be a brothel?!"

"I..." Mrs. Chen broke the jar and said, "If you know that bitch went to the brothel, can you not go to see her? If you weren't seduced by her, I could sell her Brothel?!"

"Jealous woman! You jealous woman!" Chen Zhongliang looked heartbroken.

"Stop arguing!" Xiao Yanzhi shouted angrily, causing Chen Zhongliang and his wife to shut up immediately, "You said you sold her to a brothel? Then what do you think this king should do with you?"

Mrs. Chen shuddered, the delicate makeup on her face had already faded due to tears, it was extremely ugly.

"My lord, spare my life! The lady really didn't know she was the lord's sister! The lady... the lord, spare my life! My lord, spare my life!" Unable to think of an excuse, Mrs. Chen could only kowtow to Xiao Yanzhi vigorously. The sound of "dongdong" made Chen Zhongliang, who was kneeling beside him, tremble uncontrollably, but it still failed to make Xiao Yanzhi soften his heart.

Xiao Yanzhi continued: "This king has always thought that women hate places like brothels very much, and probably no woman would want to go there to experience what it means to be cold and warm in the world, but why are women always so excited to tell other people? What kind of place should a woman be sent to? There are other places to choose, why is it chosen there? Mrs. Chen, why is that?"

"It's the women who are confused, it's the women who were stunned by jealousy for a while, please forgive me!"

Chen Zhongliang didn't dare to say a word, let alone intercede for Mrs. Chen, for fear of getting into trouble.

Xiao Yanzhi smiled lightly and said, "Don't worry, Mrs. Chen, this king will not kill you, so you don't have to worry. This king is just thinking, since Mrs. Chen will send people to the brothel, she must have something for the brothel too." A certain complex, right? How about this king come to fulfill Mrs. Chen and send Mrs. Chen to have a look?"

Mrs. Chen, who heard that she was able to save her life, breathed a sigh of relief when she was stunned by Xiao Yanzhi's second sentence.

"Don't...don't!" Mrs. Chen walked up to Xiao Yanzhi on her knees and grabbed the hem of Xiao Yanzhi's clothes, "Please don't, my lord! You can do whatever you want the women to do, please don't send the women to brothels!"

"Not going to the brothel?" Xiao Yanzhi sneered, "How about sending him to the army to comfort the soldiers?"

Madam Chen's face paled instantly.

Xiao Yanzhi raised his foot and kicked Mrs. Chen out unceremoniously, which once again made Pei Ze affirm that Xiao Yanzhi was not gentle towards people other than his family, and anyone who offended his family would Both men and women are treated roughly.

Xiao Yanzhi asked Chen Zhongliang again: "Patriarch Chen thinks, how should this king deal with Mrs. Chen?"

Hearing this, Chen Zhongliang turned his head to look at Mrs. Chen, who was crying into tears, and looked at it for a while, then suddenly bent down and kowtowed, and said firmly: "Zhuo Jing is guilty, and it is also because of the incompetent discipline of Caomin, Caomin is willing to suffer on Zhuojing's behalf. "

Chen Zhongliang's words were completely out of Mrs. Chen's expectation, so shocked that Mrs. Chen immediately stopped crying and looked at Chen Zhongliang in a daze.

"You guys are really affectionate," Xiao Yanzhi gritted his teeth, "I think my sister has stayed in the brothel for more than ten years. The more I see your affection, the angrier I get. What do you guys think about this?"

"The grassroots don't know how to forgive their sins, so let the prince take care of them."

Let him do what he wants?Hearing this, Xiao Yanzhi was a little dazed.

How can he deal with this couple?No matter how he gets offended, time can't be reversed, the hardships that my sister has suffered will not disappear, even if he sends Mrs. Chen to the brothel, it can't offset the offended sister, how can he get offended?

Pei Ze thought that Xiao Yanzhi would really retaliate, but after not hearing Xiao Yanzhi's answer for a while, Pei Ze became suspicious, and when he turned around, he saw that Xiao Yanzhi's eyes were neither angry nor sharp, but a little bit confused .

Lifting the corner of his mouth, Pei Ze raised his hand and tapped lightly on the table twice.

Hearing two "knock knocks", Xiao Yanzhi turned his head to look at Pei Ze, and seeing Pei Ze hooked his hands, Xiao Yanzhi leaned his head over.

Pei Ze leaned close to Xiao Yanzhi's ear and whispered a word, then withdrew.

After hearing Pei Ze's words, Xiao Yanzhi lowered his eyes and thought for a while, then raised his eyes to Chen Zhongliang and his wife and made a decision, and said in a deep voice: "From today onwards, you and your husband will be demoted to low status. Everything will be collected and paid into the national treasury, whether you can have the blessing of my sister depends on the good luck of your husband and wife."

Being reduced to low status but having nowhere to go, their future situation may not be better than being sold to a brothel.

They are also of low status. The women who are sold into brothels only need to do that thing. Although they are used as cash cows for others, they are also raised with good food and drink. Those who go to the streets when they have low status, some of them will be bought into slavery, and they can live a stable life if they meet a good-natured master, but if they are sold into a brothel or meet a despicable and shameless master, then it is not certain What will become of it.

He can't control right or wrong, and he can't control what happens to other women, it's just that his sister has suffered, and he has to let them taste it before he can be reconciled.He left the couple with a way out, and the rest can only be resigned to fate.

Chen Zhongliang and his wife were taken aback for a moment, and then hurriedly kowtowed to thank them.

It was only at this time that Pei Ze called Xu Ren outside the door, and said, "Xu Ren, you need to deal with the household registration of their husband and wife, and then notify the people in the household department to confiscate the house and all the cabinets of the Chen family. "

"Yes!" Xu Ren clasped his fists, responded loudly, and immediately went to do it.

Xiao Yanzhi also waved at Chen Zhongliang and his wife. Seeing this, the couple immediately supported each other and ran away.

When there were only Pei Ze and Xiao Yanzhi left in the main room, Pei Ze looked around and said to Xiao Yanzhi, "Let's buy a house in Luozhou in the future."

Xiao Yanzhi, who was still immersed in a delicate mood, came back to his senses when he heard the words, turned his head to look at Pei Ze and asked in doubt, "Why?"

Isn't one Wucheng Palace plus one Shu Palace enough for the two of them to live in?If they lived in the palace enough, they could still live in the palace, why would they buy a house in Luozhou?

Pei Ze didn't answer Xiao Yanzhi's question directly: "If you don't buy a big house, a small courtyard is enough. If you have free time, you can come and live there for a month or two. It's just you and me, and we don't take anyone with us."

Xiao Yanzhi's heart was moved by what Pei Ze said.

"Then it's better to go to the countryside and buy a house."

Pei Ze thought for a while, nodded and said, "That's right."

The countryside is big and surrounded by mountains and rivers. After building a house, it can even be connected to a large yard. When the time comes, they can go up the mountains and rivers, hunt and fish, and they can do whatever they want.

Xiao Yanzhi looked at Pei Ze, narrowed his eyes and smiled.