Everyone was wondering what Qin Ning wanted people to carry up, but soon they saw two men carrying a fire bucket from the stairs. Everyone looked at each other, and some people immediately understood what was going on.
Qi Ning took the picture of the goddess in the morning, handed it to one of the men, and ordered: "Roll it up." Then he took a few steps forward, cupped his hands and said: "Everyone, the habit of deceiving the world and stealing fame cannot last long, passing the fake as the real. The trend cannot last forever, so today I will burn these two scrolls in public, and let everyone witness that I, Qining, will never tolerate the existence of fakes."
As soon as this statement came out, not only everyone present, but also Yuan Rong was a little surprised.
He followed Qi Ning's instructions and held a banquet at Cuide Yuan, but he didn't understand what Qi Ning wanted to do. Only then did he realize that Qi Ning actually wanted to burn the paintings in public.
In fact, although these two paintings are fakes, it is really not a problem to sell them for thousands of taels of silver. However, Qining did not hesitate to burn them, which is not a small amount of courage.
Gu Wenwen opened his mouth and turned pale with shock.
Like Yuan Rong, he had never been able to figure out what kind of medicine Qining was selling in his gourd. When he heard that two paintings were going to be burned, he was greatly surprised.
Qi Ning walked directly to Gu Wenwen, stretched out his hand and said, "Leave that painting to me."
Gu Wenwen held the fake painting of the return of the goddess at dusk, but he felt a little reluctant to part with it. Although it was a fake, he also knew that the two paintings were worth thousands of taels of silver. Now that he had a huge debt outside, how could he have one at this time? Two taels of silver was just one tael, but he had to watch thousands of taels of silver thrown into the fire. He hesitated, but Qi Ning had an irresistible look on his face. Gu Wenwen had no choice but to return the goddess Mu Guitu. Hand it over to Qining.
Qin Ning didn't say much, walked to the fire barrel, threw the picture of the goddess Mu Gui into the fire barrel, turned around, took the picture of the goddess Zhao Dew rolled up by the man, and also threw it into the fire barrel.
After the two scrolls were thrown into the fire barrel, they were swallowed up by the fire in an instant. Qining put his hands on his back and looked solemn. He stood by the fire barrel and stared at the rising flames. Everyone present was silent. After a moment, Only after the two volumes of paintings were reduced to ashes, Qin Ning turned around and said, "I thank you all for coming here today. The fakes have been destroyed, so that's the end of the matter. You can all drink and sing here tonight. , I won’t go home until I’m drunk, I still have a few things to worry about, so I’ll ask Mr. Yuan to accompany me on my behalf!”
Many people saw the two paintings being burned and secretly lamented the pity. However, seeing Qining so determined to destroy the fakes, they naturally clapped their hands and applauded.
Yuan Rong motioned for everyone to sit down for a drink and a banquet. Qin Ning said goodbye to everyone. Yuan Rong personally sent Cuide Yuan away. Naturally, Gu Wenwen could not stay here anymore and left Cuide Yuan with Qi Ning.
He originally thought that Qin Ning had some good way to help him solve this trouble. Who knew that today's banquet with guests would actually involve destroying his two fakes in public. He didn't even eat a bite of food before leaving in a hurry, which made him feel quite sad. I was a little unhappy, but I didn't dare to say anything more.
After bidding farewell to Yuan Rong, the two rode horses side by side for a while. Gu Wenwen saw that Qining had been deep in thought and did not speak. He smiled bitterly and said: "Master Hou, now the two fakes are gone. Now... everything is over now." .”
"Uncle, I know you are unhappy." Qining sighed: "But a counterfeit is a counterfeit, and it is useless if you keep it in your hands. I can only find another way to deal with the money you owe."
Gu Wenwen said: "Tomorrow is the deadline. After tomorrow night, the bank will come to your door the day after tomorrow. By then, my shops,... and house...!" But at this time, he thought of the Gu family The family fortune that generations of people had worked so hard to earn turned into smoke in their own hands, which made me feel annoyed and sad in my heart.
Qi Ning said: "Uncle, you will be guarding the pawn shop tomorrow. I may not be able to save your other properties, but I will try my best to keep the pawn shop for you, so that you can still make a living."
Gu Wenwen asked urgently: "Really? Then... how to save it?" At this point, it is already a dream to save other properties. If you can still save the pawnshop, you will be like Amitabha.
Qi Ning did not explain, but just smiled and said: "After uncle returns, have a good rest and don't think too much." Without further words, although Gu Wenwen was anxious, Qi Ning did not speak, and it was difficult for him to ask questions.
When Qining returned to the Hou Mansion, Gu Qinghan had already laughed at the banquet he held at Cuideyuan, and came over to ask, "How is the situation over there?"
"What's the situation?" Qi Ning smiled and said, "What's the situation?"
"Didn't you ask your eldest brother to take the two fake paintings to get Cuide Yuan? Did you... did you find someone to help him solve the problem?" Gu Qinghan asked.
Qining sighed: "Sanniang, you really think I'm a god. That's not a matter of a few hundred taels of silver. How can I fix it with just a banquet? I just went over and burned those two paintings in front of everyone." , just to remind everyone so that no one else will follow in my footsteps."
Gu Qinghan was stunned and silent.
Qi Ning said softly: "Don't worry for now. I'll think of a way. At least I can keep the pawnshop and give my uncle a living."
Gu Qinghan smiled bitterly and shook his head slightly, looking quite sad.
Qining didn't explain much and went straight to Tang Nuo's courtyard. He had many questions in his mind that he wanted to answer to Tang Nuo. When he saw the lights in the room, he went up and knocked on the door. Soon the door was opened, and Tang Nuo The handsome face appeared behind the door. When he saw it was Qi Ning, he remained calm and smiled slightly, saying, "Are you back?" He opened the door and let Qi Ning enter the house.
After Qi Ning entered the room, he took a glance and saw that everything was as usual. There were still bottles and cans on the table. He sat down on the chair, but Tang Nuo went over and poured a cup of tea and brought it over. Qin Ning took it with a smile. He said: "Miss Tang has been in the capital for a long time, and she also understands these polite ways?"
Tang Nuo just smiled slightly, looking beautiful under the lights, and asked: "Did everything go smoothly on this trip to Xichuan?"
"Everything went well." Qining stared into Tang Nuo's clear eyes, "I met Senior Li Xigong, one of the Four Holy Envoys of the Black Lotus."
Tang Nuo was startled, but his beautiful face remained calm and composed, and asked, "Is everything okay with him?"
"He told me to take good care of you and not bully you. If you lose a hair in the capital, he will settle the score with me." Qining said with a smile: "Miss Tang, when I see Senior Li in the future, I will Never complain to him that I bullied you. If you have any grievances, tell me first."
Tang Nuo pursed his lips and smiled, and said: "Don't take it to heart, master, everything is fine with me here and I have no grievances."
"Why didn't Miss Tang ask me where I met Senior Li?" Qining asked.
Tang Nuo said: "You would tell me even if I didn't ask, wouldn't you?"
Qi Ning sighed and said: "Eight gangs and sixteen sects, led by the Shenhou Mansion, attacked the Black Lotus Sect in Qianwu Ridge. You should know about this."
"What's the result?" Tang Nuo's temperament seems to have always been unshakable and as stable as Mount Tai: "Qianwu Ridge was captured?"
Qi Ning shook his head and said: "Eight gangs and sixteen factions have already reached the Black Stone Palace, but in the end both sides stopped fighting. Jiuxi Poison King Zhuo Qianyi followed me to the capital."
Tang Nuo just nodded slightly and said nothing.
"I accidentally entered the Misty Flower Valley in Qianwu Ridge." Qining said: "There is an ice pool in the Misty Flower Valley. I met Senior Li in the ice pool."
Tang Nuo's delicate body trembled obviously. He looked into Qi Ning's eyes and asked, "You entered the Misty Flower Valley and saw the ice pool?"
"So, Miss Tang also knows about the ice pool in Mihua Valley?" Qining immediately asked: "Does Miss Tang also know about the ice coffin under the ice pool?"
"Ice coffin?" Tang Nuo frowned slightly: "How about ice coffin?"
"Someone wanted to sneak into the Misty Flower Valley and steal the ice coffin while the Eighth Gang and Sixteenth Sect were attacking Qianwu Ridge." Qining said, "Thanks to the timely appearance of the Black Lotus Leader, the ice coffin was saved."
Tang Nuo lowered his head, thoughtfully.
"Miss Tang, please excuse me, you are a disciple of Senior Li, and Senior Li is the Holy Envoy of the Black Lotus Sect, but you don't know...?"
Tang Nuo raised his head and said, "Are you asking me what my relationship is with the Black Lotus Sect?" He shook his head and said, "I have nothing to do with the Black Lotus Sect now. In fact, the master has already quit the Black Lotus Sect. There are only three Holy Envoys left now."
"Actually, there are only two left." Qi Ning said: "The sex envoy Duan Qingchen betrayed the Black Lotus Sect, otherwise the eight gangs and sixteen sects would not be able to kill the Black Stone Palace. Duan Qingchen is now the number one rebel in the Black Lotus Sect, and everyone with black faces He wants to kill him quickly, so this lustful envoy is no longer the Black Lotus Holy Envoy."
There was a slight look of disdain in Tang Nuo's eyes, and he said: "Duan Qingchen is of low character, he has evil intentions, and has no loyalty at all. With this kind of profit-seeking intention, it is only a matter of time before he betrays the Black Lotus Sect. " Her tone was full of disdain for Duan Qingchen. Ever since Qi Ning came into contact with her, Tang Nuo has always given people a taste of being pure-hearted and reticent. To be so obviously disdainful of a person is not surprising. It is also quite rare.
At this time, he was already sure that Tang Nuo and the Black Lotus Sect had a very deep connection.
Tang Nuo just said that he has nothing to do with the Black Lotus Sect now. The implicit meaning is that he had a relationship with the Black Lotus Sect in the past. After all, Li Xigong was once the Holy Envoy of the Black Lotus. Since Tang Nuo is his disciple, If you say that it has nothing to do with the Black Lotus Sect, no one will believe it.
Although Tang Nuo is no longer involved with the Black Lotus Sect, she is obviously very clear about the situation of the Black Lotus Sect, and even knows the character of the people in the sect. Otherwise, she would not evaluate Duan Qingchen like this.
"Miss Tang, there is one thing I want to ask you." Qi Ning pondered for a moment before asking: "Do you know what is in the ice coffin? I heard Senior Li say that in the ice coffin It seems to be a person, but not a dead person, this... this is really strange."
Tang Nuo slightly raised his beautiful chin and asked, "He told you that there was a person in the ice coffin?"
"Yes." Qi Ning said: "So I have always been curious, since he is not dead, why is he lying in an ice coffin and sinking under the ice pool. Miss Tang, do you know the reason?"
Tang Nuo stared at Qining for a moment, then said: "The world is so vast, there are all kinds of wonders, but the ice coffin has nothing to do with the Marquis. The Marquis doesn't actually need to know who is inside."
Qi Ning was startled, but he knew in his heart that since Tang Nuo said this, it meant that she didn't want to tell her directly. Naturally, he would not force it. He smiled and said, "Since Miss Tang is reluctant, there is no need to tell me. I'm just curious." That's all." At this moment, a voice came from outside: "Master Marquis, there is a visitor coming, and he said his surname is Qiu. Just tell Master Marquis and you will know who it is."
Qi Ning stood up immediately. Tang Nuo also frowned slightly. Qi Ning said softly: "It should be that Swing Yi has arrived as promised. Does Miss Tang want to see him?"
Tang Nuo shook his head, and Qi Ning said "Hmm" before going out and asking people to invite Swing Yi to come in. When they arrived at the front hall, they soon saw Swing Yi coming into the hall. Qi Ning smiled and said: "The Poison King is coming and going. Wu Xiang, with your ability, it is easy to enter the Jinyihou Mansion, and you are so polite that you can let others know."
Swing Yi was not polite, he sat down on the chair, glanced sideways at Qining, and said, "If you like it, I won't let anyone report you when I come in from now on."
When Qi Ning thought about this old poisonous creature coming and going like a ghost in the Jinyihou Mansion, he felt horrified and said with a smile, "When will the poisonous king arrive in Beijing? It's been a hard journey."
"No need to talk nonsense." Zhu Qianyi said: "I have come to Beijing as promised. What are you going to do next? Are you going to take me to see your emperor?"