The Daqing Dynasty was divided into nine provinces and governed them, with the capital located in the center, forming a protective posture.
Jingzhou is located in the south, adjacent to Yan State. Because it is close to the sea, people here have more ways to make a living than people in other places. Even the taste of the food on the dock is different from that in other places. Seafood sold to other places must pass through the Wei River.
The boat was docking and shouts were heard everywhere. Hua Zhi stood at the bow, her fluttering skirt making her stand out even more. However, her expression and demeanor were too aloof. Many people watched her openly and secretly, but only one person approached her. However, this time he was unable to get to Hua Zhi's side.
The Sixth Prince winked at his guards, and the two guards each took a step toward the middle, standing in front of Jiang Huanran like a wall.
Jiang Huanran stood on tiptoe and shouted to the front, "Big girl, big girl..."
Hua Zhi glanced back casually and looked at Jiang Huanran as if he was a stranger. Jiang Huanran's smile froze on his face. He suddenly felt that he had disturbed Hua Zhi, and the person he disturbed obviously didn't like it.
Shaoyao, who was pulled by Hua Zhi, also turned her head back, her veil blocking her vicious gaze. If she was not afraid of delaying Hua Hua's business, she would never let this boy go. She would wait until they returned to the capital!
"Let's go and find an inn to stay first." Hua Zhi got off the boat first. Her appearance was outstanding even in Yangzhou, where beauties gathered. What's more, in Jingzhou, both men and women were several shades darker than people in inland areas. She attracted countless people's attention along the way as if she was unaware.
There was a carriage and horse trading company at the dock, and Xu Ying immediately went there to negotiate, and soon he came over with two carriages.
Although Hua Zhi didn't want to bring too many people, there were nine people in this group. In addition to Baoxia and Xu Ying, whom she brought with her, there were also two guards of the Sixth Prince and two arranged by Gu Yanxi.
Hua Zhi originally planned to ask Xu Ying to rent a few more horses, but the four guards all shook their heads and refused. Unlike the tall horses in the north, the horses used in Jingzhou were short-legged horses, which looked much inferior in appearance, and they really looked down on them.
Even the best carriage in the carriage company was uncomfortable for Hua Zhi. She opened the curtains and looked at the people coming and going outside. It seemed prosperous, but it was far from what she had expected.
She had misunderstood before. Even though Jingzhou was close to the sea, the Daqing Dynasty was not as strong as the Ming Dynasty. In comparison, it could even be considered isolated and had never established contacts with any overseas countries. They didn't even know that there were people who looked different from them and different civilizations on the other side of the sea.
For them, the sea is a place that helps them survive. They catch all kinds of seafood from the sea and sell them to various inland places in exchange for silver. In certain specific seasons, they face the major and minor disasters caused by the angry sea. This is what the sea means to them.
There are no foreign enemies, no Japanese pirates, no invasions. Hua Zhi sincerely hopes that these will never happen again.
"It's much hotter here than in Beijing." Shaoyao took off her hat, and there were stains on her face.
Hua Zhi turned around to look at her, wiped her sweat with a handkerchief, and said, "I asked someone to pack some thin clothes for you. Change into them when we get to the inn."
Shaoyao hugged Huazhi's arm and rubbed it. She did not tell Huahua that she had been here with Brother Yan and that their arrival caused a river of blood here.
"Huahua, how long will we stay here?"
"It depends on whether things go smoothly. If they go smoothly, we can settle the matter in a few days. How?"
Shaoyao smiled with cunning eyes, "Hehe, I wonder how long Brother Yan will have to wait in the capital."
Hua Zhi poked her forehead and thought of that man. Ten days had passed and according to the date, he should have returned.
The fact was not as she thought. Gu Yanxi was still in Yuzhou at this time. When Qixiusi got the news, the Seven Star Sect had 2,000 people. By the time he arrived in Yuzhou, the number had exceeded 4,000. It doubled in just a few days. The seriousness of the matter was far beyond expectations.
At this moment, he was mixed in the crowd with an ordinary face, and he lowered his head respectfully like everyone else, but he slightly turned his body and watched everything on the podium out of the corner of his eye.
The so-called leader of the Seven Stars Sect wore a white robe and had her hair tied loosely behind her head. When she wasn't smiling, she looked like a god, indifferent to all living things. But when she smiled, she looked so holy that people were willing to give their hearts to her. Gu Yanxi followed her for three days and watched her perform three rituals. His opinion of the Seven Stars Sect changed again and again.
Before coming, he just thought that this was another scam, and the purpose was just to cheat some money from the people. But this person was not like that. She did not charge the people a single penny. On the contrary, she gave out a lot of so-called holy water. After seeing the sick people get better after drinking the holy water, he asked someone to deliver the things to Mr. Yu overnight.
He held back even as he saw the number of followers increasing rapidly. He had to have a purpose for making such a big scene, and he had not yet found out the man's motives. Such a danger could not be suppressed; it would be a disaster.
"Master." Chen Qing walked in quickly, "I lost him again."
This was the third time she had been lost. Gu Yanxi poked her fingertips with the silver hairpin and asked, "Her origins are still unknown?"
"Yes." Chen Qing gritted his teeth secretly. This was the first time that the Qixiusi could not find the origin of a person. It was impossible that he jumped out from a crack in the stone. Even if it was true, the stone should have been dug out by the Qixiusi!
"Is there any movement from Yuan Shifang?"
"I have someone watching over me. Everything is normal."
Gu Yanxi raised her eyebrows, "Start from him and investigate."
Chen Qing was stunned, "But he is not abnormal..."
"Yuan Shifang's family background is the lowest among the nine stewards, but his ability is the strongest among the nine. How could a steward with strong ability not notice that such a sect had occurred in his territory? He knew, but he did nothing. It would be normal for others, but for him, it was a sinister thing."
After Chen Qing accepted the instruction, he immediately went out to make arrangements.
"etc."
Chen Qing turned around again.
Gu Yanxi lowered his head and thought for a moment, "The people watching him should not move, and arrange for the strangers to walk outside, and you hide yourself."
Chen Qing was shocked. "There's a traitor? Wasn't he eliminated? When did the Seventh Constellation become a sieve?"
"Just in case." Gu Yanxi looked down at the shining silver hairpin. He had a feeling that his whereabouts had not been hidden from certain people, just like the time in Yan Country. But if it was really related to those people, he couldn't figure it out. What good would it do for them to teach such a person? In history, no one who tried to overthrow the dynasty in this way had a good end.
Moreover, he felt that the methods used by this leader were not like those of an ordinary liar. Instead, they were a bit like those of heavenly masters. The lesson of the eldest prince was right in front of them, and it had not been long since the incident. They should not have forgotten it so quickly.
Gu Yanxi's eyes became dangerous. If it was the Heavenly Master causing trouble again, this time it would not be as simple as just driving him away.
But a Heavenly Master alone cannot create such a big wave.
PS: There is something wrong with my heart muscle. I have drowsiness due to drug reaction and sleep most of the day. I will update once in the next two days. I will remember what I owe!