Chapter 71

As night fell, Zhao Yougong did not leave the government office. Under the protection of the Five Great Warriors of Kaifeng, he brought the girl to the prison.

Arriving at the cell where the beggar man was held, Zhao Tianbao kicked the door frame, "Nie Mazi, wake up quickly!"

At this point, everyone in the government office knew the beggar's name. His real name was Nie Cheng, nicknamed Mazi, a native of Hebei. He came from a family of thieves and did all sorts of harmful and self-destructive things. For money, Nie Mazi could be said to have done every evil deed imaginable. He had trafficked infants, robbed graves, and stolen from the elderly. Abusing and exploiting girls, and begging fraudulently, were just some of his many crimes.

This time, falling into the hands of the Kaifeng government, Nie Mazi did not expect a good outcome. Once he had nothing to lose, he was no longer afraid of anything.

Zhao Yougong did not come here to interrogate the prisoner. Zhao Fugong had asked him to take care of the girl, so he had to do something.

"Nie Mazi, release the girl's acupoints!"

"Your Highness, if I help you, what will I get in return?" Nie Mazi, holding a straw in his mouth, smiled lazily.

Zhao Yougong, who had grown up in the streets, knew all too well the tricks of these rascals. He immediately turned to Xie Wudi and said, "Big Beard, Xiaoma, this bastard is yours. If you kill him, just throw him to the乱石岗 outside the city!"

Xie Wudi rolled up his sleeves, and Zhao Tianbao and Zhang Yaobang volunteered, "Count us in. This bastard has been asking for it for a long time. He even dares to make demands, we'll give him a good lesson!"

The Five Great Warriors and even Prince Zhao were not good people, but they despised scoundrels like Nie Mazi. If it weren't for the trouble, they would have killed him long ago.

Seeing the others' stance, Nie Mazi became a bit panicked. He quickly got up and smiled awkwardly, "No, Your Highness, don't, I'll do it, I'll do it right away!"

Nie Mazi tapped the girl's shoulders and abdomen, and she moved her hands. At this moment, Zhao Yougong chuckled and urged Xiao San to carry the girl out of the prison.

Zhao Yougong was never a good person, so as soon as he left, the Five Great Warriors surrounded Nie Mazi. Nie Mazi could only scream in pain, unable to do anything. According to the law, such a thief would be exiled to the border, but Zhao Fugong had instructed that Nie Mazi could not go anywhere and could only die in the Kaifeng prison.

In the prince's residence, the twin sisters were puzzled by the dirty girl their prince had brought back. Zhao Yougong did not explain much, just arranged a room for her and gave a few instructions.

"This girl was saved by Princess Maode. Take good care of her, don't let her die in our residence!"

"Sure, Your Highness, I'll have someone take care of it right away!" Muspring understood that the person the Fourth Princess wanted to save must be treated with utmost care.

Although the girl's acupoints were released, her body was still very weak. She stared blankly at the ceiling, her eyes devoid of any life. Zhao Yougong could only sigh helplessly. This girl must have endured countless hardships, and there was a knot in her heart. Only she could untie it. If she couldn't overcome it, no one could save her.

The next day, Zhao Yougong had planned to accompany Zhao Fugong to the Zhi Shui Poetry Gathering, but unexpectedly, it started to rain.

The fine rain drizzled, the summer breeze blew, the grass was wet, and the city was filled with flying fluff. This was the season when the loquats ripened.

Life is like water, the world is vast. Opening a door to the past, who would look at each other, who would connect with each other in this world.

Zhao Yougong thought that Zhao Fugong, being pampered, would not go to the poetry gathering in the rain. But to his surprise, just after the hour of Si (9:00 AM), her familiar voice was heard outside the residence.

"Lingge, come out quickly, don't keep your little sister waiting!"

Hearing the call, Zhao Yougong could only put down his teacup and smile bitterly, "You two take good care of the house, I'm off!"

Muxue giggled and came out of the inner room with an oiled umbrella, "Your Highness, go there and come back soon. This rain won't stop for a while, be careful not to get wet!"

"Hehe, do you think I don't know? But whether I can come back is not up to us!"

Holding the oiled umbrella, Xiao San followed behind. After a few steps, Zhao Yougong waved his hand, "Xiao San, you don't need to follow me today. Go to the government office and keep an eye on things. If I'm not back by noon, find a reason to call me back!"

"Ah, Young Master, be careful, the road is slippery!"

"Nonsense, I'm not a three-year-old, do you think I'll fall?"

Pouting, Zhao Yougong left the prince's residence and got into the carriage. Zhao Fugong pouted and scolded, "Lingge, you're so slow!"

"Fourth Sister, it's raining outside. Do you think I can hide in the carriage like you?" Zhao Yougong closed his eyes to rest but kept talking, "What kind of poetry gathering is this? It would be better to go with Third Brother!"

Third Brother Zhao Kai's literary talent was praised even by their father. Taking him to the Zhi Shui Poetry Gathering would be perfect, but the problem was that Third Brother was too serious, "Don't mention it. I've already talked to Third Brother, but he told me to stay in the palace, it's really boring!"

"That's for your own good. Do you really think it's just a poetry gathering? It's a bunch of single men and women, all with ulterior motives!" Zhao Yougong spoke in the language of the streets, and he had no interest in poetry gatherings. What they called poetry gatherings were essentially high-class matchmaking events for the elite.

The rain was not light. After just a short while, the streets were already flooded. Lifting the curtain, he saw a few children playing in the rain, raindrops sliding down their faces, but they were laughing happily.

Zhao Fugong looked at the children with envy, her eyes full of tenderness. After a long while, she leaned on Zhao Yougong's shoulder and asked softly, "Lingge, did you often play like this when you were a child?"

"Yes, but I got beaten by Father."

When Zhao Yougong was four, he was mischievous, playing a snowball fight with Yan Ruo in the snow. Unfortunately, he caught a cold and was confined for several days.

"Was it fun?"

"Fun? Of course it was. Do you want to try, Fourth Sister?" Zhao Yougong smiled mischievously, and Zhao Fugong, sensing that nothing good would come of it, turned her head away.

The carriage moved slowly and soon arrived at the Han Garden by the Cai River. The current Han Garden was far superior to its later version. The garden was filled with strange rocks and lush flowers, and the buildings combined the style of southern pavilions. Although it could not compare to the Genyue Garden, it was still magnificent. A small lake connected to the Cai River to the south, and the Zhi Shui Poetry Gathering was held on this lake. A painted boat was moored in the center of the lake, and several small boats were docked at the shore, specifically to transport the participants.

The carriage stopped, and Zhao Yougong's smile disappeared, replaced by a cold laugh. It seemed his luck was too good, as he immediately ran into a few enemies upon arriving at the Han Garden. In a small pavilion by the shore, a few elegant young men looked at each other and laughed. Seeing Zhao Yougong, they whistled mockingly.

"Oh, our Kaifeng Prefect is also attending the poetry gathering?"

Gao Yannei's fat face trembled as he fanned himself, his face full of mockery. Wang Tenghui leaned against a pillar, equally surprised, "Lingge, you can write poetry now?"

Seeing these enemies, Zhao Yougong lost all interest in the poetry gathering. However, as a spoiled young man, he could not lose face. Holding the oiled umbrella, he helped Zhao Fugong out of the carriage and waved at the familiar faces, "It's just poetry, listen well, fatty."

A sheep on the shore,

A woman in the water,

Who takes off her clothes and dances,

Gets into the bed of love.

The poem caused a moment of silence. Zhao Fugong pouted, wishing she could kick her brother into the lake. It was too embarrassing. If he couldn't write poetry, he didn't have to recite those vulgar poems from the brothels.

Gao Yannei, Cai Tiao, and the others were stunned. They didn't expect Zhao Yougong to be so bold, reciting such a lewd poem in front of Princess Maode. It was hard not to laugh. Gao Yannei closed his fan and laughed heartily, "Zhao Rascal, is this your poetry? Haha, I'm dying of laughter!"

Zhao Yougong, with his thick skin, was not affected by Gao Yannei's taunts. He flipped his hand and chuckled, "Gao Fatty, you're just two four-fives when you split your hands!"

In the Song Dynasty, nine hundred was an insult, similar to "two-fifty" in modern times. Two four-fives added up to nine hundred. Gao Yannei, who reacted quickly, glared and shouted, "You bastard!"

Ignoring Gao Yannei, Zhao Yougong shrugged and walked north of the lake with his oiled umbrella, "Fourth Sister, go ahead, I'll wait for you outside!"

Zhao Fugong, being clever, knew that with Gao Yannei and others around, Zhao Yougong would only get angry if he went to the boat. It was better for him to stay outside. She glared at the young men and walked angrily to the small boat, "Lingge, don't go too far, I'll come out soon!"

Hearing Zhao Fugong's comforting words, Zhao Yougong chuckled. This girl was too naive. Once on the boat, the young men would surely surround her, and she wouldn't be able to leave as she wished.

The drizzle continued, the grass was wet, and as he moved further from the boat, the surroundings became increasingly peaceful. The willows swayed gently, raindrops sliding down the green leaves like pearls. The rain formed streams under the eaves, flowing over the green stones. Each step brought a new sensation.

The plum rain was misty, enveloped in a gentle melancholy. Immersed in this soft rain, the slight chill was the charming early summer.

The Drunken Heart Pavilion, like a painting, stood proudly in the rain, having weathered countless springs and autumns.

At this moment, a woman in purple stood quietly in the pavilion. In front of her was a stack of drawing paper and several thick brushes.

In the quiet plum rain season, she was like a fairy in a painting, untouched by the world.

Why was this woman, who resembled Zhao Yaqi, here?

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