Section 6

As the note was pulled out, both Huang Shi and the other person turned pale. Before Huang Shi could speak, the merchant shouted, "Master, I know nothing at all; this fellow must be a spy."

Even with a fortune of millions, one is merely a dog living off the whims of a foreign tribe

The Han individual leaned close to the ear of the Later Jin official, whispering while waving a piece of paper. Huang Shi observed the official's gaze, which shifted continuously, ultimately becoming exceedingly complex

At this point, the officials of the Later Jin could not help but cover their noses and step back again. He glared at Huang Shi for a moment and finally could not help but burst into laughter: "You Han dog, today I am in a good mood, I will spare your dog life, do not die here blocking the way, get lost"

With a silent sigh, Huang Shi set down the teacup and looked into the merchant's eyes. It was only when the other party averted his gaze that he spoke earnestly: "If I were to be valued by the court, why would I stoop to doing such a task?"

The officials of the Later Jin looked disdainfully at Huang Shi, who lay on the ground in a pool of excrement and urine. After stepping back two paces to examine the note, they found it written entirely in Chinese characters and then handed it to a Han official. Their eyes, as they gazed at Huang Shi, resembled those of bloodthirsty beasts.

Huang Shi felt increasingly uncomfortable in his groin upon hearing this. Before entering the city, he had deliberately consumed a considerable amount of water, and it seemed he had drunk too much.

The Governor of Liaodong is the main attacker. Huangshi did not answer the question directly

Miao Zhan. The slender gold font is said to be delicate, causing Huang Shi to smile involuntarily

With the merchant's words, "Go ahead," the woman rose, performed a graceful bow, lightly swayed her willow-like waist, and gracefully exited.

Upon hearing these words, Huang Shi felt a tightness in his heart, and his palms began to sweat slightly. He suddenly thought: if he were to display such behavior in front of Li Yongfang, his life would be in great danger

With great literary talent and foresight, it is hard to believe that he is merely an unknown commoner. Upon seeing Huang Shi skillfully practicing Tai Chi, the merchant became anxious

You flatter me, sir. My position is lowly and my words are insignificant, I fear they may not reach the esteemed ears of the governor.

It seems that one can indeed speak on equal terms before the governor, doesn't it? The merchant's address to Huangshi has changed from 'you' to 'Your Excellency', and now from 'Your Excellency' to 'Sir'.

Upon seeing Huangshi, the merchant hesitated for a moment before speaking: "I have heard that Lord Xiong, the governor of Liaodong, advocates a defensive strategy, suggesting that we abandon the people of Liaodong?"

The merchant pondered for a moment and then inquired, "I naturally cannot ask about your identity, nor do I dare to, but from what I have observed, you are likely not just a mere scholar, are you?"

In Huangshi, they kowtowed to the officials several times, and only after fleeing a few dozen steps with all their strength did they dare to stand up and flee in panic.

Well, after all, it is just a love letter from my wife to the steward, and it may not contain any substantial content. If necessary, you can also say that it was discovered in time and that I was dismissed

The merchant, observing coldly, saw Huang Shi look up and merely glance at him. He then placed the teacup on the tea table with a flick of his arm and could not help but ask, "What do you think of my girl, Your Excellency?"

The girl moved to kneel before Huang Shi, gazing intently. This young lady appeared to be around sixteen or seventeen years old, with light makeup, a slender figure, fair teeth, and red lips, her brows and eyes resembling a painting. Huang Shi silently praised her beauty and picked up the teacup, lifting the lid with one hand and gently blowing on it. The girl remained quietly kneeling, her lips slightly pursed, with her long eyelashes framing her eyes that shimmered.

On the plaque above, there are five shining golden characters

The soldiers of the Later Jin gathered around the city gate, two of them dragging the middle-aged man to one side, while several others drew their waist knives and held them against Huang Shi's neck. A chill and a slight sting immediately came from the junction of his head and neck. Huang Shi first felt a warmth in his groin, then collapsed to the ground, gasping for air with his mouth wide open, his eyes frozen like a dead man's.

I have misspoken, but there are some words in my heart that I cannot keep to myself. I hope you will be understanding.

The Han official's face changed color halfway through reading the note. After finishing, he looked up at Huangshi and saw the person lying on the ground with a look of utter despair. He then turned to glance at the trembling merchant on the other side, his face filled with unmistakable astonishment

"Being called a cuckold is certainly better than being beheaded; at least there's a head to wear the green hat," the merchant laughed and said, "Hurry up and come with me, so we can change clothes when we get home"

He glanced at the plaque on the gate, and after confirming its accuracy, handed the prepared visiting card to the guard

"Alright, alright." After finally stopping his laughter, the Manchu official's gaze turned mischievous as it roamed over Huangshi and the merchants a few times. He suddenly burst into laughter again, wiping away tears while scolding, "Why aren't you scramming, Han dog? The next time I see you, I'll beat you up again."

After walking a distance, the two were just about to celebrate their safe passage when they heard a thunderous laughter coming from the direction of the city gate. They turned back to take a glance, and saw several soldiers from the Later Jin pointing and gesturing behind them.

When Huang Shi first saw this action, he intended to get up and help, but upon reflection, he realized there was no hope for these people to survive. Thus, he calmly accepted the bow and then smiled, saying to Tu Shu: "Then let that beautiful girl thank me, and have her attend to my needs tonight."

Amid the laughter of the officials of the Later Jin, several soldiers withdrew their weapons pointed at Huang Shi, turning them around to strike and kick him until he rolled about on the ground. They only ceased when Huang Shi, rolling and crawling, managed to reach the side of the middle-aged merchant.

The merchant was silent for a long while, and finally sighed, saying: "Your Excellency has a remarkable hand in writing, eloquently expressing yourself. I believe that even the most learned individuals are not beyond this. In the presence of beauty, your demeanor remains unchanged. When asked about your feelings, you speak candidly, truly embodying the demeanor of a distinguished scholar. I have observed people for decades and consider myself rarely mistaken."

As the merchant spoke until the end, Huang Shi noticed that there were already faint tears in his eyes. Feeling a sense of sorrow in his heart, he could only speak to comfort him: "Please rest assured, Your Excellency, the Governor of Liaodong will surely dispatch troops to Liaoyang soon to relieve the suffering of the people."

The official of the Later Jin approached Huang Shi, who was curled up on the ground, and kicked him hard, forcing him to get up and kneel properly. After Huang Shi trembled and positioned himself, the Later Jin official began to scornfully berate him: "Han dog, bold enough to act but cowardly enough to take responsibility, you’ve grown so big for nothing, at first glance you even seem somewhat manly."

Upon hearing these words, the merchant turned and knelt down, exclaiming: "On behalf of the citizens of this city, I express my gratitude to you, esteemed sir"

Please inform the residence that someone requests an audience

The next day, after getting up, Huang Shi leisurely had lunch, then took his leave from the merchant and went out, walking to a mansion in the center of Liaoyang City.

Huang Shi smiled apologetically at the merchant and said, "It seems your reputation has been ruined."

Seeing that Huang Shi did not respond, the merchant continued, "If Your Excellency could meet with the Governor, I earnestly hope you can speak on behalf of the people of Liaodong. Our hopes for the imperial army are as profound as a child's longing for their mother. I implore the court to dispatch a great army soon to rescue the common people from their dire straits"

The middle-aged man shook his head helplessly, feeling that Huang Shi was truly a carefree person, as gossip tends to spread like wildfire: "However, your handwriting is indeed elegant; it's clear that it's not something a rough person like me could write.

After entering and changing into appropriate attire, a maid brought in a tray with two teacups. The merchant first picked up one cup and then gestured towards Huang Shi, inviting him to partake.

"So beautiful." Huang Shi said in a calm tone

Huang Shi did not respond either, but simply picked up the tea bowl again, smiling as he began to blow on it

Fushun Duke's Mansion

After walking through several streets, the merchant stopped in front of a large courtyard. Huang Shi looked up at the small building inside and couldn't help but praise, "Indeed, it is a wealthy family, truly enviable."

You are truly a master of strategy, the merchant praised sincerely