Where prosperity ends, flowers never end

Chapter 168: Establishing a Mansion

Ran Qianxi slowly fell asleep accompanied by the sound of piano, and was suddenly awakened by the sound of soft footsteps outside the door. She looked up and saw the painter coming in elegantly.

"Greetings, Boss. What do you want me to do for you?"

Ran Qianxi stretched lazily and patted her lips after yawning.

"Did you see the scholars boarding the ship today?"

"Go back to the boss and see it."

Ran Qianxi raised her eyebrows and was beaming with joy.

"Draw it, I'll take it back and show off. Oh, and also the rain scene. Anyway, draw all the scenes you think are beautiful."

The painter smiled and bowed.

"The villain understands."

Ran Qianxi walked out of the cabin, and the masters left. The painter used his brush to sketch what he saw at the entrance on rice paper. The artistic conception was extraordinary and it was named "Entrance Picture".

After sailing for several days, the ship had already passed the northern border. However, just after leaving the northern border, pirates broke out on the peaceful canal.

The big ship was a big target, and looking at the people coming and going on the ship, the pirates thought it was a priceless cargo ship, or at least a passenger ship with a hundred people.

It happened to be cloudy, and the canal garrison was lazy, so several pirate ships surrounded them. The captain and the boatman immediately went on alert.

"Pirates surround the ship."

They were calm and composed. They were all veterans who had been sailing on the water for a lifetime. They fought in an orderly manner in the face of the robbers.

When the gong sounded, people traveling by water all closed their doors and windows wisely.

Ran Qianxi woke up from her dream, ran out of the cabin and hid behind Hong Fan.

"Brother Fan, help me!"

Hong Fan was stunned, and when he looked back, he immediately recognized Ran Qianxi.

"Aqian!"

Ran Qianxi hid behind him like a little bird.

"Damn, did you just recognize me?"

Hong Fan turned his head excitedly.

"I thought he looked familiar, but I didn't dare to recognize him."

Ran Qianxi raised his right hand holding the long knife and hid behind him again.

"You beat them first. If you can't beat them, we'll give you the money."

Hong Fan broke into a smile. Although he was not known as a great hero, he had few rivals in the martial arts world. Most wanderers in the martial arts world recognized his name.

"Don't worry, it's just a small situation, don't rush or panic."

The pirate ship approached and wall-climbing chains were thrown onto the stern. Hong Fan raised his right hand and his thugs surrounded him and cut the chains.

At the same time, the musicians suddenly became alert, walked out of the cabin and stood around Ran Qianxi.

"Wow, what are you doing?"

The zither player said: "Master, don't worry."

Winemaker: "But little thief, the host will go back to the cabin and wait."

The tea master took out his whip and prepared for battle, while the painter was still painting in the pavilion, wanting to capture this intense scene again.

Ran Qianxi watched the three people's movements, they were well-trained, and suddenly recognized the familiar moves that she had seen in Jizhou.

"You've got a bargain. You can make new discoveries with just a few dozen taels."

Hong Fan joked from the side, and Ran Qianxi felt that something was wrong with the masters.

After a fierce fight, no pirates were left. The old boatmen threw the bodies into the canal, and the workers brought buckets of clean water to scrub the deck.

At this time, a letter from the wine master was delivered to Tan Qianhuan.

Ran Qianxi stood there dumbfounded. None of the dozens of bandits came close to her.

The masters tidied their clothes and left in style.

"Oh my god, this is such a bargain!"

Hong Fan couldn't help but smile. Those people were obviously using military techniques, which were different from those in the martial arts world. He immediately guessed that someone had deliberately sent these handsome men to protect Ran Qianxi.

"I have good relationships with people. There are people who help me wherever I go."

Qian Youren came in a hurry, but the matter had already been concluded.

"Ah Qian, how are you?"

Ran Qianxi smoothed the hair on her forehead in triumph.

"It's a small scene, don't rush, don't panic."

"Sorry, I always sleep like a fool. I just fell asleep."

Ran Qianxi smiled and patted Qian Youren on the shoulder.

"I know, don't worry."

At dusk, singing and dancing take place on the pleasure boats, and the chefs use their skillful hands to prepare the most delicious delicacies from land and sea.

The pianist strokes the zither with his bare hands, and the breeze blows, and the music creates heavenly sounds.

Ran Qianxi ate with gusto and drank the wine with great pleasure. The painter began to depict this scene again.

After sailing for more than ten days, mid-spring arrived unexpectedly. Ran Qianxi seemed to have completely found herself again and no longer remembered the sadness of her previous life.

The Yangtze River is magnificent, and the wild geese fly high in the sky, as if they are attending a feast in heaven.

Tan Qianhuan received letters and drawings one after another. Every time he opened them, he looked at every word and every stroke carefully. This was the only connection between him and Ran Qianxi.

"Xi'er, are you avoiding me or your own heart?"

He touched Ran Qianxi in every painting reluctantly. Now he had already trapped himself in a circle and dared not take a single step forward.

She had arrived in the south of the Yangtze River, it was the height of spring. The sunrise over the river, the flowers on the riverside looking redder than fire, the green willows hanging down from the waterside, and the distant alleys were all within her sight.

The mist and rain in Yangzhou city are gentle, the moon is beautiful and graceful, and the people walking on the road seem to be as bright as those in a painting.

There were no large ships entering the city, but large crowds of scholars and dancing troupes followed closely behind, creating an extraordinary and shocking scene.

Under the guidance of the wine master, Ran Qianxi bought a mansion with four courtyards.

The introduction by the agent is very satisfying. You can bathe in the mist in spring and enjoy the magnificent scenery in summer.

"This place has many talented people and a good feng shui. You can stay here without any worries, young lady."

Ran Qianxi walked around the yard, and the broker took her out of the mansion again.

"Young lady, please look. It is adjacent to Yushui Bridge in the south and Gusheng Street in the west. No matter which direction you look, this house is the most convenient and abundant choice."

Ran Qianxi nodded with satisfaction, and the broker handed over the house deed.

"Young lady, rest assured, you can leave all these singing and dancing prostitutes behind."

Ran Qianxi smiled and took out a silver note of three thousand taels, radiating light like a wealthy man.

"Don't have too many servants in the mansion. Just buy a few and be smart."

After saying this, he took out another two hundred taels of silver.

"Remember to pay it in full at once, and let them come to your house to discuss the monthly payment."

The broker took the silver with a nod and a bow, and patted his chest as a guarantee.

"Don't worry, young lady. I know the rules."

Ran Qianxi waved her hand gently, and the broker bowed and left the mansion.

She turned around and looked at the empty plaque hanging on the doorway, and ordered someone to carve the two big words "Ran Mansion" on it.

"Um, what's your name?"

The wine master stepped forward and bowed.

"Shukui."

Ran Qianxi naturally took out a gold ingot and handed it to him.

"Buy some daily necessities. Aren't you a local? You won't be easily fooled."

"Yes, boss."

Then he handed the painter one hundred taels.

"You have good taste. Order some clothes for the servants in the mansion. Don't make them too shabby."

"I understand."

Ran Qianxi took a deep breath and sat down in the pavilion, and Qian Youren followed suit.

"Finally settled down, how is this house?"

Qian Youren smiled and poured her a cup of tea.

“Extraordinary.”

"Haha, as long as it's unusual."

Hong Fan returned to Shenhu Village. The tea master, zither player, and perfumer said goodbye on the surface, but they had actually been lying in ambush to secretly protect Ran Qianxi. The singing and dancing prostitutes followed the boat back to the ferry.

In the afternoon, the broker came to the Ran Mansion with the housekeeper and servants to report for duty. They all looked presentable.

The butler was wearing a light-colored straight-hem suit and his waist-length hair was tied up with a pure white headband. Two strands of hair were floating in front of his forehead. His plain attire did not affect his handsome and elegant appearance.

"Oh my god, where did you find this? Are you so good at finding it?"

The dentist smiled faintly.

"My lady, you are too kind. This is just an ordinary steward."

Ran Qianxi walked around the butler and felt that he was deliberately hiding his identity because his otherworldly face did not look like that of a butler who earned thirty taels of silver a month.

Zhu? bowed to Ran Qianxi. No one knew that he and the zither players were all eagle eyes carefully trained by Tan Qianhuan.

"My name is Zhu."

Ran Qianxi looked at him with satisfaction, with stars in her eyes.

"Okay, okay, it looks so good..."

Zhu smiled.

"Master, you are exaggerating. I am just a commoner."