After the deafening crash, the ensuing sound was naturally that of commotion. From Qingyuan, one could vaguely see the flickering of firelight from the adjacent street. Yunzhu and Jin'er, who had hurriedly put on their shoes and socks, rushed over. Midway, another girl from Qingyuan came to deliver a message: a horse pulling a carriage had been startled at the street corner, ran wildly, broke free of its reins, and crashed the carriage into the wall, collapsing the courtyard wall next to Qingyuan's main building.

"Was anyone hurt?"

"Several people were injured, some of the street vendors, but none seriously. Manager Li has already called for a doctor to come and take a look. She told me to come and tell you two ladies not to worry."

After Zhuji expanded, the staff in the buildings were mostly female. Li Lan, who was currently in charge of Qingyuan, originally came from a brothel but was later recruited. She was skilled in social interactions and knowledgeable in poetry, and she was familiar with Yunzhu and Jin'er's personalities. Hearing that nothing too serious had happened, Yunzhu was relieved. "It's good that no one was seriously hurt."

Jin'er, however, laughed and said, "Now there's something interesting to watch. Those arguing upstairs should quiet down, right?"

Although Qingyuan was supposed to be an elegant place, it was common for literary talents to argue every few days, which only proved its popularity. Yunzhu smiled and shook her head. Then she saw the girl who had come to report the news say, "Actually, they stopped arguing upstairs earlier."

"Oh? Did they finish arguing?"

"No, it seems like a very famous scholar went up there, and then they stopped arguing. Someone went over to greet him... he's very young. I even asked Sister Xiaoyu who he was, and then the wall collapsed..."

"Very famous and young? Has he been here before?"

"No... I don't think so..."

The girl was originally from a poor family and didn't know much about poetry, so she didn't recognize many people. But hearing her say that, Jin'er suddenly frowned, thinking of something, and glanced at Yunzhu. Yunzhu's expression didn't show anything, but her movements paused slightly. Jin'er turned back and asked, "Is his name... Ning something or something Heng?"

It felt like too much of a coincidence. She didn't know what she was thinking. The girl hesitated. "I don't think so... or maybe... Sister Xiaoyu didn't tell me..."

"What does he look like? Is he... about this tall... does he seem very... very steady?" Jin'er gestured and asked the girl. The girl looked troubled. Yunzhu glanced at her and said, "Let's go take a look." Jin'er let the girl go, and the two of them walked a little faster towards the front courtyard. As they approached the main building of Qingyuan, it was already bustling. The wall of the small courtyard next door had been broken by the carriage, and the servants of Qingyuan were cleaning up under the direction of the manager, Li Lan. Torches were lit everywhere, and the literary scholars upstairs and downstairs were pointing and watching the spectacle. Yunzhu and Jin'er looked around the courtyard and then went up to the main hall on the second floor. However, they didn't see the figure they were hoping to see.

Qingyuan usually emphasized elegance, but the two groups of scholars had been arguing in the main hall, and then the courtyard wall had been broken, so there were many people here. Occasionally, someone would come over to greet Yunzhu and Jin'er, trying to ingratiate themselves. Yunzhu sometimes responded with a smile, but it was obviously forced. Seeing this, Jin'er hesitated and said, "Sister Yunzhu, it couldn't be that fast, right..."

"Actually, it's about time..." Yunzhu was absent-minded, searching for a figure among the people upstairs and downstairs, but that was what she answered.

After a while, Li Lan came up and asked about what happened earlier. Li Lan said, "He did come here for the first time, but you two ladies have met him before." It turned out that the person who came earlier was a young talent named Wang Xiangzhen. He came from out of town and had only become famous in Jiangning in the past year.

Talents are actually replaced quite quickly, especially in Jiangning. Those with real talent go to the capital every year. Li Pin and Cao Guan had gone to become officials, and after Gu Yanzhen disappeared, there was no news. Ning Yi suddenly rose to fame and went to Hangzhou. His poems and lyrics could be said to have proven his Dao with strength, but his path to fame was somewhat unconventional. The literary world of Jiangning had mixed feelings about him. Now, the most praised in Jiangning had changed. Wang Xiangzhen had produced many good poems and lyrics in the poetry gatherings in the past six months. Although he had never been to Qingyuan before, he had seen Jin'er twice at Mingyue Tower and Yunzhu once. Since they were doing business, these things were always unavoidable.

After asking these questions, Yunzhu was slightly disappointed, and Jin'er also breathed a sigh of relief, not knowing whether she was disappointed or happy. Then Wang Xiangzhen also came over and greeted Yunzhu and Jin'er with a bow. This man was in his early twenties, with fair skin, red lips, and handsome features. The two groups of people arguing upstairs didn't have much fame. Now that he was a top figure in Jiangning, they didn't dare to argue anymore. Wang Xiangzhen was quite pleased with this effect.

Now in Jiangning, only Ning Yi was praised by Kang Xian and others at the beginning of the year as "a rare lyricist in the world," meaning that after he wrote lyrics, fewer people in the world dared to write them. Wang Xiangzhen felt that he was actually one step ahead, but unfortunately, that Ning Liheng was probably dead in the chaotic army in Hangzhou. It was a pity that he couldn't have a contest on the spot. Moreover, since the other party was dead, he had to give face to the dead. That guy had won unfairly, which was really hateful.

Yunzhu and Jin'er, who were now managing several places of Zhuji, had the backing of the princess's mansion. The industry was not large, but in the eyes and mouths of many people, the identities of these two beautiful women who were originally in the brothel and later became respectable were somewhat transcendent. They didn't have to socialize with many people, and they were usually mysterious, naturally because the backing behind them had reached a high level. Literary talents in Wang Xiangzhen's circle would occasionally talk about this Zhuji when discussing courtesans, saying that it would be really skillful to become the patron of these two women.

Some people would worry about what kind of powerful figures were behind the two women, but since there was no sign of anything, they didn't need to think too much. Wang Xiangzhen was also quite infatuated with the two women. Seeing them at this time, he politely wanted to invite them to talk about poetry. However, Yunzhu was absent-minded, and only responded perfunctorily. Jin'er also smiled reluctantly, focusing on comforting Sister Yunzhu. Wang Xiangzhen was in his early twenties, and his success with girls depended entirely on them offering themselves. In fact, most talented men of this era were like this. With literary talent, women would mostly come to them. He racked his brains to show off his talent, but the other party didn't care. It wasn't a technique of playing hard to get, and his heart became even more itchy, feeling that these two women were indeed very charming.

If there were no hope, the disappointment wouldn't be so deep. Now that she hadn't seen the person she thought she would see, the night suddenly became dull. Yunzhu wanted to leave, but the two families who had stalls on the street outside Qingyuan were not in good circumstances. She remembered the time when she was in a difficult situation, so she asked Li Lan to handle the aftermath for the two families that were affected, and also told her about the reconstruction of the wall.

Someone was reciting poetry upstairs. Looking up, it was Wang Xiangzhen, waving a fan and talking eloquently with his friends by the railing, so there was another masterpiece. In the orange light, he looked handsome and elegant, like a peacock spreading its tail. When Yunzhu looked over there, he was also looking this way, bowing his hand and smiling, very politely. Yunzhu also instinctively lowered her head a little, as a habitual reply when their eyes met.

I don't know how they have so much poetic inspiration, they are reciting poetry at this time... This thought flashed through her mind. Thinking of Ning Yi, if he were here watching the excitement, he might have a couple of humorous jingle poems. That would be quite interesting. These people are too serious, which makes people feel strange.

While she was thinking these things, Wang Xiangzhen was a bit proud upstairs: She saw me, heard me writing poetry, and that look just now, it seems she was a little shy... Thinking this way, he waved his fan and continued to talk eloquently with the people around him, deliberately raising his voice a bit, paying close attention to the bottom. However, Yunzhu told Li Lan a few words, and then turned and left with Yuan Jin'er. Until the figure disappeared, she did not look back.

It seems she is really shy. The back of her body when she left slightly sideways, isn't she concentrating on listening to the movements and words here. He thought so, feeling that he had seen through the woman's psychology, and thought that they might come out later, so he continued to discuss poetry with others, staying in Qingyuan late into the night.

Before long, Yunzhu and Jin'er took a carriage out of the side door. The one driving the carriage was Jin'er, who liked to dress up as a man. Of course, in her male mode, she usually called herself Yuan Bao'er. Most of the time, the coachman and guard work should have been done by the husband of the maid, Hutao, Erniu, but Yuan Jin'er liked to drive the carriage herself. Later, Kang Xian sent people to protect them two in secret, and in many cases, Erniu was arranged to do other things.

At this time, the night was getting deeper, and the carriage drove through the dimly lit streets, along the Qinhuai River towards the outskirts of the city. Occasionally, brightly lit painted boats passed by them on the water, and there were occasional pedestrians on the road, carrying lanterns or carrying burdens, with scattered firefly-like lights. A gentle breeze came, carrying the fragrance of willow catkins and flowers, creating a cool and leisurely feeling. The carriage was not driving fast, and Yunzhu leaned to one side, her eyes a little dazed and lingering as she thought about things. Jin'er looked at her from time to time and said, "Then let's go to see Grandfather Son-in-Law tomorrow..."

"You don't have to keep thinking about him."

"You just kissed me..."

Yunzhu pursed her lips and smiled at her, went over and hugged her, their faces close together, Jin'er giggled and squinted her eyes, then turned her head and "popped" Yunzhu's face, "Kissed..." Yunzhu frowned and pursed her lips, then went to pinch her face and tickle her. The two women dressed as men made a small fuss in the car. At this time, there were fewer and fewer pedestrians on the road, and the two of them restrained themselves when they saw someone coming ahead. The small orange lantern swayed slightly in the car.

"If I kiss you, you are mine, even if Ning Liheng comes back, he can't take you away..." Jin'er announced triumphantly to herself.

Yunzhu sat on the edge of the car, hugging her knees, smiling at her. After a while, she went over and said softly, "I'm your sister, it's nothing to kiss."

"Is, mine, person!" Yuan Jin'er puffed out her cheeks and glared at her.

Yunzhu just smiled, leaning on Jin'er's shoulder, straightening her legs on the shaft of the car, and said softly, "I am Liheng's person..."

Jin'er was a little disappointed and angry: "How can you be so shameless!"

"There is no shamelessness, Nie Yunzhu is Ning Liheng's person, is Yuan Jin'er's sister..." She repeated softly, this gentle words scattered in the warm and slightly drunk spring night wind, and then there was a soft laugh, "Also Yuan Bao'er's sister."

Jin'er was depressed for a long time: "Hmph, I Yuan Bao'er will teach you tonight... Yeh?"

She wanted to say something fierce, but then, she was slightly stunned. At this time, it was close to the small building where they lived. There were not many lights in front of the field of vision, and the road seemed dark. However, on the side of the road over there, a carriage was parked in the darkness by the river, with only one lantern shining, the light rippling out, and a back stood by the river, which was gradually becoming blurred by the light and darkness. It was a scholar. The Qinhuai River flowed far away in the darkness.

The carriage subconsciously slowed down. On such a night, it was natural that they could not see clearly whether the person in front was known or not. They had not seen each other for nearly a year. It was familiar and unfamiliar. Jin'er looked over there, and Yunzhu also watched quietly. They had already made a mistake once tonight, and they could no longer be sure of anything. An unspeakable emotion rose in their hearts. On such a night, who would stay by the side of this road? On that lantern, there seemed to be a Su character, but it was far away, and they couldn't see clearly. A carriage drove from the other side of the road, the light affecting the car and the person, and then blocking the sight of both sides, and then passing by them sideways, gradually moving away. That person seemed to look back, but mainly looked towards the small building at the end of the field of vision, and then stood by the river, enjoying himself, not knowing what he was doing.

Jin'er subconsciously stopped the carriage, looked at Yunzhu, and Yunzhu also looked at her. After a moment, the two got out of the carriage, carrying small lanterns and walking towards the other side. As the distance narrowed, the man in scholar's clothes folded a willow branch in his hand and was hanging it in the water, as if fishing. He tilted his head to look at the small building in the distance, humming a tune in his mouth.

The night wind faintly transmitted the tune, and Yunzhu on this side of the road could understand the vague lyrics. Because it was a casual humming, the lyrics were also disrupted.

"The sound of prosperity escapes into the empty gate, killing the world, the dream is cold, how many debts of love, if you default, wait for life and death, hum hum hum, another circle of the year... How many floors of the pagoda are broken, who's soul is broken, the pain goes straight to a residual lamp, the collapsed mountain gate... If you are following, pass through the door in your previous life, dyed with the mortal world, follow me... um um all my life..."

As if feeling the mountain gate, he turned his head towards this side, saw the carriage parked in the distance, then turned around, saw the two women carrying small lanterns on the opposite side of the road, Ning Yi smiled: "I'm back."

That was an indescribable warmth, spreading from the body, Yunzhu laughed, and couldn't find the words she wanted to say for a while. Jin'er had been stunned for a long time, and a chilling feeling of numbness surged from her tailbone, covering her whole body. For a long time after that, she had difficulty explaining how to summarize that feeling. But at this moment, the girl who felt difficult to breathe pulled Yunzhu's hand like a ghost, and there was no one else around, she shouted out subconsciously.

"I... Sister Yunzhu... Sister Yunzhu kissed me today!"

Well, she deliberated on the two subjects, and then shouted like this. Then even she herself was frightened.