On the desolate and cold dock by the river in Ze County, the cold wind whistled, the withered branches of the willow and poplar trees broke off, "crack" a sound rang out, and a cluster of snowflakes fluttered down.

  A young woman with a small forehead and a low bun, wearing a red veil hat, light green sleeves with a rotating cuff, and a long skirt made of Huzhou silk, her figure is slender and tall, from afar she seems like an immortal, standing out vividly on the snowy and muddy riverbank.

  On the third day of the first month, there were still very few people going out. The dock by the river was quite deserted, with only a dozen or so boatmen and travelers, as well as some servants from the riverside inns who were warming themselves by the fire, all standing at the entrance watching Xiao Yang, speculating about her identity. If she were a concubine eloping from a wealthy family, there should be a man accompanying her; if she were a boat prostitute out to solicit customers early, there should be a flower boat or a painted barge - it was truly strange!

  Several frivolous men came forward to chat her up, inviting Yang Xiaojin into a small shop to drink a cup of wine to warm herself up. After much persuasion, they didn't hear a single response from her. The woman simply gazed out at the river upstream.

  One of the dissolute men deliberately crowded beside Yang Xiaojin and even wanted to lift her veil to see her face.

  Yang Xiao Chen suddenly pushed the man away, pulled out a five-inch small knife from his waist leather bag, the blade was emitting a blue light, the blood groove was deep and obviously extremely sharp.

  A few frivolous men were startled and quickly retreated to a distance, standing under the eaves of the inn to flirt with Xiaoyan with obscene language.

  Yang Xiaoyin took a look at them, remembered their appearance, and waited for the young master to deal with them later.

  After a while, a smiling middle-aged woman came over, wearing a deer-antler hairpin, painted eyebrows and lips, and a gaudy dress. She asked kindly: "Miss, are you waiting for someone?"

  This question suddenly reached Little Lamb's heart. She had been waiting for a while, and seeing that the sky was about to darken, she couldn't help but feel anxious, so she nodded immediately.

  The vulgar woman said: "Miss, are you waiting for a boat to come down? The boats from upstream don't all pass through this waterway. There's also a fork in the river over there." She pointed to the opposite bank.

  "Ah!" Little Lamb's brow furrowed slightly in alarm.

  The woman observed her expression and asked: "Is the person you are waiting for coming by big boat or small boat?"

  Yang Xiaoyin finally responded with: "A large ship."

  The woman immediately said: "A big ship does not pass by this side, you see the one that just came down from upstream is a small boat."

  The woman finished speaking and waited for Xiǎo Yuè to ask her for help finding a boat to cross the river. She carefully examined this lonely young woman. Although her face was covered by a veil, so that her eyebrows and eyes could not be seen, but her figure, her waist, and her white fingers like scallions were absolutely those of a beauty. Looking at her skirt decorations, they were very exquisite, and her attire did not resemble that of a servant girl; she should be a concubine who had run away from a wealthy family. She thought to herself: "When I get her on the boat, after training her, making her into a boat prostitute, she will absolutely be a money tree! What good luck at the beginning of the year, without spending any money, I can get such a beautiful and delicate girl!"

  The woman waited for a while, and when the girl didn't make a sound, she said again: "Miss wants to wait for someone else, still has to cross the river to wait. The sky is already late. Otherwise, if you miss it, it won't be good."

  Yang Xiaoyin still didn't make a sound. She was an extremely clever woman, seeing that the woman hadn't spoken yet but was already smiling and her eyes were flashing, she didn't dare to fully believe what the woman said. Decided to wait a bit longer.

  At this moment, a giant red ship, nine zhang long, with a huge belly and three large sails, shot downstream like an arrow leaving the bowstring.

  The woman's lie was self-evident, Yang Xiaoqin let out a "hmmph" and stomped her frozen feet, running to the highest rock closest to the water's edge, waving her hands vigorously and shouting loudly: "Young Master! Young Master!"

  Fifty zhang away, the river's current was turbulent, a large red boat sped by quickly, on one side of the boat's hull, there was a man wearing a hu hat and a dou cloak, surrounded by several attendants, looking in this direction, wasn't this Zhou Qiuchu young master to Yang Xiaojin?

  "Prince... Prince..."

  Yang Xiaoyin ran along the riverbank, tearing off her veil and revealing her beautiful face as she chased after the large boat.

  The big ship sailed out over a hundred yards and gradually slowed down its speed, getting slower and slower, apparently it was going to stop.

  Yang Xiaoyin was overjoyed, with tears of happiness in her eyes, and ran along the riverbank, holding up her skirt, getting faster and faster, like a green butterfly flying.

  A large boat lowered a small sampan, two boatmen and two maidservants sailed to the riverbank, Yang Xiaojin panted and ran over just in time, holding onto the maid's hand and getting into the small sampan. The two boatmen immediately rowed with oars, and the small sampan quickly approached the large boat.

  Yang Xiaoyin's breathing slowed down a bit, and she asked: "Xiao Xiang?"

  The two maidservants were both kind-hearted and smiled, saying: "It's all on the boat, it's all on the boat."

  Yang Xiaoyin got on the big ship, and the woman led her into the cabin. Yang Xiaoyin felt that something was not quite right. Since the young master had seen her on the riverbank, now that he had taken her onto the ship, why wasn't he waiting for her on the deck? The young master wasn't someone who put on airs like this!

  Yang Xiaoqian stopped in her tracks, reached into a small leather pouch with her right hand, grasped the hilt of a dagger and called out: "Young Master——"

  "My wife said: 'The young master is waiting for you inside.'"

  Yang Xiaoyin stepped back two steps and called out again: "Young Master——"

  Someone from under the boat replied: "The young master has arrived!"

  Three people came up the wooden stairs, making a "thud" sound. On the left was a tall and thin man in his 40s, wearing a single-layer hemp shirt, seemingly impervious to the cold. His eyes bulged out, his eyebrows were like two brooms, and he had a self-important look on his face. On the right was a Confucian scholar in his 50s, with a Confucian hat and a blue robe, his features were refined and elegant, with an air of wisdom about him, as if he held some secret knowledge. In the middle was a young man wearing a fur hat and a sable coat, who was none other than the person Sheep Small Wrinkle had seen on the riverbank - not Zhou Xuan at all!

  The goat knew it had made a mistake and got on the wrong boat, although frightened, it didn't panic and said: "Get off the boat."

  A young man of about twenty-six or seven years old, with a slender figure and handsome appearance, his eyes were exceptionally spirited, and he had an air of authority in his movements. He was obviously used to being pampered and giving orders. First, he saw a beautiful woman on the riverbank waving at him, and he knew it was very likely that she had mistaken him for someone else. Smiling, he said: "Let's bring that woman over here and take a look at her appearance. If she's beautiful, we'll keep her; if she's ugly, we'll throw her into the river to feed the fish."

  The big man with a cloak and a ring around his eyebrows said: "Young master, this girl is an absolute beauty."

  The young man raised his eyebrows and said: "Is that so? Mr. Du is an eagle eye, of course he can see clearly. Stop the boat quickly and send a plank to pick him up."

  At this time one sees. Fruit

  The country is inclined to the color of the city, and the age seems to be still young, with a pure beauty that contains childishness, which inadvertently makes people feel pity and love.

  A young man smiled and asked: "Miss, what's your surname? Which young master are you looking for?"

  "Get off the boat."

  But by this time the big ship had already hoisted its sails again, straightened its rudder and sailed downstream with the current.

  Yang Xiao Xun rushed to the side of the boat. Looking at the receding riverbank and the surging river water. Tears welled up in her eyes.

  A young man stood idly by. He didn't worry that Yang Xiaojin would jump into the river, and slowly said: "It's a blessing for you to meet me, miss. You're a lone woman going out to find someone, but what if you can't find him and instead fall into a fire pit? Wouldn't that be terrible! Why don't you stay on my boat temporarily, and I'll help you find the person - which young master are you looking for?"

  Yang Xiao Chen's eyebrows were furrowed, her cherry lips pursed tightly, and she didn't say a word.

  The young man showed no signs of embarrassment. He still smiled and said: "Miss doesn't say, that must be looking for Young Master Li, I am Young Master Li."

  Yang Xiaoyin was as still and silent as a beautiful ice sculpture, unmoved by the man who called himself Li Gongzi's supposedly clever words.

  The young man turned his head and said, "Invite this young lady to stay at the Xiaoyaxuan for a while, and serve her well." He also said to Yang Xiaoxin: "Miss, don't be afraid. I am a refined person and will not offend you. You can rest assured. If there is a big ship coming from behind, it's not too late to find your young master again."

  Two maidservants came forward, two female attendants and the two maidservants held Yang Xiaojin from all sides, and Yang Xiaojin did not resist. Calmly went down to the cabin.

  Li Gongzi gazed at Yang Xiaoyin's slender back, his left hand gently rubbing his right thumb, a smile spreading across his face.

  The middle-aged scholar smiled and said, "Young master has always liked to use forceful means, why is he so gentle this time?"

  Li Gongzi smiled and said, "This girl is a national beauty with a heavenly fragrance, still a virgin. I will naturally treat her with the courtesy of a king, capture her heart and show off my skills. Just like Du Xian and Gan Xing, you two are rare talents in the world, only I can appreciate you, treat you with the honor and favor of a national scholar, and you will naturally be willing to serve me."

  "Your kindness to us is as boundless as the sky and earth, we two swear to die for you, young master."

  Xiang Xiao Chen was supported by two maids as she arrived at the Xiaoya Pavilion. The pavilion was filled with a group of women chatting and laughing, all of whom were beauties dressed to the nines. Xiang Xiao Chen stood out with her clear and elegant demeanor, causing all the other women to pale in comparison and fall silent. They stared at her with jealous eyes for a while before bursting into a cacophony of chatter.

  "Looks like the young master has got a new favorite!"

  "Yu Ping'er, you're going to fall out of favor!"

  "Look at you, so cold and unfeeling!"

  Yang Xiaoyin didn't say a word, and was led by two maids into an exquisitely decorated pavilion. As soon as she saw the window, she hastily pushed it open and gazed out at the vast river waters, feeling slightly more at ease.

  The sky grew dark and the boat was going very fast, without seeing any boats coming from behind.

  The maid brought in dinner, but Yang Xiaoqin didn't touch her chopsticks. She stared out the cold window, thinking about what to do next.

  That Li Gongzi adopted a strategy of "loosening the reins in order to capture" and had not come to see Yang Xiaomei.

  The sky had darkened, and Xiǎo Méi got up and left the pavilion, walking slowly with two maidservants following closely behind her.

  Although the boat was big, with over a hundred people gathered on it, you could hear someone talking everywhere. Yang Xiaomin listened to all these words in her heart and learned that this boat was also going to Jinling, and that Li Gongzi was a nobleman of great wealth.

  Yang Xiaoyin nodded secretly, the waterway to Jinling is only 7 or 8 days away. Once she arrives in Jinling, it's not too late to find the young master again. As long as she makes up her own mind, she won't be afraid of Young Master Li coming to disturb her.

  Thinking of this, Yang Xiaoyin touched the small knife at her waist.

  As she walked back, she suddenly heard Li Gongzi's voice above her head on the top deck of the large ship. All she heard was Li Gongzi saying one sentence: "I have already persuaded Wei Bo, and I promised that after things are settled, he will be in sole charge of the territories of Zhen Nan and Zhao Wu."

  Yang Xiaoyin certainly knew who Wei Bo was, and was extremely surprised in her heart. She slowed down her pace and heard Li Gongzi say: "The five major Duhu Fu in the southwest of Tang Dynasty - Zhen Nan, Bai Sheng are my people, Zhao Wu, Jianzhou are not, as for Fenghua, I secretly visited Lin half a year ago, this old fox is ambiguous, obviously following the trend, whoever gets the upper hand will support whoever."

  Another voice said, "This time Lin's two daughters came to the capital, and that young girl Lin Hanyu seems to be going for that person. Young master, you absolutely cannot let Lin marry that person! You should sabotage it from the middle. It would be best if the young master marries Lin's second daughter instead. The young master's charm far surpasses that person's. As long as he sees Lin's second daughter a few more times, Lin's second daughter will definitely fall deeply in love with the young master."

  Li Gongzi chuckled and said, "I'm really unlucky, I've become the Princess of Pingyang. I also promised to marry the daughter of Wei Bo, alas, that Wei Bo's daughter is really ugly, in the future if I really have to take her in, I won't even see her once."

  Several people burst out laughing together.

  Yang Xiaoyin slowly walked away, unable to hear the conversation anymore. She thought to herself: "Who is this Li Gongzi after all? It seems like he's going to harm Lin Erniang, my family's young master has a good relationship with the Lin family, so this must involve our young master. I'll definitely tell him about this when I see him."

  After several days, the big ship sailed smoothly with the wind, passing through Anqing, Chizhou and Tongling. It is estimated that it will take another three days to reach Xidu Jinling.

  These days, Li Gongzi comes to Yang Xiaojun's room every day and chats with her for a while, saying some witty words. However, Yang Xiao remains silent, if not for the two words "get off" she said when boarding the boat, it would be easy to think she is mute.

  Having grown accustomed to the flattery, coquetry, and jealousy of other women, Li Gongzi became even more interested in Yang Xiaojin, this lotus-like beauty. He thought to himself: "Once we arrive at Jinling, I'll properly train her, and she'll definitely say whatever I want."

  Yang Xiaoyin's mind was filled with Zhou Xuan's appearance, and she prayed in her heart: "Master, come quickly, Xiaoyin is afraid."