diymy Chapter 108 I'll strip you naked first!
Chapter 108 I'll strip you naked first!
Sun Erniang scalded the hot wine, poured a bowl of it over, and handed it to Zheng Tu.
He smiled and said, "Sir, please try this wine. If you feel it's not enough, I'll heat it up for you."
Zheng Tu took the wine bowl, but did not drink it immediately.
He raised the bowl, examined it carefully against the sunlight streaming through the window, then brought it to his nose, closed his eyes, and took a deep sniff, as if savoring the aroma of the wine.
His demeanor was exactly like that of a seasoned connoisseur who had been immersed in the art of wine for over a decade, savoring some exquisite nectar.
Sun Erniang stood to the side, her heart pounding with anxiety, but she couldn't show it on her face. She could only force a smile and say, "Sir, this wine must be drunk while it's hot. If it gets cold, the flavor will be ruined."
Upon hearing this, Zheng Tu opened his eyes and said with a half-smile, "Madam, don't be in a hurry. How can such fine wine be swallowed whole? You must first observe its color, then smell its aroma, and finally taste its flavor, so as not to waste this jar of fine wine."
After saying that, he put down the wine bowl, took out a small silver spoon from somewhere, and slowly stirred the wine in the bowl.
Sun Erniang's eyelids twitched involuntarily: Why is this scoundrel so meddlesome?!
Zheng Tu stirred it for a moment, then took out a silver spoon, scooped a small spoonful of wine and examined it closely.
The key remained shiny silver and did not turn black or discolor.
As expected, this sleeping potion was not a poison like arsenic, and it could not be detected with a silver spoon.
Despite this, Zheng Tu still feigned surprise and uttered a soft "Eh?": "Why is there a little bit of sediment in this wine?"
Sun Erniang quickly said, "Sir, you don't know, this cloudy wine already has some dregs, and they'll be even more noticeable after it's heated up. It's alright, just keep drinking."
"I see."
Zheng Tu nodded, wiped the silver spoon on the cloth on the table, and put it back into his pocket.
He picked up the wine bowl again and brought it to his lips.
Sun Erniang held her breath, her eyes fixed on his throat.
Just as the rim of the bowl was about to touch his lips, Zheng Tu suddenly put it down, frowned, and said, "This wine is a bit too hot; it needs to cool down."
As he spoke, he casually placed the bowl on the table.
Sun Erniang nearly choked on her breath. Her murderous intent was becoming increasingly difficult to suppress, and the smile on her face was already stiffening. She stopped responding to him.
Seeing her like this, Zheng Tu knew there was no hope.
Having had his fill of frivolity, he sighed, looked up at Sun Erniang, and said, "Madam, when I was traveling the world, I often heard people say: 'At the crossroads of the big tree, who dares to pass by? The fat ones are chopped up for steamed bun filling, and the skinny ones are thrown into the river.' I wonder... have you heard of this?"
Upon hearing this, Sun Erniang's expression changed drastically. She jumped back a step and shouted sharply, "Little Er, Little San, come out quickly!"
Before he finished speaking, the kitchen curtain was lifted, and a fat, stupid man rushed out, carrying a skinning knife.
Why is he alone? Where is the other person?
Then, that foolish man circled around from behind, jumped out from in front of the shop carrying two thick cleavers, and blocked the entrance completely with his fat body, obviously to prevent Zheng Tu from escaping.
For a time, Sun Erniang, Xiao Er, and Xiao San formed a three-way standoff, firmly surrounding Zheng Tu in the middle.
Sun Erniang stared intently at Zheng Tu, her heart filled with shock and anger: "You wicked scoundrel! So you knew all along that I, the Demon Sun Erniang, was just toying with you?!"
Suppressing her anger, she said in a deep voice, "May I ask which friend from the martial world is here? If you are a hero, please state your name."
It turns out that Sun Erniang's father was named Sun Yuan, and was known in the martial arts world as Mountain Demon Sun Yuan. He was a senior figure in the martial arts world and a very famous figure among the outlaws.
He had repeatedly instructed his daughter: "When you run a shop, do not harm the third-rate people you encounter."
First are wandering Taoist monks and nuns. They have never enjoyed wealth or exploited the common people, and they are also monks.
Secondly, there are the courtesans who frequent brothels and travel from place to place, performing for money and losing their hard-earned cash. If they were killed, their reputations would inevitably be ruined once word got out.
Thirdly, among those who have committed crimes and been exiled to various places, there are many good men; one must not corrupt them.
Zheng Tu was so burly and imposing, he looked like a hero, and he also knew the inner workings of the outlaw world. If he were truly a hero with a name and a reputation, they would all be one family and could shake hands and make peace, and Sun Erniang might have given up then.
To everyone's surprise, Zheng Tu smiled slightly, shook his head, and said only, "Nameless, nameless, not much of a hero either."
Upon hearing this, Sun Erniang could no longer suppress her anger and laughed in fury:
"You big, fat bastard! You've been toying with me for half the day! Since that's how you see it, then there's no need to talk anymore! You're so fat, you'd be perfect for selling as beef! I'll skin you alive first!"
As the woman spoke, she first took off her green gauze shirt, then her red silk skirt, and bare-chested, she pulled out two gleaming sharp knives!
But her two mounds of white flesh swayed, yet her muscles were firm, clearly not those of an ordinary woman.
Holding knives in both hands, crossed over her chest, her eyes gleaming with ferocity, she roared, "Today I'll skin you alive!"
………………
But let's return to Qinghe County.
At Ximen Qing's residence.
After his sworn brotherhood and secret conversation with Zheng Tu that night, Ximen Qing felt somewhat relieved of his crisis, but he was still filled with anxiety.
If Brother Zheng's actions tonight go smoothly and he manages to subdue all the enemies in Qinghe County, then Qinghe County should be safe for the time being. However, if the root of trouble in Tokyo is not eliminated, it will remain a major concern.
After seeing Zheng Tu off, he didn't have time to rest and made preparations overnight.
First, they opened the storeroom and selected a batch of gold, silver, and precious artifacts.
Six sets of red gold wine vessels, two pearl-encrusted crowns, two jade belts, thirty large Western pearls, and twenty bolts of various colored silks. All these items were packed in wooden boxes, wrapped in oilcloth, and properly bound.
After loading all the items, Ximen Qing called upon his trusted servants.
Dai An'er is the steward of the household, and is still young, so she cannot travel far.
He pondered for a moment, then summoned Lai Bao and Lai Wang'er, two capable men from the household, to his bedroom.
The two stood at attention, holding their breath and with their hands at their sides.
Ximen Qing closed the door and whispered, "You two must set off very early tomorrow morning, carrying these trunks, and rush to Tokyo overnight. Don't stay at your in-law Chen's place; he's in dire straits now, and going there will only attract attention. Just find a quiet inn to stay in and secretly inquire about the Yang Admiral's case."
He paused for a moment: "If you hear that things are not going well, open the chests and find the gold, jewels and valuables to bribe officials. Remember, find those greedy and avaricious clerks and palace eunuchs, offer them large sums of money, just to find out the truth and smooth things over."
Having said that, he took out two envelopes of silver, each containing twenty taels, and handed them to the two men: "This is for travel expenses. There will be a greater reward after the deed is done."
Lai Bao and Lai Wang'er both knelt down and kowtowed, saying, "Rest assured, Father, we will do our utmost!"
Ximen Qing helped the two men up and instructed them, "Set off at the crack of dawn. Hire porters to carry the trunks and boxes, and you two will ride along. If anyone asks you anything on the road, just say you are merchants going to Tokyo. Remember, go quickly and return quickly, and report back immediately once you have any news."
The two men accepted the order and withdrew.