Shang Jianyao said "Oh":
"Your father dances well, he can't be good-looking."
He didn't seem to hear what Zhao Yide was saying clearly.
Seeing that Xue Shiyue and others were noncommittal, Zhao Yide had to repeat:
"My father has something he wants to ask you for help, I don't know if you are willing to see him."
Jiang Baimian changed his mind and said slightly narrowly:
"As the saying goes, a gentleman does not stand under a dangerous wall.
"It's okay to see each other, but you can't be in the Zhao Mansion, you have to find a place where everyone can feel at ease."
Zhao Yide felt that this was reasonable, so he nodded and agreed:
"Okay."
He was about to propose a meeting place when he was suddenly patted on the shoulder by Shang Jianyao:
"Eat first, talk about it later, it won't taste good when it's cold."
Zhao Yide slowly tilted his head and looked at Shang Jianyao, only to see his sincerity and seriousness.
Retracting his gaze, Zhao Yide picked up the small spoon and struggled to solve the potato stew with a lid.
This made him cry.
"If you don't like meat, I can help you." Shang Jianyao glanced at him and made a suggestion at the right time.
Zhao Yide replied hurriedly:
"Okay!"
Jiang Baimian quietly curled his mouth.
…………
After the sun sets, on the central square of Wild Grass City.
Zhao Zhengqi, wearing an autumn hat and a loose robe, sat on the street chair, blowing the cool breeze at night, watching the surrounding bodyguards trying to prevent the citizens of the city and the relic hunters from approaching this side without a trace, looking a little dull.
This is the meeting place chosen by Jiang Baimian.
When she and Shang Jianyao walked towards Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide, Long Yuehong and Bai Chen consciously dispersed and monitored their surroundings.
Their focus is on several high-rise buildings around, mainly to prevent being sniped.
As for the square area, most of it is within the scope of Shang Jianyao's "lack of movement of both hands", which is the ability of the awakened person, but there is no need to pay too much attention.
"Long time no see, two." Zhao Zhengqi saw Xue Yuyue and Zhang Qubing approaching, and stood up with a smile.
Shang Jianyao opened his arms and made a gesture to hug him.
The fat and chubby Zhao Zhengqi touched his gray beard, smiled, and accepted a warm hug.
"I was impressed by your dancing style." During the hug, Shang Jianyao patted Zhao Zhengqi on the back.
Zhao Zhengqi quickly withdrew his hand, stood up straight, and sighed with a smile:
"When I was a child, everyone lived a very difficult life, and I often relied on singing and dancing to adjust my mood."
As he spoke, he stretched out his hand and shook hands with Jiang Baimian.
After the four of them took their seats, Jiang Baimian asked straight to the point:
"Congressman Zhao, I don't know why you want to see us?"
Zhao Zhengqi glanced at his eldest son Zhao Yide, considered the language and said:
"Forgive me for taking the liberty of asking, where do you plan to go next, and what are your arrangements? I can't delay your business because of my request."
His posture was very low.
Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:
"We are going to go to several big forces to meet opportunities, hoping for better development."
Zhao Zhengqi showed an understanding expression:
"Then I want to invite a few of you to go to the original city first, uh, the real city."
"Are you in trouble?" Shang Jianyao asked with concern.
Zhao Zhengqi said:
"Our Zhao family has several manors on the outskirts of the original city, on the south bank of the Red River."
Seeing Jiang Baimian's smiling expression, he hurriedly explained:
"We gray people have an old saying: eggs cannot be put in one basket."
Jiang Baimian nodded slightly, and Zhao Zhengqi continued:
"Those manors had some problems some time ago and failed to pay last year's income as scheduled, saying that it was due to the weather and the production was seriously reduced.
"I sent a steward, and he reported that it was indeed so, and I sent Yoshitoku's younger brother again, and he also sent a telegram back saying that there was nothing wrong.
"I believed it until a friend of mine happened to pass by those manors in the original city and found unidentified people coming in and out.
"I secretly found a team of relic hunters in the original city, and they monitored the manors for a week to confirm that unknown people often haunted them.
"I found another team of relic hunters and asked them to investigate the manor, and the result was that there were no strangers."
"Sounds weird." Shang Jianyao touched his chin thoughtfully.
Zhao Zhengqi looked like he had found a savior:
"Yes, I am very worried about my children and a few confidants, and I was thinking about whether to ask the guild's 'senior hunters' to take action, but Yoshitoku told me that you are back.
"In my mind, your strength is stronger than that of 'high-level hunters'."
He remembered that Odick had also become Zhang Qubing's "friend".
Shang Jianyao entered contemplation mode, Jiang Baimian smiled and looked at Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide, without speaking.
Zhao Zhengqi gritted his teeth and said:
"I know I am not too trustworthy in your hearts, and I am willing to be influenced by that ability again to 'be' your friend.
"Then you will know if I lied."
I really can't go wrong with this attitude...... Jiang Baimian was about to reply a few words, but Shang Jianyao's eyes suddenly lit up:
"Can brother inherit the Zhao family's property?"
"......" Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide were stunned for a moment, and then regret emerged.
Since the Awakened One's ability can "make friends", it will definitely allow both parties to become half-blood brothers or biological fathers and sons who are not genetically related.
In the imagination of the two of them, the "father" is of course Zhang Qubing, and he can only be a "son".
"He was joking." Jiang Baimian came to an end, "You don't have to do this, as long as you give us a promise to give up the task at any time without paying any price."
"Are you willing to take over?" Zhao Yide asked in surprise.
Jiang Baimian replied with a smile:
"It depends on what price you can offer."
Zhao Zhengqi thought for a moment and said:
"I don't know what you are interested in, why don't you make a bid, as long as the Zhao family can afford it, there is no problem."
This attitude ...... Jiang Baimian couldn't help but praise secretly.
She still remembered how arrogant and ruthless Zhao Zhengqi was in the aristocratic council hall, but now, he completely pulled down his figure, which made people feel like a spring breeze.
One person has such two completely different faces.
It is not easy for people to gain a certain status and become a nobleman in the early days of the new calendar...... Jiang Baimian didn't know Zhao Zhengqi's age, and he had no way of knowing if he had experience in a chaotic era, so he could only sigh twice at will.
After pondering for seven or eight seconds, Jiang Baimian said the answer he had considered for a long time:
"A sum of money, and use the Zhao family's power network in the original city to help us do us a favor."
It was because she saw that the nobles of Wild Grass City were inextricably linked with the "First City" that she was willing to meet Zhao Zhengqi.
"How many Ore? What help do you need?" Zhao Zhengqi asked.
Jiang Baimian smiled:
"I can't say exactly how much Ore is, after all, we haven't figured out how dangerous this matter is. Don't worry, this won't be too much, you can definitely bear it, because once the level of danger exceeds our expectations, we will just give up.
"That help is also, in short, it will not put the Zhao family in danger."
Now it sounds good, how to set the price at that time is not just up to you...... Zhao Yide muttered in his heart.
He really felt like he was fighting with a tiger.
Zhao Zhengqi recalled what Qian Bai's team had done in Wild Grass City and the words and deeds he knew, and said after consideration:
"No problem."
"Congratulations." Shang Jianyao stretched out his hand to him.
What is congratulations? Zhao Zhengqi hesitated and shook hands with him.
"If you can often help the refugees, then we can be true friends." Shang Jianyao said truthfully.
In response, Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide could only respond with smiles and did not dare to say anything.
"Remember to tell us about the Zhao family's liaison in the original city." Jiang Baimian looked up at the moon hanging in the sky, and stood up slowly.
Zhao Zhengqi got up and stretched out his right hand:
"It's okay now, happy cooperation."
Shang Jianyao shook hands with him instead of Jiang Baimian, and then said with a smile:
"Since the cooperation is happy, why don't you dance to celebrate?"
Zhao Zhengqi's expression froze at first, and then he smiled:
"Okay, go dance at my house."
Shang Jianyao shook his head:
"Then we have to wait a while, just here."
He smiled and pointed to the central square where people were coming and going.
At the same time, he took off his tactical backpack and was about to pull out the small speaker.
Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide imagined themselves and others dancing in the square, and their expressions became a little ugly.
Jiang Baimian slapped Shang Jianyao's hand away:
"Don't disturb the people!"
She turned to Zhao Zhengqi and Zhao Yide and smiled:
"No need to listen to him."
Zhao Zhengqi breathed a sigh of relief and quickly told Jiang Baimian about the Zhao family's liaison officer in the initial city.
Then, in Shang Jianyao's disappointed eyes, he took Zhao Yide and hurriedly left the central square surrounded by bodyguards.
The "Old Tune Team" and a group of four people immediately walked back to South Street in a walking manner.
At this time, the lanterns were on, and the streets were intertwined, either dim or gloomy.
Some people huddled in the corners of the streets, wrapped in tattered and dirty quilts, brewing drowsiness, while others gathered on the streets, looking at passers-by and reaching out for relief.
"There are more beggars in the city than there were a year ago......" Long Yuehong looked around and sighed.
Bai Chen looked ahead and said calmly:
"Most of those who sleep outside in winter are dead."
Long Yuehong thought of the wilderness wanderers outside the city and fell silent, Jiang Baimian and Shang Jianyao also did not speak, and walked forward quietly.
Back on the second floor of the "Ah Fu Gun Shop", Jiang Baimian turned on the radio transceiver to see if Gnawa or the company would send a new telegram.
Just before eight o'clock, a radio wave suddenly came in.
After receiving the telegram and translating the content, Jiang Baimian moved his eyebrows and said to Shang Jianyao and others:
"It's not Gnawa's, it's not company's."
(End of this chapter)