C54

Zhang Zhou did not deny his hypocrisy in certain aspects, but he was not hypocritical in his determination to be his friend. He could not be a gentleman like some people, nor did he possess the noble temperament that was unbending at will, and it was also difficult for him to get rid of some selfish philistines, some character that went deep into the bones, and even a few more rounds would not change it.

Over the past few days, through his contact with Zhao Qisheng, Zhang Zhou discovered many spots of light on his body. Zhao Qieshi was not a complicated person. He had a distinct personality, and although he had a deep-rooted hierarchy that determined certain actions, his feelings for the people around him were genuine. He was a bit like a small child.

There were some contradictions that did not necessarily mean that one party was at fault. Instead, there was a conflict of fundamental interests that led to the antagonism of the two parties. The conflict intensified with the development of the situation, and even escalated to a situation where one side was at death's door. There was no right or wrong. It was only a matter of fate. It was a matter of fate that he was able to reconcile with it.

Just as the fleet was about to enter Lotus Lake, Zhao Qishen, Zhang Zhou, and Old Jia were wholeheartedly playing 'Landlord' in the cabin! Only pressure could give him motivation. Zhang Zhou had been travelling for almost two years, yet he still hadn't recalled his poker card. In the end, amidst Zhao Qisheng's loud and bored cackling, his poker card was forcefully forced out of his memory! Several people busied themselves making a deck of cards. The rules were made clear in a few sentences. After a few tries, the loser would start pasting a note to the loser's face!

Lu Fengqiao walked into the cabin and saw Zhao Shengqi, whose face was covered in paper, shouting.

"Zhang Zhou, do you have any bombs in your hands? If you don't bomb this grandson, then run! "

"Where's the explosion again? Do you think I'm a god gambler?" There will always be explosions! "

Zhao Qizhen's high level of skill surprised Zhang Zhou. Losing was losing; he wouldn't be in a bad mood. This was also the reason why Zhang Zhou liked him so much!

Seeing that there were only two cards left in Jia's hand, as if victory and defeat had already been decided, Zhao Qisheng was somewhat discouraged. In the end, Jia's last two cards were not a pair, but a single 11 (Zhang Zhou did not use Arabic numerals and letters, but Chinese characters instead, neither were the two large and small kings, but the large and small generals). Zhao Qisheng was overjoyed and shouted out loud, "Hahaha, my general is in charge, hahaha, you're finished! My cards are all right!"

Then he looked up at the incredulous Lu Fengqiao and thought of his own virtue. If his uncle told his mother about it, then wouldn't it be as if he was being taught a lesson? When he was feeling anxious and embarrassed, he also discovered Lu Fengqiao's Zhang Zhou. He reacted extremely quickly and said, "Your Highness, so this is what happens when you make a move in battle! His Royal Highness' teaching method is indeed brilliant, it immediately enlightened this humble subject! "

Zhao Qieshi hurriedly wiped the paper off his face with his wide sleeves and said seriously, "Well, don't underestimate these cards. There are many reasons behind them. You must remember them well! "It's wrong to only approve and not use it!"

Old Jia was also a clever man, thanking him profusely.

Lu Fengqiao let out an indescribable sigh and said, "Your Highness, we've arrived at Lotus Lake. Your Grandfather is inviting you to watch the scenery together!"

"Alright, alright. This King will leave now. Zhang Zhou will go with you!"

Lu Daiwen was nearly seventy years old, and his body was as strong as an old man's. When he saw Zhang Zhou, he did not forget to say politely, "That piece of music called 'Pleading to the Country' truly moved this old man!"

"..."

The Lotus Lake was located in the most central area of the Great Tang Empire. The place where the five rivers converged was known as the eight hundred miles of vast land. The Qin River, Lan River, and Jing River flowed into the lake, and the Rong Water and Yonghe River flowed into the lake. The lake is named after the shape of a lotus flower. There is an island in the center of the lake, just like a lotus seed, and the name of the island is called the lotus seed island, under the jurisdiction of Suzhou. The island was not small, and the scenery was strange and serene. The highest peak was Lianpeng Peak, and on the mountainside was a temple, its name was Lianpeng Temple, and in the past, there was a famous master named Lianpeng …

Nowadays, the monks could not see the temple. Relying on the scenic spot, they became a sacred ground for sightseeing in the world, attracting tourists. The four seasons were unceasing. In the beautiful scenery, they searched for the indistinct and mysterious legend.

The Lotus Lake was not the largest lake in the Tang Dynasty, but it was definitely the busiest lake. The shadows of the sails overlapped everywhere, and the twenty-odd ships entering the lake did not attract anyone's attention. There was a description of "ten thousand sails entering the lake, actually becoming ten thousand sands", which showed just how vast the lake was.

Originally, they belonged to the rich and prosperous mainland without any worries from outsiders. However, the army of the Lotus Flower Six Prefectures stationed around Lotus Lake was at least thirty thousand! One must know that the area of the six prefectures might not be half the size of the Southlevel Prefecture, but there were two million and eight hundred thousand households. This was not only the place with the most people and merchants, it was also the place with the most cultivation. In the Flying Flood Dragon Sect alone, more than ten thousand people relied on Lotus Lake for food. There were dozens of large and small gangs, and the number of soldiers was not enough to deter them.

Including Zhang Zhou, everyone was brimming with interest.

After having some fun, the fleet followed the route and entered a military dock in Phoenix Cry Prefecture to rest. The governor of Phoenix Cry Prefecture, the general, and the torturer of the yamen, led a group of officials and all appeared at the pier early to welcome the Prince of Ping and his assistant, Lu Devin. Zhang Zhou followed Ping Wang, and was welcomed as a distinguished guest. Han Zhen, who was arranged to stay at the pier, watched Zhang Zhou leave with a sinister expression on his face.

Any world would not lack the existence of eye fever, not to mention that Han Zhen already harbored malicious intentions. These days, he had been waiting for Zhang Zhou to continue tormenting himself. Even if he was on the boat, Han Zhen was helpless. Once he arrived at Phoenix Cry State, he might be able to find some opportunities. That night, someone also invited Han Zhen, the head of the Phoenix Cry State, Xu Hu, and Xu Huiyan's nephew. As an official of the capital, going to a place to be invited was the most natural thing in the world, not to mention this relationship. Normally, the punishment for the yamen arrest would also appear, and for him, a camp officer of the capital, today, I'm sorry, I don't have the time to bother with you. If Zhang Zhou did not follow the Ping Wang to eat and drink, his situation would be even worse than Han Zhen's. Besides family and friends, status decided everything.

Don't think that it's unreasonable and unfair. The rule that society makes is reasonable, unless you can change society.

Due to the lack of time and the fact that most people rarely had the opportunity to head south, Lu Daiwen also wanted to meet with his friends. Thus, he decided to stay in Phoenix Cry Continent for an extra day. Zhang Zhou wasn't Li Shujing, so he naturally didn't need to pay a visit to Yu Daming who lived in the Phoenix Cry Prefecture. On the surface, he also wasn't the head of the Nine Prefectures' business. Accompanying him wholeheartedly, Zhao Qisheng, who was playing big, toured the streets. He didn't reject any of the offers and decided to follow the trend.

His Royal Highness could easily act as he wished and seek for freedom, but Zhang Zhou did not dare to be careless. He informed Shangguan Han Zhen, why would a battalion of the King's troops come to this place? Wasn't it just security? Naturally, there was no way for them to be negligent. They had all changed into plain clothes with marks on them. Apart from the necessary guards, they had dispatched over a hundred and forty people to the places where the Ping Wang played. Zhao Qizhi, Zhang Zhou, and a dozen of their followers were at the center of the group.

Although spring had not arrived yet, the flower shops and shops of the various restaurants and inns on both sides of the main street of the east bank were already bustling with activity. The bustling activity of tourists and guests could be seen as well as the extent of their prosperity.

"I heard that the most famous restaurant here is Phoenix Cry Restaurant, which is six stories high." The Phoenix Cry Tower that ascends to the top of the lake and has a broad view of half the city through fences! It was the most popular place among the scholars of the Hauptverwaltungsgebaude. Ping Wang originally wanted to go up to the sixth floor, but was told that the sixth floor had already been reserved for the guests. Ping Wang only felt a little bit regretful, and didn't complain anymore!

He and Zhang Zhou found a window seat on the fifth floor and sat down. The fifth floor was also considered an upscale area. There weren't any other guests here, so it felt pretty good.

"Zhang Zhou, this is Phoenix Cry Restaurant's three most famous dishes. Do you know what they are?"

Zhao Qishui loved to see Zhang Zhou shake his head and say that he didn't know, so he was satisfied and started to boast about his own knowledge.

"The pearl is floating with a jade glow, the bone melding half a jin of fragrance, where the phoenix cries, there is wine — a village!" The Pearl Soup, the Steamed Bun Chicken, and the Wine Village One Fang were the most famous foods here. There were also dishes in the capital, but they were far from being as authentic as this place. Especially since this village, Fang, is not as refreshing as Hezhou, but the aroma of the wine is soft and refreshing. It's definitely a different taste! "

"Your Highness, I have no knowledge on food, what do you have to eat!"

"How can life be devoid of delicacies? You really don't know anything about life! How could Tang Yu'er fall for a vulgar person like you!? "

"It's called carrot greens. Everyone loves it."

Seeing that the four of them had spread out to keep a distance, Zhang Zhou asked, "According to your age, your highness should have gotten married a long time ago. Why haven't you gotten married yet?"

After two days, the two of them had grown close to each other. Zhao Qishen no longer put on the airs of a prince and spoke with melancholy, "Forget about marriage, I don't even have the chance to touch a woman!"

"Ah?" So pitiful! Could there be such a rule in the royal family? "

"It's not a rule, but the divination of an old Daoist in the Pill Emperor Hall that I am not allowed to get close to a woman before the age of 23, if not it would be extremely unlucky! However, in another year, I will be 23 years old. The Queen Mother has already arranged a marriage for me, and she is the youngest daughter of Chen Zhou, You Siwei. Hehehe! "

Even though the imperial family was not allowed to marry an official's daughter, they would inevitably marry into a powerful family!

"I am very lucky. I will never let anyone else decide what to do next!"

"Why?"

"If I were to calculate that it would be inappropriate to marry 80 years ago, I will not be a monk from my family!"

"Hahaha, I'll go back and get mother to find a Taoist priest for you to count. 80 is too big, so 50 is fine! I have to give you some hope no matter what! "Hahaha."

Zhang Zhou rolled his eyes in response. The dishes soon arrived. Zhao Qishui introduced the specialties of these dishes nonstop. Regarding delicious food, Zhang Zhou was really just a bumpkin.

At this moment, someone went upstairs. Listening to the waiter's shouts and the shopkeeper's pleasantries, it was likely that the room upstairs had already been booked by a customer.

In one breath, more than thirty people appeared one after another. All of them were dressed differently, but it could be seen that they were all people with extraordinary statuses. Erniu, Yang Xiaolang, Wei Da and Old Jia, as well as the other guards of the Residence of the Duke, naturally stood in an advantageous position, separated by the Peace King as a precaution.

Among those who went upstairs, there were also some guards with obvious identities, but their behavior was not special. One must know that this trip had been guarded by quite a number of people who went to arrest the yamen during the Phoenix's Cry, and they were afraid that some unnecessary misunderstandings might occur. Those people also noticed that the guests on the fifth floor were a bit unusual and did not act out of line. After all, they more or less knew that important figures were coming to Phoenix Cry State in the past two days.

Amongst the group of people that went upstairs, Zhang Zhou saw someone that he was familiar with, Wu Yu Dazhi. This was because during the meeting, Zhang Zhou had been behind the scenes all this time, so Wu Dazming and Zhang Zhou weren't familiar with each other. Wu Yu Dazhi was a rich and powerful person in Phoenix Cry Prefecture, so it wasn't strange for him to be in and out of Phoenix Cry Restaurant. As for what kind of gathering it was, Zhang Zhou had no interest in it.

They ate according to the dishes, drank according to the wine, and drank according to the chatters. They were not disturbed in the slightest. Suddenly, he heard someone call out from downstairs, "Look, the great Flood Dragon Ship!"

Zhao Qishui and Zhang Zhou also looked out of the window curiously. They couldn't help but be stunned — what a huge ship.

They were on the fifth floor, and the boathouse had three floors. In addition to the wide and tall hull of the boat, the boat was floating on the surface of the water, which was about the same size as the fourth floor of Phoenix Cry Restaurant. The ship was about fifteen meters long, with three thick masts. Two huge dragon heads were carved into the sides of the ship, looking extremely domineering. In contrast, those five Zhang ships were not even worth a glance, they were definitely first-class ships in the Tang Dynasty.

Flood Dragons were legendary creatures from ancient times. They possessed the blood of dragons and were existences that could turn into true dragons upon going through a difficult situation. They possessed formidable powers. Dragons represented the divine imperial power to rule over the four seas. Flood Dragons represented the evil beasts and forces that roiled and stirred up the winds and waves in a thousand miles.

When the wave crashed into the Phoenix Cry Pavilion, the feeling that it was about to hit them made them want to take a few steps back.

Zhao Qieshen did not retreat. Instead, he looked at the ship, his eyes narrowing into slits. Zhang Zhou called for a guard and whispered a few words to him. The guard then turned around and walked downstairs.

Naturally, the boat would not crash into Phoenix Cry Restaurant. It had already stopped several dozen zhang away. More than a dozen people changed into two small boats and headed towards Phoenix Cry Restaurant.

Zhao Qieshi watched the entire time without saying a word. After a while, the guard returned and said a few words to Zhang Zhou. Zhang Zhou walked over to Zhao Qizhen's side and softly said, "These people should be from the Flying Flood Dragon Gang. This ship belongs to the Flying Flood Dragon Gang's leader."

Zhao Qishui nodded and said coldly, "Even the royal family has never had such a generous battleship! What an awesome Flying Flood Dragon Gang! "

Zhang Zhou couldn't help but think of his previous life, a mafia lord who had capsized due to his overloading. He thought to himself, "What would be the outcome of the Flying Flood Dragon Gang?" Not to mention a disaster, he was just faking it and bringing about his own destruction.

"Such a big ship, why aren't you surprised?" Zhao Qisheng was somewhat puzzled by Zhang Zhou's calmness. Zhang Zhou said in his mind: I've seen people from the Liaoning Ship before after all! He replied, "It's not that I'm not surprised, but with Your Highness here, it's only natural that I become braver! "Full of confidence, what's there to be afraid of in a small ship!"

Zhao Qishui said, "You borrowed my courage. Then whose prestige did the Flying Flood Dragon Gang borrow?"