Chapter 53 A Real Man Should Be Like This (First Update)

  It's getting a bit late reading books...

  There will be only two updates today, thank you for your understanding.

  However, I still have the audacity to ask for your recommendation and collection...

  In the golden autumn season, Qin Shi Huang's hunting trip finally came to an end.

  He stayed in Peng City for nearly thirty days and met with the county guards of Xuyi, Donghai and Langya separately during his stay.

  At the end of June, 1 million households of civilians were relocated from areas such as Sanjiang County to Langya and Donghai.

  In early July, another 100,000 people were mobilized to search for the bronze tripod that had disappeared in transit after being brought from the Zhou Dynasty. Of course, this tripod was never found, and no one knew why Emperor Qin Shi Huang did such a thing.

  In mid-July, Emperor Qin Shi Huang, having failed to find the tripod, decided to return to Xianyang.

  Early in the morning, Pengcheng's banners and flags were fluttering in the wind. Row by row, column by column, Qin's elite troops escorted Ying Zheng's chariot out of Pengcheng's city gate. The streets along the way were cleared, the black dragon flag was flying, the First Emperor stood on the chariot, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword at his waist, majestic and awe-inspiring.

  The common people knelt down on both sides of the road, none of them dared to lift their heads.

  Among the crowd, a few people saw off the emperor's procession after it left Peng City and stood up with the tide of people.

  In these days, Pengcheng has been heavily guarded.

  Every day as soon as it gets dark, the whole city falls into a state of curfew. This also makes many people feel very uncomfortable. Now that the First Emperor has left, life can finally return to peace and quiet. For the common people living in Pengcheng, they have indeed let out a sigh of relief.

  When the First Emperor was in power, everyone felt terrified and uneasy.

  For two hundred years, the notorious name of Qin has been passed down like a great mountain, weighing heavily on many people's minds. Although the six states of Guandong have perished, in the eyes of the common people of Pengcheng, it is still "heaven is high and the emperor is far", unable to reach their heads. No wonder, Pengcheng also belongs to the former Chu state, where the teachings of Huang-Lao are prevalent, allowing many people to be imbued with a carefree and self-satisfied spirit.

  "Big brother, this emperor is indeed majestic!"

  A man in his thirties couldn't help but praise in a low voice.

  There were four or five people beside this man. Three men and one woman, among whom a man was eight feet tall with a beautiful beard flowing under his chin.

  He gazed blankly in the direction of the departing procession, remaining silent for a long time.

  This made several people around him anxious. The woman gently shook his arm and whispered, "Liu Ji, are you okay?"

  These people were Liu Bang and Lu Wan, who had left their homes in search of a way to make a fortune.

  After his grand wedding last year, Liu Bang seemed to have a sense of responsibility. Not long after, he took Lu Wan, Zhou Bo and Chen He out to find opportunities. When they were about to leave, they happened to meet Wu Ji's mother and son who were preparing to leave their home in Pei County due to poor business. After discussing it with each other, they decided to travel together. Wu Ji had money and silk, while Liu Bang and the others were strong and capable, so they could take care of each other.

  It's just...

  Wu Ji had always extremely admired Liu Bang.

  This journey was long, and back and forth, a relationship developed.

  If this kind of thing happens in the future, it will definitely be ridiculed by people. But the wind and sand are just like that, men and women's affairs are also seen as extremely ordinary. When two people are in love, living together and having sex is extremely normal. When both parties lose their feelings, they say goodbye and part ways.

  The parties concerned don't care about it, and people around them also don't take it seriously.

  If Wuji is willing, it's normal for her to have a relationship with Liu Bang while also having relationships with Zhou Bo and others.

  No one would make a big fuss over such a trivial matter. At least Liu Bang wouldn't, and Zhou Bo and Lu Gu also drew the line.

  Making jokes and teasing each other every day, occasionally touching each other, is also harmless.

  With Wu Ji's presence, this lonely journey has become somewhat interesting.

  Liu Bang suddenly woke up, looked around and saw that there was no one around him. He lowered his voice and sighed: "A great man should be like this, a great man should be like this!"

  "Big brother, be careful what you say!"

  Zhou Bo was a very cautious person. Hearing Liu Bang say this, he couldn't help but be startled and hastily stepped forward to grab Liu Bang's arm.

  Liu Bang smiled calmly, "Old Zhou, don't worry, I'm very clear-headed."

  "After finishing speaking, he looked up at the sky and said to everyone: 'Let's go back to the guest house...this empty stomach is really uncomfortable.'"

  A group of people returned to the inn and asked the owner to prepare food for them to eat.

  Liu Bang sat lazily on the mat, his arm resting on the windowsill, his eyes staring blankly at the bustling scene outside.

  It seems that Lu Zhi found Liu Bang's emotions a bit unusual, so she gently pushed him.

  "Big brother, are you okay?"

  "What's wrong with me? I'm just envious..."

  Wu Ji frowned and said in a soft voice: "Liu Ji, what are you envying again?"

  Liu Bang picked up a cup of wine from the table, took a sip, and ignored Wu Ji, muttering to himself: "It should be like this, it should be like this!"

  A strange light flashed in Wu Ji's eyes, and she stopped asking questions. She wrapped her daughter up and placed her on her lap to feed her.

  "If I had known that this Suishui Huadiao was from the Liu family, what's the point of us running all the way here?"

  Zhou Bo suddenly sighed and changed the subject, "That Liu family is indeed extraordinary, they can actually brew such good wine."

  It turned out that the business opportunity Liu Bang and others were referring to was actually the Suihe flower carving.

  Because the original owner of Huajiu wine was mysterious, all Huajiu wines were from Pengcheng. Then, due to local conditions, prices varied greatly. What Liu Bang thought at that time was to buy it out from Pengcheng at a low price and then sell it to other places.

  Make a profit from it, and if you're lucky, the gains will be substantial.

  At first, Liu Bang and others did indeed make a lot of money. However, since the beginning of the year when the mysterious veil of Si Shui Hua was lifted, merchants from all over flocked to Pei County. The price advantage of Pengcheng suddenly disappeared. At the same time, prices in various places also began to adjust.

  From a difference of one or two thousand coins at the beginning to a difference of one or two hundred coins now, Liu Bang's profit has almost disappeared. Transportation, food and lodging... all these require spending money. At the end of the year, Liu Bang bought a batch of wine, which was immediately smashed in his hands. The price advantage is gone, and merchants from various places can directly purchase goods, which is equivalent to cutting off Liu Bang's lifeline.

  The most miserable thing was that Liu Bang had a lot of goods in his hands, and finally they were sent to Ji County, where it took 100 days to clear the goods.

  Profit...

  It's almost nothing.

  Barely saved the principal, and even half of the money earned earlier was lost.

  Lu Xuan slammed his fist on the table and gritted his teeth, saying: "That Liu kid has gone too far, this time it's been a waste of effort for a whole year."

  Zhou Bu furrowed his brow, "Juan, this matter can't be blamed on others. It's just that our luck is bad..."

  Liu Bang nodded, "That's right. It's just that our luck is bad, don't vent your anger on others. Wen, you need to broaden your mind a bit more. Last year when I passed by Mount Tai, I heard a peddler reciting a poem, one sentence left a deep impression on me."

  Lu Xuan was taken aback and hastily asked: "Big brother, which sentence is it? Tell me about it, let me gain some insight."

  Liu Bang smiled faintly and patted Lu Wei on the back, "The departed is like this, the departed is like this... I later asked others, the meaning of this sentence is that what has passed has already passed, don't always keep it in mind. Also, if you do, it will blind your eyes."

  Liu Ji!

  "Wu Ji suddenly spoke up: 'I want to discuss something with you, can we split the money? I want to leave this place!'"

  "Leave? Where to?"

  Liu Bang and Zhou Bo looked at Wu Zhi in surprise, somewhat puzzled as to why she suddenly said such a thing. This year was not peaceful, and Wu Zhi's sudden proposal to leave was inexplicable.

  "Actually, I wanted to say this a few days ago, but with the emperor around, everyone's mood isn't very good..."

  Wu Ji wasn't afraid of the four old men's piercing gaze, and continued to say: "A few days ago, I met someone who is my brother from my hometown, now living in Chen County... You also know that after Wang Jian broke through Chen, I got separated from my family and thought everyone was dead. But unexpectedly, my brother is still alive, now living in Chen County... He's doing quite well."

  "You stinky girl, isn't this taking advantage of the fire to loot?"

  Lu Yun suddenly became furious, "It's clear that our business has just suffered a loss, and now you're proposing to divide the family property? I think it's probably not a biological brother, but rather your new lover. What, are you dissatisfied with my elder brother, feeling wronged?"

  Wu Ji ran a wine shop and was originally a forthright and straightforward person.

  Lu Xun was all right when he spoke properly, but this abusive language made him angry at once.

  She slammed her hand on the table and pointed at Lu Yun, scolding: "Lu Yun, stop pretending to be a good son in front of me! Even if that man was my own brother, what's it to you? Are you suggesting Liu Qi should marry me? Does he dare to marry me? Can he afford to marry me? What would he use to support me? A wild man? Let me tell you, Liu Qi is also a wild man of mine."

  This quarrel immediately attracted the attention of people in the tavern.

  Lu's face turned red and his ears were burning, he was about to stand up.

  The little girl in Wuji's arms wailed loudly, and Liu Bang pulled Lu Zhi back.

  Wu Ji said: "At the beginning, everyone agreed that if we can gather, we will gather; if we cannot gather, we will disperse... I am a lonely orphan and widowed mother, originally wanting to find a way out, but who knew... No mistake, you have taken care of me quite a bit on this journey, but I haven't treated you unfairly either.

  "I've devoted this life to serving you all, when have I ever wronged you?"

  As she spoke, Wu Ji's eyes turned red...

  Liu Bang waved his hand, "Sit down first!"

  He sighed, and suddenly laughed, "When Liu Jiazi first arrived in Pei County, he said something very interesting: 'When the father dies and the mother remarries, each person takes care of themselves.' Wu Ji, you've indeed taken good care of us this past year. Has Lu Xuan gone to apologize yet?"

  Lu Wan was also a stubborn person, but he just happened to be taken in by Liu Bang's approach.

  "Wu Ji, this is just my temperament, don't blame me... Just now I was also confused and flustered."

  Liu Bang said: "Chen He, calculate it, how much money have we made in this year? Give Wu Zhi what she deserves... Wu Zhi, we've been friends for many years, I'm grateful for your support. Now that you're leaving, my heart is really not feeling good."

  All I can say is, I wish you a happy life from now on!

  "If you're bullied or can't make a living there, just come find me. With me, Liu Bang, around, I'll definitely help you out."

  After finishing speaking, he snatched the money bag from Chen He's hand and handed it over to Wu Ji without even counting it.

  Wu Ji's eyes reddened and her heart filled with endless sorrow. "Liu Ji, you don't need that much, you all have to live too."

  "We four old men can still starve to death, can't we?"

  Liu Bang burst out laughing, stood up and stuffed the money bag into Wu Ji's bosom, then pinched the girl's face again, "Take care!"

  Wu Ji bit her lip, and after a while, she said softly: "My brother's name is Wu Chen, and he's also a reputable person in Chen County. Liu Ji, if one day you feel that your woman... or things aren't going well for you, go to Chen County and look for me, I'll be waiting for you."

  One sentence, however, made Liu Bang's eyes also turn red and moist.

  "Come on, come on, why so noisy?"

  "Well, I'm off!"

  Mu Ji hugged her daughter and went back to pack up some things. Then she bid farewell to Liu Bang once again, reluctantly leaving with a heavy heart.

  At the corner of the street, a horse carriage stopped there.

  A tall and sturdy man was standing in front of the carriage, seeing Wu Ji passing by, he hurriedly came forward to welcome her, took the little girl from Wu Ji's arms, and gently hugged her fragrant shoulders.

  "Adulterer! Adulteress!"

  Lu Xuan scolded fiercely.

  "Shut up!"

  Liu Bang stuck his head out of the window and happened to meet the man's gaze. The man whispered two sentences in Wu Zhi's ear, and Wu Zhi turned around.

  Liu Bang smiled, Wu Zetian smiled...

  The man looked at Liu Bang and nodded!

  Lu Zhi scolded and grumbled as he sat back down, but Liu Bang pretended not to hear.

  After a while, he suddenly stood up, pushed open the food case, "Zhou Bo, Lu Xian, Chen He, let's go home, go home."

  "Go home?"

  Zhou Bo said in a low voice: "If this body returns without any achievements, won't it be ridiculed by others?"

  "Suit yourselves, I... have a bit of nostalgia for the scenery of Pei County!" Liu Bang said, turning his head to look out the window.