Two days later, Chen Qing's ship finally arrived at Yuhangmen Pier. After a year and a half, he once again came to the temporary capital of the Song Dynasty.
Compared with last year, Lin'an is obviously more prosperous. Various buildings have been built in the open spaces on both sides of the pier. There are huge warehouses, restaurants, teahouses, brothels, dental shops and other shops. People come and go.
, operating accents from all over the world, extremely lively.
The two young ladies were so excited that their eyes were dazzled.
"Master! Master! Look how weird these people are! Their hair is combed like a bald chicken, and the men are so short."
Chen Qing laughed and said, "Those are the Japanese. The few in the back dressed in black and white are Koreans, and they are all doing business in Lin'an."
"Where are those short, black and fat people from?" Yu Ying saw a few more foreigners she had never seen before.
"Those are Nanyang merchants!"
Chen Qing pointed at the acrobats playing fire blowing beside the city wall and said with a smile: "Those are Tianzhu Asan!"
Yu Lian tilted her head and asked in confusion: "I know they are from Tianzhu, but why are they called Asan?"
"Because they like to steal things, steal other people's money, and steal other people's land, it's like they have three hands, so they are called Asan."
The two girls were chattering and asking questions all the way, but they didn't know that they had become the focus of countless people's attention. A pair of girls as cute and beautiful as they looked exactly the same was extremely rare and rare, and they were also the playthings coveted by countless high-ranking officials and nobles.
.
Chen Qing also felt that the two young ladies attracted too much attention, so he told Yan Jun, "Quickly rent some carriages!"
There was a taxi on the dock, and three carriages were quickly rented. Chen Qing asked Yang Liu and her two maids to ride in one, Yu Lian and Yu Ying to sit in one, and the luggage was placed in the other. While making arrangements, the deputy head of the capital
Zhuang Quan ran over and said: "The city gate defenders said that we must have a special approval document from the Privy Council before we can enter the city!"
Chen Qing remembered what Han Shizhong had told him about this. This was not a matter of discrimination against him, but a regulation of the imperial court. Generals who came from outside to report on their duties could not bring more than thirty soldiers into the city.
He thought for a while and said: "Well, there is a big inn outside the city. I only bring ten people into the city. The other brothers live outside the city. Two people live in a room. It's better!"
There were more than a dozen inns on the dock. Chen Qing found a Rongchang Inn with good conditions and arranged for the soldiers to stay. Then he entered the city with ten of his men and three carriages.
The first arrangement was for Yang Liu to send her to the Zheng family. It was obvious that Yang Liu was quite nervous. After all, an ugly daughter-in-law would have to meet her parents-in-law sooner or later. Fortunately, Zheng Ping had already written a letter home, and Zheng Ping's parents knew that Yang Liu existed.
.
Zheng Ping's father is Zheng Tongquan. He is a famous medicinal merchant in Hejian Prefecture. He travels all over the country and is quite courageous. He was even a guest of Wanyan Aguda. The year before last, he bought a Han mother and daughter in the slave market in Liaodong. Unexpectedly,
They turned out to be the late Emperor Zheng and the Chengde Emperor Zhao Shaner.
Zheng Tongquan made a big bet. He recognized Empress Zheng as his sister, and then sent their mother and daughter to Lin'an by sea in a large ship. Zheng Tongquan also prospered because of this. He was named the Duke of Hejian County by Emperor Zhao Gou, and was promoted this year.
As a county official.
Zheng Tongquan did not rest on his laurels. He used his abundant capital to invest heavily in Lin'an. Not only did he monopolize the supply of medicinal materials to the palace, but this year he bought Lin'an's most famous Qiao Zhuyan cosmetics and powder store, and also monopolized the supply of cosmetics and powder to the palace, making him rich.
Not only that, Zheng Tongquan also opened eight large restaurants and five inns in Lin'an and Suzhou. Coincidentally, the Rongchang Inn where Chen Qing's men lived outside the city was opened by the Zheng family.
Zheng Tongquan knew Chen Qing, his youngest son's immediate boss, and he even escorted his pregnant daughter-in-law thousands of miles away. Of course, Zheng Tongquan was particularly enthusiastic.
He heard that Chen Qing didn't have a place to live yet, so he immediately arranged for Chen Qing to stay in his house, but Chen Qing declined.
Zheng Tongquan had an idea and arranged for Chen Qing to live in a villa in Sanqiao.
Zheng Tongquan personally drove Chen Qing to the mansion in a carriage and asked with a smile: "My dear nephew, do you still remember this mansion?"
Chen Qing nodded, how could he not remember? This was originally a house gifted to him by the emperor, but he sold it to Zheng Ping's father when he was short of money.
"Is the house always closed?" Chen Qingxiao asked.
"I only sent people to clean and take care of it, but my family and I have never gone inside. If Chen Tongzhi has more money now, he can take it back."
How can we say that Zheng Tongquan can survive until today? The key is that he knows how to behave. When his son Zheng Ping found him, he knew that this house could not be taken. This was a house gifted by the emperor, and it was not the same as a house bought from outside. If
If he really took it, Chen Qing would definitely have a shadow in his heart.
Therefore, he will return this house to Chen Qing at an appropriate time.
Chen Qing shook his head, "The house has been sold to Uncle Shi, how can we get it back again? That is not what a gentleman does."
Zheng Tongquan smiled slightly, "The house was not sold to me. The name on the property deed is still my nephew. I just used it as a mortgage to lend a sum of money to my nephew."
Chen Qing was stunned. There was no transfer of ownership, and it was still in his own name.
"How about it? Take the house back first, and you can give me the money anytime."
Chen Qing was really moved. The market price of this house has at least doubled, and you can't even buy it if you have money. Uncle Zheng Shi is so kind!
"Okay, I'll take the house back, but I'll have to add an extra five thousand dollars as interest."
Zheng Tongquan still shook his head, "I didn't buy your house just because I wanted the interest on the five thousand guan. You and Sanlang are close friends of life and death. You two will fight against money and protect the country together. As an uncle, I don't have much else, but he has a lot of money. The key is
It's my duty to help you all the time. If I hadn't taken your face into consideration, I wouldn't have asked for ten thousand dollars."
Zheng Tongquan is right, people are not short of money, but giving five thousand guan in interest only makes others look down upon them.
Chen Qing thought for a while and then said to Yu Lian: "Xiao Lian, give me that purple brocade box!"
Yu Lian quickly found the brocade box and brought it to Chen Qing, "Young master, here it is!"
Chen Qing handed the purple box to Zheng Tongquan and said: "This has nothing to do with money. It is a little thought given to Uncle Shi by this junior. You have to accept it."
"What is this?" Zheng Tongquan took the purple box and asked curiously.
"It's a set of porcelain that I seized from the palace of the puppet Prince Qin. It was originally from the Bianliang Palace. Zheng Ping also got a set, but he liked it so much that he couldn't part with it. I gave it to Uncle Shi.
set."
Zheng Tongquan immediately understood that it must be official kiln porcelain. This is the most precious treasure in the world and cannot be bought even if you have money. It is said that they were all looted by the Jin soldiers. He did not expect that he could also get a set.
He chuckled and said: "Since this treasure is my nephew's heart, I will accept it!"
Zheng Tong ordered his people to open the door of the mansion, and Chen Qing asked his men and two young ladies to go in first to clean up.
Looking at the pretty little figures of the two young ladies who could hardly distinguish each other, Zheng Tongquan whispered to Chen Qing: "I have to remind my nephew of something!"
"Uncle Shi, just say it!"
"It's best not to take these two little ladies out, they will cause trouble."
Chen Qing was startled, "Why?"
"My nephew is still young! I don't know how you got these little ladies, but in Lin'an, a pair of girls like them are the treasures coveted by countless rich and powerful families. There is also a pair of such sisters in Fengle Tower, called Baozhu, Baozhu.
Yu, the beauty is not as good as your two young ladies, but they only serve high-ranking officials and cost a thousand guan a night."
Zheng Tongquan said some words that made Chen Qing feel very uncomfortable, but the other party also reminded him kindly. Chen Qing nodded, "Thank you, Uncle Shi, for reminding me!"
"Then I'm leaving! I'll send someone to return the house deed and land deed to you later. The money is not urgent. It doesn't matter if you give it to me three to five years later."
"I have the money, or I can give it to Uncle Shi now!"
Chen Qing quickly asked Yan Jun to bring a box with five hundred taels of gold in it. Zheng Tongquan did not refuse, accepted the gold, got on the carriage and left.
Chen Qing watched Zheng Tongquan go away. He remembered what Zheng Tongquan said just now. Chen Qing suddenly realized that perhaps the origins of Yu Lian and Yu Ying were not as simple as their uncle selling them.
It should be that the Yan'an government sacrificed the two of them to Liu Yi to please Liu Yi, the king of Qin. They were just sent to Jingzhao City by their uncle. The uncle must have received the reward again, so the two young ladies thought it was their uncle.
Sold them.
It was only because they were still young that they temporarily served Liu Yi's beloved concubines. If he had not attacked Jingzhao City, they would have become Liu Yi's treasures sooner or later.
"Sir, come and see, this tree is full of apricots, and they are all ripe."
The two young ladies called him at the door of the atrium. Chen Qing shook his head, got rid of some dirty thoughts, turned around and walked quickly towards the atrium.
