Every Chinese Valentine's Day, Jiangnan is extremely lively.
The Qiao Qiao Festival can now be called the Daughter's Day. Many noble families put colorful buildings in the courtyard, and put out mills, melons, wine, pens and inkstones, needlework and other objects. The girls present the crafts, look at the moon, thread needles, and burn incense.
bye.
If you are in Lin'an, walking on the street, the fragrant breeze fills the air, which is pleasing to the eye.
But in Hanzhong, there is obviously no such beautiful scene.
Many of the female relatives of the officials who came from Lin'an were quite disappointed.
Fortunately, Mrs. Shuai's wife still paid attention to the Qiqiao Festival, and led them to open a porridge shop and held a simple mulberry sale party.
It can be said that Li Xia is now short of money and food, so he has lost some of his boldness in doing things when he first entered Hanzhong, and many of his plans have been slowed down. On the contrary, it is these small things that Gao Mingyue did for free, which won him some official reputation.
At night, the couple and Han Qiaoer sat in the court, arranging weddings for the generals under their command, which could be regarded as a different kind of begging for luck.
When Li Xia first became the commander-in-chief of Shu, he arranged for a large number of soldiers to marry local women.
This matter may seem unimportant, but it actually has some significance.
First, it is for the sake of military discipline and to reduce the possibility of raping civilian girls in future battles in other places;
To prevent a large number of single soldiers from going out to drink and have fun after the military rewards are distributed, which ruins their fighting spirit, it is better to let them settle down and buy houses after getting married, so that they can be more enthusiastic about protecting the country in the future, and at the same time, the money can be returned to industries other than pleasure;
Furthermore, for the sake of population, although it will not be effective for several years, it must be arranged as soon as possible.
In addition, marriage is also a kind of kindness...
The marriages of the soldiers were easy to arrange, but Li Xia had to be more cautious about the marriages of the generals.
He made a list of the generals in the army and above, and Gao Mingyue carefully selected them for more than a month to list suitable women.
The two of them were like parents, taking the list and starting to order the music.
"When we go to the forest...he said he likes beautiful people, but not too beautiful. They should look comfortable but not showy." Li Xia looked at it and saw that the words he wrote down were the same over and over again, and said: "In short, it should be delicate.
"
"Mr. Yang's wife has a niece, she is twenty-eight years old, good-looking, delicate and elegant, is that okay?"
"Yang Qixin?" Li Xia pondered slightly and said, "You think well, but can Tanhua Lang like Lin Zi, a general?"
"I mentioned to Mrs. Yang that she is satisfied with the 23-year-old ruler who has experienced the Battle of Diaoyu City. Mrs. Yang's natal family is not prominent and is not a noble family, but it is better than the family tradition is simple. Yang is in charge of Fifty-sixth Middle School
Mrs. Yang has been studying hard with her for more than thirty years without a single complaint."
"It is indeed a good portal." Li Xia nodded and said, "Qiaoer wrote down, congratulations to Brother Lin Zi tomorrow."
In this way, he arranged Lin Zi's marriage.
"Here's ginger rice... I like pretty ones, but they can't be too young, as they're afraid of being dull. They want to be interesting, and it's better to be plump."
"There is a good family named Xu, who was originally from Hanzhong. He moved to Luzhou in his early years. I heard that after Hanzhong was recovered, he moved back and donated 200 yuan to build the bridge. So I asked Mrs. Xu's family to come and express my thanks. She is a kind-hearted person.
, a lot of effort was put into opening the porridge shed this time. It is said that the daughter of the family is already twenty and four years old. She was married once, but the husband disappeared during the war before she left the court. This daughter of the Xu family knows poetry and books, and she has... a temper.
A little bit stronger."
Li Xia nodded again...
~~
A few days later.
"Is your shopkeeper here?"
"The shopkeeper is in the backyard, Mr. Li is coming with me."
When Li Zhaocheng passed through the courtyard gate of this trading house, the sound of abacus crackling came from the back hall, and then he heard Yan Yunyun cursing.
"Can't lower the price? The raw silk his Wu family sold to Guanzhong last year cost one or two seventy cents, but it costs one hundred cents here. Ask him if he thinks I am not as fierce as the Mongols, and if I am still collaborating with the enemy?"
"And you, go tell Old Man Hao that instead of buying silica from Huangzhou all the time, it's better to open a mine in Hanzhong and let him go to Alang to get the approval. Then I will come up with the requirements for the mine at once, and don't send people to make noise every day.
…”
Li Zhaocheng waited for a while, and then walked in after all the waiters in the hall had left.
Yan Yunyun looked up and said calmly: "Why are you here again?"
Li Zhaocheng took the note and handed it over, saying: "Master Hao needs money to open the iron mine. Li Jieshuai asked me to come to your place to spend it."
Yan Yunyun nodded, flipping through an account book, and said: "Sir, please tell A Lang that the money in the trading house belongs to A Lang after all... That's all, A Lang has a sense of propriety."
Looking at the account book, she looked slightly embarrassed and took the abacus again.
She was in charge of Li Xia's secret business, but it was difficult to respond to the emergency response of the handsome manor.
The abacus sound started again, and Li Zhaocheng stood there waiting for a while, then suddenly said: "I just met Jiang Fan at the door. He gave me a piece of advice. He is getting married."
"Congratulations to him."
"He was very happy and said that Li Jieshuai personally arranged the marriage for him."
Yan Yunyun said calmly: "Alang should be straightforward in doing things, and he will do everything right as soon as he makes a move. He is good to Jiang Fan and good to everyone."
"Yes." Li Zhaocheng said: "Jiang Fan likes his wife very much, and he told me that I don't have to worry about him. He can see that I am interested in you, and he also said..."
"Can you stop pestering me? Can you just treat me as a man? I'm in charge of all Alang's business. Do you know how many people have been watching? They think that a bitch like me will fall in love with a certain man one day. What if?
Swallow Alang’s property, and then..."
"Are you worried about this?" Li Zhaocheng smiled softly and said, "You don't have to worry about this. If we..."
"Mr. Li." Yan Yunyun suddenly interrupted him and said: "I didn't hire you to do something for you to pester me endlessly."
"Listen to my explanation..."
"I don't want to hear it. I regret sleeping with you because I didn't expect you to have such a temper."
Before the abacus sound stopped, Yan Yunyun's tone became cold.
"In the past, it was others who prostituted me, and I was unwilling to do so, so I slept with you. But a few days ago, I bought a few slaves, all of them handsome young men... I was thinking, why did I bother to attack you at that time? I have the right.
, I also have money, but I can’t get anything. If I get involved with you, I’m looking for trouble.”
Li Zhaocheng said: "I don't believe it..."
"Enough of the polite words, I'm tired of it." Yan Yunyun said: "Others call Alang 'Dashuai', but you follow the example of those imperial officials who call them 'Li Jieshuai'. You are separated from us, but you still
You are trusted by Alang and you are confident of your talents, right? You are amazing. Look, I am bored even hearing a word from you.
When I do things, I hate others nagging me the most because I am a woman, but you always treat me like a woman. Marry me? Marry me, a prostitute, this disfigured ruined flower and willow, which is your kindness. Charity will show your kindness.
Infatuation? If you still have some grace when cooking, this self-proclaimed romantic attitude annoys me to the core."
Li Zhaocheng was already standing there blankly.
This young scholar from the south of the Yangtze River has been taught very strictly by his family since childhood, and this is the first time he has experienced the harshness of a promiscuous woman.
Yan Yunyun looked at his appearance, shook his head and sighed.
"I know you were very comfortable that night, so you were fascinated by it. But there are many prostitutes who know these skills. When you have time to stay, I will take you to the Lianxiang Tower in the west of the city. From now on, you..."
Li Zhaocheng shook his head, turned around and walked out.
Yan Yunyun seemed to have no conscience, as if he didn't notice his disappointment, he just picked up a bunch of keys and stood up.
"Mr. Li, don't forget the money that Old Man Hao wants. I'll take you to the warehouse to get it. It's a private matter, but business matters can't be delayed..."
~~
"It's been more than ten days, why are you still so worried?"
Hao Xiuyang said casually, while pushing the weight, carefully weighing the sulfur and saltpeter, and asked: "Is it because the female Yama doesn't like you?"
Li Zhaocheng, who was standing aside, was startled and asked: "How did the Taoist master know?"
"The old man is not blind. No wonder you are not Li Yong's biological son. Look at the two of them, which one of them is as troubled by love as you are."
Hao Xiuyang pushed the saltpeter and murmured: "Grind it for me... He had to say that the formula contained in my Taoist sect's "Elixir Classic" was not powerful enough."
Li Zhaocheng took it, grinded it, and sighed: "I have only seen a woman like her in my life."
"Ha, how many women have you seen in your life?" Hao Xiuyang picked up a few soap locusts, thought about it, threw them away, and said to himself: "I'll try it without adding the soap locust this time."
After all, Li Zhaocheng could not let go immediately and looked sad.
Hao Xiuyang smiled and said leisurely: "It's so good to be young. I can't even worry about being as worried as you... I'm a good craftsman. Come in and let's try to see if the thunder is loud enough this time."
Li Zhaocheng did as he was told and said, "I also envy the Taoist priest for his freedom and ease."
"The love between children is a trivial matter, but when the time comes..."
Hao Xiuyang stopped talking mid-sentence, lit Zhentian Lei and threw it into the stove, closed the lid, pulled Li Zhaocheng back a few steps, and looked up at the pillar next to him.
"Pay attention to how high it is this time..."
"Okay, what did the Taoist Master want to say just now?"
"You will let it go then."
"Does the Taoist Master have something you want to tell me?"
Hao Xiuyang's expression suddenly changed, and he pulled Li Zhaocheng and threw him to the ground.
"boom!"
Amidst the loud noise, the stove was torn into pieces, and the fragments flew away...
~~
Half an hour later, Li Xia arrived at the gunpowder workshop, glanced around first, and finally stared at the gray-faced Li Zhaocheng, his face always stern.
Li Zhaocheng lowered his head, knowing that he could make more powerful gunpowder, Li Xia shouldn't have this look on his face.
It seems to be because of Yan Yunyun's incident.
"Second brother, I am strict..."
Li Xia suddenly asked: "You also know?"
"What?"
"Come here." Li Xia waved and asked, "Is there something wrong with your ears?"
"I'm asking my second brother, what do I know?"
Li Xia turned to Hao Xiuyang and asked, "Does Chief Hao know about it? Where is the person?"
"Ah?!" Hao Xiuyang pulled his ears and shouted loudly.
"It seems that Daochang Hao knows about it. Where are the others?"
"ah?!"
Li Xia said: "Taoist Master Hao knows that he will die if he leaves."
"Ah?! Can't you hear me?"
"Daozhang Hao is a smart man. He should be able to see that I have the strength to keep him safe."
Hao Xiuyang was still looking at Li Xia's mouth in shock, as if he couldn't hear.
Li Xia added: "It's useless not to say anything. I have sent people to block land and water transportation. He can't reach Lin'an."
"I think I can hear a little bit, what did the commander say?"
Li Xia said: "There is a confidant of Wu Qian among the officials in Hanzhong, and he is hiding in the house of one of them, right?"
"Wait, wait...it seems that the old man can hear a little bit."
Li Xia said: "Master Hao, since you and I have been together, you have never seen me get angry."
Hao Xiuyang finally sighed: "Why should Li Shuai embarrass the old Taoist? The old Taoist is just too smart and guessed Li Yong's thoughts, but he doesn't care about anything. He doesn't care about everything."
"You didn't help him?"
"I really didn't help him."
Li Xia turned around and left.
Li Zhaocheng was stunned for a while, then quickly caught up with him.
"Did father leave?"
"Um."
"He went to Lin'an?"
Li Xia got on his horse and said, "If you don't want him to die, cheer up for me."