Wealth and glory seek stability

"Master Gao is about to take up his new post, but it's rare that he still has the energy to hang out right now."

"No, Master Shangguan is busy with nothing. Medicine King Valley is already in a mess, and he is still playing in the capital."

The two people were at loggerheads, neither willing to give in.

Jian Xi was surprised that these two people actually knew each other.

“The wontons are here.”

"The guest officer is slow to use."

Three bowls of wontons, topped with a layer of sesame oil and green chopped green onions. Each one has a thin skin and a large filling, which makes you hungry just by looking at it.

Jian Xi didn't care about the two of them and started eating.

Gao Yunhuai and Shangguan Tang snorted coldly and picked up their chopsticks.

The three of them have different looks, and even the way they eat looks elegant and beautiful.

The couple running the wonton stall brought with them a little girl about four or five years old, who had her hair tied in a bun with a red hairband.

The little girl stood aside, not even as tall as the table, and pointed at Jian Xi, "Sister is so pretty."

Jian Xi was wearing a smoky blue brocade robe embroidered with cranes. Her hair was tied up high like a man. At first glance, she looked like a handsome young man, but a closer look revealed the difference. Her facial features were rather delicate, and her eyebrows and eyes were exquisite.

The stall owner hurriedly pulled the little girl over and said with an apologetic smile, "I'm so sorry, I'm a country girl who has never seen the world. I hope you won't blame me."

It was obvious from the attire of these nobles that they were not from ordinary families. Moreover, there was a man wearing a sword. The capital was different from other places. Those who could wear swords were either rich or noble. A common merchant like him could not afford to offend them.

Jian Xi put down her chopsticks, looked at the little girl in the vendor's arms, and waved, "It's okay, little girl, come here."

Seeing that Jian Xi had a kind face, the little girl glanced at her father, received the encouraging look, and walked towards Jian Xi with her short legs.

She called out sweetly, "Sister!"

Jian Xi smiled and rubbed the little girl's head, "What's your name?"

"Sweetheart."

"Good boy, I have something fun here."

Jian Xi took out two little finger-sized pearls from her purse and put them in Xiaotian's hands.

"Here, you can't eat this. Ask your parents to drill a hole in Xiao Tian's mouth and make it into a pearl flower or earrings."

"Thanks, sister, Xiaotian."

Then he walked towards the stall owner.

The stall owner was shocked when he saw it, "How can this be sold? It's too expensive. We dare not accept it."

The size of this pearl was not comparable to the rice-grain-sized ones on the market. He had only seen the wife of the village head wearing it. She said that one pearl cost two taels of silver. It did not look as round and full as this pearl. I was afraid that the one in his hand was even more expensive. They would have to sell thousands of bowls of wontons at the stall to be able to afford it.

Jian Xi had finished eating and took out a handkerchief to wipe her mouth. "It's not for you. I gave it to Xiao Tian. You can keep it. It's not a valuable thing. Just use it as a toy to kill time."

Seeing that Jian Xi had no other intentions, the stall owner just thought that his daughter was a good match for Jian Xi, "Then I will shamelessly accept it. Thank you very much!"

After saying this, he carefully handed the pearl to his wife, asking her to take it back and make a pair of earrings for Xiaotian as a dowry.

Judging from Xiaotian's age, she should have been there when Jian Xi first arrived at Wu'an Palace. The two stall owners at that time looked like a newly married couple, so they could be considered old acquaintances.

"I'm done eating, you guys can do whatever you want." Jian Xi stood up.

Shangguan Tang glanced at Gao Yunhuai provocatively, then followed Jian Xi.

"I've been in Beijing for a long time, but I haven't had a good time yet. Are you going out for a stroll today as well?"

Seeing that Shangguan Tang was about to touch Jian Xi by turning his body, Gao Yunhuai quickly stepped forward and stood between the two of them.

"Mr. Shangguan, I'm afraid you haven't been to the Central Plains for a long time. You don't know the local customs and practices here. Men and women are not allowed to touch each other. I hope you will respect yourself."

"I don't know about this custom. I'm a guest in the general's mansion now. I'll see her every day. I'll wait until she goes back and then look for her." Shangguan Tang had his usual smile on his face, and every word he said hit Gao Yunhuai's sore spot.

"You are shameless!"

"I have always been polite and respectful. I cannot justify the word shameless."

"While you're arguing with me, he's already gone."

Gao Yunhuai turned around and sure enough, Jian Xi was no longer on the busy street. He couldn't help feeling annoyed. They hadn't seen each other for many days and they hadn't even spoken a few words to each other.

Even more annoyed, "Shangguan Tang! Are you itching for trouble?"

"Hahaha, you finally stopped pretending, Shu Ping. This is really you. I say you are so useless. You like someone but you have to hide it. Is that fun? Do you want me to help you?"

"Need not."

"Really? I'm free here in the Central Plains anyway, and I think that girl is a good one."

"Do I need you to tell me?" Gao Yunhuai looked at him with an expression as if to say, "Are you blind?"

Shangguan Tang's gentle and elegant mask was a little bit broken, "Okay, okay, when I return to the general's mansion, I will go to see her every day and see if you are impatient or not, humph!"

Gao Yunhuai didn't tolerate him and pulled Shangguan Tang by the collar and led him into a remote alley.

"Hey, hey, hey! Why are you pulling my clothes? I'm not interested in men."

"Teach you a lesson!"

*

Jian Xi didn't want to pay attention to the two people arguing behind her, so she quickened her pace and headed straight for Shuimen Street.

Fengyuhao on Shuimen Street was the first rice shop she and Lei Zi opened, and it has special significance.

Looking from a distance, I saw a big cloth banner with the word "Abundant" written on it.

The shop has more than doubled in size and is filled with the aroma of rice. There are glass counters all over the shop and the rice inside is round and plump.

Lei Zi followed her advice and made many other foods, such as rice cakes, rice crackers, rice cakes, etc., all of which were placed in large glass jars, exuding an attractive luster.

I really have to thank these colleagues who traveled through time for creating so many convenient items.

It looked quite lively inside with people coming and going. The rice was categorized according to its price, grade, type, advantages and disadvantages, all written on sticks.

When the waiter saw Jian Xi, he hurried forward and asked, "Sir, do you want to buy rice?"

"Yes, my mother is not feeling well at home, so I came out to buy some rice to cook porridge." Jian Xi wanted to test the waiter.

"Sir, you are truly filial. I believe your mother will get better soon."

The guy didn't rush to sell, but chatted for a while to get closer. Jian Xi nodded secretly, "Is there any rice that is suitable for patients to eat and is soft and easy to digest?"

"Yes, but if it is a patient, it must be a weak spleen and stomach. It is better to buy millet instead of rice. It is the best for patients to eat it to nourish their stomach. The best rice is Yutian polished rice."

Jian Xi looked at the most expensive Rouge Rice and said jokingly, "Look at my clothes. Why don't you let me buy the most expensive Rouge Rice? Are you worried that I can't afford it?"

The waiter smiled and said, "No, if there is a patient at home, it is not suitable to eat Rouge Rice. Rouge Rice is expensive, but it is hard after being cooked, and is not as mellow and soft as the Royal Field Japonica Rice."

"Okay, send one stone of millet and Yutian polished rice to General Shen's mansion. I think your rice cakes and rice pancakes are good. Pack one of each for me to eat." Jian Xi took out a silver ingot from her purse and threw it to the waiter. "The rest is a reward for me. Thank you for your kindness."

"Hey! Thank you for the reward."

Jian Xi took the wrapped rice cakes and went to visit other rice shops in the capital, where the quality of the rice shops could be seen from the decorations.

Other rice shops are either small and not well cleaned, making them dirty and messy, or some of the shop assistants are very arrogant and show visibly disgust when they see poor families.

Jian Xi saw with her own eyes an old man with patched clothes who wanted to buy a liter of brown rice. The shopkeeper was very critical of him and weighed the rice while throwing and hitting him, muttering, "What a poor bastard, you want to buy rice?"