Huan Rong

According to the customs of the two Jin Dynasties, the first day of the first lunar month is the rooster day, and the seventh day is the human day.

In Jiankang City, the rooster crowed for the first time, and just after dawn, people's voices rang out from both sides of the Qinhuai River.

During the first lunar month, the closed courtyard doors were opened one after another, and the merchants put up their cloaks. Women and young ladies in colorful clothes walked out of the house together. They wore brightly colored hair ornaments on their heads, mostly cut with silk cloth, and a few with gold leaf. They are all cut into human shapes, symbolizing festivals.

When meeting each other face to face, no matter they are familiar or unfamiliar, they will take off their hair accessories and give them to each other as a blessing.

Occasionally, when a handsome man passes by, he will immediately be surrounded by young ladies hand in hand, or take off his hair accessories as gifts, or throw them with embroidered handkerchiefs.The silk floats gently in the air, like a butterfly flying, and when it falls into the hand, it feels fragrant and windy.

Renri has always had the custom of climbing high. In the early morning, the ox carts going out of the city start from Qingxili and Wuyi Lane. Gentlemen and girls sitting in the carts will be stopped by crowds within half a mile.

The enthusiasm of the little ladies has not diminished at all, even better than that of the Shangsi Festival.

Xie Xuan and Wang Xianzhi passed by side by side, and the colorful people and silk flowers in the car could be discussed in baskets.

When the convoy arrived at Limen, the healthy servants who drove the car mistakenly received two silk handkerchiefs. Thinking of the fierce wife at home, they were so frightened that they threw the bull's head and covered the bull's eyes, which aroused protests from "Mou Mou".

Huan Rong was in Yandu and was unable to participate in such a grand event. Huan Yi was invited by accident, and when he went out, he met Huan Xin who was being carried by a healthy servant.

Back then, Huan Xi bullied him, Huan Ji bullied him, although Huan Xin didn't do it face to face, he did a lot of tricks behind his back.

Huan Yi is straight-minded and has the reputation of being stupid, but it doesn't mean that he is really stupid enough to smoke.

Huan Yi has always been clear about who treats him well and who treats him badly.Otherwise, he would not be against Sima Huan, and he would not leave Princess Nankang's side and go to Gushu alone.

After Huan Rong became an official in Yandu, Huan Yi became more silent, went out less and less often, but practiced martial arts more and more.Now, he can easily lift any stone pier millstone in the mansion if he chooses it.

Huan Xin was sent back to health, depressed, and wanted to vent her anger on Huan Yi, but was startled by the way he was holding the millstone, and avoided him for several days.

In the first month, the two offered wine to Princess Nankang together. Huan Xin couldn't move his legs and needed the help of his servants.Today, Xie Xuan personally posted a post, inviting him to go out to climb a mountain. Huan Xin's jealousy reached the peak in an instant. debris.

Unfortunately, these are all just thoughts.

Huan Yi walked to the bullock cart, supported himself with one hand, and jumped onto the shaft of the cart.Being stared at by Huan Xin, she seemed to notice something, after she sat down firmly, she turned her head and grinned: "Brother, it's not because I have no feelings for you, but it's because brother has difficulty moving and can't go out."

After saying that, without waiting for Huan Xin to react, he snatched the coachman's whip and swung it vigorously, the bullock rattled forward, quickly throwing Huan Xin behind.

"Happy, really happy!"

The bullock cart was moving along the Qinhuai River, and Huan Yi laughed while swinging his whip. He had never been so happy since he was a child!It's a pity that my younger brother is not here, and this kind of happiness is shared by no one.

After thinking about it again, I practice martial arts diligently, and there will always be a time when I can help my brother. When the time comes, I will meet with my brother. I can tell my brother what happened today, and my brother can still have a good laugh!

Huan Yi was all smiles, happily driving the ox cart, and soon joined the convoy going out of the city.

The health servant in the same car had a bitter face, and wanted to say: Sir, as long as you are happy, can you return the whip?Twenty or thirty lords are walking in one place, but what's the matter with your own lord waving a whip and driving a car?

After Huan Yi left the mansion, Huan Xin slapped the rattan chair viciously, and a servant girl wanted to go up to please him, but he slapped him to the ground.

Staring at the closed house door, Huan Xin's eyes were red, and his handsome face was distorted by anger, showing a bit of ferocity.

This idiot, this idiot is really brave!Remember to him, one day, this idiot will be repaid a hundredfold!And Huan Xi Huan Ji, who caused him so far, don't be caught by him, otherwise, their hopes will come to naught, and they will never be able to stand up again!

The scene in front of the door was soon reported to Princess Nankang.

Hearing Huan Yi's tough temper, Huan Xin's face changed instantly, and Princess Nankang froze for a moment.

"Huer is like this?"

No wonder she didn't believe it, it's really not Huan Yi's temperament.

"Sister, as Mr. Silang grows older, there will always be some changes in his behavior." Mrs. Li smiled lightly, "Now it is not in vain to teach my sister."

After thinking about it for a moment, Princess Nankang also smiled.

"You reminded me that after the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, I need to hire a Confucian teacher for him. If you can't write, you must be able to read. Otherwise, it will be troublesome to choose officials in the future."

If you can't write, you can let the subordinates do it for you, but if you can't read, you can't do it!

Mrs. Li nodded gently, took the tea soup served by the servant, and brought it to Princess Nankang.

"Today, the city is full of excitement for the Shangsi Festival. I don't know how Yandu is, and whether your husband is used to it."

"Yes." Princess Nankang took the tea soup, brought it to her lips, took a sip, and said, "It's a pity that Shi Jingde has already left, otherwise, it would be good to call him to ask a few questions."

Mrs. Li thought for a while, and said: "If my sister is worried, you can send someone to Yandu again. I have made a few new fragrances, and I just took them with me."

"My sister made a new fragrance?"

"I heard from the health servants who came back that Yandu is close to Murong Xianbei, and there is a war going on in the north. It is hard to guarantee that there will be no rebels entering the country. There are less than a hundred guards and servants around Mr. Lang. Do the young men sent by my aunt have to be used temporarily?" Unknown."

Mrs. Li picked up the round lid and closed the cup with a ding.

"With these few scents, my lord is easy to defend himself."

More than self-defense.

The so-called medicine and poison do not separate families, and the same is true of the spices made by Mrs. Li.Good ones can purify the heart and mind, and bad ones don’t need to be ignited, just put them in water and drink the whole bowl, the toxicity is no less than that of arsenic.

"My sister is worried."

"Sister, what are you talking about?" Mrs. Li pouted her red lips slightly, smiled and bent her eyebrows, and said, "I have prepared the incense from my aunt's side, when I will send it depends on what my sister wants."

Princess Nankang nodded, discussed with Mrs. Li, called A Mai, and selected a healthy servant to go to Yandu.

Since there are things to be delivered, there can't be only spices in the car.

The Empress Dowager Chu thanked Princess Nankang for her frank words, and asked her to send twenty bolts of silk and two coral trees.

Princess Nankang left behind a coral tree, and put it out for display when she had nothing to do, to show her attitude towards the Jin family.As for the silk cloth sent from the palace, the mansion didn't need it, so they just gave it to Huan Rong.

"After meeting Mr. Yan, everything is fine in Yan's family, so let him take care of himself."

"promise!"

Jianfu took the order to retreat, packed his luggage that day, and set off for Yandu.

In Taicheng, Empress Dowager Chu was worried about the sorcerer's hexagrams, knowing that the emperor had called Hu Qian into the palace, she couldn't help shaking her head.

"I have had this heart for a long time, so why today!"

Thinking of the emperor getting drunk at the Yuanzheng Banquet and almost losing his composure in front of the officials, Empress Dowager Chu felt even more depressed.

From marrying into the royal family to becoming a regent in the court, the Empress Dowager Chu saw many changes in the throne.To put it bluntly, since the Yuan Emperor, the emperor has changed almost like a revolving lantern.

Sima Yi was not her biological son, he was incompetent and not up to the mark, he was just a display in the court, and he didn't have a good reputation among the people.If Huan Wen really turned against him one day and forced the royal family to take the throne, it would probably be the same as the Jin family and the Wei family, and it would not be too much of a splash.

She is about fifty years old, so she may not live for a few more years.As long as the Jin family still exists while alive, it can be regarded as worthy of the ancestors.

After thinking about it, Empress Dowager Chu made up her mind. She was no longer worried that the emperor would not make progress as before, and she was not in the mood to continue to mention Empress Yu. Instead, she sent eunuchs to send a message to the emperor, asking him to come and see her.

"Da Sima made two Northern Expeditions and regained the lost land. Now guarding Guyu, he has made great contributions to the country. The previous time he submitted the form to invite the Northern Expedition, His Majesty should reward him."

Empress Dowager Chu's purpose is very clear, if Sima Huan does not rebel, she will keep him steady.As for what the DPRK and China will say, that is not something to worry about right now.

Sima Yi was a little confused.

In fact, after hearing Hu Qian's words, he has been in a state of "ignorance".

"The Jin family is stable, and His Majesty will inevitably leave the palace."

Listening to the words of the Empress Dowager Chu now, my mind that has been confused for more than 20 years suddenly sobers up for a moment.

"What does the Empress Dowager mean to increase Sima Shuli?"

"What do you think, Your Majesty?"

"What do you mean?" Sima Yi suddenly laughed, and the laughter became louder and louder, until he went crazy.

"His Majesty!"

"Why is my opinion really important? Will I change my mind if I don't promise the Queen Mother?"

Empress Dowager Chu remained silent, looking at Sima Yi with strange eyes.

Sima Yi suddenly felt disheartened, stood up and bowed: "If that's the case, let's increase Sima Shu's ceremony and make it clear that he is better than the princes and kings."

After saying that, Sima Yi turned around and left. He was obviously a young man in his 20s, but his back looked desolate and stooped.

Sitting in the palace, Empress Dowager Chu watched Sima Yi leave. Hearing the rustling of the palace doors opening and closing, and the skirts of the palace servants scraping the ground, she suddenly felt that Taicheng, where she had lived for nearly 30 years, was so icy cold.

In Yandu County, the festive and lively atmosphere is no less than that of Jiankang City.

When Shi Shao returned from Jiankang, he deliberately brought back two prostitute boats.

After the boat stopped at the pier, the health servants and musicians disembarked one after another, and several of them pulled a wooden cart, the body of which was decorated with colorful silk flowers.

Fifteen floats were lined up, and more than a dozen singers and dancers dressed in Chinese clothes went out in a file, and boarded the front of the car respectively, followed by young maids, who were not as beautiful as the singers, with a voice like a yellow warbler, and not as beautiful as the singers. The dancing girl has a beautiful figure and is extraordinarily gorgeous, but she is also delicate and charming, which attracts passers-by to stop.

Pulled by bullocks, the floats walk from the pier along the river bank, quickly attracting crowds of people rushing to stand on the sidelines, hoping to catch a glimpse of the beauties.

Shi Shao left a few healthy servants and five or six guards to help the boatman set up a wooden platform on the shore, and kept an eye out for villains and Xiaoxiao in the crowd.

"Your Majesty is celebrating the new year in Yandu, and there is always some good luck. I have made an agreement with the ship owner that the two ships will stop until the fifteenth day of the first lunar month." Shi Shao said to the escort of the team leader, "The ship will leave after the fifteenth day, and you all have to work hard. A few days."

"No!" The guard clasped his fists and accepted the order.

When the floats returned from the parade, Jianfu had already built the wooden platform.

From then on to the fifteenth day of the first lunar month, the beauties sang and danced during the day and rested on the boat at night. They took care of their own meals and only had to go ashore every three days to buy.

It's called a prostitute boat, but it's actually more like a song and dance troupe.

At this time, there were no many types of operas in later generations, and there were not many folk entertainments. This kind of prostitute boat would definitely attract a few days of excitement.Shi Shao was generous, and the two captains agreed to come to Yandu without much hesitation.

It is good to stay in Jiankang, but the competition is too great.It's better to change the boundary and earn two more horses of silk.

After arranging the affairs by the river, Shi Shao returned to the county government office with two wooden boxes.

At that time, Huan Rong was staring at a bowl of Qicai soup with a bitter expression on his face.

He was really afraid of festival vegetables. Looking at the green vegetable soup, he couldn't help but think of five spicy vegetables, and a bitter and spicy taste came out of his mouth unconsciously.

"Your Majesty, please use it." Seeing Huan Rong not moving, A Mi pushed the vegetable soup closer and said, "This soup is made of new vegetables, with freshly ground rice powder added, it is a festival dish for Ren Day. "

Huan Rong looked at the vegetable soup, then at A Mi, finally gritted his teeth and picked up the wooden spoon.

For the first spoonful, he almost closed his eyes and mouthed.Two seconds later, the expected bitterness did not appear, but a fresh fragrance and tenderness melted into the taste buds.Huan Rong paused for a moment, scooped up the second spoonful, chewed it carefully, his eyes lit up immediately.

"Very good."

A Mi removed the lacquer tray and stepped aside.The little boy brought a plate of fish and said, "Mr., this is a fresh sea fish. It is steamed with bean paste. It tastes very delicious."

Since time travel, this is the first time Huan Rong has eaten fresh sea fish, he picked up a piece of fish and put it into his mouth, after chewing twice, he couldn't stop his chopsticks anymore.

After using up the seven-vegetable soup, he ate up the whole plate of fish, and Huan Rong was only half full.

A millet had already prepared, half a bucket of rice was served, and the wooden lid was lifted, the aroma of the rice was mixed with the heat, the rice grains were crystal clear, and the teeth were full and springy after eating, without any side dishes, Huan Rong could eat three bowls first.

When Shi Shao walked into the inner room, Huan Rong was picking up the fifth bowl.

"Your Majesty." Shi Shao cupped his hands in salute.

Huan Rong swallowed the rice grains in his mouth, and said with a smile: "Jingde is back, is this trip going well?"

"all the best."

The little boy laid out the futon, and Shi Shao sat upright, intending to wait for Huan Rong to eat before reporting the matter carefully.

Huan Rong picked up his rice bowl again, feeling that it was very unkind for the other party to look at him while eating, and said, "Can Jingde use food? If it doesn't work, you might as well use some."

Naturally, there is no reason to refuse the boss' invitation to dinner.

Ever since, Huan Rong continued to guard the wooden barrel to cook rice, while Shi Shao picked up the bowl and counted the grains of rice, eating without talking or sleeping, and the dining atmosphere was considered "harmonious".

After the meal was over, the maid served tea soup, Shi Shao opened the wooden box, took out several documents, and explained the details of the trip to Jiankang in detail.

"Relying on His Royal Highness, if you buy a store in a big market, you can sell salt all year round. When you meet a small market that opens every season, you can also sell salt, grain and rice."

"The lord of the mansion has a noble, and the merchants can be exempted from tax. However, in the view of the servant, the way of business is not for the lord of the mansion, so he makes arbitrarily advocating and passing Tianjin in the name of a merchant ship, and the tax is [-]% of the hundred."

"Your Majesty said that the jewelry business is promising."

Speaking of this, Shi Shao was slightly excited.

"Hu people love gold and pearls. Father Pu once went south to buy pearls and brought them back to the north to get a hundred times the profit. If you can find a skilled slave with outstanding craftsmanship, you will not lose salt and grain by taking advantage of the Qin family's Wubao .”

"Respect means that this business also cooperates with the Qin family?" Huan Rong asked.

"Of course." Shi Shao explained, "Qin's Wubao is powerful in the north, and the governor has never seen him face to face. If he goes north in the future, he will know that what the servant said is true. If he can cooperate with him, he will be guarded by his servants." , there is no need to worry about the barbarian looting, a stable business route, and a lot of income."

Huan Rong nodded, accepting Shi Shao's opinion.But it also stated clearly that the salt and grain business has just started, and the cooperation with the Qin family has just begun. The jewelry business can wait, and it will not be too late to expand in Jiankang first and then expand to the north.

"Speaking of the north, I caught a few people a few days ago."

"who?"

"Xianbei Hu and the three..." Huan Rong frowned, he really didn't want to say that the three were Han Chinese, and he felt disgusted when he said the words, "The generation who forgets their ancestors."

"Your Majesty, this matter cannot be ignored." Shi Shao's expression became serious.

"I know." Huan Rong nodded.

"The identities of several people have been ascertained. The Hu merchants were sent by Murong Xianbei, who coveted the benefits of Yandu and wanted to rob them. Xianbei is currently fighting with the Di people, and they will not take action immediately. We should try to deal with it at this time. In addition, there are other unexpected gains."

Shi Shao's face showed doubts, he couldn't understand Huan Rong's meaning.

Huan Rong did not open his mouth to explain, stood up and walked out of the inner room, motioning for Shi Shao to follow: "Jing De can go and see for himself."

The two walked through the corridor and soon arrived at the wooden house where the three Han people were imprisoned.Seeing the indoor situation through the half-open wooden window, Shi Shao couldn't help but let out an "ah".

If he read correctly, the map on the ground was actually a map? !

Tomorrow is the deadline given by Huan Rong, if the picture cannot be drawn, the three of them will be beheaded and killed.

In order to keep their heads, the three of them desperately drew maps all over the floor, the mountains, rivers and rivers on them were extremely clear, and two of them even drew the places where Murong Xianbei was stationed!

The energy was too concentrated, the three of them didn't stay by the window at all, and they were still sketching wholeheartedly.

After watching for a while, the two left the corridor. Huan Rong explained the background and actions of the three of them. Shi Shao took a deep breath and said in a deep voice, "These three are talented but not virtuous. Do you really want to let them go?"

Huan Rong shook his head and told Shi Shao that the three of them would be sent to the salt field as slaves after tomorrow.With guards and salt workers by their side, and Hu merchants who are enemies with them, their future life may not be easier than beheading.

"The three maps have been completed, and we need Jingde's help to check the landforms, states and counties on the map. If there are any mistakes, we can delete them."

"promise!"

At the same time, Goshawk with Huan Rong's letter arrives in Luozhou.

Qin Yu happened to go out of the fort to inspect, and wiped out a group of rebellious soldiers who "crossed the border" in the chaos. Hearing the resounding eagle cry, seeing a familiar figure in the sky, he immediately rode his horse and raised his right arm in the direction of the goshawk's dive. .

Unexpectedly, the goshawk suddenly rose in the middle of the flight, ignored Qin Yu at all, and circled over Wubao for several weeks. When Qin Jing didn't appear, he immediately turned back and flew north to Xihe County.

Qin Yu froze on the horse, his arms still raised in the air.

After a while, Bu Qu stepped forward and asked cautiously: "Mr. Lang, do you want to return to the castle?"

"Don't go back!" Qin Yu gritted his teeth, "I found two rogue soldiers before, follow me to chase after them!"

"promise!"

The trilogy didn't dare to say too much, and rode their horses and swung their whips one after another.

Qin Yu rode his horse and galloped ahead, mopping the ground with a spear in his hand, slashing across the black rock surface, sparking some sparks.

It's okay to be tricked by brothers, but what's the matter with being despised by an eagle? !If this eagle was not raised by Xuan Min, sooner or later it will pull its hair and put it in the pot, let's see how arrogant it is!