It's snowing in the capital, so the good mood of the people is doubled. Few northerners hate snow, no matter adults or children. The double good mood is because the traitor Luo Yao retreated. Although the battle was fought in a muddle, and I don't know why it was defeated, but if you retreat, you will retreat. The Great Sui is still the Great Sui, so the people are naturally happy.
Chang'an City is too big, so there are many markets. As for the date of the market, it is arranged by the government. There are a total of thirteen markets on this side of Nancheng, and there is one on East Ershisantiao Street, which is held on the third and sixth every month. Originally, the city of Chang'an was very lively on the days of the market, but since Luo Manzi's rebels came over, the city gates were closed, and the market became deserted. Merchants from Eastern Chu could not come in, and commodities became scarce.
The gates of the city were only opened on the third day after the rebels retreated, and many people in the city tentatively went out. After finding that there was no danger, they started running to see if their relatives living outside the city were still alive. But they also knew that Luo Yao burned down two acropolises, and the villages and towns outside were probably destroyed as well.
There are more people on the official road than before, and the market has become lively again.
However, most of them are for sale.
Food is expensive in Chang'an. Although the government has interfered a lot, the price of food has risen by more than three times, so that many people have to move out the things at home and sell them to buy food for money. In fact, there is not much shortage of food in Chang'an City, but it is all in the official warehouse. There is no order from the court, and the people have to find a way to solve it by themselves. But on the day the city was opened, the emperor made a decree to distribute food according to the population.
Because of this, Hongxiulou has not been in business for a long time.
During the war, who would dare to visit the building
However, there is no shortage of food in the Hongxiu building, after all, there is no shortage of money in the building.
Originally, Hongxiulou was going to evacuate with Wu Yiyi, but later, for some reason, Aunt Xi refused to leave no matter what, and insisted on staying.
Xiaodangjia moved a bench and sat at the door, propped his chin and watched the people coming and going on Dongerershisantiao Street. In fact, he saw nothing in his eyes, and his mind was blank. She knew why Mrs. Xi refused to leave. Although Mrs. Xi didn't say anything, she could tell that the man in the blue shirt must have died.
He's dead, so what's the point of Mrs. Xi going
Not only Mrs. Xi, but also Miss Xi Canwick, who hasn't left the room for a long time.
"Little master, are we really not leaving?"
A little maid asked timidly, she was younger than Xiao Ding Dian, and she respected, feared and liked this handsome but majestic young master.
"right?"
Xiao Dingdian murmured back, but she didn't know the answer.
"If our building goes on like this, what's the point even if it's open?"
The little maid sighed, and cupped her chin with both hands and said to herself: "If that would go out of the city, it should be in the south of the Yangtze River by now. It is snowing in the capital, and the south of the Yangtze River should still be full of flowers and leaves. After the death of the late emperor , there was almost no business in our building, and we caught up with the rebellion again, which made it even more deserted... Fortunately, the rebellion is over... "
What she said was very confusing, and she didn't expect Xiaodangjia to answer anything.
She's just bored.
At this moment, a man in his twenties on the street walked towards the Hongxiu Building. He was wearing a very clean cloth, and his eyebrows were as clean as his clothes. When the little master noticed this person, he saw his feet first, a pair of cloth shoes with black sides and white soles, which were not stained with any dust.
So the little boss was slightly stunned, and then raised his head to take a look.
This young man's face can't be called handsome, and his smile can't be called handsome, but the word "clean" makes people feel at ease. He is about 1.75 meters tall, and his figure is slightly thinner, but he is not that weak and thin. Judging by the style of the gown on his body, he should be a scholar, but he is not Jinyi, so he probably hasn't taken the exam yet.
It's just that there is a long sword hanging by the waist of the scholar, without a scabbard.
So the cold light on the sword was extraordinarily cold, and it could be seen that it was a good sword.
scholar with sword
The little master couldn't help wrinkling his small nose, thinking that this is a good sword. The literati of the Sui Dynasty scoffed at martial artists, but they liked to hang long swords around their waists for decoration. This kind of attire can be found everywhere in Chang'an City, so the little boss didn't pay much attention to it. What she cares about is this young man's shoes... Why are they still so clean after walking through the snow and mud
"Hello."
The young man smiled at her, showing two rows of beautiful white teeth: "May I ask if you are the young head of the Hongxiu Building? I was entrusted by a friend to come here to see Mrs. Xi."
"friend?"
The little master sat up straight, raised his eyes and looked at him: "What's your friend's name?"
"Call… "
The young man was about to answer but stopped, raising his eyebrows.
Because on the other side of the street, another person walked by.
…
…
Compared with this young man who looked like a scholar, the later man seemed much less pleasing to the eye. His face is darker, his eyebrows are thicker, his nose is sunken, and his lips are thicker. The eyes are not big, and the shape is not good-looking. Triangular eyes are generally considered to be standard for bad guys. The upgraded version has a big mole next to the nose. Fortunately, he doesn't have moles, but you may not be able to see moles on such a dark face.
The scholar could not be called handsome but pleasing to the eye, this half-grown man in a crumpled leather robe who looked only fifteen or sixteen years old was disgusting at first glance. He was less than 1.6 meters tall, but he was strong. He wore a pair of high riding boots. One of the spurs behind the heel of the boots fell off, and the other was also broken.
The fur robe is not like the style of the people in the Central Plains. The young master has seen many merchants from all over the world, and knows that many people like to wear this kind of clothes. It is enough to keep out the cold in winter, and the oily leather can't get in at all. It's just that people wearing this kind of leather robe are rare in Chang'an City. If the young master has seen the stone helmet on the outside of this man's leather robe, he may know him.
This black boy's hair was pulled up in a bun, neither fish nor fowl. But you can tell by his riding boots and bracers that this is a warrior.
But... What hangs on his waist is neither the scimitar commonly used by grassland people nor the straight knife used by Han people, but a book.
Wu Fu hanging scroll.
He walked to the door of Hongxiulou, grinned and showed his yellow teeth. It was ugly when he was not smiling, but he was even more lethal when he smiled.
"Excuse me, are you the young master?"
He and the scholar asked the same question.
"I am."
The little boss smiled politely, and even she herself felt that the smile was a little fake. Xiaodangjia never thought that he was a person who judged people by their appearance, but this person really... Alas... I don't know what kind of parents did what sins to make their children suffer so much. How did they come here in the past ten years? .
"I was entrusted by a friend to see Mrs. Xi."
Hei Xiaozi smiled foolishly, as if he didn't realize that his smile wasn't pretty.
…
…
A scholar carries a sword, and a martial artist hangs a scroll.
Xi Huamei looked at the two people in front of her, feeling a little bitter in her heart.
She didn't know this scholar, but she knew this black boy. A while ago, this guy tore up more than a dozen people, both men and women, on Dongerershisantiao Street. Those who were torn apart included the wife of the Minister of Rites, and then the Minister of Rites had to go to his door and kneel down to beg for mercy. It's just that this black boy looked a bit raw after he took off his stone helmet and combed his hair.
Tiger General
"The general came to me, what advice do you have?"
Asked after Xi Thrush saluted.
Pu Hu still kept his silly smile, looking extraordinarily simple and honest: "It's nothing, it's just that the general ordered me to come, so I came."
"Um?"
Xi Huamei didn't understand, and Pu Hu's answer was almost equivalent to no answer.
"Oh... the general knew that Hongxiu Zhao was about to move out, so he asked me to go with him."
"Follow?"
Xi Huamei's beautiful eyebrows were raised, and a trace of surprise flashed in his eyes: "Where did the general hear that my building is going to move? Although business has been quiet recently, I have never thought about leaving Chang'an City."
"Listen to him."
Puhu pointed to the scholar: "You may not know this person, his name is..."
"My name is Tan Qingge."
The scholar said: "I'm just a low-level scholar. Since I was six years old, I have been cooking in the Yanwu Academy, and I only serve one person... Later, I didn't have to cook anymore, and I became an idler. Someone came to me last night and said yes Hong Xiuzhao is leaving Chang'an, let me go with her."
Xi Huamei's face turned serious, he knew who this Tan Qingge was.
Puhu rubbed his nose: "It can only be the person who served that person, otherwise I would have torn him up long ago. Since Aunt Xi doesn't understand, why not just say it plainly... His Majesty the Emperor intends to reward the black flag currently guarding the southwest General Fang Xie, His Majesty knows that Aunt Xi and Fang Xie have a deep friendship, so he intends to invite Aunt Xi to bring Hongxiu Zhao with him. The general heard that General Fang is a rare talent, so he asked me to go with Hongxiu Zhao again. Take a look at that General Fang who has long been famous in the Central Plains."
Tan Qingge hummed: "Your Majesty ordered me to escort Hongxiu Zhao to the south. After all, the south is still not peaceful. There are still hundreds of thousands of rebels in Luoni in Jiangbei Province. Luotu blocked the Yangtze River. It is not easy to go there. .Most of the red sleeve tricks are female, how can they do it without personal protection?"
He seemed to be very afraid of Puhu, and deliberately didn't look at Puhu when he was talking.
One was sent by the emperor, and the other was sent by the general.
Xi Huamei was shocked for a while, and then she realized that she had to leave. If it was just Tan Qingge, she didn't have to leave, because she knew that the people in the Martial Arts Academy, especially those who had served the old man, would not be able to do anything to Hong Xiu. But now, there is still a tiger.
This black kid who didn't know how to appear is a evil star.
"good."
Xi Huamei nodded: "Since it is His Majesty's will, I will naturally obey it. Allow me to tidy up. After all, I have been running this building for several years, and there are a lot of things that need to be sorted out. There are still a few servants who want to go home. I will directly send Give them money and let them go home."
"Need not."
Puhu shook his head and said seriously: "The general said that the red sleeves are going south, so everyone is included, and no one is missing. As for cleaning up, it is not difficult. I will transfer three hundred fine armors to help you later. In less than half a day, you said that the demolition of the building can be completed."
"when are we leaving?"
The thrush asked.
"today."
Pu Hu said: "I don't want to leave Chang'an for too long, the general also told me, go back quickly."
Xi Huamei subconsciously looked at Tan Qingge, who also had an ugly expression.
…
…
One thousand in iron armor, one thousand behind.
Both sides are solemn and mighty, and in the middle are more than a dozen carriages of red sleeves, Yingying and Yanyan.
That's why the team looked a little strange, and it attracted the attention of passers-by as they walked through the bazaar.
Walking in front of the team was a black boy riding an old scalper. A volume of books was hung on the horns of the bull. The pages of the book were already yellowed and wrinkled, and he read them as he went.
Walking behind the line was a scholar wearing white-soled cloth shoes, with a long sword without a scabbard hanging from his waist. Snowflakes fell on the sword and split it into two pieces.