Hearing the boatman say that ordinary passenger ships and merchant ships are not allowed to travel together, Song Qingshu couldn't help blaming himself. He was mainly focused on persuading Ren Yingying to change the land route to a water route. He was really worried that she would not be able to withstand the fatigue of the journey. Selfishness, that is, she can't bear to have her white and tender jade legs being worn out with bleeding marks and calluses by the horse, so that she ignores the factor of fighting.
Thinking that not only did she fail to save time, but instead took her a long way, she couldn't help but blame herself.
When she heard Ren Yingying's question, she subconsciously looked in the direction of her finger, and saw a huge ship approaching from a distance, and the surrounding ships were like small sampans compared to it.
More importantly, the Southern Song navy did not stop such an obvious target, but let it go all the way. Song Qingshu's eyesight was far away, and he could even see a Southern Song general on the bow who looked like a housekeeper with a flattering face. Sorry to laugh, but the housekeeper just responded with a very cold attitude.
"I don't know which princes and nobles belonged to the merchant ship?" Song Qingshu was a little puzzled, but it was not surprising. You must know which family of these ancient officials was not a big landlord? Everyone talks about etiquette and morality as a sage and gentleman, and the court is not allowed to go into business, and they talk about competing for profits with the people. Isn't it their family's interest? It's just that the imperial court will rob them of their business.
The boatman saw Ren Yingying half leaning in the arms of the man beside him, looking cowardly and timid, her eyebrows were slightly frowned, if there was deep worry, but her beautiful and bright face was still intact, and there was a faint sense of nobility and inviolability , could not help being envious and jealous at the same time, deliberately showing off: "Anyone who lives on the water, who doesn't know them."
Seeing his expression, Song Qingshu didn't know his little thoughts, so he couldn't help laughing, and said with a nonchalant smile: "I still hope to teach you."
The boatman glanced at Ren Yingying quietly, seeing that she had also been attracted, he couldn't help becoming more proud: "Since you are so sincere, then let me give you some pointers. This ship is the Jinghu ship of the head of the Ruan family. , the Ruan family is the number one imperial merchant in the world..."
"Isn't the number one imperial merchant in the world the Xue family? How did it become the Ruan family?" Song Qingshu took a closer look at the ship, and sure enough, he saw a big soft word embroidered on the flag, but he was still puzzled. The reason why the Xue family is known as "pearls are like earth and gold is like iron" is mainly because they not only have a patriarch who is in charge of political affairs, but also have the status of an imperial merchant. For the world's first imperial business.
"You don't understand," the boatman explained, "The Xue family mainly does overseas business, and is known as the number one overseas; the Ruan family does inland business, and is the number one in the inland. For the people living by the river, many rely on the Ruan family for food, so they naturally think that the number one imperial merchant in the world is the Ruan family."
"I see." Song Qingshu nodded slightly. He seemed to have heard of the Ruan family's name before, but now that he is in a high position, even the Xue family, which has ministers and ministers, is not qualified to sit on an equal footing with him, let alone the less prominent official background. The Ruan family is gone.
Noticing the disapproval in his tone, the boatman became anxious immediately: "Being able to become an imperial merchant must have an unfathomable background in Lin'an. Everyone has various guesses, but no one can be sure. The only thing that is sure is the head of the Ruan family." Her husband is from the Yang family, a wealthy family in central Sichuan."
"Is the head of the Ruan family a woman?" Ren Yingying, who had been calm and calm all the time, asked in surprise.
"Don't you know?" The boatman seemed to be saying something that everyone knew, "Mrs. Ruan has grown the family business as a daughter in recent years. These years, the Ruan family has surpassed the Xue family. Most of it is her credit."
"Then she's really powerful." Song Qingshu clucked his tongue secretly. He wouldn't be surprised if a woman made such a large family fortune in later generations. However, it's the Southern Song Dynasty where Neo Confucianism is prevalent. It's amazing.
"Mrs. Ruan is not only good at business, but she is also a beauty who is one in a million. I was lucky enough to see her from a distance. Not only is she unparalleled in beauty, but she is also very kind. She is like a fairy descended from the world," the boatman said with a smile on his face. She looked fascinated, as if recalling the scene at the time, "However, what is strange is that everyone who saw her described her appearance differently. Some said she was a dignified and quiet young woman, while others said she was a flirtatious beauty. A gorgeous vixen, some people say she is a girl with a sweet voice... "
Song Qingshu smiled slightly, and didn't really care about it. Low-level boatmen like them have seen several beauties in their life. I'm afraid they can be regarded as fairies by him with a little beauty and a high status. Naturally, there will be some rumors, but the other party The next sentence shook his mind slightly.
The boatman obviously sensed the disbelief in his eyes, and he became anxious immediately: "Mrs. Ruan and the second lady of the Xue family are collectively called Huangshang Shuangyan by people in our industry. They are different from ordinary women who don't leave the door. , They often show their faces in business. I don’t know how many people in our industry have seen them. Who wouldn’t praise their appearance? Although your wife is beautiful, she may not be comparable to them.”
Ren Yingying smiled slightly, she has always been graceful and magnanimous, how could she take this person's words to heart, but Song Qingshu's heart was moved, he didn't believe that Madam Ruan was so beautiful, but he had seen Miss Xue's before .
Xue Baochai's appearance is beautiful, her skin is deceptive to Saixue, especially her dignified and sensible temperament, she is like a beauty who is one in a million. That's another story.
At the banquet of the princes and nobles in Lin'an, I overheard them chatting about the Xue family, saying that Mr. Xue is really lucky to have two stunning daughters. The eldest daughter Xue Baochai is amazing enough, but the second daughter Xue Baoqin is even better. It's more than halfway through, but the second lady mainly takes care of the business of the imperial merchants for the family, and travels north and south with the fleet every day. The princes and grandchildren in Lin'an City don't have as many opportunities to see her as the lower-level people.
"Xue Baoqin..." Song Qingshu couldn't help thinking of the perfect woman who suddenly appeared in the middle and late stages of the original Dream of Red Mansions. Her appearance and talent faintly overshadowed the two heroines Lin Daiyu and Xue Baochai. If it is true, and she did not enter the Jinling Twelve Beauties, it proves that she has been very happy in this life, so she does not need to enter the Boming Division. This woman is so perfect that it is almost enviable.
Although Song Qingshu has never seen her in this world, but with Xue Baochai in front of him, I believe her appearance is roughly at what level. Now that she heard that Mrs. Ruan can be called Huangshang Shuangyan with her, she is also surprised that Ruan Madam became curious.
Suddenly his heart moved, and he hurriedly asked: "You just said that this ship is called Jinghu?"
"Yes." The boatman nodded.
Song Qingshu muttered in his heart, with a strange expression on his face: "Jinghu, Jinghu... also named Ruan, can't it be such a coincidence?"