For the diplomatic exchanges between the two countries, the itinerary of the diplomatic mission in Beijing in Northern Qi had been determined long ago. Logically speaking, a person with an identity like Fan Xian would definitely have corresponding escorts by his side when walking around in Beijing, but Fan Xian himself was very afraid of it. For this arrangement, even though the resident officials had already started negotiations, he still came to the Ministry of Rites with the permission of the Northern Qi royal family.
In the secret agreement, Yan Bingyun was exchanged for Xiao En and Si Lili, and Qingguo suffered a big loss, so Fan Xian was anxious to find the other party's executor who was hiding in the dark. But I didn't expect that the nominal Ribu Shuyilang, the real Northern Qi Jinyiwei's deputy envoy, would hide from him!
It seemed that the other party wanted to delay for a few more days, Fan Xian was furious, waved his sleeves and left the gate of the Ministry of Rites, ignoring those Qi officials. At the entrance of the ceremony department, Lin Jing had already rushed over from Honglu Temple, and quietly shook her head at Fan Xian.
The four of them boarded the carriage again, and Lin Jing said, "Wei Hua Shaoqing, he disappeared after leaving the palace, and I don't know where he went."
Fan Xian sighed, "It's probably the same in other places. The people of Qi want to delay for a few more days."
"What's the benefit of delaying for a few more days?" Wang Qinian frowned and said, "Anyway, they still want to hand over people, and I don't believe they can keep delaying."
Fan Xian shook his head: "We need to get Yan Bingyun out as soon as possible."
"How to get it?"
"Go to Wei Hua's house."
"Marquis of Changning?" Lin Jing said awkwardly, "That's the empress dowager's brother. It's a big taboo for us foreign envoys to rush over rashly. It doesn't conform to the system. I'm afraid there will be many troubles."
Fan Xian smiled and said, "It would be better if the Northern Qi Emperor's gang of censors, Ninghou, the head of the court, and Ninghou, the head of the Northern Qi Dynasty, can communicate with foreign countries, that would be even better."
After the plan was made, the carriage left the yamen of the Ministry of Rites, and the Imperial Forest Army naturally followed, as well as some spies who looked like passers-by in the distance. Wang Qinian was sitting in the carriage, but he could smell the scent of those people from a long distance away, and said softly to Fan Xian, "Master Tisi, it should be people from Jinyiwei who are following us."
"Anyway, with the Imperial Forest Army accompanying us, are you afraid that we will get lost?" Fan Xian said softly, "Don't pay attention to them. The most important thing is, don't rush to contact the people in the courtyard in Beiqi these few days, and bring them to the spies. Unnecessary risk is not good."
The Northern Qi spies who followed the imperial order to watch the mission were also a little surprised why these southern envoys were interested in going shopping after leaving the Ministry of Rites, and they visited the most luxurious and luxurious Xiushui Street in Shangjing. The street sells luxury items like glass products, which are not affordable by ordinary people.
A secret agent frowned and said, "Why do these southern barbarians visit Xiushui Street?"
The subordinates around him replied: "It's rare to go abroad, so of course we have to buy some good things to go back. These southern barbarians are very rich now, if they don't buy some glasses to go back, how can they explain to their family?"
"Idiot!" The spy in front of the head scolded: "All the glass in the world is made in Nanqing, why would they need us to go to Beijing to buy it?"
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There are not many people in Xiushui Street, but the Qi people who walk in it are all paunchy, and the women with hairpins and hairpins can tell at a glance that there is not much money in their pockets, but the banknotes must be thicker than the books at home. many. Those shops are built along the street, and there is a little distance between each one, neither far nor near, just right.
Those signboards are even more conspicuous, standing vertically outside the storefront, painted with black paint and painted with gold letters, but some of the gold letters have gradually faded. Those wealthy owners seemed to be reluctant to change it. After looking carefully at the inscription, they realized that the signboard was quite old, and the person who inscribed it was often a century, or even a generation of celebrities hundreds of years ago. It seems that these businessmen want to deliberately create a simple and honest style, showing off the atmosphere of a century-old store.
Only the seven shops in the center of Xiushui Street are different. The signboards are all horizontal. Although they are not brand new, compared with the surrounding area, they look much younger. Some of these shops sell glass products, and some are Some of them sell soap and other things, some of them sell perfume, some of them sell cotton cloth, some of them sell alcohol, and the most unusual thing is that there is a store that specializes in selling toys.
Several carriages stopped at the intersection, escorted by soldiers from the Royal Forest Army. This kind of posture was even inferior to the first-class princes. But all the merchants on Xiushui Street still maintained their self-respect. No one came out to greet customers, but the four people who were waiting for the carriage to get off passed by one by one.
The four of them walked all the way to Perfume Street, and finally stopped at the door of the cotton cloth shop. Among them, the very handsome young man rubbed his head, as if he didn't understand why cotton cloth could be considered a luxury.
After entering the store, the boss explained to the strangers: "When it comes to growing cotton and weaving cotton cloth, it is said that a genius surnamed Wang did it hundreds of years ago, but the method was gradually lost. No one uses it anymore. It wasn’t until 20 years ago that our old employer picked up this method again. Please see, this cotton cloth is warmer than silk, the price is cheaper, and it is of the best quality. Even if it is compared to Nanqing Capital, it is not much worse."
The handsome young man seemed very interested and said, "Give me a foot to try."
The shop owner's face darkened, and he recognized that the other party had a Nanqing accent, and said cursingly: "So it's a fellow, I said this gentleman, there is no reason for us Nanqing people to come to Beiqi to buy cotton cloth, not to mention that others are all in bundles. Buying them in bundles is good for you, come and have a try?"
The young man smiled, bowed his fists to apologize, exited the store, looked up at the words on the horizontal signboard, frowned and said: "The writing is really ugly."
The store owner was furious and cursed: "This is written by the old owner of our store, you ignorant guy, get back quickly!"
The young man smiled, and led the three subordinates to a nearby shop. This young man was naturally Fan Xian, and the ugly words he spoke were naturally the ink marks left by his mother many years ago, and they were not much different from the handwriting on the letter in the box—exactly the same ugly!
After strolling around for a while, Fan Xian knew that these shops were owned by the Nanqing Imperial Merchant in Northern Qi. Of course, many years ago, they should all be owned by the Ye family. Knowing that my mother must have earned a lot of money from the hands of the nobles in the world.
Walking on Xiushui Street, among the signboards with mother's inscription, Fan Xian was a little dazed, and seemed unwilling to leave again.
"My lord, what are we doing here instead of going to the Marquis of Changning?" Lin Jing asked worriedly from the side.
Fan Xian was startled for a moment, regained consciousness and said with a smile, "Of course I'm here to buy gifts, there's no reason to come empty-handed."
Speaking of this, he has already lifted the corner of his shirt and stepped into the glass shop with the widest door. I saw all kinds of glass products displayed in the store, which looked very gorgeous, including flat wine toasts, double-eared bottles, transparent jade pots, mainly wine utensils, and various small utensils, including Insect boxes made of glass, all kinds of chess sets, and even a small crystal clear oil lamp.
The entire shop was crystal-like and eye-catching, and Fan Xian felt a little proud. Although he seemed to be dawdling in this world and hadn't done anything earth-shattering, looking at the things his mother left behind, he couldn't help but think: So, after someone has done it, what else do you do
The shop owner had heard these people talking nearby, and knew that they were from the south, so he said with a smile, "Everyone, it's not that I don't want to do business with you, it's just that you will be at a disadvantage if you buy glass in Shangjing."
Fan Xian asked with a smile: "I know, it must be much more expensive in Shangjing than in our Qing Dynasty, but I see that the Northern Qi Palace uses a lot of glass, so they don't think it's expensive."
The shop owner smiled and said: "Who is the stupidest customer in the world? Of course it is the emperor. The business from the Northern Qi Palace is said to be the biggest deal our old owner ever made. That amount would scare all the rich businessmen in the world into fools." gone."
Fan Xian smiled smugly, and said, "You are very bold to say that. You are in Northern Qi, aren't you afraid that those officials will catch you?"
"Don't be afraid, don't be afraid, as long as our Daqing Dynasty is still the strongest country in the world, we merchants will not be bullied wherever we go." Having said that, the shop owner still lowered his voice and continued: "In the world The most stupid customer's words... I can't say it, I heard the master said it, and it was also said by the old club back then."
Fan Xian smiled, and suddenly asked, "Is your master Daye or Jiye?"
The shop owner was startled, and raised his head to look at Fan Xian, as if it was hard to believe that this handsome young man knew so many things, and forgot to answer for a while.
Lin Jing smiled at the side and said, "This is Lord Fan Xian, the envoy of the mission. Although you are far away in the north, you know the origin of Lord Fan if you think about it."
Master Fan? That is the big shopkeeper of all the imperial merchants in the next few years! The owner of the glass shop turned pale with fright, quickly lifted his front skirt, and knelt down to Fan Xian.