In Bianliang City in late October, the weather was cold and cold, and the breath of the city air was filled with tension. Most of this tension comes from the weather. Although the winter in Bianliang City is not difficult compared to other small places, most people are still too lazy to go out in winter. At this time, it is already the season to stock up on winter supplies.
Fireworks industries such as Fanlou and Xiaozhufang are still popular. It snows in winter, so at most people go out less. Among the famous brothels in Bianliang, charcoal fires will still burn vigorously every day, making people feel in the dark. Feel at home in the cold weather. When it snows, some wealthy benefactors will even live in the brothel and never go out. In this way, until the next spring, the money on their bodies will naturally flow out like water.
Li Shishi is taking advantage of the days before the snow to make friends and visit friends. For this number one oiran in the capital in the eyes of many people, she will reduce the time she spends meeting with guests in winter. If she wants to meet, she is often familiar. friends.
In a warm house in winter, the atmosphere will become too ambiguous. Some people can't control it. They really want to do something or say something. Although she has a way to deal with it, it is more troublesome than usual, so even if Meeting people is often a group of people. Second, her temperament is lazy, she doesn't want to go out in winter, and sometimes she doesn't even bother to get out of bed. In winter, if there are no powerful gatherings that cannot be avoided, it is better to take a break.
What has really bothered her recently is that someone will tell her plainly that she will be past her prime. For a Qinglou oiran, the real Mood for Love is between the ages of sixteen and twenty. After the past, in the eyes of some people, it is inevitable to become a woman. She was already twenty-one years old at this time. From becoming an oiran to her current peak, she has always been stable and steady. Although she has experienced many things, the peak will be passed next.
Although for many who already knew her, her charisma. Still improving over time. Just seen her. It is inevitable to be attracted to her, but once she is twenty-one or twenty-two years old, the possibility of her age attracting new guests to throw a lot of money will continue to decrease, in a sense. She has to think about quitting and getting married.
For her. This is a difficult decision to make. But have to think about it. Of course, there are many people who are willing to marry her, and she can choose to be a concubine in many big families. Or big officials, literary giants and the like. The number one oiran in the capital, not everyone can manage to marry, and the background must not be low. If Yu Hezhong and Chen Sifeng are good friends, assuming she likes them and is willing to marry them, they won't be able to get married, then it will hurt them at all.
People with insufficient background can't keep a woman like her. After that, her life is often bumpy, and she has to suffer. Of course, in addition to marrying those high-status big families, she can also choose to be someone's wife. Among those who are willing to do so, there are also those with good status, but she must marry the capital without saying a word, and go to a certain place. .
During the recent period, she has secretly screened several times among the people who may marry, those with high status, good characters, those who can talk to each other, those who are good-looking, etc., etc., etc., and finally she could not make up her mind. .
Over the past few years, she has received a lot of preferential treatment from Fanlou because of her identity as an oiran. Every year for about a month or two, she is free to visit other places and visit various famous families—Mama Li also understands that this can cultivate her to be a good student. Unique - She has seen many things because of this, and after gaining insight, she vaguely feels that there are still many things she can do, just like Tong Shuer's work. The officials were convicted, went to official posts, and traveled three thousand miles, which made people applaud, but after this matter, they became bored.
Recently, the popular topic in the capital is the battle between Zhang Jue and Wanyan Jammu in the north. This was the first fight between the Wu Dynasty and the Jinren. Everyone waited with bated breath, but after the war, news came that Zhang Jue had already lost the first battle after joining the Wu Dynasty, but he was only a small defeat. The two sides are still facing each other, and there will be a second battle next - these things, the teacher has heard recently, and there is no interest.
After a year or two, this is no longer her world. She will marry someone and live a simple but leisurely life. She doesn't need to sweep and weave, and she doesn't need to wash her hands to make soup. She only needs to greet her husband, and when appropriate When it's time to please him, it's enough to grab his heart. After a few years like this, he gave birth to that person's child, and after many years, the person was old and pale, and he lived with the child.
Sometimes when I think about it like this, I can't help but laugh lonely, sadness comes from it, and even gives birth to emotions that she has rarely seen before: If she is not a brothel woman, not this courtesan named Li Shishi, how wonderful it would be...
In addition to receiving experienced dignitaries, more guests in Fanlou are big businessmen from other places. For those who have money and status in other places, when they arrive in the capital, they can see the style of the first floor of the capital, and spend a lot of money to meet the oiran, which is the best way to talk after returning home. Teachers have a lot of choices for dignitaries who know the basics in Beijing. For guests from other places, except for some talents with far-flung names, they usually measure the value of each other by money. Anyway, it is often a one-time consumption, that is, the price is high. see.
After attending a poetry meeting that day and returning to Fanlou, Li's mother said that there was a grandson of the grandson from the south, and she could meet him. It is said that the other party's home is a wealthy family in the area of Jingnan Road. He is young and rich and has a good conversation. When he arrives here, he will be 500 taels of silver, indicating that he wants to see her. Anyway, to make money, the teacher smiled and went.
What I saw later, the other party was as Li Yun said, with extraordinary conversation, obviously the well-educated son of the big family, twenty-six or seven years old, and his appearance was okay. The teacher played and sang two songs and chatted for a while. When the host and guests felt good, the other party asked about Zhuji casually.
"I heard that Bamboo in the Capital was opened by the great genius Ning Liheng, and the teacher and the teacher are familiar with him. Every building opens, the teacher will go to perform." The grandson ate a small half of the snack and smiled casually. , "I have always admired talented people, but I don't know that Young Master Ning. What kind of person can have such a means, not only good poetry, but also a prosperous business."
"It's not... I'm not very familiar..." Shi Shi replied, but his brows were wrinkled imperceptibly. She didn't want to talk about Ning Yi recently. During this period of time, the merchants in the capital came and went, and she also knew about the lack of food in the north and the south. Zhuji was working on the matter, and she also knew about making a lot of money. This kind of knowledge made her not want to interact with each other anymore. Ning Yi once said that he had something to do with her. Later, I came to Fanlou twice to see her, but the teachers all pretended that there was something wrong, and the maid refused. During this time, Zhuji was busy buying and selling food to make money. Several new branches originally planned to open have also been temporarily put on hold. She also does not have to fulfill the promise of past performances.
"Oh? I don't know you very well... But there are always normal contacts. According to Miss Shishi's eyesight, is this person a genius or a businessman?"
The other party is a very smart person. Speak clearly and accurately. The teacher inadvertently glanced at the other party's eyes, but his heart moved. This grandson seemed to speak casually, but the depths of his eyes were extremely clear. Previously, he was enjoying the leisure time with the courtesan, but this time it was not very similar. . Immediately, she remembered a foreign noble family from Huainan she had met two days earlier. The other party also asked about Zhuji and Ning Yi. At that time, she dealt with it casually. Now that I think about it, two groups of people asked him in a targeted manner. Things are a little different.
These two groups of people are both wealthy families in the local area, but they are thousands of miles away from each other. It is impossible to say that they made a special trip to Beijing to find Ning Yi. son's intentions. Sure enough, not long after, the grandson asked about Ning Yi's character, then asked about his family, popularity, and even where he lived, and made the intention of wanting to visit.
This day's discovery made her feel rather strange. She knew that Ning Yi was very good at business, and that after relying on the Right Prime Minister's Mansion, he could also be a faux tiger in business, but did the two big families separated by thousands of miles specially send people to Beijing to look for him to cooperate? It seems unlikely. That night, she asked Li's mother about the background of these two families, and sure enough, both of them had official relations, so they wouldn't come to rely on the right prime minister's mansion. As for the disaster situation in these places...
"...I don't know, Master, you also know that recently, all the business people are going to the disaster, and Jingli is talking about it hotly. This kind of thing is not once or twice, and there was a quarrel in the court some time ago. , Forget a lot of officials, just for disaster relief. Recently, there was a war in the north. I heard that the saint was in a bad mood, so things eased a little. Daughter, why are you asking about this?"
"Nothing, just ask..."
The next day, when she went to a poetry festival, she met Zuo Houwen and his cousin Zuo Jilan, and also met Wang Zhizhen, a relatively well-known talent in Hedong. As for Zuo Houwen, the teacher knew that he was in charge of the large circle of business affairs in the capital for the Zuo family, and he had a name for himself. He was second only to the great scholar Zuo Duanyou in the Zuo family. Because of this relationship, the two sides had met before. Many times, just not familiar. Shishi has heard rumors about him secretly. It is said that he prefers women who are strong and independent. It is said that the two concubines in the family are both in the middle of the family, and they support the family business, and then he is married. It is said that he also secretly coerced a few women with firm temperaments, but this matter is not widely spread, it can be seen that the other party is not a person without restraint.
When the poetry meeting was about to end, Zuo Houwen, Zuo Jilan and Wang Zhizhen came to see her. Zuo Jilan is in her thirties. At first glance, she looks like the kind of proud person who is proud of her temperament but also has good ability. For her, she simply looked up and down and made an expression that she didn't care much about, but Shi Shi could see what was in his eyes. Emotions - the kind of thinking that wants to occupy the mind of someone she is innocent and considers capable - after a few words with each other, Zuo Houwen even asked about Zhuji and Ning Yi.
"I heard that Miss Li knows this Young Master Ning, so she must be very familiar."
"Uh... I don't know each other well, it's just business contacts..."
"Hehe, it doesn't matter if you don't know him well, my nephew wants to meet him and discuss some things. There is a middle-aged person who is easy to meet, and my nephew has a strong temperament. Miss Li is next to him, maybe he will. Be more restrained." Zuo Houwen smiled, "Well, tomorrow... No, in two days, Jilan will go to Fanlou to find Miss Li, and then you two will go to find Mrs Ning, how about that?"
Although Zuo Houwen is not an official, the influence of the officialdom is inherited from Zuo Duanyou. It can be said that Zuo Duanyou is the spokesperson of Zuo Duanyou in the capital, and he is used to giving orders. Although he added a sentence at the end, the teacher could only nod his head at this time. This time. Tiannandi Beiguang wanted to start looking for Ning Yi from her. There were already three of them, and they didn't seem to be well-intentioned.
No matter how powerful Ning Yi is, and no matter how fast Zhuji develops, when will he be able to offend such a wealthy family again? Or offend the three at once? However, there are only three who are looking for themselves, and the rest are probably more...
She couldn't understand this for a while. Another day passed, and that night, the Fanlou was as lively and noisy as ever. There are two groups of people who are willing to spend money into the eyes of Li's mother. Come and ask the teacher what he means. Among the two groups, one group was also a non-local son, there was only one, and the other group invited a big family in the capital to come over. It should be about business. Teachers do not want to be alone with others. chose the latter. shortly after selection. In the fan building, there was a quarrel, and when the teacher passed by, he vaguely heard the commotion over there.
"...you scumbags with a black heart. Die and go to the eighteenth hell..."
"Hey, you're not, what's the difference between twenty-five taels and thirty-two taels... I've earned enough money to come to Fanlou to find the top card, and I dare to say that I have a good heart..."
"Better than you, we..."
"Looking for a fight, right!"
"Who dares to kill you..."
"There is a kind of you in the past..."
After listening to the noise intermittently, the people from Fanlou came out to mediate soon after, and the riot was calmed down. Later, the teacher went to accompany the banquet in the warm pavilion, only to find that the voice on the side of the quarrel just now came from the side of the treat.
This treat was a group of out-of-town merchants, led by a man in his forties, but it seemed to be a man with the surname Yu, who was followed by a few family sons and nephews in their twenties. Since they may come from a rural area, their words are relatively vulgar, and those young sons are a little shy, and some pretend not to care in front of them. The person who was invited, Fang Shishi, knew it. The surnamed Wei was a grain merchant in Beijing. He had a good reputation on weekdays.
The two sides didn't talk about business at the wine table. It seems that the two sides already have intentions to come here. The teacher tried his best to liven up the atmosphere, and after three tours, Boss Wei smiled and patted the hand of the man surnamed Yu: "Okay, I understand, this is the case. I understand your sincerity, member Wai. Now, I have to go back first, I have something to do at home. You guys... You must spend a lot of money to sit here more. Master, you arrange them, I am not saying that it is too expensive to come to your place. too much… "
The teacher smiled with a little grievance: "Where is Mr. Wei, the rules in the building are like this, and the teacher can't do anything about it. The teacher just does his best to serve everyone..."
That boss Wei waved his hand: "Okay, I'm leaving, I'm leaving..."
Since he was going to leave, he would also send him away from the staff. The two of them settled the matter and were in a good mood. They went out together, leaving the teacher and the rest of the surnamed son. The maids continued to add wine and serve food, and the teacher smiled and talked with them, asking about their home situation. After playing and singing a few songs, they also casually asked about the business they were doing. Only then did they know that they were going to buy from Boss Wei. The grain was sold to the disaster-stricken area, but then a young gentleman said, "I heard that Miss Shishi is very familiar with Boss Ning of Zhuji, right?"
"I'm not very familiar with it, and I have business contacts." The teacher was tired of hearing these words in the past few days, and answered casually. However, this young man is different from the others. The teacher is not familiar with it, and he doesn't know what to say to the convenience. I vaguely heard the two of them whispering, it seems that because she and Ning Yi are very familiar, the other party chose to be in Fanlou and spent a lot of money to entertain Boss Wei.
Several young masters wanted to show themselves in front of the teacher, so the conversation continued during the banquet, and after a while, they heard that they were going north this time to "do good deeds". For ten taels and one stone, they are going to sell them for twenty-five taels. The teacher nodded with a smile, but he was disgusted with these people in his heart. You used to give food and put food, that is called doing good and accumulating virtue. On weekdays, the food that is more than two taels and one stone is dragged and sold ten times. Germany.
After the young man finished speaking, he seemed to feel that something was wrong, so he added a few words and wanted to correct it. The teacher fiddled with the strings, smiling and matching a few sentences. Several young people started talking to each other, and after a while, the words of a young man with clearer words made the strings under her fingers tremble slightly.
"... This time, Miss Shishi also knows about it. After all, it was arranged by Zhuji. If there is no one from them for this disaster relief, I really don't know what to do. Those people in the north are really Bitter..."
A person next to him said, "It's not even a Zhuji. Isn't the backside of Zhuji the right minister? The top is arranged by the right minister. If there is no right minister, can we go to Hedong?"
Speaking of this, the previous young people were immediately excited: "Why can't I get in, if I had known that there were so many hungry people, I would have transported the grain in even if I died! They have a way to beat me to death! #￥%& *(starts cursing)"
The teacher frowned: "How is the North now... how is it?"
"Hedong Road? I don't know if it's good or not. Both sides are working hard. Let's transport grain. This thief... The weather has dropped so much again. The price of food has dropped a little bit, and then it has risen again. Those Big dog family, we are not allowed to hold down grain prices. Find faults everywhere. Last time my third brother was beaten by them. Fortunately, Zhuji is also prepared. The shopkeeper Yao called the doctor, and then called the government, and gave them to them. Caught. Hmph. This time we are going north, and the third brother's injury is still not healed, so we are arguing to go. "
A young man stood up blushing: "That shopkeeper Yao is right, this is war!"
Others echoed: "I'm afraid they are cowards! Are there still few of us this time! Their land? I'll kill them if I provoke me!"
The teacher was puzzled. What are they talking about? She used to know that these young people are the most easily influenced by certain things, and they often have irritable impulses. But now it looks different. In Bianliang City, there are a group of students, led by Chen Dong, who are often worried about the country and the people, and are impassioned. They even dare to scold Cai Taishi and Gao Taiwei. At this time, it seems that these young people who don't read much have emotions like Chen Dong and the others.
How can they sell food like this? It looked as if someone had instigated it.
She asked tentatively, "A few young masters, also went to make porridge and rice?"
"Naturally, I go every day!" Several people said almost in unison, and then someone said, "But the Ning Dong family of Zhuji is right, after all, it is impossible to boil all of them into porridge, the only way is to keep the price down. Others have a way to live. Miss Shishi, you know the Ning Dong family, what kind of person do you think he is?"
The teacher looked at them, and then said softly: "That's right... If you keep the price down, other people will have a way of life, but I still don't quite understand it."
One of the young masters surnamed Yu who wanted to express said loudly: "Hey, what's so hard to understand, I'm so stupid, I understand it. Miss Shishi, think about it, if the price of grain there is thirty-two and one stone, there will be a lot of grain sold. Rich, such a lucrative business, those big dog owners and dog officials have to work hard. Even if the two prime ministers in the court risk their lives, they cannot stop the greed of so many people. But if the price of food goes down, Not much money, plus some honest officials in the government, can reduce the involvement of those big households. Ning Dongjia said that if the price of food continues to rise, the government's disaster relief food can be distributed to the people. If we are beaten down, we may be able to save half or more. When we go to make more porridge, there will be many people who will survive! So, this time we made money and came back to transport the second batch. The rice grains went up, and we also bought winter clothes... Hmph, after this time, we have to go up for the third time, since the family belongs to men, we have to go!"
The man was talking endlessly, and someone next to him said, "I'm afraid that after the snow, the road will be difficult to travel."
"Don't say the road is blocked by snow, even if I freeze to death, I have to drag the food over there. I don't believe it. I can't get those beasts whose conscience was eaten by dogs—"
Shishi's head was buzzing, she was a smart person, and she knew something about others. Afterwards, in everyone's words, she gradually pieced together the outline of a huge "battlefield" that had been happening around her for nearly three months. , she had felt it originally, but she didn't care at that time. Then, at the bottom of her heart, a sense of fear surged up, and she realized that the businessman and former friend, who had almost been placed in the position of "breaking up" by her, had touched a lot of interests and offended him in the past three months. how many people...
She finally understood what those wealthy families were going to do when they came to Beijing... (...)
ps: Uh, this chapter is 6,000 words, and it’s all night again, think about it, ask for a ticket. Well, ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass, ask for a monthly pass zzz...