Update time:2012-10-16

When I woke up in the morning, the sky was bright but there was no sunrise. The small courtyard was still shrouded in moist mist, hazy like smoke and rain. After living in the capital for a while, Zhang Ning opened the window to look at the small courtyard and suddenly felt that it was small.

It's not flat and atmospheric enough. There are densely packed private houses and winding alleys outside, and the sight is very limited. But living here will not feel blocked at all: inside it is the financial and tax center of the entire empire, a highly economically developed area, and water and land transportation is developed.

, has very close contact with the capital; Outer South Zhili belongs to the coast, and the starting point for Zheng He's fleet's many voyages is South Zhili, which has certain connections with the world. In addition, the greening is very good, and the climate environment has not been damaged. In short, it is clear

The Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions in the North are an excellent place. No wonder there is a saying that "there is heaven above and Suzhou and Hangzhou below."

The people in the family have very good living and sleeping habits. They go to bed early and get up early, because there are really not many entertainment activities in the evening. After Zhang Ning finished washing, the women had already put breakfast on the table in the main room, and the family sat together to start a new meal.

one day.

The uncle and others were still preparing things for the shop, so Zhang Ning waited in the main room for dinner. Zhang Xiaomei came in with a basket of steamed buns and put them on the table. When she saw him, she wiped her hands on her apron and walked over.

He said softly: "The thing my brother gave me is so beautiful, light and thin. I washed it last night and hung it in front of the window to blow dry overnight. I'm already wearing it."

After hearing this, Zhang Ning subconsciously glanced at her breasts with his peripheral vision. The bulging clothes looked very soft, and his face was still indifferent. Unexpectedly, his sister-in-law Luo Yue'e just came in at this time. After hearing what Zhang Xiaomei said, she smiled and asked

He asked, "What did Erlang give to my little sister that makes her so happy?"

"A piece of handkerchief." The brother and sister said in unison, with quite a tacit understanding. After saying this, both of them felt a little surprised and couldn't help but look at each other. The younger sister's eyes still had a pure smile. Zhang Ning thought to himself: The relationship with my younger sister is so great.

Well, there is no need to worry about the difference between men and women.

In order to prevent his sister-in-law from getting suspicious, Zhang Ning made a rare joke: "If the elder brother has nothing to say, I will give my sister-in-law a piece as well?"

"Really!" Luo Yue'e laughed and scolded, "You have really made progress as an official. If you dare to use your sister-in-law on you, don't let your elder brother find out."

"I've heard it, hum." Zhang Shicai said standing at the door.

This kind of joke is nothing. In the Ming Dynasty, there was still a saying that brother-in-law and sister-in-law are like mother. If something happened, it would definitely be a dirty thing that would be despised by the whole society. However, according to the rules of the southern countryside, brothers-in-law and uncle-in-law are allowed to joke.

Some are too joking, and some sisters-in-law and sisters can also talk nonsense, but the brother and sister-in-law are more serious. That's why Zhang Ning dared to talk to Luo Yue'e in a casual manner.

"Will Yunjin Shop still be open today on New Year's Eve?" Zhang Ning stopped laughing at the right time and asked Zhang Shicai.

Zhang Shicai said: "Why are you so reluctant to open it? The business during the New Year period is ten times the usual, which is no exaggeration. We have to go to the shop during the day, and come back for the New Year's Eve dinner in the evening. After dinner, we will go to the Imperial City to see it.

fireworks."

"That's great!" Zhang Xiaomei was so happy that she almost jumped up, "I'm going with my brother."

Zhang Ning said: "It just so happens that I have to go out after breakfast. My aunt and the others are working hard at home."

The younger sister couldn't help but ask: "What is brother going to do?"

Zhang Ning told a lie casually: "Gathering with a few classmates."

Uncle Zhang Jiujin said with a straight face: "Zhang Xiaomei, why are you so busy? Erlang is an official, so of course he has to go out more often to maintain relationships. If we don't get to know each other at all, who will pay for your help when you go to ask someone to do something temporarily?"

Zhang Shicai said: "Speaking of relationships, the semi-colon shopkeeper of Hongyun Bank and I had wine at the same table a while ago. When talking about business, there are only two most profitable things, one is opening a bank and the other is engaging in the salt industry, but both

We need connections." After saying that, he glanced at Zhang Ning and said, "He mentioned it and wanted us to invest in it."

Zhang Jiujin frowned and said, "With our little wealth, if we invest in a bank, how many shares can we get?"

"Dad, as you have been doing business for so many years, you know that you don't necessarily have to pay money to invest in shares!" Zhang Shicai glanced at him again, "But they said that Erlang had to discuss this matter in person. That's all he mentioned to me that day.

.”

Zhang Ning pondered for a moment and said: "The situation is not very stable and clear now. I have just entered the officialdom. I can't rush into anything when the time is not right. We will wait and see. Brother, please forgive me."

"Okay, we are not in need of food, drink and clothing, and we are not in a hurry to get rich." Zhang Shicai said with a smile.

After breakfast, Zhang Ning was about to go out. His little sister sent him a set of satin clothes and said, "I originally made new clothes for you to wear on the first day of the new year. My brother is going to meet friends today, so just wear it. Silk

It’s fabric.”

"My sister is a close relative, so you can also make beautiful satin clothes." Zhang Ning said. Since it was his sister who sewed it stitch by stitch, he happily changed into new clothes.

After putting it on, he looked down and saw that he looked like a little rich man. He was wearing a blue colored silk cloak with open sleeves and a hat... Zhang Ning didn't like such clothes very much, and he didn't know.

Is there a difference between the aesthetics and the people of the Ming Dynasty? Unless it is sportswear, I don’t like blue, green, or red in my daily clothes. I prefer black, white, and gray. In his previous life, he wore suits and casual clothes for daily wear, and the colors were from head to toe.

No more than three colors, and I have never worn colorful robes as fancy as now.

Just as he was about to say a few compliments against his will, the younger sister frowned and said, "It seems that my brother is wearing something strange...not as good-looking as the coarse blue robe you usually wear."

"Well, it's not good to dress too simply on some occasions." Zhang Ning said casually, "That's it. I'll leave first."

The younger sister relaxed her brows and smiled again, her eyes like Moon Bay: "Go ahead, I'll watch the fireworks with my brother in the evening."

After leaving the house, Zhang Ning walked straight to Jiangning County. Of course, he was not going to meet any classmates, not to meet any classmates on New Year's Eve. The person he wanted to meet was Fang Ling, a prostitute from Fule Yuan.

When I come back, the person I need to see the most is her. First of all, Fang Ling is his savior. Without her relationship with the "Peach Blossom Fairy", Zhang Ning would have burped on the road and completely said goodbye to the Ming Dynasty.

Nothing will happen again. He can't completely distinguish between grudges and grudges, but you have to understand that someone saved your life. Secondly, what he wants to do most now is to get back the autographed poem from the Peach Blossom Fairy.

, get back the handle and clear up the involvement with the "rebellious party" to avoid disaster from falling from the sky; for a figure like Peach Blossom Fairy, where can you find her? The most direct way is through Fang Ling, because she will almost certainly be able to contact Peach Blossom Fairy.

, Otherwise, how could we get things done so quickly last time?

In fact, Zhang Ning copied two poems, and Fang Ling's "If life is just like the first time we met" may also be a hidden danger. It is possible that the court would seize the Peach Blossom Fairy and drag her out. However, Zhang Ning does not intend to return to Fang Ling's place.

Okay, you don’t need to care too much about this little risk. If you are really unlucky, you can save your life and then return it, that’s all.

What kind of gift should I give when we meet again? Zhang Ning is calculating his net worth and has less than ninety taels of silver left. He also needs to set aside the necessary expenses for meeting his boss Wu Yong and offering sacrifices to his hometown. The maximum amount of money he can use now is one or twenty taels, and he has a little money.

It’s not enough money... Fortunately, it’s not all dependent on official salary, otherwise the salary of 20 to 30 taels per month would be enough to eat.

But no matter what, Fang Ling's gift shouldn't be too vulgar. Buying a small thing from a street stall is obviously not the same thing as someone else's. Sometimes money can really express many things. The gift is light and the affection is just a sentence. Since you are more affectionate, you need more money.

Can't bear to spend it?

After getting off the boat at Wudingqiao Pier, Zhang Ning wandered around the Qinhuai River, thinking about it as he walked. But by chance, he happened to see a signboard "Hongyun". Isn't this the money bank mentioned by his elder brother at breakfast? And now

What Zhang Ning saw was a jewelry store. I bet this capitalist didn't just open a bank, he just made money and invested in it.

Zhang Ning went ahead and took a look at the situation first. There were not many people in the store, and most of the customers wandering back and forth were decently dressed. Most of the people who really wanted to buy jewelry should come from a wealthy family. Ordinary families would probably buy one or two items when they get married.

.

The gold and silver items placed outside were placed in a kind of nailed iron cage, like a cage for pets. The items were packed in exquisite boxes, and the boxes were opened for people to view. Zhang Ning casually asked the price of a necklace and asked for it.

There are as many as eighty taels, and these are ordinary items placed outside.

The person behind the cabinet explained: "This necklace is made of red gold. Red gold costs two yuan and four yuan. Although it is exquisitely made, it is not worth ten yuan including the labor cost. The real expensive part of it is the pendant, which is made of Western gemstones.

, the rare treasure brought back by Master Zheng’s fleet from thousands of miles away..."

Zhang Ning nodded to express his understanding. Just like a modern diamond ring, the real price is the diamond rather than the platinum or gold ring itself.

Gold is valuable, but gemstones and jade are probably priceless. He thought about rings, necklaces and other accessories without gemstones, which would look too monotonous and unsightly; but those with gemstones might not be worth dozens of taels, which is beyond the limit.

Budgeted.

The man added: "Whatever your distinguished guest likes, our shop accepts custom orders. We have more than a dozen experienced jewelry craftsmen in Semicolon. If you have special requirements, we also have jewelry craftsmen who have been engaged in this industry for decades and are well-known in the north and south."

Masters, there are even people who have made things for royal use..."

Zhang Ning's expression remained unchanged, but he thought in his heart: I can't even afford your off-the-shelf ordinary goods, so why would I need them made by craftsmen renowned in the north and south?

He looked around and suddenly found a pearl chain in a corner that looked like a bracelet or an anklet. He felt like he had found a treasure, because the pearls on the chain were of different sizes and very asymmetrical! Even though Zhang Ning didn't know much about jewelry,

We also know that jewelry should be well-proportioned, and it is difficult to put together a bunch of pearls of the same size. It is easy to put together large and small ones. The value of such things is estimated to be reduced. After all, the value of a commodity depends on the labor involved in making it.

When he asked, sure enough, the man quoted a price that was barely acceptable: "Twenty-five taels."

"Twenty taels." Zhang Ning's counteroffer was intentional. It would be difficult to find such cheap and shiny things in this place.

"Are you sure you want to buy this?" the man asked.

Zhang Ning said simply: "I'll buy it for twenty taels! I know the pearls on your chain are big and small, so I'm afraid it's hard to buy them."
Chapter completed!