The Moon Over Tang Dynasty

Chapter 175 The quiet years are so ambitious

Standing in this small courtyard, Liuli suddenly felt a strange feeling in her heart.

This house located at the south gate of Qushui Fang is a two-and-a-half-entry courtyard, and most of the houses are naturally double-storey. When the house in Xizhou was built, a room was originally dug downwards, and corresponding gaps were dug along the outer shell for light transmission and ventilation. The more than one foot thick raw soil left in the middle is the wall of the house. After the doors and windows are dug out on this floor, the floor slabs are laid, and a layer is raised from the flat ground, it becomes a two-story building. When the weather is good, you can live on the second floor. If it is a hot summer day or a strong wind, you can hide downstairs. Anyway, the streets and courtyards in this city are dug downwards. Apart from the slightly poor lighting, it doesn't feel as stuffy as living in a cellar.

Like ordinary houses in Xizhou, the courtyard of this house is not wide, and there are no flowers and trees. The raw earth walls of several rooms in the outer courtyard are only plastered with a layer of yellow mud of the same color, and the outer walls of the inner courtyard are only Coated with a layer of light yellow fine mud, at first glance, this courtyard, which was newly built two years ago, has a simple and solemn look as if it has gone through hundreds of years of vicissitudes.

Lao He, the housekeeper on the side, glanced at Liuli who was silent. He felt a little uneasy and said with a smile on his face, "Madam and Alang have learned that our yard is extremely rare. The yard is bright and the house is solid." Secondly, there is a deep well in the yard with sweet water, which is the most convenient thing!”

 Lao He's accent was a little weird. Liuli thought about it for a while before understanding what he meant. She couldn't help but look at him in confusion: Is Arijing great? Lao He hurriedly smiled and said, "Madam, you don't know something. Although our Xizhou is not as short of water as other places, ordinary people still have to go to the river below the east gate to get water by themselves, or buy water from the water tanker. There is water in this courtyard. There are only two or three wells in the house. Of the several houses in Xizhou, this one is the best."

Pei Xingjian turned around, nodded and smiled, "I have to thank my uncle for his love."

Lao He breathed a sigh of relief quietly. The letter from the master handed over by the big man yesterday made it very clear that the house and the servants in the yard had been transferred to the official couple in front of him. I heard that this What kind of long history does Alang have? Manxi Prefecture is only one level younger than Quduhu, and he comes from Chang'an. He and his wife have been worried all night. They didn't expect that the two of them are so young and handsome, and they talk so well. So kind.

After walking around the courtyard, Liuli and Pei Xingjian opened the curtains and entered the main room. They saw that the room was quite deep, and the two high windows were opened more than half, making the whole room look much brighter. The walls are painted with a layer of smooth white mud, the ground is covered with felt carpets, and there are couches, screens and other items outside. In the west room, a six-foot-wide box bed is hung with a light cyan silk curtain, accompanied by The brand new dark blue bedding, although not luxurious, is very clean.

Liuli looked at the room blankly, feeling that the strange feeling was getting stronger.

Lao He smiled behind her and said, "Because Juro promised to come over in a few days, so the house was cleaned a few days ago, and it was carefully packed again yesterday. All the utensils are new. If the lady feels that something is wrong, OK, tell me to change it immediately."

Liuli came back to her senses, nodded and said with a smile, "It's all right. First go and ask the kitchen to prepare lunch, and then make a list of the elders of several families in Xizhou that we need to give gifts to. When we prepare the gifts, You take it to Ayan's family and tell them that I will visit them another day."

The An family was originally based on Xizhou. Now, although the main branches have gone to Chang'an, Liangzhou and other places, there are still two branches in Xizhou. Ever since Qu Zhizhan led a group of old Xizhou officials back to their hometown from Chang'an in the second year of Yonghui, this place has become more and more prosperous. A few months ago, even his second uncle Jingzhi opened his Jiaval shop back to Xizhou.

 Lao He accepted the order with a smile, his waist clearly straightened by two points.

Liuli turned to Ayan and Xiaotan and smiled and said, "You can choose the three rooms in the west wing outside. Then go back and pack your bags to see what else is missing. After lunch, Xiaotan and I will go to the market." !”

Xiaotan cheered and ran out, while Ayan also smiled and bowed and left. Pei Xingjian walked to Liuli and said, "You arranged the arrangements quickly, but for the families of An's family, why are you going to visit some other time and not us?"

Liuli was startled, saying that these tribesmen were far away from the bloodline and were not serious elders. As the daughter of the An family, it was reasonable for her to go and make friends. However, as the governor of the West, Pei Xingjian was the parent official of this land. With the younger generation I went to visit Hu Shang as a gift...Pei Xingjian couldn't help but laugh when he saw her looking at him blankly. He pinched her cheek gently and said, "Why are you so dazed? Remember to take me with you when you deliver the gift later." ”

 Isn't he joking? Liuli looked at him in surprise, "You just came to Xizhou, don't you have to deal with official duties and make friends with colleagues?"

Pei Xingjian smiled nonchalantly and said, "Of course you don't have to. My biggest thing now is to accompany you."

Liuli thought for a while and understood something vaguely, and suddenly she couldn't feel happy anymore. The dead peacock was both pulling and frightening, probably because she didn't want Pei Xingjian to interfere in Xizhou's affairs. Xizhou was originally run by the Qu family. It has been the foundation for more than a hundred years. It has only been more than ten years since the Tang Dynasty took over it. Now it has returned to the hands of the Qu family. Moreover, listening to the conversations of the officials and their families, it turns out that these big families in Xizhou are deeply intertwined... She was lost in thought. , Pei Xingjian rubbed her brow, "Don't you still believe me? You don't need to worry about these things, I have my own sense of responsibility! Let's just visit relatives and friends, eat, drink and have fun these days, okay?"

There was not a trace of gloom on Pei Xingjian's face, and his eyebrows were flying with confidence. He was completely different from the gentle and cautious look in front of Xizhou officials. Liuli looked at him and couldn't help but smile and nodded.

Pei Xingjian asked, "What were you thinking about in the yard just now?"

Liuli thought for a moment, and was a little confused herself. "I didn't think about anything. I had never thought about what this courtyard would look like before I came here. But when I came in today, I felt friendly. Everything in this house is pleasing to the eye." The decoration is very ordinary, but the more I look at it, the more I like it, and I don’t know why..."

Before he could say a word, Pei Xingjian reached out and took her in his arms. After a while, he sighed deeply, "Silly Liuli, don't you understand? This is our home, our first home, and I am also getting better and better." The more joy you see!”

Liuli suddenly smiled, yes! This is the first yard they bought by themselves. There are no plots, no gorgeous traps, just a clean and reassuring smell, the smell of home! She buried her head in Pei Xingjian's chest, took a deep breath, and let his refreshing and warm breath surround her from the inside out. In this strange and weird place, there was him, and there was someone who belonged to her. In the courtyard, there seems to be nothing to worry about.

The room was quiet, and the hawking sound of the waterwheel on the street outside could be heard faintly. In the bright light coming from the window, fine flying dust was flying silently, as if he was happily witnessing this quiet moment.

　　…………

To the south of Qushui Square is the only market in Xizhou City. The main street from south to north is only more than a hundred meters long, which is naturally small compared to the West Market. Just walking on this main street, Liuli felt that her eyes and ears were a little busy: people were coming and going, there were Hu merchants greeting customers in authentic Heluo dialect, and there were Han people bargaining in fluent Li Te dialect; The shops are densely packed, and they are all two-story buildings with large doors and windows facing the street. Under the thick felt curtains rolled up, there are all kinds of spices, satin and jewelry. It seems to be more diverse than the West Market.

Liuli saw a Persian winged lion horn cup at a glance, and she couldn't put it down immediately. After taking a few steps, she saw a Roman-style glass pot with gold foil patterns... When she realized what she should buy, Before I bought anything, I had packed a bunch of useless things into a bag, and even bought an Egyptian-style Padfoot high stool. Ah Cheng turned around and walked back with a sad face, carrying a pile of groceries.

Liuli looked at Pei Xingjian who was following behind with a guilty look, but saw him nodding to her with a smile, then turned around and started chatting with the shopkeeper.

Xiaotan gently pulled Liuli and said, "Madam, half of the money we brought has been used. Do you want my maid to go back and get some more?"

Liuli shook her head hurriedly. With the more than two hundred gold, she bought people in the courtyard, and bought two cars of goods. Now there is not much left - she is lost in playing with things, how could she forget the most important thing when she came to the market? Already?

After coming out of the furniture shop, Liuli didn't dare to wander around anymore. She walked all the way from the south gate to the north gate of the market place, but the daily necessities of food, clothing, housing and transportation were concentrated here. She asked about everything and found that the price of cloth here was about twice that of Chang'an, the price of sauce and vinegar was about the same, but salt was more than half cheaper than in Chang'an. In addition, millet, rice, flour and other items had different prices, and the prices of melons, fruits and game were different. Good quality and low price... She was dazzled by what she saw, but Pei Xingjian was also very interested. He personally picked two kinds of fruit wine and bought a deer leg.

The group of people was walking forward. Liuli glanced out of the corner of her eyes and suddenly saw a pile of white things in a wooden basket at the door of a shop. Her eyes lit up immediately, and she calmed down her heartbeat before walking over in a hurry.

This shop has a very small front. The owner is a middle-aged Han woman with thick hands and feet. She is sitting at the door in boredom. When she sees Liuli coming over, her eyes fall on the wooden basket at the door again. A smile appears on her face and she stands. He stood up and said, "Does this lady want to see the white folds? There are some spun ones inside."

Liuli nodded, reached out and carefully grabbed a handful of soft white sheets, and held her breath involuntarily—this was exactly what she was looking for: cotton!

She knew a long time ago that cotton should have been available in the Western Regions at this time, but it took hundreds of years to spread it to Dunhuang and other places. As for the cotton cloth called white folded cloth, she had paid attention to it in the West Market, but found that it was almost just a legend, at least she had never seen the real thing. Now she finally saw the most common thing in this life, and maybe she found something worth doing... Liuli felt that the weight on her fingers was heavy - no, it was indeed a bit too heavy!

Liuli's brows couldn't help but frowned. With a little flick of her fingers, she found that the number of cotton seeds in the cotton was much more than expected, and the buds of the cotton seemed too small. The quality of the fibers seemed suspicious if she looked closely. She couldn't bear to I couldn't help but look up at the shopkeeper, "Is there any better Baidie?"

The shopkeeper said hurriedly, "Madam, what are you saying? This Baidian is the best. If you don't believe me, go look elsewhere and see where you can find such soft and big flowers."

Liuli's heart sank slightly. Could it be that the cotton varieties at this time have not been improved? After thinking for a while, he asked, "Why don't you remove these seeds from the white pile?"

The shop owner looked at her in surprise and laughed, "Isn't she from Xizhou? It's so laborious to remove the seeds from this white stack. If you have the strength to remove the seeds, it will naturally be used for spinning cloth. How could it be possible? And sell it?”

 In other words, there is no equipment to remove cotton seeds at this time? Some vague impressions came to mind, and Liuli was stunned for a while before asking, "How can I sell this white stack?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "It's very cheap. This is a high-quality white fold, which costs eight cents per catty. It's best to use it to make winter clothes and quilts for the servants."

Pei Xingjian had been looking at it quietly for a long time, and when he heard this, he asked, "Are these white sheets used to make lining?"

Liuli shook her head. How heavy would it be to make clothes and quilts out of unseeded cotton? "When I was in Xishi, I heard that there was white folded cloth here in Xizhou. I thought it was used for spinning cloth." The shop owner smiled all over his face. "White folded cloth is originally found in Xizhou. It is more absorbent than silk." It's sweaty, and it's softer and more comfortable than linen. Madam, would you like to see it?"

Walking in from the semicircular door, there is only a tall table in the small shop. There are several pieces of white folded cloth neatly stacked on it. Most of them are white, and only two pieces are dyed indigo. Liuli picks them up. After looking at it twice, I didn't know whether to be happy or worried - the fabric was extremely rough and the feel was only slightly better than ordinary hemp cloth, let alone compared to silk. How could such a thing be used to make clothes? Making rags is pretty much the same. She asked without hope, "What's the price of this white folded cloth?"

The shop owner knew something was wrong when he saw Liuli's face, so he could only cheer up and said with a smile, "This batch of white folded cloth is finely woven and considered to be of the highest quality. It costs fifteen cents per foot."

 Fifteen cents per foot? Before Liuli could react, Xiaotan exclaimed, "Is it more expensive than silk?"

That's right, fifteen cents per foot and forty feet per piece, which means it costs six hundred yuan per piece, which is a lot more expensive than raw silk and satin in Xizhou! Not to mention compared with Chang'an, if shipping costs are included, such a piece of cheesecloth would have to be sold for the price of a custom-made valerian in Chang'an without losing money... Liuli couldn't help but laugh. No wonder she hadn't seen him in the West Market for several months. Only a madman would transport this thing to Chang'an if it was made of white cloth!

Pei Xingjian also took a step forward in surprise, picked up a piece of white folded cloth, looked at it over and over, and frowned, "Why is this so expensive? How many people grow it in Xizhou? But it is extremely difficult to survive?"

The shop owner sighed, "There are some people who do so, and they live a good life. Look at the white sheets outside. They are not valuable. It's cold over the mountains, so most people just use white sheets to wadding their quilts. It's just that it's extremely difficult to spin, that is, some nobles in Xizhou City like to use this white folded cloth to make face towels and socks, and only women with skillful hands can spin it with great effort, so they are all sold by rulers. "

Liuli calculated in her mind that if she remembered correctly, a pound of cotton could spin at least half a bolt of coarse cloth, but a pound of cotton only cost eight cents, and half a bolt of coarse cloth cost three to four hundred cents. The price difference... She raised her head, He smiled and said, "Please cut it into ten feet."

The shop owner originally thought that this business was going to be ruined, but when he suddenly heard this order, he couldn't help but smile, "Madam, you really have good taste. We Xizhou people all know that although Bai Die looks inconspicuous, in terms of comfort, even silk and satin can't compare with it." "If you don't starch it, it will become softer as you wear it. The lady will know the benefits after using it a few times." She hurriedly took a ruler and measured ten feet of natural white fabric, carefully cut it and folded it, and delivered it with both hands. Xiaotan's hand. Xiao Tan gave the money and touched it curiously, "It's quite thick and tight."

Liuli smiled and said nothing, and only said to Pei Xingjian, "I will make you some pairs of socks when you get back. I'm afraid they will be better than fine linen ones."

Pei Xingjian looked at Liuli with some doubts, nodded and said with a smile, "Okay, you can make two pairs for yourself so that you can know the benefits of this white laminated fabric from Xizhou."

After coming out of Baidie shop, Liuli had something on her mind. She thought about it silently all the way. She bought some daily necessities and picked out some fine silk. Just as she was about to turn around and go back, Pei Xingjian said, "Liuli, there's a house in front of me." Valerian shop!”

  Jia Valer shop? Liuli looked up and saw that the wooden sign in front of a shop not far away had the words "Jia Vale" written on it. It looked very friendly. She and Pei Xingjian couldn't help but smile at each other and walked over together.

As soon as he walked into the store, a familiar smell immediately hit his face. The three walls were decorated with red and pink, blue and white, or three-color valerian decorations, making the whole room look like a cluster of flowers. Liuli glanced at it briefly. Then she saw a familiar picture of a baby playing, and she couldn't help but laugh, turned and walked towards the shopkeeper, "My dear husband, may I ask, which branch of the An family is your boss?"

The shopkeeper glanced at Liuli in surprise, "Does this lady recognize my boss? This Jia Val shop just opened not long ago, and the shop owner is the fourth room of the An family in Chang'an. The boss' Jia Val shop is also very famous in Chang'an."

Liuli smiled and said, "My surname is Kudi, and I have been to my uncle's Ruyi Jiavale a few times."

The shopkeeper opened his mouth in surprise, and then a smile spread across his face, "Madam, is Madam Kudi a good painter? I've heard about her reputation for a long time, and there are several paintings in this shop that are all by Madam Kudi. More than welcome!”

Liuli smiled and said, "My father-in-law gave me a reward."

The shopkeeper clapped his legs and said with a smile, "You are all sincere. Madam, I don't know. The preferences of the nobles in Xizhou are quite different from those in Chang'an. Now, thanks to the official family recruiting craftsmen to Xizhou, there are also dyeing shops and carvings." I've found a few good ones, but it's really hard to find a painter who can paint clips. Most of the painters in Xizhou are painting Buddha statues, and the flowers and birds they paint are like the Buddha. I can only respect it! If the lady can..." I suddenly took a photo! He patted his head and saluted, "My dear, forgive me, I'm so confused. My boss said you were blessed, and now you are a nobleman... By the way, why did you come to Xizhou? When did you come?"

The shopkeeper's chattering and inconsistent style was very similar to that of Rokuro Anjia whom he had not seen for a long time. Liuli couldn't help but laugh, "I came here with my husband, and today is only the second day. When I was in Chang'an, I heard from my uncle that he had opened a new store in Xizhou. I wonder if my sixth cousin is in Xizhou now? "

The shopkeeper shook his head, "Liu Lang returned to Chang'an a few days ago. He has a bad temper. I'm afraid San Lang will come over in a few days."

Ansaburo's Afanti-style beard suddenly appeared in front of Liuli's eyes. He nodded and smiled, "The third cousin has a calm temper and many ideas. I heard that there are more business opportunities in Xizhou now, so it would be best for him to take charge of the situation." safe."

The shopkeeper nodded, "No, since the Qu family escorted back to Xizhou, many nobles from the Zhi family and the Zhang family have also come back. After Yulang of the Qu family came back the year before last, many workshops were opened that year, and merchants came and went. Shi Ye is no longer troublesome, and it is much more convenient than before. In the past two years, there have been at least a hundred wealthy families in Xizhou City, and the number of merchants has increased by 20 to 30%. Even the prices of houses and rice have increased. It's a good time to open a shop, but I don't know about the Turks..." Suddenly seeing Pei Xingjian who was listening to him attentively, he hurriedly saluted again, "Is this my aunt's husband? You are so polite."

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded, "I don't need to be polite. I wonder what your surname is, and how many years have you lived in Xizhou?"

The shopkeeper smiled and said, "My surname is Shi. I am originally from Xizhou. I traveled to Chang'an several times when I was young. Now that I am old, I thank Mr. An's family for showing him the store."

Pei Xingjian smiled and chatted for a few words, then turned to the new workshops in Xizhou in the past two years. The shopkeeper said, "It turns out that opposite this market place is the women's market, which is the most shameful and dirty place. After Yulang came back, he changed it Workshops were built, and hundreds of Han craftsmen were brought over from Dunhuang and Suzhou. Now there are all kinds of craftsmen including cobblers, carpenters, masons, and blacksmiths, and their craftsmanship is excellent. Today, the capitals of various states in the Western Regions Come and buy more.”

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded. Liuli suddenly remembered something and asked quickly, "I wonder if there are any experts who specialize in making utensils in this workshop?"

Shopkeeper Shi couldn't help but be stunned for a moment, frowning and thinking for a long time, "My lady is asking about a master craftsman who can make mechanical equipment, I think there must be some..." Suddenly he slapped his thigh, "I heard that Yulang of the Qu family is very capable. His skillful skills, I heard some words from those carvers, and they actually praised him as if he was the reincarnation of Lu Ban."

 Qu Chongyu? forget it! Liuli was immediately disappointed. Pei Xingjian glanced at her and asked a few more questions according to the shopkeeper's words. The shopkeeper's words immediately flowed out in a gushing voice. Just as he was getting excited, he heard the sound of gongs ringing outside. It's time to close the market.

After returning home, Liuli became more interested when she saw the treasures she had bought earlier. She was playing with the winged lion horn cup. Pei Xingjian smiled and said, "I think you are taking these shops that no one has cared about for decades." We have collected all the things, but what is this sheep used for when it looks so weird?”

Liu Li thought to herself, what kind of sheep? This is obviously the most typical long-horned winged lion in Persian silverware, okay? He could only laugh and say, "The cup is naturally used for drinking, and this corner is just the handle."

Pei Xingjian took it in his hand and tried it, nodded and said, "It's pretty clever, but it looks a little weird."

Liuli smiled and said, "Now in this family, I can buy whatever I want, and sometimes you think it's weird!" This is the yard she bought with her own hands, and there are not so many eyes staring at her, but those officials from Xizhou She probably won't lower her status to be a guest here. She finally doesn't have to worry too much and can do what she wants to do! Liuli felt that there was something eager in her heart that was about to burst out.

Pei Xingjian smiled and nodded, "Let's wait and see." After thinking for a while, he said, "If some time passes, I can probably think of some ideas for the master craftsman you are looking for, but what exactly do you want to do?"

Liuli shook her head firmly, "I won't tell you!"

Pei Xingjian raised his brows in surprise, Liuli smiled and said, "You won't tell me something if you are not 50% sure about it. Now I am not even 10% sure about this matter, so what are you talking about?"

Pei Xingjian looked at Liuli's proud smile and was a little confused about whether to laugh or cry. He was thinking of finding a way to tease her out, when he heard Xiaotan run in angrily, "Alang, the officials from the Duhufu have sent you an official document."

Liuli classmate is finally going to start a business... According to the party, starting a business is not that difficult. All data and technical conditions must stand the test of historical facts... Please use your votes to support Liuli, a professional who was suppressed by me for a full 170 chapters.

 (End of this chapter)