Fenghou

Chapter 93

The lady thought for a while and said, "You just say that our family's [-] boats are about to be built, and make sure they will look at you with admiration."

"Mother, it's not uncommon for every household to build private painting boats now! Besides, eighteen boats are outdated now, and twenty-four boats can't be sold. Now they are all double-decker boats with thirty-two boats."

The lady was stunned for a while and said: "The eighteen buildings alone cost more than one thousand yuan, and the thirty-odd double-storey buildings cost thousands or tens of thousands of yuan!"

"Mom! Our family has no money. It doesn't mean that other people's families have no money. Now all the rich and powerful are competing for houses and private boats. Food and drink cost tens of dollars a day. Our family is too outdated and will be looked down upon by others." .”

The young man complained for a while, and only got a dozen or so taels of silver, so he had no choice but to turn around and leave sullenly.

A few noble ladies came over and started bragging and comparing each other. Chen Qing couldn't listen anymore, got up and left.

As soon as he walked out of the shed, he heard someone calling him, and when he turned around, it was Hu Yan Zhengyan, Hu Yantong's third uncle.

Chen Qing was a little embarrassed to see him. He originally invested in a restaurant with him, but in the end he withdrew the money. Chen Qing had no choice but to bite the bullet and go up to say hello, "San Huyan, long time no see."

"Hey! Last time I invited you to sit at the mansion, but you refused, which made the old man very disappointed."

"Third uncle, you also know that if you can't learn martial arts, I can't help it."

"The old man doesn't accept your excuse. I will invite you next time, and you will go if you ask for leave."

"I will definitely go next time."

At this time, someone was calling Yan Zhengyan, and Huyan Zhengyan pulled Chen Qing and said, "There are a few friends gathered over there, and I will take you to meet them. There are also many young people, you can socialize."

Chen Qing was also bored, so he went with him.

More than [-] people gathered in a rather large living room, basically all of them were family members, the hostess chatted together, seven or eight middle-aged men sat in the upper seats drinking tea, and there were more than a dozen young men and women beside them. Win the lottery at the pitching of arrows.

"Huyan, where did you go?" Several men waved to Huyan Masahiko.

Huyan Zhengyan pulled Chen Qing forward and said with a smile: "I met a little friend, let me introduce you, this is Chen Qing, the commander of the Western Army, the double champion of the recruit contest, and the rising star of the Song Dynasty military."

Chen Qing hurriedly saluted, "See you seniors!"

One of the black, fat, middle-aged men's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked, "Commander Chen, did the government reward you with a house?"

"There is such a thing."

"Not bad! Not bad! I heard that the house is in Sanqiao, the location is good!"

Now officials are most concerned about the housing issue. There is a serious shortage of official houses and land prices are soaring. Many officials rent houses. When they heard that Chen Qing was rewarded with a house, everyone showed envy in their eyes.

The house had already been sold to Zheng Ping's father by Chen Qing. He didn't want to get entangled in the house, so he got up and went to the young man's side. He had just walked a few steps when he heard someone whispering, "I heard that Li Qingzhao is here too. If Ru Zhou is interested in her, you must seize the opportunity!"

Chen Qing's heart moved, and he looked back, the two people who spoke were middle-aged men, and the black fat man named Ru Zhou was the one who asked about his house just now.

If I guessed correctly, this Ruzhou should be Zhang Ruzhou, the villainous man Li Qingzhao will soon marry by mistake.

At this time, Chen Qing suddenly had a strong interest, Li Qingzhao also came, where is she?

Thinking of this, Chen Qing hurriedly waved to Huyan Zhengyan, and Huyan Zhengyan walked forward with a smile, "Is there something wrong with my nephew?"

Chen Qing said in a low voice: "Third Uncle, I admire Li Qingzhao's poems very much. I heard that she is here too. Can you introduce me?"

Masahiko Huyan chuckled, "It's easy, let me find out where she is? Go and play first, and I'll come find you later."

Lu Yihao's birthday banquet has another function, that is, blind dates. The guests who come to the birthday banquet are relatively well-matched. In addition to the alliance between official circles and wealthy families, marriage is the most important means.

The women sat together and chatted, not about their clothes, but about their children's marriage. I don't know who was more involved. The news that Chen Qing was rewarded with an official house reached the women's ears, and several officials' wives paid attention to Chen Qing.

A three-acre house is one of the biggest assets in the Lin'an marriage market.

A group of ladies looked at Chen Qing from afar and whispered, "He looks pretty good, he's a good-looking talent, but unfortunately he's a military commander. It would be great if he was a civil servant."

"It doesn't matter if you are a military general. There are thousands of people under him, and there is plenty of money. The key is to have a house. My old Han has been an official for a lifetime, and he probably can't afford a house in Lin'an."

Three wives were tempted, and got up one after another to discuss with their husbands.

Chen Qing didn't know anything about it. He held three small bronze arrows and threw them back two feet away from the narrow-necked copper pot. With a sound, it was accurately put into the pot.

A group of young men and women suddenly burst into exclamation. They may not be able to throw in if they are five feet away. They are two feet away and their bodies are behind their backs.

Chen Qing threw three arrows in a row, and all three arrows entered the pot accurately. There was a burst of warm applause. Several girls looked at him affectionately, and their eyes became extraordinarily bright.

Chen Qing smiled and waved his hands, "It's just a little bit of luck, everyone continue!"

The difference in level was too big, and he was a little embarrassed to throw another pot.

At this time, a steward stepped forward and handed several ingots of silver to Chen Qing, "This is a lottery of ten taels of silver, and the leader of the pot arrow must be the general."

Chen Qing's eyes lit up, can he still make money by throwing pots and arrows?
He gladly took the silver, and the steward whispered to him again: "The general has such good skills, you can go to Fengle Building to try your luck, where the bets are hundreds of taels of silver, if you are lucky, the general can make a lot of money." a sum."

Chen Qing was a little tempted. Although he gave all his wealth to Zheng Ping to take away, it didn't mean he didn't need money. In fact, he had a drink with his classmates almost every night. Chen Qing was generous, basically He is the one who pays the bill. He borrowed Huyantong's fifty pennies for this birthday gift, and he still doesn't know how to pay it back!

At this moment, Huyan Masahiko patted Chen Qing on the shoulder, "Come with me!"

Huyan Zhengyan was a little unhappy. Just now, the three officials were asking him to match him up, trying to match his daughter to Chen Qing. Chen Qing is the grandson-in-law that the old man likes, but it's a pity that Gongsun Wuniang refused to agree. She likes someone who can write poems and lyrics. Literati, the old man was very angry.

"The little lady in the purple dress just now, do you have any intentions?"

Chen Qing had the impression that she was a very lively girl, about fifteen or sixteen years old, who was very enthusiastic about herself, and she was the one who gave her the copper arrow she threw into the pot.

But she looks average and her skin is slightly dark. Chen Qing doesn't have any thoughts about her. He doesn't like girls with dark skin very much. This is the reason why he didn't like Huyan Wuniang last time.

"what happened?"

"Her father, Wu Zhan, is a powerful official in the Ministry of Household Affairs. Both Wu Zhan and his wife have taken a fancy to you and want to promise their daughter to you."

"Just kidding!"

"I'm not kidding, you have to reward a house, how many people do you know who want to marry their daughters to you?"

Chen Qing shook his head, "I've already sold the house."

Masahiko Huyan was startled, "Why?"

"My men were killed in battle, and I didn't receive a penny in compensation. I am duty-bound."

Huyan Zhengyan frowned, "This matter should be referred to the imperial court, how can you pay for it yourself?"

Chen Qing smiled wryly and said: "The court has allocated the pension money, but there are too many monks and too little food, and the money has been embezzled elsewhere. It is impossible for the court to allocate the money a second time. I can only find a way by myself."

"Is this also the reason for the three thousand taels of silver invested in the restaurant last time?"

Chen Qing nodded.

Huyan Masahiko sighed, "The old man also likes you very much, and hopes that you can become his grandson-in-law."

Chen Qing said apologetically: "Wu Niang is a good girl, but I have no relationship with her, I told Hu Yantong too."

Huyan Zhengyan was speechless, Huyan Wuniang didn't like Chen Qing, and Chen Qing didn't like her either. The two really had no fate. Today Wuniang came with him, but he didn't know where she went?
"I see. Now that the house is sold, they probably won't be interested in you."

Speaking of this, Huyan Zhengyan pointed to a small pavilion in front of him and said: "There is a lady reading in that pavilion, that is the Li Qingzhao you are looking for, she is very lonely and doesn't care about anyone, you have to be mentally prepared."

"Thank you third uncle!"

Huyan Zhengyan left, and Chen Qing quickly came to the pavilion. There were five or six guests sitting in the pavilion, and a group of people sat chatting together. holding a book.

When Chen Qing entered the pavilion, he didn't dare to make any mistakes, so he sat aside first, and quietly looked at the middle-aged woman. She was also wearing a long white linen dress, and she was probably the only woman among all the guests who didn't wear satin.

Her hair was combed in a pony bun, and a copper hairpin was inserted obliquely. There were a few wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, but her face was still delicate and elegant, and she was really reading a book, not pretending to be noble.

Chen Qing sighed in his heart, this is the famous Li Qingzhao, from her clothing and jewelry, it can be seen that she must be very unhappy now.

But how should I strike up a conversation with her?
Chen Qing pondered for a moment, then slowly said: "In life, you will be a hero, and in death, you will be a hero. Up to now, I miss Xiang Yu and refuse to cross Jiangdong."

The middle-aged woman suddenly turned her head and looked at Chen Qing in surprise.

"This official, you... how do you know?"

(End of this chapter)