Go back to the Ming Dynasty to be a thousand households

Chapter 65

"As expected of the emperor's feet, the most benevolent place, this Beijing city is full of prosperity."

Even though Huang Laifu came from later generations, he was well-informed, and he couldn't help but be shocked by the prosperity of Beijing.At this time, Beijing was the most prosperous place in the world, with a population of over one million. In Europe at this time, even in the middle of the 17th century, Britain only had a population of 40, surpassing Paris (35) to become the largest in Europe. city ​​of.However, comparing these cities with Beijing, it is obvious that one is in the sky and the other is underground.

"Businesses and shops moved from far away, all goods from far away, rushing to shoot profit, all people from five directions, scholars and migrant workers from all over the world, each came with ultimatum, gathered here, shoulder to shoulder, and hustle and bustle all day long..."

At this time, Huang Laifu was taking Gu Yunniang and others for a walk on the Qipan Street beside the imperial city. This Qipan Street is similar to the pedestrian streets in later generations of big cities, and it is close to the Ministry of War, Ministry of Officials, Ministry of Households, and Ministry of Rites. The government yamen can't do without being lively.The sound of drinking, singing, and buying and selling on the street can be said to be noisy.

After Huang Laifu arrived in Beijing, he immediately handed over his military diploma to the Ministry of War's Military Selection and Clearing Officials Department.

So these days, Huang Laifu let go, either taking Gu Yunniang out for shopping, or soaking in teahouses.The size of the citizen class in Beijing is reflected in one place, that is, there are a lot of teahouses and theaters in the city.Listening to legends and storytelling in teahouses and watching operas in theaters made Huang Laifu really happy, and he could relax physically and mentally to enjoy some life in the imperial capital.

Although I had a preliminary anti-stress in Taiyuan a few days ago, and I have been in Beijing for a few days, but now I am walking on the most prosperous street in the world, it still makes Gu Yunniang a little nervous, and she follows closely. , next to Huang Laifu, who was holding a folding fan and pretending to be elegant, while looking desperately at both sides, he always felt that he couldn't see enough, wanted to buy everything, and couldn't let go of anything.

And Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu, like a little girl, followed Huang Laifu closely at the same time, looking around cautiously.

"Brother Laifu, do you think this silk is good?"

"Brother Laifu, what do you think of this porcelain?"

"Brother Laifu, do you think this jewelry looks good..."

"Wow, are those red-haired barbarians? They look so strange."

At this time, the city of Beijing was the most prosperous city in the world, and it naturally attracted people from all over the world. For example, those curly-haired, blond and blue-eyed Westerners can be seen everywhere in Beijing.The citizens of Beijing are naturally not surprised by these Westerners, but to Gu Yunniang, Yang Xiaolu, Jiang Dazhong and others, they are still very new and curious.

Not to mention Gu Yunniang's wide-open eyes, even Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu were also staring at those Westerners who couldn't move their feet, and they discussed in a low voice.

"Look at that young Hongmaoyi, his eyes are all blue. I'm afraid that if I see you at night, I'll be shocked. I think it's a monster from Sun Monkey."

"That's right, look at the red-haired barbarian next to him, even his beard is red, no wonder he is called Hongmao, he is really red-haired all over..."

"Look at that..."

"look……"

Hearing the comments of the people around him, Huang Laifu couldn't help smiling, and looked at the few Westerners, only to see a few of them, like bumpkins entering the city, looking around, with disbelief and envy on their faces.One of the leaders, an old man, was talking to the merchants next to him. When he opened his mouth, he spoke a standard Beijing accent. It must be that Ming people don't learn Western languages, so it is no problem to communicate with them.

In fact, the West at this time is still yearning wildly for China for thousands of years. In the eyes of Europeans at this time, China is superior to the West in everything, such as China's system, civilization, products, race, and so on.In their view, everything in China is good, and everything in Europe is backward. This kind of admiration and yearning did not go out until the middle of the Qing Dynasty.

At this moment, a loud noise was heard suddenly, the tone was quite high, and everyone could hear it clearly for a while.Hearing the sound was not far ahead, the crowd around Huang Laifu immediately cheered up, and everyone surrounded him one after another.Even the few Westerners surrounded him.Gu Yunniang also said to Huang Laifu: "Wow, there is a quarrel, brother Laifu, go over and have a look, they will leave when it is too late."

As a Chinese, Huang Laifu, of course, also inherited the gene of watching the crowds. He was protecting Gu Yunniang at the moment, and rushed over there with the crowd.

One of the protagonists in the field is the treasurer of the silk village, and the other is the eunuch in the palace. The treasurer of the silk village is less than 50 years old, tall and shrewd.

The eunuch will be younger, holding a few pieces of cloth tightly in one hand. He is 22 or 1.5 years old. He looks a little short and fat. He is about [-] meters tall. This father-in-law has a round head and face. , looks a little rich, giving people a round feeling, with a pair of big piercing eyes.But looking at the clothes, I'm afraid he's just a low-level eunuch in the palace.

At this moment, the two of them were arguing and drooling, and the people next to them all opened their mouths, watching all this with a smile, discussing and commenting from time to time.

Young eunuch: "Hey, you still say that your shop is not a black shop? A bolt of Su silk is priced at two cents and five cents each. When did it become three cents and five cents? Isn't this a lie? Everyone Come to judge, what is this not a profiteer?"

Tuantuan, the treasurer of the silk shop, bowed to the spectators, and said, "Masters, I have been in Xiangxiang silk and satin shop in Qipan Street for more than ten years. My father came to comment and see, when did my shop have different prices? This father-in-law said that, it is clearly arguing and confusing black and white."

He sneered and said: "At the beginning when this father-in-law came in, I meant that the price of Su silk was three cents and five cents each. Sell ​​the top-quality Su silk for two cents and five cents a piece?"

"Hey, shopkeeper, you are really talking nonsense. You clearly said that the price of Su silk is two cents and five cents a piece. When did it become three cents and five cents? I don't care how much it sells in other stores. Anyway, for the two cents and five cents you said, I will definitely buy these four bolts of Su silk."

"Hey, father-in-law, are you bluffing the shop?"

"Our family is not bluffing. Our family has always treated people with sincerity, as much as they say. Shopkeeper, you think that our family has no money, but tell you, our family has money. But it is as much as it should be. Our family is a family. I won't give you more..."

Watching the good show on the field, Huang Laifu, like everyone else, enjoyed watching it with gusto, but he could see it more or less. He was afraid that this father-in-law was really trying to bluff. I really don't have a piece of Su silk that costs two cents and five cents.Either it was a slip of the tongue from the shopkeeper, or the father-in-law wanted to buy it cheaply.

"Elder-in-law, it's really embarrassing for the small shop when you say that. How about this, the small one won't compete with you anymore. The small shop won't sell this silk."

As he said that, the shopkeeper grabbed the cloth from the father-in-law's hand and was about to enter the shop.

The father-in-law said sharply: "Hey, what's going on with you? Are you trying to tease our family? You didn't sell what you agreed to sell? Did you know that our family came from the palace! If you leave our house, you will be unable to eat in this shop."

The shopkeeper turned around all of a sudden: "What's the matter with the man from the palace? The owner behind my small shop is also from the palace. I don't know which grand lord this father-in-law is on duty?"

The father-in-law froze all of a sudden: "...It's not like our family doesn't give money, why do you, the shopkeeper, do this?"

The shopkeeper sneered, and raised his nostrils and said: "Okay, open a shop for business, the small shop welcomes all customers, and the small shop also trades fairly, so I don't ask for more money from you. This silk is said to be three cents and five cents a piece. Father-in-law You take out the money, this silk is yours."

The father-in-law's face was flushed red, and he couldn't take out any money from his pocket for a long time.

The shopkeeper snorted through his nostrils: "This father-in-law, is it not convenient today?" Everyone on the side whispered to each other and laughed, and Gu Yunniang also laughed non-stop.The father-in-law's face turned redder, and he said after a long time: "I'll just buy three horses..."

Huang Laifu stepped forward: "This father-in-law's money was given to him on behalf of him." He took out two taels of silver from his pocket and handed it to the shopkeeper: "Let's change the money."

The shopkeeper was startled, and then said with a smile on his face: "Okay, my lord, you are really generous." After handing the silk to the eunuch, he ordered the shop assistants to find money for Huang Laifu.

Huang Laifu looked down at his father-in-law, only to see his father-in-law also looked up at Huang Laifu, his face straightened, and his proud expression returned.Gu Yunniang, Jiang Dazhong and the others had never seen a eunuch before, and when they saw their father-in-law in front of them, they all looked at him curiously.

It was also the first time Huang Laifu had close contact with eunuchs, and he was also a little curious. He smelled a faint smell of urine on his father-in-law, which was a common smell on eunuchs at that time.

He smiled and was about to speak when the clerk handed Huang Laifu the money he had found, some scattered silver and some copper plates, probably due to the clerk’s carelessness, when these copper plates were placed in Huang Laifu’s hands, each copper plate made a noise. Lu fell to the ground and rolled towards the street.

It was too late, but it was so fast, I saw a figure flashing, but it was the father-in-law who had rushed out like an arrow from the string, nimbly dodging the people on the street, and grabbed the copper plate in his hand, looking straight at Huang Laifu And Gu Yunniang, the shopkeeper next to him, the guys, and a bunch of idlers were dumbfounded.

Looking at it again, the father-in-law has regained his solemn expression, and with the silk in one hand, he is slowly coming towards Huang Laifu.

Walking to Huang Laifu's side, Gonggong said: "Well, our family is not short of money. I was about to pay the shopkeeper just now, but I didn't expect you to take the lead. By the way, our family will return the money to you now."

As he said that, he was about to reach into his bosom, as if to take out money, Huang Laifu stopped him and said: "Forget about some small money, let's forget about those silk cloths, let's give it to my father-in-law."

The father-in-law showed a smile on his face, covered his mouth, pointed at Huang Laifu and said with a laugh: "You're smart, by the way, what's your name?"

Huang Laifu said: "Huang Laifu, the representative of a thousand households in Wuzhaibao, don't you know the name of your father-in-law Gao?"

The father-in-law said: "Our surname is Ma, and our name is Jiuying. You can call our father-in-law Ma. Huang Laifu, um, very good, our family remembers you, hehehehehehehe..."

Huang Laifu couldn't help being chilled by Eunuch Ma's laughter. He casually chatted with Eunuch Ma, and then left with Gu Yunniang and others who were equally creepy.

(End of this chapter)