Zhao Tong saw Jin'er entering the building and walked out of the yard with his hands behind his back.
He called Lei San to prepare the carriage, and called Zhang Xian. When he heard that he was going to Zhouqiao to go shopping, Zhang Xian looked excited.
The palace was not too close to Zhouqiao, and Zhao Tong didn't want to ride a horse. It was too cold to ride in this weather, and riding in a sedan was also difficult. After all, it was cold and the road was slippery, so the sedan bearers would inevitably make mistakes and lose their speed.
After Lei San found the groom in the mansion and hitched up the carriage, he waited outside the gate of the mansion.
After a while, no one came from behind. Zhang Xian was a little embarrassed and said: "Your Majesty, I'm going to urge my sister."
Zhao Tong smiled and said: "Don't worry, my little lady is not always like this when she goes out. She is dawdling. It's fine now, but it will become more and more unreasonable in the future."
At this moment, I saw Zhang Zhenniang and Jin'er walking over from behind. The young lady was wrapped in a snow-white mink fur and wearing a white fur hat, which made her color look like jade, bright and moving.
The two came close to greet each other, and the young lady said: "Your Majesty, I..."
Zhao Tong said: "Now that the New Year is approaching, I don't want to be bored in the house all the time. I have nothing to do today, so I asked you to go out together. If you want to buy anything, take this opportunity."
Zhang Zhenniang shook her head and said softly: "I haven't thought about buying anything. I have everything around me."
Zhao Tong smiled and said, "Let's talk about it after we get in the car."
Several people got on the car, which was a two-horse carriage. The carriage was quite large, and four people sat across from each other. There was also a small slender table in the middle, with some dried fruits placed on the table for eating.
Zhao Tong said: "Since we are going to Zhouqiao, we also go to Qi Hongyu's. I heard that the tea shop has always been doing well. I have never been there before."
Zhang Xian said: "I have been there once."
"Oh?" Zhao Tong said in surprise: "When did Xiaolang go?"
Zhang Xian scratched his head and said, "Before the military training, I was going there to buy some sundries. I happened to see Sister Qi in front of the tea shop. Sister Qi invited me in to drink tea, but I couldn't refuse."
Zhao Tong nodded: "Is it lively inside?"
Zhang Xian said: "There were quite a few people. They were all sisters who were busy working. I didn't recognize them either. They had a drink and left."
Zhao Tong smiled and said: "It is always good to be self-reliant, otherwise it would be difficult for me to make arrangements. Qi Hongyu can be regarded as the eldest maid in the house. I heard that some people call her the eldest housekeeper behind her back. It's not impossible. As for the others, it’s hard to deal with.”
Zhang Xian didn't know the origins of Qi Hongyu and others, but he just said: "I think those sisters are very good, they are meticulous in their work, and they don't complain at all when they are tired."
Zhao Tong nodded and said no more about this. After all, Qi Hongyu and others came from the Jiaofang Division. Now that they have come out, it is best to forget about the past. No one will talk about it, no one will talk about it, and no one will mention it.
He stopped talking and stretched slightly, trying to straighten his legs. Unexpectedly, although the car was spacious, there were still two rows of people sitting in it. He accidentally bumped into Zhang Zhenniang opposite him under the table.
The young lady shuddered, raised her head, glanced at him, and shrank back.
The corners of Zhao Tong's mouth twitched, but he forgot that although the carriage was spacious, the space was still limited, so he pulled his legs back, but unexpectedly, the boots touched the girl's feet.
The young woman's fair face suddenly turned red, but this time she didn't dare to look at Zhao Tong anymore, and just turned her head to look at the curtain in front of her.
Zhao Tong couldn't help but feel embarrassed, and said sarcastically: "How long does it take to get there? The car is too small and uncomfortable to sit in."
Lei San's voice came from outside: "Sir, we are almost here. Should we go to Zhouqiao first or Qi Xiaoniang's tea shop first?"
Zhao Tong said: "Let's go to Zhouqiao Market, and then go to the tea shop to rest when we are tired."
Lei San responded, and the carriage continued to move forward, but the speed slowed down.
After a while, it seemed that they had reached a crowded place, and the carriage became more and more difficult. Several people got out of the carriage and saw that there were people everywhere. There was not much road left. If it were not for this carriage, ordinary people would not be allowed to ride on it. , people on the road give way, and there is no way to get off here.
At this moment, it is still on the north side of Zhouqiao. There are many stalls on the roads on both sides. Most of the items sold are household items that ordinary people replace during the Chinese New Year. There are dishes, chopsticks, plates, sticks and other household kitchen utensils, as well as colorful flowers. The coarse fabrics and floral fabrics were also put up for sale outside. There were quite a few people wandering around to buy, and there were constant voices of bargaining.
This is not the Zhouqiao Market yet. The real Zhouqiao Market is on the other side of the Bian River. You have to cross the bridge to see it. But it is so lively here, so you can imagine what will happen there.
Zhao Tong glanced at the crowd and said to Lei San: "Please find a place to stop the carriage. You and Wu Xiaodao will come too."
Wu Xiaodao was the bodyguard of the house, and Zhao Tong took the two of them with him when he went out this time.
Lei San took the order and found the Forbidden Army patrolling at the entrance of Zhouqiao. He whispered a few words. The Forbidden Army hurriedly came over to greet them and then drove the carriage aside to take care of them.
Lei San opened the way in front, and Wu Xiaodao followed at the end. A few people walked around and walked up to the bridge. The wind on the bridge was naturally much colder than below, but there were also many stalls, but they were not selling daily groceries, but fortune telling. A stall for reading pictures and writing love letters.
At present, ordinary people still hang peach charms in front of their homes. However, because the palace has already used spring posts to increase the celebration, not only the dignitaries, but also some wealthy families have begun to follow suit.
Those down-and-out scholars who set up stalls to write spring invitations also sold peach charms and letters, and their business temporarily surpassed that of the fortune tellers.
However, those fortune tellers were not annoyed, they just sneered in their hearts. They were doing business without capital, and every one of them could make a profit by coaxing them. No matter how good the business of those poor scholars was, how much money could they make after deducting the capital?
After getting off Zhouqiao, there were more and more people. Walking diagonally down, you will find Zhouqiao Shopping Street. It is the most lively place in the summer evening, with bright lights and huge crowds of people. After winter, the weather is cold and there are fewer people. However, as the New Year is approaching, originally The stalls selling hot snacks outside have all been replaced with new year goods and are booming again.
Zhao Tong looked back at Zhang Zhenniang, who was following behind, and said, "There are more people walking around, so be careful."
Zhang Zhenniang didn't dare to look at him, but said softly: "I know."
Zhao Tong smiled and said, "It's better to be in the summer. There are so many delicious foods and drinks outside. Now that it's cold and you want to eat, you have to go inside."
Jin'er said from the side: "My lord, I know that in summer there are Lu family's street rice, barbecued dried meats, Mei family's smoked goose, duck, chicken, rabbit and eel buns, Cao family's Congshi, spin-fried lamb sausage, fresh Preserved meat, fried and frozen fish head, black soybean paste, mopped pork belly, red shreds, sliced sheep head, spicy leg ginger, spicy radish.”
Zhao Tong looked at her and smiled and said, "I know a lot, and it's not easy to write it all down."
Jin'er said: "I just heard it from people, but I haven't eaten many of them..."
The young lady frowned slightly and said, "Jin'er, as you said when you came here, don't be unruly..."
Jin'er stuck out her tongue: "Your Majesty, my maid is rude."
Zhao Tong shook his head and thought for a while: "I also remember some, including selling pan rabbit, roasted pork skin and meat, hemp tofu, chicken skin sesame drink, fine powder vegetable pickles, sugar and ice snow cold meatballs, raw waterlogged papaya, and chicken head rice "
A few people walked and looked around. At this time, there were New Year's goods on both sides. Pheasants, hares, roe deer, deer, mutton and pork, frozen fish and seafood were all bought back and stored until the New Year.
Next, there are all kinds of New Year's groceries, as well as festive crowns and hats, bright red coats and cloths, unique hairpins, and various small items. There is also a lantern seller in front, large, small, round, square, and eight-leafed. , Shang Jian painted colorful paintings, and some inscribed poems. They are so beautiful that it is difficult to put them away after one glance.
Zhao Tong glanced at Zhang Xian at this time. Zhang Xian immediately took out a few coins from his arms and said to Zhang Zhenniang: "Sister, my father gave me money yesterday and said that the Chinese New Year is coming soon. If you want to buy something, go and buy it. Don’t be stingy.”
The girl's face turned red and she said, "Jin'er brought money, I don't want you to spend it. I'm saving this money and it will be useful in the future."
Zhang Xian said blankly: "What use will it have in the future?"
The young lady didn't say anything, but she saw a stall selling candied candies in front of her. Jin'er ran over and said, "Madam, there are so many candies."
Several people came over and saw that it was indeed a large specialty shop. The stall sold fragrant candy, lychee, plum, perilla paste, gold-threaded plum, orange yuan, crystal paintings and so on. There are also plum-red boxes to put them in. If you need to give gifts during the New Year, just buy more boxes.
Zhao Tong saw that the things on this stall were indeed very tempting, so he thought that he could buy some and send them to the palace, so that Daojun and the Emperor would be spared, mainly for the empress, Zhao Hu'er would definitely like to eat them... Fujin must have some, too. As for that boy Zhao Gou, it would be nice if he didn't strangle him to death. He could eat some candies and preserves.
Jin'er asked about the price, and the waiters at the back introduced them one by one. As Jin'er listened, the joy on his face weakened, and he turned back to look at his mother.
The girl whispered: "It's a bit expensive."
Jin'er said nothing, Zhang Xian looked a little anxious next to him, stretched out his hand to touch the silver, Zhao Tong smiled and said: "Brother, give me two kilograms of each, five or seven colors in a box, you mix it, and I will Come back and get it.”
After saying that, he took out a piece of gold leaf from his arms and threw it over. The waiter's eyes immediately lit up when he saw it. He took the gold leaf and pinched it with his fingernails secretly. He immediately said with a smile: "Go away, my lady. I'll be sure when I come back." Everything is ready and kept to your satisfaction.”
Zhao Tong nodded and smiled at a few people: "But he is a good businessman. Let's go ahead."
The girl glanced at his back, said nothing, and followed him silently.
Ahead, he met someone selling various things and firecrackers again. Zhang Xian saw Huanxi and went around the stall to buy a lot. He couldn't take it by himself, so he asked for a bag, filled it up and carried it on his back.
A few people strolled around the shops on both sides of the street again. Zhao Tong didn't buy anything else. Jin'er bought two feet of red floral gauze and a small box of rock candy. The girl bought a plain hairpin. Zhang Xian gave it to Coach Zhang bought thick gloves, and Lei San bought a big felt hat for himself.
Then several people went back to the previous stall to pick up candied candies and walked towards Qi Hongyu's tea shop.
(End of chapter)
