In this stage showdown without any warning, Baitao is the winner in the end.
Ba Qing followed her, covered his mouth and smiled: "My sister is very capable, but it opened my eyes to my elder sister. This archery skill is probably not even as good as the strongest warrior."
Baitao said calmly: "Sister Ba should have known for a long time that I am from the palace. My archery was taught by the Lord. He is the strongest warrior."
Ba Qing was found out, but he was not upset at all, "Your Majesty has good skills."
She added, "But after all, I borrowed the light from my sister. Otherwise, how could I have seen such good archery skills?"
Although Baitao is used to flattery, she doesn't want to keep saying these roundabout words, "Well, it's getting late, I have to go back, Sister Ba."
She came here mainly to do business, not to have fun.
Ba Qing curled his lips and said: "My sister wants to go out and buy pigeons, right? If I don't buy the pigeons, I will return empty-handed. Come, my sister, sit in my room and keep it to make my sister comfortable and make the trip worthwhile." "
Her smooth and steady approach made it difficult for Baitao to refuse, and said, "Sister Ba is really a wise person. If that's the case, that's fine."
The maid lit the incense and sprayed smoke rings on it.
On the carved red sandalwood chi table, there was a gold-chiselled birdcage, and there was a colorful munia inside.
Its tail is extremely long, purple, brown and orange are mixed together, its chest is made of soft white hair, its crown is blue, and its back is made of yellow leather. It is really colorful and indescribably colorful.
Baitao followed Ba Qing in and saw the colorful bird in the middle.
I thought it looked familiar, so I looked at it a few times and said, "This bird is probably called the Colorful Bird."
"Good sister, you are really knowledgeable."
"No, mainly because I have one too."
Ba Qing was surprised, "This bird lives deep in Yunmeng Ze. It is unique in the world. Where did you get it, sister?"
"Your Majesty gave it to me, and he also told me that this bird is unique." Baitao said, "This sounds like a lie from the bird dealer. If it is unique, how can one reproduce? Could it be that it reproduces with itself?"
"Pfft, my sister is quite funny."
Ba Qing laughed. She picked up the jar next to her, sucked the liquid with a hose, and stuffed it into the bird's beak.
The bird opened its two small eyes and swallowed without resistance.
Baitao was confused: "Sister Ba, what are you doing?"
"I'm feeding it mercury."
The colorful bird seemed to be struggling a little after drinking a whole tube of mercury.
Ba Qing was still smiling, as if it was covered with a calm expression.
After feeding her, she looked back and said, "Since it has collided with the one given to my sister by your Majesty, how can I live up to its uniqueness if I don't extend my life a little longer?"
Bai Tao frowned, feeling that the bird was in pain and it was someone else's bird, so she didn't say anything more.
"Three drops of mercury and one tael of gold. Does my sister feel distressed?"
Ba Qing turned the bead string on her chest, and she came over and took Baitao to sit down, "Don't blame me for spending money, old sister. Old sister is from Bashu, where mercury is extracted from cinnabar everywhere. Nothing else. Old sister, I am There’s too much money to spend.”
No wonder.
Baitao now knew why she was dressed so richly, but she still felt strange: "There are so many cinnabar there, and the business is there, why did you come to Qin from Bashu?"
"It's not because the people below are incompetent."
Ba Qing rubbed the center of his brows and flicked the connected armor set on his hand, "Cinnabar, mercury, it's good, but it has to be sold. What's the use of throwing it in your hands if you don't sell it? Not to mention the cinnabar business. It’s not just me, how many hands are there, secretly or openly, that want to peel off my skin right away and pick out the hot parts from it?”
"well----"
She took a long breath and said: "The tree is big and attracts the wind. How can we do it with this kind of family property and without that kind of foundation? I will go out and settle it myself. Over the years, old sister, I have been doing business in Xianyang City. Although the income is not great, it is still relatively stable and not considered a loss.”
Ba Qing hides his clumsiness, and Baitao doesn't expose it: "There are so many inns, all used as a cover to help you sell cinnabar, how come the income is not good?"
Ba Qing sighed: "It's better to be bitten here or there. After the skin is broken, only the bones are left. This is how troubled times are. Business is difficult to do. What can I do if I don't have to lower myself? Sister, I just have to kneel down. Please help me.”
The colorful bird is placed on the cage frame and has begun to feel sleepy.
There are willow branches outside the window sweeping the lintel, and there is no need for words in the conversation between smart people.
Baitao unknowingly imitated Brother Zheng's way of thinking and played with the cup.
Putting it down, he said: "As long as Sister Ba pays your business taxes on time and abides by the law, I will help you and tell your Majesty that it will be easier for you to do things then."
Ba Qing hid his inner joy and held her tender hands, "Good sister, the first time I saw you, I thought you were the one in my life."
"Now that I see it, it's really true."
Her eyes sparkled and she said in a sweet voice, "In this way, from now on, whenever Old Sister's business comes to Xianyang to sell, it will be 30% lower than other countries. From now on, if my good sister is short of money, just ask Old Sister for it, and Old Sister will definitely Be generous.”
Having her paw held by an older sister, Baitao felt a little uncomfortable and said in a low voice: "Okay."
So cute.
How could there be such a smart, beautiful and well-behaved girl? How could she ever exist in this world? She blinded that cold-faced king in vain.
The more Ba Qing looked at it, the more he liked it, and the more he looked at it, the more he liked it.
After delivering the pigeon in person and a few boxes of fresh gadgets, she refused to stop. When Baitao left, she was still waving reluctantly.
When Ba Qing came back to his senses, the boy from the backyard hurried over and said, "Master, it's not good. The colorful bird died for some reason."
"If you die, you will die. What's the fuss about?"
Ba Qing spat in his face, then raised his face and spat upstairs, "The one who plays the mountain and flowing water, the one who plays the guqin of the lower-class people, stop playing, do you hear me?!"
"..."
"It's broad daylight, and you're making so much noise that my brain hurts. If the business is ruined, I'll see if I don't strip you of your skin! Bah!"
The sound from upstairs suddenly stopped.
The waiter looked at the crazy landlady with a look of shock on his face: "Master... this is the little one upstairs, and the little ones are entertaining distinguished guests."
"Which distinguished guest do you care about? Which distinguished guest has the dignity of just now?" Ba Qing pinched his waist and held the young man's ear with one hand, and said, "Also, we have never raised colorful birds. These colorful birds are only found in the palace. , that’s what’s unique, do you understand?”
The boy was in so much pain that he couldn't figure out what to do.
But he was convinced by the head of the family who led the Ba family to prosperity, "Oh, it hurts, ah, no, ah, yes! Head of the family!"
*
Baitao brought a money bag when she went out, and when she came back she brought eagles, doves, and a few nodding and bowing boys, carrying several boxes full of treasures.
This shocked Rui'er who was facing him, "My little master, are you going to rob the Tao?"
Baitao: "."
Baitao blinked: "Is it still exposed?"
"Hahahahaha!" Rui'er leaned on the door frame and bent over with laughter, "If the young master goes to rob the road again later, then you have to bring the slave with you. The slave can help the young master cover."
Baitao feigned anger: "You can't rob the Tao, but if you turn around and rob you, the female steward who settles the accounts, then you'll have everything?"
Rui'er covered her mouth out of fear and said, "My little master, this is not good. How about I go and get ready before I come back, so that my little master won't be in vain."
"Pfft."
Baitao smiled and said, "Okay, these were given to me by an old sister outside who has too much money and nowhere to spend them."
She didn't tease her, handed the eagle to the palace maid, and walked in carrying a homing pigeon.
Rui'er followed closely beside her and lifted the bead curtain for her, "What kind of old sister are you, so generous?"
"Just take what you need."
Baitao tied the letter to the pigeon's leg and let it fly away. Rui'er looked up at the silhouette flying into the blue sky, "Who are you delivering the letter to, little master?"
Baitao said foolishly: "Well, give it to that rich old sister."
"My young master is also rich." Rui'er joked, "I am richer than your Majesty. Your Majesty now spends all your wealth on your young master."
Baitao said smoothly: "Then if I leave, wouldn't he be penniless?"
"As long as Taotao doesn't leave, I won't change my worth."
A cool and magnetic voice.
It was like sandalwood but not sandalwood. The light and cold incense hit him. Baitao was stunned, turned around and looked up, "Brother Zheng?"
Rui'er had obviously seen it a long time ago, bowed, and left with a snicker.
Ying Zheng was still wearing royal robes, with sacrificial inscriptions painted on them, wrapped around and around.
He reached out and hugged the soft white peach, "Give me a hug for a while."
"Okay, then I'll give you another kiss."
Baitao was hugged by him obediently, standing on tiptoes to kiss his chin.
Unexpectedly, it was a bit out of reach. She lowered her head and looked around, about to move a long case over, "Wait for me for a while."
He stopped her, chuckled, bent down and pecked her pink lips, "You were this tall before, and you are this tall now."
Bai Tao's beautiful eyes turned and she said angrily: "What? It's obvious that you are too tall."
"What about the weirdo?"
"I don't blame you, I just want to blame you." Baitao stamped his feet and was about to enter the inner room. Unexpectedly, his hand was grabbed by Ying Zheng. He pinched his nose and compromised, "Still like a child, you need to be coaxed." ."
"You don't have to coax me, I'll be fine anyway."
"real?"
"Okay, fake."
Baitao doesn't know how to get better on her own, she just wants others to coax her.
Ying Zheng came over and pinched her cheek, "I don't mean it's small, but it's just that big in my memory."
Baitao: "." It's better not to coax her.
She pretended to bite fiercely, and Ying Zheng touched her head and drew her attention away, "When I came in, I saw many servants moving boxes. What did you do when you went out?"
"Um……"
Baitao didn't talk about robbing or shooting pigeons for the time being.
Otherwise, it would be like a child running away to play, unable to fight, and then coming back to complain to an adult.
She picked up the issue of Ba Qing and said, "She is the head of the Ba family. She comes from Bashu. She has a cinnabar business. Now she comes to Qin to sell it. She said that in Qin's trading company, she can reduce the profit by 30%. She also gave me a lot baby."
"What about the conditions?"
He grabbed her double-snail bun and said calmly, "Except for me, it is impossible for outsiders to be so nice to me Taotao for no reason."
Baitao: That seems to make sense.
But friendship in the world is just that, everything is for profit.
She said with relief: "The condition is that her business seems to have encountered a lot of problems and has been exploited by many people. I was thinking that having such a big customer who pays business taxes will be good for Xianyang and Daqin." , instead of driving people away to other countries to pay taxes, it is better to come to our Xianyang and give Brother Zheng some personal money."
The little fox analyzed clearly and logically, with his spiky hair dangling from side to side.
Ying Zheng's beautiful eyes were full of smiles, and he looked at her seriously for a moment, "Well, my Taotao is the smartest, and she also knows how to make money."
Baitao climbed along the pole, "No, I'm not only smart, but I'm extremely, extremely considerate of you."
The girl's quirky look made him smile muffledly. He picked her up and hung her on his body. Ying Zheng walked out of the bedroom and said, "I will send someone to take care of the matter, but it's not too late to finish dinner first."
Baitao touched the pattern on his shoulder, "Brother Zheng, do other people know you are like this?"
"how?"
"It's all about eating, drinking and having fun."
"In the whole world, only Taotao is as careless as she is, and makes people happy like this."
He put her on his knees, held her head and kissed her deeply.
Baitao was already used to being kissed, and she didn't forget to grab Guokui with her right hand and wrap him up with something flavored with mutton sauce.
Well, it would be better to stop his mouth that loves kissing.
After dinner, Ying Zheng set off to approve documents without stopping.
Baitao was alone on the swing in the backyard. The lotus flowers were blooming in the backyard. The cool wind blew and she stared at the dragonfly perching on the lotus leaves.
Resisting the urge to pounce on the dragonfly, Baitao asked Rui'er beside him, "Do you still remember what you promised me, that old man who raised the King of Crickets with white teeth and green teeth?"
Rui'er was peeling lotus seeds, but she smiled and said nothing.
She got up and went back to the house, and soon she was holding a clay pot, "This slave forgot to eat, forget to sleep, and will not forget the crickets that the young master misses so much. I ordered them to be sent here from the north of the city this morning." ."
With the Cricket King in hand, Baitao was eager to open it, but unexpectedly he felt that the sound inside was very strange, a series of "click, click, click, click" sounds of arthropods.
Baitao: "Is this what King Cricket is like?"
Rui'er also heard the noise and said hesitantly, "Maybe it's the Cricket King, a little different."
"wrong."
The impact in the clay pot in his hand was getting louder and louder. Baitao secretly thought that if something was wrong, he would throw away the pot in his hand.
Unexpectedly, at that moment, a shiny black and red centipede opened the lid of the jar and rushed out, waving hundreds of elephants, and rushed towards the door in front of Baitao.
The teeth of the sickle struck, and Baitao dodged sideways, and then slammed the can body against it.
"Clang-"
The centipede's torso was shriveled and bloody, and Rui'er reacted immediately and screamed in horror, "Ahhhhhh!"
This movement summoned the guards lurking in the palace. They ran over with spears raised and asked, "Little Master Baitao, Rui'er and daughter, what's the matter?"
There was still a look of fear on Rui'er's face. She looked at Baitao and said, "My young master, are you okay?"
Baitao looked calm and sat back on the swing, "It's okay, it's just a centipede that came out to scare people. You guys can clean it up."
The half-dead giant centipede on the ground was still stretching its legs and flicking around.
The guard hurried over to clean up the wreckage and said with shame, "It's the subordinates who deserve to die. They let such a big centipede in, which shocked the young master. The subordinates will go down and receive the punishment on their own later."
Baitao: "I told you it's okay, you don't have to be like this."
She knew that Qin's law was strict. If something went wrong, it would be a sign of indifference. There was no ambiguity at all. If you really accepted the punishment, it would cost you half your life.
Rui'er also sighed and knelt on the ground with a pale face.
She crawled over on her knees, first checked that there were no wounds on Baitao's body, and then cried, "Little master, you... It's all your fault, this slave. You blame this slave for not checking properly. If the little master is really injured, this slave will die a hundred times." It would not be a pity to die ten thousand times."
"It's okay." Baitao pursed her lips and smiled, "I'm very skilled, it's just a centipede, it can't hurt me."
There was no need to make such a fuss over a little thing that she could kill with one paw.
Rui'er's heart hanging in her throat finally dropped, and she bit her lip again and said, "But this slave really opened it to check at first. It was indeed a cricket king with white teeth and green teeth. There must be a traitor trying to harm the little master this time. The traitor has taken away King Cricket and intends to murder him."
"I beg my mistress to allow you to catch this traitor before punishing me."
Baitao marveled at Rui'er's thoughtfulness and thoughtfulness, and said, "It's not wrong to harm me."
But it was not people who harmed her.
She stepped on the letter that Centipede had just brought out under her feet, and her eyelashes trembled: "Don't make any noise about this matter, I have to leave the palace tomorrow."
Rui'er looked at her big black and white eyes and said with infinite gratitude, "Yes!"
