The carriage rolled on the snow and moved very slowly. The sunlight outside the window shone through the curtains of the carriage, and scattered golden particles filled the entire carriage.
"Master, there are fruits, milk tea, and red date cake made by my mother-in-law. Master, please have some."
Liang Fan pulled out small plates, plates, and a small tea set one by one like magic.
Shen Que laughed: "You are quite prepared. Where do you plan to take me?"
Liang Fan handed over a piece of red date cake and smiled mysteriously: "Master encountered a war when he came to Soto, and then he became busy non-stop. As an apprentice, I felt heartbroken when I saw it. Master, I am not like those two people. Although I keep saying that I am Hello, I’ve just made you tired. Let’s do something that Master wants to do today. Don’t ask me. Let’s see if I can touch Master’s heart.”
This mouth was more comfortable than applying honey, sweet but not greasy, and Shen Que's whole body immediately relaxed.
Liang Fan was right, it was time to relax and take a rest.
The snow that had been falling for several days finally stopped, and the sun peeked out from the clouds. It was warm, not dazzling, but it made people feel warm.
The carriage drove for a while and stopped at the entrance of a restaurant. Shen Que looked over and saw that this was a typical Daye-style restaurant with three floors of carved beams and painted beams, two red lanterns at the door, and the three characters "Phoenix Tower" shining brightly on the huge gold signboard. Shine.
Liang Fan helped Shen Que get out of the car slowly. Shen Que kept his eyes fixed on the restaurant, with a look of surprise on his face.
"This is served by our family. Please come and taste it, master, for guidance." Liang Fan was very humble, keeping his eyes on Shen Que's feet.
"Just eating the dishes and pastries made by your grandma will tell you that they are extraordinary." Shen Que said with a smile, "It's just that I didn't expect that this completely Daye-style restaurant would be so popular in Soto."
Before lunch time, the entrance of Phoenix Tower was already crowded with guests and bustling with people.
Liang Fan originally reserved a private room for Shen Que, but she said, "Let's just sit in the lobby, it's lively."
The two of them sat down in the corner of the hall, and the waiter brought the dishes, which were indeed Jin'an's specialties and very delicious.
The hall was already full of people and there was a long queue at the door. Business was extremely good. There is a small high platform in the middle of the hall, and opera and jugglery performances will be performed every half hour, attracting cheers and applause from the guests.
The meal was lively and comfortable. Shen Que kept praising Liang Fan for his business acumen, "The dishes were unique and exquisite, and the performance was just right. It enhanced the atmosphere and allowed Soto to better understand the customs and culture of Daye."
Liang Fan was very happy to be praised. While serving Shen Que to eat and drink, he flattered him:
"Compared to Master, I am nothing compared to Master. What Master said about shipping on the ship made me dumbfounded."
Shen Que smiled and did not continue the topic.
Liang Fan added: "Master has been too tired these days. I don't have any other intention. I just want Master to relax and have a good rest. If you don't think about yourself, you should always think about Liu Zi. Those two will compete for nothing. , you are jealous. Master, you are good-tempered and careful in your dealings. If it were me, I would have punched you..."
Shen Que looked at him, "What about a punch? Hit someone?"
Liang Fan chuckled and then realized that he had made a mistake. He didn't say much and was busy picking food for Shen Que.
Putting this matter aside for now, Liang Fan was not in a hurry and took Shen Que to the market after dinner.
The carriage was not moving very fast, and the curtains were raised high. Liang Fan introduced to Shen Que the layout of Soto's market and the shops and stalls lining both sides of the street.
The Sotuo Kingdom was originally a grassland nomadic people who lived a migratory life. Their ancestors did not have the habit of stationing in one place. However, in order to develop the economy and national strength, the succeeding Khans learned from Daye's successful experience and determined the city. , the capital was established, and then houses were built, and later there were markets and trading.
"So, the markets in Soto Kingdom are more organized than those in Daye." Liang Fan explained in great detail, "The capital cities built after that have learned from successful experience. The street we are on now is full of wine shops, restaurants and restaurants. , and there are also stalls selling small cakes and snacks. In short, they are all about eating."
Shen Que nodded. He spoke in detail, and she watched with gusto.
She has been busy every day since she came to Soto, and she rarely has time to observe the business here. Today she finally did something "business".
The carriage turned two corners and Liang Fan said again:
"These two streets are concentrated in clothing and supplies, and everything you need." He pointed to a shop and said: "This shop selling exotic silk is very famous because the products are unique and the business is very good."
Shen Que wanted to get out of the car to have a look, but Liang Fan asked the driver to wait by the roadside.
The silk here is naturally incomparable with Daye, not fine enough and not gorgeous enough, but it is better in bright colors. This alone is very in line with the aesthetics of the Sotho people.
The cultures of the two countries are different. In the eyes of the Sotho people, Daye's silk is too luxurious and high-end, the price is high, and the style is a bit monotonous. In the eyes of ordinary people, this kind of durable and bright silk is more suitable for daily wear and easy to dry. Living, visiting relatives and friends is not disrespectful.
Shen Que kept this in mind silently.
Further forward, two shops attracted her attention. One sold sandalwood fans from the south of Daye, and the other sold incense.
However, these products all have the same characteristics. They are rich in flavor and not fine in workmanship, so they are not considered to be very high-quality products.
"Is this kind of thing selling well?" Shen Que asked the boy in the shop.
The young man said yes, "Every day it is overcrowded, and some people make reservations in advance. They rush to grab the best-selling products."
"Who do they like?" she asked again.
The boy smiled and said, "There are all kinds of people. The lady must have come from Daye. She looks like the daughter of a wealthy family. She must not understand the habits of the Sotho people. People here like to eat grilled beef and mutton. Almost every household eats it every day. If you eat too much of this kind of thing, it will have a smell on your body, the smell of smoky charcoal and condiments, as well as the smell of beef and mutton, especially for young ladies, it is not as good as the girls in Daye. Savory."
Shen made it clear, "So, they like to buy these strong and fragrant external accessories to dispel the odor on their bodies and make themselves smell good."
The boy nodded yes.
It turns out that this is really a secret that you only know when you are in the country and do as the Romans do.
"Master, do you think the body balm used by us ladies and the petals and soap used in bathing will be more popular here."
Shen Que smiled and nodded, "There is also floral dew, I can make that."
Under the sun, she smiled freely and sweetly, full of confidence and joy. This was an expression that Liang Fan had not seen on her face for a long time.
It turns out that she is also a sweet little girl, a little lady who can reveal a sweet and soft smile when talking about rouge, gouache and balsam dew.
Liang Fan was stunned for a moment, then came back to his senses and felt his heart beating suddenly.
They walked through the main streets of Soto and saw almost all the shops and goods. Shen Que sat back in the carriage, full of confidence:
"The shops and goods are relatively complete, but they lack some more high-quality and sophisticated things. Secondly, the sales volume of these things is not enough, and the styles are old."
Liang Fan said: "That's because freight cannot arrive, which hinders development."
After speaking, he glanced at her again and continued: "If shipping can be opened, let alone Soto, I believe that Daye's business can reach Oara, Halong and further places."
After saying that, he looked at Shen Que. She looked out the window, still not answering his question.
"It's still early, where should we go next?"
This time Shen did take the initiative to ask questions.
Liang Fan smiled and said, "Take Master to a market."
Shen Que clapped his hands, "You know me."
He asked twice about shipping, but Shen Que didn't answer. Liang Fan thought that maybe the master wanted to keep him to do this business?
For a whole afternoon, Shen Que spent time in this very unique market.
The products sold here are different from the previous street shops, they are all Soto's specialties.
Liang Fan introduced it with familiarity: "This is milk tea, the one that Master likes to drink the most. It's sweet. There are other flavors, sour and bitter. You can try them all."
"There are also these furs, all of which are fine sheepskins, some of them are lambskin, and there is also Ceylon black tea, which the locals like to drink...Master comes to see that there are various kinds of gems here. You said, take them back." Daye, will it be very popular if it is mounted on the head, face, or jewelry?"
He kept talking, and Shen Que's eyes lit up.
As expected, today's trip was worthwhile, and Shen Que was very happy, thanks to this apprentice.
After this day, Shen Que silently wrote down a lot in his mind, planning to go back and arrange everything one by one.
Seeing the sky getting dark, Liang Fan took her to have dinner again.
Shen Que wanted to go back. He was thinking about the things he had to do today and the two "patients" lying on the bed all day long. He didn't know if they were okay.
Liang Fan pulled her and said: "Why are what I said to Master earlier been in vain? Couldn't you, a smart person like you, not see the difference between the two of them? Let them compete. If you continue to pay attention, be careful. Tiring yourself out."
"Master is too kind. You must learn to be cruel when dealing with men."
Shen Que was surprised: "How cruel?"
"Ignore them." Liang Fan said, "Isn't there a doctor? Nothing will happen."
Shen Que thought about it and realized that it was not impossible. He smiled and said, "Okay, then I will listen to you and just go back to my room and ignore them."
Liang Fan shook his head, feeling that this master was really ignorant about certain things:
"When you go back, can you pretend you didn't hear them moaning? So, if you ask me, I won't go back today."
Shen Que was stunned, "Where are you going if you don't go back? Then when will you go back?"
"Master, just disappear for a few days. Let's have a good chat about our affairs. As for the rest, let them go in a hurry. In short, if Master follows me, you can eat, drink and rest comfortably for a few days. That's good."
Shen Que blinked, then blinked again, and smiled knowingly: "Okay, then be cruel and disappear for a few days."
