Blacksmithing?
Su Liuye looked confused.
The owner of the pastry stall had seen her a long time ago. Seeing that she was paying attention to others, he quickly said, "Little lady, you have just arrived in our town, right?"
"Auntie, how do you know?"
"You look like a foreigner at first sight." Auntie laughed and said, "There are several iron ore mines outside our town, all of which were requisitioned by the court. Usually when it snows and the roads are closed, the mines will stop. The workers at the mine can also go home for the New Year."
"Most of the young men in our town work in the mines and come back every year to celebrate the New Year. But this year, for some reason, we were notified that work was to be stopped, but a few days ago we were notified to start work at short notice, and we were given three times the wages. Woolen cloth!"
As the aunt spoke, she stretched out three fingers, her tone full of surprise.
"Three times the salary?" Su Liuye was surprised.
"Yes, I gave it three times! Many people who originally decided to go home for the New Year have rushed back. It is estimated that they will not come back this year." After saying that, the aunt took out a paper bag from the side and asked enthusiastically , "Little lady, do you want some pastries? I made these myself, they are all freshly baked, they are delicious!"
"Okay, Auntie, give me three portions like that."
Su Liuye wanted pastries, and the stall owner also told her some news, so naturally she wouldn't just clap her hands and leave.
"Okay!"
Seeing that business came to her, the aunt became even more enthusiastic and asked curiously, "My dear lady, are you coming to our town to find someone at this time?"
"Auntie, do you know this too?"
"Of course I know." Auntie smiled, "Look, it's only a few days before the Chinese New Year. Who would come here at this time unless something happened? Besides, a lot of people came to the town last month. All the inns in the town are almost full.”
"Who is here?"
Su Liuye suddenly became curious about this matter.
Originally, we didn’t dare to go mining due to heavy snowfall, but this year we were willing to pay three times the salary to find someone to mine. In addition, so many people suddenly came to the town last month, it was really strange.
The aunt was asked, and she frowned and thought for a moment, "I don't know about that. I was setting up a stall on the street that day, and I saw a large group of people! They were coming from that way!" The aunt opened her hand. He gestured and pointed to the inn not far away, "I just watched that group of people walk into the inn. It is said that they have booked all the rooms in the inn."
Su Liuye looked over and was surprised to find that the inn her aunt mentioned was actually the inn where she stayed.
"But they seemed to have moved away after about three days, saying they moved to a house outside the town." My aunt recalled, "By the way! There were a few young men who came to my place to buy cakes that day. I didn’t listen carefully to what the general said.”
"General? Are there soldiers going to mine in the mountains?"
"I don't know either! If it really happened to the imperial court, they wouldn't tell us common people, hahaha, are you right?" The aunt handed over the packed pastries, "Little lady, this is your pastry. , it’s best to eat it while it’s hot.”
"Okay, sorry, auntie."
Su Liuye paid the money.
When she left, she happened to hear others still whispering about the iron ore. Their voices were too soft, and Su Liuye couldn't hear them clearly. She just heard "general" and "soldier" again as she passed by.
Is the imperial court forging weapons?
Su Liuye frowned. Last time she was in the capital, she had talked about this matter with others, but she didn't expect that she could still hear it in Pingyang Town.
Back at the inn, Xiao Wu hadn't come back yet. She ate several pastries while they were still warm and found that they tasted pretty good.
But just eating pastries still wasn't enough, so she went downstairs and ordered a bowl of hot soup.
When the waiter came to serve the food, Su Liuye took out a bunch of money and put it on the table and asked, "Brother, today is my first day in Pingyang Town. Can I ask you for some news?"
"Okay, okay! Of course!"
Seeing a bunch of money, the waiter nodded immediately, "I'm objective, I wonder what you want to ask about? As long as I know something, I'll definitely tell you!"
Su Liuye did not beat around the bush, "I heard that there were many soldiers living in the inn before. Is this true?"
"Soldiers? No." The waiter looked confused. "The inn was indeed full of people some time ago, but they were all going to do business. They were not soldiers at all."
"A businessman?"
"That's right." The waiter asked, "Is there something wrong with this objective? I only found out after asking the customers that they were businessmen, and they came with goods."
Hearing what the waiter said, Su Liuye stopped asking further.
After eating, she asked the waiter for hot water to wash up.
Xiao Wu also came back at this time, with snowflakes still on his clothes.
"Xiao Wu, come here and have a sip of hot tea."
"Excuse me, madam."
Xiao Wu took the hot tea she handed him and took a sip, and said, "Mrs. Chu, I have already asked the young master. They are a little busy now and will have to wait until a few days before they have time, but the madam can still follow me there tomorrow. One trip for you.”
"Okay! I'm really troubling you, Xiaowu!" Su Liuye's eyes lit up. She didn't expect to see Chu Yan so soon. She thought she would have to wait a few more days!
Xiao Wu had been busy all day without eating, so Su Liuye went down and asked Xiao Er to prepare a hot meal.
After dinner, Xiao Wu took Su Liuye to wander around the town. Along the way, he found that there were many blacksmith-related shops in the town, and there were many unopened knives hanging outside.
After some questioning, Su Liuye learned from Xiaowu that Pingyang Town is the most famous weapons-making place in the area. Many weapons used by officers and soldiers in the capital were made here in Pingyang Town.
They bought some things in the town, and when they saw it started to snow again, Su Liuye and Xiao Wu went back.
The next day, Su Liuye traveled all day yesterday and didn't wake up until noon.
After washing up, she went down to eat with Xiao Wu, got into the carriage with the New Year's goods that Uncle Zhou had packed, and went all the way to the mansion outside the town.
The house looks so big that you can't even see the end of it at a glance, and the walls are covered with snow.
Waiting for them at the door was an old man. After saying hello to Xiao Wu, he led them into the house. He poured them hot tea and brought them cakes. "You two, please wait here. Mr. Chu is coming with me," he said. Mr. Xiao had something to deal with and went out early in the morning, and he will probably come back later."
"Okay, let's just wait here."
Xiao Wu nodded, turned around and said to Su Liuye, "Mrs. Chu, Mr. Chu and the others are busy here, let's wait first."
