Mornings in Kyoto are noisy, and before dawn there are vendors selling all kinds of snacks and food passing through the streets and alleys, shouting, "Beanhuāer, oil hammer and milk syrup, drink a bowl of warm ocean!" "That shout" spinning cakes, sand dumplings with fresh soup, the world is famous! ”

Dong Ping didn't sleep well when he had something in his heart, and when he heard the noise outside the window, he simply got up and sat by the window to watch the excitement. Xizi smiled and pushed the door in, surrounded the master and served him very thoughtfully, which made Dong Ping laugh and scolded, "If you are hungry for food downstairs, just say, why laugh so flatteringly, let people see it and think that the family lacks you to eat on weekdays." After that, he took out a handful of copper coins from his purse and handed them over, "Go down and pick up a few fresh ones and come back, and invite Steward Zhang to have breakfast with you in a while." ”

"Yes, Childe." Kiko's big eyes almost narrowed into a slit with a smile, and she jumped and ran downstairs. In a short time he brought up a square plate, and seven or eight dishes were piled up in one place, and the colors aroused people's appetite.

Soon, Steward Zhang also got up, and the three of them, regardless of master and servant, sat together to taste the flavor of Kyoto, and finally went out together. Da Liang waited at the door of the passenger station early, and led the three of them to the most lively commercial street as usual.

Merchants are always the most keen-eyed and thoughtful group of people in the world, all kinds of shops on the commercial street, one by one, but every twenty or thirty distances there will be a teahouse, walking tired buyers can sit down at any time to drink a cup of tea and eat a piece of snack, listen to a little song or discuss a new thing.

Dong Ping's master and servant made difficulties all the way, and they didn't know which teahouse to go to sit in to hear the news they wanted to know. Instead, Steward Zhang opened his mouth and smiled, "I gossiped with the old shopkeeper last night, it is said that the Yuelai Teahouse on this street is the most lively, so it is better to go there and sit." ”

Dong Ping naturally said yes, so the group walked to Yuelai Building. At this time, the sun had only climbed to a height of three poles, and there were not many tea customers, so the four of them found a table facing the street very smoothly, and paid 100 yuan for four plates of dim sum and a pot of tea. Da Liang took the salary of the inn, and it was not good to spend time outside, so he sat for a while and then said goodbye and went back. Leaving Dong Ping and the three of them to gossip in a low voice, they paid attention to the chatter and laughter of the tea guests around them.

In this way, seeing that the sun was about to rise overhead, the teahouse had been full for a long time, and Dong Ping still hadn't heard any useful news. He was faintly anxious in his heart, and complained in a low voice, "Why is this Kyoto person so broken-mouthed, but everything he says is eating, drinking, and having fun, and he actually doesn't have half a sentence?" It's not as good as the farmers in the village to gossip about the harvest. ”

Steward Zhang knew that he was anxious, and smiled and comforted, "The second son's words are bad, this is the foot of the Son of Heaven, if the words are inappropriate, you will have to worry about your life, say a thousand things and ten thousand, there is no eating, drinking, and having fun, talking is lively and not taboo." ”

Dong Ping also guessed the reason after speaking, and blushed a little when he heard this, "Steward Zhang is right, I'm upset." ”

Steward Zhang hurriedly replied, "The little one is also anxious, but we came here to try our luck, and if it doesn't work, it's reasonable." When the time comes, ask some aunts and six wives who often go in and out of the backyards of large families, or go to shops that sell overseas foreign goods, and there will always be some gains. ”

Dong Ping nodded, secretly admiring Steward Zhang's quick thinking, and then tried his best to drink tea and eat dim sum calmly. Xu is goddess of luck really likes to stand behind calm people today, Dong Ping just ate a cool snack, when he saw two men who looked like stewards coming in at the door of the teahouse, one of them was wearing a cyan satin robe, a four-edged hat on his head, and two gold and silver rings on his hands, which was obviously a big steward with some face in front of the master. The other is a small comprador in blue clothes and blue pants, smiling and waiting around him, looking very courteous.

Sure enough, when the shopkeeper of the teahouse saw the two of them, he hurriedly stepped forward and bowed, and greeted with a smile, "Oh, Master Zhao, what kind of wind is blowing today, why did you send your Bodhisattva to the small shop?" Quick, upstairs seats, please! A good pre-rain tea, drink a cup to go to the autumn dryness..."

The steward Zhao didn't know which slave he was, he was full of posture, waved his hand to interrupt the old shopkeeper's courtesy, and pointed directly to the hall and said, "That's it, I still have something to do in a while, so I won't go upstairs, let's blow the wind in this lobby." ”

"Hey, hey, yes." The old shopkeeper didn't know why the surnamed Zhao had changed his temper, but he still responded one after another. Before he could speak again and ask everyone for help, the thoughtful tea guest had already taken the initiative to gather together and give up a table.

Steward Zhao bowed his hand and thanked him, and then sat down with a golden sword. The old shopkeeper asked casually while shouting to the young man for tea and snacks, "Master Zhao, what kind of errand did you get today, but there is a place for the little old man to serve?" ”

Steward Zhao seemed to inadvertently glance at the tea guests next to him who had their ears pricked up, and responded, "Where is there a trivial matter in the errand of our palace, but you old thing is mixed in the market all day long, but you can help me come up with ideas." In a few days, it will be the holy birthday of the long live lord, my prince has not found a birthday gift that suits his heart, have you recently heard that there are any rare objects on this street? ”

It is the minimum rule for a slave not to discuss the rights and wrongs of his master's house outside. The old shopkeeper was just to make a conversation, where did he think that this Zhao steward actually told the truth, he was stunned for a long time before he reacted, and hurriedly smiled and said, "Zhao Ye Xu is too busy on errands, and he has not had time to walk around this street recently." Don't you know, a few days ago, a fleet of ships came back from Yuehai Pavilion, and it is said that they brought back a lot of good things, blood coral is five feet high, and pearls are the size of a child's fist..."

"That's it," Steward Zhao waved his hand impatiently, and said disdainfully, "These objects, the palace treasury is full of them, if you offer them again, how can my prince have the face to enter the palace and drink birthday wine for the emperor." ”

The old shopkeeper laughed dryly, bowed his head and apologized, "That little old man is out of luck, Zhao Ye has good luck, and when he goes around the street in a while, he may encounter something strange." As he said this, he personally brought the teapot and added tea to Steward Zhao, and finally bowed and retreated.

The seats of Dong Ping and the three of them were not far from this Zhao steward, and the two of them didn't talk behind everyone's back, so they naturally heard it clearly. Dong Ping's eyes were full of excitement, and he signaled Steward Zhang, who was also happy, to hurry up and inquire about one or two.

Steward Zhang turned his head and whispered to the person sitting next to him for a long time, and then turned around and whispered, "Second son, we are really lucky today." This surnamed Zhao is the chief steward of the Zhongshan Palace, and his authority is great. If we have negotiated with him, the deal will be more than half successful. ”

Dong Ping was not familiar with the various magnates in Kyoto, and asked in a low voice, "This King of Zhongshan is the emperor's brother?" ”

Steward Zhang nodded, "Exactly, this King of Zhongshan is the brother of the emperor's relatives, generous and bold, talented, poetry, calligraphy, painting, singing and dancing all like it, but he doesn't like to be in power, so when the emperor was seriously ill, he took the initiative to give up the throne to Jinshang, just to get away with it." Therefore, the King of Zhongshan is respected in every way, and the victory of honor and favor has never been seen in all dynasties. Now that the holy birthday is imminent, it is reasonable for the King of Zhongshan to want to offer a rare gift. ”

Dong Ping weighed in his heart while listening, if he was a prince, he should not be able to deceive him because of thousands of taels of silver, and even kill people and goods.

Steward Zhang obviously thought the same way, and finally said in a low voice, "Second son, if you want to offer the fruit to the emperor, this opportunity may be the best." ”

"Let's wait and see, there are a lot of people here, let's go out with them in a while, and find a chance to test it." After the two discussed it, they continued to drink tea and wait, so Zhao Steward Xu was waiting for someone, and sat for a long time before getting up and leaving with a slightly depressed look.

Dong Ping and the three of them hurriedly checked out and followed, and followed the two of them far to a secluded street corner, and Steward Zhang stepped up his steps and whispered, "Zhao Ye is invited, Zhao Ye is in the teahouse, Zhao Ye talked about the holy birthday gift, how many fruits are very magical, I don't know if Zhao Ye is interested in taking a look?" ”

The little butler in blue had been walking for so long, and he was so impetuous by the sun above his head that he was so angry that when he heard this, he should be the first to scold, "Where did the turtle come from, running to our master to beg for a beating?" The streets are full of fruits, and if you really offer your broken fruits to Banzai, our prince will not be laughed at and killed..."

Steward Zhang didn't seem to hear the words of the little steward, and kept looking at Steward Zhao with a smile on his face. Steward Zhao was expressionless and silent, but he actually breathed a long sigh of relief in his heart. Last night, he heard the message from his godmother, and he planned to do a good job for Liu Niangniang today, because he didn't want the newly married concubine to be too obsessed, and it was too late to go out when he woke up. If you really delay your errand, how can you have the face to serve in front of your mother in the future? Fortunately, things are still turning around.

Thinking of this, he didn't dare to take it too far, so he opened his mouth to stop the little steward and said, "Well, okay, don't talk about it." Since this brother dared to step forward and speak, he must have relied on something. It just so happens that there is nothing urgent to do today, so let's just see what is so magical about this fruit. ”

"Ah" The little butler named Xiao Liuzi didn't know why his boss suddenly changed his temper, but he still hurriedly scolded Steward Zhang and said, "Our lord is interested in taking a look, why don't you hurry up and lead the way!" If you dare to fool our lord with any turtle objects, see that I don't break your legs! ”

Steward Zhang didn't pay attention to this fox and fake tiger boy, turned his head and nodded at Dong Ping's master and servant, and then led the way to the inn first. Zhao Debao saw the two of them like this from a distance, and saw Dong Ping dressed as a scholar, so he guessed that he was the most upright.

The literati of the Great Qi Kingdom are expensive, and there are many people who cherish their reputation and refuse to get touched by the smell of copper, but people live in the world, even if they read more, they have to eat, drink, and Lazar. I can't say that there are a few shops in the scholarly door, and all the dealings with people on weekdays are made by the steward. Therefore, Zhao Debao raised his eyebrows in no surprise.