The box was opened, and the velvet was padded inside, and the pearls the size of the thumb lid showed a charming pearl halo, and it was extremely rare that there were hundreds of pearls of the same size in this box, full of luster and flawless...... There is only one difference, that is, the color is differentiated, there are pink pearls, purple pearls, and more rare gold pearls There are dozens of them! This box of pearls is not priceless, but it is definitely worth 10,000 gold!

Although he sent things for Liao Wenqing, Yun Jichen never opened them. At this time, Qiu Chen opened it, he also looked at it curiously, and couldn't help but be dumbfounded at a glance, and it took a moment to come back to his senses, a trace of emotion crossed his eyes, and then he pouted in a loud voice: "This guy is really capable, and he can even let him collect this kind of thing." This is the best quality Dongzhu! ”

The climate of Liaodi is very cold, nearly half of the year is in the freezing period, so that both animals and plants grow very slowly, but because of the slow growth, the growth cycle is virtually extended, and the quality is greatly improved. Whether it is wood, medicinal herbs, deer antler, musk and other things, the quality of the things produced in Liao is far better than that produced in the warm climate. And pearls are no exception, the pearls produced in Liaodi are commonly known as East Pearls, the output is very small since ancient times, and it is also extremely rare, and it has always been used as a tribute to the royal family. This is also the main reason why Yun Jichen sighed.

Tribute is almost synonymous with high quality, and tribute does not mean that others can't buy it, but it's far more difficult and rare than ordinary items!

Qiu Chen's gaze was almost fixed on a box of pearls, not because of the rarity and preciousness of pearls, nor because the pearls hallucinated her eyes, she just felt that something in her heart was surging, almost drowning her emotions.

After a while, Qiu Chen closed the box, rubbed his fingers against the surface of the wooden box, hung his glasses for a moment, this time he raised his eyes and smiled, his clear eyes did not have the slightest haze, and he was clean and calm, so that the peeping Yun Jichen was confused for a moment, and then he was full of emotion, and even annoyed.

Such a woman, Liao Wenqing, that fool, missed it all by life! That's a fool! Idiot!

"It's hard for him!" Qiu Chen smiled lightly, and turned the box to Qingxing, who was standing behind him, and then smiled at Yun Jichen, "I am busy during the New Year, did I not bother to find a coppersmith and gold and silver craftsman with good craftsmanship?" ”

Yun Jichen snorted, shook the folding fan in his hand for four seasons complacently, and said with a smile: "How come!" No matter how important the Chinese New Year is, you can't delay the business! ”

"Not only have I found it, but I've brought it to you. Two coppersmiths, two goldsmiths! ”

Qiu Chen was interested, raised his eyebrows slightly, and said, "How do you explain it to others?" ”

Yun Jichen picked up the tea, took a sip slowly, and then smiled: "You still don't worry about my errands?" They all signed the deed, and they signed the death deed, but there was also a condition, that is, if each person could teach ten apprentices, they would be allowed to redeem themselves after ten years! ”

Decade...... Ten apprentices......

Qiu Chen smiled and said lightly: "It's just that ten apprentices are far from enough, only those who are blue will count!" ”

Yun Jichen was a little dizzy by Qiu Chen's laughter, why didn't he notice that this woman laughed before...... The facial features that are not too flamboyant and not too outstanding are suddenly bright, graceful and luxurious, and touching because of this calm, graceful and confident smile!

After being stunned for a moment, Yun Jichen shook his head, and he avoided his gaze in a panic for some reason, but in the next moment, he noticed his gaffe, and turned back with a stiff neck.

Qiu Chen had already turned his gaze back, holding the tea and drinking it unhurriedly, for a while, he put down the teacup and said lightly: "Do they have anything to do?" ”

Yun Jichen nodded subconsciously, raised his voice to call people, and the little scholar walked in with a box outside the door and picked the door curtain, and first smiled and gave Qiu Chen a salute when he entered the door, and then held the box in his hand in front of Qiu Chen.

"What's the box again!" Qiu Chen took the box with a smile, raised his hand to open the buckle on the box, and the lid of the box opened, and the gold inside was shining brightly, not jewelry such as hairpins, rings, bracelets, etc., but small bottles of different shapes, or gourds, or water droplets, or pot-bellied and thin necks...... The materials are also varied, including red gold, silver, and purple copper......

But no matter what the material, no matter what the shape, these small bottles the size of a thumb are all delicate, all exquisite, all beautiful, and people can't put it down!

Qiu Chen took them in his hands one by one and played with them, then put them back in the box, looked up and smiled at Yun Jichen: "It's okay to be a coppersmith, it's really a waste of talent for a goldsmith with such good craftsmanship to be found by you to make bottles!" ”

The word 'talent' seems a bit out of place in Yun Jichen's opinion, but they are just craftsmen, where can we talk about 'talent'? However, he understood Qiu Chen's words, so he made a smug expression at this time, and said: "Which is, it doesn't depend on who is doing the work, it's not good, we can ask for it!" ”

Qiu Chen was amused by his unbalanced appearance, and raised his hand to nod at Yun Jichen with a smug face, "You, you said you were fat and gasped!" ”

Yun Jichen looked at Qiu Chen and grinned, and when Qiu Chen turned around and handed the box containing the bottle to Qing Xing, his eyes flashed with a hint of decline.

I thought that Yun Jichen would definitely have to eat at home when he came, but he didn't expect that this time Yun Jichen changed his foodie face, and left with a regretful face, saying that he had a friend to meet. Qiu Chen was a little tired after a day of going out, so he no longer reluctantly kept him, sent him out and got into the car, and then went straight back to the backyard.

The next day is the fifth day of the first month.

When they got up early in the morning, Qiu Chen and Lan Ying took the children to carry a few old things and threw them at the corner of the street, which was considered to be broken. Then I took the children to the waterfront long street in the east of the city.

During the Spring Festival, many shops in the city are closed, and many merchant ships and passenger ships are stranded on the wharf outside the city because of the cold weather.

It's not the first time Afu Aman has come, but the children are still greedy for fun, not to mention Lan Ying and the three children. Fortunately, the people and siblings were brought with them, the children were accompanied by Qin Li and Qin Yong, Qiu Chen and Lan Ying walked together, followed by Lin's Wang and Hanguang Steaming Snow, and Zhi'er Xiang'er also followed the two of them, slowly strolling all the way.

Knowing that Lan Ying was thrifty, Qiu Chen didn't lack anything, so he mainly accompanied Lan Ying's mother and daughter to walk slowly. There are many shops in the north and south here, from Nuergan in the north, to Jiangsu and Zhejiang in the south, and even rare objects from Jawa overseas have to be sold, which makes Lan Ying's mother and daughter quite dazzled.

After the last, Lan Ying bought two crepe de chine silk cloths in a southern silk shop, one with small pink flowers, and the other with willow green plain silk, saying that it was just to make two spring shirts for Zhi'er Xiang'er in spring. Zhi'er is now twelve years old, Xiang'er is also nine years old, the family has a good life, and the two daughters don't have to dig vegetables and feed the pigs every day, doing these rough jobs, the skin is delicate and fair, and it has a little bit of the beauty of a small jasper.

Qiu Chen looked at the silk cloth that Lan Ying had chosen, and imagined that the two little girls were dressed in brand-new spring clothes, which must be willow branches and green peach blossoms, fresh and lovely. So he also smiled and picked out two red gold hairpins and two pairs of red gold cloves in a jewelry store to give to Zhi'er Xiang'er as gifts, and the two little girls' happy faces were red and full of smiles.

Fu'er Man'er and the three small ones, they don't know how to wear, they buy mostly toys, and Chengzi and Ah Fu also bought a stack of books together, and Qiu Chen gave the children pocket money before going out, and they didn't put much restraint on it, and they bought it as they liked. Lunch was eaten in the dock on the Luo River, and at the beginning of the afternoon, the family returned with a full load.

They rested early on the evening of the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, and early in the morning of the sixth day of the Lunar New Year, the two families returned to Liujiaao by carriage. Unlike when he went, this time he also brought back a few coppersmiths and silversmiths.

The weather was fine all the way, and the rush was smooth, and at the end of Shen, I arrived home.

Although Qiu Chen is not here, and Yang Shumeng has not come back yet, the workers are very conscious, and they have cleaned the workshops cleanly, and there are red firecracker crumbs at the gate, and it can be seen that firecrackers have been set off when they are reopened, which makes Qiu Chen very satisfied in his eyes.

In the evening, he added a dish to the workers, and took Chengzi to prepare the raw materials to be used the next day, and then went to rest.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, everything is on track, and the workshop is running in an orderly manner. Qiu Chen instructed Zhao Jiu to post a notice to recruit children between the ages of eight and twelve, who must be smart-witted, diligent in their hands and eyes, and in good health, and it is clearly marked that this recruitment is not an ordinary worker, but a deed. Moreover, this deed is signed for 20 years.

I thought that the conditions were so harsh that there would not be too many applicants, but what Qiu Chen didn't expect was that as soon as the notice was posted, twenty or thirty people came to the door with their children in less than half a day. There are those from Liujiaao, and there are also those from the surrounding villages.

Looking at these villagers with joy, excitement, and even flattery, Qiu Chen really didn't understand. These people are in such a hurry to sell their children? There were all kinds of expressions, but none of them showed the slightest reluctance.

Because it was about recruitment, Qiu Chen brought Lan Ying to ask about the applicant's family background at any time.

"Do they know that they want to sign a death deed?" Qiu Chen couldn't help but ask.

"Nature knows the way." Lan Ying said with a smile next to her, "But who doesn't know what to do, our Yang Shuren of Liu Jiaao is charitable and kind, and treats people the most generously, never beating and scolding workers, not to mention good food and drink, there are new clothes all year round, there is charcoal when it is cold, and soup when it is hot...... Hehe, you don't know the way, some people say that coming to work here is more comfortable than being a master! ”

Qiu Chen was stunned for a moment, shook his head with a helpless smile, turned back to Na Jia Liang and a few new craftsmen and said: "Today's selection of people is an apprentice you picked, I don't understand the rules of your craft industry, I don't say anything, you can pick it yourself when someone brings it in, how much is not restricted, you think you can teach it." ”

Jia Liang respectfully bowed his hand, and several other craftsmen also followed with apprehension on their faces.

Qiu Chen smiled and said: "I have seen the remuneration set by the second son of Yun and you, that can only be counted as wages, and the money of the disciple is not here, I will pay it separately." Well, as long as you teach an apprentice and the craft is indeed passed, I will give you a hundred taels of silver. …… You may not know my temperament when you first arrived, but I said that I would be able to do it. This is not only you, Jialiang is the old man in the family, and he also follows this rule. ”

As soon as these words fell, Jia Liang almost immediately knelt on the ground and said respectfully: "Madam, the villain is a person in the house, he has a monthly money, and it is the villain's duty to do any work, where can he take the silver again......

"Okay, needless to say, this is extra work, so naturally you have to pay extra money." Qiu Chen interrupted without waiting for Jialiang to finish, and then said, "In the future, this rule will be set, whoever has what craft to teach will take an additional bundle of silver, as for the amount of bundle silver, it depends on the difficulty of the craft and the size of the use." ”

Jialiang no longer shirked, and kowtowed happily. The other newcomers knelt down and kowtowed as if they were suspicious, and Qiu Chen sent a message to ask the children who came to apply for the job to be brought in and handed over to Jialiang and a few craftsmen to choose.

On the seventh day of the first lunar month, there were almost fifty or sixty children who came one after another, but Jialiang and a few craftsmen were very careful in their selection, and only twelve were left in the end, and there were less than three of them. It can be seen from the number of people that although these craftsmen are at the bottom of society, they have not seen money, and they still adhere to their professional ethics and beliefs, and are extremely careful and cautious in the selection of apprentices.

Qiu Chen saw twelve children, all of whom were teenagers, and they were still a little ignorant, more looking forward to the new environment and a little apprehensive. Judging from the clothes and bodies on their bodies, they should all be bitter children from poor families, but what disappointed Qiu Chen was that every one of these twelve children was literate...... It's okay, a blank piece of paper can be cultivated according to one's own will.

The house built by the servants also had two small courtyards, and Qiu Chen allocated them to a few craftsmen to live in, and as for these children, let them live with their masters. The relationship between master and apprentice in this era is a very serious matter, and it is not much more than father and son, and it is natural for apprentices to serve their masters.

Qiu Chen asked a few words, and then asked Zhao Jiu to go down with the twelve children, take a bath and change into a new cotton clothes.

Leaving the four craftsmen and Jia Liang, Qiu Chen spoke: "You live there temporarily, and when the frost melts, separate a courtyard from the backyard, and then build a row of houses and a row of sheds for your use." You guys have brought everything to us, if you still lack anything, just explain it to Zhao Jiu and let him take care of it for you. I don't want anything else, as long as you do the work as soon as possible, and I only want the best ones, and I don't want anything bad at all. ”

The five of them bowed in unison and agreed. Qiu Chen asked Lan Ying to bring her two daughters-in-law to send a few new cotton clothes worn by craftsmen and handed them to the four craftsmen: "Your bedding supplies are ready, these are two sets of new cotton clothes, you wear them first, and then follow the family, two sets of new clothes every season." ”

Four people, you look at me, I look at you, they all feel that since they came here, it has always been like a dream, the main family is not only not harsh, but also polite and respectful, live well, eat well, clothes all year round, have an agreed salary every year, take apprentices and bind...... If you work like this for ten years, you can save at least a few thousand taels of silver, and if you don't have any work, you can go home and buy dozens of acres of land to retire comfortably. Really, I have lived most of my life, and I have never dreamed of such a good thing.

Although the four of them still couldn't believe it, the expressions on their faces stretched a lot, and the color of joy was irrepressibly revealed.

One of the oldest goldsmiths surnamed Wang took the lead and knelt on the ground, and the other three quickly knelt down. Wang silversmith said respectfully: "Mrs. is kind, the little ones have nothing else to reciprocate, they can only take out the craftsmanship of housekeeping, do a good job, and bring good apprentices, please rest assured!" ”

The other three followed: "Please rest assured, wife! ”

Qiu Chen got up with a smile, came to the four of them, raised his hand to support the four craftsmen, and said with a smile: "You guys relax, what I say will definitely not be broken." ”

As he spoke, with a look, Yufeng came up with four silver tickets, and Qiu Chen said: "This is the remuneration of the four of you this year, you take it first." When the apprentices are brought out, I will give the bundle of silver! ”

The silversmith took the silver ticket tremblingly, handed it to the other three people, and bowed his hand to the other three.

After calming the hearts of these four people, Qiu Chen had no major incident, and arranged with Zhao Jiu to set up another workshop behind the East Cross Courtyard. If the ground is cold and can't be ground today, this matter will have to wait until the first lunar month.

Everything was in order, and Qiu Chen was at ease. Chen couldn't allow her to be idle, and the next day he brought her the curtains, beds, curtains, curtains and other things that were driven out of the sewing room and a few Suzhou embroidery girls. It's okay not to look at it, but I can't help but hang up the black lines on my head at a glance.

These curtains and tents and the like, the selection of materials is exquisite, the embroidery is exquisite, but the patterns are all some hundred sons and hundreds of blessings, durian blooms and the like, Qiu Chen covered his forehead, the newlyweds should not embroider some carp playing lotus that means the love of husband and wife and growing old together, mandarin ducks playing in the water or something? This is a room full of hundreds of sons and grandchildren......

After being rigid for a long time, Qiu Chen barely held up a smile: "The embroidery is good, and the stitches are fine...... However, this trick is too monotonous. ”

Chen looked at Qiu Chen and said with a smile: "Mrs. said this, you have to marry a little son immediately." Hou Ye is not young, this heir is the top priority! ”

Twenty-seven is not too young? Yes, in the usual rich and noble family, a twenty-seven-year-old man, the children are all in their teens. Qin Zheng, don't say that he delayed the child's soy sauce, everything was delayed!

Qiu Chen nodded helplessly: "I don't say bad about these tricks, but I also have to change some plain and bright ones, and I can also replace them when the time comes." ”

When Chen saw her say this, he agreed: "Well, then add a few more sets, and now it seems that you can catch up." ”

Qiu Chen exhaled lightly: "Don't be too rushed, just buy it slowly in the future, don't let the embroidery girls burn their eyes." Also, it would be good to send them a few more candles in the evening to make the house brighter. ”

Now it is the Qingjiang family in charge of the sewing room, but the Qingjiang family went to Nannuma Lake to accompany Qingjiang for the New Year a few years ago, and it is the Chen family who is in charge of it at this time. Hearing Qiu Chen's words, Chen's face overflowed with a smile: "Mrs. is too kind, those embroiderers are needlework, and they can rest when they are not busy, and they don't have embroidery anywhere and worry about whether they will burn their eyes." ”

Qiu Chen sighed lightly and said, "I'm just comparing my heart to my heart, although they are servants to me, I also hope that they can do their work without hurting their bodies." If their eyes are really broken, no matter how beautiful the embroidery is, I will have a hard time ...... it."

Speaking of this, Qiu Chen paused slightly, turned his eyes to look at Wen Ruchunshui, who was smiling at Chen, and said: "Whether it's you or them, since you follow me, it's the fate between you and me." As long as you do your best and don't harm me, I will always try my best to protect you, and I will never let you end up. You are so, the girls are so, the embroidery girls are like this! ”

Chen's heart was moved, the smile on his face faded, but his eyes were slightly hot: "Mrs. is so kind-hearted, what kind of thoughts, it is really blind and dark-hearted!" ”

Qiu Chen smiled and didn't say anything more, only asked the Chen family to take down all the embroidery work. These things, which are almost all red embroidered with pomegranates, are really depressing and depressing.

After returning from Anyang Mansion, Afu Aman was separated from Lu and went to sleep.

In order to take care of the convenience of the temporary, Aman still slept on the kang in the east room, and Qiu Chen moved to the bed in the east room. Ah Fu lived in the Xili room.

After dinner, Qiu Chen coaxed Ah Man to fall asleep on the kang, and instructed Wei and Meizi, who were on duty at night, to take care of them, and then went to the West House to see Ah Fu.

The autumn-colored drapery that Liu lived here was removed and replaced with an indigo plain silk drapery. The two pairs of four-headed official hat chairs opposite the kang have been removed, replaced with a long high table, and the four hanging screens on the wall have been replaced by four calligraphy scrolls that Ah Fu himself bought back in Anyang. There is a pot of daffodils on the high table, and the daffodils are in full bloom at this time, with white petals and yellow stamens, on top of a cluster of emerald green, exuding wisps of fragrance.

Ah Fu hadn't slept yet, he was sitting at the kang table with a book reading. His girl Yuanhong was on a low stool under the kang, using the light to sort out the kung fu that Ah Fu would use to practice tomorrow morning.

Qiu Chen came in with a curtain, and what she saw was such a scene, her eyes were instantaneous, and Yuan Hong had already stood up knowingly, bent her knees and saluted, but did not make a sound.

Qiu Chen nodded, slowly walked behind Ah Fu, looked over Ah Fu's thin shoulders, and saw that Ah Fu was holding a copy of "Dongpo Teze" and reading it with taste, and he didn't even notice that Qiu Chen walked in front of him.

"Okay, what a Wenzhong Gong...... It's really wonderful...... "Ah Fu saw the rise of the case, and couldn't help but admire.

However, before his praise was finished, he heard a chuckle on his side, turned his head to see that it was his mother, immediately blushed, hurriedly put down the book in his hand, and got up to salute.

Qiu Chen stepped forward, sat next to Ah Fu on the edge of the kang, stretched out his hand to hold Ah Fu, took the books on the kang table, and said with a smile: "This is the new book you bought with Chengzi?" ”

As he gets older, Ah Fu is being held by his mother less and less, and at this time he is held in Qiu Chen's arms, although he feels warm, he can't help but be a little shy, and he said, "Yes......"

"Well, Su Shi's article is extremely well written, you can take a good look. However, it's getting late, and you have to get up early tomorrow to exercise in the morning, so you should rest on time? Staying up late, Ming'er is not energetic when he gets up early. Qiu Chen smiled and sighed, and then taught gently.

Ah Fu nodded again and again, Qiu Chen wanted to take him to wash, but he handed him over to Yuan Hong and the Zhao family, and let them wait for Ah Fu to wash and rest.

Qiu Chen didn't leave, he picked up Ah Fu's "Dongpo Teze" and read it, and after reading a small text, Ah Fu also walked out of the ear room after washing. Qiu Chen pulled the quilt that had been placed and let Ah Fu lie down, sat next to him and tucked the corner of the quilt for him, said a few words softly, and watched Ah Fu gradually feel sleepy, so he walked out lightly.

Zhao and Yuanhong sent her to the second room, and Qiu Chen whispered: "Fu'er sleeps peacefully at night, but sometimes he gets up in the second half of the night, you should be vigilant, and after waking up at night, give him half a cup of warm water." After Ming'er gets up early, he also drinks a glass of warm honey water and then lets him get up! ”

Zhao and Yuanhong agreed, and Qiu Chen then turned back to the eastern room to settle.

The Chen family routinely brought a cup of medicine, waited for Qiu Chen to drink it, and rinsed his mouth with warm water, and then said with a smile: "Mrs. sleep at ease, the Zhao family and the Wei family are careful and will take care of the young lady and the young master." ”

Qiu Chen nodded, went to the ear room again, and turned back to see that Aman was sleeping peacefully and sweetly, and then turned back to go to bed.

The children went out of the first night, she slept unsteadily all night, always felt empty around her, woke up at night and always subconsciously touched the position around her, every time she touched the emptiness, only to remember that the children had been separated from the gang to sleep alone, it was inevitable to sigh again, sigh a few times, and then go to sleep.

If it was a night, naturally I didn't sleep well, at the end of the second day, Fu'er Man'er got up to go to morning exercise, the two little ones were in good spirits, Qiu Chen looked haggard and sleepy, but he still stood up, watched the children wash and go out, and then turned back.

Yufeng comforted in a low voice: "Mrs. didn't sleep well at night, let's sleep a little longer!" ”

Qiu Chen also felt very sleepy, and it was still early, so he didn't insist, went to bed again, and slept again, and when he opened his eyes again, the sky was already bright. Qiu Chen turned his head to look at the kang cabinet, and the time on the table clock showed that it was already the beginning of the morning, and the children should also come back.

She hurriedly got up, just walked into the ear room to wash, and before she could come out, she heard a sound of footsteps rushing in, followed by Aman's crisp little voice shouting loudly: "Mother, mother, my master is here!" ”

Man'er's master? Isn't that the old man Mu? Last year, he quietly abducted Aman, and he came back for almost a year, and now Old Man Mu came again, do you want to abduct Aman again?