In the lobby of the Splendid Hall, the first thing that catches your eye is a row of red sandalwood carved cloud dragon cabinets, which are neatly placed with various colors of silk and satin. The unparalleled red silk of the Splendid Hall is in a large cabinet on the top floor, which is firmly locked with a gold lock. The key to the golden lock is usually only held by Hongcui, the personal maid next to the son, and ordinary people can't see the red silk at all.

On this day, it is just in time for the temple fair held once a month on Shuiximen Street. Shuiximen is the first downtown street in Jiangning, at this time, the street is full of people coming and going. Jinxiutang is even more noisy, close to the end of the year, rich people and rich people have to put a few clothes to wear. A good satin on the countertop is naturally expensive, but it's a pity that some leftovers are thrown away. So, Hongcui put these useless leftovers in a large vat, next to which was a large copper box, which looked quite like a temple treasure box, with a copper toad cast on it, with a wide open mouth. If there is a leftover material that catches your eye, you can throw a few copper coins into it as much as you want.

At this time, the squire and landlord covered in silk and satin carefully picked the good silk on the counter, and a group of women in coarse linen clothes surrounded by the big box, scooping up the corners of cloth into their arms. In the lobby, some guys were busy going, and a gentleman behind the counter crackled and pulled the abacus and buried himself in the accounts.

Hongcui wore a bead on her head, dressed in a red robe with dark flowers, and walked out of the inner room with a bell. People who knew Hongcui shouted Hongcui girl repeatedly. Hongcui agreed with a smile, flirting with acquaintances from time to time: "Oh, isn't this the shopkeeper Zhou, I heard that you married Mrs. 36 yesterday." Look at your little body, you have to be careful, don't be really hurt by these wolf-like little ladies one day. ”

The old man named Shopkeeper Zhou stroked his white beard and said tremblingly: "Where, where, old man, I still have a little hard work, not to mention the thirty-sixth room, even the ninety-sixth room, I will take care of it." However, how can my women who are not on the stage compare with the red and green girls, they are not as fragrant as the girls on their toes. ”

Hongcui smiled, patted her bamboo shoot-like hand on the waist of the shopkeeper Zhou, and said delicately: "Look at what you said, look at this material, it is a new pattern that came out yesterday, but the best weaver of our Jinxiutang spent half a year to do it, and I took it home to make a red embroidered skirt for my aunts and wives, which is beautiful." ”

Shopkeeper Zhou, who was patted on the ground, could barely stand on his feet, and said with a smile: "What the girl says is what she wants, I want all of these." ”

Seeing that her goal had been achieved, Miss Hongcui turned to another middle-aged man: "My aunt, isn't this the Tang family's Young Master Tang, which gust of wind blew you over." Eh, my aunt, looking at your face full of spring breeze, you must have made a fortune from a dead man, right? I heard that there is an ancient tomb in Tangzi Lane that has been dug up, it can't be done by your people, right? ”

Young Master Tang smiled and replied with a dry cough: "Look at Miss Hongcui's mouth, I am willing to bow to the wind, and I have to honor Miss Hongcui with a few good silks, and the girl will spare me." ”

Hongcui nodded smugly, and her demeanor became more and more calm. Seeing the prosperity of the entire Jinxiu Hall, Hongcui was overjoyed. Father is not pro, mother is not pro, only white flowers and silver pro, this is the death of Hongcuida since birth. In this life, she can't do anything, she just can't live without silver.

Suddenly, there was a commotion from outside. Hongcui didn't have time to tell where the voice came from, and at first glance, a bunch of black-clothed people suddenly appeared on the beams of the house, under the eaves, and behind the lion's head. These people are dressed in black, with black hats and black boots, and a black triangular scarf around their faces.

Hongcui secretly screamed that it was not good, I don't know where to steal these wild cubs, and they make trouble in Jinxiu Hall in broad daylight.

Armed with knives, forks, axes, and weapons, these black-clothed men surrounded the lobby of the Splendid Hall, and surrounded Hongcui and a group of guests in the center of the circle. One of them, a slightly taller black one, came out and gave an order: "Those who have been wronged have revenge, those who have revenge have revenge, and those who have no grievances should hurry up and get out of here." The master is going to kill here today and burn down the Splendid Hall. ”

After a long time, it turned out that Jinxiutang was robbed. At this time, most of the guests reacted. Among them, the shopkeeper Zhou, who is an old bone, is quite righteous, and walks over with steady steps to give the big black man a set: "I said that this black master who doesn't know whose surname is, the old man, I am the boss of the first authority in Jiangning, and I have a lot of dealings with the Hongcui girl of this family." Why don't you look at Lao Er's thin face, let Miss Hongcui give you some silver taels to make money for running away, and you will let Jinxiutang go! ”

The big black man didn't know whether it was from his nose or mouth, and then kicked the back buttocks of the shopkeeper Zhou, and only kicked the shopkeeper Zhou from the center of the circle to the door: "Smoke your grandfather, if you know each other, hurry up and get out of the house, don't toast and don't eat and drink, you can't help but come up wild, and light your sky lantern as a candle." ”

At this time, the shopkeeper Zhou was honest, and a group of guests were also honest, and they drilled out of the gate of the Splendid Hall with a pale face. This time, Jinxiutang only left Hongcui and a group of buddies. The guys had never seen this meeting, and they were all so scared that their legs cramped. The guy is timid, but Hongcui is not afraid. I saw Hongcui trembling in spirit, and stepped forward to ask, "You big black man, you don't have a face at all." I don't know where you came from, but you dare to make trouble in Jinxiutang, I think you are tired of being crooked. I'm in a good mood today, girl, I'll give you three or five dollars to buy a cup of tea for my brothers, you get out of here, don't disturb the girl's fun. ”

In any case, Jinxiutang is also quite famous in Jiangning, and the average thief has already known and left after hearing this. But the big black man smiled, stepped forward and twisted Hongcui's small waist, stared at the big eyes of the copper bell and shouted: "Brother is here to stir up trouble today, don't say that you are three or five dollars, even three or five hundred taels of silver, brother will not appreciate it." There's no way, the brothers are also taking people's money and eliminating disasters for others, so you can ask for your own blessings and get out of the house while you are young. ”

As soon as she heard that people wanted her own life, Hongcui immediately smiled like a flower, leaned on the shoulder of the big black man and said, "Father, look at what you said, do you want money, isn't there a little lady." She blinked and threw a wink.

How do you know that the big black man doesn't eat this set, he shook his hand and pushed away Hongcui's face, and shouted viciously: "Don't come to this set, the master is a eunuch and doesn't like women." ”

This time, Hongcui is out of line. She twisted around, raised her leg and kicked hard under the big black man's crotch. The big black man couldn't bear it, and screamed in pain and threw down Hongcui. Hongcui scolded, go to your prison. After that, she shouted: "Big brother and second brother come quickly, someone has eaten my tofu!" ”

She shouted, and sure enough, Bodhi and dark incense poured in from the martial arts hall. The big black man was still squatting, his face was blue and white for a while, he pointed to Hongcui and stammered, "I still have tofu, I have been eaten by her." Brothers, don't be soft-hearted, you set fire to the Splendid Hall. ”

The big black man shouted, and the black boys snorted, jumping up and down like monkeys untying their ropes, searching everywhere. Although Bodhi and Dark Incense have worked hard, the other party is outnumbered, and there are some losses. Seeing that these black-clothed men smashed the golden lock with their axes and snatched the top layer of red silk in their hands, the big black man threw out a few fire folds, and the fire folds spread out separately towards the hall. When the silk saw the fire, it burned, and it began to burn with a whirring and shouting. The fire spread rapidly and the smoke was smoky. Seeing that their goal had been achieved, the men in black whistled and fled in all directions. The men finally came to their senses, but when they saw that the fire had become a prairie fire, and that they were either roasted or burned as firewood, they also shouted and hurried away.