- Compared to the wealth and prosperity of the northern district, the southern part of Kyoto is a shanty town.

It's not that Mo Ye hasn't been to Nancheng District before, but after a year, seeing that the situation in this civilian settlement area has not only not become brighter, but has fallen a lot, compared with those shops in Beicheng District, the gap between the same city is so big, it still makes people sigh secretly.

The old house is located in the fifth lane of Linhu Road in the south city.

There are far more than five forks in the alley near the lake, and when viewed vertically, it looks like many branches have grown on a single branch. However, the chaotic structure of the shantytowns and tiled houses near the alley has blurred the path of the originally open road near the lake, and the dead leaves everywhere are often not cleaned in time, painting the road with a dull tone, and the clothesline is more like a spider web spread on the dilapidated houses.

But despite this, Mo Ye still easily found the location of the old house not long after stepping into Linhu Road.

After all, it is the foundation of some years left by the ancestors, and although this old mansion is dilapidated, the house frame can still support it. Different from the wooden structure of the shantytown, the old house is a more rigorous brick structure, and also has a small two-story attic, which is also a standout in the shantytown of Nancheng.

In front of the old house, a fence net was woven with strips, which was barely a yard, but it was about enough to surround the nest of reed chickens raised inside. The height of the fence can only reach the shoulders of people, and it is impossible to block people.

Mo Ye stood outside the fence courtyard, and she could see the situation in the courtyard clearly at a glance, and she was a little hesitant. Last night. When the master mentioned the old gentleman in this house, her expression was solemn, so she also had a preconceived idea that the old gentleman she was going to consult today must have something special, but the scene that fell into her eyes at this time did not reveal the decline and decay.

Or look at this matter from another angle, if this old gentleman is really a capable person respected by the master, why did he see that he had fallen here, but he didn't reach out to help?

Even this old gentleman who has not yet met is arrogant. I would rather live on my own feet and live in poverty. But since he is a capable veteran in managing accounts, he will not be unable to find a decent job in Kyoto, which is half agricultural and half business.

Could it be that you have found the wrong portal?

Seeing that Mo Ye was standing in front of the fence courtyard for a long time and did not act, Yuan Dayong, who was standing on the side, was a little anxious and couldn't hold back. finally couldn't help but speak: "The second master." Why haven't you gone in yet? ”

He spoke up. Without waiting for Mo Ye to respond, a yellow-haired thin dog jumped out of the half-hidden gate in the house and barked at the three people standing outside the fence.

Yuan Dayong saw this. He was about to wave his arms to drive away, but he was held down by Wu Erwa beside him, and said in a deep voice: "We are not here to fight." ”

Mo Ye had already collected her thoughts, looking at the thin dog that was close at hand, her eyebrows moved slightly, she turned sideways slightly, and her right hand suddenly reached into Yuan Dayong's arms, like an eight-claw hook, accurately and quickly pulled out an oiled paper bag he hid in his arms.

There are two snow-white, round stuffed meat buns in the oil-paper bag, because Wu Dayong's body temperature is maintained, and it has not cooled down when taken out, so naturally there is a trace of aroma overflowing.

Mo Ye took one and threw it to the skinny dog, and the other one was wrapped in oiled paper and returned to Yuan Dayong.

Yuan Dayong showed an embarrassed look on his face, took the oil paper bag, and put it back in his arms with some hesitation. Wu Erwa, who was beside him, smiled at this time, and said jokingly: "Dayong, you are not as poor as you used to eat the last meal and not the next meal, why hasn't this old problem of hiding alone has changed at all?" ”

"I like it, can you handle it?" Yuan Dayong glared.

……

"Hu's Workshop?" Concubine De raised her eyebrows slightly, "That's a big factory that ranks fourth among the five major workshops in Kyoto." How could they make such a gadget? ”

"Because this batch of straws is for the use of His Royal Highness the Second Prince. Other than that. The palace people on the eldest princess's side also had to procure some, so they appointed the Hu family workshop to make it. The production and processing technology of straw is not complicated, and it can be made in small workshops. But only those produced by the Hu family's workshop dared to purchase them and serve them for His Highness. When Aja said this, he seemed to remember another thing, and after a slight pause, he hurriedly added: "However, the Hu Workshop's errand is not without any income. Whenever the palace finishes purchasing these fine things, the owner of the Hu Fang will sell the remaining part to several teahouses in Kyoto at a high price, because the quality and honor rely on the afterglow of His Royal Highness the Prince, the owner of the Hu Fang will naturally collect a good price. ”

Concubine De couldn't help but smile when she heard Aja's words come to this point: "It's just something made of wheat straw, how high can it be sold for?" Besides, do Kyoto residents get used to borrowing this little thing to drink tea? ”

"The mother calmed her anger and let the cheap slave say something disrespectful. In fact, this is also His Majesty's holy decree in front, all the people and the family, must not rely on the royal status to bear the interests of the people, no matter what, you must not let the merchants who do things for the palace do loss-making business. With this errand, the owner of Hu Fang borrowed some of the glory of His Royal Highness the prince to earn back the capital, which was barely counted within the rules. When the eunuch Ajia said this, he couldn't help but raise his eyelids slightly, and quietly glanced at Concubine De's face at this time. Seeing that her face was still calm, he added: "As for whether the residents of Kyoto are used to this wheat pipe, the cheap slave also asked the owner of Hu Fang curiously, and explained in his words that the sales of this small thing in Kyoto are not bad, otherwise there would not be so many small workshops in mass production." Presumably...... I guess Kyoto residents are used to it. ”

"Oh......" Concubine De groaned and said leisurely: "Listen to what you just said, Huayang Palace, and the princess are all using this kind of thing, it seems that only this palace has not known about it?" ”

The eunuch Ajia was slightly stunned when he heard this, but soon he came back to his senses and hurriedly explained: "Niangniang is angry, because this kind of thing is ...... When I used it, I more or less damaged Yayi, so ......"

Aja was extremely careful at the beginning of his speech, for fear of giving Concubine De the slightest reason for anger, but unconsciously, he still said it to a dead end. Is it indecent to use a straw? Concubine De can't lose her posture, so His Royal Highness the Second Prince doesn't need posture? Princesses don't need it anymore?

Aja's tone of voice gradually became hesitant. Inside the soap-colored eunuch suit, cold sweat began to break out on his back.

At this moment, Wang Hong, the second prince who had been sitting quietly on the couch after moistening his throat with warm water, suddenly said loudly: "Ajia, you should retreat first." ”

When the eunuch Ajia heard that he had received amnesty, he hurriedly responded, and confessed his sin to Concubine De, so he picked up the iron kettle with a large pot of boiling water, and took the palace maid to clean up the cups on the table, and retreated from the inner room to the outer hall.

Her eyes stopped on the backs of the pair of eunuchs and palace maids going out, and Concubine De turned her face to look at Wang Hong. He smiled slightly and said, "The slave in Huayang Palace." There are some cuteness, but some places are just a bit of nonsense. ”

Wang Hong smiled lightly and said: "What the mother concubine said about nonsense refers to the matter of the son-in-law using a wheat pipe to make water?" ”

"What's ...... matter," Concubine De pointed to the position of those cups on the table just now, and said with a slightly surprised face: "Let's just talk about the nine cups of water." The mother concubine is also the first time to see Mi. ”

Wang Hong smiled suddenly. explained: "This is also the trick that those palace maids think. Sometimes Erchen suddenly feels thirsty at night. But the stove in the water room in the outer hall was all boiling water, and it couldn't be warmed for a while, and they couldn't do it like the concubine. After blowing the water cold, I thought of this solution. ”

When Concubine De heard this, her heart moved slightly, and she unconsciously thought of the palace maids in her night. In comparison, although the maids in the Xiaohuai Palace are careful with the rules everywhere, they are also a lot less interesting, so they are told to go to the left. They will never go to the right. Come to Huayang Palace today. Although she was asked to meet a few unruly inferior slaves, it also made her faintly feel that all those palace slaves in her bedroom were not like living people, but like wood.

After a moment of silence. Concubine De said thoughtfully: "It seems." These slaves. It's not that they don't know how to be cautious, and when they poured the water just now, they also knew to blanch all the cups first. ”

At this time, Wang Hong suddenly felt that the time had come. He was about to take advantage of Concubine De's loose mind at the moment to take advantage of the opportunity to say that he had a different opinion on Concubine De's proposal just now.

But at this moment, Concubine De spoke before him, but she was about to leave.

"Okay, the concubine won't disturb you here to rest more, so I'll go back." Concubine De said that she was going to turn around and go out.

Wang Hong was also about to get up to send off, at this time, Concubine De suddenly turned around, raised her sleeves and made a stopping motion, and then she instructed the two palace maids on the left and right: "The prince was injured and lost blood a few days ago, and his body is a little cold, so don't suffer from the wind and cold again, you two go to the wardrobe behind the screen to get another set of silk carpets and cover the prince." ”

The two palace maids hurriedly responded and walked towards the back of the inner room.

When Wang Hong heard this, he was secretly surprised.

In the past, when his personal maid Xiaoxing had not left Huayang Palace, he had sent her to monitor Xiaohuai Palace for a few months, so he had long known that there were two kinds of maids around Concubine De, one was an ordinary palace maid, and the other was a killing doctor with good martial arts in the last days.

He didn't know if the two palace maids ordered by Concubine De belonged to the category of martial arts, if so, it was just that with their keen awareness of the sound of people's breathing, it would be absolutely difficult for the two people hidden in the wardrobe to continue to be invisible.

The inner emotional ups and downs are too intense, and the slightest hint will inevitably be revealed on the face.

Concubine De looked at Wang Hong, who was halfway up and suddenly froze her figure, and couldn't help but ask, "Emperor, what's wrong with you?" ”

"No......" Realizing that the frightened look on his face may have been captured by Concubine De's eyes, and the spirit was too tied to the two people hidden in the closet, Wang Hong suddenly felt that his chest was stagnant, and before he could speak, a violent cough rushed to his throat, and he coughed and bowed his back.

Seeing this, Concubine De couldn't help but feel a slight pain in her heart, and hurriedly walked over, gently stroking his back and smoothing him out, while reproaching because she was worried: "Say be careful not to suffer from the cold, this is coughing, you kid...... For my mother, I'm going to worry about sleepless tonight. ”

Wang Hong wanted to say something, but the cough was too intense, and he couldn't hold it down for a while, and even the corners of his eyes were wet.

"Where's the blanket?! What are you rubbing in the back, hurry up and get it! Concubine De yelled at the two palace maids who were holding silk carpets behind the screen.

The two palace maids quickly took the blanket and came back, both of them trembling lightly, and they were a little afraid of approaching Concubine De, so they only handed the blanket over with their heads hanging very low. Concubine De didn't seem to care about any posture for the time being, and grabbed the soft silk blanket as soon as she reached out, and then helped Wang Hong lie back on the couch and covered him with two blankets.

Because there was an extra blanket, which took up some space, Concubine De didn't see a corner of the booklet that was revealed when the brocade was lifted.

When tucking the quilt for Wang Hong, Concubine De pinched the blanket, her face suddenly became annoyed again, and she said to the two palace maids who went to get the blanket just now: "I asked you to take the blanket, and you don't know how to take the thicker one?!" ”

The two palace maids shook their bodies when they were reprimanded, and they didn't dare to leak a word, and they were so frightened that they hung their already low heads deeper.

Concubine De glared at the two maids—regardless of whether they could see it at this time—and then she looked away, and called the two maids to the back.

The two palace maids who were called to take the quilt were really fast enough, and the quilt they took was thick enough, Concubine De wanted to grab the quilt in her hand as usual, but unexpectedly, the quilt was much heavier than the silk blanket, and she almost fell to the ground without holding it steadily.

She was angry again for a while, and said, "How long has this quilt not been sunburned?" It's as wet as bricks, can this be covered? Go change again! ”

With that, she threw the squarely stacked brocade out with a flick of her hand.

The two frightened palace maids who hung their heads seemed to have eyes on their foreheads. Immediately took a step forward, caught the brocade that the master threw off steadily, and then walked quickly towards the wardrobe behind the screen.

At this time, the second prince Wang Hong finally endured the cough with difficulty, and just saw the action of the two palace maids receiving the quilt, he secretly sank, and saw that these two palace maids were the kind of concubines who would know martial arts, and hurriedly opened his mouth to stop him: "No need, just cover these two layers, and it is already very warm." ”

Concubine De glanced sideways at him, and saw that he spread out his uninjured hand. And he said, "The palms of my hands are hot and sweaty." ”

Concubine De subconsciously sat down on the edge of the couch. Then she shook the hand that Wang Hong spread out towards her, and then she felt that Wang Hong's hand was hot. She was shocked, and looked up along Wang Hong's forearm, and it was also hot!

"When did you start having a fever? Can't you even feel the discomfort on your body? Concubine De first scolded Wang Hong anxiously. Then she turned her face away. He said urgently: "What are you still standing for?" Go and send the Imperial Doctor! ”――

(To be continued......)