After some talking, Guo Shao became interested in Mrs. Chen. Not only because she took the initiative to ask for a dowry, but also because her family's business was in Youzhou, Liao, and she had a grudge against the Khitans...... This information quickly turned into an idea in Guo Shao's heart: to explore the geography and military situation of the Liao State in detail through the Chen family's trade contacts.

But after all, I don't know much about Mrs. Chen's details, and some business dealings are not very important, but if it involves military affairs, Guo Shao is still more cautious. For a while, he didn't mention anything else, so he discussed the matter of arranging the dowry, and then said goodbye to each other.

…… Guo Shao returned home and told Yulian about today's events, so that she could feel at ease.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Guo Shao was greatly surprised by what Yang said next to her, she said: "Chen Jiali, isn't it Zhou Ehuang's cousin?" ”

"Emperor Zhou E is the eldest daughter of Zhou Zong of the Southern Tang Dynasty?" Guo Shao couldn't help but ask.

Yang nodded and said: "Exactly, Emperor Zhou E is very famous in the Southern Tang Kingdom, her name is Zhou Xian, and Emperor E is her word." When Huainan was not fighting before, Emperor Zhou E repaired the "Neon Clothes and Feather Clothes Song" in Yangzhou, and also sent people to exchange letters with me to talk about this song. ”

When it comes to Emperor Zhou E, of course Guo Shao knows that it is the famous "Queen of the Great Zhou"! However, now the lord of the Southern Tang Dynasty is still Li Jing, and Emperor Zhou E has just married Li Jing's son not long ago, and he is far from being crowned. This woman is not only famous in this era, but also famous thousands of years later, even people like Guo Shao, who know little about history and only stay in textbooks and films...... Of course, Da Zhouhou is not as famous as her sister Xiao Zhouhou; Xiao Zhouhou became famous in later generations but it was not what she wanted, she was humiliated by Song Taizong and painted to commemorate it, and she was really humiliated by Song Taizong for a thousand years.

Guo Shao sighed when he heard this: "I really didn't know that you also had dealings with the people in the Southern Tang Palace. It is said that Emperor Zhou E is talented, can sing and dance and compose poetry, since she will write to you to talk about music, then Yue'e (Yang'e) is also famous in the Southern Tang Kingdom? And also a talented girl? ”

Yang's cheeks flushed slightly, and he said softly: "If the concubine is not famous at all, how can she be sent here and there by those people?" It's just that his fame is not as big as that of Emperor Zhou E. Of course, I also know the rhythm of singing and dancing...... It's just that the master is not good at this, as soon as he sees me, he doesn't say a word, and he tosses people to the point that his skeleton is scattered, where do I still have the strength to dance and play music? Besides, who am I jumping to see and who am I playing? ”

Guo Shao sighed after hearing this, and said: "In this way, I am really a tyrannical thing and a waste of your talent. I don't know much about that rhythm and dance, I'm just a layman. ”

Yang smiled lightly: "It's okay, the master's talent is not here." Those talents and rhythms are just things to play in their spare time, and those who know how to play are reluctant to avenge me; As soon as Yangzhou was attacked, they sent me back and forth like a plaything...... The soldiers were half dead in front of the army, and the beauties were still singing and dancing. What's the point? ”

She was right, Guo Shao really doesn't have much interest in singing and dancing talent now, it takes too much time and effort; The love for beauty itself is an exception, it is completely biological instinct. With that idle time, he has always been worried about the Northern Expedition and how he will deal with himself if Zhao Kuangyin gains power in the future.

However, Guo Shao was still very interested in Mrs. Chen, so he said: "Will Chen Jiali be a person with the same name and surname?" Since she is Zhou Xian's cousin and a relative of Zhou Zong, the minister of the Southern Tang Dynasty, how can she be a businessman? ”

Yang said: "The Chen Jiali I know is from a merchant family. She is not Zhou Xian's cousin, and I don't know what kind of relationship it is...... In short, Zhou Xian's maternal uncle's family is the Chen family. The Chen family is a powerful family, and the family that moved south from the north to settle in Yangzhou has many branches; Chen Jiali's family is one of them.

Although the Chen family married the minister, the clansmen below were not necessarily rich and noble. Like Chen Jiali's family, if it can be a big businessman, it can be regarded as a good family and a prosperous vein. Merchants are nothing, several major salt and iron merchants in the Southern Tang Kingdom are royal relatives and nobles, if they can have money, who cares about how the money comes from, as long as it is clean. ”

Guo Shao nodded and said, "Since it is a big family, as long as I confirm that the Chen family is a relative of Zhou Zong, the minister of the Southern Tang Kingdom, Chen Jiali should have no problem." The Southern Tang Kingdom was hostile to the Great Zhou Dynasty in the past, because the monarchs and ministers of the Southern Tang Kingdom often had the ambition of the Northern Expedition to attack the Central Plains; But now that Huainan has changed hands, the Southern Tang Kingdom has no strength to threaten the Great Zhou at all, and the relationship is repairing quickly.

A while ago, I learned that the official family in the court had written a letter to Li Jing, the lord of Jiangnan, urging him to move the capital from Jinling, "I have decided with Jiangnan and righteousness, but I am worried that future generations will not be able to accommodate the lord of Jiangnan. 'The two countries are harmonious, and there is no need for the Southern Tang Kingdom to be an enemy of the Great Zhou. ”

After hearing this, Yang said: "Didn't the master get a Southern Tang official named Zhou Duan?" He is a member of the Zhou family, and he may also know the Chen family, why doesn't the master ask Zhou Duan? ”

Guo Shao thought it was good, so he sent people to the outer courtyard to find relatives and soldiers to Xuzhou to spread the message, because Zhou Duan is now placed in Xuzhou (Zhongwu Festival makes the town festival). Guo Shao previously wanted to establish a staff office in Xuzhou, but it has not been implemented, and Zhou Duan is now idle; I heard that I live in Xuzhou quite peacefully, and there is no sign of running.

He found Jing Niang again, asked her about buying the market eyeline, and handed over the matter of inquiring about the businessman Jia Chen's family to Jing Niang to find a way.

…… A few days later, Zhou Duan rushed to Tokyo, and after meeting, he said that the Chen family did have a girl named Chen Jiali, who was very beautiful, so she was famous among the big clans in Yangzhou.

Guo Shaoyi pondered: The head of the Shen family died and married his wife, and it was better to continue to marry with the Li family of the three families and have less trouble; But he insisted on continuing Mrs. Chen, and it can be speculated that Mrs. Chen is beautiful and matches what Zhou Duan said. A lot of news can be screwed together, and Guo Shao feels that Mrs. Chen's identity is more credible.

At this time, he thought of the most simple and direct way and asked Yang: "Have you seen Chen Jiali?" ”

Yang said: "I met a few times when I was in Yangzhou. ”

Guo Shao immediately decided to let the Yang family and Mrs. Chen recognize each other directly, if they do, then Mrs. Chen will be more reliable...... He cleared his consideration again: if Mrs. Chen is the cousin of Zhou Xian, the "Great Zhou Hou", then she is a person with a name, surname and status in the Southern Tang Dynasty; The Southern Tang Kingdom and the Great Zhou Dynasty had no hostile relations, and even the monarchs of the two countries gradually got better enough to wear a pair of pants, and the Zhou Dynasty Emperor Chai Rong also helped Li Jing come up with ideas and took the initiative to connive at Li Jing to repair the fortifications for the sake of the foundation of his descendants. The monarchs are like this, and there is no need for the Chen family, a big family that moved south to Yangzhou, to be hostile to the Zhou Dynasty.

Since the Chen clan used to be a big clan in the Southern Tang Kingdom, it had nothing to do with the Khitan people in the north. In this way, Guo Shao can rely on his status as a high-ranking military general to carry out mutually beneficial cooperation with the favorable channel of Chen's "multinational business group".

In order to make friends, Mrs. Chen did not hesitate to lose profits to show her goodwill, and Guo Shao had no reason to refuse at all.

Guo Shao instigated Yang to exchange letters with Mrs. Chen. By mid-March, Mrs. Chen had sent an invitation to Guo's mansion; Invite Guo Shao and his concubine Yang to his Tokyo annex as a guest, and she will prepare a banquet for hospitality.

Guo Shao happily replied, pushing the boat down the river, and wanted to take this opportunity to reach substantial cooperation progress with Mrs. Chen.

Mrs. Chen's residence in Tokyo is located in the west of the inner city, between Zhengmen and Liangmen, on the banks of the Bianhe River. It is not so lively in comparison, and only the Xihuamen area is very prosperous in the west of the city, but it is very quiet when it crosses the Bianhe River in the south...... Because the handicraft area, business district, and hostel area in the inner city are all in the east city.

Guo Shao took a team of people and rode over, only to see that this side was mainly residential, and there were few bustling and noisy commercial streets. For a while, I felt that Mrs. Chen was very good at choosing places, and the land price was cheap and she had a quiet environment.

When I went to the mansion, I saw that the door was open, but there was only one person in the door, and that was Aunt Sun. There was no warm welcome at all, and there seemed to be few people in sight in the deserted courtyard. Aunt Sun didn't call General Guo, but said: "The distinguished guest and old friend are here, and the concubine is not welcome." Distinguished guests, please. ”

Guo Shao beckoned his entourage to come in, and then saw two slaves in the porter step forward to lead the horses and lead the guards to tie the horses. Guo Shao, Jing Niang, and Yang followed Aunt Sun inside.

Aunt Sun said while leading the way: "This house is Madame's private property, and there are not many people; It is also inconvenient for the lady to go out to see each other. The etiquette is a little negligent, and I hope that the guests will have a lot of seas. ”

Guo Shao said with a smile: "I am not very honored to be invited by Mrs. Chen, Yue'e and I don't have to care too much about those vulgar courtesies." ”

After passing the wall, you will see a courtyard full of flowers and plants, and the front few large houses come into view between the treetops. Aunt Sun brought Guo Shao and the others to the hall, only to see that the room was very spacious, and it was a little empty. However, it was spotlessly clean, and the floor was not tiled like that of a hallway, but wooden planks; The chairs and tables are also made of unpainted wood. The monotonous and simple colors make this place look quiet, elegant and pure.

It is really rare for a merchant mansion in this world to look like this.

Aunt Sun invited Guo Shao to take a seat and stood aside. Guo Shao and Yang saw that there were futons next to a few cases, but there were no stools and chairs, so they had to find a place to kneel and sit down, and Jing Niang stood next to him and was reluctant to sit.

In the previous invitation, it was said that there would be a banquet and hospitality, but now there are no dishes, wine, or even tea. Guo Shao was naturally inconvenient to ask people what they wanted to eat, so he chatted with Yang for a few words, pretending not to care.

At this moment, I heard a cool and soft voice say: "I told General Guo and 'Mrs. Yang' to wait for a long time, and the concubine waited for the spring water to boil, and it was delayed for a while." ”

Guo Shao turned his head to look when he heard the sound, and saw a woman wearing a plain skirt and carrying a wooden plate and sand pot coming from the inner door. However, her face was actually covered with a gauze scarf, but it was useless, the translucent veil could not cover anything, and sure enough, the hypocritical person always had to take something to make a look.

"Ah, Mrs. Chen, I really saw you in Tokyo." Yang was pleasantly surprised, "How do you serve tea yourself?" ”