Not long after Zhang Huan went to Chaozhong, Pei Ying also went out immediately.

Persuading the farmer, Pei Ying got off the carriage, she stared at this gold-lettered signboard for a long time, and wondered what this woman who had been famous in the capital for a long time looked like?

An orchid greeted her with a smile, "May I ask Madame if she is looking for someone or a meal?" ”

The maid Xiaoqiu immediately came up and said, "My wife is."

Pei Ying raised her hand to stop her words, "I'm coming to find your proprietor Jing Niang, she sent me an invitation in the morning." ”

As she spoke, Pei Ying gently unfolded the invitation card in her hand, and Hu Ji recognized the invitation card specially used by the proprietor at that time, she did not dare to slack off, and immediately respectfully invited Pei Ying to the third floor.

"Please sit down for a moment, the proprietor says she will come at once."

The charcoal fire in the room is burning, very warm, Pei Ying took off her coat and looked at this room, this does not seem to be an elegant room for eating, but a bit like a study, elegantly furnished, exquisite items, showing the carefulness and softness of women everywhere, but there is a picture on the wall of a picture of thousands of miles from Rong, painting a general leading tens of millions of Tang Army soldiers to the west, it is this picture and the mood of the room is incompatible, Pei Ying stood under the painting and watched for a long time.

"You think there's a picture of a lady here, right?" A soft voice came from behind her, Pei Ying turned around, but found that a person came out of the back room, she was wearing a red dress, slightly powdered, lightly touched her lips, her hair was simply tied in a bun at the back, she looked about twenty years old, very beautiful, especially her eyes. It turned out to be blue.

Pei Ying was careful and sensitive with a woman, and she could see that she had just removed her makeup and changed her clothes.

"You're Jing Niang!" Pei Ying said calmly: "I am Zhang Huan's wife, Pei Ying. ”

After Jing Niang sent the letter away in the morning, she dressed up carefully for two hours, and as soon as she finished her makeup, a lady came to report at the door that a lady was looking for her, and she was holding her invitation.

Through the window, Jing Niang saw Zhang Huan's personal guards, needless to say, the person who came must be Zhang Huan's wife Pei Ying, she was surprised and nervous, she didn't know what Pei Ying's arrival meant, of course, if she wanted to marry Zhang Huan as a concubine. Without Pei Ying's nod, she wouldn't have been able to enter the door of the Zhang family.

After washing up the lead and changing out of her costume, she decided to face the upcoming big exam with a true self.

Although Jing Niang has been famous in Chang'an for a long time, in terms of identity, she is just a commoner, far from being compared with the princess of Zhangye County, she stepped forward and gave a deep salute, "Jing Niang see Mrs. ”

"You're welcome!" When Pei Ying saw her knowing the courtesy, the anger in her heart faded slightly, and a smile appeared on her pretty face. The tone also softened a lot, "It's really indecent to call you the proprietor, I'll call you Jingniang!" ”

"Don't dare, ma'am, please take a seat."

Jing Niang invited Pei Ying to sit down, and ordered the maid to offer tea, she pointed to the painting on the wall and said: "This is Tianbao Gao Xianzhi West Expedition to Shiguo, and my father is one of the pawns." ”

Pei Ying nodded, "It turns out that you are the queen of the Long March." Disrespectful. ”

The two exchanged a few words of greetings and chatted about some Western customs, and the two gradually became familiar with each other, and Pei Ying saw that the time had come. She took out Jing Niang's invitation, put it on the table and pushed it over, Jing Niang's face turned red, and she apologized loudly, "This matter is Jing Niang's abruptness, please atone for your sins." ”

"It's nothing, I came here today to find out the situation first. ^Pei Ying stared at her. smiled shallowly: "How long has Jing Niang known my family?" ”

Jing Niang sighed softly. "It's a long story, I used to be a wine seller in a small wine shop. When I first met Zhang Dudu, he went to Beijing to take the exam, and happened to live opposite my small wine shop, and later funded by him, I opened a wine shop in Pingkangfang, and the business was prosperous, but it was forcibly robbed, Zhang Dudu bought this persuading farmhouse and let me run it single-handedly. ”

Pei Ying was stunned, it turned out that this persuading farmhouse was actually bought by Zhang Huan, and he had never said it to himself, but he was surprised and surprised, and she still maintained a polite smile on her face.

But she secretly thought in her heart: It turned out that she knew that she was sick not long after herself, and they were all old people.

Pei Ying's original intention of coming today was to test Jing Niang, she really wanted to marry Zhang Huan, or just to play on the spot and find a backer, now that she understands that Jing Niang is also an old person, it means that she really wants to marry Zhang Huan, and it can be seen from this that her husband still respects himself and did not marry her into the house without authorization, thinking of this, Pei Ying's anger disappeared most, Zhang Huan's temper she knows very well, it is too nostalgic, he lived in Taiyuan Zhang's dilapidated furniture and items, he still collects it as a treasure, and the dumb uncle of Daming Palace is old, he also took the dumb uncle from the palace to Longyou two years ago and gave him a good day, and this Jing Niang is estimated to be one of his old lovers, this matter is not easy to do!

Pei Ying lowered her head and pondered for a moment, and said frankly: "I thought that with Jing Niang's current reputation and status, I would never be a concubine, but if you really want to marry and go sick, I can also promise you to enter my house, but my ugly words have to be said in front, you can only commit to being a concubine, and you must give up your identity as the proprietor of the farmhouse and wait for the man at home with peace of mind, do you understand?" ”

Jing Niang nodded silently, she raised her head and looked into Pei Ying's eyes and said: "I have the blood of the Hu people, and I have been married early, I don't care about any status, and I don't have anything to be a concubine, but Zhang Dudu promised me that I can still run a restaurant in the future." ”

"Absolutely not!" Without waiting for Jing Niang to finish speaking, Pei Ying categorically refused, "Going to the sick is a dignified military department Shangshu and Tongzhongshu Menxia Pingzhang, how can his wife and concubine be on the street, frankly speaking, if it weren't for the fact that you are his old man, I would not have agreed to him marry a woman who runs a restaurant as a concubine, there is no choice, either enter my mansion and be a wife with peace of mind, or continue to be your landlord of the farmhouse." ”

"But Zhang Dudu" It is useless for him to promise you, I am his wife, and I am in charge of this family, and I will never give in to matters in principle. ”

Perhaps feeling that his words were a little heavy, Pei Ying softened her tone and said earnestly: "Jing Niang, you are also an experienced woman, you should know that the court is sinister, and you are in a high position at such a young age, how many people will not be convinced by him, if he loses the battle, or kills a handful of people, it is nothing, and others will not dare to slander him because of this, but if his wife and concubine are smiling and selling wine in the restaurant, it will be completely different, not only will the scholars impeach him for disrespecting etiquette, but the people will also laugh at him for his untidy backyard, Even his soldiers will not be able to raise their heads because of their commander, which will ruin his reputation and affect his future, so I cannot promise you, please understand my painstaking efforts, and please forgive me for being ruthless. ”

With that, Pei Ying stood up and bowed deeply to Jing Niang.

Jing Niang was silent, although she has half Han blood, although she has lived in Chang'an for many years, but she is still a orchid with a flamboyant personality in her bones, she never thinks that a woman must live in a simple place when she marries, and she can't have her own career, so many years she has become the proprietor and shopkeeper of one of the three major restaurants in Chang'an step by step from a wine seller, she has fallen deeply in love with her career, of course, she hopes to get a belonging, but the premise of this belonging is not to affect her career, Zhang Huan also agreed to her.

But now Pei Ying's decision makes her have no choice, will she choose to marry Zhang Huan and give up her career? No! If that were the case, she would rather marry an ordinary person, at least she would still be free.

Slowly, Jing Niang's head rose, her eyes became unusually bright and resolute, she tore the invitation card in her hand into pieces, and said with a slight smile: "Madam, I'm sorry for the trouble I caused you, this incident is as if it never happened." ”

Pei Ying also smiled, she liked such a woman, decisive and reasonable, she stood up and said sincerely to Jing Niang: "Although we can't be sisters, I hope we can become friends, if you have any difficulties, just come to me, I will try my best to help you." ”

Jing Niang nodded, and said with some emotion: "Zhang Huan can marry you as a wife, it's really his blessing, don't worry, I'm going to Jiuquan tomorrow, I want to open a branch there, I haven't been in Chang'an for the past month or two, Zhang Huan will leave a letter to him, and I won't drag you in." ”

Solved the matter of Jing Niang, Pei Ying's heart finally let go, she saw that the time was not early, so she got into the carriage and hurried back to the house, she still has a lot of things to do, to prepare things for the New Year, to send red envelopes to the people in the house, but also to prepare gifts for Zhang Huan to send to Longyou, to the home of his officials, to show New Year's condolences, and her mother-in-law is going to enter Beijing in the next two days, she has to simply arrange a Taoist room for her in the house, all kinds of things, she has to worry, it is difficult to be a wife, It is more difficult to be a wife who is helpful to her husband, and since ancient times, it has been the same.