(Tonight is the fifteenth, the old cat wishes everyone to eat well, drink well, play well-)

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Xinjiekou landmark building, Liangyou Department Store.

On the front of the towering building, a giant Ming flag hangs from the top floor.

The bright yellow satin slapped fiercely on the gray marble floor, and the fiery red dragon on it seemed to swim, pointing straight to the sky, showing the strength and pride of this empire. Everyone who passed by had a surging in their chests.

There are not many cars left in the parking lot at the entrance. drove up to Xiaoqiang's car, which immediately attracted the attention of the doorman. As soon as the car stopped, the uniformed doorman bent down and pulled the door, calling him "sir", and diligently led the way.

Xiang Xiaoqiang got out of the car, held Qiu Qiu, looked at the familiar scene around him, and sighed.

The large window of the department store, the Xinjiekou Square behind it, and the Jiangbei Fall Monument......

When I first came, I had just been released from Jinyiwei, wearing a uniform, penniless, and I was brought by Qiu Yu to buy clothes...... If it weren't for Qiuqiu, I would have to be on the streets.

When he first came to this world, he fell into the river and held the periscope of the Grasshopper, but it was Qiu Qian who risked his life to prevent the submarine from diving, and he was spared the fate of drowning from exhaustion. I really owe Qiu Yu too much.

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Qiu Yun looked at each other and smiled, both of them were emotional. It's just that it's still the same, it's just that everything has changed.

The building was draped with national flags, sandbags and anti-aircraft guns were piled up around the square, huge air-proof balloons were standing in the sky, and there were far fewer cars and people on the streets......

Xiang Xiaoqiang hugged Qiu Qiu's waist and whispered with a smile:

"I owe you a hundred bucks, don't I?"

Qiu Yu said softly "um" and said greasyly:

"You are not allowed to pay it back, I want you to owe me forever."

……

Sit on the couch in the elevator and stare around. At this time, the elevator was an out-and-out high-end piece of equipment, and only a rather luxurious place would be accessory. The four walls are not mirrored metal, as in later generations, but thick walnut wood, decorated with two small oil paintings in round frames. Above the elevator doors is a clock dial, and as the elevator moves, the hands that indicate the floor turn. The last crisp bell rang and stopped on the Roman numeral "seven".

The top floor has arrived. The two doors slowly opened, revealing a dark jewel. The noble maids in evening clothes on both sides curtsy at the same time, bowed their heads and whispered:

"Greetings to Lord and Madam."

Xiang Xiaoqiang smiled at Qiu Yu, took her arm, and slowly walked into the most luxurious place in the Ming Empire.

In the dim light, the diamonds everywhere reflect the brilliant light on the black velvet cloth lining, exuding an aura of mystery.

Xiang Xiaoqiang obviously felt Qiu Qiu's breath trembling slightly.

Alas, as soon as the girl saw these glittering things, her soul was taken away.

Liangyou Department Store was originally the most luxurious department store in the Ming Empire, and its top floor was the luxury of luxury. It was a place that resembled a private clubhouse, a place of consumption for a small circle of high society in the Ming capital, specializing in top-quality jewelry and some luxury goods. Ordinary customers can't go up to the first floor by elevator. Not to mention Xiang Xiaoqiang, Qiu Yun, who is the eldest lady of the gangster, has never been here before.

The two of them entered this private club in a daze, and they didn't understand the Tao inside. The main thing is that Xiang Xiaoqiang and Qiu Yun's two straight military uniforms dazzled people down. Xiang Xiaoqiang is an army uniform, Qiu Qian is a navy uniform, the color is dark and light, and it is a Vermilion Bird Medal, a Plum Blossom Medal, plus the small gold sword logo on the collar badge.

The lobby manager greeted him with a smile and said with a smile:

"Hehe, Lord Xiang, Miss Qiu, welcome, I've been waiting for you two to come for a long time......"

The two of them were stunned and surprised. Xiang Xiaoqiang quickly recalled that his photos had never been in the newspaper.

The manager immediately explained that it turned out that all the celebrities in Nanjing were recorded, especially those upstarts who had just risen and might become their potential customers. Like royalty, political and business tycoons, and their wives. These are "VIP customers". Of course, not long ago, Xiang Xiaoqiang and the future Mrs. Xiang were added. Just now, the supervisor below called and reported that a pair of male and female officers had come up, very young, both of them were the People's Guard's medals, the male was an army colonel, and the female was a naval lieutenant, which was very consistent with the characteristics of Xiang Xiaoqiang and Qiu Qiu. Then he personally stepped forward to receive him.

Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed that the service is like this, which is really incomparable to later generations.

Now during the war, there were few customers, and every day was a bleak business, but now Commander Xiang came with his fiancée, and the manager himself went out and led them to the top jewelry district very courteously.

The finest jewels are divided into three major pieces: Cartier in France in 1846, Tiffany & Co. in the United States in 1837, and Bulgari in Greece in 1884.

The three great jewelers of later generations are all here.

Xiang Xiaoqiang held the already dazzling autumn water, strolling in the jewels, a bald old French man served diligently in front, wearing a suit and leather shoes, wearing a thick diamond ring on his hand, and introduced in proficient Chinese how long their Cartier jewelry history, from Napoleon III's cousin Princess Mathilde, Empress Eugenie, Prince Saltikov of Russia, Elizabeth II of Belgium, and Edward VII of England...... Until today's Empress Zhu Yourong of the Ming Dynasty, she is their customer...... A large stack of photographs was pulled out, on which were the commissions of the various royal families appointing them to process the crowns...... The implication is that if you also spend money with us, your value will be greatly increased......

The old Frenchman snapped his fingers, and a black man brought a tray with a few cigars. Xiang Xiaoqiang unceremoniously took one and smoked it, and while listening to the old man's chatter, he nodded and hummed.

Qiu Qiu's eyes never took off the jewelry in the cabinet, Xiang Xiaoqiang thought she was dazzled, but Xiao Nizi quietly pulled his sleeve, pressed his ear and said:

"Xiaoqiang...... It's so expensive. ”

In the counter, from the cheapest hundreds of Mingyang to the most expensive tens of thousands of Mingyang, Xiang Xiaoqiang didn't pay attention to it at all. He originally had a principal of 500,000 yuan, and these days he has secretly speculated in the futures of war materials, and this money has turned to almost 1 million.

Xiang Xiaoqiang also put it close to her ear and said with a smile:

"No matter how expensive it is...... Nor worthy of you. ”

……

Walking to Tiffany's territory, the tall and thin American manager immediately came forward with a smile and beckoned, and the blonde lady held a crystal cup and poured a small half cup of amber brandy. Xiang Xiaoqiang also took it unceremoniously, smoking a cigar, tasting brandy, shaking his head and humming with the American manager, listening to him talk about how many royal family members customize jewelry with them, and how many Hollywood superstars are their loyal customers......

When he arrived at Bulgari, the Greek manager with black hair and big nose raised his hand, and a Greek lady in a long white dress set up her violin and played Chrysler's "The Joy of Love......

……

In the end, Qiu Lai was reluctant to leave in front of a crystal glass case in Cartier, her eyes fixed on a ring inside.

It was a gemstone ring, about a centimeter in diameter, with dozens of tiny white diamonds as the base, and a slightly larger sapphire set in the middle in a strange pattern. Blue and white, shining brightly in the light. Qiu Yu stared at it, and his heart was about to get drunk.

Xiang Xiaoqiang saw that Qiu Yun was so obsessed with this piece, and with a gesture, the old man in France immediately opened the glass cabinet and took out the tray, and this jewelry was instantly worn on Qiu Yun's hand. Qiu Yun turned the back of his hand, and countless points of light sparkled brightly.

Xiang Xiaoqiang put his ear to her and asked:

"Do you like it?"

Qiu Yu blushed and nodded:

"Hmm."

Looking at Qiu Yun's expression, staring at the ring on his finger, he almost suffocated, and finally relieved himself, and muttered to Xiaoqiang:

"You know, Xiuxiu has a brooch with this pattern on it...... I like it...... But she's not worth much silver, and she won't show us it...... This one...... Whew......"

Xiao Nizi's salivating appearance seems to be really in love. …… Of course, there is also the meaning of buying it back and showing off with Xiuxiu.

Xiang Xiaoqiang saw that there was no price in it, so he said:

"Excuse me, what's the price?"

"Uh-huh," said the old Frenchman, holding his glasses and staring at the ring, "to know your lordship...... It's a royal jewel......"

Qiu Yun was admiring it, and was startled when he heard the words "royal jewels". Carefully remove and place back in the velvet tray. She knew that no matter how rich Xiang Xiaoqiang was, the royal jewels were not something they could afford.

Xiang Xiaoqiang's face also changed color slightly, wouldn't this old man see that Qiu Yu liked this one, so he buttoned up a "royal" hat, and the lion opened his mouth to kill people, right?

The old Frenchman smiled peacefully and held up the ring under the lamp:

"Look at this emblem on the ring......"

On the ring surface, under the backdrop of a small white diamond, three strip sapphires are bent and converge into a vortex, this pattern is very balanced, very comfortable, a bit similar to the pattern of Tai Chi, but there are three cantilevers, there is a strong sense of rotation, like a blue sea whirlpool.

The old French man explained:

"This one is called 'Ba Wen', which is a traditional pattern in your East Asia, and many ancient families in the East use it as a family crest...... As for this ring, it was custom-made by the Queen of the Ryukyus with us at the beginning of the year, and the emblem of the Ryukyu royal family is on the ring. Hehe, so it's a royal jewel. ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang knows that since the Ryukyu was forcibly occupied by Japan in the nineteenth century, the Ryukyu royal family was divided into two branches, one was taken captive by the Japanese to Tokyo, and the other fled to the suzerainty of the Ming Dynasty.

Xiang Xiaoqiang frowned and said:

"Since it was ordered by someone else, we can't buy it?"

The French manager laughed and said:

"However, the Ryukyu royal family has been financially strapped in recent years, and the current Ryukyu king's son is more fond of gambling, and often steals and sells family heirloom jewelry...... The queen and we re-ordered a 'Ryukyu Star', which is this one. Because of the limited financial resources at that time, the design was much simpler, and instead of blue diamonds, sapphires were used. So you see, apart from these tiny white diamonds, there are only these three sapphires above one carat...... Later, your majesty bought the 'Ryukyu Star' with blue diamonds and gave them back as a reward, so we were authorized to deal with the sapphire 'Ryukyu Star'......"

"Oh, so ......"

"So," said the old Frenchman, bowing and smiling, "it is an honor for us at Cartier to be able to use this 'Ryukyu Star' to serve my lord and my wife." ”

"Uh......" Xiang Xiaoqiang muttered, it is estimated that there is such a legendary experience, or what kind of Ryukyu Star, it must not be cheap, "So how much does it cost?" ”

"Not much," the old Frenchman smiled sweeter than honey, "for 68,000 oceans, your lady can have this 'Ryukyu Star'." ”

Xiang Xiaoqiang immediately made a fuss:

"What? If you don't even have a carat diamond, it costs 68,000 for three broken gems? You're robbing money, don't want it, don't ......"

Qiu Yu is also very talented and cooperates:

"yes, I don't want it either. We're going to have to live that ...... Besides, this is not a 'Ryukyu Star', and I haven't even entered the door of the Ryukyu royal family. ”

The little couple sang and harmonized, and the old French man was shocked.

He had been selling jewelry for so long, and he had never seen a wedding ring like this. A normal young man brings a girl to buy a ring, and if the price is affordable, he buys it directly, and if he can't afford it, he takes it off quietly. I've never seen anyone haggling in front of his fiancée. Even more rarely, this fiancée also helped to bargain, as if she was buying a handful of leeks instead of a sacred wedding ring representing love.

Xiang Xiaoqiang and Qiu Yu sang and harmonized, and often threatened to go to Tiffany and Bulgari next door, and the manager of Cartier had already seen that this "Quasi-Xiang Lady" was definitely on the side of her fiancé, as long as she said to Xiaoqiang that she would not buy it, she really did not complain.

In the end, it was sold for 55,000 Ming Yang, and the "Ryukyu Star" customized by the Queen of the Ryukyus to symbolize the royal power became a wedding ring given to Qiu Yu by Xiang Xiaoqiang.

Although this old French man is not painful, he really doesn't make much money. But he understands that this little couple is an upstart, who has just knocked on the door of the Ming high society, and he has a long way to go, and he has one more high-quality customer.

The manager asked him to take out the letter of appointment entrusted by the Ryukyu royal family to Cartier to order the "Star of the Ryukyus" and the power of attorney authorizing them to sell it, and hand them to Xiang Xiaoqiang. This is the identity of the royal family of this "Ryukyu Star".

Then the manager generously presented Qiu Yu with a few matching pieces of jewelry and a matching evening dress.

Then, the old French man poured three glasses of champagne, and respectfully asked for a gilded customer's signature book, and asked Qiu Yun to sign as a souvenir, and said with a smile:

"Can we celebrate that there is another noble lady in the upper class of the Ming Dynasty?"

Open the gilded book, there are all kinds of signatures on it. There are many familiar names among them. The handwriting of Zhu Yourong, Zhu Youmei, Zheng Yuxuan and other celebrities is impressively on it.

When he looked at Xiao Qiang's gaze over these shining names, the old French man's face flushed with pride.

Xiang Xiaoqiang suddenly found that there was a name signed at the end: Zhao Fang.

Fourteen grids? Princess Liaoyang?

Hehe, I didn't expect this girl to be so low-key, and she would secretly run out to enjoy life.

No, Xiang Xiaoqiang immediately thought that this was part of her Taohui. She signed her name here, even if Zhu Yourong can't see it, Zheng Yuxuan and the others will be able to see it next time. She used this practice to hint to the Ming royal family that she was a girl like them, and she also liked to spend money, like jewelry, and like to enjoy life, and she didn't have any big ambitions. Yes, a girl can receive 700,000 Mingyang every year, and it's hard not to come out and squander it.

……

Xiang Xiaoqiang was lying on the sofa, sipping brandy, smoking cigars, admiring the violin, watching a group of blonde girls surrounding Qiuqiu, trying on evening dresses for her, and trying on various jewelry studded with crystals and pearls......

The service was really good. The checks have already been written, and these are all gifts, and they can be so tried and tried, thoughtful and appropriate. It seems that Qiu Yun is already a good long-term customer in their hearts.

Huh, so what? admiring the happy Qiu Yu who was about to faint, Xiang Xiaoqiang sighed from the bottom of his heart: If I have money, I can make Qiu Yu the happiest woman in the world.

It feels good to be rich.

He played with the "Ryukyu Star" on his finger, squinted to observe its dazzling brilliance, admired the sapphire 'Ba Wen' that symbolized the Ryukyu royal family in the middle, and couldn't help but think: Ryukyu, Ryukyu, the Ming and Qing dynasties competed, but the fisherman of Japan benefited from the north and south. It swallowed the Qing Dynasty's Korea in the north and the Ming Dynasty's Ryukyu in the south. If the north and the south do not become enemies of each other, this Japanese kid will not be able to gain anything.

I can buy a "Ryukyu Star" today, but when will the Ming Dynasty take back the Ryukyus?