Chapter 045 has ulterior motives

"Back to the third princess, it's not cotton, it's a cotton dress sewn from cotton"

Wang Qifang walked up to the third princess, pointed to the padded half-arm gown on her body, and said, "Princess, please see, the half-arm gown worn by the concubine is a thin cotton coat. ”

"Oh, I'll see"

The third princess was still puzzled when she saw Wang Qifang just now, it stands to reason that it is already late autumn and early winter, and the temperature is not high every morning and evening. Many people who are afraid of the cold have already put on Da Mao's clothes, why is this Zhao Wang's only wearing a thin overall?

Curiously, he stretched out his hand and gently twisted the overcoat on Wang Qifang's body, "Huh? It's not very thick to the touch, but it's very warm."

"Third princess, the cotton clothes donated by the concubine to the Northwest Women's Army are much thicker than the clothes on the concubine's body"

Wang Qifang saw that the third princess looked thoughtfully outside the courtyard, and hurriedly explained.

"Well, let's go, let's see"

The third princess seemed to be moved by Wang Qifang's words, and looked very interested in cotton clothes.

After a while, the third princess was already standing in the courtyard, ordering people to open the coarse cloth package, she picked up a simple cardigan cotton coat, and looked up and down carefully. I nodded while looking at it, not bad, the fabrics are the strongest and wear-resistant cheesecloth, the stitches are dense, and the cotton filled with the inner tank is also thick......

Looking at it, the third princess couldn't help but call a female guard and ordered her to change into new cotton clothes on the spot.

"How? How does it feel? ”

I saw the female guards put on the cotton clothes in three or two times, buttoned the round buttons with strange shapes, and then put on the armor, the cotton clothes were heavy but not bloated, even if they wore thick armor, it did not affect the action at all.

The female guard once followed the third princess to the northwest, and also learned the cold winter there, touching the warm and close-fitting cotton clothes under the armor, the corners of her mouth couldn't help but rise, and she praised unabashedly: "Back to the princess, it is warm and simple, and it does not affect the march and fight."

In the short words, there is no half a word to directly praise how the cotton clothes are, but the three princesses who know that they know that they can let the female guards say this sentence, it is enough to see that this cotton clothes are really good.

"Okay, that's good" Thinking that the women's army on the front line can spend the winter warmly, the third princess also showed a smile on her face, and she couldn't help but say to Wang Qifang in a friendly tone: "The second young grandmother has really done the women's army a great favor, let's go to the house to talk"

"By the way, how many pieces of such cotton clothes have been sewn in total?"

After the ecstasy, the third princess also came to her senses. You must know that since the imperial court and Gaochang had a bad relationship, the price of cotton in the Great Zhou Dynasty has soared, and now it has reached the point where there is no market. Now that Zhao Wang's family took out cotton that was more expensive than real gold to make cotton clothes for the soldiers, and donated it for free, there must be something to ask her for.

No, the mouth of eating people is short and the hands are soft, and her third princess doesn't rub sand in her eyes.

Refuse? No, such a good thing, if it is pushed out of the door, it will be too sorry for the sisters who are suffering at the border. Well, if you can't do it, you can buy it at the market price.

However, if you buy directly, you need to consider the quantity. If the number is small, the third princess can still afford it. If it's too much, I'm afraid she won't be able to do anything.

"Because of the urgency of the matter, the concubine didn't have time to prepare, so she only sewed 3,000 sets temporarily"

Wang Qifang leaned half of her body and sat respectfully on the chair under the third princess.

"This ......" three thousand pieces, the third princess frowned slightly, and her fingers lightly buckled the small table on her side, "Then how much cotton did you spend in total, and how much is it worth?" ”

"Huh?" Wang Qifang paused, lowered her head and thought about it, and understood what the third princess meant. Oh, you don't want to owe me a favor. Thinking of this, Wang Qifang smiled slightly, "Third princess Hui, if the concubine answers your question as a businessman, then the concubine will tell you that this batch of cotton clothes is worth a fortune; If the concubine answers your question as a common man of the Great Zhou, then the concubine will tell you that this batch of cotton clothes will not take a penny."

"Merchant? The people of the Great Zhou? ”

Somehow, the third princess suddenly remembered the scene on Mrs. Zhao's birthday, when Wang Qifang indifferently said the sentence 'The rise and fall of the world is the responsibility of the husband'.

"Of course, there is another meaning for the concubine to donate these cotton clothes," Wang Qifang said as she stood up, walked in front of the third princess in a few steps, and bowed her knees very respectfully, "Maybe the third princess has forgotten that a few months ago, if you hadn't spoken up, Wang Qiniang's grievances would not have been able to appeal so smoothly." ”

"A few months ago?"

Not to mention, if it weren't for Wang Qifang's reminder, the third princess really forgot about a housework she had been involved in.

"Princess, you forgot, when we just returned to Beijing, we met a little girl who went back to report the news, because the matter involved the Zhao family and the Ministry of Officials Li Shilang, and you deliberately followed to judge it."

Seeing his master's dazed look, the little chamberlain behind him hurriedly lowered his head and pulled the placket of the third princess, and reminded in a low voice.

"Oh~~ I remembered, yes, there is such a thing," the third princess nodded suddenly, and then she thought of the plums she had received, so she shook her head and said: "No, didn't you send someone to send a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables out of season at that time, I helped you once, and there was no reason to receive two thank-you gifts."

The third princess is not a corrupt official, she is very principled.

"Third princess, you can't say that," Wang Qifang shook her head and retorted, "For you, this matter may be just a gesture. But for Qi Niang, it is a great favor...... After Qi Niang married into the Zhao family, all kinds of unbearable rumors must have spread all over the capital, regardless of whether the rumors are true or not, there is a huge capital, so many women, noble wives, and some are even Qi Niang's in-laws and friends, but no one stood up to help Qi Niang say a word of justice. ”

Speaking of this, the half of Wang Qifang's body that belonged to the deity was dominant, and tears couldn't help but flow down her eyes when she thought of the cold reception and unwarranted duties she had received. Wang Qifang choked up and said, "There are only three princesses, and when the road is uneven, they speak up." To be honest, without the third princess coming forward at that time, things might have been resolved, but it would never have gone so smoothly. ”

took out a handkerchief and wiped her tears, Wang Qifang continued: "Although Qi Niang is a woman, she is not such a person who does not know how to be grateful. Sending fruit to the house several times before was not a thank you gift, but a little bit of Qi Niang's heart. Even if it's a thank you gift, that idea is not enough to express Qi Niang's gratitude to the third princess."

"Okay, the palace knows," seeing that Wang Qifang said sincerely, the third princess was also a little moved. Thinking that she had heard some rumors, and then thinking of the little girl she met at that time, she couldn't help but nod sympathetically, and suddenly understood what Wang Qifang meant, "Okay, since you have said this, if this palace is more rigid in the rules, it will be a little unkind." I will accept the cotton clothes, and thank you on behalf of the court and the soldiers on the front line. ”

"The third princess has tormented the concubine, and the concubine has just done something within her ability, how dare you bother the third princess to thank her"

Wang Qifang saw that the third princess was finally relieved, and replied with a smile.

"By the way, have you finished writing your script, take it to Hongu and show it"

After the business was finished, the third princess also began to have leisure to pay attention to some trivial matters.

"Back to the third princess, the script has been written, and the concubine body has also been brought, please ask the third princess Yazheng"

As she spoke, Wang Qifang took out a thin booklet from her sleeve pocket and held it in front of her with both hands.

The third princess nodded to the little waiter, and the little waiter hurriedly walked up to Wang Qifang, took the booklet, and turned around to present it to the third princess.

Flipping through it casually, the third princess continued to ask, "Well, that's good." I wonder when this play will be released? ”

"Back to the third princess, the play is already being rehearsed, but the concubine has a little idea, thinking that it is better to wait for the third princess to lead the women's army to triumph, and then let the drama troupe stage this play, I don't know what the third princess thinks?"

"Triumph? Okay, well, just wait for the triumphant return of Hongu."

Everyone likes to listen to auspicious words, and Rao is the upright third princess is no exception.

"In addition," seeing that the third princess finally laughed out loud, Wang Qifang opened her mouth hesitantly, "The concubine has something to ask the third princess"

"Huh? What's up? ”

The third princess's face changed slightly, she didn't expect Wang Qifang to be so unkind, she just gave a gift, and she wanted to ask for grace.

"That's the case," Wang Qifang didn't seem to see the third princess's safety, Wang Qifang said with a hint of embarrassment: "The concubine has opened a shop in the East Market, and because she specializes in the business of female customers, the guys in the store are all women...... But when you go out, there are many inconveniences as a woman, and it is difficult to guarantee safety alone. Therefore, the concubine wanted to ask the third princess to borrow a few retired women's soldiers to be responsible for the safety of the store. ”

"Retired? You mean, you want a retired girl army? ”

The third princess didn't expect Wang Qifang to make such a request, and she asked again uncertainly.

"Yes"

Wang Qifang nodded, she saw that the third princess looked a little hesitant, so she made a promise, "Third princess, don't worry, the concubine will definitely treat those women who are willing to help." The monthly salary and welfare are compared with the shopkeeper in the store, in addition, the wedding, funeral and concubine of the women's army are also responsible for it. ”

"Wedding, funeral, wedding?"

This word obviously touched the third princess, and she glanced at some of the lonely attendants outside the courtyard, who were also once heroines who followed her to kill the enemy, but due to age and gender, they retired early. Unlike the male soldiers, how to settle these retired women's soldiers is the most troublesome thing for the third princess.

Let a female soldier who once killed the enemy in blood be a girl and a servant, not to mention that the women's army can't do it, even she, the master, can't bear it. But she is raised so plainly, even if she has this belongings, those women's soldiers refuse to eat in vain.

There is a more headache than how to settle it, that is, the marriage problem of the retired women's army. Alas, when the general women's army reaches the age of retirement, all of them are over double ten.

Get married? The best age has long passed. Not married? She can't look at the sisters who fought side by side with her, desperately killing the enemy for the court and her three princesses, but she ended up alone and old, right?

"You, you said you were in charge of their marriage?"

"Yes, as long as the women's army is willing to come to the concubine's shop to help, then their lifelong affairs, the concubine will be responsible for it to the end."

Compared with donating cotton clothes, asking for retired women's soldiers is Wang Qifang's real purpose.

"Okay, no matter what your purpose is, this palace promises you"

Although she knew that Wang Qifang had ulterior motives, the third princess still agreed to her request, after all, someone was willing to solve the worries of the women's army, and she had no reason to refuse