Nearest the king nearest the gallows. Remembering that Li Xun had looked for Jiang Changyang, as well as King Min who appeared in the nameless restaurant yesterday, and King Jing who Jiang Changyang insisted that he was not a friend, he couldn't help but say solemnly: "You have to be careful." Anyway, I think that nothing is safer and more precious. ”

Jiang Changyang smiled slightly and pinched her face: "I have a number." You have to trust me, don't worry. Although I like you to worry about me, I don't like you to worry about me. ”

Peony pinched back: "Anyway, you be careful." I'm leaving, and I'm going to make a trip to the East Market. ”

Jiang Changyang sent her to the door, and turned around when he couldn't see her figure.

As soon as Peony arrived in Dongshi, she went straight to He's spice shop, she walked into the shop, the guy's eyes were sharp, he saw her at a glance, and greeted her with a smile on his face: "How can my mother be free to come here today?" ”

Peony smiled: "I have something to look for my sixth brother, is he in there?" ”

The guy hesitated, shook his head and said, "He's not here, Lu Wuye came to talk to him about something before, and he invited Lu Wuye to go to the wine shop, saying that it was not early, so let's just close the shop and go home at that time." He's not coming back. ”

"How long have you been there?" Peony looked at the sky, but Shen Zheng at this time. When Daddy He arrived at an important guest, he would go to the wine shop earlier than this. But if it was someone like Lu Goro, he wouldn't take it to the liquor store, but would take it home directly. But I think they are young and like to watch orchid performances. However, when did Lu Gorou get along with Rokuro like this?

The guy said a little evasively: "I'm a little busy today, and the little one didn't remember the time at the time, so it doesn't seem to be much?" ”

Seeing that he was embarrassed, Peony smiled, no longer asked, didn't even ask where he went, only asked the shopkeeper: "Uncle Dong, is the business okay recently?" ”

The shopkeeper is an old man who has been in the He family for many years, and he is deeply trusted. Hearing Peony ask, he smiled and said, "They are all old customers." ”

Peony's heart sank, that is, although the business of the spice shop was good, it was not as good as before. I think that when Shiro handled it, the old customers naturally did not let go, and there were many new customers who came to the door every day, so that there would be such a good business, and they would be able to afford the rich food and clothing of this family. Now there are only old customers left, and they have been pulled away by other incense shops. She pondered for a moment, smiled and said hard work to the shopkeeper and a few guys, asked where the cockfighting place in Dongshi was, called Gui and Shu'er, bought a few good clothes suitable for old women and little girls in the shop next door, and went to the cockfighting ring.

The cockfighting arena was near the release pond, and before the peony people approached, they had already heard deafening cheers and strange screams. As far as the eye can see, I see a cockfighting arena that is also divided into private seats and ordinary seats. The private seat is a room with a bare partition door in the front, and some stools, tables, tea sets, etc. are placed inside, and the viewing corner is naturally the best, and it is also high. A number of richly dressed people sat high on it, drinking hot tea and watching the battle.

And ordinary people are just in a circle without any rules, you push me, I squeeze yours, desperately struggle to the front, struggle to see the two fierce struggles in the center of the field, keep flapping their wings, rushing and biting, slashing each other with distance, red faces and red necks, inseparable, bloody fighting cocks. As long as one of them has the upper hand, everyone will surely yell and scream, pat their thighs, wave their arms, and everyone will be as if no one is around, extremely devoted, extremely fanatical, eyes bigger than copper bells, eyes, cheeks, ears and necks as red, and green tendons on the neck as thick as chopsticks.

Peony first looked at the two chickens in the field, one of them temporarily had the upper hand, the feathers of the whole body were cyan, shining with a blue-green light, and during the fight, the white fine pile under the bottom was exposed from time to time. The other, which is slightly weaker, has red neck and back hair, grayish-brown feathers, and a black tail.

Gui saw that the peony stared at the two chickens, and took the initiative to introduce her: "Seventh master, the coat color of the fighting is very particular, green, red, purple, and soap are the best, and the green hair, the bottom fleece is white, called dark clouds cover snow; The red one is also called white velvet. Do you see that chicken distance? It was filled with spikes, and the chicken wings were covered with mustard powder. A pounce, a peck, a split, you may suffer. ”

Peony Qi said: "It's obviously red, why is it called white velvet?" ”

The cabinet said: "The red cockfighting chicks are white when they first come out of the shell. ”

Peony smiled: "You know a lot." ”

Gui smiled slightly: "The villain grew up in the market, and he naturally knows a little about teaching the ninth stream." ”

Shu'er was very interested: "Expensive, expensive, which one do you say can win?" I also went to bet. Are you going? I'll lend you money. ”

"You can't bet now, you have to wait for the next one." Gui shook his head lightly: "Sister Xie Shu'er is kind, I never gamble money." ”

Peony looked at Gui's neither humble nor arrogant appearance, and thought of Yuhe.

At this time, the two chickens were a little tired, and gradually lost their previous spirit, a Mai man came over with a bucket of cold water, sprayed cold water on the faces of the two chickens, and the two chickens immediately became excited again, and the fight became more and more fierce and exciting.

Peony's mind was not on this, she whispered to Gui: "Go and inquire, where is Zhang Wulang?" If he is free, bother him to come and talk about it, and if he is not available, I will wait. Shu'er and I waited over there, standing farther away, so as not to be wrong. Gui didn't ask who Zhang Wulang was, and turned around and left without any nostalgia for the hot situation in the field. But Shu'er, I was greedy and didn't want to leave.

Peony chose a relatively secluded spot to stand in the shade of a tree and look around, she always felt that she could see Rokuro here. Although she knew that since Rokuro was here, he would definitely deliberately hide it, so that no one could know about it, and it would not be easy to find, but she couldn't help but look around, and as she expected, she couldn't find it.

After a while, Gui really brought Zhang Wulang over. Zhang Wulang was draped in a green brocade half-arm, wearing a moon-white round-necked narrow-sleeved shirt inside, with his sleeves held high, and he took two steps as a noble step. Seeing the peony at a glance, he smiled and said, "He...... Shichiro, you're a rare guest. ”

Peony smiled and saluted him: "Qilang has seen the fifth brother, I have something to ask the fifth brother for help." I wonder if the fifth brother is free at this time? If not, I'll wait a little longer. ”

Zhang Wulang glanced back at the fanatical crowd and said, "There is still one more game after this one, and the next cockfight has been chosen, and someone will handle it, so I'm fine." This is not a place to speak, I have a place to live over there, if you don't feel dirty and smelly, you can come with me. ”

Peony smiled: "How can I be dirty and smelly? ”

Zhang Wulang looked at her and smiled, being the leader.

A few people bypassed the frenzied crowd one after the other, and walked in from a path next to the row of seats, and there were several small courtyards with closed doors next to them, and there were no less lively cheers and anxious roars from the outside. Peony thought, the one outside is a performance, and the one inside may be a small box, some nobles with noble status, but they are keen on this and refuse to show others their nobles.

Just then she thought about it, Zhang Wulang had already smiled and said: "There are some rich people here, and they are very generous, and they don't want to be in the same league with the ordinary people who must be investigated outside." ”

Peony smiled slightly. The cockfight is real, and there are other things in it that are also true. She once heard Jiang Changyang say that the kings love to gather in the house to fight cocks, but the saint learned that it was not allowed. In fact, what I am afraid of is that the kings make friends in private, so these places are good places to engage in underground activities.

After a while, Zhang Wulang stopped in front of a noisy courtyard and said, "You wait first." Not long after he entered, there was no sound inside, and a girl with clear eyebrows and beautiful eyes came out yawning and said, "He Qiye, please inside." ”

Peony took a look, but it was the sharp-toothed little girl she saw at Zhang Wulang's house that day, remembering that she gave Zhang Wulang a deflated, but a fierce person like Zhang Wulang let her do that, and was a little curious about what kind of relative she was Zhang Wulang, so she smiled and said: "It turned out to be you, what is your name?" ”

The girl smiled, revealing two white rabbit teeth: "My name is ......"

Zhang Wulang walked out and said angrily: "If she calls her to eat rice, she will call her rice." ”

When the girl heard this, she rolled her eyes and scolded, "Where did the old lady eat white rice?" Wash and cook rice at home, warm your mother's feet and beat your back at night; Deliver you food during the day, and help you settle accounts, old lady......"

Hearing her little person say that the old lady is long and the old lady is short, everyone couldn't help but smile, and Fan Li'er's eyes instantly turned red, and they glared at Zhang Wulang viciously.

Zhang Wulang ignored her, and only asked Peony to go inside: "The messy people have driven me out and come in to talk." ”

Peony gently stroked the soft hair of the rice grain, and said with a smile: "Is the hanging hair of the rice grain combed by yourself?" It's so nicely combed. ”

Fan Li'er looked at her with red eyes, and suddenly said: "I don't comb it myself, who will comb it for me?" I'm not a rich woman, I can afford to raise slaves and maids to serve. ”

A child of this age is covered in thorns. Peony was stunned for a moment, smiled slightly, turned around and entered a room with a white curtain on a blue background in the middle, there was a small couch with a white mattress on a blue background, a few months of dental stool, a low table, a few pieces of paper scattered on the table, a half-bald pen, and an old abacus.

Zhang Wulang pouted: "It's just the rice." This ghost girl, with a poisonous mouth, is not pleasing at all, but fortunately she still recognizes a few words. Danniang don't worry about her, she is the virtue that hates the dead. Last time your sixth brother came, he laughed at her twice, and was poured down from the crotch of her pants with a cup of boiling tea......" Speaking of this, he suddenly stopped his mouth and looked at Peony with some embarrassment.

Shu'er looked at Zhang Wulang in a fuss, then at Gui, and then at Peony, but Gui's face was expressionless, as if he hadn't heard anything. Peony looked calm and smiled slightly: "The temper is not very good, but my sixth brother must also deserve it." But fortunately, it's my sixth brother, if it's those distinguished guests in your courtyard, it's not easy to deal with, but I don't care if she's still young. Isn't it just a "crotch", is it worth all the fuss?

Zhang Wulang blushed slightly, turned his face sideways and said: "That's, I told her that she is not allowed to go out and walk around, she is only in this house on weekdays, if you don't come today, you won't ask her to come out." ”

Peony nodded: "Speaking of my sixth brother, I came from the spice shop before, I didn't see my sixth brother, I heard that I went to the wine store with a friend, and I was worried that I would call you together, and I would come to the void." ”

Zhang Wulang smiled slightly: "He has called me a few times, but where do I have time to accompany him to drink?" I haven't been here since. One day, when I was free, I thought that he had not been there several times, and I felt ashamed, so I went to invite him to dinner, and said that he was not there, and went to the wine store. ”

Peony also understood what Zhang Wulang meant. Liulang is probably a little problematic, but he is not here with Zhang Wulang, and he may have had a conflict with Zhang Wulang because of this, and he broke up unhappily, so he also took a cup of boiling tea for rice, but he never heard Liulang mention it after he went. Your own housework should not disturb others, you know a rough idea, and the rest of the family can go back and measure it with the rest of the family.

Thinking of this, Peony changed the topic and got down to business: "Fifth brother, I came today to ask you for other important things." I've heard that there may be a peony festival next spring. She told Cao Wanrong about meeting Cao Wanrong today, and said, "I want to ask the fifth brother to arrange two brothers for me to check the details of the Luoyang Lu family and what Cao Wanrong's purpose is." According to the industry rules, this is a deposit. It's hard to bring money, so use this offset. ”

Shu'er placed a silver bowl on the table in an orderly manner.

Zhang Wulang frowned and said, "What are you?" It's just a small matter, the last time you just said those few words, you gave each brother a handkerchief, and they all said that you were generous, and this time the matter is ......"

Peony said with a smile: "Fifth brother, I know that there are rules for the industry. If it's just you, I'm welcome, but the other brothers have to provide for their families. It's not worth anything, it's just a little heart. Moreover, if the peony flower meeting really wants to do it, I have to trouble you with a lot of things, you can't always ask people to run errands in vain, right? ”

Zhang Wulang pondered for a moment and said, "Okay, I will convey your meaning to the brothers, so that they can get things done." ”

Peony breathed a sigh of relief, thanked her with a smile, and asked Gui to bring over the clothes she bought earlier: "Last time I went to the fifth brother's house, thanks to my aunt's hospitality, I had the heart to invite her to be a guest, but I was often not at home. This is a little heart, just to cut winter clothes for my aunt and rice. ”

The four horses, one azure and one dark jujube, one tender green, and one peach, were all fine brocades. Zhang Wulang was silent for a moment, took a big breath, and roared loudly: "Those who eat rice, I can't thank you Brother He Qi!" ”

As soon as he shouted, Fan Li'er's head stuck out from under the curtain, and he opened a pair of black and white eyes and said disdainfully: "I'm not deaf in my ears, what a cow is screaming." ”

Zhang Wulang was angry with her. She walked over to look at the material by herself, and then looked at Peony Fu with a very satisfied look, and said with a smile: "Sister He, it's very good-looking, it's much better than what some people buy, I admit your affection, and thank you for my mother." I was scolded before, I felt uncomfortable, and I lost my temper with you, please forgive me. In fact, I just want to be a rich mother, raise slaves and maids to serve me. ”

Peony couldn't help laughing: "If you are really ambitious, you will definitely be rich." In fact, her own current money is not hers, but given by He Zhizhong and Mrs. Cen. The money that really belongs to her will be there next spring. There will definitely be. She clenched her fists slightly.

Zhang Wulang automatically ignored some people in Fanlier's words, and saw that she thanked Peony, so he got up and sent Peony out: "It's not early, I'll send you out, otherwise everyone will disperse and return home after a while, it will be dirty and messy, and everyone will have it." ”

Peony glanced back at Fan Li'er, who was concentrating on pulling up a piece of clothing to look at the light, and gently picked up the robe and rubbed his cheeks, with a sweet and happy smile on his face. Quite a cute little girl.

Zhang Wulang glanced at it lightly, grinded his teeth and said, "The dead girl who hates the dead." ”

Peony smiled: "The little girl is very interesting, is it your relative?" ”

Zhang Wulang sighed: "No. Sort of. My mother got it from somewhere, so she was just unkind and treated my house as hers. I heard that it was a poor daughter, and her grandmother died. She recognized a few dog crawling words, and she thought she couldn't do it. When did I get annoyed, I grabbed my collar and threw it out the door to see if she didn't cry and call her mother! His eyes were a little red, and he said in an irritable but somewhat affectionate tone, "One old and one young, two drags down, so that the old can't go anywhere." Your fourth brother asked me to go to sea with them, and your eldest brother asked me to join the army...... I said that I just eat this bowl of market rice, and I do business and close down, and this is the only one that makes money......"

Peony heard him say this to her for the first time. She was silent for a moment and said with a smile: "Actually, Fifth Brother Zhang, I think you are quite comfortable now." At least, you didn't get into it. It's hilarious, and it's really hilarious. ”

Zhang Wulang curled his lips and smiled, stood by the wall like an iron tower, raised his eyes to look at the blue sky, and said: "This person's ecology is better than the theater...... It's just that this matter is not a matter of accumulating yin virtue, I raise rice grains, so it should be a matter of accumulating yin virtue. By the way, your sixth brother loves to go to the biggest Huren wine shop. ”

Peony remembered the wine shop, at that time she came out of Liu's house, followed the Zhang family and the Sun family to the release pond to watch the peony flowers, where she saw the beauty Mayaer, and was teased by Pan Rong...... At that time, Zhang said that Rokuro loved to go there. She thanked Zhang Wulang and turned to leave.

Zhang Wulang stood in place, making sure that she had left the land safely before turning around, and as soon as he turned around, he was stomped on the instep of his foot by Fan Li'er, rolled up his sleeves and crossed his waist, twisted his eyebrows, and said, "What do you see?" Where to look? I'm the daughter of a poor person? Do you recognize a few dog crawling words? It turns out that I was raised to accumulate yin virtue? You're going to grab me by the collar and make me cry dad and call my mother?! My mother said, when I am in time, I will visit the church! When I grow up, see who cries dad and calls mom! ”

How old is she? Ten years old. but he is about to reach ten. Zhang Wulang helplessly looked at the washboard in front of him, whose height was only as high as his armpits, sighed, grabbed her collar and walked back, gently threw it into the room, and said, "Let's talk about it when you grow up, eat white rice." ”

"I'm not eating rice!" Rice grains cried and red-eyed.

"Your mother named you Rice Grains, doesn't she just want you to eat white rice or whole white rice grains? Rice grains are eaten in white rice. Zhang Wulang replied to her, and shouted to the next room: "Come on, do something!" ”

An inkstone with ink on it passed through the curtain of white flowers on a blue background, and smashed into Zhang Wulang's back with unmistakable accuracy, and a black flower suddenly bloomed on the arm of the brand-new green brocade companion. A burst of laughter rang out from the surrounding rooms that had been quiet before, Zhang Wulang's face became more and more ugly, and he rushed in angrily, but saw Fan Li'er standing high on the couch, wearing the newly bought clothes of Peony, and said with red eyes: "I won't wear it anymore, I will make a dress for my mother." When you have a bride in the future, leave this to her, and I'll do it for her. I'm good at needlework, don't drive me away. ”

Zhang Wulang sighed, covered his head and walked out: "You can wear it yourself." ”

The peony master and servant walked not far away, and suddenly heard a commotion behind them, but the last cockfight was dispersed, and someone gambled all the family property, was taken and stripped on the spot, and wanted to be staked to settle the gambling money. The man cried and grabbed the ground, half-naked, slammed his head against a tree on the side, shouted that it was better to die, and the flesh and blood were blurred, and he was dragged away again, and dragged forward mercilessly. A large crowd of people watched the excitement and chased around the front as if they were celebrating a festival, raising dust and the unpleasant smell of rancid sweat. Linkong could still hear the man's desolate cry: "Lan Niang, I'm sorry for you, son...... Let me die...... I'm obsessed......"

Peony shuddered, and couldn't help but follow those people for a few steps. Gui coughed: "Mother? It's getting late. ”

Peony woke up in a trance, looked back at Gui and Shu'er and said, "After I go back, it will be clearly stipulated that no one in Fangyuan is allowed to gamble." ”

On the way home, when passing under the largest Huren liquor store, Peony raised her eyes and looked over, a woman wearing an emerald gauze skirt and an emerald gown leaned against the windowsill on the second floor, swinging a leg in crimson bloomers, her feet as white as jade were still without socks, and there was a string of delicate golden bells hanging on her slender ankles. She turned her head and looked at Peony with a smile, raised her snow-white slender fingers, pinned a strand of slightly curly brown hair that hung down, gently flicked the Hu Gonghou in her hand, and threw a wink at Peony, her green eyes were charming.

It's Maya. Peony looked up at her, she was so beautiful.

Shu'er still remembered to find Liulang and pushed the peony: "Mother, do you want to go in?" Behold, the orchid counts thee as a young and beautiful man. ”

Peony turned around and said solemnly, "We won't go in." How do you know that she treats me like a young man? These people's eyes are the most poisonous, maybe they saw Agui. "Rokuro's matter is not yet accurate, I have to discuss it with my family first, ask about the situation, and rashly run into the wine store to do something?

Shu'er was stunned for a moment, then covered her mouth and snickered.

Agui made a big red face and didn't talk to Peony for several days.