、、、、、、、、、、 smiled slightly: "I can't say it's very familiar, but it must be a stranger." After all, my garden still relies on Master Fuyuan to be what it is today. ”

When the young man by the window heard this, he raised his eyes and looked at Peony and said, "It turns out that you are the owner of Fangyuan?" ”

Peony smiled: "It's me." Listening to the public's words, isn't Fangyuan very famous? ”

"Hmm." The young man measured the peony up and down, but said nothing, turned his head and continued to study the chessboard.

Xiao Xuexi introduced to Peony with a little pride: "This is my eldest brother Xiao Yuexi, when he doesn't see chess, it's okay to say, once he sees chess, he only has chess in his heart, and he is a little confused when he speaks, he is imaginative, and he doesn't know where to do it." ”

Peony said casually: "Genius, there are always some quirks." ”

When Xiao Xuexi heard this, she said with interest: "Do you recognize my eldest brother?" Or, what she wanted to ask was whether Peony knew about her eldest brother, a celebrity, but her education made her embarrassed to ask so straightforwardly.

Peony shook his head and said honestly: "I don't know, it's the first time I've seen it, I've heard of it for the first time." ”

Xiao Xuexi was a little unhappy: "You said he was a genius......"

Peony smiled: "Isn't it? He must be very good at chess. ”

"How so?" Xiao Xuexi was not convinced, and firmly believed that Peony either recognized Xiao Yuexi's name, or just heard what the little monk Ruman said, but came here to pretend to be a ghost.

Peony pointed to the Fuyuan monks who were everywhere and said with a smile: "Just look at Master Fuyuan to know." Master Fuyuan is a chess addict, and he doesn't know anything when he plays chess; But today, he can hear Ruman's shouts in the sound of the piano, and he himself got up to meet me, which means that his mind is no longer on playing chess. There are two situations in this way, one is that the opponent is weak and it is easy to win, which is really boring; The other is that the opponent is strong, there is almost no possibility of winning, and it is not interesting. If it is the former, Master Fuyuan will definitely play five divided by two to kill his brother and end the chess game, if it is the latter, he will deliberately delay time, find something to do, and refuse to pick it up. ”

When the monk Fuyuan heard this, he turned around and smiled: "You are right, the monk is also afraid of losing." I'm afraid of losing. It has been working for more than ten days in a row, but if I lose every day, and every time I lose, the gods will also feel bored, not to mention me, a monk who eats whole grains. ”

"You're pretty observant." Xiao Xuexi laughed, glanced at Xiao Yuexi, turned her back to him and whispered to Peony proudly: "He Niang, you guessed right!" My eldest brother is a well-known chess master, and he has been famous since he was a child...... Do you like playing chess? If you like it, just ask my eldest brother to give you advice, and when you go back, you don't dare to say much, you will definitely have the upper hand among your close friends. ”

Peony was a little uncomfortable with Xiao Xuexi's complacency, so he shook his head and said, "I'm ashamed, it's really a waste of a good opportunity, I don't know how to play chess." ”

Xiao Xuexi said in surprise: "You won't? Then he looked shocked at his rudeness, and smiled gently: "Playing chess is not a big deal, it won't be a big deal." ”

Peony said "hmm" casually, she didn't like Xiao Xuexi's deliberate modesty, generosity and thoughtfulness very much. It looks gentle and considerate, but in fact it's all naked showing off.

Shu'er hated the iron and glanced at the peony. Peony is able to play, when he was a child, he was sick and weak, there were no games, in addition to loving flowers, he also loved to often play chess with He Zhizhong, He Zhizhong's level of chess was not bad, and she was naturally not far behind. After going to Liu, there was no one to accompany her, and she would sit alone and play chess at first, but then she didn't touch it again after that illness. Not wanting to play chess anymore and not being able to play are two different things, how could she be weak in front of Xiao Xuexi?

Shu'er has completely regarded Xiao Xuexi as Peony's rival at this moment. Since it is a rival in love, it must be completely overwhelmed from the momentum, speech and demeanor, from the outside to the inside! Thinking of this, Shu'er deliberately said, "Mother, are you embarrassed again?" Although you don't play well, what kind of person is Xiao Gong, even if you lose, he won't laugh at your ......"

When Xiao Xuexi heard this, she smiled slightly, just thinking that it was just a scene that the woman deliberately said in order to save her face, and she didn't take it seriously, but Xiao Yuexi raised her eyes and glanced at Peony seriously. saw Peony smile faintly and just shook his head.

Here, Xiao Xuexi put the piano on his lap again, plucked it lightly twice, and said to Peony as if asking for advice: "I play the piano every day, and I always can't solve a fingering problem, so I just want to discuss it with you today......

Peony smiled again: "I'm really sorry, I don't know how to play the piano." "The original He Peony has not fallen behind in these homework, but she is not proficient in top-notch, and she doesn't like to play the piano, let alone her. She doesn't like this cottage either, and she just thinks about freedom, planting flowers, getting rich, picking men, and living a good life, so she throws them all aside. I said that playing chess was a bit of gambling, but when it comes to playing the piano now, I really forgot about it, and I won't do it anymore.

This time to say forgiveness, even Kuan'er collapsed angrily, not understanding what Peony wanted to do. Xiao Yuexi also looked at the peony with a little surprise, which was really strange. I heard that her family is rich and she is an only daughter, so good-looking, ordinary people must be pampered and strictly taught, and these homework will not be left behind. Ordinary women will feel embarrassed when asked about their talents or slightly worse talents, she is good, she won't, and she admits it quite smoothly, quite naturally, there is no shame at all, as if the person who can do it is not as good as her...... It's weird.

Monk Fuyuan smiled and glanced at the peony, who was calm and calm, without the slightest sense of shame, walked to Xiao Yuexi and sat down, and said, "Let's continue." Although the poor monk always loses, he should be practicing penance. ”

Xiao Yue raised a chess piece in the west, wanting to concentrate on playing chess, but he couldn't help but listen to the conversation between Xiao Xuexi and Peony on the side.

Xiao Xuexi raised her eyebrows in surprise, and then said shyly and apologetically: "I'm really sorry, I didn't mean to embarrass you." He Niang must have her own best skills, please teach me? ”

Peony smiled: "Xiao Niang is polite and serious, but occasionally encountered, take the opportunity to chat, and ask a few words is really not deliberately embarrassing." If you ask me what I'm good at, I don't know anything, I can only grow flowers. You're already proficient in your craft, you don't need to be with me. ”

Xiao Xuexi got the result she wanted, that is, Peony doesn't know anything, or it will not be as good as her, and it will also be a skill that everyone doesn't need to master, in terms of talent and background, she is an overwhelming victory. She should have felt that Peony was not threatening, but Xiao Xuexi felt that it was not the case in her heart, because Peony's appearance was too indifferent and she didn't care. Her face became cautious, and she raised a standard social smirk: "He Niang, you are really the most humble person I have ever met. ”

Peony looked at her with a smile: "Xiao Niang, you are really the most considerate person I have ever met." ”

Considerate? Xiao Xuexi knew best in her heart that all her actions just now were not touched by any light, and the real one was the little monk Ruman, and she was the most inconsiderate. He Peony is not stupid at all. Xiao Xuexi smiled on his face: "Where, where, false praise." ”

Peony smiled, "Xiao Niang, you deserve it." Then he got up and said goodbye: "My mother is still ahead, please forgive me for going back." ”

Xiao Xuexi gave a false salute: "Please." ”

Because Xiao Yuexi was also inattentive, the monk Fuyuan was even more inattentive, and when he saw this, he hurriedly confessed to Xiao Yuexi, got up and said, "The poor monk sent the donor out." ”

Seeing Peony and Monk Fuyuan go out together, Xiao Xuexi's face sank: "Monk Fuyuan is quite polite to her." We've been here for so many days, but we haven't seen anyone he has ever sent. It seems that the news she inquired about is indeed true, He Peony does have a lot to do with Jiang Changyang and others.

Xiao Yuexi played the chessboard and set up a chess game at random: "Are you not convinced? We were cheeky here, he was annoyed for a long time, and if he didn't kick us out, he would be polite, do you want him to be more polite to you? Just by looking at the behavior of the little monks, you should know that their relationship is far closer than ours. Besides, you didn't find out about their contacts a long time ago, so what's so strange about being polite? ”

Xiao Xuexi said: "Don't talk about this monk. Big brother, what do you think of her? Does she really not understand anything? How do I think it's not like that? ”

Xiao Yuexi was silent for a moment and said, "Do you want to listen to the truth or lie?" ”

Xiao Xuexi was anxious, ran to him and sat down and said, "You just said it strangely, you are my eldest brother, I asked you to come here with me for many days, what is it for, don't you understand?" He even asked me if I wanted to hear the truth or a lie. ”

Xiao Yuexi looked up at her and said seriously: "I don't know if she will be able to." But looking at her appearance and the maid's expression, as well as her family background, I think she should know. Even if I can't compare with you, I won't understand anything. But she knows how to hide and doesn't want to compete with you easily. Also, she's far more beautiful than you. ”

Hearing her eldest brother say that the peony is far more beautiful than herself, Xiao Xuexi knew that it was true, but she was still a little uncomfortable, and said angrily: "She didn't take me seriously at all, that's why she dealt with me like this, didn't she?" She's also a little nobody! Then he was complacent: "Okay, the red face is easy to get old, the time is easy to pass away, what is the paper beauty who doesn't know anything?" Jiang Dalang is not that shallow person. She didn't dare to compare with me...... Count her acquaintances, otherwise she must lose ugly. "Her talent is not in vain, these talents, she has practiced since she was a child, winter and summer, alternating between cold and summer, never dare to fall a little, in order to find a good husband in the future, get his respect and love, and the admiration of everyone.

Xiao Yuexi said unceremoniously: "If you say, she and Jiang Dalang are really in love!" Jiang Dalang likes her......" Seeing that Xiao Xuexi's face changed, he continued to say without blinking: "So, what if you are more proficient in these talents than her?" And she can grow flowers, and she grows them very well. He paused, "Knowing oneself and knowing that the other is victorious, you also know that Jiang Dalang's mother loves peony the most, besides, I heard Lu Fang talk about her, her temper is like that, it is estimated that Mrs. Wang will like her more." Only the human heart, you have already lost to her. She really didn't need anything else, and for her, the other was just the icing on the cake. Naturally, she disdains to compare these useless trellises with you, this is a trick played by the little girl. ”

Xiao Xuexi leaned forward, looked at him angrily and shouted, "Big brother! How can you do that! Being proficient in talent is a necessary talent for every lady, and only in this way can you be worthy of ......"

Xiao Yuexi interrupted her words and looked at her seriously: "I'm a man, I know better than you." As long as she likes it, she will not do anything and is cute and cute; As long as she doesn't like it, she still doesn't like it, even if she can do anything. Feelings have nothing to do with whether they are talented or not. ”

Xiao Xuexi's face turned white, and she looked at Xiao Yuexi sadly and dejectedly: "Brother...... So I've been doing useless work? But I haven't done anything, some things are hearsay, and I haven't seen him, how do you know what he thinks? I'm not reconciled. ”

Xiao Yuexi smiled and reorganized her head pityingly: "I just analyzed it for you, and I didn't tell you to stop there." Everything is still hypothetical and has not been confirmed. In addition to these, you are indeed more suitable for Jiang Dalang than her in other aspects, since you like him and feel that only he can be worthy of you, then you can try it, it is the most shameful to run away without a fight. ”

Xiao Xuexi suddenly had strength again, and she said firmly and confidently: "Big brother, you're right! It's the most shameful thing to run away without a fight! I haven't done anything, how can I throw in the towel? I've got to win! Sure to win! "Even if Jiang Changyang really has affection for He Peony, she can make him point of view! He will always understand who is better for him. It's her, not the daughter of a merchant who only grows flowers.

Monk Fuyuan sent the peony to the front before stopping: "He Shi, you go slowly." ”

Peony said goodbye to him, turned around to leave, and suddenly heard the monk Fuyuan suddenly say: "I heard that Chengfeng will not come back until the Lantern Festival." ”

Peony has never known how much Monk Fuyuan knows about her and Jiang Changyang, but only after listening to his words can he understand at this moment, he probably knows, so he does not deliberately hide his emotions, and says a little sadly: "As long as he is safe and smooth." She also thought about watching the lanterns with him during the Lantern Festival, which seemed to be in the soup.

Monk Fuyuan folded his hands: "The Buddha will definitely bless him." ”

When Peony arrived at the front, Mrs. Cen was already ready to get up and go back, and when she saw her coming, she immediately got up. Peony saw that her mood seemed to have calmed down a lot, and the melancholy caused by Jiang Changyang's non-return was also much lighter, and she happily looked for something to talk to her.

The mother and daughter went out of Fashou Temple together, and Mrs. Cen saw that it was still early, so she said, "Let's go around the spice shop in Dongshi to have a look." "Since the accident of Rokuro, Erlang alone will take charge of the West Market, and Goro will manage this shop, trying to make the business prosperous when the spices are sold at the end of the year, make a little more money, and bring back the customers who were let go by Rokuro some time ago. These days are so busy that when she gets home, she doesn't even want to speak, and Mrs. Cen feels very distressed.

When he arrived in Dedong City, when he passed in front of Maya's liquor store, Peony took a closer look, but saw that although the door was still open, the door was full of birds, and it was no longer the busy traffic of the day, and the orchid was selling wine. When I looked up again, I couldn't see Maya'er. Peony groaned slightly, and called too expensive: "You go and inquire, is Maya still there?" Is the business still going on? ”

You took the order and left, and after a short time came back and said, "The secret door inside has been nailed, and Maya is not in it." Not only her, but also several other beautiful orchids are gone. I heard that there was a new liquor store at the end of the street, called Mi Kee, which was far more luxurious than this one, and there were more customers, so she went there. When my mother walked forward, she had to pass by the door of Mi Ji. ”

Before I reached the end of the street, I saw a gold-lettered signboard on a black background engraved with the word "Mi Ji" hanging high, which was very eye-catching. When I got closer, I saw that it was very lively, people came and went, and the horses carved by Yule carved saddles were tied a lot outside. In the middle window of the second floor, in the most eye-catching place, I saw Maya'er in a carmine jacket and skirt sitting there with a smile, greeting the guests downstairs with a smile.

Peony turned around and asked, "Do you know who opened it?" ”

Gui Dao: "I heard that it was opened by a man surnamed Hu Shang, and his name was unknown before. I only knew that I had opened a wine shop in the West Market before, but somehow I suddenly opened such a big one, and I also got the beautiful orchids of several wine shops to fill the façade. ”

Peony tilted her head and thought for a while, and said, "When you are free, come and sit down and see if there is no cave." It's livelier and more lucrative inside than outside. ”

Gui smiled and responded.

When I arrived at the spice shop, Gorou and the old shopkeeper were not in the front hall, and a few guests came and went, and they were all young men who came forward to deal with it. There was another guest with a face, wearing a small brocade robe, holding a teacup and sitting in the hall drinking tea calmly, as if no one greeted him.

Mrs. Cen hurriedly called a man to ask where the two had gone, and she heard that Gorou was checking accounts with the old shopkeeper in the warehouse at the back, and she was very busy. Mrs. Cen couldn't help but wonder: "Why did you settle the account at this time?" But the guests were left unattended. Why? As he spoke, he stepped forward to greet the guest: "Dare to ask the guest officer what he wants?" ”

The guest smiled and said, "I'm not here to buy something." I'm waiting for Goro. ”

Mrs. Cen was a little embarrassed, so she hurriedly said sorry and asked Peony to call Gorou out. Peony went to the warehouse and saw Gorou and one of the shopkeepers holding a thick account book and going down the shelves to check the goods. Peony hurriedly shouted: "Fifth brother." ”

Gorou looked back and smiled: "Danniang, why are you here?" Didn't you accompany your mother to Fashou Temple today to worship incense? ”

Peony said: "Come out, my mother is worried about you and wants to come over to see you." There is someone waiting for you in front of you, and she tells you to go forward, and I will do it here. ”

"It's Elder Jane, he's here a long time ago. But I'll go ahead and see my mother. Gorou smiled and handed her the account book in his hand and pointed it out to her: "It's already here, you and the old shopkeeper continue to go down the shelf, I'll go ahead and take a look." ”

Peony held the account book and the old shopkeeper down the shelves, the old shopkeeper was surprised by her memory and sensitivity, and sighed: "If Danniang is a man, the family is not so tired, and the manpower is not tight." A few young men only care about reading, and they don't come to the store to follow, what can they do in the future? ”

Peony smiled: "People have their own ambitions, it is best if they can read books, if not, there will always be people who will turn back to do business." My dad wasn't very old, and my brothers were in the prime of life, so they could teach them for years. The old shopkeeper, how did he pick today's reconciliation and liquidation? But what happened? ”

The old shopkeeper said, "No, it's a good thing." Do you see the guest outside? He has an uncle who is on duty in the palace, saying that on Chinese New Year's Eve this year, there will be a big fire everywhere in the palace, and a lot of spices will be needed. The inventory in the palace is not enough, so I will purchase some from the major spice shops outside. In previous years, our family also made offerings, and there were a lot of offerings. If the goods are good, the price will definitely not be lost, so I will count with your fifth brother and see how much I can take out. If it can be done, you can make up for all the shortfalls of the previous days, and everyone can have a good holiday. ”

Peony smiled: "That's a good thing." Do we have enough spices in our shop? ”

At this time on Chinese New Year's Eve, there are two things that must be done, the first is to expel the plague ghosts, and the second is to light a fire in the courtyard, light lamps and candles everywhere in the living room, sing and dance, drink and keep the New Year. Ordinary surnames will burn some incense in the living room, but the fire in the courtyard must be just ordinary firewood, but in the palace and the mansion of dignitaries, the fire must be put in a lot of incense. She had heard that there was a point of luxury, and the whole fire was burned with agarwood, plus a nail decoction, the flame rose for several feet, and the fragrance smelled for ten miles.

The old shopkeeper sighed: "It's easy to say that the side is just not enough agarwood." It's just that this agarwood is the most wanted, and in the first few days, it was just sold by Rokuro to a guest. ”

Why is Rokuro again? Peony frowned, and then thought about it, Rokuro didn't know that there would be this in the future at that time, and it was stupid not to do business if he didn't do it, and he couldn't blame him. Then he said, "Is there no other way?" Why don't you get some around? Those small-scale shops are probably there, they have no chance to sell to the palace, we can buy them and then change hands, it doesn't matter if we make a little less, but we can take this opportunity to make a name. ”

The old shopkeeper said: "I have discussed the same with your fifth brother, but I still have to discuss it with Jian Ye again." But I don't think it's a big problem, I've dealt with him many times before. ”

Seeing that Gorou and Mrs. Cen came in quickly, Gorou said with some joy: "He promised to give us a share of forty carts, and there is nearly a month, so now we have to hurry up and go separately to find agarwood." The Hu merchants who live near the West Market, in the small shops, and the surrounding states and counties, may be able to make it up. Hurry up, don't let anyone else get ahead of us. ”

Mrs. Cen said: "You must be careful, don't make some bad things to make up for it, it's a big disaster." ”

Gorou said seriously, "I know. ”