Hearing that the Yishun Teahouse has been doing good business in recent days, Shou Ming filled one of the cigarette bottles painted by Wu Shibao with cigarettes, and wrapped the other two in tissue paper, and went to Yishun Teahouse to find business.

The teahouse is not big, but it is a three-bay tube room, with six square tables, two tables and several spring stools on each side of the door. Elsewhere, the prosperity of trading depends on "the time of the day", but here he relies on the "geographical advantage". Not far to the south here, Taoran Pavilion, Liyuan Yidi and Songbai Nunnery are the habitual places where the pear orchard world shouts and walks. At that time, theater artists were regarded as "untouchables" and were not allowed to live in the inner city, and their homes were mostly in the Mashen Temple to the east, Chunshu Hutong to the west, and the Panjia River along Nanheng Street to the south. All the artists who walk home walk here, it is a middle station, sit down to eat snacks and drink tea, and it is convenient to go anywhere after the end. In this way, those who love to learn opera, love to listen to opera, do business, tie the handle, front desk steward, backstage clock, scene head, martial arts head, box officer, inspector, car servant, Ma Ling, in a word, people who want to make friends with artists have become frequent visitors here. In addition, this teahouse also has a group of birders. The guests who play with the birds have something in common with the singers, they get up early and enjoy the mountains and forests together. Whether it is a lark, a thrush, a yellow bird, or an indigo, they all walk and sing in the morning. They came back from walking birds from the Xiannong Altar, the root of the city wall, the moat, and the West Palace of Wanshou, and most of them were willing to sit and chat in this teahouse. As a result, some people who put cages, burned food jars, caught grasshoppers, raised spiders, and wanted to have a relationship with bird keepers to find a meal became frequent visitors to the teahouse. Over time, as a result of the exchange of the two arts, there were some all-rounders who could sing and raise birds. This kind of person has a characteristic, if he takes singing as a profession and raising birds as a pastime, you say that his ability to raise birds is stronger than singing, and he will be happy; If he raises birds for a living and sings for fun, you must say that he has reached the point of perfection in singing, and he is a hundred times better than his bird-raising skills, so as not to offend him. Because of this kind of "rules", most of the people who have nothing to do with these two lines stand outside the door to listen to the birdsong and look at the famous and good, and few dare to go in and sit down to eat tea side by side with those regular customers, for fear of committing a taboo.

After Shou Ming sat down, he kept greeting the acquaintances who came first and came first, and his eyes could keep looking out the window. When he saw two fat people, one tall and one short, coming from the south, he shook his sleeves, stretched his clothes and grabbed the door, and said to the tall fat man who leaned over and said, "Third master, you are on the morning shift!" Then he turned to the side and asked the short fat man to say, "Uncle Wu, you are always so idle!" Qian Sanye was holding a big bird cage in his hand, and it was inconvenient to bow down, so he had to symbolically arch his hand. Uncle Wu stopped the pair of waists in his hand and returned the favor: "TOEFL, I don't think I'm so idle, no one asked me to be in a class!" While they were talking, a few idlers were attracted by Uncle Wu's big birdcage. Some people who know him pointed out and said: "This is the famous big-faced Qian Xiaoxian, and that is the famous two-flowered face Wu Qingchang......" The singing copper hammer has always been more short and fat, so that people have a misunderstanding that the vocal cords are inversely proportional to height. Beijingers actually made up a saying that "the wife is loud". Erhua's face is known for his martial arts, and he is naturally tall and powerful. These two are the opposite. Qian Xiaoxian is tall and long, but he can speak like a bell, which is already very valuable; And Wu Qingchang can sing Li Kui, Ma Wu, and Dou Erdun with the size of a dun'er, with a pull on his shoulders, a straight chest, and a majestic momentum, which makes people forget that he is a little short and fat, so he is more amazing than Qian Xiaoxian. Both of them also have a bit of a quirk, that is, once they have a few taels of silver in their waists, they are too lazy to go on stage. Wu Qingchang became obsessed with a string of antique shops, and his addiction to running for others was greater than that of singing. He and Shouming are half peers and half friends, Qian Xiaoxian loves to play with living creatures, but his gameplay is very special, always trying to get naturally hostile animals together to make them give up their previous suspicions and shake hands. He spent money to build a large cage with a partition in the middle, first raising a weasel on one side and a chicken on the other, and raising it for some days, believing that the two had established a preliminary friendship, so he removed the partition in the middle, and the weasel ate the chicken, and he fell to death in a fit of rage. I bought another night owl. On the other side, there was a little white mouse, which looked at the owl all day long, shivered, could not eat or drink, and was scared to death in a few days. Now in his cage is a big tanuki on one side and a white jade bird on the other. At the moment he had not removed the partition, and the bird could eat and drink, but when it came to the song, it was like a spring in the throat, and it trembled so much that it made people want to cry. His cage is not covered, and it is rare for people to look at it wherever he goes. It is a pleasure for others to look at this bird and beast, and it is also a pleasure for him to look at these onlookers. In addition, he likes to spend money on new and obscene things, so he and Shouming are half friends and half customers.

After Shou Ming said hello, the three of them followed each other and sat down at Shou Ming's table. Qian Xiaoxian had a cat in the cage, and he couldn't hang it with those thrushes and larks, so he put it on the table against the wall. After wiping his hands with a large handkerchief and blowing his nose, he reached for his cigarette bottle. Because of his burly body, he used a martial arts pot and hung it around his waist with a purse, which was quite troublesome to pick up. At this time, Shou Ming handed over the pot painted by Wu Shibao: "Third master, you taste this!" ”

"Potpourri?"

"Potpourri can't do it! A real Western goldenrod. Hey, that sesame leather bottle sleeve alone is worth the money of a good pair of boots! Just ask the price of cigarettes! ”

"Is your Uncle Shou the master who spends this money?" Qian Sanye glanced at Shou Ming, took the cigarette bottle with a smile, opened the lid, and sniffed at the mouth of the pot first.

"Well, don't you?"

"Smoke is a big golden flower! You didn't buy it! Qian Sanye said, "Honestly, where did it come from?" ”

Shou Ming first tilted his head and nodded, indicating that he had served Qian Sanye, and then put his mouth into Qian Sanye's ear and whispered, "I'll buy a cigarette bottle for others." There was half a pot of cigarettes in this smoking bottle, and I didn't take it out, but I smelled it first. Otherwise, if you pour the guy, this smoke will run away, and it won't be authentic! ”

Qian San then cast his eyes on the cigarette bottle, looked at it for a while and said, "What's fresh here, I still use you to exchange it!" ”

Shou Ming smiled and did not speak. Qian San couldn't hold his breath, picked it up and looked at it again, and looked at the cotton inside the window, oh: "There are also internal paintings, this is not new!" ”

"Painting is different from painting!" Shou Ming said, "I'll tell you you don't understand either. Take it, don't call anyone ......"

This Qian San is the most opposed to people saying that he doesn't understand anything, and he is the most taboo that others think he has no money. As soon as he heard this, he came with a half-red face.

"What, are you afraid that I won't be able to afford it?"

"Where do you mean that? Not to mention such a smoking bottle, didn't you move the Ruyao bottle of the Alcohol King's Mansion as soon as you sang "Lock Five Dragons"? Shou Ming said with a smile, "I'm afraid that you will be wronged!" If you really hit it, I will let you pay according to the original price, you will say that it is not worth it, and scold me for blackmailing you; According to the general citrine inner painting pot, I have to put my pants in! ”

"There's such a god in this thing?"

Shou Ming didn't say anything, just smiled. Qian San picked it up again and looked at it. He shook his head, then nodded again. He sneered, took a breath and asked, "How much do you say for others?" ”

"Fifty taels!"

"Give you fifty-one taels, I'll leave the third master!"

"Ouch, third master, I'm here for someone else, I have to keep my promise."

"Find another one for him!"

"You're a saint. If you can easily find a second copy of such an inner painting, will you have an extra silver tael? Qian Sanye is the master of buying and selling the dead, can he walk this hole bridge? Give me back! ”

Qian San pushed Shou Ming's hand and said, "Boy, who let you show off in me?" I will reward you with four taels, and the lamp will go to the backstage of Sanqing to get the silver! ”

"Yo, the third master is really ruthless in grabbing goods!" Wu Qingchang looked at it coldly for a long time, and only then did he interject and say, "Let me have a good method?" ”

Qian San handed the cigarette bottle to Wu Qingchang. Wu Qingchang looked at it again and again, and said, "It's worth it, you bought it, third master!" The big bargain is yours, the small bargain is mine, and this big golden flower will come out to reward me! ”

Wu Qingchang really took out a jasper cigarette tray and poured out all the cigarettes. This Wu Qingchang's ability to comment on literature and play is very famous in the pear orchard world. He said that it was worth it, Qian San was extremely proud, and his confidant said: "Uncle, I know that you often give the antique store manager a look." I don't do it, but it's not that I can't do it. I'm going to take half of your business, believe it or not? ”

"Faith, faith. I just don't believe that the south is the north, and I can't disbelieve this sentence! Qian Sanye! Good! ”

Qian Xiaoxian was happy and pulled Wu Qingchang to eat fried triangles. Wu Qingchang said: "Write down this hospitality first, I will not be idle today." I'll see you tomorrow morning. When it's over, let's go straight to the fifth archway from there. ”

After Qian San left, Shou Ming also stood up and said goodbye. Wu Qingchang grabbed his sleeve and said, "It's not so cheap." You said, how many percent of Qian Sanye's fifty-five taels are me? ”

"The conscience of heaven and earth, uncle, I am running errands for others in vain!"

"Old! What kind of thing costs fifty, and when you meet that dizziness, you add five taels. Why, you say? ”

"If I say it, even you have to say it's worth it!"

"I don't believe it. You convinced me that the money for this morning's snack was mine. Sacrifice your life to accompany the gentleman! I'm not in business anymore! Say, "Why is it worth fifty-five taels of silver?" ”

"This cigarette bottle was painted by a friend who has been in prison for a year and eight months, and has no teacher! I'm a friend. I'm going to earn a hammer, and I'm going to put it out when the lights go out!" ”

Wu Qingchang also asked, and Shou Ming told him about Wu Shibao. But he did not mention his name, let alone say that this person went to prison because he was involved in the "Boxer Rebellion". Because Wu Qingchang has been frequenting the Catholic church in Xuanwumen recently, people suspect that he wants to be religious.

This Wu Qingchang believes in Jesus or not, but he is indeed a warm-hearted person. After listening to Shouming, he said: "Even so, this person is also worthy of pity." Does he plan to eat from a painting pot in the future? ”

"Such a banner man, is there any other way than to rely on this bastard to eat now?"

"We're friends, and your friends are just as good as mine. Grab the big head like this, once or twice, it won't work if it's long. How many money immortals are there? If you want to draw, you have to draw something special to stand on your feet and become a family! ”

"For your advice, what do you say?"

"Two paths. The first is to specialize in cheating, holding on to Ziyizi and Zhou Leyuan, and doing it to the point, which can also make money. But then again, with the same effort, why bother to sell in character? ”

"Say that."

"Another way is to fight the world by yourself. I looked at the pot just now and saw that this person is indeed a bit of a foundation, so I have more mouths. ”

Shou Ming nodded and said, "It's hard for you to bother." This person originally had a bit of a freehand background, so he had a bit of his own penmanship. ”

Wu Changqing shook his head and said: "The freehand should be splashed and dripping." The cigarette bottle is inch-inch, and there is no flexibility of rice paper infiltration rendering, I am afraid that it will be difficult to see the color. As for the brush, as I just said, it's too poor. It's like singing, Huang Runfu became popular when he sang like this, and I sang like this, who still listens to me? Besides, Huang Runfu is tall and broad-shouldered, he stands in a T-shaped step, and the two board axes are flat, which is beautiful. I'm half a foot shorter, my shoulders are five inches narrower, and I also appear like this, is there anything else to see? I've got to find my rut. You are a flower face, I am also a flower face, you sing like this is reasonable, I sing like that. If you want to see the bold move, you go to see Huang Runfu; If you want to see the spirit charming, you hold Wu Qingchang. Is there such a thing? ”

"It's true!"

"Let me tell you, I've been looking at Lang Shining's painting method for a long time! Why didn't anyone use his painting method for interior painting? Don't listen to those who paint and make it worthless, I said that here, if someone learns his essentials and uses it in the inner painting, it will be called a part! Since Gengzi, the customers of our business have changed, don't you know? Who buys more? Foreigner! The Eight Banners family and high-ranking officials didn't buy the shares they sold. When you come across a nouveau riche who spends money to buy goods, you inquire carefully, and nine times out of ten you buy them and go to foreigners to give gifts! Is there such a thing? ”

"You said that!"

"All our other money is earned by foreigners, but only this piece of handicraft calligraphy and painting can earn them, why not earn it? This Lang Shining is Italian. Italy, England, and Austria all committed the word 'li', and they were all descendants of the Virgin Mary, and they lived separately. Therefore, his paintings look familiar to them and are pleasing to their hearts. As for Portugal, Spain, and Germania, eighty percent of the 'tooth' characters are cousins with the word 'li', and they also like what they like. Tell that friend and do what he likes. Grandson! Tell him to take out the money he stole from us again! He has to do what I say, and I don't have to hand over the things he draws to others, I will underwrite them for you. I'm going to make him rich! ”

Shou Ming has always recognized Wu Qingchang's ability to identify antiquities. Ever since he entered and exited the church, he has always felt that he has a bit of a ghostly aura. When I listened to him today, I realized that he did not go to the church, but went to the money bag of foreign monks.

They were talking loudly when a man suddenly flashed behind them. The figure is not tall, the complexion is ruddy, the robe is shiny gauze, the boots of the dead cow are kicked, and the braids are loose. After a thousand, he said in a rough voice: "Dare to ask if this is Master Shouming?" ”

Shou Ming hurriedly replied and said, "Forgive me for being clumsy, I look familiar, but I don't dare to recognize you." ”

The man said, "Is it okay to borrow a step and say a word?" ”

Wu Qingchang hurriedly got up and said, "I still have something to do, so I won't accompany you." ”

The man hurriedly said, "You sit down with yours, and I will gossip about yours!" ”

Wu Qingchang said: "I do have something. Lost company! ”

Seeing Wu Qingchang walk away, the man said, "It's not that you can't remember me, it's that you haven't seen me." This is the first time I've seen you. I have come to visit you on the behest of a friend. ”

Shou Ming hurriedly gave up his seat. The man said, "I have a friend who is in prison with your friend Uncle Wu in the Criminal Department. He asked me to find you and pass on two words to Uncle Wu. ”

Shou Ming hurriedly asked, "What is your friend's surname?" ”

The man said, "The surname is Bao, and he is a library soldier." He asked you to tell Uncle Wu that there was a Master Nie who was passed away by the Ninth Master, and the good luck and evil were unknown. Before leaving, Master Nie instructed one thing, asking Uncle Wu to pass on his craftsmanship. I want to see him do a new job, and death will be blind. ”

Shou Ming asked, "What craft?" Who is Master Nie? You can tell! ”

The man said, "That's what he said." I'm selling it as it is, and I don't know one more word. ”

Shou Ming said: "That's fine." Don't you want to say two things, and one more? ”

The man took out a silver ticket worth three hundred taels of silver from his body and said, "This is a few taels of silver that Brother Bao Zhou Ji gave to Uncle Wu, so that he can make a book and operate that craft." He said that he had never done anything useful to the world in his life, and Uncle Wu had entered the last share of his craft, so it was not in vain that he came to the world. ”

Shou Ming asked, "How do you say this?" ”

The man looked to both sides and whispered, "This man has been sentenced to beheading." Now that he is on death row, he will be sentenced after the autumn. He was a treasury soldier who committed a crime of stealing silver. ”

Shou Ming grabbed the man in a panic and said, "It's rare for this person to be so righteous!" ”

The man said, "If you want to steal silver, what soldier does not steal?" When the incident was committed, Daku piled up the entire loss on him alone and let him suffer on behalf of everyone. Without further ado, please, please. ”

Shou Ming hurriedly said: "I don't dare to ask your surname." ”

The man said: "My surname is Ma, and I open a fragrant wax shop on Cherry Slope Street. Please tell Uncle Wu, don't let down your friends. Now please send me a receipt so that I can reply to that friend and reassure him. ”

Shou Ming borrowed a pen and inkstone on the teahouse cabinet and Gong Gong Zheng opened a receipt of three hundred taels of silver. After writing it, I couldn't get enough of it, so I added a few words:

"Jiangtou is not a storm, and it is difficult for anyone else to walk."