Xiao Xiao's cold wind rises, blowing down fine snow.

Zhao Wei blinked, shook off the snowflakes on her eyelashes, and saw that her father didn't even give her a chance to be coquettish, and she was very depressed.

"His Royal Highness Zhou Guo, please move to the Renming Palace...", the eunuch urged softly.

Knowing that this was sent by her father to supervise herself, although Zhao Hui was irritable, she didn't lose her temper, and she had a much more easy-going personality in the past six months.

had to pretend to be depressed, and was "guarded" by a group of palace maids and walked slowly to Renming Palace.

After arriving, she found that Zhao Mengqi and the others were already here, talking and laughing with Queen Xie.

"Shiro, I don't have to travel, isn't it a waste for you to give me a carriage? It's so delicate and extravagant, I'm afraid it's not cheap."

Zhao Mengqi looked like a good child, with a smile on his face, "How can the son's filial piety to the eldest lady be a waste? Besides, my son thinks that the eldest lady should not always stay in the palace, but occasionally go out for a walk, look at the market, and visit the garden, which is beneficial to physical and mental health, and you and your father are blessed with longevity, health, and joy, which is the greatest wish of our children."

Speaking of family life, they tacitly did not mention Xie Tang, as if this had never happened.

As for Xie Tang's final disposition, it was decided by Zhao Guan's family, stripping off the official body, ordering the family to think about it behind closed doors, and it was not too harsh, and Zhao Mengqi did not mean to kill everything, it can be regarded as an open side.

"You kid, kind-hearted and reasonable, you have really grown up, which is gratifying." Queen Xie's eyebrows and eyes were full of joy, and she made a pun, "Right now, I don't worry about anything else, and what I still remember is the marriage of your brother and sister, you can tell me yourself, what kind of little lady you like, I will look for it carefully, and I will always make you satisfied...... Bao Niang is also here, just right, let's talk about it together."

Zhao Hui walked over, pouted and said reluctantly, "I'm still young, so I don't want to get married so early......

"Yo... Come and show me, tsk...... I haven't seen anyone for more than half a year, and I have become more and more moving, radiant, and my body is a lot stronger, where is it still small? Your father has carefully explained, he will definitely match you with a good talent, and there will never be the slightest grievance against you, why should you be reluctant?"

As she spoke, Empress Xie pressed Zhao Hui on the embroidery pier beside her.

"If you don't want to, you don't want to...... Now she is the daughter of an ordinary eunuch, and most of them are eighteen or twenty before they discuss marriage, why should you be in such a hurry? …… Fourth brother, do you think that's the truth?"

Zhao Wei saw that Empress Xie didn't seem to be impressed with her reasons, so she hurriedly asked her brother for help.

Zhao Mengqi spread his hands, and said with his eyes, I can't protect myself, how can I help you?

Please, please.

Zhao Hui looked pitiful, and her eyes were full of pleading.

Zhao Mengqi didn't tease her anymore, touched his nose and said, "Auntie, what about my marriage, you have to take a look, don't be too anxious, good marriages are predestined, and it may not be beautiful to force it, if there is really that suitable, it doesn't matter ......if it's early or late."

He didn't refuse, but learned Lao Zhao's style, and sacrificed the procrastination trick, if someone else wants to choose a daughter-in-law for him, then choose it slowly with them, and when the person is selected, it will be perfunctory to pick some faults, anyway, no one can force him to press the cave room.

As for Lao Zhao, he had a vague exchange on the carriage just now, because this matter involves the political situation, and it is up to his son's own wishes, as long as he doesn't cause him trouble.

"As for Bao Niang, I think it's better not to be so early, you see, she is only fifteen after the New Year, her body is already delicate, and if she marries and has children too early, something big may happen, but I have asked the doctor, there are many women who have a difficult birth and have a miscarriage, just because the body is not fully grown...... Our royal daughter doesn't have to worry about getting married, it's still a few years later, so it's not too late to talk about marriage after the original essence of the mother is firm."

"That's it, the fourth brother is right." Zhao Hui's chick nodded frantically like pecking rice.

Empress Xie laughed, "Shiro, you are also able to speak well, according to what you say, hoping that you will get married soon will hurt you?"

"How can you say that, parents must also have their own considerations, and the son just makes some suggestions, and it's not a bad thing to think more thoroughly."

Zhao

Meng Qifu smiled, his "seeing people and talking about people, and talking about ghosts" seemed to be an instinct.

Empress Xie believes in Buddha and worships Buddha, and her temperament is actually very Buddha-natured, so she said noncommittally, "Your father handed this matter over to me Zhang Luo, I can't do nothing, besides, Mrs. Cixian has sent me letters several times, and Concubine Qian has also ......entered the palace many times."

When she said this, she glanced at Qian Duo, who was standing behind Zhao Mengqi, intentionally or unintentionally, Qian Duo's face was inexplicably hot, and he lowered his head in a hurry.

Empress Xie kept talking, "There are still many noble relatives of the noble clan who have sent words to me, how can you let me shirk?"

In order to protect the imperial power, the Song Dynasty learned many lessons from the previous generations and established a very strict political system, which was very strict in restraining the concubines. Chinese Net

Among them, the most important family name is to choose the meaning of a famous family, emphasizing Confucian rules and etiquette.

There are also queens who were born in commoners, such as Liu E and Gaozong's Empress Wu, and Xiaozong's Empress Xia, but they are not the original match, and they can be regarded as exceptions, after all, there are no absolutes in the world, and Zhao Yun was not very surprised to become the emperor.

Now Zhao Mengqi's status cannot be said to be certain, but he is also inseparable, and he is naturally strict with his wife candidate, and it has attracted wide attention.

Zhao Mengqi has already made up his mind in his heart, but he is not willing to spend his energy on it at present, so he does not plan to express his position, but only wait until he can fully control the overall situation, and it will be the final word.

So he said, "Why is Mrs. Cixian also concerned about my marriage?"

Mrs. Cixian is Zhao Yun and King Rong's mother-in-law, and Zhao Mengqi's grandmother Quan.

Empress Xie explained, "Madame said that she has a niece and granddaughter, whose name is Quan Jiu, who will be fourteen next year, who has been smart and beautiful since she was a child, and who also reads history, is filial piety and kindness, virtuous and virtuous, and is just right for you, and your father also thinks it is good, but he has not seen anyone yet, so there is nothing conclusive."

When Qian Duo heard this, his face turned pale, and he clenched his little fists tightly.

Quan Jiu?

Could it be the queen of the original history?

Zhao Mengqi was stunned in his heart, a little in a trance, but he quickly came to his senses, frowned and said, "It's only thirteen, and it's a little older than Su Niang, this can't be done...... At least three or five years from now."

He had already changed his mind and felt that using Quan Jiu as a shield was a good strategy to delay.

It's just that Qian Duo didn't understand his thoughts, thinking that he had agreed to this candidate, and he couldn't help but feel more and more sad, if it weren't for his arrogant temperament, I'm afraid the tears would have fallen.

Empress Xie said, "Her father is now an official on Jinghu North Road, so she will be by her side, or call her back to Lin'an, and you will see her first?"

"It's a long way to go, how can I let a little lady run around alone, not in a hurry, I'll talk about it in a few years." Zhao Mengqi pushed his hand.

If it is really to be recalled, it will definitely be arranged, where there will be a situation of running alone, but it is just an excuse.

Empress Xie nodded, "Okay, since you insist that women should not marry and have children too early, then let it go, and see if there is a better candidate."

Faintly, Empress Xie is also more inclined to Quan Jiu, I don't know if it is the factors of Mrs. Cixian and Zhao Guan's family, or others.

Then she said, "It's about Bao Niang...... I also respect your opinion, but even if you are not in a hurry to get married, in fact, it will not delay looking for a relationship now, and how to decide in the end depends on your father's intentions, understand?"

Immediately, Zhao Mengqi gave Zhao Hui a look, my brother can only help you here, and my father can't help him......

Zhao Wei wrung her handkerchief and looked sad.

After sitting for a while and gossiping, Zhao Mengqi said goodbye, Zhao Hui wanted to follow out of the palace, but was stopped by Queen Xie.

Back in the carriage, Zhao Mengqi noticed Qian Duo's abnormality, "Why did you suddenly get depressed!?"

He didn't know that Qian Duo had already finished making up for it, and Zhao was a scumbag who abandoned it from beginning to end, liking the new and hating the old, empathizing with the bloody drama of not falling in love, and sulking at the moment.

"You want to take care of it!?"

Zhao Mengqi didn't think much about it, "Oh... I think I'm homesick, right? Then when you leave the palace, you and Xiaopang will go home, and we should give you a holiday and have a good New Year."

But it was different when I heard it in Qian Duo's ears.

All right! Can't wait to get rid of me?

Hmph, just go, who rarely stays the same!

"Stop, I'll change cars now."

Perhaps because she was used to Qian Duo's little temper that broke out from time to time, Zhao Mengqi didn't take it to heart, and simply let her change the car.

Not long after leaving the palace, the Qian brothers and sisters left the convoy on their own in the No. 7 carriage and went to the Qian Mansion under the escort of a small team.

Zhao Mengqi and Zhao Qian brothers and sisters left Lin'an City and returned to the Yanwang Mansion after a long absence.

Seeing that the entire palace was full of busy figures, cleaning and lighting, and there was a joyful atmosphere, Zhao Mengqi was slightly puzzled.

"I'm just going home from a long distance, so I don't have to be so grand......

Huang Yu smiled and explained, "Ah Lang, today is the twenty-third day of the lunar month, and you are just going home, so the little one simply arranges for the New Year today, and double happiness is coming."

The small year is the traditional day of the Han people, which day is passed, not necessarily the same in various places, the Central Plains is mostly twenty-three, and the south is mostly twenty-four.

After the Song Dynasty crossed to the south, it gradually became a local custom, and more and more people lived in the twenty-fourth year, but it was not impossible to pass twenty-three.

After listening to Huang Wolf's words, Zhao Mengqi patted his head, "Hey, fortunately, you reminded me, otherwise I almost forgot about it, and let people call Xue Jin, Zhao Heyun, Fang Lu, Mo Chunfeng, and Lu Derun, I have something to arrange."

Early the next morning, every household in Lin'an City was preparing to celebrate the festival, and suddenly found that there were many more Dongwei soldiers on the street, they wore military uniforms different from those of other forbidden troops, drove ox carts, or carts, accompanied by soldiers of the military patrol courtyard, through the streets into the square, door to door.

Zhao Mengfeng knocked on a family that looked a little shabby, and when the host's face was still full of shock, Xiao Yuan's face was full of smiles, "I'm sorry, today's Xiao Nian, on behalf of the official family and His Royal Highness King Yan, I would like to pay tribute to you for an early year, I wish you all the best and good luck for your family, and I will send a small gift to talk about the New Year."

Immediately, the soldiers behind him moved a bamboo basket from the ox cart and placed it in front of the owner, who was still confused.

"Here is a bucket of rice, ten pieces of honeycomb coal, two catties of preserved fish, two taels of refined salt, two feet of red silk, two catties of sugarcane wine, a box of Dingsheng cakes, a hundred royal bank exchange coupons, and a pair of Spring Festival couplets."

"Honeycomb coal can be burned like charcoal, and the exchange coupon can be used as a meeting, if someone does not collect it for a while, it is not tightened, and it is used to pay taxes, and the government will definitely collect it.

"We're going to the next one, so we won't stay, and I wish you a good year."

After crackling, he left the host to look at the basket of gifts in a daze, thinking that he hadn't woken up, and was still in a dream, "The official family and His Royal Highness give me New Year's greetings?"

Some people think that there was no coal in the Song Dynasty, and they don't know what they think, why can't they dig coal if they can dig copper and iron ore? In the Song Dynasty, even oil was extracted.

Although it is difficult to determine when coal was first discovered, the use of coal was already common in the Song Dynasty.

In the early years of the Southern Song Dynasty, Zhuang Xuan recorded in the "Chicken Rib Edition" that "in the past, there were millions of families in Biandu, all of them relied on coal, and there was no one who burned wages."

He also wrote that at the beginning of the southern crossing, Gaozong "stationed in Wu and Yue, and the mountains and forests were not enough to supply Qiao Su", and the people of the time "thought about the benefits of coal but could not get it".

In fact, a large number of coal mines had been discovered in Jiangxi at that time, and Huainan had records of mining and use in the Northern Song Dynasty.

The vegetation in the south is relatively lush, it is easier to obtain grass and reeds, and coal is less used in ordinary times, but in winter, briquettes and briquettes will be used as fuel, which is called "charcoal", not only in Lin'an, there is also a proverb in the Suhu area, "9981, every family beats charcoal".

Even if coking coal is not absent at this time, but it is not widely used, and later archaeology has found an iron-making site around 1270, which is used for coking coal ironmaking.

As for sugar cane liquor, it is brewed from bagasse after squeezing the sugar juice, and after two distillations, alcohol

The degree is still only a dozen degrees, the taste is not good, but it is also considered to make the best use of things, and the last residue can also be used for papermaking, which is still in the experimental stage, and makes technical reserves for the future sugar industry.

And the Spring Festival couplets, there is no such name at this time, the wooden peach charm was used before, and some people used paper instead of paper at this time, and it will not become a unified custom until the Ming Dynasty.

Zhao Mengqi is asking people to improve the printing technology, and by the way, printing Spring Festival couplets to the people, which can be regarded as promoting this custom in advance.

Sending exchange vouchers also has a certain purpose, which can speed up the awareness of the people of Lin'an about the Royal Bank and lay a little foundation for the currency reform.

Of course, it must cost a lot of money to pay New Year's greetings to all the people of Lin'an, but Zhao Mengqi is not afraid of others saying that he is a loser.

Lin'an Province has a population of nearly 2 million, and there are about 180,000 households living in Lin'an City alone, almost 430,000 people.

Therefore, Zhao Mengqi spent about four or five hundred thousand yuan this time, and the materials were distributed in the city, but the money outside the city could only be given directly, 500 wen per household, and the people in the army gave a little more.

This was not his impromptu idea, as early as more than a month ago, people began to prepare.