Chapter 40: Fishskin Lanterns
The island is surrounded by lush greenery and dense trees, like a canopy. Ancient trees towered into the sky, and lush trees obscured most of the scorching sun overhead.
Zhao Yuanling thought to himself, this is a good place to escape the summer.
However, the furnishings are very simple, as if they were improvized. On the ground was just a wooden plank, on which were placed priceless seafood.
Any random piece is money that ordinary people can't earn in a lifetime.
It turns out that there is a place where money is treated like dung.
Lao Si has been following them closely to compliment and explain, but it is quite a bit of a hospitality to distinguished guests.
Zhao Yuanling knew that it was all thanks to Ximen Zhong's blessing.
This kid looks rich on the surface, but in fact he has a lot of money.
The seafood that I fancied did not hesitate, and directly asked the Lao Sigang to load it.
"Do you want this lamp that doesn't go out, little boy?"
"What's the lights that don't go out?"
"It's literal, this lamp oil can burn for a hundred years, and there is a faint aroma when lit, and many ladies and ladies like it very much."
"Buy."
"And this lady's cream, the wrinkles can be eliminated immediately when rubbed on, and you can bring it to the women and elders in the family?"
"Buy."
"Where's longevity powder?"
"Buy, buy, buy this, this, and this."
"This ...... Are you sure you want to buy so much? ”
Ximen Zhong saw the concern in his eyes, and waved his big hand very arrogantly, revealing the ten gold bracelets on his hand, "Master, I lack everything, but I don't lack money." ”
The smile on Lao Si's face was about to crack to the root of his ear, so he hurriedly smiled and helped him pack it, and even borrowed a cart.
It's the first time he's met such a rich boy, and he's definitely going to make a lot of money now.
Zhao Yuanling silently shed tears of envy in his heart on the side.
"Forever Cream......
An inconspicuous small jar with the words "Eternal Face Cream" written on it, this bottle is very familiar to her, and it can even be said that she has used it.
It is said that rubbing it on the skin can remove wrinkles, and it is very popular among noble ladies in the imperial city.
It's just a fingernail-sized amount, and it must be a thousand taels of gold, and a jar is hard to find.
Also known as "golden balm." ”
Zhao Yuanling had seen it on her mother's makeup when she was young, and she thought it was mysterious, and she thought it was fun, so she secretly used it and pasted it on her face.
The queen mother was distressed for several days, and in the end, it was the father who found a jar of the same one from nowhere, which made her happy.
She picked up the lady's ointment, which was not much bigger than her fingers, and smelled it, and the familiar smell came to her mind.
Seeing that she was interested in the eternal ointment, Lao Si enthusiastically introduced her, Zhao Yuanling shook his head and said that he only wanted to buy incense candles. It's not that she doesn't want to buy it, but the silver taels she carries on her are really not enough, and now she hates less money when she uses it.
She hates it!!
This place is like a treasure trove, if you move to the imperial city, no matter how expensive these things are, I am afraid that they will be snatched by the rich.
On the contrary, Ximen Zhong on the side did not blink his eyes, as if he had come to buy.
When he saw Zhao Yuanling's envious gaze at him, Ximen Zhong waved his hand and said arrogantly: "Does Sister Beauty like this?" I'll send you as a reward for you to accompany me around. ”
He was holding a white bracelet in his hand.
Lao Si said on the side: "This is a silver silk double bone bracelet, which is not only beautiful but also strong, no matter how you bump it, it will not break." ”
Zhao Yuanling held it in his hand, the cold touch, it was neither jade nor wood to the touch, and the most peculiar thing was that the bracelet also emitted a strange fragrance, similar to the smell of the incense candle she was asked to buy.
"Is this scent smoked?"
The smell of the incense candle is exactly the same as the smell of the bracelet, so it is not surprising if it is incense.
Lao Si waved his hand disappreciatively, "This is a natural fragrance, the fragrance lasts for a long time, and the body will have a fragrance if you wear it on your hand for a long time." ”
"Okay, buy, buy ten." Ximen Zhong said broadly on the side.
For the price of ten bracelets, you can buy a set of shops in the most prosperous area of the imperial city, just such a sentence, the speed of spending money like flowing water even Zhao Yunling, who was once a princess, couldn't help but be ashamed.
"What are you doing with all this?"
Ximenqing smiled, leaned into her ear and whispered: "Actually, my father asked me to buy it for him, and he said that he would buy it back if he liked it, and he didn't have to worry about money." ”
"Your father was a businessman?"
Ximen Zhong seemed to think about it in distress, "It doesn't count." ”
"Official?"
Zhao Yuanling felt that it was not right, after all, according to the official's salary, he couldn't take out so much silver, unless it was corruption and bribery. Sensing that her eyes were a little strange, Ximen Zhong leaned over to her and simply said his identity, "My father is the city lord of Lianyun City, and he used to come to see them, but now he said that I should come out to experience the experience." ”
Zhao Yuanling was stunned for a moment, and then suddenly realized, "No wonder ......"
However, taking spending money as experience, Zhao Yuanling shed tears of envy in his heart.
Although the city lord is also an official, they are more chic and comfortable than the court officials in the palace.
In addition to not having to go to court, part of the people's taxes are also in their hands, in addition to some tolls, fees collected by the government, and personal business, which are all a lot of money.
She doesn't know if this little fat man is stupid or not, it's true that there is a lot of money.
Knowing his identity, Zhao Yuanling did not feel guilty at all, and happily accepted his gift.
The island is surrounded by trees, and only this wasteland is fenced off. The vendors here set up small tables made of wood, and there are not many things on the tables, but each one is very beautiful and unique.
"This lantern is so beautiful."
The lanterns on the table immediately attracted Zhao Yuanling's attention, and the lanterns in the imperial city could be said to be strange, but it was the first time she had seen such a beautiful one.
The lantern is spherical and has a layer of fish scales as thin as cicada's wings, and the scales flow in different colors as the lantern sways.
There are also colorful tassels underneath the lantern, which are delicate and playful.
"The girl has such good eyesight, this fishskin lantern is not very common."
"Fishskin lanterns? Is this made of fish skin? ”
She reached out and stroked the scales of the fish, which were soft and obediently covered the lantern like a layer of fur.
For some reason, Zhao Yuanling always felt hairy in his heart when he touched it, and his hand holding the lantern was almost unstable.
Ximen Zhong said on the side, "I don't think this lantern is useful, let's look at something else." ”
Lao Si flattered on the side: "This lantern is the last one, and in the future, I guess I won't be able to find it with the lantern." ”
"Aren't you going to make this lantern?"
"This material is not easy to find, it is estimated that it is the last one, and it will not come again when the opportunity is not lost, and the girl will not think about it carefully."
Zhao Yuanling shook her head, she can think about it, but she can't think about it.
Hearing Lao Si say this, Ximen Zhong glanced at him, and he immediately understood it and wrapped it up with a smile.
The cart behind Lao Si had already formed a hill, and Zhao Yuanling seemed to see a pile of bright gold.
There are only a dozen kinds of seafood here, except for some common ones.
There was also a glass-colored bead, which made Zhao Yuanling's eyes shine.
The beads are the size of two fingers, and the whole body is transparent, like clear water waves. Not only transparent colors, but also crystal clear blue, red and fiery orange.
She is quite familiar with this bead, and when she was in the Song family before, Mrs. Song also saw the same bead in her memory.
But the difference is that there is no white peony in it.
"Is there nothing in there?"
Lao Si smiled, "We can customize it personally, but we have to add money, and many guests like to put some flowers or their lover's hair in it." ”
"Looks like it's not the first time you've bought it." Ximen Zhong said with a smile on the side.
At this time, the middle-aged man who brought Zhao Yuanling came over, "It will take a little time for the incense candle to be ready, do you want to wait any longer?" ”
Zhao Yuanling hesitated for a moment, and when she thought that Mo Bai was still waiting for her, she refused.
I paid for the incense and candles, and I was going to leave. But the middle-aged man said that the boatman hadn't been able to come to pick up people for a while, and he was afraid that he would have to wait a little longer.
So Ximen Zhong invited her to continue shopping together.
The items sold here are rare treasures, expensive and rare, as if there is nothing to choose from, so Ximen Zhong proposed to see how the incense candles are made.
Hearing this, Zhao Yuanling was also curious, and heard that this bracelet was made of fish bones, and the glass beads and lanterns were also made of a certain fish as a material.
It's so peculiar, she wants to see it, too.
Lao Si's face was a little hesitant, but judging from Ximen Zhong's big guest and generous spending methods, he seemed to be an old customer.
So he nodded in agreement.
"You two come with me."
Lao Si put the cart full of goods in the hands of the middle-aged man, and took Zhao Yuanling and Ximen Zhong to a wood.
The weeds around are taller than people, and there is a path on the ground that has been trodden out.
The leaves scratched his face a little itchy, and Zhao Yuanling was a little puzzled, why did he build a warehouse in such a place?
Isn't it uncomfortable to be stuck in the grass every time you come in?
After walking a stick of incense, a huge pit appeared in the green grass that was originally full of ground.
From the outside, the entrance to the cave is large enough for three people to walk side by side. It is about two meters high and is surrounded by piles of stones.
The entrance to the cave is pitch black, with no bottom visible, and it seems to be very deep.
"Inside is the venue we made, follow me later, don't walk around."
Zhao Yuanling and Ximen nodded and walked down together.
That's the smell......
The smell here is very strong, like honey that can't be dissolved, which makes people feel a little dizzy, and at the same time, the smell of blood is even heavier.
What kind of fish can give off such a fragrance?
Zhao Yuanling thought that the inside of the cave was the same size as the entrance of the cave, but he didn't expect that after entering, the inside was even more vast, and there were several small rooms lined up together.
There was only one aisle in the middle, and Zhao Yuanling and the others walked in the middle of the road, looking at the closed doors one by one, and for some reason they always felt like they were in prison.
Suddenly, a scream came from a certain room.