Xu really responded to the auspicious omen of the lights, and went all the way to Beijing, which was very smooth.

When Lu Tong and the others arrived in Shengjing, it was already a month later.

Yinzheng handed over the document to the city guard, followed Lu Tong into the city gate, and as soon as he arrived on the street, he was blinded by the prosperity of Shengjing, and sighed lowly: "Sure enough, it's Shengjing!" ”

When I passed through the inner city gate, I suddenly became lively in front of me. Restaurants of all sizes are everywhere, and tea houses can be seen everywhere. A woman in a red silk dress was selling peach blossoms, and the fragrance filled the place. The city is full of people, shoulder to shoulder. The lanterns hanging in the restaurant are adorned with thin beaded curtains, which glow in the daylight.

The weather is fine, the clouds are fading, the market is bustling, and the people are prosperous, which is really rich and charming.

Yin Zheng was still sighing, Lu Tong had already retracted his gaze, and said, "Let's find an inn to live in first." ”

In the capital where every inch of land is valuable, the housing price is naturally rising. The two found a small inn that was fairly clean and stayed first. Yinzheng went to ask the inn to make some food, and Lu Tong went downstairs first.

The inn is located in the west of the city, some distance from the most prosperous South Street, so the room price is not very expensive. Most of the people who come to stay in this inn are traveling merchants who come to Shengjing to do business.

Lu Tong walked to the long cabinet, and the shopkeeper was a middle-aged man in a sauce-colored straight jacket, who was busy dialing the abacus, and suddenly heard someone in front of him ask: "Shopkeeper, is there a place to sell porcelain near here?" ”

The shopkeeper looked up and saw a young girl standing in front of him.

The Shengjing woman is tall and bright, but the girl in front of her is much more petite. Goose egg face, dark and bright eyes, and an excessively fair complexion. She was born very thin, looked weak and thin, wore a white silk skirt, very light, black hair obliquely combed into braids, and only a frost-white silk flower on the sideburns. Standing here, if the hibiscus comes out of the water, it is beautiful.

Such a beauty is like a jade raised in the green mountains and beautiful waters, exquisite and clear.

The shopkeeper smiled: "The girl is not a local, is she?" Look like it's from Sunan? ”

Lu Tong didn't nod, nor did he deny it, he only smiled: "I heard that the porcelain of the Ke family in Shengjing is excellent, and the shopkeeper knows where to buy the porcelain of the Ke family?" ”

As soon as these words came out, before the shopkeeper could answer, a guest sitting and eating in the main hall behind him shouted first: "Ke's family? What is good about Kejia porcelain? It's just that I hit the road of luck, and I just caught up! ”

Lu Tong turned around, and saw that it was a man dressed as a traveling businessman, so he paused and asked, "Big brother, where did you start with this?" ”

When the traveling merchant heard a "big brother", he did not hesitate to tell him, and only spoke: "Originally, this Ke family sold porcelain in Beijing, but I didn't hear of any outstanding skills, and his reputation was mediocre. However, a year ago, I don't know what luck I went, the middle and lower people in the Qi Taishi's mansion bought the cups and dishes used in the old lady's birthday banquet and took a fancy to the Ke family. Mrs. Qi's birthday banquet was lively, and the Ke family also had scenery. Since then, many officials in Beijing have come to the Ke family to buy porcelain, and their reputation has been out. ”

When the traveling merchant said this, he poured a sip of coarse tea in front of him, and said indignantly: "This Ke family has been about to cut off the Shengjing porcelain business recently, and they don't even give porridge to other families. Now that the capital is doing porcelain business, I only know that there is a Ke family, how can there be another family? ”

Perhaps this traveling merchant is also one of the people who have no porridge to drink under the influence of the Ke family, seeing Lu Tong's deep appearance, the traveling merchant persuaded again: "Sister, don't go to the Ke family to buy porcelain." Now the Ke family's porcelain is only sold to the official family, and they can't look down on this small business, so why bother looking for it. ”

Lu Tong's tone was soft, the smile in his eyes faded, and he said softly: "When the eldest brother said this, I was even more curious, I wanted to see what kind of exquisite porcelain it was, so as to impress the Taishi Mansion, who was used to seeing good things." ”

"If the girl really wants to go to the Ke family's porcelain, it won't be difficult," the shopkeeper was very kind, and showed Lu Tong the way with a smile, "The Ke family is in the south of the city, and if you walk along this street, you can see the Luoyue Bridge in the city." You, just walk along the bridge, there is a Fengle Building at the end of the bridge, there is an alley at the bottom, through the alley, you can see the Ke family's mansion. ”

Lu Tong thanked the shopkeeper and the traveling businessman, and then returned upstairs. As soon as he entered the house, Yin Zheng had already set the meal and urged Lu Tong to say, "Girl, let's eat first." ”

Lu Tong sat down at the table, picked up the dishes and chopsticks with Yinzheng, and Yinzheng said tentatively: "Girl, I just heard you ask the Ke family downstairs about the house......

Lu Tong said: "Let's eat, after finishing the meal, I want to go to Ke's house." ”

I heard from You Shang that the Ke family was lucky a year ago, and a year ago, it was also the time when Lu Rou died of illness.

It's hard not to think about it.

……

South Street is much more lively than West Street.

On the Falling Moon Bridge, the flow of people is like weaving, and the river breeze passing through the city also brings the aroma of fat powder. There are many horn lamps tied under the railing of the bridge, and it is said that on a clear night, the lights are like fireflies, and the silver and white crescent moon falls under the bridge, filling the city with moonlight.

Walk through the alley below Fengle Building, and there is a large high gatehouse at the end. The door plaque reads, "Ke House." The two words are the newly bought mansion of the Ke family.

It was noon, a young man in Tsing Yi was dozing off against the door, although the Ke family was rich, the master was strict and stingy with his subordinates, the porter had few people, and he did the work at night, and he had to work during the day, so it was inevitable to slack off.

was sleepy, and he couldn't help but hear someone in front of him speak: "Little brother, the young master of your mansion is Uncle Ke Chengxing?" ”

A concierge came back to his senses, and in front of him stood two young girls, one of whom wore a veil.

He said, "Yes, you ......."

"My girl is the maiden cousin of Mrs. Xian, please see Mrs. Ke of your mansion."

……

In the garden of the Ke family, the peony is blooming just right.

Mrs. Ke doesn't like to be bland, and when she does business, she always likes to be lively. After buying this house, he dug up a few green bamboos that had been planted in the original house, and later filled in the small pond and renovated a garden. The garden is full of flowers all year round,

At this moment, in the hall, Mrs. Ke is sitting on the couch watching the maid embroider the fan, and there are some orange cakes and boiled chestnuts on the table, and from time to time she puts a piece into her mouth, and she dislikes that today's pastries are too light.

The porter walked in and whispered, "Old lady, someone outside asks to see her, saying that it is the cousin of Mrs. Xian's mother's family......"

Old Madam Ke's face changed, and her voice involuntarily became high-pitched: "Whose cousin?" ”

The porter shrank for a moment: "Mrs. Xian......"

Old Madam Ke's brows furrowed: "Isn't the Lu family dead?" When have you ever heard of any maiden cousin? ”

The grandmother beside her said: "Xu is a relative of the broken household who can't be touched by eight poles, and I don't know about the Lu family, so I came to fight the autumn breeze." ”

Old Madam Ke thought for a while and instructed the porter: "Don't pay attention to it, just send it out." ”

The porter was ordered to leave, and after a short time, he went and returned.

Old Madam Ke was impatient: "Haven't left yet?" ”

"No ......" The porter was a little embarrassed, "Someone said that Mrs. Tong's family relationship was very close, and I heard that the Lu family was defeated, so I came to take Mrs. Xian's dowry......"

"Dowry?" Old Madam Ke's face suddenly became ugly, "Where did you come from a broken household that doesn't know the rules, a dowry?" What kind of dowry does she have! ”

The porter swallowed his saliva and said cautiously: "The other party said that if she can't see the old lady, she will move a stool at the door and sit down, and then ask the neighbors from house to house." Old lady, this person comes and goes, I'm afraid it won't sound good to spread out......"

Old Madam Ke's face was pale, and after a while, she squeezed out a few words from between her teeth: "Call her in!" ”