Xu Jiuye took the dirty snuffbox with a confused look and asked, "Virtuous nephew, what is this?"

Li Mao handed over a clean handkerchief and said, "Uncle Jiu, I bought it in the market, you wipe it clean and take a look." ”

Xu Jiuye got some water from the teacup on the table, dipped some tea with a handkerchief, wiped the snuffbox vigorously, and quickly wiped the snuffbox very clean.

This snuff box is only half the size of a palm, which is very different from the shape of the porcelain snuff box common in the Tang Kingdom.

Xu Jiuye rubbed the body of the snuff box with his hands and determined that the painting was not painted on the outside of the snuff bottle, but on the inside of the snuff box with a special process.

Xu Jiuye exclaimed: "This snuff bottle is a good baby, it should not be a thing of the Three Kingdoms of China, I don't know if it is from that foreign land, this bottle is like crystal, like glass, even I can't see what the texture is, it is definitely not an ordinary product, the inner painting in it is too small, I can't see it clearly, but it gives people a feeling of strong color and lifelike, and it should be a valuable thing to enjoy." ”

Li Mao said with a smile: "Uncle Jiu really has good eyesight, but you ignored the most important part of this artifact, the small bolt, and brought the crystal glasses of the ninth master." ”

The little bolt hurriedly took out a delicate wooden box from his bag, and when he opened the wooden box, there was a crystal lens in it, which was set on a wooden frame with a handle.

The little bolt carefully took out the crystal glasses and sent them to Xu Jiuye's hands, Xu Jiuye picked up the crystal glasses and looked at the snuffbox seriously.

Seeing this, Xu Jiuye couldn't help but exclaim: "Wow, what is painted here is actually the icon of a foreign saint, these golden hair and beards are actually pasted with gold wire, and the robe is pasted with platinum wire, this is a rare good thing!"

According to legend, this kind of thing is something from other continents, and it is very valuable in the Western Regions, how can it appear in a place like Yuezhou?"

Li Mao said: "The little nephew didn't know, but he thought that this thing should be a treasure, so he bought it from a beggar for five taels of silver." ”

Xu Jiuye sighed: "I bought it for five taels of silver, it's just too cost-effective, this thing is sold to any country in the Western Regions, at least ten thousand gold, virtuous nephew, you can make a fortune this time." ”

Li Mao said: "This snuff bottle is filled with not ordinary spices, I smelled it should be a mixture of ambergris and heavenly feast, even in the capital of the Three Kingdoms of China, it can be sold at a good price." ”

Xu Jiuye nodded vigorously and said, "What the virtuous nephew said is right, such a good thing is really rare, you better hurry up and put it away." ”

Li Mao refused to take it back and said: "Uncle Nine, this is my filial piety to you, you are getting older, sometimes you have low energy, with this snuffbox and the incense inside, you can refresh your mind."

Besides, if you want to reopen your business on the boundary of Yuezhou in the future, there are a few accessories that can be used in the field, which will definitely be beneficial to your future negotiations and friends, so you can accept it. ”

Xu Jiuye actually likes the snuff bottle in his hand very much, but it is too expensive and embarrassed to accept it.

After he saw that Li Mao really wanted to send him, he smiled and said: "Since it is a good nephew's heart, the old man and I will be disrespectful! If you find something good in the future, the old man will definitely compensate you."

Okay, I'm tired today, dinner will be delivered in a while, everyone will rest early after eating, and we will have to take a boat early tomorrow morning.

Li Mao and I went to the front pier to have a look, and there were ships willing to go to Miluo County tomorrow. ”

After speaking, Xu Jiuye picked up Li Mao and walked out.

Xu Ai was in a very bad mood when he heard Li Mao say that his things were expensive, so he kept his head down and didn't speak, until Xu Jiuye and Li Mao came out of the small courtyard, they raised their heads, their eyes were a little red, and there was a hesitant look in their eyes.

Li Mao followed Xu Jiuye out of the inn, and said on the way: "Uncle Jiu, you really don't have to be so polite with me, since you met in Dunhuang, you have taken care of me a lot, I have to find a way to show my respect."

As for the compensation you mentioned, it is not necessary, after I send you to Miluo County to settle down, I will continue to go south, and I will not stay here for long, and it is difficult to say whether there will be a day when we will see each other again. ”

What Li Mao said was the truth, with the vast territory of the Three Kingdoms of China, if Li Mao went to the Jinling Mansion of the Song State, it would be almost impossible for him to return to Yuezhou to visit them.

After hearing this, Xu Jiuye felt a little sad in his heart and said: "Virtuous nephew, it has been almost six months since I met you outside Dunhuang City, and we have experienced a lot of hardships together in the middle.

Now that we are like a family, the old man and your seventh aunt regard you as a son, and Xu Ai also treats you as an eldest brother, so I really can't bear you to go! Can you stay in Yuezhou and reopen the Xu Family Chamber of Commerce with us?"

Li Mao pondered for a moment and said: "Uncle Nine, you also know my difficulties, I do have something to go to the Song Kingdom, I have two close relatives who are separated in the Song Kingdom, there is a reason to go." ”

Xu Jiuye sighed and said, "Child, I know your difficulties, I don't want to return to my roots, so naturally there is no reason to ask you not to look for your relatives."

But I'm a little worried about Ai'er, I see that her mood is not very high these days, maybe the separation is imminent, so it's sad, you have time to persuade her, don't let this child be too sad. ”

Li Mao nodded and said: "There is no feast in the world, I will stay here for a few more days at most, and I will leave when you settle down and get used to it, and I will talk to Xu Ai before leaving." ”

Xu Jiuye sighed: "Virtuous nephew, I have moved the idea of recruiting you as a son-in-law countless times, but I have thought too much, and finally missed the best opportunity, when you can cultivate, I know that you and we are drifting apart, and your achievements in the future are limitless, and we can't drag you down." ”

Li Mao said: "Uncle Jiu, don't say that, Xiao Ai also has cultivation potential, and her future achievements will not be much lower than mine, with her by your side to take care of you, you will definitely be able to spend your old age in peace." ”

Xu Jiuye suddenly stopped and looked at Li Mao, Li Mao hurriedly looked at his body, there was nothing special, and he touched his face again, and there was nothing unusual.

Li Mao hurriedly asked, "Uncle Jiu, what's wrong with me?

Xu Jiuye said word by word: "Virtuous nephew, are you willing to marry-xu-love-for-wife?"

Li Mao's face immediately turned red, and he stammered: "Uncle Nine, don't be joking! I am a wandering swordsman, with an unclear background, memory loss, and no roots, how can I be worthy of Xiao Ai?"

Besides, Xiao Ai and I treat each other as brothers and sisters, you always mess around like this, Mrs. and Xiao Ai definitely don't want to. ”

Xu Jiuye said: "Virtuous nephew, I heard that immortals are not incapable of marrying wives and having children, many immortals have Taoist couples and descendants, why can't you have them?"

Besides, Ai'er also has cultivation qualifications, unlike mortals who can only accompany you for decades, she can always accompany you in your cultivation, isn't it good to take care of each other on the path of cultivation?"

Li Mao said: "Ninth Uncle, first, I don't know if Xiao Ai really likes me, or treats me as an eldest brother;

Xu Jiuye gritted his teeth and said, "If Ai'er agrees, you can take her away, I don't want to keep seeing her sad and miss you in the future." ”

Li Mao was shocked and said, "Uncle Jiu, what's wrong with you today? Why do you talk about this topic? If Xiao Ai leaves with me, who will give you the second elder a pension in the future?"

Xu Jiuye looked at the shadowy boats on the dock, and sighed: "It may be that I am cowardly in my hometown, I always have a bad premonition when I come back this time, and I feel that returning to the Xu clan will not be so smooth, if this place makes me sad again, I can only choose to leave." ”

"Leave?" Li Mao asked, "Aren't you going to return to your roots in Miluo? Doesn't it mean that if Miluo doesn't go well, you will develop in Yuezhou City?"

Xu Jiuye smiled bitterly and said: "Today, I was shopping for special products in the market, and I happened to meet a shop opened by a fellow villager in Miluo, and chatted with the shopkeeper for a few words, and I learned that the Xu family is now one of the best families in Miluo, and the patriarch of the year has also passed away, and now his eldest son is in power in the family."

And the person who killed my father when he crossed the market in a carriage later married the daughter of the previous patriarch of the Xu family, that is, the sister of the current patriarch, and the county magistrate of that year has now become a big official in the capital, do you think I can go back smoothly this time?"

Li Mao said: "Uncle Jiu, this is all hearsay, don't worry too much." After all these years, do you still have thoughts of revenge?"

Xu Jiuye shook his head and said: "I have lived in Guazhou and Dunhuang City for many years, and I have long been accustomed to seeing life and death, and the grudge against the year has faded a lot.

But if they want to deal with me, I won't sit still here!

Li Mao's eyes flashed with coldness and said: "Uncle Jiu, don't worry, as long as I am here, they will not be able to hurt you in the slightest, if they can't tolerate you, I will definitely protect your family and leave safely."

As for the matter of us going to the Song Kingdom together, I hope that Uncle Jiu will think twice, I took Jinling Mansion this time not only to find my two close relatives, but also to agree to Jingyunguan's business trip, there is a certain risk in this, otherwise Jingyunguan will not allow us to use their official chi. ”

Xu Jiuye said: "But if it is what I guessed, it is more risky for me to stay here! Anyway, you don't have any relatives in Jinling Mansion, we can go with you, and we can take care of each other."

Besides, Jinling Mansion is a famous rich place and a place to live in peace in the world, and if I go there to develop, it should not be worse than in Yuezhou. ”

Li Mao thought for a while, and finally said, "Okay, after we go to Miluo County to find out your family's attitude towards you, let's make a final decision." ”

Xu Jiuye was overjoyed and said: "Okay, as long as there is a virtuous nephew, the old man will have no worries, and there is a step to retreat, the time is not early, let's hurry up and hire a good boat, so that we can go back to eat with your ninth aunt and Ai'er." ”

Xu Jiuye seemed to have suddenly unloaded his defense, and the whole person became relaxed, as if he had become the shrewd and capable Xu Jiuye again.

He took Li Mao to the wharf for four boatmen, then he chose an honest captain, hired his boat, negotiated the price, paid the deposit, and waited for the next morning's departure.