Ordinary clear day

Chapter 106 The Wind
Next, both Zhang Bao and Tong Shi sent people to secretly inquire about various sources, and there were indeed some clues.

On the day of Qiqi, the old lady, Xingbao and Suochuluo went out in the rain without telling anyone, and they took the carriage in the mansion.Although the coachman was someone the husband and wife could trust, it was a pity that he was too addicted to alcohol, and he was tricked out of talking about a good daughter Hong.

That day, although Xingbao and his wife were wearing plain clothes, they were both well-dressed. They went to one of the restaurants managed by Xingbao, and it was the most secretive one.Outsiders probably don't know the real owner of this restaurant, and Xingbao only goes in and out through the side door when he goes to check the accounts on weekdays.But according to the driver, Xingbao unexpectedly stopped at the back door that day.There was an alley there, deserted, not a dirty place, but not a place for decent people.Moreover, after entering the door, the shopkeeper there waited in person to welcome Xingbao and his wife in, vaguely heard him speak, and arranged the distinguished guests to the most remote and quiet private room, Songtao Pavilion.

The coachman waited at the back door until it was dark before he saw Xingbao and Suo Chuoluo came out. He remembered that they were all happy at that time, and Xingbao still smelled of alcohol.

Chang Fu also inquired about the origin of the distinguished guest, and because of the importance of the relationship, he avoided other people and came to report to the host.

Changfu said in a low voice: "A cousin-in-law of Zhou Silin, who was waiting for orders at the back door, asked the second master's steward, and got an errand in that restaurant to take care of the guests' carriages. He said that when he arrived upstairs There are also many dignitaries here, and the shopkeeper personally received several of them, and only one guest was arranged to go to the quietest Songtao Pavilion. It happened to go in when it was raining and come out when it was dark." He looked up. Zhang Bao paused.

Zhang Bao hurriedly asked: "Who is it?" Chang Fu gritted his teeth, and said: "He has seen that guest several times, so he recognizes that it is... His Royal Highness's grandpa, Lord Ling Pu."

Everyone present was taken aback, Zhang Bao muttered to himself: "No wonder... no wonder... it turned out to be him..." He finally came to his senses, and told Changfu: "You have always been a safe person, so you naturally know things Serious or serious. You just pretend you don’t know about this matter, and Zhou Lin and his cousin-in-law have to tell them to keep their mouths shut, you know?”

Chang Fu replied solemnly: "Yes, the young one knows that this matter is of great importance, so he told Zhou Zhoulin a long time ago that he would not reveal it. As for his cousin-in-law, the young one has already given him ten taels of silver to keep his mouth shut. Seeing Zhang Bao's gesture, he backed out and closed the door behind him.

Tong's took a long breath: "It's actually climbing up to the prince, no wonder...they look confident..." She looked at her husband, and they both looked at each other, both sighing.

Duanning and Shuning were also present.Duan Ning frowned and said, "It's just why the Crown Prince is willing to accept Second Uncle? Although Second Uncle is rich, what are a few restaurants and teahouses? There are not many people in Beijing who are richer than him?"

Zhang Bao also didn't understand, and was thinking hard.Shu Ning said hesitantly: "Actually...restaurants and teahouses have other uses..." It was mentioned in time travel articles she had read before.

Seeing the eyes of her parents and elder brother, Shu Ning thought about her words a little, and said, "Inns, restaurants, teahouses... etc. have always been places where gossip prevails... If someone is interested, he can master these places... You can sniff out all kinds of news, and then choose the information that is useful to you.”

In fact, there is still a brothel, but she didn't say it.

"There are several restaurants and teahouses in the hands of my second uncle. Two are in the inner city and three are in the outer city. They are all located beside thoroughfares or in the downtown area. The quietest one is also located in the place where officials and eunuchs live together. Those high-ranking officials Aristocrats, or rich businessmen and celebrities, whether they are gathering with friends or discussing business matters, all like to find a private room in a restaurant or teahouse. If someone sends people to wait in advance, what news can’t be heard? It’s good to make money, but I'm afraid the usefulness of the second uncle's properties is not just to make money, right?"

Zhang Bao, Tong Shi and Duan Ning were all speechless after hearing this, Zhang Bao sighed after a while: "I didn't know that restaurants and teahouses also have such uses, but this kind of thing can only be thought of by very shrewd people." , how did Shu'er know?"

Shu Ning hurriedly said: "Actually, my daughter has also been to the second uncle's Deyue Pavilion and met several officials there. Later in Guangzhou, Mrs. Wen paid for the Cyclamen, and because it is close to the thirteenth line, there are often people nearby. There are various merchants here to discuss business, and there are all kinds of gossip all day long. My daughter once met a merchant from other places. She got a letter from Xiaoer and made a big deal. I think the teahouses and restaurants in the capital also have this kind of news. It’s just that there are many officials in Beijing, so most of the rumors are official news, right?”

Duan Ning also said at this time: "I also remembered it. I heard that there are several big restaurants in the capital that are backed by the capital of the various princes and princes. They will also send reliable servants to be shopkeepers and so on. It's good to find out all kinds of news." He paused, blushing a little: "I heard that there are still people eavesdropping in places like Huajie and Liuxiang..." He glanced at his sister and didn't continue.

Shu Ning pretended not to know, but Zhang Bao and Tong Shi were already dumbfounded, so they didn't pay attention.Tong sighed: "I don't know who came up with the idea. So, if our family goes out to a restaurant and teahouse, there will be someone eavesdropping?" Zhang Bao also shook his head and said: "In the past, we were too ignorant. Do you know about these secret deeds?"

He turned his head to look at his daughter, and said with a smile, "It's my daughter after all, she's even smarter than when she was a child, and I can guess such a trick from what I've seen from Cyclamen."

Shu Ning lowered her head in embarrassment, but felt a little ashamed in her heart. If she hadn't lived two lifetimes and read too many online novels in her previous life, she might not have known about these things.

Duan Ning asked: "Since the restaurants and teahouses are so useful, will the prince really let the second uncle take charge? I have met the prince a few times, and he is very talented, but his temper is not lenient. I remember one time Back, one of his companions uttered a wrong sentence, and got slapped several times. The second uncle thinks he has climbed a good backer, what if he ends up as a married man?"

Zhang Bao laughed and said, "Why is this? The crown prince is the heir apparent of a country. What are you doing trying to seize his small restaurants and teahouses? Duan'er thought too much." He lowered his head and thought for a while, then said: "Since the My brother climbed up this big tree, so I can't stop him, it would be bad if I offend others."

Tong asked: "If the second room really proposes to divide the family, what should we do? Should we also divide?"

"I don't plan to split up. I get along well with my elder brother and my four younger brothers. What's more, it's good to enjoy the shade under the big tree. I don't want to be rich and rich, as long as I can live in peace. With the elder brother in front, I can also do less. Heart." He thought about it for a while, then smiled confidently, "I will not stop the second brother if he wants to share, but there are still some things that need to be done."

Zhang Bao didn't say what he was going to do on the spot. Duanning and Shuning also knew that their parents would discuss it, so they don't have to worry about it as children.

In the evening, Ermo reported to Mrs. Tong what she had learned by accident when she inquired about the news.

Ermo said: "Didn't you say that Qiu Ju's old illness relapsed and the blood landslide disappeared? Ma'am, you also said that she has been serving in our house for a few years, and asked me to burn two paper money for her." Tong nodded. Head: "I remember, why? Is there a problem?"

"On the second day after Qiuju's death, the eldest wife said that the girl who served her was careless, and she was relegated to Baoding Zhuangzi. I heard that before the girl left, an elder sister next to the second wife asked her something, and some people went to see her. I asked some of the porters who sent Qiu Ju’s coffin out of the city to ask about it. It was rumored that Qiu Ju did not have a relapse of her old illness, but had a miscarriage.”

Mrs. Tong covered her mouth slightly with a handkerchief: "No way? Why is Brother Qing acting so nonsense? This is still in Xiaozhong." Ermo said: "I can't say for sure whether this is true or not, just in case If the Second Wife really got something, it will be difficult for the First Wife. Madame, you have to be more careful."

Tong Shi nodded slightly.

========================= I am the dividing line after the event ======================= ===
Shu Ning didn't know exactly what her parents would do, but she also felt some changes in her surroundings.The contacts between the third room, the first room, and the fourth room increased day by day. Not only Zhang Bao often communicated with his elder brothers and younger brothers, Tong also often visited each other with Nala and Shen.The maids and servants in the courtyard had a lot of errands to deliver things, and even such an ignorant master like Xiao Liu would occasionally go to other courtyards.For a moment, except for the second bedroom, the entire Earl's Mansion seemed to be full of warmth.

However, Shu Ning herself has some headaches for this kind of warmth, because as her relationship with Da Fang gets closer, Wan Ning comes to her more often.

Wanning came to look for this cousin, just looking for someone to talk to.In the entire mansion, there are really not many people who can talk to her. Although Shuning is "just" a twelve or thirteen-year-old girl, she is someone she can communicate with anyway, and it won't make people feel too boring.

However, Wanning's topics are usually about how she used to get along with the old lady, the empress dowager and her distinguished friends. At first, I thought it was novel, but later I found that there was always something showing off in her speech, and Shuning lost interest. He just listened blindly, didn't interrupt much, and started looking for some work to do.

Wanning just wanted to find someone to listen to her, so that she could vent her grievances about having to learn the rules for several hours a day, and being unable to go out or meet outsiders, so she didn't care, and even talked casually after a lot of contact.

Then the following often happens:

Wanning: "During the Chinese New Year, fireworks were set off in the yard outside for a long time, and a troupe of Baixi was invited to perform. Those Baixi operas were very interesting, but unfortunately the fireworks were not beautiful enough, and the sound was still very loud. The old lady even specially hugged me But I'm not afraid at all. I've seen more beautiful fireworks, the real fireworks, but unfortunately I can't see them here, but the fireworks I saw in the palace that year were also very beautiful, red and green, There are several colors..."

Shu Ning: I am tying a fan cover in my hand. I think pine flowers and peach red are too bright, so I made a blue and white one, and I plan to use it for my brother when he goes out in a hundred days.

……

Wan Ning: "The queen mother is very kind, and she is very kind to me. Back then, several young ladies went to the palace to pay her respects. She specially called me to accompany her, and even gave me an amethyst bracelet, which is very beautiful. Yes, I didn’t bring it here, you can go to my place tomorrow and I’ll show it to you.”

Shu Ning: She smiled and said, "Yes, yes", and continued to embroider sutras praying for peace on a blue purse. This is a birthday present for Fang Ning.As for the elder sister who is ashamed and dedicated to the Buddha, she has nothing to do to help, so she can only show her heart through small things.

……

Wanning: "The Empress Dowager invited several concubines and old Fujin to the palace to talk, and said in front of them that I am good-looking and well-behaved. I am really complimented. I am very embarrassed. It's a pity that the fifth elder brother Also, actually keep echoing, making me feel so embarrassed in front of others..."

Shu Ning: I was making a black forehead for my mother. I embroidered a few patterns with silver thread. I thought it was not good-looking, so I dismantled it and redone it.

Wanning: "Third Sister, are you listening?" "Yes." "Liar, you are always busy with your hands, and you have fallen on deaf ears to my words, right?"

Shu Ning sighed inwardly, but said with a smile on her face: "How could it be? Elder sister just mentioned the fifth elder brother, didn't she? In fact, I think my elder sister has treated him too much. If she really hated him so much, why was she in the first place?" Always play with him?"

Wan Ning pouted and said, "Who knew he would have that kind of thought? He is younger than me, so I will treat him as a little brother." She paused, and said to Shu Ning seriously: "I will never If you like him, don't worry, in fact, he is just a little boy's fascination for a while, it's just an illusion, when he grows up, this kind of thinking will disappear. Don't worry."

What does it have to do with me?Shu Ning ignored this, and said: "The fourth elder brother came that day, and my sister was very active. Could it be that you are thinking of him?" Wan Ning blushed, "You are a big kid...don't talk so nonsense..."

Shu Ning secretly rolled her eyes, and said seriously: "According to me, it's not appropriate for my sister to do this. If you have taken a fancy to others, of course you didn't say anything, but if you are indifferent to one prince, but treat another prince differently, isn't it just asking for trouble?" Eat? If something goes wrong, the emperor doesn't know how to deal with my sister. You haven't drafted yet, and your future future is in the hands of others, so sister should be more careful."

Wan Ning kicked her feet angrily: "It's this kind of thing again, do you think I don't know? But I really don't like Brother Fifth, if he didn't treat him so coldly, he would think he has hope again , wouldn't that be even more entangled?!"

It is also reasonable to say this, but what should be persuaded is to persuade, no matter what, they belong to the same family, if Wanning suffers, she will also suffer.She said: "Sister's thinking is also reasonable, but the attitude still needs to be changed. Although the fifth elder brother has been close to you since childhood, he is the prince after all, so sister should not refute his face too much, and the etiquette should be more considerate .”

Wanning muttered "Got it", and pulled off the half-embroidered veil to see.Shuning glanced at her, hesitated for a moment, but still couldn't hold back her curiosity: "Speaking of which, what did my sister chase after her that day, what did she talk to Si elder brother? Can you tell me?"

After hearing this, Wan Ning looked sad: "I just wanted to see him more, but he told me to be nicer to Brother Fifth, and said that he had already started studying political affairs, and he didn't have time to do these trivial things. How could he treat me that way? And me?"

Shuning was speechless.Wanning sat for a while, then found an excuse and left.

(End of this chapter)