Cheng Xiaolian and the others arrived at the tea stall, and the old man of the tea stall was very talkative: "A few guest officers, this is from the north?" ”

"Well, we brought a group of horses from Mongolia, and we heard that there was a war going on in Xi'an City, and we wanted to buy a good price."

"Oh, a few guest officers, this horse is good for fat in autumn, how can you sell the horse at this time?"

Cheng Xiaolian laughed: "We want to let these horses be pasted with autumn fat and then sold, but when it comes to winter, the weather is cold, where are there still people fighting, and the autumn fat pasted here has not to be eaten back, and it will be in vain for our group of people's efforts, it is better to exchange them for silver as soon as possible, and our hearts are also steady." ”

"Hehe, this master is a shrewd man, he must be a good hand at doing business, and he will definitely be able to make a fortune."

"This old brother, we have to ask you something, how is the general who guards the city of Xi'an? What we're worried about now is what if he takes our horses and doesn't give us the money. ”

The old man of the tea stall smiled: "Don't dare to talk nonsense, in this kind of year, everyone has it, if a few guest officers want to get the silver safely, it is better to make a little bit up and down, otherwise even if the general guarding the city will not embarrass you, those people below will not easily give the silver to you." ”

As he spoke, he waved his hand: "The water is boiling, I'll make you tea." "He's just a little common man who sells tea, he doesn't want to get involved in this kind of thing, if he turns back and these people can't do business, and then he is angry with him, who will he talk to.

Cheng Xiaolian laughed: "Rest for half an hour, and continue to hurry after half an hour." ”

After another two days, they saw the shadow of Xi'an City, but now the gates of Xi'an City are not open all day, only three hours a day, it is said that this is the order of the general.

This can be bitter to the people outside the city, want to pick vegetables into the city to sell vegetables, can not get up early in the morning to pick vegetables and hurry, to here the city gate is not open, the vegetables are wilted, can not be sold at a good price, can only pinch the time, and so the city gate is almost opened, these people dare to pick the vegetables and rush here, hurry up to line up, sell for two hours must hurry out of the city, otherwise they will not be able to get out of the city, the city patrol is strict at night, these people have to be arrested as gangsters.

So when Cheng Xiaolian and they arrived at the city gate, there was still a long queue under the city gate, some went in to see relatives, and some of the doctors in the city had just rushed back from the city to see a doctor, and at this time the defenders at the city gate shouted: "There is still a quarter of an hour to close the city gate!" ”

A whispered curse immediately sounded behind the team: "These useless things, people just come to fight, they shrink in the city every day, and eat food for nothing, it is better to give food to Lao Tzu!" ”

"That's right, I have to spend the night outside the city tonight, these inns outside the city are dark, and it costs fifty yuan for a night, why don't you rob it."

Cheng Xiaolian glanced at Jia Xu: "Come on, we have to live outside this city gate again today." ”

Jia Xu laughed: "As long as the young master has silver, where he lives is different, he can get up early tomorrow and enter the city." ”

There are several inns outside each city, which was born according to the market demand in ancient times, and every city in ancient times had a curfew, that is, the city gates were closed and the people on the streets were cleared. Once the gates are closed, you will be turned away unless you are a relative of the emperor who can say that you are the general of the city.

But many of the people who came back from other places missed the time to enter the city, and could not sleep in the fields outside the city, so these inns existed.

These inns are equivalent to the hotels next to the railway station in later generations, the environment is not necessarily elegant, the conditions are not necessarily comfortable, but the price is absolutely indispensable, because people earn this emergency money, if you don't live, you can only make up a night in the wilderness.

Of course, the ancients were also relatively simple, even if it was more expensive, it would not be too out of line, and the food and drink were reasonable, otherwise there was no business license to open an inn in ancient times, and people in the surrounding villages didn't have to come to open an inn. Although agriculture was emphasized and commerce was suppressed in ancient times, many people did not necessarily live better than merchants.

Cheng Xiaolian and the others arrived at an inn, and the second child at the door walked out: "A few guest officers, do you live in the hotel?" ”

"There are more than 100 of us, and there are a lot of horses, I'm afraid your small shop can't accommodate it."

"Hehe, the guest officer is too worried, don't say it's these people, you can entertain these people in the shop, otherwise how can you go out to do business." As he spoke, he led Cheng Xiaolian and them to the courtyard.

Cheng Xiaolian didn't pay attention when he was outside, but after coming in, he found that this inn is really not small, with two floors up and down, and it is really not a problem to accommodate these people.

"Xiao Er, you said that in such a big place, why no one lives, it's not that your family's food is not delicious."

"Guest officer, you have wronged us, just these years, there are wars everywhere, where are there any merchants who come to stay in the hotel, most of the people queuing at the city gate are people from the surrounding villages, and there are many people in the city, even if they can't enter the city, they will not come to the inn, they can stay with them anywhere, where are they willing to come to us to spend money."

Cheng Xiaolian patted him on the shoulder: "Okay, let's go to work, I got these horses here to sell, you can give me a good life, if I can't sell them at a good price tomorrow in the city, I have to settle accounts with you." ”

"Don't worry, the horse materials in our store are all of the highest quality, as long as the guest officer has silver, hehe。。。。。。"

Cheng Xiaolian stretched out his hand and took out a handful of silver from his waist: "Take it to your shopkeeper, are these enough?" ”

"Enough, enough, guest officer, look at it, tomorrow will definitely make your horse fat and strong, and sell it at a good price."

Cheng Xiaolian walked into the house with a smile, and the little guy who greeted the guests at the door had already seen Cheng Xiaolian throw out a lot of silver, and hurriedly entertained him warmly: "Your guest is here!" ”

The shopkeeper's sad face can be regarded as a little smile, when this inn was built, it was optimistic that Xi'an City came and went a lot of businessmen, so the inn was built very big, but just a few years after the start of the war, now guarding a big inn sighs every day sighs The days are not good.

In the past two days, he was planning to send the cook or something home, but if he was dismissed now, it would be difficult to find it in the future, so he gritted his teeth and finally waited for a large caravan.

Soon the inn began to be lively, Cheng Xiaolian and they sat on the table, and the shopkeeper personally served a pot of stew: "Several guest officers, this is the special stewed mutton of the small shop, this pot is given to you below, I wish you a prosperous business and good fortune!" ”

The shopkeeper is really willing to pay his blood, this pot is full of meat, Cheng Xiaolian laughed: "If there is anything delicious, just go outside, the silver can't treat you badly." There's something I want to inquire about with you. ”

(End of chapter)