Xiuxiu sat on the ox cart and said to Xu Ping, who was riding a horse next to him: "Don't go far, officials, this is the first time I go far away, I am always a little afraid in my heart!" ”

Xu Ping had no choice but to respond, and walked beside her car on horseback.

Behind the car, there were more than a dozen villagers, all of whom went to the capital with them to see the excitement. It's all new clothes, new hats, new shoes and new socks, one more spirited than the other.

Xiuxiu is good or bad because of Xu Ping's side, and these talents give Xu Ping a headache. The Winter Solstice Festival is not more than usual, the capital is lively, and the official pounces, these days can't help gambling, all kinds of city fox society rats have come out, staring at these lively countrymen to cheat. Before going out, Xu Ping had already told him several times that when he arrived in the capital, except for those who entrusted relatives and friends, the Xu family should arrange accommodation, and he was not allowed to go out to hang out alone, and it was strictly forbidden to participate in any form of gambling. These people are tired of listening to it, and they don't know if they are going to their hearts.

On the official road, Xiuxiu was surprised by everything she saw, and her head kept spinning on the ox cart.

Seeing that it was almost noon, the group arrived outside Kaifeng City.

Xiuxiu looked at the crowd in front of her, and couldn't help but admire: "Sure enough, it's Jingshi, so many people are gathered together, and there are ten Baisha towns that are big!" ”

Xu Ping shook his head, smiled and whispered to Xiuxiu: "Now it's just outside the city, and when we enter the city in a while, that's the excitement." ”

Xiuxiu blushed and didn't dare to speak again.

They came along the official road on the south bank of the Bianhe River, and they were supposed to enter the city from Xinzheng Gate, but Li Yonghe and his family lived outside Wansheng Gate in the north, and Xu Ping wanted to see them first, so he crossed the pontoon bridge and turned to Wansheng Gate.

The east and west sides outside Kaifeng City are the most prosperous, each has three compartments, two compartments in the north of Beijing, and one compartment in the south of Beijing, all of which are urban areas and belong to the direct jurisdiction of Kaifeng Prefecture. Outside the urban area, it is the jurisdiction of Kaifeng and Xiangfu two attached counties. The counties outside the city belong to the jurisdiction of the official affairs department of the counties and towns in Kaifeng Prefecture, a typical urban-rural dual system.

After crossing the Bianhe River, I saw a restaurant on the riverside, carved beams and painted buildings, very magnificent. Outside the restaurant, there is a fluttering big hope, with four big characters on it: "The Breeze Comes Slowly".

When Xiuxiu saw it, she pointed to the restaurant and showed it to Xu Ping, and said: "Official, this restaurant is similar to the restaurant in Baisha Town, which is much more magnificent!" ”

Xu Ping smiled bitterly and shook his head, but did not speak.

Of course, this is the Xu family's restaurant, and it was only moved to Zhongmu after it was sold.

Seventy or eighty steps away from the Bianhe River, to the avenue of Wanshengmen, through the past and walking twenty or thirty steps away, the building suddenly thinned down.

After walking a few steps, I saw a small house. In front of the courtyard gate, there is a tethered stone, and at this time an old man of sixty or seventy years old is sitting on the stone basking in the sun, teasing a little boy who has just walked in his arms.

When Xu Ping saw it, he hurriedly dismounted, stepped forward and saluted: "Grandpa Duan, long time no see!" ”

Although the old man was old, he was still deaf and clear-sighted, and when he heard the voice, he looked up and saw that it was Xu Ping, stood up and said with a smile: "It turns out that the eldest man of the Xu family is here, come into the house and sit." It's unfortunate that you're here, only me, an old man, and Erlang are at home, and Da Lang has gone to the city with her mother, and I don't know when I'll come back. You come in first for a cup of tea and wait for them. ”

Xu Ping hurriedly stopped the old man and said, "No need, I went to the city today to say, if there is anything to go to the city to find me." ”

The old man hugged the child and smiled: "Okay, good." Your family has moved back to the capital, and it will be easier for us to move around. Go back and tell your daddy, come to me for a drink when you're free. ”

This old man is the one who adopted Li Yonghe in the inner courtyard, and the child is Li Yonghe's second son, who is not very familiar with Xu Ping, but just secretly looks at him.

As a commander of the Imperial City Division, he did all the secret chores and high requirements, most of them were selected from the senior officials and senior officials of the Imperial City Division, and they were all old and respectful people. It is precisely because of the teaching of this old courtyard that Li Yonghe has been free of wind and danger in the past few years. After decades in the palace, what did you not know about the old courtyard? And he knows more about the proportions of doing things, so he teaches Li Yonghe to do things without revealing anything. Even the emperor and the queen mother can serve good people, what else can't be dealt with?

Xu Ping didn't want to trouble the old man, so he took out the wine brought by the two jars and gave it to him, and then left.

The old man stopped him and said, "Da Lang, go back and let your father come to me for dinner, I am old, and I want to go to him, but I can't walk so much." ”

Xu Ping responded.

Seeing that he was not right, the old man sighed and said, "Don't take it to heart!" Your Xu family has already fallen in the capital, don't repeat the mistakes of the past! ”

After listening to this, Xu Ping realized that the old man had something to say to his father, not as simple as reminiscing, so he hurriedly said: "I remember, I must tell Daddy!" ”

The old man said: "In the city of Tokyo, there are many fish and dragons, and your family's business is getting bigger and bigger, so you can't be cautious." If you make more money, some people will be red-eyed. Although there is Taiwei Li and your family to come out together, but in Kaifeng Mansion, there are many people who are more powerful than Captain Li! Don't be careful! ”

Xu Ping thanked him again and again, and then led everyone away and entered Wanshengmen.

At this time, the big festival is approaching, and the city gate inspection is also much looser, seeing that Xu Ping is bringing his subordinates to Tokyo City to see the lively landlords, the soldiers guarding the city hastily inspected them and let them into the city.

After entering the city gate, everyone walked along the road, because Xu Ping was restrained by riding a horse, but it was still in order. After walking not far, when he arrived at Baoxiang Temple, Xu Ping let him turn to the north and south roads and go south, first to the edge of the Bianhe River.

After walking for two steps, Sun Qilang said to Xu Ping: "Little farmer, this neighborhood is Xiwazi, it's still early, we might as well go and see it for a while." ”

Zhou Xiwazi is one of the most lively entertainment venues in the capital, stretching from the bank of the Bianhe River to the east and west of the royal street, where all kinds of juggling, everything.

Xu Ping looked at several bankers with anticipation on their faces, and even Xiuxiu looked at Xu Ping with a blank eye. What decent things can be in Zhongmu County? She's never seen such a lively place.

As soon as his heart softened, Xu Ping was about to agree.

At this moment, a middle-aged man came out of the crowd, came to Xu Pingma, and said, "Xu Xiaoguan originally entered the city today, why did he stay here?" ”

Xu Ping saw that it was Zhang Tianrui, who was a cronie sent by Li Duanyi to supervise the sugar shop with his father, and he hurriedly got off the horse and greeted him.

After seeing the ceremony, Xu Ping asked Zhang Tianrui: "Where are you going?" ”

Zhang Tianrui sighed: "Since the shop opened, the people in the sugar store have kept coming to us to be unlucky, and they were blocked by me and your father a few days ago." Today, they didn't know what backers they had found, so they actually found a palace attendant and said that they wanted to buy 2,000 catties of sugar from our store. Now that the department has bought out, what business do we still have? Don't say that the price he gave was extremely low, and he didn't know when he would give the money. ”

Kemai was rigidly apportioned by the imperial court, which was also the role of the guild, and the quota had to be fulfilled. But if it is decided that the department buys white sugar, then only Xu Ping's shop sells it, and it is obvious that it will be demolished.

Xu Ping listened, and remembered what Duan Lao Yuan said just now, and he already felt wonderful in his heart, and asked Zhang Tianrui: "Then what should we do?" The people who came out of the palace, who knows whose order they were given, whether it was true or not! ”

Zhang Tianrui said: "I'm just going to find an acquaintance in the palace and figure this matter out." Is this really the case, or is it the inner chamberlain who is pretending to be a problem for us? ”

With the identity of the Li family, there must be eyeliner in the palace, and it is the most important thing to figure things out.

Xu Ping asked Zhang Tianrui: "Then I won't delay everything, I don't know if there is anything I can help with?" ”

Zhang Tianrui said: "Do you have any good wine brewed in your village?" Since Taiwei Cao went to you to drink it once, he was full of praise, and it has been spread all over the capital now. Whoever has a little face, he must taste a good bite and speak in front of others. I'll take it with you to see you off, it's also a precious thing. ”

Xu Ping hurriedly said: "I happen to have a small altar here, just take it." ”

After speaking, he took a small wine jar from the horse, handed it to Zhang Tianrui, and said: "This is the highest quality, and ordinary people can't buy it even if they have money." ”

Zhang Tianrui saw it, and his face was happy: "It's easy to do with this, and I will definitely be able to inquire about the news soon." Captain Cao brought such a small jar last time, and he was not a person he valued very much, and he couldn't get a drop into his mouth. The princes and nobles in the capital, everyone wants to have such an altar to decorate the façade! ”

Since the last time Cao Wei and Shi Yannian drank up the wine, this kind of wine has not been sold, and it has been put away by Xu Ping and aged, which can be regarded as hunger marketing.

Of course, it is because of the ban on alcohol, although Cao Wei has made a name for the Xu family's wine in the capital, but no one has gone to Baisha Town for this purpose in the cold winter Layue, and the Xu family cannot come to the capital to sell wine.

Zhang Tianrui had a gift in hand, and he didn't chat with Xu Ping, and hurriedly went north, and he didn't know what character he was looking for. Xu Ping is not easy to ask, this is people's privacy, no matter how good the relationship is, it can't be said casually, not to mention that they are just business partners.

With Zhang Tianrui coming out to talk about this matter, Xu Ping didn't have the heart to go to the tile with everyone, but just urged everyone to go on the road together, go and settle the place to live first, and come back tomorrow.

At this time, the prosperous and lively place in Kaifeng City is called "South Hebei City".

Beishi refers to the Beiyu Street next to the Imperial Palace, because the palace with strong spending power often comes out to buy things, and it is close to various official offices, and business people have come there to seek profits, and it is lively. North City is mainly in the catering and entertainment industries, for example, some of the best restaurants in the capital are located there, and there are brothel areas next to it.

The Nanhe River refers to the Bianhe River, which is the main artery connecting Kaifeng City with the outside world, where businessmen gather, and most of the various commercial houses are arranged along both sides of the Bianhe River. The most prosperous industries in Nanhe were the hotel industry and the warehousing industry, and Xu Ping certainly had to take people there to find a place to live.