The first thousand one hundred and seventy-ninth chapters
The time is gradually approaching the end of the year, and the New Year atmosphere in Chang'an has begun to thicken. Every household has erected poles and posted door gods and peach charms on their doors. Of course, the most lively ones are the three major commercial centers in Chang'an, especially the West Market, where most of the products are related to
People's livelihood, as the New Year approaches, all kinds of goods are dazzling. There are big and small bags piled up in front of every shop. The necessary rice and flour, as well as oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, tea, wine, sugar and cheese, and inevitably all kinds of meat.
Several large livestock stores were crowded with Chang'an people, mostly customers buying sheep. The waiters let out a group of sheep, and the customers rushed up to pick them. When they picked the sheep, they took the sheep to pay.
If you can't afford a whole lamb, you go to a meat shop to buy lamb legs, pork or venison. You can buy seven or eight kilograms of it, which is enough for a family to have a big meal on New Year's Eve.
There is still a long queue in front of Sancuo Store. Normally, people no longer buy cheap goods during the Chinese New Year, but want to buy some good ones. They wait for the Chinese New Year to enjoy themselves all year round, so those who queue up in front of Sancuo Store are basically buying candies.
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Sugar is considered a luxury product this year. People in the middle and lower classes cannot afford fine sugar. If they can buy one or two pounds of coarse sugar, it can keep their children happy all night.
The price of jaggery is still 100 yuan per catty. In fact, it is a little more than one catty. We weigh about half a tael more to save money.
This year, everyone is basically using silver coins. One coin is worth a hundred cents, which is just right to buy a bag of candy. Unlike at the beginning when silver coins were scarce and everyone collected them, now silver coins are more common and there is more circulation in the market.
‘Dang!’ A silver coin was thrown on the copper plate of the scale, making a crisp sound.
Sometimes the clerk who collects money is too lazy to look at the scale. As he collects too much money, he becomes a master. He can tell whether there is something wrong with the money just by listening to the sound. In his words, the sound of white copper is brittle and is similar to the sound of silver falling on a copper plate.
The sound on it is different.
Bai Juyi dropped a silver coin, picked up a bag of candy, and quickly walked a few steps to catch up with a slender woman in front of him.
"Hongxiu, wait for me!"
The pretty woman walking in front wearing a curtain hat and a thick long skirt is naturally Shi Hongxiu, who is famous in Chang'an. The two of them have evolved from poetry friends to lovers. Although his mother Chen warned him sternly, he was attracted by love.
Bai Juyi, who was so stunned by the fire, no longer cared about it.
Shi Hongxiu held his arm and said with a smile: "It's Chinese New Year, why doesn't Bai Lang buy two kilograms of fine sugar?"
"Fine sugar costs three hundred cents per catty! Better frosting sugar costs five hundred cents per catty. It's too expensive. There's no need to be so extravagant."
"I'll give you a few kilograms of fine sugar later. I didn't buy it. It was a new year's gift from Concubine Liu to Tian Lai Le Fang. Five kilograms of fine sugar for each person. There seems to be a sheep, so you can lead it too."
"You don't need it yourself?"
Shi Hongxiu shook her head, "I don't need it myself. I like frosting sugar and don't use this kind of fine brown sugar. As for giving a sheep, I'm afraid that it will enter the yard and I will have to care for it until it is old. Come over tomorrow.
Take it away quickly, I think it smells."
"Why don't you leave it to your mother?"
"I told you, my mother is in Xiangzhou! It's so far away, how can I send it there? Anyway, my aunt won't want it. If you keep pushing back, I'll be angry!"
Bai Juyi now knew that Shi Hongxiu's father was an old Confucian scholar. He took the imperial examination for ten years but failed, and finally died in depression. Her mother lived with her son.
Shi Hongxiu originally lived with her brother-in-law, sister-in-law and mother, but her sister-in-law didn't like her. She came to live with her aunt in Chang'an when she was twelve years old. Her aunt was also a female gentleman from Tianlai Lefang. She was a widow with no children, so she regarded her as her mother.
She was born by herself and taught her music and reading. Her talent and intelligence coupled with her father's influence on her from an early age made Shi Hongxiu finally become a famous talented girl in Chang'an.
In fact, the imperial court would also give each official a sheep and five pounds of cotton as a New Year benefit. However, Bai Juyi could not refuse Shi Hongxiu's kindness, so he agreed with a smile, "Xiao Sheng, I will go to your place tomorrow."
Take advantage of it!"
Shi Hongxiu pinched his arm gently, pursed her lips and said with a smile: "You're still stealing the sheep! Do you think you are a thief and want to steal fragrance and jade?"
Bai Juyi chuckled, "I have this idea!"
"Dream! If you don't marry me, don't even think about touching me."
Speaking of marriage, Bai Juyi scratched his head and said, "I'll try to persuade the old lady again. She wants me to marry the daughter of an official, but I don't like it."
Shi Hongxiu lowered his head and whispered: "Bai Lang can tell Auntie that I no longer sing and only teach children to play the piano. My students are all children from innocent families. Even Pan Xiangguo's granddaughter is also my student."
"You really don't want to sing anymore?"
Shi Hongxiu shook his head, "I don't specialize in singing in the first place, it's just my own preference. Since I belong to my heart, naturally I can't show my face anymore."
"Then you sing to me alone. I like to hear you sing."
"Okay! If Bai Lang likes it, I will sing it to you in the future."
Bai Juyi bought some fragrant powder with Shi Hongxiu and sent her back.
Although Bai Juyi said that he wanted to mention the marriage to his mother, he didn't know how to say it. He was afraid that after telling his mother, his mother would find out about him and Shi Hongxiu and would strictly order them to cut off contact. This incident made Bai Juyi very distressed.
.
Today is a holiday. Bai Juyi did not go to Hongwen Hall in the morning. After breaking up with Shi Hongxiu, he had nowhere to go, so he came to the newspaper office.
The newspaper has purchased the land in Jinchangfang and started construction last month. The new library will not be completed until next summer.
The bullock cart stopped in front of the newspaper office. Bai Juyi jumped out of the cart and handed ten cents to the driver. He turned around and just walked to the door when he saw Xue Qing coming out.
"I'm looking for you everywhere!"
Xue Qing stepped forward and grabbed his arm, and asked with a smile: "Where did your kid go? Hurry and tell the truth."
"What do you want from me?" Bai Juyi changed the topic.
"It's my day off today. I'm really bored at home. I wanted to meet you for a drink. You didn't have lunch, right?"
"Not yet!"
"That's great! Let's go have a drink."
Xue Qing pulled him towards the Mingzhu Restaurant diagonally opposite.
The two sat down on the second floor. Xue Qing ordered food and drinks, filled a glass of wine for him, and asked with a smile: "I heard that you succeeded in pursuing beauty, right?"
"It's not about chasing beauty! Hongxiu and I just come naturally, naturally."
"After all, I should be the matchmaker! How about when you propose, I can come on your behalf."
"I appreciate your kindness, but... I'm afraid she and I are not meant for each other." Bai Juyi looked bitter.
"Why?" Xue Qing looked at him in shock.
Bai Juyi drank all the wine in his glass and sighed: "My mother doesn't agree!"
"Why don't you agree? Is it because she sings? But she doesn't sing anymore!"
"How do you know she doesn't sing anymore?" Bai Juyi asked puzzledly.
"Thankfully you are still from the newspaper office!"
Xue Qing pointed at him with a smile on his face, "Don't you ever read newspapers yourself?"
"Was it published in the newspaper? Why haven't I seen it?"
"Wait a moment!"
Xue Qing got up and ran to the counter to look for newspapers. After a while, he took a newspaper, turned to the third page, pointed to the bottom and said: "Look at this!"
Bai Juyi came up and took a closer look. It read: 'The last song of a famous actress in red sleeves is the final call of a generation!'
"When was this newspaper!"
He turned to the front and found a newspaper from four days ago. Four days ago, Shi Hongxiu had indeed gone to the ceiling to sing. Unexpectedly, that was her last time singing.
Bai Juyi suddenly felt heavy in his heart. If they couldn't succeed in the end, the price Hongxiu would have to pay would be too high.
"She has stopped singing, and your mother still refuses to agree?"
Bai Juyi shook his head, "It's not just about singing. My mother thinks she and I are not a good match. She always wants me to find a eunuch's daughter as my wife."
"That's right! You are fourth in the Jinshi Department. Based on your conditions, you can indeed marry the daughter of a famous family. But the question is, do you want to marry Shi Hongxiu?"
"I thought so!"
Bai Juyi said without hesitation: "If there was no objection from my mother, I would marry her without hesitation."
Xue Qing smiled slyly, "Then the matter will be simple, just ask your mother not to object."
"Do you have any idea?"
Xue Qing said proudly: "Think about who I am. If I ask my eldest sister to adopt her as my adopted daughter, will your mother still object?"
"You mean the princess!" Bai Juyi was stunned.
"You think it's impossible?"
"I don't know, how could the princess agree?" Bai Juyi was confused for a moment.
"Besides me, there is also the Crown Prince! He is your best friend. If he begs my mother, will my eldest sister agree? Besides, Concubine Liu will also help."
Bai Juyi's heart suddenly brightened up. If the princess was really willing to come forward, then his mother would never find a reason to object, and his worries were swept away.
"But I want to make one thing clear."
Xue Qingran said to him solemnly: "My eldest sister is one for one and two for two. She is kind-hearted and may help you, but she will never speak good words for you in front of King Jin. You kid, please don't think that you can succeed in your official career."
Zhanguang, if you want to move up, you have to rely on your own efforts."
Bai Juyi nodded, he did not want to rely on anyone's support for his career.