The atmosphere in Chengdu is indeed more open and tolerant than that in Chang'an. From time to time, you can see couples walking hand in hand on the streets. Compared with Chengdu 1,300 years later, Chengdu in the Tang Dynasty was no less prosperous, with countless shops and businesses.
Teams can be seen everywhere.
Bulk goods from various states and counties in eastern and western Sichuan are gathered in the city and then wholesaled to various places, making Chengdu's commercial and shipping industries extremely developed.
Guo Song and Xue Tao held hands and came to Nanshi. This is one of the two major commercial centers in Chengdu, equivalent to the West Market in Chang'an. It is extremely popular and surrounded by various snack bars.
"Guo Lang, am I hungry?" Xue Tao couldn't help but act coquettishly when he saw the snack shops all over the street.
"Let's see what's delicious?" Guo Song took her hand and walked towards the snack street.
Snack Street is of course the name given by Guo Song, but it is pretty much the same. The street is full of various food stalls, and business is booming. Almost every food stall is full of customers, and the waiters are shouting to attract customers.
It was almost dark, and the food stalls were covered with lanterns, the lights shining brightly like daylight.
There was a dazzling array of various delicacies, and Xue Tao didn't know what to eat at once. Moreover, there were too many customers in the busy shop, so everyone was crowded together and sat at the small square table, which she didn't like very much.
When walking through an alley, Xue Tao suddenly discovered that there was also a food stall in the alley. It was placed there alone with almost no customers. He only saw a white-haired old lady waving to this side, but the light was too dark, and her
The voice was too low, so no one could see her.
Xue Tao couldn't help but feel sympathy. She pulled Guo Song and said with a smile: "There seems to be a small stall over there with few people. Let's go and have a look."
She pulled Guo Song through the gap between the two stalls and ran towards the alley. When the old lady saw that the guests were finally called, she suddenly smiled and turned around and shouted: "Old man, hurry up and boil the water!"
Only then did Guo Song discover that there was actually a food stall in the alley with two small square tables. There was no customer in front of the small square tables, only a pair of gray-haired old people.
"You two, sit down quickly!"
The old lady smiled and took two small stools, wiped them, and asked them to sit down. "It's too cold. I'll give you a bowl of hot water to drink."
She placed two bowls of hot water in front of them. Guo Song bowed to express his gratitude, then looked around and said, "Madam, it's mainly too dark here. It would be better if you light a few lanterns."
The old lady sighed, "We can only earn more than ten pennies from setting up for one night, which is not enough to buy candles. We can't afford to light them!"
"Then you can put it closer to the roadside so that everyone can see it." Xue Tao also suggested.
"We paid it before, but we had to pay it to the city department, which cost one thousand dollars a month. If we put it on the road, it would cost three thousand dollars a month. We couldn't afford it, so we had to return it."
Xue Tao was full of sympathy for the gray-haired old couple. She whispered to Guo Song: "Let's buy them more candles later! Let them light lanterns too."
Guo Song nodded. At this time, the father-in-law asked: "We only have pork noodle soup, crispy whistle noodle soup, five miscellaneous soup noodles and egg noodle soup here. What do you two want to eat?"
Guo Song smiled at Xue Tao and said, "I'll have a bowl of Crispy Shao Noodles. How about you?"
Xue Tao thought for a while and asked: "My father-in-law, is there any vegetable noodle soup?"
"It can be done, would you like to add another egg, little lady?"
Xue Tao smiled and nodded, "Then add it!"
The so-called soup noodles, also called soup cakes, are a bit like this year's knife-shaped noodles. The more delicate ones are kneaded and cut into thin strips, the rougher ones are kneaded into a batter, and the noodles are cooked into gnocchi.
Although the old couple were very old, they were very serious about their work. They actually cut the noodles into thin strips. Guo Song saw that the old man was struggling to cut the noodles and couldn't help but asked: "My father-in-law, don't you have any children at home to help?"
The expressions of the old couple immediately became sad. Xue Tao realized that his lover had said the wrong thing and kicked him quickly. Guo Song sat up straight and asked no more questions.
The old man sighed, "Both our two sons were killed in the battle against Tubo. We also have a daughter, but her family is also poor and cannot take care of us. We can only set up a small stall to make ends meet and live day by day!"
The aunt wiped her tears with the lapel of her clothes and said, "Old man, don't say this, it will affect other people's eating!"
"Don't tell! Don't tell! We'll cook noodles for you."
Xue Tao held her lover's arm and wiped her tears on his shoulders. She said with tears in her eyes: "Guo Lang, help them!"
Guo Song nodded lightly...
The two sat facing each other eating noodles, and the old couple sat aside and watched them silently.
After finishing the noodles, Guo Songxiao asked: "How much did it cost?"
"Ten cents!"
Guo Song casually grabbed a handful of money and put it on the table. He took out the small golden Buddha Wei Gao gave him from his bag and stuffed it into the old lady's hand. "Mom, this is for you!"
"Young boy, what is this?" the old lady asked anxiously.
"It's a good thing. If you exchange it for silver, you won't have to come here to set up a stall in the future."
Guo Song dragged Xue Tao and quickly disappeared in the crowd.
The old lady panicked and said quickly: "Old man, look at it quickly. He gave me a heavy iron bump. I wonder what it is?"
The old man was picking up a copper coin on the table, glanced at the little golden Buddha and said: "It's a little iron Buddha..."
He suddenly realized that something was wrong. He picked up the golden Buddha and looked at it carefully. His eyes widened suddenly, "Old lady, hurry up... stop them quickly. This is... an incredible thing!"
Guo and Song have long since disappeared without a trace. Where can they be found?
"Old man, did he take the wrong thing?"
"Probably not!"
The old man shook his head and sighed: "We met a good person."
........
"Guo Lang, what did you give them?" Xue Tao asked curiously, holding his lover's hand.
Guo Song said with a smile: "I happened to have a small golden Buddha, which weighed thirty taels. I took it out easily and gave it to them directly."
"ah!"
Xue Tao exclaimed in low voice. She thought her lover gave her twenty or thirty taels of silver, but she didn't expect that it was thirty taels of gold, worth three hundred taels of silver! This is really a generous act.
"If you are reluctant to part with it, I will ask for it back and tell you that I got it by mistake." Guo Song joked with a smile.
"screw you!"
Xue Tao punched him in the waist and said angrily: "I can't bear to part with you anymore, I still want to praise you!"
"How do you praise me? Give me a bronze medal with the words 'Guo Dashanren' engraved on it?"
Xue Tao laughed out loud, "Pfft!" "If you want, I can make one for you, but the little girl is very poor and cannot afford a bronze medal. She can only carve a brand out of wood. Do you want it?"
Guo Song chuckled, "Of course I want it, it's best to give it to me when we have a wedding night."
Xue Tao's pretty face suddenly turned red, and she pinched his arm hard, "Just dream! Who will spend time with you in the bridal chamber?"
"Oh well!"
Guo Song pretended to be sad and said: "If you refuse, then I can only find someone else."
"Go find it! It seems like no one cares about you."
Having said that, Xue Tao pinched his arm harder, "If you dare to go find him, I will strangle you to death."
Guo Song laughed, held her waist, and kissed her pretty face hard, "Whatever you do with others, you are enough for me in this life!"
Xue Tao exclaimed. When she saw no one behind her, she breathed a sigh of relief. She picked up her pink fist and hit him on the shoulder, "You are going to die! This is the street. If someone sees me, who do you think I am?"
Guo Song was also a little apologetic. Only swingers would kiss prostitutes openly on the street. He was a bit of a prostitute, and it was indeed easy for others to misunderstand him.
He said sarcastically: "I couldn't help myself just now, I promise I won't do it next time."
Xue Tao glared at him fiercely and held his hand, "You promised yourself that you are not allowed to kiss me outside the room in the future. Isn't it nice to hold hands!"
Even so, when the two were riding back in the bullock cart, she put her arms around her lover's neck and kissed them passionately.
...........
When we returned to the house, Xue Xun had already returned. He was obviously a little worried, and he was slowly pacing back and forth in the inner hall with his hands behind his hands.
"What troubles uncle Shi encountered?" Guo Songxiao asked.
Xue Xun sighed and said: "Tomorrow is Cui Ning's mother's 70th birthday. He sent me an invitation today, inviting our whole family to the banquet."
"Uncle Shi is worried about not having any gifts?"
Xue Xun smiled bitterly and said: "Everyone knows that Cui Ning is taking advantage of the opportunity to make money. Not preparing a birthday gift is one thing, Cui Ning's reputation is not good, but it is also another thing. It is said that the wives and daughters of his subordinates who are attracted by him cannot escape.
Although there are only rumors about his clutches, there is no smoke without fire!"
"Then aunt and Taoer don't want to go."
"But I had already agreed to bring my wife and daughter to attend. It was only later that I remembered the rumor. I regret it now!"
"Just find an excuse to shirk it!"
"When someone came to deliver the invitation just now, your aunt had already agreed to go. If you make excuses again, you will offend someone, especially if he is the emperor of Sichuan. If you offend him, life will be difficult in the future."
Historically, Xue Xun offended Cui Ning and was sent to Yunnan, where he soon died of illness. Xue Tao and her daughter were left helpless and unable to make a living.
Guo Song could understand Xue Xun's worries, after all, he still wanted to stay in Bashu.
Guo Song thought for a while and said: "Actually, there's no need to worry. Since tomorrow is his mother's birthday, he doesn't dare to mess around. And I guess there are many guests, so he won't be able to take care of it.
To take a step back, even if he likes Tao'er, he will have no choice but to take Tao'er and his uncle back to Chang'an the day after tomorrow. If his uncle is really worried, then I will go with him tomorrow. I'll be here with Tao'er.
Nothing will happen."
Guo Song was not worried. If Cui Ning really dared to become interested in Xue Tao, he would kill the beast tomorrow night.
Xue Xun nodded, "That's okay. You can go too. I'll tell him clearly that you are my son-in-law. I'll see if he dares to think anything of it."
Guo Song secretly shook his head. Xue Xun is really a nerd. What kind of woman would a hero like Cui Ning care about if he likes you?
He smiled and said: "I will write a gift list later and give it to the host of greetings when Uncle Shi enters Cui Mansion. I will ask Chengdu Jubao Pavilion to send this gift over."
Xue Xun felt grateful, "Thanks to my nephew this time."