Chapter 215 New Outlook (Part 1)

The next day

After having a quick breakfast at the Lin residence, Daiyu accompanied Baoqin out of the house. The visiting card was delivered to Aunt Xue yesterday. The two slowed down their pace on the road and arrived at Lixiang Courtyard at exactly 9 o'clock.

Aunt Xue was not surprised that Baoqin would come. However, she was very surprised by Daiyu's appearance. She didn't expect that the niece of the second house and the daughter of a second-rank official would have such a good relationship. Aunt Xue really couldn't understand the current second house.

"Aunt." "Aunt."

Two pretty and dignified girls bowed and greeted in front of her. Aunt Xue hurriedly pulled them together and said in a friendly manner: "That's great, I didn't know you two were such good friends. Counting this one from my family, it's just the fate of you three sisters." She saw Baoqin wearing men's clothes and asked hurriedly, "Why are you dressed so strangely, kid?"

Baoqin smiled but didn't say anything. She just looked at the furnishings around and hurriedly ordered Chunyan to put the gifts on the table, "This is the gift that my father and mother asked me to bring from Yangzhou. In the smaller box, there are fun things I saw in the north, and I bought them specially for my aunt and sister to play with."

Xue Zhen prepared so many gifts that Chunyan moved them one by one. Soon, they were piled up on the table. With such a style, how could Aunt Xue and others not be stunned.

Lixiangyuan is just a separate courtyard, and its furnishings are just ordinary in the Jia family. Baoqin took a subtle look and found that it was inferior to the old house of Xue family in Jinling.

It seems that the situation of Xue family in Jia Mansion is just so-so. Baoqin sighed in her heart, and really couldn't understand Aunt Xue's intention of going north to live with relatives.

The mind of a young girl is ever-changing, and others can never see it. But Baochai has another feeling. Thinking of the happy days when she and Baoqin were in Jinling when she was a child, she really didn't want Baoqin to look at the details. She hurriedly said, "Mother, you should ask the two sisters to sit down first."

"Oh, yes, look at me..." Aunt Xue was still surprised that Chunyan moved things one by one, and then she reacted. She hurriedly asked Daiyu and Baoqin to sit down. She took Baoqin's hand and asked in detail about the life of the second room in Yangzhou.

She learned that Xue Ke passed the examination and was preparing for the provincial examination next year. Aunt Xue sighed and couldn't help thinking of her son. Xue Pan, this fool, told him yesterday that Baoqin would come to visit, but today he just went out to hang out by himself, which is really annoying.

Aunt Xue chatted with the younger generations for a while, and then left on the pretext of preparing food, leaving the space for the three sisters. Seeing her mother leave, Baochai finally had time to sit next to Baoqin, and looked her cousin up and down with her beautiful eyes.

"Qin'er..."

After all, they had lived together since childhood, and as soon as Baochai opened her mouth, she dispelled the strange feeling of not seeing each other for many years. Baoqin was also unable to show off her feelings, but held her hand and replied: "Sister."

"We haven't seen each other for almost ten years." Baochai sighed, and her face was also full of feelings. What a forbearing character she is, even if her heart is full of waves, her face is always light and ordinary. It was only when she met her childhood cousin that she was somewhat moved by the scene.

"Hmm." Baoqin looked at Baochai, paused for a moment, and then asked, "Sister, have you been doing well these years?" She remembered that Baochai was a lively person when she was a child, and she often made trouble to attract bees and butterflies. How could such a lively sister Bao become a bodhisattva now?

"Okay, I'm fine. How about my sister?"

"I'm fine too, and my family is fine too."

"Look at me, I even forgot to pour tea for you two."

Seeing that Baochai was about to get up, Baoqin secretly looked at Daiyu. They came here today to persuade Baochai. If she really likes Baoyu, it's fine. If it's because of the elders' orders, there is no need to bet her life.

These two people are concerned about each other, and they both appreciate Baochai's character, and they just hope that the other party can live a good life in the future. It is said that 'it is easy to get priceless treasures, but it is hard to have a lover', but from Sister Lin's description last night, Baoqin thinks that Baoyu is not a good match. You can't write two Xue characters with one stroke, and she doesn't want her cousin to regret it.

Ying'er, who was serving on the side, felt that the second house had come with bad intentions today. Baoqin and Chunyan came with so many gifts, just to show off their good life and laugh at their first house? !

Ying'er was angry and glanced at Chunyan who was watching from the sidelines. She hurriedly went up to take the teapot from Baochai's hand and said in a gentle manner: "Miss, you can just tell me to do this kind of thing. If you do it yourself and it gets out, people might say that our family has no rules..."

Baoqin felt terrible when she heard it. After not visiting for so many years, she didn't expect that the gap between the first and second houses still existed. It seems that the more gifts Daddy gave, the more sensitive and suspicious they would be, and they would think the worst of people...

Baochai also heard it, and when she thought of her mother who had just left in a hurry, she also felt worried. Before she could say anything, Aunt Xue's laughter came from outside.

"What a coincidence today! Yingchun, Tanchun, and Xiangyun are here to play with you." Just as she was talking, Aunt Xue had already opened the curtain and walked in with a cheerful face.

Seeing that there were two young ladies from the Duke's Mansion who were dressed in gorgeous clothes behind her, Baoqin quickly stood up to greet them. The originally harmonious family gathering turned into a casual chat between sisters in a blink of an eye.

The six young ladies sat together, and surrounded Baoqin and Baochai in the middle. Shi Xiangyun looked at the two of them and said in surprise: "I have always heard Sister Bao say that her sister's appearance is better than hers. I thought it was just a humble remark before, but today I know that it is true and not a lie."

Baoqin smiled and was polite. Shi Xiangyun liked her dress. She played well with Baochai, so she leaned over to chat with Baoqin.

Daiyu pulled Tanchun aside and asked quietly, "Third sister, why are you here?"

"I don't know." Tanchun replied quietly, "I was reading in the room before, and the lady suddenly sent someone to say that Baojie had a distinguished guest, and asked me to come and meet him, so that there would be a lot of fun."

Daiyu knew what was going on when she heard it. Thinking about her intentions and plans of coming with Baoqin, she felt unhappy for a while. She had seen what the dirty tricks of the harem were. They really wanted to compete for the limelight everywhere and compete for the scene everywhere.

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They had lunch in the courtyard. Baoqin saw that it was not a place for conversation, so she found an excuse to ask Baochai out of Lixiang Garden.

These three people were also interesting, squeezed in the same carriage, and all changed into men's clothes. Baochai did this for the first time, and she felt fresh, a little excited, and even a little restless and familiar. On the way, she couldn't suppress her curiosity and asked her two sisters about their intentions.

Lin Daiyu smiled and didn't say anything, but Baoqin took her cousin's hand and comforted her: "Sister, wait a moment, I don't know many people in the capital. I'll trouble you to accompany me for a walk and be a supportive spectator for my sister."

Baochai had no choice but to follow them around. After leaving Rongguo Mansion, the carriage twisted and turned in the city, passed Chongwen Gate, and came to the shop of "Beijing News" in the outer city.

When Baoqin led people to get off the car, many servants of the Xue family who were accompanying them were already standing here. They followed the young lady all the way north and south, and they were the most reliable family children. As soon as the toes of their young lady landed on the ground, they had already surrounded them and covered Baoqin.

Baochai was even more puzzled when she saw this behavior. Baoqin didn't say a word to Daiyu, but just walked towards the house. On the way, she ran into a shopkeeper who came to greet guests. When he saw Baoqin in the lead, he smiled and said, "Are you Mr. Xue from Yangzhou?"

"It's me." Baoqin held her folding fan and bowed, and sat down again under the invitation of the other party.

As soon as the two parties sat down, Baoqin spoke directly to the topic and talked to the shopkeeper about her purpose. Baochai listened for a while before she realized that her cousin wanted to advertise Qiupu Street in Yangzhou in the newspaper. Without saying anything else, the momentum of Baoqin's words scared the shopkeeper.

"Five hundred taels, we want the front page of "Jingshi Newspaper" for one month. Except for the words of our Qiupu Street in Yangzhou, nothing else is allowed to appear on the front page."

What a big deal! Are people in Yangzhou so rich now? Five hundred taels at the first opening? ? ? The shopkeeper couldn't understand why the advertisements in the Beijing Newspaper were only charged a few cents or one tael. These five hundred taels were equivalent to the income of many families.

Baochai also couldn't understand and just looked at Baoqin who was calm and composed. Her cousin was still waiting for the shopkeeper's reply.

"Good tea." He said a polite remark as a response. The shopkeeper weighed the pros and cons in his mind. Although he was in charge of the affairs in the shop, there were still several bosses with deep backgrounds behind him. Thinking that there were too many doors and windows in the capital, he was worried again, "I don't know what Mr. Xue wanted to post?"

"Just post..." Baoqin smiled slightly, "Yangzhou Qiupu Street recruits workers, one person per month five taels of silver."

"Just this sentence?!" The shopkeeper was shocked and couldn't understand Baoqin's approach at all. He thought that the people in Yangzhou were going to publish some shocking long article to show the people in the capital.

"Yes, just this one sentence." Baoqin picked up the fan head and kept knocking it on her palm, saying casually, "I wonder if the shopkeeper can help me?"

Suddenly, a rich fool came. It would be a waste not to eat the meat that was delivered to the door. The shopkeeper thought about it and said, "This price..."

"Six hundred taels."

As soon as Baoqin opened her mouth, she raised the price by one hundred taels. This move really shocked the people around. The shopkeeper was afraid that Baoqin would take the money to other newspaper shops, so he said excitedly: "Okay, okay, since Mr. Xue is so sincere, I am willing to help you."

When the three of them walked out of the shop, Baochai was still dizzy. She had seen silver, and the Xue family's previous assets, even if it was thousands of taels, were just a blink of an eye. She didn't expect that Baoqin was willing to spend six hundred taels just for a small matter of a sentence. She didn't expect Baoqin to spend so much silver so casually, which really refreshed her old understanding of Baoqin.

But she and Daiyu didn't expect that Baoqin would take them to several other newspaper shops in the capital. Just like before, they spent about the same price to buy a month's worth of money from each newspaper shop.

They spent 1,700 taels in one breath, and when the three of them got back in the carriage, they drove along the road of the capital. Lin Daiyu sat in the carriage and said with excitement: "Sister Qin, did we really spend more than 1,000 taels of silver just now?"

The three courtyards of the Lin Mansion cost only more than 1,000 taels. In such a short time, such a large sum of money was spent on Qiupu Street in Yangzhou. Even she was excited and excited.

Baoqin's vision was extraordinary. She took Chen Heng's explanation and directly relayed it to Daiyu: "Money is useless after all. Money spent is money. We want to make a splash this time, so we can't be reluctant to spend money. Spend 10 or 20 taels and buy a small corner. Even if we go up, ordinary people won't notice it."

She raised her hand, played with the fan, fanning it up and down, and said with wisdom: "We want everyone in the world to know Qiupu Street, and we want everyone in the world to know that Qiupu Street is in Yangzhou."

Hearing this, Baochai knew that Baoqin would never do this only once or twice. Thinking of the great spirit of the person behind her, although she couldn't figure out the intention of this matter, she still said: "Since you want everyone in the world to know, why don't you write down what Qiupu Street sells. Write more detailed, wouldn't it be more effective?"

Sister Baochai is really smart. Seeing that Daiyu also had this question, Baoqin continued to explain: "It is to make people guess and think. When they see this sentence, their first reaction will definitely be to think about what Qiupu Street does, and that they can earn five taels of silver a month. When they have this idea, Qiupu Street will leave an impression in their hearts."

"This idea is not what I thought of." She added, and smiled at Daiyu again. The latter immediately understood and said strangely: "I knew it was my brother. Only he, like my father, likes to guess people's hearts the most."

"Haha, who told him to say that the business world is like a battlefield."

The two of them were happy with what Chen Heng said. Baochai, who was standing aside, was bored. She was getting more and more confused about these Yangzhou people. This question remained until she got off the car.

Seeing that this was the dock outside the capital, Baochai, who had just stood there, couldn't help but look at Baoqin curiously, as if asking why she came here again.

"Sister, wait a moment. I'll take you back home after this matter is done." Baoqin tidied her clothes, put away her fan, and walked forward quickly with her hands behind her back. In front of her was the unusually noisy Beijing dock.

The Yangzhou merchants who appeared from nowhere, speaking similar accents, were talking and bargaining with the boatmen here. After a while, a servant who went to deliver a message came back with several Yangzhou merchants. When the two parties met, Baoqin asked.

"How is the negotiation going?"

"Not bad, we have ordered seven more ships. Mr. Xue, the Shanxi people are here too. They are getting news fast...it should be the Shanxi merchants in Yangzhou who gave them the news." Shanxi merchants also do salt business in Yangzhou, and they are more low-key and united than Huizhou merchants.

Baoqin was very happy to hear that someone was coming to rob the ship, and hurriedly said, "It doesn't matter, it will be more lively with more people. Are the Huizhou merchants coming?"

"Yes, they are coming. I just heard that there is also a caravan coming from Fujian."

After the Ming Dynasty, Shanxi merchants, Huizhou merchants, and Fujian merchants were well-known all over the world. Compared with them, the Yangzhou merchants headed by the Xue family and Qiupu Street are just rising stars. The merchants from the three places, who are famous all over the world, have such a keen sense of smell. Just hearing a little bit of the wind, they have recently gathered in the capital, ready to share a share of the north's soup.

"The more the better." Baoqin laughed, she didn't care about the appearance of these people and robbing them of their interests. Chen Heng taught her that the foundation of Yangzhou lies in Qiupu Street and nearly 100,000 skilled craftsmen. As long as Qiupu Street and them don't get into trouble, all the business will eventually flow back to Yangzhou.

The North is rich in natural resources and vast in territory, hiding many unknown treasures and opportunities. This cake is much bigger than anyone thought, enough for everyone to sit down and eat slowly.

Listening to their words, Baochai focused on the river. Here, the sails are fluttering, and the figures running and calling shuttle between the docks and the board. Among them are many young women who are busy doing things, and their faces are all excited. One or two duckweeds are dotted among the green leaves, adding a bit of color to the lively dock.

The sun rises over the river, and the blue waves are the same as the sky and the earth. Baochai, who couldn't help but panic, looked at the busy Baoqin again. From time to time, merchants who have negotiated to get off the ship come to chat with Baoqin. They all spoke very fast, and they did not look down on Baoqin because she was a woman. After a few words, these merchants turned their heads and ran away. It seemed that they were afraid that they would lose some money if they were a step late.

Infected by the emotions of these people, Baochai was also excited for some reason. She had not left the house for a long time, and she thought that the excitement in the world was all in Rongguo Mansion. The scene of the boatmen shouting and going out to sea in front of her was really magnificent.

After another half day of busy work at the dock, Baoqin, who had done a good job, pulled Daiyu and Baochai to sit in the carriage back to Rongguo Mansion. On the way, Daiyu did not feel tired at all, and pulled Baoqin to inquire about Chen Heng's intentions. When the two talked and laughed, only Baochai was silent.

Finally, they arrived at the gate of Rongguo Mansion and Baochai was about to get off the car. Baoqin suddenly said to her cousin, "Sister."

"Hmm?"

"Someone once told me that girls don't have to be confined to a house. The world is vast, and it can accommodate men's ambitions and women's ability to be as good as men. Sister's talent is much better than mine. Hearing this, I must have gained more than I did." (Note 1)

Baoqin said, "When I was a child, I often heard sister say that there is nothing in the world that cannot be used. Thinking about it now, I still feel that sister has the talent and courage that is not inferior to men. I hope sister, don't be hindered by worldly etiquette. Isn't it good to live a life of contentment and freedom?"

"Yes..." Baochai glanced at Daiyu and said in an inexplicable tone, "Did Sister Lin's brother say that?"

"Hmm." Baoqin smiled and looked outside the curtain - the family of Rongguo Mansion. The family of bells and drums, the gate alone is very different. "Sister, my younger sister and Sister Lin can only send you here."

"Take care, Sister Bao." Daiyu also spoke up. No matter what happened in the end, she and Baoqin had done what sisters could do.

After Baoqin and Daiyu left by car, Baochai went back to Lixiang Garden, reported to Aunt Xue in a hurry, and then turned back to Hengwu Garden. Maybe she was a little tired because she had been walking around too much today. Baoyu happened to come to her house to play, and Baochai ordered Ying'er to keep him out. She stood in front of the window, looking at the flowers in the yard, lost in thought.

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In the past few days, a strange thing suddenly appeared in the prosperous capital. The front pages of several newspaper shops were suddenly occupied by the words "Yangzhou Qiupu Street". The people of the capital, who had not been disturbed by new things for a long time, suddenly became interested in asking. They kept grabbing the people around them and asking about Qiupu Street.

This matter did not decrease with the passage of time. On the contrary, the repeated sale of newspapers fueled the matter. The people of the capital could not understand the intentions of the people of Yangzhou, but felt that Yangzhou was rich and prosperous, which was indeed not a lie. They are willing to spend this money to do some thankless and useless work. Yangzhou people are really stupid and rich.

And Yangzhou people, including Du Yunjing and others, have been very proud recently. Their hometown has made such a big splash in the capital. They are very magical when they talk to people. As for gossip, what is there to care about?

The excitement in the city was naturally spread to the palace by those who are interested. Li Zhi learned about this from Li Xian and knew that it must be the work of Chen Heng. His younger brother is not smart enough and he must not be able to adapt to changes when he is doing his job.

"So, the merchant ships on the Beijing docks have all been booked?"

Holding several newspapers in the city in his hand, Li Zhi sat in his seat with a bit of happiness on his face.

Li Xian was a calm and steady person. In recent years, he often listened to government affairs and knew that the ministers in the court would not let it go. He hurriedly said, "Father, the canal workers on the river..."

The livelihood of millions of canal workers depends on it. Li Zhi shook his head. This matter could have been mentioned to Dayong before. He said, "Since it was that kid who caused the trouble, call him back to report."

Perhaps he was worried that Chen Heng had little experience and was not prepared for this matter. He would be embarrassed and suffer when he came back. He said to his prince, "Write a private letter to Chen Qing in your own name. Just say: If he is not in good health, I will allow him to take a temporary leave and recuperate in Shenzhou."

What he said was nothing more than asking himself to tell Chen Qing that if you are sure to settle this matter, come back. If you are not sure, just pretend to be sick and hide first.

Father, if you want to take sides, just say it directly. Why bother. Li Xian was helpless and had to say, "I understand."

"Go, go, go." Li Zhi was so happy that he didn't bother to pay attention to his son's sad face. After calling his own prince out, he sat down and read the secret letter written by Li An.

The content of the letter was very literary, and it was naturally not written by Li An himself. But when you see the sentence "Groups of sails compete to cross the sea, this thing has arrived in Penglai. It has the essence of Changbai alone and the beauty of the North Sea. It holds the sun and the moon and carries the three mountains. Seagulls calm the blue waves, and Qingni creates a fairy platform."

He was still excited by the scene described in the article, and he wanted to go to Shenzhou and Qingniwa in person to see if he really wanted to create a new sun and moon.

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When Chen Heng received the secret letter from the prince, it was already mid-September. It would have been better if he didn't receive it, but he received two letters at once. The first letter was Li Zhi's intention, and Chen Heng read most of it. I focused my attention on the second urgent letter, which said that Gu Zaiyong asked His Majesty to summon him to Beijing to question him on the grounds that the canal workers on the river were causing trouble.

"Hold it." Seeing Chen Heng fell into deep thought after reading the letter. Wen Yu couldn't help but ask curiously, "What's wrong?"

"I'm afraid I have to go back to Beijing in advance." Chen Heng smiled and didn't pay much attention to this trivial matter.

"But did you get into trouble?" Wen Yu had to ask loudly when he ran into a craftsman who was driving a pile next to him.

"Don't worry, go back tonight, prepare the things I said, and let me take them back to Beijing tomorrow." Chen Heng covered his ears in pain. Wen Yu's loud voice was like thunder when he spoke.

They are not in Shenzhou now, but are patrolling at the dock called Qingniwa. It is called a dock, but it is actually just a small fishing village that prospers because of fishing, which is far less prosperous and lively than Dalian in later generations.

But even such a small fishing village now gathers thousands of skilled craftsmen. They are working hard to expand a larger trade port on the original dock to accommodate more merchant ships. If it is just repair, it is fine, but it must not affect the merchant ships docking and unloading. Chen Heng led the masters to discuss for a long time and decided on a method of half repair and half use.

"What should we say now?" Liu Xianglian was excited when he heard that he was going back to Beijing, "Continue to patrol? Or go back to pack your luggage first?" Qingniwa is not the capital or Shenzhou after all. What's fun about a small fishing village. It is only because of the superior terrain that it has prospered recently.

Chen Heng rolled his eyes at this kid and knew that you kid was in love with the prosperity of the capital, "Let's talk about it after you finish watching."

"Ha..." Liu Xianglian scratched his head, and followed Chen and Wen with a smile, walking through the dusty dock.

Note 1: This is Baoqin's extra, but I haven't written it yet. Hahahahaha, I'll make up for it when I have time.