novelhk Chapter 186 News from the Capital
Chapter 186 News from the Capital
The city of Ju is cold and deserted.
There were few lights on the street.
On the long street, the squeaking sound of the oxcart left a string of echoes.
Bai Zhao deliberately spoke loudly, "Sixth Uncle, let's go buy some thick woolen clothes first. The young lady just got sick, so she needs to buy some more woolen clothes."
The sound was now echoing on the previously quiet street.
Bai Zhao turned around and talked to his two nephews, "Everything we need to buy is listed on the list. You remind Uncle San later so that he doesn't forget anything."
He kept glancing back, but didn't notice anyone suspicious following them.
After the three uncles and nephews exchanged a few words, Bai Zhao turned back and whispered to Wei Liu:
"Uncle Six, I don't see anyone."
Wei Liu stared at the reins in his hand, and occasionally whipped them, "Don't talk, and don't look around, those people are on the roof."
He patted Bai Zhao's shoulder four times in total and took the opportunity to wink at Bai Zhao.
Bai Zhao was also a smart man and knew that four people were following them.
He turned his head to the left, pointed to a shop and said:
"Uncle Six, let's go to that house. The girl's clothes are too thin, and the clothes at Nanzhen's house are a little short. The girl should buy some big sweaters for the winter."
Bai Zhao glanced upwards inadvertently, and with extremely fast movements, he indeed spotted two black shadows, but he did not notice the other two people for the time being.
"Hurry up, the store will be closing soon." Wei Liu just urged and didn't say much.
"I see, but it may take a little longer. It's time to buy winter clothes for the servants. It's always cheaper if we buy in bulk."
After Bai Zhao finished speaking, Wei Liu parked the ox cart in front of the shop.
A group of four people entered the clothing store but did not rush to ask questions.
The four of them were wearing gray clothes, and no one in the shop paid any attention to them.
The four of them walked around the shop, and Bai Zhao occasionally touched the material of the clothes.
A man dressed as a waiter glanced at them and said, "Our store will be closed in half an hour. If you want to buy anything, please hurry up."
The tone was neither respectful nor impolite nor enthusiastic.
After he finished speaking, he withdrew his gaze and talked to another guy next to him, glancing at them from the corner of his eye from time to time.
Especially if their hands are on their clothes, the guy will keep a close eye on them.
Bai Zhao understood that this person was afraid that they would steal things.
The two guys were talking non-stop, and Wei Liu was distracted and listened to them talking.
While Bai Zhao was looking at the clothes that girls wore, Wei Liu staggered over to the side of the guys.
"I heard that the situation in Liu County and the capital is quite serious. The emperor is about to issue an edict of guilt. Many people have been crushed."
After the waiter finished speaking, he glanced at Bai Zhao and said, "Don't move. White rabbit fur clothes are not easy to sell if they are dirty."
Bai Zhao didn't hear it. When he lifted up the women's rabbit fur coat and was about to take a closer look at the workmanship inside, the waiter came over angrily.
"Didn't you hear me talking to you? You can't afford this dress."
Bai Zhao flicked his ears and took out the cloth bag he carried across his body. "Are these not enough?"
The cloth bag was placed on the cabinet beside it, making a banging sound.
He opened the cloth bag, and inside were ingots of silver.
Wei Liu came over after hearing the voice and saw the silver. He took a deep breath and said, "How did you get all this? Most shops don't accept silver. They accept gold or silk."
Bai Zhao was a little confused when he heard this.
Isn't silver a hard currency in TV shows? Why use gold and silk? Isn't gold more valuable than silver?
He was confused and had no idea what was going on.
Before, when I bought small things in Liu County, I used copper coins to pay.
What exactly is wrong?
Bai Zhao couldn't help but think more about the expressions of the people around him.
"The price of silver is high, how can you use it to buy things?" Wei Liu couldn't help but say something to him.
Bai Zhao still didn't react, but the two guys' attitudes changed drastically.
"Sir, our store does not accept silver. You can exchange it for other things, even food is fine."
One of the guys was quick to recognize them.
He witnessed the whole process at the city gate just now.
He pulled his companion over and whispered a few words, "They are from the Bai family in Nanzhen. I heard they just came back from the south and brought a lot of food."
Bai Zhao was a little confused, and then Wei Liu came forward.
"Don't mention it. The first time our young lady went out, she encountered the incident in Lingzhou and only collected this much food. In order not to travel in winter, she didn't dare to stay any longer. She collected some food and hurried back."
Wei Liu's voice was loud, and he spoke specifically for the people on the roof to hear.
"Miss Bai will not let down Master Bai's reputation. With the support of Prime Minister Bai in the capital, the Bai family will not decline."
Those who can work as clerks in such garment shops are all shrewd people, and all their words are secretly flattering.
The two sides started chatting like this.
"You two, go back and bring a cart of food." On the way, Wei Liu asked Bai Zhao's two nephews to go back and drive a food cart over. "Don't forget to call Yue'e."
A voice came from the roof. Wei Liu glanced upwards and a smile appeared on his lips.
When the two guys heard that they wanted to trade grain, they looked at each other secretly, and then one of them found an excuse to slip away to the backyard.
At this time, the store had already treated them as guests of honor.
Tea, snacks and drinks were all prepared to entertain the two of them.
Bai Zhao sat aside, holding a teacup in his hand, but his eyes were dull.
Wei Liu called out twice but got no response, so he started chatting with the guy.
Especially the news from the capital, once Wei Liu started talking, the guys started talking nonstop about what they knew.
Bai Zhao didn't hear what they said at this moment. His consciousness was immersed in the study of the space villa, looking through historical books about the Tang Dynasty.
When he found the relevant content, his whole body showed an indescribable meaning.
When he was in Ping County, before leaving, he exchanged silver notes for gold and silver, and the guys asked him again and again.
He exchanged more gold and less silver. The most fundamental reason is that silver is more valuable than gold.
If these two currencies were exchanged for copper coins, silver would be more commonly exchanged.
Bai Zhao was a little uncertain. The book he found was not a formal history book, but focused more on historical stories, so he had no idea whether it was true or not.
A quarter of an hour later, the Bai brothers and Zhou Yue'e appeared.
"Sixth Grandpa, we are back."
There was obvious movement on the roof again. Wei Liu smiled, as he wanted them to lose their patience.
Zhou Yue'e walked in. "You want to exchange food for clothes? Jingzhi said that we can't suffer losses."
"Our shop is naturally fair and honest, so you don't have to worry, young lady." The clerk spoke quickly, looking behind him, feeling a little anxious as to why the boss hadn't come yet.
"Don't worry, little brother. I have already inquired before coming here. Now one stone of grain in Jucheng is worth three strings of money. Is that true or not?"
Wei Liu still spoke with a smile, but his tone was completely different from before.
"The price of grain in Jucheng is not that expensive. You must have heard it wrong." The waiter denied it repeatedly.
"If it's not worth it, we'll go to another one."
Wei Liu pretended to leave.
"Please wait a minute, dear guest."
"My boss."
The waiter breathed a sigh of relief and stepped back.
Now the food supply in the whole Jucheng is a bit tight. Their boss has been wanting to stockpile food, but the grain stores are holding back on the food and refusing to sell it.
The boss has a big family, so naturally he has to make plans early.
The owner of the clothing store had to persuade the man to stop.
The two sides sat down and talked again and agreed on the terms.
Their ox cart was made by Boss Bai, and could carry about 1,000 kilograms of grain. Based on the ratio of three guan to one dan of grain, that would be twenty-four guan.
The host gave them about thirty pairs of cotton-felt shoes and only then allowed them to keep the food.
They exchanged twenty-four strings of cash for many things.
Each person has a cotton jacket and a pair of cotton shoes.
Bai Jing's mother and daughter, as well as Zhou Yue'e and Old Lady Bai, bought rabbit fur clothes for the four of them, which were the biggest expenses.
It was a year of famine, and the prices of all goods fell, except for food, salt, sugar and the like.
Clothing shops buy these skins at very low prices, and hunters don't ask for high prices, so they can still make a big profit.
Before leaving, Wei Liu glanced at the roof and a smile appeared on his lips.
After returning to the inn, Wei Liu asked people to distribute the things and called Bai Zhao, "What's wrong with you?"
"I was a little confused for a moment." Bai Zhao made up an excuse and got away with it.
"Go and see if Jingzhi is asleep. I have news from the capital to tell her."
Wei Liu couldn't bear to see Bai Zhao like this, so he sent him away and shook his head, "He must have read so much that he's stupid. He can't even do shopping."