stand back, let me come

Chapter 1180: Layout and Closing the Net (Part 1180) [Seeking monthly tickets]

The secret propaganda had little effect, which taught Shen Tang a lesson.

She adjusted her marketing strategy in time, changing from subtle to overt, and being as overt as possible. It was so obvious that after Cui Zhi had the famous ministers and scholars in his hand for a few days, he saw a sparkling diamond bracelet in Cui Hui's hand. He was introverted and not ostentatious, and preferred warm jade rather than gemstones as accessories. Decorations with sharp edges and strong reflections like diamonds were basically not his cup of tea.

Even indoors, it can make other pearls and jades look dim.

Cui Zhi felt that this thing looked familiar.

After thinking about it carefully, he remembered that this thing had appeared in the portraits of the famous officials and celebrities in Kangguo. It was a perfect embellishment without overshadowing the main subject. Judging from the portrait, this thing seemed to be very popular among the officials of Kangguo. Cui Zhi's first reaction was to think of Qishan! Qishan in the portrait, no matter his appearance or temperament, was what Cui Hui liked when he was young.

Well, that was also Cui Zhi’s norm when he was young.

  But, doesn’t Ke Wu dislike this kind of gentlemanly scholar?

Seeing that Cui Hui was so fond of this strange bracelet that he didn't even notice him coming over, Cui Zhi put his hands in his sleeves and leaned against the door and waited for a while. He wanted to see when Cui Hui would notice that there was someone around him. He waited and waited, but he was completely ignored.

In desperation, he could only knock on the door with his bent fingers.

Only by making a noise can you draw someone's attention back.

In fact, Cui Hui had already noticed when Cui Zhi first came. She just wanted to see how patient this man could be. With just a little trick, Cui Zhi was exposed. Cui Hui put the bracelet down slowly, not caring that Cui Zhi might think wrongly.

Well, she was also afraid that the other party didn’t mean to do something crooked.

Cui Zhi came in and chatted for a while. Seeing that Cui Hui had no intention of mentioning the bracelet, Cui Zhi could only take the initiative to change the subject.

"Why haven't I seen this in your dressing table before?"

Only then did Cui Hui smile a little.

She said, "I just received it too. It was given to me by an old friend."

Cui Hui lowered his eyes and didn't see Cui Zhi's suddenly gloomy face. He smiled and said, "Yes, it's the old friend you were thinking about. He sent someone to ask me how I was doing these days and if I was inconvenienced. He also sent a few small things. He said that the nobles in Kangguo liked them. He got some by chance and asked someone to make them for me."

Cui Zhi: "...This item was included in the painting with Qi Yuanliang. He gave you such an important thing, so he must have ulterior motives!"

Cui Hui was puzzled: "What do you mean by being in the same painting?"

He took out the biographies of famous officials and celebrities that he had obtained through his connections.

As the head of the Cui family, who was not short of money, and the head of the Southwest Branch, the version he got was not a collector's edition, but a hardcover edition, which was much more elaborate than the ordinary ones. Of course, the price would also be more expensive. Cui Hui's pupils suddenly shrank as soon as he opened it.

This was the first time I felt a gift was too hot.

I almost thought Qi Yuanliang had turned his fake play into reality.

He immediately calmed down and vaguely guessed something.

Cui Hui's reaction was not exaggerated, but it also made Cui Zhi feel even more jealous. Cui Hui rolled the scroll back and said, "Not to mention that they are similar, even if they are the same, it doesn't mean anything. I heard that this item was given by Lord Shen to his meritorious ministers to show the firm relationship between the monarch and his ministers. Such an item does not represent the love between men and women."

This explanation is a bit far-fetched.

But there was a vague intention of surrendering to Cui Zhi.

Cui Zhi's sourness was suppressed in a few words. He said, "You rarely cared about these beautiful things in the past."

Cui Hui put the bracelet on her wrist, which matched her skin tone very well.

She explained casually, "The past is the past. You know my situation. If I had one or two more hairpins, rings, and jade pendants, I would be criticized. They would say that I was extravagant after marrying into a wealthy family. My husband is a gentleman, and my wife is like a poor woman who has never seen a good thing in her life. She puts everything on her head and wears everything on her body, just like a gossipy woman walking around the streets. Humph, how dare I say that I like it. If I show these off when I travel around in the world, wouldn't it tell the thieves to come and take notice?"

Cui Zhi likes to be reserved, so she can only follow her husband's lead.

"I'm not your wife, nor the mistress of the Cui family. Let alone if I just like one or two pieces, even if I wear them all over my body, no one can stop me." As she spoke, she suddenly thought of something and stuffed the things into her arms, "Including you!"

  You don't live by the sea, why do you care so much?

That afternoon, Cui Zhi had two boxes delivered.

Cui Hui picked and chose, curling his lips: "Vague stuff."

Cui Xiong gritted his teeth and said something nice to his mother: "These are all carefully selected by my father from the warehouse. They are all rare treasures."

The workmanship and materials used are absolutely impeccable.

Cui Hui said: "These are old items piled up in the warehouse."

Cui Xiong: “Not really…”

Cui Hui had more to say: "If it is an old item that has been stored, then it is an outdated style. I don't know how many times it has been passed through the hands of several Cui women and Cui wives. If it is not an old item that has been stored, then it must have been made in recent years. Didn't Cui Zhishan say to the public that he didn't have a proper mistress around him? I said to the public that I didn't like luxurious things, so who would he leave the new styles for?"

Cui Xiong: “…”

No matter how you answer, it's a dead end.

Cui Xiong held his head in despair, always envying Er Mi who ran away from home. Er Mi was free and easy outside, while he was stuck between his parents. His mother was not satisfied, and his father could not get the job done. Frustrated, he looked for solutions from his fiancée.

Miao Ne didn't expect that this matter would cause trouble for him, so he had no choice but to give Da Xiong some advice: "It's not a festival, Patriarch Cui wouldn't have someone open the warehouse to send gifts for no reason, it must be something that woke him up or stimulated him...why don't you ask around?"

Cui Xiong suddenly understood.

After a little inquiry, I found out that the source was the diamond bracelet.

Miao Ne said calmly, "I was serving the Lord the other day, and I saw a biography of famous officials and celebrities from Kang State. It is said that the court of Kang State highly values ​​this item, and uses its quality to show the relationship between the monarch and his subjects. Maybe this is related to it."

"Isn't that the relationship between a monarch and his subjects?"

  What is the relationship between father and mother and the emperor and his subjects?

Miao Ne immediately retorted: "Gentlemen like jade and often compare themselves to jade. Doesn't this affect the use of jade ornaments by men and women to express their love?"

Cui Xiong thought this made sense.

After asking around, I found out that my mother really likes diamond accessories. This kind of thing is rare in the entire southwest continent, not to mention the southwest Qi Kingdom. Even if you find a diamond raw stone, it will have more or less impurities in it, and it is not as clean and clear as the one in my mother's hand. When they are put together, it is obvious which one is better. Cui Xiong could only go to the merchants from the northwest Kang Kingdom to make business, and he asked around for a long time before he got any news.

Good news, it's in stock.

Bad news, wait!

Cui Xiong heaved a sigh of relief when he heard this.

Which headwear for the wealthy ladies and celebrities doesn't take a year or two to make? Those who don't want to wait can use their money to jump the queue and shorten the time. A top embroiderer can complete a Guanyin statue in a year. With more money, ten top embroiderers can complete it in 40 to 50 days. The Cui family has money!

The most important thing is that mother will like it.

Cui Xiong said: "May or June is too long."

He tapped the table with his finger: "I need this amount in ten days. You don't have to rush to say you don't have it. I've seen a lot of tricks used by you businessmen. If I can do it, I can do it. If I can't, I'll find someone who can. The opportunity is in front of you, it's up to you!"

The merchants did not expect Cui Xiong to be so tough.

He wanted to bargain, to raise the value of the item by making things difficult for the customer and playing the victim - it's hard to sell something that's too easy to get at a high price! But Cui Xiong didn't give him this opportunity, and he really didn't want to miss this deal, so he gritted his teeth and agreed.

"Ten days is ten days. I will do my best!"

"It's not try my best, it's definitely!" The merchant hurriedly said with a smile: "Definitely, definitely!"

It's not that there are no natural diamonds on the market, but their uses are extremely narrow, and most of them are just auxiliary tools for cutting in the hands of craftsmen. There is no substitute for the size, purity and beauty of the diamonds in the biographies of famous officials and famous scholars except in Kangguo. The diamonds in Kangguo also have colors, and each one is eye-catching.

This businessman saw business opportunities in the biography of famous officials and scholars, and heard some rumors through his connections. He thought that this product would be sought after by famous scholars and ladies in the future, so he spent all his money to buy a batch of it. He never expected that business would come to him so soon, and he was so happy that he could not see his teeth but eyes.

When the tenth day arrived, Cui Xiong gave his mother a surprise.

Not only did the mother get a share, but one was also sent to Miao Ne.

The bowl of water is held very levelly.

Miao Ne served the king during the day and deliberately exposed it.

This exquisite and beautiful thing quickly attracted the attention of the king. She asked casually, and Miao Ne said, "It was sent by Cui Langjun yesterday. After all, it is his gift, and it cannot be wasted. Your Highness, is it too ostentatious for me to wear this thing?"

Miao Ne was extremely frightened.

The king shook his head, "Girls all like to be pretty, there's nothing wrong with that. People, if you don't dress yourself up while you're still young, then when will you be? Chicken skin and gray hair? It's good that Cui Dalang cares about you. I was originally worried that the marriage would make you two unhappy. I'm happy to be able to promote a good relationship."

These words are seven parts false, but also three parts sincere.

In the two months that Miao Ne has been by his side, she has been exactly what he wants. The little girl is talented, works seriously, and knows exactly what he wants. She is also the niece of his male favorite, so she is half his own person, unable to escape from his palm, and he feels at ease using her. As they get along, he becomes more and more satisfied.

Miao Ne said: "As the true emperor, the marriage granted by the king is destined by heaven, so how can it not be perfect?"

The king sneered: "Son of Heaven? Heaven is quite fertile."

Her marriage to Cui Zhi was also arranged by the king.

Miao Ne responded calmly.

"The Mandate of Heaven can be false, and so can the Son of Heaven."

The king knew in his heart that this was Miao Ne's compliment, and that the flattery was done in a tactful and polite manner, but it was pleasing to the ears.

The king waved his hand and said, "Put it on. I like it."

Clinker Miao Ne respectfully presented another gift.

Cui Xiong sent a batch of diamond jewelry with the most complicated craftsmanship and the one that best suited the king's aesthetic taste. The king did not like to use things that had been used by others: "Are you using Cui Dalang to borrow flowers to offer to Buddha?"

Miao Ne said sincerely: "Your Highness is the most beautiful among all the ladies. If you are not in your prime, how can I show off my skills in front of you? Even if I force myself to dress up, I will look like a clown when serving you."

The queen was amused and laughed heartily, not showing any displeasure. She laughed so hard that she almost couldn't breathe: "Who taught you these sweet words? If the old stubborn people in the Censorate heard them, the memorials against you would fill up my desk tomorrow."

Miao Ne said: "It is the duty of a subject to make your Majesty smile."

"Isn't it said that honest advice is unpleasant to the ear?"

Words that can make people smile have basically nothing to do with "honest advice".

Miao Ne shook his head and said, "If Your Highness fails in his duties, the loyal advice of the ministers will naturally make you unhappy, but Your Highness has worked hard over the years and has made great achievements. The so-called 'loyal advice' is what Your Highness has always practiced. Why would it make people unhappy?"

The king was amused and laughed heartily again.

Even the male favorite benefited from this and was able to sleep with the emperor for a few days.

The next day, she put on the diamond jewelry.

Due to the number of people and the weather, the court meetings were not always held in the palace, but sometimes outside the palace. As the weather was good, many officials noticed this item, including Mei Meng. Other officials speculated on the king's preference, while Mei Meng wondered who had given it to him.

After the court was dismissed, many officials went to inquire.

Mei Meng asked the real person directly.

The king smiled and told the story of the item's eventful origins.

Miao Ne did not hide anything and explained the source of the incident - Cui Zhi and his wife had a conflict because of jealousy over the diamond bracelet, and then Cui Zhi opened a warehouse and was disliked by his ex-wife, and their son had to find a way to mediate between the two sides. Miao Ne and the king indirectly benefited.

Mei Meng said: "This thing is very expensive."

The queen was prepared for this, but as the ruler of a country, there was nothing expensive that she could not afford: "It's just a toy for decoration, is it worth your saying 'expensive'? If you like it, I will buy you a box later."

Mei Meng doesn't care about this.

"I have inquired about this thing, and it is only found in the northwest."

The king immediately understood Mei Meng's hint and asked in surprise, "But this is not a diamond? There is a saying among craftsmen that if you don't have the diamond, you won't take on porcelain work. This shows that it is not unique to the northwest. How much money can you get from this small item?"

New things don't last long.

Diamonds have no cultural foundation among scholars and cannot challenge the status of jade. As for the ladies of noble families, they like this today and that tomorrow, and cannot last forever.

"My dear minister, you are worrying for no reason. I will stay with you for a few days, and it is also the goodwill of all the younger generation. How can there be the trouble you think?"

After hearing this, Mei Meng also wondered if she was thinking too much.

I never expected that this thing would become an evergreen tree.

Soon, the news that the ruler of Qi also liked diamond jewelry was spread by merchants. The news spread from one person to ten, and from ten to a hundred. The famous scholars and noble ladies in Qi heard the news and moved in. The former cared about the diamonds to show the firm friendship between the ruler and his subjects, and the latter wanted the beauty of the diamonds and the title of "the same style as the ruler". Merchants also got involved in the hype, and the famous scholars who were secretly bribed inadvertently became promoters, and the popularity gradually increased.

Cui Zhi, the master of absenteeism who has not reported for work for two months: "???"

When he was on duty, he saw his colleagues wearing shiny accessories; when he was off duty, he visited his friends and they gave him diamonds in person to show their friendship. Upon further inquiry, it turned out that celebrities had been giving each other diamonds for a long time.

I visited three friends and received three diamond gifts.

Cui Zhi went home and drank some tea to calm down.

A message from a confidant:

The meat buns he got from beating the dog three or four months ago are never coming back.

Cui Zhi: “???”

He thought he had misheard.

"What do you mean you can't come back?"

"That is to say, he has taken refuge with Erlang Jun."

Cui Zhi rubbed his forehead, thinking about Roubaozi... No, the five letters that the person sent out. He said he would come back after working for a month, but he delayed for another half a month. The half-month deadline has come, and the person said he would come back in another month... Today he delayed until tomorrow, tomorrow until the day after tomorrow, and finally he didn't come back. Cui Zhi suppressed his anger: "What do you mean he surrendered to Ermi? I think he surrendered to Shen Zhongli... This girl is just like her master, she is used to bewitching people..."

  Being forced to work illegally in a black ring, and developing feelings for each other?

Isn't this outrageous?

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