Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 1084 Hua Tian
"Buying antiques? Is it a little late today?" Cao Yong looked out of the window, and it was almost time to go to the Yamen.

Although the days are long in summer, it is already Shenmo (before [-]:[-] p.m.), and when we arrive at Qianmen or Liulichang, the shop will have to take off its cover.

Yi Duli was wearing an official uniform, and it seemed that he came directly from the Yamen of the Ministry of War.

He held a golden post in his hand, and handed it to Cao Yong, with a bit of excitement on his face, he said: "It's really hard to find this post now, and it won't be exchanged for a thousand dollars. I begged several people, but I didn't get one. I didn't expect I'll get it today, and I happen to have a friend who has something to do at home, so I don't have time tonight, so I just allocated one."

When Cao Yong took the post, he felt heavy and couldn't help raising his eyebrows: "Is this pure gold?"

Yi Duli said proudly: "That's right, 12 taels of pure gold."

One tael of gold and ten taels of silver can be converted into 120 taels of silver.

Using this as a post, it can be seen that it is luxurious, but it is also full of explosive flavor.

There are three characters embossed in the center with cinnabar on it, "Hua Tiantang", and there are two thumb-sized boys on the lower right, "Lihuo".

Cao Yong is no stranger to this Chinese paradise.This is one of the most famous restaurants on the Shicha seaside. The chef in charge is a veteran chef who retired from the imperial dining room. He is famous in the capital for cooking delicacies from mountains and seas.

Sea cucumbers, shark fins, prawns and shellfish, which are not common outside, are common in China Paradise.

Even seasonal vegetable dishes that are exclusively for the Ministry of Internal Affairs and that are not available in the market can be found in Huatiantang.

Cao Yong remembers clearly that one time he was invited to have a banquet, and there was a dish of "straw mushroom broccoli" that cost eight taels of silver.

According to rumors, this Huatiantang is the business of Prince Kang's residence.

At that time, Cao Yong was just eating banquets from other people. He had been there twice, but he didn't pay much attention to it.

It's just that he also knows that even if it is not the business of Prince Kang's Mansion, there is a background, otherwise it would be impossible to gain a foothold in Shicha Beach.

"Can Hua Tian change it to an antique one?" Cao Yong asked the gold post strangely, putting it aside.

Yi Duli laughed and said: "It's still a place for eating, but the 'Treasure Appraisal Meeting' is held every six days every ten days, which happens to be today."

As the name suggests, Cao Yong knew that this was a place to trade antique treasures.

There are many dignitaries in the capital, and "appreciation of treasures" is common, but most of them are held by antique calligraphy and painting shops. I didn't expect it to be held in restaurants now.

Since Yi Duli came to invite him, Cao Yong didn't show any hypocrisy. He looked down at the patched clothes on his body and said, "Then go back and change first?"

Yi Duli nodded, hesitated for a moment and said: "Exactly, you and I will go to our respective homes. See you at Liuyin Hutong in an hour."

Liuyin Hutong is on the Shicha seaside, not far from "Hua Tiantang".

Seeing that he hesitated to speak, Cao Yong said with a smile, "What else can you order?"

Yi Duli laughed twice and said: "I really have the audacity to ask... I didn't expect to get today's post before, and I didn't have enough money to prepare. If Furuo is cheap, please lend me some silver notes temporarily."

Cao Yong was surprised when he heard this.

He has seen similar activities of this "Treasure Appraisal Society" a few years ago, and most of them paid some deposits.

Even if the entrance of Huatiantang is bigger, a deposit of 8000 taels is enough.Although the Yidu Li family is not comparable to the Cao family, it is also a family of officials and officials, with a lot of money, and it will never be difficult to get 8000 taels of silver.

At this moment, Yi Duli smiled wryly and said: "The things that come out of their house must be cleared on the spot."

"Why is this?" Cao Yong listened, a little puzzled.

It is not uncommon for antique calligraphy and paintings in the capital to cost tens of thousands.Does anyone in the past hold a box of silver bills, or ask someone to carry a few boxes of silver over?
"Or else, their family can buy good things. The treasures that show up in their family are not obtained from the hands of merchants, but directly from the hands of the owners. Hua Tiantang only handles them, and the sale price is [-]% commission If you can pay the deposit, and the buyer later regrets it, even if you pay the deposit, it will delay the effort, right?" Yi Duli said.

For wealthy families, ups and downs are common.Especially in the capital city, it is not uncommon for families with treasures at home.

If those antique calligraphy and paintings were sold to antique shops or pawned in pawn shops, they would not get more than [-]% of the silver.Sometimes, it is even suppressed to [-] or [-]%.

If you sell it in Huatiantang, even though you pay a [-]% commission, there is still [-]% left. For the seller, it is still a good thing to take advantage of.

"How much is needed, the adults will give you a count, so as not to bring less and delay the business of the adults." Cao Yong thought for a while and said.

Yi Duli stretched out his palm, turned it over, and said in a low voice: "If it's cheap, take one hundred thousand."

Cao Yong answered in his mouth, but felt extremely strange in his heart.

Even if Yiduli's family is rich, buying antiques with 10 taels of silver is too much.Even in the expensive land of the capital, a large family with a population of over 10, [-] taels of silver can be spent seriously for several years.

It's just that Yi Duli didn't say much, and it's not easy for Cao Yong to ask each other, otherwise he talked too much, and it seemed that he was not willing to borrow money.

After talking about this, it was time to go to the Yamen. Yiduli and Cao Yong went out of the Yamen of the Household Department together, and went back to the house to change their clothes without mentioning it.

Because it was about an hour later, there was plenty of time.

After returning to Wutongyuan to change clothes, Cao Yong told Chuyu about Yiduli's loan and asked her to take 15 taels of bank notes from the Bank of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.

The Cao family's money is not much in the bank, but in the name of Chu Yu, there are more than [-] taels in the Bank of the Ministry of Internal Affairs.Because she owns Daoxiang Village, the business of the shop has been good these years, and it is not obvious that she has money.

In the name of the Cao Mansion, the House of Internal Affairs kept only tens of thousands of taels.Others, in addition to property purchases and those in the family bank, are also scattered in other banks.

Chu Yu happily opened the box, took out the silver ticket and came out.Just like Cao Yong, she was very puzzled by Yiduli spending the money to buy antiques: "10 taels of silver can buy several Zhuangzi. I don't know who to give it to, this gift is really too heavy."

Barely scouring and exchanging the gold posts of "Hua Tiantang", even borrowing money to buy antiques, this is definitely not for personal use.

Cao Yong listened, but his heart moved.

These days, he and sixteenth brother have also collected a lot of antique calligraphy and paintings.The purpose of those people giving gifts is only one, that is, there will be vacancies for local officials at the end of the year.

10 taels of silver, spend money to run an official, if there is a connection, a governor will also come down.

Yi Duli was born in a wealthy family in the Eight Banners, and he was a well-connected man.And the best way for him to do so is to have a good brother-in-law.

The things are going to be given to Elder Brother Thirteen?

Cao Yong felt a little unbelievable. Given the relationship between Yi Duli and Brother Thirteen, it would not be difficult if he really begged Brother Thirteen. Why would he need expensive antiques to knock on the door?

This question has been brought to Liuyin Hutong, when it meets Yiduli.

Yi Duli had already changed his official uniform, and he was only wearing a royal blue woven silk gown. The cap on his head was straight, inlaid with a piece of suet white jade the size of a pigeon egg, a pouch and a double fish jade pendant were hung on his waist, and black silk officials were on his feet. Boots, shaking a fan in his hand, which is the fan painted by Wen Zhengming in the previous dynasty.

Even if you don't report the name of the Minister of the Ministry of War, just relying on dressing up, you are still rich and noble.

However, what Cao Yong saw was not his attire, but only two servants behind him.

If you really spend 10 taels of silver to buy a treasure, why not be more careful?
Although Cao Yong didn't lead many people, he also had a servant and four guards.It's not because of the huge sum of money, it's because the place I'm going to is unfamiliar and it's night, so I'd better be more careful.

Yi Duli saw Cao Yong's doubts, and said with a smile: "Let's go to eat now, why bring those many people? I have already ordered them to pick me up at the gate of Huatian at the beginning of Hai ([-] o'clock in the evening)."

While speaking, he had already got on his horse and walked with Cao Yong side by side. After a while, he reached Huatian.

There was a steward in Tsing Yi waiting at the door, and after examining Yi Duli's gold post, he led Yi Duli and Cao Yong into the courtyard.

Turning around the screen wall, you can see a piece of red.

Outside the three main rooms in the north, hundreds of red lanterns were hung, reflecting red everywhere.

When Tsing Yi steward took Yi Duli and Cao Yong into the house, he walked through the west side door, and Cao Yong discovered the difference in this house.

The main room is very deep, and there is a five-foot-wide corridor next to the window, connecting several private rooms.After seeing the private room, I found that there are two doors in one room, and the other door is facing an open space in the center of the main room.

Cao Yong and the others were in an elegant room on the west side of the main house.Corner lamps stand at the four corners of the private room, making the room as bright as day.

Although it is a restaurant and it is summer, the window lattices are covered with screens, but there is no noise.Even if they heard some movement, they couldn't hear it clearly because of the distance.

In the private room, four dishes of fresh fruit and four dishes of side dishes have already been set up.

The steward in Tsing Yi didn't hand over the menu, he asked Yi Duli in a low voice, and went down to pass the dishes.

Cao Yong asked: "Is this menu fixed?"

Yi Duli nodded and said: "Only on the sixth day, in order not to delay the 'Jianbao', the food is served directly according to the room. There are eight private rooms, each of which is different."

When it was time to eat, Cao Yong said nothing, wiped his hands with the wet towel prepared on the table, and started to move his chopsticks with Yi Duli.

The hot dishes are served very quickly, four bowls of dishes, four dishes, four porridges, and four pastries.

According to the saying of Jingcheng Ximian, today is the "Four to the End" Ximian, also known as Liuliu Shun, because there are [-] dishes in total, hot and cold.

Although there are not many dishes, they include bear's paw and hump in Shanbazhen, sea cucumber and fish lip in Haibazhen, flying dragon and swan in Qinbazhen, bamboo fungus and Hericium in Caobazhen.

Even Cao Yong and Yi Duli, who are rich in their families, couldn't help but praise such delicacies, and forgot their original intentions when they came.

A meal, eat happily.

When the chopsticks were put down, the steward in Tsing Yi led the servants to remove the dishes and bring the tea, Yi Duli remembered his purpose of coming here.

He took out his pocket watch, and it was almost Xuzheng (eight o'clock in the evening), and said with a smile, "It's almost time."

When Cao Yong heard the words, he remembered that the banknote hadn't been given to him yet, so he took it out of his purse and pushed it to Yiduli.They are all bank notes issued by the Bank of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, with denominations ranging from [-] to [-], and there are a dozen of them.

Yi Duli took it over without counting, put it aside, took out a piece of paper from his sleeve, opened it, handed it to Cao Yong and said, "Brother, I will settle the score tomorrow, and Fu Ruo took it away."

Cao Yong glanced at it, and it was written by Yi Duli.

Cao Yong put it away and said, "My lord wants to seek release?"

Yi Duli nodded, and said: "Exactly. Being a servant in the capital is not as enjoyable as being in the governing place! Now everyone is trying to find a job, and I can't just wait. The opportunity is rare. If I wait until the full term, it will be better Whether there is something missing or not is another matter.”

Cao Yong shook his head and said: "Even so, you don't need such a big brush, right? The Thirteenth Master has always been close to the adults, and he will definitely not accept a big gift from the adults for this!"

Yi Duli smiled and said: "If Fu Ruo knows the temper of the Thirteenth Lord, I know it too. It's just that the gift of ten thousand gold is really a gift to the Thirteenth Prince's Palace, but it's not for the Thirteenth Lord, but for the Thirteenth Fujin look..."

Cao Yong listened, a little confused.

He has been in Thirteenth Prince's Mansion for many years, and he is familiar with Thirteenth Fujin.

She was a tough and wise woman who was favored by her husband, and she was able to sit on the prince's wife Fujin with ease. She was not a greedy and shallow person.

Seeing that Cao Yong was puzzled, Yi Duli took a bit of pride and said: "Even if the Thirteen Lords don't accept the things, they will return them to me. It can be seen that I have spent all this money, and they will know that I will be released to the outside world. How about it?" Refute me easily? Now I'm not the only one who seeks to be released, Baizhu also asks for the Thirteenth Lord. As the Prime Minister's prince, the Thirteenth Lord has the right to recommend, but there is no reason for everyone to recommend in-laws. I And Bai Zhu, only one is good. He is the brother of Thirteen Fujin, and it is normal for the Thirteenth Lord and Thirteen Fujin to have some concerns. It is just that he is an old son of the Shangshu Mansion, and his age is far from that of his sisters. Even when he grows up, he won't look like that when he grows up. But I don't believe that he can force me. Even if he begs for help, he only thinks that Thirteen Fujin is his own sister, and He should be in debt to him. He has to worry about him, and begs for help. Even Thirteen Fujin is in a difficult situation right now, I don't believe that if you hand over this 10 taels of silver and show her sincerity in front of her eyes, she will make me feel ashamed."

For the thirteenth elder brother and Yi Duli's brother-in-law Bai Zhu, Cao Yong really didn't like it.

In the early years, he met in Shisan elder brother's mansion, and had two dealings, but Baizhu thought he was the son of Shangshu and the cousin of Cao Yong's aunt, not only put on airs, but also belittled Cao Yong a lot during his conversation.

That's still in front of people, if it's a narrow-minded person, I'm afraid he has already held grudges.

However, Cao Yong could see that Bai Zhu said those words not because he had any bad intentions, but because he was ignorant of the world.To put it bluntly, I just don't know what to do, and I'm a bit of a "secondary" person.

For this reason, even though several of his older sisters are married to noble families, they are not considered close to him.

Among his fellow clansmen, for the sake of his family property, he treated his cousins ​​and nephews a lot.Although he was Marhan's only biological son, Marhan had adopted the father of the Fonde and Fonche brothers before he was born.

Now, although the eldest brother died of illness, there are two nephews, Fengde and Fengche, living there.As an uncle, he didn't have any kindness, instead he was wary of his nephews.Fengde and Fengche were not tolerated by their uncles. In desperation, they had no choice but to follow their father's will and move out of Shangshu Mansion after his father died of illness.

For this matter, Thirteen Fujin was so angry that he not only reprimanded his younger brother, but also came forward to make decisions, split the family property of Shangshu Mansion into two, and distribute half of it to brothers Fengde and Fengche...

*
Draw a circle on the ground and ask for a monthly pass in a low voice. .

(End of this chapter)