Like most important cities in the Sui Dynasty, commercial trade was carried out in the "city". Therefore, Jiangdu had Nanshi and Beishi. The main extra goods in Beishi, that is, foreign goods, such as lacquerware in Fusang, tortoiseshell, pearls, medicinal materials from Silla, paper, spices from South China countries, and Hu jewelry, etc.

Nanshi not only has silk, satin, jewelry, gold and silver utensils, but also a large number of items involving people's livelihood, such as rice, cloth, salt, tea, oil, porcelain, furniture, pottery, livestock and other items. Therefore, Nanshi is the city of Jiangdu. Hundreds of thousands of people rely on business for their business.

However, as Fang Xuanling said, although there are many businessmen in Jiangdu, the real commercial profits are in the hands of the Guanlong nobles and the Jiangnan tribes. The real money-making big shops have their backgrounds.

That morning, a carriage slowly drove into the gate of Jiangdu Nan City. Eight horse-riding guards were followed by both sides of the carriage. Inside the carriage was the wife of Zhang Xuan, Lu Qing, who was shopping with her, and Lu Qing's two personal maids, A Yuan and Li Xiang.

This is the first time Lu Qing went shopping after he came to Jiangdu. It is normal for a wealthy woman to go out for a walk in the Sui and Tang dynasties. Women from poor families also have to go out for a busy life. However, women from wealthy women must consider safety when going out and must bring their guards with them.

Although Lu Qing was protected by Zhang Chuchen, Zhang Xuan's personal soldiers refused to let them go out alone. Eight personal soldiers pretended to be ordinary guards and followed their wives to Nanshi with their knives.

The carriage immediately slowed down after entering the Nanshi City, and a noisy and lively atmosphere suddenly came to my face. Stores on both sides of the street were one by one, and there were many pedestrians on the wide street. Caravans full of goods walked carefully among the crowd, and from time to time, people shouted: "Borrow it in front!"

Then several ox carts filled with goods came swaying, and the owner of the goods followed behind and trotted with the goods.

People from all kinds of overseas can be seen everywhere in the market. Short Japanese people, tall hats, flat-faced Silla people, strong Kunlun slaves with dark skin, strangely dressed Nanyang Islanders, as well as Sogdians and Persians with high noses, etc.

“This is the best business street in Nanshi.”

Zhang Chuchen smiled and introduced to Lu Qing: "The front half is a colorful silk brocade shop, and the back is a porcelain shop. The jewelry shop we are going to is two streets across the south."

Lu Qing rarely has the opportunity to go out shopping, mainly because the Lu family has strict regulations. Men are strictly prohibited from going to brothels and tutors, while women are not allowed to go out at will. Even Lu Qing has only experienced it once even when watching the lanterns on the fifteenth day of the first lunar month.

Although she was no longer subject to the rules of the Lu family after getting married, Zhang Xuan was busy with business and had no time to accompany her during the day. She didn't want to go shopping alone. It was rare that Zhang Chuchen came and was knowledgeable, so Lu Qing finally had friends to accompany her.

She looked at the street scenes on both sides curiously in the carriage, looking very excited, "What kind of store is that?" Lu Qing asked, pointing to a small wooden house at the entrance of the alley.

Zhang Chuchen approached and looked at it, and smiled and said, "That's a candy confectionery shop, with various sugar cakes and sugar balls, mainly sold to children."

Lu Qing turned around and looked at A Yuan who looked yearning. He quickly smiled and said, "Stop the carriage!"

The carriage stopped slowly, and Lu Qing smiled and took a bag of copper coins and handed it to A Yuan. "Go! Go quickly and get back!"

"Hey!" A Yuan excitedly pulled Li Xiang off the carriage and ran to the candy shop.

Looking at their backs, Zhang Chuchen remembered a past event and smiled: "Have the general told Qing sister that he had accompanied the little princess shopping?"

"Is it Princess Guangling? He seems to have mentioned it, but I didn't ask in detail, would you tell me?"

"I happened to meet that day!"

Zhang Chuchen told the story of Zhang Xuan accompanying the little princess shopping. Finally, he couldn't help laughing and said, "I finally went to a candy store, but the general was out of money and was in a mess. He wanted to take out his guard's waist card, which scared the shopkeeper. I happened to meet him that day, and I saved him."

Lu Qing suddenly remembered and smiled, "Last time when I entered the palace, it seemed that the little princess told me that a big sister with a sword gave her a golden flower, that's to say you!"

"It's rare that she still remembers it, I almost forgot about it."

Lu Qing smiled and shook her head, "Just once I went shopping, the little princess actually kept it in her heart, and repeatedly recalled it. It seems that I am much lucky than her. At least I want to go shopping now, no one will stop me."

At this time, A Yuan and Li Xiang each took a few strings of malt candied haws and ran back. A Yuan handed them two strings and said with a smile: "The sugar cake is a little cold. Go back and steam it and eat it again and again. These strings of gourds are just right for the teeth-beating ceremony."

Lu Qing hesitated and took the candied haws and asked curiously: "What is this?"

Seeing that Lu Qing didn't seem to know the candied haws, Zhang Chuchen smiled and explained to her: "The inside is fresh hawthorn fruit, and the outside is covered with a layer of melted malt sugar. It's your Zhuojun snack. Sister Qing doesn't know?"

Lu Qing shook his head, "This is the first time I have seen this malt sugar, but I know it's called malt sugar."

"Malt sugar is a mandarin language, and people call it malt sugar. Sister Qing tasted it and it was sour and sweet."

Lu Qing ate one carefully like Zhang Chuchen. It was indeed sour and sweet, and the taste was particularly delicious. She praised it. Although it affected her makeup a little, she still couldn't help but continue to attack the next one, and a laugh sounded in the carriage.

After a moment, the carriage slowly stopped in front of a large jewelry store.

Lu Qing came out of the carriage and looked up at the magnificent shop. The high walls and gates were in front of it. There was a vermilion gatehouse two meters tall. The shop inside was not bottom-out. The entire shop covers an area of ​​about five acres. In Jiangdu Nan City, where every inch of land is valuable, there are no more than five shops, which shows the strength of this shop.

The plaque of the door said four big words "Yuhe Jinshang" and Zhang Chuchen frowned, "How did the store change its name?"

At this time, the shopkeeper saw that the customer was extremely imposing, so he hurriedly came out, "The villain is the shopkeeper of our shop, his surname is Wang, welcome the wife to the shop!"

Zhang Chuchen found that the shopkeeper had also changed, so he asked, "I came here last year. The shopkeeper is Baibaozhai. The shopkeeper is not you. What's going on?"

The shopkeeper saw that she was dressed up unmarried and smiled and said, "Miss. The shop changed its owner at the beginning of the year. It turned out that Baibaozhai moved to Taipei City. But don't worry, the jewelry in the shop will only be better. One shorter is fined ten, and the same person is fined!"

Lu Qing smiled and said, "My Lady Wu, don't worry about the name of the store. Since you are here, just go in and have a look!"

At this time, a guard stepped forward and whispered to the shopkeeper. The shopkeeper was stunned. It turned out that this was the wife of the general who was calling for the general. He slapped himself hard, "The villain is blind and didn't know that the wife is coming. I'm really negligent. Please come in quickly!"

Although Lu Qing had a lot of dowry jewelry, and the Queen also gave her a small box of jewelry, those jewelry were too expensive and not suitable for daily wear. The jewelry she had before marriage was also used by girls and was not suitable for married women to wear, so Lu Qing wanted to buy a few good quality home-style jewelry.

They followed the shopkeeper into the living room, and eight guards left six people outside, and two others followed them in. They stood in the corner of the house like two statues.

"Madam, please sit down!"

Manager Wang diligently invited Lu Qing and Zhang Chuchen to sit down and asked the maid to serve tea. He bowed and smiled and asked, "I don't know what kind of jewelry my wife wants to buy? There are all kinds of things in the small shop, but the variety is too complicated and the wife needs to make it clear."

Manager Wang is very smart. He doesn't take the initiative to take out expensive jewelry. He is afraid that if the general's wife is not satisfied, it is best to know her hobbies first.

Lu Qing smiled slightly, "I want to buy a few home-cooked jewelry, just casually, just wear it at home, but I hope it's better."

"The villain understands, madam!"

The shopkeeper quickly walked into the inner room. Soon, he and two friends brought out a few large wooden boxes and placed them carefully on the table. He smiled and said, "The jewelry in the small shop is the only thing, and there will be no repetitions. You can get whatever you like. Please take whatever you like."

The two guys slowly opened the wooden box, which was hung with various gold jewelry inlaid with gems, and the golden light shone, with hundreds of pieces.

The shopkeeper introduced: "This is the mid-quality jewelry of the small shop. It is neither expensive nor shabby, and it is very suitable for daily wear at home. There are three boxes and 277 pieces. Please choose slowly, Mrs.."

Lu Qing found it a bit strange. It should be the most medium-quality jewelry, but they only have more than 200 pieces, which is a bit inconsistent with the huge shop.

But Lu Qing didn't say anything, just looked at it slowly and quickly picked a pair of emerald-inlaid gold bracelets, and a friend immediately wrapped them for her.

At this time, footsteps came from outside, and a young man smiled and said, "Shopkeeper Wang, is there any distinguished guest here?"

Manager Wang hurriedly said, "The boss, it's General Zhang's wife!"

The young man had already entered the door with one foot. He heard that it was Zhang Xuan's wife. He paused and hesitated for a moment.
Chapter completed!