In the Luling Prince's Mansion, the shopkeeper Hu Wei is showing a screen to the princess Xiahou.

This screen is of ordinary size, with flowers on it and many colorful birds playing.

But unlike ordinary screens, flowers and birds on the screen are not painted, but are "fixed" on the screen, with clear layers, and if a breeze blows, it will sway slightly.

People stand (sit) in front of the screen, just like being surrounded by birds singing and flowers.

Xiahou looked at the screen carefully and thought that these flowers and birds were all real, but when he looked closer, he found that these flowers and birds were all...

"Is this... made of paper?" Xiahou asked, looking surprised, and the maid beside him was the same.

Hu Wei, who was separated for the maid, nodded: "That's right."

"The screen in the store is 'birds singing and fragrance'. The flowers and birds on it are made of paper. After coloring, they are vivid. If you don't know, you think it is really flowers and birds fixed on the screen."

Xiahou looked at the bright flowers and the birds that appeared vividly, and was dazzled: "How much manual labor does it take to make such a beautiful flower and bird screen?"

Hu Wei replied: "What the princess said is that such a screen has hundreds of flowers and hundreds of birds. It is very complicated to make."

"The petals should be colored, and the same is true for bird feathers. Then the petals become flowers and feathers into birds, which took more than a month..."

Xiahou nodded while listening and continued to appreciate the "birds singing and fragrance of flowers".

Seeing that the other party was very satisfied, Hu Wei looked at the beautiful screen in front of him and suddenly felt a little ashamed.

There are so many lifelike flowers and birds on this screen, which look very complicated and must be very cumbersome to make, so the price must be expensive.

However, it is not particularly troublesome to make.

As a product of "Poyang Paper Industry", paper crafts are developing rapidly, and the workplace adopts a division of labor system. Employees divide the work and make various small parts and assemble them. In fact, the production speed is not slow.

For example, paper birds have specialized "stylists" to design bird shapes and then refine the shapes and colors of each component.

There are also special employees who make parts such as feathers, then color and shape them, and the same is true for flowers.

A complex screen of "birds singing and flowers singing" is produced under the division of labor and cooperation of the staff, and the completion time is usually several days.

But considering the 'customer consumption psychology', we naturally cannot tell the truth, otherwise we will not be able to sell at a good price.

However, Hu Wei felt a little ashamed of "deceiving customers" even if it was "deceiving them in good faith".

Xiahou carefully looked at the screen of "birds singing and flowers blooming" and was very satisfied with the surprise Xiao Ying gave her.

"Shopkeeper Hu can always get many exquisite utensils from Raozhou."

Xiahou said as he sat back on the couch, and the maid stood beside the couch.

Hu Wei stood at the bottom and smiled and said, "It's not that the grass-roots people are capable, but that the handicrafts in Raozhou are emerging one after another. There are always good things that can make the princess look at."

"What surprises will the king have? Is your destiny?"

"Back to the princess, the king's surprise, besides the one in front of him, there is something else." After Hu Wei said that, he looked at a small wooden box beside him, but did not move.

Seeing this, Xiahou became more and more interested. She understood that Hu Wei hoped others would avoid it. Perhaps only in this way could this surprise give her the greatest surprise.

However, she and Hu Wei live in the same room, which is not appropriate and is easily chewed.

However, this is the royal palace, and the maids are waiting outside and avoiding it for the time being, there will be no problem.

Moreover, Hu Wei was the shopkeeper who managed the industry for Xinping Duke Li Li. He often went to and from the residences of various princes and princes to sell Raozhou handicrafts to his female relatives. There was no gossip and his reputation was good.

Xiahou signaled his maid to avoid it, looked at the wooden box, and became expectant.

A few days ago, she went to Jian'an Marquis Mansion to meet Xiao Ben, but Xiao Ying, after hearing who was encouraged, actually ran to Jian'an Marquis Mansion.

Fortunately, when Xiahou went out, he had his eyes and ears in the mansion and informed him in time, so she hurriedly left in front of Xiao Ying's mansion in Jian'an.

After Xiao Ying returned to the palace, he asked her for a "surprise". Xiahou didn't know where to start this. He was stunned and could only pretend to be unhappy.

This move has always been very effective. Xiao Ying saw that she was unhappy and was at a loss.

So he bought a "gift" from Hu Wei, so that Hu Wei would bring a "surprise" today and make her happy.

Xiahou watched Hu Wei open the wooden box and then put something on the table in front of him.

"Princess, this thing is quite magical and can surprise people." Hu Wei said slowly, smiling and gently rubbing the item: "Princess, please come to see it later, calm down."

"Sedancing? What kind of artifact is this? Is it scary?" Xiahou asked, becoming more and more curious.

"Yes, people who have the charm of this kind for the first time will be shocked and even shouted." Hu Wei looked at Xiahou, and his smile became stronger and stronger.

"But there will be no danger, please calm down."

......

In the palace, civil and military officials gathered together to attend the grand banquet on May 5th.

Today is May 5th, Dragon Boat Festival, also known as Mulan Festival, and according to custom, you need to compete for the ferry.

On this day of the year, civil and military officials and internal and external women must follow the emperor to watch the ferry on the shore of Xuanwu Lake in the north of Leyouyuan.

However, last year, the late emperor was assassinated at Leyouyuan, so the Xuanwu Lake Competition was cancelled on May 5 this year and the banquet was held in the palace instead.

Civil and military officials gathered together to celebrate the festival with the young emperor.

The wife of the inside and outside is in another hall to celebrate the festival with the Queen Mother.

During the meal, the inconspicuous position, the inconspicuous Jian'an Hou Xiao Ben looked at the empty position on the upper head, as if he was looking at a thing in his pocket.

The emperor was young, so today he appeared just a formality and left quickly. The emperor was the king of the regent and the king of Poyang, Xiao Fan, performed his duties and presided over the banquet.

As for the original King of the regent, King of Xiangdong, who is now at home, he is waiting for the court to deal with it.

Xiao Ben's eyes stayed on the King of Poyang for a moment, and soon changed to the rice dumplings and calamus wine on the table in front of him.

According to the customs of Jiangnan, May is the "evil moon". There are many taboos. People will weave mugwort into human shapes, hang them on the portal, and drink calamus wine to ward off poison gas.

On that day, in addition to competing for ferry and collecting miscellaneous medicines, colorful silk was also tied to the arm, called "Bijian", which is said to be able to avoid illness and plague.

Xiao Ben took a sip of calamus wine and looked at King Poyang again. Thinking of the King of Xiangdong who was staying in the palace at this moment, he felt funny.

A kind of complacent feeling of "a fisherman who fights against the snipe and clams" arises in his heart.

The King of Xiangdong, who was originally accused of the administration of the government, has now become a dog who fell into the water because the princess accused her concubine Wang Xun of plotting against him and is almost done.

After all, once Wang Xun's crime of regicide is implemented, even if the King of Xiangdong is unaware of it in advance, he will have to pay a heavy price for it.

The replaced King Xiao Fan of Poyang was in power and his mind became active. However, after a long time as the emperor assisted the government, the young emperor would not be convinced.

After all, King Poyang was the nephew of Emperor Gaozu (Xiao Yan), not his son.

Among the descendants of Emperor Gaozu, the only one living child is Xiao Yi, the King of Xiangdong. Further down, the older ones of grandchildren (the royal family) are the fool Xiao Ying, the King of Luling. It would be better not to say anything.

Among the grandchildren, the sons of the late emperor (Xiao Gang), that is, the uncles of the young emperor, were probably not convinced by Xiao Fan's long-term assistance.

After a while, if the concubine and the wife of Xiangdong King are finished, the King of Xiangdong will completely stand aside. Then, Xiao Fan, who is in power, will become the target of public criticism, and there is no way to cause any storm.

If Xiao Fan and his son are kicked out, the emperors will sooner or later have internal conflicts in order to seize power. When the storm comes again, it will be very lively.

After many bloody storms, who can survive and give me a surprise?

Xiao Ben thought so, and was happy and drank the wine in his glass.

Just as the crowd was about to come, several eunuchs came over.

One of them, a confidant eunuch around the Empress Dowager, said to Xiao Ben: "Marty Jian'an, the Empress Dowager is invited."

Xiao Ben quickly stood up and asked, "I wonder what the Empress Dowager has to call the lower officials?"

"The villain doesn't know, please come with the villain."

Xiao Ben nodded and left with the eunuchs.

As I walked, I had some expectations: Could it be that the Queen Mother has an appointment?
Chapter completed!