Hongdi

The main store of Hongbao Pavilion in Hongguo Youcheng is a three-storey wooden attic with four double eaves and hexagonal points built along the river.The first and second floors are square, mainly for business and business talks. The third floor is hexagonal, with one room on each side, and the six rooms are connected to each other. It is a place for family members to come and rest occasionally.On the second floor of the attic, there is a straight staircase on the side facing the river, the end point of which is Jiangfu located in the east of Youcheng.The entire attic has been renovated three times, and every detail is exquisitely carved and painted to be eye-catching. Even the hollow and flower-wrapped copper bells on the corners of the eaves make people feel extremely comfortable in the breeze.

Han Qi stared blankly at the bell that made a beautiful sound, and couldn't help muttering in his heart: "Could it be that I was worrying too much? How could that careless, cowardly and incompetent stupid prince have such abilities? I happened to be downstairs that day. Who is the woman that Shangzhu saw? She and the prince do look alike, with almost the same facial features and body shape, but it is okay to say that they are not the same, after all, that useless child who depends on the third child No matter how you think about it, it is impossible to have such an achievement, and besides, pretending to be a woman? He doesn't have the courage, right?" Thinking about it, Han Qi laughed, "I guess I thought too much, right? The few waves of people sent out I haven’t found out why, it shouldn’t be. But, if it’s true, then I underestimate him too much!”

Jiang Shuihan was busy entertaining Han Qi in the private room, thinking about what to do if something happened, when the door of the private room was gently pushed open.Jiang Nuanzhu walked in in a white dress, Han Qi was startled, and then smiled and said, "Miss Nuanzhu is really difficult to invite."

"It's hard to please? It's my lord, you came at the wrong time, and you are rushing me to get sick." Jiang Nuanzhu replied coldly with a hoarse voice.

Han Qi smiled and said nothing, but began to carefully look at the woman in front of her who made the whole Hongyue Continent fall in love with her.

Slightly long face with pointed chin, slender waist, and small breasts, but with the help of a white tight-fitting veil skirt, it has a bit of charm.The light golden long hair was loosely coiled in a small butterfly bun on the head. Three green gold hairpins with slightly different styles fixed the bun skillfully. It's a little dazzling.Han Qi squinted his eyes, and then saw the pair of green pupils that looked like a pool of autumn water, and the eyes turned to stream, as if they would drown people in them in the next moment.The long light brown eyebrows are slightly curved, and the thick eyelashes set off the depth of the eyes. A purple-gold magnolia flower is in bud at the corner of the right eye, exuding a seductive fragrance.

Han Qi secretly breathed a sigh of relief, "It's not him, although it looks like it, but it's not. It's impossible for that idiot prince to dye his white hair into pale gold every day and then dye it back, and his eyes are not right, the most important thing is that she is a woman , and she doesn’t have those two tear moles at the corner of her left eye.” Han Qi was taken aback for a moment, then became suspicious: “The tear mole at the corner of her left eye? Could it be that she covered it up? The flower painted on the right is obviously diverting my attention. but……"

"My lord, have you seen enough?"

"Ah? Hehe, how can I not get enough of a beauty as beautiful as Miss Nuanzhu?"

"Ah, the lord loves you. Nuanzhu, a mediocre person, would not dare to be praised by the lord." Jiang Nuanzhu rolled her eyes fiercely in her heart, and grinned, revealing two small dimples, "If you dare to ask the lord, I can Sit down?"

"I am the guest, you are the host, so nature is up to you. Please"

"Thank you, my lord." After thanking, Jiang Nuanzhu didn't speak again, turned his head, and looked at the Wangyou River flowing slowly past the door.

"Miss Nuanzhu is very elegant. She has been sitting looking at the river for so many years. I don't know what is so special about this river?"

"My lord was joking. Where did I come from? I'm waiting for someone."

"Waiting for someone? Who?"

Jiang Nuanzhu still looked at the river, and said slowly: "Wait for my father, he is missing. I made Hongbao Pavilion so good, the old man will definitely find him."

"Your honorable auspicious person, Tian Xiang, will definitely return."

"Borrow the good words from the prince."

After a while of silence, Han Qi began to talk, "If I read it correctly, the hairpin on Miss Nuan Zhu's head should be made of the highest-grade cold star green gold in Yao Kingdom, right? There are not many such rare treasures in the palace. , may I ask Miss Nuanzhu where did she get it?"

Jiang Nuanzhu turned her head around now, and said seriously, "I'm just telling you, it's a secret."

Han Qi smiled, "All ears."

"From a friend."

Han Qi's originally smiling face froze in an instant, "May I ask who this friend of Miss Nuan Zhu's is? My lord also wants to get acquainted."

Jiang Nuanzhu immediately said with a grievance on his face: "This is a secret between merchants and merchants, and you can't talk about it." After a short pause, he continued: "However, with the prince's intelligence, Nuan Zhu believes that there is nothing to hide. Hold on to you." Looking at Han Qi's stern face, Jiang Nuanzhu felt a little relieved.

Han Qi recovered her smiling face for a moment, "Since it's not convenient for Miss Nuanzhu to tell, I don't ask. But Miss Nuanzhu's taste is really extraordinary. The magnolia in the corner of your eye is elegant and luxurious. It's just that I am still left , I think the painting on the left can better show the difference of the young lady."

"I'm not left-handed, and I can't draw. I don't like other people's skills. If the prince doesn't like it, I just wash it off."

"No, it's not. This king is just asking out of curiosity. Having said that, this king came here today to discuss something."

"Ok?"

"I don't know if Miss Nuanzhu knows about Qingxiang's gambling on boats and rocks tomorrow night?"

"Well, I know. I have already sent someone to prepare. Why, the prince is also interested?"

"The king has booked a private room on the second floor of Qingxiang, and I want to invite the lady to go with me. I don't know what the lady would like?" Han Qi saw Jiang Nuanzhu blinking and did not express his opinion, and said: "Of course, the lady is interested in Ben Wang Ding will do his best to buy it for the beautiful woman."

Jiang Nuanzhu's green pupils flashed, the water rippling, and the two cute dimples on her pink cheeks deepened, "Since the prince came to invite you specially, how can Nuanzhu refuse people thousands of miles away?" Jiang Nuanzhu turned her face away , Said to Jiang Shuihan: "Shuihan, hurry up, go and bring the magnolia cake that Uncle Wang bought back in the morning, and give the prince a taste."

"Miss Nuanzhu is polite."

"Hey, it's because our little store didn't treat us well." Jiang Nuanzhu put on a flattering posture, and said, "The few treasures my lord gave me are not picky by Nuan Zhu, but others gave too many of them. In addition, the lord did not tell me by his real name, so Nuan Zhu was rude. I hope the lord is not to blame."

"Where is it? It's because the king failed to choose the jade that Miss Nuanzhu likes. I wonder if Miss Nuanzhu has any jade that she particularly likes?"

"Well, there are, but they are very rare, and I didn't get a few."

"Let's talk and listen."

"Shaonan's Huaqing blue stone, Donghan's Qiangjiang soul jade, Yanxia's Zhenchen Gucui, and Liaoqing's baizimu alexandrite."

"Oh, they are all treasures from abroad. Miss Nuanzhu's favorite things are really hard to find."

"It's really difficult. I got a few pieces of blue stone from Yue Kingdom, soul jade and lapis lazuli from Yao Kingdom, but I haven't gotten any of the wood anamorphic stone and ancient emerald stone from Xi Kingdom."

"Xi Kingdom." Han Qi's voice was a bit long, but he didn't know what it meant.

"However, I heard from the gossip that the stones I gambled this time seem to be from Xi's country." Jiang Nuanzhu said with a mysterious face.

"Oh? Then it depends on Miss Nuanzhu's eyesight."

"Yeah. At that time, the prince will keep his word." Jiang Nuanzhu's big eyes had already turned into the shape of copper coins, blinking flickeringly.

Han Qi only has two words left in his evaluation of Jiang Nuanzhu in his head: money fan...

The two chatted for a while, and Han Qi got up to say goodbye, and Jiang Nuanzhu sent it out with a smile on his face.At nightfall the next day, the carriage of Prince Jin's Mansion arrived at Hongbao Pavilion.Jiang Nuanzhu and Han Qi exchanged a few words, then got into the car with him, and headed for the famous scene in Youcheng—Qingxiang Magic Night.

Qingxiang Gambling Boat is a two-story gambling boat, and it is also the largest painting boat on the river.On weekdays, they only make a living by fighting cards, smashing dice, and playing Pai Gow, but every year on March [-], there will be a large-scale stone gambling activity. It's the real thing, just a different quality.It is also because of this that people with dreams of getting rich come here every year, which makes Qingxiang's threshold higher and higher.

The private room that Han Qi ordered is located on the bow side of the second floor of Qingxiang Gambling Boat.The gentle breeze blowing in from the Wangyou River lifted Jiang Nuanzhu's hair and hit Han Qi's face. A strong fragrance of orchids made him suffocate. He helplessly stretched out his hand to help Jiang Nuanzhu. He stroked his hair, knowing that what he hates the most is the strong scent of flowers.Immediately, the corner of his mouth evoked a faint smile, "I remember that little eunuch Defu said that the crown prince hated the scent of orchids very much, and even had a conflict with Empress Cai because of this. This Jiang Nuanzhu should just look alike Him."

Jiang Nuanzhu continued to look out the window indifferently, Han Qi coughed lightly, and said, "Is Wangyoujiang really that beautiful? Can't even compare with Qingxiang's original stone?"

"No, haven't you started yet? Wait until they put the stones out, otherwise it will be easy to get dizzy for a while."

"Hehe, is Miss Nuanzhu a regular visitor here?"

"I've only been here twice." Jiang Nuanzhu shook her head, frowned slightly, with a worried look on her face.

"Why is Miss Nuanzhu frowning? Could it be that she is not sure?"

"My lord, don't you really know?"

"what?"

"We seem to be being targeted..." Seeing that Han Qi was silent, Jiang Nuanzhu had no choice but to say, "Just now Shui Han told me that some people followed our car sneakily. I brought a lot of them today. Gold, my lord..." After saying that, a layer of mist appeared in his big watery eyes.

"Nuanzhu don't need to worry, it's just a few thieves. Little did they know that the mantises are after the cicadas and orioles. My people have already set their sights on them, and they can be captured alive as long as they show their feet."

Jiang Nuanzhu showed joy, "That's good, that's good." He said on his lips, but he was still muttering in his heart: "Shui Han said that he didn't come for nothing, and he seemed to be here for Han Qi, hey, don't Just get me involved."

"Since Nuanzhu has been to Qingxiang before, why don't you tell me about the stone betting? I'm a novice."

"Is this the first time the prince has come?"

Han Qi nodded.Jiang Nuanzhu smiled triumphantly, and said, "My lord, let me listen to the little girl's detailed talk." After finishing speaking, she revealed those two cute dimples again, took a sip of tea, and said, "Qingxiang's betting on stones is divided into three waves. It is a medium-sized stone of 50 yuan, which is the most likely, but generally there is nothing good; the second wave is a small stone of 20 yuan, which may be worth a priceless emerald, but it may be an ordinary stone; the third wave It is a relatively large rough stone of 12 yuan. If you gamble, you will either get rich overnight or lose your family, and the little people have no guts to play." As he said, his expression also dimmed, and the candlelight shone in his faint green pupils, and there was no end to his eyes. .

"Don't worry about Nuanzhu. Among the 12 yuan stones, whichever one you like is the one you like, and the king is not stingy."

Jiang Nuanzhu pursed her lips, rolled her eyes, and smiled slightly.This is the first time Han Qi has seen such a faint smile on his face, but she feels that this smile is so charming that she is willing to do so.

Seeing Han Qi staring at him in a daze, Jiang Nuanzhu panicked: "Don't tell me, it would be terrible if he fell in love with me..." Just as he was thinking about how to make Han Qi hate him even more, the downstairs copper As soon as the gong sounded, the chaos and noise were all gone, and the stone gambling began.