Chapter 144 Apprentice
At night, bright pleasure boats float on the inner river of Hangzhou city, with bright lights and feasting and revelry.
As an economic powerhouse, Hangzhou's nightlife culture is not much worse than that of Beijing, and in some aspects it is even more "advanced".
But when it comes to nightlife culture, Yangzhou is actually the best.
The famous, or infamous, Yangzhou skinny horses are said to have had a basic training system since the Northern Song Dynasty, and were developed and promoted after the Ming and Qing Dynasties.
There is no way. Yangzhou has always been a gathering place for salt merchants. These people are extremely wealthy. They have too much money and can't spend it all, so they will do some strange and even unscrupulous things to satisfy their empty souls.
If the wealthy merchants in Hangzhou still need to go out to sea to make profits, these salt merchants can eat their fill just by lying on the salt grains.
There is also a chain of contempt among wealthy businessmen.
Most merchants discriminated against salt merchants, thinking that they only knew how to process salt and relied on the salt monopoly privileges issued by the court to do business. They had no technical skills at all and were pure nouveau riche.
It's probably the equivalent of modern e-commerce secretly looking down on coal bosses, a similar feeling.
Hong Shizhong was a salt merchant from Yangzhou.
Three ships of yellow salt and one ship of green salt could bring an exaggerated profit to Hangzhou City.
Although Hangzhou is close to the sea, the technology of drying sea salt was not popular during the Northern Song Dynasty, and few people in Hangzhou had the privilege of "selling salt".
Although it is a port city, it still has to import salt from outside.
It only took a few days to sell out the four ships of salt. Hong Shizhong bought two expensive treasures in the Qizhen Pavilion in Hangzhou City, and then came to the Xiangyang Palace.
Ordinary salt merchants were not qualified to ask for an audience with the prince, but after Hong Shizhong handed over a token, he was qualified to enter.
Half an incense stick later, Hong Shizhong met King Xiangyang. Even though he was sitting, his back was bent and his face was full of seductive smiles.
"Your Highness, Prince Xin ordered me to bring you a letter." Hong Shizhong stood up, bent over and respectfully handed over a pale yellow envelope, "He asked you to read it when no one is around."
The King of Xiangyang was slightly stunned, then said: "I understand, is there anything else?"
"Your Highness! I brought two skinny horses from Yangzhou. They are the best goods we have had in Yangzhou in the past three years. I feel honored to see your face this time. So I thought that the best goods should be given to the truly noble people."
What a skinny horse... Prince Xiangyang was slightly stunned.
Although Yangzhou , they were already a bit of a topic among some dignitaries who had a hobby in this area.
He thought for a while and said, "You are so thoughtful. When it gets dark, send the person in through the side door. By the way, what's your name?"
"My name is Hong Shizhong." The salt merchant was extremely happy. He knew that he had successfully established contact with the King of Xiangyang.
"I remember it." Prince Xiangyang picked up the teacup.
It was time to see the guest off, so Hong Shizhong immediately stood up and left.
He was extremely happy after coming out of the Xiangyang Palace.
Those who can obtain the salt monopoly generally have backgrounds in the capital.
Behind him is Prince Xin, and now he has successfully established connections with the Prince of Hangzhou, so his future prospects will be even broader.
When a person is happy, even his body seems to become lighter.
He staggered back to the hotel where he was staying and took the two beautiful little girls out, intending to buy some better clothes for them and dress them up.
Although the skinny horses in Yangzhou are generally raised with fine clothes and delicious food, and are also trained in various artistic talents, that is only for ordinary dignitaries. If they are to be sent to the Prince of Xiangyang, their clothing should be even better.
The two little girls followed Hong Shizhong timidly, their expressions full of confusion.
They already knew their fate and were probably going to be given away, so they were in a state of anxiety.
Hong Shizhong brought them to the best cloth shop in Hangzhou. As soon as they entered the shop, they were shocked by the rainbow silk hanging at the end of the hall.
It's as if a rainbow was plucked and placed in this shop.
Hong Shizhong looked at it for a while, then exclaimed: "It is indeed a fairy item, it looks full of spiritual energy."
The shopkeeper was standing behind the long counter. Hearing this, he smiled proudly.
Now almost all the rainbow silk on the market has been eaten up, so this one is extremely precious.
He was not afraid of people snatching away such good stuff, so he just put it in the store.
Because this cloth shop was also owned by the Prince of Runan, as long as the title of the Prince of Runan was revealed, no one would dare to act rashly.
Everyone knows that the Prince of Runan is Master Lu's father-in-law.
The two little girls behind Hong Shizhong looked at Hongchou with their eyes full of amazement and heart-pounding desire.
There were few women in the Northern Song Dynasty who could resist fabrics and clothes made of rainbow.
Hong Shizhong pointed at the rainbow silk and asked, "Shopkeeper, are you selling it?"
"Do you think so?" the fat shopkeeper asked proudly.
Hong Shizhong sighed. He knew that he had asked a nonsense question.
"Please, boss, choose the best fabrics and make two sets of the best floral dresses for these two girls."
The shopkeeper frowned: "Flower skirt?"
It is not strange to have floral patterns on a skirt, but if the term "floral skirt" is used specifically to refer to ready-made clothing, then it has a different meaning.
Generally, this kind of floral skirt is only worn by young ladies, who pursue a vague and half-revealing look.
"Yes! Can't do it? I heard that your place is the best fabric shop."
The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "I'm sorry, but our shop hasn't made floral skirts for two or three years."
"Why?" Hong Shizhong asked curiously.
The cloth shop owner smiled and said, "The owner won't allow it."
"What's the reason?" Hong Shizhong asked again.
"Why so many whys!" The shopkeeper waved his hand, his smile faded a little: "If you want to make a floral skirt, you can go out and turn right. There is a shop called 'Li's Cloth Shop' about a hundred feet away. They should help you make floral skirts."
The shopkeeper was too lazy to tell outsiders that since the Prince of Runan became Lu Sen's father-in-law, he had intentionally or unintentionally closed down many of the previously "dirty" industries.
Most of the original brothels have been closed down or have been sold.
"But I just want a floral dress made by the best cloth shop and craftsman." Hong Shizhong looked unhappy. He leaned forward and whispered, "These two people will be sent to the Xiangyang Palace."
This is the instinct of businessmen. They will always find ways to use their interpersonal relationships to gain more convenience and benefits.
The shopkeeper smiled and said, "I really can't do that. Our master's status is no lower than that of the King of Xiangyang."
Hong Shizhong was stunned. He had lived in Yangzhou for a long time and seldom went out.
Besides, there was no difficulty in selling salt, so his actual business network was not that extensive.
Naturally, he didn't know that the shop in front of him was the property of the Prince of Runan.
Not lower than the King of Xiangyang?
An important official in the court, or other princes?
No matter which one it is, Hong Shizhong cannot afford to offend.
"Sorry for disturbing you." Hong Shizhong turned around and was about to leave.
As a businessman, it’s normal to be a little timid.
But when he was about to leave with his people, someone suddenly said, "Please wait a moment."
Hong Shizhong turned his head and found that a man in white had appeared next to him. He looked very handsome and had an otherworldly air, and did not seem like an ordinary person.
Next to this young man, there is a woman wearing green vine clothes and a woman's hairstyle. She is beautiful and has a heroic temperament. I think she should be the man's wife or concubine.
Hong Shizhong felt that the person who came was not simple. He clasped his fists and asked, "Sir, do you want to ask me something important?"
The man in white was naturally Lu Sen. He came out of the mountain this time just to relax.
Pang Meir and Bilian were both practicing martial arts in the mountains, so Yang Jinhua was the only one accompanying him.
Of course, there were also a few family generals with him, but they were hiding in the crowd outside.
Both of them were wearing ordinary silk clothes, not rainbow silk, so no one associated him with Master Lu.
After all, in this era, there is no photography or video.
Moreover, it is rumored that Master Lu has three heads and six arms, and his appearance is so shocking that people dare not look at him directly... Anyway, the rumors are always getting more and more outrageous.
Therefore, as long as he does not display his unique "immortal skills", ordinary people will not associate him with Master Lu.
"Are the two girls standing behind my friend real sluts?" Lu Sen asked with a smile.
Hearing this, Yang Jinhua, who was originally looking at the cloth, immediately came over and asked a little aggrievedly: "Sir, can't the three of us satisfy you? Why are you still thinking of marrying a concubine?"
In fact, there are only two... Pang Meir is still a virgin.
"There's no such thing as that. They're a little different."
The two girls, who were about twelve years old, looked at Lu Sen timidly with some anticipation in their eyes.
They both knew their fate, that they would eventually be sold to others, and there was a high probability that they would be sold to old men, or ugly men.
The man in front of me was dressed in white and had skin as white as jade. When he chuckled, it seemed as if there was the scent of warm sunshine in the spring snow, which made people feel very comfortable.
So, if I really want to sell someone, it would be better for me to be bought by this handsome man in front of me.
Hong Shizhong looked Lu Sen up and down, then glanced at Yang Jinhua out of the corner of his eye, and felt his scalp tingling more and more.
He was considered a wealthy businessman with some reputation in Yangzhou City. He often visited the residences of high-ranking officials and had also visited the capital to pay a visit to prominent nobles.
In addition to his otherworldly aura, the young man in front of him also had an air of nobility that was beyond words.
"My dear, they are indeed valuables. I brought them back from Yangzhou." Hong Shizhong clasped his fists and bowed, and said carefully, "But they have been promised to the King of Xiangyang."
Lu Sen frowned slightly.
Yang Jinhua next to him asked, "Sir, are these two little girls really special?"
Lu Sen nodded and whispered in Yang Jinhua's ear: "We are so lucky. These two people are also the fish that slipped through the net of heaven."
Yang Jinhua was slightly surprised.
Although she, Bilian, and Mei'er have been exposed to the "immortal magic", they have asked Lu Sen before and know that the three of them are "forcibly blocked" from the supervision of the Heavenly Dao, and there are certain limitations to their future growth.
Every bit of progress on the path to immortality requires more resources.
But it is different for those who are born to slip through the net. When they practice, they will make rapid progress and will not consume many resources.
But this is actually just Lu Sen’s statement to the outside world.
The real reason is... he is now at LV3. In addition to the growth in personal attributes and more recipes, he has also unlocked a 'master-apprentice' function.
And judging from the darkened and unlit parts of its system functions, this master-apprentice function should eventually evolve into a 'sect' function.
This is not a strange thing. After all, many online game systems have similar function blocks.
The name is just a little different.
Now Lu Sen can accept 6 apprentices, but the problem is that the conditions are very harsh.
Only when a person's fortune reaches a certain level will the system consider him/her qualified to become a disciple.
In Lu Sen's "spouse" candidate column, there are at least two or three thousand character cards, but no one meets the requirements. Even Marshal Mu, who has become stronger, has only two-thirds of the fortune required by the system.
Not to mention other people, the vast majority of them have less than one-third.
But the two pretty little girls in front of him not only met the standard , but also exceeded it by a lot.
In Lu Sen's eyes, the outlines of the two girls were even marked "highlighted" by the system.
There are many benefits to accepting disciples. One-fifth of the spiritual energy cultivated will be directly supplied to Lu Sen. At the same time, for every disciple accepted, the area of the home system will increase by two acres.
In addition, every time Lu Sen accepts a disciple, he can get a bonus to his attributes.
etc!
It can be said that, personally speaking, Lu Sen is definitely going to accept a disciple.
And for Yu Gong...taking in disciples is also an important part of Lu Sen's plan.
He originally thought it would be difficult for him to find an apprentice, and was planning to hold a grand audition in Hangzhou in a year or two.
However, I didn't expect that I would meet two of them when I went out for a walk.
And they are twins.
Hearing that it was related to the master's plan, Yang Jinhua stepped forward and said, "Sir, my master is quite interested in the two little girls. Can you give them up?"
"I have already said that these two girls have been given to the King of Xiangyang." Hong Shizhong said carefully, "Please forgive me."
When the two skinny men nearby heard this, their eyes immediately darkened. Although the King of Xiangyang had a good reputation, he was already an old man. How could he compare with the handsome man in front of them?
"I heard it." Yang Jinhua smiled and said, "We will tell the King of Xiangyang about this."
"Please don't make it difficult for me." Hong Shizhong said hypocritically: "If I break my promise and people find out, how can I do business in the future?"
Lu Sen and Yang Jinhua would naturally not be fooled by Hong Shizhong's performance. They looked at each other and smiled.
Lu Sen said: "Don't worry, the King of Xiangyang will not refuse what I give."
Hong Shizhong's face turned curious.
Lu Sen took out a token with the Chinese character Zhao on it, placed it in front of the shopkeeper, and said, "I want this piece of rainbow silk first. Can you give it up?"
Lu Sen didn't want to reveal his identity, so he thought of borrowing this rainbow silk first.
When the shopkeeper saw the token, a look of astonishment flashed in his eyes, and then he smiled and said, "Please come in, sir."
Then Hong Shizhong looked at the rainbow silk placed in front of him with a very interesting expression.
