Delicate Flower Chapter 36: Enter the city

In the water town of Jiangnan, rivers crisscross the area, and people mostly rely on waterways to travel.

Hangzhou has several large and small piers, the three largest of which are near Wulin Gate, Yongjin Gate and Qiantang Gate.

Wulinmen Wharf is in the northwest of the city and is connected to the Jiangnan Grand Canal. It is a must-pass waterway for traveling from south to north. Because the thousand-year-old Xiangji Temple is not far from here, this wharf is also called Xiangji Temple Wharf.

Yongjinmen Pier is in the west of the city, on the edge of the West Lake, and is the main thoroughfare to Taihu Lake, Lin'an and other places.

Qiantangmen Wharf is located between Xiangji Temple Wharf and Yongjinmen Wharf. There are many temples nearby, with smoke curling up all year round and pilgrims like clouds. It is said to be "the incense basket outside Qiantang Gate".

Yutang’s passenger ship docked at Yongjinmen Pier.

They have to disembark here, or transfer to a small awning boat, or hire a sedan chair to enter the city.

Taking a boat is much cheaper and more comfortable than taking a sedan, and you can also enjoy the scenery along the way. The only downside is that it takes longer than taking a sedan chair. Fortunately, Yu Wen and the others planned to stay in Hangzhou for a few more days and had quite a lot of free time. He made up his mind early in the morning to take a awning boat into the city.

Maybe it was because he had been on the boat for a long time. When he got off the boat, Yu Tang's legs felt weak and he felt like his whole body was shaking.

Yu Yuan supported her, pointed to a big bowl of tea seller under the big locust tree in front and said, "Would you like to have a cup of tea and take a break?"

The pier was crowded with people, shoulder to shoulder, with cries, shouts, calls, and noises. All the sounds were louder than the last. It was so noisy that it was so lively that it gave people a headache.

"No need!" Yu Tang said a little tiredly, "Let's go to the inn quickly!"

When she arrives at the inn, she can have a good rest.

Yu Yuan nodded.

Yu Tang took the opportunity to look at the dock.

The steps paved with bluestone are thick and solid, the arch bridge without holes is beautiful and quiet, and the river is filled with all kinds of boats.

She didn't see the Pei family's boat.

Yu Wen has already contacted the awning boat and sent it to the Ruyi Inn next to Xiaohe Royal Street for five cents per person.

He said: "When I come to Hangzhou, I usually stay there. It's cheap and clean, the boss is nice, and the food is delicious."

Yu Tang and Yu Yuan nodded and followed Yu Wen onto the awning boat.

The boat girl served them refreshments.

Yu Tang couldn't hold it back and asked Yu Yuan quietly: "The Pei family's boat should have arrived before us, why didn't you see it?"

Yu Yuan laughed and teased her: "Didn't you say that even if you look at it a few times, it's still someone else's boat? Why, do you care about their boat too?"

Yu Tang became angry and said: "Forget it if you don't say it."

Yu Yuan laughed softly a few more times, and then said: "They probably entered the city from the Wulin Gate."

Yu Tang is puzzled.

Yu Yuandao: "Xiangji Temple Pier leads to the Taohua River in the inner city. They drove a two-masted boat, so they should have entered the city directly."

It is comfortable to have a boat at home.

Yu Tang curled his lips.

Yu Yuan pointed to the river houses and weeping willows on both sides of the river for her to see: "Aren't they beautiful?"

Thin willow leaves hang like green threads on the river, the river house is covered with wisteria, the stone tables and bamboo chairs are full of colorful flowers, and the roof terrace is drying kohlrabi and bamboo shoots. Little girls and boys in colorful clothes were kicking shuttlecocks and dancing at the door, as well as sellers carrying burdens selling "peanut cakes" and "embroidery thread scissors".

"Very beautiful!" Yu Tang was fascinated.

Yu Yuan said enviously: "It would be great if I could move here. Business would definitely be easy."

Isn’t it like “people are cheap when they leave their hometown”?

As a person in two lifetimes, Yu Tang never knew that Yu Yuan had such courage.

Is it because his previous life was too difficult and he didn’t dare to think about it? Or was it because she was too busy taking care of herself that she didn't have the chance to know?

Yu Tang's smile faded little by little.

Yu Yuan looked at the scenery on both sides of the Taiwan Strait and talked excitedly: "When I came to Hangzhou with my father for the first time, I thought it was very good here. Even if I sell small dried fish, the customers are better than where we are. There are so many of them. Our place is still too closed off. Those are the people who come and go, and those are the things they talk about..."

Yu Tang listened quietly and drank a cup of tea slowly.

The awning boat docked, with three to five shops on both sides. The tall awnings were either embroidered with gold threads or trimmed with silver threads. Most of the pedestrians on the road were dressed in silk and satin, and were accompanied by servants. The whole street looks bright and colorful.

Where is the Ruyi Inn?

When Yu Wen paid the bill, Yu Tang held the bag and looked around.

Then the big word "Dang" was written on one side, and the sign "Pei Shi" was embroidered with gold thread on the bottom, which caught her eye.

Yu Tang was dumbfounded.

The Pei family’s pawnshop?

Didn’t you say it was in some imitation village in Shiyaohe?

Aren’t they going to Xiaohe Royal Street?

Then where is she?

Yu Tang hurriedly pulled Yu Wen's sleeves, pointed at the Pei family's sign and said, "Dad, look!"

Yu Wen, however, seemed not to be surprised, and said to her with a smile: "You have sharp eyes. That's the Pei family's **** shop. It's a pity that shopkeeper Tong is not here, otherwise I will take you to visit later."

Then what are they here for?

Yu Tang opened his eyes wide.

Yu Wen reacted.

He laughed loudly and said: "Silly girl, the river in front of us is called Shiyao River, and the road we are standing on is called Xiaohe Yudao. The area where the Pei family's **** shop is called Fangrenli, I didn’t see the alley next to the **** shop. From there, it’s Jishanli. The Ruyi Inn is in that alley."

In other words, they live behind the Pei family's **** shop.

Yu Tang was angry.

Why did she meet people named Pei everywhere when she arrived in Hangzhou!

Yu Wen thought his daughter's appearance was very interesting, so he simply pointed to a bookstore next to the Pei family's **** shop and said, "Did you see that? That's also from the Pei family. There are also people selling antiques, rouge, gouache, and fake hair flowers nearby. , all of them are their shops - Fangrenli, Jishanli, as well as their adjacent Ziwafang and Ding residences are all theirs."

Then what is not their home?

Yu Tang asked: "Does the third master of the Pei family also live here?"

"How is that possible?" Yu Wen said with a smile, "Their family has a separate courtyard in Fenghuang Mountain, and a house in Qingbo Gate, Meijiaqiao, and Mingqing Temple. However, since they are from Xiangji Temple When you enter the city from the dock, you either live in a villa on the Phoenix Mountain side or in a house on the Meijiaqiao side."

Yu Yuan asked curiously: "How does uncle know? This is the first time I have heard of it."

Yu Wen said with some pride: "It was Shopkeeper Tong who told me. Shopkeeper Tong said that the houses over Meijiaqiao and Qingbo Gate belong to Mr. Pei San himself and were left by Mr. Pei San's grandfather. What was given to him was not the Pei family’s property.”

Yu Yuan was surprised and said: "Which family is Lao An from the Pei family?"

"A girl from the Qian family in Qiantang." Yu Wen said, "She is the Qian named Wu Yue."

The four major surnames in Jiangnan are headed by the Qian family.

Yu Yuandao: "Don't the grandfathers of the third master of the Pei family have sons?"

"It is said that he had a son who died of illness before he was old enough." Yu Wen said, "Although a nephew was adopted later, half of the family property was given to the Lao'an people as dowry, and the other half was given to the grandson, The nephews were divided. When the old man of the Qian family went, the eldest and second old men of the Pei family had already married, and only the third old man of the Pei family was young. The old man of the Qian family was afraid that the third old man of the Pei family would suffer when he proposed marriage, so he left a lot of property. Give it to him."

"Wow!" Yu Yuan said with stars in his eyes, "This is really the emperor's eldest son, and the people love his youngest son. Mr. Pei San is so lucky!"

"Who says otherwise?" Yu Wen and Yu Yuan chatted, "Shopkeeper Tong said that the house on the Meijiaqiao side has more than a hundred servants, and the house on the Qingbo Gate side is even bigger. Normally no one lives there, so just maintaining these two houses costs a lot of money. Moreover, the third master of the Pei family is responsible for these expenses. It can be seen that the third master of the Pei family still has his own properties. But where are these properties? How many are there? Who? No one knows. Because of this, when the old man of the Pei family was still alive, the Pei family always suspected that the old man of the Pei family had secretly purchased private property for the third master of the Pei family..."

Yu Yuandao: "If it were me, I would also be suspicious. How old is the third master of the Pei family..."

The Pei family is very rich anyway!

Yu Tang is already numb.

She doesn't want to talk.

When Yu Tang followed her father to the Ruyi Inn through twists and turns, she no longer even had any curiosity. As the waiter went directly to her room, she fell on the bed and fell asleep without even looking at Ruyi Inn carefully.

It was Yu Yuan who woke her up: "Uncle said he would take us to Beiguan to visit the night market. Please change your clothes quickly. Uncle said we will set off in a quarter of an hour."

Yu Tang had never been to a night market before in her life. She finally gained some energy, changed into a magpie robe, wrapped her head, and went out with her father and brother.

It was almost dusk and they were heading north, but the number of pedestrians on the road increased instead of decreasing.

Yu Yuan told her: "We are going to Wulin Gate. The Beimen Night Market is right outside Wulin Gate."

They won’t meet Pei Yan, right?

Yu Tang asked: "Is this the only night market in Hangzhou?"

"There are several night markets in Hangzhou City, but the night market here in Beicheng is the most famous." Yu Yuan said with a smile, "Most people who come to Hangzhou City will go shopping. But people who have lived in Hangzhou City for a long time like to go there The night market in Xiaoheyu Street has fewer people and more expensive things. The Beiguan Night Market is mostly visited by businessmen traveling from north to south or people running boats."

Yu Wen, who was walking in front, heard what Yu Yuan said: "The main reason is that you haven't been here before, and I want you to take a look. The girl's house will not be as free as it is now after leaving the pavilion. Can we take advantage of this moment? Walk as many places as possible. This person needs to be knowledgeable to have the courage. Wait until tomorrow, and I will take you to the night market on Xiaohe Royal Street. Let you see the difference between the night markets on both sides."

For a person like Pei Yan, even if he goes to the night market, he should go to Xiaohe Yujie Night Market, right?

Yu Tang became interested and asked his father with a smile: "What is delicious at Beiguan Night Market?"

Yu Wen smiled and said: "Guan Sanniang's grilled fish, Wang Pozi's sweet-scented osmanthus rice dumplings, Tang Er's cooking cakes... there are a lot of them. Just don't eat until you are full."

Yu Tang said: “I’ll bring my mother with me next time!”

Yu Wen smiled and said: "Your mother-in-law and I came here twice when we were just married~IndoMTL.com~ Later, your mother-in-law became ill and I didn’t dare to bring her in. It’s you, I’m afraid of you Mom is worried and won’t take you out very often.”

The three of them walked out of the Wulin Gate chatting and laughing.

Yu Tang didn’t expect that Beiguan Night Market was so far away from where they lived, and his feet hurt from walking.

Looking at the crowded crowd, Yu Yuan searched for a long time before finding a restaurant with a seat. He discussed with Yu Wen: "Shall we take a break first?"

Yu Wen hesitated a little and whispered: "There are no people in their house for such a good business, which shows that the food is not delicious. How about we go further?"

They can't just sit in someone else's place without ordering anything, right?

Yu Tang felt the same way, but just as she was about to speak, she looked up and saw Pei Yan and Zhou Zijin standing next to the restaurant.

. m.