The queen must start from the head

Chapter 4 Selling goods in the city
The next day, the chicken from Ma's house next door crowed "OoOoOo" at midnight.

Mu Lian got up when she heard the sound, and when she opened her eyes, she found that Mrs. Zhou and Wu were no longer in the room, and Zhou Jing's two little girls kicked off half of the quilt, and she was still sleeping soundly on the bed.

She got up gently, got dressed, opened the door, and found that the sky was already turning white.

Under the slightly dark sky, smoke rose from the chimney of Zhou's back kitchen. It was Mrs. Zhou Wu who was cooking in the kitchen.

Before Mu Lian showed up, the life of the orphan and widowed couple in the Zhou family was not going well.Wu Mei's husband, Zhou Renhe, is an honest farmer.When Zhou Jingshuang was three years old, he went hunting in the mountains, but accidentally fell into a deep trap dug by other hunters. He couldn't get out and had to call for help.And at that time it was the season of freezing weather, how could there be anyone in the mountains?The next day a sudden heavy snow covered the whole mountain one after another.

It snowed heavily for three days in a row, and after the snow had lightened, young adults from the same village formed a team and went into the mountains to find someone.It's just that Zhou Renhe's frozen body was found at last.

As soon as he left, the pillars of the family collapsed, and there was nothing valuable in the family after a funeral.

The trap that killed Zhou Renhe was not set by people from the same village, but a bachelor from a neighboring village dug it in the mountains to catch the blind man.When the latter heard that someone had dug a deep pit trap in the mountains and killed someone, he hurried to find out the approximate location of the trap, then returned home, packed his luggage, and fled overnight.

Coincidentally, the day when Zhou Wu picked up Mu Lian happened to be the anniversary of Zhou Renhe's death.

And Mu Lian was hungry and tired from walking that day, and just passed out on the side of a small road that the other party must pass to go home, and was picked up by Zhou Wu who came back from the grave.It was said that she was picked up, but Zhou Wu's actually saved Mu Lian's life.After all, she was extremely fragile at that time, and her hunger and thirst had threatened her life. After passing out on the side of the road, who knew what would happen next?
On weekdays, Ms. Zhou Wu gets up every morning before the fifth watch. After making breakfast, she eats half of it herself and leaves the other half for her daughter.Then he took the yarn he had spun and some small embroideries and took an hour's oxcart ride to Tianhai City, the city closest to Heshui Village, to sell these things and return in exchange for some rice, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar.

After Mrs. Zhou Wu finished cooking, it was already dawn.

After practicing the exercises for a few weeks, Mu Lian took a cold shower to wash off the dirt from her body due to the exercises.When she came out after changing her clothes, Mrs. Zhou Wu happened to call her to eat.

After the two of them finished their breakfast, Mrs. Zhou Wu put her own spinning and embroidery into a shopping basket, and Mu Lian also followed her example, embroidering her pair of "Sunrise Mountain Journey" and two beautifully packaged Soap and a box of glass marbles were placed in the hand basket, and then a layer of earthen cloth for isolation was spread on it, and two or three bright green plantain leaves were covered as a cover.After getting ready, the two set off.

When we arrived at the entrance of the village, there were two oxcarts going to Tianhai City parked there, one of which was almost full of people.After Zhou Wu and Mu Lian sat on it and there was no room for anyone else, the ox cart set off.

After leaving Heshui Village, Mu Lian looked at the endless rice fields on both sides of the road and breathed in the fresh and clean air with the fragrance of rice. She couldn't help but feel a little emotional and doubtful. After a while, the bewildered expression in her eyes returned. become clear.

Perhaps, who sent herself into this world may not be that important anymore. The important thing is that she must continue to live, and live well.

Whether an hour is long or not, whether it is short or not.Many little women on the bullock cart were exchanging stories about the parents of each family, and by the way, gossip about other families, and even Mu Lian knew a lot about the target of the task.

For example, Zhang Xiaohua is the daughter of Lizheng Zhang Youde. She was spoiled and spoiled since she was a child. She has a very delicate face and is known as "a flower in Heshui".And that Li Daniu, born with great strength, was favored by the Heijia army when he entered the city a few days ago, and now he is a member of the well-organized army.She also heard that Zhang Youde was testing Li Daniu's tone and was planning to marry his daughter to him.

When the ox cart was parked outside Tianhai City, the dark city wall with mottled colors, the city filled with a little desolation and ancient meaning suddenly bumped into Mu Lian's eyes.

She looked at the city wall intently for a while, then, carrying her basket, followed Zhou Wu who handed the coachman six cents, preparing to enter the city.

When entering the city, each person has to pay five Wen, and two people are ten Wen.

After this trip, Zhou Wu's has not earned a penny yet, and has already spent sixteen pennies today, which is enough for the Zhou family's mother and daughter's living expenses for two or three days.

Mu Lian didn't say any more words of gratitude. Some things are not done by words, but by actions.

Tianhai City is huge, and the city is very busy with people coming and going.On the road, there are young noblemen in silk and satin, middle-aged businessmen with big bellies, and many girls with hairpin flowers waving fragrant handkerchiefs wandering the streets of cosmetic shops and jewelry shops, while those who buy in the vegetable market Most of the food bargainers are middle-aged and mistresses.At the mouth of some dark alleys passing by occasionally, beggars dressed in rags were sleeping curled up with their broken bowls.

What a picture scroll of sentient beings.

Mu Lian withdrew her gaze from looking around, and for a while, didn't know what to think.

Not long after, Mrs. Zhou Wu led her to the silk and satin shop that she often went to. This shop not only accepts raw silk spinning, but also embroidered fabrics, and the price is relatively reasonable, so Mrs. Zhou Wu often comes to this shop to sell things. .

"Your cotton yarn is of good quality, and it counts as [-] Wen. As for these embroideries, they look very novel. I'll pay you [-] Wen each. Here, here is a total of [-] Wen. Count it yourself." "The shopkeeper Lin of the silk and satin village made a few calculations before quoting the price, which was almost the figure Zhou Wu estimated in her own mind, and she had no objection, and the two quickly reached a deal.

Immediately afterwards, Mu Lian took a step forward and opened the plantain leaves on her shopping basket, revealing the contents inside.

Shopkeeper Lin originally thought that this woman was following Zhou Wu's and was the latter's daughter, but she didn't care even though she was holding a basket in her hand.Now Mu Lian opened a corner of the basket, took out the pair of "Sunrise and Mountain Journey" inside and opened it slowly, shopkeeper Lin's eyes suddenly brightened.

He stretched out his hand to take this piece of embroidery about the size of a fan, and saw that there were fiery red suns, black mountain peaks, clear springs in the mountains and travelers walking on the road, everything was so lifelike, he couldn't put it down just looking at it.

"This... what a superb embroidery technique! This kind of color and method, I have never heard of it when I have been in charge of the Lin family's silk and satin shop for so many years!" Shopkeeper Lin's repeated praises immediately attracted many passers-by to watch.

"Is that embroidery? Why is it the same as the painting?"

"Isn't that right? The stitching and colors are all handmade by everyone, and the pen and ink are full of charm. It's really a work of art!"

A moment later, the front of the silk and satin village was blocked by onlookers.

At this time, there was quite a commotion in a teahouse across from Linji Silk Shop.

"Brother Zhang, the Linji Silk and Satin Shop has received a piece of embroidery of the master craftsman's level, called "Sunrise Mountain Tour". It is as real as the one we painted. Are you willing to go and take a look?"

"Oh, there is such a thing? You and I will watch together!"

"...Brother Wang, let's go take a look too!"

"Brother Li...".

All of a sudden, the teahouse suddenly became empty, and even the guys in the teahouse leaned against the pillars at the entrance of the teahouse with great interest and looked at Linji Silk and Satin Shop, which was blocked by three floors inside and outside.

Only then did shopkeeper Lin realize that something was wrong, looking at the large, dark crowd in front of him, he felt bad and quickly called the waiter in the store to close the door quickly.

His move immediately caused dissatisfaction among many scholars present.

"Shopkeeper Wuna, why are you so stingy? I can't wait to come to appreciate the masterpieces of the master, so why do you keep people away?"

"This brother is very right. Shopkeeper Lin has always been a generous person. Why is he uncharacteristic today?"

"Yes, the people inside have already seen "Sunrise Mountain Journey". I was blocked outside but didn't see it. Shopkeeper Lin wanted to close the door. How unfair it is!"

Immediately there was a sound of cursing and angry reprimand, and shopkeeper Lin blushed in embarrassment, begging for mercy from everyone outside, "Guys, it's not that I'm unkind, it's just that this "Sunrise Mountain Journey" is the work of this Lin has not bought what the girl made, so..."

Everyone was stunned, and then turned to look at Mu Lian and Zhou Wu who had just been squeezed into a corner by the crowd.

For a moment, Mu Lian was stunned when she was suddenly stared at by many burning eyes, while Zhou Wu even shyly covered her face with a handkerchief and turned her back.

The air suddenly became quiet, and everyone was waiting to hear what this young girl who embroidered a masterful work would say.

(End of this chapter)