CH 61.1

Lu Gu followed Shen Xuanqing into Xiang Nuanzhai. On one side of the cabinet was a brass Tang Pozi, and on the other side was a hand stove and a foot stove filled with charcoal fire, the stove cover was hollowed out, and the blue color carvings on the stove body looked very gorgeous and beautiful.

Xiang Nuanzhai not only sold these, but also fine charcoal, various herbs and more expensive incense.

Lu Gu smelled a warm and light fragrance, and found that it came from a hand stove placed on the high table. There were charcoal fire and incense in the hand stove.

"You two want to see Tang Pozi?" The clerk came up and asked, he had a smile on his face, but he was not as attentive as when he greeted the other guests just now. Shen Xuanqing and Lu Gu were wearing common clothes, so he knew they were not here to buy hand stoves.

Shen Xuanqing nodded and said: "Well, let's take a look at two sturdy ones."

Tang Pozi also had the carved ones, which could cost fifty or sixty copper coins more than those of the same size and thickness. It would be hotter than the uncarved ones, but Lu Gu looked at those uncarved ones.

"Buy a big one to keep warm under the quilt, and a smaller one to warm your hands during the day. It won't be too heavy to hold or put on your lap." Shen Xuanqing said, and then asked Lu Gu: "How thick are these? It’s sturdy to use, which one do you want?”

The thick ones were naturally more expensive than thin ones, and you couldn’t ask for the carved ones, otherwise they would be more expensive. Lu Gu rarely bought things in such a big shop in the town, so he looked a bit timid, but with Shen Xuanqing by his side, he wasn't so afraid. He pointed at one of the uncarved ones, and said in a low voice, "This one”

“Okay "Shen Xuanqing pondered for a while, and said to the clerk: "Find three according to this style. "It was not uncommon for a farmer to buy three Tang Pozi at once. The man immediately grinned when he heard the words: "Okay, just wait a moment. "

"And this one, I buy it together." Shen Xuanqing pointed to the carved Tang Poziwho was a little smaller and said, as soon as he finished speaking, Lu Gu looked over.

"Sure, I'll give you a piece when I find all of them." The clerk agreed, turning his back and looking for the same one on the shelf.

"Two of the three are for mother and sister-in-law, and this one is for warming your hands during the day." Shen Xuanqing explained.

Hearing this, Lu Gu anxiously glanced at the clerk who was looking for Tang Pozi, he wanted to say that the small ones didn't need to be carved, and it cost fifty copper coins more. But Shen Xuanqing had already told the clerk that he wanted this, so he didn't dare to say it.

Shen Xuanqing didn't know what he wanted to say, so he smiled lightly and said, "It's not expensive, the carved ones look better."

For Shen Xuanqing, he didn't care if Tang Pozi was carved with flower or not, but he thought that the handkerchiefs that Lu Gu embroidered for him all had flowers on them. Both shuang’ers and girls should like flowers.

Lu Gu hesitated, because the carved Tang Pozi cost 150 copper coins. At this time, the clerk found the three big ones, took the small one together, and told the shopkeeper that he would pay the bill.

"You will earn the money back, so you don't need to worry about it." Shen Xuanqing walked to the cashier and gave another word of relief.

In this case, Lu Gu had no choice but to give up. He had a money bag in his arms, but it was not his turn to pay, and Shen Xuanqing paid seven hundred and fifty copper coins.

Seven hundred and fifty copper coins was a lot of money for Xiang Nuanzhai. The clerk brought Tang Pozis out to them and put them in the bamboo basket on the cart. They pushed the cart and left. The clerk was still saying politely from the back that you went slowly.

Lu Gu looked at the bamboo basket while walking, the brass Tang Pozi was polished shiny, and now he also had Tang Pozi, and he had two.

Seeing the joy on his face, Shen Xuanqing also smiled. The things were sold out quickly today, and it was still early, so he said: "Since we are here, and the cart is empty, why don't we go to the wharf to see the cotton sellers. We will buy some and make the clothes sooner, and we will wear them when it’s cold in winter.”

Lu Gu agreed, and the two headed towards the pier.

A catty of cotton was seventy copper coins, which was more expensive than last year, but last year the Shen family couldn't afford new cotton, so they could only wear the thin old cotton clothes. Shen Xuanqing bargained with the owner, he asked for thirty catties, and finally the owner counted it as sixty-five copper coins a catty for him.

It cost nearly two taels of silver to buy cotton, and the seven hundred and fifty copper coins just now, almost three taels of silver.

Lu Gu often came to sell things, and he would settle the accounts slowly. He was a little surprised that he spent so much money, but if he didn't buy it, it would be difficult to survive in the winter. He understood this reason.

The cottons were packed in a large sack, and Shen Xuanqing kept staring at them when the owner weighing them. He used to come here to work often, and knew that the sellers at the wharf would sometimes play tricks and weigh the goods inaccurately. He could bluff people, and he was worth nearly two taels of silver when he made a move, so others couldn't underestimate him.

A solid sack of cotton was put on the cart, the mouth of the bag was exposed a little, it looked white and soft, the new cotton was the warmest, even Lu Gu knew it.

He walked beside him, full of joy, his brows and eyes were raised, and the handsome and fair fulang smiled, which made Shen Xuanqing happy too.

Passing by a place that sold roasted chicken and roasted duck, Lu Gu smelled the smell of meat but he didn't care. The countrymen sold old hens that didn't lay eggs, and the expensive ones were only seventeen or eighteen copper coins.  He heard that someone bought roast chicken, which cost thirty copper coins a piece. He had never eaten such an expensive thing, and because it was expensive, he didn't think about it, and walked straight ahead.

"Do you want to eat roast chicken?" Although Shen Xuanqing was asking, his footsteps had already stopped.

Lu Gu subconsciously paused.

Shen Xuanqing put down the cart and went in, and said to the boss: "Give me one, forget it, pack two for me."

The cart was outside, and Lu Gu didn't go in. If someone passed by and grabbed a handful of cotton, wouldn't they be wronged? Sixty-five copper coins for a catty of cotton, you couldn't lose it.

Shen Xuanqing brought out two oiled paper bags, the roast chicken was still hot, and could feel it through the oiled paper.

The smell of the roast chicken was very fragrant. Seeing that Lu Gu pursed his lips, he swallowed his saliva, but Shen Xuanqing still smiled, opened a oiled paper bag, tore off a chicken leg and handed it over, he said, "Eat it while it's hot."

He wrraped the rest in oiled paper bag, and pushed the cart to a side sheltered corner to stop.