Chapter 0004: Butterfly Hairpin

The azure waves stretch for thousands of acres, vast and boundless

A Chou walked over a small bridge, passed through the archway of the banana trees, and arrived at a courtyard that appeared elegant and tranquil in contrast to the bustling marketplace. The courtyard was separated from the taverns on either side by two fences, and in the courtyard stood a flagpole.

The boy was hungrier than the pale blue ribbon fluttering on the flag, yet he mustered his spirits, rolled up his sleeves, and vigorously wiped his cheeks. He tidied his hair, trying to make himself look as neat and clean as possible, before finally walking into the tavern

Coo, coo ... ...

This guest is a scholar in his thirties, wearing a cap and a long robe with a round collar and narrow sleeves, cinched at the waist with a belt, from which hangs a small sword about a foot long. The scholar's robe and sleeves are adorned with small plum blossom patterns, giving him an elegant and refined appearance. However, upon closer inspection, one would realize that she is a woman who easily changes her hairpin and headgear.

Niu Niu pounced over, and A Chou smiled while dodging. The two played around for a while, and Niu Niu finally caught A Chou's hand

Suddenly, the gates of the Governor's Office in Guangzhou swung wide open, and a middle-aged man in a wide-sleeved robe, tall and imposing, emerged alongside a refined and elegant middle-aged scholar. Accompanying them were numerous attendants and guards, creating a grand spectacle

Niu Niu squatted down under the banana tree, her torn skirt revealing two smooth knees. After a short while, A Chou returned, hands clasped behind his back, a mysterious smile on his face. Niu Niu immediately perked up: "Brother, did you make the hairpin?"

Brother, is it good-looking

Oh!

Niu Niu opened her mouth wide and exclaimed in admiration

This means that the cargo of a ship must not exceed 10,000 stones, yet Madam Yu's ship exceeds this limit. Such ships are sturdy and durable, capable of withstanding strong winds and heavy waves. Therefore, when you see such ships in the harbor, they may not necessarily belong to Tang or the scholars, as many foreign maritime merchants are also actively purchasing or renting these large Tang sea vessels

A Chou smiled proudly and said: "Of course, whatever I promised you, how could it be impossible? Guess what kind of hairpin I am giving you?"

... ...

At a place by the roadside filled with banana trees, A Chou instructed Niu Niu, "Niu Niu, you stay here and do not run around, lest you be caught by the little wolf"

Niu Niu laughed happily, pulling A Chou's hand and dragging him to the small stream by the roadside. By the water, she looked at her reflection, her messy hair resembling a bird's nest, with a tuft of hair sticking up awkwardly. A thread connected to a butterfly fluttered above her head.

Hello! It seems that the queen is dissatisfied with her father's low official position, and the influence of her pillow talk is quite strong! Who is the Grand Minister? That is none other than the Prime Minister of the current dynasty! Wei Xuanzhen originally was just a minor official among a group of idle clerks; what virtue or capability does he possess to hold such a high position? Moreover, the emperor also intends to promote the son of the wet nurse to a fifth-rank official; this truly is a case of one person attaining the Dao, leading to the elevation of even the chickens and dogs.

A ship of moderate size had just docked when a merchant approached, warmly engaging in conversation with the ship's captain, who was dressed in the attire of the Kunlun people, standing at the bow: "Haha, long time no see, Hanubi. You didn't expect that the Tang Empire has changed three emperors in just one year, did you?"

A Chou raised his eyes and saw that the middle-aged man had thick eyebrows like swords and a beard like a hook. His demeanor was dignified, and occasionally, when he cast a glance, a sense of imposing authority would suddenly emerge. However, when he turned to the refined scholar, his face immediately brightened with a spring-like warmth, full of smiles.

A Chou looked at Niu Niu's shining eyes, gently bit her lip, and said: "Niu Niu, I will make you a hairpin, a hairpin even more beautiful than that little girl's!"

Ah Chou smiled brightly and said, "Silly girl, when has your elder brother ever deceived you?"

He patted the sword at his waist and said loudly: "A single person with a sword comes and goes freely; do not make any more noise! I am leaving!"

Ah Chou said: "The elder brother caught it, I will make a hairpin for you"

The Governor of Guangzhou commands six banners, with each banner representing a military unit, and he stands as a local lord of the court, akin to a regional emperor of Guangzhou. The guests he personally sends off with a beaming face must undoubtedly hold a significant status.

Niu Niu lowered her head, and A Chou took a strand of hair from Niu Niu's head, securely tying the other end of the thread to her hair. Releasing his hand, the butterfly fluttered and took flight from Niu Niu's hair.

The vast ships, thousands of vessels, exchanging goods, bustling with activity

A tall wooden pole is adorned with a large wine ladle, and a long blue cloth strap is tied below. The pole has aged considerably, with its paint nearly all peeled off and the wood grain cracked, resembling an elderly face. This "old face" proudly showcases the long history of this venerable establishment

Niu Niu asked him curiously, "This butterfly is alive, how can it be made into a hairpin"

hairpin

A Chou nodded vigorously: "Beautiful! Very beautiful! The butterfly hairpin that Niu Niu is wearing is more beautiful than anyone else's hairpin"

Among foreign vessels, those of the Lion Kingdom are the largest, with their gangplanks rising several zhang in height. However, the largest ship must still be the "Madam Yu's Ship" of the Great Tang

Niu Niu agreed, reluctantly following him as she turned back every three steps to look at the butterfly hairpin on the head of the little girl who was about her age. Yet she knew that she was not worthy of such a hairpin. She just wanted to take a look, to see it one more time, but even that wish felt like a luxury, as the officials from the governor's office had already begun to drive away the idle onlookers.

After feeling happy, her stomach was still hungry. Niuniu, while cherishing her butterfly hairpin, said to A Chou: "Brother, I am hungry..."

Today, the wind is very gentle, and the wine ladle quietly hangs at the top of the pole, with only the green ribbon beneath it weakly fluttering a few times

A Chou stood up, looked around, and said: "Niu Niu, you wait by the roadside, and I will go get some food!"

The Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, Pei Yan, was unwilling to comply and persistently advised against it, refusing to follow the emperor's orders. The emperor, infuriated, said to Pei: "What harm is there in giving the world to Wei Xuanzhen? Why should I spare a mere chamberlain?" Upon hearing this, Pei was greatly alarmed and hurriedly reported it to the Empress Dowager. Upon hearing this, the Empress Dowager was filled with uncontrollable anger, summoned all civil and military officials, deposed the emperor, and conferred the title of new emperor upon Prince Yu.

A Chou begged for his life on one hand while striving to find a means of livelihood on the other. He did not wish to continue as a beggar; he aspired to be self-sufficient. However, even this humble ideal was difficult to achieve. Who would hire a ten-year-old child, especially one who was a beggar, and who also had a younger dependent in tow?

As two individuals were conversing, a giant of about eight feet tall emerged from the cabin. The man appeared to be in his thirties, with thick eyebrows resembling strokes of ink, prominent cheekbones, curled sideburns, and a fierce mustache that added to his imposing presence. He lazily stretched his waist, resembling a drowsy tiger that had just awakened.

Beside the lady stood a little girl, appearing to be around six or seven years old. The lady had a small sword, about a foot long, hanging from her waist, while the little girl carried a long sword on her back. The long sword was slanted behind her, taller than her own stature, with the scabbard just reaching the ground, while the hilt rose significantly above her shoulder. The apricot-yellow tassel dangled on her slender shoulder, reflecting on her delicate and charming face

Hmm, Niu Niu, do not run around, wait for your brother to come back

Looking around at the bustling scene at the dock, the robust man with thick eyebrows suddenly laughed and said: "What my grandfather said was indeed incorrect; the grandeur of the Great Tang is truly extraordinary, prosperous and flourishing, unmatched in the world as depicted in the illustrations! I shall enter the city for a closer look!"

Niu Niu's eyes sparkled with excitement as she exclaimed, "Is it really true?"

Such a strange combination inevitably attracted the attention of A Chou and Niu Niu

Not far from the front of the Governor's Office in Guangzhou, A Chou is begging with Niu Niu. It is not easy to obtain anything in this place, but in order to escape the revenge of Xiao Lang, they must avoid places where Xiao Lang can easily find them

On the dock, piled high are the fruits, vegetables, wheat, barley, sugarcane, silk, and porcelain that are either ready to be shipped or have just been unloaded

Look quickly, that man with the goatee is our Governor Yuan Rui from Doudu Road in Guangzhou! He must be a great nobleman, as he was personally seen off from his residence.

Niu Niu gazed at A Chou with anticipation

The Great Eater: "Speaking of which, this happened at the beginning of the year. The Emperor passed away, and the Crown Prince ascended the throne, changing the era name to 'Succession to Holiness.' On the second day after the new emperor's enthronement, he promoted the empress's father, Wei Xuanzhen, from a minor military position to the governor of Yuzhou. This was significant, after all, he was the father-in-law of the emperor. However, who would have thought that just one day later, the emperor would promote him again to the position of Grand Secretary.

There is no need to observe whether she has an Adam's apple, nor to be surprised that she does not have a beard under her jaw. Her facial features, the adornment of her eyebrows and hair, and even the powdered cheeks clearly indicate that she is a woman. In the Tang Dynasty, it became fashionable for women to dress in men's clothing; however, even when wearing men's attire, they still maintained their feminine appearance, making it obvious at first glance.

There is a saying: "Water does not carry ten thousand!"

A Chou gazed at the reflection in the water, observing the blissful smile on her face in the reflection, and affectionately ruffled her hair

He took Niuniu's hand and ran to a secluded spot, crouching down. He pulled a thread from his tattered clothes and carefully tied one end to the butterfly's leg, then said to Niuniu: "Come, lower your head"

A Chou looked over and noticed that the young girl with the sword on her back had a hairpin inserted in her hair, a butterfly-shaped hairpin, colorful and vividly lifelike

Wow! What a beautiful butterfly!

Ah Chou saw the guards accompanying him starting to disperse the surrounding crowd. Knowing that his status placed him among those to be driven away, he intended to pull Niu Niu away. However, Niu Niu suddenly tightened her grip on his small hand, her eyes fixed intently on the young girl with a sword on her back, excitedly exclaiming: "Elder brother, look! Quickly look! Look at the hairpin she is wearing on her head!"

Niu Niu looked at her reflection in the water and broke into a smile, still that same ugly girl, with a dirty little face and a few missing teeth in her mouth

Let's go, Niu Niu

Oh!

At the Port of Guangzhou, ships from Persia, the Brahman country, the Lion country, the Gutian country, the White Barbarians, and the Red Barbarians come and go frequently

The dark-skinned Captain of Kunlun conversed with him in the currently popular lingua franca: the Great Tang language. The Captain of Kunlun said: "Indeed, I have long heard that His Majesty the Emperor of the Great Tang has not been in good health. The Emperor has passed away, and the Crown Prince has ascended the throne, which is only natural. However, how is it that there is already a change of emperor so soon after the Crown Prince has just ascended?"

A Chou looked at Niu Niu's messy, straw-like, dry and brittle hair, feeling a pang of sadness in his heart. Habitually, he rubbed Niu Niu's hair and muttered, "Silly girl! Truly a silly girl... Come on, let's go!"

I can't guess, please show me quickly

The man from the Han dynasty, having spoken, leaped onto the shore. The ship's captain, upon seeing this, hurriedly abandoned the Arab merchant to come forward and block him. The man from the Han, after hearing a few words from him, impatiently replied: "Although I am new here, I am well-versed in the language of the Tang dynasty. What do you mean by being unfamiliar with the place! You go about your business; I have come here to wander around and experience the customs and people of the Tang dynasty!"

Ah Chou smiled mysteriously and said, "Who says a living butterfly cannot be used as a hairpin? You come here."