Chapter 20 Mooncakes
When he arrived at the entrance of Chunfeng Tower, Yang Shen looked at the setting sun in the west and couldn't help but sigh.
Xiaosheren woke up and won a great victory in Yong'an and successfully defended Gong County. At that time, everyone thought that he was a genius and would be rich in the future. He did not expect that since he returned to Ruzhou, he had changed so much. What he did was more unreliable than the other.
It’s okay to build a new village, but kiln workers and other idle personnel always need to be resettled. Now they have to build various farms, and according to his opinion, they have to go to the top, so Yang Shen could only shake his head. Is the business so easy to do? Yang Shen’s family spent countless energy on running this restaurant. He built all the farms that Wang Xiaoli said, not to mention how many reliable people they need, as long as they make losses, Ruzhou cannot afford to pay.
The servant came up and bowed and said, "Master, the guest you invited today has arrived. The young man looked for Jianji Chugeer on the second floor. They were waiting there early. But the guests were not served yet, so the guests were a little impatient."
Yang Shen said: "I understand. I'll go and greet me, you can do it."
After saying that, he entered Chunfeng Tower and arrived at the second floor pavilion. Shao Ling, Cao Zhiyan, Xie Linong, Yu Huan and Niu Gao, who were already sitting here, stood up and saluted each other. After the salute, they each sat down.
Xie Linong said: "The little shepherd asked you to the state, what instructions do you have?"
Yang Shen said: "There are two news, one is good and the other is bad. Which one do you listen to first?"
Cao Zhiyan said: "Of course you should listen to good things first. It's better not to tell bad news, but it will ruin everyone's mood for no reason!"
Yang Shen shook his head and said, "Good news, the little shepherd told me about everyone's salary. In the past, the imperial court had no more mixed bags, only the salary and the Lumi. Our salary is about forty cents a month, and the Lumi rice is five stones."
"What a big deal! The little shepherd is indeed the little shepherd. I know he will not treat us badly!" Xie Linong was happy when he heard this.
Shao Ling said: "If this is the case, it will cost a lot of money in a month. Where can I get the money?"
"This is the second bad news." Yang Shen sighed. "In order to make money, Xiaosheren wants to build a large-scale market. There is nothing that is not done on the market. Where can we have capital? Xiaosheren owes. When we first came to Ruzhou, we had to owe money. How did the people think of us? Xiaosheren was full of care and didn't know where the confidence came from."
After hearing this, a few people looked at me and I looked at you, but they didn't say anything. It was easy to say this but it was difficult to do it. Who wouldn't know if it was a businessman to make money? It was not that the Song Dynasty had never done such things. But later on, most of them exploited the people, and even forced to buy and sell, but they didn't make much money. With the lesson, everyone was very cautious about such things.
After a long time, Shao Ling said, "The little shepherd was young and energetic. I think he didn't know the story before. Didn't you persuade me?"
"I advised you, but Xiaoshe didn't listen! What's the solution?" Yang Shen spread his hands and shook his head helplessly.
Xie Linong said: "Don't think so much! We just need to spend money! Forty trump cards a month, why should I want my countryside village again? In two days, I will take all the people in my family to Ruzhou City and sell all the land in the countryside!"
Yang Shen said: "Your family has more than 20 people, can you support you when you move to the city?"
Xie Linong said: "If there is little money, they will naturally have to find a way to make money. More than 40 guan a month is enough to eat, so just stay at home."
Yang Shen said: "Xiaosheren said that he is 40 trump cards a month, and he raises grandparents, parents, their husbands, children, and brothers and sisters. It is our current algorithm. You want to move to the city and let them make a living by themselves."
Jie Linong was stunned when he heard this: "There is still such a saying? According to the law, the grandfather is there and cannot be separated from other wealth. According to this method-"
Yang Shen waved his hand: "The law is the law, and the people do not take these into consideration! When brothers grow up, most of them have to separate their families. How many families really live together? What the little shenter said makes sense, don't go against it. If you don't raise brothers and sisters, you will have forty trump cards a month and eat meat every day. If the whole family lives together, it may be possible."
Shao Ling said: "What he said makes sense. If a real ordinary person is older, he will naturally separate his family and live together and conflicts will continue to occur."
Xie Linong thought about it and couldn't help but sigh: "I've been out for more than a year and I've been a leader, and the people around me have a good face. If I let my brothers and sisters separate, wouldn't it be ridiculous?"
After hearing this, everyone couldn't help laughing. Indeed, compared with their status more than a year ago, these people were very different. Especially Xie Linong is a local. When he went home, many people around him came to watch. I don't know how glorious it was. Even if he suffered some losses, he wanted to bring his brothers and sisters to the city. For nothing else, the glory was.
Yu Huan asked Niu Gao beside him: "A month's salary is 40 stakes, no matter how many people there are, you can survive. Commander Niu, your family is in Lushan, and there are many inconveniences, so why not move to Ruzhou too. This is a big city, everything is convenient."
Niu Gao said: "If I really have so much money, it would be fine. I have been poor since I was a child and lived a life of eating braised vegetables. My mother has been in a state of 60 years of turmoil, and it would be a waste of her life to live like this."
Yu Huan sighed: "It's a pity that my family is separated and there is only one person left. No matter how much money is, what's the use?"
Cao Zhiyan said: "I am a monk and I have never seen my parents since I was a child. If I don't sigh, why are you sighing?"
Everyone laughed together.
Seeing that everyone no longer cared about the establishment of the venue, Yang Shen asked the store to serve wine and drink with everyone. The restaurant will be sold in a few days, and all the good wine hidden in it will be brought out to let the brothers enjoy it.
The few people were drinking while talking, and they didn't disperse until late at night.
The next morning, Yang Shen arrived at the prefecture yamen and returned to the official hall, and was called to Wang Xiaoli.
After entering the door and saluting, Yang Shen said, "What's the matter for the little clan to call the officials?"
Wang Xiaoliu said: "In a few days, it will be Mid-Autumn Festival. I have to eat mooncakes and enjoy the moon and beg for tricks. The mooncakes used to be too rough. This year, I specially ordered people to make some exquisite things. In the future, we will build a pastry shop, which is considered to be a bit of skill."
Yang Shen smiled and said, "It's just a matter of eating mooncakes. They don't taste good. In this season, everyone will eat them. They can sell them whether they taste good or not. Why bother with it?"
Wang Xiaolie shook his head after hearing this: "If we want to make money in the construction business, we must do it very well. Only by doing well can the people come to buy it sincerely. If we make money, we will thank us."
After saying that, he and Yang Shen left the state yamen and arrived at a house next to him.
Near Ruzhou Prefecture Yamen is one of the largest porcelain markets in the Central Plains. In the past, many merchants were doing business here during the peaceful season. When the Jin soldiers attacked, the world was in chaos and the porcelain was no longer burned, and these merchants dispersed. Many of the houses remained, many of which were accepted by the government.
This was once a porcelain shop. Now it has been modified and there are more than a dozen people busy inside.
Yang Shen couldn't help but wonder: "When will Xiaosheren open a store here?"
Wang Xiaolei said: "A few days ago, I ordered my personal soldiers to clean up the house here and recruit some people from outside. So what if there is no capital? The wages of the people here, the money for buying flour and various materials, are all on credit. To be honest, I am not a magistrate, so they may not have to pay me credit. But now I can't take care of that much, and the business will be fine."
While talking, he took Yang Shen to the store.
I saw seven or eight women sitting around a table. The table was filled with flour and various fillings, where moon cakes were made.
Mooncakes are available at this time, but they are very rough and far less exquisite than later generations. Moreover, the most important feature of mooncakes in later generations is high fat and high sugar. Now the oil is easy to say, there are sesame oil, lard and lamb oil, and sugar is precious. Without sugar, mooncakes are much less meaningful.
Yang Shen stood aside and watched the women be busy. After a while, he said, "It's the first time I've seen you make mooncakes like this."
Wang Xiaolien smiled and said, "We will try it together after a while. As long as it tastes delicious, are you afraid that you won't be able to sell it for a good price?"
Chapter completed!