The night was dark, and Yang Ji lay on the bed but couldn't fall asleep.
"I still underestimated them, and they couldn't wait so quickly. Twenty copper coins... I want to force Uncle Liang and I to die."
"If the eldest lady in the clan controls me, she will definitely not give me any more money, and she will never help me. She may even tell others that she gave me more money. Without enough money, Uncle Liang and I will not be in trouble."
Death means starvation. In Pingchuan County, many people fail to survive the winter every year."
Yang Ji had many thoughts going through his mind.
Uncle Liang is getting older, so he can only find a way by himself. If he wants to overcome this difficulty, he must find a way to make enough money before the end of the year. This is a problem that he has to face.
For the first time in his life, Yang Ji felt the pressure of life and a feeling of thorniness. There were only ten days left before the Chinese New Year, and after that, there would be a long period of heavy snow.
How easy is it to earn enough money to survive two months in such a short period of time? What’s more, Yang Ji has no experience.
"...Collect firewood and sell it for money?"
Yang Ji shook his head and quickly denied his thoughts:
"At this time, all the dead branches on the mountain have been picked up, and people who need firewood have already prepared enough firewood for the winter. It is definitely not possible to go to the mountains to cut down trees and sell firewood. Selling goods?"
Yang Ji shook his head again, "I have no money and no connections. I don't have the funds to sell livestock. And it's easier said than done, and I may not be able to do it."
"Going to do hard work for others?"
"No! People will look down on me because I'm young. And for more than ten days, I can only do part-time work. Even if I work hard, I can't make enough money for Uncle Liang and I to spend the winter."
…
Yang Ji thought secretly, one idea after another came to his mind, but he rejected it one after another.
That night, he couldn't sleep.
"Yes, at the end of the year, every household must post couplets. If I write couplets for people, I may not be able to make money based on my calligraphy skills."
After keeping his eyes open until dawn, Yang Ji's eyes lit up and he finally had an idea.
In other aspects, Yang Ji asked himself that he did not have much advantage, but in calligraphy alone, he asked himself that he would not lose to anyone.
"...it's just a scholar who sells his words, which is insulting to elegance. I've been studying for eight years, how can I do such a thing!"
Yang Ji hesitated again, but thinking of Uncle Liang's hard work, he felt a pain in his heart:
"Uncle Liang has been with my family for more than 20 years and is very loyal. It doesn't matter to me as a young man, but how can I let him, an old man, starve and freeze with me?"
Yang Ji had mixed feelings in his heart, gritted his teeth, and finally made up his mind.
…………
The cold wind blew on the street, and a chill came from the north and became more and more intense.
Early in the morning, Yang Ji took five copper coins from the old housekeeper, carried the pen holder and pen case, and walked out of the Yang Mansion directly from the side door.
The weather was getting colder and there were not many pedestrians on the road. After going around three intersections, Yang Ji walked into a "study shop" selling rice paper.
This shop has been in the town for some years and is decorated in an antique style. The surrounding walls and desks are filled with things of all grades, not only rice paper, but also other pens, inks, inkstones, calligraphy and paintings, etc.
Two or three scholars were picking things inside. Near the door of the room, the old shopkeeper, dressed in a green robe, folded his hands and leaned against the counter with a smile:
“Guests, just pick whatever you want, choose whatever you want, we have everything of all grades here, we guarantee your satisfaction.”
Yang Ji nodded and said nothing.
There was a dazzling array of things in the study shop, but Yang Ji didn't have much money. After walking around a few times, he directly picked out a small stack of rice paper, then took out three copper plates and spread them out on the counter.
"Shopkeeper, please, here is the money to buy paper."
Yang Ji didn't have much money and didn't dare to buy too much at one time.
"Hey, young man, these are not enough."
The old shopkeeper smiled, his face full of wrinkles, stretched out a calloused finger and tapped twice on the counter, and actually pushed three copper coins back:
"Three coppers was the price a few days ago. Rice paper now costs more than that."
"What?"
Yang Ji was surprised. Although he didn't usually buy rice paper, he still knew the price.
"Hey, don't think I'm bullying you. Everything is going up in the past ten days before the New Year."
The old shopkeeper squinted his eyes, glanced at the trunk behind Yang Ji, and said with a smile:
"Besides, looking at how you are dressed, you bought these rice papers to sell couplets at the market, right? However, I advise you to give up this idea."
"Why?"
Yang Ji raised his head in surprise, this was not what he expected.
The old shopkeeper leaned back slightly and said with a smile:
"Originally, as a businessman, there is no reason to push business outside. However, when I do business, I always rely on my conscience. You are smart and astute to come up with this idea at such a young age. But to tell you the truth, this
The food is not so delicious."
"A lot of people come to my shop these days to buy rice paper, all with the intention of making some money by writing couplets for others. A lot of rice paper is sold in the shop, so the price has naturally gone up. If you
Come a few days earlier. Taking advantage of how many people are selling the couplets, you might be able to get a share of the pie, but now - it's not that easy."
"Writing couplets for others is not about reading and writing, just writing and scratching. It is about choosing the best among the best. From the group of people who can write well, select the group of people who write the best, and then
Only by making money can you make money. Many old gentlemen who have been familiar with poetry and books for decades can't afford this kind of food, let alone a little kid like you. If this kind of money were so easy to make, the streets would already be full of people.
.”
The old shopkeeper said with a kind face:
"So, listen to my advice and think carefully before making a decision."
"This old shopkeeper has good intentions."
After Yang Ji's initial surprise, he gradually calmed down and showed a grateful look in his eyes.
Jiang is very old, and the old shopkeeper cannot be said to be knowledgeable, and Yang Ji has to admit that what he said does make sense.
"It's a pity that I have no other choice at all. Winter is coming, and if I don't make enough money in these ten days, the mountains will be blocked by heavy snow and it will be freezing cold. The old housekeeper and I will have no choice but to die. -
—Although this line of work is difficult, I think I’m not bad at calligraphy, so I have to give it a try no matter what.”
Yang Ji thought this in his mind and quickly made up his mind.
"Thank you, shopkeeper. However, please help me pack these things."
Yang Ji said firmly, and after paying an extra copper coin, he held the stack of rice paper under his ribs and walked out under the surprised eyes of the shopkeeper.
"This young man...is really not simple."
The old shopkeeper looked at Yang Ji's back with surprise in his eyes...
…
The market is in the northwest direction of the town. The New Year is approaching and it is also the time when there are the most people.
Although he had already expected that this trip would not be easy, when Yang Ji arrived there, he couldn't help but feel a sinking feeling in his heart.
Although the old shopkeeper of the literary shop had given him some advice, the number of gentlemen in the market was still much more than he expected. In the turbulent flow of people, a dozen or so well-educated old gentlemen had set up stalls, dotted around the market.
On both sides of the street, people were writing New Year's couplets for others.
These people all write excellent calligraphy, like waterfalls, smoke clouds, strange peaks, and dangerous rivers. Even with Yang Ji's eyes, he has to admit that these people have been immersed in calligraphy for a long time. They are by no means an ordinary ten people.
How many years old boy can compare.
"It's a bit troublesome now."
Yang Ji's brows twitched twice and he felt a little headache.
In the crowd, he even saw several teachers from big families. These people had been immersed in scriptures, calligraphy and painting for decades, and their attainments and reputations were not trivial.
"I got involved too late. There are still so many old gentlemen and teachers, and there is not enough food for everyone. The idea of ​​making money by writing seems a bit tricky now."
Yang Ji has also realized that it is easy to do but difficult to do, and raising a family is no easy task.
Yang Ji thinks that his calligraphy is not bad, and it is difficult to compare with his peers. But comparing with these old gentlemen is another matter. However, Yang Ji is by no means someone who gives up easily. The situation in front of him actually inspired him.
The arrogance of young people in my heart.
Carrying the pen case on his back, Yang Ji walked around in the crowd, looking around and comparing.
To be continued...