As soon as Zhu Hao returned to the dormitory in the west courtyard, he saw Tang Yin standing there with a radiant face, and his clothes were even brighter than when he left.
It's like I went back to the south of the Yangtze River, and my mental outlook is completely different after I return.
"Zhu Hao, you came so late."
Jinghong, Lu Bing and Yuan Rulin are all waiting in the west courtyard.
Zhu Hao was the last one to arrive besides the crown prince and the princess.
The way Tang Yin looked at Zhu Hao was completely different from the way he looked at other children. Zhu Hao was considered a close friend to him, while the others were just his students.
Zhu Hao said with a smile: "Mr. Lu is back. He has been away for more than two months. I miss him so much."
Tang Yin smiled and waved his hands, with a sense of ease and ease that he could not look back on the past: "I have experienced a lot in my return to my hometown this time. Not only did I visit relatives and friends, but I also had to deal with a lot of trivial matters at home. It's already very rushed..."
Zhu Hao asked: "Then when will you leave next time...?"
Yuan Rulin, Jinghong and Lu Bing all looked at Zhu Hao like they were looking at monsters.
As soon as he came back, he asked when he was leaving, as if he wished Tang Yin would leave early and stop disturbing him.
Tang Yin was also stunned, and then he smiled and said, "I'm not leaving! It's possible to stay in Anlu with peace of mind for one and a half years...three to five years, ten to eight years."
"Then you will retire here?"
Zhu Hao's question is still simple and crude.
Tang Yin shrugged: "If you insist on thinking so, you can think so."
Lu Bing, the youngest, was the first to cheer: "Oh, Mr. Lu is not leaving!"
Tang Yin smiled and touched Lu Bing's little head. At this time, Lu Bing was already a six-year-old "big kid". After getting along for a long time, Tang Yin had long regarded him as his own child and said with a smile: "You don't have to call me Mr. Lu in the future.
Just call me by my birth name."
"Okay, Mr. Tang."
Jinghong looked happy too.
As his family left Anlu, only Tang Yin remained among the elders he respected and could rely on. In his heart, Tang Yin, like Zhu Hao, was the motivation for him to stay in Anlu to study alone.
…
…
It's almost time for class.
Zhu Hao and Tang Yin walked side by side to the school.
On the way, Zhu Hao asked, "Mr. Tang, why are you in such a hurry when you return to Jiangnan?"
Tang Yin smiled and shook his head, looking secretive and not wanting to explain too much to Zhu Hao.
"Zhu Hao, don't talk about me. How are you doing recently? Have you read all the books I gave you? In less than twenty days, the county examination period will come. Are you ready?"
Tang Yin deliberately changed the subject.
Zhu Hao said with a smile on his face: "Everything is ready. I think there will be no problem in preparing for the county examination."
"I guess you focused on business again while I was away. Not even two days after I came back, I heard that your business with the palace was getting bigger and bigger. Zhang Fengzheng frequently praised you in front of me... talking about you and you
Mom is very good at business."
Tang Yin shook his head as he spoke, obviously not satisfied with this. He hoped that Zhu Hao would take the imperial examination and enter an official career as soon as possible, but Zhu Hao seemed to be more interested in doing business.
Zhu Haodao: "Mr. Tang, do you know about Fan Xuezheng? From now on..."
"I've seen it. Fan Xuezheng is a famous teacher in Qianzhou School. His knowledge is displayed there. Usually when I'm not around, he can teach. This time I came back to serve as the guest of the palace and attend classes... I'm basically in a state of
Secondary position."
Tang Yin told him frankly.
Originally, Tang Yin didn't like teaching children, but he became so diligent because of the circumstances during his year in the palace.
With his bohemian character, of course he wanted to be more free and undisciplined. He squeezed time every day to go to class to teach his children. He didn't even have a colleague who could take time off. After a year of persistence, he was physically and mentally exhausted... It was not easy.
Now that the palace has suitable teachings, he can justifiably "abdicate his throne in favor of talents" and work as a staff member, more carefree and at ease, and can pursue some of his hobbies, such as writing poems and paintings, and exchanging literary experiences with local celebrities, etc.
Wait, it’s nice to think about it.
"By the way, Zhu Hao, I heard that you want to teach a young man named Sun Ru to prepare him for the exam? And you made a bet with Fan Xuezheng?" Tang Yin said with a smile.
Zhu Hao nodded: "There is such a thing."
Tang Yin rolled his eyes at Zhu Hao: "You have bad intentions. You clearly want to use the bet to prevent Fan Xuezheng from interfering too much with your studies, so that you have two years to prepare for the exam? Tsk, tsk, meeting a smart kid like you... I guess Lao Fan
It will give me a huge headache.”
"Lao Fan?"
Zhu Hao felt a little awkward when he heard this title.
"Oh, I've had a few drinks with him recently, so I'm familiar with him. As for his title... just know it's a certain person, don't worry too much."
Tang Yin acted like I just like to make friends, let’s see what you can do to me.
Zhu Hao flattened his mouth.
I originally thought that Fan Yikuan was just a piece of elm wood, but who would have thought that he could become a drinking buddy with a drunkard like Tang Yin... The discord between the old and new teachers that the palace was most worried about now seemed to be no longer a concern for Mu Yong.
?
This circle of scholars and the way they make friends are really weird.
"However, I am also somewhat interested in the young man named Sun Ru. I will come with you to meet him later. I guess you won't be able to recruit him in your name, but if I am present..."
Tang Yin took the initiative to ask for help.
Zhu Hao waved his hand quickly: "Forget it, Mr. Tang, I want to put this matter aside for a while, so I'm not in a hurry for now!"
…
…
Zhu Family Manor.
Zhu Wanjian was called back by my mother, and also Butler Liu and the shopkeeper of his family's store came over at the same time. It seemed that they had something important to say.
After hearing Zhu Jia's scolding, Zhu Wanjian realized that he had been sued by Butler Liu, saying that he had contacted shopkeeper Ma privately to buy a mirror without consulting the old lady for her opinion, which was really audacious.
"...Mom, don't worry, just take a look at this thing."
Zhu Wanjian handed the silver mirror sample to Zhu Jiashi.
Zhu Jia held it in her hand and was shocked when she saw herself reflected in the mirror. With the knowledge of the old lady, she could naturally tell that this was a good thing.
They think it's good because they have never seen the "genuine" one. Even the fake mirror is exquisitely crafted. Although the surface is still a little uneven and the face is slightly distorted, it is still a high-quality mirror.
"Mom, do you think I will lose money in this business?"
Zhu Wanjian looked proud.
Mrs. Zhu Jia frowned, her face wrinkled, as if she was thinking about what her son said, whether this business was feasible or not.
Butler Liu hurriedly said: "But this mirror costs five taels of silver, so the price is too high."
"Five taels?"
When Zhu Jiashi heard this, she almost dropped the silver mirror in her hand.
Zhu Wanjian sneered and said: "It's true that you are ignorant and ignorant. You may not know that now in Nanjing, fifty taels of mirrors are priceless. The princes and ministers, the senior ministers and other dignitaries, who is the wife of the family?"
Don’t want one? It’s only five taels of silver… It’s a huge profit!”
Butler Liu whispered: "Are the rich households in Nanjing all fools?"
"You are really wrong this time. I have verified it. The Ouyang family... are the officials and merchants who purchase goods for the Chengguo Duke's mansion. Is their background strong enough? They came to Anlu just to buy this thing...
Shopkeeper Mu also told me this personally, and it’s absolutely correct. If it’s expensive, I’ll just sell it to them for ten taels of silver each, and I’ll make a lot of money every time I go in and out...”
Zhu Wanjian is now hardened.
Doing business with the Ouyang family allowed him to earn more than one hundred taels of silver for the family. Now the workshop is working overtime, and all kinds of glassware are already in short supply.
Liu Guanjia said: "Old Madam, this matter is quite strange. The shopkeeper Ma who said he wanted to sell the mirror to us is from Dongzhu Su, the one who appeared in the third lady's house before. Could it be..."
Zhu Jia's expression changed, and her restless heart immediately became calm again.
Zhu Wanjian sneered: "Old Liu, I admired your knowledge before, but now I feel that you have not made any progress at all. You don't even think about it. Orphans and widows go out to do business and make a lot of money for a while, but who among their subordinates will listen to them?"
Mother and son? Who doesn’t want to put money in his own pocket? Isn’t this the case with shopkeeper Mu who works with us? "
Butler Liu lowered his head and did not answer this hypothetical question.
When you came up, you said that Shopkeeper Ma wanted to stand on his own, and you compared it with Shopkeeper Mu. Where is the evidence?
"Furthermore, this mirror was made by Dongzhu Su. It was supposed to be supplied to Jiangxi and other places, but it was secretly detained by shopkeeper Ma. I have bribed him and one of his shopkeepers, threatening him if he dares to inform
Mr. Su, let him know how he enriched his own pockets..."
When Zhu Wanjian said this, the old lady really couldn't listen any more. She raised her hand to interrupt her son and asked sternly: "It doesn't matter who you do business with. I just want to ask you, did you negotiate with the Ouyang family and pay the money with one hand?"
How much does it cost to sell a silver mirror to the Ouyang family?"
Butler Liu said anxiously: "Old madam, think about it again. This matter is too strange. If there is something good, why doesn't Shopkeeper Ma sell it directly to the Ouyang family, but transfer it through us?"
Zhu Wanjian said angrily: "Shut up! You are still talking nonsense here without knowing what is going on! Do you know how these mirrors were made? In fact, the women of the Ouyang family were introduced to Anlu by Su Xigui.
"Then Su Xigui secretly purchased our colored glaze and used it to make mirrors... I found out there was something fishy in it, and immediately came to threaten me, saying that if he didn't sell the silver mirror to us, he would never take a piece of colored glaze from me in the future!"
Zhu Jiashi frowned: "Answer my previous question first!"
Zhu Wanjian smiled and said: "We have naturally negotiated with the Ouyang family. You can give us money first, ten taels of silver a side, and they will purchase the first batch of forty sides, which is four hundred taels of silver. I asked her to pay two taels of silver first.
A hundred taels of deposit, we bought the mirror from Shopkeeper Ma after we got the money, paid with one hand and delivered the goods, and then handed the goods to the Ouyang family... In this way, we can easily get the two hundred taels of money..."
Hearing what Zhu Wanjian said, Butler Liu was speechless for a moment.
Planned to perfection.
It doesn't sound like there's anything wrong with it at all.
Zhu Jiashi looked at the silver mirror in her hand carefully: "Ten taels of silver a piece, does anyone really want this thing?"
Zhu Wanjian said: "Mom, to put it bluntly, this is considered cheap, because this batch of goods was just imitated by Shopkeeper Ma according to the method taught by Su Dongzhu. The workmanship... is not very fine, but
Nowadays, some people are selling and some are buying, this middlemen’s business...why not make money if you have money?”