Chapter Thirty-Seven A candle is sold for two cents
Pan Wen was about to reach the door of Lu Mansion with the gift when Cao Yan stopped him and said, "Why are you going to Lu Mansion, Mr. Pan? Go to my house with the gift and don't disturb the good business of their two families."
Pan Wen: "I..."
Pan Wen was dragged away by force.
Han and Lu were the only two families left in the Lu Mansion, and they were all sitting in the main hall.
Han Yunyu didn't have the temperament to treat Cao Han just now, but now she sat obediently like a kitten at Han Wenyuan's lower position.
On the other side were Mrs. Lu and Lu Yao. Lu Xu sat in a high position and sighed: "Tell me, what is going on? I still haven't figured out what the situation is. Lu Yao, please tell me first."
Lu Yao was actually a little confused. He only cooked food three times and gave him wine once. What's there to say?
When Han Wenyuan saw Lu Yao not speaking, he became anxious for him, and shouted softly: "Erlang, tell me quickly! Tell me how you fell in love with Yu'er."
Lu Yao really didn't know what to say. Could it be that Dream of Red Mansions was so powerful? Han Yunyu fell in love with him after reading it ten times. To be honest, he didn't believe it, but the facts were right in front of him. There was no way he could say that he was.
Just because I wrote a novel, it’s done. Who would believe it?
Han Yunyu blushed and lowered her head. She didn't think anything of it when she saw Father Lu and Mother Lu before. But now after she revealed her true feelings, she felt like an ugly daughter-in-law who was ashamed to see people when she saw her parents-in-law.
Lu Yao had no choice but to make nonsense. He said seriously: "Do you believe in love at first sight?"
"Love at first sight?" everyone asked in confusion.
"Yes, it was love at first sight. I gave Yu'er a quick glance at the Han Mansion and gave away my whole heart. I guess Yu'er also fell in love with me at first sight at that time, and I was committed to life with just one glance."
Lu Xu originally wanted to say, you are talking nonsense, but looking at the two people's behavior, it doesn't look like they are fake. Could it be that it was really love at first sight?
I have to discuss this with Brother Han.
Everyone also knows that this matter is of great importance and requires the consent of the two family heads.
The two families went out in a grand manner, and the door of the Lu Mansion was closed tightly with the words "Thank you for today" written on them.
Han Yonghe heard the news from his servants that three people from the Lu family and three people from his own family had entered the Han Mansion together. He was a little confused as to why they came together. They shouldn't have come back after lunch. It didn't seem like they had been out for a long time.
Fortunately, there are no guests coming to Han Mansion yet.
Han Yonghe quickly came to the front yard and saw that Lu Xu's face was not good. Mrs. Han and Han Yunyu looked at him with a little dodge, while Lu Yao and Mrs. Lu had smiles on their faces.
What exactly is going on.
"Brother Lu, what's going on?" Han Yonghe asked.
Lu Xu said helplessly: "Let's go inside and talk."
After arriving at the main hall, Lu Xu told Han Yonghe everything. He finally understood why her daughter looked away from him.
Han Yunyu knelt down in front of Han Yonghe with a plop, and Lu Yao followed suit and knelt down beside Han Yunyu.
Han Yonghe pointed at Han Yunyu and then at Lu Yao, "You...you...ah! What a bad fate!"
Han Yunyu prostrated herself to the ground and burst into tears, "My daughter is unfilial and will not marry unless she is married to a second husband in this life. She hopes that her father will fulfill her wish."
Lu Yao said: "Uncle Han, I will definitely take good care of Yu'er. Please rest assured, uncle."
Things are already like this. How can he, Han Yonghe, still fight against each other? Besides, he still likes Lu Yao. It's just a matter of face. Now that his daughter has spoken out first, he, as a father, is a little worried about face.
If he refuses, this matter will soon spread throughout Bianliang. If he refuses, he will become a ruthless and unjust person.
"Brother Lu, have you brought the acrostic book from before?" Han Yonghe sighed.
Seeing that Han Yonghe was defeated, Lu Xu was also very happy. Besides, since he had a wife, he could not suffer any loss. He immediately took out the clutch book from his arms.
"Here is the acrostic book. Please bring out your share, Brother Han."
Han Yonghe ordered his servants to bring the couplets from the study, tore up the two couplets in front of everyone, and re-wrote the contents of the previous marriage contract, and wrote their names in the position of the head of the family.
The names of both men and women were previously written by their father, but now that they have grown up, it is their turn to write their own names.
Han Yunyu's handwriting is beautiful, and Lu Yao's handwriting is square. After the two wrote their names, the engagement became effective again.
After the engagement was completed, it was time to prepare for the marriage. After all, both of them were already sixteen, and marriage was allowed at this time in the Northern Song Dynasty. It was a good time for them.
Han Yonghe asked: "Brother Lu, why don't we find a good and auspicious day to arrange this marriage as soon as possible."
Earlier? Lu Yao felt something was wrong. Could it be that he wanted to be a father? Han Yunyu looked like he was untouched.
Lu Xu shook his head and said: "It's too early to get married now. The auspicious day must be chosen after autumn. The officials have ordered Erlang to take the scientific examination next year, so we can't let other things delay his studies."
Han Yonghe nodded. Since it was an official request, he should abide by it. Now Lu Yao wants money and a title, but what he lacks is fame.
A roll call outside the Donghua Gate will call him a good boy.
At that time, it was considered a beautiful thing to arrange the two happy events of Lu Yao's inscription on the gold medal list and the bridal chamber flowers and candles together.
After the discussion, Lu Xu also said goodbye and left. There were many things going on on the first day of the new year, and Han Yonghe did not keep them.
When Lu Yao left, he placed the ten chapters of Dream of Red Mansions that he had copied into the palm of Han Yunyu's hand, and said softly: "If you finish reading it, tell me and I will write the rest for you."
Han Yunyu held the handwritten manuscript and was moved and nodded heavily.
Lu Yao decided to change the ending of Dream of Red Mansions. Since he and Han Yunyu had become Jia Baoyu and Lin Daiyu in the book, he naturally wanted them to be together, which also made up for the regrets he had while reading the book.
As soon as the three Lu family members reached the door of Lu Mansion, they saw the owner of the restaurant pacing at the door, looking anxious.
Seeing Lu Yao coming back, the shopkeeper hurried over and said, "The boss is in trouble, there's a commotion in the restaurant."
Lu Yao's expression changed. He was fine before, so why did something suddenly happen? "What's going on?"
The shopkeeper hurriedly said: "In the past, the soaps and candles we produced were given as gifts to customers after selling wine every day, but now some people want us to take out the soap boxes and candles and buy them separately. This is the boss
I can't change what you ordered before, so I can only come here and listen to what you want, my boss."
Lu Yao smiled calmly. This was the effect he wanted, but he didn't expect it to be achieved so quickly.
He glanced at Lu Xu, trying to get approval. After all, today was the first day of the Lunar New Year.
Lu Xu waved his hand and said: "Hurry up, how can you make money without a restaurant?"
When Lu Yao and the shopkeeper arrived at Jiuzhongxian Restaurant, the door was already crowded with people. People who wanted to buy wine also joined the protest. It was not a big deal for anyone to watch the excitement.
The waiters in the restaurant were so anxious that they shouted frantically for them to be quiet. The proprietor came immediately, but the waiters didn't listen and continued to shout, and even made up slogans.
The clerk was wiping the sweat from his forehead frantically. It was hard to earn three times the salary.
How could he get in when the front door was blocked like this? Lu Yao could only sneak into the restaurant through the back door.
The crowd outside the door stopped shouting when they saw Lu Yao coming. They knew that this store was owned by the Lu family, and they didn't dare to go to the Lu family to cause trouble. They could only come to the restaurant to cause trouble.
Lu Yao raised his hands towards the crowd and said: "Happy New Year everyone, why make such a big fuss over a small matter? Since everyone doesn't like the fact that we sell wine and give away soaps and candles, then our restaurant will no longer give away gifts and only sell wine.
What do you think?"
Some people in the crowd were anxious. What they wanted to sell were soaps and candles. What would happen now that Lu Yao had canceled their sales?
The soap from Lu's Restaurant can be used for bathing and washing clothes. The wife at home loves it so much that she can't put it down now. Now she won't sell it and her wife won't fall in love when she gets home.
There are candles too.
The candles in Lu's Restaurant burn without smoke, and the light they burn is several times brighter than oil lamps. Generally, there are more than a dozen oil lamps in a room, but now four candles are enough.
Now that they are used to lighting candles, it is impossible for them to light oil lamps.
Although candles are free, wine is expensive. Every time you spend a gift, you get a candle or a piece of soap. In order to get more, some people come to the restaurant to buy wine several times a day. The cheapest wine still costs a bottle of wine. At home,
There are more than ten jars of wine, which is enough to drink during the New Year, but candles are not allowed. After the candles are used up, the wine has not been drunk. You can't buy another bar just for the candles. In this way, you will only accumulate more wine.
.
Today, it was because a few people were queuing up to buy drinks and talked about this matter that they realized that it was all because of this issue that the current protest was launched.
The leader of the protest crowd shouted: "Lu Xianzi cannot cancel the soap and candles!"
Lu Yao pretended to be confused and said: "Weren't you still saying that selling wine and sending candles was wrong before? I have just responded to your needs now, why do you regret it again? It is wrong of me to give gifts, and it is wrong not to give gifts.
No, I’m not a human being inside or out!”
The man cupped his hands and said, "We know that Mr. Lu's intention is to sell wine and give away gifts, but we have a lot of wine left at home, and what we lack are soaps and candles. Now if we want to get candles, soaps, we have to buy wine, but
I just want to buy candles and soap, and I want to drink the wine before I buy it.”
Lu Yao replied: "Candles are mostly bought in Bianliang City. You can just go there to buy them. Soaps can also be replaced by saponins. After all, we are running a restaurant and not a place selling candles and soaps. Please be considerate.
.”
A grumpy man in the crowd shouted: "Master Lu, I just want to buy your candles and soaps. Others' ones are not as useful as yours. My mother-in-law said these must be used by noble families. No."
I think I'm using it at home, so I'm going out to buy it now. If I can't buy it back, I'm afraid I won't be able to survive this year."
"Xianzi Lu, just sell it to us alone. We also know that your products are good, even if they are more expensive than others, we will buy them." Everyone shouted in unison.
The cost of oil lamps is much higher than the cost of candles. I don’t buy other people’s candles because although their candles have no smoke, they smell bad. Some people just can’t stand the smell and just keep lighting oil lamps. But Lu’s candles
It is smoke-free and tasteless, so it is the best choice.
Lu Yao sighed: "Since everyone is willing to do this, I can't refuse, but I have a question here. How much do you usually light an oil lamp? How much do other people's candles cost?"
The leader said: "Usually, each oil lamp costs ten cents and can be lighted for about ten days. The candles from other people's homes are five cents each and can be lighted for three days. The Lu family's candles can be lighted for four days."
Lu Yao said: "Since you said so, it is most appropriate to sell the candles given by the restaurant for six cents each."
Everyone nodded, "It deserves the price."
Lu Yao added: "But I won't sell it at this price."
Everyone was shocked, could it be higher than this price?
The leader shouted: "Master Lu, the maximum you can pay is eight cents a piece, no more."
Lu Yao held out three fingers and said: "Three cents, the Lu family candles only cost three cents, but the supply is limited and we can only buy four hundred pieces a day. After our brewing factory is completed, you can sell as many as you want. And the soap will be more expensive.
, thirty cents a piece.”
Three Wen, everyone was talking about it, but they didn’t expect it to be so cheap.
Lu Yao laughed inwardly and said, soap is the most expensive one, candles are just leftovers and cost nothing at all. He only earns three cents if he buys them. Others sell candles for five cents and probably can't even earn two cents.