Four hundred and fifty-eighth chapter small business
In the afternoon, Zhang Yu lazily walked home one step at a time. When he reached the teahouse at the corner of the street, he heard someone calling him: "Master! Here, here." Looking around, he turned out to be the storyteller in the teahouse.
Sitting down at the table, the storyteller pushed over the barbecued pork buns in a flattering manner: "Master, eat the buns, eat the buns."
Zhang Yu always saved money and skipped breakfast, so he had a good meal and was full of tea and rice. The storyteller smiled and handed over a copy of "Story Club". The storyteller was semi-literate, so he always invited Zhang Yu to read these popular books as a source of story telling.
Zhang Yu turned to the serial "Entertainment Tycoon" and read in a low voice: "Last time, I mentioned that Mr. Guanxi sent the book box for repairs, and actually lost hundreds of photos of secret dramas in the mezzanine. It was rumored for a while, Jiao
Miss Jiao was so ashamed and angry that she almost wanted to commit suicide..."
After reading for a long time, the storyteller came to his senses and wiped his saliva: "These Australians really have many tricks up their sleeves. Is there anything more exciting?"
Zhang Yu flipped through the pages: "Let's take this piece of anecdotal information from the market: "The Feast of Orioles in the Sea and Sky, the Case of Slaves Hidden in the Cellar of Xin'an County"."
After reading the book, the storyteller gave Zhang Yu another ten copper coins. Plus the money he had saved from not eating breakfast these days, he had enough money for the next issue of "Research on the History of War", and Zhang Yu started to walk briskly.
The mother, who was sulking in the shop, couldn't help but smile when her son came back. She followed him and kept asking about his studies. She also brought a pot of hot tea and a plate of freshly baked walnut cakes. Zhang Yu wanted to go downstairs and help his father crack walnuts and cakes.
But the mother refused to do it: "Youngsters can just concentrate on their studies." Then she kept talking about how difficult it was to do business, and swindled the errand out of hundreds of coins. Today's work was basically in vain. Look at the tailor shop on the east side.
Shaodong has been admitted as a scholar, and the servants and beggars are afraid to come. Our family's hope lies in you.
"You must be a scholar!" His mother left. Zhang Yu opened "Selected Works of the Times" with a solemn look on his face. The thirteenth question was a cut-and-match question. It was also an inexplicable and ruthless answer: "Mrs. Jun's sexual desire", which seemed inexplicable.
Breaking the topic, rambling on to the topic, and starting to talk about nothing, Zhang Yu felt bored and bored for a while, and he couldn't stand it anymore, so he pushed the book away.
Although the vow to become a scholar was still in his mind, Zhang Yu couldn't help but take out a copy of "Research on the History of War" from the bookcase. Although he had read it several times, it was still so fresh and exciting. Turn to the back cover.
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The title of the book. Looking at the advertising picture of a shuttle in front of a giant ball full of pits, Zhang Yu was full of curiosity. He had read fantasy novels, and now the "War History Research" has a serialized political fantasy novel "Diary of a Subjugated Slave", which is right
The story of the Riyue Dynasty being invaded and destroyed by the barbarians Shui Qingguo. Anyone with a discerning eye can tell at a glance that this is talking about the Ming Dynasty. However, the officials did not punish the people and no one complained about the troubles. Those who had the troubles also scoffed: "How could the Ming Dynasty be destroyed?"
In the hands of the Jurchens, it is ridiculous to return China to the mainland for three hundred years." But Zhang Yu has never read the science fiction novel, and he is really itchy. However, the price of the book also made him swayed, even though this Australian is here.
The old book shop was in ruins, and the price of books dropped by almost 10%. But I could only rely on a little pocket money from my parents. This Australian native keeps coming out with new things, sometimes showing off new Australian movies and sometimes drawing and painting books.
It's not enough to just rely on the money I saved from breakfast and earn a few copper coins from reading storybooks to the storyteller.
When I think about learning new things, I feel confused. In fact, how many people can be selected as scholars in social studies? Most parents send their sons to school just to learn how to read a few words and read account books. Even if they don't continue to read, the thought of inheriting this
I have always felt disappointed after running a small shop all my life. Since Kun Ren came, I have learned that there is such a vast world besides the Four Books and Five Classics. In my mother's words, I have become ambitious. What I thought was the only golden avenue now seems narrow and closed.
"How about asking Shang Chixin to go to Lingao?" An idea appeared in Zhang Yu's mind.
Zhang Yu was soon frightened by his own thoughts and defected to the Kun thief! He knew very well that he could not do such a bold thing. Those who defected to Kun were all destitute people who had no food and clothing at first.
Gao Tou Kun had his head shaved as the last option to save his life; later, some miserable craftsmen and hawkers coveted the easy jobs and good business there to gain a higher position; now, there is a third kind of people, they are all like
A down-and-out scholar like Mr. Wu, who could not stand the ridicule and poverty of outsiders, became angry and left behind the heroic words of "I will not leave you everywhere, I will become a thief", and went to Lingao to seek an official position.
Already.
Although the Zhang family's life is not affluent, they still have enough food and clothing. Keeping this old ancestral shop, even if you don't win the show, you can probably just continue to run the shop like your father, marry a wife and have children - just like your grandfather,
Like his father, this old walnut cake shop has been owned by his father for the fourth generation. His mother always said that opening a shop that can be a hundred years old is really harder than being a Jinshi.
However, when Zhang Yu thought about his future life, he felt that it was boring: he had to get up to do business every time the chicken crowed. He temporarily stopped trading at noon and had to go out to buy ingredients and go to various teahouses and wealthy families to deliver goods and collect bills.
, there are many trivial and complicated things in it. We have to cook at the dinner market, and we have to prepare and process the ingredients for tomorrow. We can’t sleep until the second watch. From the first day of the new year to the 30th of the year, every day
Like this, every year.
As Zhang Yu grew older, he gradually realized how difficult it was to make a living. Especially after going to bed at night, he heard the words of his parents next door before going to bed: Business is always difficult, everything outside is so expensive, and there are so many excessive taxes and miscellaneous taxes; when it comes to the expenses at home, and
It was a long sigh. In my mother’s words: “In recent years, my inner self has gradually improved.”
When I think about the possibility that I may not be able to live a carefree life like this, it is like a snake eating my heart. In recent years, many of my classmates in social studies, neighbors in the neighborhood, and store owners have gone bankrupt.
: People who hanged themselves into rivers, people who sold their sons and daughters, people who became beggars and prostitutes... he had seen it all. There were several classmates in social studies who disappeared after their families were ruined, and some still came to school reluctantly, wearing rags and rags.
Shirt, huddled in the corner and dared not say anything. Because he had no money to give gifts to his teachers, socialize with classmates, even teachers, seniors and classmates were disgusted. This was not bad, there were also people who were sold to receive guests in the husband's hall. Some people saw him wearing women's clothes.
, head full of pearls...
Every time Zhang Yu thinks about this, he breaks out in a cold sweat... He also knows a thing or two about Longyang. This kind of trend also exists in the school. Most of them are older students who have a lot of money at home, and they are young and good-looking.
Even the teacher doesn't take it seriously. The classmates occasionally make fun of them, which is not a big deal. But this is completely different from wearing women's clothes and dressing up as a woman to buy wine and pick up guests...
While I was thinking wildly, I heard the mother downstairs yelling angrily, followed by crackling sounds and the screams of apprentices begging for mercy. In the past, when business was good, there were two or three waiters in the shop, but now they only use all the food.
Even so, my mother kept saying that the apprentice "eats too much" and "eats secretly", and she looked down on her face.
Zhang Yu was so distraught that he stopped reading. He went downstairs to see his mother, who was still angry. The boy had already run away with his head in his arms. He comforted him: "Mom, don't be anxious. You've hurt your body, and you won't be allowed to eat as a punishment."
That’s it.”
The mother's face softened a little, and she stroked her son's head and said, "It doesn't matter, will it hurt your hand if you hit him a few times?" She looked angrily: "It's really that I have lost all control, and my mother can still talk to me.
Give me some money for shaving my head and bathing. He has eaten my rice for the past few years and I haven’t paid him yet! How about the money for shaving my head and bathing?!"
Zhang Yu hurriedly advised: "Mom, it's not our decision whether to give it or not. If she wants to say it, let her say it."
My mother sighed: "Silly boy, would you be angry about this? Look at what a good thing he did!" She became aggrieved, "I asked him to peel the walnuts, but he didn't pick them cleanly and put them into the walnut cake.
It has a bitter taste, and regular customers will know it as soon as they eat it, so how can we continue to do business?"
To make walnut cake, walnuts are needed. Guangdong does not produce walnuts, so they have to buy them from the north and south goods stores. Originally, their family used all the new goods of the year, but now the business is not as good as before, and the price of walnuts has risen again. So they started to use cheap old goods.
The taste of old walnuts is not as good as that of new ones, so the store uses a mixture of the two, which not only has a fragrance, but also ensures a sufficient quantity. However, the inner skin of the old walnuts must be picked clean, otherwise the taste will be bitter. After the inner skin is peeled off, it will become dented.
There are still residues in the places, so you have to use a sewing needle to pick them out bit by bit. This is usually the apprentice's work at night. However, there is only one apprentice in Zhangjia's shop. He does chores for a day during the day, and he has to peel it off under the lamp at night.
Walnut peel - naturally it cannot be done properly.
"This is a major matter related to the reputation of our store. Mom, you taught me the right lesson." Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly, "If you indulge it for a moment, the consequences will be disastrous."
"Yu'er, you are so sensible." Mom couldn't help but sigh, "I just don't know if your father has the ability to pass the store on to you..."
"What?" These words were like a thunderbolt to Zhang Yu, and the experiences of several classmates suddenly flooded into his mind.
"Yu'er, you're old now, and you should know a thing or two about family affairs." Mother sighed and told him to sit down, "You must know the big Australian world outside the city."
"Yes, I know." Zhang Yu nodded, "It looks like it will be repaired soon."
"Nowadays, the big world is attracting investment. It is said that many shops will be opened. There will be everything for food, drink and entertainment," my mother was worried. "I heard that the Australians themselves are going to open shops there - including tea shops." (To be continued.