Jinyi champion

Chapter 3 Zhu Family Mission
rice shop.

The shop door was wide open, but there were no customers coming in.

Even if the neighbors are supportive, the salt eaters sold in the shop have been identified by the government as bad eaters, and the rumors spread quickly, and the food in the shop cannot be sold.

Orphans and widows waited for a long time without opening.

Zhu Niang is checking the accounts.

Do not check do not know.

It turned out that a lot of money was not reconciled with Zhu Niang's private account, and the book was short of a lot of money, which immediately made Zhu Niang feel less guilty about Zhu Hao's slander of shopkeeper Sun.

At noon, four people came in at the door.

The leader was Xia Po, who was sent by Zhu Niang to invite someone, followed by an old man with gray hair. After thinking about it carefully, Zhu Hao recalled that this person was Uncle Zhong. The old man is no different, which shows how stressful life is.

Followed by two young men, one named Yu San, with a thin body and a shrewd face, and the other simple and thick, Zhu Hao felt very strange.

"Master, are you looking for us?"

Uncle Zhong came over to salute.

"Ah."

Zhu Niang put away the account book, asked Aunt Li to put up a closed door sign, and then said, "Let's talk in the backyard. I'm looking for you to come to work today, and you will be paid every day."

……

……

A group of people came to the large backyard through the corridor connecting the shop and the courtyard.

Xia Po came in together.

There are many gossips in front of widows in this era, especially Zhu Niang is still a chaste woman, if she invites a man to the inner courtyard to talk for no reason, it will definitely cause gossip, and the elderly Xia Po must be there to witness.

As Yazi, Xia Po is not only a messenger, but also a witness, and she is also a neighbor. She has a good relationship with Zhu Niang.

"This is the drawing, and we want to transform the backyard according to it."

Zhu Hao took out the simple drawings he had drawn with charcoal.

It's just a general idea, the terrain is high and low, and there are specific procedures that need to be supervised by him.

Uncle Zhong didn't look at it carefully, glanced at the drawing for a while, and then looked at Zhu Niang with puzzled eyes: "Master Zhu, I have heard about what happened before, and I am deeply sorry about it. It is the Zhu family...I'm sorry for you. But you also You can't destroy the good courtyard, I'm afraid... it will be bad for your reputation, right?"

Zhu Niang was startled.

She has a noble personality like her, and for a moment she didn't understand why Uncle Zhong said that.

Zhu Hao said: "Uncle Zhong misunderstood, we are not going to destroy the yard, but transform it for drying salt."

"Sun salt?"

Uncle Zhong looked confused.

Zhu Niang said distressedly: "At the beginning, in order to buy salt, the shop invested more than two hundred taels of silver at one time, and owed a large amount of foreign debts. Now all the salt has been poured into the pond, so I can only find a way to extract it. According to Xiaohao, salt can Obtained by exposure to the hot sun."

Uncle Zhong was relieved, and then he was puzzled: "The business of this shop is so good, it should make a lot of money in normal times. Why do you need to borrow foreign debts for this purchase?"

Zhu Niang didn't want to say anything, but Xia Po beside her was full of sullen expressions: "Isn't she being taken away by my family? In fact, Zhu's daughter-in-law is living a very poor life..."

Uncle Zhong nodded to express his understanding, and then pointed behind him, "This is the apprentice I just took in. My father died early, and I lived with my mother since I was a child. His name is He Qiang..."

The honest and stocky young man stepped forward and saluted: "The young one greets Madam, the young one is called Gouzi, and the name He Qiang was given by the master."

He looks silly, with a look of innocence in his eyes, and he is only sixteen or seventeen years old, one or two years younger than Yu San.

Zhu Niang said: "The old rule is that if you work for twenty yuan a day, Uncle Zhong will add ten yuan a day for coordinating the project. You will take care of the meal at noon and you can bring it home at night... Is there a problem?"

Uncle Zhong and Yu San are old-fashioned, so naturally there is no problem, while He Qiang smiled innocently: "Can you still take the food home? It doesn't matter if you don't pay wages."

Zhu Hao reminded: "Mother, ask Uncle Zhong to invite two more people, we have to rush to work, otherwise...it will be too late."

Uncle Zhong originally planned to do all the work with three people, so that he could work for a few more days and get more wages.But Zhu Niang said that there was a deadline for the construction, so he had to go back to the pier and call three Lifus to come over, and the six of them worked together.

Zhu Hao had already surveyed the terrain, and immediately instructed several people to start digging from the lowest point in the backyard.

……

……

After things are arranged properly, Zhu Hao can finally breathe a sigh of relief and prepare to leave the shop to Zhoucheng to have a good look.

Naturally, what he wanted to go the most was Prince Xing's Mansion.

"If I can establish a relationship with the young Zhu Houcong, I will be a close minister of the emperor in the future. How many years can I save my struggle? It is not impossible to be a marquis and a prime minister! But being with a king is like a tiger, and a careless one can easily cause problems... Oh yes Oh, and Lu Bing, the people around Zhu Houcong are basically ascension to heaven... But it's not easy for me to get to know Zhu Houcong..."

Outside the door of the shop is the main street that runs through the north and south of the city of Zhou. On both sides of the road that can accommodate four carriages, there are row upon row of shops, with many signboards and many pretense.

"Fengshenghang, Dadetang, Liubiju, Fumaohang, Qingyutang, Taihezhuang, Yueshengzhai, Zhibaolin..." Along the way, what Zhu Hao saw with his eyes were all named with beautiful meanings, and the door Shops with their heads fluttering high.

These shops are tall and tall, with blue bricks and blue tiles in one color, birds and beasts carved on the eaves, window lattices are also exquisitely carved, and the materials used are exquisite. There are all kinds of goods, the shopkeepers are busy, and the business seems to be pretty good.

"Compare your own business with other people's business, alas..."

The more Zhu Hao wandered around, the less he was in the mood, so he turned back and found Zhu Niang and Aunt Li at the counter looking unhappy, as if they were in trouble again.

"Mom, is something wrong?"

Zhu Niang nodded: "While you were out, some creditors came to the door and asked us to pay back the money. In fact, the debt is not yet due, but they heard that we destroyed the salt, and they were afraid that we would renege on the debt, so they came to the door in advance to demand."

Aunt Li said with a bitter face: "They also said that if they don't pay back tomorrow, they will bring people to the house to make trouble, and there may be more trouble at that time."

Zhu Hao smiled lightly.

The collection of debts must be a dirty trick of the Zhu family.

"Mother, you listen to me, go to the creditors and have a good talk. You tell them that you can't pay back the money for the time being. If they want to make a fuss, they can make a fuss. They will feel good about insulting the imperial court's bestowed concubine."

Then Zhu Hao revealed his plan.

Zhu Niang's eyes widened as she listened, and finally said: "Xiaohao, we... really owe money to someone, and it's only natural to pay back the debt."

"It's only natural to pay back the money when it's due, and it's not justified in advance... Tell them, don't think we don't know that these debts were actually placed by the Zhu family. Now that the Zhu family has them, encourage them to come to the door to collect them. When the shop returns to the Zhu family, they will definitely cross the river and demolish the bridge. .

"The Zhu family is so ruthless to their own family members, will they let them go and cause trouble at the house of the Zhu family's wife? At that time, hehe... I'm afraid that the benefits they get will not be enough to pay for the loss of the Zhu family's reputation..."

Zhu Niang and Aunt Li looked at each other, obviously what Zhu Hao said was very likely to happen.

It's just that they didn't understand how Zhu Hao came up with this hurtful idea.

"Mother, we are going to break up the relationship between the creditor and the Zhu family. You go now, so as not to be blocked by the Zhu family in our reconciliation. If it doesn't work, let's think about it later."

……

……

As promised, Zhu Niang immediately went out to negotiate with the creditor.

The creditors were all dutiful businessmen in the city, and they had a good relationship with Zhu Niang. After hearing Zhu Niang's analysis, they were all in a cold sweat.

Mipu escaped again.

When Zhu Wanjian heard the news, she complained to Zhu Jiashi in a panic, but was blocked by housekeeper Liu.

"Step aside!"

Zhu Wanjian said angrily.

Steward Liu's attitude was firm: "The old lady is receiving the special envoy of Jinyiwei from the capital, and no one is allowed to enter."

"you!"

Zhu Wanjian glared angrily.

This Butler Liu was brought from her natal family by Zhu Jiashi. She belonged to the direct line of the direct line and was in charge of the family's accounts. Zhu Wanjian hated him for itching his teeth.

"Good dog out of the way!"

Zhu Wanjian pushed Steward Liu away and went straight inside.

In the main hall, Zhu Jiashi, the old lady of the Zhu family, was meeting a Jinyiwei Baihu who was wearing a flying fish suit and a spring knife embroidered on his waist.

This man was surnamed Lin, about thirty years old, tall and mighty, heroic.

"...Old Madam, this letter was delivered to Deputy Zhu Qianhu at the risk of my beheading. You should recognize the handwriting on it. After reading it, you must burn it immediately without leaving any traces. Otherwise, I and Zhu's family will be hurt. No good."

Lin Baihu was very cautious.

After reading the letter, Zhu Jiashi burned the letter paper with the candlelight of the altar.

"My son...how is he in the capital?"

"not too good."

Lin Baihu shook his head, "Vice Zhu Qianhu was arranged by Zhang Yongzhang to guard the imperial mausoleum in the first year, and he suffered a lot. He was given a generous gift at the beginning of the year, so he was transferred back to the Fusi Yamen in Beizhen, but he was still responsible for guarding the imperial prison. Fortunately, even if you can't go back to your private residence every day, you can still count as a cover, and the above said that the news that the Zhu family sent back to the capital in the past two years is not enough, so it is difficult to deal with it, so... alas!"

Zhu Jia's face looked sad: "My Zhu family was ordered by the late emperor to stay in Huguang for [-] years. King Kexing has followed the rules since he arrived in Anlu and never interacted with courtiers. How much news can my Zhu family send back to the capital?"

Lin Baihu understood the Zhu family's situation, and smiled wryly, "Back then, the eunuch Liang Fang and others conspired with Concubine Wan to abolish the late emperor and set up a king's affairs. Before the late emperor died, the late emperor was still worried about himself. Now that your majesty has been on the throne for a long time, But no heirs survived, and the Empress Dowager is very concerned about the Huguang affairs, and she has issued an edict to inquire many times during the year."

"The queen mother?"

"Yes, His Majesty rarely asks about King Xing's affairs today, but the Empress Dowager knows the past and often inquires about it. There is a word from the envoy, if you want to make Vice Zhu Qianhu stay safe in Beijing, you have to start with Prince Xing's Mansion."

Lin Baihu clasped his fists, "That's all I have to say."

Zhu Jiashi got up: "Okay, I'll send Lin Baihu back to Beijing now... The silver has been packed, you can send someone to take it away."

Just as he was about to go out, there was a loud shout from the door: "...Two little flags dare to act wildly in my Zhu family? My father is still Jinyiwei Qianhu! If you don't let it go, you will look good!"

It was the Jinyiwei brought by Lin Baihu who blocked the door, making Zhu Wanjian furious.

The main hall door opened.

Zhu Jiashi and Lin Baihu came out together.

Lin Baihu clasped his fists at Zhu Jiashi again, without even saying goodbye, he asked someone to carry the box outside.

"Put down the box!"

Zhu Wanjian shouted angrily again.

Zhu Jia was furious: "My son, what's the matter with you here? If you don't get out of the way, the family law will serve you!"

Zhu Wanjian is usually spoiled by the old lady, thinking that her father is bedridden and her elder brother is in Beijing, so she is the head of the family.

Unexpectedly, in front of outsiders, her mother scolded herself without saving any face.

After Lin Baihu took the people away, Zhu Wanjian and Zhu Jiashi entered the main hall, and immediately questioned: "Mother, who is that? Why does he come two or three times a year and give him so much money every time? We The Zhu family did not open a philanthropic hall."

"This has nothing to do with you."

Zhu Jiashi looked indifferent.

"Could it be that the eldest brother is spending his life like his prodigal son in the capital? Our Zhu family's annual harvest is only one or two thousand taels. The shop of the third family, after spending so much effort to recover it, can be sold for one thousand taels? I don't want to As soon as it changed hands, someone brought it to the eldest brother... Mother, you can't be biased like this, can you?"

Zhu Wanjian was emotional, feeling that she had worked so hard to manage the family business, but was treated poorly.

Zhu Jia was furious: "Your elder brother stayed in the capital all these years, how much has he endured? The younger brother doesn't have the slightest sympathy?"

"Bullshit, he's the deputy of Jinyiwei Qianhu. He's so majestic in the capital. I don't even think he's worthy of it. He suffers? Hmph, will he suffer if he spends one or two thousand taels of silver a year? If you're partial, don't just find excuses. ... I'm gone."

Mother and son broke up unhappy.

Standing at the door, Zhu Jia watched his son disappear behind the porch, without saying a word with a sullen face.

　From Kang Ning, An Yi, Shen Xi to Zhu Hao, a brand new life begins, please support us old and new friends!Grateful!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)