The Happy Life of Small Officials in Northern Song Dynasty

Su Jin and the others were very surprised when they heard what this young man said. The landlord of this Piaoxiang building actually forcibly took over the shop, and then came to him to rent it to him. Strange.

Su Jin thought for a while and said, "There is no reason to forcibly close the shop before the lease expires. This is a big violation of fairness and integrity. What about the loss of your restaurant?"

The boy nodded and said: "Who says it's not? The shopkeeper of my family clamored and refused, and he opened his mouth to compensate for the loss of five hundred guan, but the shopkeeper suddenly fell silent. Although the five hundred guan can't fully compensate for the loss, it can also It can be regarded as a huge fortune that fell out of thin air, even if you sue the officials, you may not be able to win the lawsuit in the end, even if you win, it will not have so many benefits."

Su Jin was even more surprised, even admitting the loss, he wanted to take back the shop and rent it to himself. Who is doing this to save face?After much deliberation, only Yan Biyun can do such a thing, but it is obvious that Yan Biyun is not the owner of this shop at all, could it be the emperor?

Su Jin was thinking for himself, when Yan Biyun came forward and asked, "Brother, may I ask you, do you know who the owner of this shop is? Is your shopkeeper here?"

The young man cupped his hands and said: "My lady, the shopkeeper got up early and went back to his hometown in Luoyang. I will take care of it with the second shopkeeper and a few accountants. As for you asking who the owner of this shop is, I don't know. When the rent was being collected in Japan, an old gentleman came over, took the money and left, just met each other and didn’t speak, and I don’t know his name.”

Yan Biyun frowned and said, "Your second innkeeper doesn't know?"

The boy shook his head like a rattle in the hands of a sugar seller, and said: "The old man is so proud, when he usually comes, only the big shopkeeper personally receives him, and no one can make trouble; the second shopkeeper probably doesn't know."

Before Su Jin could ask again, he saw someone shouting from the yard behind: "You son of a bitch, you are fucking lazy, come and help me, this case is serious; if you don't come carefully, I will tell the second shopkeeper to steal your case." Skin!"

The boy was sullen, and he cupped his hands and said to Su Jin and the others: "Guest officers, please go out, I have to work, I can't afford to chat with you; if you want to open a restaurant, you must choose a good landlord, don't be like ours." In this way, if you can’t get up and down, you’ll be so mad.”

Su Jin saw that he couldn't find any inside information, so he thanked him immediately and went out, when the boy scolded behind him: "Sun Dazui, are you a fucking soul? If you have the guts, go tell the second shopkeeper, I told people two things. The words are endlessly chattering, you bastard spit out the wine I invited you to drink the day before, and if I invite you to drink yellow soup, please show me a white-eyed wolf."

Everyone left the shop and inquired about it casually. The surrounding merchants didn't know who the landlord of the shop was. Su Jin leaned on the bluestone railing by the Bianshui River and watched the boats passing by on the Bianshui River, dazed in a daze.

Yan Biyun said softly: "In your opinion, who wants to do this? What is the intention?"

Su Jin bit her lower lip and said: "I don't know who this is. Among my acquaintances in Beijing, you are the only one who would do this, but this matter was not done by you. I don't know who else is there for a while." .”

Yan Biyun thought for a while, and then heard Su Jin say again: "But I can be sure, this person must know our movements. Only my family members know about my search for a shop in the capital. Either this person has set eyes and ears by my side, or Just follow my actions at any time, we have been looking for a store for several days, and we have fallen in his eyes, so he took the initiative to strike up a conversation."

Yan Biyun said: "It seems impossible to install the eyes and ears. The slaves see that the people around you are all brought from Luzhou, so they would never put the eyes and ears in Suji of Luzhou. If you have this kind of ingenuity, you can predict it." If you want to come to the capital to do business, then this person is a god."

Su Jin nodded and said: "What I'm saying is that what I'm worried about now is not why he knows my every move, but his intentions. Whether this person is an enemy or a friend, and what is the purpose of doing this is very confusing. mind."

Wang Chao said softly: "Since you are so suspicious, let's not rent this shop, and save trouble."

Su Jin said: "Why don't you rent it? You don't have to take advantage of the cheap delivery. If you rent this shop, we still have to work. Look at this shop. There are two rooms, three floors, and a yard behind it." Residents, only [-] guan rent, isn’t this a golden lump falling from the sky? No rent? I’m not that stupid.”

"But... if this person harbors evil intentions, we..."

"Hiding evil intentions? Your son is now big...you are an official. Besides, if you don't rent this shop, how can you get in touch with the landlord's family? How can you gain insight into his plans without seeing who the landlord's family is? Rent! The rent is fixed."

Everyone listened to what Su Jin said was reasonable. Besides, everyone knew Su Jin's temper. The more this happened, even if he knew that there was a conspiracy in it, he would join in. It's not Su Xiaoguan who is timid and afraid of getting into trouble. style.

"Brother Qian, didn't that person say how to find him?" Su Jin turned around and asked.

Qian Henian stepped forward and replied: "Back to Da Dong's house, he said that if he intends to rent the shop, he will wait for him at the Qingfeng Tea House at the entrance of Junyi Bridge in the second wing on the right in the afternoon. He brought the contract with him. Come with the deed, and let me pay the rent after looking over it."

Su Jin said: "Okay, then let's go in the afternoon."

Qian Henian said: "Boss, that person said that it is only necessary for the shopkeeper to sign the contract and deposit, there is no need for the big boss to come forward, and he is not his master, he is the housekeeper who is fully responsible for this matter. "

Su Jin was taken aback and said, "How can there be such a reason?"

Xiao Sui'er also said: "That's right, if we meet a liar who cheated us of a year's rent and ran away, wouldn't we be taken advantage of?"

Qian Henian hurriedly said: "I also mentioned this matter to him. The man said that he would bring the deed to me to have a look, and he also said that his master is helping the big boss. If the big boss is suspicious, then it doesn't matter if he doesn't rent it." .”

Su Jin bowed his head and thought for a while, then said: "You will go to find him in the future to verify the authenticity of the house deed. You are better than me at this point, and there is nothing wrong with it; in addition, you have to see clearly the location of the house deed It’s not this shop, even if he lied to us, with this shop here and the signed agreement here, I’m not afraid of him flying to the sky; fifty pennies a month, and six hundred pennies a year, This person spent so much effort to understand our actions, is it just for this mere [-] points? I don’t think it’s that simple.”

Yan Biyun nodded and said: "Mr. Su's words are reasonable, besides, this shop is withdrawing the rent, you think, if it was done by a liar, is it a coincidence?"

Both Su Jin and Yan Biyun agreed that other people have nothing to say. Although they feel uneasy in their hearts, they also know that the young master will not change his mind easily when he is sure about something.

Everyone went back to the mansion, and after lunch, Yan Biyun took Xiao Xianer back to the mansion. Since Su Jin's Yinzhuang was already in full swing, Yan Biyun naturally started to get busy.

Originally, it was agreed that the two companies would start a Yinzhuang in partnership, and each party would contribute 600 million yuan. Su Jin originally searched for more than 600 million yuan, but considering that Luzhou would also be opened, he only brought over 500 million yuan; Yan Biyun’s Funds can only be pooled for 400 million yuan in the capital, and the rest needs to be mobilized from accounts in various places, so scheduling and raising funds is also heartbreaking.

Su Jin took a nap in the afternoon, and told Xiao Sui'er to wake herself up before the end of the day. After Su Jin got up, washed her face and finished tidying up, it was almost the end of the day; The man signed the contract.

Su Jin asked Chao Mahan to prepare a horse and the three rode straight to Junyi Bridge. What Su Jin meant was to follow this man secretly to see where he came from.

Junyi Bridge is in the second wing on the right, far away from the south entrance of Desheng Bridge where Su Jin lived. Fortunately, at noon, there were not many pedestrians on the road, and the horses galloped all the way, and it took only a stick of incense to arrive. There; Su Jin didn't go directly to the Qingfeng Tea House at Qiaokou, fearing that the person would notice, so he identified the place, got off his horse from a distance, and stood at the bean curd stand on the side of the street with Wang Chao and Ma Han. A bowl of bean curd while drinking and waiting.

About a quarter of an hour later, I saw Qian Henian and Yang Xiaosi, who accompanied him, leave the teahouse, holding a few stacks of papers in their hands, standing at the door saying goodbye to a bloated middle-aged man.

Su Jin didn't disturb Qian Henian and Yang Xiaosi. After the two crossed the bridge and got into the carriage and walked back, the three of them walked out slowly, leading the horse and slowly following the middle-aged man.

I saw the man leading a young man with a purse on his back along Junyi Bridge Street to the north, heading straight for the east corner of the imperial city; Su Jin wondered, could it be that the emperor really sent someone to help him secretly? ?

But soon, Su Jin's doubts were dispelled. The man only walked to the middle of Junyi Bridge Street, then stopped, turned into a fork alley and left.

Wang Chao said softly: "Master, you should stop following. Ma Han and I went to have a look. This man entered the alley, and he was unfamiliar with the twists and turns of the terrain. If there is any disadvantage, it will be troublesome."

Su Jin smiled and said: "In broad daylight, what can they do? Besides, is your master a piece of paper? How many storms and waves have you never seen? Worry about yourselves."

After saying that, go to the alley first, Wang Chao Mahan glanced at each other, quickly tied the horse to the willow tree on the side of the road, sandwiched Su Jin one after the other, and walked into the alley.

The bloated middle-aged man didn't go very far. After turning a corner, he stopped in front of a red-painted gate, reached out and patted the door knocker. A young man came out to open the door, nodded and bowed and said, "Housekeeper Qiu, come back!" Already!"

The middle-aged man nodded and said, "Well, is Miss there?"

"I'm here, waiting for your reply."

Butler Qiu hurriedly arranged his clothes, and stepped in the door; the red-painted door closed again with a bang, and there was no more sound.

Su Jin and Wang Chao Ma Han hid in the corner where they didn't want to hear it clearly. This person was named Qiu, so they decided not to know each other. The only acquaintance named Qiu was Qiu Dabao. This person had died on Bagong Mountain.

Listening to the two people's answer, it seems that the owner of this house is a woman. Wang Chao Ma Han looked at Su Jin with strange eyes, and said in his heart: Master is really capable. He just came to the capital for a few days, and a young lady offered to help. Very good.

Su Jin stared and said: "What are you looking at? I don't know who she is. You two climb over the wall and go in to find out who lives in it."

Chao Mahan shook his head in unison. In broad daylight, they climbed over the wall and entered other people's houses. There were still female relatives inside. If there was a trouble, it would be a trivial matter to be arrested.

Su Jin scolded: "When it's critical, push back and hold back, no matter what, I'll do it myself."

After saying that, he dodges out and finds a place of leverage on the wall next to the door. One runs up, kicks with both feet, and the other turns over and climbs onto the wall gracefully.

Wang Chao and Ma Han were about to applaud, when they heard the sound of 'Wow, woof, woof', someone yelled, "Who are you! How dare you break into a private house during the day!"