Our Time: Unswerving until Death

Chapter 15
The Mr. Zhang Daqian we know is generally known from later generations of film and television dramas, ten miles of foreign land, pink lady, feasting, a talented young man holding a glass of red wine, having an affair with a young and beautiful fashion girl, but the truth may not be true. It's not what the film and television dramas show, and even the name "Daqian" can't be called now. It has to wait until he becomes a monk in Shanghai a few years later and won the dharma name "Daqian".

At this time, Mr. Zhang Daqian was just a boy of seventeen or eight years old, young and immature. He set off from his hometown in the mountain city without telling his family, and went to study in big cities such as Peiping and Shanghai alone. In order to make money, he had to make a bad move and made a fortune in Liulichang.

He Qi doesn't know much about Mr. Zhang Daqian, but he deeply remembers a piece of news. On the closing day of Sotheby's Hong Kong Spring Auction 2022, Zhang Daqian imitated an ancient masterpiece and imitated Wang Ximeng's "A Thousand Miles of Rivers and Mountains". The Hong Kong dollar hammered, and the transaction was completed at 3.2 million Hong Kong dollars plus commission.

Zhang Daqian is the only one who sells imitation paintings more expensive than the original ones.

Therefore, when He Qi saw Mr. Zhang Daqian's works, he was so jealous. Unfortunately, he was taught to be a man with an empty money bag. Now his only thought is to make money, except for making money. If you have a job, then take the initiative.

He Qi was thinking about how to make money?The curtain of the shop was lifted suddenly, and a fat figure came in. It was the shopkeeper Zhao Deyi who had returned. He was dejected and anxious. He glanced at He Qi, then lifted the curtain, and introduced a well-dressed man, Wearing a robe and mandarin jacket, wearing a melon skin hat, holding a pipe in his hand, he keeps his eyes on the ground when walking, and has a majestic momentum, just like an official.

"Yan'er, what are you doing with the stick? Why don't you show Master Zhang some tea?" Zhao Deyi instructed Li Yan, and at the same time led Master Zhang to his seat courteously.

He Qi didn't know the origin of this person, but seeing Zhao Deyi's attentive appearance, she thought he was a big customer, so she got up early and prepared to go to the backyard to stay, so as not to delay the shopkeeper Zhao's business.

Unexpectedly, he was stopped by shopkeeper Zhao, winked and winked, and then introduced to He Qi flatteringly: "Sir, this is Mr. Zhang, Mr. Zhang Wu. In the area of ​​Liulichang, speaking of Mr. Zhang Wu, no matter who it is, he has to give a thumbs up, even in this city of Beiping, he can be called the number one."

He Qi was at a loss when he heard this, and after a careful search in his heart, he could only seat the person in front of him in line with the translator Mr. Zhang mentioned before, and bowed to salute without proper etiquette.

Mr. Zhang Wu is very angry today, not as angry as usual. He had made an appointment with Zhao Deyi to be an interpreter for Richard today. Unexpectedly, he did not see Li Yan looking for him from morning until noon, so he went to find him. He was about to come to the door to ask what was going on, but as soon as he walked in front of the Qingyuan Building, he heard someone talk about Zhao Deyi's banquet last night, so he went up to ask about it.

Some people said that Zhao Deyi sold two paintings to foreigners yesterday and made a fortune.

Others said that Zhao Deyi introduced a gentleman who knew foreign languages ​​to the shopkeepers of Liulichang.

This made Mr. Zhang Wu very angry. He thought that since Richard came yesterday and the painting was sold, let Li Yan say something so that he wouldn’t be so angry after waiting all morning. What's worse, it's fine if you don't take the job, but you even introduce a gentleman who can speak foreign languages ​​to the shopkeepers of Liulichang. Isn't this deliberately smashing people's jobs?
The two things came together, making Zhang Wuye more and more angry, and he rushed to Wenhuiju immediately. He happened to meet the shopkeeper Zhao who came back at the door of the shop. , It's almost like cursing people in the street.

But Zhang Wuye is also a sensible person. The so-called grievance has its head and the debt has its owner. This matter was done by shopkeeper Zhao unethically and has nothing to do with other people, so Zhang Wuye only targeted shopkeeper Zhao. After saluting, he immediately got up and took off his hat, and returned a salute.

Li Yan made a new pot of tea and took away the cold tea on the table. He Qi still didn't understand what happened.

Shopkeeper Zhao probably understood that Zhang Wuye’s visit was not kind, so he hurriedly poured tea from the teapot to make amends, but Zhang Wuye didn’t take a look at it, and puffed out the smoke with his cigarette stick, and said abruptly, “The shopkeeper Zhao is in Liulichang. After all, I have been in this area for so long, there must be an explanation for what should be done and what should not be done, right?"

"Master Zhang Wu, while you're drinking, I'll tell you in detail." After the tea was served, Zhao Deyi thought about it and understood what was going on. Well, today, I didn’t know that Mr. Richard came here by himself yesterday. I didn’t know it beforehand, and it happened urgently. You also know that we are in business, and we open the door to make a living. It's not easy, it just so happened that Mr. He was there yesterday, so he invited Mr. He to make this deal temporarily."

However, Mr. Zhang Wu didn't buy it, he didn't accept this statement, and he didn't drink tea. He sneered and said, "I understand the matter, but Lier is not so rational. You do your business and earn money." There is nothing wrong with your money. I do my business and earn my work, as it should be. You made an appointment with me, and I left the time for today. I will earn today’s work, which means breaking the sky. This is also on my side."

"That's right, you're right, but I'm not afraid of [-], just in case, Mr. Richard will come a day early, and I don't know about it!" Zhao Deyi spread his hands and hurriedly explained again.

"I didn't tell you not to know, but the deal is done. You have to send someone to tell me that I won't come today. I've waited for nothing this morning with me?" Zhang Wuye stared at Zhao Deyi and asked back road.

At this point, He Qi finally understands. From the perspective of a bystander, Zhao Deyi really did this out of character. No one else is needed. At least he has to say something in advance. what happened?

I can't blame Zhang Wuye for blocking the door to ask for an explanation. If this matter falls on me, I'm afraid I will be angry too.

However, He Qi didn't say anything. This matter has nothing to do with her. At this time, if you don't feel like wading through the muddy water, you should just be a melon-eating crowd.

Zhao Deyi frowned for a while, and was speechless by Zhang Wuye, he hesitated for a long time, but he didn't say anything.

Zhang Wuye snorted coldly, glanced sideways, and continued: "I heard that shopkeeper Zhao spent a lot of money entertaining the shopkeepers of Liulichang in Qingyuan Building last night. Is it the way of watching people treat people to dinner? I still remember that shopkeeper Zhao, carrying a burden, wandered through alleys and alleys, walked blindly to the front of my house, and got a painting of Song Dynasty at a cheap price. This is how we are today. Could it be that I forgot gone?"

"I haven't forgotten, I haven't forgotten, I remember it clearly!" Zhao Deyi responded.

"Shopkeeper Zhao probably only remembers that Song painting sold for a huge price, and doesn't remember the rest?" Zhang Wuye joked.

"No, I remember. You said at the time that the price was 1000 taels. No gold, no tickets, no broken silver, but silver ingots. I ran for two days and found a lot of people before I got together 1000 taels of silver ingots for you." .”

"What about before leaving?" Zhang Wuye asked again with a hoarse voice.

Speaking of this, Zhao Deyi's whole body tensed up suddenly, and an embarrassed smile was burned on his chubby face, and his whites were rosy.

"I remember that when I was leaving, it was not easy for me to miss you, so I rewarded you with two silver ingots. Now, even if I went to the Eighth Building and Eighth Residence, it would be enough for a while, right?" Mr. Zhang said lightly. Said.

But Zhao Deyi was ashamed. He thought that Mr. Zhang Wu wanted to talk about the kindness of the Song painting, but he didn't expect it to be two silver ingots that he had forgotten a long time ago. , tonight there will be a table in the Qingyuan Building to make an apology."

Zhang Wuye only looked at him coldly, but did not accept the invitation, and said: "Fifth Lord, I have been famous for half my life. What kind of delicacies have I never tasted? What have I never seen? Now I am down and down, and I am looked down upon by others. You see me, and you call me Mr. Zhang Wu, in fact, you might not know how to make a joke behind your back?"

He said again: "This is the way of the world, this is the virtue. I have seen the fifth master a lot. I don't care if I can afford it or put it down. Today I am taking advantage of it. I came to the door to find an explanation. You, shopkeeper Zhao, know that you are wrong. So you want to invite me to dinner to make an apology."

"Forgive me!!"

"If it spreads out, maybe why are you nagging fifth master behind your back? I came to ask for help with my old kindness. My Zhang family used to be a wealthy family. The number one in the capital is now down. There is only one last face left with me, no matter what, I can’t lose this last face.”

Mr. Zhang Wu paused for a moment, then changed the subject, and said, "Master Wu, I'm not a messy master. According to what I said before, I will pay you a penny for a job. Although I didn't do the job today, but Time is left, and speaking of it, the fault lies with shopkeeper Zhao, and you have to accept the money for this job."

"I won't say much about the rest. When I meet you on the street in the future, you nod and I say a word. If you don't nod, I don't blame you."

Speaking of this, shopkeeper Zhao was wronged, so he could only admit it with his nose, walked quickly to the counter, took out the money from the Zen wooden box, put it in front of Mr. Zhang Wu respectfully, and said, "Master Wu, order some money." .”

"No need, I don't think much of the money at all, Lord Wu. I'm here today to ask for an explanation. Since you have given an explanation, this matter will be settled, and no one will worry about anyone else." Zhang Fifth Master didn't even look at the money, he put it in his pocket, got up with the bong, and strode out of the shop.

"Fifth Master, show me your face, Qingyuan Building tonight." Shopkeeper Zhao raised his toes, poked his head, and shouted at Zhang Wuye's back.

"No, I'm self-aware, I can't afford to climb high, you can save it and ask someone else." Zhang Wuye left a word, and his figure disappeared at the entrance of the shop.

Shopkeeper Zhao originally thought he had saved ten dollars by not inviting Mr. Zhang Wu, but he didn’t realize that this time he lost his wife and lost his army, and paid ten dollars more for life. Being scolded mercilessly by Mr. Zhang Wu, he couldn't hold back his face.

And He Qi couldn't help having a new view on Zhao Deyi, no wonder the old boy didn't mention the salary for translation to foreigners last night at the Qingyuanlou restaurant table, it turned out that there was a little thought hidden in it.

He Qi couldn't help but glanced at the gloomy Zhao Deyi, muttering in his heart, this old boy looked easy to get along with, but his heart was too dark, half of the labor fee was deducted, if it wasn't for Zhang Wuye, he didn't know what to do How long was it.

None of the real TMs are simple!

(End of this chapter)