A piece of paper

Chapter 379 Righteous Speech

Chen Jianfang spoke intermittently, sometimes giving a long speech, and sometimes falling into a long silence.

Qiao Hui silently replaced the warm tea with rice wine.

At certain times, wine is a good thing. It can make you dazed or sober, make you laugh or cry. With the unique advantages bestowed by food, it dominates your thoughts and mood.

Chen Jianfang held the cup in one hand, tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp, but he couldn't tell the difference between wine and tea.

Chen Jian had just finished a glass of wine when Qiao Hui responded with another.

Under the lamp, the two of them drank together, listening to Chen Jianfang's occasional clear and gentle voice.

After emptying the wine jug, Chen Jianfang raised his head and drank it all in one gulp. With the crisp sound of the empty wine glass being placed on the table, Chen Jianfang supported himself on the table with both hands, stood up, leaned over and raised his head. His cheeks flushed, but his eyes were still clear. His voice was clear and his tone was sincere: "Baoyuan, I didn't lose to you."

I just lost to my former self.

As soon as Chen Jianfang finished speaking, he lowered his head, smiled and shook his head: "No, no. Xianjin is not a trophy, it cannot be defined by winning or losing."

There is no winning or losing.

Everything is determined by fate.

This battle is destined to happen. Only after this battle can one cleanse his marrow and bones and ascend to heaven with clarity of mind.

In the past, he kept his head down, walking on a clearly marked road. He knew how to lift his feet, how to walk fast, and where to turn. On this road, he kept his head down and left those behind him behind, doing his best to do his best.

But he didn't know where he was going or why he was going?
Now he has thought it through.

When his legs were limp and he was drowning from exhaustion, he suddenly realized the true meaning of walking among the lush trees of Chongqing Temple.

"Three years later, after I graduate from high school, I will also seek to be sent out." Chen Jianfang's eyes were firm: "I may go to Saibei, Guizhou, or Mocheng to be a local official. Studying should be for generations to come, not to help a merchant make a breakthrough or change his family's status. I was born in the Chen family, raised by the Chen family, and benefited from the Chen family. I cannot be confined to the Chen family, restricted by the Chen family, or be narrow-minded to the Chen family."

The path planned by Madam Qu for him was very different from that of his father. When his father died, his grandmother gritted her teeth and said, "Your father wanted to be sent out, but I didn't allow it. Was he going to be a seventh-rank official? I have invested money and people for twenty years, and I am going to ask him to be a county magistrate who manages petty thieves? - You must pass the exam and get the first place! Get the opportunity to enter the Hanlin Academy! After entering the Hanlin Academy, go to the six ministries and don't leave the capital! You work hard in the front court, and the Chen family will work hard in the back court. You must enter the cabinet and become a prime minister, and you must be a minister! The Chen family's ancestral tombs should be smoking!"

No, that's not right.

Studying and becoming an official has nothing to do with power, region, or personal gain.

It has even less to do with the Chen family’s ancestral tomb.

Chen Jianfang had never been so clear-headed.

Qiao Hui did not answer, but kept looking at Chen Jianfang calmly.

Chen Jianfang kept his head down the whole time. After a long time, he slowly raised it and stood up straight.

Outside the window, the dark clouds were blown away by the breeze, and a full moon appeared in the sky.

Chen Jianfang raised his head and looked up, with his hands behind his back: "God still grants people's wishes, why don't you try your best."

Qiao Hui also stood up, patted Chen Jianfang on the shoulder, and said softly: "The most extraordinary things seem ordinary, and success is easy but difficult."

Chen Jianfang smiled and raised his hand to pat Qiao Hui back: "Loyal Marquis, see you at the top of the mountain."

"See you at the top of the mountain." Qiao Hui raised his head and replied calmly.

Xianjin didn’t know whether the top of the mountain could be seen or not.

Xianjin knows that there is a big news, which he will meet for the first time.

The same Jiqingfang is different from the front of the block where there are many aristocratic families. The back of the block is inhabited by three or four families who share a house and live together as a group of scholars.

On the first day of September, in a shop at the end of the block, red and green decorations were displayed, and gongs and drums were beaten. Without any warm-up or marketing, the red cloth on the plaque was slowly pulled down, revealing the word "Xuan".

The few people who showed doubtful expressions.

Could it be that the popular "Xuan" shop in Jiqingfang has opened a new store?
After the red cloth was torn off, the second word came out, an ordinary word "paper".

"Xuan paper".

Well, it's very straightforward - just like "Zhang Xiaoer Noodle Stall", the boss is called Zhang Xiaoer, and he sells noodles. I don't know why, maybe it's the trend brought about by "Xuan".

These days, some shops with mysterious names have sprung up like mushrooms after rain: for example, there is a shop called "Si Yi", which is a very impudent name. There is no sign of any goods on the simple signboard. There are two lanterns hanging high in front of the door, and some green bamboos are planted. When you walk in, you will find out that this shop is for drinking tea. When you ask the shopkeeper why the shop is named "Si Yi", the shopkeeper looks mysterious and says: "In our shop, refilling water is free. You can add as much as you want, so we named it Si Yi!"

Xianjin was speechless after hearing this: "." What's the difference between this and "This girl can make me feel comfortable, so I grant her the title of Shu Guiren"?
The "Xuan Paper" plaque is completely exposed to the public. It is extremely clear and straightforward, like a stream of clear water.

The few people who were there looked left and right, and after seeing that there were no valuables standing at the door, they dared to step in cautiously.

Once inside, they were all stunned.

Yes.

shocked.

They had never seen shelves so high!
The boss connected the two floors of the store and built beech wood shelves to the ceiling, filling the place with wooden boxes.

These wooden boxes were common currency, thin in layer, not reinforced with copper locks, and randomly stacked together, with burlap bags filled with peppercorns and glutinous rice flour placed on them to prevent moisture, insects and corrosion.

So as soon as you walk in, you will be hit by a pungent spicy smell.

The lowest shelf is some distance from the ground, just at eye level.

A man covered his mouth and nose as he shuttled through the shelves, exclaiming, "A piece of plain Xuan paper here is only 300 wen! Oh my god! A piece of double-layer Xuan paper is only 500 wen! And ribbed paper is only 500 wen! Oh my god! Oh my god! The ribbed paper with gold-sprinkled patterns and carved silk patterns is sold for 98 liang 8 yuan per piece!"

No! Don't compare the price with "Xuan"! This price is only a little more expensive than jute paper!

The few people who were around all became excited at the same time.

On the shelf, one category of rice paper occupies a vertical column, the most expensive one is five hundred wen, the cheapest is three hundred wen. However, the categories are not arranged according to price but according to wooden tags. Some of the wooden tags have "Qiang Ji" written on them, so if you look at them horizontally, all of them are "Qiang Ji". There are also "Yao Ji", "Li Ji" and so on, which all look very simple.

Someone looked around, and the waiter in a simple brown gown came up to him and just looked at him without saying a word.

"Bring me a knife of ribbed paper!"

The waiter did not say anything. He quickly dragged a wooden ladder over and climbed up in no time. He took a knife from the wooden box and handed it to the man. He pointed to the east and said four concise words: "Pay the bill there."

The man exclaimed: This means that even the warehouse can be saved!

The man took the ribbed paper home and applied ink directly without even washing his hands. He watched the ink spread layer by layer. He then carefully took out a piece of ribbed paper with gold-sprinkled patterns and engraved silk patterns that he had bought at a high price from the "Xuan" store and carefully put a small ink dot on the edge of the paper for comparison.

After careful observation, the man nodded with satisfaction.

Well, you get what you pay for, the ancients were right.

In terms of quality, the products of "Xuan" are better.

But I only spent 500 wen to buy ribbed rice paper. Hmm, how should I put it? I feel like I got a good deal.

Although the customers who come into this shop in Fangwei are generally satisfied, it has been open for quite some time but is still deserted, and most of the customers are repeat customers.

This has to do with the location.

This is not a bustling street market, and the scholars who rent houses here don't have much time to go shopping here or there, so until the end of October, the customer flow of "Xuan Paper" was not too large, and it could barely make back the investment.

In October, the late osmanthus fragrance fills the air.

Xianjin sat in the "Shangchongtian" on the second floor of "Xuan" and washed his cup and made tea.

Fang Shusheng came in aggressively, but in front of Xianjin, his anger faded a little, and he said in a hurry: "Boss He! There are people selling rice paper just like you!"

Xianjin paused for a moment while holding the teacup, a little surprised: "Oh? Where did the rice paper merchant come from?"

"It's right at the end of Jiqingfang! The quality is obviously not as good as 'Xuan'! Although it's cheap, it's not a good product! The name of the store is 'Xuan Paper'!" Fang Shu was angry and complained: "It must be some shameless businessman who saw your success and came to eat for free!"

After hearing this, the shameless businessman He couldn't hide his surprise, so he said righteously: "What! There is such a strange thing happening under the feet of the emperor and the imperial city!"

Xian Jin said righteously: "Mr. Fang, you must spread the word about this shameless shop among the scholars! Scold it! Scold it until everyone knows about it!"