Merchant's daughter is not a concubine

Chapter 343 Too Convenient
Ning Qing has been doing business in Tianshui for almost three years, has opened more than a dozen shops, and is already very good at decoration and layout.

Song Zhuo opened up a study in Biyunxuan for her to use.Ning Qing was very happy, and discussed about the shop with Hui Ping and a few stewards she trained from Tianshui.

Song Ren learned that Ning Qing was going to fiddle with business again, so he ran out and made an appointment with a group of cronies, constantly saying that Ning Qing was restless at home.Not to mention that she is an imperial concubine, even an ordinary businessman's wife is also at home with her husband and children, and everything in business has to be done by a man.

It's not that the Prince Chen's mansion can't afford to support her, and her own dowry can't be spent in a few lifetimes, and now she's messing around with business, it's really a businessman who never forgets the nature of being greedy for money and seeking profit, and as a high-ranking concubine of the Prince Chen, he actually competes with the people for profit !
When Princess Chen heard such rumors, she hurriedly sent Jing Wen to invite Ning Qing.

Ning Qing did not live separately from Song Zhuo, and Princess Chen did not dare to enter Song Zhuo's residence.

"Mother Concubine." Ning Qing walked in.

"Girl Qing, sit down quickly." Concubine Chen pulled Ning Qing to sit down, "I heard that you are going to mess with business again. Prince Chen's mansion will not starve us. Don't say it is you, even if I am not favored, it is good Eat well and live well. You will definitely not be hungry! And there are so many dowries, not to mention the tens of millions of taels of silver that are dowry, that is, Tianxia Tianxia and Jinzhi Tianxia, ​​which have a lot of dividends every year. You still Lack of money? Just stop messing around, okay?"

Ning Qing frowned: "My cousin asked me to do it too."

Princess Chen said worriedly: "The prince doesn't like you, and he doesn't like the son, so you should have less trouble."

Ning Qing sighed secretly. "Mother, you can rest assured, I'll go out first."

When Ning Qing left, Princess Chen was about to cry: "Why is this child like this?"

As soon as Ning Qing left the Jingxin Garden, she saw Concubine Sun approaching with a smile: "Is the concubine Shizi coming out from sister Wangfei?"

"Yes, you want to chat with her? Then you go to her." As he spoke, he turned around.

Concubine Sun's face froze, and she quickly stopped her: "I really want to find sister Wangfei, but I also want to say a few words to you when I meet you. This shop should not be opened so much. Although I am not qualified to say anything , but it's also for your own good, isn't it?"

"You are doing my best, I understand. Let me go first." Ning Qing said and left.

Concubine Sun was in a bad mood, she complained slightly, and said to Nanny Fang behind her, "Tell me, why is this concubine so fussy?"

Mother Fang said: "When I was preparing to be a concubine, I was so tossing around, but now I am a concubine, can I be content?"

"You're right, anyway, she's a person who likes to make troubles." Concubine Sun said, "I'm still half an elder, and it's for her sake, isn't it?"

"Then do you still want to go to Wangfei?" Mother Fang said.

"Why don't you go?" Concubine Sun said: "Look, Wangfei is afraid of being angry and crying, let's go to comfort her."

Although Princess Chen is still not favored, she is despised by Prince Chen.But today is different.Although Song Xian is still stuck here, Concubine Sun thinks that there is really nothing wrong with Song Xian when Song Zhuo comes back.Ning Qing is the future mistress, and Princess Chen is also going up.If you can make a good relationship, you can make a good relationship.

When Ning Qing returned to Biyunxuan, she would not go out if she could.

However, the fact that Ning Qing wanted to compete with the people for profit still caused a lot of trouble in the city, and even the Queen Mother Jingren was alarmed. She wanted to announce Ning Qing to enter the palace several times, but was blocked by Song Zhuo.

The shop is being renovated quickly and is scheduled to open in mid-September.The name of the shop is "Bixing Tianxia".

Because Ning Qing is famous enough, the shop has already attracted the attention of the whole capital without advertising.

There is a law in Shangjing that stipulates that officials in office cannot do business.But there is no rule that family members cannot do business, and there are also many noble ladies who have shops under their names, but they are all operated secretly, but on the surface they appear to be superior and noble.

Although Ning Qing's behavior was criticized, none of the nobles dared to speak out, and some of them kept praising Song Zhuo.Said that Song Zhuo had a good eye, married a stunning beauty, was talented, and knew how to make money.

Although most of them are flattering and flattering, Song Zhuo is still very happy to hear it.If he praised him, he would not like it, but if he praised his wife, Song Zhuo would not be so happy.

From time to time, he would reply: "Of course my son has a good vision, my family Qingqing is a talented woman."

The noble officials froze for a moment, this is really immodest!

Shen Chenggong on the side blushed for him: "Song Zhuo, can't you be more humble?"

"It's all the truth, why should I be humble?" Song Zhuo said.

Shen Chenggong choked, others called his wife a clumsy, or even a bitch, but he was lucky, if he opened his mouth and shut up, he was a talented woman!He almost lost sight of it!
"You better not be so high-profile, no one dares to offend you. It's not that your family is short of money, and the ten-mile red makeup is already enviable. If you compete with the people for profit, why bother. Your family loves to open a shop, and he does it secretly. Those scholars below are envious of all the students in the world! Now your concubine is still running a pen shop, selling pens! This is something used by the students all over the world. It will be difficult to get it right, or it will be expensive, or the quality will be poor. There will be accidents. Now they are looking for a flash point, a small matter, and they are afraid that Wanmin will petition you to punish you. At that time, the censor will have a handle. If you are accused, even if you can’t be convicted, it will be bad for your reputation It's not good either."

Song Zhuo said: "She doesn't know how to do stupid things. Even if she really did something stupid, can't I, Song Zhuo, still be unable to protect her and make things right?"

Shen Chenggong was startled, and sighed: "Of course you can. It's just... why bother."

"As long as she likes it." Song Zhuo said, with a gentle tone that he couldn't even detect.

Shen Chenggong glanced at Song Zhuo and stopped talking.He still can't understand that Song Zhuo is willing to give up everything for a woman.In his opinion, this is stupid.But as a friend, he respects Song Zhuo's choice.

The rumors outside are getting worse and worse, Lan Ruoying is very happy: "Look, this is called death if you don't want to die. Let her be a concubine, but let yourself die inside! Sure enough, Song Zhuo married The little merchant girl was right."

"By then, her business will not be bad." Song Xian smiled.

"Naturally not bad, the shop opened by the concubine of Prince Chen! No official or nobility will compete to curry favor with her. At that time, people big and small will compete to order pens, inks, papers and inkstones from her shop. It doesn't matter if the business is booming." Lan Ruoying spoke in a sour tone, but with a hint of coldness. "At that time, other pen and ink shops will be dismal! Xianggong, you will ask Xu Baiyun to give up the supply of pens and ink in the palace. At that time, the emperor's uncle will ask, but let Xu Baiyun say, now everyone They all buy pens and inks from Ning Qing’s family. Her family’s pens and inks must be good. His business is bleak and he can’t keep up with Ning Qing. The pens and inks in the palace will be provided by Ning Qing. At that time, they will really compete with the people for profit! It is a crime of oppressing people with power, it would be no wonder that Uncle Huang was not furious."

"But... what if she deliberately suppressed the sale so much?" Song Xian frowned.

"How could she not sell it? If she doesn't want to make money, why would she open a shop?" Lan Ruoying said. "A business woman is a business woman. If she is not greedy enough, she will soon die!"

Song Xian nodded: "I asked Xu Baiyun to get ready."

Xu Baiyun is a well-known rich man in Tiansheng and one of the four giants in Tiansheng.Instead, Song Xian made friends.Xu Baiyun has always supported Song Xian. With Song Xian's care these years, his business is booming, and he wants to catch up with Zhongli as soon as possible.

Later, Song Zhuo regained the position of son, Xu Baiyun thought about defecting to Song Zhuo, and became friends with Song Zhuo.But it has been unable to enter the door.Later, it was reported that Zhongliyou gave the dowry, and he knew that he had no way out.Because Song Zhuo is considered to be with Zhongli's family.

Today, I finally waited for the big day of Bixing Tianxia's opening.

The majority of students and common people are looking forward to it, all the trolls are preparing various spraying methods, Song Xian and Lan Ruoying have prepared a big set for Ning Qing and Song Zhuo to step on.

Both Ning Qing and Song Zhuo attended the opening plaque unveiling ceremony in person.Naturally, it attracted countless people to watch.

Ning Qing and Song Zhuo pulled a piece of silk, and the four big characters "Pen Xing Tian Xia" appeared on it. This is Song Zhuo's inscription, and the brushwork is absolutely perfect.

First, the students were amazed: "Good words!"

Then the firecrackers were lit, and Song Zhuo protected Ning Qing away, for fear that she would be frightened, and Song Zhuo also took care of the baby in her stomach.

After the firecrackers went off, all the students rushed into the shop in a crowd: "The shop under the Chenwang Mansion, we have to open our eyes!"

"That's right, the quality of a shop run by such a big nobleman should not be too bad!"

"Even if it's bad, there are big families vying to buy it! Who would let it be the Prince Chen's Mansion! Maybe it's too expensive! It's not good if it breaks!"

A courageous student asked from a distance: "We are all poor scholars, can we enter?"

Ning Qing was startled, and said very gently: "Of course."

Song Zhuo was in a bad mood when he heard the words "poor scholar".As early as more than four years ago, he hated the scholar all his life!Ning Qing is still so gentle now, Song Zhuo has to admit that he is jealous.

The students cheered for a while, and entered the shop at once.

Ning Qing was supported by Song Zhuo and went up to the second floor through the back door.Ning Qing stood on the second floor and looked at the guests below.

The students were dumbfounded when they entered the shop: "Where's the pen?"

I saw that the shop was full of sticks like chopsticks. How could there be any pens!
Ning Qing giggled, and pointed to the "chopsticks" below: "This is the pen!"

"Oh, my God, isn't the concubine using her power to bully others?" A few students who were daring and furious immediately burst into veins: "Who doesn't have these wooden sticks! Could it be that you use a stick to write in ink? It's too deceiving!"

"Right, is this referring to a deer as a horse?"

"It means turning a deer into a horse! But it's the Prince Chen's Mansion, so it can be said to be fragrant even if it smells bad, anyway, a lot of families buy it!" a student muttered in a low voice.

Ning Qing said, "This pen doesn't need sticky ink. We have a small pen knife!"

The waiter below immediately picked up a "chopstick", took out a round wooden pencil sharpener, put the "chopstick" in, and after a while, it was sharpened.Expose the black refill inside.

The little girl took out a piece of paper, scratched it, and actually could write words.And it's not as uncomfortable as charcoal writing, but round and smooth, very smooth.

Although the students couldn't accept it for a while, they still exclaimed.

Ning Qing said: "This is a hard brush, which is different from the brushes you use. It doesn't need to be stained with ink and is easy to carry. You can put it in your pocket or in your bag. You don't have to worry about losing the hair on the brush because it won't be well preserved. Wipe it off. You don’t need to carry ink and inkstone with you. When you don’t need it, you have to sharpen the ink first. Take it out and use it. I call it... hard pen.”

This is the modern pencil.But in the 21st century, pencils are no longer pencils, but are made of graphite and do not contain lead.In order not to make people too confused, she simply called it a hard pen.

The students were very surprised.Though it's the same theory as writing with carbon.But other people's is not carbon, it is wrapped in wood, and it can be used by turning it open with a small penknife.Clean and convenient.And writing is very smooth, different carbon writing feels uncomfortable.In the future, you don't need to bring ink or grind ink when you go out.

All the students have studied for so many years, so they naturally know how inconvenient the writing brush is. This hard pen is simply a surprise!

"We want to know how much it is for one piece." A student said.

"Twenty Wen." Ning Qing said.

"Twenty Wen?" All the students were shocked.I originally thought that such a novel and surprising thing would cost at least a dozen or two, but I didn't expect it to be twenty coins!

But I know that the most commonly used brushes and inks, the worst ones, add up to at least three taels of silver for a set, which can be used for about half a year.

And a pencil is only twenty coins!Three taels of silver can buy 150 sticks!

"A pen can be used for about half a month." Ning Qing said again: "That small pen knife is fifty cents each. If you don't buy it, you can sharpen it with a knife."

Two pens a month, 24 pens a year, add up to only about 480 pens.Even if you use ten more pens a year, it is only about [-] Wen, which is more than ten times cheaper than pens and inks.

This is the most convenient not only for students, but also for merchants who keep accounts at any time!Take it with you, no need to find a place to grind ink, let alone dip ink once after writing a few words!

This is so convenient!And it's so cheap!
The students who originally came here with the mentality of watching the excitement, all started to spend money to grab them. The more than 1 pencils prepared in the shop were sold out at once, and the supply was in short supply.

(End of this chapter)