Reborn in the last years of Kangxi

Chapter 390
Cao Mansion, the living room.

After asking Cheng Mengxing when he would leave, Cao Yong shut up and glanced at Chuyu.

Chu Yu knew that he was concerned about Han Jiang's status as a widow, so she wanted to avoid suspicion, so she said, "I heard from my husband that Mrs. Han is going to buy property in the capital. What are you planning to do to make a living?"

Han Jiangshi usually wears a veil when meeting outsiders, and rarely shows his face like this.

When I came to Cao's mansion today, she faced each other without makeup, one reason was that Cao Yong had seen her appearance, so there was no need to hide it, and the other was that she wanted to see Cao Yong, the noble wife of the princess, so it seemed disrespectful , Petty.

Now, seeing that Cao Yong seems to be letting go and handing everything over to his wife, Han Jiang's heart feels a little unclear.Did she look down on her status as a widow and disdain to see her? Or did she entrust her to take care of her because she was afraid of causing troubles because of her status?
She didn't dare to think anything else in her heart, since Chuyu asked in detail, she couldn't keep her mouth shut, so she turned sideways and replied, "Returning to Madam, the little lady wants to resume her old business and set up a bank in Beijing!"

Unexpectedly, this idea really came up, Cao Yong could not help frowning when he heard this.There are so many dignitaries in the capital, how can she, a foreigner, get involved in the bank business at will?Not to mention a woman who is a merchant.

Chu Yu had heard what Cao Yong said before, and knew that her husband disapproved of the bank business, so she glanced at him and saw that he was frowning, so she knew it.

After thinking about it for a while, she said with a smile: "Money and food are important matters. I'm afraid it will be difficult to pay for the business. There are also many troubles inside and outside. Does Mrs. Han have any other plans?"

Because Cao Yong had already mentioned it to Cheng Mengxing before, the business in the capital is difficult, either find a mansion for the Han Jiang family to be affiliated with, or let her be under the name of the Cao family.

Cheng Mengxing trusted Cao Yong, so he said that Cao Yong would arrange it arbitrarily.Therefore, the Han Jiang family also knew that these were business partnerships with the Cao family again.

Hearing this, Han Jiangshi was against Qian Zhuang, feeling a little uncertain.However, these days, she has already started looking for a shop by the front door, and has several plans.

Since Chu Yu said that it is not easy to do business in the bank, Han Jiang thought for a while and said, "I heard that there are many literati in the capital, and the rich and powerful love famous tea. How about opening a tea house?"

Chu Yu had heard the rumors about the "tea boy".When she first arrived in the capital in spring, every time she went out to socialize, she was always questioned by the female family members of various prefectures in different ways, which was really annoying.

Hearing Han Jiangshi mention this, Chu Yu immediately became alert.Although this tea business is profitable, if it has a relationship with the Cao family, then Cao Yong's future troubles will be inevitable.She knew her husband's temperament, he avoided trouble.Therefore, she smiled and said: "Although the profit of tea is huge, it must have a good tea garden. It is not appropriate to get involved so rashly."

The Cao family once managed several tea gardens, which is well known to the world.It was also for this reason that the Han Jiang family mentioned the tea business.

Seeing Chuyu's refusal again, Han Jiangshi couldn't help being startled, a little confused about her intention.Could it be that Cao Yong just dealt with it on his uncle's face, but here it is perfunctory, and there is no intention of doing business in partnership?
The room was silent when I heard a loud voice outside: "Brother, do you have a guest?"

It was Cao Song and Cao Shuo brothers who came back from outside. When they heard that there was a female guest, they felt strange and came to see.

Cao Song wanted to make fun of his elder brother, but when he saw Chu Yu was also sitting in the hall, he scratched his head and said with a smile, "Sister-in-law is here too!" .

Cao Shuo followed Cao Song in and greeted his eldest brother and sister-in-law.Seeing Cao Song lose his composure, he stretched out his hand and tugged at his brother's back.

Han Jiangshi has lowered his eyelids, looking at his nose with his eyes, and his heart with his nose, and sat upright in the old monk.

Seeing that she was so depressed at this age, Cao Yong couldn't help but sigh in his heart when he thought of Wenxiu who was still working hard with a gentle smile despite being enslaved.

He coughed and said to Han Jiang: "This is my second and third brother!" After speaking, he said to Cao Song and Cao Shuo: "This is our fellow countryman, Mrs. Han from Jiangning Liuhe Qianzhuang!"

When Han Jiang saw Cao Yong's introduction, he stood up, blessed him, and said: "Little lady has seen Cao Erye and Cao Sanye!"

Cao Shuo bowed down to return the gift politely, but Cao Song was a little puzzled, and blurted out: "Isn't Liuhe Bank surnamed Jiang, why is Mrs. Han here?"

Han Jiang's family was well-preserved, so she was not annoyed, and replied in a deep voice: "The little lady's family name is Jiang, and Liuhe Bank is the property left by the little lady's parents!"

"It's half of my fellow countryman!" Cao Song heard it and didn't take it seriously. Instead, he held up the dim sum bag in his hand and said, "Sister-in-law, my brother went to buy small ones and came back. Isn't sister-in-law the favorite rose cake? Brother Bought a big bag!"

Chu Yu laughed and said, "I've been impatient to eat for the past two days, but I want to thank my second brother for your trouble!"

I saw a stack of dim sum buns in Cao Song's hands, and Cao Shuo, who was following behind, was also carrying dim sum buns in one hand.By visual inspection, there are always about ten packs.

Cao Yong looked funny, and said to Cao Song: "You are robbing the pastry shop, why did you buy so much?"

"It's like this, I'm afraid my brother won't be enough!" Cao Songhan said with a smile: "My brother's sister-in-law, mother's, younger brother's sister's, and sister-in-law Tian's, Niuniu's, Brother Wei's and his yard's... are all big things. Children and small eight pieces."

Cao Yong was very happy to see that he could think of everyone.It's just that Han Jiang's family is here, so it's better not to be too cold, so he nodded and said: "In that case, the second brother and the third brother will go to deliver the snacks first, and I will talk to your sister-in-law with the guests for a while!"

Cao Song and Cao Shuo bowed and said goodbye to the guest, Han Jiangshi, before retreating.

As soon as the two brothers walked to the door, they heard Cao Yong say: "Wait a minute!"

Cao Song and Cao Shuo turned their heads, Cao Yong's face was more joyful than before, and he waved to Cao Song: "Second brother, come here, and give me a bag of the big eight pieces and the small eight pieces of dim sum!"

Cao Song didn't know why his brother was like this in front of the guests, and he couldn't help muttering: "Brother, are you hungry?" But without delay, he hurried to Cao Yong and picked out two packs of snacks.

The eight kinds of cakes in the big eight pieces are: Fu, Shou, Lu, Xi, Juan Crisp, Jujube Flower, Walnut Crisp, and Bala Cake.The eight pieces of pastry are: almond cake, white skin cake, champion cake, master cake, chicken oil cake, pouch cake, egg yolk cake and hard peach.Whether it is eight large pieces or eight small pieces, it is a set of one catty.

Cao Yong looked carefully, saw that Cao Song was still standing by the side, waved his hand, and said: "Go, go, these two packs of snacks stay here for now!"

Cao Song was a little confused, but he didn't want to go against his brother's wishes, so he left in a daze.

Cao Yong's eyes lit up, and he said to Chu Yu and Han Jiang: "Do I know what to do? Although there are many dim sum shops in Beijing, these are the ones that sell over and over again. When it comes to dim sum, it's Nanmian’er’s dim sum is exquisite, and the dim sum chefs in Suzhou are famous. Nan’an’s dim sum is too sweet, which may not suit the taste of people in Beijing, so there are not as many shops selling Nan’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’’ But speaking of it, eight out of ten people who are officials in the capital are from the south, so this snack will not worry about selling!"

In fact, he was thinking of Daoxiang Village.In his previous life, his parents were good at this, and they were partial to the black sesame cakes and beef tongue cakes in Daoxiang Village.

The dim sum in Daoxiang Village is mainly Suzhou style, supplemented by Cantonese style. Because of its variety of dim sum and variety of flavors, both the elderly and children like their dim sum.

If this is compared, it is much more delicate than the dim sum bought in the capital now.

The Jiang family is one of the richest households in Jiangning, and Han Jiang's family has never been short of money for urinating.On the other side of his mother's family in Yangzhou, he was also a big salt merchant on the wealthy side.

This dim sum shop is really not a business on the stage.Therefore, Han Jiang's expression became a little stiff when he heard this.She really couldn't understand how Cao Yong, who auctioned off the recipe for raising pearls for millions of taels of silver, cared about these petty profits.

Cao Yong thought in his heart, but it was a long-term business.He tapped the handle of the chair with his fingers, and said: "We must pay attention to the authentic taste. This worker can be hired from the capital, but the master chef and the front clerk must be found from the south. Don't worry, I will write to the south. Send the steward over there to go directly to Suzhou to find some good dim sum chefs. In Guangzhou, there is Wei Xin, and I will also write to him. There are missionaries there. If you can find a foreign-style dim sum chef, then It's even more appropriate!"

Han Jiang frowned slightly, and said, "Master Cao, this kind of shop is small and profitable, so what's the point of running it?"

Seeing that she didn't like this, Cao Yong said: "This kind of pastry is used for visiting relatives and friends in the capital. Usually, adults and children are snacks. When it comes to weddings and weddings, what is needed is still pastry. Apart from this, the seasonal Lantern Festival , Zongzi, moon cakes, Chongyang cakes, etc., if they become famous. Five or six shops in four or nine cities are rare. Food and clothing costs, food and clothing costs, people in Beijing pay attention to food and clothing, this dim sum shop does Well, if a brand name breaks out, it is a gold-lettered signboard!"

Han Jiangshi hesitated for a while, and said: "It's really a little bit less profitable!"

Seeing that she was so ambitious, Cao Yong said seriously: "Mrs. Han, although Mr. Cao is willing to help out because of the relationship between Mr. Cheng and Sister Ling. It's just that Mr. Cao is lazy and doesn't want to cause trouble. For Mrs. Han I am interested in the bank business, Madam, please think carefully about the difficulties involved. The capital city is different from Jiangning, they are all nobles with banners, and they recruit people casually, that is, with noble titles and official status. If Madam insists on doing bank business, then Mrs. Cao Can I say sorry!"

Chu Yu originally had a good impression of Han Jiangshi, but seeing her so stubborn, she didn't appreciate Cao Yong's kindness, and felt a little annoyed.

Seeing that Cao Yong had already said this, Han Jiangshi said that it was boring to continue, "After all, this is related to the major business affairs in the future, please allow the little lady to think about it for a few days!"

Cao Yong thought for a while, and said: "Mrs. Han, there are many stories about businessmen in the capital. Go back to your uncle's house, find some old people in the capital, and inquire carefully, then you will know The water in this capital is too deep and shallow!"

Knowing that he would not say these words inexplicably, Han Jiangshi got up and said, "Young lady can save what Master Cao said. Since that's the case, I will go back today. I would like to thank Lord Cao and his wife for providing a safe place for the little lady." Take care!"

Cao Yong and Chu Yu also got up from their seats and said goodbye to Han Jiangshi.

Chu Yu's body remained unchanged, and Cao Yong seemed too solemn to send her out of the house alone, so he called the housekeeper, drove Han Jiang's carriage into the yard, and sent her away.

When Han Jiangshi left, Cao Yong kicked his feet hard, sighed and said: "What are you doing so hard? Earning a gold mountain is just eating a bowl of rice and sleeping in a room! Why don't you find someone as soon as possible?" Married, it's a peace of mind!"

Chu Yu looked at the bakery that started the fight, and said to Cao Yong: "If my son-in-law really wants to be a bakery shop, even if Mrs. Han has no intention of doing it, let's find someone to do it!"

Cao Yong nodded, thinking of Cao Song and Cao Shuo, their brothers.Seeing that they are all grown up one by one, I have to find an opportunity to ask these little brothers about their ambitions.Besides being an official, do you want to do anything else?Although doing business at this time is a cheap business, most of the store business of big families is managed by servants, and it is good for people to watch at home.

Although I don't want to raise these little brothers into lazy people, but the public should continue to buy a few profitable properties.In this way, even if a few little brothers want to become officials, they don't have to worry about money, thinking about reaching out to embezzle and accept bribes to get money.

However, it can't make them all feel that they have no worries and lose their motivation to make progress.If they realize that money is hard to come by, they will reduce extravagance in the future and will not waste money recklessly.

It's really not easy to be the elder brother, Cao Yong shook his head and smiled wryly, why did he feel like "I have a son who has just grown up in my family"?
Although Chuyu said nothing happened, Cao Yong was still worried, he held her arm, and the husband and wife went back to the yard together.Cao Yong thought of Jinghui, whom Cao Song never forgot, and asked: "Have you inquired about Dong E's family? There is an old lady here, is Jing girl all right?"

Chu Yu nodded and said, "It didn't work. I heard that the old lady was so angry that she returned all the gifts from the Duke's mansion..."
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(End of this chapter)