Chapter 208 New Business

Lu Qiniang took Lei Longzi out alone.

"Abandoned Mother, what's wrong?" Lei Longzi didn't understand why she only brought him out, and was very panicked. "Do you think my hands are crippled and I can't do the work? I can do it, I'm no worse than others, Abandoned Mother, please leave me here. There are thirteen people in my family, and they all depend on me to support them..."

"No, why did you give birth to so many children?" Lu Qin's mother was led astray by him.

"No." Lei Longzi, the man, also shed tears. "My eldest brother and his wife were killed in the explosion, leaving behind four children, four of my own, plus my parents, my wife, and my wife's widowed mother..."

Lu Qiniang sighed, "It's not easy. But don't worry, it's not that I don't trust you, it's that I trust you too much, so I called you out alone. If I pay you to help make firecrackers and sell them, can you do it?"

"I can't say anything else, but making firecrackers is my forte." Lei Longzi immediately patted his chest and said, "It's a family tradition. Don't be scared just because you heard my brother was killed in the explosion. My brother refused to listen and insisted on researching gunpowder. That's why..."

"Why is he studying gunpowder?" Lu Qiniang asked in confusion.

"Exploding rocks." Lei Longzi's face was filled with sadness as he mentioned his deceased brother. "My family was poor, so we could only sell firecrackers during the New Year. We had a certain kind of stone in abundance there, and people in the capital loved buying it, but quarrying it was tiring. My brother thought of using gunpowder as a shortcut, but the result was..."

"It's fate." Lu Qiniang patted his shoulder. "Try it first, and show me how to make something. If it works, I'll invest some money, and you can lead everyone to make it. I'll pay for the food, the labor, and the materials, and I'll sell the firecrackers. You're different from others, you have to lead the team, so in addition to the labor, I'll give you 10% interest, how about it?"

She had also thought carefully about this idea.

I originally wanted to give him 20%, but Lei Longzi was not sure about it just by giving him a share.

If you give him a salary, he will feel at ease and can pay him 10% less.

In fact, Lu Qiniang was also unsure.

Although it is expensive in Beijing, things in Beijing are expensive, labor is expensive, and the cost is also high.

Moreover, this was all completely unfamiliar to her, and she had no idea what to do.

She dared to come up with this idea because she calculated that if she took out fifty taels of silver, she should be able to test the waters of this business.

It's just a little loss. Although she feels sad now, it's not like the sky is falling.

During the time doing business at the dock, Lu Qiniang gained some experience, that is, to make money, you have to do business.

If it works, maybe Daya's dowry won't be a problem, so she wants to give it a try.

Lei Longzi hesitated, "What if I lose money?"

"It's okay. The loss will be mine. What are you afraid of?" Lu Qiniang pretended to be calm. "Tell me what you need. I'll go buy it first. You can make it first and we'll give it a try. As for the others, if you can't wait, go out and find a job. If you don't want to go out, just wait for us for a few days. I'll provide meals."

"Okay!" Lei the Deaf said, "But the interest rate is 10%..."

"You think it's too little? Then..."

"No, no, no, it's too much." Lei the Deaf said, "I can't take that much."

"It's not much. I'll give it to you after we make money. That's it." Lu Qiniang said, "You work hard, and we'll make a fortune together!"

"Okay, then, Abandoned Mother, I'll go back and tell the boss and the others. You don't have to worry about it. I'll tell you what to buy, and you go ahead and buy it. Buy a small amount first, and we'll give it a try. If it doesn't work out, you won't lose too much..."

When Lei Longzi talked about his old profession, it was like he opened up a chatterbox.

He explained clearly what to buy and what kind to buy.

Lu Qiniang simply said, "Then I'll take you to buy it."

"Alright."

The raw materials in the capital city were indeed much more expensive, so expensive that Lei Longzi was shocked. He kept pulling at Lu Qiniang's sleeve and said, "Qiniang, how much do we need to sell these for to make back our investment? No, no, I'm scared."

"I'm not afraid, so why are you afraid?" Lu Qiniang said, "Let's try it first."

After buying things, she asked Lei the Deaf to go back first, and then she went to buy two large carts of wheat straw.

With so many people, we couldn't afford beds and bedding, but we could always buy some things to spread on the ground to keep warm.

In addition, she bought an iron pot, firewood, oil, salt, sauce, vinegar, brown rice, noodles and sweet potatoes... When she was not working, she could not afford to eat fine grains every meal, so she mixed them with coarse grains and ate them half full. When she went back to work and made money, she would add more oil and water to everyone's meal.

Seeing her rushing in and out and carrying so many things, Xiong Da and others came forward to help.

"Sister, you don't have to do anything, just take a break. No, where's your lover? Why didn't I see him today?"

"That's my husband." Lu Qiniang said, "He? I don't know where he went, but he must have been busy. I'll ask him when I get home tonight. I think Lei Longzi told you guys."

"I'm telling you, we're a bunch of country bumpkins coming to the capital. We're completely clueless, we don't know anything, and we can't go anywhere. Sister, we'll listen to you, so just make the arrangements."

"Okay!" Lu Qiniang said, "I'll know in two or three days at most. I've arranged everything for you to eat and drink, and I've also arranged for the cook. Just wait patiently."

Mrs. Fang, who cooks, is a widow. Her only son died, her daughter-in-law ran away, and she is left alone with two grandchildren, making a living.

Lu Qiniang had always felt sorry for her and wanted to help her, so she took the opportunity to ask her to help with cooking and gave her fifty yuan a day.

Mrs. Fang happily agreed and said she would bring her two sons to help.

——Just provide meals.

Lu Qiniang also agreed readily.

After finishing all this, it was already dark.

Lu Qiniang was about to go home but was stopped by Sun Shun.

"Abandoned Mother, Master Zhang is waiting for you." He pointed to the banknotes and pleaded, "I've accepted the 1,000 taels of silver for him. I'm afraid he'll be unhappy... How about you go over there?"

"Okay, I won't embarrass you. I also have something to say to him."

As soon as they met, Zhang Heyao looked her up and down. Seeing that she was covered in flour and her hair was quite messy from working, he couldn't help but frown and said, "Can't you act a little more womanly? Why do you always have to make yourself so messy?"

"You don't have to treat me like a woman." Lu Qiniang said, "I am sloppy in my own little place, and I didn't come to your house to annoy you, Master Zhang. But you, what do you want to see me for?"

"I saved you yesterday, and you're talking to me like this? Even if, even if... we grew up together. You don't care about the past, but I still have to protect you. Lu Qi Niang, can you please mind your own business in the future? Zhou Xiaoyao's affairs have nothing to do with you! You're not always so lucky to get away with it!"