Chapter 89
That night, Wen Shi returned to his room and saw Ying Xiang looking at him excitedly. He was a little puzzled, so he went straight over to her.
"My husband, I have something to tell you."
Wen Shi nodded, got into bed first, and immediately pulled the person into his arms.
"I want to open a teahouse."
"That's fine."
Wen Shi thought it was something important, but he didn't expect it to be this. His wife wanted to start a business, and he supported her. There were quite a few teahouses in the capital, but as long as they were managed well, they could definitely succeed.
"Of course, the core of my teahouse business isn't selling tea or snacks; the main reason is that I want to find actors. I'll go check out the shop in a few days."
Wen Shi was dumbfounded. What did he mean by hiring someone to act? To perform in an opera?
"Wife, if you're going to open a teahouse, just open a teahouse. At most, you can hire a storyteller to attract customers. Why are you hiring actors? What are you trying to do?"
I was somewhat puzzled when I heard this.
"It's similar to a theatrical troupe, but they don't sing; they just speak plainly."
Yingxiang thought for a moment and then explained it to him in simple terms.
"All the money in the house is with you, so you can do whatever you want with it. But you must be careful, there are some plays that cannot be sung casually, and they cannot be performed directly either."
After thinking for a moment, he gave his wife a few words of advice.
"Don't worry, I wouldn't dare to do anything reckless."
Yingxiang wasn't tired of living. She knew that there were always red lines, and she certainly wouldn't cross them. Since he had agreed, things were much easier. She sent him to get the money while she started looking at shops.
"Is that money enough?"
Wen Shi didn't understand business, but he knew about housing prices in the capital, and renting a shop certainly wouldn't be cheap.
"You still have money?"
Yingxiang immediately sat up from his lap and looked at Wenshi with a serious expression, accusing him of hiding money from his family.
"No, I have a colleague, and we get along quite well. His family is in business."
Wen Shi thought of Hu Yong'an. There was no need to lend him money before, but things are different now. If his wife needs it, he can borrow some.
Hu Yong'an is very generous. He often invites Wen Shi to his home for tea and drinks. Wen Shi usually refuses several times, but goes once.
"No need, that's enough. I'm renting a shop. I'll see if there's an existing teahouse I can take over. If not, I can set up a stall first."
Yingxiang lay back in Wenshi's arms. There was no need to borrow money; it would only incur favors. In the beginning, it was all a small business.
She even thought that if all else failed, she could set up a tea stall. However, she could only set up a stall in a specific place, which required renting from the government and obtaining permission. Otherwise, the government officials would definitely drive her away.
With the weather being unpredictable, many elderly men and women who run stalls will set up makeshift sheds to at least shelter their customers from the wind and rain.
Tea stalls are available in the prefectural city, let alone the capital. Yingxiang's core selling point and promotion is not tea, so she won't put a lot of effort into it; just getting by is fine.
"By the way, my husband, where do you usually find people to do work in the capital?"
In modern times, there are job fairs, talent markets, and the internet, but people in ancient times didn't know much about it.
“You can go to the market to find slave traders. These people have both old and young slaves. There are also several markets in the capital that specialize in buying and selling servants.”
If one sells oneself into slavery, one is not protected by law; whoever holds the contract, one can only obey that person.
Yingxiang was taken aback, then sighed.
The two were very close, their posture intimate. Wen Shi held her tightly, his hands starting to wander. Ying Xiang had already told him what she wanted to say, and she had almost finished planning. So they did it.
If you can't find a suitable shop, then set up a stall. This way, you can attract more passersby. At the beginning, you definitely need to advertise it so that people know about it and become curious. Then people will come to see it, and you can set a price and make money, gradually building up your business.
"Be gentle."
Looking at his wife's flushed cheeks, Wen Shi flipped her over and pinned her down, his eyes filled with desire. Yesterday, he hadn't touched her because she had just arrived and had a long journey, but today she had recovered, so he wasn't worried.
The couple had been separated for a long time, and he missed her very much.
In the latter half of the night, a strong wind picked up outside and a heavy rain began to fall.
The room was pitch black. Yingxiang clung to Wenshi's neck, and they could hear each other's breathing.
Thinking about their long-awaited reunion, Yingxiang was in a good mood. She felt more at ease with her future life. Since she was in a good mood, she didn't have to worry about being stuck during the encounter and let him do as he pleased.
As dawn approached, Wen Shi held his wife in his arms, looking very content. As if thinking of something, Yingxiang stroked his handsome face.
"My husband, let me make this clear in advance: to me, there is no difference between men and women. If you do anything to betray me, then our relationship ends here."
"As for the children, they will naturally stay with their mother."
"There's a saying that goes, 'I'd rather follow a beggar mother than a high-ranking official father.' All the money in the house is with me, so you'd better control yourself."
After Yingxiang finished speaking, Wen Shi was stunned for a moment, but after she recovered, she immediately reassured her.
"Don't worry, I told you before, it's just you."
If someone offered him a beautiful concubine, he would definitely refuse. He only wanted to live a good life with Yingxiang, and Wen Shi's heart was very firm in this regard.
"That's good."
After Yingxiang finished speaking, she yawned. Her whole body was sore and she quickly fell asleep. Wen Shi didn't think much of it, but he could only sleep for a little over an hour.
The couple originally planned for Wen Xiaowu to stay for a month, but Wen Xiaowu wanted to go back after staying for more than half a month.
"Third brother, third sister-in-law, I've rested enough. Besides, I've heard that there are convoys from the capital that go directly to our area. If I go with them, it'll be a quick trip back."
In his spare time these days, he also read the books and notes that Wen Shi had given him. His task was completed, and he would go back to read more books.
He didn't want to waste too much time, so Wen Shi glanced at him and nodded.
"Then pack your things and go back home. Tell your parents that you should remember to send some things to your third sister-in-law's family during the New Year."
"Don't worry, my second brother and sister-in-law went even though you weren't there."
The capital city is prosperous and wealthy, but after seeing it so many times, it's nothing special. It's winter now, and the nearby mountains and forests are bare and not worth seeing. Wen Xiaowu has the idea of going back.
This trip has broadened his horizons, and he will definitely work harder in the future to pass the exam.
"Third sister-in-law, I have to go back now, so I can't stay with you to look after the shop. You can come with your third brother later."
"good."
Xiao Wu is a good boy. Before he left, Yingxiang bought him a new set of clothes and also bought some things that were not available in the county for his family to take back with them.
When he arrived, he carried a bundle on his back. When he left, he had a book box given to him by Wen Shi. Inside, besides books and notes, there were also several packets of pastries and two fine calligraphy brushes.
After seeing Wen Xiaowu off, Yingxiang continued looking for another half month and finally settled on a two-story shop. She planned to rent the shop, which had previously been a food business, and she could keep the tables and chairs for future use.
"Madam, this rent is really not much. It's clear that you're serious about doing business. If you don't believe me, go out and ask around. Thirty taels a month is a very fair price."
"Twenty-six taels."
"Twenty-six taels a month, I can rent it for a year."
Yingxiang has bargaining skills, and she wants to get her business up and running after the spring. She doesn't want to delay anything, because life, though not short, is not long either, and there aren't many three-year periods.
"Rent it for two years, and I'll give you twenty-six taels a month. My shop was renovated just two years ago. Look at these tables, chairs, and benches; they're all ready-made."
The landlord, who was over forty years old, was chubby and looked nice. Yingxiang glanced around and nodded.
She is confident in herself.
“I will pay the rent monthly.”
"No problem, let's sign and put our fingerprints on it."
This shop is quite a distance from the busiest part of the city center, and the surrounding area is a residential area. Yingxiang has no intention of doing business with high-ranking officials and wealthy people, and she can't do that anytime soon.
"How much money would it cost to buy this shop?"
Yingxiang suddenly spoke up, and the shopkeeper smiled and then extended his finger.
"Ten thousand taels."
Yingxiang nodded. She also envied those who had ancestral property to collect rent, but she shouldn't think about it for the time being. Renting was fine, and she could gradually buy her own property when she had more money.
The annual rent came to over three hundred taels, which was more than Wen Shi's annual salary. Fortunately, she had the money, so the first year would definitely be fine.
The rent is paid monthly, so all she needs to do is change the signboard and buy some decent tea, and the teahouse can open right away. The stage is also easy to set up, and finding waiters for the teahouse is not difficult.
The difficulty lies with the performers. Nowadays, those who sing opera are all actors, and ordinary people certainly wouldn't want to go on stage, as they all feel ashamed. She can only go to places that buy and sell servants to find slave traders.
"Madam, I'm only selling these: little boys for thirty taels of silver, little girls for five taels, and old ladies for three taels. If you'd like to buy more, I can even give you the old lady for free. These young men are forty taels each; they're all strong and eat little. These maids are twenty taels each; they're all very diligent and perceptive. They used to work for high-ranking officials, so they're quite knowledgeable."
The next morning, Yingxiang immediately went to find people. The script was easy to handle; she already had some ideas in private. As for writing it, it would only take a few days. She needed to find the right people and make preparations so that they could perform a play before the New Year.
Ultimately, servants in this era had no dignity. Many were even locked in cages, looking pitiful. Some were a little cleaner, Yingxiang sighed inwardly after hearing what the slave trader had to say.
In this wicked feudal society, it was certainly legal for human traffickers to sell slaves; otherwise, they would have been taken away by the government long ago.
Yingxiang walked past this house and went to the next one. This slave trader was a woman over forty years old.
The woman wore a silver hairpin in her hair. She glanced at Yingxiang a few times and, seeing that her attire was decent, showed her enthusiasm.
"Madam, do you need servants to guard the house or maids to clean it? I have both. I don't have any very young ones, but I do have two old women. I have their indentures with me. If you buy too many, I'll give you two old women as a gift."
Yingxiang remained calm this time.
"I'd like to discuss a business deal with you."
"I'm in business, selling slaves. Which one do you want? Take a look?"
The slave trader looked at Yingxiang with some confusion.
"Here's the thing, I'm planning to put on a play, which will definitely make money, and I need a few people."
"If we cooperate well, I can buy all the items from the people who came with me."
Upon hearing Yingxiang's words, the slave trader stared at her with wide eyes, mostly puzzled.
"I don't know how to sing opera."
"That's not important."
Yingxiang's eyes were resolute, and then she took out her money pouch from her bosom.
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