Chapter 78 Chapter 78 The Winter Solstice has arrived. (First update)...
You have to know that Xie Da Mutton Restaurant is five rooms wide. Even the shop worth 1,800 guan they saw in the market last time was not as gorgeous and luxurious as his shop in terms of decoration.
Even though the location here is slightly worse than Zhouqiao Night Market and the housing prices are not as high as there, the shop is spacious and the decoration is exquisite. Therefore, Linzhi calculated in his mind and estimated that the price should be around 2,500 guan.
Even though the Linzhi family's business has been going smoothly recently and they are making money at a fast pace, they only have a total of 800 strings of cash on hand, and they have to keep a portion for turnover. The total amount of money they can actually take out is 700 strings of cash, which is not even enough to cover one-third of the price of the shop.
Lin Zhi put down her work and said bluntly, "If I want to take over Xie Da's Mutton Restaurant, I'll definitely have to go through the monthly loan process at the pawnshop."
Lin Sen's teeth clenched when he heard the word "monthly loan." After Manager Xie's shop was shut down by the government, his family learned from the neighborhood gossip that Manager Xie had only paid 30% in cash for the shop, with the remainder being a monthly loan from the pawnshop.
Now that Manager Xie had absconded, the pawnshop immediately reported the matter to the authorities, who stepped in to seal up the shop.
According to the rules, if the monthly loan wasn't paid for three months, the pawnshop would put the shop up for sale. The proceeds would be used to first repay the loan owed by the shopkeeper, with the remainder going to his wife and children. The new buyer would either continue to make the monthly payments or settle the debt with the pawnshop in full.
But all of this presupposes a successful sale of the shop. If it becomes embroiled in other lawsuits, the sale will be delayed, and the monthly loan interest will accrue according to the deed. The longer the delay, the higher the interest.
Lin Sen had also heard rumors that some people were unable to make ends meet because of this, and eventually their properties were sealed, and the money they received was not enough to pay off their debts, leaving them penniless.
What's more, with the previous experience of Xie Da Lamb Restaurant as a lesson, Lin Sen was not willing to take out a monthly loan. He just wanted to proceed steadily, step by step.
But then he thought, what good shop could he buy with these 600 guan? The shop they were running now was acquired at a bargain price. If it were sold normally now, it would fetch at least 360 guan.
Six hundred strings of cash was the maximum he could get, which was enough to buy a small shop with two storefronts. He would then have to spend time redecorating and moving, and even build up his network from scratch.
After all this trouble, what’s the difference between our current situation and now?
When Lin Sen thought about it, he felt that his family had a good ability to make money. With an income of more than 400 strings of cash a month, he could spend a little money on a loan...it seemed that it was not impossible?
The problem is back to the beginning.
Lin Sen's left and right brains were fighting, and after thinking for a moment, he felt a severe headache.
Seeing his brows furrowed, his fingers unconsciously rubbing the edge of the table, he looked undecided, Lin Zhi interrupted him, "Dad, there's another question. If we buy another shop, it'll be considered a second property purchase. According to the rules, the down payment should be 50%, not 30."
"Ah? Fifty percent?" Lin Sen was stunned.
"Yes," Lin Zhi raised her hand to tuck the loose hair behind her ears, thinking to herself that according to her estimated price, even if it was a 30% down payment, her own cash would not be enough.
If you really want to buy it, you have to mortgage Linzhiji to a brokerage firm for a loan, which is too risky.
"If you want it, you'll have to rely on luck." Lin Zhi shrugged and said helplessly, "If Shopkeeper Xie's case drags on a little longer, we might be able to save more money."
Lin Zhi is still very confident about the speed at which his family can save money: "Another option is leasing, but it depends on whether the next buyer is willing. If they are willing, we can sign a three- to five-year contract and work out the rest later."
"Sister Zhi." Chen Yan's voice came from outside the door. He lifted the curtain and walked in, his footsteps light and slow, as if he had just arrived and had not heard the previous conversation between the father and daughter. "Aunt Song asked me to come in and help."
"Just right." Lin Zhi stopped talking immediately, smeared the sauce on her hands, and waited for the pickled goose to be placed in the wooden basin to pickle. Then, she took an iron fork and took a pickled goose from the rack and handed it to Chen Yan: "Here, use the bamboo tube to blow air into the goose."
Chen Yan took the goose, paused, but didn't say much.
Seeing this, Lin Sen immediately put down his work and smiled: "Chen Lang, try it! I remember that the last time you saw this, you watched for a long time. Weren't you quite interested?"
By the end, Lin Sen was chomping at the bit. He still remembered the first time he puffed up a roast goose, this kid and Tao Lang happened to see him, and they both laughed so hard they nearly fell to the ground.
This time I finally got the chance, I must see this kid's embarrassment.
Lin Sen felt happy and leaned forward slightly, expecting to see Chen Yan's flustered look.
To his surprise, Chen Yan just calmly picked up the bamboo tube, inserted it into the small opening of the goose's neck, and blew air slowly. There was no redness or heat on his face, and his movements were so skillful as if he had done it thousands of times, as if this thing could not be more ordinary.
This reaction immediately made Lin Sen choke.
What made him even more upset was that when Song Jiaoniang walked into the kitchen carrying the wontons, she happened to see him staring at Chen Yan like a male ghost. Without saying a word, she reached out and grabbed his ear: "You old thing, you always find fault with Brother Yan for no reason. You are really disrespectful to your elders!"
Look, look!
Lin Sen was extremely angry. His wife was just biased!
Soon, it was the winter solstice.
The Winter Solstice is the most important festival in the eyes of the people of Bianliang. From government offices to small shops, all businesses have to close for the festival. Therefore, the city of Bianliang is much quieter in the early morning than usual. Even the steamers in the breakfast shops on the street have stopped burning.
The Linzhi family was no exception, having put up a wooden sign announcing the closure a day in advance. However, despite the closure, the family still woke up early and busied themselves in the main hall.
Lin Sen moved the square table to the center of the main hall and immediately wiped it three times with a clean rag. Song Jiaoniang then took out the tablets of both parents from a box and respectfully brought them to the square table.
Then the couple placed fine porcelain candlesticks on both sides of the tablet and a copper incense burner in the middle. They also broke off two branches and glued a few paper flowers they had cut themselves on the branches.
At the same time, Linzhi was heating the offerings prepared in advance in the kitchen.
When everything outside was ready, she brought out the full plate of dishes and placed them steadily on the square table. Finally, she put rice on top and inserted branches with paper flowers on it.
Everything was packed up, and the three of them stood facing the square table. Lin Sen took the lead, lighting the incense, bowing three times in front of the tablet before inserting the incense into the incense burner. Then, holding Song Jiaoniang and Lin Zhi's hands, they knelt together on the mat.
"Dad, Mom, and Father-in-law," Lin Sen said in a gentle, yet solemn voice, "This year we left the Xi family and moved to Bianjing. We've lived a stable life, and business is flourishing. Although we haven't been able to find your graves, we haven't forgotten to pay our respects. These dishes are all from Sister Zhi's cooking. Please try them. May our family be safe and sound, and may Sister Zhi have a smooth and prosperous future."
After saying this, Lin Sen led the mother and daughter to kowtow. Neither Lin Zhi nor her previous incarnation had ever seen their ancestors; at most, they knew a few things from their parents. For example, their grandfather and maternal grandfather were quite capable, once among the most capable men in the mansion, but they both died in the hands of bandits. Or, their grandmother was elegant and gentle, proficient in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but she passed away many years after an illness, and the old lady often missed her.
After the worship, Song Jiaoniang first put the tablet back into the box, and then the three of them gathered together to share the offerings and eat them.
After resting for a while, they went back into the house to change into new jackets, shirts and shoes. Song Jiaoniang also specially tied Linzhi's hair, pinned pearl flowers in her hair, and finally put on a cloak. Then they went out together to go to the Imperial Street to see the elephants.
As soon as they turned the corner, the three of them saw that the street was already crowded with people. Even horse-drawn carriages and donkey carts were squeezed and could not move. Some impatient passengers simply got off and joined the crowd.
Children in cotton-padded jackets were running along the street, holding sugar paintings or dough figurines in their hands, laughing and joking; women in brand new clothes, with hairpins and rings on their heads, carrying baskets on their shoulders, were greeting familiar neighbors as they walked; some young men were gathered together, discussing going to see the elephant show later.
“There are so many people—”
"Follow closely, don't get separated!" Lin Sen was afraid that his family would be separated by the crowd. Holding Song Jiaoniang with one hand and Lin Zhi with the other, he slowly moved forward with the crowd: "Don't worry, those in front are all there to see the elephants!"
After walking for about half an incense stick, a loud cheer suddenly came from the front, followed by the children's screams: "Elephant! The elephant is coming!"
Song Jiaonian immediately stood on tiptoe and looked forward following the crowd's gaze.
At first, she only saw a sea of heads. When the crowd dispersed a little, she took a deep breath and opened her mouth unconsciously: "Wow——"
In an open space not far away, dozens of soldiers holding red flags were walking slowly, followed closely by musicians holding various musical instruments, playing them in a lively atmosphere.
However, almost everyone's eyes were not on them, but were looking straight to the back, where seven elephants were slowly walking towards them.
They are two or three times taller than horses, and their ears are just as Madam Yu said, like two huge palm-leaf fans hanging on both sides of their bodies.
"Look at how thick their legs are! Are these elephants?" Song Jiaonian pulled Lin Zhi's hand, her voice trembling.
Every time the elephant took a step, she could almost feel the ground shaking. This experience made Song Jiaoniang's mouth dry: "It's much bigger than I thought!"
Although Lin Zhi was not as surprised as Song Jiaoniang, she was also reluctant to take her eyes off the elephant.
They followed the crowd until they followed the chariot and elephant team all the way to the front of Xuande Tower, and were satisfied only after watching the entire performance.
On the way back, most people were talking about elephants, and the vendors nearby also took advantage of the business opportunity to sell various elephant sculptures or portraits made of clay, wood, and kiln-fired.
Not to mention ordinary passers-by, even the Linzhi family couldn't help it, and soon they were holding several elephant sculptures in their arms.
They wandered around for most of the day, sweating and grumbling, before finally leaving Imperial Street and looking for a place to eat. "Why don't we go to Juyoulou?" Lin Sen thought of the matsutake chicken soup he'd had that day and swallowed hard. "It's the winter solstice now, so who knows what seasonal winter dishes will be available. Let's eat first, then go to the pawnshop and ask about the room."
"That's right..." Lin Zhi and Song Jiaoniang were immediately excited when they heard this. The three of them made up their minds and immediately changed direction, intending to go through the alley next to them and head towards Juyou Building.
As the Juyou Building was approaching, a man pushed several wooden barrels filled with waste past the three of them.
Linzhi subconsciously avoided him, but as the man walked away, a faint, strange smell rushed into her nostrils.
The moment she smelled it, Linzhi got goosebumps all over her body. She paused and subconsciously looked behind her.
"What's wrong?"
"...That waste bin is so smelly." Lin Zhi shook her head and complained.
"Well, it's for scrap, after all."
"That's right, but they are more hardworking than us. They even come to collect waste during the winter solstice." Song Jiaonian glanced back, a little surprised.
The more prosperous the area, the more porters the Street Office will send, and the cleaner and tidier the place will be.
The place where Linzhi's family lived was not the most prosperous area, but there were many government offices here, so the officials of the street office were more diligent than those in other places.
I never thought there would be someone more diligent here.
As the family of three sighed, they walked out of the alley and looked up to see the familiar tile house and the Juyou Building located in it.
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