Chapter 128 "Master Qianhu"
A group of Hu merchants walked in, and Zhao Xiaomi shouted into the house: "Third sister-in-law, guests are coming."
Sui Yu came out upon hearing the voice and said, "We have steamed buns, soup noodles, and flatbread. Please go inside and decide whether you want to sit in the courtyard or inside the house."
"Move out two tables and let's sit in the yard to bask in the sun." said Hu Shang, who was walking in front.
Hearing him say the word "table", Sui Yu immediately realized that this was a regular customer. She and Zhao Xiping lifted the table legs and moved it out, and casually asked, "Did you come from the west?"
"I came from Chang'an. Boss, didn't you recognize me?" The Hu man with deep brows pointed into the shop and said, "We were here last summer. There was an old man there. Ask us about the war in the west."
Sui Yu had no recollection. She smiled apologetically and said, "There are so many customers that I got it mixed up. How about this: I'll give you an extra plate of braised eggs as a thank you for coming to our business."
"Two baskets of steamed buns first, and a bowl of braised noodle soup for each person." The hungry man was impatient and ordered first, saying, "Whatever you have, hurry up."
Zhao Xiping brought two baskets of buns and placed them on the table. He opened the lid of the steamer and these people started to grab the buns directly.
Sui Yu went to boil water and cook noodles, saying, "Eat your own food. There are not many people here now, so we don't need your help."
Zhao Xiping sat down and ate a few mouthfuls of noodles and drank a few sips of soup. He stacked several bowls together in a basin, turned around and served the bowls of braised soup noodles out.
"Are you still talking about soups and water? Are there any new foods?" asked a Hu merchant.
Sui Yu remembered that last year, a group of Hu merchants left saying that they were tired of soup and asked her to make some dry food. She thought for a moment and said, "You can come back next year and order dishes and rice. This year, we are short of staff and the space is too small to set up a stall."
Just then, Mrs. Yin came in carrying a skinned rabbit. Seeing it, Hu Shang said, "Use this brine to cook us two bowls of meat. You can name the price."
Sui Yu didn't say anything. She asked Mrs. Yin to cut the meat into pieces. She used noodle soup to boil the rabbit meat, boiled away the blood foam, and then stewed it with brine.
Another guest arrived, and Sui Yu asked them to wait for a cup of tea.
"I'm going to be out for a while." Zhao Xiping said goodbye and left. After an incense stick, he came with Gan Da and Gan Er, carrying a clay pot and a stove, and added another fire to the shop.
Sui Yu glanced at him, and he explained, "From now on, when I have nothing to do, I'll go hunting. It's a good opportunity to practice my archery. I'll bring over the birds and rabbits I hunt and stew them. If someone wants to buy, I'll sell them. If no one wants, I'll keep them for ourselves."
Sui Yu was a little puzzled. He had never been one to practice archery, spending his days in the shop doing nothing. But business was busy now, so she didn't ask any further questions. Just then, the table of people enjoying rabbit meat called for the bill. She wiped her hands and walked over quickly, saying, "We just added a new pottery cauldron. If you want braised meat tomorrow, come over. You can also bring your own meat. I'll charge you for the firewood."
"If that's what you say, we'll come back tomorrow." Hu Shang burped and asked, "How much?"
"The steamed buns are 180 wen, the braised noodles are 340 wen, and the rabbit has two pounds of meat. You only need to give ten wen, which makes a total of 15 wen and 20 wen." Sui Yu calculated the bill for them and said, "The meat is too expensive. If you buy it and can't sell it, you'll lose a lot of money. If you bring the meat here, I'll only charge 80 wen per pound of meat, which is enough for the firewood."
Hu Shang gave her two strings of cash from his bag and said, "Make a note of it. We'll come back tomorrow."
Sui Yu called for Mrs. Yin to collect the dishes. She then went back into the house and said to Zhao Xiping, "Go ask the land dealer this afternoon and set a date so we can buy the land."
Before going to find the God of Earth, Zhao Xiping first determined the location of the wasteland. The inn used a lot of water, so it had to be close to the river. The terrain should be flat so that it would be convenient to transport soil when building the house. It should also be far away from the fields to prevent the camels and mules brought by the merchants from breaking free and eating the crops, or smelling the bad smell when accumulating fertilizer on the land.
After determining the approximate location, Zhao Xiping went to consult with the Earth God. The Earth God brought two land surveyors with him. That afternoon, eight acres of wasteland were measured and marked. The Earth God instructed Zhao Xiping to register and pay the money after he had thought it through.
At this time, the sunset had already appeared. Zhao Xiping ran home quickly. As soon as he ran into the alley, he saw the servants of Gu Qianhu's family knocking on his door.
"Don't knock, I'm back." Zhao Xiping said. He rushed to Gan Da who opened the door and said, "You two go to the shop and help."
Captain Gu came out upon hearing the noise and said, "You seem quite busy every day. Is business in your shop good?"
Zhao Xiping nodded and said, "When the salary is paid, I will invite you to have dinner in the shop."
"You even pay for meals in your own shop?" Captain Gu found it funny.
Zhao Xiping scratched the tip of his nose and said, "It's just pouring from the left hand to the right hand to cheer people up."
Gu Qianhu felt jealous. After all, they were a young couple and were quite clingy.
The two went together and returned together. When Zhao Xiping arrived home, Sui Yu hadn't returned yet, and no one was home. He looked around and saw that the water tank was full, there were bean stalks in the camel and sheep pens, and the pigs were sleeping in the grass nests, obviously not hungry yet. He was a little uncomfortable with the sudden lack of work, so he picked up the eggs from the chicken coop and went to the kitchen to boil water for his bath.
The water had just boiled when voices were heard outside the wall. Sui Yu and the others had returned, and Zhao Xiping went to open the door.
"I thought you weren't home yet." Sui Yu entered the house, pounding her shoulders and muttering, "I'm so busy every day. I leave home before dawn and come back after dark. My home has become a place to stay overnight."
"The shop can't be opened soon, so come with me to go hunting," said Zhao Xiping.
"You're not opening the shop anymore?" Zhao Xiaomi paused and asked anxiously, "Why don't you continue this profitable business?"
"Don't listen to your third brother's nonsense. What he says doesn't count." Sui Yu walked under the eaves, put her arm around the man's shoulders like a queen, and said, "He can't be our master. You two should quickly fetch some water and wash up, then go back to your rooms and sleep."
Only Sui Yu and Zhao Xiping knew about buying land and building houses to run an inn business. Even Sui Liang didn't know.
Zhao Xiaomi and Sui Liang each took their own wooden basins to scoop up hot water. Zhao Xiping carried the large basin to the bathroom. Sui Yu followed him in and asked, "Are you taking a shower?"
"You don't want to wash?"
Now she understood. He didn't want it because he was tired last night, but he wanted it again today after he rested.
Zhao Xiping went to get some hot water. The air was filled with steam, becoming humid and hot. He took off his clothes and quickly washed them. Seeing Sui Yu still taking her socks off slowly, he strode over and hugged her.
"The eight acres of land has been decided. I will go to pay the money and register tomorrow."
Is this the time to talk business? Sui Yu stepped on his foot and whispered, "Go back to the house. It's cold here."
"You won't be cold in a moment." The man kissed the corner of her mouth and continued down. The bellyband she wore today was the same one she had worn during her exile. It was made of silk, washed over and over again over the past four years, until it was as thin as it could be. The bright red material had faded, leaving only a light pink. It changed color with water, the pink deepening, and in two places, it even revealed a deep crimson.
Sui Yu lowered her eyes and caught a glimpse of the licking tongue in the darkness. Her cheeks flushed red and her body quickly became hot. Now she really couldn't feel the cold anymore.
The sound of a chair being dragged around was heard, and the man hugged the woman and sat on it. They were facing each other, and he held her hot fingertips and kissed them, saying, "Call me."
What are you shouting?
"Zhao Xiping?"
He held her fingertips and inserted them in. Sui Yu bit her lip and struggled to leave, but how could a man do as she wished? He leaned in close and whispered a few times, asking her how she felt.
Sui Yu called him shameless, she leaned over and bit him, gnashing her teeth and saying, "You stinky bastard."
"No." Zhao Xiping still didn't let go of her fingers.
"Xiping? My husband... No, no!" Sui Yu fell backwards, suddenly falling. She was so scared that she quickly supported herself on the ground with her hands. She felt the soft tip of the tongue sweep past her. She trembled and cursed, "You pervert! Pull me up and sit up!"
Zhao Xiping didn't listen. Sui Yu was tired and something was wrong. Later she sobbed softly, and her tears flowed across her upper eyelids and into the roots of her hair.
Finally he sat up. Sui Yu pinched him with one hand in anger and smeared the ashes on his hand on his neck.
"Shout again," he coaxed her.
It would be strange if Sui Yu could shout, but in the end, she did what the bastard wanted, "Husband", "Captain Zhao", "Captain Master", and the man felt very happy to hear it.
The water in the basin had become completely cold. Zhao Xiping, wrapped in a single layer of clothing, went to the kitchen and found a pottery cauldron full of hot water. He scooped it all over and the two of them had a good bath.
Back in bed, Sui Yu regained her strength. She pinched his skin and asked, "Where did you learn all this?"
"I figured it out on my own." Zhao Xiping was quite proud. He just did what he thought at the time. There was no need to learn such a thing.
"Does your waist still hurt?" he asked with a smile.
Sitting upside down, besides the hands supporting the ground, the waist is the most tired. Sui Yu snorted and whispered, "You might as well just break my waist."
After that, she cursed again: "You are still addicted to power. You get excited when I call you sir. I really misjudged you, you dishonest thing."
Zhao Xiping covered his face with his hands, too embarrassed to admit it, but still said stubbornly: "I'm only being frivolous with you, I don't feel that way about others."
"You're dead if you feel like this."
"No, no." Zhao Xiping hugged her and said, "Go to sleep. It's late."
Sui Yu was angry and kicked him again.
Zhao Xiping chuckled, it was really refreshing.
…
The next day, after the morning training, Zhao Xiping came back and dug out two wooden boxes from the ground. There were 150 strings of copper coins for 1,500 coins. He carried them to the government office on a shoulder pole, paid the money, and received a land deed with his name on it.
When he came out of the government office, he saw several familiar-looking soldiers receiving their salaries. He walked over with his load on his shoulder and took away a salary of one thousand coins, and the two wooden boxes were half full again.
"Captain Zhao, you didn't come to collect your grain last month or this month. Come back later to collect it." The grain officer chased him out and said, "Are you not short of grain at home? You forgot such an important matter."
"I just got back two days ago and didn't have time to come pick it up." Zhao Xiping explained, "I'll go back and come back later."
"OK."
The garrison soldiers received two stone of grain per month, and the thousand households received four stone of grain per month. Zhao Xiping carried the baskets and jars and made two trips to bring back the four stone of grain. Grinding millet and wheat husks were the jobs of Gan Da and Gan Er, so he didn't have to worry about it.
When he was free, Zhao Xiping went to the shop to help. Gan Da and Gan Er were good at doing rough work, but they were a bit clumsy in greeting customers. He sent them back and told them to carry manure to fertilize the fields when they had nothing to do, and come back to eat when it was time for dinner.
"Didn't you say you were going hunting to practice archery?" Sui Yu asked.
"I'll go tomorrow. I'm here to help you today." Zhao Xiping glanced at her arm and said, "I'll pull the noodles. You sit and light the fire."
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