Chapter 34
Lu Shang had no choice but to ask the shopkeeper about the business registration in detail.
Originally, within the territory of Dazhao, anyone who made an annual profit of more than 100 taels through business was required to go to the government office to change their business registration and pay a monthly business tax of 1 in 20, which was slightly higher than the 30 in 1 in land tax.
As for the scope of business, there are many.
From large chambers of commerce to small street vendors, as long as the revenue is high, unless they hide and avoid being discovered, they will inevitably be registered as merchants. If they are reported for not being registered, in addition to having to pay back past taxes, they will also face imprisonment.
Shopkeeper Fu said, "It's not as if there's absolutely no solution. Does Mr. Lu have any brothers?"
After receiving Lu Shang's affirmative answer, Shopkeeper Fu said, "You can choose a close brother, separate him from the family, and register him as a merchant. You can then trade under his name, and you only need to pay him a certain amount of compensation every year."
This situation occurs in many places and is the best way to avoid the disadvantages brought by business registration.
Although traveling for business can earn more than farming, in that era, who doesn't want to have a scholar? If one can pass the imperial examination and get a government job, then he can completely change his life and become a member of the gentry.
The method that Manager Fu suggested is indeed fine, but it is not suitable for Lu Shang.
Lu Xian was the only one in the Lu family who could split up and open a separate household registration. He didn't have much friendship with Lu Xian, and with Wang Cuilian standing in the way, if he really did business under his name, it would probably be full of trouble in the end, and he didn't know what kind of trouble it would cause.
Lu Shang thought for a moment and asked again, "If I become a merchant, can I change back?"
Shopkeeper Fu frowned, "It seems there are some rules, but I haven't heard of them in all these years. It can't be a simple method, otherwise why would the young master follow his mother's family?"
"Okay, I'll think about it."
Lu Shang talked about the gains from visiting various villages these days and pondered, "I think the Yang family's ducks should be fine. Isn't Guanhelou considering resuming its supply relationship with them?"
Shopkeeper Fu shook his head. "The words have already been spoken, there is no reason to change them. Besides, although their ducks are good, they are not irreplaceable. If we really can't do anything else, we can go to the neighboring town to buy more. It is impossible to resume cooperation with them."
"Well, I haven't asked you about your requirements for the meat duck yet?"
Shopkeeper Fu thought about it and simply went to the door to call the waiter, asking him to prepare a Typhoon Shelter Duck. When he came back, he explained, "We still have a few ducks in the store, but they have been out for a few days and are not as fresh as the freshly slaughtered ones. Young Master, please try them."
The two of them were not idle while waiting. Lu Shang talked about vegetables and fresh fish again. It was a pity that all the vegetables here were grown by themselves. No matter how low the cost of purchasing from outside was, it was not as cost-effective as growing them by themselves. Lu Shang had no choice but to give up.
This is the fish—
Shopkeeper Fu said, "We don't have many dishes using fish. We usually buy them directly on the street. We don't use them when we buy in large quantities, so we just buy some small quantities."
Lu Shang said, "Wouldn't the restaurant consider adding some fish soup, fish stew, grilled fish, etc."
Shopkeeper Fu was immediately delighted: "Sir, you really always have new ideas... Speaking of which, we tried the braised dish recipe you gave us last time, and it tasted really good, even better than the one we had before. We only used it a few days ago, and our regular customers are all praising it."
"The young master said that the young master trusted us and gave us the recipe. We can't let you suffer a loss. The value of the recipe is hard to estimate. Do you think we should pay you 300 taels in one lump sum, or calculate it based on distribution, giving you a certain amount of profit for each copy sold?"
Lu Shang didn't expect such a pleasant surprise.
When it comes to making money, distribution is definitely the most suitable option. As long as Guanhelou is open, he will have a steady stream of income, which will be enough to cover his family's expenses.
But he was still thinking of using Guanhelou to open up his business. Originally, when he handed over the recipe, he didn't expect to make more money. It was enough to establish a good relationship with the young master of Guanhelou.
As his thoughts turned, he quickly made a decision: "Your store hired me, gave me a chance, and paid for the goods in advance. I have to be worthy of this trust."
"Since the recipe has been given to you and the young master, it naturally belongs to you. If Shopkeeper Fu wants to buy peace of mind, then give me twenty taels. From now on, I will definitely not tell the recipe to anyone else except for my own consumption."
"That won't do, that won't do!" Although he said so, Shopkeeper Fu laughed so hard that his eyes couldn't open. "You can't take advantage of me like this—"
Lu Shang tried to refuse him again, and finally bought out the braised dish recipe for fifty taels.
This undoubtedly gave him a new idea for making money: "I wonder if Shopkeeper Fu has time? How about I treat you to a fish feast?"
"A full fish feast?" Shopkeeper Fu realized, "Is that the fish soup and grilled fish that the young master just had?"
Lu Shang nodded slightly: "Exactly."
Shopkeeper Fu said with a smile, "Master Lu's intention to treat me to a fish feast was fake. His real intention was to ask me to purchase a large quantity of fresh fish for Guanhelou, right?"
Lu Shang curved his eyebrows but smiled without saying anything.
Manager Fu did not completely refuse this matter. If the fish made by Lu Shang really tasted good, it would not be a problem to add a few new dishes to the restaurant.
"That's fine, I'll wait for news from you!"
"Okay, my wife and I are planning to move to town. We'll settle down in a few days, and on the day we move into our new home, we'll treat Shopkeeper Fu to a fish feast."
Shopkeeper Fu agreed readily.
As he was speaking, the Typhoon Shelter Duck was ready, and two pots of sake were served along with it.
Shopkeeper Fu personally introduced: "Guanhelou's Typhoon Shelter Duck is mainly savory and sweet. The duck meat is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. It melts in your mouth and leaves a lingering fragrance. It is paired with chives and fine sugar to enhance the flavor. To prevent greasy feeling, we also added sake to relax."
Before starting to eat, Lu Shang first toasted to Shopkeeper Fu.
For some reason, Shopkeeper Fu was very flattered and agreed immediately. He also asked the waiter to prepare an extra portion, including some signature dishes and fried snacks, for Lu Shang to take back.
Since he came here to inquire about the quality requirements for meat duck, Lu Shang carefully tasted this signature dish.
It must be said that this is the basis for Guanhelou to become bigger and stronger.
After going through multiple processing steps, the duck has completely lost its fishy smell, and the whole duck is soaked in special seasonings from the inside out. It is fragrant and not vulgar, with layers of flavor, which is unique in its own way.
After tasting it carefully, Lu Shang was able to figure out the difference between the ducks in the store.
The success of this duck is not only due to the chef's skills, but also the quality of the duck itself. The duck meat in the restaurant is three parts fat and seven parts lean. It has just enough fat to withstand long-term roasting and allow the fat to fully penetrate into the lean meat.
The ducks sold to Guanhelou must not only be tender but also plump and just the right amount of fat.
Shopkeeper Fu asked, "Does Mr. Lu have any ideas?"
Lu Shang wiped the grease from his mouth and said, "I see. I think I know what kind of duck would catch the eye of Shopkeeper Fu and the Young Master."
"Good!" Shopkeeper Fu said happily.
After three rounds of drinks, there was a hint of confusion in Manager Fu's eyes.
He looked at Lu Shang who was sitting opposite him, and suddenly said with regret: "It's a pity that the young master has returned to the capital, otherwise, if he knew that Master Lu was coming, he would definitely come to see you in person."
"What?" Lu Shang was curious.
Shopkeeper Fu leaned forward and whispered, "To be honest, my young master is always busy with the family business, but his heart is not really in it. He's still thinking about passing the imperial examinations and becoming an official!"
"Last time you stayed in your hometown and never told me that you had become a scholar. The young master only found out later and regretted it deeply. He felt that he had missed the opportunity to learn from the scholar."
"And your wife... I don't think I should say this, but the young master doesn't mean any harm. I just admired your beautiful handwriting when I saw it last time. Now that I see that she's the wife of a scholar, it's no wonder she's quite talented."
Lu Shang found it funny and once again realized the convenience brought by being a scholar.
Shopkeeper Fu added, "The young master said that the next time we meet, he must ask for your advice. If you can help him pass the provincial examination, you will be his great benefactor, his second father!"
"..." Lu Shang didn't know what to say next.
Seeing that Shopkeeper Fu was about to continue nagging, Lu Shangke didn't dare to sit down any longer. He hurriedly said, "How about this, it's getting late, and I have to hurry home. Shopkeeper Fu, how about we stop here today?"
"Ah? You're leaving now?" Shopkeeper Fu slapped his forehead and barely regained consciousness.
He felt a little regretful, but after all, the young master was not around, so there was nothing else to do by keeping Lu Shang.
He called the waiter over and learned that everything he had asked him to prepare was ready, so he didn't hesitate: "Then take these dishes back, and ask Madam to try them."
Lu Shang thanked him and left Guanhe Tower with the food box.
After finishing the business of Guanhe Tower, Lu Shang still had to go to the brokerage firm to inquire about the houses for rent or sale in the town.
There are many vacant houses in the town, but it takes a lot of effort to find one that is satisfactory in every aspect.
The broker asked, "Sir, do you want to rent or buy? What's your price?"
Lu Shang said: "I'm not sure whether to rent or buy. The price can be adjusted. I just want to find a place with good security and a good location. It would be best if it has two or three rooms and a small yard."
In fact, he had more requests, but if he listed them all at once, it would be difficult for Ya Xing to express them. It would be better to pick out a few of the most important ones and talk about the rest separately.
The broker understood: "In that case, I have four or five places for you to choose from."
"One of these is near the suburbs. The house is large and quiet. Although the security isn't as good as in town, hiring a few doormen will solve the problem..."
After the broker introduced them one by one, Lu Shang selected three of them and went to take a look in person.
In the end, he paid a deposit of thirty cents, so that when he came back next time, this agent would still be responsible, and the agent would also keep an eye out for some good houses for him.
The broker happily saw him off and said, "Then I'll wait for good news from the master!"
On the way back, Lu Shang went to the shop where he bought the cream last time. He heard that they had new products specially for wiping the face.
The new ointment is not cheap, a small box costs two taels of silver.
However, Lu Shangcai used the recipe for braised dishes to exchange for fifty taels. Two taels per box is two taels, so he not only bought it, but also bought two boxes at once.
Then there are some street snacks, and I buy only the novelties.
Lu Shang had only recently noticed that Jiang Wanning was not picky about food, but she preferred sweets, and things that looked good and delicate, which always made her happy.
Lu Shang bought a bag of crispy candies, two small things made of malt sugar, and finally a bag of sweet fruit filled with sugar, and then called it a day.
He hid all the food at the bottom of his backpack, and also took out two portions of snacks that he had packed back from Guanhe Tower.
After sorting out all these things, Lu Shang left Tang Town, found Uncle Pang who was waiting at the old place, got in the car and waited to go home.
Uncle Pang was very happy when he saw him. Even the food box in his hand, which looked very valuable, was not as attractive as Lu Shang himself.
The reason, of course, was for his precious grandson.
There was no one else on the ox cart. Lu Shang replied intermittently, and it was unclear what he was talking about. But Uncle Pang was envious: "Jiang is good. She can also read and study. She can also help you, Mr. Lu, teach the children. Unlike my family, the women can only do odd jobs."
Lu Shang thought: "How did Mr. Pang know that Aning could read?"
"My dear grandson said so!" Grandpa Pang said calmly, "He said that he once saw your wife writing, and her handwriting was so fluent, much better than his."
Although he also knew that his little grandson could not write many words, but Jiang Wanning could write fluently, so he definitely knew more than just thirty or fifty words.
Lu Shang tentatively said, "I'm busy sometimes too. If I ask Aning to teach them how to write..."
"Of course I should." Uncle Pang didn't care at all. "It's just learning to read. It doesn't matter who teaches you." If there is someone in his family who can read, he can teach him himself.
Anyway, seeing his attitude, Lu Shang breathed a sigh of relief.
No matter what Mr. Pang behind him asked, his answer was also enthusiastic.
Grandpa Pang asked, "There are two families in our village who would like to send their children here to learn a few characters. Mr. Lu, do you think you can accept them?"
"Oh, no hurry, no hurry, let's talk about this later."
Uncle Pang thought he was declining politely, and although he felt sorry, he didn't pursue the matter any further.
When we returned to Lujia Village, it was evening and time to start cooking.
Uncle Pang drove the ox cart into the village, not only to send Lu Shang off, but also to pick up Pang Liang.
The two children were completely immersed in the "Thousand Character Classic" this afternoon. They were so confused and miserable while learning it that their minds were still foggy when they came out.
But when Grandpa Pang saw him like this, instead of blaming him, he was even more happy: "Oh, that's right. Studying is always tiring. You should thank the teacher's wife for taking so much trouble to teach you..."
No matter whether the children are happy or not, the parents are happy anyway.
After seeing off the two families, Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning also entered the house together.
There were people in the yard, so naturally they saw the many things he brought back. Wang Cuilian sat at the door of her room, her eyes rolling around. She had not returned the three taels of silver from last night, and it seemed that he had some evil thoughts again.
However, this time, Lu Shang didn't go to the kitchen at all. He took everything on his hands and back back to the room.
Once the door is closed, you can no longer hear anything outside.
After he put down the paper he had picked up from the bookstore and the things he had bought specifically for Jiang Wanning, he called her over to look at the food box: "Take a look and see if there's anything you like. I'll leave it for you."
He pointed to the basket beside him and said, "There are crispy candies and malt sugar dolls in it. I've left the two plates of snacks I brought from Guanhe Tower with you. I don't know what you like for the rest, so you can choose it yourself. I'll take it out when you're done."
Jiang Wanning was delighted by what he said. She leaned over to pick some and left a portion of candied cherry meat.
Lu Shang laughed at her: "Why are you like a child? You only like sweets. Be careful not to get cavities, or you will regret it."
Jiang Wanning ignored him and happily went to get the candy, unable to hide the smile on her face.
After she was happy, she remembered, "So many things must have cost a lot of money. Did my husband close the deal for Guanhe Tower?"
"No, it's the braised dish recipe I gave them last time. The store found it very useful, so we bought it. From now on, the recipe belongs to them."
"This is fifty taels for the braised dish recipe. I spent some on shopping along the way, so I have a little over forty-five taels left. I'll give it all to you. Keep it safe."
"Then there's the money for the calligraphy. Boss Huang saw that your handwriting was really good, so he raised the price to one tael of silver per copy. He also gave you four sheets this time, and he wants to change it to two per ten days. If you have extra, he'll give you extra money. Just write as you see fit, and don't get too worked up."
"As for the houses in town, I've looked at a few. Each has its own advantages and disadvantages. I'll tell you more about them tonight..."
After this trip, he earned another 47 taels and 6 qian.
Jiang Wanning carefully put them away and placed them together with the silver bills. Even though these money were much smaller than the silver bills, they actually belonged to them after all, which made them feel more at ease.
As for the people waiting at the door of the bookstore for letters to be written for them, Lu Shang had remembered them earlier, but now he had forgotten them again and could not think of them until he went to bed.
When Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning went out again, a group of people were already sitting in the yard.
The adults didn't show it obviously, but the children's eyes were all glued to the food box in his hand. Lu Yaozu swallowed his saliva and asked loudly, "Brother, what delicious food did you bring back again?"
Lu Shang glanced at him, and thinking of his attitude towards Jiang Wanning, he sneered: "You don't get any of the delicious food. I brought this for your sister-in-law. Ask her if she's willing to give it to you."
"How come there is no more..." Lu Yaozu muttered unhappily, and kept banging his chopsticks on the table, but he didn't dare to show off his power.
Lu Shang placed the food box on the table, and Ma brought up the fried beans.
The dishes she cooked were different from Jiang Wanning's. There was no meat or fish in her dishes, not even an egg. Just a handful of beans and a handful of salt, and that was a dish.
There are two more vegetarian dishes, which are prepared in the same way.
As soon as the dishes were served, Lu Shang pushed them all in front of Lu Yaozu: "Eat more. Only when you are full will you have the energy to argue with your elders."
He was not partial. He gave two of the three dishes to Lu Yaozu and one to Lu Guangzong.
He was even considerate enough to get some steamed buns and give two to each person to ensure they were full.
After this action, who wouldn’t say he is a good brother?
However, the two people who were treated differently did not feel happy at all. They just had sad faces and almost cried.
Lu Shang invited Jiang Wanning to sit down, and also called Ma and others to sit down, and then he slowly brought out the dishes from the food boxes. Every time he took out a dish, he would circle it in front of Lu Guangzong and Lu Yaozu, letting them smell the aroma.
Others were puzzled by his actions, but Grandma Lu, who knew a little about it, had some guesses.
She opened her mouth, but no words of persuasion came out.
There were six dishes in the food box, excluding the candied cherry meat that Jiang Wanning had left in advance, there were five more, all of which were Guanhelou's signature dishes.
When several dishes were placed on the table, everyone was surprised.
Wang Cuilian, who was sitting at the door, didn't bother to pretend to be reserved. She ran over and was about to sit down.
Unexpectedly, Lu Shang suddenly stopped her and asked politely, "Did you forget something, Second Mother?"
"What?"
"When do you plan to return the three taels of silver I gave you last night?"
"No, you really want me to pay it back!" Wang Cuilian said this as if she was right. If she were in a weaker position, perhaps she would just let it go.
Lu Shang nodded: "After all, three taels is not a small amount of money. I'd better trouble Er Niang to return it as soon as possible, otherwise today's meal——"
He didn't say everything, but it's not difficult to guess what he left unsaid.
Wang Cuilian was so angry that her lips were shaking, but the experience of the past few days told her that it was useless to act like a spoiled child with Lu Shang, and in the end it would only make her lose face.
Such a large table of dishes smelled so good that she was tempted to try them, but if she had to exchange them for three taels of silver...
Wang Cuilian stood up: "I don't want to eat anymore!"
Lu Shang did not stop him and responded lightly.
After Wang Cuilian left, he looked at Lu Guangzong and Lu Yaozu again: "Are you two not going to eat either?"
They didn't take any money, so they wiped their mouths greedily and said, "Eat!"
"Did you get your sister-in-law's consent? She worked so hard to teach you how to read and write, and you didn't appreciate it, but you threw the pen and paper away. Do you have any respect for your elders?"
His voice was very stern, and even though he was sitting, his aura was not weak at all.
The two little ones suddenly didn't dare to speak.
When he lectured someone, the others wouldn't join in and draw their wrath. Grandma Lu would at most say, "Do you realize your mistake? Why don't you apologize to your eldest brother and his wife?"
The two exchanged glances. Lu Yaozu was probably still reluctant, but Lu Guangzong was a man of tact. He stood up suddenly and bowed to Lu Shang and Jiang Wanning in turn: "Brother, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have broken your things!"
"I'm sorry, sister-in-law. I shouldn't have contradicted you!"
With him demonstrating in front of him, Lu Yaozu didn't dare to insist. His attitude was not as upright as Lu Guangzong's, and he was forced by Lu Shang to repeat himself before he gave up.
It was only when Jiang Wanning said "it's okay" that the matter was over.
Because of this little incident before the meal, the others were still frightened and were much more careful when speaking to Lu Shang. Only when the dishes and chopsticks collided on the table did they make some strange noises.
Ma carried her daughter out. She picked up a fresh shrimp the size of a finger, chewed it up and fed a little to her daughter. She then dipped it in some soup and carefully put it into her daughter's mouth.
Jiang Wanning was eating while watching absentmindedly when she accidentally met the baby's eyes. Her eyes suddenly widened as if she was disturbed.
After a sumptuous dinner, Lu Lao Er took a stool to the village entrance to chat. Lu Xian and Ma took their daughter back to the room, and the remaining children also had their own arrangements.
After helping to clear the table, Lu Shang was about to go back to his room, but was stopped by Grandma Lu.
There was a hint of worry on her face: "Shang'er..."
"What's wrong, grandma?" Lu Shang had no choice but to sit back.
Jiang Wanning glanced over here and saw that there was nothing for her to do, so she wiped her hands and went back early.
I only heard Grandma Lu ask, "These dishes you brought back today must have cost a lot of money, right?"
Lu Shang didn't say yes or no: "What's wrong?"
But Grandma Lu's face looked even more worried. "I see you've spent a lot of money these days. I'm not saying that's a bad thing, but you see, you haven't read a book in a while, right?"
Only then did Lu Shang understand what she meant.
He thought about it and decided to tell the truth: "Grandma, I told you before that I might not continue with the scientific expedition. It's really because I had a serious illness and saw many things clearly."
"It's certainly good to become an official through the imperial examination, but grandma, have you ever thought about how a scholar like me who came from a remote mountain village can compare to those trained by a big family? Even if I pass the exam, I don't know where I'll be assigned to become a minor official, and I won't be able to come back for most of my life."
"Besides, given my health, I'd definitely have to spend a lot of money to support myself. Even if I became an official, if I were an honest official, I wouldn't have much income and would eventually die in office because I couldn't buy medicine. If I were a corrupt official, I'd be killed if I were discovered one day."
"Does grandma just want to see me die?"
"Of course not!" Grandma Lu felt something was wrong, but she couldn't find any words to refute. As she listened to him, she was actually somewhat convinced.
"So you are now..."
"I'm just running a small business right now. I want to make some money first and get my health back on track. If I want to take the exam again later, it won't be too late to review and take the exam."
Lu Shang closed his eyes and said, "I spent a lot of money on the things I brought back these days, but some of them were given to me by others, just like the dishes tonight. The restaurant sent them to me to curry favor with me because they needed something from me."
"So impressive...but didn't you just start your business?" Grandma Lu was confused.
Lu Shang said, "Hey, it's not that I have some talent for business. If someone like me could easily pass the imperial examination, I'm sure I'll be good at business."
"Okay, grandma, don't worry about it. I know everything."
Grandma Lu was helpless: "Okay then, then you, then you must not steal or rob. It's okay if you really can't make any money. Grandma will find a way to support you. You must not go to jail."
Lu Shang was very pleased with her advice, and a hint of warmth appeared in his eyes: "Okay, I'll remember it."
"Then go and have some rest. You must be exhausted after running around outside all day. Grandma won't keep you here any longer. Wait until tomorrow morning and I'll cook you some duck eggs."
"That's great, Grandma, let's go kill a duck tomorrow and make a pot of soup for everyone to nourish them."
"Okay, I'll do as you say." Even Grandma Lu couldn't deny that the quality of life at home had improved dramatically since her eldest grandson stopped studying.
The meat and fish that can be eaten every now and then is not something that ordinary people can afford.
Lu Shang sent Grandma Lu back to her room. It took a lot of effort to convince her.
When he returned to the room, he saw that Jiang Wanning had prepared hot water for washing feet and a towel for wiping, and everything was ready by the bed.
She had already washed up and was kneeling at the head of the bed, holding a book of some kind in her hand.
Seeing Lu Shang coming back, she looked up and said, "Come here, my husband, soak your feet and take a rest."
Lu Shang did not refuse. He took off his coat and pulled up his trouser legs. The moment his feet stepped into the hot water, he breathed a sigh of relief.
When he turned around, he saw that Jiang Wanning had put down the book and was staring at him without blinking.
"What, what happened..."
Jiang Wanning smiled: "Husband, didn't you want to tell me about the house in town?"
"Oh oh oh, the house——" Lu Shang remembered.
He organized his words: "I've seen three houses today. They're all just the best among the short ones. They're just barely passable among the houses, but not great."
"One of the houses is behind Tanghua Street. It has a three-story courtyard. Officials patrol the area on weekdays, so the security is pretty good. It's also near the commercial street, so it's very convenient for buying and selling things. But again, because it's near the commercial street, it can be a bit noisy on weekdays, and the neighborhood can be a bit complicated."
"The second house is near Qingyuan Street, right next to the town's academy. It's inhabited by locals and some scholars, so it's quite quiet. However, the house is a bit small, with only two rooms, a kitchen, and a small courtyard. There's nowhere to store things, and the price is a bit high, more than fifty taels more expensive than the previous one."
Jiang Wanning was originally interested in the second one, but when she heard the price, she immediately gave up.
She asked, "What about the last one?"
"The last one is two streets behind the county government office. The security is good and the house is not small, with four rooms, a kitchen and a utility room, and a vegetable garden in the yard." It sounded like it met the most basic needs of the two people.
"What's wrong with that?"
Lu Shang sighed and said, "According to what the broker said, the feng shui of this house is a bit bad."
"Over twenty years ago, this house was attacked by bandits. Over a dozen members of a family were wiped out overnight. It was later bought by a scholar from out of town. He passed the imperial examination and unexpectedly died inexplicably at home while returning home to visit his family. After him, two or three other families moved in, but either they lost their children or their businesses went bankrupt. In short, their fates weren't good."
And most importantly, one of the families was originally an official in the court, but was framed and thrown into prison, and later the entire family was exiled.
Lu Shang was afraid of causing Jiang Wanning sadness, so he hid this last family.
He said: "After that, no one dared to buy this house, and it has been abandoned ever since."
It was just a coincidence that the broker introduced it to him, but Lu Shang actually went to see it.
He was not superstitious about Feng Shui and the like, but he was also respectful of it. Besides, Jiang Wanning was there, so if she was averse to these things, he would simply not consider it.
Jiang Wanning thought for a long time: "How much do these households cost?"
"The first one is 230 taels, the second one is 280 taels, and the last one is only 200 taels." Lu Shang comforted him, "Just know that there are these families. Next time you go to town, I'll take you to see them. Maybe you can find a better one."
The next time I go to town will also be close, seven or eight days at most.
Jiang Wanning knew that this matter could not be rushed, so she agreed for the time being.
After discussing the house, Lu Shang thought of something more important: "There's one more thing. Today I heard the owner of Guanhe Tower say that if you make over a hundred taels of silver a year through business, you have to change your status to a merchant. Does Aning know about this?"
Jiang Wanning finally remembered what she had neglected these days.
She was startled at first, then her body tensed up. "That's true. I forgot to remind you... Fortunately, I haven't earned more than a hundred taels yet, so it's not time to change my nationality yet."
Lu Shang asked, "I also heard that people with merchant status can't take the imperial examinations, but there are exceptions. Can they change back to agricultural status or something else?"
"No, once you become a merchant, there is no possibility of changing your nationality, unless a female member of your family gets married, then you can follow her husband's family. As for us..." Jiang Wanning blinked.
"As for the imperial examinations my husband mentioned, there are exceptions. Dazhao law stipulates that merchants who make exceptional contributions to the court can receive special privileges. However, as far as I know, this has only occurred once since the founding of Dazhao."
"That was during a flood in the south of the Yangtze River one year. A wealthy businessman gave away all his wealth to help the Jiangnan government resettle the victims. He later reported this to the court. The emperor, in recognition of his kindness, set a precedent. He could either allow his children to pass the imperial examinations, or he could allow his three generations of nobles to maintain their titles. The businessman chose the latter. The present-day Earl of Huai'an in the capital is a descendant of that wealthy businessman."
Not to mention that such a major natural disaster is rare in a century, even if it really happens, how many merchants would be willing to spend all their wealth?
There are exceptions to the law, and the conditions are so strict that they cannot be easily met.
Jiang Wanning was a little nervous: "If my husband changes his status to merchant, he will not only lose the qualification to take the imperial examination, but also his current status as a scholar." Although she had no prejudice against merchants, she also knew how important the status of a scholar was to a farmer.
Lu Shang had considered this situation on the way back, and now it was just to destroy his lucky mentality.
He sat quietly, and Jiang Wanning also calmed down.
After a long while, Lu Shang suddenly said, "Then change your nationality to a merchant."
As soon as these words were spoken, Jiang Wanning sat up straight. She opened her mouth, but found that she was so shocked that she couldn't say anything.
Lu Shang laughed at himself and said, "I can barely afford to eat, why am I still thinking so much about what I'm going to do in the future?"
"Manager Fu also said that we could separate the brothers in the family and only let him register as a citizen. Then I could do business under his name. But I think this is not appropriate, so forget it."
"There's no rush to change your nationality to a merchant. I'm just saying hello so you can be mentally prepared. Of course—" Lu Shang closed his eyes. "If Aning doesn't think it's appropriate, then I'll think of other ways. In fact, after all, I'm not too sure."
Jiang Wanning finally regained some of her shock. She curled her fingers and said, "Husband, you said... don't you feel sorry for losing your status as a scholar?"
Is it a pity?
This was not something Lu Shang had earned through examination, he really didn't feel any pressure.
But in front of other people, he couldn't say this, so he could only shake his head and avoid explaining.
Changing nationality is too important a matter to be decided in a short time. Besides, even if it really needs to be changed, should it be done by the entire Lu family, or just Lu Shang?
There are too many things involved and there is still a lot to sort out.
Because of this incident, Jiang Wanning couldn't sleep well all night.
However, Lu Shang, who proposed this, was carefree. He even started snoring in the second half of the night and slept until dawn.
Of course Jiang Wanning wanted to discuss it thoroughly, but looking at Lu Shang's expression, she knew that in such a big matter, the people who were actually harmed were not in a hurry, so why should she be in a hurry?
After realizing this, Jiang Wanning felt relieved.
The next day she got up early and called Lu Shang, and they went out to practice gymnastics together.
After the practice, Lu Shang was out of breath, but he pinched his arms and they didn't seem as soft as before.
"I don't know if it's the effect of the gymnastics or the effect of me running around these days..." He muttered a few words. Anyway, there were changes, so he didn't bother to find out who was responsible.
Grandma Lu cooked duck eggs as promised, and also cooked two eggs, and gave them all to Lu Shang.
When she wasn't paying attention, Lu Shang stuffed the egg into Jiang Wanning's mouth and whispered, "Don't forget there's food in the house. Eat the cherry meat today, otherwise it will go bad."
Jiang Wanning also whispered: "Okay."
Jiang Wanning sent him to the door and watched his figure disappear before returning.
Unexpectedly, after thinking about it all night, Grandma Lu still felt that Lu Shang's decision to give up studying and go into business was inappropriate. She couldn't persuade Lu Shang, so she had to try another approach.
Jiang Wanning, who slept with Lu Shang, became her target.
"Wan Ning——" Grandma Lu walked over with a smile and greeted her first.
After the pleasantries were almost over, Grandma Lu said, "You know Shang'er has been busy with business lately, right?"
Jiang Wanning nodded in response.
"Oh, I've thought about it over and over again, and I feel that this is still inappropriate. It's just that I, an old woman, don't know much, and I can't persuade him. Wan Ning, you are different. Shang'er, he listens to you!"
Jiang Wanning really had no idea where Grandma Lu came to this conclusion. She felt embarrassed and ashamed, and couldn't think of how to respond, so she could only listen silently.
"Can you persuade him? He can do business, but he can't devote all his attention to it. Can't he review his studies during his free time during the day or after he comes home at night?"
"Should be... right?" Jiang Wanning stammered.
Grandma Lu was satisfied: "See, I said, how about this, Wan Ning, when Shang'er comes back, can you help grandma persuade him? Don't say it was me who said it, just say it was you who felt it, and ask him to at least study hard, okay?"
Jiang Wanning hesitated: "...Okay."
With her consent, Grandma Lu was completely relieved.
To express her gratitude, she went to boil another egg and stuffed it into Jiang Wanning's mouth no matter what. "Eat more and get yourself well so you can give Shang'er a big fat boy soon!"
"!" Jiang Wanning never expected that the topic would shift here.
Thinking about the fact that she had never done anything inappropriate with Lu Shang, these words made her blush even more. She felt hot from head to toe, and her whole head was steaming.
"I, I... I don't want to eat anymore. I'm going back first!" Jiang Wanning was afraid that if she stayed any longer, something would make her even more furious. She hurriedly put the eggs back on the table, and ran into the room without caring about Grandma Lu's greetings from behind.
Because of this, her heart was not at peace for the whole day. Even when she was sewing Lu Shang's shirt, she pricked him several times because of distraction, causing several blood beads to appear on her right index finger.
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