In the teahouse.
Zheng Ruqian and Fang Heng sat down next to Jiang Sheng, picked up a cup of tea with a serious air, and sipped it with appreciative sounds.
"Second brother, third brother, how are you?" Jiang Sheng asked, resting her chin on her hand, her eyes sparkling.
What else can we do?
The fact that he returned after only a short time apart suggests that the cooperation was never finalized.
However, this was all expected. Xu Mo was not surprised, and Zheng Ruqian was not discouraged.
They finished their tea like dogs chewing on peonies, then sat there calmly and collectedly.
They chatted about this and that, then talked about the provincial examination in August, then lamented how expensive things were in the prefectural city, with a cup of tea costing ten coins.
About an incense stick later, a waiter rushed out of the You Ran Ju restaurant in the prefectural city, looking left and right as if he were looking for someone.
Xu Mo put down his teacup, a smile playing on his lips. "Second brother, you're here."
Zheng Ruqian tidied his appearance and, with Fang Heng in tow, swaggered into the street.
The waiter, who had just been feeling down, was overjoyed when he saw him. "This...this young master."
Zheng Ruqian felt completely comfortable and couldn't help but let out an "Ah~~~" sound.
People used to call him "little thing," "little kid," or "youngster," but this is the first time someone has called him "young master," a title of such high esteem.
Zheng Ruqian was so satisfied that even his pores were trembling, to the point that he forgot to reply.
Fang Heng silently reached out and slapped him on the buttocks.
Zheng Ruqian snapped out of his reverie and quickly put on a calm and generous smile, "Is there anything I can help you with?"
"It's like this, young master. We just fried and cooked your cured pork, and because it was so fresh and delicious, it won the favor of several regular customers. Our manager would like to discuss buying a few dozen catties of cured pork from you." The waiter said with a smile.
"Only a few dozen kilograms?" Zheng Ruqian was a little disappointed. "Then we may have to wait a little while. We have a cooperation agreement with Youranju in Xieyang County for 500 kilograms, so we have to supply Xieyang County first."
The waiter was taken aback.
The shopkeeper thought that if he ordered a few dozen kilograms, these two little brats would be trembling with gratitude.
Who would have thought that they didn't care at all?
"I...I...I need to go and discuss this with the manager." The waiter ran back to Youranju as fast as he could, as if he had been chased by a dog.
Zheng Ruqian pursed his lips, straightened his clothes, and suddenly sighed, "Third brother, I think I should spend a fortune on a new outfit."
This fine cloth robe is somewhat unworthy of the title "young master".
Even if you can't afford something as luxurious as what the young master of the Jiang family wears, you should at least have a silk robe.
The thought of changing my clothes and walking down the street with a dashing air, attracting the affection of all the people, is truly inspiring.
They called out to each other in turn.
"Young master, young master, young master."
Zheng Ruqian was grinning foolishly when he was suddenly hit again, only then realizing that his voice was almost hoarse from calling out "Little Brother".
"Young master, I've already informed the manager, and he said he also wants five hundred catties." The waiter looked puzzled. "What happened to you just now? I called you many times but you didn't respond."
Zheng Ruqian shut his mouth.
What could he say? That he was dreaming in broad daylight?
That would be too damaging to the image of my young master.
“Five hundred catties is fine. We need to sign a contract and pay a deposit. Delivery will be made to your door in about twenty days,” Zheng Ruqian said, regaining his serious demeanor.
Fang Heng turned around behind him, looking rather helpless.
Just then, I spotted a figure in pure black and quickly dodged behind the shelves selling goods.
If this were anywhere else, Fang Heng would have thought he was seeing things, but this was the prefectural city, the prefectural city of the Wang family. Such a sneaky figure immediately set off alarm bells in Fang Heng's mind.
Not long after, Zheng Ruqian came out happily with the deposit and contract.
"Third brother, let's go."
The two brothers entered the teahouse and slammed the two taels of silver as a deposit on the table.
"Wow, Second Brother is amazing! He closed the deal so quickly." Jiang Sheng's eyes sparkled even more.
Zheng Ruqian was practically floating on air. "Who told me to make my cured meat such a rare commodity?"
Because of its rarity, its deliciousness, and its uniqueness, even the arrogant Fucheng Youranju restaurant was willing to order 500 jin in one go.
On the contrary, nobody wanted the dishes.
But it doesn't matter, it's summer now, and vegetables can be bought everywhere, so Zheng Ruqian's dishes seem ordinary. Only in winter, when all kinds of fresh vegetables are transported from distant places, are rare in major restaurants.
The siblings got up, and Jiang Sheng deftly put the two taels of deposit into her small gold purse.
Now it depends on whether Zhang Qiquan has found a suitable place.
They returned to the place where they had originally parted ways.
The carriage was still tied up in the same spot, and Liu Cui and Zhang Xianglian were standing beside it discussing something.
Seeing the children return, Liu Cui's eyes lit up. "You've come at the perfect time. My husband has found three places and is considering which one to choose."
She presented the drawings.
Zheng Ruqian accepted it with both hands, and the other little heads also crowded around, forming a circle.
The first location is on a prominent street. There are shops in front where you can sell things, and a second courtyard in the back that can be used as a workshop. The advantage is that it can increase the sales of cured meat, but the disadvantage is that the price is too high.
It costs fifty taels of silver a year.
It completely consumed Zheng Ruqian's entire budget. What will be used for labor, procurement, and material purchases?
Never mind, let's look at the second one.
The courtyard was much larger than the first one, but the location was too remote, almost at the city gate. It was suitable as a neighborhood, but not quite suitable for living in, and cost twenty taels of silver a year.
The third location is between the first and second locations. It is a large and spacious courtyard that was expanded from a two-courtyard house. It is said that the original owner used it to grow flowers, but after the owner got married, the servants left the house, and it was never maintained again.
The advantage is that the price is not expensive; such a large place plus a two-courtyard house only costs thirty taels of silver a year. The disadvantage is that the house is old and in disrepair, and no one has lived there for about ten years.
Zheng Ruqian clasped his hands together and slammed the blueprint shut.
Together with the other children, they said in unison, "The third place."
So what if it's been in disrepair for years? Even a dilapidated temple can be inhabited. As long as you know how to repair it, it can be a good house.
“Let’s go and see for ourselves,” Xu Mo suggested.
When Zhang Qiquan arrived with his broker, limping along, they drove their carriage to the third residence.
This is an elegant villa. I heard that the original owner was a person of status, but he passed away later, and the deed fell into the hands of his relatives, who then rented it out.
I heard that the original owner loved flowers, and once I entered, I could tell that was true. The courtyard was full of flower stems, climbing trellises, and sprawling withered branches. Even after more than ten years, it still retained its original appearance.
Fang Heng followed behind his brothers, stroking the marks of time on the wall with one hand. He suddenly remembered that the main courtyard of the Fang family in Fengjing was always adorned with flowers and shimmering clouds.
My mother often lay in her rocking chair, smelling the flowers while listening to the servants recount the situation of the frontier battles.
When she heard her father's repeated good news, she would smile faintly, then sigh and whisper, "When will he be able to come back..."
When no one noticed, Fang Heng's eyes filled with tears.
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