Anyway, it's too late to change anything at this point.
The invitations have been sent out and the reopening date has been set. If I have any ideas, I can only discuss them slowly with my uncle and cousin later.
Yu Tang carefully checked the goods in and out of the warehouse and handed the account book to his uncle.
Yu Bo checked a few items and found that they were all well organized and the accounts and goods matched. He praised Yu Tang: "Not bad, not bad. Start by getting familiar with the things in our shop, and then slowly learn to read the account books and do the accounting. Then no one can fool you."
Yu Wen laughed after hearing this, and thought that his daughter was very smart and might even have a talent for business, but she was held back by her identity as a woman.
He thought for a moment and said to his brother, "Brother, the store will open tomorrow, why don't we ask Atang to come and help?"
Although it was to help, of course Yu Tang couldn't be allowed to sell wine on the street. The most he could do was to watch over the shipments from the warehouse behind the shop to prevent the clerks from rushing and taking the wrong things.
Since Yu Bo wanted to train Yu Tang, he must have hoped that she would come to the shop often. When Wang was at her mother's house, she followed her father and brothers to do business. The reason why Yu Tang's grandfather chose Wang was because of her ability to read accounts.
"Sure!" He agreed readily and said to Yu Tang, "Your aunt will also come over that day, so just follow her and get to know her first."
On the first day when the shop reopened, familiar families and business friends would come to congratulate.
Yu Tang quickly responded.
Wang took Yu Tang's hand affectionately and smiled as she told her, "Just wear ordinary clothes. The most taboo for a girl who helps to look after the shop at home is to wear too bright clothes, which will make people think you have ulterior motives. You should make people think that you are here to work, not to play around. Do you understand?"
"I understand!" Yu Tang replied with a smile.
Clothes are also a language. If you dress flashily in a place with many women, people will think you are trying to show off and get ahead, which is understandable. But if you are in a place with many men and you are doing business, people will think you have bad intentions and are trying to use beauty to seduce others, which often leads to many misunderstandings.
Chen was a little worried and said, "How about we let Ah Tang come over to help look after the shop after it opens?"
Yu Tang took the initiative to comfort his mother: "It doesn't matter when you come to see the shop. The main purpose of coming here tomorrow is to meet people. If you encounter any problems in the future, you will know who to look for."
She had neither the time nor the opportunity to learn who she could make friends with and who she couldn't, so she could only count on the guidance of her elders.
She also wanted to sell the map and then start some small business to supplement the family income. How could she form a partnership with others if she didn't know anyone? The woman named Jiang Ling in her previous life was so powerful, but she still needed the help of her brother. She was not so arrogant as to think that she was smarter and more capable than Jiang Ling.
Yu Bo nodded with relief and said to Yu Wen: "Atang has really grown up. You can expect to enjoy happiness in the future!"
"That's right, that's right!" Yu Wen did not hide his pride at all.
Wang and the others all smiled.
After returning home, Chen and Yu Tang rummaged through the drawers and finally decided on the clothes to be worn for the opening ceremony. Chen also repeatedly reminded Yu Tang for a long time, saying things like "follow your aunt and don't walk around casually", and only then let Yu Tang rest.
Yu Tang couldn't sleep.
At this time in her previous life, she had already married into the Li family. In order to give her a warning and make her stay a widow, she begged several times to go back to her parents' home to deliver New Year gifts, but Lin pretended to be deaf and dumb and avoided the topic every time. But she was young and thin-skinned, and she couldn't talk back even though she knew that Lin was punishing her. It was not until the 23rd of February, when the next day was the Little New Year, that Lin slowly asked her personal maid to bring the New Year gift list for the Yu family and asked her to go back to deliver the New Year gifts.
She ignored the anger in her heart and took the two peaches back to her parents' home.
The house was deserted, with only fish and meat prepared for the sacrifice. My great uncle and his family of three gathered around the table, eating porridge with salted vegetables...
Until now, she still clearly remembers how her aunt hid the bowl of food behind herself when she noticed her coming in.
In this life, everything is different.
But she still has to move in a better direction.
Yu Tang was so lost in thought that he fell asleep without realizing it.
The next day, she was awakened by bursts of firecrackers.
Yu Tang suddenly sat up from the bed, still a little confused, thinking that he was still in the nunnery where he was staying. It took him a long time to come back to his senses.
She called Shuangtao: "What's going on? It's not even the Little New Year yet, and who's setting off firecrackers?"
Shuang Tao smiled and said, "It's the Xiang family. They came to give us a New Year gift. So the master let us set off some firecrackers."
Yu Tang had never thought that the Xiang family would send them a New Year gift. As he threw off the quilt and got up, he asked, "Who sent the New Year gift to the Xiang family?"
Xiang is the future eldest daughter-in-law of the Yu family. If the family members come to give her New Year gifts, if the husband's family values this marriage, they will hold a banquet to entertain the guests and invite the aunts and uncles to accompany them. Of course, if the person who comes is just a steward, that is another matter.
Shuang Tao smiled and said, "He is Miss Xiang's brother."
Yu Tang asked, "What should we do in the shop?"
Shuang Tao said, "The eldest master said that our old master and the eldest young master will stay to entertain the guests. You and the eldest master should go to the shop first. Wait until the young master Xiang is sent away, and then hurry over. We can't delay the auspicious time."
That's all we can do.
Yu Tang, Yu Bo and Wang went to the shop.
It was still early and the weather was cold. Among the people walking in twos and threes on Changxing Street, some were preparing to open shops, while others were sweeping the streets.
Yu Tang got off the sedan chair, exhaled, and asked his uncle, "Have you agreed on the lion dance?"
Yu Yuan was in charge of the lion dance and picking red flowers. Today he was entertaining the Xiang family at home, and she was afraid that there might be something she could not explain.
Yu Bo said, "Ayuan was afraid that something might happen, so he took Pinggui with him when he went to invite the lion dance. He is not here, but Pinggui is here. You don't have to worry."
Her eldest cousin is getting better and better at his work.
Yu Tang smiled and replied “yes”, then went into the shop from the backyard with Yu Bo.
The head shopkeeper was her uncle, and some of the young employees were those who stayed after the fire, and some were newly hired. The people in the workshop and warehouse at the back, except for those who came from Jiangxi, were her uncle's apprentices. When she walked in, she took a special look and found that the people brought by the Jiangxi master were working on one side, and her uncle's apprentices were working on the other side, with a clear distinction.
She couldn't help but frown slightly.
This is not a good sign!
Yu Tang was wondering whether she should come to the shop more often. Xia Pinggui came in and saw her uncle and said hurriedly, "Master, everything outside has been arranged according to the eldest master's wishes. We just need to wait for the auspicious time."
Yu Bo looked at the hourglass and thought it was about time, so he asked Xia Pinggui, "Has Master Pei San arrived yet?"
Xia Pinggui was stunned, and ran out, shouting, "I'll go check it out now."
Yu Bo didn't like Xia Pinggui very much, mainly because although they both learned from him, Xia Pinggui's skills were better than Yu Yuan's. Of course, Yu Yuan was the young master, so it was meaningless for him to compete with Xia Pinggui in skills, but Xia Pinggui's skills would soon be mastered, and Yu Yuan, the young master, would have to rely on him a little. Yu Bo was afraid that Xia Pinggui would start his own business like his previous master, so he was particularly strict with him.
Yu Tang was very surprised and asked, "Is Master Pei San coming too?"
Yu Bo couldn't help but feel a little proud when talking about this, and said: "Originally he wasn't going to come. But when we went to deliver the invitation, we happened to meet Manager Hu, and Manager Hu went to inform us that he would come when the time came."
I really didn't expect that Pei Yan would actually participate in such an event.
Yu Tang blinked her eyes, imagining Pei Yan's expressionless face and disgusted eyes amid the sound of firecrackers and the pungent smoke... She didn't know why, but she found it very interesting just thinking about it.
Unfortunately, Lin'an City is mostly full of old shops, so Pei Yan doesn't have many opportunities to participate in such activities!
Xia Pinggui ran back and panted to Yu Bo, "No, I looked around carefully and didn't see Mr. Pei San, nor did I see the Pei family's sedan chair or carriage." After he finished speaking, he hesitated for a while and said softly, "I didn't see anyone from the Pei family coming to send a gift."
"Did something delay him?" Yu Bo murmured, looking at the hourglass recording the time with some anxiety - there was only a quarter of an hour left before the auspicious opening time, and the noise of crowds could already be heard outside.
Xia Pinggui was also a little anxious.
There is only one lacquerware shop in Lin'an City, and it's because other families don't have such craftsmanship. The most important thing is that the Yu family has a scholar as their father. Other merchants don't want to compete with the Yu family for this limelight. When a lawsuit comes, someone from the Yu family can stand in the court and speak, while others have to kneel.
If Master Pei San could come to express his congratulations today, those yamen runners patrolling the streets would look up to the Yu family's shop in the future, not to mention that no one would dare to cause trouble.
"How about I go and take another look?" Xia Pinggui asked.
Yu Tang stopped Xia Pinggui: "Mr. Pei San is the head of the Pei family. He is reliable and prudent. If he didn't come, he would definitely inform us in advance. We will just open at an auspicious time."
Yu Bo and Xia Pinggui both seemed unconvinced.
Yu Tang thought about her many times dealing with Pei Yan and she had great confidence in him. She said, "I have dealt with the Third Elder and I know him well. Don't worry, he is a man of his word!"
If you don't keep your word, you won't be able to stand firm in front of others.
Yu Bo believed it and said nothing more. He asked Xia Pinggui about what was going on outside, then left Yu Tang in the shop. He and Xia Pinggui left the shop through the backyard and went to the front to prepare for the opening ceremony.
Yu Tang thought about it, then quietly went up to the second floor, opened the window a little and looked down.
The store entrance was already crowded with people, some came to see the excitement, some came to congratulate, and some wanted to take advantage of the opening discount to buy some cheap things. Yu Bo brought Xia Pinggui and greeted the visitors with a cheerful face. Yu Tang even saw Master Wu and Master Wei, but did not see Pei Yan or anyone from the Pei family.
Is there really something wrong?
Yu Tang clasped his hands tightly around the handkerchief.
It was a great honor for her uncle that Pei Yan would come to attend the opening ceremony of their shop. Her uncle must have spread the news a long time ago. If Pei Yan did not come this time, not only would their Yu family be criticized, but Pei Yan's reputation would also be affected.
Pei Yan won't change his mind at the last minute, right?