Although Manager Zhang's flattery skills were mediocre, his words were indeed pleasant to hear.
Didn't you see how proud her father and mother looked?
Lin Jiujiu smiled and nodded at him.
"The house is almost finished, and I want to buy some furniture, so I came to find Manager Zhang."
Could you recommend a reasonably priced shop?
When Manager Zhang heard this, he thought, "Isn't this another business opportunity coming to my door?"
Although he couldn't accept money from the Lin family for helping them choose furniture, the shopkeepers would have to give him a bonus afterward for bringing them there.
However, he had to make the money, and Manager Zhang didn't want to ruin his reputation. Shops that he recommended must have excellent designs and high-quality wood.
Upon hearing her words, Manager Zhang quickly invited someone inside to explain in detail.
After inquiring about Lin Jiujiu and the others' needs and learning that they wanted quite a lot, he made a suggestion.
“Madam Lin, you have a lot of things to order. If you order them all from one place, it will take quite a while. In my humble opinion, why don’t you order them from several different places?”
Lin Jiujiu shared the same idea; she didn't want the family to have to sleep on the floor after the new house was built.
Moreover, his house was a two-story building with the bedrooms all on the second floor, making it completely unsuitable for a heated brick bed.
Even if the other courtyards are not currently occupied and do not need to be decorated, the rooms for just a few people require a considerable amount of furniture and decorations.
The most basic necessities include a bed, wardrobe, desk, and a dressing table for the women.
She also had her own ideas: once they moved to the new house, she wanted everyone in the family to be able to read and write.
I don't expect them to become top scholars in the imperial examinations and support their families, but at the very least, I hope they can manage the family business on their own and not be fooled by others.
Lin Jiujiu didn't tell her family about these things for the time being. Instead, she asked Manager Zhang to introduce her to the best winery in the county.
He used the excuse that he would be hosting a banquet for guests when he moved to a new house soon and that he couldn't do without drinks.
But she was actually trying to see the quality of the alcoholic beverages of this era.
She had thought about how her family would make a living in the future, since she had her own things to do and couldn't really live with them and take care of them for the rest of her life.
However, if she gives too much money, she fears that human nature will ultimately not withstand the test of money.
Even if the Lin family members are all of impeccable character, it's hard to guarantee they won't be able to protect their vast wealth.
It is said that it is better to teach a man to fish than to give him a fish, so she plans to pass on a skill to this family.
Brewing wine is a good option, but before that, she needs to understand the brewing level of the Great Yan.
It can be said that he had this plan when he bought the land.
She specifically chose barren land because she planned to plant sorghum, which is drought-resistant, flood-resistant, and doesn't have high requirements for the soil.
The planting time for spring sorghum is around March or April, which is around Qingming Festival. She has plenty of time to plant it after the house is built.
However, when Lin's mother heard that she wanted to buy furniture and hold a banquet, she was worried that Lin would spend money recklessly, so she spoke up.
"There's no need to buy any wine. Your father knows how to make rice wine, so we can just have him make some."
Lin Jiujiu never expected that her father had this skill, and now she felt even more certain that her previous thoughts were correct.
However, Lin Jiujiu's mother's small attempt to stop her was no match for Lin's enthusiasm, and in the end, they were all dragged to the wine shop together.
Because she only wanted to buy some to try, Lin Jiujiu didn't buy much, just a five-pound jar, which she put in the car.
Then, the group went to the largest woodworking shop in the county town.
Manager Zhang first contacted the manager of the woodworking shop. Knowing that they had purchased a lot of things and that their family might not be able to afford it all, the woodworking shop manager generously introduced them to a smaller woodworking shop.
I heard it was opened by an apprentice who learned from this shopkeeper, and his skills are recognized by them.
Lin Jiujiu was quite satisfied with the wood and workmanship of the furniture in his shop, so she decided to order from him.
As for the shop recommended by the shopkeeper, Lin Jiujiu said she wouldn't go there.
Since he could vouch for it, she would place her order here. As for which shops the shopkeeper entrusted to his apprentices, she wouldn't care; she would only contact them when she inspected the goods.
With this person's arrival, the shopkeeper can earn some profit, and Lin Jiujiu can save some trouble.
With such a professional supervisor like him, as long as the shopkeeper doesn't want to ruin his reputation, he will definitely keep an eye on his apprentice and never allow him to pass off inferior goods as superior ones.
The task of negotiating the price was naturally left to Manager Zhang of the caravan.
Since we brought him along, we should make the best use of his talents.
Manager Zhang and the owner of the woodworking shop were old acquaintances. The two haggled back and forth, making quite a scene. In the end, they negotiated a deal for Lin Jiujiu at 90% of the market price.
Lin Jiujiu was not stingy; she gave half of the price he had cut to Zhang the shopkeeper.
When you ask someone to do something, you can't be too stingy. Otherwise, who would put their heart and soul into working for free?
When Manager Zhang heard that he could still get half of it, he immediately felt a pang of regret.
In these kinds of transactions, they usually profit from the sellers, not the buyers.
If he had known this would happen, he would have put in more effort and cut more pieces, so he could have gotten more.
Lin Jiujiu didn't see his expression, which looked like he was about to beat his chest and stamp his feet in regret for not performing well just now.
Lin's mother, along with her sister-in-law, younger sister, Lin Yu, and Lin Luo, were sent off to buy some household necessities.
He then followed Manager Zhang back to the shop.
"Manager Zhang, do you know where I can buy livestock and carts?"
When Manager Zhang heard that she wanted to buy a car, he immediately asked.
"My lady, are you planning to buy a horse-drawn carriage or an oxcart?"
Along the way, Lin Jiujiu learned a bit about the process. Ox-carts were easier to acquire, but horse-drawn carriages were much harder to buy.
The reason is simply that no one in their small county raises horses. The horses that end up here are either traded off by post stations or sold by passing travelers who couldn't afford them.
But Lin Jiujiu sensed something amiss in Manager Zhang's words and couldn't help but ask.
"So, shopkeeper, you mean you don't have horses?"
Manager Zhang had only said a few words when Lin Jiujiu had already guessed most of the situation.
He smiled and praised her, saying, "My wife is truly intelligent."
Lin Jiujiu waved her hand, indicating that he didn't need to say anything more.
Shopkeeper Zhang then awkwardly touched his nose and said, "This horse was acquired by a group of exiles. If Madam Lin doesn't mind, we can give you a discount."
Shopkeeper Zhang sighed inwardly. The horse was a fine horse, and the carriage was a fine carriage, but people always felt that it had a bad omen when they heard that it had been used by exiled people, which was why it hadn't sold for so long.
It was because he was an honest man that he didn't hide the origin of the horse and carriage; otherwise, he would have made a move long ago.
Chi Yu didn't care who had used the car; she was more curious about something else.
"Can exiled people still travel by carriage?"
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