Lou Yunchun took the two books away and did not return the umbrella.
Xu Jiang thought this man was interesting. He seemed to be keeping people at a distance, but in fact, he had some bad intentions from time to time.
She picked up the two books he returned and flipped through them. When she found the ink spot, she couldn't help but smile.
"What book is the boss reading? He is laughing so happily." Hu Xu took off his hat and brushed off the snow on his body.
"It's snowing today, I thought you weren't coming."
"The snow isn't heavy, so I'm here to deliver something to my boss." After saying that, he shook the thing in his hand towards Xu Jiang.
"Mutton?" To be precise, it was a leg of lamb.
"I slaughtered a sheep at home and brought you some. It will warm you up in the winter."
Xu Jiang took it and said, "Thank you, thank you," but in her mind she had already thought of a dozen ways to eat mutton.
"I have something to tell my boss today."
"What is it?"
"You were away yesterday, and Mr. Yuan sent me an invitation this afternoon. The banquet is scheduled for the day after tomorrow. I want to prepare at home so as not to be inappropriate and impolite when I visit you. So I won't be coming to the shop tomorrow and the day after tomorrow."
"Go ahead. You'll have plenty of free time. I'm all you need." Xu Jiang was happy for him. "This is a rare opportunity. Take advantage of it."
Hu Xu's eyes were blazing, "This is all thanks to the boss."
The Hu Xu in front of him was completely different from when Xu Jiang first met him. He was full of energy and high spirits. "Zhuchun, you are not an ordinary person. You just missed the right time. Now the time has come. I wish you a bright future."
Hu Xu looked at her, raised his hand slightly, but did not dare to extend it to her. He just smiled and said, "Thank you for your good wishes, boss."
Xu Jiang sighed in her heart. She couldn't keep Hu Xu in her bookstore, so it was only a matter of time before he left.
It seems that she has to look for someone new.
Two days later, Hu Xu did not come. Xu Jiang went back to her tedious work. From time to time, she could hear the cries of donkeys and geese coming from the backyard. Occasionally, she would greet one or two guests, and she did not feel lonely at all.
Her bookstore has been officially open for business since the Double Ninth Festival, which is more than a month now. Although business is slow, it has established its reputation. People in the neighboring areas all know that there is such a bookstore in Huailiu Lane.
Because her prices were lower than other places, people would always come to buy brushes, inkstones, or borrow some books, or ask her to write letters home. She made a few copper coins or nothing at all, but it satisfied her.
"Who is the owner of this place?" A rude shout broke the peace of the bookstore.
Xu Jiang was carving a board when she was startled and dropped her hand, ruining the whole thing. She looked up and saw two men blocking the doorway. Both were around thirty, one thin, the other fat. She had recognized the fat man; he was the manager of the Jisheng Bookstore.
The person who threw away Hu Xu's poems that day.
She pretended not to know them, stood up and asked, "Do you two want to buy books?"
The fat man took a look at her bookstore. Seeing that it was shabby and small, he immediately showed a look of disdain. Then he said to Xu Jiang disdainfully: "Who would buy books in such a shabby place like yours?"
How rude!
Xu Jiang didn't smile either. "Since you two don't want to buy books, please go back. You're blocking the door and blocking my light."
"People from this small shop don't know the rules and regulations." The thin man spitted and asked, "Do you know who we are? And why are we here?"
Xu Jiang said coldly, "I don't know, but it's not for buying books."
The fat one said, "Haven't you heard that in the capital, to do book business, you have to pay homage to the mountain master first?"
"I've only heard of bandit strongholds where people need to pay respects to their superiors. The capital is an important place, right under the feet of the emperor. I don't think there would be any bandits here, right?"
The fat man's expression was angry. "What a sharp-tongued person! We are here to remind you with good intentions, but don't be ungrateful."
"Good intentions?" Xu Jiang brushed off the sawdust on his body and walked up to the two men. "I don't think you're here to collect protection money. Nowadays, a sage governs the country and strictly abides by the laws. Oppressing innocent people and extorting money and property will cost you your life."
The thin man couldn't keep his composure, and was a little panicked by her threat. He hurriedly said, "Don't spit blood at me. Who collected protection money?"
"But this fat man just asked me to pay homage to him. Isn't that extortion?"
The fat man remained calm, pretending to be knowledgeable and defending himself, "You ignorant little girl, you came to the capital to open a bookstore, didn't you do any research? All the bookstores and bookshops in the capital are under the management of the bookstore. You have to register with the bookstore and pay an entry fee."
"After all, isn't it all protection money?" Xu Jiang said sarcastically. "Since arriving in Beijing, I've only heard that buying a shop and doing business requires registration with the government according to the law. Furthermore, the imperial court has clearly stipulated that bookshops, as they are closely related to the imperial examinations and scholars, are under the purview of the court, and private establishment of businesses is prohibited. I wonder who the head of your business is? How dare you openly defy the imperial law?"
The two men didn't expect that this little girl was so brave as to challenge them.
The fat man lowered his voice and threatened, "Anyway, I've already said it. Since you're a young woman, I'm telling you out of kindness. If you really want your bookstore to stay open, you'd better go to the Jisheng Bookstore in Shoukangfang and pray to the Buddha. Otherwise, your bookstore will be gone even if it's open today."
Xu Jiang said, "If it can be opened today, it will be opened today. If it can be opened tomorrow, it will be opened tomorrow."
The thin one snorted, "You don't know what's good for you!"
Xu Jiang said coldly, "If you two don't leave now, I will not hesitate to report to the police."
"If you don't listen to advice, you'll cry someday!"
The two men hit a snag, uttered harsh words, and left angrily.
Xu Jiang turned around, picked up the unfinished tea on the table and poured it out the door.
unlucky.
When she first heard Hu Xu talk about the bookstore in the capital, she had expected these people to come after her, but she hadn't expected them to come so soon. However, she had nothing to fear from the shadows. She was a good citizen, and she ran a legitimate business, registered with the government. Who would dare to come after her?
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