Chapter 45 The Story of the Fire Vest
This errand boy, Sun Da, used to work in a teahouse or tavern. The tavern was called a teahouse, and he used to run errands for the customers. People like him were also called idlers.
Sun Dasheng was of average appearance, with pockmarks on his face, but his speech was exceptionally clear. He said that before he became an idler, he was a slang talker in Nanwazi, a street vendor who told jokes and made comical gestures.
“Back in the day,” Sun Dajiang handed the mended item to Lin Xiushui, pretending to wipe away his tears, “when I used to tell jokes, there would be cheers and I would get tips. Now I’m all bowing and scraping and saying, ‘Good, good, give me some tips.’”
“Others can succeed in whatever they do, and I can succeed in whatever I do,” Sun Da said with a smile when he saw Lin Xiushui’s expression change.
"I'm talking about myself. First, I'm good at talking, and second, I'm good at running errands. There's no place in this river mouth from top to bottom that I, Sun Da, haven't been. If there's work for me, just don't worry about it."
“I’ve made it perfectly clear to you. Anything that’s torn, cracked, rotten, whether it’s a child’s toy, a wife’s clothes, or a husband’s clothes, whether it can be mended or not, it doesn’t matter.”
Lin Xiushui listened to his fluent speech. He must have made a living by talking before. No wonder he could take on any kind of business. Moreover, for the mending jobs he got, he would take the mending fee and payment from the client first, and then pay Lin Xiushui, with any overpayment refunded and any underpayment collected.
If Lin Xiushui is still able, give him a receipt showing how much money was reimbursed so he can report back and not keep the money.
He not only took on business at the river mouth, but also worked on the bamboo and timber houses in front and on the north bank of the Wazi River behind, relying on his good voice to shout and tell jokes, he could also get a lot of work.
At the few mending stalls in Sangshukou, he could always find a way to resell the items that needed mending: this broken lamp to the paper maker, that rotten bamboo shade to the bamboo weaver Grandpa Zhou, this torn yellow straw mat to Granny Huang, and a pile of messy clothes to Hu San Niangzi.
The most outrageous and troublesome issues were all left to Lin Xiushui.
"Does this chair need to be sewn up too?"
Lin Xiushui looked at the chair in front of her; it had a wooden board in the middle and empty sides.
“Oh, isn’t this an official’s hat chair?” Sun Da said without hesitation. “They said that if an official has to wear a hat, then the chair he sits on also has to wear a hat.”
“That family is obsessed with officialdom, but they can’t pass the exams. I said, ‘An official’s hat and chair need to be worn with a hat.’ So, we’ll embroider a rooster on it. That would make it look like a rooster wearing a hat, with a crown on top of a crown.’”
Lin Xiushui was truly impressed by his words; she had never made chair covers or sewed roosters before.
Sun opened his mouth and immediately said, "Young lady, you have to think this isn't like going to the capital with a country bumpkin. There's a first time for everything. You can't go against money, so here's a hundred or so coins."
Lin Xiushui then pointed to the sewing box on the table, "What about this? It's made of wood, what should I make?"
"This is a classic case of the husband wanting wontons and the wife wanting noodles. It's impossible to please everyone. The mother-in-law prefers a blue cloth sewing box, while the bride wants a pink one. They only have one sewing box at home, and they're making a huge fuss."
Sun Da pointed at the sewing box and said, "I said it's fine. Make a two-tone set, each person can have their own, just like the cicadas and crickets chirping, each singing their own tune. If we put them together, how can there be any mother-in-law and daughter-in-law conflicts? Harmony brings wealth. Once we have wealth, why would we quarrel over a sewing box?"
How can someone be so eloquent? They can come up with a whole set of arguments, handle things clearly and logically, and even turn black into white.
After he became acquainted with Lin Xiushui, he bought gloves from her, regardless of whether they were made of cloth or oilcloth. He would pay her first and bought dozens of pairs of gloves, which he sold in half a day.
Cloth gloves were sold to porters, who were told that having gloves would make their work more reliable. As for oilcloth gloves, the women washing clothes by the riverbank would casually mention them, and people would buy two or three pairs instead of just one.
His sales channels were particularly reliable. He could find work everywhere and travel around. Even if Lin Xiushui suddenly decided to dye some burlap sacks, he would put them on the boat and sell them, and they wouldn't last overnight.
Lin Xiushui made a sure profit, and he didn't lose out either. He said that selling things and finding work for Lin Xiushui would earn him much more than running errands in the tea and wine shops. He really had elderly parents to support and young children to raise, and his wife's health wasn't very good. She needed one guan (a unit of currency) a month to buy medicine. He could earn two or three guan a month thanks to Lin Xiushui.
Of course, Lin Xiushui's business was able to expand so much later on, not only because of Sun Dayi's clever tongue, but also because of another person, another errand girl named Song Sanniang, a very thin woman who looked shrewd.
He also came from a tea and wine shop and became acquainted with Sun Da. The two of them disapproved of the way things were done in the wine shops. When a new customer came, they would serve different dishes depending on the customer's status.
Song San Niang used to be a waitress in a tavern, doing jobs like wiping tables, pouring wine, and changing soup. There was too much work, and she was busy from morning till night. The pay was too little; she only received enough each month to eat two meals a day. She would drink thin porridge and eat rice cooked in hot water, or she would eat leftover rice soaked in water after it had cooled down.
After hearing Sun Da's good advice, she came to give it a try. She lived in a neighborhood alley and had a good relationship with her neighbors. Compared to Sun Da's boat transport, she was more suited to hawking her wares on the street.
She wasn't particularly eloquent, but she was shrewd and knew a lot about people. What was rare was that she had a strong sense of loyalty and chivalry in the streets.
When she arrived, she said, "I'd rather have the stuff fall into your hands than into yours, young lady. In our line of work, we're all about carrying the burden on our shoulders, even when we're sleeping. If something goes wrong, we'll take full responsibility."
Song San Niang wandered the streets and alleys looking for work. She had a donkey with baskets on both sides, but she only worked on one street at a time. She needed to remember who gave her the items, which family they lived in, and how much money they were paid. If she could repair them, she would return them the next day; if she couldn't repair them, she would inform the owner.
However, the jobs she got for Lin Xiushui were quite exquisite, involving making handkerchiefs, hairbands, and sachets from cloth. One of the more memorable things she did was deliver a fat yellow toy that a peddler was selling.
Huang Pang is also a type of clay puppet, belonging to the category of string puppets. It is mostly popular during the Qingming Festival and is a local specialty sold on boats on West Lake.
Lin Xiushui didn't like it much. Firstly, the clay used to make it was yellow, and secondly, its belly was big, making it not very appealing. However, it needed to wear clothes, so she thought about making it into an outer garment, but ultimately didn't take the job.
Not all puppets made by Su Qiaoniang are as exquisite and meticulous as those made by Su Qiaoniang. Some are so outrageously beautiful that Lin Xiushui couldn't bring herself to use them.
Song San Niang mainly sold sachets, gloves, and aprons, which she sold to women and children in various alleys. Because she traveled a lot and her goods sold well, she was able to support her family and provide for their three meals a day. Sometimes she could earn a hundred or two coins, enough for a meat meal.
However, Lin Xiushui was a little troubled. Where could she find so many people to sew gloves? The two women next door, Granny Zhang and Chen Shuanghua, worked from dawn till dusk every day to earn two jobs. It would be too much for them to handle any more.
Moreover, after Wang Yuelan finished her daily work at the silk shop, besides cooking and cutting cloth patterns for her, Lin Xiushui felt that it was still not enough and that two more helpers were needed.
Wang Yuelan was cutting oilcloth when she suggested someone to sew it for her. She put down the scissors, shook her hand, and said, "If you want someone to sew it, look at Cai Niangzi, the woman who helped the man who fell into the river and disappeared. Do you remember her?"
"Besides being weak, she had another problem: she felt that as a woman, and having lost her husband, she shouldn't show her face in public. However, she was quite skilled at sewing and often took on sewing jobs for the neighbors."
As for cutting cloth, that's simple. Just ask the women nearby to cut it, and give them ten or twenty coins for whatever they cut. Only then can Lin Xiushui guarantee a stable supply of goods to Sun Da and Song San Niang, as well as the laundry business and other businesses that need them.
When her business was thriving, Lin Xiushui even met with Chen Jiuchuan.
At this time, the river was clear, and all river transport had to give way to the new silk. Silk boats went first, so as not to delay silkworm rearing, since this tax accounted for the lion's share of the annual income in Sangqing Town.
Chen Jiuchuan was about to deliver silk to the Shanglintang River when he asked Lin Xiushui if she was coming back. However, Lin Xiushui was busy with a lot of work and didn't want to leave at all, so she could only ask him to take the things with her.
The two walked side by side at the riverbank. Chen Jiuchuan said, "After I go back this time, I plan to bring Sang Ying here."
“I found her a job at a rice shop in town; she can do that.”
Lin Xiushui was breaking off leaves from a willow branch when she heard this. The branch snapped with a snap, and she glanced at Chen Jiuchuan, her voice filled with undisguised shock, "You've already spoken to your aunt?"
She didn't quite believe it. It wasn't that she didn't want Sang Ying to come and have a job, but in her impression, Aunt Zhang hoped that Sang Ying could marry into Sanglinpo, marry into a family with mulberry trees, and not have to worry about food and clothing.
So even though she had thought about it many times, she never said it out loud and asked Sang Ying to come to town, because she couldn't even support herself at that time.
Moreover, just thinking about working at the rice shop gave her a headache. She felt that when Chen Jiuchuan returned, he would have to argue with Aunt Zhang.
Chen Jiuchuan smiled and said, "I'm not afraid. My mother won't really beat me to death."
"Even if you beat me to death, I want Sang Ying to get out of Shanglintang and be able to earn a living on her own."
"Like you."
Chen Jiuchuan looked down at the boats on the river. "After all, relying on others for a living is not a secure livelihood."
He wanted Sang Ying to be like A Qiao.
“Let me speak first,” Lin Xiushui raised her hands, “I’m all in favor of it. If your aunt scolds or hits you, I’ll be on your side.”
"If we have nowhere to go, I'll have Sang Ying sleep with me and we can squeeze in together."
Chen Jiuchuan looked up at her and chuckled, "No need for that, but we'll be neighbors again."
He looked around the town and finally settled on a house by the river at the entrance to the Sangqiao Ferry. The family that was moving hadn't told Lin Xiushui because they hadn't finalized the arrangements and were afraid of losing everything. Only now had the contract been officially signed.
Coincidentally, this family lived across the river from Lin Xiushui's house. It was the second house at the fork in the river, the second house next to the one that kept birds, and it had never been inhabited.
Lin Xiushui's eyes widened. "Really?"
"Fake."
"Chen Jiuchuan!"
"Yes, I heard you."
Lin Xiushui was excited that Sang Ying would come to town. She had little doubt about Chen Jiuchuan's ability to handle things. She and Xiao Chun'e were close friends, and Sang Ying was like a sister to her, a year younger than her.
She also went to see the house that Chen Jiuchuan rented, which was very close to hers, separated only by a small river, so wide that you could hang things on a long bamboo pole to cross it.
She was indeed very happy, but Chen Jiuchuan was a scoundrel. He said that he was her family and that he would welcome them to come and freeload, since he was indeed a good cook. But Lin Xiushui often felt that he should have his head checked.
Of course, Chen Jiuchuan would have to finish delivering the silk before he could return to Shanglintang to pick up Sang Ying, which would take some time.
She made new pillowcases, small bags, collar bands, hair ties, etc. for Sang Ying, just like she would tie a pretty hair tie with Sang Ying and stuff her thick pillowcase into her head. As for Chen Jiuchuan, she just made something that could withstand dirt.
Of course, even when she was filled with joy, Lin Xiushui could only think about it briefly, as she was still very busy.
Madam Gu took the silk scroll and gave her about ten jobs. Because she really trusted her skills, the people even delivered the clothes to her.
This left the other women who worked as brothel owners feeling somewhat resentful, but there was another problem.
"Ah Qiao, would you accept me as an apprentice, except for my age, slightly shaky hands, and poor eyesight?" A woman in her forties came over and asked Lin Xiushui. "Actually, apart from these problems, I'm still quite young."
"This doesn't mean that in our line of work, the older you are, the more sought-after you become. Old tailors, old tailors, the older the tailor..."
“The older he gets,” a woman nearby chimed in.
Another young seamstress, who was sewing patterns, said, "Ah Qiao, why don't you choose me? I'm young, my hands are steady, and I'm sure I can take care of you until you're old."
The old tailor retorted: "Get out of the way. We old tailors may be old on the outside, but we're good on the inside. What do you know?"
“I don’t understand,” said the little tailor. “I’m good inside and out, not just a pretty face with no substance.”
Lin Xiushui laughed so hard that the silk threads in her hands were shaking. She got along very well with everyone in the stylist department, mainly because she was generous with her skills. If anyone needed help, she was willing to teach them.
For example, there's a lady named Du at the collar. She's an exceptional sewer; her stitches and lines are quick and precise, and her embroidery is also superb, producing lifelike pieces.
However, there was a problem: she couldn't come up with good embroidery patterns herself and often stared blankly at the clothes. Lin Xiushui would cut out patterns from various colored fabrics for her to see during breaks.
Tell her that if she can't figure it out, she can use cloth to piece it together, and maybe she'll get the idea. Du Niangzi actually made some breakthroughs. The two would exchange their respective strengths and learn from each other's strengths.
Or perhaps it was that little tailor, Xiao Huan. Xiao Huan was best at drawing all sorts of patterns, but her embroidery skills were just average. Lin Xiushui lacked ideas for drawing patterns, but she had quite a few tricks up her sleeve when it came to embroidery.
The two hit it off immediately. Every morning, Xiao Huan would show off the patterns she had drawn the night before, saying, "Ah Qiao, come and see! I drew them so well!"
Lin Xiushui would take her embroidery pattern and walk over. Xiao Huan would reach out her hand, and the two would exchange their skills. Only when the night watchman's drum came would they begin sewing the collar.
Moreover, Lin Xiushui had two assistants who came to practice drawnwork.
The one with the round face is a little younger, called Little Seven. She has good eyesight and is fast and steady at drawing the thread, but she would say, "When I draw the thread, my body twitches a little, and I always want to twist."
The other one, with a long, thin face, tall, steady, and stubborn, was Li Jin. When Lin Xiushui suggested one cigarette, she refused to smoke a second. When asked how many "more" cigarettes meant, she replied...
She was the kind of person Lin Xiushui told her to keep going south, and never look back even if she hit a wall.
But both types of people have their own advantages. Xiao Qi Mei has ideas, and Li Jin can restore things to their original state, but she is not suitable for using her brain. Lin Xiu Shui said that she is similar to a puppet on a string, only moving and lifting at a time. Sometimes she even doubts whether she is a fake person.
Li Jin shook his head in denial, saying, "If I were on fire, I would run outside."
"Yes, I'll still run home on rainy days," Lin Xiushui added silently.
However, speaking of fires, there have been quite a few fires in Lin'an recently. Many people have been privately discussing that the Jianyan reign title should not have been used when the people moved south, as it caused numerous large and small fires.
When Lin Xiushui returned from work, she had been listening to the story all the way. When they arrived at the foot of the mulberry tree, she was pulled to sit down and asked, "Ah Qiao, there's another fire in Lin'an. I heard that several temples have burned down."
A woman, circling a silkworm cocoon, said, "Tell me, what's the use of burning incense and praying to Buddha? Even Buddha can't protect himself. Where is Buddha's mercy?"
"Then don't go worship the Silkworm Flower Bodhisattva. No one's heart is as sincere as yours," another Buddhist woman said unhappily. Didn't you hear her chanting Amitabha Buddha?
"I believe in Bodhisattva, so we're not on the same path!"
Lin Xiushui was completely bewildered by what she was hearing. Even after they returned, Wang Yuelan tugged at the silk floss and said, "This Buddha has suffered a great calamity. He's still trying to save others, but he can't even save himself."
The next day, news came that the government had exempted bamboo and timber from taxes and was rebuilding houses. Wang Yuelan immediately changed her tone, saying, "Buddha is truly compassionate, knowing how to sacrifice oneself to save others. Amitabha."
Wang Yuelan also joined in the looting of bamboo and timber, fighting fiercely until it was dark. They amassed a boatload of loot, not knowing what to do with it, just grabbing whatever they could. Wiping the cut on her lip, she said, "If I don't get a good deal, am I still Wang Yuelan?"
"A fool wouldn't take advantage of a good deal, but I am Chen Guihua."
After saying that, he met the eyes of Chen Guihua, who was also covered in soot, and the two silently looked away.
Besides those who were stealing bamboo and timber, the firefighters and watchmen were extremely busy. The watchmen had to strike the gong every night, while the firefighters had to watch the fire towers and immediately dispatch a team to respond to any fire.
Zhang Musheng was always covered in soot and dirt, and once his hair was singed by fire, but luckily he was quick to react.
Finally, it was his turn to rest. He walked heavily toward Lin Xiushui, wiping the ash from his cigarette on his face. "I don't think my name is good."
Lin Xiushui asked, "What's wrong?"
"Fire overcomes wood! How can I, a firefighter, be called Wood-born?" Zhang Musheng shook his head. "I have to change my name. I'm going to be called Fire-born!"
Lin Xiushui glanced at him, thinking he'd been stunned by the fire. "Water overcomes fire, so you should be called Shuisheng (Water Born), or Shengshui (Born of Water)."
Zhang Musheng exclaimed "Yes!", jumped up, and ran off to find his father.
As a result, Zhang the carpenter chased him away with a bamboo broom. The ancestors had no reason to change their names, so he jumped up and climbed onto the wall, shouting, "How about I switch names with Tiesheng? I can be called Jinsheng, because true gold fears no fire!"
Carpenter Zhang was furious. "Let's see if you can even call out a name."
"What?"
"Elephant birth".
She gave birth but then didn't.
Carpenter Zhang stormed in, thinking that his son was unreliable. He wondered if he should go to a fortune teller and change his name to bring him good fortune.
Finally, Zhang Musheng limped over and handed the fire vest to Lin Xiushui. "Sister, I've made up my mind. I want to be called Yusheng or Shuisheng. I really don't believe in evil spirits. I can't just secretly change it myself. I want to counteract fire."
Lin Xiushui was even more skeptical. Faced with piles of fire vests, to be embroidered with the character "rain," she slowly uttered a question: What the hell? Does she generate water?
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