Li Sheng noticed Gu Ting's gaze, raised his head from behind the counter and smiled at Gu Ting.
He asked, "What do you need, sir?"
Gu Ting opened his mouth and said, "Boss, can we have a chat?"
Li Sheng was about to agree when someone came to the door of the store.
"Boss, take delivery!"
Li Sheng smiled apologetically at Gu Ting, "Sir, please wait a moment."
Then he walked out from behind the counter and to the door of the store.
"Wang Jiangen, you're late today!"
"It rained yesterday and the roads were difficult to travel on, so I'm late. Boss, please hurry up and get the goods. I'm in a hurry to get back."
"Hey, you're still urging me on."
Li Sheng called Wang Jiangen and drove the donkey cart to the back door. He and his men counted the goods together.
Li Sheng and Wang Jiangen were both refugees who worked hard on construction sites to earn money.
They were the first group of refugees to buy houses and settle down, and also the first group of coolies to leave the coolie world and decide to do other things to make a living.
You can earn money by doing hard labor on a construction site.
But people can't do hard labor all their lives.
Now that you have settled down, you have to plan for the future.
Li Sheng contracted the tavern.
Wang Jiangen found a job at Sihai Meat and Vegetable Store as a deliveryman, driving a donkey cart to deliver goods to restaurants and teahouses every day.
The two men's transformation from refugees to coolies, and from coolies to decent citizens of the capital, has always been accompanied by the development of Sihai Trading Company.
Every change in identity is also accompanied by an improvement in the quality of life.
Just like Wang Jiangen, he could only afford two houses back then, and his family lived in a crowded room.
Now, he has bought five houses in the first phase.
Ergen and Sangen finally had their own bedrooms, and there was also a living room in the house for dining and entertaining guests.
Everything is getting better.
As for Li Sheng, he never saw his family again. It's likely they died on the way. Not every refugee made it to the capital.
Two years ago, persuaded by a matchmaker, he remarried and became a father again.
My wife and children live in the first phase of the Xinmin County project outside the south city gate.
When the children were older, he decided to bring his wife and children over and rent out the houses in Phase 1.
By the time Li Sheng finished ordering and returned to the lobby, Gu Ting's table had almost finished eating.
He quickly stepped forward to greet them, "Dear guests, how are you eating?"
"The braised food here is quite good."
Li Sheng laughed. "My chef went to the rest stop and spent several months learning how to make braised food. His braised food is just as good as the ones at the rest stop. All the customers who have eaten it say it's great."
Gu Ting laughed and said, "Boss, business is booming. Let's pay the bill."
"Today you ate..."
After settling the bill, Gu Ting rode his horse to the capital with his personal soldiers.
Finally, we entered the city smoothly before the gate closed.
The capital is more prosperous than ever.
There were many people on the street, so Gu Ting simply got off his horse.
The bodyguards also dismounted.
"As expected of the capital, all the roads are cement."
“This road is so smooth.”
The personal guards were chatting and laughing, but unexpectedly they were stopped by the yamen runners from the Wucheng Bingmasi.
"Health fee! Three cents per horse. You have twenty horses in total, sixty cents."
"Damn it, they're charging a sanitation fee, they're just trying to rob us. General, we won't pay."
“Yes, no money.”
When the yamen runner heard the shouting of the guards, he immediately rolled his eyes.
He had seen many cases like this. They were all bumpkins who had just arrived in Beijing.
The yamen runner whispered in his throat, "I guess you soldiers have just arrived in the capital."
"Just arrived in the capital, and you can just take money casually? Believe it or not, I..."
"Shut up!" Gu Ting shouted, and all the personal soldiers looked angry but dared not speak.
Gu Ting asked the yamen runner, "Excuse me, what are the rules for this sanitation fee?"
The bailiff smiled. "It seems you're in charge. That's good! The roads in the capital are clean enough, aren't they? Walking through the streets and alleys of the capital is very comfortable. But think about all the carriages and pedestrians, and livestock urinating and defecating everywhere. How can the roads be kept so clean?"
Gu Ting seemed to be thinking, "So this is why there is a health fee?"
The bailiff nodded, "You are a wise man."
Just at this moment, several mules passed by.
There was droppings.
Just as Gu Ting was about to ask, he saw a man rushing out, quickly collecting feces and cleaning the street.
The streets that were once soiled by feces became clean again in an instant.
Gu Ting suddenly realized and ordered his personal guards, "Give me money!"
The bailiff took the money and gave him twenty bamboo sticks.
"This is your receipt. If someone asks you for the fee, show them the bamboo stick so they know you've paid. Next time you go out riding, remember to bring your bamboo stick with you. If you encounter someone collecting a fee, just give it to them. Remember, the bamboo sticks are different every day, so don't try to get away with using just one."
Gu Ting took the bamboo stick with a look of curiosity.
The bailiff collected the money, registered it, and then went to collect the next person's money.
Gu Ting muttered, "The capital has changed so much."
"The general is originally from the capital, but now he doesn't know the rules of the capital. I guess in the eyes of the yamen runners, the general is just like us, a country bumpkin from other places who came to the capital."
"Hahaha……"
The guards teased Gu Ting.
Gu Ting didn't care.
Everyone is so casual when talking on a daily basis.
Without further delay, the group headed straight towards Gu's residence.
After Mr. Gu passed away, the Gu family split up. At that time, Gu Ting was in the northwest.
All he knew was that the new home was on the same street, two doors away.
When I arrived, I found my new home with the help of others. I looked up at the plaque on the door and was still a little confused.
The doorman opened the door and rubbed his eyes before recognizing Gu Ting.
"The young master is back, the young master is back..."
With the doorman's shout, the entire Gu Mansion was alarmed.
Gu Ting, who had been away from home for several years, finally returned home.
"The son greets his father and pays his respects to his wife!"
Gu Ting, who was young and naive back then, has grown into a resolute and fierce soldier after several years of experience in the army.
Lord Gu looked at the tall, straight and majestic Gu Ting in front of him and almost didn't recognize him.
Is this still the useless eldest son he remembered?
Xie's eyes turned red, not out of excitement, but out of jealousy.
The uneducated Gu Ting has made great progress!
Look at the official majesty all over his body. It's really different being an official.
"Brother is finally back! Everyone is looking forward to your return."
Only Gu Cheng sincerely hoped that Gu Ting would return to Beijing.
Gu Ting grinned at Gu Cheng, and at that moment, Gu Cheng found a familiar feeling. It was still the same Gu Ting from back then.
Lord Gu opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but then became hesitant.
He coughed lightly and said, "I'm glad you're back. Your wedding has been almost completely arranged, and we'll just have the wedding when you come back."
"I am an unfilial son and I am sorry to trouble you, father." Gu Ting was just being polite and said what he had to say.
Lord Gu took it seriously. "You know how much I worried about you, and it paid off. Regarding your marriage to the third daughter of the Pei family, I will not hesitate to persuade Marquis Lu to take a liking to you, and I will betroth my daughter to you. Once you are married, you must shoulder the responsibility of being the eldest son and consider the best of this family."
Gu Ting asked, "Father, please teach me how to think about the family."
Lord Gu said sternly, "You have been training in the northwest for many years and have made great military achievements. It is time to be transferred back to the capital. Being an official in the capital is the way forward."
Gu Ting smiled and said, "Thank you, father, for thinking of your son. I only have three months of vacation. Why not wait until after my son's wedding before considering this matter?"
Lord Gu nodded repeatedly, "That's fine! Once the new year begins, we'll make some careful plans and try to stay in the capital."
Gu Ting did not comment and went back to his room to rest, using the excuse of being tired.
Gu Yan was accompanying them, and the two brothers took this opportunity to chat a lot.
"Don't worry, big brother. I have already sent someone to the palace to inform my second sister."
"Thank you, Third Brother. I will go to the palace myself tomorrow. I haven't seen my two little nephews since they were born."
Gu Ting couldn't hide his excitement at the thought of seeing his sister tomorrow.
When he was in the northwest, the person he missed most was his sister. Later, when his nephew was born, he had two more people to worry about.
"They say nephews resemble their uncles. My two little nephews must look like me."
Gu Ting smiled complacently.
Both of his nephews looked like him, which made Liu Zhao very angry.
When Gu Ting thought that Liu Zhao might be so angry that his face was distorted, he felt particularly proud and had a secret sense of accomplishment.
This is more exciting than directly defeating Liu Zhao with force.
Gu Cheng hesitated for a moment before reminding him, "There's something I need to let Big Brother know."
"What's up?"
"The eldest prince was beaten with a stick in the court a few days ago. It is said that he was beaten very badly. He is now recuperating in the palace."
"Liu Zhao was beaten?" Gu Ting's eyes lit up.
Gu Cheng quickly reminded him, "You have to address him as Your Highness."
"Your Highness, he's my brother-in-law. Hahahaha... He deserves to be beaten!"
Gu Ting was extremely excited.
The corner of Gu Cheng's mouth twitched, "You are gloating over other people's misfortune."
Gu Ting laughed out loud, "Yes, I am just gloating. If he hadn't received this beating in court, I would have fought him when I went to the palace tomorrow. He is definitely no match for me now."
Gu Ting still remembered the humiliation of his first meeting with Liu Zhao at the palace. He couldn't even defend himself against Liu Zhao. It was a profound shame and humiliation.
For so many years, he has been thinking about taking revenge.
He made no secret of his dissatisfaction with Liu Zhao.
Who made Liu Zhao steal my sister?
He didn't know how his sister lived after marrying into the royal family.
But he knew that life in the royal family would not be easy.
My sister must have been working hard and worrying all day long over the years.
All of this is Liu Zhao's responsibility.
Liu Zhao only received a beating, which was too easy for him.
Gu Ting counted on his fingers, deciding to secretly give Liu Zhao a beating tomorrow.
－－－－－－Digression－－－－－－
Late!
Work hard on writing!
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