Chapter 67 Bargaining. Going back to my parents’ home to borrow money.
The moon was at its highest point in the sky, and a cold wind was blowing fiercely.
Qiu Xuan closed the doors and windows, fearing that the wind would sneak in through the cracks.
Winter in the mountains is colder than in other places, especially at night. If you stay outside for a night, it is hard to say whether you can survive.
Zong Xiao sat on a stool with his arms and shoulders exposed, waiting obediently for Qiu Xuan to apply medicine to him.
The wound still needs to be treated with medicine for another half a month. During this period, he can only rest and cannot do any heavy work.
"You're not afraid of the cold, are you? You took off your clothes before I even washed my hands." Qiu Xuan had just come in from outside, and her hands were still cold. She deliberately walked over to Zong Xiao, pinched his intact left shoulder, and said, "Isn't it very cold?"
"Hmm." Zong Xiao raised his left hand and gently twisted her fingertips twice. "Soak her in hot water later. Otherwise, you'll get frostbite easily."
Qiu Xuan had a case of frostbite a few years ago, which made her itchy for a long time. She has been paying attention to it these days, fearing that it will grow again.
"Okay, I'll do it after I apply the medicine on you." Qiu Xuan applied medicine on his wound as usual. The wound had been healing for quite some time and was no longer as hideous as it was at the beginning.
Qiu Xuan applied the medicine without changing her expression and told him what happened today.
There were only the couple in the room at the moment, so there was no need to be shy about what they said.
"Do you really want to rent that shop?" Qiu Xuan asked him.
Zong Xiao did have this thought, but they had no money at the time, and the ten taels of silver in their pockets were not enough to rent a good shop.
Now that he had money, he really considered renting.
Besides, the shop is in a really good location, on the busiest street in Yuanxiang Town.
"If we keep setting up stalls, we won't even have a place to shelter from the wind and rain. Spring is coming soon, and there will be many days with bad weather." Zong Xiao explained to her.
Qiu Xuan skillfully applied the medicine to him, and after tying his belt, she patted him. "Alright, get on the kang first. It's warm under the quilt. I'll wash my hands. We'll talk more later."
Now that Zong Xiao no longer had a fever, the two of them were lying close together under the quilt as before, and it was quite warm at night.
Qiu Xuan turned off the oil lamp and then lay down on her own ground in the dark. She couldn't say how happy she was, but rather more worried.
Thirty taels of silver was the family's entire savings. What if the shop didn't make any money? What if it lost money?
These are all unknown issues.
"What do you think? If we can't make any money, do we have no choice but to pick wild fruits?" Qiu Xuan kept muttering, imagining the worst possible outcome.
"Picking fruit?" Zong Xiao couldn't turn sideways, so he could only lie flat on his back while talking to her. "No, at worst, we can just keep setting up the stall and make some money."
"Yes, we can set up a stall. No, no, we have already rented a shop, so why do we need to set up a stall?"
"There's a lot of land in front of the shop. We can just set up a stall there. No one else will occupy that space."
Zong Xiao was afraid she would overthink things, so he added, "If that land isn't good, we can still go to our original land. Didn't Third Brother tell us today that if he has a place to live in town, we can go there early in the morning to claim it. If that's not possible, we can let him stay in the shop and then go to our original land to claim it before daybreak."
Qiu Xuan laughed out loud when she heard this, but didn't deny it: "That's really hard for my third brother."
The next day.
Several members of the Zong family woke up early. They gathered at the dinner table and discussed when to go down the mountain.
If you go too early, the restaurant may not be open. If you go too late, you may worry that there will be customers in the restaurant and it will be inconvenient to talk.
After a final discussion, we decided to go down the mountain after dinner and inquire about the rental price in the town. After all, their idea was a good one. If we really didn't have enough money...
"I won't go today." Yueyang looked at Qiu Xuan and said a little embarrassedly, "Sister-in-law, I want to go back to my parents' home today."
Qiu Xuan didn't understand why she told him that she was going back to her parents' home.
But she still responded, "It's not safe for you to go alone. Why don't you let my third brother go with you? We are familiar with the way down the mountain anyway."
"No, no. I told him yesterday. I can go back by myself today." Yueyang touched Zong Anji and motioned him to say something.
Zong Anji swallowed the steamed bun in his mouth and nodded, "Yes, I will go down the mountain with you today. It's okay. We have already discussed it."
Seeing that both of them said so, Qiu Yun no longer refused, but before leaving, she still gave Yueyang a few words of advice. Although the two villages were very close, it was better to be careful.
Yueyang naturally knew it, but there was something important going on today, so she had to go back.
Since this was someone else's business, Qiu Xuan was curious but did not ask.
However, seeing that Zong Anji was in a good mood on the way, I guess the couple didn't have any quarrel.
It’s good that there’s no quarrel, Qiu Xuan thought.
Yueyang waited for them to leave home and then left.
She was holding some snacks in her hands, which she had just bought yesterday. She didn't expect them to come in handy so soon.
The two villages were close to each other, and she arrived at her doorstep in less than an incense stick of time.
Her father is a butcher, and many people, young and old, came to their house to buy meat this morning. When they saw her come back, they all asked about Zong Anji.
Liu Yueyang replied with a smile, and after entering the yard, she quickly walked through the crowd and went to her mother's room.
No one in the Liu family expected her to come back, especially when they saw her coming back alone, they thought she had been wronged.
Liu Zhong slammed his palm on the table and said, "But that clan member bullied you. Don't be afraid. I will take care of it for you."
"No, no." Liu Yueyang stepped forward to stop the man and said with a smile, "I'm fine. No one bullies me."
"You are fine, will they let you go home alone?" Liu Zhong didn't believe it.
Liu's mother also didn't believe it. She grabbed Yueyang's wrist and looked up, as if wanting to confirm whether there was any injury on the wrist.
This is her precious daughter. Even though she is married, she, as a mother, still loves her very much.
Liu Yueyang helped his mother sit down. She said, "Mom, Big Brother, I'm having a really good time over there. I came back today on my own. I really have something to do."
"You kid, if you have something to say, just tell me quickly." Liu Zhong was impatient and stood up again when he heard this.
Liu Yueyang had no choice but to tell them one by one.
She went back to her parents' home today to borrow some money. Last night, she calculated that thirty-seven taels might not be enough for a year's rent. If she couldn't rent it, this great opportunity would be lost.
She knew clearly that in the Zong family, Zong Xiao was the most capable person. Although the Zong family had split up, it had always been supported by Zong Xiao's branch.
Qiu Xuan has ideas and Zong Xiao is willing to work hard. With such people around them, Liu Yueyang is not worried that Zong Anji will not make progress.
So she wanted to seize this opportunity and invest more money to ensure that the shop could be opened.
But the prerequisite for opening a shop is money, so she wanted to borrow some first, just in case it was not enough.
She knew in her heart that no one else in the family could borrow money except her.
Qiu Xuan's parents didn't love her and even severed ties with her family.
Zong Xiao had just been injured while hunting in the mountains.
The money in the grandmother's pocket was all saved up in the past, and she was the only one who had such an opportunity.
"Brother-in-law thinks it's embarrassing to borrow money, so he doesn't want to accompany you back?" Liu Zhong frowned after hearing this, feeling a little unhappy.
It’s not that he doesn’t want to lend his younger sister money, he just feels unhappy that Zong Anji is not coming.
"Of course not!" Liu Yueyang wished he had two mouths so he could explain the matter clearly.
"They went down the mountain to negotiate the price. No one in the Zong family knew about this, and neither did Anji. It was my own idea."
Mother Liu held her hand, still unconvinced, "Was this all your own idea?"
"Mother, this was really my own idea." Liu Yueyang said, "The two brothers of the Zong family have a good relationship. Before I got married, they had been setting up a stall in town. You and father both knew about this. When we came down the mountain yesterday, we found that the stall had been occupied."
"Later, we met a suitable one, and Brother Zong wanted to rent it. We counted the silver we had, and it added up to thirty-seven taels. I was afraid it wasn't enough, so I thought of coming back to ask mother to borrow some." Liu Yueyang was afraid her family would not agree, so she added, "I will definitely pay it back when I make money."
Liu Zhong finally understood. He reached out and poked Yue Yang on the forehead, angrily saying, "You are too ambitious. I'll give you this money. How much do you want?"
"Three taels? Five taels?" Yueyang actually had no idea. She didn't know how much it would cost to rent a shop, but she was determined that the more she prepared, the better.
Mother Liu shook her head. "Silly child, this little money may not be enough. How about this? Let your eldest brother take the money down the mountain with you. They must be in that shop. When the time comes, let your eldest brother make up for the shortfall."
"Thank you, mother." Liu Yueyang's eyes were red. She leaned on her mother's shoulder and was so moved that she almost cried.
Mother Liu said helplessly: "Silly child."
In fact, Liu's mother wanted to say a few more words, but those words were unpleasant to hear. She was afraid that if she said too much, her daughter would imagine too much, so she only spoke to Liu Zhong in private, and asked him to explain the matter clearly to Zong Anji when he got there, so as not to let the Zong family imagine too much.
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In the small restaurant, Qiu Xuan, Huai Xue and Zong Xiao sat at the table, while Zong Anji went to the broker to inquire about the price.
The waiter made them some tea and said happily, "I didn't expect you to come so early. Our young master will be here soon."
"At first I saw the door was closed, so I thought it was closed today." Qiu Xuan thanked him for the tea.
"No," the waiter said, "The young master said last night that we won't be open today for business. We won't make any money if we open anyway."
This was a bit too honest, and Qiu Xuan was too embarrassed to respond.
As he was speaking, the young master that the waiter had mentioned arrived.
He looks small but very handsome. At first glance, he seems to be very easy to be bullied. No wonder Mr. Tian Sanye doesn't take him seriously.
"Do you three want to rent a shop?" Tian Yongwen went straight to the point without wasting a moment.
Qiu Xuan said, "I do have this idea, but I'm wondering if you can rent out your shop, what the rent is, and how often the payment is due."
Tian Yongwen listened to his mother's words last night and he had made up his mind. He wanted a lower price, renting it for a year, and paying thirty-six taels each time.
The price he offered was very fair. Although other shops of similar size on this street also make three or two taels of silver a month, his shop has a door at the back that leads to the backyard. Although it is a bit small, it still has three small rooms.
"Once a year, the same price as other shops, three taels a month. As for the things in the shop, I won't take them away. This way it will be convenient for you and me." Tian Yongwen took a sip of tea and said like an adult.
Thirty-six taels...
Qiu Xuan and the others only had thirty-seven taels of silver in their hands, but they couldn't give it all out at once, otherwise what would they eat and drink in the future?
Qiu Xuan's eyes turned and she asked, "How about this, a deposit of one and three payments?"
"Deposit one and pay three?" Tian Yongwen had never heard of this term. He frowned slightly, not quite understanding it.
Qiu Yu explained, "We paid for four months the first time, and every three months thereafter."
The more she spoke, the more guilty she felt. She herself felt that what she said was ridiculous. There was no such thing in ancient times.
"Three months?" Tian Yongwen was not very happy. Three months was only nine taels.
During the negotiation, Zong Anji, who had gone out to inquire about the price, came back.
He didn't expect anyone else to be in the room, so he pushed open the door and shouted, "Brother and sister-in-law, I've checked carefully. Most of the houses around here are three taels a month, and the lowest is two taels and five cents. If the price this young master wants is too high, we can go to the broker and ask to rent a place somewhere else. We already have money with us."
After he finished speaking, he noticed Tian Yongwen sitting on the stool.
Zong Anji stuttered: "This...this is..."
"This is the young master's home." Zong Xiao looked at him with a forced smile.
Zong Anji: ...
Qiu Xuan smiled and patted the empty stool next to her. "Come and sit down. We're almost done talking."
Qiu Xuan actually had no plans to look at other shops. After all, if she rented another one, she would have to buy the things inside herself, which would cost at least two taels of silver.
"Three months is too short." Tian Yongwen, who had been silent the whole time, thought for a moment and then changed his tone. "If you really want to rent it, let's both compromise. How about half a year? But this matter must not be made known to outsiders. If anyone asks, you can only say that you paid for a year. I think you all know...that matter."
Tian Yongwen was worried. If his third uncle came to cause trouble again, he wouldn't get even one tael of silver, let alone eighteen taels.
Seeing that they were still not replying, he clasped his hands under his sleeves involuntarily, "It can't be any less. I'll leave the things behind for you too."
"Okay." Qiu Xuan didn't want to make things difficult for the child. After all, the price was right. They could pay once every six months, eighteen taels each time. They could afford it now.
When Tian Yongwen heard the word "OK", the stone in his heart finally fell to the ground.
He breathed a sigh of relief, then took out pen and ink and signed the contract himself, writing down every detail clearly.
It was a pity that Zong Anji was the only one who knew the most characters among the people opposite him. He looked carefully for a long time and finally sighed: "Second sister-in-law and second brother, I think this contract should be fine. Yes, there should be no problem."
Qiu Yan, Zong Anji:...
Finally, a few people took the paper to the yamen, put their fingerprints on it, and paid the money.
The contract is now concluded. From now on, this shop will temporarily belong to Qiu Xuan and the others.
"There's only one cook and waiter in that restaurant. I don't think you need a cook." Tian Yongwen thought for a moment and said, "The waiter has been working in the shop for many years. If you need someone, you can continue to use him."
Tian Yongwen wanted to keep that person for himself, but he had no means of making a living and could not afford to support so many people.
Qiu Xuan didn't refuse. She said, "Okay, we'll discuss it later."
Several people dispersed at the street corner. Tian Yongwen walked alone towards the academy, while they returned to the shop.
"Second sister-in-law, hiring one more person will cost an extra two taels." Zong Anji actually felt that it was not cost-effective. They had more people and did not need to hire anyone else.
Qiu Xuan did have this idea. They all lived in the mountains, and no one was there at night.
If the waiter were closer, he could help look after the baby at night.
"Let's go back to the shop first and ask for details later." After finally solving a big problem, everyone was in a good mood.
On the way, Qiu Xuan also bought a bag of candies. They are sour and sweet and are loved by both adults and children.
When I approached the shop, I saw a lot of people gathered in front.
A few people thought something was wrong, and sure enough, the next moment a roar was heard from the crowd.
"What did you say? Say it again?"
"Call Tian Yongwen out to me. What do you mean by rented out?"
"Who did he rent it to? I want to see who dares to steal my Third Master Tian's things."
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