Chapter 7 Chapter 7 Talking about Home Affairs and Setting Up the Family Business
My aunt has been in Bianliang for more than ten years. She was very vivid in her description of the customs and people of Bianliang. Baorong wanted to go there for a stroll right away after listening to her.
Baorong drank a cup of wine, his cheeks flushed and his eyes dim. After listening to his aunt's words, he held his cheek and asked, "I wonder if the jewelry and clothes in Bianjing are better than those in Suzhou?"
She was not only curious, but also used to sell paintings to earn some pocket money in Suzhou. Except for Erlang who was born with a brain for studying, the other children in the Zhen family were all thinking about how to make some money.
My aunt has deep feelings for Suzhou. She says that each place has its own unique characteristics. For example, in Bianjing City, there is not only embroidery made with materials from Jiangnan, but also embroidery from Shu and Guangdong. All the famous and distinctive embroidery from all over the country can be found in Bianjing. There are also so many embroidery workshops that those without special skills would have been washed away by the waves.
When Baorong asked where he could buy them, he answered without hesitation, "There are even more. Not to mention the silver shops and cosmetics stores on the street, just take the Daxiangguo Temple, which is not far from us. It opens several times a month, and you can buy everything there, even embroidered pieces for clothes, headbands and scarves, and even pearl and jade tiaras. Besides the Daxiangguo Temple's monthly opening, there are also places like the Bamboo Pole Market and the Ghost Market, which also sell many of these embroidered jewelry, even wearable items. I guarantee you'll be dazzled by the selection."
Aunt Zhen vividly recounted the bustling scenes everywhere.
"Everyone's life is so good these days, and even festivals are a time for celebration. You've arrived quite fortuitously. The Dragon Boat Festival is in two days. Every year, the government sends officials to Jinming Lake for a banquet. Two years ago, they even came in person. On the day of the Dragon Boat Festival, there are dragon boat races, Cuju, and even polo and pot-throwing competitions in the garden. There are three days of excitement, and the winning team wins prizes. The families of officials from the capital can all go. It's a huge festivity. I just received an invitation, so I'll take you to see the fun on that day."
"You talk so much that I can't wait to go and watch the fun!" Grandma Zhen had been so engrossed in what she was saying that she forgot to put down her bowl and chopsticks. When she heard about the excitement of dragon boat races and Cuju, she put down her bowl and chopsticks, stood up, clenched her fists and waved them a few times. Everyone at the table laughed so hard that their stomachs hurt.
"Looking at how energetic the old lady is, I'm afraid she'd also like to go down and have a match with him!"
As soon as Baozhu said this, everyone at the table burst into laughter. Several guys over there looked at Baozhu. Dong's cousin also looked at Baozhu when he heard the voice, and a smile appeared on his originally serious face.
The wing rooms were all cleaned up, but Baorong had always been timid, so she pulled Baozhu tightly to live with her. Dalang occupied a room by himself, while Erlang and Hengger slept in the school dormitory. Both of them were ambitious, and if the family had not come today, they would still be studying in the school.
At night, Baorong clung tightly to Baozhu. The two sisters talked in low voices for a while before falling into a deep sleep. They slept very soundly that night. They had been floating on the water for more than a month. Although the whole family was together, they felt a little uncomfortable as their feet were not on the ground.
My uncle went to work early in the morning. Perhaps knowing that the family was tired, my aunt told everyone to be quiet. The whole family slept until noon. Even A Zhong overslept. He slept with Uncle Hua last night. There were two beds in Uncle Hua's room. He got up quietly and A Zhong didn't notice at all.
Yesterday, Uncle Dong told his family that he wanted to set up a business in Bian Jing. After lunch, Zhen's father asked where the brokerage shop was, and then went to look for a broker with Baozhu and Dalang.
"I guess this gentleman has a son who is studying at home, so he came to Beijing to set up a family business?" This is an official, his surname is Zhou, and his name is Zhou Quan. As his name suggests, he is very reliable and thorough.
"That's right." Zhen's father did not hide it.
"If you're not a native of Bianjing, you can't take the exam there. The regulations have been relaxed in recent years. As long as you own property in the city, you can transfer your household registration there. Therefore, many wealthy families come to Bianjing to buy property for their children's education. With the stability of the country in recent years, land prices in the capital have remained high. I wonder what kind of house you're looking for, Mr. Zhen?"
"I wonder what the prices are for the inner and outer cities?"
"The inner city is now mostly occupied by high-ranking officials and nobles. Ordinary people probably can't afford to buy it."
The Zhouya people shook their heads.
"There are a few good houses in the outer city. If you walk south from the Vermillion Bird Gate, you'll reach the Imperial College in about an incense stick's worth of time. There are a few houses at the entrance of the main alley near the Imperial College. There are also a few houses outside the Lijing Gate in the east wing, past the Xiatu Bridge. There are also a few houses outside the Changhe Gate in the west wing, behind the Yuxiao Temple, in Hulu Lane and Jixiangfang. These are all high-quality houses in the outer city. Because they are close to the inner city, they are all in excellent locations."
The shop assistant poured tea for the group, and Zhou Yaren continued, "There are other plots of land with lower prices and more houses, but the locations are not good. They are often crowded with people of all kinds. If you have a man studying for an exam or a woman waiting to be married, it's not a good idea to live in such a crowded place."
Zhou Yaren had some ability in speaking, and his words touched the heart of Zhen's father.
Bian Jing was prosperous, and Jiangnan was equally wealthy, so even though Fang Yazi could tell from their accents that they were not native Bian Jing people, he did not look down on them. After listening to Zhen's father's request, he did his best to introduce them to each other.
Nowadays, you have to be good at what you do. Don't underestimate Fang Ya. There is no place in the entire Bianjing city, inside and outside, in the streets and alleys, that he doesn't know. He even knows all the new policies issued by the government.
Zhen's father has always put his children first. Now Erlang's studies are the most important thing. In ancient times, there was a story about Meng's mother who moved three times. The first place Fang Ya mentioned was a house near the Imperial College.
The three of them went to look at the houses near the Imperial College. The first one they went to was older and half the size of the house in Suzhou. Zhen's father was a clean person and was not happy to see the dirtiness inside. However, considering that the family had not yet found a livelihood, he still asked the price.
"This house costs two thousand three hundred strings of cash."
Baozhu and Dalang were both shocked after hearing this, and they also had a clearer understanding of the prices in Bianjing.
However, the family kept their feelings to themselves. They then went to another house, owned by Bai Lai Bu, a little further from the Imperial College. This house was larger than the previous one. The back room at the entrance was where the servants lived, and after passing through the screen wall, the main hall emerged. There were two side rooms on either side, making the main hall spacious and suitable for entertaining guests. The east and west wing rooms were bright, and a few plum trees were planted in the corners. A pond had been dug in the courtyard, and at this time of year, lotus flowers were swaying and leaves were graceful. The family's assistant said that the original owner had passed the imperial examination and was being transferred to Lin'an as an official, so he wanted to sell the house.
But the price is higher, two thousand eight hundred strings of cash.
After looking at two houses, it was getting late, so Zhen's father asked his son to continue looking. Fang Ya didn't show any impatience. After saying goodbye to the three of them, he went back.
Baozhu had only seen the bustling Bianjing Wazi Night Market in books, but now that she was there in person, she felt as if she were in another world.
Our dynasty is somewhat like the Song Dynasty described in books in my previous life, except that the country name and reign title are not quite right, and the name of the reigning emperor is something I have never heard of. Moreover, our dynasty has been established for more than 40 years, and is now in its heyday, with a strong military force and stability.
Zhen's father was silent all the way, and only asked Baozhu if she wanted some new things when he saw them. Baozhu also noticed that since they had come to Bian Jing, her father felt a little uncomfortable. Leaving his hometown was only one of the reasons, the most important thing was that he was afraid that he would have difficulty making a living in the future.
"Dad." Baozhu called softly.
Zhen Shide turned around and saw Baozhu pointing at a restaurant in front of him. The flags were fluttering, and it was called Fengle Tower. The door was decorated with colorful silk. In the city of Bianjing, in order to attract business, these shops would do anything. No matter what they were, they would decorate it gorgeously, just to attract more diners.
Zhen's father assumed she was hungry and wanted to eat. Although he worried that the money they brought wouldn't be enough to buy a house, he also thought it was just a meal; if they ate, they wouldn't go broke, and if they didn't, they wouldn't starve. So the three of them walked in. They hadn't brought Baorong with them today; she had been eager to come out and watch the fun, but they were on business, and Baozhu was clever and capable of making decisions, while Dalang was a big, intimidating person.
The store was bustling with noise, and lights were on in the four corners, making the store brightly lit.
As soon as they sat down, in addition to the waiter who came to greet them, an idle man came and asked if he wanted to run errands. After the idle man left, a woman who cooked rice wine with a blue and white cloth handkerchief tied around her waist came to pour wine. Zhen's father refused, but a child in a cloth shirt came and sold spicy vegetables in a white porcelain jar. The vegetables smelled delicious, so the three of them spent a few coins to buy a plate.
Northern cuisine is often grand and bold, or braised or stewed, and always fresh and flavorful. The three of them ordered a fish with basil, a fried quail, and a bowl of a hundred-flavor soup. When the dishes arrived, Baozhu asked the waiter,
"Your restaurant is hiring?"
It was really hot, so the waiter stood a little further away, wiped the sweat off his face with a handkerchief, and then replied, "Yes, the head chef has been forced to leave for something, and we're looking for a cook."
"How's the pay?"
"If you are an experienced worker, you can earn 12 strings of cash a month."
Not to mention Dalang, even Zhen's father was surprised. Twelve strings of cash a month was higher than Uncle Dong's salary. Although it was not very decent, it was more than enough to live in the city of Bianjing.
Baozhu stuffed two copper coins into the waiter's pocket. She came in because she saw the sign recruiting people at the door.
"Look, Dad, there are 360 trades in Bianjing City, and there are people working in all of them. We have hands and feet, so why should we be afraid of not being able to make a living?" There are many jobs in Bianjing City. Dad and my eldest brother are both capable, so there is nothing to be afraid of. "I heard that there is a Fanlou in Bianjing City. Let's go see the world when we have time. I think Dad's skills are especially popular there."
Only then did Zhen Shide realize that Baozhu wanted to go into the restaurant to eat, and his previous depression completely disappeared.
"We're not familiar with Bianjing City right now, and the Sun family incident hasn't resolved itself yet. We can't rush into opening a restaurant just yet. Any trouble we run into might implicate my aunt's family. Let's each find a job to earn some money for our daily expenses." Baozhu continued, "Wait a couple of years, when the Sun family incident has faded and we've gotten more familiar with Bianjing City, and then we can rent a shop and open a restaurant. The Zhen family restaurant, beloved by everyone in Gusu, shouldn't be successful in Bianjing City."
The bright light from the lamp in the store reflected in the eyes of my father and eldest brother, and seemed to ignite a light in their hearts as well.
After coming out of the restaurant, the three of them walked around again, watched some acrobatics, and bought some strange little gadgets for Baorong. Zhen's father also went back to buy the pearl flowers that he had not been willing to buy.
——This is naturally for Xu.
After they had almost spent all the change they had brought with them, the three of them slowly walked back.
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