Bandit Reborn

Another day of heavy snow fell on the 29th day of the first lunar month, and the weather was still so cold. Li Huaixi stayed at home for a few days and left home on the third day of February. To use the academy, the boundary of Jin County was hit by heavy snow, and he, the county grandfather, was busy again.

Li Huaixi arrived in Yuchuan on the afternoon of the fifth day of the lunar new year. He handed the letter written by Lin Yichen to the butler in the Lin family's house. Yinzi, we can’t afford to rent a place that is too big, and the location should not be too good. I plan to do business with candidates rushing for the exam first, but a good location facing the street is too noisy. You are an old man in the house, You are also familiar with Yu Chuan, please take my book boy for a run these days, he is young, I am afraid no one will talk to him."

Lin Fu put the letter away, smiled and cupped his hands, "You are very polite, this is a trivial matter, since my son has explained it so deliberately, then don't worry, I understand what you mean, I will go right away in a few days Do it. I remember that in May every year, candidates come to look for a house. I have been asking for you in a few days. Your book boy will follow me, so I will send you another one from the mansion. I'll call all the boys over, and you pick the one that catches your eye."

"It's not necessary. Usually my book boy has nothing to do with me. I can do it by myself." Li Huaixi didn't think it was necessary.

The steward of Lin's house looked at the delicate young man in front of him, and thought of his own young man's precious energy, and said with a smile, "That's not right, it's cold this year, and you don't have anyone to serve you, so burn a charcoal Shui, what can you do by yourself? Our son will blame us, I'd better send you one, don't worry, the servants in this mansion are well trained, and I promise not to cause you any trouble."

Li Huaixi couldn't refuse, he wanted to use someone else's servant, but he wanted him to promise not to cause trouble for him, but he didn't pick any one, any one of the Lin family's servants would look better than his Liu Quan.

But there was a certain person who didn't know himself. When he left Lin's mansion, Liu Quan explained everything to the servants of Lin Fu's faction, as if he was usually good at serving, which made Li Huaixi want to kick him in the ass.

Lin Fu arranged for Li Huaixi to be a handsome boy of seventeen or eighteen years old, named Lin Qing, who was born at home, and his parents were servants of the Lin family. The clothes Li Huaixi usually wore were made by his mother.Lin Qing was very capable. When he got to the mountain, he first set up the charcoal fire to warm up the house, and then cleaned the inside and outside of the house, even the yard.

In the afternoon, Young Master He came back from home first. While his school boy was cleaning, Young Young Master He went to Li Huaixi's room to warm up the fire, "Huaixi, where is your Liu Quan? Did you eat too much during the Chinese New Year and the carriage couldn't pull?" Let's move."

"Hurry up, the carriage door can't be squeezed in. Why did you come back at such a time today? It's not too early or too late, isn't there still two days left?" Last year, everyone came to the academy on the day when school started. Yes, this year he has something to do ahead of schedule, unexpectedly, He Dashao, who is the closest to his home, is also ahead of schedule.

Young Master He rubbed his nose, and replied while warming up the fire, "I don't want to be bored in our house, come back and read more books, by the way, will you participate in this year's autumn?"

Li Huaixi smiled, knowing that this guy didn't want to talk about something, so he didn't ask any more questions, and followed the topic He Dashao started, "I won't participate this year, and I haven't finished the book yet, so I will make a joke if I go there .”

"You're quite modest, unlike the one outside, our academy is running out of room."

"Who is it?" Li Huaixi looked up, but didn't hear anything.

"Kong Fanqiu, Young Master Kong, I came in just now, and he was reading his latest masterpiece at the gate of their courtyard. He piled up all the words and thought he wrote it quite well." He Chongwen was sour, and the Kong Fanqiu he said was also Yu Chuan's son from a prominent family, but he is a bit arrogant and condescending, and He Chongwen can't get used to this person on weekdays.

Li Huaixi looked at Young Master He, smiled and wiped the mud, "If the article is not good, you can't stand at the gate of the courtyard and read it. It should be good. Don't be preconceived, his article is still good."

"Not bad, what? Huaixi, Mr. Kong Dashao has run on you a lot, both openly and secretly. You are always like this. Can you not keep reading your scriptures? You are about to become a monk who does not contend with the world."

"I really want to become a monk, but I won't allow it." Li Huaixi turned around and took some raw chestnuts from his grandmother and threw them into the charcoal basin. He glanced outside and lowered his voice to reveal his true colors, "He Young master, are you stupid? You want me to fight with the one at the door? Why should I fight with him? He is already defeated. Now he can show off as much as he likes. He runs on me like this kid, why do you explain? Is he making fun of me or is he making fun of me? He got second in the college exam, you know how annoying he is, I can make him stay in this mess for the rest of his life, believe it or not? I won’t take part in this year’s provincial exam. He couldn’t be reconciled, he didn’t pass the exam to the nine-year-old, one time is enough, and he won’t be happy even if he wins the first prize next year, because I didn’t participate!”

He Chongwen smiled, "You are really bad, so bad, I don't understand why he is not reconciled, I am the same age as him, I have passed more than 50 exams, and I am not as good as Duan Zhengchun, I don't think so There is nothing to be reconciled to."

Li Huaixi smiled, "That's because you passed more than 50 exams, not second, and you wouldn't be reconciled if you were second. By the way, Duan Zhengchun is so stingy, won't he walk in this snowy day?"

"That can freeze him to death. It's freezing and snowy. His feet will freeze off. Hey, it's really cold this year. Last year at this time, the ice was almost melting."

"A few days ago, the houses in our Jin County were overwhelmed, and many beggars froze to death. My senior brother was too busy to see me off. Xi County is further north than our county, so it is probably colder."

"Many beggars have froze to death in Yuchuan City this year, and Mr. Fu Yin is also busy, calling the big households in the city to build a charity hall to take in those homeless..."

The two chatted for a while, then Lin Qing walked in from the outside, "My lord, the bell is ringing in the dining hall, do you want me to bring it back for you?"

"No need, I'll eat it myself, and it will be cold when I bring it back."

"No, son, our food box is covered with cotton, so it won't be cold. It's cold outside, so don't go out. I'll be back in a while."

He Chongwen waited for Lin Qing to leave, and said with a smile, "Huaixi, this is much better than Fatty Liu. If he is here in this cold weather, it would be good if he doesn't pay you."

"Liu Quan? Fatty Liu? Well, it's appropriate!" Li Huaixi also smiled, and the fat Liu Quan really fits the name very well.

Duan Zhengchun came back with his fellow villagers the next evening, and people in their county froze to death, so he didn't dare to go on the road alone.Duan Zhengchun brought back a few beautiful cushions and gave them to Li Huaixi and He Chongwen, "This cushion was made for you by my mother, and I specially asked me to bring it here. It's not a good thing. It's all leftovers from her usual clothes. Don’t dislike it, my mother said thank you, the things I brought back to my brother are enough for him to use for a long time.”

Li Huaixi snuggled up on the couch, he leaned against one of the new cushions, held one in his arms, and held another between his legs. Hearing this, he yawned with his cat, "Prince Duan, can you be less polite? It's not that you don't know the origin of our things, so don't ask your mother to work so hard next time, and make He Da feel more or less embarrassed."

He Chongwen quit, "Why am I the only one who is embarrassed?! Li Huaixi, why did you occupy three of the five cushions? One of them should be given to my son by my mother."

"You're just jealous that I have three. Prince Duan is so thick that he doesn't need cushions. He really needs them. I have a few more at my place. Just take them." Li Huaixi took a fancy to the cushions in his hand. The flowers and birds in the patchwork are vivid and beautiful.

"Rough-skinned and thick-skinned" Duan Zhengchun said with a smile, "I don't want it, as long as you like it, my mother is afraid that you won't like it."

"Don't like your eyes? Look at Huaixi, you're going to see it in your eyes! But, Lord Duan, your mother's craftsmanship is really good, better than those in our house." Young Master He also followed Li Huaixi Calling Duan Zhengchun Prince Duan, when Li Huaixi was free, he would talk about "Dragon Babu" for the two of them. The two of them were very familiar with the characters in it, and they often joked about Duan Zhengchun's name together.

Speaking of his mother, Duan Zhengchun proudly boasted, "My mother is the most famous female celebrity master in our area. After my father passed away, my mother relied on her handicrafts to provide for our two brothers. My mother is less than 30 years old. I was widowed at the age of [-], and I have suffered a lot in these years, but I never said anything to make our two brothers drop out of school."

Li Huaixi's mother remarried, and she couldn't be compared with other mothers, but he didn't feel that he should be ashamed of his mother, he touched the cushion and admired sincerely, "This is really good, by the way, Prince Duan, will you take part in this year's rural examination? "

"If you don't participate, you won't know how much space you have in your stomach until you come to the academy. I want to study for a few more years. How about you?"

"I won't participate, and neither will Huaixi. Only Kong Fanqiu, Luo Shidi, and Yu Hualong plan to participate in our test. I haven't heard about the rest, but there are still more than two months to sign up, and we don't know when that time comes." He Chongwen After returning to the academy, he didn't study much. He was the most well-informed among the three people.

"Them?" The loyal Duan Zhengchun rarely said sour words, "That is to say, Kong Fanqiu's article is still worth reading, while Luo Shidi and Yu Hualong's article is just moving here and there. What are they going to do?"

Li Huaixi thought of his elder brother, and smiled to smooth things over for those few, "Just go and try. My elder brother also took the test, and he plans to come and try this year. They are young, and there is nothing wrong with getting familiar with the atmosphere of the examination room."

He Chongwen and Duan Zhengchun are both smart people. Hearing what Li Huaixi said, they knew that he was defending their brother, so they changed the subject with a smile.

Life in the academy was the same as before. A policy theory in Li Huaixi's class was appreciated by the professor and posted on the public notice board of the academy. The next day, the article was torn up. Children are still young.

At the beginning of March, Liu Quan found a suitable place to open an inn, a yard surrounded by two small two-story buildings and east and west wing rooms.The front two-story building is facing the street, and the first floor is a place to eat. In addition to the main entrance at the back, there is a small door connected to the kitchen on the east side. The second floor is the guest room; , the room is small, there are few rooms on the second floor, and the room is large. The reason for this place is that it was originally an inn.

The original owners of the inn were a couple, who were a little too old for the past few years. Their sons were doing big business outside, and no one was willing to take over this small inn. After paying 600 taels, I even got the title deed.

The inn is very clean, but the house is a bit old, the stairs creaked when stepped on, and some floors were warped. Li Huaixi still had some money in his hand, and he had plenty of time, so the housekeeper from Tuolin's mansion came to help. Craftsman, planning to tidy up.

Liu Quan lost a lot after not seeing him for a month, but he was still like a ball, following behind Li Huaixi to report work one by one, and finally looked up at the plaque and asked, "Young master, did you change your name as well? Hang up a new plaque?"

Li Huaixi also looked up, "It's okay to make a new plaque. The words on this plaque are too ugly. There is no need to change the name. The old couple have been in business for so many years. There must be many regular customers. It would be bad to change it. The name is also good, Tongfu Inn, I like it."

Preparing for the opening of an inn is a cumbersome job, but fortunately with the help of people from the Lin family, Li Huaixi safely left Liu Quan in Liyuchuan City, and returned to the academy with the title deed. Although scholars cannot do business, they can manage real estate of.

He mentioned this in a letter from home, and Li Chengkui and his wife were taken aback when they received the letter. A kid as old as Li Huaixi in the same village was still playing clay bowls, and his youngest son was about to start a business quietly. !Li Chengkui opened his eyes and thought about it all night, but he was still not at ease. He took his wife and daughter on the road in a hurry the next morning, and arrived at the apartment of his youngest son on the evening of March [-]th.

Li Huaixi didn't expect his parents to come, and it happened that he was taking a rest the next day, so he happily went down the mountain to live with his parents.

Li Chengkui was also very happy to see his son, but he did not forget the purpose of coming here. He gave his youngest son a brain collapse and asked seriously, "Son, where do you live down the mountain? Go to your inn?! You said you This kid, is there anything you dare not do? You just started a business when you were young, and your second brother still has to learn for a few years! If your uncle Li Li has more than five eldest sons in his pocket, he can I’ve been happy for days! How much do you have in your pocket? You don’t need money, and you don’t study hard, so what are you doing?”

"Father, there's not much left, it's all spent." Li Huaixi showed his father his small purse.

Li Chengkui patted his son's little hand, "You little prodigal, I really shouldn't spoil you, I thought you were a caring person, you keep all the big and small money by yourself, don't those little gold coins have legs? Jumping out one after another? Don’t you feel at ease if you don’t spend it?”

"Father, putting money in a money box won't lay eggs, I'm investing..."

"I don't know what to vote for, but I know you deserve a beating, but it's too late to beat you now, and you've spent all your money. Where is your inn? Is the location good? Have you found the buddy and shopkeeper? You said how many times have you stayed in the inn?! Do you know how many guys an inn has to hire?" Li Chengkui had considered these problems at home, and the more he thought about it, the more things he had to do, so he came here with anxiety.

"Yes, Dad. I'll take you to see it tomorrow. It's enough to hire four more men, two cooks, and a laundry lady. My place is small and I can't hire many people."

"What about the shopkeeper? Is he reliable?"

"The shopkeeper hasn't found a suitable one yet. The place is small and doesn't make much money. People don't like to come here. Let's go to Liu Quan first. He can handle small things like bookkeeping and registration. This kid is quite capable, and he doesn't need to be paid. , saved."

"Nonsense! Liu Quan is not much older than you, and the hired men can't listen to him."

"Leave if you don't listen. If Liu Quan can't even do this thing well, why do you think I need him? Dad, why don't you come? We can move, and we all move here. I want to kill you all." It's gone." Li Huaixi hugged his father shaking and shaking, he knew that his father was in a hurry with him.

Li Chengkui lost his temper when he was shaken by his son, and said with a smile, "Oh, silly son, you put it lightly, our ancestral graves are all in Jin County, so we can move as soon as we say, besides, you don't want to stay in Yuchuan forever." In a few years, you are going to Beijing, and you have to be a Beijing official for a few more years. It is uncertain whether you will be dispatched or not. In the end, you don’t know where to put your roots. If Dad chased you early, How many times do you have to chase after that? Don't play tricks, won't you take a shower tomorrow? Hurry up and take us down the mountain to have a look. It's really not possible. I'll find you a reliable old shopkeeper from our Jin County. I know one. There are a lot of things going on in the inn, and Liu Quan, a child, can't hold back anything that happens."

Li Huaixi is happy, his father is here to send charcoal in the middle of the snow, the price of the shopkeepers that Lin Butler found is too high, his small inn is decorated and decorated, the more it is better, the money is wasted, and he has nothing in his hand. Money can't afford it, so using Liu Quan is also an expedient measure.Now that his father and mother are here, Li Huaixi grasped at the straw and not only asked his father to help him find an acquaintance old shopkeeper when he went back, but also secretly asked for some money from his father. He dared not ask his mother, his mother The expression on her face is not very good at first glance, similar to when she was pregnant.

Li Huaixi's mother is really in a bad mood, she doesn't understand these things, in her opinion, the youngest son is just messing around, and he is destined to lose money.She sat there without saying a word, her heart was at war with heaven and man. On the one hand, she comforted herself that the youngest son's money should be gone quickly if it comes easily. On the other hand, she loves money, and she also loves the money that was not taken out of her pocket, and she really wants to ask her son to sell the inn he just bought and get the money back.However, she still didn't say anything. Although her son is narrow-minded and coquettish, he still has skills. She finally decided to cover her pockets.

That night, the family went down the mountain. Li Huaixi let Lin Qing go back to reunite with his parents, and he carried the fat cat to stay with his parents. The result of staying in the best inn is that the whole family has to squeeze into one bed, and Li Chengkui only needs one room.

Li Huaixi didn't learn anything after being crammed all night. The best inn is just a little bigger room and a little tidier, and the rest is no different.He doesn't understand modern hotel management, and he doesn't intend to make it like that. His Tongfu Inn is a small inn with only one purpose, to make money.

The next day, the family, who had been sleeping sorely and with sore backs, arrived at Li Huaixi's small inn. Liu Quan is sleeping here now, rolling around in the yard all morning. It's just that the body is too round, and the two hands can't be held together behind the back like the housekeeper of the Lin family, but can only be shaken at the sides.

Li Huaixi checked around, and the work was done well, but the progress seemed a little slow to him, but he knew that there was no way to do it. At this time, there was no electric saw or electric drill, everything was manual work, and it would not be fast, Li Huaixi A little anxious, he called Liu Quan over, "Liu Quan, how many days are left until this job is finished?"

"I just asked yesterday. The masters said that it will take half a month, and the sheets and quilts we ordered will also be half a month later. Butler Lin introduced a few guys to us. I made an appointment today, thinking that you Take a look." Liu Quan answered fluently, and this guy is getting more and more secure in his work.

Li Huaixi nodded, "Just look at it, and then ask Butler Lin to introduce a shopkeeper."

"The shopkeeper? Then what am I going to do? I want to be the shopkeeper!" Liu Quan was furious, and everything he had just now was gone, chasing after his master with all his teeth and claws.

Li Huaixi looked back at him, raised his fist, "You go back and be my book boy, Lin Qing is a servant of the Lin family."

Facing the power, Liu Quan immediately froze, and replied unwillingly, "I, that's fine. I'm busy for nothing."

Li Huaixi scolded with a smile, "You stupid thing, why is your business so busy?! There are so many things going on in the inn, do you think you can handle it? It doesn't depend on your weight, you fat man!"

Liu Quan was instantly healed by Li Huaixi's words of "buy and sell by yourself", and raised his arm to let Li Huaixi see his thinned wrist, "I have lost five catties, son, you really have no conscience."

"I can see that you lost fifty catties!" Li Huaixi left Liu Quan and went upstairs.

On the eighth day of May, after the Dragon Boat Festival, Li Huaixi's Tongfu Inn opened. The words on the plaque were written by him, round and round like Liu Quan, which made people feel very comfortable at first glance.The shopkeeper behind the counter was invited by his father from Jin County. He is a bit old and no one wants to use it in other places, so the salary is not high, but Li Huaixi thinks that the old shopkeeper is good and in good health. Li Huaixi respectfully called him the third grandfather, and the old shopkeeper was also surnamed Li, who was a distant relative of their Li family.The guys that the Lin family helped to introduce were all young men in their twenties from Qing Yishui. They all looked smart and neat, and they all cleaned up neatly.

The Tongfu Inn opened auspiciously, and as soon as the firecrackers were over, there were a lot of guests. Those who took the imperial examinations all came to Yuchuan to find a place to live after the festival. Although Li Huaixi was in business for the first time, he had a flexible mind and the timing was just right.