Go back to ancient times to engage in sideline business

The sky is bright and the air is clear, the breeze is not dry, and the earth is shining with a layer of warmth under the sunshine.Many people took off their outer shirts and basked in the sun on the newly completed square.

Downstairs in Dongcheng, on the newly erected parallel bars, a mustard purple figure is particularly eye-catching.

I saw her clenched the head of the pole with both hands, kicked her feet hard on the ground, stepped on the support wood with her strength, twisted her waist slightly, and immediately jumped onto the lever.

Five feet above the ground, she was unaware of fear, with her hands on the parallel bars and her feet dangling triumphantly in the air.

There were quite a few people around the parallel bars. Although a city gate guard came over just now, he roughly taught how to use each fitness equipment.

But apart from walking machines, turntables and treadmills that are not difficult, few other equipment have been tried.

They are all neighbors, so it would be embarrassing to make a fool of themselves in public.

Therefore, when someone moves up the parallel bars neatly, people can't help admiring.

The woman on the parallel bars turned around, the lowered corners of her eyes couldn't cover the look in her eyes.

Aunt Liu smiled and waved confidently to the neighbors below.Her grandson was playing on the seesaw across the street, and she was finally free to use the tree-climbing skills she had cultivated since she was a child.

Driven by her, soon there was a second, and a third old lady jumped onto the parallel bars, her clothes fluttering and her spirits flying high.

What grows with age is experience, leaving behind housework and children and grandchildren, no one has a girlish heart.

In the passage of the city gate behind the square, Hu Touer was helping to hold the inkstone, watching Tang Zhong step on the bench and add content to the government affairs column.

"On the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, the magistrate of Lin County and Hu Bingyi, the guard of Dongcheng Gate, jointly unveiled the People's Square of Qingjiang County. Hundreds of people witnessed and participated in the grand event."

Hu Tou'er pondered the sentence written by Tang Zhong back and forth, and gradually came back to it.

"Why did you invite Linzhi County to unveil it? The construction of the square is all thanks to our Dongchengmen. He didn't even give a penny, so why should he publicize it for him in the government affairs column?"

Tang Zhong drew the last period, jumped off the bench, and wiped away the footprints with his sleeve.

"Don't look at the content on the current government affairs column. We worked hard to add it. In the future, when everyone knows that there is a government affairs column under the city gate, Linzhi County will take the initiative to make achievements and ask us to write it."

As he spoke, Tang Zhong lifted the bench onto his shoulders, then freed his hand to take the inkstone from Hu Tou'er's hand, and said to himself, "Let's just wait and see!"

Hu Touer was facing the government affairs column, staring at the only two items on it, only thinking that Tang Zhong was bragging.

"By the way, Hu Touer, I want to ask for leave later, and I have some personal matters to deal with." Tang Zhong walked to the corner of the passage, poked his head back again.

"Just fuck you, whoever we are with whom!"

Hu Tou'er waved his hand in his direction, signaling him what to do.He still has to continue to ponder, how can this ordinary government affairs column come in handy in the future?

Tomorrow is New Year's Eve. Shops in the county will generally not open on New Year's Eve, and Wangji Blacksmith Shop is no exception.

He has already rushed to finish several tasks that were urgently needed, and the rest of the work should be done after the next year.

He turned off the charcoal fire in the oven with iron tongs, and moved all the firewood and coke in the oven room to the yard. Before closing the business, he planned to clean it inside and out.

The broom made a rustling sound on the bluestone floor, accompanied by a few soft knocks on the door, echoing in the small courtyard.

Every household is busy preparing for the New Year, who will strike the iron at this time?

Blacksmith Wang leaned the broom against the wall, stroked his trousers a few times, and walked across the yard to answer the door.

When the back door opened, a thin young man's face was seen smiling dryly at him.

"Uncle Wang, I wish you an early year!"

Blacksmith Wang took a deep breath, and a little impatience flashed in his eyes.

"Your Uncle He went back to Fengshan Village at noon, and he won't be here during the Chinese New Year. If you want to find him, go back to the village."

After finishing speaking, Blacksmith Wang raised his hand to close the door, Tang Zhong hurriedly stretched out a foot and stepped over the threshold, "Uncle Wang, I'm actually here to find you."

After a pause, Tang Zhong thought about his words for a while, and then said cautiously: "I was mainly to blame for what happened last time. I didn't indicate the size when I drew the picture, so..."

Which pot didn't ring and which pot was picked up, Tiejiang Wang seemed to have been stabbed in the heart again. After a cloudy and sunny face changed, he obviously didn't want to bring up the sad thing again, so he slapped himself in the face.

"Okay, don't mention the previous things. The nail clippers were randomly punched according to the new blueprint. Look, if it works, go to someone else!"

"Hey, how could it be?"

Tang Zhong put on a smiling face, stepped across the threshold, and followed Blacksmith Wang into the yard.

"It's inside, only made three, see for yourself."

Blacksmith Wang pointed casually into the furnace room, but he himself stood in the yard and refused to go in. He took back the broom by the wall and continued to clean the yard.

Tang Zhong walked in resentfully, feeling very uneasy.

Uncle Wang's angry attitude now, he completely understands.The last mistake dealt a big blow to the old blacksmith, it was like pouring a basin of cold water on his self-confidence that had been proud for half his life.

Tang Zhong had already thought about it on the way before he came. No matter what kind of works he saw in a while, he would have the cheek to brag to the sky, and he must make Wang Tiejiang happy!

The furnace room is not big, and the wooden boards holding the utensils are in the middle of the room.Tang Zhong's eyes swept over the top, and his eyes immediately fell on the three silver-white things on the wooden plate, his jaw dropped uncontrollably.

"Uncle Wang!"

Like a rooster with its tail on fire, Tang Zhong jumped out of the room howling.Blacksmith Wang tightly held the broom head in his hand, held his breath, and didn't want to turn his head away at all.

"what!"

He roared back impatiently, with a strong hostility in his voice.But only he himself understands that this is just to cover up the uneasiness in his heart.

He has dealt with Tie Qi for half his life, and he has always been praised by others, but this is the first time he has capsized on Tang Zhong.What was made without sleep and rest, ended up in a mess, and it was remade!

He has always been quite confident, in Tang Zhong's place, there is a kind of depression that he has all the skills but can't use them.

The three nail clippers right now were meticulously crafted by him in more than 20 days.

He didn't dare to think, if he still said that there was something wrong with it this time, would he lose control of his fist and go up to hammer someone in a collapse.

He heard Tang Zhong's footsteps coming out of the furnace room, but he didn't see him continue speaking for a while.Finally, Blacksmith Wang couldn't help but turned sideways, and glanced at the young man behind him from the corner of his eye.

"Tell me, what's going on, give me a letter!"

Tang Zhong pushed the wooden plate in front of him, but couldn't restrain his excitement.

"What kind of nail clippers are these!"

Blacksmith Wang tightened his grip on the broom again, his heart closed in frost and snow, like falling into an ice cave.

"This is simply a work of art!"

The three small handmade nail clippers on the plate were polished so shiny that they thought they were three pieces of silverware.

Looking closely at it from a close distance, we can even see the meticulous craftsmanship of blacksmith Wang.

The nail clippers are no more than the length of two fingers of an adult.Not only according to the design on the drawing, but also restore each component one by one.What is even more surprising is that there are exquisite patterns on the front and back of the nail clippers.

The abdomen of the nail clippers is a smooth water wave, the part used for sharpening in the interlayer is dense moiré, and the flip surface on the back of the nail clipper is also carved with a nimble carp.

It is really unimaginable that in this era without modern machinery standard production, ironware made by hand can be so exquisite.

Tiejiang Wang was so excited by Tang Zhong's panting that his heart almost missed a beat.

He turned around and stared at the excited Tang Zhong, his stiff shoulders finally relaxed.

In the Fuxing Restaurant in the west of the city, according to Tang Zhong's previously planned membership benefits, the year-end point exchange activity is being carried out.

Points are exchanged for prizes in strict accordance with the items corresponding to points and gifts, and there is evidence to rely on to avoid wrangling.

As the end of the year approached, more and more customers came to redeem points. Shopkeeper Liu simply put up a sign at the door, listing the points exchange items one by one, so as to avoid people always coming to ask.

Points range from less to more, and each stage can be exchanged for different things.One hundred points can be exchanged for a plain cotton towel, five hundred points can be exchanged for a pair of white porcelain bowls, seven hundred points can be exchanged for a set of tea sets, and one thousand points can be exchanged for a waxed pig's trotter.

After becoming a member, one point can be accumulated for every penny spent at Fuxing Restaurant.Shopkeeper Liu has a fish-scale ledger, which clearly records how many points a member has accumulated.

Many old customers usually save points for use, and only wait until the end of the year, when they have accumulated [-] points, they can exchange them for a cured pig's trotter to go home.

There is still more than an hour before dinner time, shopkeeper Liu and the six assistants are already busy with work ahead of time.

Shopkeeper Liu took the membership booklet and verified it one by one against the information on the membership wooden card presented by the customer.The six sons were busy wrapping the cured pig's trotters one by one in oiled paper, and then tied them with festive red hemp ropes.

Since the construction of People's Square started, Tang Zhong didn't come here again except to smoke duck on credit twice.

Seeing him walk into the store now, shopkeeper Liu happily waved to him, and said in front of the customers in line, "The poor man is here! Look, how busy the store is!"

Tang Zhong consciously found a place to sit down, brought a pot of tea and waited.

Shopkeeper Liu knew that he was looking for something to do with him, so he speeded up his movements, and repeatedly urged the six sons to move more quickly.

About the time to touch a cup of tea, I found a space where there was no one in line for the time being. Shopkeeper Liu touched it with smiles on his brows and eyes.

Every time Tang Zhong came over, besides taking the smoked duck, he thought of a coup to attract business. If he hadn’t signed a non-disclosure agreement, shopkeeper Liu really wanted to find someone to draw a portrait of Tang Zhong, and put it in the alcove for a day together with the statue of the God of Wealth. Three sticks of incense are offered.

"This time, is there any new arrangement?"

Tang Zhong nodded, motioned for shopkeeper Liu to come over, and put his hands on his cheeks to confess for a while.

Seeing the doubts gradually rising on shopkeeper Liu's face, Tang Zhong patted him on the back.

"Go, if someone comes to change, remember to notify me!"

After speaking, Tang Zhong strode out of the restaurant as if avoiding suspicion.

At dusk, Fuxing Restaurant gradually filled up with customers, and shopkeeper Liu greeted him in a circle, and then took back the signboard for point exchange from the door.Write at the bottom of the exchange entry, and add a new line:

[-] points, exchange for a nail clipper, beautiful limited edition, first come first served.