Go back to ancient times to engage in sideline business

At the other end of Qingshi Lane, two men were walking towards him.

The one who spoke was a middle-aged man with a mustache walking in front, holding an umbrella with a concerned expression on his face.

The little man behind him was wearing a coir raincoat, and his face was full of fawning smiles.

"Xiao Zhong, you're back! You've been busy all morning, you're tired!"

Chen Yuanbao was not restrained, he acted like a relative and friend as soon as he came up, as if he was very familiar with the Tang family.

While talking, the person has come to the front.

Seeing Tang Zhong's face was cold, he pretended not to understand his expression, and continued to greet: "Xiao Zhong, don't you remember me? I am the eldest nephew of your grandma's cousin. Speaking of it, you still have to call me uncle! Remember ?"

Grandma passed away less than four months ago, how could Tang Zhong forget the face of the manager of Chen Ji's coffin shop?

When Grandma passed away and there was no coffin to bury her, Chen Yuanbao not only couldn't hide, but also asked the store clerk to drive him away.

This bad breath, he is still holding back in his heart!

Since I disliked poor relatives at the beginning, what kind of medicine did I take wrong now, and I actually came to seek relationships?

Tang Zhong thought it was ridiculous, what a big face!

"Please remember, old man, I still want to live for a few more years, and I don't need your coffin. Don't dare to delay your big deal, let's go!"

Tang Zhong said with a gun and a stick in his words, obviously urging Chen Yuanbao to leave quickly.

However, his cousin still had a smiling face, not only pretending not to understand, but also continued to climb up the pole.

"Don't delay, don't delay, I'm here to see you! We are relatives, we should move around more, otherwise we will be divided."

As he spoke, Chen Yuanbao called his assistant Wang Jiu to come forward, took the two oil-paper bags from his arms, held them in his hands, and handed them over.

"This is a snack specially bought from Suxiang Pavilion in Fengguan Town. It's too late to buy it! Try it!"

"No need!"

Tang Zhong didn't even lift his eyelids, and said directly: "They've all come to you, so speak up if you have something to say!"

Chen Yuanbao smiled apologetically, and dryly withdrew the hand that was holding the gift in the rain.

"Look at what you said, we are relatives, we should walk around frequently!"

It's really bad luck in the previous life, and I only got married to him in this life!Tang Zhong didn't listen to his vain tricks, snorted, and was about to leave.

"Don't, don't, don't! I'll finish in a while, don't waste time!"

After beating around the bush for a long time, like a lazy donkey, he finally got to the point.

"Oh, Xiao Zhong is very promising now! I have heard for a long time that Fengshan Village has a capable city gate guard. He not only builds squares, but also advertises, making the business of those shops so good! Xiao Zhong, you are really Give it to the Tang family, but also to the Chen family!"

"Stop flattering, get to the point!" Tang Zhong clenched his fingers tightly on the handle of the umbrella, and his last bit of patience seemed to be worn out.

"Yes, yes, Xiao Zhong, you know, uncle, I am also in business. If I can have an advertising space, it will be of great benefit to future business! I saw it today, and there are still two empty advertising spaces on the tower. Look, can you think of a way to get one for my shop?"

Whoa!Dare to play is the idea of ​​advertising space!Really dare to think!

The shopkeeper at the front spoke happily, and Wang Jiu, the clerk behind him, also chimed in: "Yes, instead of helping outsiders to promote, it's better to help with the business of your relatives, after all, it's a family!"

Tang Zhong couldn't help laughing, and confirmed: "You mean, put an advertisement for that coffin shop and hang it on the tower?"

"Yes!" Chen Yuanbao thought it was right, and immediately nodded his head.

"It's all about the East City Gate. You're so promising now. I heard that the city gate guard thinks highly of you. I thought, as long as you say hello to him and say this is a family business, he won't be able to charge a high price, right? "

Wang Jiu continued to chime in: "That's right, they are all relatives! It's not that we don't give money, but we can pay less for your sake."

Tang Zhong finally understood.

"Want to rent advertising space? Want to bypass the auction and get the internal price directly? Is that what you mean?"

"That's right! It's still Xiao Zhong who can tell the truth as soon as he says it!"

"That's right, that's what we planned!"

Tang Zhong looked at the two people with burning eyes in front of him, and felt that there were four words written all over his face: wishful thinking.

In his two lifetimes combined, he has never seen such a snobbish person.

Pushing the nose on the face is still unaware, I really don't know how to cultivate the face.

"Come on, I'll tell you what to do."

Tang Zhong hooked his hands, and the two immediately moved closer to each other.

"Out of Qingshi Lane, go west along Baima Street, turn left at the crossroads, and walk another two hundred steps to the county government office. You can repeat what you just said to Lin Zhixian. As long as the magistrate agrees to you to go through the back door, I will Immediately obey."

Chen Yuanbao laughed dryly: "This...Xiao Zhong was joking, really, he's talking about business now, and he's even playing naughty with his cousin."

"Half of the advertising fee at Dongchengmen is handed over to the county government. As long as the county government agrees, you can hang the advertisements in the coffin shop wherever you like."

"Why... isn't the city gate the final decision?"

Seeing the dream of the two of them shattered, and a burst of astonishment appeared on their faces, Tang Zhong felt secretly refreshed.

"If you have the guts, go to the county government. If you don't have the guts, just stay cool and go!"

After saying a few words, his heart became much happier, and he went back to the yard on his own, leaving the two of them distracted in the cold rain...

"Boss, what shall we do next?"

"What else can I do? Go back!"

Wang Jiu looked back unwillingly, he could hear clearly Tang Zhong's in-and-out words just now.

If he didn't want to ask someone to do something, he would have scolded him back in normal times.

"What! Isn't it just a gatekeeper, what are you proud of! I'm bah!"

Wang Jiu cursed a few words in the direction of the Tang family's house, but he didn't dare to speak too loudly, as if it was an addiction.

When he turned around, it was a coincidence that he happened to see an acquaintance in the opposite yard.

"Isn't that old man Gao?"

Just now at the tea stall by the square, they only inquired about Tang Zhong's residence, but they didn't expect that Gao's father and son were also in Qingshi Lane.

"It's weird, they actually live door to door, don't they know each other before?"

Wang Jiu didn't have anyone to tell the truth, but Chen Yuanbao listened to the words.

Although the advertising space has disappeared, there may be new opportunities hidden in the tricks of the Gao family and his son.

"Tell me, the father and son have stayed in Fengguan Town for so many years, why suddenly their wings became stiff, and they wanted to start a new workshop to do it alone? They have been making coffins for so many years, and they can change them whenever they want."

"What does the shopkeeper mean?"

Putting aside the pug-like countenance he had just flattered Tang Zhongshi, Chen Yuanbao was after all an old fried dough stick who had been in business for many years, and he immediately smelled some tricks.

He smoothed the two mustaches around his lips, pondering: "Could it be that before this, the Gao family father and son have been in Tang Zhong's favor?"

……

In the courtyard of the Gao family, Mr. Gao was busy polishing the last few tables, while Gao Zhang went out to rent a carriage, preparing to transport the batch of tables and chairs to the pier in the afternoon.

Worried that the rain would bring mud and stain the completed tables and chairs, the Gao family and his son tied a large tarpaulin under the eaves, extending to the edge of the yard.

Under the oilcloth, a complete set of folding tables and chairs is arranged in order for four people, eight people, and 12 people.

"Brother Gao, I haven't seen you for a while, so you live in Qingshi Lane!"

Hearing the sound, old man Gao raised his head from behind the table.

Seeing the sudden visit from his old club, he was a little surprised, but he was originally a quiet person.What's more, he was rushing to work, so he just nodded to the two of them.

"The courtyard is in chaos, I'm afraid shopkeeper Chen's clothes will be dirty."

"It's okay, it's okay, let's come in and take a look, you just do your own thing!"

Before waiting for the host's invitation, shopkeeper Chen pushed the courtyard door and came in, put away his umbrella and stood under the oilcloth, staring back and forth at the finished tables and chairs around him.

This batch of orders was rushed, and it was going to be shipped in the afternoon. Mr. Gao was busy with his hands, and he didn't bother to open his mouth to deal with it. He simply continued to polish the brackets that supported the folding and transforming of the desktop.

It was the first time for Chen Yuanbao to see the tables and chairs of Gao's house. At first glance, they seemed to be nothing special, until he noticed the movements of old man Gao under the eaves.

I saw that every time Mr. Gao polished a bracket, he would push a corner of the table back into the table.After a while, what was originally a big round table was transformed into a square table of the Eight Immortals.

It's really a new thing!

The next moment, he also walked to a square table, imitating what old man Gao did just now, groping around under the table.Sure enough, there was a curved tabletop behind the partition.

Wow, under the pull of shopkeeper Chen, the curved table top rose out along the slide, and it was actually joined together with the original square table top.

Before Gao's father and son said that they would go to Qingjiang County to make furniture, he scoffed at it, thinking that the tables and chairs were cheap and could not be sold for much.

Unexpectedly, they made such delicate tables and chairs!

Wang Jiu also leaned over curiously, looked back and forth around the table, and finally landed on the branded mark on the corner of the table.

"Tangmen table? The shopkeeper, the expert who designed the table is also surnamed Tang!"

Chen Yuanbao knocked on Wang Jiu's forehead eagerly, and said in a subdued voice, "Stupid! How can there be so many talented people in the small Qingjiang County!"

"Could it be, this is also Tang... But he is so young, we have never seen these tables and chairs, how could he..."

"Have we seen the fitness equipment in the square before? He didn't make it!"

Only then did Wang Jiu turn the corner, and looked again at the small courtyard of the Tang family opposite.

"It's still the shopkeeper who has great wisdom!"

At this time, the Tang family's house was filled with the fragrance of food.

Tang Meng likes to eat shrimp, and he was very busy. After a while, there was already a pile of shrimp shells in front of him.

Seeing that Tang Zhong didn't concentrate on eating, and didn't even move his chopsticks a few times, Tang Meng gritted his teeth and put the freshly peeled shrimp into his bowl.

"Second brother, eat it, I've made it all!"

"okay."

Only then did Tang Zhong regain his senses, and put the shrimp in his mouth.

Today's meal is not enough for four people, Tang Shu thought he would eat less, so that the elder brother who is on duty and the two younger sisters who are tall can have enough food.

Before taking a few mouthfuls, he stopped his chopsticks and fed Tang Biao egg custard with a spoon.

"Second brother, have you encountered any difficulties?"

"No……"

Seeing Tang Laosan and Tang Biao staring at him, Tang Zhong hurriedly laughed, and said foolishly: "I just met two cheeky flies on the road, flying around me, and it took me a long time to chase them away. I'm thinking, if they don't know what to do next time and dare to fly to the house next time, what method should be used to drive them away."

"Use the beat, I'll get it now!"

"No, I'm just making an example!"

Regardless of Tang Zhong's dissuasion, Tang Meng had already jumped off the stool and hurried to get something to do with the guy who could relieve his brother's worries.

Tang Zhong had no choice but to let her go, but told Tang Laosan not to open the courtyard door if he met a stranger.If there is an emergency and I am not around, I should ask the Sun family and the Gao family for help.

"I remember what the second brother said."

Tang Laosan was always a worry-free person, so Tang Zhong was naturally at ease, but before the smile that had just emerged from the corner of his mouth reached the corner of his eyes, his expression froze again.

In a blink of an eye, he saw that there were two books under the stool of Tang Meng's seat.

She picked it up and saw that a copy of "Three Character Classics" and a copy of "Hundred Surnames" were specially bought for her to learn to read.

It even used it as a stool!

"Found it, found it!"

Tang Meng rummaged through boxes and cabinets for a while in the west room where she lived with her younger sister, and finally found a bamboo fly swatter, ran back happily, and handed it to his brother.

Tang Zhong didn't let her hard work go, grabbed the head of the racket, and hit Tang Biao's palm with a stick first.

"Didn't you say you won't hit me again? Why did you get hit again?"

The little girl pursed her lips in aggrieved way, and took the stick she found herself, so she can find someone to reason with!

Tang Zhong was so angry that he ordered her to stand with her back against the wall, flipped through the book in her hand and asked, "Have you read all the words on it? How dare you use it to cushion a chair! After the new year, I am already six years old." He is an illiterate person, so he dares to toss about books!"

"The homework I left for you last time was to memorize the "Three Character Classic" within ten days. Later, I was busy with errands, but I forgot. It has been more than 20 days now, and you memorized both books for me!"

When the Dongchuang incident happened, Tang Meng seemed to be facing a formidable enemy, his fingers twisted back and forth on his cuffs, and he stuttered a few paragraphs, obviously unable to pass the test.

Tang Zhong now finally understands the deep pain in the hearts of the parents who tutor future generations.

Seeing that the second brother's nose was about to crooked, Tang Laosan hurriedly pulled him aside.

"Xiao Meng has never been to school. It is still too difficult for her to recite the "San Zi Jing" and "Hundred Family Surnames" within [-] days. Second brother, why don't I read to her more these days? Time to check again?"

Tang Zhong didn't accept this reason. Didn't Tang Laosan not enter the school seriously?How could he memorize the two books by heart without his teaching?

"Second brother, have you forgotten? There was a gentleman in the village who came to open a elementary school before, and I went to study for a while. Later, the husband thought that there were few children in the village, so he stopped the elementary school. I couldn't help it, and then I secretly ran to the village school... ..."

Either way...

Since Tang Laosan interceded, let him sell his face, who made him the most sensible child in the family!

However, after calming down and thinking carefully, the way children are enlightened in this era, reciting books as soon as they come up, the threshold is indeed a bit high, especially for Tang Meng, who is full of playfulness.

By the way, how did I get enlightened in my previous life...

In less than a stick of incense, two pieces of rice paper were pasted on the wall, almost at the same height as Tang Meng.

Tang Meng sat upright obediently, and rice paper, pens and inks were already prepared on the table in front of him.

When she was in Fengshan Village, she was used to going up and down the mountains, so she didn't feel that life was hard.But as soon as she entered the city, she was locked up at home every day without telling her, and insisted on memorizing and reading.

She just thinks it's really hard to be a child, and it's even more difficult to be a child in the city!

Looking up at the crooked tadpole-like things on the wall, the little girl felt even more confused.

Holding a fly swatter, Tang Zhong put up the airs of Mr. Xuetang, pointed to the rice paper and said, "This is the Pinyin table. There are 23 initials on the left and 24 finals on the right. Today I will teach you four initials. Listen carefully." Yes, follow me, bpmf."

Tang Meng felt awkward, but he dared not stop learning.Now, brother, he's going to be beaten every now and then!

So, she had no choice but to imitate her brother's strange pronunciation and say: "bpmf."

After teaching back and forth three times, and basically correcting the pronunciation, Tang Zhong began to assign homework.

"Copy these four initials one by one on the paper ten times, ah no, thirty times, and read while copying. At noon tomorrow, I will come back to check the dictation!"

Tang Meng frowned, feeling that something was wrong, he grabbed the brush at hand and practiced on the paper.

Tang Zhong nodded in satisfaction, feeling his sister's fear of being dominated by homework.

Right, this is the attitude that a young illiterate should have!

The sky gradually darkened, and the gates of the city were locked.

Finally came the moment Hu Touer was most looking forward to!

As early as this afternoon, he had already gone to the bank to change the broken silver, and sent [-]% of the county government's money there in person.

Right now, I'm just waiting to get the money in my pocket!

"Quick, come in and close the door!" Hu Tou'er urged Tang Zhong and Zhao Li who came in last, they were not active in distributing the money, and they had mental problems.

Lao Zhang didn't need to be urged, and sat down at the table early.

There are four guards in the east city gate, and one of them happens to occupy one side.

Hu Tou'er spread a bag of scattered silver directly on the table, quite like a king of the mountain dividing up his spoils.

"Here is 180 seven taels of silver and half a copper coin. How do you divide it?"

The wrapped cloth was opened, revealing the glistening silver inside, which shone brightly under the oil lamp, brighter than the stars in the sky.

"How to divide it in the past, how to divide it now!" Zhao Like couldn't wait, grabbed a piece of broken silver and knocked it with his front teeth, leaving two neat tooth marks on it.

good!It is better than the moon silver issued by the county government this month!

Hu Tou'er pushed Zhao Li's shoulder fiercely, and took out the broken silver with teeth marks from his bag.

Damn, he doesn't want silver with saliva on it!

Clearing his throat, he continued to get back to business: "You don't know, Deng Erhu has been released from prison, and I heard that after he returned, his insanity became less and he was often able to work in the fields.

Right now, even if he is officially removed from the East City Gate Guards, I have already entrusted someone to send the money that was distributed to him to his home. This time, there is no need to distribute it to him. "

Seeing that everyone nodded without objection, Hu Tou'er made a decision directly: "Then follow the old rules, fractions are not counted, and the whole silver is divided equally!"

Tang Zhong, who had been silent all this time, reminded at the right time: "It has to be divided into four parts, don't make a mistake."

There are four people in total, of course he is counted in four parts!Hearing Tang Zhong's initiative to speak, it should mean that he no longer cares about him, the corners of Lao Zhang's mouth moved upwards faintly.But he still tried his best to control his expression, so as not to let others see that he was secretly having fun.

"That is, 46 taels of silver per copy."

As he said that, Hu Touer took out the small scale and scissors that he had borrowed from the bank, and quickly divided the pile of broken silver into four parts on the table, leaving only three taels and half pieces in the cloth bag.

Zhao Li got the one with the tooth marks, happily stuffed it into the money bag, and went to the bottom of the box inside.

Tang Zhong also wrapped the money and stuffed it around his waist, but he kept paying attention to Lao Zhang who was sitting opposite him from the corner of his eyes.

I saw Lao Zhang and the other three took the money each, and stretched out their hands to touch the only pile of broken money left.

Tang Zhong's eyes were quick and his hands were quick, and he immediately grabbed the silver into the cloth bag on the table, wrapped it together with the odds inside, and pushed it in front of Hu Tou'er.

"This is public funds, the old rules, let Hutouer keep it with you!"

Hu Touer was stunned for a moment, looked at Tang Zhong on the left, and then at Old Zhang with an ugly face on the right, and quickly felt the smell, and stuffed the cloth bag into his arms: "Yes, yes, I almost gave it to you!" forget!"