Chapter 262

She calculated in her mind what day it was today, and decided to visit her second sister.

Zhao'er's second sister, Wang Zhaodi, is not in Huyang Town, but works as a girl in Shen's Mansion in Xia County. From Huyang Town to Xia County, it takes only half an hour to take a mule cart, but it is a bit expensive, 15 cents.

By the time Zhao'er arrived at the county seat, it was three o'clock. This is the right time to meet someone. If it's too early or too late, her second sister may not have time to see her, and she will have to wait for a long time.

Zhao'er came all the way to the south of the city, before he entered the archway where Shen's house was, he saw the two large flags more than five feet high erected in front of Shen's house.

This is the Jinshi Jidi Banner, which can be set up only if someone in the family has won the Jinshi.

This fame flagpole is divided into two structures, the flagpole sandwich stone and the flagpole.

The flag buckets on the flagpoles are also exquisite. If you come from a serious imperial examination, you can set up two flagpoles for the flag buckets if you are a Jinshi in the imperial examination. If it is the number one scholar, it will be a three-dou flagpole, and if there are members of the third rank or higher in the clan, four dou can be set up.

The two big flags in front of Shen's house, one is three buckets, the other is four buckets. In other words, the Shen family once had a number one scholar, and had an important minister in the court.

Zhao'er, a country girl, knows this because her second sister told her when she came to visit her.

The main entrance, side entrance, and even the corner entrance were not accessible to Zhao'er with her status. She made a long detour before arriving at the back entrance of Shen's residence.

The back door was ajar, and Zhao'er didn't dare to rush in, so he knocked on the door respectfully.

The door opened with a creak, and a round woman came out from inside, and asked her, "Who are you looking for?"

This old lady is just a doorkeeper, but she is also wearing satin gowns and jewelry on her ears and hands, which is enough to show the wealth of the Shen family.

The Shen family is indeed rich, and in this Xia County, it can be said that they are stomping their feet, and the county is about to tremble three times. The Shen Mansion here is the ancestral home of the Shen family, except for the Shen family's uncle and second master who are officials outside, the rest of the Shen family live here.

"Mother-in-law, I'm looking for Sulan. I'm her younger brother. I'm here to see her."

This woman's attitude is not warm, but she is not as inferior as a dog's eye. At least from this trick, it can be seen that the rules of the Shen family must be very strict. She asked Zhao'er to wait, then closed the door and went inside.

Zhao'er waited for a long time before the back door opened again, and a very beautiful woman came out from inside. I saw her radiant skin, phoenix eyes and vermilion lips, wearing a water-red jacket and a moon-white pleated skirt. A head of black and thick long hair was simply tied up in a bun, with a golden hairpin inserted into it.

Obviously the clothes are ordinary, and the hair accessories are also ordinary, but wearing all these on her body gives her a sense of beauty that no one else has. Her chest is bulging, but her waist is very thin, she has a good figure.

This person is Zhao'er's second sister Wang Zhaodi, but she changed her name to Su Lan in Shen's residence.

Zhao'er couldn't help frowning, since the last time she saw her second sister, her second sister has changed a lot. Not only the material of the clothes, but also the jewelry on his body, his complexion and even his figure have changed a lot.

She was a little panicked, grabbed Su Lan, and went to the corner where there was no one nearby.

"Sister, did you really do it?"

Seeing her younger sister frivolously wrinkling her sleeves, Su Lan asked impatiently, "What can I do or not?"

"It's that, that..." Zhao'er hesitated for a while, and then said with a blushing face: "You can't really be the housekeeper for the sixth young master, right?"

The corners of Su Lan's eyes twitched, and the corners of her mouth twitched: "Why do you care about these things?"

"Sister!" Zhao'er couldn't help stamping her feet.

Su Lan looked at her younger sister, and remembered that she was sold by her family back then. Only younger sister Zhao'er found out her whereabouts from the matchmaker, and walked all day and night to see her by herself. At that time, she was full of panic, Zhao'er's appearance made her know that she was not alone, and that no one would know that she would not die in this mansion, and she immediately softened her heart.

She sighed lightly: "Didn't I tell you before, I won't go out of the house to go through that kind of hard life. Although I am a housekeeper now, but the sixth young master promised me that when grandma came in, I would give it to me." An aunt will do it."

Zhao'er was so surprised that she couldn't believe it. She knew it already, but she was still shocked when she learned from the second sister that she really did such a thing.

For the first time in her life, she didn't know what to say, so she hesitated for a while and said, "That's it? If you treat someone like a child, you will be bullied by the big wife."

Zhao'er's only cognition told her that when she was young, she had few days to live comfortably.

What the younger sister said made Su Lan feel extremely uncomfortable, and she waved her hand nonchalantly. On the snow-white and slender jade fingers, there is a golden opal ring on it, which exudes a faint light and is dazzling in the sun.

"You don't understand, and you don't have to be afraid of me being bullied. As long as the sixth young master is on my side, even if the sixth grandma comes in later, she won't dare to bully me."

"Can……"

"Okay, don't talk about me, your little husband is healed? I'm not talking about you. It's better for you to come into the mansion to be a girl to be my company than to stay in that house and work hard." .Which woman is looking for a man who is not looking for someone who can protect herself. You are fine, but you are working outside to earn money to support your family.”

"Isn't he still young? Besides, sister, it's not like you don't know. If it weren't for my mother and father, I'm afraid I would have been sold to nowhere. You were lucky enough to be sold into Shen's residence. But there are also those who are unlucky and sold into that dirty place."

Su Lan pressed her bright red lips tightly and did not speak.

She was sold into Shen's residence back then, it was not explained by good luck.

In the sparkling eyes of the phoenix, all kinds of light returned to silence. She let out a breath and scolded: "That's why I don't want to see you the most. Every time you come, you make me angry and make me troubled."

Zhao'er kicked the pebbles under his feet: "I just thought I haven't seen you for a long time, so I came here to have a look at you."

"How are you doing? The Xue family didn't make things difficult for you, right? Just wait, when my sister becomes the sixth young master's aunt, whoever bullies you in the future, I will help you deal with him."

Zhao'er heard it warmly in her heart, and couldn't help leaning over, hugging Su Lan's slender waist coquettishly: "Sister, don't worry, I'm so aggressive, who dares to bully me. You don't know that the Xue family is such a moth." too much……"

She recounted what happened to Xue's family recently.

The corners of Su Lan's mouth curled up when she heard this, and she said sarcastically: "So this is the human heart. Don't try to test the human heart, it will usually disappoint you. Don't rely on others, what you hold in your hands is the truth."

Su Lan is a bit extreme, but Zhao'er knows why the second sister is like this. In fact, occasionally she will be extreme, but she rarely speaks out.

"Then what do you do now? If your little man really loses, then he won't be able to go to school? Have you ever thought about this matter, if you win, if you lose, it will be hard for the two of you The Xue family has a foothold."

Of course Zhao'er understood this truth. She stood up straight and smiled: "Sister, I know. Don't worry, I plan to find another way to do business. At worst, the two of us will be alone. Dog likes to learn, so let him learn." , until I can't afford it anymore."

Su Lan poked her forehead with her jade finger, hating iron and steel: "You still can't confess, how old are you? After a day of good life, I think I can't confess. Come on, don't tell me The second sister doesn't feel sorry for you, I have someone I know who is the third shopkeeper in 'He Rongsheng', if you go to him, he can at least find a way for you to make some money."

'Herongsheng' is the name of the pawn shop, there are many branches in Binh Duong Province, and there is one in Huyang Township. Zhao'er usually comes and goes in the town, so he has naturally heard of this name.

"This is the Shen family's business with Rongsheng? Sister, how do you know the three shopkeepers?"

Su Lan's eyes flashed a hint of complexity, and she said impatiently: "Don't worry about it, you can go directly to a man named Shen Ping. Well, I won't tell you anymore, the sixth young master will have lunch later Now, I have to go and wait, lest those little hoofs rush to the front to show courteousness again."

After a pause, she took out something from her sleeve and stuffed it into Zhao'er's hand: "Take it, it doesn't matter if you really lose, let's do it by ourselves first. The Shen family's genealogy is famous in the whole Pingyang Mansion. Sister will become an aunt in the future, and see if I can ask the Sixth Young Master to let your little man come in as a companion or something. I really owe you in my previous life, and I have to worry about everything."

Su Lan's figure quickly disappeared through the door.

Zhao'er stood where he was, looking down at the silver ingot in his hand. After a long time, Fang grabbed it tightly and left.

*

Zhao'er didn't know where He Rongsheng in the county was, she had inquired along the way.

When we got there, it was a coincidence that the third shopkeeper named Shen Ping was there.

Shen Ping is a very young boy with a good appearance, very mature and stable. He was wearing a dark blue straight gown, and looked about twenty years old, but he did not expect to be the shopkeeper of a pawnshop.

When he heard about Zhao'er's purpose, his eyes flashed: "You are Zhao'er, I heard your sister said about you."

Zhao'er didn't expect that the second sister would tell Shen Ping her name, and she smelled something unusual. While speaking, Shen Ping had already led her in.

"When your sister told me about you before, I was thinking about what kind of business would allow you to do it for a long time. After thinking about it, I think selling old clothes is quite suitable for a girl like you."

The second sister even told her gender to the other party's surprise, it didn't last long, Zhao'er's attention was attracted by Shen Ping's words.

"What is selling used clothes?"

"You should know what a pawnshop is for. This pawnshop accepts everything, and you can pawn anything. The current period is divided into dead pawns and live pawns. If it is a live pawn, it means that the other party will come to redeem it. If it is a dead pawn, it means that the things are not needed. Of course, there are also those who do not redeem their living debts within the time limit, and naturally they become death debts.

"These things are accepted by the pawn shop and exchanged for money to the owner. Naturally, they will be resold. For example, some old clothes that come from pawns are directly sold to embroidery workshops or clothing shops. If you are willing to do this business, you can buy them from Take some old clothes here and sell them back."

Following Shen Ping's narration, Zhao'er's eyes flickered again and again, and he asked, "Then I don't know what the price is? Is it calculated on a piece-by-piece basis, or what? Since it's an old clothes, surely it won't be as expensive as a new one, right?"

Shen Ping glanced at her: "You are very smart." He turned around and went to the layman: "Come with me, I will take you to have a look."

Zhao'er followed him all the way back, the yard behind the pawn shop was huge, it looked like it was a warehouse.

On the way, he met a lot of people in pawnshops, and they were all respectful when they saw Shen Ping. Zhao'er followed him to a warehouse, but neither of them went in. A man who looked like a buddy dragged a large bag of things out, and opened the door in front of it.

This big bag is full of clothes, some are worn out, some are 80% or 90% new, and some are even brand new. It seems that they have not been worn twice. The texture of the clothes is also various, some are made of cotton, some are made of silk, some are made of silk, but they are all of good quality, anyway, they are better than the coarse cloth clothes Zhao'er is wearing.

"These are usually mixed together, because they are collected at a low price, so the asking price is not high. If you give me two taels of such a bag of clothes, it will be yours."

Zhao'er couldn't see through her eyes. In order to make sure that the business could be done, she went up to check it out.

Such a package of clothes, at least a hundred pieces.

Even if a piece of clothing sells for 20 Wen, it is enough for her to pay back. And some clothes are sold for more than twenty yuan just based on her visual inspection. What can be done with twenty renminbi, at least six or seven feet of cloth is needed to make a suit of clothes, and the worst cotton cloth is seven or eight renminbi.

Not to mention that there are some good fabrics in it, and even some cotton clothes, even if you don't sell them, you won't lose money if you wear them yourself.

Zhao'er was in a turbulent mood, and it took him a long time to regain his composure.

After she calmed down, she asked Shen Ping: "Shopkeeper Shen, these clothes only cost two taels in total. Will the pawnshop lose money? Are you doing it just to take care of me..."

Zhao'er didn't finish the rest of the sentence, Shen Ping also understood.

He laughed, but he appreciated Zhao'er's frankness of not wanting to take advantage of others: "These were sold to a clothing store or an embroidery workshop, and the price was the same. Regardless of the quantity, there are not many good ones that can be sold at a reasonable price." The ones have already been picked away."

Zhao'er thinks about it too, the eyes of the county people are naturally different from those of the country people, let alone this kind of big pawn shop, what is bad in their eyes is actually good for the country people to see.

She breathed a sigh of relief, and said, "I want the bag of clothes from Shopkeeper Shen, and I'll give you the money right now."

"Are you rich now?"

Of course she is rich, Zhao'er now has more than two taels of silver in total, and just now Su Lan gave her another five taels, which is naturally enough.

At the same time, Shen Ping laughed a little, "Well, I forgot that you had visited her before, so I came here, and she won't take advantage of me." The voice was very small, almost like a murmur, and Zhao'er only cared about it. I had to look at the clothes, but I didn't hear clearly.

"I'll find a guy to call a car for you, and you, a little girl, can't transport these things."

"Thank you, Shopkeeper Shen."

After seeing Zhao'er off, Shen Ping turned around and went into the pawn shop.

Although he is called the third shopkeeper, he is not the third shopkeeper of this store, but the third shopkeeper of the entire 'Herongsheng', and he will only stay in Xia County permanently under his deliberate request.

Shen Ping is the son of the Shen family, his father is the chief manager of the Shen residence, and he has been a servant with the third young master Shen Fu since he was a child. It was not until he became an adult that he was released to become a shopkeeper.

"If she comes again next time, just do as I told you before."

"Yes, shopkeeper."

*

Just after noon, the clerk Ah Cai came to deliver meals to Xue Tingxiang.

Boss Chen said it was simple food, but in fact the food was not bad, with one meat and one vegetable, and one soup. Xue Tingxiang knew very well that Boss Chen was taking care of him deliberately. How could anyone hire someone to copy books, take care of tea and food, and the wages they paid were not low.

It was because he knew it in his heart that he didn't say no. In this case, the refusal retained his character, but it seemed too petty and hypocritical.

It can only be repaid in the future, Xue Tingxiang thought lightly in his heart.

After eating, when the man came to clean up the dishes, he said that he could rest for an hour. There is a chaise longue available in this room, and of course you can go to the front to read a book to pass the time.

In fact, the latter sentence is the key point, Xue Tingxiang was not pretentious, after cleaning his hands, he went forward.

This store may not seem big, but it has a lot of books of all kinds, ranging from rural tales to books about the imperial examination, and there are many books about the imperial examination.

Since the former dynasty, the imperial examination has used eight-legged essays as the standard style, with strict regulations, and even restrictions on the length of sentences, the number of words, the level of rhymes, and even the scope of questions.

Stereotype essays take questions from the Four Books and Five Classics, and are composed of eight parts: breaking the title, inheriting the title, starting the lecture, starting, starting the essay, middle section, back section, and binding the section. It seems rigid and rigid, but in fact it is not easy to do a good stereotyped essay. If you really think that only reading the Four Books and Five Classics is enough, you are wrong. Not to mention astronomy and geography, at least you have to be involved in all aspects, so that you can write a good article full of flowers and content.

In that dream, Xue Tingxiang won the Jinshi with the 21st place in the second class, and was admitted to the Hanlin Academy after passing through the hall. He should have been on a steady rise since then, but because he offended someone, a majestic Hanlin was sent down. The kind of place where the birds don't shit is an official.

Xue Tingxiang pursed his lips slightly, feeling that he was thinking too much, after all, he is not even a child now, let's think about the present.

So, without thinking too much, he took out a book from the bookcase and read it quietly.

During this period, customers from the bookstore came to sell some pens, ink, paper and inkstones, or came to buy books, always interrupting Xue Tingxiang's reading.

Seeing this, Boss Chen said: "Brother Xue, you can take the book to the back and read."

Xue Tingxiang looked at him in surprise: "This..."

"It's okay, it's not bad for your book."

Xue Tingxiang was silent, bowed deeply in salute, and then went back.

When Xue Tingxiang woke up, he heard Boss Chen talking outside and Zhao'er's voice at the same time.

"Where did you get this big bag?" Boss Chen looked at Zhao'er in surprise, and asked for the bag at her feet that was much bigger than her.

Zhao'er was sweating profusely and said: "Uncle Chen, I got it from the county, and so did the man from the car dealership. They only helped me to the intersection and left me behind. I wanted to be dragged to the car dealership. But thinking that my brother is still here..."

Boss Chen laughed, and called his assistant: "Ah Cai, come and help little brother Zhao'er carry the things in." Then he said to Zhao'er: "Come in and have a drink and rest before leaving."

"Uncle Chen, what a shame."

"When you were bargaining with me, you were never polite, but now you are more polite." Boss Chen pretended to stare.

Generally speaking, Boss Chen is an elegant and humorous person.

Xue Tingxiang also came out to help, and asked, "What's in it? Why is it so heavy? Where did you get it?"

Not to mention it was really heavy, Ah Cai tried a few times but couldn't lift it, only three people could lift it.

"I got it from a pawn shop. If I can sell this package, my sister will have enough money to send you to the Qinghe Academy."

Zhao'er hadn't realized that he had slipped up, but Xue Tingxiang had. He glanced at Boss Chen, and Zhao'er understood what he said at this moment, and looked at Boss Chen with some guilt: "Uncle Chen, I will explain to you later."

She was a little anxious, and without asking the two of them to help, she lifted the big bag and carried it on her shoulders. The big bag pushed her to one side, but she still stopped, and she quickly carried the things inside.

Ah Cai praised: "It doesn't look like she is strong, she is so strong."

Here, Xue Tingxiang looked at the back and pursed the corners of his mouth, while Boss Chen's eyes darkened.

Xue Tingxiang looked up at Boss Chen, and walked towards him.

...

Zhao'er found a place to put down the big bag, then went to wash his hands and face to clean up his body, and then A Cai led him to see Boss Chen.

Seeing Boss Chen, Zhao'er felt a little guilty. But she didn't intend to continue to lie to Boss Chen, because Boss Chen is a good person. Not to mention the benefits he gave her before, just because he asked the little man to copy books for such a high price, let him read books here, and take care of the lunch at noon, Zhao'er can no longer continue to deceive.

In fact, Zhao'er is not a liar, it's just that she concealed her gender, and then the so-called workmanship is just collecting some vegetables and selling them to make some purses or something.

"Uncle Chen..."

Boss Chen sighed and waved his hands: "Okay, you don't need to say anymore, you are a girl, and you are really embarrassing."

Zhao'er looked surprised, her round eyes widened.

Boss Chen laughed a little and said, "Your little husband has already told me everything."

"He, what did he say..." Zhao'er stammered, still in disbelief. Because she knows that the little man always pays attention to face and has a lot of thoughts, and she doesn't like to mention her as his child bride-in-law in front of outsiders, and the Xue family's bad things.

"I've said everything that needs to be said." After a pause, Boss Chen asked, "Look at how surprised you are, isn't it still a secret?"

Zhao'er laughed awkwardly, and faltered: "That's not true, it's just that he's young, and people in our village hate him. People always think that I'm older than him, and my daughter-in-law teases men and laughs at him."