Chapter 003
"Too careless!"
Coming to the time and space of the late Ming Dynasty, Cheng Shijie was not happy, but was slightly unhappy because he was not prepared.
This was an uncontrollable time travel. This time he came here without bringing anything that could be easily converted into cash, and he didn't even buy a dagger.
At the end of the Ming Dynasty, this was not the future, but a troubled world where human life was as cheap as a piece of grass.
Although he also understands part of history and knows the general historical events of the late Ming Dynasty, the problem is that fifteen years after graduation, his little historical knowledge has long been returned to the teacher.
Cheng Shijie regretted a little. If he had known it, he would have checked Baidu to find out what major events happened in the four years of Chongzhen. He vaguely remembered that there was a very famous rebellion that happened in Dengzhou.
Cheng Shijie vaguely remembered that the Dongjiang Army had reduced Dengzhou City and Shandong to ashes, causing countless casualties...
Cheng Shijie had no memory of the specific time.
"Snapped!"
Cheng Shijie slapped his head and forced himself to calm down quickly.
As a member of the time-traveling army, what should you do now?
Although Cheng Shiying is not a weak scholar with no physical strength, if it was ten years ago, his physical fitness was pretty good, because at that time, he graduated from a metallurgical engineering college and was working on the front line as the fifth branch of Hansteel Group. As a technician, I can carry an oxygen tank weighing more than 80 kilograms and walk away. I can climb up and down without any problem.
But the problem is that he has been working in the agency for more than eight years. He has gained more than 100 kilograms in weight, but his physical fitness has seriously declined. He is just a middle-aged fat man with a superficial appearance.
It is no exaggeration to say that any two grown men can deal with him.
If you have money, you can hire a few guards...
Thinking of this, Cheng Shijie suddenly had an idea.
The first step is to have money.
He quickly counted up what he had in hand, a set of light fragrance samples of second-tier luxury brands. This kind of thing would definitely be valuable in the late Ming Dynasty, but he had no sales platform and no connections.
The second was the drawing board, drawing paper and pencil set he bought for his son. Cheng Shijie didn't know the value of these things in the late Ming Dynasty. For the same problem, he had no sales channels...
The third is the crystal music box I bought for my daughter. This thing can be sold for dozens of taels of silver, so it shouldn’t be a big problem. The middle-aged man who bought wine last time even thought it was crystal in the White Glass Hotel, and he was generous. He should be a Qualified buyer.
Thinking of this, Cheng Shijie had an idea.
Cheng Shijie opened the crystal music box. The packaging box of this music box was a slightly high-end plastic box. After taking out the production date and production site and other information on it, he was ready to find a buyer.
He had to spend another night at Liu Ji's Inn, but he had no money to pay for the room.
Soon, Cheng Shijie had a solution.
"Dude!"
"What are your orders, sir?"
Cheng Shijie pointed to his things and said, "I'm going out to visit friends. Will there be any problem if I put these things here..."
Cheng Shijie just wanted to tell the clerk that he would come back and that these belongings were valuable by giving him three hundred taels of silver.
The clerk suddenly laughed: "Don't worry, sir, there will never be any theft of property in Liu Ji. If it is stolen, you can smash Liu Ji's sign!"
"What's the use of smashing your sign? These things are intended to be given to noble people!"
The guy smiled and was about to explain.
An old voice came from outside: "If it is stolen, Liu Ji will pay back ten times!"
"Did you have the final say?"
“I am Liu Ji’s shopkeeper, so I naturally keep my word!”
Cheng Shijie stood up, picked up the crystal music box and said: "This is the best. These things are not worth much, the most important thing is this..."
Cheng Shijie opened the perfume gift box, pointed at the four bottles of perfume and said: "These are good things bought from the West, as good as gold!"
The shopkeeper looked at the crystal bottle and knew it was worth a lot. He believed that Cheng Shijie was not a charlatan who wanted to deceive Liu Ji. After all, the liar was hungry and full, but he couldn't eat Cheng Shijie's size.
Liu Ji's proprietor owns a warehouse, an inn, a gold and silver shop, and more than a dozen shops. This Liu Ji Inn alone can earn more than five hundred taels of silver a year. However, their Liu Ji proprietor also It’s not like eating and drinking every day, let alone being as shiny as Cheng Shijie.
"Don't worry, sir, Liu Ji has been in business for more than two hundred years, and he will definitely not destroy his own sign for a few dozen taels of silver."
"See you!"
Cheng Shijie stood up and left directly without cleaning up.
The shopkeeper looked at the waiter and said, "Send two people over and keep an eye on this place. Don't let strangers come near!"
"The villain understands!"
Cheng Shijie left Liu Ji Inn and walked directly towards the alley where he had taken shelter from the rain the day before.
After walking for more than half an hour, it seemed that he had arrived at that alley. Cheng Shijie sadly discovered that he seemed to be lost.
Cheng Shijie was also thinking that the middle-aged man who bought his Erguotou that day should be a good drinker. He would spend a golden bean to buy his Erguotou, but he might not buy his crystal music box.
It was another aimless lie, almost like walking through a maze, and finally stopped in front of a house. Cheng Shijie looked at the house. There was a gilt plaque with a blue background hanging on it, reading "Left House".
Although Cheng Shijie is not a history expert, he generally knows that ancient times are different from later generations. As long as later generations have money, they can buy an island and build a village without any problem.
However, in the Ming Dynasty, there were strict restrictions on etiquette. Ordinary people called it a house, and noble people called it a mansion. There was a family in front of the house, and there was also a right household, which showed that the other party must be an official.
Seeing this, Cheng Shijie turned around and left.
No one in the government has good things. When he sees the crystal music box in his hand, there is a high probability that he will not buy it, but will snatch it. The government in ancient times will not tell you about human rights and laws, but will just grab you and throw it into the box. No one blinks in the prison. There is no place for you to complain.
Cheng Shijie looked at the pawn shop on the opposite street and wondered whether he should pawn the crystal music box for some money first. At least he could settle the rent at Liu Ji Inn. In addition, he also needed something to eat. He had spent at least six months from noon to now. I haven't eaten for seven hours, and my stomach is already unbearably hungry.
Even though Cheng Shijie is fat, he is the least likely to suffer from hunger.
The door of the pawn shop is quite large, with five rooms. There are two men in short-shirted shirts standing at the door. They look powerful at first glance.
The waiter looked at Cheng Shijie and said, "Monk Tena, if you want to beg for alms, go somewhere else!"
"I'm not a monk!"
In fact, the monks of the Ming Dynasty were far from having shiny heads like those in movies and TV shows. Most of the monks actually had some hair, which was slightly shorter than Cheng Shijie's.
Cheng Shijie wanted to make up a lie to explain his hair, but seeing that the clerk was not interested, he walked straight to the store.
"Please come in, guest officer!"
A man wearing tortoise shell glasses looked at Cheng Shijie and said, "What is it?"
In fact, there are only three positions in the pawn shop. Wai Que is responsible for receiving people and valuing the pawn items. Valuation is also called "reporting and singing" in the industry. Zhong Que is the person responsible for writing the pawn tickets. Dang Wai Que has a strange attitude. After lowering the price, Zhongqi immediately started writing.
Cheng Shijie handed over the crystal music box.
Everyone in the pawn shop is a good person. Looking at Cheng Shijie's clothes and his fat body, he knows that this person must have a lot of money.
If this person is rich and decent, it is estimated that he may be able to redeem the item by then, then the "return and singing" will be higher, so that the interest can be higher and earn interest money.
If you look at this person as having no money, wearing shabby clothes, and looking like he sells things to make a living, then the "reporting and singing" will be very low, and you will make a lot of money by "buying low and selling high".
Like Bai Jingqi going to the pawn shop to pawn in the mansion gate. When he took out a brand new leather jacket, the clerk said in a strange tone: "It's eaten by insects and rats, it's bare and hairless, and it's a torn coat!"
This is actually a deliberate attempt to lower prices.
Cheng Shijie's face was oily, but he didn't look depressed. Although his clothes were weird, they were made of cotton. He should be a rich man.
"Sir, are you prepared to die or live?"
"It works!"
Cheng Shijie also knows the tricks of this industry. If he dares to pawn, the other party will definitely lower the price. If he chooses to pawn, he can get a higher price. The more money he pawns, the more interest he can get.
"How much money do you want to pawn, sir?"
"At least one thousand taels!"
"It's too high, just crystals, not worth so much..."
"Isn't it worth it?"
Cheng Shijie reached out and pressed the electronic switch of the crystal music box. The originally ordinary crystal box suddenly glowed with lavender light, and a pleasant electronic keyboard sound came from inside.
"this……"
"One thousand taels of silver, is it still high?"
Zhongque hurriedly went to find the shopkeeper.
Not long after, an old shopkeeper who was over fifty years old came over, looked at Cheng Shijie and asked: "How long do you want to pawn?"
"One month!"
Cheng Shijie said: "Pick it up in a month. You must not sell it within a month, otherwise... hum!"
"Easy to say, easy to say!"
At the shopkeeper's signal, Zhongque began to draw up the bill.
The shopkeeper said: "So that the guest will know that our Xingping number is a good one. After one month, you can come and collect it with the ticket, and the monthly interest will be one cent!"
Black, really dark.
One cent of profit a month means that Cheng Shijie pawned one thousand taels of silver and will pay another one thousand one hundred taels a month later.
Cheng Shijie looked like he was in pain: "Okay!"
Sign and fingerprint.
"Sir, do you need a bank check or cash?"
"Is there any gold?"
One thousand taels of silver is more than sixty-two pounds. Although Cheng Shijie can carry it on his back, it will definitely be very inconvenient.
"Yes, the exchange rate between gold and silver is one to eight. One thousand taels of silver can be exchanged for one hundred and twenty-five taels of gold!"
One hundred and twenty-five taels of silver weighed just over seven kilograms, making it easy to carry.
Cheng Shijie exchanged one hundred and twenty-four taels of gold and eight taels of scattered silver.
After the delivery was completed, Cheng Shijie returned directly to Liu Ji Inn with the gold.
Soon after leaving the Xingping Pawn Shop, Cheng Shijie had a few more tails.
Although he was a little nervous, he walked towards Liu Ji Inn leisurely.
Fortunately, there were no dangers along the way, and Cheng Shijie returned to Liu Ji.
"Please come in, guest officer!"
"Is there any food?"
"Yes, things that fly in the sky, things that run on the ground, things that swim in the water, we Liu Ji have them all!"
I have money in my hands and don’t panic in my heart.
"You guys, please serve some of Liu Ji's signature dishes!"
"Please wait a moment, sir!"
Not long after, the waiter came over with dishes and began to announce the name of the dish: "Fried Lamb Tripe with Scallions!"
"Blade!"
"Three things!"
It needs to be explained here that it is made from a mixture of seafood, seaweed, hen and pork trotters, slowly stewed over low heat. It can also be said to be the originator of Buddha Jumping Over the Wall.
There was a table full of dishes. Although Cheng Shijie had a large appetite, he only ate less than a third. Just when he was about to pay, there was a shout from the door of the store.
Cheng Shijie looked around and saw a dozen men in short shirts surrounding a man and beating him.
The man who was beaten did not fight back, but just protected his head with his hands.
Cheng Shijie frowned slightly.
Liu Ji's clerk was also good at observing people's emotions. Seeing Cheng Shijie's displeasure, he hurried out of the store and cursed at the dozen or so big men who were beating people: "Wang Er, get away, you disturbed the noble man, you will be punished." Sorry!"
Cheng Shijie suddenly saw that the man who was beaten looked familiar, as if he had met Liu San once.
"Wait, go and ask what's going on!"
"Does your guest know that rogue guy?"
"That's right!"
Cheng Shijie saw that the man was still a bit of a deterrent to Wang Er. Liu Ji was probably too powerful and Wang Er couldn't afford to offend him, so he took out a piece of silver from his pocket.
Cheng Shijie had no intention of accepting Liu San as his servant. After all, Cheng Shijie really didn't want to live in the late Ming Dynasty. He wanted to go back. These 124 taels of gold were more than one million. Now that he has the money to treat his daughter, he can go and treat her. He really doesn't dare to hang out in the late Ming Dynasty. What if he dies?
"Bring Liu San here, this is your reward!"
The guy was overjoyed.
Not long after, Liu San, covered with scars, walked into the store.
Liu San knelt down towards Cheng Shijie: "Thank you, Lord!"
"Get up~"
Cheng Shijie asked: "What's going on?"
Liu San murmured: "My mother is hungry, and I didn't get any money..."
Cheng Shijie pointed at the waiter and said, "Pack up these leftovers and take them back to your mother."
Liu Sanqian left with great gratitude.
Cheng Shijie paid Liu Ji half a month's rent in advance. Including food, he spent a total of eight silver coins, less than one tael, which means that the purchasing power of silver is still quite good.
This meal will cost thousands of dollars in future generations.
Waiting slowly until dark. Cheng Shiying quickly lay down on the bed, opening and closing his eyes, but he was still in the room. Cheng Shijie suddenly became anxious, why couldn't he go back?
what happened?
Cheng Shijie was a little anxious.
His brain began to work quickly, thinking about the details before and after the time travel.
For the first time, I saw white light. The white light was dazzling, and then I traveled through...
The second time, close your eyes and go back.
What they have in common…
Cheng Shijie thought about it. The first time he saw the dazzling white light, he closed his eyes subconsciously. His eyes were stimulated and he shed tears. The second time he went back was because he shed tears when he thought that he could not go back.
Could it be said that tears are the key element of time travel?
Try it.
Cheng Shijie began to have emotions. Thinking of not being able to see his wife or son, tears began to well up. A burst of white light suddenly appeared and he closed his eyes.
Cheng Shijie opened his eyes and looked around, and sure enough, the empty room on the second floor appeared.
