"Brother Wen, if you have any difficulties, just say it directly." Xiangren said as he pulled Wen Zhong into the hall.
"It's not that there are any difficulties, or that I don't want to give you the money, I'm just a little worried." Wen Zhong sat down and said, "You guys have never done anything else, and as far as I know, this pawn shop is not easy to run; but If Sixing wants to cut off the Lu family's financial path, he must go to Yizheng, which is what your brother did back then. It's not too late to get to know everything about this pawn shop before starting anything."
"Wouldn't it be a good idea for my dear brother to visit the Lu family in the name of paying New Year's greetings?" Wen Zhong knocked on the table and remonstrated.
Seeing his firm words, the people of Hunan had no choice but to agree: "The people of Hunan should bear these heartfelt words in mind. Shopkeeper Wen has been a great help!"
"Haha," Wen Zhong stood up, "I came here just for this one thing. In this case, it's time for Wen to leave. Farewell!" He didn't stay a step and walked straight out of the house.
As soon as Xiangren turned around, the steward next to him immediately came over and sighed: "It seems... Shopkeeper Wen doesn't want to help."
After hearing this, the Xiang people pondered for a moment and said to each other: "Yes, this is obviously a delaying tactic. It needs to be delayed longer. It's a pity that I didn't fall into the trap."
The steward smiled a few times and then said: "Although I think so too, the face of the gambling house still has to be taken care of, so the master has to consider it."
The Xiangren nodded as if he had realized: "What you say makes sense, what you say makes sense. It's better to keep it this way. I must go to Yizheng without a doubt. Here, you ask Magistrate Chen to find out what the officials are saying first. It's best to go to the governor's Yamen to approve the appointment." Come out, and when I return to Jiangdu, I will set up a business and the pawnshop will be opened. Wenzhong's plan has also failed."
The steward frowned slightly and said, "It's easy to talk about other things. We haven't decided where the shop will be yet. I'm afraid I won't be able to apply for it."
The Xiang people looked at him anxiously: "Can you buy the shop first?"
The manager thought about it for a while, then curled his lips and said, "It's difficult. We can't reach an agreement in a day or two about selling land."
He punched the wall and said helplessly: "I can only count on Chen Tongzhi..."
After Guo Xiangren set off, the steward of the government waited for Chen Tongpao at the gate of the Yamen. He whispered a few words in his ear and left in a hurry.
Chen Tongpao had no expression on his face and entered the Yamen as if nothing had happened. When he saw the magistrate sitting in the second hall, he bowed.
The new year was not going well for the prefect. Governor Kuang, relying on his power, forced prominent local figures to come and pay homage, and received a lot of congratulatory gifts. However, the prefecture was indifferent, which did not show his magnificence. On New Year's Eve, he only drank two glasses of wine with his family, cursed Kuang Chang angrily, and fell asleep.
He had been looking sad for several days, his hair was still disheveled, his beard was covered with dust, and his face was extremely depressed.
"Tongzhi, sit down?" The magistrate glanced at him coldly.
"No need," Tongpao Chen said humbly, "I have something to ask your opinion on."
"explain."
"Guo Jia, the owner of the dye house from Guo Xiang, wants to open a pawn shop. If you want to be sure, let them get the pawn slip."
The magistrate's eyes widened and he cursed loudly: "Damn it, how could this guy please me in the past, but now that I have lost power, they are all leaving! Where do you think they are going to go? Get to the soles of Kuang Chang's feet Next, it’s a joy to be a slave with three obeisances and nine kowtows! Now they have to open a pawn shop again, let me get the pawn tickets for them... Bah! This family is so domineering and lawless that it will be better to rectify it now! Chen Tongzhi, you still have to If you want to run errands for them, you also want to join the Liu Party?"
Chen Tongpao held his hands and remained silent.
The prefect suddenly changed his face and shouted: "Okay! Okay! You won't speak anymore? You really think so!"
Tongpao Chen lowered his head again.
"You're a rip-off!" The magistrate was so angry that he kicked the table, pointed at Chen Tongpao's head, and spat: "The post? The post will be approved by the governor. You can go if you want. I can't control it. Don't forget to pay. Your Liu Party boss is so attentive! Get out!"
Chen Tongpao didn't reply, turned around silently, and walked out of the Yamen. In view of the magistrate's outburst, it was inconvenient for him as his deputy to act, so the reply to the governor was, 'Wait for two more days, and the notice will be sent.'
Compared with the undercurrents in Jiangdu, Yizheng is really a peaceful place. In these leisurely days, the Lu family gradually regained its prestige. Not only did several more pawn shops open, but small businessmen also came to rely on them.
Lu Zhengfu didn't care about affairs outside the country at all. After he lost his son, he always acted a little slowly, spoke with difficulty, and his ears became even deafer. Therefore, he only asked about business matters and was too lazy to chat with outsiders.
Today he heard that the people who had stayed at home were coming again, so he asked one word at a time: "Return to Chuzi?"
"Passing Chuzi?" The servant who reported the matter laughed loudly, "That guy has been dead for a few months!"
"Dead..." Lu Zhengfu coughed twice excitedly, and his family members supported him.
"Who is coming this time? His son?"
"The guy died a bad death and lost his descendants. How can he still have a son?"
Lu Zhengfu shed two lines of tears: "God's way is good, and Shou'er's revenge will finally be avenged. Retribution, retribution..."
"This time, his brother took over the dyeing workshop and called the people from Hunan to say that he was here to pay New Year's greetings to the master."
"There is no good person in the house. There must be a trick here, but you can't see it." Lu Zhengfu's eyes were full of hostility.
"What kind of prejudice do you have when measuring a kid in his early twenties?" The slave sneered, "Master, wouldn't it be a good thing to take this opportunity to find out the details?"
Lu Zhengfu said: "Then as you said, I am not afraid. Set off immediately to meet him."
"Mr. Lu!" The man from Hunan jumped out of the car and bowed to Lu Zhengfu.
Lu Zhengfu looked at his appearance and said with a smile: "Shopkeeper, your brother and I have a close friendship. We can be called close friends. Now that he has passed away, I will not forget him with regret. Seeing the shopkeeper show his talent now is like meeting an old friend."
Xiangren said: "Mr. Lu treats others with such respect, this younger generation is ashamed."
"Why be so polite," Lu Zhengfu said with a smile, "Come, let's go into the house and talk."
"Your dyeing shop must be doing a prosperous business, right?" Lu Zhengfu asked first.
"Business is getting better and better." The Hunanese replied step by step.
"Is your pawnshop recovering well?" Xiangren asked again.
"Quite good." Zhengfu was so angry that his teeth itched after hearing what he said.
"This junior has just started running a business. I wonder what the rules are for opening a pawn shop?" he asked casually.
"Open a pawn shop..." Lu Zhengfu was about to answer, but suddenly came to his senses and wiped his eyes: "Shopkeeper, you... also want to open a pawn shop?"
"Yeah, it's not interesting to just work in a dyeing workshop." Xiangren looked up at the sky, "I have to take down all the posts."
Lu Zhengfu took a breath, his face instantly turned pale, and he smiled bitterly: "Okay, okay."
"You haven't answered the junior's question yet."
Lu Zhengfu rolled his eyes and his hands began to tremble.
