After finishing the business, it was still early, Cheng Wanwan took her two children for a stroll on the street, planning to buy something for her granddaughter.
As I was walking, I suddenly saw a piece of paper taped to the door of a two-story shop with four words written on it: The shop is for sale.
Seeing Cheng Wanwan stop, Zhao Ergou looked over and his eyes lit up: "Mom, this shop is very suitable for a restaurant."
Although it is not in the center of the main street, it is still on the street. It has two floors and is very spacious. It even has a small yard at the back.
This place is currently a teahouse, but the business is deserted. There is only one waiter cleaning the table, and there is no other person in sight.
As soon as the three of them entered, the waiter greeted them enthusiastically: "You three are drinking tea or listening to books. Unfortunately, today is unlucky. Mr. Storyteller has something to do at home and is unable to come. But the tea is good tea. I'll give it to you." Pour on.”
Cheng Wanwan smiled and said: "Let your shopkeeper come out for a moment. I want to talk about buying a shop."
The waiter immediately raised his voice and said, "Shopkeeper Yan, the shop buyer is here."
A middle-aged man wearing a long gown hurriedly walked out of the backyard. He had a sad face and was very thin.
Cheng Wanwan could also understand that such a big shop losing money every day would be heartbreaking for anyone.
"This shop was passed down from our ancestors of the Yan family. Originally, I didn't want to resell the ancestral property, but there is really no other way." Shopkeeper Yan sighed, "Since my old father passed away, the business of this teahouse has been getting worse day by day. I am not good at running it. , my son doesn’t like running a shop, and after living like this for three years, I thought it was better to sell it. The original price was one thousand two hundred taels of silver, but those people ran away as soon as they heard the price, and I didn’t dare If you raise the price randomly again, the fixed price is one thousand taels, if it’s still too expensive, I won’t sell it.”
Cheng Wanwan walked around the shop and also went to the backyard. Although this shop was passed down from ancestors, it should be repaired every year. It was well maintained inside and out, and the windows and door frames were all painted with new paint. , the two trees in the backyard are growing well.
"Okay, then one thousand taels." Cheng Wanwan responded, "But I can't get so much silver at the moment. Can you pay a deposit of fifty taels first and give me the remaining silver half a month later?"
During this period of time, I mainly make money from braised food. After excluding all costs, my daily profit is about fifteen taels of silver.
After a month, with income and expenditure, I have about 450 taels of silver in hand.
The soap business has already started. Within half a month, the family will definitely be able to collect the money.
As for the remaining money from the previous sale of Ye Mingzhu, she had reserved it for upgrading her locker and had no intention of contributing it.
Cheng Wanwan directly took out a fifty-tael silver note.
Shopkeeper Yan put up the sign for sale of his shop. This was the first time he saw a banknote.
He sighed with difficulty and said: "I have another unkind request. The waiter in the teahouse is called Yan Tiezi. He is the child of a distant relative of our Yan family. All the elders in the family are dead. I can help him." A mouthful of food, I hope you can let this child continue to have a mouthful of food..."
Cheng Wanwan glanced at the child. Although there was no business in the teahouse, the child had been busy wiping the tables and stairs. He was indeed diligent.
She nodded: "If he works down-to-earth, I will keep him. If he dares to be naughty, I will kick him out even if he breaks his promise."
Shopkeeper Yan smiled: "Don't worry, Sister-in-law Zhao, such a day will definitely not happen."
The matter was settled and the contract was signed.
After coming out of the teahouse, Zhao Ergou said: "In half a month, I can still earn more than two hundred taels of silver from braised food. There are too many variables on the soap side. I still have to find a way to sell the cloth at home as soon as possible. Mom, I will take you back to the village first, and then go to Hekou County. I want to go to the dock to ask about the situation."
Cheng Wanwan lowered his eyebrows and thought for a while.
After the soap workshop is started, the output will only increase in the future, and Wang Yuanwai's only channel is not enough.
Nanyang is the capital city of another province. It is a prosperous place mentioned in many books of this dynasty. The market there is probably bigger than Huzhou.
There is another reason. If she wants to grow cotton next year, she must find an opportunity to buy cotton seeds from other places. Although she can buy cotton seeds in the mall, it is easy to get into trouble if she cannot tell where they come from.
After all, she was now from Suiru, and there were too many eyes staring at her from all directions.
She said, "I'll go with you."
Zhao Dawang didn't ask anything and followed the two of them to Hekou County.
The dock is always the busiest. Countless men are waiting to carry cargo on the dock. Some ships are loading cargo, and some ships are unloading. There are people coming and going everywhere.
Zhao Ergou arrived at the door of a house in the southeast corner of the pier.
There is a sign hanging under the eaves: Caoji Shipping.
"Excuse me, I made a reservation to take the boat here more than half a month ago. How long do I have to wait?"
The boy sitting at the counter laughed: "You are really lucky to come today. You had to wait for more than ten days, but yesterday a ship came back early. It will go to Nanyang tomorrow. People going to Nanyang can go directly. , if you decide to leave, you must pay money first, five hundred pence per person, I will issue a voucher here, and then take the voucher to the government to have it stamped, and you can only get on the ship with this."
Zhao Ergou turned to look at Cheng Wanwan: "Mom, I thought about it and decided that this matter can't be delayed any longer and needs to be resolved as soon as possible. I'll go to Nanyang tomorrow."
"I'll go with you." Cheng Wanwan took out a tael of silver from his pocket, "This is the fare for three people."
The boy quickly tore off three vouchers and handed them over.
She took the voucher and said, "Dawang, you come with me."
Zhao Dawang was excited and incoherent: "I, can I also go to Nanyang... I have never been further than Hekou County. What do I need to do?"
Zhao Ergou was extremely ashamed.
He was already such a big man, but he still had to worry about his mother. She was so old that she actually had to take a boat to Nanyang with him for him.
The waterway is bumpy and uncomfortable all day and night. Can my mother's body withstand it?
He murmured: "Mom, I'm sorry. It's because I was too careless that I caused such a big loss. I must be cautious when I go to Nanyang this time. Dawang and I can go. Mom, wait for my good news at home." .”
Cheng Wanwan said warmly: "You went to Nanyang for the cloth business, and I went for the soap business. There are still too few channels except Wang Yuan. At least three more channels must be expanded to ensure that the soap business can continue safely."
Not only did these words not make Zhao Ergou relax, but they made him feel even more guilty.
If he can stand alone, why would my mother bother to follow him so far...
He has to work harder, he has to work hard to grow, he has to become a towering tree to protect his mother from the wind and rain...
Cheng Wanwan didn't know that this kid was full of such thoughts. She went shopping and bought some snacks to eat, and then headed back home.
The carriage sped to the entrance of the village, but was stopped by the patrol guarding the entrance and reminded: "Dashan Niang, the Cheng family is here, and they have been making trouble in your house for a while."
