To make banknote paper, you have to use rice paper sold in bookstores. This kind of paper is white in color and more delicate, closer to the look of banknote paper. However, the price of rice paper is naturally much more expensive than rough yellow-burned paper.
Yellow burnt paper costs only fourteen cents per dollar, but rice paper with all four feet open, even the worst quality, costs eight cents!
For the paper used to make banknotes, eighteen pieces can be cut out of a four-foot piece of rice paper. In addition to the cost of the ink strips, Shen Luzhu and Chu Yi discussed for a long time before settling on a price of two cents per piece!
When opening a business, there is no reason to buy or sell by force. Since the aunt from the neighboring village thinks it is not worthwhile, Shen Luzhu will not try to persuade her: "If you think it is not worthwhile, aunt, we have other paper money, please take a look." Something else!”
The aunt from the neighboring village bought two copper coins to burn paper. After paying the money and leaving, she touched the banknote paper money on the side and smiled at Shen Luzhu: "Daughter-in-law of the Chu family, you made the banknote paper money really well." It’s quite good. Do you think you can make it cheaper for me? If it’s cheaper, I’ll buy it back and tell you about it in our village. Do you think it’s okay?”
Shen Luzhu had thought about trying to sell for a few days first, and then organize a discount event to promote the banknote money. Now that the aunt has mentioned it, it doesn't hurt to advance it two days in advance.
"Auntie, looking at your magnanimity, there must be a scholar in your family. You should know that pens, inks, paper and inkstones are the most valuable. The cost of the paper and ink we use is not low, but I think you are kind-hearted and you really want to buy it. Otherwise, how about if you buy three, I'll charge you five cents?"
The aunt from the neighboring village was very happy to be praised. After thinking about it, it was a penny cheaper for six pence. It was a good deal: "Okay, then I'll get three!"
Seeing this, Shen Luzhu suddenly came up with a plan: "Mom, you are so open-minded. Let's do this. If your relatives and friends come to buy in the future, I will give them three to five cents. Just mention it to me when you come!" "
In the opinion of the aunt from the neighboring village, this kind of good thing is that you can take advantage of it and earn face in the village, but it is difficult to find it even with a lantern, so she hurriedly agreed and gave the money, and returned to the village happily!
After hearing this, the man who had just passed by to join in the fun also hurriedly stepped forward to ask: "Daughter-in-law of the Chu family, if I buy it too, can it be cheaper? Will it be useful when relatives and friends come later?"
Shen Luzhu smiled at the man: "Of course, Auntie will just let them come to me when she gets back!"
On this day, Shen Luzhu and the people who came to buy paper money all said this, as long as they bought banknotes and paper money today, they would get this treatment!
In this way, people kept coming back from the stall happily, telling their relatives and friends that if they go to the Chu family's paper money stall, they can get cheaper by buying the newly issued banknote paper money!
In just a few months, following the burning of copper coins and paper, the Chu family's paper money stall became popular again in villages ten miles away due to Shen Luzhu's little tricks!
In mid-September, the copper coins and paper prepared in advance filled two empty rooms in the Chu family's old house. However, in order to welcome the Winter Clothes Festival and the Spring Festival, these were far from enough. There was no room for them, and the temperature was getting worse day by day. It was a cold day. Winter in Ningchuan Prefecture was much more humid than spring and summer, so paper money could not be left outside.
In the end, it was Chu Ping and his mother-in-law who came up with the idea. Chu Ping, who was sending copper coins to burn paper, mentioned it and hurriedly came over to find Chu Yi and his wife, saying that it would be fine if they put it in her empty house. It's next door, so it's convenient to get the goods when you arrive.
Shen Luzhu discussed with Chu Yi and later paid Chu Ping more money, which would be regarded as the rent of the house. And Zhao Cheng, when the stall was closed before, he was busy helping with the purchase and delivery of goods. Relatives and friends were willing to help, it was a matter of friendship, and I couldn't take it for granted!
In late September, Shen Luzhu’s paper money stall became busy again as the Winter Clothes Festival approached!
On the first day of October, the first day after the cold winter, from this day until the middle of October, people will make sacrifices and burn offerings to commemorate their deceased relatives, which is called giving away cold clothes, hence the name Cold Clothes Festival!
After the weather turned cold, Chu Yi added straw curtains on both sides and the back of the pergola, and also set up a stove in the shed. Now they were warming up by the fire while busy taking paper money from customers to collect money. I can't feel how cold it is!
The sales of copper coins and burned paper are still very popular, and the sales of banknote paper money are also very impressive. People who come to buy paper money will take a few back with them.
The weather was getting colder and colder, and it was snowing again, so Chu Yi refused to let Uncle Chu come out to help anymore. However, Chu Li and Chu Xiuxiu were still interested and ran out to help every day when they had free time!
Just like the Hungry Ghost Festival, the lively atmosphere in front of the paper money stalls gradually became deserted until mid-October.
This morning, Shen Luzhu and Chu Xiuxiu were warming up by the fire and watching the stall selling goods. They had just sent away the two customers in front of them. There was no one in front of the stall. A girl who looked young walked from the other side of the village road. He came over and stood in front of the stall.
Shen Luzhu noticed her just now. She was wearing a shabby but clean blue jacket. She looked about seventeen or eighteen years old. She seemed to have been standing opposite for a long time, waiting for the stall to disappear before she came over.
"What kind of paper money does the girl want to buy?"
The girl in Tsing Yi seemed to have something unspeakable to hide. She twisted her hands into knots in front of her body. Hearing the sound, she raised her head and glanced at Shen Luzhu, then lowered her head quickly: "I, I'm not here to buy paper money."
Her voice was too soft and the wind was blowing. Shen Luzhu really couldn't hear her clearly, so she had to ask again.
The girl in green took a few deep breaths and then repeated in a slightly louder voice: "I don't want to buy paper money, I'm looking for Chu Yi!"
Hearing this, Shen Luzhu was stunned for a moment: "Chu Yi is busy in the backyard. I am his wife. If you have anything to do, you can tell me first. I don't know who you are?"
The girl in Tsing Yi pursed her lips and glanced at Shen Luzhu again: "Are you cousin? I am Jiang Juan, cousin of Chu Yi's cousin, and my mother-in-law is his aunt. I, I have something to do, and I want to invite my cousin Cousin sister-in-law, help!”
Shen Luzhu knew that Chu Yi had an aunt, but he had never heard Chu Yi mention it to his maternal grandfather's family, and he didn't know that his aunt's family also had a cousin.
The girl in front of her seemed to be an honest person. Besides, they were not from a wealthy family, so no one would go to great lengths to deceive them.
Shen Luzhu walked out from behind the paper money stall, turned around and told Chu Xiuxiu: "Xiuxiu, help my cousin take a look at the stall. My cousin will be back soon. If anything happens, just go into the yard and call someone!"
Chu Xiuxiu nodded obediently: "I understand, cousin."
"Cousin, come in with me. I'll take you to the main room to sit for a while, and then I'll ask Chu Yi to come over!"
Cousin Jiang Juan still lowered her head, and only occasionally looked up when she was replying: "No, cousin, I'll just wait here."
"It's so cold outside, you'd better go inside and warm yourself up. Besides, Chu Yi, I don't know if I can stop for a while. It's hard to keep you freezing outside. Come on!"
"Thank you, cousin."
"Why are you so polite!"
Chu Yi was polishing the newly made coffin in the backyard. When he saw his wife calling him, he thought something happened to the stall in front of him. When he asked, he found out that it was his aunt's cousin who came: "I think I met him twice when I was a kid, but... What did you say?"
"No, I saw that she didn't look good, so I entrusted the stall to Xiuxiu and took her to the main room to drink tea." No wonder she hadn't heard anyone mention it, and she didn't expect that even Chu Yi had only seen her when she was a child.
The two of them entered the main room while talking. Jiang Juan was warming her hands with the tea bowl given to her by Shen Luzhu. When she saw someone entering the room, she quickly put down the tea bowl in her hand and stood up: "Cousin-in-law."
Shen Luzhu introduced: "This is your cousin Chu Yi."
"Cousin."
Chu Yi looked at the woman in front of him and did not answer her: "You said your name is Jiang Juan? Who are your father and mother?"
Jiang Juan was startled for a moment, looking a little at a loss, then looked up at Chu Yi: "My father is Jiang Er, my mother is Cui Ying, cousin, I am really your cousin!"
"Sorry, I was still young when I met you. What does my cousin want from me?"
"I came to the door suddenly. It's normal for my cousin not to recognize him. I came here today because I want to borrow money from my cousin and my cousin. Please help me!" As he said this, he actually knelt down. Fortunately, he was silent. Lu Zhu reacted quickly enough and hurriedly helped the person!
"If you have anything to say, just say it, what are you doing?"
"Cousin, I really have no choice. My son Xiaobao fell into the river yesterday afternoon. He was rescued after being soaked in ice water for a long time. He has been suffering from a high fever. We really don't have any money at home. Now we even need medicine. I'm sorry, I really have no choice. I heard that my cousin Chu's business of selling paper money is booming, so I just came here. I really have no choice. The doctor said that I can't delay it any longer. Cousin and sister-in-law, I beg you. , please save my son, he is not yet three years old!"
Jiang Juan cried so hard that she couldn't help herself. She collapsed to the ground as if her muscles had been cramped. Chu Yi saw that Shen Luzhu couldn't support him and quickly stepped forward to help him sit on the chair.
Shen Luzhu patted Jiang Juan's back and helped her calm down: "Stop crying, cousin, how much do you need?"
Jiang Juan held Shen Luzhu's hand tightly, as if she was her life-saving straw: "The doctor said that I am afraid I will get a small fortune, but I will pay it back. Cousin, I will definitely pay it back!"
Chu Yi took the handkerchief and handed it to his wife. Shen Luzhu wiped Jiang Juan's tears and put the handkerchief in her hand: "We will lend you the money. Cousin, please stop crying and sit here for a moment. We will be back soon!" "
The couple returned to the room. Shen Luzhu took out the money box from the kang cabinet. Most of the money he earned before was converted into banknotes and hid in other places. All he earned from paper money trading was copper coins. Recently, he has been Shen Luzhu was so busy that he didn't have time to go to the town to change it. The denomination of the banknote was too large, so Shen Luzhu had to get a string and started stringing the copper coins with Chu Yi.
"Chu Yi, do you want to go back to my parents' house later and let me follow my cousin back to show Xiaobao?"
"The child is probably frozen. Since my cousin has hired a doctor, it's better not to bother Grandpa yet. Give her the money to get some medicine. We'll see what happens tomorrow and the day after tomorrow!"
The two of them strung up the copper coins quickly. Shen Luzhu was afraid that Jiang Juan would take it back in such a big way and it would be too conspicuous, so he found a piece of floral cloth and put two old clothes in it, pretending to be a small package. Take it to the main room!
"The business we do at home is all made of copper plates. There is not so much broken silver. I can only string ten copper coins for you. Take them back to get medicine for the child first!" Shen Luzhu said and handed the package in his hand to Jiang Juan. , telling her to be careful when she goes back.
Ten copper coins, that’s ten taels of silver!
Jiang Juan couldn't believe her ears. She was really desperate, so she thought of giving her cousin a try. After all, they hadn't been in contact with each other for many years, and she didn't dare to hold out too much hope, but after all, he was her son. Even if there is only a slight chance of her life, she has to come and beg: "Don't worry, cousin, I will definitely find a way to repay this money! Jiang Juan will work hard for the rest of her life to repay her cousin. Great favor!”
Seeing Jiang Juan was about to kneel down again as she spoke, Shen Luzhu hurriedly stopped her: "We'll talk about this later. It's important to give the child medicine now!"
"That's right, go back quickly! If you need help, just come to us!"
"Thank you, cousin! Thank you, cousin!"
