Cao Zixin's paper and ink shop was opened in the western section of Changmenpu Street. The name of the shop was "Mianzhai," which meant that the ink was fragrant and the brush danced, and the book encouraged life.
Speaking of it, Cao Zixin's shop had just opened for half a month. In addition to him, the boss, there was only Yu Shu, the accountant. There wasn't even a handyman. When there were many guests, Yu Shu had to put down her abacus to help entertain the guests.
If it weren't for the fact that she couldn't write and keep accounts, Yu Shu would definitely ask shopkeeper Cao for two wages.
At dusk, Cao Zixin blocked two pieces of door panels at the door of the shop, indicating that it was closed. He returned to the shop and took the account book handed over by Yu Shu. It took him a while to record the accounts she had calculated.
Today's business was good. The ink, paper, and inkstone were sold for more than five taels of silver. This made Yu Shu, who only had ten copper coins, jealous.
Five taels of silver, one tael was ten jiao, and one jiao was one hundred copper coins. Five taels was five thousand copper coins!
Even if the cost of purchasing was deducted, there was at least a 30% profit. After deducting the rent, he could earn one tael of silver a day, which was thirty taels of silver a month. Aunt Liu couldn't earn this amount even if she saved up for thirty years!
"What's wrong?" Cao Zixin put down the pen and pulled his collar. Yu Shu looked at him with eyes that made him feel a little cold on his neck.
"Shopkeeper, you are quite capable. Looking at your age, you are at most twenty years old. You can open a shop in Changmenpu to do business. May I ask, what did your ancestors do?"
Since the Song Dynasty, there was a policy of "not suppressing commerce." In the Da 'an Dynasty, the imperial court was even more relaxed for merchants. Merchants could occupy farmland and buy land, and their descendants were not prohibited from taking the imperial examination.
In the local area, some rich merchants donated more grain and rice during the drought and disaster years. Often, they were appointed as the Minister Counsellor. They were not in office, but they had a good title. In the future, their descendants would be able to take the imperial examination, and their career would be much easier than others.
"My grandfather was a scholar." Cao Zixin put away the account book, turned around and pulled out a few sheets of paper from under the shelf. He used a paperweight to press them down. Seeing that there wasn't much ink left in the inkstone, he pushed some more ink into the inkstone. At the same time, he said to Yu Shu,
"Since you know how to write ten big numbers, I won't teach you anymore. Today, I'll teach you how to recognize a few types of paper in the shop. I don't ask you to write them, but you have to remember how they look like. I think you're smart enough to learn them."
Yu Shu rested her chin on her hands and leaned against the counter. She watched as he changed to a small brush and held it properly. He brushed the paper and wrote five words from right to left.
After Cao Zixin finished writing, he pointed at it and taught her to read it:
"Cloth Head Paper, Cold Gold Paper, Clear Heart Paper, Rattan Paper, Hemp Paper … Read it."
He read it three times in a row before asking Yu Shu to read it.
Yu Shu was a humble person who was eager to learn. Even though she felt that it was a bit embarrassing to be taught like a child, she still read it obediently.
"Cloth Head Paper, Cold Gold Paper, Clear Heart Paper, Rattan Paper, Hemp Paper."
"Good reading," Cao Zixin praised her. Seeing that she looked quite obedient at this time, he couldn't help but reach out to pat Yu Shu's head. She had the foresight to shake her head and avoid it.
What a joke. In terms of actual age, she was much older than this boy. How could he have the chance to pat her head?
Cao Zixin's hand missed. He chuckled and took back the paper with the words written on it. He pushed the paper in front of her. "Read it a few more times. I'll go pack up. Let's go together."
"Okay." Yu Shu saw that it wasn't dark yet, so she wasn't in a hurry to go home. She hooked her leg around Cao Zixin's high stool and sat down. She took a piece of paper and concentrated on memorizing the words. Cao Zixin only asked her to memorize how it looked, but she asked herself to be able to write it.
"Here, this is today's salary." Cao Zixin packed up his things and put a handful of copper coins on the counter.
Yu Shu folded the writing paper and stuffed it into her arms. She pulled the money on the counter and put it into her belt.
Cao Zixin still remembered how she counted the money when he gave her yesterday's salary. Seeing that she was so careless today, he asked curiously,
"Why don't you count it today?"
Yu Shu raised her eyebrows at him. "I was not familiar with you yesterday, but I am familiar with you today. How can it be the same?"
Hearing that the child's words were interesting, Cao Zixin was amused. He put one hand on the counter and teased,
"You believe people so quickly. No wonder you were ordered around all afternoon yesterday."
Yu Shu rolled her eyes at him and said half-truthfully, "How did you know that I would be ordered around by him for nothing? If you didn't come at the right time, I don't know how he would apologize to me later. "
Yu Shu's words were true. She was not a person who was willing to suffer losses. If Cao Zixin hadn't appeared yesterday, she had ways to make Shopkeeper Wu of the silk and satin shop across the street pay him back double for taking advantage of her.
Cao Zixin didn't know Yu Shu's background. He just thought that the boy was talking big. He smiled and skipped the topic. He led her out of the shop. They closed the door and locked it.
Changmen Street was an expensive place. After nightfall, there were special patrols. Usually, people were not afraid of thieves. If they were worried, they could arrange their own workers to live in the shop. And Cao Zixin was the kind of person who could be at ease.
"Let's go. I'll take you to the Fushou shop. Didn't you want to buy paper money?"
"I know the way. You can go about your business." Yu Shu didn't want to go with Cao Zixin. It was the same as not wanting to see the leader after work.
"It's okay. I'll take you there in case you get lost and miss dinner."
When Yu Shu was settling accounts with Cao Zixin yesterday, she unintentionally joked that the family didn't wait for people to eat at home. She didn't want him to remember it. Looking at Shopkeeper Cao who was leading the way, Yu Shu couldn't refuse her temporary support, so she quickly followed.
***
In the dead of night, Yu Shu heard Yu Xiaoxiu snoring on the other side of the room. She turned over and got out of bed. She put on her clothes and shoes and took out a bag of ghost money hidden under the bed. She passed by the table, took the flint, and tiptoed out of the door.
On the way from the servant's room to the back door, there was a small forest. At night, not even a lantern could be seen on the road. Yu Shu groped her way into the forest and found a flat place to squat down. With her back against an old tree, she put down her bag, used her feet to rub the leaves on the ground to one side, and took out a flint.
After fiddling for a long time, she still couldn't light the fire. Yu Shu sweated. When she was about to stand up and stretch, she heard a series of footsteps behind her. The leaves on the ground made a "Cha Cha Cha" sound, which scared her and made her lie on the ground.
"Second Young Master, don't go inside. I'm scared."
"Don't be scared. Come, I'll rub it for you."
"You're so annoying. Where do you put your hands? Um, ah."
"Shh, Que 'er, be quiet. Don't let others hear you."
"Humph, are you afraid of others hearing you? If you were really afraid, you wouldn't dare to recruit me. Alas, Third Master treats me well, but I like you, you playboy."
"It's all because of you …"
On the other side of the tree, a pair of wild mandarin ducks were flirting. On the other side of the tree, Yu Shu lay in the grass and didn't dare to breathe. She was so depressed that she just wanted to hit the wall.
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