Xia Chunchao was shocked when he heard this, and asked repeatedly: "How can this happen?" What did you say to them? ”

This Xia shopkeeper raised his hand to wipe the sweat drops off his forehead, and then explained the matter one by one.

It turned out that yesterday, according to the earlier instructions of Xia Chunchao, Xia Ming set up three tables of shark fin seats in Donghua Building to entertain the three shopkeepers. The post was sent early in the morning, but no one arrived when it was time for dinner. Even the vice president of the firm, who had been invited to accompany him earlier, also excused himself from coming because he was ill. Xia Ming was in a hurry, so he had to send his buddies to invite him again. It dragged on like this for an hour, and the three of them were late.

Xia Ming saw that everyone had arrived, so he sat down for a banquet. When the wine and food came up, no matter how the shopkeeper Xia persuaded them, the three of them only refused to move their chopsticks. After a while, Meng Yuanzhen said: "Shopkeeper Xia, what you mean today, the three of us also understand it in our hearts. They are all buyers and sellers, how do you not know that business is difficult to do? But you have your problems, and we have our problems. All three of us are in the cooking business, so how can we open our business without ingredients? The Buddha jumping over the wall in our building is the signature dish of our store. How many diners in Beijing come to our restaurant just for this dish. Now that you've run out of ingredients, don't you want us to smash our own signboards? At this moment, where do we go to buy again? In the past, we believed in you, so we bought at your house alone. What shall we do now that such a thing is made? ”

Xia Ming saw that his tone was not good, so he laughed and said: "What Meng Gongzi said is good, this time it is indeed ours." My grandmother is listed above, and when the next new goods arrive, she will definitely make up for it according to the number, and she will not take a penny, so as to make up for your losses. Please also forgive you for the sake of timely delivery and good condition in our goods store in the past. Then Meng Yuanzhen sneered twice and said: "Shopkeeper Xia said lightly, we forgive you, who will forgive us those guests?" Mrs. Lu's kindness, we understand it. It's just that life is not easy, business is difficult, and this bad man's financial path is like cutting off his livelihood. This truth must be understood by Mrs. Lu and Shopkeeper Xia. This kind of thing, the last time, has caught us off guard and is difficult to clean up. How dare you do it again? Although it is not a hundred times at a time, it is not necessary to be ruthless, but we can't do anything about it. As he spoke, he smiled at him and said, "I know that your shopkeeper Xia is just following orders, and I won't embarrass you." In this way, you go back and tell Mrs. Lu that we only bought the goods this time, and you don't need to return the silver. It's just that the contract we negotiated in the past is null and void. In the future, if we have a single business and a single business, we will not make an example. After that, he let Xia Ming persuade in every possible way, accompanied by all the good words, but did not let go.

Backward, this Meng Yuanzhen was impatient to hear this, waved his hand, and said coldly: "If Shopkeeper Xia feels that this matter is unfair, he will go to the business house to complain, and ask the two presidents to comment on the reason!" As soon as he said that, he got up immediately, and the whole table of wine and food did not move, and walked away with the two shopkeepers.

Seeing this situation, Xia Ming was just helpless, and the banquet he ordered could not be returned, so he had to cheapen his subordinates, and his own family hurriedly came to Xia Chunchao to report the matter. When I looked for it, I heard that Xia Chunchao had returned to his parents' house to visit relatives and was not at home, so I had to go back for the time being, and I came back again today.

When Xia Chunchao heard this, his face sank like water, and he didn't say a word. Na Xia Ming said again: "Grandma, these three stores are our big customers. The business of our dry goods store can be so prosperous because these three companies buy a large number of goods on time. Without these three major orders all of a sudden, our losses are not small, and we are almost hurting our vitality. There are many merchants in the capital, and it is not easy to poach customers from others, and it will offend people. ”

Xia Chunchao said at this time: "It's okay to offend people, I originally talked about these three customers, but the shopkeeper of the Su Ji store hated me for half a year, but I didn't see him how." In business, this is a common thing, and there is nothing to worry about. It's just that there is such a thing in our shop, the so-called good things don't go out, evil things go thousands of miles, and the reputation is afraid that it has already spread, and then you have to talk to other families, either you are smashed and killed, or you can't talk about it. What's more, this matter is our fault first, and if we don't smooth things out, we just shrink our heads and throw them away, and the rumors outside are becoming more and more ruthless, and I am afraid that no one will do business with us in the future. We are a dry goods store, not a dry goods dealer grocery store, and scattered customers cannot afford food and clothing, so it is only right to find such a big buyer. ”

When Xia Ming heard this, he also felt reasonable, and nodded: "Grandma said very much, but what should we do now?" That Meng Gongzi has already finished speaking, but I am afraid that it will be difficult to speak. Xia Chunchao groaned slightly, and then asked: "As you said, only Meng Gongzi opened his mouth at the table, and the two shopkeepers did not speak?" Xia Ming replied: "Exactly." Xia Chunchao didn't say anything, and said in his heart: If you say this, this matter is that Meng Yuanzhen insists on embarrassing me. The two shopkeepers ate his strangulation, or looked at his face, so they couldn't speak. If this is the case, there is still room for the matter to turn around.

At that moment, she had made up her mind in her heart, so she said to Shopkeeper Xia: "So, I know, I know this matter." You go back for the time being, and the business in the shop should continue as usual. The shopkeeper Xia agreed, Xia Chunchao thought about it, and said: "However, our batch of goods is really bad." You will carefully check the guys in the store to see if there are any people who have taken leave or escaped in the past few days. The shopkeeper Xia said: "This is true, the day before yesterday, the old mother of the Qian family was sick and took a three-day leave, and I have approved it." Yesterday, Liu Gui said that he was going back to his hometown, and he didn't do it in the shop, so I calculated his salary and already went. Xia Chunchao clapped his hand and said, "Ah, you have already let go, but I am afraid that this person has already escaped." ”

Shopkeeper Xia was very puzzled, and said suspiciously: "Grandma is suspicious of this Liu Gui?" However, he is the guy who has been used in our shop from the opening to the present, and he has always been stable and reliable. At this age, I had intended to promote him to be a steward, but I didn't expect him to go again at this juncture. But how could Grandma be suspicious of him? Xia Chunchao said: "You think, our goods will not be broken in vain, and it is not deliberately relied upon, it must be the hands and feet of the guys who handle it." This person didn't leave early or late, but waited for the matter to come out before he quit his job. Presumably I didn't expect things to be so bad early in the morning, for fear of being caught, we asked him to eat a lawsuit, so he hurriedly left. Otherwise, why did you lose a good errand because you can't help it? As he spoke, he paused slightly, and then said in a deep voice: "Originally, I didn't have this idea, but I just heard you say that those three stores are headed by Meng Yuanzhen, and they don't need our goods anymore." They buy and sell in restaurants, and the supply is like flowing water, when can they be short of ingredients? To be able to cut off contact with us so cleanly, it must have been found early in the morning, and there was no one to supply, so it was so tough. However, we were not at fault in the past, and they were not able to pinch and calculate, how could they have expected such a thing to happen? In this way, I am afraid that this matter is a series of sets set up early in the morning. ”

Xia Ming's back was cold when he heard this, and the corners of his forehead were sweating, and he hurriedly said, "Grandma said this, did you ever expect who was making fun of us?" Xia Chunchao smiled bitterly and said: "I'm not an immortal, how can I be a prophet?" After all, it should be those peers in Beijing, and our family is busy with business, and it may not be known if they buy the guys and we have maggots. Shopkeeper Xia said: "Grandma's words are reasonable, but there is no evidence now." Otherwise, let's go to the president of the firm and confront them face to face, and we will be ashamed. As he spoke, seeing that Xia Chunchao had nothing else to say, he arched his hand and said, "I'll go first, and I will definitely check it when I go back." Grandma doesn't have to be anxious, since the shop is in my hands, if something like this happens, I will definitely explain it to my grandmother. ”

Xia Chunchao nodded and said, "There is Lao Xia shopkeeper." With that, he sent it out.

sent Xia Ming out, this Xia Chunchao returned to the house, sat on the kang with his knees crossed, and was in a daze. Bao'er came up to pour tea with her, and when she saw that she was depressed, she explained: "Grandma is still relieved, and the shopkeeper Xia will definitely be able to find out ironclad evidence." At that time, grandma will go to the business bank to refute and clarify, what's the matter? Xia Chunchao nodded and sighed: "You are really a child, so you can say such stupid things." Where is it so easy? If it is hot today, those dry goods are most afraid of seeing water, so when they are about to send them out, they sprinkle a handful of water, and report that they will become mildew and insects in two days. There is no evidence to be found for such a thing. That man went to a foreign country again, and we are not officials, how can we take people? There is no basis and no evidence, who listens to you. Bao'er stood aside, tilted her head and thought for a while, and said with a smile: "Grandma, the young master is now a big official, and he is still afraid that he will not be hungry grandma?" If this business can't go on, I simply closed the shop, so as not to be greedy and dark every day, and settle accounts hard. Grandma can still enjoy the blessings at home. ”

When Xia Chunchao heard this, his face showed displeasure, glanced at her, and said, "If you don't have any interest like this, don't say it in the future." Although this voice was not serious, it made Bao'er's face flush, and she said, "Am I not right? Xia Chunchao sighed and said: "I took the shop, and I only worked as an official wife in this family, and my food and clothing all depended on your young master. But if you think about it, what is the fun of these days when you have to stretch out your hands and eat to open your mouth, and you are full of food and sleep every day, just like a wasted person. That's fine, but if I rely on him to raise me, then I will inevitably be a head shorter than him at home, and I will have to listen to him in everything. Although it is a saying that marrying a man and marrying a man, dressing and eating, it is better to rely on heaven and earth than on yourself. I have a shop by my side, and I won't be able to live this day in the future, and I'm not afraid of leaving him. ”

Bao'er was stunned when she heard it, and said: "Grandma's words are really a bit shocking, so that those pedantic masters listen to it, and they don't know how to reprimand grandma for losing women's morality." Xia Chunchao smiled slightly and said: "The days are lived by themselves, and their mouths are on them, whatever they say." As he spoke, because he didn't see Zhu'er, he asked again, "Where did Zhu'er go?" Bao'er replied: "Sister Baolian sent Baohe over, saying that there were a few tricks that were not good at drawing, and asked her to help with the drawing, and she has not come back yet." Xia Chunchao nodded and said: "If you talk about the craftsmanship of female red, she is naturally her best, and even I have to sigh to myself." It's a pity that this girl is too lazy, and she doesn't go backwards, and she doesn't know what to think in her heart all day. ”

As the master and servant were talking, they saw that the shadows of the flowers on the porch were gradually slanting westward, and it was past noon.

Xia Chunchao committed spring sleepiness, pillowing a soft pillow of green sunflowers on a lake, crooked on the kang and pretending to sleep. I only heard the sound of skirts dragging on the porch, and Zhu'er jumped into the door with brisk steps. When he entered the door, he saw Bao'er sitting at the door embroidering a gown, so he smiled and asked, "You're busy again, where is grandma?" Bao'er waved her hand and pointed into the room. Zhu'er knew what she meant, and she didn't go in, but sat next to her, watching her do needlework, and the two girls gossiped.

After a while, Xia Chunchao heard it in the house and opened his mouth to ask for tea. When Zhu'er heard this, she hurriedly went in to serve, poured a cup of chicken bowl that she used to eat tea every day, and handed it forward with both hands. Xia Chunchao sat up, took the tea, took two bites, and said, "How is it glutinous rice wine?" Zhu'er replied obediently: "I saw that the weather has been hot recently, so I ordered the kitchen to prepare it." It's a pity that we don't have ice in our house, and I've heard that those rich and noble families have ice cellars. In winter, ice cubes are chiseled and stored, and when the heat is unbearable, some are taken out, or put in the house to cool, or used to chill melons, fruits and wines, which is the most good thing to cool off the heat. If this glutinous rice wine is chilled and grandma eats it, it will be much more refreshing. ”

Xia Chunchao squinted at her, nodded and smiled: "Don't be clever in front of me, when I don't know, you mean that when you see that the young master is an official, you think of those rich things." I'm spending money to repair the ice cellar, so I can take you to the light, right? Zhu'er smiled and said nothing, Xia Chunchao said again: "I said that you don't have this idea, the young master has only been an official for a few days, and this idea came to mind." spread it, and somehow made people laugh. What's more, now that the family is using money, how can I have this spare money to waste! Reprimanded Zhu'er, and then asked, "What did Baolian tell you to do, is it just a description?" ”

Zhu'er shook her head, came up and whispered in her ear: "Baolian told me something by drawing patterns, a few days ago, while grandma didn't notice, the old lady gave a bag of fifty taels of silver to his wife. Mrs. quietly entrusted Brother Yingxia and sent it to Mrs. Auntie. Listening to the old lady's meaning, it seemed that she wanted to appease her cousin and not to make a disturbance over there. When Xia Chunchao heard this, he didn't realize that his eyebrows were upside down, he sneered slightly, and said, "Okay, I want to see how much silver they can fill that hole!" Let that Zhang Xueyan make trouble, let's go straight, what are we afraid of?! I don't like what I said, does she know which way the door of the yamen opens, and how to write the complaint? We are also eunuchs now, and it is difficult for this people to sue officials to ascend to the sky. How much more do they have to accuse them, and if they really want to make trouble, I will ask them a crime of blackmail! ”

Zhu'er said again: "Baolian said, listening to the tone of the old lady and the wife, it seems that there is something in the hands of the aunt and the wife, and they dare not make a noise, so they have to use the silver to paste their mouths. When Xia Chunchao heard this, he condensed his eyebrows and thought secretly: Could it be that these two people still have something to do to hide from me? After thinking about it for a long time, I couldn't think it through after all, and I was worried about the things in the shop, so I had no time to care about it, so I changed my mind and said: Okay, the soldiers will block the water and cover the earth, I don't believe that these two women can still turn the sky upside down!

Thinking about it like this, she put the matter aside for the time being, and instructed Zhu'er: "Later, you go to the second gate and tell me to go down, saying that I will go out early tomorrow morning, ask the little maid to put the carriage on, and then call the two daughters-in-law of the family to follow the car." Zhu'er agreed, and then asked, "What is Grandma going to do tomorrow?" It's getting hotter, so it's better to go out on the 15th, and there will be a meeting to see. Xia Chun said to Zhengse: "Ming'er is going out on business, not an ordinary trick." You tell Bao'er to open the box, pick out a few clothes for me, and then choose a few gifts to seal, and take them out tomorrow. ”

Zhu'er saw that she said solemnly, and hurriedly agreed, so she went out and called Bao'er in, and she went to her own house and told her not to mention it.

Bao'er came in, took out the key from her waist, opened the closet, and took out the big clothes of Xia Chunchao one by one, and showed her them. Xia Chunchao looked at it once, but he didn't like it and asked her to take it again. Bao'er made two round-trips, and then asked, "What is Grandma Ming'er doing?" I see this water-red embroidered golden peony gown is good, the color is gorgeous, I did it last year, and I haven't put it on twice. Xia Chunchao glanced at it, shook his head, and said, "This color is too bright, tomorrow I want to talk to people about business, this dress is frivolous." As he spoke, he thought about it for a while, and suddenly said: "I remember that when I cut spring clothes last year, I cut a whole set of dresses with grape purple satin, which is very dignified, you go and find it." ”

Bao'er answered, rummaged for a long time, came over with a set of clothes, and asked, "Grandma, look, is this one?" Xia Chunchao looked at her hand, and sure enough, it was a grape purple plain trimmed gown, a high-waisted skirt with peony embroidered with the same material, and nodded immediately: "It's this set, take it out and put it away, and you can match it with a few pieces of jewelry tomorrow." ”

The master and servant were talking, only to hear a report from a person on the verandah outside the house: "Ask grandma to show me, and the Ji Mansion sent a gift and a post, asking how to send it." When Xia Chunchao heard about this, he wondered: Where did he come from? Then he suddenly realized, and hurriedly said: "Send a few people, who will accompany you in the hall?" The little guy replied: "There is only one person here, and Uncle Wang'er is talking with him." Xia Chunchao said: "Sue sù Wang'er, drink and eat well, and then Xie Yi with a couple of silver with the person who came, and transfer the gifts and posts in." The little servant went as ordered, and soon a daughter-in-law brought something in.

Bao'er took the things and sent them to Xia Chunchao. Xia Chun looked at the probe, only to see two big red woven gold auspicious celebration double fish makeup satin, and two green dark embroidered lotus pattern silk, couldn't help but be slightly surprised. Silk is a thing, although it is a genus of silk weaving, but it is far better than Luo Silk Silk and the like, and is famous for its lightness, softness, thinness, smoothness and shine. This thing is not easy to weave, extremely labor-intensive, earlier only the palace weaving bureau can be weaved, recently the legal system has gradually widened, and the people can also get involved. It's just that this skill is not an ordinary weaver can be in charge, and even if there are a few people with outstanding skills, there are only a few products produced in a year. The woven gold makeup is just precious, but this thing is really rare.

Xia Chunchao took a look at it and exclaimed: "This lady of the Ji family is so arrogant, I just nod my head with her, and I don't dare to accept such a valuable gift with me." As he spoke, he paused and said, "It's hard to find her anywhere, this silk is hard to buy even if you have money in the world today." Bao'er said strangely: "Grandma, I see that the knitting of this makeup satin is the same as the satin you bought that day, it seems to be of the same origin." Xia Chunchao listened to her words, and only then did he take a closer look, and saw that as Bao'er said, it was really the same as the material he bought from Ni Shang Xuan that day, so he said: "Could it be that Mrs. Ji made a special trip to Ni Shang Xuan to buy the material?" But when I went to see it that day, it wasn't on the shelves. ”

After that, she dropped the material and looked at the post again, only to see that some general greetings were written on it, and the payment was: Ji Fu's Yueming respectfully.