Come again' When the noodle shop celebrated the success of a big customer, the big customer was sitting in a carriage back to Wanchun Garden. In the carriage, Qin Xiqing squinted at the bustling street scene outside the window thoughtfully.

"Girl, is Fang Zi'an so worth the cost? One thousand taels of silver, I don't know how many people are willing to work for us, but to win him over? He doesn't know how to lift yet. Xiaoling, the maidservant sitting on the side, whispered her incomprehension.

Qin Xiqing turned her face and said with a slight smile: "Xiaoling, take a long-term view, what we want is not a hard-working minions, but someone who can help the prince become a big thing in the future." This Fang Zi'an is outstanding in learning, and he will definitely be able to take the imperial examination for high school. It is this kind of person that we are giving priority to recruiting now, and within two years, these people will all be officials in the DPRK and China. That is the foundation and strength of the prince. Those officials in the DPRK and China are all obedient to Qin Hui's orders, and they are already monolithic. We can only start with people like Fang Zi'an in order to cultivate new strength and fight against Qin Hui's gang. Got it? ”

The maidservant Xiaoling pouted and nodded: "Having said that, but this Fang Zi'an is worth putting in so much effort?" Let the girl come to him in person, and he doesn't want to give him silver, so ignorant of lifting, how can he control it? ”

Qin Xiqing chuckled and said, "Why don't you go and subdue him?" Maybe this person is not greedy for money, but he is lustful. ”

The maidservant Xiaoling said angrily: "What did the girl say? If you want to go, you will go, I don't believe that anyone can stop your charm. ”

Qin Xiqing shook her head and said, "This Fang Zi'an may not really take me seriously, otherwise how could he reject me." To deal with him, those methods may not work, and you have to make a heart-to-heart relationship. ”

The maid Xiaoling said: "Don't be busy for a long time, but he can't even pass the Qiu Yu exam, that's funny." ”

Qin Xiqing smiled, turned her head to look out the car window, and said softly: "He will definitely be able to go to high school, I'm sure." There seem to be a lot of secrets in this person, which makes people want to find out. All the men in the world are similar, and I was bored when I saw them, but it was him who made me feel a little strange. Interesting, interesting. ”

The maid Xiaoling rolled her eyes, stretched her waist and leaned back, and closed her eyes with a big yawn. The carriage sped away in the sun.

……

Fang Zi'an helped in the shop for three days before deciding not to interfere, although the last two days did not have as many customers as on the first day of opening, but the source of customers was very stable, and the income was also very stable. Five or six hundred bowls of Yangchun noodles a day, plus some dim sum, cooking cakes and other things, basically ensure that the net profit is about three taels of silver. That's a lot of money. You must know that the income of ordinary people a month is only three or five taels, and this kind of profit has completely exceeded Lao Zhangtou's expectations. Although he was busier than before, his mouth had never been closed, and his steps were brisk like that of a teenager.

As for the expansion of the business, the three of them decided to hold off a little after discussing it. First stabilize the operation, and slowly expand. Lao Zhangtou's favorite sentence is very reasonable, you can't eat a fat man in one bite. However, Fang Zi'an has to go back to study and take the exam, so he can't come to help often, and the manpower in the store needs to be added. Although Lao Zhangtou tried his best to oppose it, saying that he would rather be busy and tired than care, Fang Zian insisted on increasing the number of people. Lao Zhangtou is old, and his legs and feet are not sharp, and if he is tired and sick, the gains outweigh the losses. Chunni is also very busy in the kitchen alone, although she is nimble and not squeamish, but her hair is fluffy every day, from morning to night, which really makes Fang Zi'an unbearable. That's not how it makes money.

After deliberation, it was decided to take in two apprentices. An apprentice helper in the kitchen, and one outside followed the old man to run the hall and end the noodles. According to the current rules, the apprentice only includes food and drink for three years, and is given 500 yuan of pocket money every month, and does not care about anything else. The salary can only be negotiated after the end of the three years. Actually, it's quite cost-effective. Although Lao Zhangtou has to pay a few taels of silver more every month, he actually knows in his heart that it is not a long-term solution if he does not help.

The notice was posted, and dozens of people who were willing to be apprentices came in the morning. There is a lack of everything in Lin'an City, that is, there is no shortage of people. What's more, the status of an apprentice does not need to be an adult to be competent, fourteen or fifteen-year-old teenagers cannot carry boxes and goods, being an apprentice can not only reduce the burden on the family but also make some income, why not. Fang Zi'an personally selected two apprentices, a man and a woman, both fourteen years old, one named Ah Jin and the other named Liu Er. They are all from poor families, and they all seem to be honest and diligent. In this way, Lao Zhangtou has a little helper by his side, and Chunni has a little follower in the kitchen to help wash up, so Fang Zi'an can let go with confidence.

The opening of the shop is on the right track, and Fang Zi is of course happy in his heart. It's been three years, and I finally have an industry. Looking at this trend, even if you fail the imperial examination, you will not starve to death. Basic livelihood security is no longer a problem. But Fang Zi'an obviously would not be satisfied with such a status quo. Survival is just the first step, and in this year, just having food to eat is not enough, and the rice bowl will be smashed at any time. Therefore, it is necessary to have the ability to keep the job to be truly stable. That requires a certain status of oneself. In the era of strict class hierarchy in feudal society, he was still at the bottom of the society, and he was the object of mermaid meat, which Fang Zi'an still had a clear understanding of. Therefore, you must climb up, and the higher you climb, the more you can ensure that you will not be preyed by others.

Half a month has passed, and the weather is getting hotter and hotter. In the past half a month, Fang Zi'an hardly went out, and was bored in the house to study. In the morning and evening, I practiced fists and swordsmanship in the courtyard for a while to soothe my body, and the rest of the time can be regarded as reading poetry and books. In order to supervise himself, Fang Zi'an used some of his motivation and learning methods in the college entrance examination in later generations, such as pasting a large slogan on the wall, 'There are still xx days before the autumn exam'. Another example is to make a set of autumn mock question papers from Lin'an Bookstore every day to test and so on. In fact, in the past three years of the college, I have read a rough idea of the books that should be read, and the teachers of the college have also talked about a lot of skills in writing poetry and theories, etc., whether ancient or modern, whether it is a college or a school, in fact, they are all pursuing a higher education rate. If Qixia Academy can have more people in high school in the autumn examination, it will greatly enhance the reputation of the entire academy, which is common in ancient and modern times.

However, this kind of day is indeed a torment for Fang Zi'an. At least there are classmates and friends in the academy who have leisure time to talk and talk, but at home, only one person studies hard, which is really boring, and you need to endure loneliness. Of course, Fang Zi'an didn't go out at all, he went to the shop twice, and he just stood and left, because everyone was busy, and he couldn't help standing there. Chunni didn't have time to say a few words to herself. There are not many changes in the shop, only according to Fang Zi'an's requirements, a simple small house was built in the backyard for Lao Zhangtou to live in and watch the store. Chunnier is accompanied by Liu Er, and the two of them go back to Zhang's house in Sanyuanfang to rest after closing at night, so they don't have to worry.

On the evening of May 26, Fang Zi'an went out after bathing and changing. Two days ago, Qin Xiqing ordered someone to send an invitation card and invited Fang Zian to attend the premiere of her new lyrics this year. Qin Xiqing also asked people to bring a set of luxurious robes and hats, and even an ivory folding fan with a jade pendant, obviously for Fang Zi'an to wear. But Fang Zi'an would not buy this account, and set off with only an ordinary blue cloth gown. If it weren't for the fact that he knew that he had two lyrics for the first time tonight, if it weren't for the fact that he wanted to go out for a break after being stuffy at home for too long, Fang Zi'an wouldn't want to attend that kind of occasion. I also know with my ass that there must be a place where there are many people with heads and faces, and I don't like that kind of occasion.

Although a horse-drawn carriage was hired to ride there, when the entire city of Lin'an arrived at the shore of the West Lake outside the Yongjin Gate, the sky was already very dark, and it was almost dark. Get off the station on the wide avenue in the west of the lake, and the left is the west city wall of Lin'an City, on which the wind lanterns have been lit and swaying with the wind. Against the evening sky, it looks particularly tall and majestic. On the right is the wide West Lake, where large lotus flowers spread along the shore, lotus leaves and pink petals in the evening breeze, which is beautiful. In the distance, more than a dozen red boats roam slowly on the lake, and the lights on them are like a fairyland. Many awning boats and boats are heading from the pier to the red boat in the middle of the lake, and those are all guests who are going to the Qinglou flower boat to have fun, and there must be guests invited from Wanchun Garden tonight. At this moment, the sunset is reflected in the lake, the sky and clouds are beautiful, and the boats in the lake seem to be traveling in the clouds, which is breathtaking.

Fang Zi'an didn't have time to take a closer look, and walked quickly to the wooden dock on the side of the willow forest in front of him, there were many people standing on the dock, all of whom were people from various Qinglou red boats to welcome guests. When Fang Zi'an walked up to the trestle, several people stepped forward to ask.

"Below is the red boat that was invited to Wanchun Garden." Fang Zi'an reported to his home.

"Cut!" Seven or eight women gathered around rolled their eyes and scattered. A woman on the side of the trestle stared at Fang Zi'an with puffed eyes.

"Isn't that the aunt? Oops, see you again. Fang Zi'an recognized her, it was the woman who greeted her in front of the Wanchun Garden Building that day, Li Quanzhong called her Water Girl.

The water girl is angry and wants to scold, this guy is an aunt when she meets, which is really unacceptable.

"Why are you here? There is no place for you on the red boat in Wanchun Garden. The water girl said angrily.

Fang Zi'an took out the invitation card and said with a smile: "This invitation was sent to me by your Qin family, is it fake?" It's my name on it. ”

The water girl snatched it and looked at it carefully several times, but found no trace of forgery, and she was extremely depressed, but there was nothing she could do. So he called a small boat to lean on the side of the dock, and said angrily: "Get on the boat." We girls don't know what's wrong? What good is it to invite such a person to a ship, poor and sour? It's inexplicable. ”

Fang Zi'an jumped on the boat and said to the water girl with a smile: "Auntie, when I see you Miss Qin, I will ask her for you, and I don't know why she invited me to be this poor sour." ”

The water girl turned her head and said nothing, and the lopa in her hand was about to be torn apart by her, and she scolded in her heart.