There are five guys in the shop, three of them weigh the rice for the customers, one is in charge of counting, and one of them is more plain-looking and stands at the door to greet the customers.

Seeing Chi Fei come in, the white guy standing at the door immediately shouted with a cold face: "Go out, this is not the place for you to beg for food." ”

"I'm not here to beg for food, I'm here to apply for the job of Mr. Ledger."

"You're here to apply for Mr. Ledger? Are you kidding! Get out, get out right now, and I'll beat you up if you don't leave. "If it weren't for the fear that Chi Fei would be dirty, that guy would have started to drive people away.

Chi Fei didn't want to waste time arguing with this kind of person, so he suddenly lowered his body and got past him, and then ran to the shopkeeper who was sitting inside.

"You little beast dare to run, catch him! Get him! The guy chased and called for help.

This call immediately attracted the attention of other guys and guests.

"What happened?" The shopkeeper, who was originally reading the account book, was noisy and raised his head in displeasure.

As soon as he looked up, he saw a little beggar dressed in tatters running in front of him.

Before the shopkeeper could get angry, Chi Fei first clasped his fists and saluted, then looked directly at the other party and said in a very calm voice: "The shopkeeper is polite, the kid is not a beggar, he is just temporarily in trouble in the capital." I saw that your store posted a notice at the door to hire a bookkeeper, and it happened that the boy had a slight talent for arithmetic, so he came to apply. If there is any disturbance, please forgive the shopkeeper. ”

Seeing that the little beggar spoke clearly and elegantly, obviously reading a book, the shopkeeper couldn't help but feel very surprised, so he stopped the janitor who wanted to take Chi Fei away forcibly.

I looked at the young man in front of me again, and saw that although the other party was ragged and thin, his face was yellow and thin, but his face, hands and feet were clean, and his eyes were bright, and he was not afraid to look at people, and he really didn't look like an ordinary beggar.

"Do you really know how to do arithmetic?" The shopkeeper asked as he carefully observed the other party's expression, trying to see if he was lying.

Chi Fei smiled: "If I say yes, you may not believe it." Why don't you let me give it a try? ”

"How do you want to try?"

"If it's convenient, the shopkeeper, you can give me the revenue account book of the past few days, and it will be clear."

The shopkeeper thought about it for a moment and finally agreed. Tell them to bring the account book and abacus of the day before yesterday.

After the ledger and abacus were delivered, the shopkeeper said, "Let's begin, time is within a pillar of incense." ”

"Thank you, shopkeeper." Chi Fei picked up the account book and flipped it up directly.

Seeing that he just flipped through the account book page by page, but never touched the abacus at all, the shopkeeper couldn't help asking: "Why don't you use the abacus?" Don't you know how to use it? ”

"You don't need an abacus, you can do mental arithmetic."

"Well, bragging, and not making drafts." The guy standing at the door sneered.

Chi Fei ignored it and continued to flip through the ledger page by page.

The shopkeeper watched him without saying a word.

In less than five minutes, the ledger was quickly turned over.

After turning the page, Chi Fei started to turn the page again.

This time it was faster than the first time, and it took less than three minutes to finish.

After turning it over for the second time, he put down the account book, and then said to the shopkeeper: "A total of one hundred and six hundred and seventy-seven dollars and fifty-three wen, please verify it by the shopkeeper." ”

The shopkeeper took the white paper that had been pasted on the last page of the ledger, but he had torn it off in advance, and the total amount was written on it, and he turned it out of his sleeve and looked at it.

After looking at the amount on the paper clearly, he couldn't help but change his face and showed a very shocked expression.

It turned out to be word for word.

At this time, there is still a lot of time before the time of a pillar of incense (thirty minutes).

What's more, this kid was obviously checking the results when he just flipped through it for the second time. That is, he could have figured out the answer earlier.

Such amazing mental arithmetic ability is simply a prodigy. How could this not shock the shopkeeper.

If Chi Fei knew what he thought, he could only say hehe.

What kind of prodigy is he, he has only been doing mental arithmetic since elementary school.

His level, in the eyes of modern real mental arithmetic masters, let alone green onions, hair is not counted.

However, the shopkeeper guessed one thing correctly, he was indeed checking the results when he went through it a second time.

Because there was only one chance, he didn't dare to be careless, and he had to ensure that there was no mistake in the amount, so he checked it again.

Anyone who has learned mental arithmetic knows that the principle is very simple, that is, imagine that there is an abacus in your heart, and then use this imaginary abacus to calculate addition, subtraction, multiplication and division.

People who are average in mental arithmetic also need to use their fingers to simulate the action of the plan to assist in calculation when calculating.

And people who really learn well, all the actions are completed in the brain, and there is no need for finger cooperation. Chi Fei belongs to this category of people.

Since the action of dialing the abacus with your fingers is completely omitted, it is naturally much faster than the person who actually uses the abacus.

Although the principle sounds very simple and it is quick and convenient to use, mental arithmetic is like the piano, which needs to be practiced from an early age, and it is very difficult for adults to practice.

The ancients, who had never learned mental arithmetic or other quick arithmetic methods, would naturally be shocked to see that someone was able to extract results from such a large amount of data at once, and the other party was only a teenager.

Seeing the shopkeeper staring at him with wide eyes, Chi Fei knew that he had made the right bet, so he deliberately said: "If the shopkeeper still has doubts, you can take the test again." ”

The shopkeeper shook his head and said, "No need, the little brother's mental arithmetic ability is amazing, and the old man admires and admires." ”

Arithmetic is different from poetry and essays, and a wrong number is also wrong, and there is no room for confusion at all. What's more, he stared at the whole time, there could be no fake.

As soon as these words came out, the other guys and the guests watching the excitement looked at the ragged teenager in disbelief.

Knowing that there are many people here and it is not suitable to talk in detail, the shopkeeper invited Chi Fei into the inner hall alone, and also served tea and snacks.

After looking at the tea and snacks on the table, Chi Fei said very frankly: "Don't hide it from the shopkeeper, the kid hasn't eaten for a few days." I'm not welcome to do this, I hope the shopkeeper won't be surprised. ”

For his calmness, the shopkeeper smiled and said, "Little brother, please feel free, you don't have to be polite." ”

Chi Fei picked up the snack and ate it slowly.

Although he was already hungry, he resisted the urge to gobble up and slowly tasted it.

He knows very well that he is still in the "interview" stage, and he is only one step away from the door, and he must maintain his style and demeanor in order to make a good impression on the other party.

Sure enough, when the shopkeeper saw that the young man was eating elegantly and calmly, he looked like a well-born and well-educated person, and he couldn't help but feel a little good in his heart, and his expression became more kind.

After eating two pieces of dim sum to quench his hunger, Chi Fei put down the cup and said, "The shopkeeper has something to ask, the kid has nothing to say." ”

"Then what is the name of the little brother and where does he come from? Why did you live in the capital? ”

"The boy's surname is Su Dan's name, a real character, originally from Zhangjia Village, Bolai County, Jing'an Prefecture, and his parents and uncles are farmers. The boy is the only son in the family, and he has been studying in the village since he was a child.

However, last year, there was a severe drought in the north, and barbarians invaded the country, making it difficult for the family to make a living. What's more, one day, a gang of horse thieves suddenly broke into the village to burn, kill and loot.

In just one day, hundreds of people in the village, including the boy's grandparents, parents, and uncles, were all killed by horse thieves. It happened that the boy happened to go into the mountains to pick wild fruits, so he escaped. Speaking of this, Chi Fei's tone was heavy, his eyes were red, and he looked very sad.

Of course, this grief was performed by Chi Fei, although he was also sympathetic to Su Zhen's suffering, but he was not himself after all, so he couldn't empathize, so he could only be an extra.

These performances are necessary, because Su Zhen's life experience is so miserable, if the person concerned acts indifferent when talking about this experience, how can outsiders believe it?

Sure enough, when the shopkeeper heard this, he couldn't help but look at him with great sympathy.

Gently wiping the corners of his eyes, Chi Fei continued: "As a last resort, the kid can only migrate to the south with the other displaced people until he comes to the capital. ”

"Does the little brother have any relatives in the capital?"

"No, if there is, you won't even be able to eat."

Chi Fei observed the shopkeeper's expression as he spoke, and found that he frowned inadvertently, knowing that the other party wanted to retreat.

In fact, this is normal, because it is very troublesome to invite him, a foreigner who has no relatives and no reason, not only to give him a place to live, but also to help him apply for a "white nationality".

Chi Fei also knew his weakness, and he had already thought of a way to deal with it before he came in, so he continued: "Don't hide it from the shopkeeper, the kid hasn't done the work of the account before, but he has a little talent for arithmetic, and he is forced to make a living, so he has the shame to apply." The kid knew that he was only a shallow learner, so he didn't dare to ask for any luxury, just a place to live and two full meals. ”

When the shopkeeper heard him say this, his expression suddenly softened a lot.

He is a businessman, so he is naturally good at calculating costs.

Ask an experienced bookkeeper to ask for as little as a dozen taels and as much as twenty or thirty taels a month. During the New Year's holidays, there are also some boxing annuities, which are about 300 taels to 400 taels a year.

If you invite this young man, even if he has not done the accounting room, he has such amazing mental arithmetic ability, and it will be easy to get started as long as he finds someone to teach him.

And all he has to pay is two meals a day, and if he lives, he lives with other guys.

The only place that needs to spend money is to find a middleman to help him get a "white book" back, which is only fifteen or six taels of silver.

Even the cost of eating and applying for a "white nationality" is about 30 taels a year.

And this young man is still young, plus he has no relatives and no reason in the capital, how can he become an adult here. This is much more stable than those who have experience but may change jobs at any time.

It's a good deal no matter how you calculate it.

After thinking about it for a while, the shopkeeper finally spoke: "Little brother, since you are so sincere, and the old man is not an unkind person, you can stay here with peace of mind." In the future, the old man will arrange your food and lodging for you. As for your "white nationality", the old man will also help you get it.

It's just that we have ugly words ahead, you work here with the old man, and you must abide by the rules of our store. Once a mistake is made, the first warning is given, and the second time is directly expelled.

If you steal or do other illegal things here, the old man will immediately report it to the police. Are you okay with any of this? ”

"The shopkeeper can rest assured, the kid has read the book of sages since he was a child, although he only knows a little about the skin, but he still knows the etiquette, righteousness and shame, and he will never dare to insult the ancestors by doing evil things. To be able to win the favor of the shopkeeper, the kid is grateful. ”

The shopkeeper was very happy, patted him on the shoulder and said, "Okay, then you can do things well here, and I will not treat you badly." The old man's surname is Liu, so you can call me Shopkeeper Liu. ”

"Thank you, shopkeeper Liu."

Finally didn't have to starve to death, Chi Fei couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief in his heart.

Dongsheng Rice Shop is a time-honored store, the head office is near Shenghua Gate in the inner side of the capital, and there are branches in many counties.

Here in the capital alone, there are four branches.

In this way, Chi Guanguan became an apprentice in the tent of this Dongsheng rice shop in the west of the city.

Like the other guys, he lived in a small courtyard house rented by the rice shop, and was lucky enough to be assigned a small room of his own.

Eating is with other guys.

An elderly widow in her fifties is responsible for buying and cooking food, and she will divide the food after cooking.

Although the food is not good, there are many vegetables and less meat, but the rice can be filling.

Of course, the rice here does not refer to the best white rice, which is used to sell. Corn is usually mixed with old rice to make rice, but even this is much better than what many farmers eat.

In addition to food and accommodation, the rice shop also issued two sets of work clothes to each guy. Made of fine linen, it is more wear-resistant and durable.

Chi Fei also has two sets, but because he is too young, there is no suitable for him, so he can only order them.

Sure enough, people rely on clothes, and after changing into new clothes, his whole person immediately changed, coupled with his mature and moderate demeanor, no matter how you look at it, he looks like a child from a good family, which is impressive.

After officially starting work, his daily work began with counting.

That is, use the account book to register how many catties of white rice, how many catties of old rice, how many catties of corn, and how much money each item has spent.

Of course, because he is a novice, the guy who was originally responsible for counting also had to keep a separate book to prevent him from making mistakes.

Chi Fei himself has a good memory, coupled with his mental arithmetic, there was no mistake in seven or eight days. And the handwriting is neat and orderly, which makes people very comfortable to read.

"Yes, yes, Su Zhen's account book is well written, and the words are also written very well. Deng Quan, you should study hard, look at your dog crawling words. ”

"Yes, shopkeeper." After Deng Quan, the guy in charge of counting, answered, he couldn't help but glared at Chi Fei with some annoyance.

Chi Fei clasped his fists and saluted: "The shopkeeper has won the award, in fact, it's not that I remember it well, it's that the whole brother taught it well." When I first started counting, I often made mistakes. Fortunately, my brother taught me a lot, so I didn't take a lot of detours. So the person you should praise the shopkeeper is the whole brother, not the kid me. ”

Shopkeeper Liu glanced at Chi Fei deeply, and then smiled: "So that's the case, Deng Quan, I didn't expect you to be quite good at teaching, you did a good job this time, you will continue next time, you know?" ”

"Yes, shopkeeper." Deng Quan's face really improved a lot this time.

Sycophants!

Chen Changdong, who was in charge of greeting guests at the door, scolded in his heart, and then stared at Chi Fei with contempt.

He didn't expect that this little beggar, who made him lose face at that time, really became the guy of the rice shop.

Although he was only an apprentice, the work of the tent was much easier than when he stood at the door to greet customers, which made him find the little beggar an eyesore even more.

In addition to keeping counts, bookkeepers also learn how to make change.

Many people think that there are only three common monetary units in ancient times: how many copper coins are exchanged for how many taels of silver, and then how many taels of silver are exchanged for how many taels of gold.

Although this is true, in actual circulation and use, it is actually still an unwritten unit, that is, "money".

The ancient silver casting technology was immature, and it was impossible to extract 100% pure silver, and some black-hearted private casters would deliberately adulterate and mix tin, lead and other common metals into it. Under the conditions at that time, it was difficult to judge the shortage of silver, and it was not easy to carry.

Later, people came up with a way to cut the whole piece of silver into small pieces with steel scissors so that they could exchange it with copper coins. It is also the broken silver that often appears in many costume TV dramas.

Of course, the broken silver cut out still needs to be weighed, which is another invention of the ancients, that is, 戥 (děng), which is a precision weighing instrument accurate to the centimeter. Later, in addition to weighing silver, it was also used to weigh valuable medicinal herbs, spices, pigments, etc.

And when weighing with a pole, the most used unit is the "money". For example, how much does a broken piece of silver weigh.

The conversion method is probably like this, one tael of silver can be exchanged for a thousand copper coins, that is, consistently.

One tael is equal to ten coins, that is, one silver coin is equal to one hundred copper coins.

With the unit of "money", it became much more convenient to make small transactions with silver, so it became a common practice.

When a person buys seven taels of goods from a merchant with ten taels of silver, the bookkeeper will weigh the ten taels of silver with a tin in front of this person to see if the portion is sufficient.

After making sure that there is no shortage of catties and catties, the merchant will use steel scissors to cut the ten taels of silver.

But it is difficult for human hands to cut it into a piece of seven taels and a piece of three taels. If the piece is cut into more than three taels, it must be cut again, and if it is cut into less than three taels, it must be filled with the broken silver left by the merchant before.

If the merchant does not have the right amount of broken silver to fill in, then the difference is to be exchanged for the equivalent amount of copper coins.

It must be explained that even if someone buys something for ten taels of silver, he cannot leave immediately, and the merchant still has to weigh and cut the silver, in order to confirm that the other party has not added tin, lead and other things to the silver.

Also, don't think that the account office is a pure clerical job, in fact, it takes a certain amount of effort to do the account office, especially when you are an apprentice.

Because the steel scissors used to cut silver have a small clamp and a long clamping arm, it takes a lot of strength to cut silver with this.

Generally, a complete ingot of silver needs to be completed by two people, one person fixes it, and one person cuts it. Sometimes the person who cuts the silver even has to use the whole body as a pressure to successfully cut the silver.

Occasionally, there are cases where someone is injured due to a mistake in the operation.

However, this manual work is generally done by the tent apprentice, and unless there is no apprentice, the tent master will go into battle himself.

Because of his young age and lack of strength, Chi Fei couldn't cut the whole silver, so he could only chop the silver, and then use the pole to weigh and make change.

He knew that no matter what kind of business, it was important to settle the money and silver in person, so he was especially careful every time he made change, lest he make mistakes.

His cautious attitude also made Shopkeeper Liu more satisfied.

………………………………

When everyone returned to the courtyard, Chi Fei took the initiative to walk up to Deng Quan and said, "Brother Quan, I don't know anything I want to ask you, can I go to you to sit there?" ”

Deng Quan asked impatiently, "What can you say?" ”

Although Chi Fei said good things for him today, this could not hide the fact that he was scolded by the shopkeeper because of this kid, so he still had resentment in his heart.

"Actually, it's like this, I heard that Brother Quan, you are learning abacus, and I happen to know a little. Do you want to see how I played, or is there anything wrong? Of course, it would be nice if we could exchange ideas together. ”

Deng Quan was stunned for a moment, and then looked at the young man in front of him seriously.

I saw that he was looking at him with a smile, as if he was very happy.

Deng Quan was not stupid, he could see that the other party intended to befriend him, and what he just said seemed to mean something else.

With a tentative thought, he asked, "You mean, are you willing to teach me how to plan the plate?" ”

"Of course it's no problem, I don't dare to say anything else, I'm quite familiar with abacus. If my brother wants to learn, I will teach until now. ”

"What you say is true?!" Deng Quan was surprised and delighted.

"Do you think I'm the kind of person who tells lies?"

"Not like, not like, not at all. That's it, you teach me to plan the plate. Since when? Tomorrow? Or today? Deng Quan trembled with excitement.

"Do you have an abacus? If there is, we can start learning now. ”

"Yes, yes, the abacus is in my room, I'll bring it right away, you wait for me, I'll be back right away." After Deng Quan finished speaking, he immediately ran to his room.

Sure enough, most people can't escape the word "interest" between people.

Chi Fei smiled faintly, and then found a place to sit down and wait for Deng Quan to come back.

He had long seen that Deng Quan was not willing to be an ordinary guy, and he really wanted to be a bookkeeper.

Don't look at his ugly handwriting, but he does the most serious counting every day.

Chi Fei had also seen him secretly practice how to plan a plate in front of a book that taught arithmetic in his room.

However, arithmetic, if there is no foundation at all, can be understood by reading a book.

What's more, the books in ancient times not only had few pictures, but also the words were difficult to understand, and if no one taught them, they couldn't learn it for a few years.

If you want to find someone to teach, you can only go to a private school.

However, in the imperial examinations, arithmetic is only a trivial and insignificant part.

Therefore, most private school teachers will only teach arithmetic by the way.

And even if he wants to teach, he will wait until the kid has a certain foundation in the four books before he starts teaching arithmetic, so as not to distract the kid.

Deng Quan had only studied in private school for a few years, and before he could learn arithmetic, his father was blown by his stepmother's pillow wind, and asked him to take a leave of absence from school and go home, giving up the opportunity to study to his half-brother.

Even now, he has to pay most of his salary as a buddy and go home every month.

If he doesn't pay it, as long as his stepmother makes trouble, his father will definitely whip him, and others will also point to his backbone and scold him for being unfilial.

Deng Quan was desperate to get out of this situation of being taken by his stepmother, and he wanted to leave the capital to live outside.

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