In this era, sticking Spring Festival couplets for the New Year is a must-do for every household to remove the old and welcome the new. And those with slightly better family backgrounds will also post door god paintings.

The earliest door god paintings are Shen Tu and Yu Lei, the Tang Dynasty appeared a new door god Zhong Kui, to the previous dynasty, Qin Qiong and Yu Chi Gong, two door gods closely related to folklore, began to become popular.

This kind of door god is usually invited to paint, just simple black and white, if the printing workshop can print brightly colored door god paintings in batches, it will definitely open a precedent for the times, and lead to the trend.

As for the colorful New Year's pictures with a story, this era has not yet appeared.

At present, the profit of the printing workshop mainly depends on printing and wholesale comic books to foreign merchants, after all, the market in Ninghua County is too small, with the scale of the printing workshop today, the output of a day in Ninghua County and the surrounding towns can not be digested. Since foreign merchants have mastered the sales channels, those people estimated that there was nothing at first, and after a long time, they would definitely come back to it, and slowly they would compress the profits of the printing workshop by means such as price reduction.

According to Shen Xi's meaning, if this situation occurs, it must be resolutely fought back, and those people know that even if the printing workshop leaves them, it can still achieve profitability.

When Hui Niang heard the colorful New Year's paintings, she couldn't help but ask with a little hope: "Xiaolang, tell us quickly, what does this colorful New Year's painting look like?" ”

"The colorful New Year's paintings are similar to those ordinary door god paintings, but the colors are much richer. And we can improve it, add the content of the comic book to the New Year's picture, a whole New Year's picture, the top is colorful, not only the story of the comic book, but also the text below, or the almanac, ordinary people buy it back and stick it on the wall as wallpaper. ”

"You little girl, since you have such a good thing, why don't you print a few copies for us to see?" When Zhou heard that the colorful New Year paintings were so good, he couldn't help urging urgently.

"Sister is too anxious, this is just Xiaolang's idea, now our printing workshop business is very good, and it is still early before the New Year, so there is no need to rush to do New Year's painting business. We have color comic books and color New Year pictures as the direction of future business, even if those foreign businessmen want to join forces to suppress us, we are not afraid. ”

Hui Niang was originally worried about Shen Xi's mention that exposing her shortcomings would be suppressed by foreign businessmen, but at this time, she finally relieved herself, and a relaxed smile appeared on her face.

Shen Xi hurriedly said, "Aunt Sun, we still can't take it lightly. In terms of business alone, we are not afraid of the people who are in charge of Su, but after all, they travel widely from south to north, and we are afraid that they will play conspiracy behind their backs. For example, digging people behind the back, or making trouble and setting fire to our workshop...... But what I'm most worried about is that they collude with the people in the government, or they are simply the spokespersons of the dignitaries and dignitaries, and then we will be in trouble. ”

The collusion between power and money has existed since ancient times, and officials who have power in their hands want to use their power to make money, and it is not a good idea to bend the law for bribes, because according to the "Da Ming Law", corrupt officials will be subjected to skinning and torture.

According to the rules of the imperial court, officials were not allowed to do business, so they would lease their power, or give the silver to others to act as the back-up financiers, and at the same time give these merchants political and policy conveniences, as long as the official background behind these merchants is big enough, then they will have the support of the government wherever they do business.

The status of the merchants was originally inferior to that of the peasants and craftsmen, but due to the protection of the officials, the status of the merchants was actually much higher than imagined. Once it is really confronted, the status quo of pharmacies and printing workshops is obviously a mantis arm.

Hui Niang nodded solemnly: "Then let's just take precautions in the future, the left and right business has already followed, or do it first, after all, this order of 12,000 books can also earn more than 400 taels of silver." ”

Hui Niang and Zhou's swept away the previous unhappiness and counted the profits in the past few months. From the beginning of the establishment of the printing workshop, in three or four months, the profit brought by it exceeded 2,500 taels, and after removing the silver invested in the previous purchase of the pharmacy store and the printing workshop site and the subsequent continuous expansion, there was still a net profit of about 2,000 taels.

"Sister, this money is too much, you take your share first."

According to the previous sharing ratio, the profit of the printing workshop Hui Niang and Zhou's four or six opened, and Zhou's contributed less but made a lot of money. Last time, it was only more than 300 taels of dividends, and Zhou already felt terrible, but this time it was a record 1,200 taels, and she couldn't keep calm anymore, so she refused to accept it.

“…… You said that you have so much extra money on hand all at once, what should I do with it? If someone finds out, you can't charge the bus to your home? In the end, if I don't please me, I may be accused of hiding private property. Sister, you can take it first, and I can rest assured that I will leave it there for you. ”

Zhou showed full trust in Hui Niang, even if it was a large amount of silver, she would prefer to deposit it with Hui Niang.

Hui Niang was a little confused: "My sister originally thought that she should expand her business and make the printing workshop bigger and stronger when she earned money, but with the current scale, it seems that it is enough to deal with it, and it will be extravagant and wasteful to expand it...... Alas, this is really sad. Xiaolang, you have a lot of ideas on weekdays, can you tell me how to use this money? ”

Shen Xi smiled: "Aunt Sun and Niang are so busy every day now, why don't you find some help?" As for this money, there is no need to spend it immediately, let's wait and see, if there is a way to invest, it is not too late to invest. ”

Zhou waved his hand and said, "Still looking for a way?" This is already very busy running a pharmacy and a printing workshop at the same time, and if it is another business, this body will collapse first. ”

Hui Niang smiled lightly, revealing the small dimples on both sides: "Sister doesn't feel that it's a blessing to be busy?" Xiaolang is right, we are not in a hurry to spend the money, or we can go back and buy some fields outside the city. But before that, I have to go to Ya Po to buy two girls back, I knew that I bought one or two more last time, and I don't have to work so hard these days. ”

Hui Niang never drags her feet in doing things, and once she decides what to do, she will implement it vigorously.

The next day, Hui Niang went to find Yapo, and after being reminded by Shen Xi last time, if you want to see these people, you must first hire a few Lifu to accompany you, so as not to have any accidents.

With Hui Niang's current status in the city, almost all businessmen have to greet her, whether it is a pharmacy business, a rice grain business, or even a study of the four treasures, they are polite when they see Hui Niang. Because Hui Niang is not only the head of the pharmacy chamber of commerce, but also the shopkeeper of the hot printing workshop, more importantly, Hui Niang has a lot of foreign merchant resources on hand, and Hui Niang has a good relationship, and they will be much more convenient to do business in the future.

The status is high, even the tooth woman who buys and sells human beings respectfully offers Hui Niang, the last time I went to buy a maid, there are any good goods to keep for the wealthy families, this time Hui Niang went, Ya Po almost all the daughters of good families have been found, and even there are local maids in Ninghua.

In these years, the status of female babies is low, and many people can't afford to support them, so they want to be sent to a big family to do things, sell themselves to take refuge, and become a concubine in a big family in the future, or a few years later, when the family agrees to marry a family member or a guy in the house, it is considered a grace.

Hui Niang chose two hours to return, and this time she brought back two young girls.

Unlike when the three of Xiu'er came before, the clothes on these two girls were shabby but clean, and they were not refugees who fled from the disaster area, but natives of Ninghua's hometown. Both girls looked thin and illiterate, but they were delicate and lovely.

"I bought them when I liked them...... In fact, it's not a purchase, at most, I came to help work for a few years, and when they grow up, I will definitely choose a good family for them to marry, and they will marry beautifully. Back at the pharmacy, Hui Niang looked at the two new maids, and the more she looked at them, the more she liked them.

Zhou glanced at it and sighed: "I'm afraid that the two girls won't be useful in the film." ”

"It's okay, we don't need them to do heavy physical work, sister, I just fancy their big feet, so it's convenient to walk or something, and it would be good to help us share some of the work a little." Hui Niang said, feeling a little emotional in her heart, because she is a woman who has wrapped her feet, and she will be tired when she walks a few more steps in and out on weekdays, and she herself has experienced this pain, even if Lu Xi'er has reached the age of foot binding, she has not forced her daughter.

During the Hongzhi period, not all women could bind their feet, especially the daughters of ordinary people who needed to engage in farm work, and many of them were Tianzu. Shen Xi knew that foot binding became popular since the Song Dynasty, but the degree of social enlightenment in different periods determined the number of women with foot binding, and it was the heyday of the Qing Dynasty that all women bound their feet.

"Xiaolang, now it's your turn."

Just when Shen Xi was looking at the feet of the two girls in a daze, Hui Niang's soft call brought him back to his senses.

"Huh!?" Shen Xi looked at Hui Niang puzzled.

Hui Niang stepped in her three-inch golden lotus and came to Shen Xi: "You forgot? The last time Xiu'er and they came, it was the name you gave, and I asked earlier, these two girls don't have an official name at home, so you should pick it up. ”

Shen Xi didn't think much about it, and blurted out: "Let's call it Lu'er and Hong'er." ”

Hui Niang looked at the old clothes on the two girls, one was indeed green and one red, but because of the fading, the original color was basically not clear. She smiled and nodded, "It's good, it's very apt." You are Lu'er, you are Hong'er, in the future, in this family, except for me and your aunt of the Shen family, Xiaolang ...... You can call the little master or the little shopkeeper, and you must also obey his words, understand? ”

"The slave knows."

The two girls, both thirteen or fourteen years old, bowed their heads in response.

Hui Niang took down their baggage and handed it to Ning'er next to her to help put it away, and then said: "There are not many houses at home, you come here, one first goes to the pharmacy to keep vigil with Xiu'er, she must have a companion every night, and the other, I will buy you a new bed and bedding, and I will let you go home every season to see, in the end, we are Ninghua people, and it is convenient to be close to home." ”

Lu'er was a little anxious: "Madam, when we left home, my father and mother said that going out of the house has nothing to do with the family, and if we go back, we will break our legs." ”

"Oh, that's it......"

Hui Niang thought for a while, "That's okay, when you grow up a few years old and get married and have children, the family's attitude towards you will fade." Like Xiu'er, you also have a monthly salary of 100 yuan, so you don't have to worry about food and housing. But if anyone is lazy, I will not spare you. ”

Hui Niang is usually easy to speak, but she still shows her majesty in front of the new maid.

"Slaves don't dare." Green and Red salute together.

After finishing speaking, Hui Niang asked Ning'er to take the two new maids to the backyard to familiarize themselves with the environment.

Seeing her slender back disappear behind the curtain, Hui Niang shook her head and sighed: "It's good to be young, I don't understand anything, I don't have to worry about anything, I think about it, it's only been a few years, and I can't return to my original state of mind." ”

Hui Niang felt nostalgic for her life experience, and her words were a little sad. Shen Xi felt great pity when he saw it, but it was a pity that he couldn't do anything now, so he could only sigh secretly in his heart.

**************

PS: The third update is sent!

Thank you for the mountains and woods, the old man is ashamed, Xinyang Ke Zhendong, the pig of the West, Mao Mao :), ~Summer Fish~, Jun Yiming, Penguin Shop, Lan Yanli, xjie06109334, The World Has Me, Guo Fusheng, Under the Witch, Wang Xizhi's Goose, Book Friend 160217005854000, Hundred Miles of Night Rain, Dream May Be Flying, Heartbeat Crazy, ggbong, The Lion of the Holy War, East Forty, Stone from the Sea, Dingfeng Bob 0328, I Can't See It, Shishan M, Diving Tiger and Creation Book Friends Leap into the Sea 111, Book City Users _______ Old Dream of the Deserted City, and samueL-FL Haotian are greatly rewarded!

In order to stimulate everyone's enthusiasm, the Son of Heaven will engage in two activities, the first activity is to invite everyone to post a book review in the book review area of "The Champion of the Cold Gate", with a special first prize and a reward of 18888 starting coins, two second prizes and a reward of 5888 starting coins, and four third prizes with a reward of 1888 starting coins. The second activity is to break out depending on the number of people tipping every day, starting point, creation and book city add up to more than 50 people, one chapter will be added on the basis of two more, if there can be more than 100 people, two chapters will be added.

Finally, please continue to actively collect and recommend votes to support! For mobile phone users, please visit http://m.piaotian.net