In the twenty-fifth year of Hongwu, in May, Beiping Cheng announced that the political envoy department was under the jurisdiction of Tongzhou.

Since the Sui Dynasty dug the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, Tongzhou as the starting point has been a prosperous place.

A young man sitting in a tavern by the pier.

On the table in front of him, there was a dark blue large bowl, missing two openings, and a crack and yellowing, extending from the gap to the bottom of the bowl.

It contains slightly cloudy wine, which is not very strong, and costs two cents.

Two pennies can buy two rough noodles steamed buns.

For people who toiled day and night on the docks, two steamed buns were obviously more economical than a bowl of wine.

However, young people who drink alcohol don't think so.

"This is the starting point of the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal, and it's really lively."

Looking at the strength of the feet of people coming and going, carrying large bags and small bags, going back and forth between the warehouse and the dock, the young man said softly.

This young man, named Zhou Xing, was originally a senior student in the Chinese Department of Peking University, and an accident actually made him reborn in the early years of the Ming Dynasty.

"Zhou Xing, are you still drinking? Come here, work for Lao Tzu, everyone has carried seven or eight bags, and you have carried two bags in the morning, don't you want to do it? ”

At this time, a thunderous voice exploded in Zhou Xing's ears, and Zhou Xing's hands suddenly shook, and the half bowl of cheap wine in his hands was almost spilled.

When he raised his head, the man who spoke was a few feet away.

Zhou Xing drank all the wine in the bowl and sighed.

"People cross, either they are rich and well-fed, and they are loved by thousands of people. Either it is a mighty and domineering, domineering general and prince. And what about my crossing? My parents didn't know where to go, leaving me alone, penniless, and homeless. You say that the difference between people and people is so big? Alas......"

Putting down the wine bowl, Zhou Xing complained about the injustice of heaven while walking towards the goods stacked not far away.

Looking at the bag of goods that were thicker than himself, Zhou Xing felt that his legs and stomach were trembling.

Even though it had been three days, he still hadn't been able to adapt to this way of living.

"Hey, Zhou Xing, give money." As soon as Zhou Xing stepped out of the door of the tavern, the shopkeeper chased out.

Zhou Xing touched his pocket, but he didn't find a penny.

He couldn't help sighing, carrying a bag of goods for five cents, this morning he carried two packs and earned ten cents, and he hasn't asked the leader for it yet.

"Little second brother, I haven't received my money today, I'll make it up to you in the evening." Zhou Xing said with a smile.

He felt very aggrieved, since he was a child, when did he ever worry about two dollars?

But the past few days have made him see the reality clearly.

Now for two dollars, I have to nod and smile with a waiter.

This is no longer the familiar world, and there is no deterrent effect at all for white-collar and blue-collar well-off petty bourgeoisie.

The current Zhou Xing is just an ant-like person.

The shopkeeper glared, pointed to a huge sign hanging at the door, and said loudly: "Do you see it?" No credit! Are you illiterate? It's the rule, give money! ”

Zhou Xing suddenly felt very helpless, what should I do? Now go to the boss and ask for it? Looking at the fierce and vicious appearance of the little two in this shop, it seems that he can't escape.

Default? That's even more impossible, this is not far from the government, if the shopkeeper goes to sue the official, Zhou Xing has to hurry up and educate well.

By chance, he saw the shopkeeper come out of the back room, and immediately frowned, thinking about it.

He strode in.

"Shopkeeper." Zhou Xing leaned against the account desk very casually, his fingers clasped on the table, trying his best to attract the attention of the shopkeeper.

The elderly shopkeeper raised his head, looked at Zhou Xing, frowned slightly, and said, "This son, what advice do you have?" ”

Zhou Xing opened his mouth and asked, "Shopkeeper, I sat in this store for an hour, why didn't I see any customers come in?" ”

The old shopkeeper glanced around, sighed, and said, "I don't know." ”

This tavern, but the ancestors handed down, but in his generation, the business is not as good as a year, for this matter, the shopkeeper does not know how many ways to think, but it has no effect.

Zhou Xing smiled all of a sudden, and said mysteriously: "I know." ”

When the shopkeeper heard this, he was shocked and asked, "Why?" ”

"Because, you're not advertising." Zhou Xing said very firmly.

"Advertising? What is that? The shopkeeper asked.

He looked at Zhou Xing curiously, wanting to see some clues related to advertising from him.

In Zhou Xing's era, advertising was pervasive.

But this is the Ming Dynasty, who knows what advertising is?

Zhou Xing said slowly: "The so-called aroma of wine is also afraid of deep alleys, although your wine here is good, but if you don't tell others, others don't know, how can you come to drink here?" ”

"The smell of wine is also afraid of deep alleys?" The shopkeeper chewed this sentence carefully, and suddenly the tiger's body was shocked.

Zhou Xing continued: "That's natural, if you can let everyone know that your wine here is good, then your business, I'm afraid it can't be bad." ”

"Yes, yes, what you said is very good, my wine is a brewing method handed down from my ancestors, and it is naturally a good wine. But how do you make everyone know? ”

When the shopkeeper heard this, he suddenly became enlightened.

Now the shopkeeper looks at Zhou Xing again, and what he sees is not a coolie on the dock, but a savior!

"Find me, I naturally have a way. If you do what I say, three days, only three days, your business here will be better, do you believe it or not? ”

Zhou Xing said confidently.

"Is that true? I've been thinking about it for 30 years, but it doesn't work, you only need three days? The shopkeeper's expression was incredulous.

"Believe it or not." Zhou Xing has no fear.

He had already observed that the business of this tavern was not ordinarily bad, and the single goods were naturally a problem, but it had a lot to do with the shopkeeper's inability to do business.

Look at the attitude of the shopkeeper, who wants to come a second time?

After thinking for a while, the shopkeeper immediately accompanied the smiling face and said to Zhou Xing very respectfully: "Please give this young master some advice, if you can keep the ancestral inheritance, I am grateful." ”

Zhou Xing grinned slightly and made a gesture of counting the money. The shopkeeper immediately understood, took out a handful of copper coins from the drawer, and said with a smile: "Please advise." ”

Zhou Xing shook his hand, the weight was acceptable, and he was immediately very satisfied.

The money in his hand is Hongwu Tongbao.

Hongwu Tongbao money system follows the shape of Zhu Yuanzhang at the end of the Yuan Dynasty cast "Dazhong Tongbao", divided into five grades, stipulating that small flat money, each text weighs one money, folds two money and weighs two money, when three money weighs three money, when five money weighs five money, when ten money weighs one tael

The shopkeeper scattered a handful, almost two taels.

After receiving the money, Zhou Xing carefully counted out two pennies from it and put them back at the counter.

The shopkeeper didn't know what he meant, and asked, "What is this?" ”

Zhou Xing pointed to the table he was sitting at just now and said, "I just drank a bowl of wine from you, this is the wine money." ”

The shopkeeper immediately laughed.

Since he received the money, Zhou Xing did not break his promise, so he asked the shopkeeper to bring a pen and paper, wrote two lines of words, and instructed: "You find a woodware shop, carve a peach charm, and hang it outside the house." ”

The shopkeeper picked it up and read it softly: "Three cups are refreshing in the stomach, and a drop is full of fragrance on the lips." Okay, good union! ”

Couplets have existed in ancient times, but pasting couplets on the gate is said to be the invention of Zhu Yuanzhang, Taizu of the Ming Dynasty.

One year on Chinese New Year's Eve, he sent a message: "The family of the public secretary must add a pair of Spring Festival couplets to the door." ”

But this is still the custom of the family, and the common people do not have this habit.

Not only that, but the will of Ming Taizu was to post the Spring Festival on Chinese New Year's Eve.

No one has posted for advertising like Zhou Xing.

Of course, this couplet is just the beginning.

"Let me ask you, what kind of wine is you?" Zhou Xing asked.

As a modern person, drinking ancient wine feels like a taste of fruit juice, where can you tell what kind of wine it is.

The shopkeeper replied, "This is peach wine." ”

Zhou Xing asked again, "Where is this peach?" ”

The shopkeeper replied: "On the hill behind my hometown." ”

Well, it's so bland, there's no topic at all.

How can it be popular if there is no topic?

Fortunately, it is still very easy to create some topics in this Ming Dynasty.

Zhou Xing thought about it, and immediately had an idea, and said: "This is not good, you are too ordinary, there is no story." Your wine wants others to be happy, and it has to have a story in it. ”

"Story?" The shopkeeper was confused.

Zhou Xing didn't bother to tell him about the doorway here, and said straightforwardly: "In this way, your wine will be called Taoxian wine in the future." When someone asks you where this wine comes from, you say that it was made by a master in the Peach Blossom Temple. ”

"But where is Peach Blossom Temple, and others ask about it?" The shopkeeper asked, after living for such a long time, where have you heard of any peach blossom hermitage?

Zhou Xing said: "Why are you so sincere? You can answer what others ask? Keep a little mysterious, do you understand the mystery? ”

He buried himself in writing a poem again, saying: "Find a better craftsman, engrave the board book, and hang it in the most conspicuous position in the store." ”

The shopkeeper picked it up and looked at it, and after just one glance, he was shocked and couldn't help but read: "Peach Blossom Nunnery in Peach Blossom Dock, Peach Blossom Fairy under Peach Blossom Nunnery...... Others laugh at me for being crazy, and I laugh at others for not being able to see through it. I don't see the tomb of Wuling heroes, and there are no flowers and no wine hoeing fields. Good poetry, good poetry! ”

Zhou Xing sneered in his heart, this is Tang Bohu's famous "Peach Blossom Anthem", can it be bad?

"You do this, just do it, and make sure your business is good. I'll go first. Zhou Xing clenched the two taels in his hand and walked outside briskly.

These two taels of money are enough for a period of life, Zhou Xing plans to quit this coolie errand immediately.

With his small body and bones, he can't withstand the destruction of hundreds of pounds of goods.

The shopkeeper watched Zhou Xing leave his tavern and muttered, "Isn't this the Peach Blossom Fairy?" ”

Zhou Xing had money, so he was naturally confident, and walked straight towards the leader with a fierce face.

When this leader saw Zhou Xing coming, he naturally didn't have a good face.

This guy walks slowly, carries less, is tired from shouting all day long, and talks nervously.

The leader himself doubted how he had been blind enough to recruit such a person in the first place.

With a bookish atmosphere, where can you do anything?

"What? Finished drinking? Lao Tzu recruited you to work, should you come to give you a tour of the mountains and rivers? Hurry up and give Lao Tzu a job! When the leader saw Zhou Xing coming over, he immediately blew his beard and glared.

Zhou Xing was not in a hurry, smiling, and the old god said on the ground: "Leader, you are too tired from this errand, I don't plan to do it." ”