At the same time, the moon in Gusu City was dim, and in the gentle night breeze, the clouds flowed slowly.

Gong Wanran and He Yu had been staring at the incense factory for most of the night, and the two of them finally breathed a sigh of relief when they saw the last batch of goods being pulled away by the merchants.

He Yu sat on the ground and said with a smile: "Brother Gonghui, it's almost dawn, we haven't slept all night." ”

"It's hard work and giving."

"It's not hard, it's not hard, although I'm busy these days, I'm quite happy, it's much better than the previous idle wandering all day long, and my father doesn't seem to object to me doing this, and he doesn't urge me to study recently, and sometimes asks me about the situation of the incense factory."

"Thank you a lot, without your help, things wouldn't have gone so well."

"Brother Gonghui, you are too polite!"

"This time, a total of 600 catties were shipped, with a price of 2,000 copper coins per catty, and a total of 120 taels of gold were collected." Gong Wanran said and took out ten taels of gold from the box, handed it to Heyu and said, "These ten taels of gold are for you." ”

He Yu was startled and hurriedly pushed the gold away, "Huh?!" Why do you want to give it to me? ”

"You lent me the first month's wages and food, and I wanted to pay you back when this month's salary came down. However, things went well, and before the money was paid, the incense factory had income first. So I'd better pay you back the money first. ”

"I only lent Brother Gonghui six taels of gold, why did you give me so much?"

Gong Wanran smiled and said, "Heyu, you can accept it." Originally, it would take nearly a month to produce these 600 catties of finished products, but now it is only ten days, and you have finished it, and the quality is high and the condition is excellent. If you hadn't taken the workers to work overtime, add food and money to the workers, and the six hundred catties of incense would not have been completed in such a short period of time anyway. ”

He Yu scratched his head a little embarrassedly, "Hehe, I just want to get things done." However, I added food and money to the workers, and I used a total of one or two gold. ”

Gong Wanran patted Heyu's shoulder and said, "The remaining three taels of gold should be your salary, it's really hard for you these days." ”

"This is too much, isn't it, the monthly wages of three hundred workers add up to only three taels of gold, and I am only three taels? How could I take so much! No way! No way! ”

"It's okay, take it, without you, this incense factory will be difficult to maintain. Moreover, you always need money to redeem your green dragon jade. ”

"Ahh Brother Gonghui, so you know that I pawned the green dragon jade? ”

"Well, I know, you wear green dragon jade on weekdays, but I don't see you wearing it these days, I think it's to lend me money, so take it and use it. Heyu, I really want to thank you. ”

"Brother Gonghui, you are too polite, this is what I should do." He Yu lowered his head, thought for a while, and then said, "Actually...... It's not easy for the workers, I know they're all hard, and they're working very hard, should we give them some raise? ”

Gong Wanran shook his head and said, "I also know that it is not easy for them, but the salary cannot be increased." ”

"Why?"

"Because the wages we give are only slightly lower than the farmers' income, which is not less, and it is enough for their basic expenses. I know you have a good heart, but if we raise wages so that the income of the workers exceeds the income of the farmers from farming, the consequences will be very serious. First of all, you must know that making incense is not about growing crops, crops can be eaten, but incense cannot be incense, so agriculture is still the foundation of the country. In the future, our output will continue to increase, and if we recruit a large number of workers, then farmers will come to work in the incense factory, and the decrease in the number of people who farm may lead to a decrease in agricultural production and national turmoil. If the number of recruits is controlled, then who can come and who can't; Whether the locals come or the displaced people come will become a very sensitive issue, and these problems will provoke serious internal contradictions, and in the end no one will benefit, and the people will also complain. ”

"Oh...... I can't think of such a deep reason. ”

"What's more, once this matter affects the stability of Gusu City, and may even rise to the level of the court, then the problems that will follow will be more and more serious, and I am not alarmist when I say this."

"Well, I probably understand, but looking at it this way, the workers are really pitiful, and I think that in terms of their efforts, these wages are on the small side."

Gongwan put his hand on Heyu's shoulder, "In the future, you will naturally understand that things in this world are like this, sometimes, cruelty depends on kindness, and sometimes, kindness depends on cruelty." ”

He Yu held his chin and meditated, obviously he still couldn't understand these truths at his age, "I don't understand, then...... Can we let the workers eat better in the future? ”

"It's okay, but don't overdo it, and don't let people outside know about it."

"Hmmm! I understand! ”

"Alright, take the money." Gong Wanran handed over ten taels of gold to Heyu again.

"That'...... Then I'll take ......" Heyu embarrassedly accepted the gold.

Gong Wanran nodded, and then said: "The remaining one hundred and ten taels, leave ten taels for backup, and the remaining one hundred taels are all used to purchase new materials." ”

"Yes, we have to procure new materials, and we've run out of materials now."

"Well, I'll go buy it today, and then I'll see how the merchants sell."

He Yu said: "At the beginning, I scraped together a hundred taels of gold, bought all the materials, and today I shipped all of them, and I earned one hundred and twenty taels, and then I went to buy one hundred taels of materials......"

Suddenly, He Yu seemed to realize a serious problem, he hurriedly grabbed Gong's clothes, and said in a panic: "It's not right! Wrong! Brother Gonghui! Something went wrong! Big question! ”

"Don't panic, speak slowly."

"There's no profit! One hundred taels of materials, the shipment price of finished products is only one hundred and twenty taels, deducting workers' wages and food money, only fourteen taels are earned, even if this is half a month's profit, then you can earn more than three hundred taels of gold in a year, and you are 108,000 miles away from your 4,000 taels of income increase task! Ah! Brother Gonghui, the price you give to the businessmen is too low! They sell it for 5,000 copper coins, and the price you give them is only 2,000! The money has been made by these black-hearted businessmen! ”

"Heyu, don't say that, businessmen have to pay taxes, transportation, sales, and have to have some relations and pay customs duties when they go to other countries, and the expenses are not small at all. Two thousand copper coins were given to them a catty, and although our profit was a little thinner, it was quite reasonable. ”

"But according to this profit, you can't earn four thousand taels in ten years! How can you possibly get on the wrong hand? ”

Gong Wanran said unhurriedly: "It's okay, there will always be a way." ”

"Brother Gonghui! Raise the price! Now this is absolutely not a no-go! ”

"No, the merchants must be profitable in order to have an incentive to sell the goods, otherwise it will be in vain for us to make more incense."

"What then? If you can't pay 4,000 taels of gold, you'll be killed! ”

"Don't panic, there will be a way. As for you, let's find a way to increase production, and if we purchase more in the future, the cost of materials will also decrease. ”

"That'...... Well, I'll have to make the workers more skilled! ”

"Brother believes in you."

"Hmm!" He Yugang nodded, and suddenly asked, "That's right!" Brother Gonghui, if you want to increase production, you need to purchase more materials, but where do you go to get more capital? Coming and going, it was still the first hundred taels that were borrowed and collected. ”

"yes, I'll think of a way to do it again. Well, today's successful shipment is also a great achievement, don't think about the rest for the time being, go back and rest for a while, I haven't slept all night. ”

He Yu yawned, and sleepiness suddenly swept over, "Then I'll go back to sleep, you can also rest for a while." ”

"I have to go back to Simin's Mansion in a while, I have only been busy with things in the factory for the past two days, and I have accumulated a lot of official business in the house that I have not yet done."

"Brother Gonghui is working too hard, pay attention to rest!"

"Don't worry, I'll find time to sleep."

Gong Wanran sent away Heyu and wandered alone in the incense factory. At this time, the sky has turned white, and the workers have come to work one after another, looking at these homeless people who were still sleeping on the streets a few days ago, the public feels a little relieved.

"Brother Gonghui!" Heyu's shouts came from outside.

"Why did you come back again?"

"Oops! Oops! ”

"What's the matter?"

"Sister Hana has brought Frosty here!" He Yu looked anxious.

"What's wrong with that? Why are you panicking like this? ”

"When I saw them walking this way from afar, I ran back."

Gong Wanran smiled and asked, "What is this for?" ”

He Yu found a bronze mirror and played with his hair in front of the mirror, "I haven't slept all night, and I haven't groomed and cared for it, and now my hair is messy, and my body is dirty, what should I do if my sister sees it?!" ”

"Oh, I see. Then let me ask you, do you remember Frost's birthday today? ”

Heyu's face turned white, and the six gods had no master, and exclaimed: "Ah! Oops! I forgot my sister's birthday today! Yes! It's over! It's over! ”

Hana came over with a smile and asked, "What's wrong?" Son-in-law? What's the end of it? ”

"Yes, brother, what's wrong?" Frost asked.

Hearing the sound of Shuang Di, He Yu turned around in a daze, only to see that Shuang Tu was wearing a flowing cloud dress on her upper body, a green willow skirt on her lower body, a gold silk ribbon on her shoulders, and the silk yarn on her sleeves fluttered in the wind.

"Ahh Sister, you ...... You're so beautiful today! It's so beautiful! Sister Hana, you're so beautiful too! ”

"Brother, what about so many people...... "Frost said embarrassedly.

"Cut." Hana snorted disdainfully.

Only then did He Yu find that the workers who came and went were looking this way, and He Yu shouted: "Look at anything, go to work!" Haven't you ever seen such a beautiful girl?! ”

The workers dispersed, still looking back at the two beautiful women.

"Brother, I'm ashamed." Frost's cheeks were red, and she was embarrassed.

"My sister is twelve years old today, and she is really getting more and more beautiful!" Heyu was very excited.

Hana waved her hand and quipped: "Okay, okay, don't be crazy, today is your sister's birthday, how did you arrange it?" ”

"Where am I crazy? I like it when I see my sister! And today's frost feels different from usual, it's really beautiful. ”

Hana said proudly: "That's for sure, I dressed up Shuangdi, Shuangdi is twelve years old today, not a little girl, she has to look like a girl, in fact, your Chinese people's dresses are also very good-looking." ”

Frosty looked down at her skirt, very shy.

He Yu said: "When will Sister Hana also wear Huaxia's clothes and try it?" ”

"Hmm...... Yes, you can give it a try. Hum! That nasty guy can't even remember to buy me two clothes, really! ”

"Sister Hana, is she missing Brother Ji Zheng?"

"Who would miss him? It's too late to get annoyed. ”

He Yu laughed and said: "Haha, Sister Hana is not annoying, she is missing!" ”

"You little brat, what do you know?" Hana said this, but her face flushed slightly.

"Why don't I understand? I'm almost eighteen years old, I can marry a wife, and Shuang Di will be able to get married in two years, if you want me to say Sister Hana, hurry up and marry Brother Ji Zheng. ”

Frost's face suddenly turned red to the root of her ears, "Brother, what are you talking nonsense?" I don't want to get married. ”

Hana punched Heyu in the back, "You little brat, what nonsense!" ”

After hearing this, Gong Wan patted Heyu with a smile and said, "You, Miss Hana said that you don't lose at all, and you are crazy all day long." By the way, Miss Hana and Frost haven't seen the production of snake thorn incense yet, so I'll show you around. ”

"Good!" Hana and Frost said in unison.

After a visit, Gong Wanran let out a long yawn, his face was full of tiredness, but looking at Heyu, his face was indeed full of excitement. Gong Wanran thought it was interesting, so he asked, "I think you're sleepy?" Why are you so excited? ”

"It's the first time I've seen my sister dressed like this, it's so beautiful." He Yu smirked and looked at Gong Huiran, then at Shuang Di, and then leaned into Gong Huiran's ear and whispered: "Brother Gong Huiran, I think it would be best if you could become a family with me." ”

Gong Wanran laughed out loud, shook his head and said, "You, you don't understand anything, you know nonsense all day long, and Shuangdi's mind is not like this." ”

Shuang Di seemed to hear Gong Hui Ran talking about her, so she turned her head and asked, "Brother Gong Hui, did you call me just now?" ”

Gong Wanran touched Frost's head and said with a smile: "Frost has grown a lot taller." By the way, do you still like the gift that Xiao Xun gave you? ”

Shuang Tu nodded vigorously and said, "I like it, Brother Xiaoxun's handmade work is really exquisite." ”

"If you like it, it's fine." Gong Hui Ran took out a scroll of brocade and handed it to Frost, "This is my gift to you." ”

Shuang Di opened the brocade book and found that it was a volume of "Book of Songs" copied on the brocade silk, and Shuang Tu happily asked, "Is it hand-copied by Brother Gonghui?" ”

"Well, it's been busy lately, and the writing may not be neat."

"Brother Gonghui's words are so beautiful! Thank you, Brother Gonghui. ”

Seeing this, Heyu was very embarrassed and said, "My gift...... Well...... Ah, at home, I'll get it later. ”

"I forgot to prepare...... Hana smiled and patted Kazuyu's shoulder.

He Yu obviously had no confidence, and prevaricated: "How could it be, how could I forget such an important thing......"

Frost waved her hand, "It's okay, it's not important to have a gift or anything." By the way, Brother Xiaoxun, when will they come back? ”

Gong replied, "I guess it will be another month." ”

"I hope Brother Xiaoxun and they can come back soon, and it would be good if they could catch the Lotus Lantern Festival."

"It should be about the same."

He Yu became excited again and proposed: "Brother Gonghui, otherwise let's go to the market together today, I won't be sleepy at all." ”

"Didn't sleep yesterday?" Hana asked.

"Isn't it? For the smooth shipment of the first batch of incense, I stared at Brother Gonghui all night! ”

Gong Wanran said: "Heyu, if you are not sleepy, just accompany Miss Hana and Shuangdi to go shopping, I have to go back to Simin's Mansion, there are still some things to do." ”

"Oh, it's a pity, then Brother Gonghui will be busy first, let's play together in the evening, and celebrate my sister's birthday tonight, don't arrange things."

"yes, okay." Gong Wanran then said to Frost Blossom: "Frost Blossom, my brother is too busy today, can I celebrate your birthday in the evening?" ”

Shuang Di said embarrassedly: "Brother Gonghui should be busy first, don't delay the serious business." ”

"Frost is really sensible." Gong Wanran gently stroked Frost's forehead.

So, the four of them separated, Gong Hui went back to Simin's Mansion to work, and Yu accompanied Hana and Shuangdi to the market to hang out.