The end of the year is approaching. Pen ~ fun ~ Pavilion www.biquge.info the streets and alleys are filled with the smell of burning pine and cypress branches, there is a fragrance of orange peel hidden inside, bacon and sausage are hung high under the eaves of the patio, and there are usually a few gluttonous cats and dogs squatting below, and people must come over with a big broom, otherwise they will be motionless; the rain will begin to decrease after a certain day, although the sky is still gloomy lead gray, but the meager sunlight will occasionally pierce the heavy clouds of the afternoon, sweep the wall and window lattice, and finally cast a long shadow for the woman leaning on the window embroidery.

The merchant traveled more frequently in the city, carrying a bamboo basket with a shelf that was higher than the others, and holding up the rattle and shaking it desperately, trying to summon the little daughters-in-law and children who were hesitating behind the door panels. Worship the ancestors' incense candles, paper money must be prepared, right? After all year round of hard work, can't you buy yourself a new hairpin? New head flower? At this time, everyone is willing to let go a little and give him a few good officials.

What is this? The big head is still behind. Pick a good day, and the daughter-in-law of the family brought her own man; When the father resisted the squeamish little girl on his shoulder, when the mother led the leather boy who twisted like cow candy; There is also the daughter-in-law who is on an errand, the little boy who runs errands, the helper, the suitcase who carries the box, and the box that carries the box - on the four streets of the county, the cloth seller is willing to spare you an extra half a foot and a few inches; The meat seller stuffed half of the large intestine into the pocket of the regular customer; Vegetable and fish sellers let go of their hands on the scales, and those who don't charge you a fraction of a few dollars and a half, and countless shops—lantern makers, couplets, New Year's paintings, dry goods, groceries and knick-knacks—are stuffed with black heads.

It seems that all the hustle and bustle at the moment is for the reunion of the family on the 30th day, where the husband and wife are side by side, and the children are laughing.

The well site under Li Yongzhong's name is still busy. In the middle of winter, the sky is still early, and when you can't see your five fingers, the well field is already brightly lit. Wearing only short clothes, even the **** upper body of the water bearer is knotted, sweating profusely, everyone carries two heavy salt water buckets, and the legs and feet are fast, and the order is not messy; The steward of the accounting and counting of pieces took the apprentices, and the water porter hung a hemp rope on the bamboo skewer under each person's name every time he carried a load of water, and settled the account every evening, and paid every ten days, and worked more and got more; A bag of 100 catties of salt that has been boiled is piled up in the most secure house in the well field, waterproof and moisture-proof.

Li Yongzhong walked out of the stove room with the stewards who came to inspect, his feet were fast, and while he was about to distract himself from the errands that were taking things seriously, he still had time to turn his head and talk to the steward here: "I can see that the breath is not very pleasant, have you come to see the craftsman?" He seems to have a calm face, but since he took charge of the Li family, he has become more and more majestic day by day, and he has a breathtaking aura.

The named steward had to trot all the way to keep up with Li Yongzhong's footsteps. In the middle of winter, he was covered with oil and sweat, and his yellow and shriveled face was oily, and he didn't know if he had been in the stove room for a long time, or because he was in a hurry. Hearing Li Yongzhong's question, he hurriedly took two steps to stand beside him, bowed down and replied, "Zhong Guan'er is right. Someone has gone to find a craftsman. Recently, the weather has been too cold, and there are also cases of poor breathing. ”

"Be careful, the well site is not a trickster, the lives of hundreds of people in this vicinity are related to this, you must be careful." After Li Yongzhong finished speaking, he suddenly turned to the room next door, raised the lid of the pot with a false buckle, leaned over to take a look, his face was obviously not good, and his tone became more and more unkind, so he turned around and asked, "What's the matter with the vegetable porridge here?" ”

When the steward heard this, he was really startled, and the sweat poured up layer after layer. He didn't dare to slack off, glanced at it, and hurriedly stepped forward, this steward was a simple and simple man, his face was full of sweat, and he didn't dare to wipe it, so he stood and stammered and explained: "This, this is not a legitimate meal, it is a few days ago, the water porter said that the stove was too hot and dry, and then shouted to boil something to drink." But in this weather, the mung beans were too cold, so I asked them to buy some green vegetables and boil them into clear soup and porridge, and the water porter said that it was very comfortable to drink. ”

Li Yongzhong raised his eyebrows, glanced at him, and turned his head to ask the water picker: "Is what Steward Fang said true?" ”

The waterman didn't dare to slack off, hurriedly put down the bucket in his hand, and replied decently: "If you go back to Zhongguan'er, it is indeed us who asked the steward to boil it." ”

He was silent, suddenly reached out and took the cast iron big frying spoon on the stove, reached into the vegetable pot and stirred, scooped a spoonful and put it to his mouth and drank it, and then Shi Shiran put down the spoon and smiled in the stunned eyes of everyone: "It's better to add some salt." Then he took the lead in the direction of the cowshed, and the attendants were stunned for a moment, and hurriedly followed, and seven or eight people rushed out of the room in a hurry, and the room was suddenly much quieter.

The waterman who saw this scene whispered: "It is rare to see anyone willing to eat the rice in the craftsman's pot." "I've grown up for so many years, I've seen so many people, and the rich man's family is a good one."

Someone suddenly laughed sullenly, then looked left and right, and whispered to the others: "It is completely different from his unsuccessful brother Li Yongbo in heaven and earth." Immediately, the others sneered and replied: "Boguan'er went down to the flower building at the age of twelve or thirteen, I have seen it before, the teenage doll is in the flower building, tsk." It's his younger brother, who was only a little old when he was a little older and went down the well with Master Wang, and he was angry compared to others. ”

That's true. The water porters nodded silently. They are all old people in the Li family, passed down from generation to generation, and some people have been water porters of the Li family since their great-grandfathers. The two brothers of the Li family's generation are considered to have grown up with them, and of course they know the difference between the brothers - compared with the eldest son, who was doted on by his parents since he was a child, the low-key and calm second son is obviously more loved by the water porter and the steward.

Suddenly, someone interjected leisurely: "It's a pity that Zhong Guan'er is not the boss." ”

The bystander tugged at his sleeve and reminded, "It's not good to talk nonsense." ”

The person who spoke earlier smiled and asked, "Where did I say something wrong?" Zhong Guan'er is capable, but there are no rules where the boss is in charge? Now Zhongguan'er is powerful, he is good to do, he is pedantic, timid and small, and he divides half of the past to the boss who can't help him. ”

The topic was too dangerous, and the water-pullers refused to go any further, and they all went about their own business. But there are a few minds that can't help but think of the seemingly inconspicuous words: "It's a pity that Zhong Guan'er is not the boss." At that time, the rules and patriarchy were deeply rooted in the hearts of the people, and I have to say that the identity of Li Yongzhong's second son was indeed not so convenient in some things.

At the end of the seventh year of the Apocalypse, there was little sunshine and more rain, and the extravagant rebellion that began in the second year of the Apocalypse had come to an end. The weather was not good, but there was no catastrophe. I heard that there was a change of emperor in the capital, and everyone wore three days of filial piety for Grandpa Tianqi. However, this is the matter of the officials and the old men, compared to the capital and the emperor who are far away in the world, the matter of the two brothers of the Li family, the No. 1 salt merchant in Fushun City, is more interesting and more sinister in the eyes of many people.

After returning from Yibin, Li Yongzhong didn't even have time to catch his breath, so he took Master Yan around to inspect the well site. From the cowshed to the stove, everywhere carefully, and such as lazy and slippery, smiling and hiding knives, unscrupulous water pickers and stewards, Kai Ge Kai Ge, deducting money, a string of spicy hands down, for a time everywhere the well field was shaken, and the people with small abacus suddenly became a lot more honest.

He is still young, although he is tired and hard, he gritted his teeth and persevered, and after two days of rest, he is a good man. But Master Salt Wang Huanzhi is old after all, and he followed Li Yongzhong to run the well field for a few days, and he was so tired that he couldn't even straighten his waist. But just like that, he still worked hard and reported to him in detail about everything in the well field that Li Yongzhong had been in Yibin for more than ten days.

"Boguan'er's well site has gone several old people. Some of them I asked to come back, and some of them didn't even want to see me. Wang Huanzhi sighed, "I don't know what Boguan'er thinks, these are all people who have been working under the old lady for decades, and he let them all go like this." ”

Li Yongzhong sat cross-legged on the Luohan bed, leaning on the low table and reading the account book, when he heard Wang Huanzhi say this, he closed the account book in his hand and said lightly: "His temperament has not been seen for many years, and he has a stingy heart. The steward is used to living a good life in the hands of the old man and me, how can he deal with someone like him? After that, he smiled mockingly, took a sip of the tea bowl, moistened his throat, and said: "I heard that the lady in front of the old man is a generous person, and the old man has never treated him badly in money, how did he develop such a miser-like temperament?" ”

Hearing him say this, Wang Huanzhi sighed, although he likes Li Yongzhong, but after all, Li Yongbo also grew up, and he has the face of the old lady Li Qi, so naturally there is a bit of incense. As Li Yongzhong said, Li Yongbo has not lacked flowers since he was a child, but his temperament is not as good as his younger brother Li Yongzhong.

He sighed and said, "That's it, now the well sites are all divided into their own parts, and how he wants to manage it is also his own business, and others can't say anything." It's just," Wang Huanzhi's face became solemn, he pressed his hands on his knees, sat on the drum pier and leaned forward slightly, looked at Li Yongzhong and asked: "Zhong Guan'er knows that Boguan'er dismissed these people, but he invited the person in charge from his uncle's house, and I heard that even the water porter invited a lot." ”

Li Yongzhong sneered, a cold and hard look on his face. He rubbed the surface of the warm porcelain of the tea bowl, and said in his voice without hearing the ups and downs: "He naturally trusts his good uncle, but he is afraid of the end," the young head of the Li family said meaningfully: "If you are sold, you have to help you count the money." ”