Chapter 165: Xiao Sa's letter

After October, it is November, the New Year is in sight, and it is time to start preparing for the New Year's goods.

Pound arrived at the end of October. As soon as he arrived, he began to go out early and return late every day to visit tea shops and tea houses...... In just one month, he had a clear idea of the business conditions, business characteristics, and business objects of all the tea shops and teahouses in Kyoto.

Shen Muqing admired Pang Debao's ability and speed, and invisibly respected him.

Two days later, Zhou Bing returned.

Shen Muqing introduced them to each other.

Zhou Bing was a little vigilant in his eyes.

Pang Debao had an indifferent attitude, exchanged a few words with Zhou Bing, and then left.

Shen Muqing asked Ying Fan to send Pang Debao out and asked Zhou Bing about the audit situation.

“…… It's not entirely greedy, Chen Gongzi took it. When I was in trouble, some expenses increased a lot compared to before. Zhou Bing commented on the results of the audit very fairly, "... In addition, Chen Gongzi is not good at management, and his business is much worse than before...... Of course, there are also some silver expenses that are very unreasonable. ”

The so-called "unreasonable expenditure" is the Chen family. Put it in your pocket, brother!

Shen Muqing smiled lightly and said, "Wait a minute. Tell Aunt Chen truthfully. You've worked hard during this time, go back and have a good rest for a few days, and I'll arrange an errand for you. ”

Zhou Bing responded respectfully "yes", but he was not in a hurry to leave, but hesitated. said: "Auntie, I, I still want to go back to Yiwen to shop tea." ”

When I saw Pang Debao, I thought I wanted to change to a big shopkeeper!

Shen Muqing smiled: "Pang Debao is just here to help. You can rest in peace for a few days, and it's not too late to go to Yiwen Tea Shop. ”

Zhou Bing said with a smile: "I am an old man in the silk shop, and I am a tea shop. Layman. This time I went to Jiangnan, and then I felt that my age was unforgiving. Grandma, it's okay for me to be a guy in the tea shop......"

This Zhou Bing is a lot of flowers.

Shen Muqing simply put it. The words were picked up and said, "Are you afraid that I will give you to Aunt Chen?" ”

Zhou Bing accompanied the smiling face: "Grandma is a crystal heart!" ”

"You don't have to do this in front of me." Shen Muqing's expression was light, "Even if you go to Jiangnan, it's also after the beginning of spring." While Pang Debao came to help, you should be attentive and learn from him. It's a lifelong skill. ”

Zhou Bingwei resignedly agreed.

"However, if Aunt Chen's side really wants you to help, you can not go yourself, but the apprentice has to bring one out. You should also take this opportunity to think about whether there is a suitable candidate. ”

Zhou Bing's eyes rolled: "Auntie, rest assured, the person I chose must be able to take responsibility and reassure you." ”

He probably thought that he was going to take this opportunity to put Aunt Chen in the air......

Shen Muqing didn't bother to explain, said a few words to him, and then served tea.

The next day, Aunt Chen really came to Shen Muqing and wanted Shen Muqing to use Zhou Bing for herself.

Shen Muqing neither agreed nor refused, but just said that it was about to be the New Year, and he would wait for the New Year.

Aunt Chen left a little disappointed.

Later, he actually blew the pillow wind and asked Shen Zhen to come forward to help intercede.

Shen Zhen couldn't help sighing: "If Pang Debao can stay and not leave, and Zhou Bing will help your aunt again, it will be a happy thing!" ”

Shen Muqing knew that he was still regretting the matter between himself and Xiao Sa, so he had to comfort her with a smile: "How can you always count on others when you encounter problems!" ”

Shen Zhen shook his head and changed the subject: "When is Jingshu coming?" ”

Shen Muqing cooperated with Shen Zhen to change the topic: "It is said that it will start on the sixth day of the first lunar month, and it should be possible to arrive in early February." ”

"She has the temper of a scholar, you clean up the pothos courtyard by the garden and let her settle down, and the curtains, plywood curtains, and window screens in the house must be changed......"

"Don't worry!" Shen Muqing smiled, "I have been with her for a while, and I know a little bit about her temperament. The house has been re-painted, like a snow cave, and the extra furniture has been moved out, leaving a lacquered bed in front of the dynasty, a large rosewood painting case, and two Taishi chairs......"

The two said, Shen Zhen never mentioned Zhou Bing's matter again, but Shen Muqing began to carefully select a qualified person for Aunt Chen.

******

In the blink of an eye, it was Laba Festival.

Shen Muqing personally cooked laba porridge, and listened to Yuxuan's distinction between dignity and inferiority, and everyone gathered around the round table to have a good time.

In the evening, Pang Debao led a woman carrying a red felt bag to greet Shen Muqing.

"The Seventh Young Master's New Year's gift has been delivered to the tent, and Mother Zheng is here to greet you!"

Hearing that the woman's surname was Zheng, Shen Muqing couldn't help but look at the woman carefully.

Thirty-seven and eight, with black hair combed back and a round bun firmly, white skin, solemn expression, and unhurried gestures.

Shen Muqing politely invited that Zheng's mother to sit down and drink tea.

Mother Zheng thanked her, and then respectfully gave Shen Muqing a big salute, and then half sat on the brocade on the side.

"Auntie, our young master specially asked me to greet you." She smiled and said, "And let me bring some things for my aunt." As he spoke, he took out a black lacquer and gold box from his felt bag and handed it to Ying Fan on the side.

Ying hurriedly collected it.

"There's Mama Lao!" Shen Muqing greeted her.

Ying Fan took out a water-red purse and handed it to Zheng's mother.

Zheng's mother hurriedly got up and took the purse and thanked Shen Muqing for the reward.

He said, "Our young master also asked me to ask my aunt and grandmother for one ......thing," he said, looking at the servants in the house.

When it comes to the word "ask", I'm afraid it's a difficult thing?

Shen Muqing thought about it, so he sent those who served around him.

Zheng's mother smiled and took out a letter from her felt bag and a pair of half-new men's black round-feuille cloth shoes and handed them to her.

Shen Muqing pointed to the shoes in surprise: "This is ......"

"I don't know, I don't know." Zheng's mother smiled, "This letter and this pair of shoes were given to me by the young master when I came, and he also instructed me to ask my aunt and grandmother to accept them." ”

What's going on to make it so mysterious?

Shen Muqing took the letter and shoes with a puzzled stomach.

It's just that before she could open the letter, Zheng's mother had already stood up: "Grandma, then I'll leave!" She explained, "I was instructed by the eldest wife of our family to go to Gansu to see the young master. There was no one around the young master who could use it, so he specially sent me to bring some things for my aunt and grandmother, and ask for a good night—I have to rush back to Lincheng. ”

It's only been 20 days until the Chinese New Year......

Shen Muqing didn't want to keep her, so he called Ying Fan and asked her to send Zheng's mother out.

Zheng's mother gave Shen Muqing a big gift, and then retreated with Ying.

Shen Muqing opened the letter.

After a few formulaic greetings, Xiao Sa complained to her, saying that the needlework team in Gansu was poor, and the shoes made could not be worn for a few days before they were taken off. Let her help him make a few pairs of shoes according to the cloth shoes she brought, and he will have friends to visit him in Gansu before fifteen. Let Shen Muqing hand over the finished shoes to Pang Debao and take them to Gansu to his friends.

Shen Muqing looked at the pair of shoes on the kang table, and couldn't hide his surprise at all.

When Ying Fan came in, he saw a pair of men's cloth shoes scattered in the middle of the room, and Shen Mu was huffing around the room.

******

The black lacquered gold box contained two arm-thick ginseng sticks, and the tent was delivered to several large baskets of fruits from Gansu - melons. Shen Zhen was very interested, not only gave them to Yuan Yu, Mr. Min and other friends, but also specially instructed people to hang them on the purlins with bamboo blue, and entertain her when Shi Jingshu came.

Ying Fan picked up the pair of round cloth shoes brought by Xiao Sa and hugged them in his arms, and said in a low voice: "Auntie, if you don't have time, let's help make it!" Anyway, there isn't much needlework at home. ”

Shen Muqing looked at the melon on the crystal plate and thought for a while.

The mouth of the cannibal is short, and the hand of the taker is short. Now eat and take...... Even if it's a reward for these things!

She pursed her lips and nodded.

Ying hurriedly handed over the shoes to Mingxia. Since then, Mingxia and Liuchun, the best female celebrities in her house, have done nothing, and when they open their eyes, they are pasted cloth, nadi, and embroidered shoe uppers...... I also light up and work overtime at night.

Shen Muqing couldn't help muttering: "Isn't our family's oil bought with money?" ”

Everyone turned a deaf ear to her, what to do and what to continue to do.

Mingxia made sixteen pairs of shoes before the fifteenth day of the first lunar month. Ying Fan wrapped the shoes in a piece of red satin cloth and sent them to Pang Debao - and asked him to hand them to Xiao Sa's friend and take them to Gansu.

Shen Muqing breathed a sigh of relief, thinking that this matter was finally over.

Who knows, Mingxia took Liuchun's hand without leaving the needle, continued to make shoes, and said: "Xiao Gongzi is a person who walks all over the world, it is good that these shoes can be worn for a month, now start making a few more pairs, and when someone goes to Gansu, bring them." ”

Hasn't he ever worn shoes before?

Shen Muqing was in his heart.

Could it be that our family still has to be responsible for making shoes for him for the rest of his life......

******

Shi Jingshu arrived on February 4, and before that, Shen Zhen had asked people to wait at the dock for six consecutive days.

She was a slender and slender woman, with fair skin and a delicate face that her family had at the time. All year round, there is always a white silk shirt, a stone blue carved silk or Hangzhou silk skirt, which is more dignified and serious, and less lively and pretty.

Seeing Shen Muqing waiting to greet her at the second gate, she was very happy, and hurriedly stepped forward to hold Shen Muqing's hand.

Shen Muqing was also very happy, took her hand, and asked Yingfeng and Mingxia beside her to salute her.

Shi Jingshu also asked the two big maids who came to Kyoto with her, Jasmine and Bauhinia, to salute Shen Muqing.

Several people knew each other when they were in Nanjing, especially when Shen Muqing followed Shi Jingshu to the tea market, they ate and lived together, and they were very affectionate. This goodbye is naturally a different kind of cordiality.

Shen Muqing took Shi Jingshu to greet Shen Zhen, and Yingfan and Mingxia took Jasmine and Bauhinia to the Green Pothos Courtyard - Zhou Baimu took the boat to pick up the family, and Shi Jingshu's nurse Mother Liu was responsible for counting the cages, and it would be a step later to arrive, and Jasmine and Bauhinia had to get familiar with the environment first.

(Tomorrow morning at 8 o'clock to add!) ）

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