Li Erwang, who was on the side, couldn't help but hiss when he saw the two of them like this. "You two are going to dig your own pockets, what's the point of not being paid?"

However, as soon as Li Erwang said this, he was immediately pushed aside by Master Cao, who was helping to adjust the cabinet, and reprimanded in a deep voice: "You have the skill to answer the phone, and you can knock a wedge." ”

Hearing this, Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu glanced at each other, silently holding each other's hands and couldn't help laughing.

Since the shop had been installed in advance, Lu Zheng'an did not want to wait any longer, and after discussing it with Song Huaishu, he returned to Hualong Town with Song Huaishu and prepared to transport some of the preserved fruits that had been made in the workshop first. Take advantage of the May Day as an opportunity to open and try to intercede.

However, when he was talking to Master Cao, Master Cao raised his eyes and looked at the two of them, and asked slowly: "The shop is about to open, can you order a plaque?" ”

Seeing Lu Zheng'an and Song Huaishu's expressions stunned, Master Cao's calm face couldn't help but change. "You guys, you won't forget, will you?"

Seeing this, Lu Zhengan laughed, "No, it's just that there are too many things and I forgot to talk about them." ”

Regarding the name of the shop, Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu had a headache for a while. In the end, the two of them thought about it and simply stole a lazy bite, and directly called Lu's dry goods.

Although the soil is a little dirty, it is simple and easy to remember.

Knowing that Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu were open and anxious about the plaque, Master Cao didn't let the two of them worry about it, and asked the two of them to go back and choose an auspicious day for the zodiac, so he and Erwang sent people to the city gate.

As soon as the shop was renovated, Lu Zheng'an's heart was relieved of most of it, thinking of his daughter, whom he had not seen for a few days, and with excitement and longing, he and Song Huaishu rushed to Hualong Town in a carriage under the stars and nights.

The two stayed in Yuanyang for five days, and when they got off the carriage, Lu Xingyi, who was originally laughing with his grandmother with a big lotus leaf, seemed to be frightened. He threw himself into his grandmother's arms, and secretly observed the two of them through the gap in his arm for a moment, and his eyes began to turn red.

Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu looked at their daughter's expression like this, and they only felt distressed like a knife. Choked his throat and clapped his hands at her, and coaxed: "Xingyi, don't you know your father?" ”

And Song Lan's family didn't expect Lu Xingyi to react like this when he saw his son and son-in-law, and he felt quite distressed for a while. He pulled the man out of his arms and asked with a smile, "Didn't you still talk about your father last night?" Now that Daddy is back, why don't you speak? Quick, go and let them hug. ”

Saying that, Song Lanshi gently patted Lu Xingyi's meaty little buttocks, but what everyone didn't expect was that after the slap fell on Lu Xingyi's buttocks, the little girl immediately cried.

While crying, he shouted, "Daddy, daddy, bad." ”

Looking at Lu Xingyi, who was crying, Song Huaishu hurriedly stepped forward and held the person in his arms, and carefully coaxed him for a long time to calm him down this time.

Looking at her daughter's red and swollen eyes, and Song Huaishu, who still had red eyes, the idea of handing over her daughter to her mother-in-law and Aunt Shuyi for the time being was suddenly dispelled.

Holding the windmill that Song Huaishu brought back from Yuanyang, Lu Xingyi looked up at her and said softly, "Is Daddy still leaving?" ”

"Let's go, your father is working too hard to earn money alone, and my father will also go to help him."

Hearing this, Lu Xingyi didn't say anything when he held the windmill, but the whole person seemed to have no spirit.

On the second day when Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu arrived home, Ma Yuntao came to the door with the housekeeper.

Lu Zhengan looked at the gloom that flashed in Ma Yuntao's eyebrows, and before he could open his mouth, Ma Yuntao changed his face again, and said to Lu Zhengan with a smile: "Congratulations to Mr. Lu, but we are also old friends, why didn't you notify you when your workshop opened?" ”

"It's just a trivial matter, where is it worth being a labor horse shopkeeper." As he spoke, Lu Zhengan let Ma Yuntao into the courtyard, and before the two of them entered the house, he heard Ma Yuntao say: "When I just came, I saw that the peaches in Lu Gongzi's garden were almost ripe, and this year's dried peaches were about to start, right?" As soon as your workshop opens this year, there should be more dried peaches than last year. When this dried peach is sold, Lu Gongzi's waist bag will be able to drum up again. ”

Listening to Ma Yuntao's prickly words, Lu Zhengan did not seem to hear the meaning of his words, but smiled and said bluntly: "Isn't it just to earn a few taels more after working hard all year?" We countrymen naturally have to work harder than the boss of the horse. ”

When Ma Yuntao heard Lu Zhengan's words, he was still complimenting him, and said with a smile: "Eh, that's not what he said. At present, Lu Gongzi's dried peaches are also famous in Linzhou, and in the future, I am afraid that I will be able to make a lot of money just by relying on dried peaches. After that, Ma Yuntao looked at Lu Zhengan's face and saw that his old god was there, so he didn't mean to pick up his stubble at all, and he simply didn't want to go around the bend anymore.

"We have been working together for two years, how to treat Lu Gongzi, I believe Lu Gongzi also knows in his heart. So this year's dried peaches, a certain ......"

Without waiting for Ma Yuntao to finish speaking, Lu Zhengan leisurely picked up the teacup and took a sip, then looked at Ma Yuntao, and said apologetically: "I know that Boss Ma treats me very wrongly, but I am afraid that I will not be able to cooperate with Boss Ma again this year." ”

As soon as Lu Zheng'an said this, Ma Yuntao's face immediately changed. "Lu Gongzi, what does this mean? Last year's dried peaches could sell so well, and a certain Yunxiangzhai also made a contribution. Lu Gongzi said that if he didn't cooperate, he wouldn't cooperate, and he wouldn't be afraid of being told that the river would tear down the bridge, right? ”

When the housekeeper behind Ma Yuntao heard that the master would say such a thing, he suddenly chuckled in his heart, coughed dryly, and hit his lower back with his knee.

After hearing the butler's cough, Ma Yuntao knew that he had lost his words, and his face stiffened and he hurriedly opened his mouth to make amends. "I'm sorry, I was too surprised for a while and I didn't choose to speak, and I hope that Lu Gongzi won't be surprised."

Hearing this, Lu Zhengan shook his head with a smile after putting the tea cup in his hand on the table. "Boss Ma, I know what you're thinking. But we have to make one thing clear, although we have cooperated for two years, it does not mean that with these two years, my dried peaches have to be sold to you. Everyone knows whether to demolish the bridge or not. I just want to say that the fact that our dried peaches can sell well is not because you help me, but because we achieve each other. After all, since last year, if there were no dried peaches in my house, I am afraid that Boss Ma would have to close his door. ”

Ma Yuntao did not expect Lu Zheng'an to speak so ruthlessly, and for a while his heart was angry and anxious, and his face turned even more blue and purple for a while, just like a palette for painting.

Seeing Ma Yuntao like this, Lu Zhengan felt that there was no need to talk with him any further, so he got up to see off the guests.

Seeing this, Ma Yuntao's housekeeper hurriedly replied: "Master Lu, we have something to discuss, and we can't hurt our peace for just a few words, right?" It's a big deal, how about we let 10% this year and give you 40%? ”

"This gentleman does not need to say any more, since I have already said it, there is no room for this matter to turn around. I still have something to do in my workshop, so I'm not far away. ”

Lu Zhengan's eviction order has been issued, and Ma Yuntao and the housekeeper are not good at staying, no matter how thick-skinned they are. Ma Yuntao glanced at Lu Zhengan with a gloomy face, snorted coldly and dropped his sleeves and walked out of the hall. And after the steward Ma who was following him arched his hand at Lu Zheng'an, he also hurriedly followed.

After leaving Lu Zheng's house, Ma Yuntao looked at the small courtyard of the Lu family, his eyes full of viciousness.

Seeing this, the housekeeper on the side hurriedly persuaded in a low voice: "Master, you are really reckless in today's matter. ”

Hearing this, Ma Yuntao snorted coldly and said angrily: "It's just relying on the mud legs that the Ji family crawled out of the mud, and I really think I'm a dish." Leaving the Ji family, he Lu Zhengan is not even a fart! ”

When Steward Ma heard what his master said, he couldn't wait to go up and shut his mouth. Looking around, I saw that no one else was passing by, so I was slightly relieved.

"That being said, sir. But at the moment, the Ji family has not fallen, and the Lu family's dried peaches are indeed selling well, why do you say this. You also said before, even if the Ji family is in decline now, the emaciated camel is bigger than the horse, if Lu Zhengan has more mouths in front of the Ji family, it will be enough for us to drink a pot. You, this time you really offended people completely. ”

How Ma Yuntao didn't know that he was wrong this time, but the matter had already happened, and it was useless to regret it.

Standing in place and thinking for a moment, Ma Yuntao reacted. beckoned the butler to his side, and whispered, "You check the recent movements of this surnamed Lu to see if anyone else has been in contact with him." ”

……

Ma Yuntao's little episode, Lu Zheng'an did not take it to heart, walked around the workshop, and asked about the situation in the past few days. Seeing that there were no major problems, he went to the barn.

Because of the good weather, there are already a lot of dry goods and preserved fruits in the warehouse. In addition, there were several small tanks more than one meter high on the side of the wall, and Lu Zhengan could faintly smell a sweet and sour smell when he walked over.

"What's in there?"

"I saw that some of the plums and plums that were brought back a few days ago were still relatively raw, so I picked them out and pickled them and made them crispy." Seeing that Lu Zhengan wanted to reach out for the cover on it, Master Song hurriedly reached out and held his hand. "It's not time yet, and the owner can't open it. Otherwise, when you see the wind, you should turn black, and the color will not look good. ”

"And how long does this have to be pickled?" Lu Zhengan retracted his hand and looked at Master Song curiously and asked.

Master Song looked sideways at the small note attached to the bottom of the tank, lowered his head and counted the days, and then replied: "It will be eight or nine days before the appointment, and the owner's shop will not open on April 26, so there should be no mistake." Moreover, these green plums and crispy plums are only eaten more by the pregnant lady, and ordinary people sell them less, and when the time comes, the owner will be able to sell them for a long time with a jar of everything. ”

Hearing this, Lu Zhengan nodded. I followed Master Song around the warehouse, counted the types of things in the warehouse, and there were almost a dozen of them, and my heart suddenly had a bottom.

However, since they are running a dry goods store, the most common peanuts and melon seeds are also indispensable. These two things are extremely ordinary, and Lu Zhengan did not prepare in advance. Fortunately, his father-in-law, Song Xiren, still had a few bags of stock in his shop, so he brought them all.

It's just that if you want to sell flowers for these two ordinary things, you have to start with the taste.

Lu Zhengan is also a person from the modern past, so when he has nothing to do, he records all the tastes he can think of on paper. I went to the village to collect some peanuts, took them to the workshop, and began to think of new tricks.

Several of the old masters were very fond of this idea, and the down-to-earth young proprietor was very fond of it, and when they saw him carrying half a pot of peanuts, washed and soaked in salt water, they all gathered around.

After figuring out that Lu Zhengan wanted to make peanuts with salty mouth, they all helped to come up with ideas.

Because peanuts are now dried, in addition to soaking, they have to be boiled in addition to flavor.

The four old men watched around Lu Zheng'an for most of the day, and when they saw that the salted peanuts boiled in the pot had begun to gurgle, they took a handful of the fence out, opened it and tasted it, and then handed it to Lu Zheng'an.

"The saltiness is there, but it's still a little light, and I guess it will have to be simmered for a few more hours."

Hearing this, Lu Zhengan got up and saw that it was already dark outside, and then he realized that he had been soaking in the workshop for a day.

"Then let's simmer with the lid on the pot, and I'll talk about it tomorrow morning." A few masters have been with me for a day, so let's go back and rest. ”

For the convenience of several masters, Lu Changgen deliberately built a few spacious large tiled houses at the back of the workshop.

Sending the masters back to the courtyard, Lu Zhengan said hello to Lu Qingshan, who was keeping vigil, and left the workshop.

At this time, there were no pedestrians on the road, and the moonlight above his head was covered by dark clouds, although it was a little dim, but with the company of the stars, Lu Zheng'an was very peaceful.

Recalling the bits and pieces that have happened in the past two years, there are still thriving workshops and shops that are about to open, and the corners of my mouth can't help but rise.

"Zhengan."

Lu Zheng'an, who was immersed in thought, couldn't help but be stunned for a moment when he heard someone shouting his name, and after distinguishing that it was Song Huaishu's voice, he hurriedly walked over. "It's so late, why are you here?"

Seeing that it was indeed Lu Zheng'an, Song Huaishu could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. "You didn't come back for dinner, and you haven't come back, so I'm in a little anxious to come and have a look."

Hearing this, Lu Zhengan reached out and grabbed Song Huaishu's shoulder, pulled the person to his chest, and slowly walked home with him.

"Xingyi can sleep?"

Ever since the two of them came back from a trip to Yuanyang, Lu Xingyi has become a little clingy. Fortunately, the little girl was obedient, knowing that the two fathers had something to do, but they couldn't find anyone and didn't cry.

"Today, Aunt Shuyi took her to play in the water, and she went to sleep without eating a crazy dinner."

Remembering her sloppy appearance when she returned, she couldn't help but smile. "By the way, what are you talking about in the workshop today? I heard Aunt Shuyi say that you carried two bags of peanuts to the workshop, what are you going to do? ”

"Make some peanuts with different flavors, and I'll bring you some when they're ready."

After a night of no dreams until dawn, when Lu Zhengan woke up, his mother-in-law had already made breakfast.

Seeing Lu Zhengan get up, he hurriedly beckoned him to hurry up and wash up and eat. After the family sat down, Song Lan stuffed the spoon into Lu Xingyi's hand, watched her eat egg custard, and said to Lu Zhengan and Song Huaishu: "Xingyi's girl is running too fast, I'll go back to the town today and pull some cloth to make some clothes for her." You two will take her to the workshop for a while in the morning, and I'll be back before noon. ”

After that, Song Lan wiped the custard off Lu Xingyi's face with a handkerchief and instructed her: "Don't be naughty when you get to the workshop, and don't play with water." Yesterday your clothes were torn, and no matter how crazy you are, you won't have any clothes to wear. ”

Hearing this, Lu Xingyi glanced at his grandmother with a pout, and muttered: "It's a joke, grandma just made a new set." ”

Seeing that Lu Xingyi was still talking back, Song Lanshi reached out and tapped on her head. "Grandma made it to wear when it's cold, and now it's so hot, can you wear it?"

"You can wear it, and when it's hot, you can wash your claws."

"You talk a lot, eat your meal. After eating, go to the workshop with your fathers, don't be angry with me at home. ”

Lu Xingyi raised his little head to see that his grandmother disliked him like this, wrinkled his little nose, snorted, and turned his head to eat.

Seeing this, Lu Zhengan rubbed his daughter's little head, smiled and said to his mother-in-law: "Mother can go with confidence, I will take Huaishu and I with you." After that, Lu Zhengan squinted at his daughter, "Grandma has worked very hard to take care of you, you can't be so rude." ”

Lu Xingyi was still a little stunned by his father, and when he heard him say this, he immediately nodded obediently and continued to eat.

Because he was worried about the half pot of peanuts that he had cooked yesterday, Lu Zhengan waited for Lu Xingyi to finish eating, asked Song Huaishu to clean up the stove at home, and carried his daughter out of the door.

Lu Zheng'an was slender, Lu Xingyi sat on Lu Zheng'an's shoulder, his two little hands tightly hugged Lu Zheng'an's head, and his eyes were about to narrow into a slit with joy. In particular, Lu Zhengan deliberately teased her, and when he walked, he bumped her from time to time, so frightened that Lu Xingyi hugged his father's head tightly and did not dare to let go.

Later, knowing that he was playing with her, Lu Xingyi was interested, sat on Lu Zhengan's shoulders and kicked his two calves to let him continue, and the cheerful laughter did not stop until the door of the workshop.

Just as the father and daughter were about to enter the workshop, Lu Xingyi, who was sitting on Lu Zhengan's shoulder, suddenly saw two people squatting in the grass not far away.

Lu Zhengan shook his daughter again, but he didn't hear the expected laughter, and he couldn't help but feel a little strange for a while. Looking up at Lu Xingyi, he asked, "What's wrong?" Have you had enough? ”

Hearing this, Lu Xingyi patted his father's head and said with disgust: "Daddy, the uncle and the person who came to you stinks under the tree." Oh, that uncle is really bad. ”

Lu Xingyi's words had no beginning or end, and Lu Zhengan was confused when he heard it. looked back in the direction of Lu Xingyi's finger, but found nothing. "What uncle stinks?"

Because there was a latrine next to the workshop, Lu Zhengan just thought that his daughter was talking nonsense, and carried her into the workshop.

However, in the bushes ten meters away, Steward Ma lay on the ground and only felt that the cold sweat on his head was about to fall. Thinking of the owner of the inn in the town, I couldn't stop scolding my mother.

Watching Lu Zhengan enter the workshop with the child, Steward Ma stood up from the ground, shook the grass clippings sticking to the hem of his clothes, and Steward Ma looked at the person beside him and asked, "Can you get the things you got here?" ”

"Back to Ma Ye, it's all in this bag." As he spoke, the other party shook the bag in his hand and motioned for Steward Ma to take a look.

Steward Ma stared at the black cloth bag, frowning and motioning for the other party to take it away. "You'll have to tie this bag tightly, this thing is dangerous, and if it escapes, we may be able to take our lives here."

After saying that, Steward Ma looked up at the small courtyard with white walls and gray tiles that was half hidden in the bushes, and couldn't help but sigh. "Okay, hurry up and get to work, and when you're done with this work, you kid will be able to take the money and leave."

Thinking of the thirty taels of silver that was about to arrive, the other party's eyes were full of joy, nodded and thanked the steward horse, and then quickly touched the mountain with the black bag in his hand.