Fanlou! Middle building!
"Zheng'er, how can you handle this matter so casually? You should have informed me immediately when Zhang San came."
Fan Yong quickly walked down the stairs while scolding his son Fan Zheng.
Fan Zheng said hurriedly, "I just found out about this, and I think Zhang San is a very easy-going person. Why is Dad so nervous?"
"easy going?"
Fan Yong snorted, "He is a wolf in sheep's clothing. Chen Maoqian is ruthless enough. Everyone in the capital is afraid of him. But Chen Maoqian, he just signed a lease contract with Zhang San, and he was so scared that he didn't have the mood to favor his newly-married concubine that night."
"Why is that?"
"Is there any need to ask? If there is a problem with the contract, I'm afraid Zhang San will have the final say on how much compensation to pay. Remember, the robbers are not even a fraction of what he is."
"... ... ?"
In Fan Yong's eyes, Zhang San has become the number one gangster in Tokyo.
I came downstairs and just arrived at the door of the East Building when I heard someone inside shouting, "Ten ones, hey, hey, hey, I've shouted one, but you can't change it."
"Eleven threes."
"open!"
... ...
Fan Yong asked curiously, "What are they doing?"
Fan Zheng shook his head.
Fan Yong entered the East Building and saw that the table in the middle was full of people. The "lively" Ma Xiaoyi stood on the stool again, pointing at the people opposite him and said, "You lose. Drink! Drink!"
Fan Zheng frowned and asked, "What are they playing?"
Fan Yong was not in the mood to pay attention to these. He glanced around and his eyes almost popped out. He saw a long table on the left. There were more than ten singing girls sitting there, but there was only one man sitting there. This man was Zhang Fei.
It is really a touch of green among thousands of flowers!
Although there was Li Si standing next to him, his face was as red as a monkey's butt, also red!
A bartender happened to walk by with an empty wine jug. Fan Zheng immediately stopped the bartender and asked, "What are they doing?"
The bartender said, "Before, the yamen asked me to bring some dice, and then Zhang San taught them a new way to play. It was very interesting, and soon attracted a lot of people. During this time, Cao yamen and Mr. Han had another quarrel. Now they are playing dice, and whoever loses will drink."
Fan Yong asked: "Why didn't Zhang San play by himself?"
The bartender said hurriedly, "Zhang Sanlang also played for a while before, but later when there were too many people, he left. I brought a jar of wine, and Zhang San sat with Sister Cai Shi and the others."
Fan Zheng nodded and said, "Go and get busy."
"yes."
After the bartender left, Fan Yong chuckled twice: "That's right, with his mouth, is he afraid of not being able to find a woman to talk to? Let's go! Let's go and learn from him."
Fan Zheng smiled awkwardly and followed him.
The personalities of these two father and son are not very similar. Fan Yong is more humorous, while Fan Zheng is more boring.
"Mr. Fan is here!"
Seeing Fan Yong coming, Zhang Fei stood up immediately.
The singing girls also stood up one after another, some nodded, some bowed.
Fan Yong smiled and said, "I never thought that Sanlang would come to my Baifan Building and be as dazzling and eye-catching as if he were attending a lecture."
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "Sir, I don't like this analogy. Besides, Cai Shi and the others were just asking me about the law."
Just now, he taught Cao Dongdong how to play the dice, which immediately attracted everyone in the hall. He asked the singing girls to sit down and taught them step by step, but with the joining of Han Pan and others, the battle between civil and military began again.
It can also be said that it is the party of external relatives VS the party of civil officials.
Except for some old lovers, most of the singing girls have no place to use their talents.
Who the hell still talks about poetry and songs.
It can be said that Zhang Fei lowered the grade of the entire Baifan Building with his own efforts.
Zhang Fei quietly brought these singing girls to sit at another table. These singing girls were in the world and had many disputes. Zhang Fei prescribed the right remedies and soon they became friendly.
"oh!"
Fan Yong asked one of the women, "Cai Shi, are you involved in a lawsuit?"
Zhang Fei spoke first: "You don't have to have a lawsuit to consult me. Cai Shi and I just talked about their contract. I think it is very unfair to them. They paid a lot, but got too little, especially the lack of legal protection."
The singing girls nodded one after another, a trace of grievance appeared on their pretty faces, yet they were so charming.
"So that's what happened." Fan Yong laughed and said to Zhang Fei, "I didn't say hello to Sanlang today. Please forgive me for my negligence. Come, come, I'll take you to my Baifan Building."
At this moment, Zhang Fei had no intention of leaving. He suddenly winked and said, "You two, father and son, should be more sensible and go to the toilet quickly instead of staying here and being an eyesore."
"Sanlang, are your eyes uncomfortable?" Fan Yong asked with concern.
“Puff!”
Several singing girls covered their lips and laughed softly.
Zhang Fei glanced at Fan Yong awkwardly, then stood up reluctantly, "Then I'll trouble you, Master."
Fan Yong took Zhang Fei for a casual stroll and then sat down in a private room on the second floor.
"Sanlang, to be honest, my Baifanlou and those singing girls are just like fish and water, they are formed naturally. I don't care how much more I can earn from them, but if you help them draw up a contract, it will also bring you a lot of trouble."
Fan Zheng added: "Brother Zhang San, this place of worldly affairs is also a place of right and wrong."
Zhang Fei smiled and said, "A place of trouble is where our spies live. I am not afraid of trouble, I am not afraid of no trouble. You should know that I will make a big splash next year."
Fan Yong smiled and nodded: "That's right, Sanlang dared to guarantee the taxes, so why would he be afraid of these things?"
Zhang Fei said: "I believe that this business will flourish only under reasonable rules. If it relies solely on the strength of fists, it will soon be over, or at least come to a standstill. Besides, people die for money and birds die for food. My death is a worthy one."
Fan Yong laughed and said, "What a great saying: people die for money, and birds die for food. I offer a toast to Sanlang."
After chatting for a while, I suddenly heard someone shouting downstairs: "Zhang San, Zhang San, are you upstairs?"
It was Cao Dongdong's voice.
"exist!"
Zhang Fei quickly responded.
Then Ma Xiaoyi shouted, "Third brother, come down quickly, the sales are about to start."
Fan Yong suddenly asked, "So Sanlang is here for that widow as well?"
Another widow? Is the girl so unbearable? Zhang Fei wondered, "Who is that widow?"
Fan Yong said, "The widow's husband was originally a high-class farmer. At the beginning of this year, he lost a batch of goods from the court while serving in the army, and also lost his life. Therefore, all his family's property was confiscated, including his wife. I have seen this widow. She is so beautiful that she can make fish sink to the bottom of the water, geese fall to the ground, and the moon hide in shame. Many young men came here today for her."
Zhang Fei was curious and asked, "He even lost his life, and he still has to compensate the court?"
Fan Yong said: "Those are goods from the imperial court. Someone has to be responsible and make up the account. He can only blame himself for being unlucky!"
"Right!"
Zhang Fei smiled and nodded.
When he came downstairs, he saw Ma Xiaoyi standing on a chair, waving at Zhang Fei, "Third brother, come here quickly, come here quickly."
Zhang Fei walked over, looked at Ma Xiaoyi's red face, and couldn't help asking: "How much did you drink?"
Ma Xiaoyi chuckled and said, "I didn't drink much. Look at Han Pan, his face is much redder than mine. He usually thinks he is smart and looks down on everyone. I think he is much dumber than me."
Zhang Fei tilted his head and saw Han Pan and Fu Zhishuang sitting there taking a break, and seemed to be complaining to each other.
Cao Dongdong stood up and hugged Zhang Fei, saying, "Zhang San, your new way of playing is so interesting."
This smell of alcohol!
"Hey young!"
Zhang Fei quickly broke free and sat next to Fu Shichun, "Let's talk, don't get too close, two grown men, is this appropriate?"
As he said this, his eyes turned, "Young Master, since you are having such a great time today, why don't you buy me another maid?"
Cao Dongdong immediately said, "That won't do. I have to save the money to buy you a widow. I can't lose to Han Pan."
Zhang Fei asked curiously, "It's just a maid, how much can it cost?"
Fu Shichun chuckled and said, "The maids at the Baifanlou sales meeting must have earned at least several hundred strings of cash."
"Several hundred strings of cash?"
The one who spoke was Li Si, and he couldn't help but look at Zhang Fei.
Zhang Fei immediately said, "Why are you looking at me? We are not master and servant. We are just brothers."
Then Zhang Fei asked Fu Shichun, "Is it so expensive?"
He really wanted to get a maid back home.
Fu Shichun explained it immediately.
It turns out that there are two main types of maids at present, one that sells itself and the other that is hired.
The sales meeting at Baifanlou is mainly aimed at the latter, because selling maids is mainly about people, which are very cheap, while hiring maids is about selling skills, which is more valuable.
Although singing girls sell their art but not their bodies, they can still earn more money than prostitutes.
The principle is the same.
Baifanlou is the first building in Tokyo and it also takes a high-end approach.
According to the laws of the Song Dynasty, the longest employment contract for a maid was no more than ten years.
The main purpose of the sale is to bid for ten years' remuneration.
As they were chatting, they suddenly heard a shout, and Zhang Fei looked up, only to see an old woman with heavy makeup coming up on the stage, with a servant beside her holding a gong and drum.
Fu Shichun introduced: "This old woman is the best matchmaker in Tokyo, Aunt Gu. She was born as a palace maid. She is good at cooking, making medicine, brewing wine, sewing, and delivering babies. The maids she has are trained by her and are the most expensive in Tokyo."
Zhang Fei just felt that his eyes had been opened. Now that this training school had been opened, there were not many opportunities left for him, a time traveler, to show off.
After a brief opening statement, the next steps were introduced.
It’s very simple, first sell the maids, then sell the prostitutes and concubines.
After the introduction, the sales conference officially began. The first person to come on stage was a little girl about fourteen or fifteen years old. She had two pigtails, her face was flushed, and she kept her head down.
But Aunt Gu was boasting passionately, saying that the little girl was very clever and good at needlework, and that she could sew so well that the patches on her clothes were not even visible, and she was almost boasting that she was the best in the capital.
This is not a sales meeting, this is clearly a job application meeting, and it is so fancy. Zhang Fei asked in a low voice: "Hey! This maid only sews and mends, and does nothing else?"
Fu Shichun said: "He said so, which means he won't do anything else."
Zhang Fei said depressedly: "What kind of maid is this? She is even worse than Qingmei."
Ma Xiaoyi said: "Brother's family has a special maid who kneads the dough, and she only does this job."
Cao Dongdong chuckled and said, "It's not just about kneading dough, it's about kneading people as well."
What the hell, is the division of labor so detailed? Or is it that poverty has narrowed my horizons? Zhang Fei found it more and more incredible, and felt that he had only seen the tip of the iceberg of Tokyo Bianliang.
Fu Shichun said: "Maidens like this are only suitable for wealthy families like Yanei, but not for your family. There are only two of you in your family, and how much needlework can you do? Wait a minute, the third one will be quite suitable for you."
Zhang Fei asked curiously, "How can Master Fu know so clearly?"
Ma Xiaoyi said: "He stays in the Baifan Building every day, how could he not know?"
After some boasting, Aunt Gu quoted a price: two hundred and fifty strings of cash for ten years, which was about twenty-five strings of cash per year, but food and lodging were also provided.
In the maid world, it is not considered low.
"Two hundred and fifty strings of cash." Someone immediately raised his hand.
Zhang Fei looked in the direction of the voice and saw a young servant. He hesitated for a moment and suddenly raised his hand and said, "Three hundred strings of cash."
Cao Dongdong was startled, "Zhang San, what do you think of this maid?"
Zhang Fei said: "Don't you see that I pay a lot of attention to my appearance?"
I only heard one person shouting, "My son offers three hundred and fifty strings of cash."
Cao Dongdong tilted his head to look and saw that it was Han Pan's servant who was bidding. He couldn't help but say, "This guy did it on purpose. His family doesn't lack maids."
Zhang Fei raised his hand again and said, "Four hundred and fifty strings of cash."
One hundred strings of cash per jump
There was an uproar in the hall.
Cao Dongdong, Fu Shichun and Ma Xiaoyi all looked at Zhang Fei in shock.
Only Aunt Gu was extremely excited.
What a great start!
Ma Xiaoyi said excitedly: “Third brother, this maid is not worth so much money!”
Li Si even grabbed Zhang Fei's sleeves tightly with both hands, as if to say, Third brother, we don't have much money, don't pretend to be rich!
Zhang Fei pushed Li Si away and shrugged, "When we go out to play, I hate it most when others try to outdo me."
We are like-minded people! Cao Dongdong said excitedly: "Zhang San, I support you."
Zhang Fei asked, "Shall we split it evenly?"
"There is no such rule." Cao Dongdong shook his head.
Then he heard someone shout from the other side: "Five hundred strings of cash."
Cao Dongdong hurriedly said: "Zhang Fei, you can't admit defeat, keep shouting."
Ma Xiaoyi also nodded repeatedly: "Call, call, call! Third brother, call quickly."
"Is that even necessary for you to tell me?"
Zhang Fei raised his hand and accidentally touched the wine glass. A few drops of wine fell on his clothes. He quickly stood up, wiped it, and said, "Li Si, quickly bring me a handkerchief."
Li Si hurriedly handed over a handkerchief.
After wiping for a long time, it was still not clean. Zhang Fei threw the handkerchief away and raised his hand, "Ah! Is it over so soon?"
Aunt Gu looked at Zhang Fei resentfully. I’ve waited for you for so long, and you still have the nerve to complain.
Cao Dongdong also gave him a scornful look, "You're still so generous, it's really shameful."
"This was a complete mistake!"
Zhang Fei said: "Look at me next."