After leaving the South City Gate and walking about 30 miles along the official road, you will find the toll station in the capital.
In the past, here was a wasteland and forest, only birds and no people.
Since the cement road was built and the toll booths and rest stops were built, this place has become more and more lively.
Around the toll station and on both sides of the official road, teahouses, restaurants, inns, grocery stores have been built one after another...
There is a large flow of people traveling to and from the capital. When many people arrived at the toll booth in the capital, it was already dark and it was too late to enter the capital.
It's better to find an inn near the toll booth to rest for one night, wash off the dust and dust, and go to the capital clean.
There are also those who go out of the city to visit relatives and friends, and walk to the toll booth just in time to eat and rest.
All in all, this dilapidated place, which used to be uninhabited, seems to have a tendency to develop into a market.
Youfu Inn is here, less than 100 meters away from the toll booth.
Under the kitchen in the backyard, five large coal stoves are burning vigorously.
Today is the twenty-seventh day of the twelfth lunar month, and the inn is still full of people.
Provide hot water and meals, and cook five large coal stoves. Since the day I bought it, the fire has not been turned off.
His coal stove is expensive.
A coal stove needs at least twenty briquettes a day.
For five coal stoves, one hundred briquettes are produced a day. Sometimes there are many people using hot water, and one hundred coal stoves are not enough.
Of course, his briquettes are in great demand, and the price can be cheaper than fifty cents and one hundred briquettes outside.
But even so, after a month, the honeycomb coal alone would cost nearly two taels of silver.
The owner of the Blessed Inn has an abacus to settle accounts.
It used to be firewood.
Five earthen stoves, according to the current passenger flow, burn one or two loads of firewood a day.
A load of firewood is about one hundred catties.
The weather is cold this year, and the price of firewood has risen.
From 20 wen a load to 30 wen.
After all, it seems that burning firewood can save money.
However, coal-burning stoves do not require people to watch the fire.
To burn firewood, you have to add two more girls who burn fire, and one guy who chops firewood.
For three people, the salary would be four to five hundred cash a month. Have to pack two meals.
In this way, it is still cost-effective to burn coal.
The owner of the Blessed Inn finished the calculations and made up his mind to burn coal in the future.
He told the shopkeeper, "The two fire-burning girls under the kitchen, don't let them come after the new year. From now on, all the inns will burn coal stoves."
The shopkeeper took the order, and asked again: "Do you want to stay with the woodcutter?"
"The inn's business is good. Didn't you say that there is a lack of a handyman. Let that guy be a handyman."
The shopkeeper nodded, it's a pity for those two fire girls.
The owner of the inn is not sorry at all.
The two fire-burning girls left the inn, and they could find better jobs in a blink of an eye.
Now in the city, to be more precise in Xinmin County, workers are being recruited every day. And recruit female workers.
Like a textile workshop.
I heard that there are female workers who have passed the examination as a first-class craftsman and can get eight or nine hundred cash a month.
"Hey! If my girl can also take the exam as a craftsman, it doesn't need to be too high, and if she takes the exam as a second-level craftsman, wouldn't she be able to earn one tael of silver a month?"
The shopkeeper laughed after hearing this, "Is the boss willing to let the girl work as a craftsman?"
The owner of the inn shook his head, "Reluctant."
It is too hard for a woman to do the work of a craftsman.
Craftsmen, men still have to do it.
The owner of the inn has a son who is studying.
"If my kid can't read, I'll ask him to learn to be a craftsman from others. I heard that a craftsman who can read and write can get two taels of silver a month as long as he passes the exam. It's better than doing anything else."
The shopkeeper shook his head, "The world is different now. Who would have thought that those refugees could build a county. The last time I went to see it, the houses were neatly repaired, not to mention how beautiful they are."
The owner of the inn patted the shopkeeper on the shoulder, "Work hard, you can also buy a two-story house in Xinmin County."
"Can't afford it, can't afford it."
In the second phase of the project, the cheapest suite costs 122 taels.
Based on his income, I don't know when and what month he can earn so much money.
The owner said, "You can take out a loan."
The shopkeeper smiled wryly, the loan is easy to repay but difficult to repay.
The whole family relies on him for food and drink.
Moreover, if one day the boss fires him, he is very old, where else can he find work.
If there is no work to do, where there is money, there will be loans.
The owner shook his head, "You, you are just too cautious. The house, when the day comes, it will not be sold at all. You can make dozens of taels of silver by changing hands. I heard that the price of houses over there has been rising. Don't you If you start, you will regret it in the future."
Upon hearing this, the shopkeeper hurriedly asked, "Is it true that the prices of houses in Xinmin County are increasing?"
"Of course. Such a good house is rare for many people. Can you still expect it to never increase in price? But if you want to buy it, you can go directly to the sales office. The price is still fair."
The owner of the inn kindly persuaded me.
The shopkeeper was a little anxious, "Boss, I would like to take a day off to visit Xinmin County."
"Okay! Tomorrow is twenty-eight, do you want to go?"
"is it okay?"
"Of course. I'll give you three days off, and you'll come back on the first day of the new year."
"Thank you, my boss."
"polite!"
…
This year's twelfth lunar month in Beijing is more lively than in previous years.
Everyone has the joy of the New Year on their faces.
Even the poorest families in previous years can buy two catties of pork for the Chinese New Year this year.
In previous years, it was said that the end of the year was sad.
As soon as the Chinese New Year comes, those who want debts come to smash and rob every day.
During the Chinese New Year this year, fewer people are in debt.
Many households do not need creditors to press for their debts, and they clear their debts a few days in advance.
During the Chinese New Year in previous years, all the people in the family hoped that the head of the family could get some money, cut some meat, and it would be even better if they could tear two feet of cloth.
Whenever this time, the family members look sad. His brows were furrowed, but he didn't relax.
This year, there will be not only meat to eat, but also sugar cakes, and new clothes to wear. Maybe they can get two cents of New Year's money on the first day of the new year.
This year can be regarded as the best year in the memory of the previous family.
On New Year's Eve, every household is eating New Year's Eve dinner.
The delicious fat meat filled the mouth with oil, and all the children were smiling.
The adults are sighing, "The days are better."
"Yeah! This year is a little better than last year, and I saved a couple of dollars."
"Next year, we will work harder and strive for our family to be able to buy a house with a loan."
The whole family laughed heartily.
The smile is sincere and shining, which is the expectation and yearning for the better days in the future.
"Tomorrow, I will go to the temple fair and burn incense sticks for the masters of the four seas. I wish the parents of the four seas a long life, and such good days come every year."
"That's how it should be."
"In our Fangshi, there are every household in our city, who is not in the light of the Four Seas Commercial Firm. The old Zhao's family opposite, three sons and three daughter-in-laws all work in Xinmin County. This year, the family has saved a house. "
"Their family has a large population, and we can't compare."
"As the head of the house, next year I will go to Xinmin County to find a job. The two of us save money together, and it is hard to believe that we will not be able to save the down payment for a house."
Similar conversations are happening in every corner of the capital.
The Four Seas Commercial Bank moistens things silently, quietly changing the lives of ordinary people in the capital from basic necessities of life.
Gu Jiu, the owner of the Four Seas Trading Company that Xiaomin mentioned, is currently having a palace banquet in the palace.
This year, the third prince brought his bride, Mrs. Cui, into the palace to pay New Year's greetings to the Empress Dowager.
The third prince worked hard for two years and finally won the favor of Empress Dowager Xiao. Love the house and Wu, Empress Dowager Xiao also likes the Cui family very much.
In front of everyone, Empress Dowager Xiao gave Cui a great gift.
Princess Huyang was very happy, "The queen mother is so kind to the third daughter-in-law, I can't even keep up with her."
Empress Dowager Xiao said with a smile: "If you are as capable as Mrs. Cui, you can choose whatever you want from Ai's warehouse."
"The queen mother just dislikes that I am not capable enough." Huyang Princess acted like a spoiled child, wanting to get something good from Queen Mother Xiao.
Who told her to spend a lot of money, and she has a little wolf dog, and she has a son and a daughter to worry about, so she can only try her best to collect money.
Empress Dowager Xiao made a serious face on purpose, "You, the boss is not young, and you still think about the Ai family's things all day long. Forget it, forget it, Ai's family allows you to choose one."
"Thank you, Queen Mother." Princess Huyang was surprised.
The queen mother still loves her.
"What are you so happy about?"
Emperor Wende brought his harem concubines to greet Empress Dowager Xiao.
Princess Huyang smiled, "My mother allowed me to go to the storeroom to pick out a gift. Brother Huang, do you have something to reward me for celebrating the Chinese New Year?"
Emperor Wende laughed, "If you have money this year, I won't reward you."
"My money is mine, and what the emperor rewards is another matter. The emperor should also be more generous, don't give me a title, at least give me something good, so that I can enjoy myself."
The originally bustling hall suddenly became quiet because of a word of title.
Gu Jiu thought to himself, Princess Huyang is really full of resentment towards the title.
Empress Dowager Xiao scolded Hu Yang angrily, "If you are celebrating the new year, keep your mouth shut if you can't speak. Hurry up and apologize to your brother."
Princess Huyang pouted, not happy.
Emperor Wende laughed, "Huyang has complaints against me?"
Princess Huyang looked aggrieved, "I don't dare to complain, I just want a reward."
Empress Pei pursed her lips and smiled, "Look at her, she is not young, but she is begging for new year's money like a child. It is said that the eldest brother is the father, so why not just satisfy Huyang and make everyone happy."
Empress Dowager Xiao also said: "Huyang has never grown up, the children are almost married, and they are not doing well all day long. Be careful that your imperial brother beats you."
Princess Huyang said aggrievedly: "Brother Huang didn't beat me too much. When I was in the palace, I often listened to Brother Huang's teachings, and my ears were almost callused."
Emperor Wende laughed when he heard the words, "I taught you with good intentions, but you blamed me. If I knew this, I shouldn't have blamed you in the first place, and let my father punish you severely and take away your title. If you are dismissed as an idle clan, you will be honest."
Princess Huyang's face turned pale.
Empress Dowager Xiao couldn't bear it, and hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, don't scare her. Look at her pale face, it doesn't look like Chinese New Year."
Emperor Wende said with something in his words: "Don't make a fuss, this year will naturally be lively and lively."
The owner of Huyang County lowered his head, and said secretly, "I never mess around."