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Taking medicine is very costly. I took eight medicines twice and spent twelve taels of silver. After removing the rice, oil, salt, sauce and vinegar, etc., the twenty taels of agarwood bracelets left only four twenty twenty pennies.
Pang Jinglun was lying on the bed, looking at this little silver, and said bitterly, "Taking medicine is too costly. Don't take it anymore."
"No, the doctor said that you must take 20 sets of medicine, otherwise your illness will not get better." After a pause, Brother Xuan said, "Is it about money, let me figure out a solution?"
Pang Jinglun heard this and asked, "If you can't lift your shoulders with your hands, what can you do?"
Brother Xuan said, "I can write letters to people, or go to bookstores to help people copy books." Considering the freezing weather now, he is more inclined to copy books.
"Hey, do you still know that you can make money by copying books?" He thought that Brother Xuan was a nerd who only read sage books, but he didn't expect to know these mundane things.
Brother Xuan said, "I have a classmate from a poor family. I rely on copying books to make a living. I'll go to the bookstore later. I should be able to find a living."
Pang Jinglun waved his hand hurriedly and said, "Then you go to the bookstore and ask the shopkeeper, I will let Asan buy medicine." Asan has always been in charge of buying medicine.
Brother Xuan nodded and went out.
Without hearing the footsteps, Pang Jinglun lowered his voice and asked Asan: "Will you continue to drink this medicine?" Brother Xuan asked a quack doctor, and Pang Jinglun prescribed a prescription if he was not ill.
Asan said, "This is a medicine to replenish the body, and there is no harm in taking it." The prescription was changed, and Pang Jinglun was given a medicine to replenish qi and blood.
"Too bad." This medicine is really good for the body. After taking these eight medicines, he feels that his body is lighter than before. But the medicine was so bitter, he didn't want to drink it anymore.
Asan said, "I'll bring you a braised pig's knuckles later." Taking into account Pang Jinglun's age, he secretly brings good dishes to Pang Jinglun every day. As for himself, it is what Brother Xuan eats, and what he eats too.
Pang Jinglun said, "I want to eat roast duck. I wonder if there is any in this county?"
"I'll go out in the afternoon and have a look. If you have any, I will buy it for you tomorrow." As long as Pang Jinglun's request is not excessive, he will be satisfied.
Until noon, Brother Xuan hadn't returned yet. Pang Jinglun said with some worry to Asan: "You go find it!" This is going to happen, and he can't eat it!
A San said without anxiousness: "Don't worry, there is nothing wrong with the young master." If something goes wrong, he won the letter early.
Pang Jinglun was not a simple person like Brother Xuan, and he immediately understood: "Madam also sent someone to secretly protect the young master?" To be on the safe side, they all call Yuxi as his wife outside.
Ah San nodded. There is definitely something you can't prepare for following a person alone.
Pang Jinglun shook his head and said: "Madam really took great pains. I only hope that the young master can grow up this time!"
A San said: "Then you be strict with the young master!" Due to his status, Pang Jinglun was very polite to Brother Xuan. He didn't look like a teacher at all, but he wanted to be a subordinate.
"I know how to do it!" He will do his best to help the Empress Empress correct those shortcomings on the Third Royal Highness.
At the end of noon, Brother Xuan came back.
Seeing that Brother Xuan came back with paper, pen and books, Pang Jinglun asked, "How much does it cost to copy a book?"
Brother Xuan said: "It costs two hundred yuan to copy a book, but the pen, ink, paper and ink are all from them." He also knew that the amount was not large, but the store only gave it the price. If he doesn't accept it, he won't even have two hundred dollars.
Pang Jinglun heard this and said, "This store is nice and kind. When I get better, I will copy the book with you when I get better."
Brother Xuan was not very satisfied: "Azhi copied a book for someone, two taels of silver each." He only had two hundred writings, only one-tenth of what Ruan Chengzhi earned.
Pang Jinglun explained: "Your classmate is a student of Baitan Academy. The price of the books he copied is naturally high. You are just an unknown person now. A book for two hundred essays is considered good. It is also your handwriting. Not bad, otherwise the shopkeeper wouldn't be so easy to talk."
Brother Xuan was bitter. Thinking about how he ever put two hundred yuan in his eyes at home before.
"Don't rush, I've come to copy books on the kang." Burning the kang is a waste of wood. In order to save money, both Xuan Ge'er and Asan moved to Pang Jinglun's house. At night, the three of them slept together.
Copying books is very tiring work. After only one day of copying, Brother Xuan couldn't lift his arm. It was also at this time that Brother Xuan realized that this money was really hard to earn.
Although the kang has been burning, Pang Jinglun still feels that the house is a little cold: "San, you go buy some charcoal and come back." Put a pot of carbon fire in the house, and it will be much warmer.
An hour later, Asan bought a piece of charcoal worth about 30 kilograms.
"Why only buy this?" A lou of charcoal can only be used for four or five days.
Asan explained: "Now the price of cold-weather charcoal has increased, and it costs three cents a catty." On weekdays, this charcoal only needs one cent a catty. The colder the weather, the more expensive the charcoal.
Brother Xuan lowered his head.
Burning charcoal, the house is indeed warmer. But after a while, Xuan Ge'er's eyes were smoked and uncomfortable.
Rubbing his eyes, tears came out. Brother Xuan was uncomfortable, and said, "Asan, did you buy charcoal? Why did you smoke?"
"It's just ordinary charcoal. Smoke is normal."
Brother Xuan frowned and said: "At home, there are two or three pots of charcoal fire in the room, and there is no smoke."
Pang Jinglun looked at Ge Xuan's eyes, as if saying why you are such an idiot: "The silver-wired charcoal you use at home will naturally not smoke. But the price of silver-wired charcoal is ten times that of the charcoal we use now. "Silver wire charcoal, only rich people can afford it. He was reluctant to use silver wire charcoal at home.
Brother Xuan lowered his head.
It took Brother Xuan two days to copy a book. This efficiency is very high.
The shopkeeper was very satisfied when he saw that the handwriting written by Brother Xuan was neat and beautiful. Immediately he said, let Brother Xuan continue to copy books for them.
Brother Xuan hesitated for a long time, and finally blushed and said, "The shopkeeper, two hundred essays in a book are too few. Can you add more?"
The shopkeeper immediately said that a book can add fifty essays.
Everything is difficult at the beginning, and once you have spoken, the next words will be smooth. Brother Xuan shook his head and said, "My teacher said at least one hundred essays should be added, otherwise I won't let me copy it."
The shopkeeper said: "If you could help us copy twenty books a year ago, I can give you one or two for a book."
One book is one tael, and twenty books are twenty taels. With this money, not only does the husband's medicine need not be stopped, but also the things used for the New Year are lost.
The shopkeeper added another sentence: "If the son agrees, I can pay you the money in advance."
When Ge Xuan heard this, he immediately agreed.
After returning, Ge Xuan told Pang Jinglun and Asan of the good news with a look of excitement.
When Pang Jinglun heard that Brother Xuan had made a contract with the bookstore owner, he wanted to help the amount: "There are only twenty left to celebrate the New Year. If you don't eat or drink or sleep, you won't be able to copy a book a day. "
Brother Xuan was stunned, thinking about making money, but forgetting that he couldn't do it at all: "I will go back now."
"The contract has been made, and now you have to pay the liquidated damages if you go back on it." I said before that the store is kind, but now it seems that there is no business.
"If you don't retreat, I won't be able to copy 20 books!"
Pang Jinglun glanced at Brother Xuan, and said helplessly: "The shopkeeper knew of my existence, so he deliberately dug this pit, in order to get me to help copy the book. Otherwise, how could he give you so much money? ..."
Brother Xuan didn't understand, and asked, "Teacher, why did he do this?"
"You have written so well at a young age. As your teacher, you have to write well. If you are a famous artist, then you will make a lot of money. The shopkeeper is calculating you and me." , Pang Jinglun took a special look at Ah San. He suspected that this matter was designed by Asan.
There was something about Geng Ling'er before, but now there is another bookstore shopkeeper, and he was frustrated by being calculated twice in succession, "Why are they all so bad?"
"People don't do things for themselves. Ada, you used to be so innocent because you were protected too well by your family, but you don't know that people's hearts are sinister." The innocence is almost stupid. Fortunately, it was discovered in time, and it was able to get through.
Brother Xuan fell into silence again.
Looking at the bad atmosphere, Ah San asked, "Sir, what should I do now?"
Pang Jinglun sighed and said, "Even if we regret it, we won't be able to pay liquidated damages. Furthermore, if a gentleman makes a big promise, he must do what he promised."
If Pang Jinglun were to copy the book, his condition might be aggravated. Brother Xuan was unwilling to say: "Teacher, even if you pay compensation, I can't let you copy the book."
After speaking, Brother Xuan went out with the book and ink in his hands. As for what to do, you don’t need to ask.
Seeing this, Ah San hurriedly followed.
Pang Jinglun nodded secretly. Although a little stupid, but the character is good.
After half an hour, the master and servant returned. Seeing Ah San walking and turning, and Xuan Ge'er's face was also a little red and swollen. Pang Jinglun hurriedly asked, "What's the matter?"
"The shopkeeper asked me to pay liquidated damages. I didn't have the money to pay, so they beat me. A San was injured by them in order to protect me." When he said this, Xuan Ge'er looked guilty.
Pang Jinglun said hurriedly, "What are you still waiting for? Hurry up and ask the doctor!"
Brother Xuan came back to his senses and hurried out to ask the doctor.
Looking at the leg that was swollen like a pig's hoof, Pang Jinglun said, "Just let Ada learn the lesson, you don't have to fight like that." This leg is really hurt, but it's not like he was pretending to be.
"It is very difficult for the young master to change without being pushed to the desperate situation."
When Pang Jinglun heard this, he asked, "You are the ghost of the bookstore, right?"
Asan shook his head and said, "No. The shopkeeper of the bookstore is notoriously cunning in Siyang County."
After a pause, Asan said: "The young master is so good to deceive, and you don't need to arrange for a liar to find him."
Pang Jinglun:...