Zhui Xu

Chapter 134: showdown

Views:

The sun was warm, Xi Junyu walked through the courtyard corridor under the eaves, and after a short pause, he entered the room next to him and nodded with the two people inside.

"Manager Chen, how's Rongji's reaction?"

The man he called Shopkeeper Chen was named Chen Youhe. Hearing Xi Junyu's question, he shook his head: "Rongli still insists on raising the price. They plan to raise it to four or two."

"That's robbing." Xi Junyu frowned, but because similar bad news has been common in recent times, he didn't show much fluctuation, just sat down at the table with a gloomy face, "Lu Ji that You can talk about four or two."

"I've already said it, but Rong Li said that the eldest master has nothing to do with it at the moment. Once the second lady comes down, the Su family will change greatly, and they will lose money, so they must pay this price."

"Second Miss won't come down!" Xi Junyu paused, "Su Yu won't be so short-sighted, even if he is desperate, he will help hold the big room there. With Second Miss's ability, he will come up again sooner or later!"

His words were firm, but the room fell silent. I know my own family affairs, the current situation is really bad, the second and third bedrooms are desperately trying to demolish the big house, even Su Yu seems to be a little powerless now, and the old man can't hold back so many people saying this . The voice of the Su family's big house has been affected in the vicinity of Jiangning in the past month. The most important thing is that some suppliers or distributors have asked for price increases or higher profits. Most of them are still delaying, and the Su family is biting hard Don't let it go, let this side wait there and wait, but in terms of hidden influence, I am afraid that the total profit of the big house has been dragged down by 20%. The most terrible thing is the future development problem.

"Damn... one wrong step..."

Xi Junyu cursed with a sigh of relief, then shook his head with a gloomy face, and began to deal with some things on the table, such as the receipt and delivery. The two shopkeepers next to him also had a gloomy face, and Chen Youhe also shook his head: "If it weren't for the negligence of the royal merchants during that time..."

Several people in the room did not continue, but everyone knew what this sentence was referring to. Recently, a saying began to spread within the Su family, mainly after doing a self-examination on the situation of the Ming Huang Cloth Workshop during the time of the Emperor Merchant.

For example, there are many things that many shopkeepers can be responsible for themselves, but there are also many things that require a person who is in charge of the overall situation. The small workshop responsible for researching the new cloth was originally in charge of Su Tan'er, and there was no problem, but after Su Tan'er fell ill, negligence appeared on some levels. Now, according to the shopkeepers of the Su family who have considerable operational experience, if it wasn't for the fact that Ning Yi was too excited about the operation of Minghuangbu during that time, he was too drastic, and there were many small details that should not have appeared.

If Su Taner personally took charge of the situation during that time, when they chose a radical direction in their publicity strategy, they would definitely make certain adjustments to the confidentiality methods of the small workshop to adapt to this direction. But after Ning Yi was in charge, he didn't understand these small details after all, and the policy in the workshop remained unchanged. The shopkeeper Zhou had to work hard to keep secrets, but at the same time, he had to cooperate with the high-profile publicity above, which would always reveal a lot. Therefore, the Wu family took advantage of these most fundamental strategic aspects.

This matter makes everyone feel extremely aggrieved when they think about it. They have done everything well, but they still lost to that stunned youth. Experience, all problems lie in experience. No matter which shopkeeper was allowed to take control of the overall situation at that time, I am afraid that such a problem would not arise.

It's a shame that the scholar wrote something like "Prime Minister Bai knows what to do with his sword".

In the past, everyone still ignored Ning Yi a bit, and felt that if he won, he would have nothing to do with him, and if he lost, there was nothing he could do. However, such a statement has only become clear in the past half a month, which is why the Su family's remarks against Ning Yi have become more intense recently. Shopkeeper Xi was originally kind to people, and his intercession was excusable, but at this time he still felt depressed - in the eyes of Shopkeeper Chen and others, Xi Junyu's slight gaffe at this time was due to this.

The room was quiet for a while, with the rustling and rustling of business. In the silence, Xi Junyu looked to the side, and the slightly annoyed eyes had calmed down.

It is probably almost ready. The clan meeting will start within half a month. When Tan'er is dismissed, it is best to let such remarks reach the highest level. If it was the people in the second room and the third room who made such accusations, it might instead arouse her hostility, but if it was the people around her who were always saying this, she could not avoid getting angry after all in a decadent situation. Humanity is just that.

After the emperor's business, the Su family exploded, all kinds of confusion and all kinds of words. No one knows that these remarks about Ning Yi are all driven and guided by him behind the scenes. There is no need to invite people to publicize them. Just mention a few words in the conversation on certain occasions that are enough to cause people to think. , let them think, let them deduce. On the other hand, to increase everyone's feeling of "doing nothing but losing", increasing the sense of grievance and suffocation... From beginning to end, he watched as a rational person, and even helped Ning Yi to say something Words, of course, ultimately only had the opposite effect.

Everything is laid out very well, and he is good at it. The more ideal situation was that Ning Yi finally couldn't help but make a few gaffes at home. Unfortunately, the scholar was indeed very tolerant. In the face of all kinds of provocations, knowing that the defense was useless, he didn't say anything, and pretended to be. It's a laid-back attitude, but it doesn't matter, now he has begun to hint to these people in the family: This guy has no guilt at all.

Thinking about these things in his mind, suddenly, Wu Qilong's face flashed through his mind, and he frowned.

"Manager Chen, what's going on with the Wu family recently, I seem to have heard that something went wrong."

"It's not very clear, I heard that a steward fell ill from being too busy, Qin Ye, he had a deal with him once two years ago." Chen Youhe raised his head, "Some people are talking about the Wu family going to such a thing or something like that. , it is estimated that the Xue family put it behind the scenes. The Royal Merchant is about to deliver, and the Wu family will be busy with Suibu for a while, and the Xue family probably wants to take advantage of it."

"Oh."

The Su family definitely doesn't like the Wu family right now, but as a defeated general, they have just been tricked over there. At this time, they definitely don't like listening to the gossip about the Wu family all day long. Chen Youhe said it casually, and Xi Junyu nodded, and then thought about what could happen to the Wu family... Regardless of it, what the Wu family is going to do now is not on the same level as the Su family, and they will be more and more go further. They can do whatever they want, and at the moment, they can finish things by themselves.

Anyway everything went well.

He glanced at the afternoon sunlight in the courtyard outside the window. The atmosphere was peaceful, but there was a vague sense of deadness. It is less than half a month before the Su family meeting, and everything will be settled. These people who belong to the big room are a little decadent at the moment, doing everything they can, and their destiny is unknown. Maybe only he can clearly know where he is and what he is doing. He is the only one who has a home.

So he smiled, as relaxed as the sun.

********************

The quiet room in the afternoon, with the doors and windows closed, looked a little dim. The room was filled with the smell of medicine. At this time, in front of the tightly covered hospital bed, a woman with a beautiful face held a porridge bowl in her hand, lifted the spoon and blew it, and then sent it to the patient's mouth.

"... Clan meeting... I heard that the seventh grandpa also decided to let me down, and the second uncle finally convinced him... The third uncle is busy poaching people. In recent days, he said that it is a pity that the shopkeeper Liao has been sent out now... Rong Ji thought about it. If you want to raise the price, so does Lu Ji, how troublesome, they have to run back and forth after a while... "

She was feeding the patient a spoonful of porridge and slowly talking about things at home. The woman beside the bed actually looked a little tired, but there was a faint smile on the corner of her mouth, and she felt a little sarcastic even in the tiredness. Reaching out a hand and stroking his hair and temples, he turned his head to look at his father on the bed. In fact, there is a bit of bitterness in my heart. I originally came here to visit a doctor, and I don't want to talk about these troubles, but in retrospect, the communication between father and daughter has always been, except for those purely entertainment, it seems that this is the only thing.

It has been two and a half months since Su Boyong was assassinated. During this time, Su Boyong has been determined to be paralyzed, his legs have no feeling, and the movement of his left hand is actually affected to a certain extent. Now I am still weak, I change my medicine every day, and I cannot get out of bed. My spirit seems to be affected to a certain extent, and I am in a bad mood many times. Su Tan'er would come here every day, but that's what the father and daughter talked about. Many times when the mother and aunt were there, they just said a few words of greeting. At this time, Su Tan'er was silent for a moment.

"Today on the street, I saw a lot of citrus sellers. Dad used to... I like to eat... Uh, it's not too windy today, Dad, let's see if you want to open the window... My husband said it would be better to open it, uh... What kind of air convection... Then When the sun comes in, the mood will be better…”

That's all the sincere words she was able to find out. When talking about Ning Yi, she smiled a little more happily. Su Boyong nodded over there, and then shook his head again: "Still... don't open it, it's cold... I feel cold... Besides, Tan'er, what has Liheng been doing recently?"

Su Tan'er smiled slightly: "Isn't Xianggong coming to see you every day? He recently taught those children to go out and play every day..." Su Tan'er's smile has actually faded, and she faintly Talking about Ning Yi's recent events. In fact, I understood why my father asked these questions. Before on this hospital bed, my father sighed a few times: "I can't see through him." In fact, he was reminding her.

These things are incomprehensible. How powerful Xianggong is and what he can do, Su Tan'er is also curious, but his father's thoughts are different from his own. After chatting a few more words, she called out to the door, let her father's maid Xiuhe come in, handed her the porridge bowl, and then started to leave.

In the past month and a half, she has a lot of things to do every day. It is not easy to stabilize the current situation. She has also put a lot of effort into it, but now she is no longer as clueless as before the emperor, and started to do things. Come on, the mind is actually stable, the spirit is good, but the body is busy. After going out, Juan'er, who followed, also greeted her, and it could be seen that the young lady's mood was not very good.

In the afternoon, there was still a place to go and things to do. When the master and servant left the yard, they heard some hurried voices coming from the yard next to them.

"It's already like this, what are you still thinking about..."

"It's not that simple, sister..."

"I've already heard about it, but this big room is not hers alone. Everyone is with her for what she wants to do. It's already like this now... The big room belongs to Boyong, you have to help Boyong keep this share. …”

"I know… "

"If it weren't for that Ning Yi didn't understand anything, he would have stepped in..."

There was such a faint voice of conversation, and when the two figures appeared at the door over there, they were suddenly stunned. Su Tan'er gave a dignified salute: "Second Mother, Uncle Gu..."

"Uh, Tan'er, come here... come to see the master..."

"Second miss."

It was Er Yiniang and her younger brother who were talking at home, who were also one of the shopkeepers in the big room at this time. After saying hello embarrassingly, the two sides also parted ways. When they walked to a place where no one was around, Juaner pursed her lips: "Miss, the second lady and the shopkeeper Gu are discussing surrender..."

"I know." Su Tan'er smiled slightly, "It's not just them..."

There have been so many things happening in the big house recently, and there are actually many internal differences. Some people think that the big house will definitely not be able to get the owner of the family. Don't fight any more. It's better to protect some interests that originally belonged to them. Even if Su Zhongkan or Su Yunfang is in charge of the family in the future, they will not be driven out. The more you leave behind, the better your life will be. The two aunts, and even their own mother, seemed to hold this attitude. Of course, if Su Taner really wanted to talk openly and honestly, most of them would say "there is absolutely no such thing", "We women and Taoists don't care about business affairs."

In the other direction, they are actually doing good for the big house, Su Boyong, and themselves, but they are a little short-sighted and a little colder. At this time, they are thinking about these things with the minds of women they only use for house fights. .

"Juan'er, it's fortunate that you were not born in a big family..."

"Huh?" Juan'er blinked.

"This family is impersonal."

Su Tan'er smiled slightly, and Juan'er pursed her lips. As a maid, she couldn't express her opinion on this. The two stopped on the pond bridge near the garden, Su Tan'er looked at the reflection in the water, straightened her hair, and whispered: "Actually, I don't have much humaneness..."

"No, Miss and Uncle are fine."

"Between my father and I, I can't get close either... I just feel wronged. Well, he has been out during the day for a while now."

"Well, some people in the family speak very hard. My uncle is too lazy to argue with them, but he certainly doesn't like listening to it... Last time Chan'er was angry and cried."

Su Tan'er frowned, a stern look flashed in her eyes, and after a long while, she took a deep breath and smiled at Chao Juan'er: "Have you all written it down?"

"Uh..." Juan'er was stunned for a moment, then lowered her head, "How did the miss know."

"Because I'm my sister."

Su Tan'er said of course, Juan'er was a little embarrassed, lowered her head and smiled embarrassingly: "I, I, and Chan'er have all written down, last time... Last time I secretly remembered the name with Chan'er at home, and my uncle looked at it. arrive."

"Oh? What did Xiang Gong say?"

"Say we're careful."

"Heh." Su Tan'er burst out laughing, and then restrained the smile, "Remember it and show it to me, don't tell my husband."

"Yeah." Juan'er nodded, since she won the death-free gold medal, she then started to complain with a stern face: "Miss, in fact, in the past few days, they have gone too far, and some even asked the uncle from Su Home away... How long do we have to settle the matter... In fact, the uncle is the most wronged. Sometimes, Juan'er can't listen anymore... "

"Master he..."

Su Tan'er paused, recalling the events of the past two months, especially after the annual meeting of the Royal Merchant, her busyness was actually second, and Ning Yi, who was in the middle of everyone's abuse and accusations, was light and calm. It's more than Juaner, Chan'er, and Xing'er who can't stand it anymore. In her heart, she wants to stand up and scold people every time. Even a few times, it was Ning Yi who patted her on the shoulder and told her to go back. Only she can clearly feel it. To the strength behind every incident, the steadfastness and firmness behind the casual figure. And every time this happened, she also felt that she was actually a little sorry for her husband. At the beginning of the marriage, I thought that these were things I had to carry, and I tried very hard to do so, but in the end, it was the figure who stood up and blocked these things lightly.

"It won't take long. The news has already started to be released. If the Wu family's response is normal, it's almost..." She looked at the surrounding scenery, "Almost these days, the showdown can begin..."

After saying this, her heart seemed to be a little relieved: "It's been two and a half months..." She murmured, "After the matter is over, after it's over..." She thought of something, and suddenly there was a blush on her face. Passing over, she looked down at the reflection in the water, then subconsciously raised her hand to fold her hair, and looked sideways at herself in the water. Sure enough, I have to wait until it's over. I am really haggard now, so I don't deserve him...

She smiled in the water, and the woman let go of her hair and walked forward.

"Let's go, it's time for a showdown."

In the afternoon sunlight, the free and confident steps of the woman were reflected, and the little maid happily followed behind. This day is the 14th day of the lunar calendar in the eighth year of Jinghan. Although the showdown has been decided, after some procedures, there will naturally be a few days of waiting. But in fact, that is, in this afternoon, something has already happened. This thing seems quite natural, but if you think about it later, it may make people feel a little abrupt.

In a teahouse this afternoon, Ning Yi may have been out of his mind and casually closed the line for a trivial matter. Of course, in his opinion, this trivial matter may be unimaginable to others.

One day earlier, Ning Yi and Wu Qilong met on the street. It seemed like a chance encounter, and the two sides also said hello. For a month and a half, this may not be the first time they met, but it was the first time they greeted each other. Wu Qilong was chatting with a businessman in a cloth line, and when he saw Ning Yi, he turned away. He cupped his hands: "Brother Ning, it's been good recently." Ning Yi also cupped his hands in return: "It's fine." After parting ways, Ning Yi was too lazy to take it to heart at that time.

Then today, after class, he went to Dongji to buy an old book. This is probably a book brought in by Hu Shang from the western Arab region. There are many graphics on it, and it probably involves knowledge such as alchemy. Ning Yi also bought it casually. After deciding, he asked someone to translate it for him. After buying the book, he went to the teahouse to drink tea or something. He also asked Xiao Er to bring a pen and paper. He looked at the graphs and made a guess. What is the content of this book? This kind of conjecture can also be regarded as a method of recalling previous knowledge. While I was burying my head in writing and drawing, a figure also walked to the side.

"Brother Ning, what a coincidence, what is this?"

Ning Yi looked up, and it was a coincidence that it was Wu Qilong, who nodded and said hello. Later, Wu Qilong sat down on the other side of the tea table, so Ning Yi casually introduced it.

"It should belong to the Arab region. This is Persian in the north. I can't understand it, but the graphics look like it should be a chemical reaction involving several metals... Do you understand chemistry? Uh, it's similar to alchemy..."

"Brother Ning is really involved in a wide range. Uh... the chemical reaction of metals?"

"Purification and transformation of metals and such."

"Oh?" Wu Qilong looked solemn, "Then... wouldn't it be very useful?"

"Generally speaking, most of the things mentioned above should have been mastered by the blacksmiths on our side. It's just that stones from other mountains can attack jade. Their way of thinking is different and can be used for reference." Ning Yi said here , raised his head and looked at Wu Qilong, "Brother Wu is waiting for someone?"

"Oh, nothing to do, just wandering around at random. I happened to see Brother Ning here, and I was a little curious."

Ning Yi nodded, but did not look away, Wu Qilong smiled, and the two looked at each other for a while, after a while, Ning Yi narrowed his eyes, nodded again, and waved to Xiao Er: "Add a cup ."

He lowered his head again and began to draw a figure from the book on the paper, frowning and thinking about it, after the cup came, he didn't look at Wu Qilong, but just stretched out his hand: "Brother Wu, please do it yourself."

"Thank you." Wu Qilong smiled and poured tea for himself. Ning Yi was still processing the graphics with his head down, and sighed softly, as if he heard some other answers Wu Qilong had just said, so he suddenly murmured. To himself: "Oh, the cloth is starting to fade..."

Wu Qilong's smile froze there instantly, and his hand shook for a while, but after all, he still held the teapot firmly and put it back gently. Turning his head, he stared at Ning Yi earnestly and somewhat fiercely, with a slight slap on his face. Some things came up from the bottom of his heart, it was the feeling of the nightmare finally turning into reality, and there was a bit of confusion. In his expectation, these conversations should not be like this, and Ning Yi should not say these lightly. thing.

But in front of his eyes, everything was presented in this way. Ning Yi was still writing and drawing with his head down. It seemed to him that all this was like snacks and tea in the early winter and summer in front of him. Said this sentence in the attitude of chatting with people: Oh, the cloth is starting to fade, no wonder you have to sit down.

An unusual thing.

"Sure enough... you did it..."

It took a lot of effort for Wu Qilong to restrain his tone from gnashing his teeth or trembling.

In the early winter sunshine, Ning Yi put down the brush, raised his head, and glanced at him...

*************

Six thousand words ^_^