From the beginning of November of the lunar calendar, the cold weather enveloped Jiangning City. For a few days on the eighth and ninth day of the lunar calendar, the sky began to snow. Along with the flakes of goose feathers, white coats quietly wrapped the entire ancient city.
The snow is not thick enough to prevent people from going out, but according to the usual practice in the past, since it has already started to fall, it may continue to be there until the spring of next year, and the snowflakes will last for two to three months. Intermittently, if it is a poor family, it is almost difficult to go out in such weather. In some places, people don’t even have winter clothes. Above, winter is not a good day for most people in this era.
A big city like Jiangning would be better. After all, the business is prosperous, and there are still many people from well-off families. For a few days after the first snow fell, the school was still open. Of course, several students who lived outside the city did not come. It is also common. There is a small pot of charcoal fire on the side of the lecturer, and the students can only rely on the doors and windows to keep out a little more wind. Fortunately, they are all at a young age, so the problem is not big, each of the two female students has one Beautiful hand warmer, nestled in my arms. Originally, the adults in the family had not allowed them to come back to the school, but they were reluctant to miss the story told by Ning Yi, so they still ran over to listen to the class.
Qin Lao's chess booth naturally stopped when the weather started to get cold. Ning Yi went to his house a few times, but of course it couldn't be too often. However, for the elderly, it is also a good thing to have someone who can talk to the door to visit, but once I met Kang Xian, the old man brought a few ancient paintings to review, and after Qin Lao learned it, he built a stamp up.
After the snow fell, Ning Yi built a snowman in the courtyard of the Su residence. Every night, the scenery of the entire Su Mansion is the most charming. Looking out from the second floor, the light spots swimming in the courtyards and houses are warm and magnificent, antique, obviously oriental style, and those light groups are like It is generally leached from the beautiful oil paintings. If there is a camera, Ning Yi would like to take a few pictures from the top as a souvenir. However, it was also windy on the second floor. After standing for a while, Xiaochan was about to come up and call someone.
On a night like this, it was more interesting to sit in the living room downstairs and have a fire, chatting, playing chess, and reading books. Su Tan'er and a few maids chose fabrics and did embroidery. The relationship between Ning Yi and Su Tan'er's master and servant is naturally good. They sit together and play backgammon. Xing'er, who likes to gossip, occasionally tells some anecdotes that happened in the big house, and occasionally a few little girls will argue about Ning Yi's words. The content of the story, who is more fierce between the fox demon and the general? Does the general Xiahou, who likes to eat eyes, have a beard, or whether those female goblins who have been killed are very innocent? The content varies, occasionally He ran over to ask Ning Yi and asked him to judge the outcome.
So Su Tan'er gradually became fond of Gobang with simple rules. She would check the account book every few days, sit next to her and make plans, and the three little girls would occasionally come over to help. If he played chess with Ning Yi, he would also tell some interesting stories about the relatives of the mansion gate, and simply reveal the relationship between them.
Occasionally there will be relatives who come to display at night. After the snow, several of Ning Yi's students in the school will occasionally come over to greet him or something. In fact, he wants to listen to some stories. Purely speaking, Su Tan'er also likes to listen to these things, and sits on the side with needles and needles to embroider while listening to books.
Occasionally, some brothers and sisters will come over. The younger one is called Su Tan'er's "Second Sister". Most of them want to do something and have no money. They come to complain to her, and want to misrepresent money. People are good, and these people also know that as long as they are measured, Su Tan'er will most likely give it. If you want a hundred, you can always get 60 to 80, but you probably have to listen to Su Tan'er's advice and chat. nagging. What they got is enough for them to drink a few nights of good flower wine on the Qinhuai River.
What these people say is an excuse to be motivated, but what will happen in reality, even Ning Yi, who is not very familiar with these cousins, can see clearly, Su Taner is quite patient, no matter what What excuse the other party is looking for, she always pretends to believe it completely, gives some sincere suggestions along the topic, and then tells the other party not to spend money indiscriminately. If she wants to be called brother, her attitude is also good Very low, the image of the younger sister is extremely well-behaved, occasionally joking: "When did the girl in Chunfengyuan become my sister-in-law last time..." She was a mess with people. Box, still with a beautiful and kind smile, and then told Ning Yi about this cousin's past interesting stories, which were all good words, and pride was overflowing with strong family affection.
Ning Yi looked at these cameras and found it interesting. There may be family affection, but he also understood why the third generation of the Su family was unavailable. Su Tan'er's marriage dragged on for a few years. At the age of nineteen this year, she was already an old girl. However, in Ning Yi's eyes, this was not the case. Her wife, who had already started to control the Su family's house, was actually still a girl. His appearance and figure, even a little green when he speaks and smiles, but the sense of proportion contained in various actions is indeed not to be underestimated.
Being able to get together every day, play chess, tell stories and talk about family life, the atmosphere between Ning Yi and Su Tan'er is more natural than when they just have a meal every day, and then Su Tan'er also proposed It was an invitation for Ning Yi to go out with her occasionally, to visit some people who needed to meet.
The Su family's cloth business is big, and there are many vassal merchants, reliable or unreliable business partners. Su Taner occasionally goes out to other people's homes to visit and talk about business, and it is always better to have a man to follow. In fact, these visits a year ago were not very necessary, but once the New Year was over, it became very important for the two to go out together to pay New Year's greetings to every household. Su Tan'er's invitation at this time actually hoped that Ning Yi would be more familiar with these things. Of course, after a few days, she will be able to find out with satisfaction that Ning Yi is at least very competent in being a decoration.
Ning Yi lacked interest in doing business and other things with this group of people. When other people were talking about business, he pretended to drink tea, read calligraphy and painting, and smiled in a daze. For a while, it only showed the appearance of a polite nerd. Su Tan'er brought him here, in fact, he only asked him to deal with other people's greetings naturally, so as not to give people a bad feeling. These people have more or less business ties with the Su Mansion. Knowing that Ning Yi is in the family, they will not make things difficult for him. Of course, there are people who have heard of Ning Yi's reputation. They find someone to talk to him about poetry and this kind of casual chat. Ning Yi did not take the exam seriously, so naturally Ning Yi took it easy.
Which house or house was to be visited, often when he was on the road the day before or the next day, Su Tan'er would tell Ning Yi the background with a smile. Today's partners, or some are the grass on both sides of the wind. In this mode of getting along, she has a very harmonious relationship with Ning Yi. When she goes out, she will tell Ning Yi about the results of the trip with a smile, make a few jokes or scolded a few words "Old fox, there is no wind. Kento" etc.
Most of the itineraries are boring things like this. Of course, there are occasional little episodes. For example, the visit on November 14 made Ning Yi feel... I am really boring...
"... The silk business done by the He family brothers is quite good. These two brothers are also capable, but they have not been qualitative. After the last batch of business they discussed with them was completed, this time, I heard that they have already negotiated with the Xue family. In order to cooperate, I came here today, and I just did my best..."
On the carriage, Su Tan'er said while turning the bead chain in her hand. Ning Yi nodded.
"So, let's just play it casually?"
"Hehe, Xianggong just perfunctory one or two at will." She smiled and put the bead chain on her wrist, raised her head, tilted her head and reached out to straighten the hair on the back of her head, "After the perfunctory, Xianggong returned in the afternoon. Is something wrong?"
"I plan to go to the bookstore in the east of the city to find a book from the Tang Dynasty."
"The concubine said goodbye this morning, let's go with the husband."
"OK."
It's a business that can't be negotiated in itself, and it's just a visit based on the idea that a business can't be done with benevolence and righteousness. As Ning Yi said, perfunctory is enough. However, if there is always a fly buzzing to and fro during the perfunctory process that was supposed to be peaceful, it would be quite a sight to behold. This afternoon, it was not only Su Tan'er and Ning Yi who came to visit the He family, but also two merchants. So He Jun, the eldest of the He family brothers, was a silk merchant who was called Shishu by Su Tan'er. They entertained everyone in the side hall next to the garden. Several large stoves warmed the surrounding area. From here, you can also see the snow scene of the garden outside at a glance. When you talk, the atmosphere is quite elegant. Also accompanied by the host, is his son He Tingguang.
There are two people in charge of the He family. Apart from He Jun, the second of the brothers, He Feng, is the most talented in business. Su Tan'er just came over to say hello. After the tea party was held for a while, she and the three maids and the rest went to the garden to enjoy the snow, and then met He Feng who came from there. People were talking over there. There were fewer people in the side hall, so He Tingguang began to entangle Ning Yi's poetic talents. He probably didn't believe how talented Ning Yi was. He wanted to test him, but unfortunately he didn't have much talent. , the other party was chattering over there, and he hinted at his friendship with the talented Xue Jin, and by the way, a few new works by Xue Jin for Ning Yi to evaluate.
This guy is also a bum... Ning Yi felt bored, and He Tingguang's father He Jun probably also felt that his son was saying something boring, so he opened his mouth to help the scene, and Ning Yi naturally had to answer: "Listen to Tan'er. The scale of Hejia silk business is admirable, mainly in the area of Shouzhou, right?"
He Jun frowned, but He Tingguang was already smiling: "I want to teach Shixiong to know that my family actually mainly deals in Luzhou and Chaohu. If Shixiong has time to go out and play in the future, don't make a mistake..."
Ning Yi was stunned for a moment, then nodded after a while: "Oh, so it is... Luzhou is not far from Shouzhou, and raw silk is transported there..."
He Jun didn't know what to think over there, and his brows wrinkled deeper: "Why did nephew suddenly mention Shouzhou?"
"That's not true. Isn't the Xue family's workshop in Shouzhou? That shopkeeper Yan is in charge. I seem to have heard someone say last time... um, so I thought the business of He Fu would be in Shouzhou... "
He Tingguang laughed loudly: "Senior brother doesn't understand this, so don't talk nonsense. The shopkeeper Yan Da is clearly in charge of Luzhou affairs. Most of the uncles who are sitting here know about it. If you don't believe me, you can ask them. Ha ha… "
When he said this, the people from the other two shops also laughed and confirmed it. Ning Yi smiled and nodded: "I don't understand this, I occasionally hear a few bits and pieces of news, I made a mistake and made a mistake..." Everyone knew that he was redundant. As a son-in-law, I am not surprised by this, just smiled. On the other side, He Jun said solemnly, "I don't know where the piecemeal news that my nephew said came from."
Ning Yi looked at his serious expression, thought for a while, and then shook his head blankly: "I just... occasionally listen to people chatting a few times, uh... I don't know the specifics, ah, let Shi Shu laugh, do business Tan’er understands a bit about this matter, but I don’t understand it, and I don’t know much about the Xue family, but they confuse Luzhou with Shouzhou, hehe…”
He was so perfunctory, and the whole thing became a little weird after that. He Jun frowned as if he was really thinking about something important, and then called a steward over to tell him something. Ning Yi frowned. : I said it casually, I can't really guess it...
He has been running around with Su Tan'er these days. Although he has no interest in talking about business with others, he can slowly build up an outline in his heart, who is doing what business, and how it will work in the overall situation. These things can be clearly or vaguely placed in front of him whether he deliberately thinks about them. There is a possible outline. When talking about Shouzhou at this time, he is just arbitrarily pushing away the topic of He Tingguang. In the small talk I heard in those days, I vaguely felt that the business of the Xue family might change, and the focus of Luzhou might shift to Shouzhou, and then the direction of Shouzhou. In fact, there is also a silk merchant who is opposed to the He family, and may intervene... These Things are only vague outlines in him, and he has no grasp. He can only keenly feel the key points, but from the results, he really let himself say something...
So they said goodbye and went out not long after arriving. When Ning Yi and Su Taner said goodbye to He Jun and prepared to get into the carriage, He Feng chased after him and exchanged a serious look with He Jun: "My niece Please stay a while, regarding the silkworms in the next spring, I don't know if Su's plans for several nearby places have been decided. If Shi's niece is free today, there is a group of spring silkworm businesses, and I would like to discuss with her niece..."
Su Tan'er turned around with a puzzled look on her face, not understanding why there was such a sudden change. With his back facing the other side, Ning Yi rolled his eyes in boredom.
"Damn... the mouth is cheap... "