Chapter 496 The cannon fodder cousin of the male protagonist of the imperial examination essay (18)

Xu Yin received the brocade box and couldn't laugh or cry.

 “Did you really send a gift in return?”

 After opening it, I was shocked.

The prefect’s wife gave her a set of pure gold headdresses inlaid with colorful gems.

 Mrs. Liu gave her a luminous pearl.

　　　…”

This is too expensive!

 Xu Yin holds her forehead.

"Is shopkeeper Zhang still here? Please go back the way he came."

"You must not do it!" Xu Kui advised. "The girl felt that it was too precious and she felt ashamed, so she went back. But the ladies of the two families may not think so. They may feel that the girl does not give them face."

　　　…”

 In the end, these two treasures were left behind.

Xu Kui's analysis makes sense. Even if she wants to withdraw, she should come to the door in person and explain the reasons clearly before withdrawing. It is not formal to ask shopkeeper Zhang to refund on your behalf, and it is easy for them to misunderstand - they think you are looking down on them, and you are trying to flatter them. Woolen cloth.

 But now that she is observing filial piety, it is inconvenient for her to visit her.

After thinking about it, I can only wait until the next spring, when the roses and jasmine bloom, and extract some mixed essential oils and give them to them.

 She would never dare to give him perfume. Unless the wine is strong enough to make perfume.

This made her think about it when she was free - should she buy a brewery and provide a vodka recipe to try?

  She remembered that vodka was also made from grains, including potatoes, corn, barley, and rye, but it was distilled.

The more I think about it, the more I feel that this plan is feasible. As long as vodka is brewed, is the mass production of perfume still far away?

"Zi Yuan, please ask the nurse to go to Xujiacun and give this letter to Xu Kui. Don't let him go up the mountain to report to me. After reading the letter, he can go back to Luo City to buy a winery. I need it."

 “Yes, girl.”

So Xu Kui went back to Luocheng that day. When it got dark in the city, he went back to Xu Mansion first.

 The old housekeeper wondered why this boy came back home at this hour? Could it be that something happened to the girl?

 Xu Kui truthfully said that the girl asked him to come to the city on errands.

"Buying a wine shop? What does the girl want from the wine shop?" The old housekeeper thought of the wine that the girl asked him to buy a while ago, stroking his beard and thinking, "Could it be that the girl is using wine to relieve her sorrow?"

 He originally thought that the girl was bringing wine to worship the master and his wife.

Xu Kui didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Dad, where are you thinking! The girl is such a disciplined person, how can she drink alcohol during the filial piety period? The girl said fasting, but she really doesn't eat any meat. As servants, we have to do it every day There are also eggs to eat, and the girl hasn’t even touched an egg.”

“But the girl just asked me to buy wine a few days ago, and now I want you to buy a wine shop. Why?”

"The girl is thinking about the family business. Oh, even if I tell you, you don't understand! Anyway, the girl is doing business!"

Hearing what his son said, the old housekeeper stopped asking any more questions.

The next day, Xu Kui was still sleeping when his father woke him up: "Kui, I asked you to go back to the city. I didn't ask you to come to the house to sleep. Get up quickly! Finish the matter early and go back early." Serve by your side.”

Xu Kui rubbed his sleepy eyes and muttered: "Dad, I have never gotten up so early in Xujia Village..."

"So you've been slacking off, right?" The old housekeeper looked around, saw the feather duster, and held it in his hand as if to hit him. "I asked you to follow the girl and run errands for her. What are you doing? Ah? You're lazy and sleeping. Dajue?"

 “I was running errands and doing odd jobs.” Xu Kui was full of grievances.

He was really running errands, running up the mountain and down the mountain, and down the mountain and up the mountain; from Xujiacun to Liulifang, and from Liulifang to Xujiacun. Sometimes I have to run two or three times a day, and my legs become thin from running.

But having said that, my physical strength is much better than before. Now he doesn't cough all the time.

Dad said that his coughing problem was caused by the cold he suffered when he was a baby, and he thought he would never get better in this life. Unexpectedly, after following the girl for several months, she actually got better!

“Then run and show me! Why don’t you get up?”

 “Get up, get up! Get up now!”

 Xu Kui got up from the bed as if being urged by his father. After eating a few bites of breakfast, his father kicked him out of the house and went to help the girl look for a wine shop. I went to several houses, but either they were unwilling to transfer it, or the scale was too small and did not meet the girl's requirements.

Xu Kui thought he might not be able to complete the task assigned by the girl today.

At this time, a man wearing a black cloak came from the end of the alley. His voice was cold and low: "Do you want to buy the wine shop?"

 “Ah? No, no, no, it’s my master’s house.”

 “Come with me.”

“…” Xu Kui reacted, “I dare to ask the warrior, which winery are you from? Maybe I know.”

 He asked around so many houses that his legs almost broke.

 “He Nian Tang.”

 “Huh?” Xu Kui was dumbfounded.

 He, He Nian Tang?

Isn’t that a winery that specializes in delivering tribute wine to the capital?

 From a scale perspective, it does meet the girl’s requirements.

 However, this is a tribute wine shop, how can it be willing to change owners?

However, when he dubiously followed the cloaked man into the carriage at the alley, and came all the way to Heniantang in the east of the city, he was so surprised that his jaw almost dropped to the ground when he saw the wine shop owner politely presenting the title deed of Heniantang.

"Wait, wait, how much do you want it to cost?" Xu Kui used his remaining sense to bravely ask the other party. It was too expensive and he couldn't afford it.

“How much is the transfer price for an ordinary winery?” the winery owner asked with a smile while stroking his gray beard.

 Xu Kui: “…”

 Is this a question for him?

He said he was willing to make a deal for one hundred taels of silver?

  Wake up! This is a tribute wine shop! Is it so unremarkable?

I don’t want the other party to say with a smile: "You don’t have to be stressed. Luocheng Heniantang will no longer need to contribute wine in the future. I also plan to retire to my former residence, so I transferred it."

"Oh I got it!

 Xu Kui breathed a sigh of relief.

 Since it is no longer a tribute wine shop, he is not polite.

 “One hundred taels?”

“…This is a little too little,” the wine shop owner said, casting a dark glance at the cloaked man.

Xu Kui looked innocent: "..." Isn't this what you asked me to bid?

 Finally, five hundred taels were sold.

Even though the purchase price was higher than that of an ordinary small winery, Xu Kui couldn't help but be happy when he thought that the other party was once a famous winery that produced tribute wine.

 The girl will be very happy when she finds out, right?

Look at how lucky he is to meet noble people when he goes out and get a big deal!

Xu Kui carefully put the land deed into his arms and happily returned home to tell his father the good news.

The wine shop owner closed the door and kicked the cloaked man with his foot.

 “You brat! Not only did I lose nine thousand five hundred taels of silver in vain, but I also gave you a favor.”

The cloaked man turned slightly and avoided his master's chain of legs.

The wine shop owner was so angry that his beard stood up: "Forget the favor, please return the money to me! Nine thousand five hundred taels, not even one tael less!"

 “No money.”

 “No money? You? Who are you fooling!”

 “I really have no money. Now I am a pauper who has sold myself out.”

After the man in the cloak finished speaking, he jumped out from the wall with a slight jump and disappeared at the entrance of the alley.

 “Smelly boy…”

 (End of this chapter)