Father Han Gaozu

Chapter 629 Zhang Sheng's Barber Shop
Zhang Sheng groped in the dark, and walked out of the inner room cautiously.

The moon hung high in the sky, even with the pure white moonlight, Zhang Sheng still couldn't see anything clearly, he could only hear the sound of his wife pounding rice in the courtyard.

Relying on his intuition, he walked to the storeroom, picked up a few bundles of dry firewood, and returned to the courtyard carefully. In the dark night where he could not see anything, only the sound of his wife pounding rice could be heard in his ears. Sitting on the sidelines and waiting, Zhang Sheng could not help shrinking back in the cold wind until his wife lit the stove with a flint and the flame flickered. This time, Zhang Sheng finally saw clearly.

Although the weather is not hot, my wife's forehead is full of sweat.

Under the firelight, his wife's face looked softer and more beautiful.

She is obviously just a simple and unpretentious village woman, but in Zhang Sheng's eyes, she is the most beautiful beauty in the world.

The wife looked at her husband who was sitting not far away and looked at her foolishly, and shook her head, "The meal is not ready yet. My husband can go back and rest for a while."

"No problem. I can't fall asleep without you by my side."

The wife hurriedly glanced at the inner room, and then gave her husband a white look.

She started to make wheat rice, while Zhang Sheng talked about his plan in a rambling manner.

"The noodle shaving business is not doing well. The government office is recruiting noodle shaving masters, and they say they shave prisoners' hair. I'm going to go there and ask about the situation. If the price is fair, I'll make a name in the county office."

Zhang Sheng and his wife live in a small county town. The two got married four years ago. Zhang Sheng has a facial shaving skill handed down from his family, specializing in beard and hair shaving. Some fellow countrymen came to him for facial shaving. Zhang Sheng learned from his father since he was a child, and he also has good skills. He has inherited his father's lintel.

But the wife was a little displeased, "You're not an errand. Is it the same to shave a prisoner's head and shave his face? Aren't you just throwing your name at it?"

"If you do this, who will dare to come to you for a facial shave in the future?"

Zhang Sheng was taken aback, "You are right."

The wife was a little puzzled, "The harvest is good now, and after paying the tax, there are still a dozen baskets left behind. There is no shortage of food and drink at home. Why is my husband always in such a hurry recently? Could it be that he owed some debt?"

The wife wiped her hands with her apron, and looked at Zhang Sheng seriously, "If your lover has debts abroad, don't hide it. We can work together to figure out a way. Mistakes can be corrected."

"Where did you go? I never had gambling debts."

"So you think I'm old, and you plan to marry another young one?"

"Hahaha"

Amid the bickering between the couple, the meal was finally ready, and Zhang Sheng hurried into the inner room when his daughter's exclamation came. Not long after, he came out holding a cute doll rubbing his eyes, and the whole family knelt down. Sitting and eating, Zhang Sheng took some food for his daughter.

"I want to eat chicken!"

"well"

Zhang Sheng glanced at his wife, who frowned, "No, that's for your father."

"No problem, just give it to her"

Looking at the food in front of her, the youngest daughter ate herself like a squirrel, with a round face and every movement.

Zhang Sheng was eating wheat rice, looking at his wife who was eating with her head down, he hesitated to speak.

"I'm sorry for you"

"What's so hard about it?"

"Shall I discuss something with you?"

"You say it."

"I want to save some money to lend my family's arable land to people for farming, and then we will go to the county to open a small shop. I am also optimistic about the location. The restaurant of Uncle Wang outside the east gate, Uncle Wang passed away, and his child They don't want to continue to open it, I want to buy it for us to open a barber shop, there are many people in the county, I think life will be much easier."

Zhang Sheng slowly talked about his plan, with a trace of determination in his eyes.

The wife looked at Zhang Sheng with some concern, "My dear... Actually we are living well now, you don't have to be like this."

"After you marry me, you won't be able to eat a few meals."

Although Zhang Sheng's wife is not from a proud family, she is also a very wealthy family. Their family is a butcher, and they are considered rich in the whole village. Back then, Zhang Sheng followed his father to their house for a facial repair. When he met her, the two It was love at first sight, and the marriage contract was drawn up in private. In the early Han Dynasty when the social atmosphere was extremely open, even their family members could not object and could only accept it. However, Zhang Sheng always felt guilty towards his wife, and his wife also understood this. Today's life is very satisfying, and I don't want my beloved to give more, he is already very miserable.

The wife looked at the confident husband and wanted to say something, but couldn't speak.

"If you have already decided, then I have no objection not to be tired."

Zhang Sheng finished his meal in a hurry, and left with a hoe on his shoulder.

At this moment, the smoke from the cooking of several other houses has just risen.

Zhang Sheng had to go to work in the farmland in advance. He walked all the way through the empty and quiet road, and under the cold wind, he hummed a little tune slowly. The accent of Chu State was most suitable for such an empty environment, and arrived at his home Zhang Sheng spat on the palm of his hand, and then began to get busy.

He had been busy for a long time, and when the sky was about to dawn, someone passed by the side of the road. Everyone in the village knew him and greeted him from a distance.

"Mr. Zhang! I have to go to your house in the afternoon!"

"I know~~"

Zhang Sheng responded with a smile that the reason why he came early was to not affect his haircut business. After the farming was over, people usually came to him for a shave.

After being busy for a long time, Zhang Sheng carried a hoe, wiped the sweat from his forehead, faced the scorching sun, and returned home panting.

Putting down the hoe, he washed his hands, took out the hairdressing tools he had prepared, and waited for the customers to come to his door.

His father used to be unable to support the family through facial shaving business. After all, for poor people, spending money on facial shaving is still too extravagant, and nobles look down on him. Tools go to rich people’s homes, for example, butchers’ homes cost less than [-] yuan a month, and they really can’t support their families. But it’s different now. Zhang Sheng can’t say when it started. You don't need to go door to door like my father, someone will come to his house to ask him for a facial shave.

When the business was booming, he could earn five or six hundred yuan a month, even Yue Zhang was a little impressed.

The first guest came to the door, it was a strong man.

This person is a local postal soldier, apparently just came back from other places, with a messy beard, and greeted Zhang Sheng enthusiastically when he entered the door.

Zhang Sheng hurriedly smiled and asked his wife to bring water and food.

The postman was sitting in the courtyard, and Zhang Sheng began to wipe his face with hot water, holding a razor in one hand, "What do you want to do?"

"Hey, you can figure it out, just fix it a little bit."

"I went to Puyang this time, you don't know. People over there have strange beards, and the barber shop there is too big. However, the fees there are also high, and it costs a hundred yuan to repair a face. I said, you should also increase the price of this ticket by [-] yuan, and you only have [-] yuan."

Hearing what the guest said, Zhang Sheng just smiled honestly, "My craftsmanship is not worth a hundred dollars."

"The changes around here are too big. Let's talk about Puyang, my good fellow. Just to enter the city gate, you have to wait for five or six hours. The carriage is about to go to Chang'an. The city has also changed a lot. It’s different every time I go there. The women over there are also fresh and beautiful. There is a woman who has taken a fancy to me. She wants to come back with me. I have a wife at home, how can I marry again? Those women, the rouge that I put on , that’s called a fragrance. Wearing that costume, I’ve opened my eyes.”

"When I first entered the city, there were seven or eight grooms who came to ask where you were going. They didn't even look at what I was doing. I still need him to send you?"

The guests were chattering, but two more guests came, everyone saluted, and they sat aside and waited.

The postman brother is also talkative, "But there is one thing that is not good. Puyang charges money for everything. When I am thirsty, I find a family to drink water, and they still ask me for money. It is better to be here. I am going to take my family to move. Go over there. I'm looking forward to the house. You should also go to Puyang to open a shop, and you're making money!"

Zhang Sheng helped him repair it carefully, scraped off the excess, and designed a tough beard shape for the postman brother. Before he finished talking about Puyang, the beard was already repaired.

The post soldier looked at the bronze mirror and patted his face, very satisfied.

"In Puyang, there is a kind of mirror. The mirror looks very clear, very clear. It's not like this bronze mirror. Next time I come, I'll bring you a piece!"

He gave ten coins, took another fruit from the fruit plate, and left with a smile.

The second client was a young man, and Zhang Sheng also knew him. When he sat down, he asked with a smile, "School is over so early?"

"I'm here to visit my parents, and I've invited them for three days."

Zhang Sheng nodded, "Then let me fix it for you?"

"No, it's good to be as good as Brother Cao."

"It's the kind of beard that's in fashion right now"

Zhang Sheng started to get busy, and the young man said with a smile: "Don't believe Brother Cao's words. The current house in Puyang is almost the same, and it costs tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands. I dare not think about it. Go there It may not be easy to open a shop on the sidelines.”

Zhang Sheng said with a smile: "I don't want to go there, I want to open a shop in the county, young man, you are educated, do you think it is suitable to open a shop in the county?"

The young man hesitated for a moment, "It's okay that there are more and more shops in the county now, and the business tax is not high, but the procedures are a bit cumbersome, and you have to wait for the approval of the Shihuo government, but if you want to open a shop, brother, I will help you." You apply. But you can't get ten more over there."

"well."

"After graduating from Chinese studies, I plan to participate in the assessment, but the lack of people is too far away, I want to wait."

"It's not easy for your father and mother. If you pass the exam early, you can take care of them."

"Yes. They raised me and my two younger brothers to go to school. I have been studying here, and I haven't earned any money."

"Don't worry. You're doing big things, study hard. You're the most promising here! You'll learn something in the future. Be a general and give our township a face!"

The young man smiled wryly, "Tai Xue? I am a child from a poor family. Where did I go to Tai Xue? Besides, I study the law. There are too many law students these days. The official assessment is getting more and more difficult. I used to I should learn a craft from you. Sigh."

The young man looked sad, but Zhang Sheng smiled and patted the hair off his face.

"Don't say such things, come and see"

Looking at himself in the bronze mirror, the young man couldn't help but sigh: "Brother Cao is right. Your craftsmanship is indeed better than those who run shops in Puyang."

He hurriedly got up to pay, but Zhang Sheng shook his head, "Forget it, I will give it next time! Read your book carefully! When you were admitted to Guoxue, I didn't give you any gifts. Let's make up for it. "

The young man refused, and the two declined for a long time, but the young man still reluctantly put away the money.

"Thank you brother!"

"You're welcome to study hard~~~"

Zhang Sheng sent him away with a smile and asked the third guest to sit down.

The third guest was their neighbor, an elderly man with a problem with one leg, and it was not convenient to sit down.

"Just say no to me? I'll go directly. Why do you have to come in person?"

"You can't ruin your business."

The old man said with a smile.

"same as usual?"

"Ah."

The old man is an out-and-out farmer, he has been doing farm work all his life, and he doesn’t talk much, but the old man’s mood looks very good, and he is always happy. The old man once had four children, only one left, and now he has a family and a business. His grandson was about to get married, but he didn't want to move to live with his son. When his son came to beg him to go to the county seat, he just said that he was used to it here.

Zhang Sheng had no choice but to open the topic by himself, "It looks like the harvest will be very good this year."

"Yes. The harvest is getting better and better."

"The day before yesterday, an official came to teach farming. Why didn't you go? The man talked well. He also talked about a lot of techniques."

"I have been working in the land all my life and still need officials to teach me?"

"That's not true. I've heard people say that those officials are all educated. They have written many books on farming. There are many new technologies. They specialize in studying how to farm."

"What is there to study? I won't go."

"They said it was sent by the Holy Son of Heaven to help us. You'd better go and listen. There are still books in Lizheng. They can tell you about it, and it doesn't cost money."

The old man was taken aback, "Sent by the Holy Son of Heaven??"

The old man suddenly felt a little distressed, "I should go, what should I do? The Holy Son of Heaven sent someone to help, but I, an old man, didn't appreciate it."

Speaking of the Son of Heaven, the old man said a lot more, "The Son of Heaven was very kind to us. Both of my sons died in corvee service. I was able to keep one because of the Son of Heaven. Distributing food, clothing, and farm tools. You don’t know, Sheng Tianzi is a very good person. He even asked me to find him if I have something to do!”

"what??"

Zhang Sheng was taken aback and almost trembled. He asked, "Have you talked with the Holy Son of Heaven???"

"Yes. Earlier, an official came to my door and said that the Son of Heaven told me that if an official insulted him, he could tell him and asked me if I wanted to write a letter to the Son of Heaven. I said I couldn't write a letter. Let him write to me Say thanks to Sheng Tianzi for his love, and ask him to help me bring some apricots from home to Sheng Tianzi."

Zhang Sheng suddenly realized, but he didn't explain too much, he just laughed.

"You're right!"

After repairing the noodles, the old man stood up, tremblingly took out money from his pocket, took out six or seven dollars, and Zhang Sheng took the money directly, "Enough, enough, next time you just tell me .You don't have to come in person, I'll take you back"

"Isn't that enough? I"

"Ten money, enough, I'll send you back!"

When Zhang Sheng returned home, his wife looked at him strangely, "Three customers. Sixteen dollars? Your husband wants to open a shop in the county?"

The wife was not angry, but there was a smile in her words.

Zhang Sheng scratched his head, "Mr. Zhang is my family. Besides, he lives here alone and is old. He is my father's friend."

"I will definitely accept it next time. I will definitely accept it."

While talking, someone suddenly broke into the house.

It was a half-grown child, crying, "Father Zhong. My grandfather asked you to go."

"what??"

Another old man in the village passed away and left in the early morning. His children rushed over after hearing the news. At this moment, many people gathered at the door. Seeing Mr. Zhang coming, everyone gave way. The old man's eldest son's eyes were red, and Zhang Sheng hurriedly comforted him.

The old man in their family used to be an excellent carpenter, but later he contracted a disease and fell ill for five or six years. The children of the family took the old man to the county medical center for medical treatment every day, although they prescribed medicine from the local area. It proved that a lot of medical expenses were exempted, but it still caused their family a lot of trouble, and the children were almost exhausted. The eldest son stated the purpose of looking for him, "Father is going to be buried. I want to be clean Burial, I specially invite you to repair your face."

The Han Dynasty didn't have any taboos about this. They didn't feel taboo about death. They believed that death was a brand new beginning. People should wear the best clothes and go to another world cleanly.

Therefore, facial shaving masters often shave the dead. In the past, many ordinary people had their first facial shaving when they passed away. This is even the biggest daily income of facial shaving masters, which is much more expensive than that of living people. Many, many times.

Zhang Sheng quickly took out the tools and began to clean up the old man's face seriously.

Several of his children covered their faces and wept bitterly. The eldest son cried and slapped himself when he saw his father's gradually becoming more handsome face.

"Father, why didn't I make you so clean in the past? Why didn't I take you there in the past?"

Their family is all farmers, and they don't have much money at all. Because of the old man's illness, they have no family property and are on the verge of bankruptcy.

While Zhang Sheng was cleaning up for the old man inside, his youngest son was also outside to greet the officials.

The official raised his head arrogantly, "Festival burial! Do you know? Festival burial!"

"Big funerals are not allowed!! Let alone heavy burials!!"

"Anyone who dares to disobey will lose his head!!"

He roared outside, and everyone just looked at him, silent.

When the official entered the inner room, the arrogance on his face disappeared. He patted the eldest son on the shoulder, "I also know the situation in your family. A funeral is like a festival. If someone dares to say that you are not filial, you can directly sue the official." Don't worry about your family's filial piety, I know it and I will find a way to give you some rewards as compensation for the medical expenses during these days."

If in the past, the old man passed away, the family would have to have a grand burial, otherwise, even if they worked hard to take care of the old man for five or six years, they would still be reprimanded as unfilial by others and might be driven out of the village.

After Zhang Sheng finished his work, the eldest son fumbled for his sleeve, "How much should I give you?"

Zhang Sheng fell silent.

Zhang Sheng returned home and smiled awkwardly.

"They're going bankrupt. It's not easy for me to collect money"

"But look.. I brought this!"

Zhang Sheng held a wooden pedal rice pounder, "With this, you won't be so tired when you want to pound rice in the future. But the barber shop"

The wife looked at the beloved man who was standing not far away, holding something, with a guilty face and a bewildered man, and laughed.

"Let's drive it at home."

ps: This is the first time to describe today's big man from the perspective of ordinary people. There are no policies, no ministers, only a few simple people, and an enthusiastic barber. I don't know if you like it or not.

(End of this chapter)