North and South groceries

In fact, same-sex love was not uncommon in the early Tang Dynasty. After all, no matter in modern times or in ancient times, there were some people who only liked the same sex by nature.

However, the atmosphere in later generations is open, and many people have been able to admit their sexuality frankly, but it is not the case at this time.Most ordinary people can only try their best to endure and hide. Those who are rich and powerful can raise male stars, and those who are educated can use the word romantic as a fig leaf.

Qiao Junlin often went out to socialize with people, and he was no stranger to this kind of thing, because he was born in a lower family, and there were some old people who tried to use money and power to make him submit, Qiao Junlin felt very disgusted and disgusted.

Among the young men who are about his age, a small number of them also have this tendency. Among the classmates, there are also some who secretly laugh at those people, and their words are very unpleasant.

Qiao Junlin cherished his reputation very much, and he didn't want to get involved with those people at all, and he was a little impatient with the tricks of sympathy for that kind of people.

However, just now in the Qingfeng Building, those smiling official prostitutes also made him feel very impatient.

After much deliberation, I finally came to Guangdefang. I heard that Luo Yong and the others were going to live here for the night. It happened that Guangdefang was just across the street from Yanshoufang where he was at that time, so I didn't think much about it. After passing the square wall, he came over.

When he saw the person in front of him, he felt no impatience at all.Thinking about it this way, recently, I have become more and more similar to those male students in school who are tired all day long.

But this coffin board has lived in the countryside since he was a child, and now that he came to Chang'an City, he seldom goes out to socialize with others. He probably doesn't know about those messy things.

"You are really too courageous." On the other side, Luo Yong reprimanded nonchalantly.

"..." Qiao Junlin grinned at him, entered the room on his own, kicked off his shoes on the kang, and fell asleep with the quilt on the spot where Luo Yong had just been lying.

Luo Yong: ...

The two slept overnight at Guangdefang, and walked to Taixue the next morning. Guangdefang is relatively close to Taixue, and it will not take long to walk there.

Then, after school that afternoon, Luo Yong and his disciples went to Huaidefang to have a look at the courtyard they mentioned earlier. It didn't meet Luo Yong's lowest psychological expectation, but the price was appropriate. After much deliberation, Luo Yong didn't choose the place in the end.

"I heard that the matter of your shop has not been confirmed yet? I, Aye, said that there is a restaurant in Fenglefang that is about to change hands. Why don't you go and have a look?" On the evening of the [-]th day of the twelfth lunar month, Ma Feiyang drove to Feng'an. On the Fang side, Yu Luoyong talked about it.

Regardless of the difference between Fenglefang and Fenganfang, there is only one word, the location can be found far away, come out from the Zhuque Gate in the middle of the south of the imperial city, walk south along the straight and open Zhuque Street in front, The third square on the right is Nafengle Square.

"Is there still time to go now?" Luo Yong also knew that buying a house sometimes paid attention to a first opportunity, but just looking at the weather, it was really late.

"What are you afraid of? If you can't make it back before the curfew, you can stay overnight at Fenglefang, or you can go to Guangdefang." Fenglefang is not far from Guangdefang.

"Okay, you wait for me." Luo Yong said, went into the room to say hello to Qiao Junlin, and told him that if he didn't come back tonight, remember to help him take those papers to the Taixue tomorrow. Tomorrow is the twenty-ninth day of the twelfth lunar month, and the students of Taixue have to pass the exam once before they can have a holiday for the New Year.

Qiao Junlin was reciting a book at this time, and after hearing Luo Yong's words, he nodded in agreement without saying anything.

Luo Yong and Ma Feiyang rushed to Fenglefang together. The restaurant that Ma Feiyang mentioned was also in a good location, it was in the southeast corner of Fenglefang, not far from the east gate and south gate.

The east gate of Fenglefang is next to Zhuque Street, and the side street beside the south gate is also quite lively, with cars coming and going every day, as well as many pedestrians.

This restaurant was also newly built a few years ago, with two floors, and the place is relatively spacious. In addition to the front storefront, there is a small yard at the back, which is mainly used for parking cars and horses and stocking goods. The size of the restaurant The kitchen is on the side, connected to the front building.

If there is anything bad about it, it is that this place is not in the two main entertainment districts of Chang'an City. The location is good, but the business is not as developed as the surrounding area of ​​West City, the surrounding environment is relatively quiet, and the overall atmosphere is not good. It's a little serious, no wonder the business of this restaurant is not good and they have to change hands.

Luo Yong is very satisfied with this shop, the only remaining problem is the price, the price offered by the other party is also reasonable, but Luo Yong's savings is still not enough to buy this yard, half of it is enough.

After all, the location here is very good. If some rich people buy it, push the shop away and build a house, it will be more decent to live in, so the price is not cheap.

"Sanlang, look..." Ma Feiyang heard him Aye earlier that he wanted to sell this restaurant because of poor business. He originally thought that the price would not be too high. As I imagined.

"The store owner is in a hurry to use the money?" Unexpectedly, Luo Yong said to the store owner at this time: "If you are not in a hurry, I will pay you half of the money first, and pay the rest within two months, how about it?"

"Two months is not enough, the longest is one month." The shopkeeper said.

"January and a half." Luo Yong conceded.

The store owner was still a little reluctant, but thinking about it, the other party didn't lower the price. At least the transaction price was satisfactory to him. If it was a different person, it might not be able to get such a good price. Besides, there are not only houses for sale in Chang'an City. He is here.

"Forget it, then it will be January and a half. I hope that Saburo will keep his promise, and then don't delay any longer." Finally, the owner of the restaurant agreed to the deal.

"Of course not." Luo Yong cupped his hands.

"January and a half, where are you going to raise so much money?" After the deal was concluded, Ma Feiyang and Luo Yong stepped on the closed door of Chang'an City, sat in the carriage, and rushed to Guangdefang.

"I have to ask someone to send a message to Liangzhou City to see if my sister can send some money." Luo Yong said with a smile.

If it’s not possible, just borrow it.Right now in this city of Chang’an, real estate with a better location is a radish and a hole, and it is rare to sell it. At this time, it has only been 11 years of Zhenguan, and it is already like this. If you want to buy it in the future, you will only It's getting harder and harder.

Although Luo Yong is reluctant to buy this restaurant now, but among other things, the land in that place is already very valuable, so no matter what, it will not be a loss-making business. After passing this village, there is no such shop.

In the days that followed, Luo Yong entrusted someone to deliver letters to Liangzhou City through the post station, and at the same time began to make preparations for this shop in full swing. He was not idle during the New Year's Eve.

·

Here in Liangzhou City.

At the end of the year, Luo Erniang gave each of her employees a bucket of wheat, two liters of miso, a basket of tofu and dried tofu, and ten coins.

In Liangzhou City, food is more expensive than meat and gold, so a bucket of wheat is not cheap. In addition, there are ten yuan and miso tofu. I searched the entire Liangzhou City, and there are few employers who are more generous than her.

The employees who got the things happily went home for the New Year, and some of them couldn't go back, so they asked their family members to come and get them. The family members met and said a few words, and then went back, and the rest continued Leave.

Those who were left behind all learned how to knit sweaters from Luo Erniang and others. When Luo Erniang signed the contract with them, it was clearly written on it. When Luo Erniang was working, she couldn't go home. Everyone lived in this yard together, and when they met with their families, they were always in public places.

After such a long period of business development, Luo Erniang's sweater workshop has basically been slowly getting on track.

In the early days, she hired people to pick wool, and then slowly observed it. If there were those who were diligent and skillful, and their characters were reliable, she would pick them out individually and teach them to spin wool.The work of spinning wool is lighter than picking wool, and the wages are more. It is also a craft. Many people are willing to learn, so they are more active, and the atmosphere in the workshop is also relatively good.

Compared with spinning wool, in fact, what everyone yearns for the most is the job of knitting sweaters. Unfortunately, not everyone can be selected. If they are selected, they can earn [-] yuan a month, including food and clothing. Living, four seasons and clothes.

The only bad thing is that they can't go home, so women with families and children can't do this job. They don't want to be second mothers if they want to. Most of them choose young ladies, or simply Those who are older, whose husband has passed away, and there is nothing to encumber the family.

This contract is signed for five years, and I don't know what will happen after five years. Anyway, there are already many people in Liangzhou City who are staring at them. After these people's five-year contract expires, they will be hired. The art of knitting sweaters.

Luo Erniang had also discussed this matter with Luo Yong before. According to Luo Yong, this sweater knitting skill will definitely be learned sooner or later, and it will take ten or eight years at most. After all, they in Xipo Village Those little ladies in the family are going to get married sooner or later. After they get married, they can't help themselves in many things. It must be a matter of time before their craftsmanship is leaked.

So when Luo Erniang decided on the contract period this time, she deliberated and finally decided on five years.

She didn't want to delay the weddings of those little ladies too much, and she didn't want this craft to be leaked too early. After weighing the two, she finally made such a decision.

"For the Chinese New Year in these two days, you should all rest. If you have anything you want to eat, just tell me, and I'll go outside to buy it." After sending off the last batch of workers and their families, Luo Erniang closed the yard, Said to the female workers in the courtyard.

"I have eaten everything that should be eaten on weekdays, and this New Year's Eve is not very delicious." A woman in her early forties said with a smile.

This woman lost her husband when she was very young, and she managed to bring up her two sons and one daughter. Now all three children are married.Luo Erniang admired her for her perseverance and ability to endure hardships, her good temper, and her dexterity, so she asked her if she would sign a contract with her to learn how to knit sweaters, and she immediately agreed, and she has lived in this yard ever since .

These people work here for Luo Erniang, among other things, there is always plenty of food, so when it comes to Chinese New Year, when they ask them what they want to eat, they can't think of anything they particularly want to eat.

Everyone tidied up the yard together, and then went to stay in the house. There are several large windows around the house, which are covered with oil paper with good light transmission. With that layer of wooden windows, the whole room is very bright.

There is a heated kang in the room, which is very warm. Sitting here knitting sweaters will not freeze your hands at all. Hot water is burning on the top of the kang, steam is rising from the kettle, and there are kang tables one by one on the long kang. Red dates and persimmon cakes and various snacks were placed on the table, most of which Erniang bought from outside early this morning, because it was Chinese New Year.

On weekdays, they often have snacks in this room, especially on those nights when they need to work overtime, Luo Erniang even opened a can to eat with them a few times.

There is a little girl here. When she first came here, she was thin and yellow, her palms were like chicken feet. She has been here for less than half a year, and she has flesh all over her body. His mother came to visit We met each other when we were young, and we were very happy, saying that Luo Erniang was good to everyone we met.

Although they can't go home for two days during the Chinese New Year, but they, a group of older ladies and younger ladies, gathered with you to celebrate the New Year, and it was also very joyful. There was plenty to eat and drink, and everyone cut new clothes.

Some people actually prefer to celebrate the New Year here, not to mention that every family has a difficult scripture to recite. Most of them are from poor families. Poverty is not a sin, but poverty will breed many unbearable things. Compared with the outside world, this small courtyard seems to have no worries.

Staying with these local ladies and gentlemen in Liangzhou City, and the Yin sisters who came from Lishi at the beginning, Erniang Luo didn't have much time herself, and most of them taught people to knit sweaters. They are doing it, so although the two of them are young, they are quite respected among these people.

Liangzhou City is so far away from Lishi County, so it is naturally impossible for them to go back to celebrate the New Year with their relatives. Earlier, they sent a letter back to the king, but the reply has not yet arrived. I don't know how much taller that girl Yin Duo'er has grown...

·

On the tenth day of the first lunar month, a letter was delivered to Luo Erniang. It was sent from Chang'an City, and the person who sent the letter was Luo Yong.

Luo Yong was also lucky this time. During the two days when he sent the letter, there happened to be a relatively important document to be sent to Liangzhou City.

The letter Luo used happened to catch up with this speeding train, and on the tenth day of the Lunar New Year, it was forwarded by someone else and delivered to Erniang Luo.

Luo Erniang was very happy to receive this letter. Even if she opened it and read it, she guessed at the parts she didn't know. After reading the whole letter, she probably knew the meaning.

Sanlang said that he was a teaching assistant in Taixue, and he took all four niangs, five langs, six langs, and seven niangs, and even five pairs. They lived in Chang'an City and often met with the aunt and the others. In Chang'an City, Lin Wulang originally said he was going to visit, but now he is working like a long-term worker all day, working for Aunt Luo.

Luo Erniang's eyes were a little wet, she held the letter paper and looked at it while laughing, when she saw that Luo Yong said that she was going to buy a shop in Chang'an City, and she didn't have enough money and silk, she asked her if there was any shop here. At the time, Luo Erniang didn't even think about it, and even took a few people to the warehouse.

Since the twelfth lunar month of last year, she has not sold much, because the price is not high enough, and she is not short of money, so she has been hoarding all the goods. She originally planned to wait until early autumn next year before shipping. At this time, San Lang Since Bian needs cash, then naturally he should stick to his side first.

There is no need to exchange the cashmere sweater and trousers for money, just transport the sweater and trousers to Chang'an City, which is much lighter than money and silk, presumably in Chang'an City, it should not be difficult to exchange them for some money.

"These, and these, all move to the outside." Luo Erniang found a few young men who looked after the yard and asked them to help move the goods.

Now they have more belongings in this yard than before, and there are a few more people in charge of guarding the yard than before. They are all borrowed from the Zhao family. Gotta get her another batch.

"There are so many, Er Niang is going to ship?" The piles of cashmere sweaters and trousers, each set can cover their wages for several years, and look at the big warehouse in front of them, it is full, if they are all sold I don't know how much it can be worth?

"It's not shipping, just take some out and spend it as money." Erniang said with a smile.But he didn't mention to them that this batch of goods was going to be sent to Chang'an City.

She is also a businessman now, and she is no longer as naive as she used to be. She has also heard of many caravans being robbed, and it is very taboo to leak the news to outsiders before going out.