starling is not a bird

The eighth elder brother didn't have much time to be sentimental. The younger brother's shop was right in front of him. Because he turned the direction, the shopkeeper and the waiter all had a more refined look on their faces. They were all neatly dressed and looked very good.

The elder brothers just sat down for a while, even checking the accounts is just a false story, how can they really use them to check the accounts with the abacus beads?There have long been attentive people with sharp eyes and ears to take care of it.The shopkeeper just showed them the surplus, and all of them were beaming with joy. Lao Jiu felt that his face was brightened, and he was quite proud. Then he remembered that his brother had nothing to do last night, so he turned to the shopkeeper and whispered a few words. Sent a few guys to act on their own.There is something more important to tell the master here.

Welcomed the three elder brothers into the inner room to watch tea, and set up a large table of tea fruits, but the usual chestnut flour cakes, crispy rolls, small cream fruits, auspicious cakes, small plum blossom cakes, etc., the shopkeeper He brought out a few tureen bowls from the tray, and handed them to the three masters: "It's rare for the master to come down today. There are no precious things, but this is a seasonal snack. Master, if you don't mind it, try it!"

The eighth elder brother opened the bowl and took a look. It was indeed a rare thing, not expensive, but it was lotus root powder made from new lotus root in the early summer of the West Lake. Lycium barbarum, bright red and lovely.

The eighth elder brother picked it up and took a sip, full of endless greenness, thinking of the past, every early summer, when he took his younger brother for a walk, he saw a long row of shops selling river fresh food in Linhe branch sheds, full of lotus root, water chestnut, chicken Head rice, lotus seeds and so on.

Shichahai lotus market Yangji lotus root of Yang Wufu, Jingji lotus root of Jing Sifu, and Zhengji lotus root famous for selling "lantern red" big water chestnuts. , there is no scum at the entrance.

Not only do I love it, but my younger brothers also like it. I often buy it and chew it all the way, and then transport it back home and distribute it to others. Now the capital has not planted so many lotus roots, and they have to be transported from Hangzhou. They are all old. It's not tasty, but the lotus root powder can still retain some fragrance, so I couldn't help laughing: "The shopkeeper's kindness, such a simple blessing, makes us the envy of men!"

Xiao Jiu tasted the lotus root powder, but it was just a little bit sweet, which was not his way, and seeing that mynah liked to eat it, she simply pushed the whole cup over, and snatched the ones from Xiao Shi's hand, and put them all in front of eighth elder brother: " Starling, eat all you like! Shopkeeper, how much do you have left, take it out to honor the Eighth Master! Remember to let the guys bring it to Beijing again, it’s hard to be flattered by your Eighth Master ?”

The eighth brother couldn't help laughing, how could he eat so much? He smiled and accepted his younger brother's love, and then looked at the tenth brother with winks. The old ten was thirsty, so he took it back to eat, regardless of Xiaojiu's expression disgusted.

The shopkeeper hurriedly replied: "It's a villain with a little pious heart, and it's easy to please him. Naturally, I want to be filial, but I have a fresh idea, and I'm going to prepare some good nourishing prescriptions for the masters to use. Please, masters." Laughing!"

Xiao Ten's eyes lit up when he heard that there was a tonic prescription, "What prescription? Show me!"

The shopkeeper took out some pieces of jade paper from his sleeve, and the clerk behind also brought up the prepared pills, unplugged the plug, and the strong smell of medicine rose, Eighth Brother took the prescription in his hand to read, it was just I remember that my fourth brother tried all kinds of things like Bazhen Ointment Jiling Wan in the market, but there was no miraculous effect.

He naturally knew that the tenth brother was worried about his mother, the noble concubine Wen Xi. Seeing the hot summer, even good people would lose weight in the summer, and the imperial concubine had been bedridden for many days. The eighth elder brother also went to see it, but it was just to endure the day That's all.He knew in his heart that the tenth younger brother's mother would probably be sent away in autumn, and he couldn't help but feel sad, he had already extended his medical treatment, and it was still too late, he had been ill for a long time, could it be that his younger brother was doomed to lose his loving mother?

At this moment, seeing Xiao Shishi's expectant face, even Xiao Jiu's face was full of excitement. He didn't want to say anything to hurt the confidence of his younger brothers, so he gently put Fang Zi aside: "It's hard for the shopkeeper to bother to put your master at ease. You are willing to deal with everything, Xiao Jiu, why don't you reward him?"

Xiaojiu was holding a pill and smelling the smell. Hearing myna's words, he knew that his brother was setting up a platform for himself to show off, and he wanted to win over his confidants, so he immediately said: "This is a big reward, you don't care about the bonus Yes, when the master thinks of a new way to make money, I will take you a share, and let you eat dry shares!"

Hearing this, the shopkeeper was overjoyed, knelt down and kowtowed to thank him, and he still muttered: "Such a great kindness, I dare not be a slave!"

Xiaojiu looked at her elder brother, and was looking at herself with eyes full of encouragement. The corners of her mouth twitched: "I'll reward you and then follow up. If you don't like it, then I'll take care of it for you and save you some time!" The shopkeeper's kowtow was like pounding garlic.

After he got up, he replied again: "The slave heard some news recently, so he must tell the master Huanxixi!"

Xiao Ten was very happy holding the prescription, and said with a smile: "What joke do you have, it's just those nasty things, men don't like to hear this, you save it and tell the guards!" After finishing speaking, he took a deep look at his starling One glance, lest my brother would think of something unpleasant.

The shopkeeper was the most obedient, and he laughed: "Master has wronged this slave. Eighth Master just had a small happy event, but the slave is not qualified to congratulate him. How dare he say anything to spoil the master's ears?"

The eighth elder brother saw that he was eager to try, and smiled: "It's just a routine. When your ninth and tenth masters add people in the future, remember to give him more tiger penis and deer antler to cheer him up!"

Over there, Xiaojiu and Xiaoshi all laughed: "Brother thinks that he came to harm us because he was afraid of eating these things?"

After everyone laughed, the shopkeeper refilled their tea before saying, "I vaguely remember that the master mentioned before that he wanted to do grain business. Recently, the slave heard that Kang's cargo team was trapped! I don't know the masters. Are you interested?"

Brother Ba's heart moved. The Nakang family is a big grain merchant and occupies an important position among the grain merchants in the capital. Although there are many merchants engaged in the grain trade, Hou, Cao, Qiao, Several rich merchants such as Qu, Chang, and Liu are all engaged in this business. With its strong capital, the Kekang family not only devotes itself to long-distance trafficking, but also operates grain stores. Its shops are mainly located outside Zhengyangmen. Ten thousand taels is actually the biggest.

If I remember correctly, when Kangxi attacked the Northwest in 35, the Kang family was responsible for most of the military food transportation, and was later named an imperial merchant by Huang Ama and wore Hualing.Winning them over at this time is beneficial and harmless.Besides, Xiao Jiu's business really needs some contacts to support it!

"Where was the rice grain of the Kang family detained?" the eighth elder brother asked lightly.

The shopkeeper hurriedly replied: "Master Hui, in Shandong, the Daotai over there only took office this year. I think there is a famine, so I want to withhold this money for disaster relief. It's not a bad intention!"

The eighth elder brother thought for a while, and said with a smile: "There are many predecessors who did bad things with good intentions in this world. Even if they do good things, the rules must be followed after all. Although it is urgent to obey the power, if everyone does not follow As usual, if you lose money in the end, you will follow the rules, and the world will be chaotic. Who is willing to do things with peace of mind? This Shandong Daotai has less experience to come up with this foolish trick!"

Brother Jiu looked at his elder brother and said, "That platform is also kind, myna, you think too seriously, right?"

The eighth elder brother looked at the shopkeeper with a smile and said: "The shopkeeper, the shop must have its own rules, right?" How do you deal with a guy who made a big deal and made a lot of money by relying on bad rules?"

The shopkeeper said without hesitation: "Naturally, it is a good word to ask him to walk after the next year!"

The old ten asked strangely: "Why did you fire this guy for earning money?"

The shopkeeper said with a smile: "Business is never done just once. If he breaks the rules, he will cut off our repeat customers!"

The eighth elder brother continued: "It's nothing to have a bad reputation in the shop. If the officials are like this, they are trying to gain fame and harm the people for their own fame! You think, he intercepted legitimate business transactions for his own local interests, and solved the problem for a while. In the future, what merchants would dare to live there? In a year of famine, the price of rice will rise sharply, and in a year of abundance, no one will collect his grain, and the low price of grain will hurt the farmers, and it will be a dead end!"

The shopkeeper next to him was amazed, he was originally from a generation of merchants, his surname was Fan, his name was Guishan, and he was a direct brother of Fan Wanwan from Shanxi.It's just that I'm a concubine, and the family's unwillingness to divide the family property has weakened the fortune of wealth, and it's just the annual dividend bonus.It's just that he didn't want to sit idly at home, so he ran to the capital and traveled a lot. At any rate, he finally became a member of the Eight Banners family and managed a lot of property.

However, the master wanted to please the prince, so he sent himself to help. At the beginning, he made some ginseng and deer antlers, which was completely wrong. It was not until the ninth prince figured out how to buy tea mountains and ship them by sea, that he felt something interesting.

The princes and brothers often come to visit these days, although he is careful to flatter them, in the end he looks down on them a little bit in his heart, but he is just taking advantage of his birth, so there is no real ability!

It wasn't until today when he heard the Eighth Prince's words that he looked at his master seriously. He was only a teenager, and he heard that he had only released someone from the room yesterday, so he had such insight, no wonder he won the hearts of the people.

At this time, shopkeeper Fan hurriedly said: "Master thinks far-reaching, isn't that the truth? It's ridiculous that such a person should have the reputation of pleading for the people!"

The eighth elder brother sneered: "It's a joke to be able to remember meritorious deeds after a dead sheep. That Daotai is an afterthought!" After thinking for a while, he lowered his head and said, "It's not for us to intervene. Apply paint and powder to yourself, and go back and ask Big Brother to cut the mess quickly!"

After saying that, he refused to sit down any longer, so he took his younger brothers and left. Before leaving, he specially asked shopkeeper Fan not to show his words in front of others, and shopkeeper Fan readily agreed.

The elder brother was sitting in his yard looking at the grass shooter of his little daughter. When the eighth elder brother entered, he saw the little Ge in riding clothes holding a small tendon bow. He shot left and right arrows but missed a single arrow. .

Without knowing how to laugh, and without saying hello to the eldest brother, he quietly touched the back of the niece, stretched out his hand to help her draw the bowstring and aimed at the straw man, and hit the red heart with a brush!When the little Gege turned around and saw that it was the eighth uncle, she acted like a baby, saying that the eighth uncle made her lose her head, and the eighth elder brother hugged her niece for a few times, promised candy kites and various tributes before releasing him.

The eldest elder brother watched his younger brother teasing his daughter without saying a word, just watching for fun, and the big baby coaxing the little baby, it was really cool, and it relieved a lot of the depression in his heart.Thinking that the prince's side Fujin has been pregnant for several months, who knows if he can keep it?It's not as good as having a daughter around your knees, don't have fun!

Pulled the younger brother to sit beside him, and before he had time to talk about today's happy event, the eighth elder brother told the whole story, and the eldest elder brother was even more delighted, who didn't know that Shandong Daotai was from the prince's family, so seize this opportunity and participate in his control Finances, aren't you afraid that Huang Ama won't be angry?In my heart, I even believed that my brother was my lucky star.

: "Eighth brother, you are always not generous enough to do things. How can you govern like this? Tomorrow, I will pass on a message to Yushi. I have to kill chickens to make an example to monkeys, so that these people don't always forget that Huang Ama is the master of this world! "

At the same time, he told him Kangxi's plan to let his younger brothers follow him on errands, and the eighth elder brother let out a long sigh in his heart. He was already tired of reading the articles he had read every day. Isn't it a good time to get this opportunity?It's just that it's too early for the younger brothers to go on errands now?Although they can gain more experience, I am afraid that they will lose their books too early. People around them are flattering, and it is not beautiful to lose their sense of propriety in the end.

Thinking about it carefully, the eighth elder brother still felt that he should pay more attention to his younger brother, lest the villain spoil his temperament, so he smiled and said: "The elder brother really cares about the younger brothers, and the younger brother is on behalf of the old nine. Thank you in advance. !"

As soon as the words fell, the elder brother said disapprovingly: "I didn't expect them. Huang Ama has so many sons. I can't think of it when I think about it? Don't talk nonsense, I don't care about those brothers who are outside the four roads. ! The Lord will put you in peace of mind and hurt you!"

As he said that, he hugged the eighth elder brother into his arms: "Don't be idle all day long, you have to figure it out yourself! You earn so much money, it's all for others to make wedding clothes! The old nine has a concubine and a concubine to protect her. Let me tell you, the old ten is the precious lump of the imperial concubine, they are stronger than you, why do you still think about them?"

The eighth elder brother didn't expect to say something like this to the elder brother, so he couldn't answer for a moment, seeing the expression on his elder brother's face, he remembered and said: "What am I worried about, isn't my elder brother protecting me? "The big brother heard this, his heart was as sweet as honey, but he still refused to relax, and teased him for a few more words before letting him go.

According to the wishes of the eighth elder brother, I will also do errands and go to the study, without delay. The elder brother pondered for a while, and agreed to talk about Xiang. Anyway, Huang Ama likes his sons who are eager to learn, and he will never stop him. Why not do this kind of favor?

Saying goodbye to the big brother, the eighth brother went back to his yard with satisfaction. As soon as he entered the gate of the yard, he saw that the two princesses had changed into buns and were waiting for him in the yard. Looking at the expectant delicate face, Eighth Brother started to have a headache.

It stands to reason that yesterday I rested in Shang Gege's room, and today I should rest in Nata Ta Lajia Gege's house, but the eighth brother knew in his heart that he didn't do anything last night, and he didn't want to come to Shang Gege's House of Internal Affairs. Put on a good face, if tonight, he, Lajia Gege's Hipa turned red, Shang Gege's face will be gone tomorrow!

After much deliberation, Brother Eight sighed, pulled Brother Bai over, and quietly asked her to find out the fun-boosting drugs that the brothers sent a few days ago, and bring them with weaker drugs!

One night, the eighth elder brother worked hard, finally squinted for two hours, and it was dawn, and the nuns of the Ministry of Internal Affairs had already guarded outside, and Brother Bai handed over the hipas in the two rooms to the Ministry of Internal Affairs Yes, the nanny is dead, and the eighth elder brother wishes to sleep to death, but it's a pity that the sky doesn't obey people's wishes, and a lot of things are waiting for him!

The head of the Kang family has not been confused this year, and there have been some storms and waves. Although the grain intercepted in Shandong is not his lifeline, it is also very important.All kinds of connections were entrusted, but the platform was hard and soft, and when Kang was already planning to swallow the bitterness, the good news finally came, and the caravan was sent out of Shandong!

Before the head of the Kang family had time to be happy, another piece of news came, that it was the important people in the capital who came forward to settle the matter!Kang couldn't help wondering, he was just a merchant, and he was only entrusted with ordinary connections, when did he fall into the eyes of a big man?In the world, there is such a thing as going out to meet noble people, but the Kang family has not relied on luck for nearly a hundred years. In everything, there are gains and losses, and he understands it very well!

In a few days, the news came. It was the eldest son of the emperor in the capital who said it. Kang was shocked. He had never had any friendship with the prince, so how did he gain his strength?

In the evening, Mrs. Kang watched the flickering smoke poles in the yard all night. She knew that her husband was very worried, so she dared not sleep.

On the second day, the head of the Kang family summoned all the family members and decided to personally donate [-]% of the shares of the Kang family to the eldest son of the emperor as a reward for his help!

Mrs. Kang was very puzzled: "The head of the family, the prince helped us, but he is not worth [-]% of the shares!" The head of the Kang family knocked on the cigarette pouch on the edge of the kang, took a puff of smoke and said, "What do women know? Whether you are willing to accept this share is uncertain, you have shallow eyes!"

On the second day, the well-groomed Kang family was indeed invited back politely, and the big brother didn't want it either. After returning, the Kang family was even more frowning.His wife couldn't stand it anymore, and persuaded him: "We didn't ask to come to the door. The prince himself wants to help us. Although we are businessmen and don't have anything to repay, we are doing our best. He doesn't like it. , what are you worried about?"

The head of the Kang family was snoring and snoring from the hookah, and said for a long time: "You also know that he is the prince, brother, what does he lack? He doesn't lack anything. The whole world belongs to his family. Of course he doesn't care about it." Our filial piety! Their favors are well owed, I will go today, and the eldest son of the emperor will come out to see me in person, I am so flustered!"

Mrs. Kang asked strangely: "He saw you in person, why are you panicking? He didn't want to beat you or kill you!"

The head of the Kang family said: "Hmph, it's only a matter of one word if he wants to beat me and kill me. I'm afraid that if he sells me a favor today, I won't be able to pay back if I get beaten and killed in the future! It is to keep us to serve in the future! Think about it, it is definitely not a trivial matter for the prince to ask us to serve! Forget it, the matter is like this, I have to ride a donkey to read the script, and we will wait and see!"

It is said that Kangxi let out the news that he wanted the little elder brothers to run errands. The harem had already spread the word. The concubine Yi was very happy, and the fourth elder brother here was also happy. She wanted to ask Huang Ama to let her younger brother follow him to the household department. , Never thought about where Eighth Brother wants to go!