Dowry maid's daily life [Red Mansion]

During the Duanyang Festival, wealthy households in the capital need to give each other food boxes made of zongzi, cherries, mulberry and other fresh fruits, as well as five poisonous cakes and rose cakes.In previous years, it was also popular to send realgar wine, calamus wine and other seasonal drinks, but this year Jiuxianju newly launched a "ten immortal wine", which has the effect of dispelling evil spirits and regulating yin and yang. The wine flag of "immortal wine" attracted various families in the capital to exchange this wine as a gift to relatives and friends, and it became popular for a while.

Hearing that the name of this wine is in the same line as "Zhou Gong Centenary Wine" and "Changchun Wine", one can guess that this wine is also Du's medicinal wine.

Du Yun'an is well aware of the principle of keeping fertile water from flowing into outsiders' fields. In the capital, except for Jiuxianju, which sells this new wine, only the "Golden Phoenix Rui" on Dongxi Temple Street has it, and it has attracted some new customers.Jin Fengrui also took advantage of the trend and launched two new types of incense pills: one blindly wards off evil spirits and one blindly Ruilin incense, both of which are used to drive away epidemics and avoid darkness, eliminate evil and kill viruses, but the former is made with ageratum, mugwort leaves, artemisia annua, windproof This kind of common herb is made, and the latter is blended with precious spices and medicinal materials such as sandalwood and benzoin.Naturally, the prices of the two are also very different. Each pill of Bixiexiang is the size of a longan, and a can of Wuwu 25 pills is only sold for one penny; Ruilinxiang's pills are only as big as a thumb belly, and ten pills are packed in a brocade box. , but a box needs two taels of silver.

"Jinfengrui" has been in operation for two months, and its reputation has gradually spread. Although it is also a business of things commonly used by women, it is different from all such shops in the capital. "Jinfengrui" is somewhat similar to a general store that sells goods from the north and the south. All women's things, whether rouge, powder, silk flowers and grasses, embroidery, spices and snacks, can be found there, and there are often new things in rotation. It is a must-visit place for ladies and jaspers.

The Red Crow's Mouth is naturally a unique signboard. To this day, the store's specially furnished back embroidery room only accepts a hundred female customers every day, and other than that, no one is painted.Therefore, most of the female customers attracted by Red Crow's Mouth come here early, and they will naturally wander around the shop while waiting, and many people have realized the meaning of "treasure hunting"-made dim sum and fresh tricks on the Internet. Embroidery, exquisite embroidery imitating calligraphy and painting of famous masters, wild silk flowers and weeds, fragrant rouge cream...they are all there, and it is often not enough to empty the wallets of the guests on the day, and they only teach them to think about it.

"In the past, I was blind to gold and inlaid jade!" Sister Feng imitated Yun An's appearance and bowed three times: "I didn't know that younger sisters could do such a thing."

"Is that how you earn?" Sister Feng asked, holding the hands of her younger sisters.

Du Yun'an was not surprised that they let Sister Feng know about their shop. After all, there are more than 30 people serving in the yard, and how many relatives and relatives does their family have.It was not until now that everyone knew about it, which actually surprised Yun An.It can be seen that everyone in this hospital knows something in their hearts, and they are not willing to ask many people to share a piece of the pie. Everyone is united in their efforts to make a fortune, so anyone who has the idea of ​​​​making trouble is suppressed.

"Show sister-in-law the account book." Yingchun laughed.

This was originally considered and discussed by the three Jinlan sisters. Naturally, they would not hand over their own things to others, but they did not have to guard their flesh and blood relatives like thieves.What's more, money is tight among the officials, and now Sister Feng, the housekeeper, can take care of things. Seeing the three girls set up this small shop to pass the time may give her some inspiration, and also find a way for the officials to save land rent and rent. This is the way to open source out of the box.

"Small shop?" Sister Feng was speechless, staring at the last money written on the ledger and covering her chest. Although she didn't know many words, she could still recognize the numbers "1, [-], [-], [-]".

"330 taels? It's almost 200 taels a month, and you can get 2000 taels in a year! Even if the capital, rent, and rent are deducted, there will be a surplus in the first year?" Sister Feng said in surprise: "My Ancestors, what business are you doing!"

The three of Yun An didn't say that this was pure profit, except that the money for the shop was not split, and the other costs mentioned by Sister Feng had already been removed.The people in this hospital have earned more than 50 taels these days.

"I'm afraid it's not enough," Daiyu said with a smile, "We also bought the yard next door. The two houses together cost 400 taels."

"Why do you spend so much?" Sister Feng made up her mind, the money is enough to buy a well-organized house.

Yun An smiled wryly: "The price has increased, the size and structure of this one at the back is the same as the one at the front, and it has grown by more than 100 taels in less than two months."

A large shop has the advantages of a large shop. Yunan borrowed from the style of the shopping mall in his previous life, and made "Jinfengrui" into a "Yiwu small market": two yards are connected, the shop front with six bays in the front, and eight small rooms in the back. Two rooms were added to the east and west walls, and there are eighteen houses in a circle. A class of things can be described as dazzling, with different steps.This circle of houses is connected by verandahs. In the middle of the courtyard, the floor is paved with wooden boards, the roof is set up, decorated with lush potted flowers and trees, and arranged into three or five half-lit and half-hidden repaired small sitting places. There are girls who serve tea and fruits, all of which are samples of the fruit refreshments sold in the shop...

With so much thought and a unique signboard, how can it not make money?

Showed the account book to Sister Feng, and then recruited the lady-in-law to tell her all the goods in the pattern of "Golden Phoenix Rui". It won’t work if you don’t get others! Besides, it looks like there are a lot of voters, but they actually voted a lot. According to me, others don’t need to be jealous. If they can spend one or two thousand to buy houses and shops, they will only use it to collect rent. No matter what, you have to have two or three hundred rent money a year. Since you can't afford the money to buy property, and you don't have other people's brains, then just shut up and don't speak sour words!"

Yun An said with a smile: "Sister Feng's words are very true, whoever likes to talk, I'm a thick-skinned person, if there is something that you don't like and needs to be pointed out, just come to me! It has nothing to do with the two of them."

"I originally did it on my own initiative. They helped me, contributed money and efforts, and I can't make them two backslidden! Besides, it's just the naughty girls in the boudoir. They have their own servants to take care of them. If you want to talk about business experience, it's also a turn. Not to us." Du Yun'an's meaning is obvious, this is private property and has nothing to do with your Rongfu, and no one has the face to ask for it.

Sister Feng knew that the eldest sister knew that she was talking about Mrs. Xing.

Siqi is the granddaughter of Wang Shanbao's family, and Wang Shanbao's family is Mrs. Xing's confidant. Even though Siqi is loyal, this matter will reach Mrs. Xing's ears sooner or later.What's more, it is the benefit of Siqi to persuade his family in every possible way to survive until now.Because of this, Du Yunan still has a high opinion of Siqi. Among these big girls, she sends the most work to the shop for consignment. Such a violent person can still listen to other people's advice and learn from Xiangling Tracing famous people's calligraphy and paintings to the bottom of the cloth embroidery, as long as she is not on duty, she has never stopped working. So far, she has earned more than three taels of silver, and there are two kang screens in the shop. Yun'an helped her do the math. If the large and small screens are sold, at least they can add three to fifty taels of "big fortune" to her private house.

Yun An withdrew her thoughts, and said again: "I was born in a small family, and I am not as handsome as a serious lady, and everyone who is vulgar has to admit that this economic money is my root. Even if I am very clear with both of them. Besides, this business is not the only one in my family, if I can't hold back some harsh words from others, then my brother and I would have been reduced to begging along the street long ago!" But he took everything on himself, Yun An used His eyes stopped Daiyu from talking to Yingchun.

"You are a rich man! How many heads are there for the medicinal wine of your Du family? For the Duanyang Festival, the mansion bought fifty jars of 'Ten Immortal Wine'." Sister Feng laughed and said, "You spend your own money to buy it. Naturally, it has nothing to do with other people." Instead, she persuaded the three sisters: "Just don't be too honest, and don't let others read this account book. Although I have read it, I promise not to utter a word. , just talk about earning rent and money."

Yun An just laughed: "I never showed it to others, I only showed it to you." Those people only vaguely knew that Jin Fengrui's business was booming, and they couldn't figure out how much money they made, after all, most people saw these women as homely The odds and ends are not as cheap as jewelry shops. A group of people who live in the Rong Mansion all day long do not know that small odds and ends are making money. Besides, there are many expensive things in Jinfengrui.

Sister Feng still had to prepare for the official day of the Dragon Boat Festival tomorrow, so she took her leave after sitting down for a while.

After seeing Mrs. Xing, Sister Feng smiled back and said, "It's all about their little sisters' leisure time. In fact, it's just what they said, and they have their own subordinates to take care of it. It's also a monthly pretext for the two cousins' families to supplement. My daughter's business."

Mrs. Xing heard from Yingchun's nanny how the shop prospered, and the daily profits from the copper mountains and silver seas made her heart very hot, but Yingchun lived next door, and she knew that Jia's mother loved Daiyu the most, and she was very fond of Miss Wang's family. He was the most polite, so he didn't dare to come directly to show his traces, instead he asked Xifeng to ask.

Mrs. Xing was not at ease when she heard this, because she sneered and said, "I'm just afraid that the three girls will be fooled by someone, and considering that they are Miss Qianjin, they don't know about plumbing, especially your second sister." Mixed in, she has such a personality that she can't do such a thing, and I need to explain and take care of her. That's why I asked you to go over and tell them, who knows what you mean when you come back and send an article first?"

Sister Feng hurriedly stood up, bowed her head and replied, "It's because I put my whole heart into my wife's sake and I've found out clearly that I said so."

Then he apologized and said with a smile: "Madam, please listen to it first. The two shops cost 400 taels, as well as the money for repairing the house, the purchase of goods, and the salary of the shopkeeper. It is more than 2000 taels. My wife also knows where the goods are sold. They are all things like silk flower purses. Although they are prosperous, they are just hard-earned money. The three younger sisters are all honest people. They showed me all the account books, and I calculated in my heart. They are all so prosperous, and their income is only tens or hundreds of taels more than rent collection—it’s really rare that Sister An and Sister Lin’s family is willing to let the girls use this as a pastime.”

Isn't hundreds of taels too much?Mrs. Xing thought to herself, if this shop was taught to her, she would definitely not make these little gadgets, and set up an antique or gold and silver shop, then she would get rich.

"You should also persuade me, what are you doing making such a fuss, since you have the heart to fiddle with the shop, why not make a good job?"

Sister Feng laughed: "Aren't all the daughters of gold still short of money? These people are just trying to be popular. When they go out to be guests in the future, the little sisters will also be a new topic of conversation, or they can show us. The girl in the house can do it! If you want to set up an antique shop or something, you can get serious money, but it's all a business of "not opening in March, open in March", so the girls don't have much to say. Speaking of it, I have to be laughed at for not being able to take care of things."

It turned out to be like this, Mrs. Xing was envious and jealous, she only wished that this property was her own.Thinking of the property, Mrs. Xing's heart moved slightly. Over the years, she has also saved more than 3000 taels of cash in private houses. Besides, all the two small villages and one real estate of the Xing family are also in her hands. Why not buy a few shops? What about making money?This shop earns living money, which is much better than collecting land rent every year.Mrs. Xing always feels distressed when she thinks that if she converts Zhuangzi's output into silver, she will lose one or two achievements.

"You said that you bought two shops for 400 taels? Are the shops in the capital so expensive? Don't let someone deceive you." Mrs. Xing probed.

Xifeng was taken aback. Although there was a shop in her dowry, she only collected the rent, and she didn't know how much it was worth.

Mrs. Xing said again: "A large courtyard of ten rooms in Wanping is only 400 taels." She was talking about her own house.

Sister Feng hurriedly said: "How can Wanping be compared with Duzhong? As far as I know, the location of the shop that the girls set up is not very good. It's just that you can borrow the light of a temple fair every month, and it's only one month. There are only a few days in the temple fair, and my wife thinks about it, I am afraid that it is quite deserted on weekdays-this will cost [-] taels. If it is changed to the Bell and Drum Tower and Xisigangwa City, it will not be enough to turn over. Besides. Who is willing to sell a good shop in such a place? Even renting it is very difficult, and it’s a hundred-year-old shop.”

A basin of cold water was poured on Mrs. Xing's fiery heart.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Sister Feng asked her to resign to prepare for Duanyang Festival tomorrow.Mrs. Xing waved her hand, and suddenly thought of a way to take advantage, she stopped because she was busy: "I just forgot to say, the second girl and the sisters use two big shops to get those odds and ends? This is too much waste! It's better to only use one place and rent or sell the other one, if I can't sell it for a while, I have a big house that can be exchanged for them, you can ask them for me if they would like to?"

"I guess they will definitely be willing!" Mrs. Xing was afraid that Sister Feng would reject her, and she would not be able to do so, so she used Yingchun as an excuse: "I am the mother of the second girl, and she has used all the ladders she saved all her life. I can't bear to see it. She can't compare with your two cousins. This shop has profits and losses, but if I use my method to tell her to quit and get money or a house, she will feel at ease."

I'm crazy to replace it with you!Sister Feng looked down on her, but she still had a smile on her face: "I'm afraid it won't work. I'm not afraid to tell the truth to my wife. Let's talk about our own affairs. The second sister hasn't spent a penny these years. Her monthly money can be enough How much? It's just that the three of them live together, and the other two sisters are embarrassed to leave her behind. They pay all the capital, and give the second sister some bonuses every year if they feel like it. These two are spoiled and spoiled by the family. Zhu'er, who has grown up, has been following her own temper since she was a child—the two of them have been annoyed by the gossip of the past few days. If I were to say this, I'm afraid I'd just throw it away. I know Madam has good intentions, but the two girls’ families probably don’t think so, they will get the wrong idea if they go back and forth, not only is it hard to explain to the old lady, but I’m afraid it will be embarrassing for the future communication.” Yunan and Daiyu are not behind No one can watch you plan to bully other girls.

Mrs. Xing thought of the generous etiquette of the Lin family's three festivals and two lives, and immediately shrank back. She was worried, so she didn't talk about Lin Daiyu, but asked Du Yun'an: "Isn't Miss Du's family poor? No matter how much my uncle and wife love her, she won't be hundreds Give her a thousand pieces of silver?"

Wang Xifeng said with a smile: "Who said her family is poor? Someone chews such nonsense for my wife! My wife knows the 'Zhou Gong Centennial Wine', 'Changchun Wine' and the new 'Ten Immortal Wine' in Jiuxianju. Is it their business?"

Mrs. Xing didn't pay attention to Sister Feng's stabbing at her, and hurriedly asked: "Her family also brought in these wines. There is a red paper on the jar seal of her family's 'exclusive medicinal wine'. I know. Why is this so?" Is the wine expensive?"

"Madam, any delicacies from mountains and seas are commonplace here, and I dare not say 'expensive'. But outside, they are expensive and in short supply. You only need to see that the company they cooperate with is Jiuxianju."

"The Du family can't compare to our family, but they are very rich, and there are only two brothers and sisters in her family. The girl is really a rich man, and besides, her uncle and wife are in pain." Sister Feng showed a little envy. Expression: "Miss An and her elder brother is an official in Tongzhou Daying. He is very brave and capable. Last month, he accompanied the general to suppress bandits, and now he has been promoted to a hundred households. The rank of a military officer is higher, so he is young. It's only the sixth grade..."

After Madam Xing heard this, she immediately ordered the maids to put away the jars of wine that the Du family had sent for the ceremony: "Don't call it a random waste."

When Sister Feng was replying in the room, Ping'er had followed Yun'an's entrustment and quietly asked Qian to find out who the person who was soliciting right and wrong in Mrs. Xing's ear came out.

All the affairs in this courtyard are under the control of Jia She. Mrs. Xing only changes ways to withhold money from various places every day. She has never rewarded her so generously. Therefore, Ping'er knew who the instigator was with just a bunch of money. It's not from Wang Shanbao's family, but from the second girl's nanny.

Later that day, Ping'er found a free time to tell Yun An.

Du Yun'an raised his eyebrows upside down, and said with a sneer, "I haven't learned my lesson yet, this is causing trouble again!"

"I know that your grandma wants to set up a shop to practice her hands because of her heart." Yun An smiled at Ping'er, "Please give me a message. If Sister Feng is willing to vent her anger for us, I will give her an idea."

Ping'er hurriedly said: "Exactly, exactly."

The two looked at each other and smiled, and Ping'er said with a smile: "Grandma just wanted to give you something to please you, but you are giving me a pillow when you are sleepy. Good girl, I will definitely do it for you."

After talking for a while, Ping'eryin asked: "Why don't you worry about the eldest lady? Today I heard her delusions, and I'm sweating for you."

"The eldest lady wants to be decent, but she has many scruples, so there's nothing she can do. Besides, she's just talking about it. Could it be that I'm the kind of person who suffers a lot and must offend once." Yun Anxin said that Mrs. Xing is the kind of "pewter gun head". If you force her, she won't dare to bully her, besides, even if she acts like an elder, she can't take care of her own affairs.

Sure enough, Mrs. Xing never mentioned the matter of "Jin Fengrui".After Yingchun, I privately sent two-color needlework and a letter of five taels of silver, saying that half of the profit was used to honor my parents. This was for the first five months, and Madam Xing liked it.As for Yingchun's nanny, she was caught by Xifeng and even her daughter-in-law Wang Zhu and her daughter-in-law were kicked out together. Even the house in Ningrong Back Street was taken back, and the whole family was sent to Zhuangzi—Madam Xing had long forgotten she.

Closer to home, let's say that Ping'er went back and told Sister Feng Yun'an's words. Sister Feng was overjoyed and said with a smile: "I can see clearly that the eldest girl in our family is a blessing. Since she became my younger sister, she has brought many good things to our family. Already!"

Excited to go to Pingming Tower to talk to Yun An, someone came to pass on Jia Mu's words through rumors of mandarin ducks.Sister Feng hurriedly asked to come in, and when Yuanyang came in, she asked others to go down, and then said: "The old lady said that the wife is sick, and asked the second grandmother to take care of the wife so that she can recover from her illness. Please move the wife to the east courtyard of Rongxi Hall to recuperate."

What does it mean when an old lady says that her wife is sick?Whether the wife is sick or not, the old lady has the final say.

Sister Feng held Yuanyang back and refused to let her go, and forced her to ask her why.

Yuanyang knew that Lian's second grandmother was not an outsider, so she agreed to say: "It's almost dark, and the gift from my uncle's house just came, and the woman who gave the gift also said something to the old lady, but I didn't listen to it." If you don’t know what to say, the old lady will give this order when the person is gone.”