Zhu Nao

The buddy of the cloth shop got ashamed from Mrs. Zheng, and went back to the cloth shop in embarrassment.He had just walked not far away when he suddenly ran into two people dressed as officials.

The clerk hurriedly retreated to the side to make way for the officials, but unexpectedly, the two officials stopped in front of him.

"Brother, may I ask if Mrs. Zheng's house is in front?" the official asked.They were ordered to look for Mrs. Zheng, but they didn't know the way, so they had to ask people while looking.

The man hurriedly showed them the way: "Yes, did you see that yard over there? That's it."

The two officials thanked him and went to Mrs. Zheng's house.The man looked at their backs, feeling a little puzzled in his heart.What did the official send for Mrs. Zheng?

His first reaction was that Mrs. Zheng had committed something.But think about it carefully, although Madam Zheng has a bit of a temper, but as a weaver, she stays at home weaving brocade all day, so she should have no chance of committing any crimes.I also saw that the two officials were very polite, they didn't look like they were here to arrest people...

Since he was working in the cloth shop, the buddy was very well informed about this. He knew that the brocade official of the weaving workshop had been dismissed two days ago.He immediately thought that the official sent to find Mrs. Zheng probably had something to do with the government's plan to rectify the weaving workshop.

Thinking of this level, the buddy's mood suddenly became a little complicated.

Anyone who is familiar with Shu brocade knows that the quality of Shu brocade produced by the weaving workshop run by the government is the worst.One is because the workers in the weaving workshop are all prisoners. They only complete their work to avoid being beaten, and of course they are not careful when doing things.Furthermore, the brocade weaved by the weaving workshop this year is still the same as the brocade weaved a hundred years ago, and various folk weaving techniques have been innovated many times.Therefore, craftsmanship is the craftsman's ability to eat, not to mention that folk craftsmen will not tell the government their skills, even if the workers in the weaving workshop realize some techniques, they will definitely hide them, and wait until one day they leave the weaving workshop and rely on their own craftsmanship make money.In this way, it will be a matter of time before the weaving workshop declines.

But now that the government wants to rectify the weaving workshop, it must find a way to improve the technical level of the weaving workshop.In this case, they will seek skills from folk craftsmen.

Generally, when the government expropriates things, it either imposes pressure to confiscate them, or buys them with a sum of money. The amount of money depends on luck.This has to be replaced by someone else, who is afraid of the government, and may have to give it honestly no matter how reluctant.However, Mrs. Zheng's temper...

The guy has been dealing with Mrs. Zheng for several years.Madam Zheng loves money because she loves money, but she not only loves money, she also wants to be strong.She was unwilling to accept apprentices, not only because she was afraid of leaking her skills, but also because she didn't want anyone to threaten her status as the number one brocade weaver in Chengdu.This time, if the government decides to play with her, it will not be so easy.

I don't know if Mrs. Zheng's domineering temperament will enter the government office, and when she sees the high officials, she will also spray them with saliva...

Thinking of this scene, the man couldn't help shivering, secretly sweating for Mrs. Zheng and the officials who were about to summon her.

……

"What? Zhu Yushi summoned me in person?" Mrs. Zheng turned pale with fright at the official's words, "I, I didn't break the law!"

The officer hurriedly said: "Madam Zheng, don't worry, Zhu Yushi summoned Madam Zheng for the weaving workshop. If Madam Zheng has time now, please come with us."

When Mrs. Zheng heard the word weaving workshop, she was taken aback for a moment, and then her face collapsed immediately.She said coldly: "I don't have time, I'm busy, I won't go to the government!"

The officials were startled, but still asked very politely: "When will Mrs. Zheng have time?"

Mrs. Zheng said: "Someone has ordered several pieces of brocade for me. I have to rush to make them every day. I don't have time for a whole year!"

The officials looked at each other in blank dismay.

What Mrs. Zheng said was deliberately evasive.She is not stupid, how could she not know what the government wanted her for?Brocade weaving skills are her housekeeping skills, do you want her to obediently hand them over to the government?Don't even think about it!

Seeing Mrs. Zheng being so stubborn, the officials had no choice but to sigh.One said: "I hope Mrs. Zheng can think about it again."

Another person said: "Since Mrs. Zheng is busy, forgive us for interrupting. Let's go back first."

After speaking, the two shook their heads regretfully and left.

Madam Zheng: "..."

This, this is leaving?

At first, she thought that if the officials arrested people forcibly, she would make trouble all the way, making all the people along the road know that the officials were doing evil and running amok.Anyway, she is aggressive and aggressive, and if she wants to suffer, she will not make others feel better.If the government still cares about face, it will not dare to make things difficult for her.

However, they have no intention of forcing her at all...

Madam Zheng stared at the official post in a daze, a little unaccustomed to the fact that this class of official post would be so reasonable.She didn't close the door blankly until the official messenger had gone far away.

After returning to the house, Mrs. Zheng was still a little worried after thinking about it.After all, she was a widow living alone, and if the officials took her away in the dead of night, or hid her in a dark corner with a sack while she was out, no one would know.Fortunately, she made some money by weaving brocade, and there were several servants at home.

So she quickly called all her servants over.

"Remember all of you," Mrs. Zheng ordered, "if anything happens to me or I disappear suddenly during this period of time, you immediately go to the city to spread the news, saying that officials are lawless and arrest women by force! They But if you want face, you have to obediently let me out."

Her servants looked at each other in blank dismay: "I heard that the new Zhu Yushi is a benevolent official. He shouldn't do such a thing, right?"

Mrs. Zheng snorted coldly: "Who can be an official? Anyway, I don't think there is a good official in this world!"

When the servants heard what she said, they didn't dare to say anything.

=====

Liu Qi walked to the gate of the official mansion, and the guard guard stopped him and asked, "What do you do?"

Liu Qi took out a stamped letter from his pocket: "Zhu Yushi summoned me."

The officials checked the seal and found that there was no problem, so they put him in.

Liu Qi followed the leading official to Zhu Nao's mansion.

Along the way, he felt excited, apprehensive, and regretful.He has already received news that Zhu Nao is going to appoint him as the new Jin official.

He had been working under Zhu Nao when he was still opening a drug store in Langzhou, and he was just a storekeeper in the beginning.Later, when Zhu Nao became a shepherd in Langzhou, he had no time to take care of business matters, so he entrusted more business to him.And Liu Qi has been with Zhu Nao for so many years, and he already has a lot of business skills, so he really manages the business well.Seeing his talent, Zhu Nao also began to entrust him with reuse.This time, he will be handed over the position of official Jin.

The status of a Jin official is really not low. Liu Qi was born as a businessman, and it is inevitable to be excited and apprehensive to become such a decent official.But the reason why he felt sorry was that after all, he was a businessman, even if he was only a shopkeeper before, but because of the dividends to be taken, the money he earned was not small.But once the official position is on him, no matter how the weaving workshop is taken care of in the future, it will be the property of the official.He can only get the official salary, and he can't get a generous dividend.This is earning face and losing face...

After a while, Liu Qi was brought before Zhu Nao.

Seeing him coming, Zhu Nao didn't say much, and just pushed the account books of the weaving workshop in front of him: "Look at these first."

Liu Qi hurriedly took over the ledger.Reading books is also his strong point. He quickly finished reading a few books and got a general understanding of the situation of the weaving workshop.

However, before the two of them discussed the matter of the weaving workshop, an official sent out to report.

"Zhu Yushi." The officer said, "We went to see Mrs. Zheng, but Mrs. Zheng refused to come to the government no matter what."

Junao let out a "huh", apparently not surprised by this result.

Liu Qi quickly raised his head when he heard Mrs. Zheng's name.The Shu brocade woven by Mrs. Zheng was famous in Shu, and Liu Qi naturally knew about it.After a little thought, he understood the cause and effect.

Now that you have become a Jin official, you must be more active.Liu Qi planned to take the initiative to ask Ying to talk to Mrs. Zheng about the price.He has been in business for many years, and he is very good at fooling people. He must have a way to coax Madam Zheng to sell her skills at a reasonable price.

However, before he opened his mouth, Junao had already stood up.

"Since she refuses to come, we can only talk to her in person." Zhu Nao took out an abacus from the drawer and hugged it, "Liu Qi, Jing Zhe, let's go."

Liu Qi: "...???"

=====

Madam Zheng was weaving brocade in the courtyard when there was another knock on the door.She said loudly, "Who is it?"

A gentle male voice came from outside: "Miss Zheng, we are from the government."

When Madam Zheng heard the word "official government", she immediately frowned.Didn't the official leave just now?Why are you here again?

She put down the work she was doing, walked to the gate of the yard, and glanced out through the crack of the door.There were two men and a teenager standing outside.

Madam Zheng said vigilantly: "You really are from the government? Why aren't you wearing official uniforms?"

A fat man standing outside the door hurriedly took out the badge of the government, and said in a low voice: "Miss Zheng, forgive me, we are really from the government. It's just that we have a job, so we have to travel low-key to avoid attracting attention."

Madam Zheng was quite surprised when she heard this.So the three people outside are not ordinary officials, but they have official positions?It is estimated that the two ordinary officials could not talk to her just now, so the government sent a few other small officials to lobby her.

Madam Zheng saw that the three of them looked good and handsome, they didn't look like bad guys.Besides, there are many residents here, and they are not afraid of causing trouble, so they opened the door anyway.

Welcoming the three of them into the yard, Mrs. Zheng looked them up and down with her chest in her arms, and asked curiously, "You all are officials? What kind of officials are you?"

The fat man spoke first, and said humbly, "Miss Zheng, I am the Jin official who just took office today, Liu Qi."

Madam Zheng was shocked: "You, you are Jinguan?!"

She originally thought that the three of them were assistant officials at most, but she didn't expect that Jinguan, who was in charge of the entire weaving workshop, would come to the door in person? !This... this is a high official!

She had never seen such a big official before, and suddenly felt cramped, wiped her palms on her clothes, restrained her arrogance and negligence, and saluted Liu Qi: "The daughter of the people has met Liu Jinguan."

Liu Qi waved his hand: "Hey, don't be too polite, I'm not used to it. It's fine to be more casual." After all, he just became an official, and he is really not used to suddenly being separated from ordinary people.

After hearing what he said, Mrs. Zheng felt a little good in her heart.The newly appointed Liu Jinguan is really easy-going and has no airs.It's so rare.

After Liu Qi had finished introducing himself, Madam Zheng looked at the other two, thinking that these two should be small officials in the weaving workshop.

Liu Qi hurriedly raised his palm and pointed at Zhu Nao, and introduced respectfully: "This is Zhu Yushi, the supervisory censor in charge of the Chengdu Mansion right now." He pointed to Jing Zhe at the side, "This is Zhu Yushi's bodyguard. .”

Zhu Nao smiled peacefully, "Miss Zheng, I have long admired you."

Madam Zheng's smile suddenly froze on her face.

Madam Zheng: "????????"

Supervise the censor? ? ? ? ?Zhu Yushi? ? ? ? ? ? ?Ran to her house with Jinguan? ? ? ? ? ? ?

........................

After a while, several people walked into the house.

Madam Zheng felt that her scalp was numb and her steps were floating.When she walked by the loom, she tripped over her most precious loom and messed up all the silk threads that had been arranged.Jing Zhe, who was walking beside her, stretched out his hand to help her, but she didn't dare to touch it, she jumped up like a carp, and hurried to the house.

In the house, everyone sat down at the table.

Madam Zheng was still looking back and forth at the three men across from her like a dream.Although she had seen the other party's official seal just now, she still couldn't believe that all this was actually true.Could this be the latest new trick in town?

"Cough," Liu Qi coughed, "Miss Zheng, are you okay?"

Madam Zheng woke up suddenly, rubbed her face, and calmed herself down: "It's, it's okay."

Seeing that her eyes were clearer, Zhu Nao said, "Miss Zheng, we are here today to discuss with you about inviting you to work in the weaving workshop."

Madam Zheng's expression suddenly became subtle.

To be honest, Jinguan and Zhu Yushi both came to her door in person, which shows that the government attaches great importance to her brocade weaving skills, at least she has already earned enough face.She is very competitive, and by giving her enough face, her stubbornness has somewhat loosened.But only a little.

You must know that the reason why she is so resistant to the government asking for her skills is not that she can't be moved by money—if you give her a treasury, let alone sell her brocade skills, let her sell her entire life in the next life and the next life. !The main reason for her resistance was that she knew that the price the government could offer was far from the price she wanted.

This unique skill is the guarantee of her life's prosperity, and even the guarantee of her descendants.How could this be so cheap?But if she really asks for a million and 80 yuan, the government will definitely think that she is a lunatic, and they might charge her with several crimes.And when this matter got out, others would laugh at her for not knowing what to do.But she felt in her heart that she was worth the price.So to balance the two, it is better to simply avoid this troublesome matter, and honestly weave brocade to make money.

Mrs. Zheng glanced at it, and tried her best to find an excuse to refuse: "Zhu Yushi, Liu Jinguan, it's not that I don't want to, it's really that this set of brocade weaving skills is an ancestral skill in my family. My family has group training, once the skills are spread..."

Before she finished compiling a set of group training, Zhu Nao had already said with a smile: "Miss Zheng, don't you listen to our conditions first?"

Madam Zheng licked her lips and said with a dry smile, "Zhu Yushi, you go first, you go first."

Zhu Nao glanced at Cheng Jingzhe: "Jingzhe."

Cheng Jingzhe had been prepared for a long time, took out a box from his arms, opened it and pushed it in front of Mrs. Zheng.Mrs. Zheng leaned over to take a look curiously, it didn't matter if she didn't look at it, she was shocked when she saw it, her eyes widened instantly.

100 taels? ? ! !This turned out to be a ticket with 100 taels written on it! ! !

She was still thinking that her skills were worth at least 80 taels, and the government would definitely not want to show them.As a result, they immediately offered the highest price in her heart! !With this money, she won't have to worry about being rich if she doesn't work for the rest of her life! ! !

Her hands were trembling all of a sudden, and she tremblingly touched the box: "It's, it's not that I can't think about it..."

But Zhu Nao said calmly, "Miss Zheng, don't get me wrong, this is not money to buy your skills."

Madam Zheng was taken aback for a moment, and immediately looked at him vigilantly.The money wasn't for her, so what did she want to see?Playing with her?

Zhu Nao said: "Miss Zheng, the weaving workshop is undergoing renovation now, and it will be completely different from before. I would like to invite you to work in the weaving workshop, and I will grant you an official position—Jincheng official. The annual salary is five taels of silver. I wonder if you are interested? "

Madam Zheng widened her eyes again in shock.Make her an official? ?

Except for the daughters of princes and generals, ordinary women have never had anything to do with fame.Even in the weaving workshop, there are many female relatives, and women who hold management positions are at most officials, not officials.This Jincheng official sounds like Zhu Nao's newly established official position, but as long as it is a serious official position, it is already a great honor and face.

Mrs. Zheng is so strong, her heart is ready to move.But the annual salary of five taels...although it is not low, it is far from what she thought in her heart.Could it be that the 100 taels of silver were used to show her how much her 20-year salary would be?

Zhu Nao continued: "However, you are not the only Jincheng official. I have ordered people to recruit exquisite folk brocade weavers. Anyone who is willing to work in the weaving workshop will receive the same treatment."

Zheng Niangzi is certainly the most famous brocade weaver in Chengdu, and the brocade she weaves is also the most expensive among Shu brocades.But there are other great craftsmen whose skills are equally astonishing.

Madam Zheng frowned again.And she's not the only one?Then the weight of this official position has to be discounted again.

Zhu Nao hadn't finished speaking: "If you are willing to work in the weaving workshop, you will pass on your unique skills to the weaving girls in the weaving workshop. From now on, every time the weaving workshop sells a piece of brocade that you teach them to weave, you will be given You get fifty Wen. Now there are five hundred weaving girls in the weaving workshop. If you give a quarter of it to you, it means that each weaver girl can weave a piece of brocade in three months..."

He said a bunch of numbers, and stretched out his hand to the side.Jing Zhe very tacitly handed him the abacus he had been holding.Zhu Nao supported the abacus with one hand, and quickly dialed it with the other, and pushed it in front of Mrs. Zheng after dialing.

"According to this estimate, you can get about 50 taels per year. Two years is 100 taels. To show my sincerity, I specially brought two years' dividends here today, which should be regarded as prepaid remuneration."

Madam Zheng stared dumbfounded at the abacus in front of her, her whole body was out of her body.

She doesn't do business and doesn't understand arithmetic, but she can understand Zhu Nao's words-the 100 taels are really money for her, and it's not a lump sum payment. From then on, she can get 50 taels of silver every year!

Per year! ! 50 taels! ! !There are still officials to do! ! ! !

Madam Zheng rolled her eyes and fell limply to the side, she was actually fainted.

After a while, she woke up again, leaned back on the chair and sat down, talking incoherently excitedly: "I, I, I, really, really, as long as I teach the Weaver Girl to weave brocade, I can get 50 taels every year???"

Zhu Nao said with a smile: "This is just a rough estimate by me, so I can't be sure. But the first two years should be the same. The sales of official brocade are currently sluggish. If the Shu brocade you weave can re-open the market, you can sell it in the future." The more brocade you have, the more money you can get."

When Madam Zheng heard that there were still many more, she put her hand on her forehead and was about to faint again.

If the quality of the official brocade woven by the weaving workshop can be improved, then it is a must to re-open the market.Even though the weaving industry in Jiangnan is currently on the rise, Shu brocade has a century-old history, and its accumulation is not comparable to that of Jiangnan silk.At present, the rich and powerful in the south are gradually abandoning Shu brocade, not because the brocade in the south of the Yangtze River is so good, but because the brocade in the south of the Yangtze River is not good enough, and the cost of transporting it from thousands of miles is very high, so it is better to go far and seek closer.

Madam Zheng sat still tremblingly, but Zhu Nao never heard her answer, and asked, "Madam Zheng, what do you think?"

Madam Zheng suddenly stood up, startling everyone.Immediately afterwards, she plopped down on her knees at Zhu Nao's feet, and exclaimed, "Zhu Yushi, the sun is coming out from the west!!"

Everyone: "?"

Madam Zheng immediately smiled, and rushed over to embrace Zhu Nao's leg, as if embracing Huang Cancan's golden ingot: "I am willing! I am so willing!! Tomorrow, tomorrow I will work in the weaving workshop!!!"

Everyone: "..."

After successfully convincing Mrs. Zheng, it was time for Zhu Nao to go back to the government.

Mrs. Zheng laughed so hard that all the branches trembled, and she sent the three of them to the gate of the yard: "Zhu Yushi, Liu Jinguan, little brother Jingzhe, do you really not want to stay for a meal? The folk girls cook in person, and the cooking skills of the folk girls are no better than brocade weaving skills." How much difference."

Zhu Nao said: "There is still something to do among the officials, so don't bother me."

Madam Zheng pursed her lips regretfully.She also knew that such a high-ranking official must be very busy, and she was lucky in her life to be able to visit her place in person today.She could only salute and bid farewell to the three of them.

Before Zhu Nao left, he smiled at her, a warm smile, like a spring breeze blowing on his face, making her dizzy and her heart skip a beat.Juno then turned and left.

Liu Qi followed closely behind.

Jing Zhe was the last one, and was about to close the door for Mrs. Zheng when Mrs. Zheng grabbed his arm.

Jing Zhe: "?"

Madam Zheng blushed, showing a shy expression like a little girl: "Brother Jingzhe, tell me, Zhu Yushi came to me in person today and promised me such a good future, is he treating me... is he treating me?" ..."

Jing Zhe: "..."

"No." He said blankly, "You think too much."

Madam Zheng: "..."

The disappointment on her face flashed past, she let go of Jing Zhe, and coughed twice in embarrassment: "Ahem, little brother, go slowly, thank you for your hard work."

Jing Zhe closes the door and chases after Zhu Nao.

Madam Zheng walked back to the yard, first sighing with some regret.Zhu Nao's smile just now really made her lose her mind and have unrealistic fantasies.But she soon realized that this feeling of insanity was not only given to her by Jun Nao himself, but also the money and identity that Jun Nao brought to her! !

What's the point that dignitaries look down on her as a widow?She is about to become a high-ranking official herself! !

Mrs. Zheng couldn't bear it any longer, she put her hips on her hips and laughed wildly: "Hahahahahahaha, I'm getting rich!! I'm an official!!"

Several servants of her family were alarmed by her laughter and ran out one after another.

It was just now that I heard that Zhu Yushi and Jinguan came to the door in person. They were ordered by Mrs. Zheng before that the government might come to arrest her, so they were all worried that the visitor was not good. If Mrs. Zheng didn't call them, they hid in the house and dared not go out .But looking at Mrs. Zheng's mood now, it doesn't seem to be a bad thing?

The servants quickly asked, "They didn't make things difficult for you, did they?"

"Embarrassing? Embarrassing ass!" Mrs. Zheng said with her hips on her hips, "Zhu Yushi is the best official in the world! In the future, if I let my mother hear someone dare to speak ill of him, I will tear his mouth to pieces!"

Servants: "..."

This woman's face changing is really faster than turning the pages of a book...