"Brother Zhang, I went to the street to write a letter to someone."
Zhang Heng allowed Cui Hongjian to stay.
Cui Hongjian did not feel comfortable being a worm, but quickly noticed a way to make money and helped people write letters.
In the world of Liaozhai, the world is chaotic, not many people are literate, and many people can only write their own names.
Cui Hongjian thought about it.
Some people who work in small towns must also miss their hometown. It is better to write a letter than a verbal message.
A letter costs five cents, which is only the price of a few steamed buns, which is not too much.
The other party dictated it, and then Cui Hongjian wrote it down and sent it to his home. When he saw the letter, it was like seeing a person. A letter from home was worth ten thousand gold.
Not to mention, Cui Hongjian is doing well in this business.
Because he could not only write but also draw, Zhang Heng told him about portrait painting, and he quickly grasped the essence.
For an additional ten cents, in addition to the letter, I will also draw a simple portrait.
For a time, matchmakers gathered because his portrait looked very similar. The matchmakers helped match people and brought a portrait to the woman's family. After seeing it, they became popular.
Coupled with some people's curiosity and star-chasing effect, Cui Hongjian has become the new favorite of Internet celebrities in Shiliting Town.
Even some squires and wealthy households couldn't help but call him over to draw some family portraits for their families after hearing about the magic of portrait painting.
So in a few days, not only did he get his name, but he also made a lot of money.
Just yesterday afternoon, I helped the town cloth shop owner paint a painting, and he was so happy that he gave him a red envelope of ten taels of silver.
Without him, the owner of the cloth shop would have a pockmarked face and an ugly appearance.
There were no pockmarks in Cui Hongjian's portrait, and he even turned on the beauty function to beautify it. The cloth shop owner was in a good mood.
Follow this trend.
Five taels of silver per acre of land, and a house worth twenty or thirty taels.
When the popularity subsided and imitators appeared, Mr. Cui Hongjian said he could earn a house and twenty acres of land.
At that time, who would dare to say that he is a poor scholar?
"Brother Zhang, Brother Zhang!"
It was afternoon in a flash.
Zhang Heng was oiling the sword when he heard Cui Hongjian coming back happily.
"Did you get another reward?"
Zhang Heng took care of the sword and asked without raising his head.
"Yes, today I painted for the Li Zheng family, and Li Zheng gave me a reward of three taels of silver. Counting some miscellaneous income, I made a full five taels of silver today."
Cui Hongjian beamed with joy: "This is the first time I know that money is so easy to make. I was really clueless before."
Zhang Heng smiled and said: "In these five days, you have made thirty taels, right?"
After saying that, he paused slightly: "Next spring, with this money, you can take the civil examination."
Cui Hongjian had a mysterious look on his face: "The matter of recruiting people is still far away. Just take a look and see what I have brought back to you."
"Did you bring me something?"
Zhang Heng looked outside and saw no results.
Cui Hongjian grabbed him and pulled him directly out of the door.
As soon as I saw it, I saw a white horse tied to a big tree outside the courtyard.
"This is?"
Zhang Heng looked puzzled.
Cui Hongjian bowed down and said: "Brother Zhang, the portrait painting was your suggestion. Not only did you let me stay for food and accommodation, but you also pointed out a clear path for me. Hongjian can't repay me. Thinking of it, brother Zhang, you never leave your body with your sword every day."
, but I lacked a good horse. I happened to see a horse dealer selling horses in the market, so I bought the horse. Please don’t refuse.”
"Well..."
Zhang Heng has eaten fire dates.
Fire dates are the medicine for soaring. After eating them, they will fly. No matter how they look at it, they won't need horses.
Of course, Cui Hongjian didn't know he could fly.
I see him keeping his sword close to his body all day long, just like a knight, but is a knight without a horse still a knight?
So he gritted his teeth, spent all his family wealth, and bought this good horse for him. This kind of kindness is not something that is not rare.
"An ordinary horse is still expensive."
"This white horse looks like a good horse at first glance, so the price will probably be higher, right?"
Zhang Heng has been in the world of Liaozhai for a few days, and he is not a newbie who doesn't understand anything.
Horses are a symbol of status. The price of a horse ranges from thirty to fifty taels, and if it costs more, it will cost you nothing.
This white horse looks all white and has a strong body.
Zhang Heng knew at a glance that it would probably be impossible without a hundred taels of silver.
"The horse dealer asked for one hundred and twenty taels. I bargained with him and got to eighty taels."
"It's just that I don't have that much money on hand. I only paid a deposit of thirty taels. Shopkeeper Fang advanced the rest for me. I will make money later and make up for shopkeeper Fang's account."
Cui Hongjian smiled broadly, not feeling depressed at all about having to bear a huge debt of fifty taels.
Zhang Heng was deeply moved when he saw this.
Cui Shusheng is an honest man.
You must know that he has only made thirty taels of silver in the past few days relying on the dividends from portrait paintings.
Portrait painting is something that has a certain degree of saturation. When people's hearts calm down, or when there are more people in this industry, I'm afraid it won't be possible to make money like this.
This fifty taels is owed.
It will probably take two or three months for Cui Hongjian to pay him back.
And after two or three months, if you paint a portrait again, it will probably be just like writing a letter, earning a polishing fee, and you won't have to think about a reward. At most, you will have enough food and clothing.
"This horse is just a mount to me."
Zhang Heng looked at Cui Hongjian: "For you, it's just a house, plus ten acres of farmland, and you'll have enough food and clothing for the rest of your life."
"It's okay if you are rich. You don't have a house or a ridge of land. You finally have the opportunity to live a prosperous life. Don't you have any attachment to it?"
"You know, although I warned you, you may not be able to make money, but it depends on your ability. I didn't go to the street with you to paint for people. All this money is earned by your hard work."
Cui Hongjian disagreed with this and said with a smile: "The friendship between gentlemen is as light as water. We don't care about fame, wealth or vanity. Brother Zhang, you and I are the friendship between gentlemen. To me, even a thousand pieces of gold scattered is not as good as your best friend."
, what does a little money mean?”
For a moment, Zhang Heng couldn't help but look at Cui Hongjian with admiration.
Although Cui Hongjian is an ordinary person, this kind of freedom and ease are not seen in many Taoist practitioners.
Put yourself in someone else’s shoes.
Zhang Heng is in Cui Hongjian's position. He will not go into debt to buy a horse and give it to his friends.
At most, it is impossible to use part of the money earned in the past few days to subsidize household expenses, and it is impossible to use it all, let alone go into debt for it.
"Wonderful, wonderful!"
Zhang Hengyue looked at Cui Hongjian more and more, nodded and said: "You are a wonderful person. I have traveled all over the country and met countless people, but I have never seen anyone like you. From now on, you will be my friend."
Cui Hongjian was confused: "Weren't we friends before?"
Zhang Heng smiled but said nothing.
The body enters the mortal world, but the heart does not enter.
Zhang Heng once said that he is a businessman at heart.
What kind of person is a businessman? He is someone who can discuss everything.
You shot me today but didn't kill me. If we have a chance tomorrow, we can have a drink together, as long as the drink is valuable.
So it is usually difficult for people like him to have friends.
He has a habit of doing things with purpose and plot. Either he is plotting against others, or others are plotting against him.
Cui Hongjian is different.
He has no purpose and no plot. This is the friendship between gentlemen.
"I like this white horse very much, so I accepted it."
Zhang Heng did not refuse Cui Hongjian's gift.
Afterwards, he asked the innkeeper Fang to prepare a good table of noodles and send them to the courtyard to have a banquet with Cui Shusheng.
The rise of drinking.
Zhang Heng rarely pulled out his sword and started dancing in the courtyard, singing: "The road of life is like a long road with sweet dreams, and wind and frost on the road, and the wind and frost blow on the face..."
"good!"
After the song, Cui Hongjian stood up and applauded.
His hands were clapped red, but he was still not satisfied. He raised his glass and sang: "When will the bright moon come? I ask the sky with my wine. I don't know the palace in the sky. What year is it tonight..."
Zhang Heng responded by flicking his sword.
Cui Hongjian sang and balladed.
A banquet was held until early in the morning.
Zhang Heng helped Cui Hongjian into the room, and when he went out, a gust of cold wind hit him, causing his eyes to narrow slightly: "Step back, I'm in a good mood today, and I don't want to kill anyone!"
"How brave!"
A red umbrella landed on the wall.
A beautiful woman in black flew down from the sky and stood on a paper umbrella: "You kill my sheep military advisor and you dare to be so arrogant. I have been looking for you for a week!"
"Looking for me, I think you are looking for death!"
Zhang Heng said with a smile: "I have a close friend sleeping soundly in my room. I don't want to disturb his sweet dreams. If you are willing, come find me by the lake."
Flowers fall.
Zhang Heng placed his right foot a little on the ground: "Flying!"
Whoosh!
Zhang Heng turned into a phantom and flew out.
"I'm afraid you won't make it!"
The nine-tailed demon king turned backwards.
She kicked the red paper umbrella, causing it to fly. She also flew under the umbrella, and her speed was not slow at all.
Snapped!
In a few breaths, he flew to the edge of Shili Lake.
Zhang Heng fell from the sky, not far away from the collapsed thatched house, holding a sword in both hands, standing quietly on the lake.