"Junior brother, I heard Wen Cai say that Master taught you the Concentric Talisman?"
"Yes, I come from the Qingshen lineage. There are not many people in my lineage who have studied the talismans deeply. My uncle's guidance to me made me suddenly enlightened."
While eating breakfast, Zhang Heng chatted with Qiu Sheng wordlessly.
Hearing what he said, Qiu Sheng touched Wen Cai with his elbow and winked and said: "Junior brother, Master is so kind to you. I think if you hadn't accepted Master Xu as your teacher, Master would have been willing to accept you as a close disciple."
"Yes, Master has never been so kind to us. He will laugh when he sees you."
Wencai also helped.
Zhang Heng said nothing.
Maybe it’s too easy to get and you won’t cherish it.
Maybe there are too many temptations in the world of mortals.
Qiu Sheng and Wen Cai, who are practicing Taoism, are almost modeled after Qian Shui. They spend their days fishing and making jokes, and they just know how to play. It's strange that Uncle Jiu has a good face.
But there is no way around it.
Some people say that if you do a good job, you will love a good job.
Zhang Heng felt that something was wrong. He should love a profession and do it, so that he would be more motivated.
Qian Shui's dream is to be a cook.
Qiu Sheng's dream is to have his own rouge shop.
Literary talent...
Zhang Heng thought about it and found that he didn't seem to have any preferences in literary talents.
If not, it would be to eat and wait to die, just like those modern people who gnaw on the elderly.
In short, these three guys do not practice Taoism voluntarily, nor do they devote themselves to it because they like it.
In this way, their mood of muddling along can be understood.
After all, Zhang Heng was born in modern times and had seen too many people who were like walking zombies. They followed their family's arrangements and were admitted to a certain college. After graduation, they took over their parents' classes and worked in a certain department.
There is no soul in their eyes, they are just the carrier of their parents' will.
Zhang Heng once asked them, and the answers he got were similar: 'Just mess around, otherwise what are you going to do?'
My parents are pressuring me, I have a girlfriend, and I have to think about marriage and children.
Even if you don't like it, you have to accept it silently, because everyone is an adult, and this is the adult world.
Same reason.
Qian Shui, Qiu Sheng, and Wen Cai are so similar to these people who just muddle along.
They don't practice Taoism because they like it.
They are just the carriers of their respective masters' will.
Maybe one day, they will like to practice Taoism, but that will be ten, twenty, or thirty years later. By then, they will also have their own apprentices, and this will be the beginning of the next reincarnation.
"Senior brother, how do you think about what I discussed with you yesterday?"
Zhang Heng retracted his thoughts and looked at Qiu Sheng again.
"I've thought about it."
Qiu Sheng scratched his head: "We are senior brothers. If you want to practice the magic of magic, you need my help. I have to agree."
"That..."
"Then you said you supported me in opening a shop, weren't you lying to me?"
Qiu Sheng had an expression that said, "Don't make fun of me."
"Don't make trouble."
“How much does a rouge shop cost?”
"This little money is just a drop in the bucket for me, no, a drop in the bucket."
"Besides, aren't you quite confident? I'll lend you money and you open a shop. When you make money, you can just pay me back. We are brothers, so I'm afraid you'll run away?"
Zhang Heng was speechless: "Whether you buy a shop or rent it, I don't care. I will lend you as much as you need, as well as the purchase cost. I will support you in building this shop. When will you have money?"
Return the money to me again and I won’t ask you for interest.”
After speaking, he added: "If you think this is too risky and you are afraid of losing money, I have another idea, that is, I will pay and you will contribute, and this store will be considered a partnership between the two of us."
"I don't participate in management. I only contribute and distribute money, accounting for 60%."
"You are responsible for management, operation, sales, and maintenance, accounting for 40%."
"Of course, don't feel less, because in the second method, you don't need to bear the risk of failure. The majority of the risk lies with me. At most, you will lose some management and operation time."
Listen to each sentence.
Wencai pulled Qiusheng's sleeve and whispered: "Can you understand? I have no idea what junior brother is saying."
Qiu Sheng gave him a roll of his eyes, and then said to Zhang Heng: "Junior brother, I want to choose the first one. I have confidence in myself and I will definitely be able to pay you back."
There was another reason Qiu Sheng didn't say.
If you borrow money to start a business, it's your own business, and you can just pay it back later.
Partnership, one business and two businesses, always feels a bit uninteresting.
When others ask, "This is a partnership business," they will say loudly, "This is my business."
"Okay, I don't have any objections. We'll go for a walk after we have dinner."
Zhang Heng agreed immediately.
After dinner.
The table was not even cleared, but as soon as it was moved to the kitchen, it was gone.
Originally, clearing the table was a job for a literary talent, but how could he think about it now? He was afraid that Zhang Heng and Qiu Sheng would take the first step and not take him with them.
In fact, he was overly worried. Qiu Sheng was eager to take him with him and show off in front of him.
Without literary talent, it makes no difference if you eat meat instead of garlic, it won't have the same taste.
"Actually, I have always been very knowledgeable about the shops on the street."
"My aunt's rouge shop is opposite the brothel. It does mid- to low-end business, mainly low-end."
"If I want to do it, I will do it in the mid-to-high end. Firstly, I will not compete with my aunt for business, and secondly, I will occupy a blank market."
"Have you seen any small western-style buildings on this street? Renjia Town is rich and there are many rich people."
"Look at these beautiful little wives, many of them are other people's concubines."
"These concubines are different from the main wives. They spend money like running water and can't even keep it. After all, they are here to enjoy themselves. Who would live in poverty with you?"
"Similarly, in a home with concubines, there cannot be only one concubine, at least there must be two or three."
"If you use low-end, I will use mid-range, and if you use mid-range, I will use high-end. If we compare, I won't worry about business."
Walking on the street, Qiu Sheng told Zhang Heng his business experience.
When Zhang Heng heard this, it did make sense.
Moreover, Renjia Town is much richer than Dagou Town.
Although it is said to be a town, it is actually richer than some small counties in remote areas. There are even cafes and Western restaurants in the town.
In addition, the transportation industry extends in all directions and is located on a transportation hub. As more merchants come and go, the economy will naturally develop.
"When it comes to doing business, I actually don't understand it and I have never done business."
"But I have some opinions of my own on the nature of business."
"Business is buying and selling. If there are people to buy and people to sell, then the business is done."
"The profit generated in this process is called profit, so to put it bluntly, doing business means selling what you need to those in need and earning the price difference."
Zhang Heng took a walk and took a look.
Finally, he stood at the busiest street intersection: "Then the question is, who is in need, and how do you let her know that you have what she needs?"
After speaking, Zhang Heng pointed to a small foreign-style building in front of him: "The answer is right here."
The small foreign-style building is located at the intersection of the street.
There is also a small courtyard on the upper and lower floors. The location is very good and the flow of people is dense.
If you open a store here, everyone in the town will know about it within a day. It is a natural billboard.
And this is why modern businesses would rather crowd together than move out.
"The shops here are very expensive. Whether it's renting or buying, I'm afraid it's not cheap."
Qiu Sheng felt a little nervous.
It's not that he doesn't like the location, but no matter what he says, it can't change the fact that this is his first time doing business.
It is my first time to do it. I only have theory but lack of practice. The shop is too big. What should I do if I lose money?
After all, Qiu Sheng asked himself to show his aunt the store, but showing the store to others and being his own boss are two different things.
Instead of giving the hotel lobby manager some money, the lobby manager can go out and work alone. Doing business is not that simple.
"Junior brother, this shop is too big. I have been to Qiu Sheng's aunt's rouge shop. It only has two counters, two shelves, and a back room. Ten people can't stand inside."
"If you pick any of the shops here, they are three to five times bigger than Qiu Sheng's aunt's shop. How many counters do you need to set up?"
Wen Cai helped Qiu Sheng hold back: "If you ask me to build such a big shop, Qiu Sheng will definitely not be able to build it."
"I don't think so."
Zhang Heng held a different opinion: "The seller is a service industry, and its primary issue is how to provide better services to customers."
"Take the shop here as an example. If the shop is too small, do you know what the consequences will be?"
"What you do is mid-to-high-end. Who is the person who has the ability to buy mid-to-high-end products?"
"Rich man."
"A noble lady from a small family, a wife from a wealthy family, a concubine, no matter how bad she is, she must be from a good family."
"What are the characteristics of these people?"
"If you are rich and powerful, you will live a decent life."
"Take the example of a person who has done good deeds. Those who have had one meal but not another will not be able to do it if they want to be a good person."
"So your customers are never ordinary people who think your products are expensive and grit their teeth after just one look at them."
"Similarly, those who don't think your things are expensive will not find them expensive even if you are more expensive."
"Besides, who among these rich people doesn't take a maid with them when they go out?"
"So this place must be big. Let alone ten people, even thirty or fifty, you still have to have a place to stay."
"When the time comes, we will decorate the inside and make it more luxurious."
"Even if you are more expensive, buyers will be willing to pay because the grades look different. How can a good thing not have a good price?"
"On the contrary, if you pick at the ropes and make the shop look like a beggar's den, you just give it to them for free. They all think your stuff is cowardly."
In later generations, those luxury jewelry stores went crazy with these routines.
When you enter the store and take a look, you will see a large counter and a large space.
If nothing else, when you go in and take a quick look, you will feel that it is completely different from a street store.
The same thing.
If you sell it for 60 yuan in a street shop, you think it's too expensive. But if you sell it for 100 yuan here, you won't even bother to bargain.
Compare tourist areas.
The farmer's three punches cost five yuan, and he was very energetic after drinking it.
If you buy it in a small shop in front of your home, you will be beaten to death by your wife three times when you return home.
A few days later...
"Wencai, what are Qiu Sheng doing these days? Why don't you see anyone all day long?"
As time passed, Uncle Jiu realized something was wrong.
"Qiu Sheng!"
Wencai was drying herbs in the yard and said without raising his head: "Isn't this a new shop? Qiu Sheng is busy over there. He hasn't been to Yizhuang much these days."
"shop?"
Uncle Jiu was a little confused: "What kind of shop? Is Qiu Sheng's aunt going to open a new shop?"
Wencai had a silly smile on his face: "It's not Qiu Sheng's aunt who wants to open a new store, it's Qiu Sheng who wants to open it."
"Qiu Sheng is going to bloom?"
The more Uncle Jiu listened, the more he felt something was wrong: "Where did he get the money? Did his aunt give it to him?"
Wencai explained: "No, Brother Heng lent it to him."
"Brother Heng?"
"That's Junior Brother Zhang. Qiu Sheng said that Junior Brother Zhang is a respectable person and is older than us. He doesn't want me to call him Junior Brother anymore. I have to call him Brother Heng."
Wencai said happily: "My name is Brother Heng. Brother Heng was very happy and even gave me a pocket watch."
As he spoke, Wencai touched his body and took out a gold-plated pocket watch, which he showed to Uncle Jiu as if he were offering it a treasure.
"Master, you see, it's gold-plated, and it's worth a lot of money."
After saying that, he couldn't help but glance at Uncle Jiu: "Of course, it can't compare with the pure gold pocket watch that Brother Heng gave you, but the style is similar. When you fall asleep one day, I will replace it for you. It saves money.
You always tell people when you go out that you wear a gold watch every day for fear of being stolen."
Two days ago, Zhang Heng gave Uncle Jiu a gold watch.
Uncle Jiu would wear it when going out every day at dawn and hang it in the most conspicuous position. Then he would drag his old friends in the town to complain: "My nephew is really too filial and insists on giving me a gold watch. I say no."
No, look at what this gold looks like, and it’s too heavy. When I wear it around my neck, it makes my neck thicker. Doesn’t this attract thieves?”
When people around me look at it, they feel so hateful.
In other words, Uncle Jiu had Taoist magic to protect him. If it were an ordinary person, he would have beaten him. If he didn't beat him, he would be a disgrace to society.
Ahem...
Upon hearing this, Wencai wanted to replace his gold watch with a gold-plated one.
Uncle Jiu put the gold watch back into his sleeve and made up his mind that Wen Cai would not be allowed to enter his house in the future, otherwise the gold watch might be lost one day.
"Uncle, you are back."
Zhang Hengzheng came out of the room. As soon as he went out, he saw Uncle Jiu and asked with a smile: "Uncle Master, how was the opera today? Is it Cantonese opera or Peking opera?"
Uncle Jiu did not answer this, but pulled Zhang Heng aside and asked: "Ah Heng, did you lend money to Qiu Sheng to open a shop?"
"Yes, I was just thinking about finding an opportunity to tell you about this."
Zhang Heng saw that Uncle Jiu knew about it, so he started chatting: "Uncle, I think Qiu Sheng is quite old. He is different from Wen Cai. Qiu Sheng and his aunt will not agree to Qiu Sheng being a Taoist priest all his life. Sooner or later, he will marry a wife and have children.
"
Hearing this, Uncle Jiu did not refute.
Zhang Heng continued: "I don't know what you are thinking. As far as I'm concerned, I think Qiu Sheng should do something of his own."
"Although Yizhuang is stable and a good property, it is not dignified to tell people about it."
"It's time for Qiu Sheng to get married. No girl from a good family would marry him if he doesn't have anything decent to do."
"As for Literary Talent, he has neither father nor mother, so he grew up with you."
"From now on, whether you are a resident Taoist priest, you can get married and start a business, or you can be a fire dweller Taoist priest, guarding the Yizhuang, you will never die of hunger."
"In this way, Qiu Sheng has his own business, Wen Cai can guard the Yizhuang, and you can feel at ease. Uncle, do you think this is true?"
Uncle Jiu looked at Zhang Heng and then at Wen Cai, who was pretending to be working but actually eavesdropping.
After a while, he sighed and said: "The two of them called you Brother Heng, but they didn't call you Brother Heng. You thought more carefully than me, the master."
Although Uncle Jiu never said it on the surface, he was worried about the future of his two apprentices.
The first is Qiu Sheng. He is tall, good-looking, and has always been very lucky.
Let him be the resident Taoist priest. Regardless of his aunt, I am afraid that he alone will not be able to bear the hardship.
So Uncle Jiu also thought about the future.
His plan was to prepare money for Qiu Sheng, help him open a paper shop, and sell some paper figurines, incense candles, and gold and silver treasures to make a living.
Now, Zhang Heng has provided money to give Qiu Sheng a better future. Uncle Jiu doesn't say it, but he is actually very grateful in his heart.
Because Qiu Sheng is also his half-disciple, who doesn't want his children to live a better life.
As for literary talent.
Although Uncle Jiu beats and scolds him the most every day, he is the one who is most worried about him.
Choosing one of the two, Uncle Jiu is more inclined to hand over the property of Yizhuang to literary talent.
Why is this happening?
Because Wen Cai is an incompetent person.
Qiu grew up handsome, and his skills were higher than his literary talent. He would not die of hunger if he went outside.
Unlike Wencai, Uncle Jiu couldn't imagine how Wencai would live outside without him. He would have to go hungry for nine meals in three days.