After everyone had eaten and drank enough, and rested for a while, Magistrate Yang gave a few instructions to the Yamen servants, and then went out with Man Bao and the others.
The busiest time has passed at this time, and the people shopping have calmed down a lot. Everyone is shopping slowly. Some who are tired or hungry find a nearby shop or stall to sit down and have something to eat.
thing.
Therefore, Magistrate Yang can go out for a walk with peace of mind, holding his hands behind his back.
After going downstairs, Daji went to the back of the restaurant and first picked up the chicken coop hanging on the back of the car.
Magistrate Yang was surprised when he saw the big rooster in his hand, "Is this your goods?"
The three of them nodded together.
Magistrate Yang touched his chin and said, "It can't be sold to restaurants and made into dishes, right?"
"If it can't be sold, it will end up being used for cooking."
The rooster in the chicken coop cackled a few times, but I don't know if he understood it.
Magistrate Yang curiously followed them down the street, and then turned into a small street. Lanterns were also lit inside, but it was different from the outside. It looked as bright as day and noisy. As soon as he entered, it was noisy.
The shouts rushed towards his ears.
Man Bao and Bai Shan Bai Erlang were also obviously stunned. When Magistrate Yang saw the appearance of the three of them, he knew that it was their first time here and couldn't help but smile.
There was some strange smell floating in the air. Man Bao waved his hand in front of his nose and said with emotion: "It smells so bad."
Magistrate Yang squinted his eyes and looked deeper into the street, finally searching for information about this street in his mind, "Is this the street where the gambling house is located?"
Man Bao nodded and asked: "Master Yang, have you been here?"
"I've been here before," County Magistrate Yang said, "I've been here to handle cases, and I've been here to see him, but this is the first time I've come here at night."
He turned to ask the three of them, "Have you been here too?"
Man Bao said: "I've been here a few times, but only during the day."
Magistrate Yang asked curiously, "What are you doing here?"
Manbao pointed to the chicken coop in Daji's hand and said, "You're selling chickens."
Magistrate Yang looked down at the big rooster in the chicken coop and followed them forward in silence.
After walking not far, there were people fighting cocks in front of them. It was obviously the time for the big roosters to sleep, but they just poked the chickens awake and made them stretch out their necks and start giggling and screaming.
Magistrate Yang didn't like this atmosphere very much and frowned.
Man Bao watched it with gusto. After watching it for a while, she found a seller who seemed to be reliable and showed him her big cock.
After all, this is for fighting. The buyer carefully picked it up and said, "Okay, three taels of silver, you can keep it if you want."
The three of them secretly discussed it and agreed, so they handed over the money and delivered the goods. After Manbao took the money, he looked around, "Should we go shopping again?"
Bai Shan said: "Let's take a look at what other people's roosters look like."
County Magistrate Yang watched with them, and when they finally had enough, he followed them out, "You are watching so carefully, are you planning to gamble on cockfighting?"
Man Bao shook his head repeatedly, "We don't gamble. Basically, those who gamble will not end well."
"Then what are you doing?"
"We plan to raise more big roosters. When the time comes, the best ones that can fight will be sold to them as fighting cocks. Fighting cocks are more than ten times more expensive than ordinary chickens."
Bai Shan also nodded, "It's so profitable."
Magistrate Yang did not expect that they had this idea. He was stunned for a while and then said: "Isn't it difficult to raise the roosters used in cockfighting? I heard that they need to be raised intensively, and the food they eat is more expensive than that of humans."
"
Man Bao said: "That's not true. To raise a rooster well, you have to feed it well, but eating better than others doesn't mean it is better. My second sister-in-law raises the best chickens. The roosters she raises have shiny coats and red combs.
They are tall and tall. Our little village is all raised according to my second sister-in-law’s method. Although it is not as good as the one raised by my second sister-in-law, it is not bad. If we are more careful, I estimate that we can produce thirty of them a year.
Fighting cocks left and right.”
Bai Shan said: "One is three taels of silver, and thirty is ninety taels. Each of us can divide thirty taels."
Bai Erlang also said: "We eat food and vegetables produced in Zhuangzi, and we basically don't spend any money at all."
Magistrate Yang looked at them in confusion, "Are you short of money?"
The three of them nodded together.
Bai Shandao: "There are more and more things to learn in the school, and everyone likes to buy expensive and good things. When I go to the school after fifteen years, I will have to change to a good piano. Ma can continue to rent the school."
inner."
Bai Erlang said: "The prices of things in the private school are very high. It costs a lot of money to treat guests to dinner out. I can't always eat from others. I have to treat them in return."
Man Bao said: "In addition to books, I also want to buy some medicinal materials. I also want to treat guests. If my husband wants me to learn music, I also have to buy a piano."
Magistrate Yang: "Your family won't give you any money?"
Bai Shandao: "It was originally given to me, but after the winter solstice, my grandmother said that Manbao didn't spend any money from the family to study outside, and her father could still accept her money, so she said she wouldn't give me any money and asked me to
Use your own first. If you don’t have enough, ask your family for more. It won’t be in vain if you ask for it.”
Bai Erlang was even more aggrieved, "As soon as my father heard that Bai Shan didn't want the family's money, he cut off my money too. Huh, he also said that my eldest brother didn't have any land. The family had already given me a piece of land for private property, so he wouldn't
You should ask your family for money again."
So Bai Shan and Bai Erlang looked at Man Bao together.
Man Bao lowered his head guiltily and whispered: "My fourth brother said this, who knows who passed it back? My family will never tell anyone about my father's collection of my money."
People say that.”
This is the rule of the old Zhou family.
As long as you know how much money your family has, you can tell it to your family, but it must not be spread to anyone else.
There are so many people in Lao Zhou's family. It is impossible to find out where the news came from, but it is true that they need money and need to make more money.
Magistrate Yang, who originally didn't agree with them doing this business, couldn't say anything against it. He could only pat the three of them on the shoulders to comfort them.
However, he still warned: "If you deal with such people, you must be careful not to contract their bad habits."
"Don't worry, we will never gamble."
Magistrate Yang smiled and said: "Many people said this before they started gambling."
Bai Shan: "We don't know how. If we are tempted, we can just look back and think about Brother Zhou."
Manbao nodded.
Magistrate Yang was curious, "Why, has Zhou Lang gambled before?"
Man Bao said seriously: "I gambled and almost sold me to pay off the debt."
Magistrate Yang's eyes widened in surprise.
Bai Erlang laughed loudly and said: "What a liar! Your family is rich, how could they sell you? My housekeeper said, you also have a silver longevity lock, but your parents were reluctant to part with it, so they borrowed it in the end."
Money. I can’t even bear to give you your longevity lock, let alone sell it to you.”
Only then did Magistrate Yang feel relieved. He just said that the old Zhou family didn't look like that kind of family, but... "Erlang, I'm not a ghost."