The main reason is that I can't stand Hou Fu's incompetence and how he always thinks highly of himself.
In previous years, if they couldn't say more than three sentences, the two would choke each other and eventually break up.
This year Hou Yao was selected as a scholar, and his status was different.
Zhou Ming did not dare to get into too much of a fight with Hou Fu for fear of making Hou Yao unhappy.
When Zhou Sheng goes to discuss the matter of affiliation, it will be difficult to talk.
With Zhou Ming's initiative to show weakness, the two families enjoyed the meal happily.
After drinking and eating, Zhou Sheng invited Hou Yao to the inner hall to discuss the matter of affiliation:
"Cousin, you won the scholarship this year, can you give me one of your tax-free places?
The court's taxes are getting higher year by year, and our shop can no longer sustain itself."
Hou Yao thought for a while. He needed a businessman with white gloves, but he hadn't found a suitable candidate yet.
Zhou Sheng is quite shrewd and a good candidate.
However, Zhou's shop was for the grocery business, and it was old and dilapidated, so it was not suitable for the business he wanted to do.
"There's nothing wrong with my cousin opening his mouth, but..."
Hou Yao paused for a moment when he said this, and Zhou Sheng's heart rose to his throat.
"But what? My cousin says something bluntly."
Hou Yao sneered:
"Don't be nervous, cousin. It's like this. In fact, my cousin is also looking for a partner to start a big business.
It's just that your shop is shabby and old, and it's really not worthy of my business, so I have an idea,
I will pay to renovate your shop, and then you will do my business, and I will give you 10% of the share capital.
As for your grocery business, it’s okay if you don’t do it. How about it?”
Zhou Sheng was dumbfounded when he heard this:
"Cousin, are you kidding me? Yi Cheng? How do you want us as a big family to cope with this?"
If Hou Yao hadn't been a scholar, if someone else had said this, he would have slapped him away.
Hou Yao nodded slightly and said:
"10% is indeed too much, but my cousin is a relative of my own, so I have to treat him favorably. If it were someone else,
At most, he will be given five hundred taels of silver a year to complete the work, and it is impossible to give him a share."
When Zhou Sheng heard that it was more than 10%, he almost ran away on the spot.
But later when I heard that I could get five hundred taels of silver a year, I was immediately shocked and couldn't open my mouth from ear to ear.
Five hundred taels, his entire store is not worth that much.
Zhou's grocery store can earn more than 20 taels of silver after spending a full year in it.
In addition to various tax expenses and management,
I’d be thankful if I could have seven or eight silver left over for my family’s expenses.
Five hundred taels, that is a number that is unimaginable.
But this seems to be just drizzle in my cousin's mouth.
Zhou Sheng couldn't help but be tempted, but he was afraid that this decision would ruin his family's livelihood.
If Hou Yao's business fails, what will everyone do in the future?
"Cousin, can I ask, what kind of business do you want to do? Can you really make so much money?"
Hou Yao took out a glass bead from his arms, which was one he had left as a sample.
"It's a specialty store that sells this stuff. Of course, it won't be all beads, but also bowls, cups and so on."
Zhou Sheng took the glass beads with trembling hands and exclaimed:
"This... this is... Liu... Liuli Bead?"
Hou Yao smiled contemptuously:
"It's not glass, it's glass. How about it? Are you interested?"
Zhou Sheng immediately shouted excitedly:
"Yes... yes, of course I'm interested. I just heard that the source of this item is in a mysterious place called Bonaparte. I'm afraid it won't be easy to obtain, right?"
Hou Yao shook his head slightly:
"You don't have to worry about the supply of goods. I have my own arrangements. You only need to consider whether you want to do this business and how to do it well."
Zhou Sheng stood up and cupped his hands:
"Yes, but it depends on the master's orders."
Hou Yao was quite satisfied with Zhou Sheng's attitude. He was worthy of being from a business family and his mind was spinning very quickly:
"Okay, since you have this intention, then I will leave my business to you.
Now let’s talk about how much money it will cost to build one of the best shops in the state.”
Zhou Sheng pondered for a moment and then said:
"If you want to be the top store in the state, I'm afraid it will cost you at least two hundred taels of silver."
Hou Yao nodded, it was a little less than he expected:
"Okay, I'll give you three hundred taels of silver. Before March, I must see the best commercial building in the state completed.
By the way, one more thing, this building must have at least three floors, so don’t build less.”
Zhou Sheng nodded seriously and said:
"Please rest assured, Sir, nothing will go wrong."
Hou Yao discussed the details with Zhou Sheng again, and they didn't leave the inner hall until the sun turned to the west and dinner was called outside.
When Zhou De saw Hou Yao coming out, he couldn't wait to greet him:
"Cousin, you and my brother are finally done talking."
Hou Yao glanced at Zhou De. In his memory, this little brother was never very convinced of him.
Why did I change my gender today? I couldn’t help but wonder:
"Oh, cousin, are you looking for something to do with me?"
Zhou De looked embarrassed, obviously a little embarrassed, but in the end he still said bravely:
"Cousin, I heard that there will be a poetry meeting on the fifth day of the lunar month, and Yao Yingzhe, who is known as the most talented person in the South China Sea, will also participate.
I really want to see it, please... can you take me with you?"
Hou Yao almost forgot about this. He thought it wouldn't be bad to bring a follower, but he immediately nodded:
"If you can bring someone with you, then you can go."
Zhou De suddenly shouted excitedly:
"Thank you, cousin. You can have a book boy at that poetry club. You just need to say that I am your book boy."
Hou Yao screamed strangely:
"Oh, my book is a bit big for childhood grade."
Zhou De suddenly flushed with anger, but in order to participate in the poetry meeting, he had no choice but to endure it.
However, he wanted to settle the matter, but someone didn't want to let him go. Four-year-old Zhou Ping pointed at Zhou De's face and shouted:
"My uncle's face is so red. Is he going to turn into a monkey's butt?"
Mrs. Zhao grabbed her daughter and dragged her away.
Zhou De quickly said:
"I'm going to wash my face."
After saying that, he lowered his head and ran towards the kitchen.
Hou Yao lowered his head and let out a burst of laughter.
Zhou Yu couldn't help but snicker,
Hou Fu still kept a straight face, but the raised corners of his eyebrows showed the immense contentment in his heart.
I made you look down on me. Now the whole family will come to beg for my son, right?
snort.
…
On the fifth day of the Lunar New Year, the county government office hall was decorated with lanterns and colorful decorations.
Today's poetry meeting is an important event that the county magistrate has been preparing for many days.
The poetry meeting was originally scheduled to start at Si hour, but at Mao hour there were already people waiting at the gate of the county government office.
Just after Chen hour, it was already overcrowded.
Hai County's literary style is not prosperous, but it does not mean that there are not many arty people.
Just like Zhou De, Ren Hongcai only invited scholars from his own county to attend.
But the actual number of people present more than doubled.
Fortunately, the county police officers were well prepared for this situation, and no trouble occurred.
Hou Yao had no interest in participating in this bullshit poetry meeting.
What's the point of getting involved with a bunch of old men chatting about sexy things?
If he hadn't given the county magistrate some thin noodles now, he wouldn't have come at all.
Others had already been waiting at the county office for a long time at Chenshi, but he had just gotten up at Chenshi.
After washing up, I slowly went out.
Here, Zhou De was waiting at the gate of the county town eagerly, seeing that it was only a moment before the time came.
Finally I saw Hou Yao's leisurely figure from a distance,
Hou Yao was wearing the second-hand Confucian shirt he bought in Zhoucheng and was sitting leisurely on a donkey cart.
Zhou De rushed up to Hou Yao and roared:
"Cousin, why did you arrive so late? It's about to start, hurry up, hurry up, why are you taking a donkey cart?
If you follow us and run a few steps quickly, you might be able to catch up."
As he spoke, he took Hou Yao's hand and started to drag him out of the donkey cart.
Hou Yao suddenly felt particularly disgusted with this cousin. He threw his hand away and said calmly:
"Who is this brother? Why are you dragging me here?"
Zhou De was stunned and replied stupidly:
"Cousin, I am Zhou De, why are you...?"
Hou Yao said with a look of confusion:
"I don't know what Zhou De or Yuan De is. Go away. A good dog won't block the way. Don't delay my business."
After saying that, he asked the donkey cart owner to bypass Zhou De and continue moving forward.
Zhou De looked confused, his delicate face turned red, and he stood in the wind messy for a long time.
Seeing the donkey cart driving away, I suddenly realized that I must have been too impatient and offended my cousin by speaking carelessly.
He immediately chased after him and apologized:
"Cousin, cousin, I was too impatient just now and didn't pay attention for a moment. Please don't be angry, cousin.
I know I was wrong, right...I'm sorry."
Hou Yao raised his eyelids and took a look. He really didn't like this relative, but he didn't look at the monk's face and looked at the Buddha's face. He had to take care of him as well.
"Okay, if you know you're wrong, just follow it honestly. To be a book boy, you must act like a book boy."
Zhou De was dissatisfied in his heart, but on the surface he did not dare to show any more dissatisfaction.
At the yamen gate, Hou Yao got out of the car. At this time, he was less than a cup of tea away.
Hou Yao took out the invitation and handed it to the policeman at the door.
The officer opened it and took a look and said:
"Hou Yao, right? You arrived very late. If you were even a cup of tea late, I wouldn't let you in."
At this moment, three more figures came from a distance, and Hou Yao looked back:
"Isn't there someone who arrived later than me?"
The police also saw the three people walking behind Hou Yao. They were obviously a little nervous and did not dare to argue with Hou Yao and said anxiously:
"Why are you comparing yourself to others? Go in quickly and don't block other people's way, otherwise you will get the best of you."
Hou Yao didn't bother to argue with a police officer and walked into the Yamen.
The three people also arrived at the door, and the guard shouted respectfully:
"Master Yao, Master Hou, and Master Su have been waiting for you three for more than a while."
Yao Yingzhe nodded slightly:
"Yeah, I got it."
The scholar known as Mr. Hou pointed to Hou Yao in front and asked the officer:
"Who are those two people in front of us, and why did they arrive so late?"
The guard replied honestly:
"The one wearing a Confucian shirt is the scholar Hou Yao, and the other is his scholar."
Upon hearing the word Hou Yao, Mr. Hou showed a playful smile on his lips.
He immediately rushed forward and shouted:
"Hey, hey, wait a minute."
Hou Yao heard someone shouting behind him and looked back.
I saw one of the three young men in brocade uniforms behind me running up to him and standing in front of me, looking at me carefully up and down, with a weird mockery hanging from the corner of my mouth.
Hou Yao didn't know what was wrong with this man, maybe he was just a rabbit, so he immediately covered his chest and shouted:
"Brother, although I am very handsome, I only love women. I can't play with your differences."
Mr. Hou's face suddenly turned red:
"Whoever shares the peach with you, let me ask you, who are you, Hou Tianzong?"