Because of the past events that were brought out by the hook, as I walked around and looked at it, the memory became closer to the past time.
After everyone left the second courtyard, they visited the third courtyard, the backyard, the Western-style building, the north-west courtyard, the north-east courtyard, the flower hall courtyard, and the large garden.
Everywhere was explained to the children by Hong Lucheng or Wang Yunlin like tour guides.
In Sanjin Courtyard, Hong Lucheng told Hong Yanwu and the others that the main room here faces west and was used as the ancestor hall. As for the north room, it was used as an office by their grandfather.
I remember that their grandfather would come here every day to handle court affairs, but at that time it was not called the manager's office, nor was it called an office, it was called a business room.
If there are outsiders here, they must be negotiating a big deal worth tens of thousands.
From a personal perspective, since he was in high school, he has been basically his father's secretary, helping with all practical matters here.
It is precisely because of this that he benefited a lot. He learned the tricks of trading from his father and learned the real way of doing business.
For example, their grandfather followed the British habit of having afternoon tea here. However, he never used Western-style pastries, but exclusively used cream pastries produced by "Yan Mei Zhai".
This is not because he is afraid of spending money, but because the old man insists that reputation is the foundation of business, and he values being consistent inside and outside.
His reasoning is, "If even the Hong family doesn't use their own things, how can others think that the Hong family's things are good?"
And for similar reasons, the old man has always been quite disdainful of the Yue family of "Qirentang". He often used them as counterexamples to warn the Hong family.
"The descendants of the Yue family are unworthy and believe in Western medicine when treating their own illnesses. So why sell Chinese medicine? Hypocrisy! That is deceiving the people! It is also equivalent to them slapping themselves in the face and smashing the sign of their ancestors. You must not imitate them..."
After hearing this, Hong Yanzheng and Chen Liquan both pursed their lips and smiled. There was no doubt that the image of an old man who was both stubborn and cute appeared before their eyes.
Only Hong Yanwu was very surprised, not for any other reason, but because in the future "Qirentang" would not only be the leading stock in a listed company, but also open many Chinese medicine hospitals.
There was even a TV series that spread its reputation across the country, and even southerners knew that there was a "Qirentang" in the capital.
Its reputation not only surpasses the "Qingrentang" and "Heniantang" in the capital, but is also far greater than the "Shijitang" in the northwest, the "Hu Qingyutang" in the south, and the "Xinghetang" in Guangdong.
.It can be called a model of Chinese medicine.
But why do they even believe in Western medicine?
"Dad, is this true or not? The Yue family, aren't they also palace doctors? I heard that they are genuine and have a good reputation. They still believe in Western medicine? No, right?"
Faced with Hong Yanwu's question, Hong Lucheng still answered in the affirmative.
"Yes, the Yue family's medicines are pretty good, but then again, this is the foundation of all time-honored brands. Which of the serious medicine shops in Beijing is full of fraud?
"As for saying they believe in Western medicine, that is definitely correct. It refers to the eldest family. Their eldest brother, Yue Xiyuan, believes in Jesus and hangs a statue of Jesus all day long. Before eating and before going to bed, he kneels there every day. In his daily life
They are all foreigners, and everyone in the capital knows that. Whenever their eldest brother is sick, all they call are Western doctors. The first are two foreigners from Minxiang in the east suburbs, one is Italian, Dr. Jula, who is a doctor in the army.
There was also Dr. Bei from Germany. Later, he asked Guan Songtao from the Union Medical College Hospital. Their second uncle Zhu Guangxiang and Lao Jiuyuekui were both Western medicine doctors. It is no exaggeration to say that they even had to wear glasses.
Find the foreigner Bi Huade. Do you think you have wronged them?"
"Also, the Yue family is not a palace doctor, but only serves the Qing palace's imperial pharmacy. What does this mean? To put it bluntly, their medicines can be sold to the palace. But they don't understand the palace's prescriptions. The Yue family's palace secret recipe,
In fact, it was given by the uncle of the Ma family of Xinglong Wood Factory. He was an official in the same dynasty as your cousin's family, so he is a genuine imperial doctor. So why are you willing to give them prescriptions? Because several generations of the Ma family and the Yue family have
They are family friends and brothers. My uncle is willing to give the prescription because of the Ma family's face. Otherwise, the Yue family doesn't even have a 'zhibao ingot'..."
(Note: Zhibao Tablets. For pediatric use, Amber Powder can be used to clear away heat, conduct stagnation, dispel wind and resolve phlegm. According to legend, the traditional method requires ten strips of gold to be boiled together with the medicine to achieve sufficient potency. But after the medicine is finished, the gold
Not a trace is missing, just serve as a catalyst)
"But the Yue family didn't know how to be grateful, and the younger generation gradually started to lose respect for them. Later, they not only pushed Ma's uncle out of the gate of Qirentang, made fun of them, but also used their hats as a urinal."
When the old shopkeeper of the factory found out, he stopped working. In anger, he opened a "Tongji Tang" for Uncle Ma's family opposite the old shop of "Qirentang", specifically to squeeze "Qirentang". "Qirentang" sold one
Mao, they sell it for nine cents."
"The Ma family is the richest man in the capital. Now 'Qirentang' couldn't stand it anymore, so it asked a big businessman in the capital to come to peace. The lawsuit went all the way to Dali Temple, and the final verdict was over the decoction and tablets operated by 'Tongjitang', 'Qirentang'
'They were not allowed to sell, so they could only sell pills and ointments. Moreover, they had to raise 300 deer for my uncle in Xiannongtan. The Yue family surrendered with both hands and lost an adult. Later, the two families reconciled, and the Ma family
Once there is no further investigation, the operation of 'Qirentang' will return to normal."
After hearing these words from his father, Hong Yanwu had three thoughts.
First, you really have to be low-key as a person. There are people outside the world, and there is heaven outside the world. If you are too proud and arrogant, you will be punished by others at any time.
Second, everyone is the same. They like to publicize things that show their face, and they have to cover up embarrassing things. Why was it so awesome to only play the seventh child of the Bai family in the TV series? How come these things were not mentioned at all?
?
Third, no matter what dynasty or generation, those who dare to engage in civil engineering and construction are the most profitable professions. Then the Ma family can make "Qirentang" submissive. Isn't it because of the business of constructing buildings for the royal family that they can have this confidence?
?
Following them to the backyard, Wang Yunlin pointed to the two-story Chinese-style building and told the children.
She said that most large-scale courtyard houses have two-story buildings at the end, which play a protective and suppressive role in the entire courtyard.
There are two most beautiful back buildings in Beijing. One is the concave back building with carved beams and painted columns in the "Prince Qing's Mansion" on Dingfu Street. The other is the 99-and-a-half-room back building in the "Prince Gong's Mansion".
Building, during the Republic of China, it once became the female dormitory of Fu Jen Catholic University.
The back building of the Hong family is not good at all. The workmanship and design are not innovative. Not to mention that it cannot be compared with the ones in Prince Qing's Mansion and Prince Gong's Mansion. Even compared with the one in her natal family, it can only be described as "shabby".
However, the main reason for this is not that the Hong family is a business family, but because the back building is also called the "embroidery building". It is the place where the female relatives of the mansion live. Novelists and dramatists love to imagine and compile "
A place with stories like "Mandarin Ducks and Butterflies".
The Hong family has almost always been a single household, with only men and no ladies. This place has always been used only as a residence for maids, so naturally they have not bothered to build such a building.
From this point of view, it is not a pity that the workers of the street factory have usurped this place as a residence, no matter how harmful it is.
But no one expected that as soon as she finished speaking, the exact opposite situation happened.
It turned out that when they walked to the outer courtyard to the north not far away, when they saw the two-story Western-style building with dilapidated bricks and incomplete sculptures, Wang Yunlin couldn't help but sigh with distress, saying that the house was really ruined.
According to her, this building was built by a foreigner who Hong Yanwu's grandfather spent a lot of money to build a small building for Zhang Zhidong when he was young. It is completely on the same level as the rough back building.
This building is perfect in both design and construction. There is a platform outside the window, a fountain at the door, and a green golden grass lawn in the courtyard.
All rooms use European-style long glass windows, and chandeliers hang from the ceiling.
The interior not only has floors, wainscoting, heating, and a bathroom with running water, but also has power generation equipment and a boiler room in the southeast corner of the yard. There is also a pantry adjacent to the kitchen.
Even in order to pass the new carriages and cars, the door was opened on the north wall and a new large iron door was installed to facilitate the entry and exit of carriages and horses.
To be honest, if the equipment in the house can be completely preserved, even now, it can be called a modern life that is not outdated at all.
However, now that the outside has become like this, we can already predict what the inside will look like.
Wang Yunlin was right. After entering, everyone found that the house was no longer in shape.
The floorboards creaked and were broken in many places, and the paint on the pillars had peeled off, exposing the numbness inside. The sewers were blocked at all and had been blocked for an unknown period of time. The toilets were full of water, and the floor was covered with pads for walking.
Many bricks are like waterside pavilions in the North Sea.
There are more than a dozen houses, and the ceiling of almost every house is like a map, with circles of water stains.
Looking at this level, once it rains, I really want to use a basin to collect water in the house. It's a shame that the employees are reluctant to leave and can still live here.
At this time, seeing Wang Yunlin looking gloomy and still shaking her head frequently, Hong Yanwu couldn't help but joke.
"Mom, why are you so distressed about this small mansion? It wasn't the place where you and my dad lived in the first place, right? It would be so beautiful if you could live here! You have your own private courtyard, and you can hire a servant and start a business alone. This
Doesn’t that mean we separate and live in another house? How free! Even if there is a dance, my grandpa may not know about it..."
His intention was to divert his mother's attention. But he didn't expect that his father's face would not look good this time.
Hong Lucheng actually said, "We don't live here, this is... your third uncle's residence. Your mother feels sorry for me. Because your grandfather has always entrusted me to manage this place, and outsiders have never been allowed to enter or move inside."
Anything..."
"Third uncle? I still have a third uncle?"
Not to mention Hong Yanwu lost his voice. Even Hong Yanzheng screamed.
"Dad, are you serious? How come I don't know?"
"Hey, your third uncle left home early. He was your grandfather's favorite. He was originally going to study in France to become a doctor, but..."
As Hong Lucheng sighed, he sadly recounted a piece of Hong family history.
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