perfumer

Chapter 96 The Merchant's Crisis

Life went on as usual, Bai Xin spent less and less, he didn't bother to explain anything to his family, so others didn't know what Cheng Wenren had done for them.

Seeing that the new year is approaching, all the families are busy. Mrs. Cao led the people to sweep the dust and wash the ground, buy new year's goods, and pulled a few bolts of cloth to make new clothes for the whole family.

Mrs. Cao saw that the weather was good these few days, the sun was high, emitting a soft light, the wind stopped, and the snow stopped, so she wanted to ask Bai Xin to go out to relax, or to see the excitement on the street and feel the joy of the New Year, It was also because I had been relying on my son for a long time before, but I forgot that he was only a half-grown child. Looking at him now like an adult, responsible for the livelihood of the whole family, I felt guilty and distressed, so I said: "Sanlang, you have been staying here for a while. In the shop, I'm afraid I'll be suffocated, so I might as well go out for a walk while the weather is good today, and ask your elder brother to keep an eye on the shop."

Bai Xin couldn't pull himself up enough, knowing that he shouldn't have a bitter face, so he forced a smile and said, "I'm not going, and at the end of the year, I have to settle accounts and calculate the money. Mother, didn't Fifth Sister shout to go out before?" Want to play? Take her with you."

Since Cao moved to Panlou Street, even though she no longer wants to meet people, she usually meets some customers when she goes in and out. She wasn't used to girls, so she didn't dare to hand over the money to Qin Kuai and Han Qiao, for fear that they would run away with the money, or lie about the price.But Mrs. Cao was frightened by the aunt's loss. Now it's the end of the year and there are more pedestrians. She waved her hand helplessly, "I don't dare to take that leather monkey into the street, I'm afraid I don't have the heart to pick things. Keep an eye on her."

"Mom, just buy whatever you want. It's Chinese New Year, it's time to relax and not be as tight as usual."

Thinking of the recent expenses, Mrs. Cao felt a pain in her stomach, "Isn't it loose enough now? I also bought a lot of cloth, and everyone in the family made new clothes, even Qin Kuai and Han Qiao, and prepared chicken and duck. There’s really nothing to buy.”

"Mother, there's a Wuxiangzhai on this street, which specializes in selling dry goods. It's very unique. Why don't you buy some to eat during the Chinese New Year."

Mrs. Cao couldn't help muttering, "Isn't it just stir-fried melon seeds and peanuts? Buy some raw ones, and my mother will stir-fry them for you. It's not bad if you think about it. Why go to that shop to buy ready-made ones? The Wuxiangzhai you mentioned, I I also walked past its door, the decoration is impressive, and the things sold inside must not be cheap."

She said this completely subconsciously. After she finished speaking, she realized that she had originally come here to coax her son. When she saw Saburo mentioning it, she thought that his son liked to eat, so she immediately said it again, "But it's Chinese New Year. It doesn't matter, mother will go now."

In the twinkling of an eye, it was the 29th of the twelfth lunar month, and this was the first year the Bai family lived in the capital. Thinking about a year ago, they were still living in that shabby house with air leaks all over the country, and everyone felt as if they had passed away.

They didn't celebrate the New Year in the capital. Seeing that it was 29, the streets were still very lively, and they were amazed. Mrs. Cao said, "Don't the hawkers here go home for the New Year? Look at that tile, it's even more lively than usual."

Cao originally thought that the Chinese New Year was coming, everyone would go home, and the business would inevitably be deserted, but unexpectedly it was more lively than usual, the business in the shop has been booming for a few days, she laughed so hard from ear to ear.

The mute had no relatives for a long time. During the Chinese New Year, he brought his aunt and those girls back together. Mrs. Cao looked at her daughter's slightly swollen belly, and carefully helped her to a chair.

The aunt still wanted to help everyone, she smiled and said: "It's only been more than two months, I'm still working fast, it's nothing to worry about."

Cao frowned, "You are young and ignorant, the shallower the month, the more you need to pay attention." After she finished speaking, she touched her daughter's belly, feeling strange that it had already become obvious after only two months, and then she thought again, I'm afraid that there will be two in one breath. In the past, Mrs. Ma in the village was like this when she gave birth to the pair of twins. She was happy in her heart, and she was more careful, and repeatedly told Wu Niang and Gou Zi not to let them stay in the house. run.

Gouzi is more than two years old now, and he can already learn to babble. Occasionally, he popped out a word or two, and for some reason, he pointed at the aunt and popped out the word "brother". Cao thought that Gouzi "saw it", and was very happy He hugged and kissed several times.

In the evening, the whole family sat around the table and had a sumptuous meal. Both Mrs. Cao and Man Niang showed their housekeeping skills, such as stewed chicken with mushrooms, braised fish in soy sauce, small stewed meat, mutton soup, and some vegetarian dishes to relieve tiredness. There are several jugs of hot wine, talking and laughing, very lively.

The charcoal fire in the room was burning vigorously, and the faces of all the people who roasted were flushed, sweating slightly on their heads, and everyone was eating in full swing.

Seeing the joy of the crowd, Bai Xin couldn't help but think that Cheng Wenren was out alone and didn't know how to celebrate the new year. The more he thought about it, the more uncomfortable he felt, and he didn't dare to show it. I ate wine.

As the saying goes, it's easy to get intoxicated when you're bored. Before the time came, Bai Xin couldn't open his eyes, his whole body was limp, and his head was buzzing.

Seeing that he was drunk, Mrs. Cao didn't dare to force him to keep watch, and asked Da Lang to carry him upstairs and put him on the bed.

Bai Xin managed to fall asleep, but he was not at ease. After the third watch, the explosion of firecrackers on the street woke him up. He felt parched and had a splitting headache. The herbal tea left in the tea, the strong tea washed away the dullness in my chest, and I became more awake.

He put on his clothes and walked to the window, slightly staggered the slits, and saw that the flames were bursting into the sky outside, he stared blankly at the dark night sky, and stood there for half the night.

The next day, Bai Xin developed a fever and lay on the bed in a daze, babbling nonstop, calling Cheng Wenren's name indistinctly, and some words that people would not understand for a while, so Cao was in a hurry to ask for a doctor, She stood by the bed.

Da Lang was out of breath and led the doctor in. Seeing his mother crying into tears, he was startled, hurriedly retreated the doctor, and persuaded: "Mother, what's wrong with you? The third brother has a fever, it doesn't matter." .”

Seeing this battle, the doctor also thought that the person on the bed was seriously ill, so he hurried over, first felt the pulse, then looked at his complexion, and finally said that it was just sweating, blowing the wind, and stagnation in his chest, For some fever, prescribe some medicine, and it will be cured after three to five days.

Cao Shi wept and nodded, but was speechless.

After all, Bai Xin was young. Once he took the medicine, he improved a lot in half a day. He looked at the crowd apologetically, and said in a hoarse voice, "It's New Year's Eve, so you should worry about it."

The aunt was pregnant, and Cao Shi was afraid that she would get sick, so she didn't ask her to come, but the aunt was also stubborn. She didn't look at her brother, and she didn't feel at ease. When she walked to Bai Xin's bed, she also knew that something was wrong with Bai Xin, but No one knew what was going on, so she persuaded, "Family, what are you talking about? You should lie down and rest, and don't think about anything else."

Bai Xin nodded. The medicine had a sleeping effect, and he fell asleep after a while.

The Chinese New Year is very lively, but Bai Xin feels that the matter is irrelevant. In the blink of an eye, the first month has passed, and there is still no news of Cheng Wenren. More bad luck than good.

Just after the new year, at the beginning of March, the imperial court promulgated a new law that could bankrupt half of the merchants.

The imperial court issued banknotes every three years as the limit. In order to avoid private manufacturing and fraud, they had to be exchanged for new ones every three years. Around ten or so, by raising prices and reducing costs, merchants can also avoid losses by themselves, but this year, because the depreciation of banknotes is too severe, and the previous circulation is too large, the court cannot afford it, so it is announced that all banknotes will be invalid. be exchanged.

This information, to businessmen, is tantamount to a bolt from the blue.