bookcurios Chapter 118 What a coincidence
Chapter 118 What a coincidence
Huang Xunzhi shook his head: "I don't know about this, and I can't find out."
After a pause, he whispered, "But I heard that the person who rented the shop was the wife of Song Zhubo."
"Impossible." Shen Lingzhu's first reaction was that something was wrong. So far, she and her senior sister already had a general understanding of this world.
In this dynasty, except for officials from the capital, officials who were sent to take up posts in local areas basically did not bring their families with them. For example, when my uncle was a county magistrate, my aunt did not accompany him.
It’s not that officials didn’t want to bring their families, but there was a rule during the reign of Emperor Taizu that prohibited officials from bringing their families. Although later emperors did not always enforce it, it was a clear rule that officials were not allowed to serve within 500 miles of their homes.
Officials are constantly changing, and it is very likely that they will be transferred before they have served for a year. It is not a good experience to move thousands of miles with your family.
"Cousin Zhi, do you know where Mr. He's house is?" She felt that she needed to find the most accurate information, and it would be useful to have someone from Mr. He's family.
Huang Xunzhi nodded. He naturally knew this, but when his cousin asked him to seek help, he stopped cooperating: "It's too far. I have to protect you."
"The teahouse is very safe." Shen Lingzhu pointed to the sign behind him.
"No, unless we ask Brother Xia Xing to come." Huang Xunzhi was very persistent. The shop over there was only a few dozen steps away, so it was okay, but asking him to go a few blocks away would not work.
Shen Lingzhu tried to persuade him to go down, but had no choice but to take him into the store and go upstairs. As luck would have it, they met Miao Sili who was going downstairs.
The person behind him turned out to be the owner of the gold and jade shop whom he had met in the capital city last time, but the other party did not seem to recognize him.
Shen Lingzhu's heart moved. Could it be that he came to buy the seal stone in Miao Sili's hand?
She thought so in her mind, but it did not affect her actions at all. As a young person, she stepped back one step smoothly to make way.
Miao Sili walked down the last step, paused, glanced at Shen Lingzhu before leaving, and thought to himself that the Shen family was here to sell bellows again.
It seems that the benefits are indeed considerable as Mr. Shen can send his nephews and nieces to visit again and again.
When he thought about this, he felt annoyed with his brother-in-law named Cai for his inability to get things done, and decided to find him and give him a lecture at noon.
Shen Lingzhu watched them leave and said to Huang Xunzhi beside him, "Cousin, do you know him?"
"I know him." Huang Xunzhi nodded. The previous few times when they were selling goods in the county town, Uncle Shen Qi took everyone to the vicinity of the government office in turn to recognize the several clerks and constables coming in and out.
He was a man of discernment: "Cousin, please don't let me follow you."
"No." Shen Lingzhu would not cause trouble for herself. Next time she went to the provincial capital, she could take the bloodstone polished by her uncle to the jade shop to ask the owner to take a look, and then ask him a few words indirectly.
When she went upstairs, the storyteller had already finished reading the manuscript and was urging her to read the next few sections.
Shen Miaozhu refused to give it to her, because she hadn't actually written it yet: "Let's talk about three sections first to test the waters, and we will send you the subsequent manuscripts.
Then you can give your share to the person who delivered the manuscript and take it back."
Shen Lingzhu wondered why her senior sister didn't suggest sending someone to the provincial capital right away.
Are you planning to quietly explore the results?
"No need to try. Based on my many years of experience, this story will definitely cause a sensation once it is released." The storyteller was very eager to read the rest of the story.
Unfortunately, Shen Miaozhu's attitude was very firm, so he had to regretfully take the existing manuscript and leave.
Shen Lingzhu called out to the person who stopped him: "Sir, please wait a moment. Let's sign a contract."
"That's not necessary, is it? I can't even tell how many people are listening to the story later." This was the first time the storyteller was asked to sign a contract after receiving the manuscript.
However, most of the manuscripts he received in the past were sold directly to him.
He thought of another possibility and quickly took out his travel permit and household registration card: "My family lives in the prefectural capital, and I will definitely not fail to fulfill my promise."
Reputation is also very important to his line of work. If they use other people's manuscripts for storytelling and don't pay them, once it happens, no one will write stories for them again.
"Signing a contract will be good for both of us." Shen Lingzhu glanced at the address on the household registration card, memorized it in his mind, and gave his senior sister a silent look.
Shen Miaozhu didn't know why her junior sister insisted on having a written contract. She said, "Words are always shallow. It's better to put it in writing."
When the storyteller heard her speak up for this, and then thought about the distance between them, he nodded in agreement after considering for a few breaths.
Shen Miaozhu wrote the contract simply and clearly, and invited the teahouse owner to act as a middleman, and it was completed.
After signing, the storyteller couldn't wait to rush back to the city to start performing.
The two sisters naturally would not stop her. After sending the person away, Shen Miaozhu asked her why she wanted to sign the contract.
Shen Lingzhu briefly recounted how her aunt's shop had been sublet by the previous tenant.
Then, they were dragged by their senior sister to the newly opened pub. It was not yet lunch time, and they came too early. There were no other customers in the pub except for one or two people who were drinking wine with peanuts.
Shen Lingzhu asked quietly: "Cousin Zhi, who did you ask?"
"Hey, I'll call him over again." Huang Xunzhi said, and prepared to raise his hand to call the waiter over.
"No need, let's ask the shopkeeper." Shen Miaozhu focused on the important matters and ran directly to the counter to find the shopkeeper.
Shen Lingzhu followed closely and saw that the shopkeeper was reluctant to talk much. Under the attack of the senior sister, who gave them small change, he finally told them some useful information.
It turns out that this tavern is actually related to the chief clerk, and is opened by the family of his new concubine.
"Do you know who arranged to rent this shop?
How much is the monthly rent at the moment? "Shen Lingzhu asked the key question, which instantly aroused the shopkeeper's vigilance and he stopped answering.
Even if Shen Miaozhu took out more money, the shopkeeper would not say anything. At the end, he even kindly reminded them that the owner of this tavern did not care how much he earned.
Shen Lingzhu said: "We still have to ask Mr. He.
By the way, ask him what Master Cai has been busy with these days."
Mr. He was indeed a local tyrant in Shun County. When they found the He family and asked him the first question, Mr. He said, "Mr. Cai hasn't left the house for several days since he fell.
As for Xuanji Noodle House transferring the shop to someone else, it was probably done by Miao Sili."
He also added some other questions, "The nominal owner of the tavern is Song Zhubo's people, but it is not ruled out that the real owner is Song Zhubo's main intention."
"It's Miao Sili again." Although Shen Lingzhu had some guesses, after it was actually confirmed, she couldn't help but shake her head.
Seeing they couldn't get any more information out of them, the two sisters said goodbye and left. Shen Lingzhu said, "It would be great if we could give the Miao guy a beating just like we did to Shen Jianxuan?"
Shen Miaozhu nodded and said, "I have an idea, but it's not impossible."
"??? Can you keep watch for a while? We can go home in two days?" Shen Lingzhu confirmed again, and then heard her senior sister say:
"If Shen Xianzhu comes back later and you can convince him to stay in the county, I'll make some muscle softening powder or something like that to help you beat him up. Oh, no, I'm going to help you clear your mind."