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Chapter 135: Spreads 4/4
At this moment, in the warehouse, everyone was admiring Wu Baichuan, “Old Wu, you’re really lucky. We haven’t sold any of our goods yet, but you’ve already sold most of yours.”
“All thanks to the attention of the shopkeeper Mu.” Wu Baichuan said.
“Your goods are indeed impressive, with a very innovative style. I saw them in the provincial capital before and was curious where they came from,” someone said.
Others also expressed their admiration for Wu Baichuan.
But not everyone felt the same. Some people looked at Wu Baichuan with disdain. “Old Wu, your business this time is indeed doing well, but you were too careless. You actually brought a fellow townsman here and let that fellow townsman get close to Shopkeeper Mu… The business might be yours now, but who knows about the future!”
Wu Baichuan brought two fellow townspeople to the capital, and the incident where one of them was taken away by Shopkeeper Mu for business had already spread within the caravan.
Hearing this, many people in the caravan couldn’t help but sympathize with Wu Baichuan.
Wu Baichuan himself wasn’t feeling very comfortable either. Chang Duan and Feng Da came to the capital on his ship, but they ended up abandoning him…
As they were talking, they saw the shopkeepers under Lu Qingxi arriving.
After these people arrived, they exchanged greetings with Wu Baichuan and the others. While they were chatting, Shopkeeper Mu arrived.
These shopkeepers also greeted Shopkeeper Mu one after another.
As for Wu Baichuan, he looked surprised at the people around Shopkeeper Mu.
Chang Duan had dressed quite plainly before, but now he was wearing bright new clothes, looking completely different.
What surprised Wu Baichuan even more was when Shopkeeper Mu pointed to Chang Duan and introduced him to someone: “This is Shopkeeper Duan. He’s a newcomer recruited by Master Qiantose’s Mansion. Master Qiantose just acquired that large tavern, and he’ll be in charge of managing it in the future!”
Chang Duan was afraid of implicating Chang Zhan and his daughter, so he had been using the surname Duan and going by the name Duan Jin since leaving home.
Now, Lu Qingxi’s subordinates, upon hearing Shopkeeper Mu’s introduction, greeted him one after another, “Shopkeeper Duan, hello!”
At the same time, people from the Shen family’s caravan became curious. “Where did this Shopkeeper Duan come from? Shopkeeper Mu is being so polite to him; it seems like he’s highly regarded by Eunuch Lu.”
Wu Baichuan: “…”
At this moment, Chang Duan said, “I’m from Jiangnan, just arrived here, and I hope everyone will take care of me.”
After exchanging pleasantries, Chang Duan looked at Wu Baichuan again. “Shopkeeper Wu, thanks to your care all the way to the capital!”
Wu Baichuan hurriedly said, “I didn’t do much.”
He really hadn’t done much. After all, the people in front of him had paid him for using his ship to enter the capital.
“Shopkeeper Wu, I’ll be a bit busy these few days. Wait a few days, and I’ll invite you to dinner,” said Chang Duan.
“No need, no need,” Shopkeeper Wu quickly replied.
“I insist, I have something I want to trouble Shopkeeper Wu with,” Chang Duan insisted.
After a few words with Shopkeeper Wu, Chang Duan was introduced to the leading members of the Shen family by the wooden shopkeeper.
As for the others… being associates of Lu Qingxi, they didn’t need to be individually acquainted.
Those who had previously pitied Shopkeeper Wu now seemed a bit bewildered.
They were worried that Shopkeeper Wu’s fellow townspeople would snatch business from him… Shopkeeper Wu’s fellow townsman must be formidable indeed, to become a member of Lu Qingxi’s group in just one day!
And this realization was deepest for Shopkeeper Wu.
He had previously thought that Li Qingzhi was unfathomable, and now… it seemed to be true!
He could see it clearly; this Duan Jin was especially respectful towards Li Qingzhi, completely obedient to him.
For Duan Jin to become a member by Lu Qingxi’s side, it was highly likely due to Li Qingzhi’s guidance!
After guessing that the Shen family’s backing for the river fleet was Lu Qingxi, Li Qingzhi immediately arranged for someone to follow them into the capital, and then directly connected with Lu Qingxi?
Shopkeeper Wu dared not think further. He just became more certain of one thing – not to offend Li Qingzhi.
Fortunately, although he had doubted Duan Jin before, he hadn’t done anything disrespectful. Duan Jin shouldn’t hold a grudge against him.
Shopkeeper Wu took a deep breath, finally calming down.
While Chang Duan and Feng Da were busy in the capital, in a house near the new pier in Chongcheng County, there wafted a tempting fragrance.
Chang Duan and Feng Da had left Chongcheng County half a month ago. During this half month, Chang Duan had prepared to open a braised meat shop and had started making braised meat!
The braising broth used by Li Qingzhi before was discarded, but for opening a braised meat shop… generally, that pot of old broth could be passed down for a hundred years.
Of course, thinking that far ahead was a bit too much.
At this moment, the laborers in the shop were cooking their first pot of braised meat.
These laborers, rescued from the quarry by Magistrate Zhang, hadn’t had a particularly good rest even after coming to Chongcheng County. Although they ate better than before, they were still busy every day.
For this reason, they hadn’t gained weight before, at most just a better complexion.
But in this half month… many of them had gained weight.
For this, they were especially grateful to Li Qingzhi – their bodies improved all because Li Qingzhi provided them with medicine and prescriptions!
At this moment, Li Qingzhi was taking the pulse of one of the laborers.
This laborer was one of the weaker ones among the thirty-something laborers. Although he had been rescued, he always felt that his life wouldn’t be long.
During the time when others were printing books, he couldn’t help much and could only assist in cooking.
But now… he felt that his body was getting better day by day.
“Your body is fine now. Just eat well and take care of yourself in the future,” Li Qingzhi released the man’s hand.
“Mr. Li, thank you!” The man looked at Li Qingzhi gratefully. “If it weren’t for you prescribing medicine for me, I might have died by now!”
Li Qingzhi: “…”
Li Qingzhi did prescribe medicine for this man, but the medicine he prescribed was mostly common tonics that anyone could take.
He even brewed a large pot of it and had everyone take it!
The improvement in this man’s health had nothing to do with the medicine; Li Qingzhi used his ability to kill the parasites in the man’s body and repaired his internal organs.
Several of these laborers had parasites in their bodies, but Li Qingzhi had already cleaned them out.
Apart from parasites, they also had lice on their bodies… In the past few days, Li Qingzhi not only had them take baths but also had them shave their heads.
In Daqi, there was a saying, “The body’s hair and skin are given by one’s parents and should not be harmed.” Scholars treasured their hair and beards.
But that was for scholars…
Ordinary people didn’t have so many scruples.
When they didn’t have enough to eat, they would even be willing to become eunuchs by cutting off their descendantsroots. What did hair matter?
These days, every time a temple wanted to recruit monks, there were many people who couldn’t find wives rushing to go.
And the living conditions of ordinary people were not that great… If their hair grew too long and was inconvenient, they would just cut it.
Now, shaving their heads due to lice… what was the big deal!
These laborers, with their shaved heads and dressed in clean clothes made by the Jin Xiaoye Embroidery Workshop, looked much cleaner, and their spirits were completely different.
Feeling better physically, they were even more tempted by the aroma of the braised meat simmering in the pot.
This braised meat was too fragrant; they had never eaten anything so delicious in their lives!
Li Qingzhi had said that they could eat the braised meat cooked in this first pot… Now just thinking about it, they felt overly delighted!
As the laborers savored the aroma of the braised meat, the nearby folks working at the new pier also found it hard to resist. The scent aroused their appetites!
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