Chapter 2 discusses compensation and liability
Her hair bun was slightly disheveled, and the blue satin gown she wore was somewhat wrinkled, clearly indicating that she had been lying on the ground outside waiting. Zhang Han estimated that the hand that had touched his forehead in the middle of the night to check for fever must also belong to this woman
Although Zhang Han is a businessman who has fought his way up from the bottom, he has already cleaned up and settled down in the two years since his crossing. He reads books on political economy and history every day. He is very intelligent; while it cannot be said that he has a photographic memory, he is able to remember some important things.
Chang said that he was useless, and that a woman could not maintain the family business. Zhang Han understood in his heart that this matter had nothing to do with his mother. In the face of the prevailing circumstances, even if the old master Zhang Yun were to be reborn, he would still have to bear the losses
Zhang Han felt a strange sensation in his heart, as the original memories and emotions in his mind became intertwined with his own memories and feelings. With a complex state of mind, he sat up straighter and said to Zhang Chang: "Mother, I realize my mistake this time"
A woman around forty years old walked in from outside, and as soon as she entered, she began to reprimand Zhang Han
You can say this: as a mother, I am very gratified, and there is no need to say much more. As long as you are understanding, the Zhang family will have hope, and so will Yu Sheng.
Zhang Han let out a sigh and muttered, "In business, one must monopolize; otherwise, one can only eat the crumbs that fall from others' tables. Whether one can even get a bite depends on the mood and disposition of others"
Zhang Han frowned upon hearing this. Initially, he was observing the arrangement of the room, the size of the courtyard, and the fact that the Zhang family had more than ten servants, being descendants of a prominent official. He assumed that the family was well-off, but unexpectedly, he learned that the business was actually operating at a loss
On the second day, at dawn, he was awakened by the enticing aroma of food.
Zhang Han looked at his companion and comforted him, saying: "Zhang Chun, that day I struck you a punch in a moment of confusion, please do not hold a grudge against me"
Hmm?
Chang's face revealed a look of relief as she sat by the bedside, holding Zhang Han's hand with her own. The bond between mother and son was deeply intertwined, and in this moment, there was truly no need for further words
Chang's face revealed a look of surprise, and after examining Zhang Han more closely, he finally nodded and said, "I never expected that after your serious illness, you have indeed become much more sensible."
Speaking of which, in recent days, Zhang Han has given him the impression of being a different person. Facing Zhang Han, Zhang Chun feels a somewhat inexplicable tension
Han'er, you are quite confused; this time it was truly perilous, and it has also caused your mother great worry
Children should not act in such a petulant manner, nor should they neglect their own well-being
Of course, fully accepting it will take time. At least for him at this moment, what he needs to do is to accept the current reality: he is already a merchant's son from the Ming Dynasty during the Wanli era. What he must do now is to establish a firm foundation for himself, and not discuss anything else for the time being
Chang's gaze subtly scrutinized Zhang Han from top to bottom
She thought for a moment, realizing that this pile of tasks would eventually be handed over to her son. Previously, Zhang Han was merely a bookworm, but now it seems that it would be beneficial to gradually reveal some of the underlying details to her son, which would also help her out a bit.
The business was founded by your grandfather, who brought less than 5,000 taels of silver from Puzhou at that time, marking a separation from there. Over the decades, our family's cellar holds more than 20,000 taels in silver, the shop and inventory are worth 11,000 taels, and there are nearly 10,000 acres of land in Tianchengwei, valued at 3,000 to 4,000 taels. The remaining items, including mules, horses, vehicles, and this courtyard, together are worth no more than 2,000 taels. In recent years, we have likely lost around 3,000 to 4,000 taels; the losses are not too severe yet, but if this continues, we will have no choice but to close the business..." Mrs. Chang showed a look of shame and finally said: "As a woman, I originally thought it would be enough to preserve the family business, but unexpectedly, I cannot even maintain it... If you, Han'er, can preserve this family business, then I will have a good explanation to your grandfather and father when I am underground in the future!"
Grandma, the boy has woken up
Zhang Chun was already outside with a large sweater, and upon seeing Zhang Han come out, hurried over to drape it over the young master.
Mother, how has the business been lately? Is the household expenditure still sufficient?
Zhang Han looked at the situation before him, shook his head slightly, and murmured softly, "Is this the beginning of the Little Ice Age?"
"What are you talking about, brother? How could I possibly know?" Zhang Chun shrank his neck, still feeling a bit scared
It is a pity that before me stands only Zhang Chun, who has panda eyes; truly, such charming eyes are wasted on the blind.
Those who do not incur losses are the monopolists of grain procurement, the big players who can control grain prices
"Hmm, what mother said is..." Zhang Han replied, and then continued, "After this incident, I realize that I have been too foolish in the past. I intend to go to the shop to manage external affairs, but there are no adult men in the family, so I must take responsibility and establish our household. I should truly and thoroughly inquire about the situation at home.
In Zhang Han's view, the woman before him was beautiful and had an outstanding temperament. It was evident at a glance that she had been educated in her youth and possessed a strong-willed nature. However, with Zhang Han's father having passed away early, the Chang family had become the pillar of this household, and Zhang Han was unable to assist her. This woman, with her high aspirations, likely harbored much inner turmoil, which resulted in numerous wrinkles on her face, making her appear much older than her actual age.
Do not call me "brother" anymore; I need to go to the business to work. Hearing "brother this" and "brother that" sounds inappropriate.
It appears that Chang's complexion is not solely due to his own health, but rather related to the troubles and issues that have arisen with the Yusheng business and the Zhang family supported by this business. Previously, Zhang Han, the former manager, was entirely devoted to scholarly pursuits, being a typical bookworm, and was completely unaware of the circumstances at home
Having made up his mind, Chang pondered: "We will tell Yu Sheng that we are selling groceries, tea, oil, paper, cotton cloth, southern goods, and everything else, but our main business is still grain. In the past two years, the weather has gradually worsened. In our regions of Shanxi, Shaanxi, and Zhili, there have been poor harvests, with some prefectures and counties experiencing near-total crop failure. As grain production decreases, prices soar. We mainly sell our grain to those Tartars, but they do not acknowledge our reduced output and continue to press for lower prices. Back and forth, our profits have indeed diminished significantly. Over these two years, both we and Yu Sheng have suffered considerable losses."
This time, he saw that Zhang Han had completely awakened, his eyes wide open and shining with vitality, entirely different from the semi-comatose and half-conscious state he had been in a few days prior
How many nights have I wished to be scolded by my mother, being pulled by the ear, only to wake up with tears wetting my cheeks
Chang was somewhat surprised; her son before her, who had been intelligent since childhood, had significant flaws in his character. He was overly proud and stubborn, with a temperament that was notoriously difficult to manage. Today, however, he was so candid in admitting his mistakes, which was indeed a rare occurrence in her memory
After all, having grown up together since childhood, even though there is a distinction between master and servant, the bond of friendship between Zhang Chun and Zhang Han is quite profound. Seeing the young master rise, Zhang Chun's face was filled with joy, almost jumping up in celebration.
If Master Zhang Yun were here, he would probably have to give his well-behaved grandson a big thumbs up...! Zhang Han muttered this, and it truly hit the nail on the head, getting to the crux of the matter!
Zhang Han slipped on his cotton shoes, lifted the thick cotton curtain, and stepped out from the warm room
Zhang Han suffered dual damage to both his spirit and body. He had not been awake for long, and after exchanging only a few words with Zhang Chun, he fell back into a deep sleep.
Perhaps others may hope that in two years the weather will change and grain prices will fall, but Zhang Han knows in his heart that this is absolutely impossible
Zhang Han's illness has already been cured, and he has moved from the cold study to the east room, which has a fireplace... The weather of this era is truly so cold that it is hard for future generations to imagine. Not to mention the average extreme cold temperature of minus thirty degrees, it also snows heavily every few days. Zhang Han has been recuperating for a total of five or six days, during which two heavy snowfalls occurred. Although the snow in the courtyard has been cleared, the roof is still piled high with snow. As far as the eye can see, everything is covered in a blanket of white.
"You take care of yourself first," Chang said lightly, "Regardless of how the business or the family is doing, it won't affect your basic needs for food and clothing."
Alright, that is settled
A few days ago, Chang mentioned the significant rise in grain prices and the famine in various regions, which made Zhang Han understand what was happening.
As soon as Zhang Han woke up, there was a slight movement, and Zhang Chun, who had been dozing at the head of the bed, was suddenly startled awake
During the late Ming Dynasty, the world faced continuous disasters and famines, attributed to the so-called Little Ice Age, which lasted for nearly seventy years, from the Wanli era to the Tianqi and then to the Chongzhen period. Coincidentally, after the Shunzhi period, the Little Ice Age came to an end, and with the introduction of southern agricultural products into China, the Manchu invaders unexpectedly encountered great fortune, managing to establish the "Kangxi and Qianlong Prosperity" despite their inept governance.
Only those who have lost their parents at an early age can understand Zhang Han's feelings at this moment
As Zhang Han felt the long-desired maternal bond, a chill also ran through his heart
Zhang Han's expression remained normal, only revealing a look of concern
"Suffering losses" actually refers to incurring financial losses and relying on past savings
The neatly cut pickled white radish strips, a small dish of vibrant green snow vegetable, a plate of shiny fried peanuts, and a few cloves of sweet garlic arranged on a plate, all together create a visually enticing display. Additionally, there is a bowl of thick, golden millet porridge, steaming hot.
Grain prices will only continue to rise, and there is no possibility of a decline. Perhaps there will be minor adjustments in limited areas, but in most places, the situation is worsening year by year
Zhang Han, who lost his parents at a young age and became independent early on, is much stronger than ordinary people when it comes to accepting reality
This is Zhang Han's mother, Ms. Chang, who has always had a somewhat stern disposition, and Zhang Han subconsciously fears her
In that case, I shall call you Young Master.
Zhang Han recalled the hand that had stroked his forehead in the middle of the night. Looking at the woman before him, although she was scolding him, the former Zhang Han would have felt disgusted and afraid. Yet, he now felt a pang in his heart.
For Zhang Han, the contemplation in the middle of the night and the good sleep allowed him to thoroughly clarify his current situation
In the midst of slumber, it seems as though a pair of hands is gently caressing him, exuding utmost tenderness, evoking an indescribable sense of comfort and security, a feeling that appears to have only been experienced during his childhood.
It is indeed amusing that among all the time travelers, only Zhang Han would resort to striking others at will