Chapter 7: Diao Hua

You say you won't go, but I see you are quite eager to do so

Yes, there are some that have escaped from the north, and the prices are quite affordable

Fortunately, this thing seems real yet not real, and Zhang Heng has made quite a bit of money. He immediately spoke up, saying: "I will only wait for you for one hour."

Ren Zhuang

Zhang Heng discerned the underlying meaning in Zhang Zhentian's words, gesturing with his hand to indicate that he should remain calm.

Of course, he cannot take all this money with him, as there are also expenses on this side of Dagu Town

Two boys got into a fight

Wait a moment, let us go to the market to buy some chickens, ducks, pigs, and cattle to take back. After a while, when I return to the family genealogy, I plan to hold a three-day banquet in the town and also invite a theater troupe, so that everyone can join in the festivities.

Da Kui happily agreed and called over several clan members sitting in the teahouse, following Zhang Zhentian to exchange for silver dollars.

The shopkeeper was even more anxious than Zhang Heng, and hurriedly instructed the young assistant: "What does Mr. Zhang like to eat and drink? Take money from the counter to buy it, to take care of it. Even if it means burning down this shop to make Mr. Zhang happy, it is fine. In any case, you must wait for my return."

Especially in Japan, from members of the imperial family to cabinet ministers, influenced by the Han and Tang dynasties, there is no one who does not love jade and precious stones

This wait lasted for over an hour

There was also someone with a defiant expression, shouting: "I do not want to sell myself, nor do I want to work for anyone. You can go to whoever you like."

The shopkeeper replied: "30 silver dollars can be exchanged for one 1-tael yellow croaker, and 80,000 silver dollars can roughly be exchanged for 2,600 pieces of gold, which is equivalent to 2,600 taels"

Zhang Heng nodded and asked the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, how many gold bars can I exchange for these eighty thousand silver dollars?"

Zhang Heng, seeing this, did not decline and instructed, "Da Kui, call a few clan members to accompany my cousin on a trip."

If we were to switch to high-quality replicas and create a batch of custom versions for the imperial court, I wonder if we could deceive the Fusang imperial family

Who says I cannot let the cattle roam, I can let the cattle roam

Brother Heng

Zhang Heng was eating snacks and drinking tea, contemplating whether to go lie down in the restroom, when the shopkeeper returned with a beaming face.

Mr. Zhang, please take a look ... ...

Zhang Heng ordered fifteen people in one breath

Master, choose me, I am capable, strong, I can cook and tend the fire, and I can also herd cattle and raise chickens.

Without going too far, countries such as Thailand, Japan, Singapore, and Myanmar all have a fondness for jade artifacts

A mere eighty thousand dollars is not worth mentioning

It is done

It is only comfortable to manage someone with a tough temperament, just like taking a bite of chilled watermelon on a scorching summer day; it is precisely this kind of vigor that is desired

Moreover, he has an idea

The little girl was quite frightened, yet her gaze remained full of defiance, resembling a little tiger.

fifty thousand dollars

Eighty thousand dollars could not touch his heart in the slightest, for he was well aware that this was merely the beginning

A pair of eyes darted around, cautiously scrutinizing Zhang Heng

Under the watchful gaze of the young lad, the shopkeeper dashed away in a puff of smoke

I act with discretion; with my presence, the Zhang clan will ensure that everyone has enough to eat in the future

Go in and take a look

My lord, this person is truly cunning. If you do not deal with her severely, she will not know how many eyes the King of Hell has.

Rest assured, my wife, I will be careful in my approach, ensuring that she screams loudly without causing her any harm

A doorman in his fifties, honest and straightforward, comes in.

Zhang Zhentian opened his mouth but found it difficult to say anything further

Zhang Heng was taken aback

Looking for a good cook, a skilled chef, age is not a limitation

The brothers Da Kui and Xiao Kui also take pride in their association, standing tall with chests out and heads held high, following Zhang Heng while holding their shotguns. Any passerby who comes too close is sternly deterred by their fierce gazes, presenting a striking image of sycophants

This is a boy who walks with a limp

Sugar figurines, both delicious and entertaining

After a while ... ...

Low-end jade stones are too low in quality; it is easier to earn money from wealthy individuals. In the future, we should continue to pursue a high-end route, where a single transaction can amount to tens of thousands, or even over a hundred thousand yuan.

The two little boys did not dare to cry, timidly getting up and standing to the side, their whole bodies trembling with fear

This is quite exhilarating; it seems he will lose at least 80,000. The shopkeeper must have a profit of at least 20,000, otherwise, he wouldn't be so agreeable

Cousin, you first take this ten thousand silver dollar banknote to the bank and exchange it for one thousand in cash. The remaining nine thousand should all be exchanged for one hundred dollar notes.

Zhang Heng took the lead

You two dead things, who allowed you to fight in front of the guests

The old woman reached up and removed the silver hairpin from her head, biting down on her back molars as she rushed towards the little girl, saying fiercely: "Old lady, I specialize in dealing with troublesome children! I must treat you!"

In a short while, the toothless old woman directed several strong men to bring the person over

Zhang Heng glanced around, unwilling to waste words with the old woman, and directly asked: "Are there any maids over thirty years old?"

Zhang Heng frowned slightly

My lord, I have prepared everyone you requested, especially these four young girls. Take a look at their appearances; are they to your liking?

Zhang Heng could not help but take a few more glances.

The midwife wore a self-satisfied expression

Zhang Heng looked on with great interest and soon noticed a farmhouse in the distance with a straw rope hanging at its entrance

Cousin, eighty thousand, eighty thousand taels!

As Zhang Zhentian stepped out of the pawnshop, his face was beaming with joy, unable to maintain the calm demeanor he once had.

Steamed buns, freshly steamed.

Zhang Heng estimated in his heart

Amidst the noise, a woman dressed in red and green shoved two young boys to the ground

It seems that the shopkeeper means that 50,000 is basically his limit

In reality, there is an elderly woman with the surname Li in Jiangnan who is capable of making this item

Alas, you little rascal, you were bought from your gambling father at the price of two hundred jin of millet.

Today, upon encountering them, he decided to take a few people back with him. He believed that these individuals following him would be better than following others, as at least they would not be treated like the miserly landlords in films and dramas, who truly regard people as mere beasts of burden.

These individuals are all very cooperative, with some even whispering about how much they could earn after selling themselves, as their families are waiting for rice to be put on the stove

"Pah, you cripple, who would want you? You haven't been sold for half a month."

He then said, "You better not play tricks, otherwise I will smash the things, and they won't end up in your hands."

However, where there is cooperation, there is also non-cooperation

Zhang Heng waved his hand to stop the toothless old woman

Low-end goods priced at 180 yuan per set can deceive the鉴宝 experts from Fusang

As soon as the result was mentioned, Zhang Zhentian returned with people and inquired about Zhang Heng hiring servants, repeatedly saying: "Cousin, if you need help, we have people in our clan, no need to spend this money"

Only Zhang Heng had heard that the antique jade artifacts were deeply valued, and he was still preparing to test the waters: "Eighty thousand dollars, firm price"

He has established his persona as a wealthy young man returning from the South Seas, and it is unlikely for him to live alone in the old residence for an extended period, as this does not align with his identity

"Baby bok choy, one cent per bundle"

In fact, what he means is that the Zhang clan has more than 7,000 members in total, and there are many within the clan who cannot afford to eat and are forced to sell their children.

My lord, the little ones do not understand the rules; I will certainly teach them a good lesson later.

The shopkeeper exclaimed, "I will go raise the money right away"

Seeing the common people at the market, all of whom avoided this village, Zhang Heng became intrigued

This is a thin and emaciated little girl

Zhang Heng did not wait idly; he assigned someone to guard the tea shop while he took others to the market.

A high-quality imitation of the Jade Guanyin purchased for 30,000 can yield a return of over 1,000 times upon resale, making it impossible not to become wealthy

Zhang Heng does not see it this way, shaking his head and saying: "One cannot write two 'Zhang' characters with a single stroke. It is uncomfortable for me to use people from my own clan as servants. Furthermore, these individuals who sell themselves into slavery may not necessarily end up in good places. If I buy them back, I can spare them from being sold to some undesirable locations"

The rough servants, needless to say, are all middle-aged women in their thirties and forties

This is still due to connections; to speak frankly, this item is highly sought after by foreigners. If bought back, the British Museum would pay a high price for it

Others believe that this little tiger is formidable and difficult to manage, but she does not see it that way

Transaction completed

Among the four young girls, two of them have expressionless faces, appearing resigned to their fate

Alright

"Master, choose me; he is a cripple and cannot possibly tend to the cattle."

Four young maids, no older than ten years, and they must be good-looking

2600 taels of gold brought to modern times could be exchanged for approximately 35 million

Oh, I was worried that you might run away with something

Upon hearing that he was to exchange for foreign currency, Zhang Zhentian felt somewhat apprehensive, fearing that he might be robbed on the way.

Zhang Zhentian took the silver note and examined it carefully for a while, then nodded and said: "It is genuine"

Those who can serve as a matchmaker need not fear encountering difficult clients; what they truly fear is being unable to make a living from this profession

Cousin, this is indeed 10,000 taels of silver. I have never seen so much money in my life. Why don't you let Da Kui accompany me, and bring a few more people along? Otherwise, I won't feel at ease.

Yangjiang is a small place, and the real good buyers are in Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou. Taking the TV drama "The Fragrance of May Osmanthus" as an example, the enamel color olive bottle from the Kangxi period has a fixed price of 80,000 silver dollars

You are unwanted, I will fight you.

Zhang Heng knew little about the matter of the silver note, so he gave Zhang Zhentian a glance.

What is being sold here

Brother, choose me, I eat little, only half a bowl of millet for a meal

Upon hearing this, the matchmaker laughed and said: "How many do you need? If it's not enough, I can find more for you. As long as the price is right, even if you want my sister, I can sell her to you."

At the market, people come and go, and the sounds of vendors calling out their wares are incessant

Rather than relying on outsiders, it is better to give opportunities to family members, ensuring that there is food to eat and avoiding the separation of kin.

One must always strive to live; when a person is so hungry that they resort to digging up roots to eat, dignity, morality, bottom lines, and conscience all become insignificant. What matters is survival

Some came to escape famine, some sold themselves because their families could not afford enough food, and others, in urgent need of money, voluntarily came to work as servants

The shopkeeper held a stack of silver notes and excitedly introduced: "Xishan Bank, Rishengchang, eight silver notes of ten thousand dollars each, recognized by the note, not by the person, redeemable nationwide"

Zhang Dadan explained from behind: "In today's chaotic times, some places are still suffering from disasters, and everyone is having a hard time. Many people cannot afford to eat and can only sell themselves into servitude. This village tied with straw ropes is a place where people sell live livestock."

Zhang Heng is calm and composed

Zhang Heng did not respond to this, but simply instructed, "Bring eight rough servants."

The toothless old woman had a horse-like face, with a black mole at the corner of her right mouth, and an expression that was sharp and mean: "What would you like to see, gentlemen? I have all kinds of people here, boys, girls, some younger, some older, those who can cook, those who can warm the bed, those who can plow the fields, those who can serve others, everything you could possibly need"

Moreover, the Japanese are fond of collecting tea utensils, and for this, they spare no expense.

A good-looking porter in his forties, please.