The last day of September, asking for monthly tickets

  ***

  Li Xia sent Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei Yu back to Xishi Street. This time he didn't enter the door, only said that he would come to see them in two days, and then left. Xia Zhi returned to the backyard upstairs. Xia Dagu and Pearl had already returned.

  Xia Dagu first asked Xia Zhi, knowing that Xia Zhi had already agreed with Xia Xiucui. She was very happy. "Just right, I'll also invite your uncle and his family to come for dinner tonight."

  "Eldest Aunt, Second Aunt didn't say anything, did they?" Xia Zhi asked, scrutinizing Eldest Aunt Xia's expression.

  Xia Dagu's complexion was not bad, she smiled slightly: "Nothing to say, what can they say?" Originally, she thought that this time when she went to see Xia Ershu and Xia Erniang, she would still have to suffer from their praise and criticism. But the actual situation was much better than she had expected.

  Maybe Xia Er Uncle had vented enough yesterday. Maybe Xia Er Aunt was thinking of having a relative come and go. Although their initial attitude was a bit cold, it gradually got better. Xia Er Uncle and Xia Er Aunt were just polite for a moment, and agreed that the whole family would come over today.

  Xia Zhi nodded. Xia Erbo and Xia Erniang had many shortcomings, but neither of them were truly ruthless or cunning people.

  After finishing with Xia Er Shu and Xia Er Shu's wife, Xia Da Gu asked Xia Zhi about Xia Xiu Cai's situation. Xia Zhi then told her about seeing Xia Xiu Cai washing his own clothes.

  Xia Dagu sighed: "Your father, in order to save a few dollars, lived a very simple life. I told him to bring his clothes over and I would wash them for him, but he wouldn't do it."

  The whole family is living a tight life from top to bottom, what's the point? If it's really for Xia Qiao and Xiao Shu to study and take the imperial examination, then Xia Zhi would have accepted it. With her two brothers passing the exam and becoming scholars or officials in the future, her status would also rise with the tide.

  In this era, identity is still very important.

  It's really meaningless to put all the money into Tian Jia's bottomless pit.

  "My dad is also embarrassed to mention it." Xia Zhi then vaguely changed the subject, and formally discussed with Xia Da Gu, "Aunt, I plan to do some business."

  Xia Dagu was taken aback and quickly asked Xia Zhi: "What business are you planning to do?"

  Xia Zhi said she planned to sell zongzi. "There's quite a bit of business on the side of the academy. Today, I sent some zongzi over and Li Shan Chang and several other gentlemen all said they were delicious."

  Xia Dagu smiled and said, "There are many food vendors on the side of the academy, guarding such a large academy can still make money." Although she said so, she advised Xia Zhi, "Sixteen, you and your uncle stay with me for now, if there's anything lacking, just tell me. Doing small business is tiring."

  "I'm not afraid of being tired," Xia Zhi said immediately, "Auntie, I want to save some private money."

  Xia Dagu immediately understood. In fact, she didn't mean to stop Xia Zhi either. Xia Zhi said all the words about saving private money, which means not hiding secrets from her and treating her as a close person. Moreover, Xia Zhi's intention was to ask for her help in keeping it confidential.

  If Xia Zhi's earnings were known to Tian Shi, then the money would no longer be Xia Zhi's.

  "You must do it, then try first. What's needed, I'll get it for you," said Xia Dagou.

  "Aunt, I have enough money of my own," Xia Zhi smiled and declined.

  "That's fine. Use your own money first, and if it's not enough, tell Big Auntie. Big Auntie still has some money." Xia Dagu thought that Xia Zhi was doing a small business, which wouldn't require much capital.

  Xia Zhi didn't explain much, and she discussed with Xia Da Gu that they wanted to borrow the kitchen in the back courtyard. "I heard from Zhang Sheng Ge that it's empty for a few days, I want to borrow it for a while, before the tenant moves in, I will definitely clean it up."

  However, it was just borrowing a kitchen, and Xia Dagu readily agreed. She also called Changsheng over and had him arrange this matter. "If there's anything that needs to be run around for or if you need to show your face at all, just find your brother Changsheng."

  Xia Dagu again instructed Zhang Sheng to help Xia Zhi carefully.

  Changsheng smiled and nodded, then led Xia Zhi and Xiao Hei to the back. After taking another look at the kitchen, Changsheng took the two to his small study and sat down.

  "What are you planning to do at sixteen?" Changsheng asked Xia Zhi.

  Xia Zhi had already prepared her plan. She intended to borrow the two kitchens in the back courtyard, hire a few clean women to wrap and cook zongzi, and then have them delivered to the school gate for sale by herself and Xiao Hei Yu.

  This is just the first step. If the zongzi sells well, she also plans to hire some people to set up stalls in Xishi Street, Dongshi Street and other places to sell them.

  To hire people instead of selling zongzi herself, it's not the small business Xia Dagu thought. Changsheng thinks Xia Zhi has a big guts and is also good at making plans.

  The plan is feasible, and Xia Zhi brings up the issue of raw materials again. How much rice to buy, how many zongzi leaves, how much autumn oil, how much five-flower meat, etc., and also need to buy firewood, although the kitchen utensils on that side are all complete, but the number of zongzi packages is too large, Xia Zhi still worries about not having enough.

  Changsheng gave Xia Zhi a lot of advice, such as how much firewood to use, which family to buy rice from, where to buy meat, whose autumn oil is good, and so on. Changsheng knew all these things like the back of his hand. His family ran a grocery store with good supply channels. Moreover, he had lived in Xishi Street since childhood and was very familiar with the surrounding shops.

  Xia Zhi was very happy. She had seen it a long time ago, Chang Sheng was young, but he handled things steadily and carefully.

  "Thanks to you, Brother Changsheng. Otherwise, I would have been at a loss for a while." With Changsheng's help, Xia Zhi felt that many things had become much easier.

  Changsheng's knowledge, which was not thought to be very useful in everyday life, made Xia Zhi praise him, and his face turned slightly red with excitement. He was happy to help Xia Zhi.

  "Sixteen, why are you still being polite to me? You can just call me brother. If there's anything that needs to be done, just tell me." Changsheng said with a smile to Xia Zhi.

  Xia Zhi didn't bother with Long Sheng either, only reminding him not to delay the things in his shop and the matters entrusted by Guo's uncle.

  "Don't worry, it's definitely not going to be late. I've arranged for an opening." Changsheng said.

  "Changsheng ge, I'll make a pair of shoes for you." Xia Zhi said.

  "That's not necessary." Changsheng smiled and declined, without much firmness.

  Xia Zhi smiled and measured the size of Chang Sheng's shoes, planning to make a pair for him. She had always had a good impression of Chang Sheng. She was a person who did what she said, and the zongzi business was time-sensitive, so after making a plan, she didn't dare to delay even for a moment.

  She first took the money and accompanied Changsheng to the grain store to buy rice, then went to the butcher's shop to order meat, and also bought autumn oil, firewood and other necessary materials and supplies.

  The employer took her to find a dentist on Xishi Street. Xia Zhi told the dentist about her requirements. She hired temporary workers, with no age limit, but required them to be clean and honest, and know how to wrap zongzi.

  Wages are settled every day and will never be delayed. The payment is calculated based on the number of zongzi packages.

  Xia Zhi gave Ya Ren a day's time and asked him to bring someone tomorrow for a trial.

  After finishing all the tasks, they hurried back home. At this time, delivery people from various shops also arrived. Xia Zhi asked Chang Sheng to open the rear door and watched as people brought things in, then borrowed a scale from Guo's house to weigh silver for each household's account.

  On her way back from Dongshi Street, Xia Zhi went to the Datong Ticket Number and exchanged some silver with a silver ticket. At that time, she had already thought of a series of plans afterwards.

  After finishing all these, because the hired laborers can only arrive tomorrow, Xia Zhi herself soaked several hundred kilograms of Jiang rice and also marinated the five-flower meat that had been cut by the butcher.

  After finishing all the preparations, she locked up the kitchen and came forward.

  Changsheng had already taken out a set of keys for the back door, the kitchen at the back, and the side door, and given them to Xia Zhi. In addition, he also opened up a room for Xia Zhi to rest and work in.

  When Xia Zhi returned to Xia Dagu's courtyard, it was almost evening. Xia Ershu and his family, as well as Xia Xiucan, had not yet arrived, while Xia Dagu and Guo Shufu were talking inside the house.

  Xia Zhi, Xiao Hei Yu Er and Chang Sheng entered the door, Guo uncle stopped his previous words. He smiled and asked Xia Zhi: "Sixteen, are you all busy?"

  In the backyard, there was a flurry of activity as vehicles and porters came in like flowing water. This couldn't help but startle Uncle Guo. Although he had heard from Eldest Aunt Xia that Xia Zhi was going to sell zongzi, when he saw this scene, he was still shocked.

  He and Xia Dagu both made a special trip to see it, and after returning, the couple kept talking about this matter.

  Guo's uncle was curious about where Xia Zhi's capital came from. Xia Dagu didn't know either, only telling Guo's uncle that it wasn't her who gave the money. Afterwards, the two of them discussed Xia Zhi doing these things.

  Xia Zhi is very capable. Even if Guo's uncle has been running the grocery store for so many years, he can't find any fault in Xia Zhi's various arrangements.

  However, Xia Zhi's guts are too big, and he's already made such a big move. What if he loses? Guo Shu said to Xia Dagu in private that she still has some doubts whether Xia Dagu provided the capital for Xia Zhi.

  If the summer solstice is lost, then this money will not be recovered. Guo's uncle also rubbed his abacus in his heart for half a day, and roughly calculated the cost of the summer solstice, feeling more and more uneasy in his heart.

  Now that Xia Zhi was busy coming back, Guo's uncle smiled and asked her questions.

  "Today's tasks are finally done. Thanks to Brother Changsheng for helping me, otherwise I would have been overwhelmed and couldn't have finished so smoothly." Xia Zhi said with a smile, intentionally praising Changsheng in front of Aunt Guo and Elder Sister Xia.

  "You can't rely on your brother for anything else, but he's good at running errands and doing chores. Don't worry about it, Sixteen, just order him around as you like." said Uncle Guo.

  Xia Zhi smiled and glanced at Xia Dagu and Changsheng, then smiled and talked to Guo Shu: "Changsheng Ge is not a runner. I'm doing this small business and want Changsheng Ge to join in, so we can share the profits equally later."

  Changsheng was just helping Xia Zhi, but didn't expect to have to split the money. Moreover, he could only help with these things and couldn't do anything more. But before he could say a word, Guo's uncle had already hurriedly waved his hand at Xia Zhi.

  "No, no......"

  (。)