Chapter 1640 - Small Capital Business
That afternoon, Zhang Yu walked home, his steps growing lazier with each pace. Just as he reached the tea house at the street corner, he heard someone calling: "Young Master! Here, over here."
Looking quickly, it turned out to be the storyteller from the tea house.
Sitting down at the table, the storyteller ingratiatingly pushed over a steamer of char siu bao. "Young Master, eat buns, eat buns."
Zhang Yu habitually skipped breakfast to save money, so he ate heartily. After finishing his fill and washing it down with tea, the storyteller handed over a copy of Story Assembly with a face wreathed in smiles. This storyteller was semi-literate, so he always relied on Zhang Yu to read these marketplace publications as source material for his performances.
Zhang Yu flipped to the serialized Entertainment Tycoon and read in a low voice: "Last time we told how Young Master Guanxi sent the book chest for repair, inadvertently losing the several hundred erotic portrait pictures hidden in the secret compartment. For a time it caused a sensation, and Miss Jiaojiao was so ashamed and resentful she nearly took her own life..."
After he finished reading, it took the storyteller a long while to come to his senses and wipe away his drool. "These Australians indeed have many tricks. Anything more explosive?"
Zhang Yu flipped through. "How about this marketplace strange news: Sea and Heaven Feast Crowd of Warblers Gathering, Xin'an County Cellar Hiding Slaves Case."
Having finished the book, the storyteller stuffed ten wen of copper coins into Zhang Yu's hand. Added to what he had saved from skipping breakfast these past days, it was enough for the next issue of War History Research. Zhang Yu's steps grew lighter too.
Seeing her son return, his mother—who had been sulking in the shop—could not help breaking into a smile. She followed behind, asking endlessly about his studies, and even brought a pot of hot tea and a plate of freshly baked walnut cookies. Zhang Yu wanted to go downstairs and help his father crack walnuts and knead dough, but his mother would not allow it. "A young man should just concentrate on his studies."
Then she chattered on about how business had been difficult, how the runners had swindled another few hundred wen, so today was essentially working for nothing. "Look at the young master of the tailor shop down east—he passed the xiucai exam, and runners and beggars don't dare come around anymore. Our family's hope rests entirely on you."
"Must pass the xiucai exam!" Mother departed. Zhang Yu opened Selected Essays of the Times with a face full of solemnity. The thirteenth topic was a "truncated connection" topic, and an inexplicably "heartless connection" at that: "The gentleman's wife Yang Huo desires."
Reading the baffling topic-breaking, the meandering topic-receiving, and the hollow initial lecture, Zhang Yu felt waves of stuffiness and tedium in his heart. He simply could not read on, so he pushed the book aside casually.
Though the vow to pass the xiucai exam still echoed in his ears, Zhang Yu could not resist taking a copy of War History Research from his book chest. Though he had read it through several times, reading it again remained fresh and exhilarating. Flipping to the new book advertisement on the back cover: Australian Song Science Fiction Masterpiece Shines on Stage! A Work of Vomiting Blood by a Sci-Fi Master! A Must-Read Masterpiece This Year! A Wonderful Adventure Shocking the Soul! Australian Song Publishing House's Dedicated Presentation!
Stroking the book title From the Earth to the Moon, gazing at the advertisement picture of a shuttle before a giant sphere pocked with craters, Zhang Yu was filled with curiosity. He had read fantasy novels—War History Research was currently serializing a political fantasy called Diary of a Conquered People, telling the story of the Sun Moon Dynasty being invaded and subjugated by the barbarian Shuiqing Kingdom. Discerning readers recognized at a glance this referred to the Great Ming. However, officials did not act if no one filed complaints. No one bothered to report it to authorities. Those who did bother merely scoffed: "How could the Great Ming perish at the hands of the Jurchen? And the Divine Land sink for three hundred years? Absurd, absurd."
But Zhang Yu had never read science fiction novels. His heart itched unbearably. Only the price of this book made him waver. Though since the Australians came, they had devastated the old bookstores and book prices had fallen by several tenths, he could only rely on a little pocket money from his parents. These Australians kept introducing new things—showing new Australian films one moment, picture books the next. Just relying on saved breakfast money and the few copper coins earned from reading storybooks to the storyteller was simply insufficient.
Thinking of Shixin's words, his heart was also filled with confusion. Actually, how many in the community school could pass the xiucai exam? Most parents sent their sons to school simply wanting them to learn some characters and be able to read account books. Even if he did not continue studying, the thought of inheriting this small shop and managing it for a lifetime left him feeling lost.
Since the Hair-people came, he had learned that beyond the Four Books and Five Classics lay such a vast universe. In his mother's words, his heart had gone wild. The only golden bright road he had once believed in now seemed narrow and confined.
Perhaps Shixin and I could simply run to Lingao? A thought surfaced in his mind.
Zhang Yu was quickly startled by his own notion. Run to the Hair-bandits! He knew perfectly well he could not do such a bold thing. Those who ran to the bandits, in earlier days, had all been families with nothing to eat or wear, with no way out—treating going to Lingao to join the bandits and shave their heads as the last resort to save their lives. Later, some bitter craftsmen and peddlers, coveting that jobs were easy to find and business was good there, went to Lingao. Right now, a third category of people had been added—all down-and-out scholars like Mr. Wu who had failed in their studies, could not endure outsiders' sneers and poverty, left in anger with brave words like "If no place keeps the lord, the lord goes to be a Hair-bandit," and ran to Lingao to seek minor official positions.
Though the Zhang family's circumstances were not affluent, at least they did not worry about food and clothing. Guarding this ancestral old shop, even if he did not pass the xiucai exam, he would probably just continue managing the shop like his Old Dad—marry a wife and have children, just as Grandfather and Old Dad had done. This walnut cookie shop had been in the family for four generations. Mother often said: to keep a shop running until it became a century-old establishment was truly harder than passing the jinshi exam.
However, thinking of his future life, Zhang Yu found it devoid of flavor. Having to rise at the first crow of the rooster every day to do business. When business paused at noon, still having to go out to purchase ingredients, deliver goods, and collect bills from various tea houses and wealthy households. The trivial and vexing matters therein were endless. After the evening market closed, having to prepare ingredients for the next day. Could not sleep until the second watch struck. Working from New Year's Day to New Year's Eve, day after day, year after year.
As Zhang Yu grew older, he gradually came to know the difficulty of livelihood. Especially after going to bed at night, hearing his parents' conversation next door before sleep—always about business being hard, prices of everything soaring outside, exorbitant taxes and miscellaneous levies multiplying. When discussing family expenses, again came sighing and groaning. In Mother's words: "In recent years, even the lining has gradually come loose."
The thought that his life, though not affluent but at least carefree, might become impossible to sustain—it was like snakes and insects gnawing at his heart. In recent years, among schoolmates at the community school and neighbors in the block, quite a few shops had gone bankrupt. Hanging themselves, jumping into rivers, selling sons and daughters, reduced to beggars and prostitutes... He had witnessed all of it. Several schoolmates at the community school had disappeared after their families declined. Some barely still came to school in tattered clothes, shrinking in corners, not daring to speak. Because they had no money to gift teachers or socialize with classmates, even teachers, senior students, and fellow students despised them. This was considered fortunate. Some were said to have been sold to gigolo houses to receive guests. Someone had seen him wearing women's clothes, head full of pearls and emeralds...
Every time Zhang Yu thought of this, he broke out in cold sweat. He also knew a thing or two about the passion of the cut sleeve. Such a trend existed in school as well—mostly older students with some family money being friendly with younger, pretty junior students. Even teachers did not object. Schoolmates occasionally cracked jokes; it was not considered a major matter. But this was completely different from wearing women's clothes, dressing as a woman to accompany drinking and receive guests...
While he was letting his imagination run wild, he heard Mother shouting angrily downstairs again, followed by crackling sounds and the apprentice's screams begging for mercy. When business had been good, the shop employed two or three hired hands. Now they kept only apprentices who ate but received no wages. Even so, Mother still nagged that the apprentice "ate too much" and "stole food," never showing him a pleasant face.
Zhang Yu felt upset and confused. He simply stopped reading, went downstairs, and saw Mother's anger had not yet subsided. The little apprentice had already scurried away holding his head. He comforted: "Mother, don't be anxious. It'll hurt your own health. Just punish him by withholding his meal."
Only then did Mother's expression soften somewhat. Stroking her son's head, she said: "It doesn't matter. Does hitting him a few times tire my hand?" She looked indignant. "Truly lawless nowadays. His old mother actually told me to give money for head-shaving and bathing. I haven't charged for all the rice he's eaten here these years! Asking me for money for head-shaving and bathing?!"
Zhang Yu hastily advised: "Mother, isn't it our choice whether to give or not? If she wants to talk, let her talk."
Mother sighed. "Silly child, would Mother get angry over such a trifle? Look at the fine deed he did!" She grew indignant again. "I told him to peel walnut skins, and he didn't pick them clean. Making them into walnut cookies will leave a bitter taste. Old customers will know the moment they taste them. How can we continue doing business?"
Making walnut cookies required walnuts. Guangdong did not produce walnuts—they had to be imported from North-South goods firms. Originally, their family used fresh goods from the current year. Now that business was much worse than before and walnut prices had risen again, they had begun using cheaper stale goods.
Stale walnuts tasted inferior to fresh ones, so the shop mixed the two—maintaining the fragrance while ensuring sufficient quantity. Only the inner skin of these stale walnuts had to be picked clean—otherwise the taste would easily turn bitter. After peeling off the outer skin, residues in the indented places had to be picked out bit by bit with a sewing needle. This was routinely the apprentice's nighttime work. However, the Zhang family shop had only this one apprentice. Working on miscellaneous chores all day, then having to peel walnut skins under lamplight at night—naturally, he could not do it thoroughly.
"This is a major matter concerning our shop's reputation. Mother, you are right to discipline him," Zhang Yu nodded repeatedly. "If indulged for a moment, the consequences would be unthinkable."
"Yu'er, you truly have matured," Mother could not help sighing. "I just don't know if your father has the ability to pass the shop on to you..."
"Why?" These words struck Zhang Yu like a bolt from the blue. For an instant, the experiences of several schoolmates flooded into his mind.
"Yu'er, you are also grown up now. You should know a thing or two about family affairs." Mother sighed and told him to sit down. "You surely know of the Australians' Great World outside the city."
"Yes, child knows." Zhang Yu nodded. "It looks like it will be finished soon."
"Now the Great World is inviting merchants. They say many shops will be opened. Eating, drinking, entertainment—everything." Mother was worried. "I've heard that the Australians themselves will also open shops inside—among them, a tea food shop."
(End of Chapter)