The Great Ming in the Box

Chapter 378: Whats the Difference from Giving It Away for Free

Liu You was led by a group of the Discipline Committee members, rushing towards the Gaojia Business Circle, and several people helped him push the cart.

Originally, Liu You was already tired and sleepy, barely able to pull the cart; with this group helping to push, he felt much lighter, and in no time, they rushed into the Gaojia Business Circle.

Multicolored plastic houses combined with colorful lights made the entire Gaojia Business Circle appear prosperous and bustling, far surpassing the commercial streets in Heyang County; it made Liu You exclaim “Wow wow wow” repeatedly, fully showing the feeling of a country person entering a grand garden.

The shops here offered a dazzling array of goods; everything seemed to be for sale, the variety extremely abundant; it made Liu You feel dizzy looking around, yet he dared not ask the prices.

Someone shouted, “Leader Zhang, where is there an empty shop?”

Zhang Laowu thought for a while, “The shops in good locations have all been claimed; it isn’t easy to find a good spot now.”

A member of the Discipline Committee said, “What about the brothel? That brothel has been vacant all along.”

Zhang Laowu replied, “The brothel’s position is truly excellent! It’s in the best spot right at the center of the business circle; leaving it empty forever isn’t sensible; why not use it to open a small eatery?”

Upon hearing this, Liu You was instantly puzzled, “Huh? What? What what what?”

Zhang Laowu asked, “Because the Deity doesn’t allow this kind of trade, the brothel isn’t usable; you don’t mind opening your Fresh Water Hele shop inside the brothel, do you?”Liu You sweated profusely, “I mind, very much.”

Zhang Laowu offered, “No rent, free to use.”

Liu You responded, “I don’t mind at all; what’s that? Just change the signboard and it’s usable, right?”

The crowd fell silent…

So the matter was decided. Zhang Laowu took Liu You around half of the Gaojia Business Circle and arrived in front of the brothel, which was a rather large building; the first floor had very spacious space to place many tables, and besides, it wasn’t just one floor; the second floor had many small rooms too.

With so much space, no rent to pay, and for his own use, Liu You felt delighted; in the future, he planned to place square tables everywhere on the first floor; as for the second floor… he could use it as his temporary residence for now, and the extra rooms could serve as a warehouse.

The only issue was that the signboard wasn’t appealing—a plaque with the three characters “Yihong House” hung above the entrance, feeling a bit strange; next to it was a couplet: the upper scroll read “Business thriving with bed boards creaking,” the lower scroll read “Fortune wide with belts loosening,” which made Liu You’s scalp tingle.

He wanted to tear them down but couldn’t.

He realized this couplet was also part of the house, directly molded onto the plastic houses; it wasn’t stuck on at all.

However, Zhang Laowu had a way; he ran to a paper shop and obtained a blank couplet; he covered it over the brothel’s entrance couplet and pasted it with glue; this way, much of the brothel’s vibe couldn’t be seen anymore.

“A blank couplet really looks strange,” a member of the Discipline Committee whispered, “Should we write something on it?”

Liu You shook his head, “I only know a few simple words; I can’t write myself.”

The Discipline Committee members all shook their heads, “Oh no, none of us can write properly.”

Liu You suggested, “How about just drawing something random on it?”

Zhang Laowu suddenly chuckled, “I’ll go find someone to help.”

Liu You was greatly surprised, “People who can read and write are all proud; who would come write for a small vendor like me? If I had to pay money for it, I don’t have enough anyway.”

Zhang Laowu chuckled again, “Just wait; it won’t cost anything.”

He dashed away, vanishing in an instant.

Everyone waited quietly for a moment until Zhang Laowu rushed back, followed by a man dressed as a scholar—he was Dian Deng Zi Zhao Sheng.

This scholar had previously lived in Qingjian County and loved helping the villagers write family letters or couplets; he never charged a fee, so he was cherished by the locals there, which led them to make him their leader for rebellion and uprising.

Zhao Sheng panted heavily, “Zhang Laowu, you guys… want… (pant) to write… what… kind of… thing?”

Liu You was startled to see Zhao Sheng gasping desperately, barely able to catch his breath. “Surely this gentleman won’t suffocate?” he worried.

Fortunately, after wheezing for a while, Zhao Sheng gradually calmed down, his speech returning to a normal pace: “What do you want written? Tell me about it?”

Liu You quickly described the delicacy Fresh Water Hele in detail. Upon hearing this, ideas instantly flooded Zhao Sheng’s mind. He picked up his brush and swept bold characters across the blank couplet paper.

First Line: “A Thousand Strands of Hele Increase Fortune and Longevity”.

Second Line: “A Bowl of Fragrant Broth Warms the Dreaming Soul”.

Horizontal Scroll: “Fresh Water Hele”.

Liu You was overjoyed: “Sir, you possess great talent! Though I’m an illiterate, even I can feel the festive joy in these phrases.”

Zhao Sheng laughed heartily: “In my youth, I aspired to attain a scholar-official rank, having read countless books. How could one lack some flair?”

Hearing Zhao Sheng say “in my youth,” Liu You found it rather odd: “Sir, you don’t seem old. You could still take the exams. Why do you speak of it as a past ambition with no present intention?”

Zhao Sheng roared with laughter: “Even if I passed and became an official, who knows where I’d be posted? Could it possibly be as joyful as life here in Gaojia Village?”

Liu You thought to himself: Living here is more comfortable than being an official? I don’t believe it!

But upon second thought, he reconsidered: The people of Gaojia Village are truly good. Even though it’s my shop opening, they’re so enthusiastically helping. A large group of them, locals, bustling around me, an outsider – such warmth can’t be found elsewhere.

Just as this thought crossed his mind, he saw the entire group who had helped him moments ago walk straight into his shop. They dragged a plastic table over, sat down around it, and stared at him with wide, expectant eyes.

Liu You: “???”

Zhao Sheng: “Hurry and open your shop! We’re all waiting for Fresh Water Hele.”

Liu You looked awkward: “It’s still much too early! I still need to set up the stove, buy ingredients for the Fresh Water Hele… I haven’t even decided on the selling price for a bowl yet.”

Zhao Sheng: “Then what are we chatting for? Get moving!”

Liu You realized this bunch was absolutely determined to eat his Fresh Water Hele. If they didn’t get it today, they weren’t leaving.

Alright, get things ready quickly.

He unloaded his various cooking tools from his small cart. Using a few stones, he hastily assembled a temporary stove. He had coal he’d brought from Heyang County on the cart – he quickly stuffed some into the stove to get the fire going.

Next came the most crucial ingredient: the flour.

Zhao Sheng pointed: “Right at the corner of this street, there’s the ‘Gaojia Village Village-Run Granary.’ Go buy flour there; it’s very cheap.”

Liu You hurried over, feeling somewhat apprehensive. Grain prices were anything but low during this great disaster year; he had no idea how much they charged here in Gaojia Village.

He cautiously inquired: “Do you have buckwheat flour?”

The shop assistant beamed: “Indeed we do!”

Liu You: “How much per half-kilogram?”

The shop assistant: “Seven coppers.”

“Hiss—!” Liu You gasped in shock: “So cheap? How is this any different from giving it away for free?”