Chapter 40 Section 17

On the mountain road, a carriage carried Taichun and Xu Lu walking unhurriedly. This mountain road is very dangerous, with towering cliffs on one side and an abyss on the other side. The voice of "Gra" is particularly loud in the deep mountains. Ruth was sitting on the shaft of the car and driving the car, and Taichun was pulling homework: "It is said that there are wars, but in fact there are so many wars, it is people who spread the news to make things bigger. In the past three years, I have only seen a rebel army pass by here once. I haven’t seen what the people look like. It’s all rumored from outside. Shopkeeper Xu, you came to Yuntai right now. The price of rhubarb is very low. Even less than 70% of the usual price."

Taichun: "Ah, I know." Luther: "Brother Xu, what kind of city is Guihua City?" Taichun: "Ah, how should I put it, it's just an ordinary city." Ruth asked curiously, "Is there a city wall?" Taichun: "Look at what you said, since it is a city, how can there be no city walls? Yes, it has everything, and all the cities here have Guihua City." Ruth: "I'd like to have a look over there. A few years ago, we had a medicine farmer in Yuntai Mountain who went there to do business, and it is said that he made a lot of money." Taichun: "It's not easy? You just follow me when you want to go. I just don't know if the road will be peaceful by then."

Xu Lude: "As the saying goes, no matter how dense the clouds are, they can't completely cover the sky. The battle is going on, but there will always be a crack in it. In fact, whether it's officers, soldiers or rebels, there are places they can't reach. The water road is not easy to walk, can you take the dry road? There are many paths in this mountain, and you can go out from any road." Taichun: "You mean there is a dry road to go out?" Ruth: "Yes." Ruth: "The rhubarb here has been very cheap in the past few years! It's just free. People with brains should take this opportunity to do business. The more you look at places where there is no business, the more money you can make."

Taichun was surprised by Ruth's insight: "Oh, I see that you have read your business scriptures well, and your mind is quite clear." "Stop praising me." Ruth smiled: "After all, shopkeeper Xu has a clear mind. I'm just talking. You can see that you are already doing this." Taichun: "Speaking and doing are only one step away. Please don't worry about business matters, there is nothing you can't do." Luther: "Master Xu said well." Taichun: "Brother Ruth, if you don't dislike my Sanyitai's small size, you can do it for me in the future, don't farm the land, and you are in charge of harvesting medicinal materials for Sanyitai on the spot."

Luther happily said, "That's great. You won't have to run so hard to Yuntai Mountain in the future. I'll take care of the affairs here for you, so nothing will go wrong!" Taichun excitedly said, "Okay, that's the deal!" The weather in the mountains is weird. It was clear just now, but a gust of wind blew past and a cloud came out of nowhere, and it started to rain in a blink of an eye.After a while, the road became muddy and difficult to walk.However, the carriage got stuck in the mud again, no matter how Xu Lude tried to drive it, the shaft horse struggled for a long time, but the wheels couldn't be pulled up.Taichun and Luther had no choice but to take off their shoes and socks and go barefoot into the muddy water. Luther drove in front and Taichun pushed behind. After a lot of effort, the carriage was finally pulled out.

When Xu Taichun and Xu Lude were driving a horse-drawn cart on the mountain road of Yuntai Mountain, Zhang Youhe and Iwan were discussing a business in the foreign firm of Russian businessman Ivan in Guihua City.The two sat at a western-style round table with an account book spread out on the table and a small suitcase next to it. Zhang Youhe took down the abacus from the suitcase, made a crackling calculation, looked at the other party and said, "Mr. Iwan, your account is a total of three thousand three hundred and fifty-two taels of silver." Ivan frowned and thought about it: "Why are there so many?"

Zhang Youhe did the calculation again: "That's right, your account is 3,352 taels of silver. If you don't believe me, you can do it yourself." Zhang Youhe said and pushed the abacus towards Ivan. Ivan said: "Zhang, I'm not saying that your calculation is wrong, I'm saying that the price is too high!" Zhang Youhe smiled: "The price of the goods depends on the market. You also know that there is a war in the south of our country, and the traffic is blocked. The rhubarb from Yuntai Mountain cannot be shipped. So the price of rhubarb is naturally a little higher."

Ivan: "But you have to understand that our order contract was signed before the war in the south!" Zhang Youhe: "The contract is very clear about this point. Once the supply is affected by accidents, the price of the goods will be based on the current market price." Ivan was dissatisfied: "Hmph! You can tie it whatever you want." Zhang Youhe took a brush and wrote on the account book: "I'm sorry, Mr. Iwan." "There is no need to apologize," Ivan said, "Zhang, just wait and see, Tobolsk Company will no longer deal with your Wanyuchang Company. We will get the goods we need from others Yes, there will be rhubarb, there will be everything."

Zhang Youhe didn't respond to Ivan's words. He calmly closed the account book and inserted the brush into a pen holder on the box.Then close the lid. Zhang Youhe: "Mr. Iwan, don't be angry with me. I was temporarily paid by Wenda shopkeeper to collect the bill. You know that my position is in the bank. So please forgive me, I have no right to change the price. Whether it is I have no right to raise or lower prices." Ivan: "I understand. This is what Wan Yuchang has always done. Wen Quanbao is a very cunning person." "Then, goodbye!" Zhang Youhe laughed and said goodbye to Ivan.

After returning to Wanyuchang, Zhang Youhe reported to Wen Quanbao the process of meeting Ivan just now. Wen Quanbao said with satisfaction: "Very good. I knew that only you, Zhang Youhe, could handle such a thing properly." Zhang Youhe said humbly, "The treasurer of Wenda is over-rewarded. It was originally a small effort, and it is nothing to worry about." Wen Quanbao said earnestly: "How can you talk like this? The account of more than three thousand taels of silver is not a small sum. Besides, I have sent others to handle it, didn't they all handle it well?"

Zhang Youhe: "Treasurer Xie Wen praised you. From now on, I will work hard and live up to the cultivation of the shopkeeper. Shopkeeper, I am still busy with the bank. If there is nothing else, I will go back first." In a blink of an eye, Yulian was already confinement.The yellow sheep daughter-in-law has been busy here for a whole month, and Yulian couldn't bear it very much. She told the yellow sheep daughter-in-law that I am already confinement, and you are also a family member, so go back quickly.After Yulian kicked her out a few times, Huangyang's daughter-in-law washed what needed to be washed and rinsed what needed to be rinsed, and then said, "Yulian, your life is still young, you must remember what you were born with." You can't eat hard things, you can't do cold and heavy things,..." Under Yulian's repeated urging, Huangyang's daughter-in-law left Taichun's house. Yulian stood at the door with tears in her eyes, looking at the disappearing figure of the yellow sheep daughter-in-law, thinking about her last words just now, she felt lonely and desolate inexplicably. Seeing that the day of delivery came, but there was still no news about Taichun, it was the third time for Ivan to come to Sanyitai to urge the delivery. Huang Yang accompanied Xiaoxin and said: "Mr. Iwan, I'm really sorry. To be honest, we are more anxious than you. You have to wait patiently for a few more days." Mr. Lu also said: "As soon as the rhubarb arrives, we will inform the mansion immediately." Ivan's face was very ugly, he said coldly: "Goodbye." Then he left Sanyitai. At this moment, Zhang Youhe walked in and asked, "Is Ivan here to urge the goods again?" Huang Yang worried: "That's not true. Seeing that the delivery date is approaching day by day, and there is no news from Brother Taichun, I am really anxious! Brother Youhe, what should we do about this matter?" Zhang Youhe: "I can't help it. When Taichun went to Yuntai Mountain to enter rhubarb, none of you told me that if I knew, I would never let him go. That's good. I have been there for more than two months. Don’t tell me if the goods haven’t come back, and there’s no news about the person, what if something happens to you, what should you do?!” "Yeah! It's because I'm anxious that I ask you for advice." "Gazel, you know now that you came to ask me, but how about you didn't say hello to me back then?" Gazelle just sat there and just didn't speak. Mr. Lu persuaded: "Shopkeeper Zhang, this is not a place to talk, go back to the room." With that said, Mr. Lu let Zhang Youhe into the accounting room, and winked at Huang Yang.So the gazelle followed. Mr. Lu poured two cups of tea and placed them in front of Zhang Youhe and Huang Yang. Zhang Youhe said: "I think you shouldn't have kept it from me when you took this business. If I discussed it with me, I would definitely not agree to it. Is this obvious? Everyone knows that the south of the Yangtze River is full of wars and roads are blocked. You are Even if the rhubarb is collected, it can’t be shipped out at all.” Huang Yang was so anxious that he walked back and forth on the ground a few times, he stopped and stood in front of Zhang Youhe: "Brother Taichun is also for Sanyitai's business." "Which shopkeeper doesn't want to make money?" Zhang Youhe complained: "If you don't take the risk, you will suffer if you follow him. Just look at it, if we can't deliver the goods on time when the contract expires, we have to pay compensation to Ivan Woolen cloth!" "You can't say that, Sanyitai has no good way out, what should we do if we want to stand firm in the naturalized business world?" Huangyang said: "Brother Taichun is right, you have to suffer what others don't want to suffer, and suffer what others don't want to suffer." Unbearable crimes, taking risks that others dare not take. Speaking of which, it’s not the worst time yet, what if Brother Taichun can make the deal?” Zhang Youhe: "Okay, let's stop arguing here, it's useless to argue any more. Burn high incense and hope that Taichun can come back safely. Whether you make money or not is a trivial matter. People can come back alive is our Sanyi Ty's luck." Mr. Lu: "These days shopkeeper Yun is so anxious, shopkeeper Zhang, please give me an idea." Zhang Youhe: "What can I do? It takes a whole caravan of camels to transport 50,000 catties of high-grade rhubarb. Even if you do tricks, you can't do it for a while." Mr. Lu: "Then what should we do?" Zhang Youhe: "wait to say something nice to Mr. Ivan. Let's see how to compensate him. I'm also busy there, and many things have come together. I'll go first." Huang Yang and Mr. Lu glanced at each other, but neither of them spoke. Huang Yang didn't say anything on the surface, but Zhang Youhe left with such a flick of his hands, making him feel very useless.Who is Zhang Youhe? He and Taichun's kowtowing brothers eagerly hoped for him to come and hope that he could give him an idea, but they ended up like this.well! At dusk, Sanyitai's shop was closed, Mr. Lu was paying the bill in the account room, and Helian was closing the door outside.Only the gazelle stood beside the counter with a heavy heart, staring at something outside in a daze, with empty eyes. Helian walked past Huang Yang, and found that something was wrong with him, and said with concern: "Shopkeeper Yun, what's wrong with you?" The gazelle was still standing there blankly, not speaking. Helian was a little anxious: "Master Yun, are you alright?" Helian's voice fell, and the gazelle's body collapsed like a bag of dough. He Lian yelled: "Shopkeeper Yun! Leave the work in your hands and hurry to support the gazelle." Mr. Lu, who was keeping accounts in the account room, also ran towards this side when he heard the voice. Mr. Lu squatted beside Huang Yang: "Master Yun! What's wrong with you? Talk to me." Gazelle closed its eyes tightly and didn't respond to a word. Mr. Lu was a little anxious, and reached out to touch Huang Yang's forehead: "Ah! Shopkeeper Yun, why is your forehead so hot!" Mr. Lu called Helian to carry the gazelle to the kang in the inner room, and then told Helian: "Helian, hurry up, go to the riverside and invite Doctor Meng!" Helian stood up and ran away as if flying. The doctor came quickly, and after examining Huang Yang's pulse, he said to Mr. Lu: "The patient is suffering from an exogenous wind-cold and is in a hurry. It seems that the patient has encountered something that cannot be resolved, right?" Mr. Lu said: "Sir, what you said is indeed correct. Look at this disease..." Doctor Meng said, "It's okay, just take a few doses of medicine and you'll be fine." After speaking, Dr. Meng prescribed the prescription: "Remember, take the medicine according to the prescription and decoct it in well water. The most important thing is that the patient should lie down and recuperate." Mr. Meng handed the prescription to Mr. Lu: "Then I will take my leave." Mr. Lu sent Dr. Meng out of the gate, and when he came back, Mr. Lu said to Helian: "Helian, go get the medicine!" Helian left in a hurry, and Mr. Lu hurried back and saw the gazelle huddled under the blanket, his upper and lower teeth were chattering, and his body was trembling: "It's so cold...cold..." Mr. Lu went over to pick up the gazelle and hugged it in his arms, wrapping it tightly with a quilt: "Shopkeeper Yun, Helian went to grab the medicine, and it will be fine after taking the medicine, huh? Shopkeeper Yun, don't worry, Shopkeeper Xu is a fine man. Man, nothing will happen. I reckon there should be some news in a few days. You have to get well soon. Shopkeeper Xu is not at home. If you fall ill again, there will be no one in charge of the Sanyitai stall. Shopkeeper Yun , don't worry, shopkeeper Xu is a lucky person, and everything will be fine..." At the same time, on the mountain road of Yuntai Mountain thousands of miles away, six or seven carriages loaded with rhubarb were walking one after another.Luther and Taichun collected more than 20,000 catties of rhubarb from below, and they are hiring a car to transport them to Luther's home.Taichun gathered the collected rhubarb at Lude's house, dried it, sorted and packaged it, and then shipped it back to Huacheng.Originally, Luther didn't want Taichun to follow, just let him wait at home, but Taichun refused, saying that he was the shopkeeper and he had to do everything by himself. The car is a heavy car, and the road is potholed and difficult to walk.Taichun said to Xu Lude: "Brother Lude, please take care of everyone, don't make any mistakes." Xu Lude shouted loudly: "Everyone, be careful, the downhill road, after this section, it will be easy to go!" As soon as the words were finished, a pheasant suddenly came out from the grass, and the shaft horse of one of the carriages was frightened, and it rushed towards the slanting spur, and it was about to rush down the cliff. Seeing this, Taichun rushed over, and saw that one of the wheels of the carriage had been supported on the top of the cliff, and the carriage was tilted violently. Still frantically tossing, watching a car crash accident about to happen... People shouted: "It's bad, the car is about to overturn!" Taichun rushed over, grabbed the horse bit tightly, and subdued the shaft horse with all his strength... The moment Daichun pulled the bit back to lead the shaft horse, his legs were pinned together Between the boulder and the carriage, a heavy weight of a thousand catties immediately leaned towards him, Taichun felt a blunt cracking in the bones of his thigh, and a huge pain almost made him unable to breathe.At this time, other drivers ran over. Taichun endured the pain and shouted to the others: "Come on, let's work hard one, two...three!" The carriage is finally brought back! The coachman gasped and said, "Master Xu, it's dangerous! If you come one step later, the carriage and I will fall down." Taichun patted the driver's shoulder and comforted him, "I burned incense at Guandi Temple when we set off, it's okay, Master Guan is secretly protecting us!" Taichun stood there and greeted the others, saying, "Let's go, it's okay!" The convoy began to squirm on the mountain road again. Just when Taichun raised his legs to walk, he found out why his legs didn't work? Xu Lude ran over: "Master Xu, what's wrong with you?" Taichun gritted his teeth and said, "My leg..." Luther: "Master Xu, hold on and try walking a few steps." As soon as Taichun took a step, he immediately fell to the ground.Taichun said to himself in his heart: "It's broken, my leg is broken!..." After that, he didn't know anything.