Chapter 18 Chapter Seventeen

In addition to Zhou Kewen being busy this spring, Zhou Shuancheng and his son have not stopped.Zhou Kewen is busy growing cotton, and Zhou Shuancheng is busy opening a tobacco shop.These two brothers are the most successful people in Zhoujiazhai. Spring is a leisurely month, the more leisurely you are, the more people smoke opium, and the more opium smokers, the better the business of the smokehouse.Originally, according to Zhou Shuancheng's idea, this smoking den was opened for his son.His son is in business, and he manages the land himself, just like the division of labor between his brother Zhou Kewen and his son Zhou Liyan.But after all, he didn't have the concentration of his brother, and he still had to go to the smokehouse from time to time to help his son.One reason is that there is no work in the fields in spring, and he is a restless person; the other reason is that he is worried, knowing that his son cannot be compared with his brother's son at all.He didn't say this, but he knew it in his heart. He was not at ease in leaving the smokehouse to his son alone.

In the smokehouse, the father and son have a clear division of labor.Zhou Baogen greeted the guests in front, commanded the staff to welcome and see off the guests, carried the lamps, offered guns and boiled them, and offered tea and fruits.Zhou Shuancheng is in charge of the house, and he is in charge of all the duties behind him, such as packaging tobacco and soil, purchasing fruit tea, boiling water and cooking, etc. Every day when the smokehouse opened, Zhou Baogen stood at the door and bowed to welcome the guests. Zhou Shuancheng urged the staff to finish all the preparations.Those smokers have been waiting at the door for a long time. As soon as the door opened, they scrambled to squeeze in. They didn't even look at the smiling face of the boss, and went straight to the cigarette bed. A dozen cigarette beds were occupied in a blink of an eye. .As soon as the smoker gets on the cigarette couch, the clerk will bring up the cigarette tray, which contains a complete set of smoking accessories such as lamps, bongs, tobacco skewers, and cigarette cards.As soon as the plate was put down, the smoker immediately took out a cigarette card, shook it in front of the clerk to indicate that he had selected the type of tobacco cream, and then stretched out a few fingers to indicate the number of bubbles.This cigarette card is made of bamboo slices, painted in different colors, with the name of the tobacco cream written on it, and it is shaped like a mahjong card.Generally, "cloud soil" is written on the golden yellow, "Sichuan soil" is written on the white, and "native land" is written on the green, representing the smoke soil from Yunnan, Sichuan and the local area respectively.Yellow is gold, white is silver, and green is grass. Different colors have different prices.People who frequent opium dens don't need to read the words on them, even illiterate people know what these colors represent.

From entering the door to getting on the bed to choosing the type of tobacco, the smokers generally do not speak.They are not stinging their words like gold, but after a night of smoking addiction, they have no strength to speak at all. It is brave enough to struggle from home to the smoke den.Now lying on the cigarette couch with runny nose and tears, I can only gesture.This cigarette card is actually specially designed for this kind of situation, which makes people have to admire the shrewdness and thoughtfulness of the tobacco shop operator. After the smoke cream was delivered, the smokers quickly took it and put it under their noses for a long sniff, and the snot and tears stopped immediately after sniffing.This is called snorting, and some smokers call it nasal addiction.Taking advantage of this gap, the clerk lit the cigarette lamp, took off the shoes that the smoker had not had time to take off just now, and helped him to lie down comfortably with his head inward and outward.With the puff of cigarette he sniffed just now, the smoker is getting a little stronger now. He leans on one elbow and moves both hands at the same time, carefully peeling off the wax paper on the tobacco soil, revealing the oily black and shiny opium cream inside.Seeing this thing, the eyes of the smokers immediately widened, wishing to kiss the smoke ointment with their eyeballs.This is called eye smoking, and some smokers call it eye addiction.

No matter whether it is nose suction or eye suction, after all, it is still a dry addiction, and the third step is to have a real addiction.At this time, the smoker held up the big bong in one hand, held the tobacco skewer in the other, pressed the bubble on the pipe, aimed at the lamp and took a big mouthful, then remained motionless and held his breath for a long time, which made people worry that he would be happy. I have to hold my breath.There are also people who are really so beautiful, but it has never happened in Saixiantang.Zhou Baogen himself is a person in the industry, and he knows that the smoker is immersed in the blissful fairyland at this time, and he is generally fine.Therefore, he often stops the buddies who are going to save people in time. Such buddies usually just entered the store and have never seen the world.If you are among the people who pinch smokers at this time, it is like a person who is awakened from a dream but is shaken awake, it will be no wonder he doesn't scold you.Originally, according to the wish of the smoker, it is best not to spit out the inhaled smoke, but to hold it all in the stomach, and soak the internal organs in the smoke until the intestines and stomachs are cooked, and the money is worth the money when.However, if people want to breathe, they have to spit out the smoke. If this is the case, hold it in for as long as you can. toad.

A cigarette bubbled into his belly, the smoker put down the bong, sat up and stretched his waist, his spirit was refreshed, and he was a different person from when he entered the door just now.At this time, he took a sip of tea to moisten his throat, and immediately opened up the chatterbox, chatting with the smokers in the neighbors, the parents of the east and the west, and the mother-in-law and daughter-in-law of the South family and the Han family of the North family.It lasted for a long time, anyway, smokers are idlers, there is nothing for them to worry about in the world, their only job is to burn money.

If they can really burn money, Zhou Baogen hopes that they can burn it vigorously.But they didn't, no matter how much Zhou Baogen urged them to get another one after smoking one pod, they just wouldn't do it.If you don't want to smoke, then leave. There are still customers waiting for this cigarette couch, but they just don't leave, and they regard this place as a teahouse that is rumored.Zhou Baogen signaled the guys to take their smoking equipment, and they immediately said that I still want to smoke.They did smoke again, but instead of bubbles, they smoked ashes.They scraped the ash out of the pipe with a skewer, then kneaded it into lumps in the cigarette tray, put it on the eye of the pipe, and baked it with a cigarette lamp, and it could still be smoked again.Such relapse masters can repeat seven or eight times, playing from morning to night.The saying of the smokers is: just smoke for seven and eight, but don't put the ash in the nine.It doesn't matter if he fights or not, if he grabs it, throws it into his mouth, and sucks it into his belly, he will show off!

Zhou Baogen couldn't bear this kind of inhalation.This is a typical smoking method of the poor. This kind of smoker comes into the shop and only lights the last-class cigarettes. How much money can you make from him for a day with one bubble?The income is not much but the expenses of the smoke shop are quite a lot. Apart from the clerk's wages, most of them are various taxes, such as business expenses, license fees, smoking cessation fees, gun donations, red light donations, etc. The wages can still be owed, but the taxes are It must be paid in full on time, otherwise the door will be closed immediately.

Zhou Baogen didn't know how others maintained it. He pretended to be a smoker and inspected several time-honored smokehouses in the town. When he came back, he had an idea.Zhou Baogen decided to raise the level of Saixian Hall to attract wealthy customers. Only when these customers came would they be willing to spend money, and he would be able to make money. Zhou Shuancheng felt that his son's idea was reasonable, so he asked him, how should we raise the grade? Zhou Baogen told his father, I have observed carefully that all the opium dens that rich people love to go to have these three advantages: first, the environment is good.The location is quiet amidst the hustle and bustle, the exterior is beautiful, the interior is exquisitely furnished, and the furniture is ostentatious. In the private room, there are calligraphy and paintings of celebrities, antique treasures, and the cigarette bed is also made of mahogany.

Zhou Shuancheng stuck out his tongue and said, my lord, this is the emperor's golden palace, how much will it cost? Zhou Baogen said, I also feel that we are far behind in this respect. The painting and calligraphy my uncle gave me can barely be counted. There is no way to compare with others. Let’s just talk about this smoke couch. Can we call it a couch?It's just a kang! Zhou Shuancheng smiled and said, is your uncle a celebrity?It's just to coax us Zhoujiazhai people.We can't achieve this with financial resources, you go on and see if we can find other ways. Zhou Baogen said the second point, the smoking set is good.Rich people pay attention to smoking equipment. He took Fengming Pavilion Smokehouse as an example, saying that the cigarette trays there are made of rosewood, the lamps are made of cloisonné, and the pipes are more particular. It is jade, the tobacco skewer is copper, the cigarette case is silver, and the gray case is glass.

Zhou Shuancheng was stunned when he heard it, he was considered a wealthy man, let alone seeing these things, this was the first time he heard of them!He dared to ask, how much is that pipe worth? Zhou Baogen said, about one hundred silver dollars. Zhou Shuancheng called out again, my lord, this is the price of three acres of good land. Wouldn't it be crazy to ask him to exchange three acres of drought- and flood-protected harvest land for a one-foot-long big smoking gun?This is not counting other smoking sets, those silver, copper, glass, which one is cheap!Zhou Shuancheng sighed and said, there is still nothing we can do about it.

Zhou Baogen said, I think we can find a way.Zhou Shuancheng said, oh, what can you do? Zhou Baogen said that besides famous guns, this rich man also loves old guns.We can't afford famous guns, but we have solutions for old guns. What is an old gun?Zhou Shuancheng knew nothing about the opium industry.Zhou Baogen is an expert. He said that an old gun is an old smoking gun, which has been used for decades or even hundreds of years. Zhou Shuan couldn't understand even more. What's so good about this old and old thing?Zhou Baogen said that rich people regard this as an antique, and antiques are valuable.Of course, Zhou Baogen explained that in addition to being an antique, this old gun also has a magical effect, and it is very enjoyable to smoke. Why?Zhou Shuancheng felt strange.Zhou Baogen said, I don't know, anyway, people spread it like this, and they grab old guns like this, and there is always a reason for it. Zhou Shuancheng said that if old guns are so popular, they must be very valuable.Zhou Baogen said that it is definitely worth money, but we don't need to spend that big price. Zhou Shuancheng asked, what can we do? Zhou Baogen said, let's make it ourselves. Ah, Zhou Shuancheng said, how can we make something that is hundreds of years old? Zhou Baogen said, this is easy, we fake it, and make it old again.This is how the counterfeiting of calligraphy and paintings is done. I have already inquired about it. There are small furnace makers who can counterfeit in Jiangzhang Town. Can the old smoking gun made in this way be particularly enjoyable?Zhou Shuancheng didn't quite believe it. Of course not, Zhou Baogen said, but I have already found out the secret, and I bought it from a fellow in Fengming Pavilion for ten silver dollars.He said that as long as some raw tobacco paste is stuffed into the pipe of the pipe every day, the smoker will be very happy to smoke with this pipe.He reminded that the amount of this vaping ointment must be carefully controlled, and if you smoke too much, you will die. Zhou Shuancheng slapped his son on the back of the head, Zhou Baogen was taken aback, but Zhou Shuancheng laughed, he said my baby has grown up, really grown up!Seeing his son's daring to think and act, Zhou Shuancheng was sincerely happy to see his son's daring to think and do things so carefully. It's time for him to correct his previous views. His son is no worse than Zhou Liyan, and even surpassed him! As soon as Zhou Shuancheng was happy, he urged his son to quickly say the third point. Zhou Baogen said that the third point is a bit of an understatement. All the smokehouses that rich people love to go to have waitresses. Zhou Shuancheng said, what's wrong with this?A woman boils water and sweeps the floor, any smokehouse needs it. Zhou Baogen said that she is not that kind of woman, nor does she do that kind of work. That is to go to the front hall to burn cigarettes and serve tea?Zhou Shuancheng asked. This is right and wrong.Zhou Baogen said that they also burn cigarettes and serve tea, but they also do other things. Zhou Shuancheng was puzzled, so what else to do? It's really hard for Zhou Baogen to speak in front of his father.Do it again... Sister Yao, do you know that? Oh, Zhou Shuancheng said, I understand, isn't the smoke house a kiln? Zhou Baogen said that a smoke house is still a smoke house. The open one is a tobacco shop, and the secret one is a kiln, making money on both sides.Zhou Shuancheng said, this is a master, I admire it. There is no kiln, only smoke house!Zhou Baogen was very angry. His father made such bad words, he is really an idiot, and he doesn't know anything about new gadgets.He went on to say that smokers come here to smoke. When they are full and energetic, they drink tea, play mahjong, and play that... that, this is incidental, so it is still a smokehouse. Zhou Shuancheng asked his son, what do you mean we do the same? Zhou Baogen said, that’s right, it doesn’t cost money, just ask a kiln sister to come to our smoking hall, we don’t care about food or housing, just teach her how to burn cigarette bubbles, and this kind of woman can attract customers.If she makes business with customers, it's her business, so let's just take the lead.This is a two-way business! Zhou Shuancheng is even more interested in his son, their family has finally produced talents, and one day they will overwhelm his brother.But after all, my son is still young and needs experience, and some things could have been planned more carefully.He praised his son a bit, and then said that he would leave it to me to invite Sister Yao. Zhou Baogen was very surprised. Although his father had a lot of problems, after all, he had studied in private schools for a few days when he was a child, and he was very disgusted with prostitutes and the like. How could his old man be willing to go to this muddy water?He said it was better to go by himself. Zhou Shuancheng said, you are young, don't deal with those people, I am old, thick-skinned, not particular. In fact, Zhou Shuancheng didn't go to Yao Jie at all.He found Yinwa, told her, and asked her to help out in the smoking hall, saying that there were not enough manpower, and he wanted her to learn how to burn cigarettes, and serve tea and water to the guests by the way.Of course he didn't talk about those things, but he felt that as long as she went there, she would gradually understand, and those customers who were used to smoking cigarettes would teach her. Zhou Shuancheng didn't tell Zhou Baogen directly about this matter, he knew his son would definitely disagree.But it doesn't matter, as long as Yinwa agrees and she is willing to do it, the son's affairs will be handled easily.After all, my son is still a little tender, he only knows that we don't spend money to invite sister Yao, but the money she earns doesn't belong to us. Isn't this fat water flowing into the fields of outsiders?Our own smoke house, our own private room, our own smoke couch, our own smokers, why should an irrelevant woman use them to make money?If the meat is rotten, it should be in your own pot.My son should understand this.Yinwa said that she was his sister, but she was no longer his sister after she got married, and she was now a widow by the North Mountain after the water was thrown by the married girl. Yinwa was moved by Zhou Shuancheng's gentle face. This was the first time her father spoke to her like this in decades. He talked about the difficulties in the family, the difficulties in doing business, and the pain in his old age. He hoped that she would help her. One at home.There was even some begging in his tone.Yingwa agreed, and she had to agree. But Yinwa immediately told Zhou Ligong about this matter, and she would never hide anything from her second brother. Zhou Ligong was furious when he heard it, he had seen the world, he didn't know what this waitress was doing?It's really worse than a pig and a dog!he cursed. Yingwa was taken aback and asked him who he was scolding?Zhou Ligong said, who else?My second dad.Yinwa felt strange, why did his father scold him for being so good to her second brother?Zhou Ligong told her the truth, Yinwa was dumbfounded.She couldn't believe it, that man was still her father after all, whether he was kissed or not, he should be worthy of this title, right?So, is it her second brother who frightened her?Deliberately provoke the relationship between their father and daughter?She would never think so, she never doubted that her second brother was kind to her. Yinwa didn't know what to do, she said that I promised my father. Zhou Ligong said, it depends on yourself, are you willing to go or not? Of course not!Yinwa was a little angry, how could her second brother ask her that?Doesn't he know what's going on in her heart? They will force you, Zhou Ligong said, you have to be mentally prepared. I'm not afraid, Yinwa said, at worst, I'll live in a bad kiln again. Zhou Ligong admired this younger sister from the bottom of his heart, he said, but don't worry, I have a way to make him let go of this idea. Yinwa said excitedly, really? Zhou Ligong said, just watch it. That afternoon Zhou Ligong stopped Zhou Shuancheng who had come back from the town at the gate of the village, and the two chatted outside the village.He didn't want things to spread, it was embarrassing after all.This was Zhou Ligong's first meeting with his second father after returning from Beijing. After a few pleasantries, he got to the point.Zhou Shuancheng was very upset, saying what's wrong with being a waitress?She is a member of the family, shouldn't she help the family? Zhou Ligong smiled and said, what does the waitress do? Did you tell Yinwa? Zhou Shuancheng didn't speak, he knew it was useless to argue in front of this nephew. Zhou Ligong said that the second dad is also a educated person, and he is older than me, so he must know better than me what money to earn and what not to earn.Even if Yinwa is not your own daughter, you don’t look good when she does such a shameful thing. Others will poke your back and say that Brother Baogen runs a brothel. How ugly is he? How can he be in front of people in the future? walk? Zhou Shuancheng was very embarrassed to be asked, especially what Zhou Ligong said later made him a little scrupulous.He is old anyway, so it doesn't matter if he doesn't care about his face, but his son is still young, so he has to save some face.Although he showed timidity in his heart, Zhou Shuancheng was still tough. He said, this is my family's business. Do you want meddle in my own business? Zhou Ligong said, "Second dad, you can't say that. The last time you were in the smokehouse, someone else took care of it for you!" Zhou Shuancheng knew what he was referring to, so he fell silent. Zhou Ligong asked, second dad, let's forget about the baby introduction? Zhou Shuancheng snorted and said, this is not up to you! Zhou Ligong said, does my brother count?He can tell you to open the smokehouse, and he can also tell you to close the smokehouse! Zhou Shuancheng withered.