Rise From the Humble

The sun was shining brightly in the sky, and the clouds seemed to have been evaporated. It was cloudless and the earth was bright, which made the weather a little hot. Fortunately, there was a light breeze blowing, and the willows on the roadside swayed in the wind, like the graceful slender waist of a girl.

Zhu Ping'an led the little loli Niuniu with one hand, and the naughty boy Rui Geer who jumped up and down with the other hand, walking slowly on the streets of the capital along the shade of the willow trees at the base of the wall.

Although the weather is hot, there are not a lot of people on the street at all. There are crowds of people, pedestrians, and an endless stream of sedans and carriages, busy with their own lives. There are many shops on both sides of the street. Some sell fabrics and silks, some sell rouge and gouache, and some sell calligraphy and painting pens. Various shops cover every building on the street. The vendors selling along the street and the roadside shops are doing very well. , a prosperous scene.

Zhu Ping'an walked slowly while observing the shops on both sides of the street, observing the location of the shops, what kind of business they were doing, the approximate price of the goods, the customer flow of the shops, and what their marketing methods were.

Zhu Ping'an is very satisfied with the prosperous business scene in the capital. It is indeed the period when capitalism was born. The degree of development of the commercial market is really surprising. Zhu Pingan was also very satisfied with the purchasing power of the people in the capital. The capital was the economic and political center of the Ming Dynasty. Most of the people living here were relatively wealthy. Their consumption concepts were inferior to those of hundreds of streets in Hecun. The level of wealth capitalization exceeded Zhu Pingan's expectations.

Not bad, not bad. The more Zhu Pingan looked at it, the more satisfied he became.

Some people may think that officials were prohibited from doing business in ancient times. This view is one-sided. It is true that ancient Confucianism opposed competing with the people for profit, but prohibiting officials from doing business has never been realized. The prosperity of officials in business and the wealth of their families have always been It is not uncommon, especially in the Ming Dynasty, that officials' business was the best in all dynasties. Officials doing business were like crucian carp crossing the river, and it became a common practice.

Zhu Ping'an is not worried about being discovered or criticized by others for doing some side jobs.

Because the "Ming Dynasty Code" prohibits officials above the fourth rank from doing business, it does not prohibit officials below the fourth rank from doing business. If someone discovered that he was running a side business, he would at best be looked down upon by some of his colleagues who thought they were noble. Scholars, peasants, and merchants were ranked last, and they were looked down upon by the gentry.

Of course, when you start your own side business, you must pay attention to honest management.

We cannot be like some officials who "compete with the people for profit" and use their power to bully the people and obtain huge profits.

"Big watermelon, sweet and delicious big watermelon"

While observing the Zhupingan Market, a porter drove a donkey cart leisurely past them. The donkey cart was full of watermelons, which were big and round, like big balls. The emerald green watermelon skin was inlaid with The white lines of tiger skin. There is a half-cut watermelon on the donkey cart, revealing the juicy and red flesh. The red watermelon juice flows along the skin, exuding an attractive sweetness.

"Gu~~~"

The naughty child was already salivating with greed. He swallowed hard and wanted to jump on the donkey cart and hold the watermelon and take a sip.

However, the naughty kid knew that things outside needed money to buy, and he didn't bring any money. He is the young master of Linhuai Marquis Mansion. He can get whatever he wants in the manor and does not need money at all, so he has no habit of bringing money. Today I went to Zhu Ping'an's place with Niuniu to hide from Guining's eldest sister. As for being able to come out to play, it was a complete surprise, so I didn't bring any money at all.

If he had known earlier that he was going out to play today, the naughty boy would definitely have brought enough pocket money. After all, he still had a lot of private money, but he just didn't bring it.

Therefore, he had to rely on his brother-in-law who he didn't like.

"Brother-in-law Tu, do you think the watermelon on his car is delicious?"

The naughty boy swallowed hard and raised his little fat face. He obviously wanted it very much, but he pretended to have a flawless expression of indifference. He looked at Zhu Pingan and asked. The title of country bumpkin brother-in-law almost came out of his mouth. I realized something was wrong after using a native word. Now I had someone to ask for, so I couldn't call him country bumpkin brother-in-law, so I quickly changed my name to brother-in-law.

"The watermelon on his car is big and round, with clear lines and distinct shades. The stem is curled and coiled, and the flesh of the cut melon is juicy and red. It's natural to take a bite. It's sweet and cool, and it moisturizes the throat. It must be very refreshing to flow into my heart." Zhu Ping'an glanced at the naughty kid, slightly raised the corners of his lips, and exaggeratedly described it in a melodious and magnetic voice comparable to "A Bite of China".

"Gudong."

The description was so vivid, and the voice was just right, it immediately aroused the cravings in the deepest part of the naughty child's tongue and stomach, making the naughty child couldn't help but take another sip of saliva.

"Ahem, cough, let's have a taste."

The naughty kid swallowed a mouthful of saliva and said casually, but his fat face looked at Zhu Pingan eagerly.

"It's a pity that I didn't bring any money," Zhu Pingan shrugged, spread his hands and said slowly.

"You're lying. How could someone go out without money?" The naughty boy swung his fat face and groaned. He looked at the donkey cart parked not far away selling watermelons. He couldn't walk and didn't believe it at all. As an adult, Zhu Ping'an would not take any money with him when he went out. He shook his fat face and folded his arms before leaving.

"Are you a human?" Zhu Pingan glanced at the naughty child and asked lightly.

"Of course I am a human being." The naughty boy raised his fat face and looked like he was angry at Zhu Pingan.

"Then did you bring any money?" Zhu Ping'an asked leisurely.

"I didn't," the naughty kid said with lack of confidence, but the next second he raised his fat face, "I'm a child, and it doesn't matter if a child doesn't bring money. You are an adult. How can an adult go out without money?"

"But I just didn't bring any money."

Zhu Pingan squatted down, stretched out his hand and pressed the naughty child's shoulder, and said frankly.

"If you don't believe me, search." After Zhu Pingan finished speaking, he stood up holding the naughty child's waist and stretched out his hands.

"You are lying, I don't believe you."

The naughty boy shook his fat face vigorously, shook his head repeatedly, and then began to search for Zhu Ping'an.

The naughty boy first searched Zhu Pingan's sleeves and rummaged around, but found no money. Then he searched Zhu Pingan's waist and found no money bag. Then he rummaged around several times, but found nothing. turn up.

"Why don't you bring any money?"

The naughty kid had a disappointed look on his face, so he had to give up and follow him honestly.

After walking for a while, a shirtless vendor came towards me carrying a straw target of brightly colored candied haws.

The sugar-coated candied haws on the straw target trembled and trembled with the vendor's footsteps, which was particularly attractive.

Little Loli Niuniu looked at the trembling candied haws, her eyes lit up, she put her fingers in her little mouth and sucked it, like a greedy kitten.

"Want to eat, Niuniu?" Zhu Pingan asked with a smile.

Little Loli nodded subconsciously, and then shook her head sensibly. She knew that Zhu Pingan didn't bring any money.

"Come here, seller of candied haws on a stick." Zhu Ping'an waved to the vendor selling candied haws on a stick.

"okay."

The vendor responded and walked over carrying the candied haws on his shoulders.

"Here's a bunch." Zhu Ping'an took a bunch of the most attractive candied haws from the straw target and put it in the hands of little Loli Niuniu.

"You didn't bring any money." The naughty boy tugged on Zhu Pingan's sleeve and reminded him in a low voice.

However, the next second, the naughty kid watched Zhu Pingan squat down, touched the side of the naughty kid's own waist, took out a money bag embroidered with a fat duck, and then took out the money.

In an instant, the naughty child felt that it was getting dark for me.

"Why did you put the money bag on my waist? Why are you so shameless and still don't buy it for me even though you have money?" The naughty kid shook his fat face like a mad bulldog.

"Generally people who do big things are so shameless."

Zhu Ping'an curled his lips indifferently, smiled and touched the naughty child's head.

"You are so..." The naughty child was furious.

"Do you want it?"

Zhu Ping'an took another candied haws, waved it in front of the naughty child, and raised the corners of his mouth.

"want."

The naughty boy stretched out his paw.

Zhu Ping'an's hand holding the candied haws dodges away from the naughty kid's fat paws. He looks at the naughty kid with a smile and asks, "What did you say about me just now?"

"You are such a good brother-in-law!" The naughty boy gritted his teeth.

"So good."

Zhu Ping'an gave the candied haws to the naughty kid, pinched the naughty kid's little fat face, and smiled with a bright smile on his face.