Nightfall Chapter 33: The pen is in Lane 47
Chapter Thirty-Three, the pen falls on Lane 47
"You can sell it, but I have a condition."
"Master, what conditions?"
"You can't set up a stall on the street, you have to have a storefront."
"The facade is expensive."
"I just want it to be expensive, because my characters are also expensive to sell, otherwise I can't afford this person."
"Well, I will listen to you."
Ning Que, who was defeated in front of the little maid, still fought a tough battle after deciding to surrender. Determined to get some benefits or face, he finally agreed to open a shop to sell words. The most practical problem facing the two of them now is how to find a suitable shop.
There was an inn when I wanted to find an inn the night before. Today, I wanted to find an inn and saw a sub-leased one when I turned around? For a good thing like this, even Haotian, who favors the world, won't give too many opportunities. This kind of thing must find an intermediary.
The intermediary manager took out a map, pointed to the free shop with the master and servant like commanding a march, and casually mentioned the price, so at Sangsang’s strong request, he chose the area of the shop from the imperial city. Retreat around the butang yamen and then exit the North City to avoid the wealthy West District and the quiet South City. Finally, it landed in the East City area, which is known for its chaos.
Chang'an City occupies a huge area but has a larger population. The rent for the shop is really an inch of land. Even the cheapest land in Dongcheng, it is not cheap to find a suitable shop. They are close together. There were only less than two hundred taels of silver in total, so the choice was even smaller. After running with the intermediary agent for two consecutive days, there was still no result.
On the third day, the good news finally came. The intermediary whose eyes were about to be turned green was in charge. He waved his arms excitedly and told Ning Que that there was a small calligraphy and painting shop in Lane 47, Dongcheng Lin, who wanted to change hands. Yiying had a complete set of papers and inks. The monthly rent was fifteen taels of silver, the transfer fee was another fifty taels of silver, and the lease was still one and a half years. All these conditions were very in line with Ning Que...mainly Sangsang's requirements.
Ning Que and Sangsang looked at each other and saw the surprise in each other's eyes. The price is really not expensive, and the location on the map is also good, but everything needs to be seen as believable, not to mention opening a store and selling words. This matter was related to their survival in Chang'an in the next few years, so they didn't answer it all at once, but asked to go to the small painting shop and talk about it.
The owner of the rental shop was not there, and the original boss was not there. The steward took the key to open the gray wooden door, and the three of them walked in. This store is very small. There are some banners hanging on the white walls around it. The wooden columns on the east wall are decorated with pens, inks and papers. The most satisfying thing is that the store is in front of the shop and the back is small. There is also a well in the house. Ning Que and the other two looked around at will, thinking of the low rent, they felt a little willing.
"I don't want these calligraphy and paintings. The transfer fee must be reduced." Ning Que frowned as he looked at the densely packed banners on the wall and the broken characters pretending to be ancient clumsy. Although the paper inkstone is not a good thing, but it can be used as soon as possible. I will take it from the tatters, but it must be given by you."
Sangsang looked up at Ning Que with a small face, with a smile of admiration, thinking that what the young master said was beautiful. The intermediary manager wanted to cry without tears, thinking that in the past two days I have known how hard your master and servant are, but I didn't expect you to be so stingy! I'm just in charge and I'm not your enemy. What is it to torture me all the time?
Tortured and tortured. In short, this matter was settled. Sangsang took out the silver box from the package and counted carefully for a long time before handing over the contract silver. The two parties initialed a document, and from this moment, this small painting and calligraphy shop in Lin 47 Lane, Dongcheng District, officially returned to Ning Que.
He smiled happily and sent away the manager of the agency. Sangsang put aside the package, took out the handkerchief to cover his head and face, and did not know where to drew out a large towel from the back of the house. .
Thinking that they might have to sign paperwork today, the two of them returned directly from the inn with their luggage and they would not be polite to save a day in the inn. The intermediary manager obviously didn't pay attention to this detail, otherwise he might offer a higher price, but it is more likely that he would be fainted by the fright of the stingy master and servant.
The small painting shop was filled with the smell of dust being wet with water. The thin Sangsang struggled to move the bucket, climbed up and down on a stool to clean up, occasionally raising his arm to wipe his forehead exposed outside the handkerchief, although There is not a drop of sweat on it.
Ning Que never paid attention to these things. He moved his stool and sat by the door, looking at the faintly visible corner of the imperial city in the distance, at the quiet and lonely Lane 47, and at the street in front of him. The shadows of the locust trees on both sides thought that the place was quiet and undisturbed, and the business of the shop would be good in the future, and only so much money was spent. I couldn't help but feel very relieved. He smiled and shouted: "Master's hands are itchy!"
The busy Sangsang was obviously in a very good mood today, and he responded crisply and said, "Tonight."
"Okay."
After having hastily used dinner, Sangsang spread out the paper roll on the bright and polished long table, took out the ink stone inkstone, poured water into the inkstone, rolled his sleeves and raised his wrist fingers, caught the ink block and slowly painted in the inkstone The circle grinds, and the ink gradually thickens after a while.
All the things are the goods left by the former owner. Although it is not good, it is complete. Ning Que has already been holding a pen and waiting. There are five or six brushes on the pen holder in front of his right hand. It is not clear what they are. Millitip.
The inferior ink has no scent but smells rather bad. The brush on the pen holder doesn’t look good, but he doesn’t care about it. His face is full of expectant smiles. His left hand is behind his waist. Fingers kept rubbing, like itchy.
The so-called hand itching is not to steal money, not to hit the thin **** of the little maid, but to write.
Ning Que likes to write. Even if there is no paper, ink, pen and inkstone beside him, only a dead branch or a **** umbrella soaked in rain, he will write from time to time on the mud or bluestone slab. Over the past sixteen years, the enjoyment of the pen and ink is undoubtedly the most important thing in his life alongside meditation.
Chouhao entered the ink slowly, sucking enough ink until he was full of energy. Ning Que stood shoulder to shoulder, quietly looking at the scroll in front of him, pulling out the inkstone like a sharp knife out of its sheath, dropping the pen into the paper like a blade into the bone, his wrist There is a vertical line on the micro-movement paper.
This thick ink hammer is like the raised eyebrows of a man with thick eyebrows.
Following the first touch of the broken paper, his gesture faltered, but then he went down smoothly. Over the years, the pen and the line have been deeply rooted in his bones. There is no need to deliberately plan business, just casually The movement can walk naturally on the scroll, and as the brush stroke gradually moves to the left, a clumsy and indulgence breath leaps out.
The first character he wrote in Chang'an was only sixteen characters.
"The mountains are high and the rivers are long, there are thousands of objects, not old pens, strong but poor."