Chapter 357 Recruiting Skilled Craftsmen
Qiu Baozhi sat in the store as usual, holding a wine pot and leaning against a lounge chair, slapping the fan, watching the apprentice work comfortably, would he remind him: "Be careful, you can't afford to break one and sell it!"
Such a comfortable life was exactly what he yearned for.
The only drawback is that business is not easy or slow.
There is no way! In a chaotic world, although Chengzhou has temporarily calmed down under the rule of China, who knows when the other three forces will invade? Last year, they also sent troops together, which caused a lot of controversy and the people were in panic.
The business is not easy to do!
Just as I was thinking, there was a sound of horse hooves coming from outside the door.
Qiu Baozhi stood up curiously and came to the door of the store to look around. He saw hundreds of soldiers appearing on the other side of the street, with an official leader coming towards him.
On both sides of the street, the people scattered one after another, watching the team discussing.
Behind the team, the parents of Dingyuan County were followed by the county soldiers.
Between the two teams is an ordinary flatbed carriage.
Qiu Baozhi picked up the wine pot and took a sip, thinking that who is so big?
As the team got closer and closer, I stepped out of the threshold and walked outside. I wanted to see clearly the carriages protected by the two teams, and I also wanted to know who was so big.
What he could not imagine was that the team passed through the stone bridge and arrived at the door of his shop and stopped.
The crowd then separated, giving him a chance to see the people on the flatbed carriage.
I instantly remembered that wasn’t this the young couple who came to the store to polish things and later bought a pearl necklace? But only two people came to the reward. This time, there was another couple with them, and there were also officers and soldiers to protect them. What was the situation?
When the carriage stopped at the door, he saw Ning Ze and Hua Erniang coming down one after another.
Qiu Baozhi hurriedly went forward and said, "Ah! Is it okay if I haven't seen you two in a few days?"
Ning Ze smiled: "I said before, I want to talk to the shopkeeper when I go back."
"Your situation is a bit big, but it scares me!" Qiu Baozhi asked respectfully.
How can you not be scared? Dingyuan County’s most famous parents and the county magistrate who is most afraid of, actually stood behind a young man like a follower, and even dared not speak casually.
"Go to the store and say!" Ning Ze turned around, "I'll talk to Manager Qiu, you guys are guarding at the door."
"Here!!" Dingyuan County Magistrate and Jia Xiaoman responded at the same time, each leading troops to guard the gate.
Qiu Baozhi was even more shocked and thought to himself, what is this person’s identity?
I looked at the county magistrate and remembered that I was quite majestic when facing the people, and I was like a tiger in my work. But now I was not as majestic as I was, but I was like a well-behaved cat.
Realizing that the young couple was not simple, Qiu Baozhi nervously walked into the store and told the apprentice to wipe the table and stools quickly: "Please sit down!"
Ning Ze was not polite and sat directly at the main seat.
Hua Erniang stood beside him.
"That, please..."
"The last general is the general under the command of King Danyang," Hua Erniang looked at Qiu Baozhi and said seriously, "The person in front of you is the husband of Emperor Yuanxi of Hua Kingdom, the Grand Marshal of the current dynasty, and the King of Danyang Ningze!"
"Oh!!" Qiu Baozhi was so scared that his feet were weak on the spot, and quickly lay down on the ground, "Bless, beg, beg, beg, beg, beg, beg, beg, beg!"
When I was nervous, I stuttered when I spoke, so how could I be as nimble as I do business?
King Danyang is a powerful figure!
No wonder the magistrate of Dingyuan County personally escorted him and stood outside without saying a word.
Why were only two people coming last time? It was not as big as this time.
"Don't be nervous," Ning Ze tried to show a gentle smile when he saw him scared, "get up and talk."
"Thank you!!" Qiu Baozhi wanted to stand up, but his feet were so weak that he hurriedly called his apprentice and asked him to help him get up.
The title of King is usually among the people.
In the temples of China, most officials respectfully call themselves the prince, which seems to be closer.
However, there are also many people named Ning Ze, who are used to it.
"Sit!" Seeing Qiu Baozhi being supported by his apprentice and his feet were still trembling, Ning Ze could understand that the common people suddenly saw the most powerful ruler in the dynasty and the arrogant ruler appeared in front of him, and was extremely frightened.
"The grass-roots dare not..." Qiu Baozhi replied tremblingly.
"I will let you sit down!" Ning Ze said with a smile.
"Thank you, thank you, the king..." Qiu Baozhi hesitated and asked his apprentice to help him sit in the lower seat.
After he sat down, Ning Ze said, "I went on a secret tour before. In order to conceal my identity, I asked Er Niang and Gu to pretend to be a couple. This time, this time, this time, it is no wonder that I scared the shopkeeper!"
"It is the honor of the king to come to the shop!" Qiu Baozhi said quickly, "I didn't know how negligent the king arrived last time, and I hope I will forgive my sins!"
"It's okay!" Ning Ze smiled slightly, "Gu said before that he would tell the shopkeeper something. This time he returned to Huajun and came here when he passed by!"
Qiu Baozhi took deep breaths continuously, trying to calm down and prevent himself from being so nervous: "What is the king's order? The people dare not refuse to obey!"
"That's right," Ning Ze said, "Shopkeeper Qiu's skill is superb, and the people around him praise him. Gu was also very satisfied with the lenses he polished before. Gu was looking for a skilled craftsman like Manager Qiu, and wanted to invite the shopkeeper to Huajun to work specifically for Gu!"
"Ah?" Qiu Baozhi was even more shocked, "Cao, what kind of virtue can the grass people be? Can they serve the king?"
"Shopkeeper Qiu, don't belittle yourself," Ning Ze smiled. "There is a skilled craftsman like you in your hands. With your skillful hands, you will definitely be able to solve many problems for me!"
"Caomin lived here for generations, and he couldn't do anything else. He would make some jewelry and do some business and make some business." Qiu Baozhi replied, "How can he help the king with this little ability?"
"What you want is your ability!" Ning Ze said, "As long as you are willing to go back to Hua County with Gu, he will serve Gu. Gu will ask His Majesty to entrust you to make a seventh-grade Shangfang Order, which will be used to make an utensil. In addition to salary, if you complete an utensil, Gu will give you a large sum of money as a reward. You will be able to trade jewelry here for your whole life, and you will not be as rewarded as a reward for Gu."
"Gulu~" Qiu Baozhi couldn't help swallowing, "Can Caomin be an official?"
"Of course!" Ning Ze nodded, "Does Manager Qiu want to shine on his family? With your ability, as long as you make more utensils for the orphan, you can meet the orphan's requirements, promotion and wealth will not be a problem. In the future, his wife, son and daughter will introduce him to outsiders. He is not the shopkeeper of a jewelry store, but a dignified seventh-rank Shangfang Ling, a veritable official... "
Qiu Baozhi was as stupid as a wooden chicken, immersed himself in it.
"Master, Master!" The apprentice was also particularly shocked and extremely happy. If Qiu Baozhi went to Hua County to be an official, he would definitely follow him, and perhaps he could become an official in the future. This is a god-given opportunity, and it is better than being a craftsman and a businessman in a small county town.
Waking up by the apprentice, Qiu Baozhi looked at Ning Ze in disbelief: "Was the king a good man to have fun with the people?"
"Gu Xiang keeps his word and never breaks his word!" Ning Ze replied, "As long as the shopkeeper is willing to go to Huajun with Gu, in addition to the official position of Shangshu Ling, Gu Hui ordered someone to buy a luxury house, and the shopkeeper can bring all his relatives and friends around him. By the way! If you can recommend some skilled craftsmen with similar skills to the shopkeeper, you will make a great contribution and you will also be rewarded!"
"The Cao people are willing to follow the king to Huajun!" Although Qiu Baozhi is satisfied with his current life, he does not mean that he is willing to give up when encountering opportunities to change his life.
Being able to become an official can bring glory to the family, and directly jumped from a lowly craftsman to an official family.
Not to mention, it is serving the royal family.
Ning Ze nodded with satisfaction: "Very good! You closed the store and packed it up quickly. All the jewelry in the store should be packed and sent to the palace. I greeted the inner warehouse and all of them were accepted at the price!"
"Thank you!!" Qiu Baozhi was overjoyed. He was worried about how to deal with these jewelry. Now it was good. They were all purchased in the palace to save trouble. However, after thinking for a moment, he asked respectfully, "King, Caomin wants to notify relatives and family members, and have good friends, and he still has to clean up the fines and soft things. I'm afraid it will take some time..."
"It's okay!" Ning Ze said, "Gu returns to Hua County first and say hello in advance. Keep a quick look here. Gu asks Dingyuan County Magistrate to assist. Tell him if you have any needs. Then, let Dingyuan County send troops to protect you to Hua County safely."
"The king is so proud that the people are willing to repay them with death!" Qiu Baozhi was so grateful.
"I asked you to go over and make things, it's not that serious." Ning Ze stood up, "Hurry up and prepare, I wait in Huajun."
"The people of the grass will send the king together!" Qiu Baozhi saw Ning Ze walking out and quickly took his apprentice to follow him.
After explaining to the Dingyuan County Magistrate, he asked him to cooperate with Qiu Baozhi as much as possible to ensure that the person was sent to Hua County safely.
After that, the team set off again, Jia Xiaoman escorted all the way, leaving Dingyuan County and continuing to move forward.
Halfway through the way, he ordered the team to stop and asked Jia Xiaoman and Wubai County soldiers to protect Wang Tong, Qiu Chan, and take Hua Erniang to a remote place.
After walking for a while, I came to the familiar mud house and saw Old Man Sun hiding in the distance.
Perhaps the sound of horse hooves from the county troop scared him, thinking that the news of cast iron was leaked, so the government sent someone to arrest him.
Ning Ze immediately closed his hands and shouted to the panicked old man Sun in the distance: "Uncle, it's me!"
When Old Man Sun heard the sound, he carefully poked his head out and found Ning Ze and Hua Erniang. After recognizing them, he immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
Hurry back to the mud house and look alertly towards the direction of the road: "What's the sound over there? It seems that there are many horses?"
"Uncle, don't worry!" Ning Ze smiled, "It's all my own people, no one will catch you."
"Oh!" Old Man Sun felt relieved, "Aren't you going home? Are you going out to do business so soon? How many more days are you not at home?"
"Uncle, I'm sorry!" Ning Ze smiled, "Tell you the truth, we are not in business."
"Then what are you doing?" Old Man Sun asked in confusion.
"The one in front of you is my husband of Emperor Yuanxi of Hua Kingdom, the Grand Marshal of the current dynasty, and the King of Danyang Ningze!" Hua Erniang introduced on the side.
"What?" Old Man Sun was stunned.
"Uncle, I want to invite you to Huajun, where there is a special place to make irons and do carpenter work. Are you willing to go there to enjoy your happiness?"
Old man Sun's head was blank.
Chapter completed!