After rebirth, I became a great master

Chapter 155 Red Mansion
Once again came to the Bund.

The feeling has changed again.

The few old buildings in the distance seemed to have disappeared.

Over the next few years, the Bund experienced rapid development. Those who could afford it moved to Lujiazui, while those who didn’t have enough moved to the “suburbs.”

The Red House Teahouse is not doing well.

Judging from the current situation, it probably won’t last for a few more months.

There was originally a tobacco and paper shop opposite the teahouse.

When Zhou Haoran came this time, he found that the shop was in ruins.

It's really broken.

Originally, the shop was just closed and out of business.

But in its current state, with the doors and windows broken, it's obvious it's been robbed. Through the broken windows, you can see the dilapidated and shattered state of the interior. It seems the owner has given up and moved away.

"Old man, are you feeling well?"

As soon as Zhou Haoran entered the door, he saw the owner of the teahouse, Liu Zhengyue.

The old man is wearing something very special today.

A long jacket in the style of the Republic of China.

Looking around, there's a sense of time travel. Combined with the teahouse's layout and the old man's aura, it's as if I've truly traveled back to Huangpu Beach fifty years ago.

Liu Zhengyue was drinking tea at a table by the window. Seeing him coming, he quickly stood up and bowed, saying, "Mr. Zhou."

"Don't dare!"

Zhou Haoran returned the greeting with a fist salute and bowed slightly.

Liu Zhengyue invited him to sit down and said with a smile, "Li Changxing came yesterday and praised Mr. Zhou to the highest level."

Zhou Haoran said politely, "I failed to collect the debt, but fortunately I solved the problem at its root."

"Mr. Zhou's writing is beyond the reach of Old Liu."

Liu Zhengyue's sincere sigh.

Zhou Haoran asked tentatively: "It's this commission..."

Liu Zhengyue asked curiously, "Li Changxing said that you gave up the commission."

Zhou Haoran said, "Yes, I didn't ask for a commission, but just tell me how much the teahouse's commission is. It's what it should be, and we'll follow the rules."

Liu Zhengyue laughed and said, "How can there be any commission in a teahouse?"

"There's none?"

Zhou Haoran believed that the teahouse was a platform for matchmaking, and since it was a platform, it naturally had to take a commission. This was an unchanging logic, and even in the internet age, it would not change.

Liu Zhengyue smiled and said, "Teahouses are places where people from all walks of life come to drink tea. How can they ask for commissions? In the past, it was a great honor for gentlemen to come to the Red Mansion Teahouse for tea."

Zhou Haoran understood as soon as he heard it.

The business of a teahouse is to sell tea.

But there are no customers.

The Red Mansion Teahouse relies on connecting "gentlemen" and "merchants" to attract more customers and gain higher popularity, but ultimately it still relies on selling tea to make a living.

In the past, small vendors like teahouses were indeed not worthy of serving as platforms.

Zhou Haoran couldn't help but ask, "Grandpa, you always talk about the past... what's the story behind this Red Mansion Teahouse? I heard from Grandpa Zhang that this was a business that existed for hundreds of years."

Liu Zhengyue held up a finger and said, "At least three hundred years."

"Is this a business?"

Zhou Haoran was very curious.

"It's not a trading company." Liu Zhengyue smiled. "It's Jijie Trading Company. It's a place that helps companies solve their problems."

Zhou Haoran narrowed his eyes and said thoughtfully, "Just like this time, Li Changxing encountered trouble in his business and he couldn't solve it. So he came to the Red House Tea House and asked a 'master' to help."

"Yes!"

Liu Zhengyue stroked his beard and smiled, with an open look of pride.

"Is this possible?"

Zhou Haoran thinks this model is unreliable.

This time I met him.

Li Changxing's bankruptcy crisis can be overcome smoothly.

If it were someone else, some other "Mr.", could this problem be solved?
If anyone has the ability to solve such a difficult problem, would he still engage in such an intermediary business of taking commissions?
Wouldn't it be better to just go downstairs and do business?

Seeing his confusion, Liu Zhengyue understood his thoughts. "Mr. Zhou, the Red House Tea House has a long history, at least three hundred years. The business environment in the past was very different from today."

"Ok?"

"Merchants nowadays enjoy such a high status. They are envied wherever they go, and their wealth and property rights are guaranteed. But it was different in the past. People were divided into classes: scholars, farmers, artisans, and merchants. Merchants were considered the lower class."

"Low-class people?" Zhou Haoran suddenly realized, "People of status won't do business."

Liu Zhengyue nodded slightly, "Three hundred years ago, it was still the Qing Dynasty!"

Zhou Haoran was very educated and immediately realized, "So the 'sir' in the teahouse is not defined as it is today, it refers to 'scholar'!" As times change, the meaning of words also changes.

Nowadays, any man can be called "Mr.", such as Mr. Zhang, Mr. Li, Mr. Wang, and Mr. Sun.

In addition, between husband and wife, "Mr." represents the identity of the man, and "Mrs." represents the identity of the woman.

In today's era, "Mr." has become a common title.

It wasn't like that in the past.

Only scholars who teach, educate and answer questions can be called "sir".

Lord of Heaven and Earth, personal teacher.

"Sir" is an existence that can be ranked alongside heaven, earth, the emperor, and parents.

Possessing a very high social status and a halo of honor.

If a woman is particularly educated and has a respected social status, she will also be called "Ms. Female".

Seeing that he had finally gotten the idea, Liu Zhengyue smiled and said, "Actually, the Red House Teahouse wasn't originally located in the harbor, but in the north."

"North?" Zhou Haoran reacted. "Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions?"

Liu Zhengyue said, "Yes, the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions were once the richest places in the world. Not only did they have millions of acres of fertile farmland and the highest output, but more importantly, it was also the most prosperous place for commerce."

Zhou Haoran nodded. "The salt, textile, tea, and ceramic industries are all here. In the late Qing Dynasty, a large-scale steel smelting industry also emerged here."

Liu Zhengyue said, "The most important taxes are salt and tea. Salt and tea taxes are the most important sources of tax revenue for the court... In short, Jiangnan was too rich, and there were too many wealthy merchants. Back then, it was different from today. Conflicts of interest between merchant families often arose, and could even lead to the annihilation of entire families."

Zhou Haoran understood what he meant, "So, someone needs to come out to mediate and resolve the vicious competition between businessmen."

"That's right." Liu Zhengyue was very happy. He thought this young man was very smart and could understand everything at a glance. "There are many scholars in Jiangnan, many of them are famous officials and scholars. Many of them even became university scholars and returned to their hometowns after retirement."

Zhou Haoran gradually understood the origin of the Red Mansion Teahouse. "These people have prestige and credibility. When there are disputes between merchants, they will be asked to come out and arbitrate."

"Gradually, it became a habit. When merchants encountered difficulties, they would ask some prestigious people to help them. They would invite them to a teahouse and talk about their difficulties. After the matter was resolved, they would give them a gift of money to express their gratitude."

Liu Zhengyue had a look of remembrance.

He recalled the time when he was an apprentice in a teahouse and the owner told him this story. At that time, the owner sat in his seat and he sat in Zhou Haoran's seat. Sixty years had passed in a flash.

Zhou Haoran then learned about the rise of this industry. "Over time, it became a business."

Liu Zhengyue said, "Yes, it was a very big business. At that time, there were many scholars in Jiangnan, and many of them lived in poverty. Helping merchants solve their problems became a way to make money."

"That's not right?" Zhou Haoran was confused again. "Poor scholars must have never been granted an official title. What abilities do they have?"

Liu Zhengyue said, "The status of a scholar is power. If a merchant is oppressed and reports to the authorities alone, he will be oppressed again. If a scholar is asked to take the lead, he can meet the officials without kneeling, which can maximize the protection of the interests of merchants."

Zhou Haoran sensed the difference in the times and said with a smile, "It's a bit like a lawyer."

Liu Zhengyue said, "It's different. Lawyers have a lower status. At most, they are literate people, not scholars. Even if they have the title of scholar, they would not become lawyers. The people in the teahouse who help merchants settle disputes and manage the affairs of the world are all serious scholars. The great masters are all Jinshi graduates, true 'sirs'."

"To be in charge of resolving the difficulties of the world and achieving harmony?"

Zhou Haoran thought this statement was quite interesting.

Liu Zhengyue smiled and said, "That's the purpose of this business: 'To relieve the world's difficulties and bring harmony, to relieve the pain of business and bring enlightenment.' That's what Cao Xueqin said."

"Cao Xueqin?" Zhou Haoran was slightly startled. "The Cao Xueqin from Dream of the Red Chamber?"

"it's him."

Liu Zhengyue took out a jade token from his arms and pushed it across the table.

It was the piece that Grandpa Zhang gave to Zhou Haoran, and then Zhou Haoran passed it to Liu Zhengyue.

There is a human figure on the front of the jade plaque.

Wide robe with big sleeves.

It was an ancient person.

Liu Zhengyue pointed at the portrait.

Zhou Haoran opened his eyes wide, "Is this person Cao Xueqin?"

Liu Zhengyue smiled and said, "He is the founder of our industry."

Zhou Haoran almost laughed.

After all the twists and turns, you won’t end up with Cao Xueqin, right?

It is true that Cao Xueqin was a man of letters.

But he is a writer, he writes!
But, thinking back on it, it's not surprising.

The founder of crosstalk is Dongfang Shuo, the founder of Peking opera is Emperor Minghuang of Tang, the founder of the haircut industry is Guan Yu, the founder of the textile industry is the Seven Fairies, and the founder of the clothing industry is the Xuanyuan clan...

It doesn’t seem surprising at all that the founder of this Red Mansion Teahouse is Cao Xueqin.

Just take the name of this "Honglou Teahouse", probably it is taken from "Dream of Red Mansions", right?

It seems that people, whether ancient or modern, all like to piggyback on celebrities!
Liu Zhengyue, however, was not joking at all and said solemnly: "The Cao family was once the ruler of Jiangnan."

"Oh, yes!" Zhou Haoran vaguely remembered, "It seems that the old lady of the Cao family was Kangxi's wet nurse."

Liu Zhengyue said, "Our business flourished when the Cao family ruled Jiangnan. They were the ones who strongly supported us. In the beginning, teahouses had no unified name, and no one called them Red Tower Teahouse. Later, the Cao family suffered a disaster, and to commemorate them, everyone gave them a common name - 'Red Tower'."

(End of this chapter)