Siheyuan: Pretend to be a Pig and Eat the Tiger

When the ragpicker heard this, he was unwilling. So you're just going to buy my stuff and leave, huh? The relationship between the tavern and you, He Yuzhu, is not simple. If you go with us, you might be able to get some good wine.
"Hey Mr. He, you're inviting them but not this old man like me? That's not fair, is it?"

"Everyone, everyone, everyone!"

He Yuzhu would never refuse. This guy could talk to these people about traditional culture and let them know that the best culture is still the culture of China!
The situation changes when you get to the pub. There are no young people here. To be honest, even if young people can't afford it, they'll go to another restaurant for a bowl of noodles. The pub model will gradually fade from everyone's sight as the old neighbors disappear!
Of course, several years later, with the development of economy and technology, the tavern model will gradually reappear, allowing tourists who are curious about the past of Beijing to experience the life of the old Beijingers.
Unfortunately, it's no longer the taste of the original tavern. In the context of commercialization, many traditional cultures and customs often deviate from their original trajectory to cater to customers. Money is made, but the taste is lost, and there's nothing that can be done about it!

Even if we don't see it in the future, look at the overpass now, it doesn't have the original feel anymore. Apart from some people writing legal documents for others, and performing acrobatics, they have gradually formed teams and are focused on making money.
There's nothing we can do about it. Reform and opening up brought development opportunities, but it also made materialism the mainstream. These people need to support their families, so they naturally cater to the market. They don't want to be eliminated by the market, do they?

Unbeknownst to many, everything is quietly and unpredictably changing. Years later, apart from the elderly of this era, young people no longer know what the original Beijing looked like and can only try their best to imagine it through TV dramas and the memories of the elderly!

"Zhu Zi is here! Oh, Lord Marquis, you are a rare guest!"

Xu Huizhen greeted the dilapidated house warmly. Xu Huizhen hasn't changed much; she's still the same as before!

People who enjoy drinking on this street are regulars at the tavern, except for this guy, Broken-Robbery, who rarely comes to the tavern. It's not that he doesn't come, but he rarely does. She also knows Broken-Robbery's situation; his ancestors were royalty, and he has an arrogance in his bones!

Such a person can be nice to those who share the same ideals, but if they can't see eye to eye, it's difficult for them to even talk to you. That's the kind of person Polanhou is. No matter how down on his luck he gets, he'll still be this way!

Moreover, someone like Po Lan Hou could have a large amount of money at any time if he wanted to, so Xu Huizhen didn't care about Po Lan Hou's attitude and was very polite on the contrary!

"Boss lady, your nephew found something good today. He's treating us to drinks. Bring out the best wine and some snacks to go with it!"

"Alright, Your Excellency, please take a seat!"

Xu Huizhen didn't get anything good from the information. If it could make even the junk collector indignant, it must be pretty good. What incredible luck!

That day, she found a bargain on a set of old furniture and was quite pleased with herself, but now it seems she can't really show it off. I don't know what's wrong with this guy, he seems to be able to succeed at everything!
"Ahem, so many guests have come and you haven't greeted them. So, only the Raghead Marquis has come?"

"Haha, esteemed guests, welcome to my little tavern! Please have a seat with us!"

Xu Huizhen then noticed the Hong Kong Island guests who were slowly walking in. She glared at He Yuzhu with annoyance, then put on a warm expression and a smile and arranged for them to sit down one by one!

“Zhu Zi, with so many people coming, why didn’t you give us a heads-up? I wasn’t prepared at all. Isn’t this neglecting our distinguished guests?”
Furthermore, Qiuyue said that these people are not simple; if something were to happen to them here, how could I bear the responsibility? Really…”

Xu Huizhen's thinking was not without reason. If any of these people from Hong Kong Island got into trouble, it would be a catastrophe, and they would not be able to bear the responsibility.
This is why we usually don't invite the most respected people when we're hosting a dinner party. When you don't have enough power, getting too close to those people of high status is a disaster!
"Don't worry, Liu Hua has made arrangements. These people are not only money-makers, but also beacons of hope for the Chinese community in Hong Kong. How could the higher-ups not have made proper arrangements? Now all you need to do is bring up the best food and drinks, make sure these people have a good time, and you don't need to worry about the rest!"

"Alright, then I'm relieved!"

Xu Huizhen finally breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't that she didn't want to be close to these people, but rather that she couldn't; the intricacies of the situation were too complex! "Brother Niu, it's been a while. Shall we have a drink together?"

"That's great! The Marquis is making a fortune there. You rarely come to taverns, you're so out of touch with reality!"

"Uncle Niu, you're too kind. You're a craftsman, while I can only collect scraps. I'm hardly worthy of such a refined purpose. I don't have the time to do that!"

"How about we switch? I have my wife and kids with me, and you can't bring any things. Let's just switch people, but exchange our belongings, how about that?"

Both of them were descendants of the Eight Banners, and they were no different from the Han people. Master Niu was a skilled carpenter, and Master Polanhou had knowledge of appraising treasures. They were different from those old men and women who just loafed around and did nothing.

Those people live off their ancestors' legacy, basically relying on what they've inherited. But Master Niu can adapt to the change in status in time; they make a living with their own skills. That's the difference!

"What are you dreaming about? You're overthinking it. Go wash up and go to bed!"

The ragged old man glared at Master Niu, "We're both seasoned foxes, what kind of ghost story are you trying to pull on me for? We're all quite familiar with each other's situation around Zhengyangmen."

Although we didn't interact much, we were people who came from that era. There are fewer and fewer people from that time now, it feels like the world has changed!
"What are you doing here today? Shouldn't you be out exploring the streets and alleys? You're being a bit irresponsible today!"

"Sigh, I can't compare! I can't compare to someone who can just take a casual stroll, rest for a day, and have a few drinks, even if I walk through the streets and alleys for months!"

"Oh? Who would allow an old man like you to say such a thing?"

"Here!"

The ragpicker glanced at He Yuzhu and sighed in frustration. People can find good stuff as easily as picking it up on the street. How can he not be annoyed?
Even if there were some twists and turns, it would be fine. Unfortunately, He Yuzhu got it too easily. You can't envy someone for that!

"Mr. He? Isn't this person someone who doesn't collect things? Why are you..."

"Yes, a complete novice has acquired a piece of Ge ware and a Song dynasty incense burner. The key is that I've been studying that incense burner for several years..."

"Have you been waiting long? We ran out of pickled vegetables, so I went to get some for you. My lord is very proud of my little pickled vegetables!"

Just when everyone was feeling down about their broken-down clothes, Xu Huizhen's pickled vegetables arrived. These were perfect snacks to accompany drinks, and many people came specifically for them!

"That's right, in the whole capital, only your family's pickled vegetables are decent. I don't come to this tavern often for drinks, but I've been eating these pickled vegetables for decades and I never get tired of them!" (End of Chapter)