Film and Television World Life Record

On the other side, Hu Tao exclaimed in surprise, "Young Master Ning is going to paint on the dining car?"

Nie Yunzhu nodded slightly, but she was actually a little worried. It wasn't that she was worried that he painted poorly, but rather that she felt that music, chess, calligraphy, and painting were refined arts, and Ning Yi was a well-known talent. If word got out that he was using paint to paint on a roadside food cart, his reputation would be damaged and he would attract criticism.

However, it's not appropriate to speak up and stop them now.

He was a little conflicted, and it was naturally reflected on his face, which made Hu Tao a little worried.

Ever since she learned that the gentle, talented man in front of her, who had been of great help to them, was the son-in-law of the Su family, Hu Tao felt a sense of unease.

No matter how good the other person is, he is still just a son-in-law of the Su family. In these days, a son-in-law has no status. Even if the two are in love, he cannot marry her. Without the wife's consent, he cannot even marry her as a concubine.

This is a pointless affair. The more the young lady likes it, the deeper she will fall, and in the end, she will only suffer.

Moreover, the Su family is powerful and influential. If the other party's wife finds out and comes knocking, no matter what she says, she will be in the wrong and will inevitably be humiliated.

Thinking this, he became even more anxious, but Nie Yunzhu simply wouldn't listen to his advice, or perhaps she didn't care.

Hu Tao sighed, and could only keep her words to herself for the time being.

And so, evening fell in the blink of an eye, the sunset reflected on the Qinhuai River, and the decorative paintings on the dining car were finally nearing completion.

Nie Yunzhu was stunned when she saw it. Unlike the popular freehand landscape paintings of today, Li Mu's painting was too realistic.

Despite being just a few clumps of bamboo and a few wisps of clouds drifting in the sky, the simple painting with oil paint looks just like the real thing. From a distance, it has a three-dimensional feel, as if the bamboo really is growing out of the food truck.

Nie Yunzhu exclaimed in shock, "Young Master Ning, how did you draw this...?"

Li Mu smiled and said, "So, do you like it?"

Nie Yunzhu nodded: "I like it! I've never seen a painting like this before."

Li Mu said, "If you like it, that's fine. Don't worry about the style."

Then he asked, "Businesses all have a name; Yunzhu, have you decided what to use...?"

Nie Yunzhu shook her head: "Yunzhu originally just wanted to make a living by selling snacks from a pushcart, and didn't think about any business name."

Li Mu said, "In that case, let's call it Bamboo Record!"

"Bamboo Record," Nie Yunzhu murmured to herself, instantly falling in love with it.

Li Mu then spent the time it takes to drink a cup of tea painting the two characters "Bamboo Record" on one side with paint, which complemented the bamboo forest quite well.

Only then did I get up, wash my hands carefully, and finally the job was done.

Nie Yunzhu stood in front of the food cart, looking at it from left to right, quite pleased with it. Such a novel design would be eye-catching wherever it went.

For a moment, he even wanted to reach out and touch the patterns, but Li Mu quickly stopped him.

"The paint on it isn't dry yet, so don't touch the food cart for the next few days until it's dry. Also, try to have the tailor sew the awning according to the style I told you, and remember to embroider the words 'Bamboo Mark' on it as well."

Nie Yunzhu nodded quickly.

After chatting for a few more minutes, seeing that it was getting late, Li Mu bid farewell and left the small building.

Watching Li Mu leave, and seeing the young lady's reluctant expression, Hu Tao finally couldn't hold back anymore.

"Miss, I'm postponing my wedding."

Nie Yunzhu was taken aback: "Didn't you and Erniu agree on it? Why aren't you getting married?"

Hu Tao said, "Look at you now, how can I get married? I can't rest easy if you're all alone."

Nie Yunzhu patted Hu Tao, somewhat touched, and said, "What nonsense are you talking about? Erniu is a good person. It's not easy to find such a good match, don't miss it. I can take care of myself, and you can come over during the day even after you get married. Besides, Young Master Ning sometimes helps out."

Hu Tao said, "It's precisely because of Young Master Ning that I'm even more worried."

Nie Yunzhu was both amused and exasperated: "Young Master Ning isn't a bad person, what's there to worry about?"

Hu Tao said, "It is precisely because Young Master Ning is a good person, talented, and has a refined temperament that I am even more worried."

At this point, she said loudly, "Miss, you know that Young Master Ning has a wife, Su Tan'er, the daughter of the Su family, who will be in charge of the family business in the future. I heard that she is very shrewd."

"Besides, Young Master Ning is a son-in-law who lives with his wife's family, so his status in the Su family is not high. His wife, Su Tan'er, is such a capable person. Let alone marrying you, he can't even take you back as a concubine without Su Tan'er's approval."

Seeing that Nie Yunzhu's face had turned pale, Hu Tao continued cruelly, "Even if Young Master Ning can persuade Miss Su to take you back as a concubine, Miss, think about it. Young Master Ning is just a son-in-law of the Su family, with a low status, and may even be looked down upon by some members of the Su family. As Young Master Ning's concubine, your status will be even lower, and the Su family will not take you seriously at all. Have you ever thought about what kind of life you will face next?"

After she finished speaking, the scene fell silent. Nie Yunzhu was stunned for a long time before letting out a soft sigh: "I understand... Hu Tao, what you said makes sense. So we need to run Zhu Ji well and turn it into a business. Once we have money, we won't be afraid of the Su family anymore."

……

In the days that followed, Li Mu remained quite relaxed and carefree, teaching every day and occasionally giving pointers on Zhu Ji's business. For some reason, Nie Yunzhu was full of energy. Seeing that the business was booming after the new food truck was unveiled, she recently ordered two more food trucks and planned to hire people to expand Zhu Ji.

Besides these, many people came to visit him because of his reputation, and many of them were of high status. The Su family dared not neglect them and often asked him to make an appearance.

As for the reason, it's easy to guess: the fact that he wrote in "Song" and "Slender Gold" styles had probably already spread. It was likely that Qin Siyuan, Kang Xian, and Song Mao, among others, were so excited that they showed them off to everyone for appreciation, and that's how the stories gradually spread.

Otherwise, these people wouldn't have come all the way here specifically to ask for calligraphy.

Among them were wealthy merchants, scholars, and many officials. Just a few days ago, even the Prefect of Jiangning sent his eldest son to the Su residence to request calligraphy. The entire Su family was shocked, unable to understand how Ning Yi had established a relationship with the Prefect of Jiangning, something that even the Su family could only dream of.

Those who are not scholars naturally do not understand the influence and popularity of these two styles of calligraphy among scholars. Although Li Mu did not have official rank, the talent he displayed did not need official rank to enhance his reputation.

The fact that these two calligraphic styles have been passed down to posterity is enough to make him famous throughout history, and even immortalize him.

This is something that countless scholars, officials, and even renowned Confucian scholars have pursued their entire lives but could never achieve.

Although receiving these people and writing took up a lot of time, the gains were considerable.

Putting aside personal favors, I received a whole bunch of gifts as payment for my writing.

In particular, wealthy merchants, some wanting to appear cultured, and others knowing that these characters were especially favored by scholars and officials, naturally wanted to cater to their tastes.

Fearing that a talented scholar like Li Mu might become arrogant and refuse to write, these wealthy merchants were exceptionally generous with their writing fees, ranging from a hundred or so taels to several hundred taels.

In just one month, Li Mu received more than 8,000 taels of writing fees, as well as a lot of gifts and favors.

Sure enough, it's easier to make money off the rich.

Chapter 594 Admonition

Time flies, and the end of the year is upon us. A heavy snowfall blankets the entire Jiangning area. In such weather, poor families lack even warm clothing and find it nearly impossible to go out. Some even spend their entire days huddled in bed wrapped in blankets.

Wealthy families fared somewhat better, but with heavy snow blocking their doors, they generally didn't go out unless it was absolutely necessary.

Li Mu got up in the morning, practiced the Pine Crane Fist for a while, and then practiced the Yangwu Sword for a while. Su Tan'er and a little maid also got up.

After washing up, the group also got into position and began practicing the Pine Crane Boxing Manual.

Over time, the group naturally learned the Pine Crane Boxing Manual. Xiao Chan and Su Tan'er were the best at it. Xiao Chan had an advantage because she learned it the earliest. Su Tan'er relied on her own intelligence.

Juan'er and Xing'er practiced a little slower, but they both mastered the basics last month.

After mastering the basics, the effects of this Pine and Crane Boxing Manual gradually became apparent. Not only did my physical strength improve, but I also felt a surge of vitality and my spirit reached a new level.

This immediate effect also fueled the girls' enthusiasm for practicing.

Not only Su Tan'er and the others, but Li Mu also taught Nie Yunzhu this Pine Crane Fist Manual. Nie Yunzhu was intelligent and had good aptitude for martial arts, so she quickly mastered it.

After breakfast, with snow everywhere outside, I naturally stayed indoors.

Li Mu led a few young girls to build a snowman, played around with it for a while, and then returned to his study to continue reading and writing.

The girls went back to their room and gathered together, chattering away by the fire, talking, playing chess, and reading.

Occasionally, Su Tan'er would select a few pieces of fabric and do some embroidery and needlework with a few maids, creating a cheerful scene.

Several days passed in this way, the snow began to melt, and the Su family's home became lively again.

As the New Year approaches, some shopkeepers from the vicinity of Jiangning begin to gather in Jiangning to review performance and determine profit sharing. In addition, some relatives and friends of the Su family will also come here to celebrate the New Year and visit each other. Every day, people come and go from the mansion gate, making it a lively and bustling place.

There are many wealthy households in Jiangning City, so such scenes are common every year.

Li Mu didn't really like this atmosphere. After all, they weren't familiar with each other, and his status as a son-in-law also freed him from some of the social obligations of welcoming and seeing off guests.

In addition, the academy was on holiday. So, when he had nothing to do, Li Mu would go out for a stroll, or visit Qin Siyuan's or Kang Xian's house to drink tea and play chess; or go to Nie Yunzhu's place to discuss music and plan the future development of Zhuji.

He has many things to do in the future. As a son-in-law of the Su family, he is naturally limited and cannot directly intervene in many matters. It is necessary to cultivate a force to help him with some things and prepare for the future.

The Bamboo Clan can also be said to be one of the forces that he deliberately cultivated.

However, initial capital accumulation is always slow, especially for small businesses like Zhu Ji. It takes too long for Zhu Ji to earn money, accumulate capital, and grow.

As long as the foundation is solid and the rules, regulations, and procedures are well-established, it is possible to accelerate development slightly.

Therefore, Li Mu invested two thousand taels of silver into Zhuji. It wasn't that he couldn't invest more, but Zhuji's foundation was still shallow. More would be like pulling up seedlings to help them grow, while less would affect Zhuji's development speed.

Li Mu thought Nie Yunzhu wouldn't accept it easily, but Nie Yunzhu wasn't polite at all. She even seemed to think that Zhuji wasn't developing fast enough, and devoted almost all her energy to Zhuji.

Li Mu ordered thirty of the food carts he designed at once, which cost more than five hundred taels of silver.

In addition, as the business expands in the future, it will be unsuitable to handle the processing of some ingredients in their small building, and besides, the two of them wouldn't be able to manage it all.

So, not far away, they acquired a two-courtyard house, spent money to renovate it, and will now process all kinds of food ingredients there.

Next comes recruitment. Whether it's food trucks or food processing, people need to undergo certain training before they can get started.

With the weather freezing cold and many people losing their livelihoods, it was particularly easy to recruit people. More than eighty people were carefully selected and trained during the short break before the New Year. Once the food carts are ready after the New Year, they can set up stalls on a large scale.

Naturally, Li Mu understood that relying on this kind of food stall would not lead to a large-scale development or make a lot of money, but it was a good way to train the team and lay a foundation.

……

On the other hand, even if he tries to avoid a peaceful life, there are some occasions he can't avoid as the New Year approaches.

For example, they could take advantage of the holidays to get together and visit Su family relatives and friends with Su Tan'er.