Chapter 193 Tongwanzhai
Another day I went to the city and bought an ox cart and a mule cart, plus the original ox cart and two mule carts at home, as well as Li Jizhong’s oxen There were six cars in total. On the first two days of the auspicious opening, all the cars were temporarily unloaded, loaded with cargo, and headed into the city in a mighty manner.
After entering the city, Shiliu and a few people spent a day decorating the shop.
I took the wooden plaque and went to the scholar who set up a stall selling calligraphy on the street to inscribe the signboard and hang it up.
Everyone had an early rest that night. Early the next morning, Li Rongwu and the three of them got up early and wiped the shop thoroughly. Li Jizong put his pen and ink and account books on the small table behind the counter. After taking root, Li Rongzong walked around the shop with his hands behind his back, planning for today's opening.
In fact, this shop is at the entrance of an alley. Residents in this alley pass by it every day, as well as people walking by on North Street outside. How can they not miss the lively decoration here? They have long been curious about what will be opened here. Shop.
The residents of Wutong Lane speculated that it was also a tailor shop, or a grain store and a grocery store. For them, it was convenient.
But people walking by while shopping didn't care much. It didn't matter what kind of shop they opened. Anyway, there were all kinds of shops on North Street.
This morning, everyone saw movement in this shop. The signboard was put up and it was busy inside. It was open! I didn't light any firecrackers or anything.
If you know the Chinese characters, look at the sign and read it out, "Tong-Wan-Zhai-"
"Tongwanzhai? What kind of shop is this? What does it sell?"
"Looking at the name, it means both children and toys. Could it be related to children? Oh, I know! It must be selling children's toys. Things!”
Others couldn’t help but laugh when they heard this man’s conclusion, “Do you need to open such a big shop to sell children’s toys? Isn’t this food? Are you ready? The business of selling windmills and rattles at street stalls is quite good. Opening a shop dedicated to it, or such a big one, would be overkill.”
Anyway, if it were him, You wouldn't spend so much money to buy such a big shop to sell those gadgets for children. It only costs a few coins, and you won't be able to earn back the money from the shop even if you sell it for ten years.
"It's not a children's plaything, so why is it called Tongwanzhai? Then tell me, what does the name mean?" The man was not convinced.
"I don't know what it means, but I guess it must be something elegant and quiet! Only those bookstores and antique shops open quietly, and they don't set off firecrackers with much fanfare."
" Let’s go in and take a look. Someone said with a smile and walked into the shop.
Others, listen, it makes sense. This shop is open, isn’t it just for people to go in and browse? They just stand at the door, blushing and having thick necks. What’s the point? Just go in and take a look. !
Seeing a guest coming inside, the trio of clerks who had been trained for several days immediately came forward to greet them, "Guests, please come in, and be careful on the steps!"
After entering the shop, everyone looked around and saw that the two rooms were connected. When entering, there were two small round tables with four stools, and tea sets on the tables.
Below the east wall and next to the door is a large counter. There are several wood carvings placed on the counter, which look exquisite and lifelike.
There is a floor-to-ceiling cabinet that is as tall as a person standing under the wall in the middle of the shop. The top four large grids are also filled with wood carvings, but the bottom six grids have partition windows made of glazed glass. Things look like ornaments, but they don't look like them either.
Because the lower six grids were slightly shorter, everyone had to bend down to look. Inside one grid was a large wooden frame with many small objects placed inside. Upon closer inspection, everyone discovered that these The small items looked like beds, chairs, cabinets, and other household items. They were about the size of a thumb, but they were made extremely delicately. When I looked at them again, I was shocked to realize that this big wooden frame didn't look like a house, but these things inside were arranged like a house. A room!
There are two rectangular wooden boxes in the middle. On the wooden boxes are some thumb-sized wood carvings. Looking carefully, it seems that there are adults and children.
The grid on the left is the same as the one on the right. They are also made of exquisite thumb-sized objects. Upon closer inspection, everyone can see that this is a kitchen? The pots, pans, and stoves are all lifelike.
Everyone looked at it with great curiosity. What are these?
The man who just made a bet that it was a child's plaything couldn't help but ask the guy next to him, "What kind of business are you doing?"
Li Rongwu smiled quickly and replied: "That's great. Your Majesty knows, our children’s playhouse It’s a store that specializes in selling children’s toys! The two items you just saw are a major feature of our store, play toys!”
The man heard that they were indeed selling children’s toys. He couldn't help but raise his eyebrows at the people around him.
The man curled his lips and didn't care to quarrel with him. He was also shocked by this shop. Someone really opened a shop specifically to sell children's toys!
But this toy is very different from the ones sold on the street outside!
Looking at the bottom floor, there is a round wooden box in the left box, and next to it is what looks like a house made of colorful small wooden blocks stacked up. (Puzzle Building Blocks)
The middle grid is also a round wooden box, with a long wooden board standing next to it. The wooden board is empty, and inside are some strange-shaped small wooden blocks, which are also colorful. It looks like it was pieced together. (Tetris puzzle blocks)
The right grid is still a round wooden box, with colorful long strips stacked next to it. The long strips look like gold bars, and the stack looks like a tower. Yes, but it is square and square. (Puzzle Jenga)
This strange scene made the group of people who came in very surprised.
As a qualified clerk, Li Rongwu saw that they had finished visiting the cabinet, so he led them to continue inside.
Going over, there are two elegant potted plants placed under the west wall, and on the west wall is a painting directly painted on the wall. The paintings are full of strange things that they have never seen before. There were many children playing with these things, with childish smiles on their faces——
Then after passing through a round arch, the world inside made everyone exclaim.
I saw that the entire large carpeted room was filled with the objects on the wall just now.
Under Li Rongwu's introduction, everyone could see it more clearly. There is a Ferris wheel on the left side of the entrance, and then there are two sets of seesaws and rocking horses, which are placed in scattered positions. Further inside, small slides, medium slides, and large slides form a large circle.
In the circle, there are six areas, which are the play areas for the six toys that were just placed on the shelves outside.
On the right hand side of the uncarpeted corridor, there are benches placed next to each other against the wall, with a coffee table between the benches.
The four walls are covered with childlike paintings, and the whole room looks childlike.
He came in soberly and went out in a daze. At the door of the shop, everyone looked at each other.
“Didn’t you say you can bring your children to have fun for free? Let’s go, let’s go home and bring my son!”
“My house is in the alley, I’ll go right away!”
“…”
Those who had children at home went back to hug their children, while those who did not have children thought of their nephews and nieces and ran away too.
The shop that was bustling just now was instantly deserted.
The three guys introduced it for a long time. Their mouths were dry and they couldn't help but be a little dumbfounded. After looking at it for so long, they didn't buy it? How about playing?
Pomegranate saw the three of them looking confused, and said with a smile: "They are all adults, how can they still buy these to play with? Don't worry, just wait."
Sure enough, as soon as he finished speaking, the guest who had just left came back panting with a child in one hand.
“I brought my son and daughter here, can I go in and play?”
Li Rongwu and the others, who had been trained for a long time, immediately changed their expressions and welcomed them into the playroom with smiles. They asked the two children to take off their shoes and step on the carpet. As for the adult, he sat on the bench and drank. Just bring the tea and watch the children play.
The youngest Li Rongzi also took off his shoes and went in to tell the children how to play with these things——
After a while, more people came with their children one after another. The guests who just came to see us.
After bringing everyone in one by one and making arrangements, Li Rongyang leaned on the counter and whispered to Li Rongzong inside: "We are just here to have fun, and no one is buying anything. We are opening today. On the first day, it won’t all be You’re working in vain, you won’t get a penny in the account, right?”
Li Jizong, who was holding a ledger with only a few words written on it, couldn’t help but secretly nodded, the first day of work in the new accounting office. , there is no use for it!
Li Rongzong was very confident in his sister and was not anxious at all. He said, "Why are you anxious? How long has it been?"
The shopkeeper did not panic, and the waiter naturally gradually calmed down.
Li Rongyang, who was dedicated to welcoming guests, was a little bored. He was about to go to the back room to get into a hut when he saw a carriage approaching.
The carriage stopped directly in front of the Children's Playhouse. It was obviously a visitor!
Li Rongyang and Li Ronwu hurried forward to greet them. One welcomed the guests in, and the other arranged for the driver to park the carriage.
The guests were none other than Wang's mother-in-law and Hong's mother-in-law and their children.
Pomegranate smiled and went up to entertain them personally, leading them to visit the shop and entering the playroom. Ding Baowen and the others were immediately attracted by the children who were having fun inside, and they were busy Want to go in and play.
Mrs. Hong looked at the children playing inside. Some of them were still wearing cotton clothes. At first glance, they were children from ordinary families. She didn’t want her grandson to go in and play with these people, but she couldn’t bear the chaos caused by a few children. , and Ding Baowen had already taken the lead and asked the maid to take off her shoes and run in, but she didn't stop her even if she wanted to.
I couldn’t help but sneer in my heart that Pomegranate doesn’t know how to do business. Anyone can be allowed in to play. Doesn’t this bring down the business of this shop?
People like them don’t want to play with others casually.
She didn't want her grandson to want to come again after one visit, just like her grandson's slide. After playing it, he made a fuss about going every day, but the slide he had agreed to a few days ago was brought to him, and then he stopped.
I immediately told my daughter-in-law to set up such a fun place at home.
Mengshi was also happy to give the best to her children. She immediately agreed, turned to Pomegranate and said, "Give us a set of each of these toys here!"
Pomegranate smiled and responded, "Okay!"
Although the Wang family now only has Ding Baowen as a grandson, she is still happy to take care of Pomegranate's business and also asked for the full set.
Pomegranate immediately asked Li Rongzong to arrange it and deliver it to her door.