About the delivery.

/yq/ybj/

chapter one

Hafid lingered in front of the bronze mirror and looked at herself. "Only the eyes are the same as when I was young." He turned to himself and walked slowly on the bright marble floor. He trudged through the black agate columns and walked past several tables carved with ivory flowers. The couch and the couch sparkled with tortoiseshell. On the wall inlaid with precious stones, the exquisite patterns of brocade sparkle. In the bronze flowerpot, huge palm branches and leaves grow quietly and bathe in the fountain of gypsum beauty. The flower bed inlaid with precious stones competes with the flowers inside. Anyone who has been to Hafei's magnificent building will say that he is a very rich man.

The old man walked through a walled garden and entered the barn on the other side of the building about 500 steps away. Erasmus, his manager, is waiting for him at the door. "Hello, my Lord." Hafid nodded and continued to walk silently. Erasmus followed with a puzzled expression. He didn't understand why the host chose this place to meet. When the master and servant went to the unloading platform, Hafid stopped and watched bags of goods get off the carriage and pile up in the warehouse in different categories.

These goods include wool, linen, parchment, honey, carpets and oil from Asia Minor, locally produced glass, figs, walnuts, essence, clothes and medicinal materials from Pamela Island, Arabian ginger, cinnamon and precious stones, Egyptian corn, paper, granite, alabaster and black porcelain, Babylonian tapestries, Roman oil paintings and Greek statues. The air is full of flavors, and Hafid's sensitive nose smells sweet plums, apples, cheese and ginger. Then,

He turned to Erasmus: "Old chap, how much cash is in our vault now?"

"All of them?"

"all."

"I haven't counted it recently, but it has been above 7 million gold coins."

"How much is the spot in the warehouse converted into gold coins?"

"Sir, this season's goods haven't arrived yet, but I want to say there are at least three million gold coins."

Hafid nodded his head. "Not replenish onr's stock. Immediately sell all the spot and replace it with gold. "

The old manager was dumbfounded and couldn't say a word. As if he had been beaten, he stepped back a few steps and finally said, "Sir, you have confused me. We had the best luck this year, and all the major stores said that the sales volume increased again last quarter. Even the Roman army bought goods from us. Didn't you sell two hundred Arabian stallions to the Governor of Jerusalem in two weeks? Please forgive me, sir, I seldom contradict you, but this time, I really don't understand why you want to ... "

Hafid smiled and took Lao Yi's hand kindly. "Lao Yi, do you remember the first thing I asked you to do when you first came here many years ago?" Erasmus frowned, and then her eyes suddenly lit up. "You told me to give half of my income to the poor every year." "Don't you think I was a fool in business at that time?" "I thought ..." Hafid nodded and pointed to the unloading platform. "Don't you admit that you are worried now?" "Yes, sir." "So, I advise you to have confidence in what I just asked you to do, and I will explain my intention to you. I'm old. What I need is simple. Since Lisa left, I decided to donate all my wealth to the poor in the city so that I could keep enough for myself. In addition to cleaning up the property, I hope you can prepare some documents, transfer the ownership certificate of the branch to all the accounting offices of the branch, and give each accounting office five points. They have been loyal and hardworking for so many years. They will sell whatever they like in the future. " Erasmus opened his mouth and Hafid waved to stop him. "You don't like it very much, do you?" The old manager shook his head and forced a smile. "No, sir, I just don't understand why you did it. You seem to be talking about this ... ""You are like this, Lao Yi, always thinking about me and never thinking about yourself. If our business stops, won't you plan for yourself? " "After following you for so many years, how can you only think about yourself?"

Hafid hugged the old servant and continued, "Don't do this. I want you to transfer 50 thousand gold coins to your account at once, and then I beg you to stay until I finish what I have been worrying about for years. " At that time, I will leave this building and warehouse to you, and then I will find Lisa. "The old manager stared at his master, unable to believe his ears." Fifty thousand gold coins, house, warehouse, ... "Hafid nodded." I have always regarded your loyalty as my greatest asset. Compared with it, this little thing I gave you is nothing at all. You know the art of living, not for yourself, but for others. This is what makes you different. What I want you to do now is to help me finish this plan as soon as possible. My days are numbered. Nothing is more important to me than time. "

Erasmus turned his head to prevent her master from seeing the tears in her eyes. "You said you have an unfulfilled wish. What is it? You treat me like a relative, but I have never heard you mention anything. "

Hafid put his arms on his chest and smiled. "When you finish what I told you this morning, I will tell you a secret that only Lisa knows. Thirty years ... "

chapter two

In this way, a well-covered caravan set out from Damascus. The car is loaded with various documents and gold, which will be distributed to every cashier in Hafid. From Aubert in Qiaobo to Ruhr in Patra, every cashier received a generous gift from Hafei. When they learned that their master had retired, they were all dumbfounded and didn't know what to say. When the caravan passed the last stop, its mission was completely completed.

As a result, the once-prominent commercial kingdom no longer exists.

Erasmus had a heavy heart and felt very sad. He sent someone to tell his master that the warehouse was empty and the branches everywhere could no longer see the flag of Haifei Kingdom, which everyone was proud of. Soon, the messenger came back and said that his master wanted to see him at once and told him to wait by the fountain. By the fountain, Hafid looked at Erasmus deeply and then asked, "Is it finished?"

"It's all done."

"Don't be sad, Yi. Come with me."

Hafid led Erasmus to the marble staircase at the back. In the big house, only their sandals rattle. Hafid's steps suddenly slowed down when they approached a big vase on a citrus shelf. In the sun, the vase changed from white to purple. Looking at it, Hafid's vicissitudes of life opened a smile on his face.

Then, the two men began to climb the inner ladder, which leads to the room hidden in the dome of the building. Erasmus found that the armed guards who used to guard the entrance to the stairs were gone. They climbed up the landing and stopped to have a rest. Both of them are out of breath. When they climbed the second platform, Hafid took a small key from his belt and opened the heavy oak door. He leaned against the door and the door rolled in. Erasmus hesitated outside, knowing that his master was calling him, and then carefully went in and entered the forbidden area for thirty years.

The gloomy sunshine mixed with dust leaked from the cracks in the tower. Erasmus grasped Hafid's hand and gradually got used to the dim light. The house was almost empty, and a beam of sunshine fell in the corner, only an alley made of cedar. When Erasmus looked around, a talking smile appeared on Hafid's face. "Let you down, huh?"

I don't know what to say, sir.

"Are you not disappointed with the decoration here? For 30 years, I have been under strict supervision. Everyone must talk about it often and guess what mysterious things are put in it. "

Erasmus nodded. "Yes, I have often heard people say what is hidden in the tower in recent years, and there are many rumors."

"In fact, I heard all these rumors. Some people say there are boxes of diamonds and gold on it. Some people say there are rare birds and animals on it. There was even a Persian businessman who said I was hiding in the golden house. Lisa also laughed at the businessman's ulterior motives. You see, there is nothing here except a box. Come, come. "

The two men went to the box and squatted down. Hafid carefully lifted the leather wrapped in the box and took a deep breath of cedar. Finally, he pressed the switch on the lid of the box and the bullet opened. Erasmus leaned over Hafid's shoulder and landed on the contents of the box. Gal, he is more confused, want to let this head look at Hafid. There is nothing in the box except a few scrolls.

Hafid gently took a roll out of his deep hand, closed his eyes and held it tightly to his chest. His face became calm and serene, almost smoothing the wrinkles left by years. He stood up, pointed to the box and said, "Even if this room is full of diamonds, its value can't exceed the box in front of you. My success, happiness, love, peace and wealth all come from these scrolls, and I can never repay their owners. "

After listening to Hafid's tone, Erasmus stepped back in horror and asked, "Is this your secret? Is this box related to your wishes? " "Exactly." Erasmus wiped the sweat from his forehead and looked at her master in disbelief. "What is written on these scrolls that will be more precious than diamonds?"

"These scrolls, out of one volume, record a principle, a law, or a truth. They are all written in a unique style so that readers can understand their meanings. If a person wants to master the art of sales promotion and become a master in this field, he must read all the contents. If he knows how to apply the principles here, then he can have the wealth he wants at will. "

Erasmus stared at the old parchment in the box and asked in confusion, "As rich as you?"

"If you like, you can even be richer than me."

"You just said that these scrolls are for promotion. Do you say there is only one scroll? "

"You said that this volume is actually the first volume that must be read. Every other volume should be read in a special order. There is a secret hidden in this first volume, which few wise people in history can understand. In fact, this first volume is a reading guide that tells us how to read other volumes effectively. "

"It sounds like something anyone can do."

"It's really simple, as long as you are willing to spend time and devote yourself to these principles and make them a living habit."

Erasmus reached out and took out a roll, held it carefully and asked its owner trembling, "Please forgive me for asking, why don't you tell everyone these principles?" Especially those who work for you all the year round. You are always generous in other things. Why don't people who have worked for you all their lives get a chance to see these scrolls and make a fortune? At least, they can become better salesmen and sell more goods. Why have you kept these principles a secret all these years? "

"I have no choice. Many years ago, when these parchments were delivered to me, I swore that only one person would know the contents. I still don't understand why there are such strange demands. I was ordered to apply what was written on the ginger scroll to my own life. I know that one day, there will be someone who needs help more than when I was a teenager, and needs the guidance of this scroll more. I passed these treasures on to him at that time. It is said that I will recognize the person I am looking for by vision. Maybe he didn't know that he was looking for these scrolls.

"I have been waiting patiently, while waiting, while doing what I was taught. As a result, I became the greatest salesman everyone said, just like the man who gave me the scrolls. He was also the most successful salesman of his time. Erasmus, you can probably understand now why sometimes I do something that you think is inexplicable and meaningless, but it turns out that I am right. I was deeply influenced by these scrolls and did as they were written. In other words, the wealth we earn does not come from my personal wisdom. I am just a tool for execution. "

"After so many years, do you still believe that successors will eventually appear?"

"Not bad"

Hafid carefully put the scroll back in the box, and then closed the box.

"Lao Yi, would you like to follow me until I find a successor?"

The old manager held out his hand in the soft light and finally shook hands with his master. Erasmus nodded loyally, then quietly pushed it down and walked out of the attic. Hafid locked the box again, wrapped it in leather, looked at it for a while, then straightened up, walked out of the tower and stood on the platform around the huge dome.

The breeze blew from the east, brushed the old man's cheek and smelled of lakes and deserts in the distance. He stood there condescendingly, and the past swept over his chest with the wind. The old man moved his lips and smiled.

chapter three

Winter is coming, and the cold wind is blowing hard on Olive Mountain. The smell of burning incense and smoking in the temple of Jerusalem, the smell of burning corpses and the smell of turpentine in the mountains mixed together and floated across the Golden Wheel Valley. On the hillside not far from Beth Village, the Bosaro caravan on the island of Palme Island is resting. Late at night, the owner's favorite stallion stopped chewing the low pistachio bush and leaned against the laurel tree to be quiet.

Next to a long row of tents, four ancient olive trees were surrounded by thick hemp ropes, and camels and mules in the circle huddled together to keep warm. Except for the two guards patrolling back and forth, there was silence in Fiona Fang, except for the moving figure in Bertsallo's tent. In the tent, Pacaro walked back and forth with a sad face, frowning and shaking his head at the timid boy kneeling by the door. Finally, he sat on the golden carpet. Wave the boy over.

"Hafid, I always treat you as my own son. I don't understand how you can make such a strange request. Are you dissatisfied with the work you are doing now? "

"No, sir." The boy looked at the carpet and said.

"There are more caravans, you can't feed so many camels?

"Not exactly, sir."

"Then, repeat your request, speak slowly and tell me your reasons."

"I want to be a salesman and help you sell goods. I don't want to be your camel boy all my life. I'm going out with a lot of goods like Harder, Simon and Kelly, and I'll bring back a lot of gold when I come back. I don't want to live such a humble life anymore. I have nothing to gain by feeding camels all my life. If I can be a salesman, I will succeed one day and make a lot of money. "

"How can you have such an idea?"

"I often hear you say that the best way for a person to become rich from poverty is to be a salesman."

Bertaro nodded, thought for a moment, and then continued to ask the boy, "Do you think you can do as well as Harder and other salesmen?"

Hafid stared at the old man confidently and replied, "I often hear Kelly complain that he is unlucky and the goods can't be sold. I often hear you remind him that anyone who is willing to study the principle of sales promotion diligently and master its laws can sell all the goods in a very short time." A fool like Kelly can learn those skills, so can't I? "

"If one day, you can freely apply those principles, what is your life goal?"

Hafid hesitated, then replied, "Everyone praises you as a great salesman. There has never been a business kingdom in the world as huge as you built it yourself. My goal is to be greater than you and become the greatest businessman, the richest man and the most successful salesman in the world. "

Bertaro straightened up and carefully looked at the young, dark face in front of him. The boy's clothes can vaguely smell animals, but his expression shows no inferiority. "So, what are you going to do with so much wealth and the power that comes with it?"

"Like you, I want my family to enjoy it, and then I want to give it to the poor."

Bertaro shook his head. "Son, don't make wealth your goal in life." Your words are beautiful, but they are not enough. Real wealth is spiritual, not in the wallet. "

Hafid immediately asked, "Aren't you rich?"

The old man laughed at the recklessness of the young man. "Son, as far as material wealth is concerned, there is only one difference between me and the begging bow outside. Begging is about the next meal, but thinking about the last meal. Children, don't just want to get rich, don't be enslaved by money. Strive for happiness, love and be loved, and most importantly, seek peace of mind. "

Hafid remained opinionated. "But without money, what you said can't be achieved." Who can be penniless and leisurely? Who can be happy with an empty stomach? If you can't feed your family and have plenty of food and clothing, how can you let your family feel the care of love? You said yourself that wealth that can bring happiness is beautiful. So, what's wrong with me being rich?

"Only monks in the desert are suitable for hard life. Because they only need to support themselves, and they don't have to please others except God. But I'm different. For me, poverty only means incompetence, I am not such a useless person! "

Bertaro frowned. "What makes you a whim, full of ambition? You said that you want to support your family, but you don't have any relatives except me who adopted you after your parents died? "

Hafid's face, tanned by the sun, could not conceal the sudden blush. "When we passed through Hebron, I met Chennai's daughter. She ... She ... "

"Oh, oh, now to tell the truth, it's not a big deal. It is love that makes our camel boy a great soldier and challenges the world. Kanai is very rich. Can he keep his daughter with a poor boy who feeds camels? No way! If he is a handsome young businessman, that is another matter. Well, young man, I can help you as a salesman and start your own business. "

The boy knelt on the ground and grabbed his master's robe gratefully. "Sir, Sir, I don't know how to repay you?"

Bertaro broke free from Hafid's hand and stepped back. "Don't thank me first. The help I can give you is negligible. The most important thing is to rely on your unremitting efforts. "

Worry replaced joy, and Hafid couldn't help asking, "Won't you teach me those principles and rules to make me a great salesman?"

"No, I never spoiled you when you were young. Everyone says I shouldn't be so strict with you, and I shouldn't let my adopted son do the rough work of feeding animals. But I always believe that as long as the fire in your heart burns properly, it will spark sooner or later, and then you will become a real man, and your previous sufferings have not been in vain. Tonight, I'm glad you made such a request. Your eyes are like burning flames, and your face is full of longing. It seems that I am not wrong about this person. But you have to redouble your efforts to prove that what you want is not a castle in the air. "

Hafid was silent, listening to the master's continued, "First of all, you have to prove to me, and more importantly, of course, to yourself that you can stand the hard work of selling." It is not easy for you to draw this sign. You often listen to me, as long as you succeed, the return is considerable. I say this because there are too few successful people, so the rewards are great. Many people give up halfway. In despair and depression, they don't realize that they have all the conditions for success. Some people cringe in the face of difficulties as if they were enemies, but they don't know that these stepping stones are their friends and their assistants. Difficulties are the premise of success, because sales promotion, like other industries, has won after many failures. Every failure and struggle can make your skills more exquisite, your thoughts more mature, hone your skills and endurance, and increase your courage and confidence. In this way, difficulties will become your partners, make people introspect and force people to go up. As long as you never give up and persevere, every setback is an opportunity for you to make progress. If you avoid retreating, it is tantamount to self-destruction. "

The teenager nodded frequently, thinking about the old man's words, and was about to speak, but he was stopped by the old man's wave. "Also, you are moving towards the most lonely industry in the world. When the sun goes down, even a despised tax collector has a home to return to. Those Roman soldiers also made camp their home after dark. But in the future, you will watch the sun go down, stay away from relatives and friends, have nowhere to hide, and watch others get together. You have no choice but to run through the lights. Nothing in the world is more touching and heartbreaking. "

"When you feel lonely, the temptation comes." Bertaro continued, "How to deal with these temptations is related to your career and future. When you travel alone with only one camel, you will feel strange and terrible. At that time, we often temporarily forget everything, forget the future, forget our identity, and become like children, eager for safety and a love of our own. Many people can't bear it, give up halfway and find another sustenance. In fact, they all have the potential to become first-class salesmen. Also, when your goods can't be sold, no one will forgive you and comfort you. People will only take your wallet when you are not looking. "

"I'll write down your words."

"Then let's get started! I won't give you any advice at present. Now, you are like a green fig, and no one cares until it matures. When you have experience and knowledge, you can be a salesman. "

"How should I start?"

"In the morning, you go to Sylvie, who is in charge of the luggage cart. He will give you a red robe and put it on your account. This robe is made of goat hair, which can prevent rain. It is dyed red with the pulp of madder root, which can withstand the wind and sun and will never fade. The robe is embroidered with a small star, which is the symbol of Toler factory. The quality and style of the robes they made are first-class. Our logo is embroidered next to the little star. It is a square frame with a circle inside. Almost everyone knows these two signs, and we don't know how many robes have been sold. I have dealt with Jews for many years, and they call this robe' Abu Ang'. "

"After you get the robe, take the donkey and go to Bethlehem at dawn. We passed by the village before we came here. So far, we haven't sold it. It is said that the people there are so poor that it is useless to go there to sell things. But many years ago, I personally sold hundreds of robes to local shepherds. You stay in Bethlehem, sell your robe and come back. "

Hafid nodded, unable to conceal his excitement. "How much is a robe?"

"When you come back to check out with me, just give me a silver coin. If you earn more, keep it for yourself. In that case, you can set your own price. The market in Bethlehem is at the south gate. You can go there first. Or you plan to go door to door, it's up to you. There are about 1000 households there, so one will buy it, right? What do you say? "

Hafid nodded again, and his heart had already set off.

Bertaro gently pressed the boy's shoulder.

"Before you come back, I won't find someone to replace your work. If you find yourself unfit for this kind of work, I will forgive you, but don't be ashamed. Don't care about success or failure, a person who has never failed must be a person who has never tried anything. When you come back, I will ask you the ins and outs, and then decide how to help you realize your dream next. "

Hafid bowed deeply and was about to step down when the old man spoke again. "Son, before you start this new life, you should write down a sentence firmly and think more, and you will be able to solve your difficulties easily."

Hafid is waiting by. "Go ahead, sir."

"As long as you are determined to succeed, failure will never crush you."

Bertaro took two steps forward. "Know what I mean?"

"Yes, sir."

"Then, repeat it."

"As long as I make up my mind to succeed, failure will never crush me."