The two siblings were suspicious for a long time, but they couldn't find a reason. Pen? Interesting? Pavilion wWw. ｂiquge。 In the main hall, Mrs. Zhao sent Mrs. Marquis of Jin Guo away, and immediately summoned the steward Zhang Bi, and asked, "What are you doing now?" ”

Zhang Bi replied respectfully: "It's only been a quarter, and the account in Jiema City a few days ago, at least another three or five days will be cleared, and there is another letter saying that General Zhi is worrying about Ding, and the south side is ready to move, and he has tried to fight several soldiers, and the medicinal materials for curing the miasma have multiplied several times, and the court is now collecting it, and I am planning to go back to the old lady and sell most of the inventory in the shop to others, so as to prevent it from being too eye-catching." ”

Even if you want to sell it without eyes, it naturally needs to be broken into parts, which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive thing. Zhang Bi said this, which was to tell her that she was very busy now, that is, the main family had other tasks, and she might still not be able to get out.

Old Madam Zhao nodded thoughtfully, and asked again, "Do you want to collect the horses too?" ”

"Not only the war horses with a height of four feet and two feet must be collected, but even the mules and horses that carry food and salaries must be collected.

Old Madam Zhao thought for a while and said, "When you go back later, you will hand over the matter at hand to Meng Da first." ”

Zhang Bi was stunned.

Ma Xing can be regarded as the most important source of income for the Protector Mansion, and it is also the cornucopia that Mrs. Zhao personally pointed out, it is impossible for her not to know that it is now the most important link in reconciliation and collection, if something goes wrong, it will be a big mess. At the same time, once there are too many medicinal materials stored in his own shop, let his peers keep an eye on him, and take this sensitive opportunity to poke at the city, it is not a matter of spitting out some blood to turn it over.

What made Old Madam Zhao take this risk and pull him away?

Zhang Bi mentioned a little cautiously, "Meng Da has been busy going to the countryside to check the fields in the past two days, and wants to count the tenants who need to borrow this year. ”

In addition to the land enjoyed by the old Protector in exchange for his life, the Protector Mansion naturally has a lot of additional fields. The harvest of Xiangtian is not controlled, and he can only receive as much as the court says every year, but the land he buys must be rented out to the tenants to plant.

The land rent rate of the Great Wei Dynasty was generally about fifty percent, and although the Protectorate Mansion was not short of this money, it did not intend to be too far behind the market, so that it would take the chew of other rich households, and it was to be instructed. However, in order to show the benevolence of the lord's family, before the autumn harvest every year, generally at the end of spring, the tenants will be given a loan according to the number of acres of land rented by the tenants.

This is also a time-consuming and labor-intensive thing, but it cannot be delayed, and if it is not good, there will be farmers to suffer. In previous years, Meng Da was doing this thing, and it was difficult to take it after a sudden change of person.

Old Madam Zhao frowned and said, "Let him explain a few more people to take over, it's okay." ”

Zhang Bi had no choice but to nod.

Mrs. Zhao thought about it, but decided not to bring the letter, but to dictate, and said to Zhang Bi: "I will give you more entanglement, you will go back later to hand over the matter at hand and set off, go out to buy two horses to ride, the sooner the better, arrive in Xuanqing as soon as possible, and bring a letter to the second master." ”

Zhang Bi had already sensed that something was wrong at this time.

Old Madam Zhao continued: "You just said that the Queen Mother wants to recruit him as a concubine for the princess of Wei, please ask him to get an idea as soon as possible." ”

Zhang Bi was startled, and hurriedly asked, "But do you have anything else to bring?" ”

Old Madam Zhao shook her head, "You go down and pack up and leave, set off tonight, take the official road on the road, don't live in the post station, and don't reveal our family's surname." ”

Zhang Bi nodded again and again, and said, "The little one knows, and everything is prudent at this moment." ”

Zhang Bi's family can be reused by Mrs. Zhao, naturally because of their advantages. When he went back at night, he didn't say anything else, nor did he pack his luggage, but only told his wife that he had an errand to do, and after explaining the matter at hand, he went out to the night market. He walked around for a long time, and then entered a small restaurant and sat for a while, and then called a little second and asked the other party to call him a horse to go to Donghua Gate.

When he arrived at Donghuamen, he found a foreign dealer, bargained, bought two good horses, and went out of the city like this when it was dark.

Zhang Bi rushed to Xuanqing day and night, and Xiao Qi was the opposite of him and secretly returned to the capital.

Tian Chu received the letter from Shen Hu, and he was not in a hurry to read it, and asked about the situation of Xiao Qifengxiang Mansion.

Although Xiao Qi has a temperament, he is as honest as a quail in front of Tian Chu, he only knows that Shen Gongzi asked him to come back to deliver the letter, as for the errand in Fengxiang, he doesn't know anything about it, so he can only talk about some daily matters, "The men in Guanzhong are really different from other places, among the ten people, I am afraid that more than half of them like to play with guns and sticks, and there are rich people in the next place who practice martial arts, and his place is good, and the country men dare to choke with the thieves when they pick up the hoe." ”

"In the past, I always heard that Fengxiang Mansion was in turmoil, and there were many land bandits, many horse thieves, and many anti-people, but now I don't think there are many anti-people, although the people are fierce, but they are all very enthusiastic, and they are only vicious to the thief."

Tian Chu said: "You have been there these days, and you can see the horse thief?" ”

Xiao Qi smiled wryly: "I haven't seen it, Shen Gongzi asked, the locals all said that the horse thief doesn't come out often, and there is no definite number when he will come out, but all of them are athletic, although they ride a short horse, but they are also raised in Hexi, they grab things and run, until the last resort, generally do not hurt people." ”

Tian Chu waited for Xiao Qi to tell everything he saw and heard, and then said, "You go down, and you will return to Fengxiang tomorrow." ”

Xiao Qi responded, carefully exited the house, and as soon as he went out, he couldn't help but reach out and wipe his sweat.

Coming back to give things to the prince is like shedding a layer of skin, and I don't know when I will be as calm as Brother Zhang.

I can't help but secretly complain, this round of errands is really hard to say, this desperately rushed to the capital, thinking that I could rest and rest when I came back, who knew that I had only rested for a day, and I had to run back desperately.

Halfway through, he met the guards of the Cheng'en Mansion and greeted him, "Where has Xiao Qi been recently?" Why doesn't it seem like I haven't seen you for a long time? ”

He replied with a smile: "There is something at home, I'm going back to my hometown!" ”

Tian Chu opened the letter sent by Shen Hu in the room, and couldn't help but fall into deep thought.

Fengxiang Mansion is in charge of the size of the affairs of Zhang Qian, although there is a state capital yamen, but because Fengxiang is located on the border, there are often enemies, and the military situation is greater than the people's feelings, Zhang Qian is in Fengxiang, can be regarded as a top extravagant figure.

Over the years, Zhang Qian cried poor for three months, cried for bandits for half a year, and cried for Tatars and prisoners every year, although the court was impatient, he cried three times, and would always give money and salary twice, and the taxes of Fengxiang Mansion were also collected every five years.

Judging from Xiao Qi's words and Shen Hu's letter, it is clear that there is fraud in it.

Originally, I only planned to investigate the relationship between Zhang Qian's father and son and the case of the princess of Wei State, but I didn't expect to find out other things. I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing.