The next day, Zhong Xuanlan and Wang Xuannian rode into the palace after breakfast.

The two entered the main hall of Fengyi Palace in the voice of the little eunuch, Zhong Xuanlan glanced at the situation in the hall, the people gathered quite completely, the emperor, the queen, the concubines, the princess, the royal family and so on all came, it seemed that only the two of them were missing.

So the two of them saluted and congratulated everyone at this moment.

The two were pardoned, and after they were seated, they drank tea in silence, listening to the unpleasant compliments and flattery of those in power, while at the same time trying to minimize their presence.

After a while, Emperor Jingxi said: "Queen Mother, the sons and daughters still have some state affairs to discuss with their brothers-in-law, cousins, and sons-in-law, and then come to accompany the queen mother for lunch." ”

Zhong Xuanlan listened, squinted his eyes, and the matter still came.

Liu Yuan glanced at Zhong Xuanlan, then at the Xu family, and smiled at the corners of his lips, it seems that they need to join forces.

Empress Dowager Zhong smiled and said, "Go, the emperor's state affairs are important." At lunchtime, be sure to let them come back to eat with the mourners. ”

Zhong Xuanlan sneered, it is estimated that after the discussion, several people will feel that there is no need to eat lunch anymore.

Turning his head to look at Wang Xuannian, there was worry hidden in his eyes, and he whispered, "Husband, be careful." ”

Wang Xuannian nodded, frowned slightly, looked at her with concern in his eyes, and said a little nervously: "Lan'er, I'll be careful, and you should be more careful." ”

Zhong Xuanlan nodded.

Emperor Jingxi had already gotten up here, and everyone got up to send him away, followed by Emperor Jingxi who left, as well as Xu Da Dang, Zhong Xuanlan, Lu Shao, and Liu Yuan.

When the people in the main hall saw this, their thoughts were different.

This is the three major imperial merchants plus one who is not an imperial merchant comparable to the imperial businessman, the money and connections of the four families are combined, it is estimated that the rivers and mountains of the Eastern Yuan Dynasty will have to tremble several times, what is the matter with Emperor Jingxi suddenly looking for them?

It can't help but make everyone keep guessing.

Wang Xuannian is also one of them, but he probably knows something in his heart.

In the past few days, the continuous snow has blocked the roads, and there may not be money to buy grain and grass, or to transport grain and grass, so the disaster relief needed by the people and the military supplies needed by the soldiers at the border gates may need to be mobilized by these merchants to mobilize grain and grass nearby.

However, with his family Lan'er's attitude, he will definitely not take the money obediently, I don't know how this contest will end?

Will his family be in danger?

When Wang Xuannian was deep in thought, Emperor Jingxi and his party came to the imperial study.

Emperor Jingxi ordered people to sit and sit, and only after serving tea did he begin to talk about his purpose.

Glancing at the few people sitting below, Master Xu Da had a trace of tiredness and haggard on his face, Zhong Xuanlan, Liu Yuan and Lu Shao were as calm as a loose, and they did not affect it at all

He said with a kind face: "It has been snowing continuously recently, and the army escorted by the imperial court to deliver grain and grass is difficult to move an inch, I hope that my brother-in-law, cousin, and two sons-in-law can help each other, so that the affected people can survive the winter safely." ”

When the words fell, the four of them were silent, leaving only the silver charcoal to make a "beep" sound from time to time, and the silence was still silent.

Zhong Xuanlan hooked the corners of his mouth, wanting to empty the gloves of the white wolf, but they had to be willing.

Emperor Jing Xi's eyes showed displeasure, and he said with a nonchalant face: "Brother-in-law, is there anything difficult about this?" ”

Xu Da got up and bowed his hand and said: "Back to the emperor, the Xu family has sold many shops in the past two months, only in Fengzhou and Suzhou, and there is not much grain storage, I am afraid that I will not be able to share the emperor's worries." ”

After the words fell, Liu Yuan put down the teacup, got up, saluted and asked, "Back to the emperor, I don't know where the disaster occurred?" ”

Emperor Jingxi squinted his eyes and looked at Liu Yuan with an unhappy face, this person really didn't know, and he still wanted to shirk it. He said: "Youzhou, Fengzhou, but Suzhou, Youzhou and Anzhou also need military supplies. ”

Liu Yuan sneered in his heart, and replied respectfully on his face: "Your Majesty, yesterday, my Liu family prayed for my grandmother and distributed most of the grain in the granary to the people of Fengzhou, and only some of the rest were given to the steward as a New Year's gift, and the rest was only enough for the family to eat." ”

Emperor Jingxi looked at Liu Yuan with an unkind expression, squinted his eyes, and glanced at the four of them, he knew about the Liu family's loose grain yesterday, but the Zhong family seems to have done the same, two foxes!

What about the Lu family, looking at Lu Shao's family, waiting for his answer.

Here, Lu Shao's family received Emperor Jingxi's sharp gaze, got up and bowed his hand and said, "Your Majesty, my Lu family does not do grain business, and there is no surplus grain. However, he prayed for his son and bought a batch of grain to distribute to the people near Kyoto City, and now there is no food left. ”

Emperor Jingxi's face became ugly, and he looked at Zhong Xuanlan and said, "The county lord won't tell me that the Zhong family has no food?" ”

Zhong Xuanlan got up and bowed his hand and said: "Back to the emperor, on my husband's birthday yesterday, the courtiers prayed for my husband's blessing and sent a batch of food and clothes to the people of Fengzhou.

The courtiers only got 50 million taels of silver on the day of the Liu family's auction, and if the contract money was deducted, only 20 million taels were taken, and the rest was given to the imperial court for disaster relief for the people.

Moreover, the Zhong family has suffered serious losses in the past two months, and the shop has been suppressed by unknown forces, and I don't know what will happen this year, the Zhong family wants to share the emperor's worries, but unfortunately the ability is not enough, please forgive the emperor. ”

Liu Yuan listened with relish, the corners of his eyes twitched, this person really dared to say!

Slightly raised his eyes to look at Emperor Jingxi, his face seemed to be smeared with a layer of carbon ash, which was ugly and slightly angry.

He glanced at Zhong Xuanlan, who was not afraid, smiled at the corners of his lips, bowed to Emperor Jingxi and said, "Your Majesty, the county lord of Xinlan really only got 20 million taels, and the custody contract was 30 million taels, which has been handed over to the household department.

The day before yesterday, the housekeeper of her family came and went to get the money, saying that the Zhong Mansion was short of money for the New Year's Festival, so she helped the Xu family pay 50 million taels from my Liu family.

After that, I looked for the Xu family, but the Xu family's annual accounts were not settled, and my Liu family only got 30 million taels, so my Liu family asked the Xu family to send the remaining money to the court to do good deeds. ”

Xu Da scolded secretly: Two little foxes who pit people!

Saluted and said: "Back to the emperor, the Xu family has been buying a shop to make money these days, and there is still a gap of 10 million taels, I don't know if it can be deducted with clothes and food?" ”

Zhong Xuanlan interjected when Emperor Jingxi was about to speak: "My cousin-in-law also donates money, and food is also money, why can't it be deducted, my cousin-in-law can't be so rigid, go and hand it over to the household department as soon as possible, if it's late, it will make more people suffer." The emperor is a Ming monarch, and he is considerate of his subordinates, how can he mind! ”

Liu Yuan also said: "Yes, uncle, hurry up, if it's too late, the emperor's people will suffer, and you will become a sinner in the end." ”

Lu Shao's face twitched, these two people were too presumptuous, they were serious nonsense in front of the emperor, they were really not afraid of death!

Slightly raised his head and glanced at Emperor Jingxi, with an angry face, he sighed slightly, and saluted: "Uncle, what the people need most now is clothes, quilts and food, and now you buy these things directly with silver money, which not only reduces the work of the household, but also distributes them to the people in a timely manner, which is a great good deed." ”

After a pause, he knelt down and said, "Your Majesty, I implore the emperor to grant permission to bless the horse." ”

Zhong Xuanlan knelt down and saluted, "The courtiers seconded it." ”

Liu Yuan then knelt down and said, "The minister seconded the proposal." ”