Everyone came down and sat in the pavilion for a while and then returned to the main hall, and the ground of the main hall was paved with a picture of a colored grinding stone "bottle rising three halberds", which means that the candidates and officials in Beijing were prosperous and promoted to the third level.

Ji Yunfei sat on the top under the humility of everyone, looked back at the Western clock placed in the corner, and then looked up at the "two dragons playing with pearls" pattern on the door frame, and sighed: "The outside is calm and generous, and the place is calm." The corridor inside is connected, transparent and open, the beginning and the end are closed, and the middle is orderly, which is not only in line with my cowardly family etiquette, but also refined, elegant, solemn and deep. Ladies and gentlemen, I don't think that's the case with the provincial pavilion! ”

Ao Tongxian took the tea from Xiaoshan and sighed: "One brick and one tile, one step and one beam, the eaves and carved pillars, all in different forms. The tables and chairs are arranged in an orderly manner. Pavilions, flowers, trees, ponds and stones, all have an ethereal charm! ”

"The layout is orderly, the creation is exquisite, the carving is simple, the simplicity is overflowing with gorgeousness, and the elegance is interesting!" The more Wang Zhirong looked at it, the more he liked the new hall, if he didn't really want to move in with his family, he couldn't help but smile and asked: "Zhixing, don't sell it to us, how much money did it cost to renovate the hall?" ”

"Didn't you say you wouldn't mention the money?"

"That was just now," Ji Yunfei also wondered.

Han Xiufeng motioned to Pan Er and Xiao Shandong to bring three wooden boxes, pointed to the wooden boxes and said with a smile: "All the accounts are all in the box, I don't know the details of the accounts, but the general ledger remembers clearly, the hall has been renovated to the present, and a total of four thousand three hundred and fifty-eight taels have been spent on the front and back, and there is still some work to be finished, but another hundred and ten taels should be enough." ”

"It cost more than four thousand three hundred taels, Zhixing, you're not kidding, are you?"

"Master Wang, in this box is the credit report book of the renovation of the guild hall, how much money has been collected and donated, where has the money been spent, and I remember it clearly one by one on the credit record, I am planning to wait for a few of you to finish seeing and send a book to the Yamen to keep the bottom, and then take a book to the City God Temple incinerator. I, Han Zhixing, are deeply trusted by all my lords, how dare I be selfish, if there is erosion, I will not escape the curse of God! ”

"Zhixing, you misunderstood, I mean, how could it only cost more than four thousand taels!"

"Master Wang, you scared me, I thought you thought you had spent too much."

"Not much, not much at all." Jiang Haoxuan took over the conversation and sighed: "Such a big courtyard, it only cost more than 4,000 taels to build it like this, and it really should be let those people from the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Internal Affairs come to take a look." ”

Ji Yunfei also felt incredible, and subconsciously asked: "Zhixing, tell me the truth, are you joking, how much money did you spend?" ”

"It really cost more than four thousand three hundred and fifty taels," Han Xiufeng took out the "Chongqing Guild Hall Renovation Credit Record" that had just been printed a few days ago from the box, and said with a smile while distributing it to everyone: "Do I dare to make such a joke with you, as the head of the guild hall, I, Han Zhixing, have how much money to do as much as I can, but I don't dare to leave a deficit for you." ”

Wang Zhirong actually got up and said, "Impossible! ”

Han Xiufeng asked puzzledly: "Master Wang, why is it impossible?" ”

Wang Zhirong put down the credit book, motioned to Pan Er and Xiao Shandong to fold the screens on both sides aside, and then walked to the corner of the wall, pointed to a wooden pillar and said: "Everyone, if you are not mistaken, this should be Jin Sinan, one here, one over there, and the two on the opposite side are also, plus the bluestone paved ground, it is the so-called golden jade full of halls." Jin Si Nan is not cheap, these four pillars alone cost a lot of silver, and more than 4,000 taels of guild halls are not enough! ”

Ji Yunfei felt a little unbelievable, and when he saw that Han Xiufeng wanted to speak and stopped, he simply gave Pan Er a look, and asked Pan Er to go out first with Xiao Shandong, who was waiting on the side, and then turned around and said: "Zhixing, there are no outsiders here, tell me the truth, how did you renovate the guild hall with only so much silver?" ”

"yes, there's nothing you can't say!" Ao Tongxian asked with interest.

Han Xiufeng had no choice but to smile embarrassedly: "Since a few people have to break the casserole and ask to the end, then I will tell the truth." It only cost more than 4,000 taels to build the hall, one is that there are not so many people to handle it, no matter what materials are bought, they have to shop around, and the craftsmen are staring at their work every day, and the wages are also clearly calculated. ”

"What else?" Ji Yunfei asked.

"Then there was the courtyard of a banner man under our feet, and he is now working as an errand in Chongwenmen, which collects taxes and is responsible for selling some of the properties confiscated by the imperial court, and many materials are all bought from Chongwenmen through his door." Han Xiufeng paused, and couldn't help but say, "Master Wang, the Jin Si Nan you have at hand is." Master Ao, so is the Western clock behind you. The main hall is full of tables, chairs and benches. ”

Ji Yunfei suddenly realized, and couldn't help laughing: "Hahaha, I said why did you only spend so much silver, this way is good, this way is wonderful!" ”

"Zhixing, I knew you had this way, so I asked you to help me buy something." Ao Tongxian couldn't help but laugh.

"Master Ao, you didn't tell me when you first came back, and I didn't bother to ask about the affairs of the guild hall."

"Next time you want to have this good thing, you must remember me."

"Certainly, definitely, I will never forget it again."

Ao Tongxian was just joking, after all, his family had settled down and there was no need to buy tables, chairs and benches. Ji Yunfei also didn't intend to take advantage of this, but said with a smile: "Zhixing, the guild hall is almost renovated now, I have one who just returned to Beijing a few days ago in the same year, and I just want to invite a few others in the same year to pick him up together, I don't think I need to go to other places, how about arranging it in the guild hall?" ”

"Master Ji, the guild hall is a place for several of you to discuss and feast, when do you plan to invite you to the banquet directly, why do you need to ask."

"You're the first thing, how can I not tell you."

"Master Ji, you really, by the way, when are you going to come over, you plan to invite a few guests, I have a good preparation."

"The day after tomorrow," Ji Yunfei took out two small pieces of broken silver and put them on the coffee table, and said with a smile: "There are six or seven people in total, let's come over in the morning, isn't there a kitchen inside, you can help me get it." ”

"Okay, I'll take the money."

"Yes, it has to be according to the statute."

As soon as Ji Yunfei's words fell, He Heng, who had been unable to interject, couldn't help but raise his head and said: "Zhixing, I have been in the cabinet for so long and I didn't care about the banquet for my boss and colleagues, and I bother you to help me set up four or five tables in a few days." ”

"Okay, just tell me about it on a certain date. You know the craftsmanship of the big head, Xiao Shandong can also cook, and Pan Erjiu old carpenter helps all year round. ”

As soon as Ji Yunfei and He Heng spoke, Ao Tongxian also felt that he should invite his colleagues from the Hanlin Academy, and also felt that the environment of the hall was good, and the meals were all made by the people of the hall, and it was more cost-effective to have a banquet in the hall than in the restaurant.