The strong man in yellow is Wang Huaqiang's eldest brother Wang Huashi, and when he heard Wang Huaqiang's words, he greeted him: "Second brother, Ah Da has been looking for you for a long time, and I want you to go over as soon as you go home." ”

Wang Huaqiang nodded, walked straight to the inner courtyard, turned around, and walked into a simple and unpretentious room in the inner courtyard.

The room is not big, only a few walnut wood, varnished tables, chairs and benches, elm couch, blue thin quilt lying an old man in his fifties, with a thick belt wrapped around his forehead, his face is pale, his eye sockets are deep, and his eyebrows and eyes are somewhat similar to Wang Huaqiang.

This old man was Wang Huaqiang's father, Wang He, and now he leaned weakly on the pillow, listening to the busy footsteps and shouts outside.

As soon as Wang Huaqiang looked up after entering the door, he saw Wang He, and hurriedly stepped forward to salute: "Ada, do you have something to look for a child?" ”

Wang He sighed, looked up at Wang Huaqiang and said, "Huaqiang, sit down." ”

Wang Huaqiang responded, and put a soup bowl on the Yulin round table in the outhouse on the small table next to Wang He's bed, and he sat down on the bench in front of the bed, bowing his head and thinking thoughtfully.

Wang He closed his eyes and muttered, "Hua Qiang, do you still have any thoughts about inviting Wang Shiji to the door for your father?" ”

Wang Huaqiang smiled slightly, since he successfully took two caravans in Longxi more than a year ago, and successfully established the Wang family's business in Guzang City, where the Silk Road was full of wealthy merchants, Wang He announced in public that the Wang family's business was under his full control.

Because of this, the brothers outside are still busy welcoming distinguished guests, while Wang Huaqiang is talking deeply with his father on the sickbed in the hut.

The matter of Wang Huaqiang's meeting with Wang Xuan is still hidden from Wang He, and he does not plan to tell him about it until the matter is absolutely certain.

Thinking of this, he said: "Wang Shiji will arrive tonight, and the child can only reserve his opinion and obey Ah Da's arrangement." You can rest assured, in front of Wang Shiji, the child will definitely behave well and will not embarrass you. ”

Wang He glanced at the expression on Wang Huaqiang's face and said with a smile: "Huaqiang, do you want to tell your father that there is a golden house in the book, and there is a thousand Zhongsu in the book?" ”

Wang Huaqiang smiled, these two poems are the famous sentences in the "Encouragement Chapter" of Song Zhenzong Zhao Heng in later generations, a few years ago, when the eldest brother Wang Huashi made fun of his weakness, he had taken it out to refute, and at that time he said that several brothers were stunned and embarrassed, and they are still fresh in their memories.

But when he thought of what Wang Xuan said to himself in the restaurant, Wang Huaqiang shook his head again: "Ah Da, our Wang family is a businessman's family, and now the business is doing well, our brothers have never fought a war, this time the southern expedition has to go to the battlefield to fight for their lives, and use people to exchange their heads for fame, is it necessary?"

And the child knows that you always value Wang Shiji's status as a general, and want him, a distant relative who is nominally reluctant to be within the five suits of our family, to bring our brother, but this person has long had no contact with our family, and he has always been above the top, so he called him here, and our family is nothing more than self-inflicted humiliation, why bother? ”

Wang He shook his head helplessly, opened his eyes, and his eyes were cloudy: "Hua Qiang, your brothers don't have your brains, although my Wang family is in business, they have always been oppressed by officials and businessmen.

Don't think that the business you have handled in the past two years has done well, it is because our Wang family's power is not big enough to pose a threat to others. Once your business grows bigger, others will beat your idea, you have no power and power, what can you do if you have money in your hands? ”

A painful expression appeared on Wang He's face, he closed his eyes again, two lines of tears flowed from the corners of his eyes, Wang Huaqiang hurriedly took out the silk scarf in his arms to wipe it, but he stretched out his hand and pushed it away.

Wang He sighed: "You said that this Wang Shiji has always been above the top, and that is also what people have exchanged for their lives, that is, your grandfather Jiegong, can be this Yitong, and it is also a fame to fight for with his life, on the battlefield, flesh and blood are flying, how can it be so easy to make meritorious achievements?"

The so-called one will succeed and ten thousand bones will wither. Half of your grandfather's fame was earned by himself, and the other half was benefited by his nephew Wang Ya.

This Wang Ya is the general of Yuwentai, the founding ancestor of the Yuwen clan in the north of the Great Sui Dynasty, when the battle of the mountain, Yuwentai's six armies were wiped out, if it weren't for Wang Ya's return to the death, killing dozens of pursuers, Yuwentai was only afraid that he would be captured by the enemy.

Therefore, Wang Ya was the last official to the hussar general, the history of a state assassin, and as the eldest son who inherited his title, it was this Wang Shiji who was invited by his father today. ”

Wang Huaqiang is very clear about the origin of this Wang Shiji, knowing that Wang Shiji is a general, and he is also able to fight habitually, before and after the founding of the Great Sui Dynasty, he also fought a lot of battles, pacified the last loyal minister of the Northern Zhou Dynasty, Xiangzhou Governor Chi Yu opposed Yang Jian's rebellion, and made a great general, and the title changed from the eldest son county duke to the Yiyang county duke.

In addition, Wang Shiji's age is only a few years younger than Wang He, he has never taken Wang He, the nominal elder, in his eyes, and has never had any contact with the Xinfeng Wang family for decades, just like a passerby.

Thinking of this, Wang Huaqiang raised his head and said, "Ah Da, then Wang Shiji is so far away from our family, and he has always looked down on our family, why do you still use your hot face to stick to his cold ass this time?" ”

Wang He shook his head helplessly: "Isn't it for the future of you boys!" The father's body knows best, and this time I am afraid that I will not be able to hide.

And your father is an official without a title, you can't attack the title, you can only be a commoner, don't you know that people like our family who are rich and powerless, in the eyes of those powerful people, are fat sheep to be slaughtered? ”

Wang Huaqiang lowered his head, he knew what his father meant, he was afraid that others would have bad intentions and take away his family property, so he wanted his three brothers to rely on Wang Shiji's relationship to join the army, after all, in this troubled era where civil officials are basically hereditary by the children of the family, joining the army is the best way to be promoted.

Wang He continued: "I heard that the current emperor intends to march south, pacify the Chen State, and unify the sea, Wang Shiji has no brothers, and his officials have become bigger and bigger in recent years, and he also wants to find some reliable relatives of his own family.

Although we haven't had contact with him for many years, our family has done well in the past few years, and we have some property that can be used for him to open a mansion and recruit talents, so this is essentially a transaction. ”

Wang Huaqiang did not speak, the opening of the Sui Dynasty meant that the senior military generals who could recruit their own staff, and the salaries of these staff members were not borne by the imperial court.

Therefore, a military general with the right to open a government needs huge financial support, and it is probably far from enough to rely only on his own money.

Now that the southern expedition is imminent, Wang Shiji's military government will definitely recruit a large number of strategists and generals, and these all require money, which is the real reason why Wang Shiji is willing to sell his family to save face this time and visit his relatives, who have not visited the door for many years.

Thinking of this, Wang Huaqiang opened his mouth: "Ah Da, how much money is our family going to accumulate for Wang Shi this time, and what official position can he give to our brother?" ”

Wang He thought for a while, and said slowly: "Well, the letter didn't say it clearly, we have to discuss it slowly after he comes, if he is willing to bring your brother, then I am willing to give you 100,000 yuan every year." ”

Wang Huaqiang blurted out: "One hundred thousand? Ah Da, isn't it too much! Our Wang family's business now has all the shops together, and in addition to the salary, the net profit is only more than 200,000 yuan every year, and Wang Shiji will take 100,000 yuan for one person? ”

Wang He raised his hand with difficulty and shook it: "Huaqiang, be generous, don't be too stingy!"

If Wang Shiji can arrange for the three of you brothers to work under him this time, there will always be someone who will make military achievements in the battle of conquering Nanchen and become an official like Yitong, and then we won't have to worry about being bullied. Otherwise, you will have no power and money, and sooner or later you will be swallowed up by others. ”

Wang Huaqiang said hatefully: "That's really cheap Wang Shiji's kid." Ah Da, your body is not suitable to go out to see him now, when he comes, let the child come forward, the child knows it, you can rest assured. ”

Wang He frowned, and was about to speak, but he heard a rough and breathless voice outside, accompanied by a burst of hurried footsteps from far and near: "Ah Da, Ah Da, General Wang has arrived at the door!"