Chapter Twenty-Six: Face

Jiang Jie came to Wuchang Li Mansion, and when he came to the door, he didn't say who he was looking for, but just asked someone to hand over the name card and send it to the housekeeper in the house. Li Zhong and Kong Jian did not follow Jiang Jie to the Li Mansion, but only rested on the boat, only Jiang Jie arrived with a small servant.

The porter doesn't know what Jiang Jie does, but there is a famous post here, according to etiquette, there is no need to ask, just send the post in as usual. The name card was sent to the chief butler of the Li Mansion to take a look, and it was written on it by Jiang Jie, a staff member of the Sichuan Governor's Mansion.

When someone came from the Governor's Palace, the housekeeper hurriedly ran to the backyard and reported to Li Yuanchen. Of course, Li Yuanchen knew Jiang Jie's name, and he had met Yue Su and knew that he was Yue Su's confidant. After a little thought, you will understand the other party's intentions. With his intelligence, he can also understand why Jiang Jie gave the post to the housekeeper in the house, which is called throwing stones to ask for directions, let's see what the Li family means first. If the chief housekeeper is really allowed to meet him, it either means that Li Yuanchen is really not in the house, or it means that Li Yuanchen has no intention of talking. But in this way, both are also decent.

Of course, Li Yuanchen wanted to talk, and he also understood that it was not good for the Li family to really turn his face with Yue Su, although Yue Su had damaged the face of the Li family, but he also didn't want to see the Li family rebel and make everyone-for-tat. After all, Yue Su is the governor of Sichuan, and it is impossible to go to other provinces to meet him in person, and send his first staff here, needless to say, sincerity.

Seeing is a must, you can't see it like this at that time, otherwise, it means that you are at home for the first time, although everyone knows it, you can't find out the matter. Li Yuanchen called the housekeeper to his side, whispered a few words, and then sent the person down.

The chief housekeeper came out of Li Yuanchen's study, came directly to the outside of the house, saw Jiang Jie, and said with a smile: "I don't know that Mr. Jiang is here, and he has missed the distance, so please forgive me." Mr. inside, please. ”

Jiang Jie nodded, said "The big housekeeper is polite", and went to the mansion with the housekeeper of the Li Mansion.

The housekeeper of the Li Mansion has his own hall in the front yard, and some of the affairs inside and outside the mansion are not particularly important, and he will handle them. After entering the hall, the two sat down separately, exchanged two words, and then said to the chief housekeeper: "I have heard the name of Mr. Jiang for a long time, and he is the first think tank under my aunt's account. ”

"That's right, my lord has a happy event, I want to inform your son, I sent someone to come last time, but the people in the house said that your son went to Yunnan. The person who came back to Chengdu to report to the adult, the adult lost his temper at that time, and only said that even if the son was not there, he should tell the housekeeper about the matter, and the housekeeper Li was not an outsider, and telling the housekeeper was actually no different from telling the son, and the housekeeper would naturally inform the son. Therefore, my lord sent me to come again. Jiang Jie said with a smile.

"Oh? There is a happy event...... I don't know what kind of happy event it is? The chief housekeeper said happily, but without waiting for Jiang Jie to answer, he immediately said: "How can I ask about this matter as a subordinate, my son-in-law just came back yesterday, if he is not there, I will listen to it first, but now that he is here, if I listen in advance, wouldn't it be boring to be self-deprecating." Otherwise, I will send someone to report to Gongzi now, saying that Mr. Jiang is here to tell you about the great event. ”

This is Li Yuanchen's words to the chief housekeeper in advance, when he saw Jiang Jie, he first politely asked, and then asked what he meant, as long as Jiang Jie mentioned himself, the big housekeeper was about to express his position, saying that he came back yesterday, and then spread the word. In this way, anyone's face will look good.

Of course, Jiang Jie understood the truth of this, and immediately said with a smile: "It turns out that Li Gongzi is back, that is the best, please pass it on, and I will tell him the happy news in person." ”

"Good, good, good...... Mr. Jiang, please wait a moment. At that moment, Steward Li sent someone to the backyard to inform Li Yuanchen.

This was all arranged, and after a while, the next person returned to the hall and said that the son was affectionate. So, the chief housekeeper took Jiang Jie to the backyard study to see Li Yuanchen.

Outside the study, the chief butler bowed down first and said, "Son, Mr. Jiang has arrived." ”

"Ah...... Mr. Jiang's presence really made the humble house shine......" Li Yuanchen said as he walked out of the study.

Jiang Jie is Yue Su's staff, and Li Yuanchen is Yue Su's brother-in-law, and the identities of the two are put together, to put it bluntly, they are also a master and a servant. But Li Yuanchen understood that Yue Su had never regarded Jiang Jie as an ordinary staff member, and Jiang Jie came here because it was actually inconvenient to go out of Sichuan, and Jiang Jie was his plenipotentiary representative. Therefore, as soon as he got out of the study, Li Yuanchen directly took Jiang Jie's hand and said enthusiastically: "Sir, please hurry up and prepare the best Longjing tea." ”

"Jiang Jie is just a staff member in the Governor's Palace, but Gongzi is the wife and brother of the Governor, and Gongzi treats him like this, which really flatters Jie." Jiang Jie hurriedly politely followed Li Yuanchen into the study.

"What the gentleman said, who does not know, the gentleman was a genius at that time, the heart of my brother-in-law, and seeing him is like seeing my brother-in-law. Please take a seat, please sit down......"

The two sat down separately, and soon a scholar served the tea, and then Li Yuanchen sent everyone out, and then said: "Yesterday, the younger brother just returned to the house, listen to the people in the house, my brother-in-law sent someone the day before yesterday, and it was a pity to miss it twice." I don't want to do it today, Mr. Jiang is here, and the housekeeper sent someone to tell him, saying that Mr. has a happy event to inform the younger brother, I don't know what the happy event is? ”

"This is a great happy event, now that the Sichuan Liukou has been pacified, Lord Yue is appeasing the displaced people, which lacks some food, so the Lord is interested, who can donate some food to the imperial court, to solve this urgent need, he will be guaranteed a title. A little grain is nothing to the rich merchants in the world, but an earl is indeed something that no businessman in the world can be fortunate enough to get. If the Li family can get this title, do you think it will be a great joy? Jiang Jie said with a smile.

Count you! When Li Yuanchen heard this, his heart couldn't help but tighten, he originally expected that Yue Su would send Jiang Jie to negotiate with him, and then take a step back and let his father go in a beautiful way. The Li family is not short of food, silver or anything, as long as the amount is okay, everyone has something to talk about. Now I didn't expect that Yue Su would throw out an earl all of a sudden, it is impossible for a merchant to be knighted, although it is only an empty title, at that time, it was impossible for a merchant to spend no amount of money in exchange.

However, is it possible for a merchant to be knighted? The Li family never dreamed of this. Just like Jiang Jie said, in the Ming Dynasty, the scholars and industrialists were strictly hierarchical, especially in the early years, the children of merchants were not allowed to participate in the imperial examination, that is, in the middle and late periods, they were allowed to participate in the imperial examination and then become officials. The representative of this is Zhang Siwei, a son of Jin merchants. But you can take the exam as an official, and you won't think about being knighted, you must know that Lord Yue has been mixed up for so long, and he hasn't got a knighthood yet, so it is estimated that he will not be able to give a knighthood until the day he retires. This title, is it something that you can give if Lord Yue says it?

Li Yuanchen said tentatively: "Is this matter approved by my brother-in-law when he went to the imperial court?" ”

"My lord was originally going to go to the fold, but the Tartars took a detour to enter the customs, and the court is transferring troops to the king, such things, if they are folded at this time, it is really inappropriate. Therefore, my family is planning to settle down and then go to the fold. However, Gongzi can rest assured that he plays a pivotal role in the imperial court, and it is estimated that his excerpt will definitely pass. Jiang Jie said slowly.

The Tartars made a detour to enter the customs, of course the Li family knew, and the Li family had a business in Shanxi, so the news naturally came a long time ago. Yue Su's fold hasn't been put on yet, but looking at the meaning, this is to let his family send the grain over first.

Li Yuanchen is not only a splendid belly, but also a qualified businessman, he knows what investment is. Jiang Jie's words are on behalf of Yue Su, there is no doubt about this, even if it is a blank check, you Yue Su is embarrassed to rely on it, what kind of person you are, I don't know. Give you food, if you ask for this title, naturally the two will not owe each other, and they will be happy, but if you can't ask for it, it is also your Yue Su who owes our Li family a great favor, you must know that our family's food is not lent to the imperial court, but lent to you Yue Su, this point, you should also know in your heart.

"What Mr. Jiang said is that my brother-in-law's recital has been folded in Beijing, and I want to pass it by myself. In fact, our Li family doesn't particularly care about the title, but as Mr. said, the merchant is knighted, and he has not yet opened the country in the Ming Dynasty, so it may be good to feel it. It's just that my father is still in exile in Yunnan, although I don't have to worry about eating and drinking, but my father is old after all, once there is such a day, wouldn't it be a guest to die in a foreign land, which is really sad. Li Yuanchen said at the end, shook his head and sighed.

"Childe is filial, and Jie admires him very much. This is indeed the case, Master Li is old and drifting outside, which is really inappropriate. However, please rest assured that the Li family donated food, not only can they be knighted for their merits, but Master Li can also be convicted and return home. Isn't that the best of both worlds? Jiang Jie said with a smile.

Knighted for merit and returned to his hometown, this is not only the best of both worlds, but also an incomparable scenery, after all, the old man came back with an earl, which is also an incomparable glory in the circle of friends. It is too risky to rebel and become an emperor, he is not barefoot, such a big family business, he can be regarded as a soil emperor, and it is really not cost-effective to risk losing his family property and cutting off all the doors. They are not like Hun Sen, who have a deep hatred, nor are they like Wang Jiayin and Gao Yingxiang, who are hungry and can't eat, they have nothing, and they just fight. With such a family business, you can't do it. got an earl, the scenery was beautiful, and he also maintained the relationship with Yue Su, no one would dare to mess with him in the future, what a good thing. Even if you can't have this earl, Yue Su will invite the old man back and earn Yue Su's favor, wouldn't it be good.

Li Yuanchen was satisfied, nodded and said: "I don't want my brother-in-law to be so thoughtful, everyone is their own people, in fact, there are some things that don't need to be so outside." By the way, Mr. Jiang, I don't know how much grain and rice my brother-in-law needs my family to donate? ”

c。