"The Wei family is evading taxes in the name of gratitude, not to mention for the time being," Jiang Wenbin shook his head and continued: "No matter what, it's just a family. If only the Wei family evaded taxes like this, it would be easier to do. Don't fight your head with your humble position, just take him down. But a few days ago, I checked the old files of the Golden Ministry, and the old lady knew how huge the rewards of the kings of the past dynasties had accumulated from Gaozu to the current saint? The first emperor Renzong once rewarded a mine in the family of the favored concubine Gao, and now the mine is still in the hands of the Gao family, and with the name of the emperor, he never has to pay taxes and silver. ”

"The old lady thinks about it, how big a hole is such an unbridled reward accumulated from generation to generation? This is the real accumulation that is difficult to return, and it is difficult to heal. Therefore, the Holy One is so diligent in his administration today, and the treasury is still not full enough. So in the past few years, the wind and rain have been smooth for many years, and we still can't afford to fight! ”

Jiang Wenbin's voice was not loud, but these words were quite deafening, making the whole room quiet. After Mrs. Mu was silent for a moment, she slowly put the music in her hand on the small table on the side. She looked up at the door, and then ordered, "Cuiyun, go to the front yard and invite Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen." ”

Cuiyun agreed and ran away, Old Madam Mu stood up and made a gesture towards Jiang Wenbin: "Lord Jiang, it's late, it's already dinner time." If you have a big business, you can't have an empty stomach, so you can eat first, and I will ask the gentlemen to come and accompany you. ”

"Old lady, junior ......" Because she didn't expect Mrs. Mu to suddenly change the topic, Jiang Wenbin's reaction was half a beat slower. He just wanted to open his mouth to excuse himself, but saw Old Madam Mu wave his hand: "Master Jiang, I'll talk about it later." Eat first. It's all my own family, don't be pretentious, the men in the family are all in the north, I let my daughters-in-law and granddaughters stay and eat together, it's rude, don't you mind. ”

The men are not at home, and the old lady takes her daughter-in-law and granddaughter to accompany the foreign man to dinner, which is indeed unruly. Jiang Wenbin instinctively wanted to refuse. But Mrs. Mu's attitude insisted, and he had no choice but to compromise.

Participating in such a dinner, Jiang Wenbin, who has a belly of moral rules, is naturally a little awkward, but he didn't dwell on it for too long, after all, the men in the Anguo Mansion are all fighting outside, and they have always been women in charge, Jiang Wenbin often comes and goes, and he is also a little used to the atmosphere of this mansion.

Especially after the previous incident of Mu Jinyi, the eldest lady Mu Hongshang stayed in the study every day to follow the discussions, listen to orders, and go out to run errands to deliver news.

Mrs. Mu invited Hubu Shangshu to dinner, and the dishes on the banquet were actually very simple, but the specifications of this dinner were very high. The whole family almost arrived, only the young daughter-in-law Gu Yilan avoided it. Jiang Wenbin still felt a little uncomfortable, because there were three men at the table, and he also had Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen, who accompanied the guests.

And Mr. Sun and Mr. Chen seemed a little absent-minded. Before Mrs. Mu opened the banquet, she showed the gentlemen the recital brought by Jiang Wenbin, and after they saw it, they all seemed a little worried.

Before the banquet, Mrs. Mu glanced at Jiang Wenbin and raised the wine glass in her hand. Jiang Wenbin hurriedly stood up and picked up the cup beside him, but Old Madam Mu waved her hand to him: "Lord Jiang, don't hurry to raise a glass first." Before that, the old body has a sentence I want to ask you. ”

"Old lady, please." Jiang Wenbin immediately put down the wine glass, bent down respectfully, and looked like a junior listening to the training.

"Master Jiang, I want to ask," Old Madam Mu pointed to the recital on the small table on the side: "When you wrote this recital, did you think of the consequences?" ”

Jiang Wenbin didn't speak, he nodded silently, but the expression on his face became more and more resolute.

"Master Jiang, then you must have also thought about how much it will make waves in the court if this letter of yours sees the light." Old Madam Mu didn't beat around the bush, and continued to ask directly: "Do you know how many people's interests you have touched?" Let's not talk about the emperor's attitude, think about it, who will stand on your side? Will they be able to tolerate you reaching into their rice bowls? ”

"If a person is sick, he should see a doctor for treatment, and if the country is sick, he should start to rectify it from the root." Jiang Wenbin's tone replied strongly: "The juniors don't feel that they are at fault. Since that's the case, old lady, the juniors want to ask you, and the juniors will also reach into the rice bowl of your Anguo Mansion, can you tolerate it? ”

"Lord Shangshu, what are you doing?" Mr. Chen, who was on the side, quickly stood up and stretched out his hand to pull Jiang Wenbin's sleeve: "The old lady is kind enough to remind you, you don't have to overreact so much." ”

However, Mr. Chen worked hard for a long time, but he didn't pull Jiang Wenbin. He stood straight like this, looking at Mrs. Mu with burning eyes, his expression was very persistent, as if he had to ask Mrs. Mu for an answer on the spot before he would stop.

The atmosphere was a little stiff, but Old Madam Mu looked as usual, and seemed to be completely unaffected. She continued to ask: "Lord Jiang, have you ever thought that after your performance is presented to the emperor, how many people will regard you as an enemy, and they are eager to kill you quickly. ”

"I've thought about it." Jiang Wenbin replied blankly.

"Have you ever thought about your wife and children?" Old Madam Mu asked again, "Will they be implicated and threatened because of you?" ”

Jiang Wenbin was silent again, but after the silence, he still shook his head stubbornly: "I can't take care of much." Don't think so carefully, think too much, and don't do things. Old lady, you don't need to ask, the younger generation has already made up his mind. ”

"Now that you've made up your mind, there's room for negotiation." Old Madam Mu shook her head and sighed softly.

But Mu Hongshang pulled the concert over and held it in his hand, and his shining eyes stared at Jiang Wenbin for a moment: "Master Jiang, when do you plan to play?" ”

"Tomorrow." Jiang Wenbin replied: "The sooner the better." ”

"Before the performance, didn't you think about sending your family out of the capital?" Mu Hongshang asked again.

When asked by Mu Hongsheng, Jiang Wenbin was slightly stunned at first, then shook his head and smiled bitterly: "It's too late to say this now." That's it, so be it, a family, should have lived and died in one place. ”

"That's not right." Mu Hongshang shook her head with a serious face: "What the adult said is not right. It's not too late. Why can't you leave Beijing overnight? If there's a chance to protect them, why not give it a try? Besides, adults are not afraid that after the music is made public, someone will threaten the adult's family? ”

Duchess An Guo also stood up at this time: "Lord Jiang, if you don't worry, leave this matter to me to arrange." ”