pretended to be serious and deliberately hung up this person's appetite.

When He Zhongtang heard this, he didn't ask anymore, but he kept muttering in his heart, "Under the whole world, I read the chapters of various places every day, from the restless border to the small firewood, rice, and oil tea, is there anything I don't know?"

When the eldest son saw that he and Zhongtang only talked to Zi Ze and hung himself aside, he was secretly happy in his heart, he really wanted such an effect.

When they came to the main hall of the central hall, everyone sat down and sent some irrelevant people, and then they officially began to speak.

"Tell me, what are you busy with?"

Although he Zhongtang is the first assistant, he actually does not have much power, and the king today has to participate in the cardinal in big and small things, and he is really diligent and loves the people, so they don't have much room to "operate", so they are particularly concerned about these public opinions and important matters, for fear that the king will smell something he doesn't know.

"Zhongtang, don't listen to children's nonsense. Recently, I told him about a daughter-in-law. After the eldest son finished speaking, he looked at He Zhongtang with a smile, and by this time, he had completely abandoned his previous suspicions from the bottom of his heart, and planned to be a close friend with He Zhongtang.

"You kid, this is really a big deal!" and Zhongtang laughed, and everyone laughed along. After laughing with Zhongtang, he then asked, "Whose girl has such a blessing?"

"It is the beloved daughter of Mingzhe, the governor of the patrol yamen, and is scheduled to pass through the door on the nineteenth of this month. ”

"Oh, Mingzhe? Oh, you can see it, this is a nice guy. It's just nineteen, and it feels like time is a bit rushed. Do you have time to prepare? If you don't have enough manpower, take some people from my house to help. ”

"Time is a little tight, but some people are in a hurry, and there is no way. ”

After Jin Tai finished speaking, he deliberately glanced at Zize with his eyes. It caused everyone to laugh.

The third son said in business, "Lao Jintai, you old thing, what are you doing with a child? Do you want to marry a small room in the capital, and the weather will be cold immediately, and it will be so warm." ”

He was joking. caused everyone to laugh again, and scared Lao Jintai to wave his hand again and again, "Third master, spare me, just let me not say it, hahaha!"

It turned out that Jin Tai was afraid of his wife except for his name, and he didn't serve this one well, and he dared to marry another room. I don't want his old life.

Shi Wujia didn't know about this section, and when he heard that he married a concubine to Lao Jintai, he was also interested, "I said Lao Wang, a person's life is not good, it is not a warm foot, it is the usual sewing and mending, washing and cooking, and there are a lot of these things." ”

"Gotta gotta stop! I didn't say anything. "Say it. Lao Jintai ran away with a smoke, and everyone was happy again.

Teased old Kim Tae. It's time to talk about the big thing.

This matter is also simple, the wedding rules of the common people are set, at most a little more fancy, but you must also treat me well, even if you are a rich businessman, otherwise it is easy to trespass. So there's nothing to say about this.

However, since he and Zhongtang have this relationship, the eldest son is embarrassed to refuse, and he did not say the specific number of people needed, so he asked the five housekeepers to arrange it on his behalf.

Shi Wujia heard this. hurriedly said that this will be arranged, because he knows that after the two families recognize their relatives, the relationship between the two sides is no longer a simple political and business relationship and a friend relationship, which is something that his little housekeeper can participate in.

When the eldest son saw that after talking about the child, the scene was a little cold, so he was about to say goodbye, but he was stopped by He Zhongtang, "What's the hurry, it's rare for our brothers to get together to talk, don't be in a hurry to leave, at least wait until you have lunch before leaving." ”

When the Shi Wujia heard this, they knew that they still had important things to discuss, so they hurried out to discuss the matter of lunch, and called the others out by the way.

When there were only two people left in the room, He Zhongtang and the eldest son, the scene was indeed deserted again, and both sides didn't know where to start, because they only saw too many things to communicate.

After all, Hezhongtang is Lord Shoufu, and he controls the scene well, and he takes the lead in breaking the deadlock, "Xiyan, I heard that your family's production has been reduced recently, I wonder if it has affected the business and the family's livelihood?"

The eldest son knew that business was coming, so he cleared his throat and said, "It's not a secret, since the production was reduced, the impact is still very big."

However, after all, scarcity is expensive, production reduction and price increase occur at the same time, and it is not a bad thing that there are fewer things and can be sold at a good price. ”

He took a sip of tea, and then said, "After so many years of development, coupled with the care of you and Zhongtang, the family's life and business are actually not worried, and it has no impact on whether to reduce production or not." ”

Seeing that the eldest son didn't understand what he said, He Zhongtang simply said, "Your livelihood and business will not be affected, but the taxes paid to the court seem to have been greatly reduced." I've heard some talk up and down about it. ”

The eldest son smiled slightly in his heart, in fact, he could understand this meaning, but he deliberately left and right, and didn't want to say it, when he heard that He Zhongtang had already said it, he couldn't avoid it, and said seriously, "Zhongtang doesn't know something, there is a brother's bitterness here." ”

He said that the number of people in the family has increased in recent years, and he also talked about the things that have been paved in various places, in a word, the investment is very large, but the business volume has dropped sharply, although the price has gone up, but it has only made up for a part of the gap in income, but there is really no place to make up for the investment in this area, and then he said, " I'm here today, first, to catch up with the old days, let's talk well, see when you have time, let's find a quiet place to have a few glasses of wine, don't be overwhelmed by these worlds; second, for my own marriage, I want to come over to ask for an idea, to see if there are any other arrangements here in the middle hall; third, that's it. ”

When he said this, he deliberately stopped and did not say anything.

Seeing that He Zhongtang didn't speak, he continued, "Third, I just want to apply for some subsidies from the imperial court for this matter, after all, our Xiyan family has also done a lot for the imperial court over the years, and now we are in difficulty, I hope the imperial court will help us tide over the difficulties." "Actually, there is something wrong with him, these things are all improvised, this is what he said.

Also, he just said that his family's livelihood will not be affected, but this will require subsidies from the imperial court, which is purely inconsistent. I was confused by the middle hall.

The eldest son saw that he hadn't made this matter clear just now, so he continued to explain, "I'm sorry, I didn't make it clear just now."

The people of our Xiyan family are now divided into two parts, one is those in the hometown. One is the guys in the business fields of various places, and the people in both places need to eat.

Business is not good, the family does not affect the food, why, mainly in the township, you can grow what you eat, you can spin what you wear, you can make your own use, basically no money. All you need is your own hands. ”

He paused deliberately before he added, "But these fellows in the city, in the bazaar, and in the docks are different from the brothers, and all of them need money, even if they take a sip of water, they can't do without money."

I've been worrying about their livelihoods lately. If there is no food and clothing, these people will be scattered into society. It should not affect social order, and it is also a great burden for the imperial court. ”

After speaking. He picked up the tea bowl and ate it violently, not caring what He Zhongtang thought.

When He Zhongtang heard this, he finally understood, and he didn't expect to go around in a circle and spare himself.

He narrowed his eyes and looked closely at his eldest son, who was leisurely eating tea. Knowing that he was knocked on a bigger bamboo pole by this guy today, he couldn't say anything, so he had to carry it hard, and he couldn't help laughing in his heart, "Xiyan." I said if you have any difficulties, and you said that your family's livelihood will not be affected. I'm going to collect your taxes, and you've got a whole bunch of reasons to do it.

Okay, okay, I didn't say it. When the eldest son said this, he could only pretend to go down, looking very anxious, "Zhongtang, no." If the court doesn't give me a way out, I'm afraid that many people will starve to death. ”

Seeing that the eldest son was serious, he couldn't help but feel a little strange, could it be that he had misjudged? Impossible, with his own years of reading countless people, which sentence is true and which sentence is false, he can hear it as soon as he hears it, but in the face of the person in front of him who has married him, he can't understand it.

The eldest son saw that he was a little confused, knowing that it was a good thing for the old trunk, not only erasing some of his undeserved amnesia, but also reducing his intelligence and judgment, thinking about how majestic he was in the middle hall that shocked the inside and outside and leaned forward to the government and the opposition, but now he was coaxed by a few lies from himself and didn't know whether it was true or false, and he felt a little sad when he thought about it, but this is a helpless thing, if he doesn't deal with it like this, then the two will fight, and it will definitely set off a bloody storm inside and outside the government and the opposition, and the people will suffer in the end.

Thinking of this, the eldest son also couldn't bear it, knowing that the current imperial court has a lot of money, and many places need to spend money, if it comes out here, it will definitely need to enter from other places, and it is still the people's money, so he said, "Forget it, Zhongtang, I also know the difficulties of the imperial court, and when we meet, I will ask you for money for dinner, so I won't make trouble for you."

The affairs and difficulties of our Xiyan family, we will find a way to solve them by ourselves. He Zhongtang was relieved when he said that he didn't want money, and of course he was very happy, "Seriously, I'm really afraid that people will ask for money." I don't know what's going on lately, but I've been asking for money everywhere, as if everyone has started to run out of food overnight. ”

The eldest son saw that the joke was a bit too much, and he felt uncomfortable, "Zhongtang, I have an idea, I don't know whether to talk about it or not." ”

He Zhongtang knew that he wanted to give himself some ideas, and hurriedly said, "You and my brother, what should be said or not, hurry up." ”

"The imperial court is using it a lot now, and I have a way to increase some tax revenue for the imperial court. ”

"Oh, you're in a hurry, just say it. ”

The eldest son couldn't help but laugh, "You are the first assistant Zhongtang, why are you so anxious." ”

"You said I wouldn't be in a hurry, I opened my eyes and closed my eyes, I asked for money. I don't make money. ”

"That's the case, my business model of the Xiyan family, whether it can be promoted throughout the country, the governors and governors in all parts of the country will follow this model, I can't keep it for a year, not only do the income and expenditure of all places not worry, but also have a certain surplus handed over to the imperial court. When the time comes, you, Lord Shoufu, won't have to worry about these chai, rice, and oil tea. ”

"Hey, that's interesting. I've been wondering how your family's business can be so big for the past few years, but I can't find the trick. When you say that, I can understand that you want to control the economic lifeline of the whole country. ”

"No, no. I do mine, others do someone else's. Everyone's rules are the same, fair competition. ”

"It's kind of interesting. Let's talk about what the fair competition law is. ”

"There are three ways. First, the government encourages business, at the land and water docks. Set up a unified free commodity trading market to facilitate and benefit the people. Second, within half a year, taxes will be reduced, and all the necessary expenditures in various localities will be allocated by the imperial court. If it is not enough, it will be raised by the Xiyan family, and it will be lent to the imperial court at the annual interest rate of one cent, and it will be repaid at the end of the year. Third, all localities should rectify public order and ensure the safety of businessmen. Fourth,......"

He was about to go on when he was interrupted by Leng Bu and Zhongtang. "It's not three o'clock, I think that's enough. ”

"No, those three points are for the governors of various places, and the last point is for the imperial court. ”

"Oh! What is it?"

"I beg the king to appoint me an official position. ”

"Appointed officer?"

"Hmm. ”

"Impossible!"

"As long as the king really wants to solve the difficulties and revitalize the dynasty, it is possible. "Since ancient times, there has been no one who has entered the business. ”

"Zhongtang, you heard me wrong. I don't want a real official position, but a name. In this way, I can rely on it. ”

"That's right, then I'll think about it. ”

Speaking of which, the content of today's conversation has far exceeded the eldest son's psychological expectations, and is even completely unexpected. He suddenly felt hungry and panicked, and then looked at the courtyard outside, where the sun was shining, and it seemed that it was already past noon, probably because the Shi Wujia saw them talking happily. I'm too embarrassed to bother.

Because the conversation had already been made just now, there was no longer talk at the dinner table, and everyone just found some small things and jokes to talk casually, so as to mix up the meal.

"Lao He, what kind of fame are you doing! There are delicious and good dishes, and you don't call me?" Everyone was pushing the cup and changing the lamp, and Li Bingzhang of the middle hall strode in from outside the door.

The housekeeper Shi Wujia stood beside him and stretched out his hand helplessly, meaning that he didn't stop this giggling Zhongtang adult, it stands to reason that Li Zhongtang is here, as a colleague or even a subordinate, he should have been notified in advance.

When He Zhongtang saw that this living treasure was coming, he knew that this meal would not be so peaceful, it must be very lively, and he hurriedly greeted Tian Cai.

"Bingzhang is here, why don't you give me a word in advance, I'm ready to prepare.

Come on, come on, sit down, don't be weird. He Zhongtang said with a smile.

After Bingzhang sat down, he was not polite, grabbed a pair of chopsticks, and ate it in a big gulp, while eating, he muttered, "It's delicious, it's delicious, I haven't eaten such a delicious food for several years." ”

"Come on. I haven't eaten it for several years, and I say that I look like a flower child, and I don't know about you? I heard that your son quit his job to start a business and made a fortune. Can't afford to feed you a meal of wine and food?" Although He Zhongtang is in the center, he is clear about the things inside and outside the court, but he doesn't know that Bingzhang's son is working for his eldest son.

"Hey, business is not good. "Oh?"

"Recently, the imperial court's finances have been tightened, and the taxes have been tightened a little, and our son is not a money-making material, he used to be able to eat a full meal, but now he can't, and the family can't open the pot for several months. ”

"Don't talk nonsense, as an important minister of the court, pay attention to decency. "I heard that Bingzhang's family has not been able to open the pot for several months, and He Zhongtang was not only surprised, but also felt that it was not true, so he took out the posture of the first assistant minister to teach him a lesson.

Bingzhang didn't say anything, just put down the chopsticks, lifted the official robe, revealing the patched underwear, and stretched out the shoes that exposed the toes from under the official robe, his eyes were red, and the tears fell down silently.

"Why is it so difficult? Why didn't you say it earlier?

As the first assistant, my colleagues are in such a difficult situation, it is my dereliction of duty. He Zhongtang was also very emotional when he saw this.

Then, Bingzhang told He Zhongtang about the recent tax collection by the official family, saying that after a month, the taxes handed over by his son's shop to the official family were not enough, and he had to use his old book to put it in.

In addition, there is no other way to live at home, and life at home is difficult.

After that, he bowed his head and sighed again.

Hearing this, He Zhongtang suddenly had a bad premonition, did the eldest son team up with Bingzhang to deceive him?

It seems impossible, he understands Bingzhang's personality, with his temperament, even if he starves to death, he will not complain to the court, let alone think about what his colleagues say, so he has shoes that leak out of his toes.

So why do these two people say the same thing?

And Nakado was puzzled.

It's no wonder he couldn't figure it out, he couldn't even think of it beforehand, as for Bingzhang's arrival, he didn't know it, he originally planned to go out from here and visit his mansion in a few days, but he didn't expect to meet at the banquet in this mansion.

Jin Tai and the third son, who had already seen this, laughed secretly in their hearts, it turned out that they had done the game in advance.

Because of the heavy taxation, they had talked about it many times in the house and in front of the eldest son, but the eldest son didn't take it seriously, and today he said it by chance in small talk, but it was not accidental, because these concepts had penetrated into his brain.

And Bingzhang here, he has already joined forces with his third son, preparing to write to the current king, loosen the ban on commerce, make all walks of life prosperous, and be found by the people to do something, and at the same time increase tax revenue for the imperial court and solve various current problems.

For the imperial court, fighting a war is to fight money, and for the country, officials are in charge of money.

Although he prides himself on being peaceful, it does not mean that everyone and every official in the world needs to be like this, they also want to live, they also want to live a better life, and they also want their families not to be trapped and hungry, in other words, the family members of officials are also the people of the imperial court, and they also have a beautiful yearning for life and a natural pursuit of happiness.

After several exchanges, he was completely conquered by the third son's set of theories, and thought of taking an opportunity to persuade the first assistant minister and Zhongtang first. And today, the eldest son came to the Hefu to discuss things, and he also listened to what the doorman said when he was working in the court.

He took advantage of this excuse to recklessly take care of himself.

That's why there is such a show.

His appearance not only made Zhongtang confused, but also made the eldest son confused, and he didn't know how to justify.

However, having said that, He Zhongtang seems to have been moved by a few people, and it is a bit of a joint performance with Bingzhang.

Everyone stopped talking about this topic and went straight to eating food and drinking.

When the wine was half-drunk, He Zhongtang made a proposal, "Bingzhang, I heard that you have never eaten wine at home for so many years?"

"I can't afford to eat alcohol at home. You see that when my son got married, he still caused your old man to eat on the street, which is really ashamed. ”

Bingzhang deliberately talked about this past, but muttered in his heart, I don't know why He Zhongtang suddenly talked about it.

"It's good if you don't eat wine! Hahahaha! We have a good mouth today, let's go to Bingzhang's house to eat a hundred years of good wine. ”

He Zhongtang laughed loudly, laughing so much that everyone was inexplicable, so they had to stand up and play outside.

As they walked, they said, "Nakado, what do you mean by that?" What are we going to Bingzhang's house for? Eat wine? Where did he get the good wine of a hundred years?"

"Hey, don't you know, when his son got married, I gave him a jar of century-old wine, and I was afraid that I would be ruined by ordinary people, so I let the housekeeper quietly bury the wine directly in your backyard. Come to think of it, it's been a few years since the mail. ”

"Ah, that's it, why didn't you say it earlier. "Earlier, you could have had today's good wine?" and Zhongtang said as he glanced directly at the housekeeper Shi Wujia.

Shi Wujia understood, quietly slipped out of the team, and instructed the person carrying the sedan chair to deliberately stumble, so that the sedan chair could not sit, and the old men had to go on foot.

After Shi Wujia slipped out, he quickly selected a jar of decades-old wine from his own wine cellar, brought a small shovel, rode to Li's house, climbed over the wall from the backyard, threw away some dry leaves, shoveled up a piece of moss with a shovel obliquely, put the wine jar in, and then gently restored the ground to its original state.

Just when he was busy, he heard the sound of opening the gate in front of the courtyard, Shi Wujia hurriedly made a golden bucket, climbed out of the courtyard wall, and trotted again, and finally waited for the last team to enter the courtyard, and followed into the courtyard.

After entering the courtyard, He Zhongtang was worried that the Shi Wu family was not ready, so he deliberately did not talk about the wine, and ordered the others to hurry up to the nearby Xianyun Building to carry a table of noodles.

The table was set up, and after washing their faces and wiping their hands again, and sitting down, everyone sat down and chatted slowly. (To be continued.) )